A NEW RUSSIA?

The Russian Presidential change did not portray itself to the West as a hopeful occasion, and questions were asked about the legitimacy of the newly appointed Prime Minister’s position which Putin now hold.

 

However, it might appear like President Medvedev might be the man to improve Russia’s relationship with the West after all. And most importantly, restore justice for the Russian people after he openly admitted the need for change in relation to the Russian justice system.

 

Medvedev spoke last week of the need to make Russian’s courts independent and described the current legal system as one which decisions were reached after pressure and for money. This is a gutsy stand by the newly elected President.   

 

What thus might be worrying the West and particularly Russia’s old enemy, USA, is Russia’s increasingly tight relationships with China, and how they seem to be creating a new super alliance, jeopardising the US place as the one and only super power.

 

But things could be worse and Medvedev’s interest in furthering talks with the EU in relation to trade agreements seems like a step in the right direction for EU to achieve a closer relationship with this powerful and slightly unpredictable nation.

UN FAILS TO PROTECT

 

The grotesque revelation about UN peacekeepers raping young children who they are suppose to protect really makes a person lose all hope in humanity.

 

As the cruelties happening around the world (most recently witness in relation to the Burmese regime’s reaction to Cyclone Nargis) are a reality of human behaviour, we would not expect that same behaviour from peacekeepers who dedicate their life to work against such cruelties.

 

How any human being can exploit and abuse a young, defenceless child is so grotesque I can barely stand thing about it.

 

Nick Birnback, a UN spokesman said in relation to the revelation, that it was impossible to ensure zero incidents within an organisation that has up to 200,000 personal serving around the world. But to me, that is a cowardly approach and unless zero incidents can be assured, the UN should not be allowed to portray themselves as peacekeepers, as peacekeeping is about protecting vulnerable people from injustice, not inflict it!

 

The cruel incidents came to light through a report issued by ‘Save the Children’ which has proposed an international watchdog to be set up. The report also found out that also aid workers have been sexually abusing young girls and boys.

 

Jasmine Whitbread, executive Save the Children UK, said: “In recent years, some important commitments have been made by the UN, the wider international community and by humanitarian and aid agencies to act on this problem. However, all humanitarian and peacekeeping agencies working in emergency situations, including Save the Children UK must own up to the fact they are vulnerable to this problem and tackle it head on.”

FUEL PROTESTERS LOSE TRACK OF REALITY

While UK’s Prime Minister, Gordon Brown tries to convince the British public of going green, lorry drivers are protesting in London against the rising fuel prices.

 

The reason behind the sky high global fuel prices is that a barrel of oil is measured in US dollars, and when the dollar is low, prices goes up. Of course the instability in the Middle East, particularly in relation to the occupation of Iraq, does not help.

 

Although the UK lorry drivers recognise that the government can’t control global fuel prices, the matter of controversy is in relation to a 2p tax increase on highly polluting cars. They wish instead for a duty rebate of 20p to 25p per litre for lorry drivers as they claim that would help the drivers compete with foreign competition.   

 

One of the protests organisers, Peter Corral claim: “If they do that, we will keep in business, we continue to pay our taxes and play our part in UK business and also the government wins because we take some of the inflationary pressure out of the economy.”

 

We can all understand the frustration of the lorry drivers, although the view Corral defends is very narrow minded, particularly at this stage when the Co2 levels in the atmosphere is at its highest in over 650,000 years.

 

Simultaneously, the sea is soaking up more and more waste, threatening the natural inhabitant of the sea, the artic ice is melting in record speed, the Amazon rainforest is in danger of becoming a dry savannah and harvest can be cut to up to half in some African countries. And this will not only affect the wellbeing of our planet, people need to remember that this will also have tremendous effect on their pockets. If all you understand is the pennies in your bank account, try and remember how much worse it could be and then you might decide that a 2p tax increase is not so bad after all.

  

Fair enough, The UK Labour party’s attempt in going green might be slightly hypocritical for a country and a government who simultaneously suggest the building of a new coal- fired power station, but even baby steps are better than nothing. So Lorry drivers, stop moaning and wakeup to the global crisis of the 21th Century, your part is as great as everyone else’s!

 

 

Related links: Stop whining about gas