Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg has faced massive backlash for supporting the Indian farmers’ protests. (File photo) Credit: Anders Hellberg/CC BY-SA 4.0
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 25 2021 (IPS) – The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission must prioritise the protection of youth activists who face retaliation from state and non-state actors, said UN Youth Envoy Jayathma Wickramanayake.
Wickramanayake was speaking at the Peacebuilding Commission high-level virtual meeting on Youth, Peace and Security, where she outlined numerous ways the commission can assist youth activists around the world — especially with their grassroots efforts.
“I hope you will consider including young people in your delegation to building commissions, consult young people in your own countries to input to your work and, most importantly, ensure the protection of young people who you decide to engage with as we have seen many incidents of retaliation against young activists by state and non-state actors for simply deciding to speak up and working with the UN,” Wickramanayake, from Sri Lanka, told the commisison.
Other speakers at the event included Mohamed Edrees, chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Allwell O. Akhigbe of Building Blocks for Peace Foundation in Nigeria and Oscar Fernández-Taranco, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support.
Wickramanayake comments come when youth activists are facing attacks and harassment online and offline. Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg has faced massive backlash for supporting the Indian farmers’ protests, while Indian youth activist Disha Ravi was arrested because of her activism in support of the protests.
Wickramanayake further highlighted the importance of acknowledging and promoting local grassroots organisations working in the field of youth peacebuilding.
“Young people around the world are building national coalitions, conducting baseline studies and monitoring efforts in support of youth-led peacebuilding,” she said.
She added that these organisations require “adequate, predictable and sustained” financing to thrive but this was yet to be explored.
“I would like to challenge this commission today to consider what the peacebuilding commission can do to encourage this critical support and resources at the local level where they are actually making a big difference,” she said.
Wickramanayake recommended that the commission should not only support a “substantial increase in the financial resources” for peace and security, but it should also make sure that the resources go directly to youth working on “homegrown building strategies”.
Mia Franczesca D. Estipona, from the Generation Peace Youth Network in the Philippines, also shared the importance of involving youth who are directly affected by issues such as conflict.
“In creating facilities for youth projects and capacity building for support, we must make an effort to directly engage with youths in areas affected by conflict, understand their work and how it contributes back to the community,” Estipona said. “This is highly important especially for community-based youths who have programmes and projects but cannot be sustained due to lack of access to funding and support.”
Both Estipona and Wickramanayake emphasised the importance of representation and being inclusive of marginalised youths or those whose stories are often left behind.
Wickramanayake highlighted the work of a colleague who promotes the voices of youth with disabilities and had reportedly briefed the Security Council on the situation in the Central African Republic by broadcasting the issue of youth, peace and security in sign language.
“[Their] organisation removes barriers limiting the participation of young people with disabilities in peacebuilding, actively mobilising the deaf community to act on Resolution 2250,” she said, referring to the UN Security Council Youth, Peace & Security thematic resolution that deals with the topic of youth from an international peace and security perspective.
Meanwhile, Estipona pointed out: “Many youth organisations have established strong programmes that truly represent and attend to youth who are in areas affected by conflict – their voices are most left behind.”
“We should pursue representation that truly represents and focuses on the collective efforts of youth as a community — and as a sector of society, not just as a different individual,” she said.
Other speakers at the event agreed with both Wickramanayake and Estipona.
Ambassador Rabab Fatima, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, said that it’s crucial to address the “distinct needs” of the youth as the world recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
She highlighted the importance of access to education, sufficient funding, and including youth participation in peacebuilding as part of the “broader national policy framework”.
Estipona said the engagement of the youth must be sustained in various stages of the process of peacebuilding: consultation, crafting, implementation and monitoring.
“Continuity of these efforts is still a challenge because they are constantly shifting priorities of stakeholders and leadership,” she said.
In offering recommendations on how to strengthen youth participation and involvement, Wickramanayake said there must be a periodic review of the efforts to increase engagement with young people.
“Accountability is key,” she said, “[we] want to hear your strategic plan. Also think beyond security and think about the intersection of peace, sustainable development, and human rights.”
She also urged leaders to “walk the talk” – and prioritise the development of dedicated local, national and regional road maps and action plans.
Emily Standfield is CIVICUS Member and data volunteer.
National civic space ratings from the CIVICUS Monitor, which uses up-to-date information and indicators to assess the state of freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression for all UN Member States. Credit: CIVICUS Monitor
TORONTO, Canada, Feb 24 2021 (IPS) – A month into Joe Biden’s presidency, the U.S. has rejoined nearly all the multilateral institutions and international commitments that it withdrew from under Trump. These include the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords.
Most recently, on February 8th, the U.S. announced it would also rejoin the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) as an observer. The U.S.’ role in the human rights forum looks different than it did four years ago in light of its recent track record on civil liberties.
The HRC has two primary functions: to draft and adopt new standards for human rights and to conduct investigations into specific human rights issues. In 2018, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. would be leaving the HRC, claiming that it was a barrier to any genuine global human rights protection. The U.S. had two primary grievances.
First, that the HRC has an “unconscionable” and “chronic bias” against Israel. And second, that the HRC’s membership criteria allows chronic human rights abusers to have a seat on the Council. Neither of which are entirely baseless claims.
Israel remains the only country-specific agenda item covered at every HRC meeting and Russia, China, and Eritrea — to name a few — all currently hold seats on the Council and have some of the worst human rights records in the world.
Emily Standfield. Credit: CIVICUS
On Monday, the HRC’s 47 member states met for its 46th session, it’s third time meeting since the beginning of the pandemic. The further decline of political and civil rights as enshrined in international law will be an unavoidable hot topic.
The CIVICUS Monitor which rates UN member states’ track records of upholding the legal tenets of freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association finds that 30 of the Council’s full member states routinely and severely restrict these rights.
