Chris Gelken Reporter's Notebook

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Hands of Action Children's Art Project -New Pictures
2012-01-05 16:49:00
Uganda through the eyes of a child All new pictures from the Hands of Action Children's Art Project A charming insight into the daily life of a child in rural UgandaIt's good to know stories of long agoClean before you eat! Learning how to digTradingFarmIt's always good to give presents to our loved onesAlways pet your animalsSweet bananasBoys should help girls in some workAlways revise in your free timeWe have raised enough funds to frame and display about 40 prints of these awesome pictures, and are now actively looking for a location where we can hang them and hold an auction. All proceeds will be sent to the four schools and orphanages in Eastern Uganda that participated in this project to support their sustainable agriculture programmes, education, food and clothing for the children. You can find more of the pictures here, and here! We've asked this before: Can children become the artists of their own destiny? We truly believe they can. They worked on these paintings - and w...
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Hands of Action Children's Art Project - Updates
2011-12-29 06:28:00
Uganda Through The Eyes Of A Child These charming drawings offer a unique insight into daily life in rural Uganda. They were drawn by youngsters from four schools and orphanages in the district of Bududa. The name and age of the young artist can be found in the box in the corner of the painting, just click on the image to get a larger view.We have quite literally hundreds of pictures to go through before deciding on which ones we will use for a physical exhibition.As we scan them, and prepare them for the online gallery, we'll keep posting little "teasers" here for you to enjoy.The volunteers in Uganda, and of course the hundreds of children from schools and orphanages involved, put a lot of effort into these gems. These are their dreams.These youngsters have the same dreams and aspirations as any child you know. They want to be doctors, pilots, nurses, engineers, teachers, firemen, policemen, farmers. All of them seem to want to become someone who contributes to society, to their ...
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Trafficking in Persons in Hong Kong - so what went wrong?
2011-12-27 19:23:00
Reproduced here are segments of the reports released from 2007 to 2011 by the U.S. Department of State on the Trafficking in Persons. In 2007 and 2008 Hong Kong was described as "complying with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Since 2009, it has not. Why not? And what are the minimum standards? Given the seriousness of the crime, shouldn't we be judging countries on whether they fully comply with the maximum standards for the elimination of trafficking? 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report - Hong KongThe Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China is a destination and transit territory for men and women from mainland China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, Cambodia, and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, subjected to forced prostitution and possibly forced labor. Women from Hong Kong have also been subjected to forced prostitution in Canada. Some migrants are lured to Hong Kong by criminal syndicates or ac...
More About: Wrong

Responsible pet ownership
2011-12-24 05:48:00
Chris Gelken Reporter's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com

Ridealist Video - Media Solutions for Grassroots Nonprofits
2011-12-23 03:33:00
Are you involved in a grassroots nonprofit or community group? Do you know of one that could possibly use a little boost? Ridealist is a legally registered society in Hong Kong (non-profit) operated by husband and wife team, Chris & Shirley Han Ying Gelken. Our basic criteria in choosing which organisations to work with is simple. If you can afford to pay us, then we are not the team you need. If you have a budget for media production, we suggest you contact one of the many production houses that have a social enterprise element built into their business model. Make this message, your message - just get it clear in your mind what you want to say, and we roll the camera! In the event you personally do not feel comfortable on camera, and cannot think of anyone to nominate to deliver your message, we can probably help with that too!We look forward to hearing from you!Chris Gelken Reporter's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com
More About: Video , Media , Grassroots , Solutions

Bullying, child abuse, trafficking in Hong Kong
2011-12-21 06:27:00
Bullying in schools, child abuse, domestic violence, and people trafficking. These are not the easiest subjects to research in Hong Kong . I might be going out on a bit of a limb here, but there does seem to be a little reluctance on the part of some to fully acknowledge the seriousness of these issues. After making half a dozen phone calls and leaving my email address, I am still waiting to receive up-to-date, contemporary figures relating to the issue of bullying in schools here. Maybe I am just being impatient. Various organisations were pretty vague. While admitting that yes, of course, there is bullying, it was not considered to be as endemic here as it is perhaps in schools in North America or Europe. A number of my colleagues who have school-age children said pretty much the same thing. I also learned there is not - at least to the best of anyone's knowledge - a service such as provided by SHOUTwithCAABS here in the SAR.One group that does seem to be taking bullying very seri...
More About: Abuse , Bullying , Child , Child Abuse

