Malaysian death penalty under revaluation

By: Emily Bamforth

Produced & Edited by: Katie Foglia

It has been over a year since Malaysia’s attorney general announced that the Attorney General’s Chambers was considering an amendment to make the death penalty discretionary in terms of drug trafficking.

Bar Council of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.
Photo by Kaihsu Tai via Wikimedia Commons. 

The change would drop the number of cases where the death penalty is mandatory from six to five. The current cases to which mandatory sentencing applies are firearm offenses or being an accomplice in a crime utilizing a firearm, murder, drug trafficking and treason, according to the Malaysian Bar.

Malaysia is one of 29 countries that still carry a death penalty.

“Obviously, the death penalty is a severe punishment,” said Kin Chai Ho, a senior lecturer at HELP University College, in an email. “It shows the severity of the crime and the government’s determination to curb the crimes.”

Execution is by hanging. Anil Netto, treasurer for ALIRAN, a Malaysian social reform movement, said that some on Death Row have been in jail for long periods of time.

“ALRIAN has always been against the death penalty,” said Netto in an email. “We feel that it is against the fundamental right to life.”

Malaysia compared to other countries

Although the sentence may be mandatory, Malaysia sits low in terms of executions compared to other countries. A total of 324 people have been sentenced to death in Malaysia between 2007 and 2012, but only two have been executed, according to data from Amnesty International.

In comparison, so far in 2013, 30 people have been executed in Texas. The Texas death penalty is discretionary. Ho said, however, that it is unwise to stack countries up against each other.

“A country’s law is supreme in that country and is meant to serve the people of that country,” he said. “You cannot use someone else’s standard to judge your law. In doing so, you are implying someone’s law is superior to your law.”

Pathman Sundramoorthy, associate professor of criminology at University Sains Malaysia, said the lack of executions could be due to a potential change and current questioning of death penalty laws.

“There’s demand that these kinds of punishments be reviewed,” he said.

Organizations such as the Malaysian Bar have been working towards abolishing the death penalty for years, Christopher Leong, president of the organization, said. “Even in the case of a convicted murderer, the death penalty is a reflection of the notion that ‘an eye for an eye’ provides the best form of justice, a concept that we should not embrace nor practice today bearing in mind that at present there is no criminal justice system emplaced which is foolproof.”

Sundramoothy said the penalty in regards to drug trafficking may not deter individuals from trafficking in the first place, but will remove their impact from the community, a concept called specific deterrence.

“Don’t forget, we’re all still developing countries,” Sundramoorthy said. “We cannot afford to have this problem.”

Surrounding countries such as Singapore and Indonesia also maintain mandatory death penalties.

Mixed public opinion on penalty 

Sharon Wilson, an assistant professor in the Department of Mass Communications for Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), said she sees a mixed bag of opinions amongst the public on the topic.

“For those who agree, they believe it is proper in accordance to the crimes committed,” she said in an email. “The death penalty ensures that criminals do not get involved again or (become) repeat offenders. As a lesson there are many countries that carry out the death penalty in public for all to see in the public square. In Malaysia, the death penalty is done in closed doors.”

Wilson supports the death penalty in the case of serious crimes. She added that she would like to see the punishment extended to offenses such as sexual crimes against minors.

In a recent study commissioned by The Death Penalty Project in London, 56 percent of a group of 1,535 Malaysian citizens said they were in favor of a mandatory execution sentence for murder, with between 25 and 44 percent in favor for drug trafficking offenses and 45 percent for firearm possession.

Emily Brokaw, a student at Taylor University studying music education, lived in Malaysia for 14 years. She said as an expatriate, she was advised to be cautious in her actions and to avoid situations that could compromise her security.

“Instances of the death penalty and the severity of the rule do not frequently demand attention in the common populace, or at least the long term expat residents,” she said in an email. “I have heard from second hand sources of instances where people have been tried for a crime and sentenced to death, usually for possession of drugs even if they were transporting drugs unknowingly. This serves as a reminder to expats that we need to take care to not place ourselves unwittingly in a compromising situation.”

Wilson said the trial process for these kinds of crimes is quite long, extending to the high court, Court of Appeals and federal court. Defendants can request a Royal Pardon if found guilty.

Members of the Royal Malaysia Police force.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

“Malaysia has been very strict with its drug laws and we don’t tolerate possession or distribution,” she said. “The Malaysian courts have not been ‘trigger happy’ in implementing this law unless they are sure that all evidence puts the individual as the criminal.”