And in the case of its newest observer state, the USA was recently downgraded to the Monitor’s third worst civic space rating of ‘Obstructed’. The body is a long way off from adequately representing its values.
In the case of the USA, the rating change and decline in rights is reflected by the police response to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest movement. During protests in 2020, law enforcement detained thousands of demonstrators, used teargas and projectiles to disperse crowds, and attacked journalists, despite the fact that most wore media credentials.
President Trump and other authority figures encouraged police officers to respond forcefully and, in some cases, requested such violent actions for their own benefit. In a perfect example of this, the Attorney General ordered the use of teargas against peaceful protesters so that President Trump could have a photo-op in front of a church.
While the BLM protests may have made the decline in civic freedoms abundantly clear, this rating change represents a longer deterioration of political and civil rights.
In response, in June the HRC unanimously passed a mandate that called for a report on ‘systemic racism’ targeted at individuals of African descent. Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, whose murder at the hands of white police officers began the mass protests, called on the human rights body to examine the U.S.’ history of racial injustice and police brutality.
In the end, the final resolution passed by the HRC called for an investigation of systemic racism globally and regrettably did not single out the U.S.
While Biden has rejoined the HRC as an observer, the U.S. must win elections in October 2021 if it wants to regain its seat on the Council. In 2019, Biden said, “American leadership on human rights must begin at home” and — in some ways — it has.
The BLM protests have sparked a degree of state and local level police reform, and Biden has made a commitment to achieving racial equity. While the U.S. should focus on improving freedoms within its borders, it should also not exempt itself from becoming a full member of the HRC again in October.
Former President Barack Obama ran for a seat on the Council because he believed the U.S. could do more to advance human rights as a member of the body. This turned out to be true— the U.S. supported the creation of several important international commissions of inquiry to investigate human rights violations.
If the rationale by Trump was that leaving the council would do more for human rights than holding a seat, it’s clear that this has not come to fruition. Whether it is freedom of speech or the right to peacefully protest, today more of the world’s population lives in ‘Closed’, ‘Repressed’ or ‘Obstructed’ countries as compared to four years ago, finds the CIVICUS Monitor.
Leadership is needed at the UN Human Rights Council on these issues, but it must come from those that have a full seat at the table and have a demonstrated track record of upholding their commitments. The U.S. is currently disqualified on both accounts. Credibility and moral leadership must come from somewhere else.
Instead, the U.S. must support other member states that are leading by example on these issues. Seven members of the HRC — Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Netherlands, Marshall Islands, and Czechia — are rated ‘Open’ by the CIVICUS Monitor, the highest civic space rating a country can achieve.
These countries are adequately representing the values that the HRC is committed to defending. While there are surely other issues at the HRC that the U.S. will prove influential, the country is far from the inspirational example it often likes to present itself on these world stages.
At the current session of the HRC, which began on February 22nd, the U.S. should champion these members who have made meaningful progress on civil liberties and be prepared to take a backseat on issues that it so obviously falls short on.
The Tamarack Women’s 9-Hole Golf League is welcoming new members for the 2021 season on Thursday mornings from April through October.
While the league is nine holes, ladies are welcome to play the remaining nine holes following league play each week.
Golf experience is required for membership.
Interested lady golfers should contact membership Chair Linda Schuller at lindaschu@comcast.net for further information.
American Legion Post 253 will hold Friday Night Lenten Dinners through April 2.
Dine in or take out available from 5-7 p.m.
The menu on Feb. 26 includes fish or shrimp tacos with Mexican rice and beans for $12.
March 5 will be Italian Trio, with a trio of eggplant parmigiana, stuffed shells and baked ziti with garlic bread for $8.
The menu on March 12 will include mussels marinara or fra diavolo over linguine with tossed salad and a roll for $11.
The menu on March 19 will be broiled flounder with rice and mixed vegetables for $12, or fried shrimp and scallop platter with tater tots for $12.
The menu on March 26 is to be determined.
The menu on April 2 will include tortellini alfredo with salad and garlic bread for $7.
Call or text orders in advance to 732-991-9507.
The auxiliary of VFW Post 133 will hold a takeout sandwich sale on March 13.
Menu includes corned beef sandwich, macaroni salad and pickle.
The cost is $10 per person.
Must call in advance from noon to 6 p.m. March 10 to place an order. Call Maureen at 732-254-9674.
The VFW post is located at 485 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick.
Gain stability from an in-demand occupation; apply for a Women’s Center career training grant from Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County.
Qualified persons who are active members of the JFS Women’s Center must submit an application and attend an interview. Grants are available for short-term training programs for in-demand jobs.
Eligible candidates must qualify as a “displaced homemaker,” a woman who is a single mother, divorced, separated, widowed, or living with a disabled spouse/partner.
In England in 1234, Jews were charged with abducting, circumcising and converting a five-year-old Christian boy to Judaism. As a result, Jews were executed, and Jewish homes were looted and torched.
Professor Paola Tartakoff, chair of the Rutgers Department of Jewish Studies, will examine the backstory on these accusations, how they perpetuated the myth of ritual murder, and what they meant to Christians and Jews during that period.
Tartakoff will draw from her new book, “Conversion, Circumcision, and Ritual Murder in Medieval Europe” with a response by Professor David Shyovitz, Northwestern University, during the program.
This online event will be held March 3 at 7 p.m. on the Zoom platform.
Free and open to the public, it is presented by the Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life at Rutgers University.
The East Brunswick Library is offering the following workshops and programs:
Films focusing on climate change and its impact will be featured in the East Brunswick Public Library’s first-ever virtual film festival. The Option Green Virtual Film Festival is part of the ongoing partnership between the library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission. Each year, the two organizations host free events on environmental topics led by experts in the field. The film series is funded by the American Library Association’s “Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change” pilot program. The films will be available for online viewing. Participants can sign up for these free screenings online at www.ebpl.org/optiongreen. Links to view the films will be sent to ticket holders at the start time of this event, and will expire 48 hours later. Following each screening, there will be an ongoing, discussion on the EBPL Discord server. Attendees will receive the link in their ticket.