Ridealist Video - Solutions for Hong Kong-based Grassroots Nonprofits
2011-12-15 18:17:00
Are you involved in a grassroots nonprofit organisation or community group? Do you know of one? Could they benefit from having a video on their website, describing who they are? What services they provide, and how they are contributing to their local community?A video or selection of still images will help the selected nonprofits connect with their audience, engage their imagination, and convey a balanced message of information and emotional connection. They can use the video to spread their message on social networks such as YouTube, GoodnessTV, Facebook, Twitter etc. Use the power of social networks! So please take this opportunity to nominate your group to receive a free promotional/profile video. Ridealist is a legally registered society in Hong Kong (non-profit) operated by husband and wife team, Chris & Shirley Han Ying Gelken. In our spare time we produce broadcast quality videos for groups and individuals who are working to make this world a better place for all of us to li...
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Row over call to boycott "Paedophile Playground"
2011-12-14 15:51:00
I follow at least 30 individuals and nonprofits on Twitter that are focused on human trafficking, especially the trafficking of children and youngsters under 18-years of age.It's a subject I have covered for decades as a journalist and more recently through my work with Ridealist. Despite the best efforts of many dedicated individuals and groups to raise awareness and petition governments to crack down on the problem, I learned today it is a business currently worth about US$34 billion (yes, billion) every year. And unlike drugs or arms smuggling, the penalties for those convicted can actually be considered quite lenient in comparison.I wrote the following article in February 1997, and it caused quite a stir at the time as I remember. I wonder how far we have progressed since then?Row over call to boycott "Paedophile Playground" (original link)By Chris Gelken / Gemini News Bangkok--Tactics vary on how best to end child prostitution in Thailand, but one US campaigner's policy - a ...
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Child abuse and bullying In Hong Kong schools
2011-12-13 13:49:00
We recently connected with a U.K.-based group called @SHOUTwithCAABS on twitter, an advanced and net-savvy organisation dedicated to ending bullying in schools and providing a service to abused children.CAABS - the Child Abuse - Anti Bullying System is - is a unique system that allows victims to report incidents of abuse or bullying with just three clicks of a computer mouse.From their website:CAABS Report is a very easy to use visualised 'Early Identification and Reporting System'. Designed for school computers, CAABS allows children from as young as 5 years old to be able to report child safety issues without any of the traditional barriers thatare currently associated with preventing many children from reporting.It got us wondering what the situation was like here in Hong Kong , and indeed if any systems like CAABS existed here. Our first enquiries among parents and some children's welfare groups have indicated that no, nothing like this is available in Hong Kong. But the respo...
More About: Schools

Uganda through a child's eyes
2011-12-07 21:08:00
These are the first paintings we managed to get scanned, but were impatient to share with you! Aren't they just amazing? The name and age of the young artist can be found in the box in the corner of the painting, just click on the image to get a larger view.Raise Money Onlinevar rand=Math.random (); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='http://funds.gofundme.com/index.php? route=widgets&d=4672&s=1&url=/9vmzw&t=7&v ="+rand+"' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")) ;We have quite literally hundreds of pictures to go through before deciding on which ones we will use for a physical exhibition. As we scan them, and prepare them for the online gallery, we'll keep posting little "teasers" here for you to enjoy. The volunteers in Uganda , and of course the hundreds of children from schools and orphanages involved, put a lot of effort into these gems. These are their dreams. We've asked this before: Can children become the artists of their own destiny? We truly believe they can. They...
More About: Eyes

PT.2 Why #together (#TOGETHER) should be our most used hashtag
2011-12-03 12:18:00
It really doesn't matter how I phrase this, I am still going to come across sounding like the Grinch who tried to steal Christmas. And possibly upset some people. Sorry. Or not. If working with the grassroots non-profit sector has taught me one thing, it is that fundraising, at best, is a profoundly difficult and often frustrating process.In fact, I was reading an article earlier today that some 2,000 people had been laid-off from small community-based non-profits in Britain in the past year alone. The source for the figure was a little vague, but given other anecdotal evidence regarding the state of the economy, it was quite believable. A lot of these folks had good hearts, but no real head for business. And to be frank, that is what the non-profit / aid sector is. A business. The corporatisation of good deeds. If you've been reading my recent tweets, you'll have noticed I have been pushing for more collaboration between the small grassroots non-profits. Sharing expertise, talen...

