Amazing Amazon Tribe

This is not related to justice or anything requiring social change, but I'm posting the picture below anyway because I think it is exciting that we have discovered a "lost tribe" deep in the Amazon that has never been in contact with the rest of the world.

In the two pictures above, they are fascinated/scared by the helicopter taking the pictures and are attempting to shoot it down with arrows. Some of the tribesmen are painted bright red.

Their housing.

Inspiration of the Month

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Marianne Williamson

Van Thanh Rudd's painting

Van Thanh Rudd (Kevin Rudd's nephew) has produced a political art piece (above, beside him)that I think is fabulous. It depicts Ronald McDonald happily running with the Olympic Torch beside a burning monk. Unfortunately, it has been banned from the art exhibition which it was created for.

"He said the work reflects his belief that the global economy is a hurdle to dealing with human rights abuses, including those in Tibet."

I think he has conveyed his message powerfully and I agree with him.

You can read the relevant article here.

Should Free Tibet be quiet because of the earthquake?

NEWS.com.au: 'Tibetan Olympics begin in India'

"A MOCK "Olympics" organised by Tibetan exiles kicked off in northern India today despite calls to halt anti-China protests as a mark of respect for earthquake victims."

"The world goes to Beijing for the Olympics Games, but we have nowhere to go - and so we must demonstrate we the Tibetan people are also alive,'' games director Lobsang Wangyal said."

"Catherine Schuetze, an Australian acting as volunteer book-keeper for the "Tibetan Olympics'' said lack of money was threatening the event in Dharamshala, home to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

Mr Wangyal said he did not have enough cash to hand out $US8000 ($A8300) in promised prize money. "I've got just 40,000 rupees ($A1000) and total expenses are expected to be well over two million rupees,'' Mr Wangyal said.

The Dalai Lama's exiled Tibetan administration in Dharamshala has turned its back on the event, which it views as insulting to China and likely to damage the prospects of future talks."

"But the influential Tibetan Youth Congress, which largely ignores the Dalai Lama's appeals for moderation, threw its weight behind the alternative games."

What do you reckon? Should these Tibetans drop their plan for a "Tibetan Olympics" because of the tragic earthquake (and severe aftershocks) that has rocked China? If they do not highlight their cause now, then when? Would people listen then?

I think the Beijing Olympics has created a rare platform for Tibet to air its grievances and actually have the world pay attention. The Chinese earthquake and the high number of casualties are devastating and there is a need to respect the victims. However, Tibetans have gone through devastating injustices for an extended period of time. While I do not wish to equate the two forms of suffering, I support what the advocates of Free Tibet are doing to continue to highlight its cause because it is crucial to do so now. The Chinese victims need to be helped and respected, but the Tibetans deserve to be heard and respected too.

By the way, if you're a little confused by the Dalai Lama's administration's disapproval of the political move and the Tibetan Youth Congress' support, the latter has been vocal about "Free Tibet" and advocates the independence of Tibet, while the Dalai Lama has been significantly less political and more interested in having talks, creating a "Middle Way", and creating a sense of peace in Tibet. (He's more zen, if you will.)

Musings

2 major natural disasters have hit Asia in the past month. Cyclone Nargis has devastated Burma (Myanmar), with at least 134,000 dead or missing, rice fields ruined and the crisis further exacerbated by the ruling military junta's reluctance to let in aid workers. An earthquake in China last week has left properties ruined and hundreds of thousands of people dead, with the death toll continuing to rise.

There is a global food crisis with dramatic food price increases leaving many in poor and undeveloped countries unable to obtain basic food necessities. There have been food riots and social unrest as a result.

Human slavery is still occurring today, despite its relatively low profile. There is widespread trafficking of women and children for sex exploitation, and there are people who are recruited for seemingly legitimate jobs but are later forced into exploitative and restrictive working environments.

More than 20% of people in developing countries live in extreme economic poverty, surviving on less than US$1 per day. Access to information, education, clean water, medical assistance and many other things that most of us take for granted, are limited or non-existent for many people in poor underdeveloped countries. Children die of starvation, or of illnesses that can be easily treated.