The upcoming series includes:
“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” March 16-17, is Is based on the = true story of 13-year-old William Kamkwamba, who finds inspiration from a science book. He builds a wind turbine to save his famine-ravaged village in Malawi. This film is rated TV-PG and runs 113 minutes.
“Fire and Flood: Queer Resilience in the Era of Climate Change,” April 20-21, examines how the LGBTQ communities of Puerto Rico and Santa Rosa survived Hurricane Maria and wildfires, in late 2017. The film explores the vulnerability of LGBTQ communities to climate disasters. This film is not yet rated but runs 102 minutes. Trailer not available.
The Option Green Virtual Film Festival is sponsored by the East Brunswick Public Library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission.
The Take A Business Break Series continues in 2021 with “How to Read, Analyze and Understand Financial Statements,” at noon on Feb. 25. It is based on CPA Edward Mendlowitz’s MBA course, and attendees will receive a free PDF of his 160-page book. Mendlowitz explains the seven elements of a financial statement, their purpose and how to use each to better understand your business.
“529 College Savings Plans: Simply The Best Way To Save For College” will be presented at noon on Feb. 26. Thinking about saving for college tuition can be a daunting and overwhelming experience. This webinar will help attendees understand the challenges that students have today and in the future, when it comes to paying for college, and rethinking several misperceptions that many people have about college planning. Additionally, attendees will learn about the different options available to fund a college education while focusing on the features and benefits of one option, particularly the 529 Plan, an education savings vehicle.
Signing up for Social Security is one of the most important decision retirees have to make. To help explain the process, the online presentation “Social Security Explained” will be held at 7 p.m. March 3. This program is led by special guest speaker Mark Lange of the Society for Financial Awareness. He will discuss several important topics, including full retirement age, delayed retirement, filing for benefits, retirement planning strategies and annuity type distinction. The workshop is free and open to the public. Registration is requested; visit www.ebpl.org/calendar or call 732-390-6767.
Saint Peter’s Healthcare System will address “Better Exercise, Best You,” presented by Dr. Bonnie Saunders PT, MPA, DPT, at noon on March 5.
This talk will explore the various reasons and motivations to exercise and connect these to the various types of exercise. It will also discuss some of the more common barriers to establishing a successful exercise routine and some strategies to overcome these barriers.
Registration is requested for this free program. To register, visit to www.ebpl.org/calendar.
This program will be presented online using Zoom.
This program is offered through the East Brunswick Public Library’s “Just For The Health Of It” consumer health and wellness information initiative. To learn more about these resources and programs, visit www.justforthehealthofit.org.
A virtual crafting workshop with fiber artist Pam Brooks will be making a women’s suffrage rosette, a symbol of the suffrage movement, at 7 p.m. March 18. There will be a random drawing for a limited number of free supply kits. Closed captioning will be provided. To reserve a seat, visit www.ebpl.org/womenvote or call 732-390-6767.
The Family Resource Network will host two online programs about health insurance.
The first program, “Health Insurance Open Enrollment In NJ: What You Need To Know,” is at noon on March 18.
The open enrollment period for 2021 health insurance has been extended until May 15.
This program aims to answer health insurance questions, including what options are available to New Jersey residents and explaining the state-based exchange called Get Covered NJ.
The second program, “Coverage 2 Care,” is a health insurance literacy presentation at noon on March 25. Coverage to Care helps consumers understand what health insurance is, how to choose coverage, and why it is essential to select coverage.
The presentation helps consumers understand their health coverage after they have enrolled and connect to primary care and preventive services that are right for them to live long and healthy lives.
Both programs are presented by Renata Svincicka and Yamilet Zegarra of the Family Resource Network.
Registration is requested for both free programs. To register, visit www.ebpl.org/calendar or call 732-390-6767.
These programs are offered through the East Brunswick Public Library’s “Just For The Health Of It” consumer health and wellness knowledge initiative. To learn more about the related programs and resources offered by the library, visit www.justforthehealthofit.org.
Stockton University professor Linda J. Wharton hosts “Gender Equality and the Constitution: The Unfinished Business of Reform” at 7 p.m. March 25. She will discuss the renewed push for ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment and explain why expanding protection for gender equality is needed. Closed captioning will be provided. To reserve a seat, visit www.ebpl.org/womenvote or call 732-390-6767.
Seniors can join “Are You Living Your Best Life Today?” at noon on March 31. This will be an interactive talk that centers around the concept of maturing adults living their best life now. Seniors will be shown how to rekindle their passions and natural talents and bring more richness into life. In addition, attendees will be reminded to get their affairs in order, so families can live with less stress and more joy. This program is hosted by Adrian Allotey, of You Are Not Alone Elder Care.The programs are presented online using Zoom unless otherwise noted.Registration is requested for these free programs. To register, visit www.ebpl.org/calendar or call 732-390-6767, unless otherwise noted.
Black History Month will be honored in East Brunswick through a series of programs.
The East Brunswick Arts Commission, East Brunswick Department of Aging, East Brunswick Department of Recreation, East Brunswick Human Relations Council, East Brunswick Public Library, East Brunswick Youth Council, EBTV and the Lost Souls Public Memorial Project are partnering for the events.
The East Brunswick Public Library will host a lecture about the Harlem Renaissance with Randall Westbrook at 7 p.m. Feb. 24.
EBTV, the East Brunswick Arts Commission and the East Brunswick Youth Council are recording several special Black History Month programs to be shared on the television network.
