Posts
I was so interested in the Christmas/New Year messages and addresses given by Pope Francis, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York and the Archbishop of Westminster because all of them did not just dwell on past events that happened during the year. Instead they talked about situations that are here right now in the world and what we should do about them. Usually in her Christmas address, Her Majesty runs through the year's happenings, but this year she only mentioned her Golden Jubilee and the birth of her great grandson Prince George.
The eminent clerics I mentioned above all gave addresses and messages that I believe the former Bishop of Woolwich, Dr. John Robinson would have called addresses on "practical Christianity". That was rather unusual, because so often it is the norm for clergy to deal out theological platitudes that have little or no meaning for the average person who may not be interested in Church matters. Looking back isn't going to help - understanding why they are happening and then dealing with the problem will help.
Starting here in this beautiful country of Cambodia we have a Prime Minister for the past 30-years who refuses to step down. What he did not realize was that when the last election (which is believed by all to have been totally irregular with people threatened to vote a certain way, people's names removed from the electoral role and votes bought) took place in July this year a whole new generation of young educated people were able to vote for the first time and they decided they wanted no more of the corruption and nepotism that has been going on for years making the rich richer and the poor poorer. The Prime Minister and his cronies refuse to give in to any of their demands which has resulted in tens of thousands of people marching in the streets of Phnom Penh every day. Tomorrow, December 29th it is expected that some 1-million people will take to the streets. We are lucky in that so far there has been little violence, but how long will that last?
Thailand is not so lucky in that respect. It has been held in a virtual strangle hold by the former Prime Minister the billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra who went into exile after he was ousted in a coup in 2006 and convicted of corruption and fraud. But he controls the government still and at the last election had his younger sister Yingluck Shinawatra - who had never been in politics made Prime Minister. That is, in name only as he pulls the strings from his home in exile in Dubai. Now the Thais are tired of his strangle hold on things and his buying of votes, and everyday tens of thousands of people protest in the streets of Bangkok and around the country. But there violence occurs and yesterday one person was shot dead and some 70 people wounded according to the reports. But still those in power are not interested in the will or the good of the people - just in holding on to power.
Move to Bangladesh where rioting has begun ahead of elections this week. Two very powerful women control things there. There is the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hassina and a former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Both women come from powerful political backgrounds. Sheikh Hassina and her sister happened to be in London in 1975 when her father, Sheikh Mujibar Rahman, the first President of Bangladesh and the rest of her family were assasinated. Begum Kalida Zia was Prime Minister from 1991 - 1966 and again from 2001 - 2006. Her husband Ziaur Rahman, who was President of Bangladesh was assasinated in 1981. Since all those events, there has been a power rivalry between the two women, and Sheikh Hassina the current Prime Minister only yesterday put Begum Khaleda Zia under house arrest so she couldn't partake in the elections and says she will have charges of treason brought against her. The result? Thousands of people protesting in the streets of Dhaka.
Move to Afrca to South Sudan - the newest country in the United Nations only becoming independent in 2011. The President of South Sudan, Mr. Salva Kiir who is of the Dinka tribe, in July fired his Vice President Mr. Riak Machar who is from the Dok section of the Nuer people, and the entire Cabinet for a suspected coup plot. Now they are total rivals, and that new country which had much potential is in a civil war with 17,000 already dying as a result during the past week.
You can continue on this line right around the world citing incidences of power-hungry people causing problems and wanting to hold on to their power regardless of the consequences to the people of their country. You can go to Turkey, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to Mali and indeed even to the United States, although many people hate it when that country is mentioned in such a context. But the holding back by members of the Congress and Senate of Bills that are necessary for so many Americans, is also nothing more than people trying to hold on to power, like it or not.
So what do we do about it. I believe dialogue where possible is the best solution. People have to be shown that it is in their own interests to see for the well-being of their people otherwise eventually they will fall somehow. It is not an easy thing to do, trying to persuade these people to work for the good of their people instead of just for the good of themselves and their families. People get to a stage where they blot that from their minds. Nevertheless, that is what has to be done.
Lets hope that in 2014 we will see even a little advance in the right direction.