Sundramoorthy said there are many misconceptions about the death penalty in the country, like the harsh punishments are tied to religion. He said he urges people to examine the economic, historical and political factors tied into the punishment.

"Every country has specific reasons why certain types of punishment are (given) out to offenders,” he said. “Every country has its reasons. What might appear right to you might look wrong to me. You have to look at the context.”  

Taiwanese National Health Insurance system in crisis

By: Jacob Betzner

Produced & Edited by: Katie Foglia

Taipei City Hospital in Taiwan. Photo by Lord Koxinga via Wikimedia Commons.

Only 22 nations and the Vatican City recognize Taiwan as a fully independent country. The island, located off the southeast coast of China, boasts an extremely affordable and efficient healthcare system. When Taiwan lifted martial law in 1987, officials wanted to develop a strong, affordable healthcare system that would serve nearly 22 million citizens. 

National Health Insurance (NHI), a compulsory program, brought healthcare to all Taiwanese and required only a small percentage of annual household income. The government recently reformed the payment system for National Health Insurance premiums to cover growing costs. National Health Insurance in Taiwan resembles Medicare in the United States, but it is open to the entire population.

“In addition to the basic premium, the insured will be charged a supplementary premium of two percent for other incomes received, including large bonuses, income from professional practice, part-time wages, stock dividends, saving interest and rental income. Before the Second Generation of NHI, premiums were solely payroll based,” said Mei Wang, Associate Researcher with the Planning Division of the National Health Insurance Bureau.

Wang said National Health Insurance covers a wide variety of areas including inpatient and outpatient care, prescriptions, regular dental services, traditional Chinese medicine, mentally ill and nursing care and more expensive procedures on a case-by-case basis.

National Health Insurance gives citizens easy and quick access to doctors and prescriptions by using a fixed global budget, meaning the National Health Insurance Bureau pays a fixed amount to hospitals but only limits hospital visits for patients in extreme circumstances. 

Dr. Jen-Hsiang Shen of the Ministry of Health and Welfare said doctors receive only about 30 percent of the payment per procedure. The hospital or clinic invests the remaining 70 percent in new buildings and equipment, often buying from companies partly or fully owned by the hospital owners.

With the extremely accessible healthcare, patients flocked to hospitals and clinics. Currently, doctors work as many as 80 to 100 hours per week. “The National Health Insurance in Taiwan is the cheapest and the most effective health insurance in the world, and it has worked for 18 years in our country,” said Dr. Ping-Hung Lin, Vice General Secretary of the Taiwan Medical Labor Union. “However, it has caused the increasing demand of health of our people, which means increasing work of our medical staff.”

Dr. Lin gave several examples of doctors and nurses in Taiwan facing extreme stress. Nearly a dozen doctors and nurses died from overworking last year. Dr. Shen said Taiwanese culture contributes to doctors working extra hours, often for no pay. 

“There is a culture in Taiwan that if you haven’t finished your work when your hour is finished, you should keep finishing your job until it’s finished,” he said. 

Nurses suffer, too. Typically, one nurse monitors 20 or more sickbeds, and one doctor cares for more than 60 sickbeds throughout one shift. Dr. Lin and the Taiwan Medical Labor Union work directly with the government, drafting legislation to limit work hours in the hopes of improving the quality of care.

“The medical system in Taiwan is breaking down,” Dr. Lin said. “I can tell you the doctor life in Taiwan is miserable. I hope the [Affordable Care Act] in the U.S. won’t make the same mistakes as Taiwan. Cost down is wrong. The quality must be taken into consideration first.”

            
The number of doctors continues to decline. Many move to different countries like the United States, China or Singapore to work fewer hours for higher pay. Dr. Yuan-hung Wu, an oncology resident at Taipei Veteran’s Hospital, recently considered such a move.

            
“I am ready to apply for to practice in the United States, I’m ready to do that,” he said. “Many of my younger medical students, they have already gone abroad to practice right after they graduated. They are about 20 graduates in my college they are now working abroad.”

Additionally, doctors face heavy penalties and even jail time if found guilty of medical malpractice. In the United States, doctors face fines and the possible suspension of a medical license in civil court except in extreme cases like homicidal negligence. 

Dr. Shen said Taiwanese courts send nearly a dozen doctors to jail every year, in addition to imposing heavy fines. Dr. Lin said the risk of jail time and fines discourages medical students from entering crucial fields like surgery, emergency medicine and gynecology.