EBTV also broadcasts a 45-minute concert of jazz standards and soul classics performed by singer Rhonda Denet. This program is sponsored by the East Brunswick Arts Commission and the library.
The Lost Souls Public Memorial Project released several presentations about their work to memorialize over 177 African Americans kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1818.
All of these programs can be viewed online, either live or prerecorded.
Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, is hosting a free virtual lecture series on adolescent and family health issues.
Organized by Saint Peter’s Opioid Task Force, this virtual lecture series is designed for parents and families. The presentation will address common parental concerns about the numerous ways the pandemic has impacted teens, from issues like isolation to how they cope, socialize and develop. The series will also explore addiction which has escalated during the pandemic and resources for successful recovery.
For more information on any of the virtual lectures, contact Robert J. LaForgia, coordinator, Healthier Middlesex, at rlaforgia@saintpetersuh.com or 732-745-8600, ext. 5831. Allow up to 48 hours for a response.
From Feb. 26 to March 31, visit Stop & Shop at 1600 Perrineville Road, Monroe, to purchase a specially marked floral bouquet, and Stop & Shop will make a donation to the Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County’s kosher food pantries to feed families in need.
Middlesex College is developing apprenticeship opportunities in Advanced Manufacturing through Career Advance USA, a U.S. Department of Labor-funded grant.
Apprenticeships, developed and implemented in collaboration with employers, are earn-and-learn programs that combine formal classroom learning with on-the-job training.
Those interested in the program should register for a virtual information session at middlesexcc.edu/manufacturing-apprenticeships. They will be held over Zoom at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, March 9, April 13 and May 11.
The college is also looking for employers interested in developing workers.
New Jersey is known as the Garden State. Few understand that the name highlights that the other states traditionally used New Jersey as their garden—a place to take beneficial resources and then bury their refuse, back when it was customary to bury your garbage in your backyard.
The East Brunswick Public Library will host “Disparate Environmental Impacts: Causes and Solutions to Environmental Injustice” at 7 p.m. March 11, focusing on the economics and discrimination that causes environmental inequality, their effects and how to prevent these inequalities.
The program is led by Dr. Maritza Jauregui, an associate professor of Sustainability at Stockton University.
Tickets are required for this free, virtual program; to reserve, visit www.ebpl.org/calendar.
This event is sponsored by the East Brunswick Public Library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission. It is funded by the American Library Association’s “Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change” pilot program.
It is part of the Option Green environmental education program series. Other partners include Highland Park Public Library, Matawan-Aberdeen Library, New Brunswick Free Public Library, North Brunswick Library, Old Bridge Public Library, Plainsboro Public Library and South Brunswick Public Library.
Recognizing the bravery and commitment of volunteer firefighters and first responders, New Jersey American Water announces its 2021 grant program for volunteer fire departments, ambulance squads and first aid squads located within the company’s service areas.
Grants may be used to cover the costs of personal protective equipment, communications gear, first aid equipment, firefighting tools, vehicle maintenance and other materials that will be used to support volunteer firefighter and emergency responder operations. Reimbursement for specific training courses, including the cost of training manuals, student workbooks, and instructors is also eligible.
To apply, organizations must complete the application available at www.newjerseyamwater.com under News & Community, Community Involvement.
The maximum grant amount awarded to any organization is $2,000.
The deadline to apply is March 12. Interested applicants can find more information and apply online at www.newjerseyamwater.com/community.
Grant recipients will be notified at the end of March.
Teens across the state can begin submitting entries for the 26th Annual New Jersey Teen Media Contest, which highlights the New Jersey Human Services’ mission to support families, especially during these challenging times.
The contest, run by the Division of Family Development, is open to all New Jersey middle and high school-aged children.
The 2021 contest challenges teens to illustrate – through art or the written word – how they and their loved ones have supported each other through all of the changes that have happened this year, from remote schooling to finding new ways to stay connected to friends and family.
All entries must be postmarked no later than March 31.
Staff from the Division of Family Development and its Office of Child Support Services will judge the contest. Winners will be selected in first, second, and third places in both the middle and high school groups, for each of the two entry categories. Typically, winning students are recognized at an awards ceremony in mid-May, but a final decision on an awards ceremony will be made at a later date based on the status of the public health emergency and related health and safety guidelines.
Winning entries from the contest will be included in the 2022 Office of Child Support Calendar, as well as potentially being included as part of the office’s marketing materials. A number of honorable mention entries will also be selected for possible inclusion in both areas.
The 2021 calendar can be viewed or downloaded from the contest homepage, www.NJTeenMedia.org, to serve as inspiration for the teens. The website also provides the official rules, frequently asked questions, entry forms, a look at the winners and honorable mentions from previous contests and other important contest information.
Teachers and administrators can register their school by visiting www.NJTeenMedia.org or by contacting Matthew Cossel at 937-207-7627 or matthew.cossel@efkgroup.com. School registration is not required for direct student entry.
For more information about child support services, call 1-877-NJKIDS1 or visit www.NJChildSupport.org.
New Jersey American Water is accepting applications for green project funding through its Environmental Grant Program.
The program offers grants of $1,000 to $10,000 for qualifying innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds, surface water and/or groundwater supplies throughout the company’s service areas.
New Jersey American Water will award the grants on a competitive basis and select projects based on various criteria including goals, impact, innovation, design and sustainability. The nature of the project’s collaboration with other community organizations as well as its overall community engagement will also be considered.
All applicants are expected to outline specific, measurable goals for projects in their proposals. At the conclusion of the grant project, the lead organization must provide a written report on the project results/impact.
East Brunswick residents can turn the page on a winter spent mostly indoors by renting a plot at the township’s Community Garden, located adjacent to the municipal complex off Rues Lane.
A limited number of 10-foot by 10-foot plots are now available for new gardeners on a first-come, first-served basis for $45 for the first season. The garden is open to township residents and people who work in East Brunswick.
