PressInfos 2004

PressInfo # 206, 30. december, 2004
Et nyt år i tsunamiens tegn
Tragedien er en advarsel til os alle. Menneskelig og miljømæssig sikkerhed må nu erstatte den rent militære. Vi har brug for nye prioriteringer og en global omsorgs-etik. Det er hvad globalisering fra nu af burde handle om. Vi må kunne lære at respektere at alt hænger sammen med alt andet – og slutte fred både med Moder Jord og med hinanden.

PressInfo # 206, 30:e december, 2004
Ett nytt år i tsunamin tecken
Tragedin är en varning till oss alla. Mänsklig och ekologisk säkerhet måste nu ersätta militär säkerhet. Vi behöver nya prioriteringar och en global omsorgs-etik. Det är vad globalisering borde handla om nu. Vi måste lära att respektera att allt hänger ihop med allt annat – och sluta fred med såväl Moder Jord som med varandra.

PressInfo # 206, December 30, 2004
New Year in the Sign of the Tsunami
It’s a tragedy and an early warning to us all. Human and environmental security must now substitute military security. We need new priorities and a global ethics of care, that is what globalisation ought to be about. We must learn to respect the interrelatedness of everything – and make peace both with Mother Nature and among ourselves.

PressInfo # 205, December 23, 2004
From patriarchal use of power to human security and democracy
With a focus on the worldwide male-dominated order of power, we seek to relate gender-based violence to the issue of human security and ideas about a new type of defence policy. And we challenge the questions usually raised also by the feminist movement.

PressInfo # 204, December 15, 2004
Beyond Violence and Hatred in Southern Thailand
The Queen’s speech on November 16 was a remarkable wake-up call for the whole Thai society about the seriousness of violence in Southern Thailand. Heeding Her Majesty’s admonitions from a nonviolence perspective, some concrete nonviolent alternatives, are proposed here. By TFF Associate Chaiwat Satha-Anand, Bangkok.

PressInfo # 203, December 10, 2004
Japan – Fredsnation eller krigsallieret? – Det kan ikke være både-og
Der er mange tegn på at Japan er slået ind på en militaristisk kurs. Dets tilstedeværelse i Irak behager kun USA og underminerer Japans egen sikkerhed og goodwill ude i verden. Vi må lære at holde et vågent øje med landet – og argumentere for de alternativer, det endnu kan vælge. Af Jan Øberg, TFF direktør.

PressInfo # 203, December 10, 2004
Japan – Peace Nation or War Ally. It can’t have it both ways
There are many signs that Japan is set on a militarist course and global role. It’s presence in Iraq serves only to to please the U.S. and undermines Japan’s own security and goodwill in the world. We must watch Japan carefully – and argue for all the alternatives it can still adopt.

PressInfo # 202, November 17, 2004
Mourning Margaret Hassan – Who and What Killed Her?
We mourn the loss of our friend Margaret. She was the victim of her direct murderers and of several others. She was the victim of the war system and the brutalisation of the human mind it invariably causes. A flame of humanism and hope for the Iraqi people and the rest of us has been extinguished.

PressInfo # 201, November 11, 2004
Four more Bush years: What exciting opportunities!
Dialectical thinking would tell that President Bush’s re-election is not only a problem but a great opportunity. Nine strategic arguments for optimism, hope and new ways of exploiting the situation constructively. And for learning the main lessons from the preceding four years: protesting is not enough!

PressInfo # 200, November 4, 2004
Why Bush won. Fear-ology and the lack of alternatives
About two major reasons for his re-election – and the need for solid re-thinking among those who fought for change.

PressInfo # 200, November 28, 2004
Varför Bush vann? Framkallad rädslag och brist på alternativ
Om två huvudorsaker till att han valdes igen – och om behovet av nytänkande hos dem som arbetar för förändring.

PressInfo # 200, November 4, 2004
Hvorfor Bush vandt? Frygt-ologi og manglende alternativer
Om to hovedårsager til hans genvalg – og behovet for nytænkning hos dem, der arbejdede for forandring.

PressInfo # 199, 14 september, 2004
En debat om moralen at gå i krig
Hvordan sover George Bush og Tony Blair godt om natten? De er begge mænd af religiøs overbevisning, og det kan jo ikke være let at slukke natlampen og vide, at man har givet ordre til at slagte flere uskyldige end der døde den 11. september 2001?