“The medical students, they do not want to go to these high-risk specialties. They go to dermatology or the plastic surgery or whatever, not high-risk surgery,” Lin said.

However, patients enjoy many benefits with the program. Patients pay a $3 to $5 USD co-pay, mostly to cover administrative costs, to visit a hospital or clinic. Staying in the hospital for an extended period of time costs a co-pay of only $70 to $120 USD per night. Fu-Long Kai, a recent college graduate currently serving a compulsory stint with the Republic of China Armed Forces, says National Health Insurance helps keep costs low for citizens.

“Everybody gives a little part of their salary and everyone can go to hospital and you don’t have to pay that much. You can see the doctor and get their proper surgery or the proper solution for your disease or something,” he said.

          
Dr. Wu said National Health Insurance allows doctors to provide care without worrying about insurance coverage. 

Chiu Wen-ta, the Minister of Health and Welfare.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

“We don’t have to consider their economic status, whether they are affordable to the treatment. We can do the treatment to the patient in need right away,” Dr. Wu said.

While National Health Insurance isn't perfect, it allows patients easy access to affordable and quality care, and doctors still earn, on average, higher salaries compared to average Taiwanese incomes. Dr. Lin and Dr. Wu both said the system needs some reformation to survive. Dr. Shen suggested subtle changes to help doctors in Taiwan perform at a high level without sacrificing efficiency.

“I think the government need to offer reasonable work hours, reasonable salary and reasonable staffing to keep doctors wanted,” Dr. Shen said.

Palestinian Women: A Minority Within a Minority

Photo via Wikipedia Commons

                                                                           

By: Anna Rumer

Produced & edited by: Tim Tripp

  Countries such as the United States, India, and the U.K. often hail Israel as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East, but this view often veils the truth of the violence, prejudice, and impoverishment going on inside its borders amongst one of the most discriminated against groups in the world: Palestinian women.
  For over 500,000 Palestinian women living in Israel and the Occupied Territories, this discrimination is the reality of their everyday life. Palestinian women must face the dangers of not only living life as a national minority but as a minority in gender.

  While the experiences of these women vary based on location and socioeconomic status, a majority live in peripheral communities with low income and level of education. This is in part due to the lack of employment opportunities for Arab women. 
  Israel National Insurance Institute calculates that only 18 percent of Arab women work compared to 55 percent of Jewish women. This is a lower rate of female employment than any Middle Eastern nation, including Oman and Saudi Arabia.

  Many of the issues that women face while living in these areas are shared with Palestinian men, such as the Absentee Property Law. This law states that any person living in a hostile country or in “the Land of Israel” not controlled by the State of Israel who owned property within the state, is considered an absentee owner. This means that his property can be transferred to the state’s Custodian of Absentee Property.

  Rasha Sansur, a Palestinian born in Jerusalem, has seen an increase in the implementation of this law. “You go into the old city, and that guy who was an Arab there, you see an Israeli flag outside of his house. Like someone just took over the house,” she said.

Palestinian Women Face Sexual Violence

  While fighting for the right to keep their land, Palestinians face harrowing checkpoints that pepper Israel and the Occupied Territories. 
  For women, these checkpoints are especially dangerous. Sansur faces up to six hours a day in checkpoints while going to work. “When it is hot they turn on the heat and when it is cold they turn on the air conditioning … because they love it when the Arabs start fighting with each other,” she said. “Sometimes people touch you; there are perverts everywhere.”

Western Wall in Israel. Photo via Wikipedia Commons

  This sexual violence unfortunately is not uncommon in Israel. Jewish women in Israel face this violence as well, frequently while attempting to pray and participate at Jewish religious sites such as the Western Wall.  However, Palestinian women face the brunt of the violence. In 2009, it was estimated by the Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling that 60 percent of all murders in Israel are Palestinian women.

  Aya Mana’a, Palestinian activist formerly working for the Coalition of Women’s Peace, described the feeling that such violence brings. “We are more vulnerable … oppressed from the state and from the men. A lot of Arab woman are experiencing oppression, the feeling from fear.”

  Mark Thomas, Developments and Outreach Coordinator for Kayan-Feminist Organization, which aims to improve the status of Palestinian women in Israel, deals with this violence regularly. “Violence against women is prolific here,” he said. “Palestinians in Israel do face gender motivated murder, which is regularly excused or explained in the media … under the heading of honor.”