All gardeners are required to put in four hours of community garden service each year by working with a committee and participating in work days, or paying $40 in lieu of service. Gardeners can select from a list of committees found on the registration form.
For more information and to register for a plot, visit registration form.
The garden’s website offers timely articles, tips and tricks for gardeners, a calendar of events and information on donating surplus produce. Gardeners have donated more than a ton of surplus produce in the last few years. Meetings and events during the year also give gardeners a chance to share ideas outside the garden.
To keep gardeners safe, several rules, including mandatory mask wearing and social distancing while in the garden were instituted last year.
Nominations are being accepted for the South River High School Wall of Fame.
Nominees should serve as a role model for current and future South River High School students. This award is not limited to athletic achievement.
A Wall of Fame is erected in the main corridor of the high school with the names of the recipients on plaques of recognition.
Nominees will be considered based on the following criteria:
Attended and graduated from South River High School.
Exhibits a high level of achievement in his/her field.
Possesses the qualities of a positive role model for South River youth.
The committee will consider all nominees based on the strengths of the candidates in the above areas. A maximum of two individuals may be inducted this year.
The deadline for nominations is April 1.
To make a nomination, visit www.srivernj.org for the nomination form.
Ongoing
Trinity Presbyterian Church of East Brunswick invites all to join virtual worship services every Sunday at 10:15 a.m.
Visit http://Trinity-PC.org and click on the “Sunday Services” tab for a link to the service on YouTube.
In addition, Trinity offers a safe and socially distanced outside worship service every Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.
For more information, call the church office at 732-257-6636 or visit the website.
The Jewish Family Services Food Pantry needs volunteers to organize its food pantry and supply closet, located at 1600 Perrineville Road, Monroe.
The schedule is flexible.
Monroe Township residents can apply for current and future openings on township boards, commissions and advisory councils.
Monroe is accepting volunteer applications for appointments to the Americans with Disabilities Act Committee, Affordable Housing Board, Commission on Aging, Cultural Arts Commission, Environmental Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Human Relations Commission, Library Board of Trustees, Open Space & Farmland Preservation Commission, Planning Board, Recreation Advisory Board, Shade Tree Commission, Sustainable Jersey – Green Team Advisory Committee, Zoning Board of Adjustment.
They then can send the downloadable form located at the bottom of the boards and commissions page of the website for their area of interest.
Submissions may be sent to the Municipal Clerk by mail at the Administrative Offices, by email at preid@monroetwp.com, or by fax to 732-521-3190.
All submissions will be retained for a maximum period of one year from the date of filing.
Volunteer vaccinators may be needed in Middlesex County and at other vaccination sites.
Licensed nurses, doctors and medical professionals who are willing to volunteer should email their name, address, phone number and license information to Lt. Jangols of the Monroe Township Police Department at sjangols@monroetwppolice.org
The East Brunswick Police Department has established a “Safe Exchange Zone.”
Two parking stalls in the lot of the municipal court next to police headquarters, 1 Civic Center Dr., are available to the public for conducting in-person transactions that have been facilitated through online marketplaces. The parking stalls are indicated by signage.
The designated zone is available to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
Access to the police headquarters lobby may also be granted for “safe exchanges” during non-court hours and may be arranged in advance by calling the police department.
French American School Princeton (FASP) is accepting enrollment.
At FASP, students in preschool (3 years old) through grade 8 benefit from a rigorous bilingual curriculum accredited by the Middle State Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools and the French Ministry of Education; personalized attention thanks to small class sizes; and a multicultural community with more than 30 nationalities represented.
To document the experiences of the community while living through the COVID-19 pandemic, the East Brunswick Public Library has been collecting submissions to a COVID-19 Community Time Capsule.
The library is still taking submissions at this time.
The Community Pet Food Bank by New Beginnings Animal Rescue is open from 1-3 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, with varying hours on Saturdays, on the grounds of Nativity Lutheran Church, 552 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick.
For more information, visit nbarnj.org
The Jamesburg Public Library will hold its board meetings on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m.
These meetings are open to the public, and will take place on Zoom for the remainder of the year.
Each meeting will have a different Zoom link and passcode
The East Brunswick Recreation, Parks & Community Services Department is collecting non-perishable food, cash and gift cards for distribution to Aldersgate Community Outreach Center.
Drop off food in the back of the box truck parked in the parking lot, 334 Dunhams Corner Road; the door is kept down so lift it to put donations inside.
Or, drop cash/check/gift cards in an envelope and put in the drop box next to the front door to the Recreation Department.
Raritan Valley YMCA is encouraging residents to #StayWithUs during this time, in particular by visiting the Y’s Facebook page for virtual events, programs and classes.
Adult programs include group fitness classes provided by Y360, Les Mills and from Y instructors. Programs and classes will be updated on a week-to-week basis. The ZOOM app is required; email lramos@raritanvalleyymca.org for log-in details.
The Facebook page also features live story time and creative arts with Ms. Preeti and Ms. Brenda.
For more information, visit raritanvalleyymca.org.
The United Way of Central Jersey’s COVID-19 Recovery Fund will assist individuals and families affected by the novel coronavirus with crucial basic expenses including rent, utilities, prescription medication/medical supplies, child care and food.
United Way will work with trusted community partners to identify individuals and families most in need of this temporary support.
Donations to the UWCJ COVID-19 Support Fund may be made online at www.uwcj.org. Checks made payable to United Way may be mailed to United Way of Central Jersey, 32 Ford Ave., Milltown 08850.
Monroe Township Jewish War Veterans Post 609 is collecting United States and foreign stamps, both on and off envelopes.
Stamps are used by veterans as hobbies and as therapy to support medical staff at VA Medical Centers nationwide.
Stamps are not traded or sold; they are forwarded to veteran patients at no charge.