Why #together should be our most used hashtag
2011-12-01 16:02:00
Ridealist has gone though a period of intense activity recently, and the pace of work doesn't seem to be letting up any time soon!Don't get us wrong, we're absolutely delighted. It only reinforces our belief that there's a need to be filled, and Ridealist is more than willing to step up and fill that need.But one thing we've learned, is that we can't do it alone. Without the hard work from our volunteers, the input from our supporters, and the encouragement of friends, we'd be lost. Really. No one individual, or even individual group, can do everything. Collaboration, cooperation, sharing. These should be our action words. And #together, should be our common hashtag.To bring you up to date. We are working through the paintings from the Hands of Action Children's Art project, here's another couple of examples (there are more in the previous blog post): It may be a while before the actual online gallery gets loaded, there are hundreds of paintings to go through. But we are ge...

Hands of Action Children's Art Project - Preview
2011-11-28 19:17:00
We've just received the pictures from Uganda, but couldn't wait to share a quick preview with you. More paintings will be added in the coming days! Artist: Enayaly John Pius Lunganga Primary School 14-years old Artist: Enayalu John Pius Lunganga Primary School 14-years old Artist: Enayalu John Pius Lunganga Primary School 14-years old Artist: Wamono HenryLunganga Primary School13-years oldChris Gelken Reporter's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com
More About: Action , Preview , Project , Hands

Peace International Foundation / Harmony House
2011-11-26 18:31:00
One of the major projects we've been working over the past several months has been a 20 minute feature about the Peace International Hong Kong - Hong Kong Peace Festival 2011, Music and the Planet.Packed full of amazing music and performances by local artistes, intermingled with quotes from some of the most widely respected figures in the field of sustainability and the environment.We were honoured and delighted when PIF invited Shirley and I to become their official video producers for the 2012.It means a year of diverse video projects culminating with the next Hong Kong Peace Festival in September, 2012.This past week was also important for Shirley and I. Our work to raise awareness about domestic violence and child abuse was rewarded with a Certificate of Appreciation by local non-profit, Harmony House .Let's be clear, it is not about awards or recognition, it is about the impact you can make on society, on your community. But from time to time, when work is piling up and someti...
More About: Foundation

Hong Kong Unison 2011 Hikathon
2011-11-21 18:37:00
(For higher quality select 1080p on YouTube) Ridealist was delighted to be invited to participate as videographers for the 2011 Hong Kong Unison Hikathon - an event designed to bring people from all backgrounds and ethnicities together for a fantastic day out of hiking in some of Hong Kong's most magnificent countryside.More than 700 people participated in the event, choosing the short or, the for the ambitious, the long course, depending on their experience and ability. Out of every twenty residents of Hong Kong, there is one ethnic minority living here. Surveys show over 40% of them are suffering from unemployment or unstable job security due to the language barrier and a lack of resources in access to quality Chinese language education.In order to promote racial equality in the territory, Hong Kong Unison, a public charitable institution, organizes an annual hiking event named "Hikathon" to fight for equal education opportunities and quality Chinese education for all Hong Kong r...