  For women wishing to fight this violence and other injustices, the legal system holds few answers. While civil laws are fairly progressive, they are sparsely enforced. For the real legal power, many look to the religious court systems, which are inherently racist and sexist. 
  Many of these courts are even placed outside of Israel and the Palestinian Territories in Lebanon, a country technically at war with Israel, which keeps Palestinians from arguing their case.

  Part of Kayan-Feminist Organization’s service is helping women to navigate court systems. “Many women don’t even know how [the courts] work, what the procedures are what the fee schedules are, because this stuff isn’t even published,” Thomas said.

  When organizations challenge things such as honor killing, they face anger from Palestinian men as well as Israelis.
 “There are very few domains of Palestinian social, cultural, and legal autonomy left in this country, and any threat or any change or any challenge to these systems that we might make on behalf of women will be perceived by the nationalist group … as undermining that national autonomy,” Thomas said.

  Despite this discrimination, there are many that fight back. Kayan-Feminist Organization helps train women at the grassroots level to become community leaders for community-based women’s associations, forming initiatives with measurable outcomes.

  In 2008, Thomas said that Kayan-Feminist Organization formed the Forum of Arab Women, which gathers leaders from around 17 community-based women’s associations to collaborate. Thomas compares their progress to the U.S. feminist movement in the 1970s. “We can see a critical mass building,” he said.

  Razan Kafiety Stiban, a Palestinian living in Jerusalem, describes the Palestinians in Jerusalem as determined. “All I can say about Palestinians in general … is that they are full of energy, patience, pride and power. They have been fighting for years and years for their land and for their homes with no boredom or depression,” she said in an e-mail.

Rough Winter Ahead for the Homeless in Hungary

A view of the city of Budapest. Photo via Wikipedia Commons

                                                     

By: Hal-David Roberts

Produced & edited by: Tim Tripp

  On October 1, 2013, the Hungarian parliament amid prior speculation passed a law banning ‘sleeping rough.’ The new regulations target the homeless population in this central European nation.

  This means that being homeless in cities such as the Hungarian capital, Budapest, is now a misdemeanor criminal offense. The homeless, if caught by police, are now susceptible to community service, unaffordable fines and possible time behind bars.

  Lilla Katona of Budapest says, “The authorities will now be able to force the homeless to leave public areas.”

  The government continues to stand by their decision, saying that this law is solely to assist and protect Hungary’s homeless people. According to the United Nations, there are about 30,000 to 35,000 homeless people living in Hungary.

  This is not the first time that the Hungarian government has targeted its homeless population. In 2011, a law created in Budapest that banned living in public spaces eventually was enforced across the entire nation. People found violating this law faced fines up to $650, approximately 140,000 Hungarian Forint. They also faced possible time in jail.

  Hungary’s highest court was able to remove the ban citing a violation of the constitutional right to human dignity.

  After this ruling, several changes were made to the constitution in order to bypass the ‘human dignity’ right. These changes made it possible for Budapest and local municipalities to make sleeping rough illegal in order to protect public order, security, health and cultural issues. The constitutional changes received backlash from the European Union and many different international civil rights groups.

  Horvàth Márton of Sopron, a Hungarian city bordering Austria, feels that this law “only makes things more difficult for those [homeless people] who are already in a rough situation.” The latest ban will allow a ‘warning’ of sorts for offenders who will be told to leave before further punishment. There is also an opportunity to substitute the fine with community service.

                                                              Photo via Wikipedia Commons                                           

  Katona explained further, “Offenders will be required to work in public interest doing things such as garbage collection on the streets.” Those unwilling to do the work will face a fine of 50,000 HUF, which is about $230 USD.

  If caught ‘habitually residing’ in public areas after warnings and preliminary punishments, offenders will face six months in prison.Citizens are worried that the government is attempting to hide the homeless in order to protect other interests such as Hungary’s growing tourism business. 

  There are few alternatives to ‘sleeping rough’ for those without a place to call home other than the overcrowded shelters across Hungary.

  According to an occasional volunteer at Budapest homeless shelters, István Jeges, “The worst part of this new law is that it really puts some [homeless] people in a situation where there is really nothing they can do beside hide from authorities.”