Also requested are DVDs suitable for veterans at those locations.
Send all items to JWV Post 609, c/o Charles Koppelman, 6 Yarmouth Dr., Monroe 08831-4742.
The East Brunswick Domestic Response Team is seeking volunteers.
Citizens are trained to respond to local police departments on an on-call basis to provide support and information to victims of domestic abuse.
For more information, email domesticviolence@ebpd.net.
The Korean War/Defense Veterans Association Central Jersey Chapter No. 148 extends an invitation to any veterans, regardless of branch of service, who served during the war from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953, in any location, including Europe, or who have served in Korea from July 27, 1953, through the present.
The group meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of every month —except January through April — at the Monroe Township Municipal Building, 1 Municipal Plaza.
Membership dues are $25 to the Korean War Veterans Association and $10 chapter fee per year.
The chapter is involved in various functions during the year, including parades, flag raisings, visiting the Korean War Memorial in Atlantic City, etc.
For more information, contact Charles Koppelman at 609-655-3111 or kwvanj@yahoo.com.
Dove Hospice Services of New Jersey seeks compassionate volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families.
Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes, which can also be nursing facilities or assisted living facilities, at least once a week. They read to the patient, reminisce about their lives, play cards, help with letter writing and provide respite for caregivers.
Visits can be virtual, and are either during the day or early evening.
Volunteers may also assist with administrative work within the hospice office.
Patient care volunteers complete an application and attend a virtual volunteer training program that covers the role of a hospice volunteer. Day and evening virtual training programs are offered.
To sign up for the next virtual training class, contact Volunteer Coordinator Deborah Adams at 732-405-3035 or email deborah@dovehs.com.
One of Barack Obama’s contribution to US foreign policy was the encouragement of a class of liberal whites and blacks with absolutely first-class brains, but above everything else, loved their subjects. The Africa corps was one unit; they were Afro-philes (many of them African Americans). On several occasions, they beat me to information on Zimbabwe.
One such bright “chap” was Todd Moss, an assistant secretary, and three other southern Africa experts. Their report about President emmerson Mnangagwa came out in the US on July 25, six days before the Zimbabwe 2018 elections.
ED (as our president is called by his friends) had been coached by British Ambassador Katriona Laing, an M-IV intelligence officer with special skills in regime change. As long as Ms Laing was holding eD’s hand, he said the most wonderful things and convinced the world that under his wise leadership, Zimbabwe would come out of the woods.
The report by Moss and his colleagues said that all those (and the British) who believed such nonsense, that a leopard can change its colours, were in for a long riede (supposedly on the back of the same leopard). They said that the idea that eD was a reformer was a lost cause.
I was devastated. At that time eD had made the most wonderful statements. I flew home with four investment portfolios under my arm. We had access to US$1 million for a dry-run experiment, but our goal was to raise US$3 billion. There was a Zimbabwean investment company in Birmingham which had US$400 million which served as our role model. That company worked with the national Railways of Zimbabwe, but as we speak, has migrated (with its bags of money) to South Africa.
I was devastated. I should have listened to that Todd Moss “chap”. The report says that all the talk about reforms is a “charade” (word in the report) probably concocted by Ms Laing.
ED’s lack of projection
I came to this topic when I got an email from Hopewell Chin’ono in simple words. “Mukoma Ken, long time.” I feared the worst. When I checked the brother was in some stupid jailhouse, over a crime that was not in the crime books. This was the third time in 12 months.
After calming my tempestuous heart, I returned to reading the US reports on Mnangagwa’s government. A report from some senators who had just returned from Zimbabwe said that eD is surrounded by “thugs”.
Zimbabwe minister of Security Owen Mudha ncube is, in this report, alleged to be the capo-del capo of maShurugwi machete gangs. The name describes their activities. Serious though this allegation is, the second allegation was that this Mudha (Congressmen pronounced the name to mean a devil) had gone on rampage at Gaika Mine, destroying a 100-year-old mine structure.
When you add the name of nick Mangwana and George Charamba to the team whose job is to project eD’s mission to Zimbabweans and to the world, one comes out with a very sorry picture.
If the devil were served by such a projection team, all sinners would have long migrated to the Cross.
Again, here, those whose business is to project government policies need to study Obama’s projection by the press.
Policies
Alex Magaisa has argued that before one can project a leader, there must be something there to project. I agree and I also appreciate that there was a lot to project about Obama: a clean and seductive smile, no scandal behind his name, soaring black rhetoric and a lovely family.
ED may not have Obama’s natural gifts, but he (and perhaps Ms Laing had crafted for him) a pretty convincing message. Allow me to repeat the message.
“Fellow Zimbabweans…the time has come to say nO to demigods and people that are self-centred and only think of themselves and their families. Let us now put our differences and rebuild a new prosperous Zimbabwe, a country that is tolerant to divergent views, a country that respects opinions of others, a country that does not isolate itself from the rest of the world, because of a stubborn individual, who believes he is entitled to rule this country until death.
We want a country that gives every citizen the opportunity to prosper, to take care of their families, a country that encourages Zimbabweans to invest in their economy and contribute to the development of infrastructure for their future.” (Mnangagwa//Exile//Nov 2017).
The above words summarise what a normal country looks and sounds like. Zimbabweans want a normal country. There are no police roadblocks in Malawi. Kids are not in jailhouses in Malawi. Here is a University of Zimbabwe kid, Allan Moyo, has been in jail for 71 days. Moyo, in an attempt to impress his girlfriend, said some bad words about “overthrowing” the Zimbabwean government. His weapon was a dirty handkerchief which he used to pierce the sky as if he was holding a spear.
Please have some imagination. It would have done a lot of good to lock up the kid for criminal mischief in an open-fenced yard and provide him with ice-cream until his mother came to pick him up. The member-in-charge would welcome the distressed mother with kind words.