The Hands of Action Art Project Donation Page
2011-11-10 17:49:00
Uganda through the eyes of a childThe Hands of Action volunteer team in Uganda have done a magnificent job of organising, distributing, coaching, collecting and collating 600 pieces of artwork created by the children from four primary schools and orphanages in the Bududa district of Eastern Uganda.They've now completed the process of selecting the the best 400 of those pictures and they ready for shipment to Ridealist in Hong Kong. Frankly, if it was possible, I would like to get all 600.Some paintings have been described by the volunteers as just simply "awesome" - but aren't all creations from the imagination of a child "awesome" in one way or another?They were painted by children from all age groups and backgrounds.Many were orphans, in full time care. Others live with their family, but their situation is dire.Life is a day to day struggle, but you don't see it in their faces.What you do see is intelligence, ambition, pride.They are not looking for a hand-out. They understand ...
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Uganda through a child's eyes
2011-11-10 04:37:00
Uganda through a child's eyesThe Hands of Action Art Project - Uganda through a child's eyes - is now moving to the next phase. The volunteers in Uganda have parceled up 400 paintings ready for shipment to Hong Kong. Six hundred children from four schools and orphanages in the Bududa district of Eastern Uganda submitted drawings and paintings, and the volunteers say it was a tough job selecting the 400 to be considered for inclusion in an online gallery and auction. In their words, the standard of the work is "awesome". Now the Hong Kong team need to scan the prints, and select about 50 for framing so they can be exhibited at a physical location for auction. We estimate costs to be around US$500 to complete this part of the project.All proceeds from the sale of prints will be returned to the participating schools and orphanages to fund their programmes. If you would like to contribute, please click on the button below. On behalf of the children, thank you for your support! Chris G...
More About: Eyes , Uganda

Joshua - by Leigh Thorsen
2011-11-08 06:19:00
What does it cost to save a child's life? In this case, $3,500.That's what's needed for heart surgery for four year old Joshua Khaukha of Uganda.Joshua's dad, Moses, is Executive Director of Hands of Action Uganda, an NGO that works with farmers and orphans in eastern Uganda. Moses has dedicated his life to providing education, training and material support to a community that barely gets by on $1 a day.Now it is Moses and his family who need help. Joshua has had a heart defect from birth, and urgently needs an operation called a PDA ligation. In the meantime, he is getting weaker by the day.HOA supporters have launched an online appeal to get Joshua the medical attention he needs - fast!Please click on the link below 'Joshua of Uganda Heart Surgery' to make a donation, no matter how small. We've already raised $600 this way.http://www.gofundme.com/9tlfgPlease tell your friends about Joshua. It's easy to donate online, and we will account for every dollar spent.Your help is ...

Hands of Action Art Project - Action Plan
2011-11-06 18:37:00
Uganda through the eyes of a childThe volunteer team in Uganda have done a magnificent job of organising, distributing, coaching, collecting and collating 600 pieces of artwork created by the children from four primary schools and orphanages in the Bududa district of Eastern Uganda. They are now in the process of selecting the the best 400 of those pictures. Frankly, if it was possible, I would like to get all 600. Some paintings have been described by the volunteers as just simply "awesome" - but aren't all creations from the imagination of a child "awesome" in one way or another?They were painted by children from all age groups and backgrounds. Many were orphans, in full time care. Others live with their family, but their situation is dire. Life is a day to day struggle, but you don't see it in their faces.What you do see is intelligence, ambition, pride.They are not looking for a hand-out. They understand that they need some help, but their underlying determination to be indepe...
More About: Action , Project , Hands

Ronald wants to be a medical doctor
2011-11-06 16:05:00
Uganda through the eyes of a childRonald is a 16-year child from the Lunganga Primary School in the Bududa district of Eastern Uganda. His teachers describe him as a smart young man who particularly enjoys Mathematics and science subjects. His ambition is to one day become a medical doctor, and work to help improve the health system in his immediate area. Ronald is participating in the Hands of Action Art project in the hope that someone will like his drawing enough to buy it, and allow him to buy some of the school books and materials he needs to continue his studies. Like most of the students in Ronald's class, he isn't looking for a hand-out. He isn't begging. But he does realise that sometimes we have to ask for help. Asking for help, is not a sign of weakness, in fact, it is a sign of strength. Some 400 artworks are currently being prepared for shipment to Hong Kong where we will scan them and prepare them for display in an online auction.We'd also like to display them phys...
More About: Medical