Tibetans are persecuted and treated as second class citizens in their homeland by the Chinese government. Burmese are forced to vote on a referendum strengthening the powers of the ruling junta days after a major cyclone killed their loved ones and destroyed their homes. Women in the Middle East are stoned, sidelined, tortured, or jailed for being a rape victim, or even something as small as going out without a male family escort. A woman lies dead in her flat for 35 years, and no one realised or cared about her shocking absence to go check on her.

We live in a world stricken with poverty, injustice, deprivation, and ugly loneliness, and most of us sit around, hang around, demanding, complaining, envying, and striving for luxuries for ourselves. Luxuries that we deem NECESSARY. Heck, I'm the same. DVDs that I just got to have. Clothes that I have to buy because they are on 'special'. Camembert cheese because they're so yummy. Chips in case I get cravings. Desserts because it's only normal to want something sweet after a meal. A gym membership because I have to work out all those desserts. I do not even have to go into Louis Vuitton to realise I surround myself with luxuries.

I realise... I claim a passion for social justice, for advocating for the voiceless, but really, truly, how much of my life, and my resources, do I give to the less fortunate? Similarly, I claim to be a Christian. But how much of my 'Christianity' actually goes beyond appearing at a church well-dressed, sometimes shabbily dressed, every Sunday?

I'm ashamed to admit I'm probably as much a fashionable facade as the hypocrites I abhor. Hmm I wonder, what do YOU do for the things/causes you claim passion for?

Pledge Your Support for Maternal and Child Health

Make Poverty History: Pledge Your Support for Maternal and Child Health Today!

Every year, millions of women and children die in developing countries, although our medical advances could have prevented most of these deaths. In Southeast Asia and the Pacific, 16 out of 22 developing countries are off track for the child mortality Millenium Development Goal (MDG), 7 are off track for the maternal mortality MDG. These MDGs were set by the international community in the year 2000, with the aim of halving global poverty by 2015. Timewise, we are halfway there. Target wise, our progress is way too slow.

Take 30 seconds now and go to the link above and sign a pledge of support urging Australia to increase its aid towards increasing and improving health services for women and children in underdeveloped countries. The Make Poverty History campaign will deliver your pledges to the Australian Government. Every voice counts, so do sign your name to this important cause!

Thank you so much.

BURMA'S CRISIS

NEWS.com.au (7 May): 'Burma's Cyclone Toll Hits 22,500, Aid too Slow'

For those of you who may still be unaware, Burma (Myanmar) has been hit by Cyclone Nargis over the weekend, with current official count of fatalities at 22,500, and the numbers are expected to rise significantly. Yes, that's right, more than 20 thousand dead so far. That is not a typo. There are also many more (est 41,000) missing, and millions have been left homeless with severe shortage of food, water, and temporary shelter. Rice fields, a major source of food staple and income, have been destroyed.

This is Burma's worst natural disaster, it has completely devastated the nation and the junta (military government) is having a hard time dealing with this crisis. It has appealed for international aid, but aid is being held up because of the delays in the granting of visas to humanitarian groups. Military Burma has had a awkward relationship with the rest of the world, especially the United States, and its pride and xenophobia (fear of foreigners) is holding it back from opening the country up to immediate and unrestricted assistance.

The UN, humanitarian groups, and the United States are gathering resources and ready to help. Hopefully, the junta will acknowledge the severity of the situation soon and grant visas immediately and allow U.S navy in to assist in the massive distribution of aid.

This crisis is major and it is crucial we keep up to date on what is happening. If you're not sure where or what Burma is, it is in Southeast Asia. It is the home of Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of General Aung San (the founding father of independent Burma), the prominent pro-democracy leader of the National League of Democracy in Burma, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and who has been under house arrest for 12 years for her political activities.

Rukhma- Jailed for being a Rape Victim

NEWS.com.au: Woman raped, saw son die- then jailed'

Rukhma, a young woman from Pakistan who was trafficked across the border to Afghanistan was handed to an Afghan man who raped her, then beat her toddler son to death before her eyes. The man was sentenced to jail for murder, but the Afghan courts jailed her too for 'adultery' because she ran away from home and is seen as responsible for her rape. She has given birth to a baby girl in jail.

This is how women are treated in Afghanistan.