“Mum, we want to see your kid graduate. Take him home and talk to him. I hope I do not see you and him here again.”
I am sure Todd Moss and brother Magaisa will say: “Ken, your trouble is that you don’t know these people. They are heartless.”
I agree. I have no experience of their Philistine world, except what I read that loyalty is unknown among them, mercy is distinguished by its absence, common sense is a curse word and love that passes all understanding is regarded as a weakness. Moss concludes in one report that all the talk about Zimbabwe is “open for business” is nothing but a “charade”.
I hope there is something left for us to redeem.
—– Ken Mufuka is a Zimbabwean patriot. He can be reached at mufukaken@gmail.com. His books are available in Zimbabwe from INNOV bookshops and from the world on kenmufukabooks.com
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24’s community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
SINGAPORE, Feb 22 2021 (IPS) – Bangladeshis at the present time share a modicum of justifiable pride in the fact that the world merits this country worth watching in terms of its economic potentials. To my mind , we have reached this stage for the following reasons: First, effective utilization of early foreign assistance; second a steady ,albeit sustained, move away from a near -socialistic to an open and liberal economy; third , a shift from agriculture to manufacturing as land-space shrank to accommodate urbanization; fourth , an unleashing of remarkable entrepreneurial spirit among private sector captains of industry, as evidenced in the Ready Made Garments industry: fifth, the prevalence of a vibrant civil society intellectually aiding the social transformation with its focus on health, education, and gender issues: and finally ,a long period of political stability notwithstanding the traditional predilections of Bengali socio-political activism.
Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury
The philosophical underpinning behind the concept of ‘Least Developed Countries’ (LDCs) devised at the UN in the 1960s was to identify a set of States whose impediment to development was structural, and not due to their own faults. Hence the idea that the global trading system needed to be adjusted by providing these nations ‘special and differential treatment’, such as entailed in non-reciprocal preferential market access. This would, hopefully, create for them a level playing field. Bangladesh joined the Group in 1975, immediately following its UN membership. The conditions for joining the list of LDCs or graduating from it , are determined by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) based on certain criteria. Out of original 48 six countries have already graduated: Botswana, Cape Verde, Maldives, Samoa, Equatorial Guinea, and Vanuatu. Nepal and Bangladesh are in the cusp of graduation.
Graduation is for Bangladesh a mix of boon and bane. It is a boon because it is an acknowledgment of progress, a major milestone in the nation’s development journey. It would improve the country’s global image which should give it better credit ratings. This would allow it to borrow more cheaply on the world market. It is a bane because it would ultimately lose all the preferences accorded to LDCs in global trade such as under the European Union’s Everything but Arms (EBA) initiative. However, Bangladesh has not quite optimized on those advantages.
Incidentally, as chair of the WTO Committee of Trade and Development, as also of the LDC Group in Geneva in the late 1990s and early 2000, and also as Special Advisor to Secretary General Rubens Ricupero of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), I was involved with the related deliberations with the European Union. Bangladesh has always played a leadership role on behalf of the LDCs in all multilateral negotiations, both at the WTO in Geneva and at the United Nations in New York. Sometimes these involved not only tough deliberations with developed countries and ‘economies in transition’ (former socialist countries) , but also with developing member-States of the Group of 77 (because it entailed the sharing of the cake).Bangladesh’s graduation will in many ways deprive the LDCs of this capacity. Across the diplomatic scene, Bangladesh could also depend on the support of fellow-LDCs on a broad range of issues. I would gratefully recall the contribution in this regard of the so-called “Utstein Sisters” of Europe (named after a venue in Northern Europe where they met), five women Development Cooperation Ministers, including Evelyn Herfkens of the Netherlands and Claire Short of the UK. They were ardent advocates of LDC aspirations, and were instrumental, among other things, in the WTO’s acceptance, unlike in the case its predecessor, the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT), of the broad principle that trade is a key tool of development.
Following graduation, Bangladesh will need to negotiate a continuation of international support measures to render the graduation process smooth and sustainable. If needs be, even after the grace period of quota-free duty- free market access vis-à-vis Europe till 2029. Though in Brussels the EU could cut Bangladesh some slack because of its performance, at the WTO, Bangladesh, will be well advised to attempt a norm setting exercise with regard to graduating countries with the new Director General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is empathetic, as well as with the membership. This will take some skillful diplomacy. But I would like to strongly underscore that negotiations are but the tip of the ice- berg. The main challenge would lie in tackling the fundamentals beneath. For instance, in addressing domestically the 27 requirements, including corruption, non-compliances, and other inadequacies, across the governance spectrum to achieve GSP -plus status. Also, to derive other global market benefits.
Comparative advantages would have to be transformed into competitive advantage. Low-wages will tend to perpetuate poverty. So wage-rise, an essential tool for poverty mitigation, would need to be carefully calibrated with the increase in productivity. Economy should diversify, particularly into services, which do not face goods tariff and hence less affected by loss of preferences. The Internet sector, on which the government is prudently laser-focused, can help Bangladesh leapfrog into economic modernity. The pharmaceutical industry should seriously reflect on how to navigate WTO regulations on Trade in Intellectual Property, or TRIPS. Mutually rewarding arrangements with other Asian economic powerhouses are called for. For instance, Free Trade Agreement with a country like Singapore could, and I use the word ‘could’ advisedly, unlock potentials, but that would require further serious study and examination.
Throughout my negotiating career I had felt that preferences tend only to prolong pain. There are no such things as friends in the marketplace. The sooner we start to confront the real world of competition the better off we are. Indeed, if we can play our cards right, the graduation could be our ‘’break-out” moment to reflect on reforms, on raising productivity and on boosting growth. Efforts must be directed towards moving up the value chain by attracting quality FDI. From my current perch in the corporate sector in Singapore, I see Vietnam as an example worthy of emulation.