PressInfo # 199, August 18, 2004
Debating the morality of going to war
How does George W. Bush and Tony Blair get a good night’s sleep? They are men of a religious conviction and it cannot be easy to switch off the light knowing one has given the orders for a greater slaughter of innocents that happened at the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. Power reflects on McNamara and Gorbachev and reminds us of Vietnam.

PressInfo # 198, 17 juni, 2004
Hvad er der galt med Kerry’s udenrigs – og inderigspolitik?
Den fordærvelse som udstilledes for verden i Abu Ghraib-fængslet stiller John Kerry overfor en historisk udfordring: Han må tilbyde Amerika noget som er mere politisk attraktivt end en “bleget republikaner” der søger adgang til Det hvide Hus.

PressInfo # 198, June 17, 2004
What is Wrong with Kerry’s Foreign and Domestic Policy…So Far?
“Subtly positioning his candidacy but a micro-meter to the left of George W. Bush is not what America urgently needs (or wants) now…Our democracy deserves better if it deserves to survive!” A strong, personal analysis of the fundamental crisis of US democracy.

PressInfo # 197, 13 maj, 2004
Fredsskabelsen i Kosovo nærmer sig sin afslutning – af helt forudsigelige grunde
Der er både en langtidsbaggrund og nogle årsagsrødder bag det sammenbrud i fredsbevarelsen i Kosovo, som nærmer sig. Medier og politikere synes at glemme dem, fordi de blev bevidst overset i 1990erne og ikke passer ind i standardbilledet af konflikten. I denne analyse diskuterer TFFs direktør, som har været engageret i Kosovo siden 1991, nogle af de vigtigste af disse årsager. I forbifarten påeger han også, hvordan en påstået “anset” NGO, som International Crisis Group, virker som en partisk NÆRGO, en Nær-Governmental Organisation – en næsten-regeringsorganisation – og fortsætter med at udbyde perspektiver og forslag, som vil forværre situationen på Balkan.

PressInfo # 197, 13 maj, 2004
Fredsskapandet i Kosovo är på väg att upphöra – av förutsägbara skäl
Det finns en lång bakgrund och några grundorsaker bakom det allt mer framträdande misslyckandet i fredsmäklingen i Kosovo. Medier och politiker tenderar att glömma dem, eftersom de ignorerades under 90-talet och inte passar in i standardbilden av konflikten. I denna analys diskuteras några av de viktigaste av dessa orsaker av TFF:s direktör, som engagerat sig i Kosovo sedan 1991. I förbigående framhåller han också hur en påstått “prestigefylld” icke-statlig organisation (NGO) som International Crisis Group fungerar som en partisk Nära-Governmental Organisation (NÄGO) och fortsätter att ge perspektiv och förslag som gör saker och ting värre på Balkan.

PressInfo # 197, April 29, 2004
Peacemaking in Kosovo is Coming to an End – for Predictable Reasons
There is a long-term background and some root causes behind the emerging peace-keeping failure in Kosovo. They do not fit the standardised image of the conflict. TFF’s director who has been engaged in Kosovo since 1991 discusses some of the most important among those causes. In passing, he also points out how an allegedly “prestigious” NGO such as the International Crisis Group serves as a biased NEGO, a NEar-Governmental Organisation, and continues to offer perspectives and proposals that will make things worse in the Balkans.

PressInfo # 196, 21. april, 2004
Ikkesprednings-forhandlingerne: kernevåbenafrustning er nøglen til succes
Vi må stadig ikke glemme at forudsætningen for at standse spredningen af kernevåben til nye stater er at de eksisterende kernevåbenstater påbegynder en reel nedrustning, der leder til afrustnng. Først da føler andre at de ikke har brug for dem. Det er dét Ikkesprednings-aftalen fra 1970 siger. Det egentlige problem er eksistensen af disse våben, ikke deres spredning.

PressInfo # 196, 13:e maj, 2004
Icke-spridningsförhandlingen: kärnvapenavrustning är nyckeln till framgång
Det verkliga problemet är inte spridningen utan eksistensen av kärnvapen. Kärnvapenstaterna måste sluta sin dubbelmoraliska politik och ta sin del av ansvaret för Ickespridningsavtalet skall bli verklighet.