  The Hungarian government insists that there are enough beds and enough space in the capital city’s shelters for those in need. Lelia Balint, who works at the Hajlék Ellátó homeless shelter in Budapest tells a different story, “We have room for about 120 but in reality 150 people are able to stay,” before they have to begin turning people away.

      
  With winter and colder weather approaching, Jeges says, “It will be sad to see how many people will be turned away because there is no more room because now they have more to worry about in the streets.” 

Suffrage in Honduras: Democracy at its best?
by Beatriz Lovo

November 24 is the date when Hondurans will crowd the polling booths and elect their new public officials. Each voter will receive three ballots in which they can choose from 9 candidates for president, 9 candidates for mayor and 2,682 for Congress, half of which, by law, are women. (Candidates for Congress are competing for 298 seats.)

Traditionally, Honduras has been a bi-partisan country, but not anymore. This time, there is an ample offer to choose from (though non represent the cream of the crop). Everything is set and a transparent uneventful election is expected, with international overseers to testify for the legitimacy of the process.

For three months prior to the election, candidates are free to advertise in any medium they can afford. The streets of Tegucigalpa appear covered with banners and flyers of dozens of candidates looking for voters’ blessings and recognition. Many upload their pictures in the social media, where they are seen kissing babies and hugging poor people they have never met before and will never see again. Television and radio advertise candidates for congress, each with its party’s flag and particular hymns and anthems.

What could possibly be wrong with this picture? At a glance, the process exudes freedom and democracy and variety and civil liberties…The problem is not local, but global. Instead of using the media to inform and guide voters to make educated choices, candidates promote themselves as brands, much the same way as do toothpaste vendors or cell phone stores. The messages are so funny, it’s sad.

One candidate for congress announces in a jingle that he has dimples, while a candidate for designate (vice president) claims voters should elect him because he is handsome. Several have given themselves pet names like Vilo, Nata or Basha, but no one knows their real names the way they will appear on the ballot. One claims he likes football like the regular Joe and another has been aided by Photoshop to appear in his 40s when he is actually in his 80s. One of Tegucigalpa’s candidate for mayor has a slogan: “At your service, dude”. (He’s already lost twice using it, but the third time’s the charm.) And my very favorite “My heart has a moustache”, which comes from a candidate for congress who is running because the proprietary candidate of his spot died after being elected in the primaries and he was known as Mr. Moustache.

So who will Hondurans elect? Who is the better choice? Sadly, we may never know. In the end, most will vote for the catchiest jingle, the better looking or the least corrupt. I wish a time will come in our democratic history in which the media are used to advertise government planning, well prepared resumes and job experience.

The truth is, we tend to follow media trends from more developed, first world countries like the U.S., France or England; countries with better media production and visual effects that produce political campaigns that are just as shallow, or more.

Slogan: My heart has a moustache or Moustache lives in me. (Free translation)

IIJ Collaborates with Beijing International Studies University

Ohio University’s academic linkage with Beijing International Studies University (BISU) in China will also offer collaborative outreach for the Institute for International Journalism (IIJ). Ohio University signed a memorandum of understanding with BISU on Oct. 15, 2013.

BISU was founded in 1964 by China’s late premier Zhou Enlai. Its mission is to train professionals in international fields such as foreign affairs, tourism, and business. BISU also provides education in other diverse disciplines such as literature, economics, management, and communications. For the IIJ, this collaborative outreach will primarily be based on comparative research and media pedagogy, which is a vital component of the IIJ’s mission to promoting international comparative research.

Ghana Study Abroad Orientation Sessions

Orientation for the 2013-14 Study Abroad Trip to Ghana has begun! The students will be staying in the city of Accra over the course of Winter break. They will earn internship experience and class credit. Students will experience Ghana's political structure and culture while focusing on a specialized journalism program. Of the 20 students going on the trip, 18 are undergraduate and two are graduate students. 

The Begining of Eid al-Adha -the Feast of Sacrifice

By:Kaylyn Hlavaty

Beginning on October 15^th, Muslims around the world gathered at mosques for dawn prayers to celebrate one of Islam’s most sacred holidays, Eid al -Adha.  The holiday marks the end of the hajj, the pilgrimage made by Muslims during to the Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

The Eid al -Adha, the feast of sacrifice, commemorates the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his first-born son Ishmael as an act of submission and dedication to Allah’s request and his son’s willingness to be sacrificed. In the Quran, as Ibrahim is about to sacrifice his son, he hears a voice from heaven that stops him and allows him to sacrifice a sheep instead.