So, to conclude, graduation is inevitable if progress is the goal, as it must be, and indeed desirable, just as, in our individual lives, coming of age, that is of turning 21, is. Readiness is key. From what I see, there is nothing like the last minute in speeding up requisite preparations. Doubtless, there is much work to be done. But we must bear in mind that if there is a hill to climb, waiting will not make it any smaller!
Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury is the Honorary Fellow at the Institute of South Asia Studies, NUS. He is a former Foreign Advisor (Foreign Minister) of Bangladesh and President & Distinguished Fellow of Cosmos Foundation. The views addressed in the article are his own. He can be reached at: isasiac@nus.edu.sg
This story was originally published by Dhaka Courier.
NEW DELHI, India, Feb 22 2021 (IPS) – On February 1st, 2021 the military of Myanmar overthrew the country’s democratic government in a coup d’etat followed by arresting more than 40 government officials including Aung San Suu Kyi. The military declared a year-long state of emergency under the rule of it’s Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Troops took over the streets, a night-time curfew has been put into force. Tens of thousands of protestors have taken to the streets across Myanmar, in what is seen as the biggest street protests in more than a decade. The anti-coup demonstrators are undeterred by police attacks and increasing violence from the security forces.
Yasmin Ullah
According to this list, the military has arrested multiple members of civil society, including activists, writers, musicians, filmmakers. Monitoring group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said “more than 384 people have been detained, in a wave of mostly night-time arrests”.
The first known casualty of the coup, Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing died on February 9 when a police officer opened fire with live ammunition, hitting her in the head while she was protesting in Naypyidaw. Two more protestors were killed in the city of Mandalay, marking Myanmmar’s bloodiest day since the military seized power. Myanmar’s minority community fears renewed violence after the military coup.
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres condemned the use of deadly violence in Myanmar, “The use of lethal force, intimidation & harassment against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable. Everyone has a right to peaceful assembly. I call on all parties to respect election results and return to civilian rule,” António Guterres said.
The military in Myanmar alleges that the recent landslide election win by Aung San Suu Kyi was marred by fraud. Following the coup, the military has already announced replacements for a number of ministers.
Witnesses in Mandalay reported seeing soldiers from the 33rd Light Infantry Division, which led the deadly campaign against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state in 2017. The United Nations Special Rapporteur, Tom Andrews said, “The 33rd Light Infantry Division was reportedly involved in the lethal attacks in Mandalay today – the same division responsible for mass atrocity crimes against the Rohingya in 2017. A dangerous escalation by the junta in what appears to be a war against the people of Myanmar.”
“The very idea of Aung San Suu Kyi taking the trip to Hague at the end of 2019 to defend the actions of the military spoke volume about who she is as a person, and where she stands in her understanding of how democratic transition in Myanmar should progress,” says Yasmin Ullah, a Rohingya Social Justice Activist to IPS News.
“We have had three coups so far since 1962, and that memory still lives very deeply with a lot of Myanmar citizens. The pain and hurt that comes with it still reminds them of the glory that the country could never actually achieve.
“We have lived under a military regime for decades, without unifying, without taking to the streets, and making it known to the world that we reject this unconstitutional ceasing of power. The citizens are out on the streets because they will not have another chance at this, people are done with the fact that they will have to live under a culture of impunity where the military is untouched,” says Yasmin.
Following the coup in Myanmar, Washington has imposed sanctions on the military, urging other U.N members to follow suit. The UK too announced asset freezes and travel bans on three generals in Myanmar and is also going to be putting in place new measures to prevent UK aid. Singapore warned that there will be “serious adverse consequences” for Myanmar if the situation there continues to escalate. The European Union’s foreign affairs chief Joseph Borrell urged the military and “all security forces in Myanmar to immediately stop violence against civilians.”
Rights group Human Rights Watch in its report, Myanmar, Sanctions, and Human Rightssaid, “it supports the use of certain types of sanctions – including targeted sanctions and travel bans, and restrictions on military, trade, financial, economic, and other relations – as a means to condemn situations involving grave widespread human rights abuses or humanitarian law violations, to assert pressure to end those abuses, to hold those responsible to account, and as a means to deter other parties from becoming complicit in abuses.”
“We are calling on the United Nations Security Council to impose a global arms embargo. Separately, the UN General Assembly can also endorse individual governments or regional organizations imposing unilateral sanctions on Myanmar’s military, something the General Assembly has done in the past (e.g., during South Africa during apartheid.), the report stated.
International rights defenders have expressed concerns over grave human rights violations in Myanmar following the Feb. 1 military coup. “What we are witnessing in Myanmar didn’t just suddenly happen. You cannot leave the perpetrators of grave crimes under international law on the loose and then act surprised when they trample human rights again,” said Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of Advocacy Sherine Tadros.
“It was already ingrained in us Rohingyas to be intimidated, to fear the military, to fear authority, because that has always been the tactics used on us. The same kind of tactics we see now – the psychological warfare, night raids, shooting of people, arbitrary arrest, restrictions of movements – all of the things that the protestors are dealing with right now have been used on every single ethinic community and the Rohingyas,” says Yasmin.
It’s been thirty-three years since the uprising in 1988 in Myanmar against the military dictatorship, also known as the 8-8-88 Movement. The armed forces continued to rule until 2011, when a new government began a return to civilian rule. The military’s current threat to revoke the constitution only revealed the fact that it is willing to overturn any political – democratic system when its interests are threatened.
“Without a real change and reform within Myanmar to the very foundation to rip off the military power because they have infested different parts of the country that makes Myanmar what it is, without doing that there is no democracy that could take place,” says Yasmin.
The author is a journalist and filmmaker based out of New Delhi. She hosts a weekly online show called The Sania Farooqui Show where Muslim women from around the world are invited to share their views.