PressInfo # 196, April 19, 2004
The Non-Proliferation Bargain: Nuclear Disarmament is the Key to Success
The Non-Proliferation Treaty, which entered into force in 1970, is the centerpiece of international efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons. At the heart of the treaty is a deal between those states that possess nuclear weapons and those that do not.

PressInfo # 195, marts 29, 2004
Den fortsatte omvendte etniske udrensning i Kosovo: for pinlig for det internationale samfund
Det internationella samfundet reaktion på begivenhederne i Kosovo/a er et yderst tilbageholdende understatement af dets pinlige katastrofe i provinsen. Reality-showet om Kosovo må nu checkes mod virkeligheden – også af medierne.

PressInfo # 195, mars 29, 2004
Fortsatt omvämd etnisk rensning i Kosovo: Alltför genant för världssamfundet
Det internationella samhällets reaktion på begivenheterne i Kosovo/a är en svag understatement av den pinsamma katastrofen. Reality-showen om Kosovo behöver nu kollas med verkligheten, också i medierna.

PressInfo # 195, March 29, 2004
The Continued Reverse Ethnic Cleansing in Kosovo: Too Embarrassing for the International Community
The international community’s political and media reaction is an evasive, subdued understatement of the embarrassing catastrophe. The Kosovo Reality Show needs a reality check now.

PressInfo # 194, January 28, 2004
Europe shouldn’t imitate the U.S. on the military front
Europe doesn’t figure much in the Democratic primaries any more than it does in the White House. Perhaps it is understandable why France, Germany and Belgium, and to some extent, Britain, are pushing hard for Europe to have its own defense identity.

PressInfo # 193, 15. januar, 2004
Giv freden i Burundi en chance
Den 12-13 januar 2004 blev der afholdt en donorkonferens for Burundi i Bryssel. Der er uendeligt meget på spil for de 7 millioner mennesker. “Gør en god gerning og beløn burundierne fordi de har vendt krigen ryggen og nu arbejder på freden. Giv dem den – lille – humanitære hjælp de behøver nu i 2004 og efterskænk al gæld. De – og andre – ville dermed se at fred betaler sig,” siger Jan Øberg efter sit andet besøg.

PressInfo # 193, January 12, 2004
Give Burundi’s Peace a Chance
A donors’ conference for Burundi is held in Brussels on January 12-13, 2004. This PressInfo offers a perspective on its urgency. “Do a good thing and reward the Burundians because they turned to peace, give them the needed humanitarian assistance and cancel their debt in full. That would be conflict-management, violence prevention and humanitarianism in one. And it would show others that peace pays,” says TFF director Jan Oberg after his second visit.

PressInfo # 193, 12 januari, 2004
Ge Burundis fred en chans
Den 12-13 januari 2004 pågår en donorkonferens för Burundi i Bryssel, arrangerad av Burundis och Belgiens regeringar och FN:s Utvecklingsprogram, UNDP. Jättemycket är på spel för 7 miljoner människor. “Låt oss belöna burundierna för att de vänt sig till freden, ge dem detta humanitära bistånd och avskriv skulden helt. Det skulle vara konflikthantering, förhindrande av våld och humanitära insatser i ett. Det skulle visa andra att fred betalar sig,” säger TFF:s chef Jan Öberg efter sitt andra besök i landet.