Every year during Eid al -Adha, Muslims slaughter sheep, camels and cows to symbolize the sacrifice Ibrahim was willing to make for God. At dawn, men, women and children go the mosque to pray. Following prayer, families go to the cemetery to honor the loved ones lost.

Inside the Al-Amin mosque. photo taken by Kaylyn Hlavaty

As a journalist and foreigner, I wanted to witness the traditions and hear the meanings of this holiday. Around 7 a.m., I made my way to the Mohammad Al-Amin mosque in downtown Beirut. I wanted to begin my observance of this holiday with the first tradition of the day: going to the mosque. After I took my shoes off and I covered from head to toe, I went upstairs to the women’s praying area. 

The women were sitting in groups, some with children waiting for the morning prayer to start and others already praying. Not knowing where to sit, I slowly made my way over to a group of women talking. I introduced myself and I started to ask them questions about what Eid means to them. Since none of the women spoke English, we used our facial expressions and body language to communicate. Since we couldn’t understand each other when we spoke, we used facial expression and handshakes to show understanding and respect.

The burial of the late Abdalah Hasbalah

Amal Bakri was one of the many women who were gathered at the Mohammad Al-Amin mosque. She saw I was struggling to communicate verbally with the other women. She joined in the conversation speaking French and a little bit of English. It was enough to understand each other. Soon after, it was time for prayer. I sat on the side, watching women, children and men devotedly pray. After prayer, Amal invited me to meet her husband and her son who spoke better English. We sat in the car talking about the holiday and then before I know it, I’m in the car with her husband, mother, son and sister going to the cemetery. This is another tradition associated with the holiday. Family members visit loved ones who have passed away.

Eid is very special holiday for her and her family, like it is for many Muslims because it’s a time to spend with family and a day to be joyous.  Once we got to the cemetery, she explained to me that her father had died four months ago.

“It’s still very hard for me and my family. We are all very close and when you lose someone so close to a holiday that means a lot to us, it’s even more difficult,” said Amal.

Children selling flowers outside the cemetery

As I walked inside the burial grounds, I was told to put my camera away, so out of respect I did. On the way her father’s resting place, there were many other families paying their respect to the deceased. I was standing with the family watching Amal and her sister read verses from the Qur’an. Once everyone started to cry, I started to get emotional as well. I thought to myself, here I am with a family I have only known for about thirty minutes and they were generous enough to invite me to the cemetery during a intimate occasion. Also, they furthered the invitation to spend an entire day with them. I felt honored to be in that moment and witness this special moment. It’s not every day a journalist or an outsider for that matter can experience Eid the way I did.

They invited me for Nescafe and as the avid coffee drinker I am, I immediately accepted the invitation. While Amal was preparing the coffee, her son Ahmad Bakri took me to see the slaughtering of the sheep. I was happy I could see the slaughter just down the street from their house. I was prepared to see quite a bit of blood because I come from a family of hunters so I’m used to this sort of process. According to tradition, the sheep were slaughtered in the front of the mosque. Women, children and men stood to witness the slaughter. There were three sheep already dead when I arrived, which left one sheep to follow the rest.

The slaughter in front of the mosque. Photo taken by Kaylyn Hlavaty

Once I saw the slaughter of the final sheep, we headed to Ahmad’s house in Kornish al Mazraa where his sister, Nada, his father Farook, his brother Emel and his mother Amal all live. From the moment I walked in, I was given such warm hospitality. Once we drank coffee, I wanted to see more of the traditions that were taking place, especially the outreach to the poor. Ahmad took me to Ibad Al Rahman. It resembles a charitable center with an attached mosque. Throughout the year, this center provides prayer classes, medical and food assistance and on Eid, meat donations to the community and the poor. Throughout the holiday, there is approximately 3,600 sheep butchered and donated to the center.

Children witnessing the slaughter. Photo taken by Kaylyn Hlavaty

A man carrying several bags filled with lamb meat walked out of the donation center. I stopped him to ask how Eid is important to him and if he could explain any special traditions he had. His name was Mohamed Mogharbl. He came to the center because a relative of his family donated a lamb to the center and he was picking some up for his family, uncle and the rest he was going to give to the poor.

“I had to get a card from the officials at the center so I could get permission to pick up the meat. On the card it says the price of the sheep, the kind of sheep such as in size and fat ratio and the name of the sheep dealer,” said Mogharbi.