Henry wants to be a pilot
2011-11-04 03:55:00
Uganda through a child's eyes Thirteen-year-old Henry Wamono is an orphan from the Lunganga Primary School in the Bududa district of Eastern Uganda. He enjoys drawing and loves mathematics. His ambition is to become a pilot. But his dreams to fly may be grounded because of a lack of scholastic materials, school fees etc. Seen here working on his contribution to the Hands of Action Art Project, Henry hopes that you like his drawing and will consider buying it for your home or office. The proceeds will help Henry and his friends take wings and fly.Some 600 children from four schools and orphanages in the Bududa district are participating in the project. The pictures are now being sorted and prepared for transport to Hong Kong where we will scan them and work on building an online gallery and auction site.We'd also like to hold a physical display of the best pictures in a gallery or other suitable venue, and possibly even send it on the road so people can see the dreams and the reali...

A picture is worth a thousand words
2011-11-03 03:48:00
Uganda through the eyes of a childA picture is worth a thousand words, and primary school teacher Muwando Peter says a good picture is one that can convey a message. He says it can attract the viewer through the creative use of perspective, light and colour; even if they are not familiar with the subject matter. The paintbrushes are back in their pots and the winning pictures are ready for passage to Hong Kong. The first stage of the Hands of Action children?s art project is complete.Last week more than 600 children from the Bududa district in eastern Uganda composed pictures of life in their country for the project, an initiative of the Hong Kong-based Ridealist in cooperation with Hands of Action Uganda.The best pictures will be sent to Hong Kong for one or more exhibitions and later sold internationally in an online auction. The money raised will go back to Hands of Action Uganda to promote the programmes of the participating schools and orphanages.The project was made possible b...
More About: Picture , Words , Worth , Thousand

Meet Nina - Volunteer Teacher Uganda
2011-11-02 03:25:00
Seeing Uganda through a child's eyesVolunteer teacher Nina likes to draw cartoons as an education tool in her classes. "It attracts the students, and they often try to copy what I have drawn, and frequently actually do a better job of it!" she says. The impact, Nina told us, is that it helps to develop the creative and observational skills of the student which can certainly benefit the child's future. The paintbrushes are back in their pots and the winning pictures are ready for passage to Hong Kong. The first stage of the Hands of Action children?s art project is complete.Last week more than 600 children from the Bududa district in eastern Uganda composed pictures of life in their country for the project, an initiative of the Hong Kong-based Ridealist in cooperation with Hands of Action Uganda.The best pictures will be sent to Hong Kong for one or more exhibitions and later sold internationally in an online auction. The money raised will go back to Hands of Action Uganda to promo...
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Meet Namahumba - Hands of Action Art Project
2011-11-01 05:06:00
Seeing Uganda through a child's eyes Teacher Namahumba Deogratious of the Bukari Primary School collects the paintings from young students participating in the Hands of Action Art Project . He says joining the project has been a great pleasure, especially since it will give the children an opportunity to offer a picture of their daily life to the wider world. He added that the children feel quite proud of their efforts to create a better understanding and relationship between Uganda and people overseas.The paintbrushes are back in their pots and the winning pictures are ready for passage to Hong Kong. The first stage of the Hands of Action children?s art project is complete. Last week more than 600 children from the Bududa district in eastern Uganda composed pictures of life in their country for the project, an initiative of the Hong Kong-based Ridealist in cooperation with Hands of Action Uganda. The best pictures will be sent to Hong Kong for one or more exhibitions and later s...
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600 Children Participate in Hands of Action Art Project
2011-10-24 09:16:00
Every child is an artist - Pablo PicassoThe Hands of Action Uganda Art Project moved into high gear last week, signing up more than 600 children from four participating schools and orphanages in the Bududa district of eastern Uganda. They include Hands of Action Uganda, Lunganga Primary School, Bukari Primary School and African Children in Need. The young artists have until October 28th to compose their masterpieces representing scenes from everyday life in rural Uganda. Our local director for the project, Mukhobeh Moses Khaukha, along with a special panel of judges, then face the awesome task of selecting the best 40 or 50 pieces for inclusion in an online art gallery and auction site.Hands of Action volunteers will then carefully package the paintings for shipment to Ridealist in Hong Kong where they will be scanned and put online, and hopefully, displayed in a physical location. Moses described the sense of excitement that is gripping the youngsters. "The children are happy that ...