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“En dag som berättigar till fest”, utropade den London-baserade al-Quds al-Arabi efter FN:s eldupphörresolution, “eftersom detta är första gången som Israel accepterar ett FN-beslut från en position som besegrad och inte som segrare”. Att ett arabisk-israeliskt krig för en gångs skull slutat med arabisk seger, är en helt dominerade åsikt i arabiska medier. Al-Quds al-Arabi tillåter sig att drömma om att det israeliska nederlaget skall leda till massflykt från Israel. Men i nästa andetag påminner tidningen om att Israel aldrig brukar genomföra sina internationella åtaganden och varnar för att förlorarna, liksom tidigare, kan hämnas genom att provocera fram inbördeskrig i Libanon. Med tanke på de otaliga massmediala vittnesmålen om det libanesiska folkets eniga motståndskraft förefaller risken för inre stridigheter i det sargade landet just nu liten. Men visst kan man urskilja nyansskillnader i libanesiska tidningar. Vänsterorganet al-Safir uppfattar FN-resolutionen som en komplott i syfte att rädda Israel från ännu större...
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“En dag som berättigar till fest”, utropade den London-baserade al-Quds al-Arabi efter FN:s eldupphörresolution, “eftersom detta är första gången som Israel accepterar ett FN-beslut från en position som besegrad och inte som segrare”. Att ett arabisk-israeliskt krig för en gångs skull slutat med arabisk seger, är en helt dominerade åsikt i arabiska medier. Al-Quds al-Arabi tillåter sig att drömma om att det israeliska nederlaget skall leda till massflykt från Israel. Men i nästa andetag påminner tidningen om att Israel aldrig brukar genomföra sina internationella åtaganden och varnar för att förlorarna, liksom tidigare, kan hämnas genom att provocera fram inbördeskrig i Libanon. Med tanke på de otaliga massmediala vittnesmålen om det libanesiska folkets eniga motståndskraft förefaller risken för inre stridigheter i det sargade landet just nu liten. Men visst kan man urskilja nyansskillnader i libanesiska tidningar. Vänsterorganet al-Safir uppfattar FN-resolutionen som en komplott i syfte att rädda Israel från ännu större...
Greenland – the world’s largest island, a continent of its own with only 57.000 inhabitants. I visited it for the first time in May 2005. I flew across the inland ice to Nuuk, the tiny capital with some 14.000 inhabitants. I was overwhelmed by the pride and kindness of everyone I met as well as by the unique natural beauty. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions during my ten-day stay I could get nowhere else but Nuuk. Fortunately, however, among those I met was Gitte Arvegaard, a Danish lawyer and negotiator employed by the local government, Greenland Home Rule. She turned out to be an enthusiastic photographer with a lot of pictures taken during various trips around Greenland. So this Greeland series is the result of our cooperative effort. We both hope you enjoy it and are stimulated to visit Greenland – about which you may read more here. Finally, if you want to...
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“En dag som berättigar till fest”, utropade den London-baserade al-Quds al-Arabi efter FN:s eldupphörresolution, “eftersom detta är första gången som Israel accepterar ett FN-beslut från en position som besegrad och inte som segrare”. Att ett arabisk-israeliskt krig för en gångs skull slutat med arabisk seger, är en helt dominerade åsikt i arabiska medier. Al-Quds al-Arabi tillåter sig att drömma om att det israeliska nederlaget skall leda till massflykt från Israel. Men i nästa andetag påminner tidningen om att Israel aldrig brukar genomföra sina internationella åtaganden och varnar för att förlorarna, liksom tidigare, kan hämnas genom att provocera fram inbördeskrig i Libanon. Med tanke på de otaliga massmediala vittnesmålen om det libanesiska folkets eniga motståndskraft förefaller risken för inre stridigheter i det sargade landet just nu liten. Men visst kan man urskilja nyansskillnader i libanesiska tidningar. Vänsterorganet al-Safir uppfattar FN-resolutionen som en komplott i syfte att rädda Israel från ännu större...
Greenland – the world’s largest island, a continent of its own with only 57.000 inhabitants. I visited it for the first time in May 2005. I flew across the inland ice to Nuuk, the tiny capital with some 14.000 inhabitants. I was overwhelmed by the pride and kindness of everyone I met as well as by the unique natural beauty. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions during my ten-day stay I could get nowhere else but Nuuk. Fortunately, however, among those I met was Gitte Arvegaard, a Danish lawyer and negotiator employed by the local government, Greenland Home Rule. She turned out to be an enthusiastic photographer with a lot of pictures taken during various trips around Greenland. So this Greeland series is the result of our cooperative effort. We both hope you enjoy it and are stimulated to visit Greenland – about which you may read more here. Finally, if you want to...