When I asked him how the center knows who is considered poor and ones who are there to pick up the meat, he said there was a separate line for the poor people and the card allows anyone to pick up the meat. On average, to donate a sheep, it costs around $300 USD. As a general rule, the sheep has to be older than five months and it should be in good health.

The butchers passing out the meat inside the center
Photo taken by Kaylyn Hlavaty.

Since part of Eid is about giving to the less fortunate, Muslims make it a goal to donate either money to someone they know or give the extra meat from the lamb to the poor. When Mogharbi was a child, his father would give money to an older lady down the street as part of celebration before Ramandan ending. Mogharibi continues the tradition by giving money to the lady’s daughter.

“It’s very important in our religion that we give when we can, especially during Ramadan and during Eid because it’s these good deeds that we will be rewarded for,” Mogharibi said.

In just my short time walking around the neighborhood with Ahmad, I could feel the energy of happiness and giving in the air. Children playing with snap rocks; aromatic scents occupying the air and sightings of families walking the streets were traits of holiday atmosphere. 

              

                People waiting in line for sheep meat. Photo taken by Kaylyn Hlavaty

On the walk home there was the occasional Syrian refugee women with her children on the streets asking for money. People just walked by them like they didn’t exist. I see more and more women and children begging for food or money as the options to live are far and few in between.

Once we arrived back at Ahmad’s house, we had delicious dinner of rizz with lahmeh. It’s made with rice, cashews and beef. There wasn’t a time that I wasn’t offered coffee and tea and the frequent attention given to me. By the time dinner was done and one of Amal’s sister left, it was already 4 p.m. I decided it was my time to head back to Ashrafieh, which is only a ten-minute drive without the Beirut traffic. As I left the house, I felt like I knew them for much longer than the eight hours we spent together.

I was fortunate to run into Amal at the mosque and for her to welcome a complete stranger into her home and invite me to experience her holiday traditions. From the moment we met, there was a language barrier, but it didn’t stop us from showing our true expressions towards each other, which was respect and acceptance. Despite what some may believe about the views Christians have towards Muslims and vice versa, my experience today proved again that no matter the religion, beliefs or social background, we can all find understanding and acceptance amongst one another. Some say actions speak louder than words, and today they spoke loud with kindness and generosity.

Left: Farook Bakri and  Emel Bakri  at their home in Kornish al Mazraa
Photo taken by Kaylyn Hlavaty

Moscow Correspondent Travels US to Study American Media

Cassie Kelly 

Simon Kruse Rasmussen, Moscow foreign correspondent for Danish daily Berlingske, visited Athens Oct. 6th through the 10th as part of a fellowship with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Kruse has been covering politics in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States and Central Asia for the past seven years. During his visit, Kruse spoke to classes about the current struggles of being a foreign correspondent and discussed ways to change the downward slope of the industry. 

Prior to visiting Athens, Kruse's journey has taken him through Washington D.C., New York and Kentucky. Beginning his travels in mid-Sept., Kruse said he has been given a greater sense of how the American journalism industry operates.  He has had the opportunity to meet with such media outlets as: the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post and Buzzfeed.

Kruse found Buzzfeed’s newsroom particularly interesting, because instead of cutting back on hiring correspondents, they have just hired their first foreign editor. He said that although the entertaining cat posts still remain, they are shifting their focus to investigative journalism.

“They are going into serious journalism, and have a very interesting business model,” Kruse said.
Aside from foreign correspondence, Kruse also has an interest in Environmental Journalism. While on leave from his position at the Berlingske, he has begun work on an energy project for the Daily, taking him to Chattanooga, Tennessee’s 23rd Annual Society of Environmental Journalists conference. His focus is the comparison of fracking and renewable energy procedures to responses found in Europe.

“Europe will probably fall in the footsteps of the US regarding fracking. But, there has been a lot of local opposition,” Kruse said.

With a notable interest in fracking and environmental journalism, the Scripps School of Journalism was a good fit for Kruse’s American tour, making it the first university he has visited in the States. He said he loves how the town is centered around the university, in contrast to many European institutions, and that he greatly enjoyed talking to students. Kruse also spoke with WOUB's Tom Hodson about his research and career as a foreign correspondent in Russia.

When speaking to classes about foreign reporting, he referenced a survey he conducted in 2012, illustrating heavy cutbacks in the industry. His study found that Denmark went from 60 foreign correspondents in 1998 to just 39 in 2012. Additionally, the number of Russian correspondents has dropped from five in 1998 to one in 2012— that one being Kruse. One concern he noted is that while he has observed media outlets hiring more freelance reporters, these journalists are unable to make a living.