Iraq - End of the American Dream?
2008-06-10 19:45:00
Watch out for the next edition of Middle East Today where we ask the the question: If we look at what the Western mainstream media thought was going to happen before Nouri Al-Maliki's visit to Iran, and what actually did happen - let?s get the first and obvious question out of the way before we go into details. Is Maliki setting himself up for a serious confrontation with the United States? Let's face it, Washington can?t be happy, especially with the defense cooperation agreement for example?Full story and links will be posted on Thursday, so please come back! Chris Gelken Reporter's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com
More About: Iraq , The American Dream , American , Dream , American Dream

Foreign intervention in Middle East
2008-06-10 19:21:00
PressTV's Middle East Today takes a look at the effects of foreign mediation in Middle East disputes. Is it time for the West to bow out, and let the region sort out its own problems?Iraq?s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is on his third official visit to Tehran since taking office ? and his second this year. High on the agenda in his meetings with foreign ministry officials, the president and leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyid Ali Khamanei, are the plans by Washington to forge a long term strategic relationship with Iraq ? a status of forces agreement ? or SOFA. Critics of the deal say it would reduce Iraq to the level of a vassal state of the US, and a base for US military adventures in the region. Maliki has assured his neighbor that Iraq will not become a base for threats against Tehran. But even if a watered down version of the SOFA security pact goes through ? and all indications are that it will - these are promises that Maliki is hardly in a po...
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Shock and awe at AIPAC
2008-06-08 15:24:00
PressTV's Middle East Today brings together a diverse range of guests to discuss the most pressing issues facing the region in particular, and the world as a whole.In this edition we are taking another look at the relationship between the United States and Israel ? one that comes in the light of the latest visit to Washington by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and an unexpectedly robust expression of support for Israel by presidential candidate, Barak Obama. Throughout his primary election campaign, Senator Barak Obama has constantly reinforced his message of change. A change from the tired, worn out and failed policies of the past. Most notable, perhaps, was his retort to Iraq military commander General David Petraeus that what was needed was a surge in diplomacy, not a surge in troops. At the time he was accused of appeasement. But his speech to the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee on Wednesday sounded like something taken from the pages of the Project for...
More About: Shock , Shock and Awe

Iraq - Has Bush Lost The Plot?
2008-06-04 18:16:00
PressTV's Middle East Today takes a fresh look at one of the region's most perplexing areas of conflict. We are back in Iraq this week where the US coalition suffered another setback with the announced withdrawal of Australian forces. There were also widespread protests against the signing of any form of Status of Forces Agreement between Baghdad and Washington, with critics describing the pact as essentially reducing Iraq to the level of a vassal state. Washington, has been accused of trying to bribe Iraqi politicians to give their support for the pact, politicians that many Iraqis say either hide behind the fences of the Green Zone, or do not even have the courage to reside in the country. While a number of Iraqi politicians and other prominent figures have come out strongly against the SOFA deal, the general public is wary of a legislature that many believe has been tainted by corruption and perhaps is not acting in Iraq?s best interests. Meanwhile, Prime Mini...
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Sudan - A disaster in progress
2008-06-02 17:53:00
PressTV's Middle East Today delves into the complicated issues dividing Africa's largest nation, Sudan . It?s a country that is very rarely out of the news, but also a country that very few people actually understand. To many people, Sudan is synonymous with civil war, ethnic strife, poverty and hunger. A little known fact, however, is that despite all this, the country still managed to be the sixth fastest growing economy in the world in terms of GDP last year. Sudan also emerged as the world?s most unstable country on the Failed States Index, pushing Iraq into second place, probably not an achievement welcomed or accepted by the authorities in Khartoum . But while Sudan may appear as a solid block on the map, on the ground, several regions with their own distinct cultures and languages maintain a vigilant watch on their neighbors; over the gunsight of an assault rifle. Despite a ceasefire declared between the north and south in 2005 ? a ceasefire both sides accus...
More About: Disaster , Progress