 Jan Oberg’s storyof how he met Sir Paul Liverpool – where else to meet Paul McCartney? Paul’s old class mate and TFF Associate, Jonathan Power introduced me to Paul McCartney in Liverpool at an informal reception. It was held at what used to be their school, now the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and we were there to celebrate that Jonathan had written Amnesty International’s 40th Anniversary book. This happy event for “righting wrongs and writing songs” gave me an opportunity to meet Paul and tell him about TFF and get straight to the matter: would he consider making a donation in support of our work for peace? While I was probably the only one with such a wish that day, I was certainly not the only one who wanted to shake hands and talk with him. In the last minutes before Paul was to leave, Jonathan brought us together and we got about three...
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“En dag som berättigar till fest”, utropade den London-baserade al-Quds al-Arabi efter FN:s eldupphörresolution, “eftersom detta är första gången som Israel accepterar ett FN-beslut från en position som besegrad och inte som segrare”. Att ett arabisk-israeliskt krig för en gångs skull slutat med arabisk seger, är en helt dominerade åsikt i arabiska medier. Al-Quds al-Arabi tillåter sig att drömma om att det israeliska nederlaget skall leda till massflykt från Israel. Men i nästa andetag påminner tidningen om att Israel aldrig brukar genomföra sina internationella åtaganden och varnar för att förlorarna, liksom tidigare, kan hämnas genom att provocera fram inbördeskrig i Libanon. Med tanke på de otaliga massmediala vittnesmålen om det libanesiska folkets eniga motståndskraft förefaller risken för inre stridigheter i det sargade landet just nu liten. Men visst kan man urskilja nyansskillnader i libanesiska tidningar. Vänsterorganet al-Safir uppfattar FN-resolutionen som en komplott i syfte att rädda Israel från ännu större...
Greenland – the world’s largest island, a continent of its own with only 57.000 inhabitants. I visited it for the first time in May 2005. I flew across the inland ice to Nuuk, the tiny capital with some 14.000 inhabitants. I was overwhelmed by the pride and kindness of everyone I met as well as by the unique natural beauty. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions during my ten-day stay I could get nowhere else but Nuuk. Fortunately, however, among those I met was Gitte Arvegaard, a Danish lawyer and negotiator employed by the local government, Greenland Home Rule. She turned out to be an enthusiastic photographer with a lot of pictures taken during various trips around Greenland. So this Greeland series is the result of our cooperative effort. We both hope you enjoy it and are stimulated to visit Greenland – about which you may read more here. Finally, if you want to...
p_mccartney_poem
 Jan Oberg’s storyof how he met Sir Paul Liverpool – where else to meet Paul McCartney? Paul’s old class mate and TFF Associate, Jonathan Power introduced me to Paul McCartney in Liverpool at an informal reception. It was held at what used to be their school, now the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and we were there to celebrate that Jonathan had written Amnesty International’s 40th Anniversary book. This happy event for “righting wrongs and writing songs” gave me an opportunity to meet Paul and tell him about TFF and get straight to the matter: would he consider making a donation in support of our work for peace? While I was probably the only one with such a wish that day, I was certainly not the only one who wanted to shake hands and talk with him. In the last minutes before Paul was to leave, Jonathan brought us together and we got about three...
Logo-Transnational
1942James Paul McCartney is born in Liverpool on June 18th. 1956Paul writes his first song, I Lost My Little Girl. 1957Paul meets John Lennon at St. Peter’s Church Fete, Woolton, Liverpool. He joins his first group, The Quarrymen and performs in his first gig at The New Clubmoor Hall, Liverpool, on October 18th. 1960Formation of The Beatles, who play residencies in Hamburg and at The Cavern in Liverpool. 1961First Beatles recordings issued in Germany, as the backing group for Tony Sheridan. 1962The first Beatles Parlophone recording, Love Me Do, reaches number 17 in the British charts. 1963The birth of Beatlemania. Please Please Me gives the group their first British Number 1. She Loves You cements their success. Please Please Me and With The Beatles albums released. 1964First triumphant American tour. The Beatles perform at the Royal Command Performance and release their first film, A Hard Day’s Night. Their single I...
Logo-Transnational
  Back to the series “Bujumbura, Burundi”
By JONATHAN POWER August 16, 2000 LONDON – Remember the summer of ’98? In the sweltering, torpid heat of a Roman august, charged with exhaust fumes, the international community gave its overwhelming approval to the establishment of an International Criminal Court that will enable those accused of “crimes against humanity” to be tried and, if convicted, sentenced. Only seven nations opposed or abstained from the motion, including Israel, China, India and the U.S.A. where the Pentagon had successfully waged bureaucratic guerrilla war to undermine the initially sympathetic stance of President Bill Clinton. Two years on we can now see what an epochal event that was. In a the stroke of 120 pens it changed the climate on political thuggery. After numerous half-starts and false starts ever since the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials that convicted the war criminals of the Second World War, the world at last had agreed en masse a common...