“If they don’t have a regular contract or can only sell a few stories a month, we risk ending up with a mixed model,” Kruse explained. “The reporters end up writing books or tour guiding.”

Through his fellowship with CSIS, Kruse is trying to find solutions to this dilemma. He believes there is a lot of potential in networking and combining forces with other foreign reporters.
“We are not competitors, we are colleagues,” Kruse said.

Kruse said there is also a huge potential for foreign correspondence in social media where reporters can follow readers and get eyewitness accounts, enhancing their stories.

Kruse also shared his experience as a Danish reporter in Moscow. He said he recognizes having a unique advantage over Russian journalists covering politics, as he does not have to appease the strict Russian government system. He has seen that if Russian journalists find a critical story, they will not publish it because they risk being fired or their paper being shut down.

“They’re always walking the line. Its not censorship, its self-censorship,” Kruse said. “They know what is controversial so many of them will not publish.”

Social media in Russia, on the other hand, is very decentralized, and an instrument for sharing all ideas.
“It’s a really important tool because they cannot really stop it from spreading,” Kruse said, referring to the government.

Kruse’s visit was made possible through a partnership between CSIS and the Scripps School of Journalism, initiated by Scripps Professor Andy Alexander. Kruse’s talks on foreign correspondence will continue out west to North Dakota, Texas and California.

Jeff Widener Shares Experiences as Associated Press Photographer

By Cassie Kelly

One of the most iconic photos ever taken, “Tank Man” depicts a man halting four tanks during China’s Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener shared his experience capturing this moment, and others like it, during his visit last week to Athens.

Before his position at AP, Widener worked for various newspapers across the country. He describes his career as a rollercoaster, going from paper to paper without much money in between. Nevertheless, he describes persevering through the ups and downs, always managing to keep in touch with Hal Buell, head of photography at AP.

Buell consistently kept in touch with Widener, telling him whether any positions opened up, but the timing had never been right. One day, however, recently unemployed Widener got a call from Buell. He told Widener there was a position available and asked if Widener could travel to the Philippines. Without hesitation, Widener said yes. In a quick turn of events the offer changed to a position in Bangkok, a place Widener had long-standing suspicions he would eventually end up.

“I just left the job at the LA Sun and I couldn’t afford a pack of gum. The next minute, I’m sipping champagne in the cabin of a 747 to Bangkok,” Widener said. “Just goes to show you how fast events in life can change.”

Widener worked with AP from 1987 until 1995 and considers his position there his greatest accomplishment. While getting dropped into dangerous situations with only his camera, Widener would take the most noteworthy photographs of his AP career, including “Tank Man.”

Widener specifically noted the ever-changing nature of his position – from being pampered in New York staying in five star hotels to flying to dangerous places like Sri Lanka, to shoot the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam riots. Soon enough he began to wonder how much longer he could live through all of the adventures.

“In fact, I started worrying about the fact that I might actually get killed,” Widener said.

When Widener looks back at Tiananmen, he said that while it has opened a lot of doors for him, he wants his legacy to be something greater.

“[I want] to be remembered for a body of work, not just a lucky shot,” Widener said. He is currently working on publishing his first book, which he plans to call “Beyond Tiananmen.”

“I’ve risked a lot in my life. I’d like people to know I was on the planet… Jeff Widener was here,” he added

Widener hopes his book will not only highlight his photos from Southeast Asia, including the Tiananmen uprising, but also depict his experiences while shooting those photos.

During Widener’s visit to Ohio University he explained to students that if they truly wanted something, it would happen for them.

“If you can get passed the obstacles and look at them as challenges and feel good about yourself when you get passed those challenges, than you are definitely going to make it,“ he said.

Widener sees media photography geared more toward quantity than quality these days, which he said he finds sad. He has watched new photojournalists being pressured to take catchy photos rather than capturing a moment or triggering an emotion through their images. His advice to photojournalists is to think visually and more carefully.

“You feel a picture, you don’t shoot it,” Widener said. “If your heart skips a beat, if it reminds you of a lover or an old song, than you succeeded.”

This visit was made possible by the School of Visual Communications, the Institute for International Journalism, particularly with the help of Dr. Bob Stewart, Director of the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism.