Past and the present!

Colonialism and imperialism often refer to political or geographical domains. As I understand these terms (courtesy – my school and college text books) – both can be described in relation to actions and attitudes. Action in relation to forceful extension of a nation's authority by territorial conquest establishing economic and political domination of other nations; and attitude in forcing and maintaining superiority, subordination and dominion over foreign population. The phrase "empire for empire's sake," was (and is still being) used as the most common excuse for aggressive competition for overseas territories for resources, money, power, political and military motive, narcissistic affiliations; and so on. Of course how can I miss out on Rudyard Kipling’s urge of “White Man's burden" here, of ‘civilizing’ the ‘other’ world regardless of whether these others wanted this form of civilization or not.

Let me talk about the cotton industry of India here – cotton being of immense historical significance to India as a colony and to Britain, as the imperialist rule. India's cotton-processing sector primarily declined during the establishment of colonial rule in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This was largely due to the East India Company's de-industrialization of India, which forced the closing of cotton processing and manufacturing workshops in India, to ensure that Indian markets supplied only raw materials and were obliged to purchase manufactured textiles from Britain. The most interesting economic fact about imperialist rule is that the ruler gets to drive the market and has the monopoly on business decisions! The raw material picked by Indian labor at extremely low wages was bought and shipped to Lancashire to turn it into cloth. The English worker had the advantage of better wages and the steel companies of England made huge profits from building the factories and machines. Interestingly, the finished product was sent back to India with high shipping rates and the cloth was finally sold back to the kings and landlords of India who had the money to buy this expensive exported cloth, which actually had home labour involved.

The rise of a global economy has brought about interesting changes the world over. I am amazed to see how China has over the past few years integrated itself into the global economy and enmeshed itself in the most technologically complex international supply chains. Its attraction as a production site, even for multinational companies continues to grow, and China boasts of huge trade surplus with the rest of the world. China shares interesting economic relations with other countries like America today, which is a huge market for Chinese products. It is no surprise that biggies like Apple and others have their production sites in China. Amusingly if a person in China wants to buy an Apple iBook today - he/she ends up ordering the product in US, which is actually produced in China, then shipped to US; and from US again shipped back and sold for delivery to the consumer in China.

The difference when seen in comparison to the British – Indian ‘cotton’ model is that this back and forth gets huge profits for both Chinese and American businesses; and of course this is not Imperialism but a technically sophisticated phase of global economy!

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We celebrated Holi past weekend – had no colors but Gargi had ideas! Turmeric powder and wheat flour made great colors (now that’s some experiment and works great for your skin!) We also had a special Bengali lunch for some Indian/Bangladeshi friends and everything worked out great!

Why 'Atlas'?

The first year of Atlas Service Corps has been a rocking year - both for fellows and the organization itself! Setting a new trend, for the first time; non-profit leaders and mid-career professionals from developing countries got an opportunity to volunteer at some of the best-known non-profits here in the U.S. What a great exchange of ideas, experiences and expertise! Winning the America's Giving Challenge right in the first year of its existence was like cherry on the cake. Kudos to all who have been a part of this growing initiative!

Being a part of a fellowship program like Atlas Service Corps signifies an achievement for any professional in the social and development sector around the world. For mid career professionals like me, it gives tremendous professional boost and is a sign of recognition of the ‘good’ work one has done so far. Largely it helps in building up a global pool of human rights professionals from around the world. Having finished over 6 months of my fellowship with Free the Slaves as an Atlas fellow, I can definitely say that it has helped me establish mentor relationship with the management of my organization and I have found a place of support and learning, which is helping me sharpen my skills and at the same time encouraging me to contribute with my existing knowledge and experience on issues.

This fellowship has helped me build a network of colleagues/like-minded professionals in my field, and in advancing my ideas and views on issues. I truly believe that this experience would help me garner support and professional recognition as well as help me advance my ideas and plans once I am back in my country.

If you want to be a part of an innovative program like Atlas Service Corps, ask yourself a few questions just like I did: Are you passionate about working for the greater good and global community, do you see yourself as a global citizen? do you want to bring about a change that you want to see?, do you want to build global partnerships?...and many more!

If you have it you and you think you would make a good Atlas fellow, please visit http://www.atlascorps.org/apply.html

Time’s running out – Apply now!

(Final application deadline is mid-April.)

Spring arrives...

As cold abates and frost is retreating…spring is on it's way & winter seems to be fleeting! The sun is shining bright…days are getting longer and nights are now less cold. Thanks to the daylight savings – we are now enjoying evening shadows laced with gold. (hmmm...that was good rhyming!)

Spring seems like the beginning of new life and rebirth - the trees are beginning to have green leaves and bluebells, daisies, sweet pies are finally budding! As grass has started to grow – it'll soon be lush green; the birds seem so joyful and are delightfully chirping. The wind whispering and swirling presents the sweet melody of spring! And here I am welcoming spring with open arms…embracing it tight…this is the time when the world wakes up to everything so bright and beautiful – it is life full of colour!

Just realized how we fellows have successfully finished over 6 months of our fellowship and are now all geared up for the second half. This truly has been a lifetime experience! In life things are constantly changing and growing, and as humans we are constantly learning.

Last week, I attended a special session organized by the Justice Department in an effort to understand the steps being taken by non-profit community and private attorneys to find out best options and seek justice for the trafficking victims in United States. To me this topic was of particular interest since I have personally assisted trafficking victims in the prosecution process and also experimented with innovative concepts like mock trails for the trafficked victims, which help prepare the victims for the challenging court ordeals. To be honest – for a victim to file a case against the perpetrator/exploiter is not very easy. They are so traumatized having undergone years of abuse that they fear taking any action against the abusers. Post rescue psychological issues that victims have to deal with make it more difficult for them to handle pressure. I personally have witnessed many cases where some victims manage to escape from exploitative situations but find it extremely difficult to concentrate on anything, sleep well; even eat properly and in such a situation testifying against their exploiter is not an easy task. It needs tremendous will power and counselling for a long time and justice seems like a far away dream.

I heard some wonderful speakers like Robert J. Moossy Jr. - Director, Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section - U.S. DOJ; Martina E. Vandenberg – Attorney, Jenner & Block LLP and Rena E. Cutlip – Mason – Director of Legal Services, Tahirih Justice Center who shared their expertise and views on the issue. Mr. Moossy called the past 7 years, staring from year 2000 as the years of entirely new prosecution efforts in relation to cases of human trafficking. He also claimed that never before NGOs were seen working so closely with State prosecution in United States. He also spoke about the increase in number of open investigations and a three-fold increase since establishing the Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force toll-free complaint line in February 2000. He stressed on the need to build capacity of NGOs and law enforcement together to work in tandem and help the victims to testify in the court. "If the victims don't testify, the perpetrators get easy acquittal."

Ms. Vandenberg emphasized that since the amendment of TVPA in year 2003, civil law suits have existed but there are still shockingly low number of cases coming for lawsuit of trafficking victims. As a lawyer she also stressed on trafficking cases being very tricky & not easy to handle. In many cases, it has been seen that there is familial relationship between the trafficker and the trafficked. Also, unfortunately she pointed out lack of communication between NGOs & attorneys. She spoke about the mandatory restitution orders. Even though, the orders exist, till date only 7% restitution orders have been enforced in the United States. "The reality is that the victims may never see their money." She quoted an amount of $25 billion lying under uncollected restitution orders.

Ms. Mason spoke about Tahirih Justice Center as an organization providing free legal representation to immigrant women & girls fleeing gender based violence. Tahirih's legal representation primarily encompasses 4 areas of Immigration law – gender based asylum, provisions under the Violence Against Women's Act (VAWA petitions); and provisions under the Victims of Violence and Trafficking Protection Act (U Visa, T Visa). Following this, Tahirih also offers family law assistance and social and medical referrals to the victims.

This truly was an enlightening session on the prosecution process for trafficking victims in United States. I couldn't get my mind off the prosecution dilemmas the victims face in India or any other part of the globe. I wish and hope that everyone gets to enjoy the spring of justice in their lives and we thrive in a world where there is no hatred, no discrimination, no injustice and no exploitation.

Exploring the world of CNN...

Last weekend I took a journey into the heart of the world's news leader at Inside CNN Atlanta. Yes, I was thrilled to be a part of the behind-the-scenes tour, which shows exactly what it takes to deliver the news available to over 2 billion people worldwide. My CNN Inside tour worked out to be my backstage pass to the most trusted name in news.

CNN (Cable News Network) is among the world's leaders in online news and information delivery. Apart of the world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, CNN has its bureaus worldwide and relies heavily on it’s global team of almost 4,000 news professionals.

Do you know who is the man behind this initiative? He's R.E. "Ted" Turner - the founder of Turner Broadcasting System Inc. He began his career as an account executive with Turner Advertising Co. and entered the television business in 1970 when he acquired Atlanta independent UHF station Channel 17. In 1976, Turner bought Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves and launched TBS Superstation, originating the "Superstation" concept. The following year, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. acquired the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks, and in 1980, Turner launched CNN, the world's first live, 24-hour global news network. In just 2 decades from it’s launch, the company built a portfolio of unrivaled cable television news and entertainment brands and businesses, including CNN Headline News, CNN International, TNT, Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies. In the mid-1990s, Castle Rock Entertainment and New Line Cinema became Turner Broadcasting properties. In October 1996, the company merged with Time Warner Inc. In January 2001, Time Warner Inc. merged with America Online to create AOL Time Warner. In October 2003, the company changed its name back to Time Warner Inc. Today, Turner Broadcasting remains a basic cable revenue and industry leader, operating many of the most powerful and well-established brands in news, entertainment and animation.

As it would be of interest to my development sector professionals, Ted Turner has also made his mark as one of the nation's most influential philanthropists. He is Chairman of the Turner Foundation Inc., founded in 1990, which provides support for clean water and toxics reduction; clean air through improved energy efficiency and renewables; wildlife habitat protection; and the development of equitable practices and policies designed to reduce population growth rates. Since 1991, the Turner Foundation has provided grants to hundreds of organizations committed to those goals.

In September 1997, Turner announced a pledge of up to $1 billion to the United Nations Foundation (UNF). The organization supports the goals and objectives of the United Nations to promote a more peaceful, prosperous and just world.

There is so much more that I learnt about Ted Turner that I can go and on and on but hey let me tell you all about some more about the Inside CNN tour. The tours starts with you stepping on to the world’s largest free standing escalator above which is placed a 50 foot globe, from where one can see 25 years of CNN footage on interactive kiosks. From here one enters the replica of a CNN control room and then enters the black box studio, which gives an up close look at the technology used at CNN everyday while delivering news and weather report. This was real fun when once could sit like a news anchor and get a photograph clicked. I too got one! Then we see the newsroom section in action from a glass corridor – which shows how news flows from their sources to viewers. I also learnt about CNN Headline News, CNN International, CNN. Com & CNN en Espanol - which is turning out to be a huge success in terms of its viewer ship. At the finale of the tour – you see videos of CNN anchors sharing their lifetime experiences and how it feels to be on the frontlines of slavery.

The CNN Center also houses a major hotel (an Omni Hotels franchise) and a large atrium food court frequented by local business employees, tourists and event goers.

I also went to see the Chattanooga Mountains Rock Park. The name Chattanooga, in fact, is the Creek Indian word for Lookout Mountain. It was such a great trip and the best thing was that I could spend time with my childhood friend Nivedita after almost 6 long years. She cooked some yummy vegetarian stuff for me and packed some for me while I was coming back.

I had a great time!

Technology tainted with slavery

Imagine a day in your life without your cell phone, your computer, your laptop or even your favorite DVD player. I cannot! It's a cruel yet true irony that in efforts to make high tech information age products more environmental friendly, we have actually boosted incentives for violence and worst forms of exploitation. Everyone's (almost) aware of the human rights abuses in gold and diamond mines in Africa but when it comes to our cool looking cell phones, handy lap tops, DVD players or video games – we don't get the message. Why? - Haven't they become such an indispensable part of our life?

The disturbing issue here is that of coltan mining in Congo. Coltan, or columbite-tantalite, is a highly radioactive ore valued for its ability to convert to the transition metal tantalum. Companies use tantalum to make a variety of electronic devices, including laptops, DVD players and cell phones along with others.

The civil war in Congo has resulted in the loss of thousands of people's lives and turned the country's coltan mines into a deadly battlefield. The huge demand for coltan shows the picture of business & exploitation of the world's most thoroughly ruined country by the global high-tech economies. Experts say that even though coltan mining has disastrous social and environmental consequences, people in the Congo have calculated that the only thing worse than mining coltan would be not mining it. People there don't see any alternative for themselves against slavery and exploitation.

Congo's first national elections since 1965 have taken place, but true peace and democracy remain vague goals. The population continues to be caught in a deadly vortex fueled by weapons transfers, infrastructure breakdown, ineffective leadership, and insecurity.

There are groups advocating for the issue around the world and forcing the high tech companies to investigate their supply chain. There are also other groups advocating for boycotting these slave made goods. But boycotting cell phones and laptops is not as easy as boycotting slave made clothes or chocolate. Even I cannot think of throwing away my cell phone or laptop but I sure want to do something about this. The issue here is bigger. There are groups encouraging recycling of cell phones. With word spreading, the market for recycling cells may increase, and begin to affect the new phone market. We as technology users need to push the companies that make our cell phones, computer chips and other devices to make sure that the coltan in these products is not stained with the blood of innocent Congolese people.

In this so-called 'free' world, the situation in Congo is about slavery and exploitation of the Congolese, with the prospects of massive wealth only for the rich, powerful and the exploiters. Coltan is the lifeblood of modern day communications – and to fight it is a challenge – are we ready?

Walking through my mind, I am amazed to find, memories of each passing season, which we remember for some reason. Having experienced the fall and winter, we are just a couple of weeks away from experiencing the beautiful spring in DC!

During fall, the leaves were of so many different shades and one could just stare at them in awe for hours, and now is the cold continuing with showers of snow once in a while. Winter will soon end, spring will be here and it would just be the right time to enjoy every minute of the bright, beautiful sun.

Just like the seasons, our moods go up and down and small little things can bring a smile on a dull gloomy day. This Valentine’s was my first after marriage and I was quite upset about not being with my husband. Back home in the evening from office – I saw a packet delivered for me. I opened it and found my ‘smile’ for the day! It was a cute little stuff toy - a dog with a flower in hand and a box of chocolates with a little note sent by my husband. I couldn’t have been happier.

On work front, I had the privilege to represent Free the Slaves in the Shareholders Resolutions and Social Advocacy meeting organized by DC BAR Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section and Corporation, Finance an Securities Law Section and hear some really interesting speakers on the subject.

Shareholder resolutions have become a potent and effective, but controversial tool for public interest organizations to advance environmental, social and human rights issues through the use of corporate governance process and attendant media attention. Some recent campaigns have addressed climate change, animal testing, recycling and human rights.

I learnt about the Social Investments’ firms, which specialize exclusively in socially responsible investing. The firms manage funds for individual and institutional investors who wish to integrate social and environmental standards into their investment decisions and analyze corporate holdings against social and environmental criteria’s. I also got to know about filing proxies and how shareholders could vote their proxies to support the program goals. For example, they can vote for resolutions urging companies to become environmentally responsible or to end certain exploitative practices.

Paul Shapiro from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) spoke about the advocacy efforts for humane treatment of animals in agribusinesses. He referred to the egg industry as a huge problem, wherein the hens are confined in some most outrageous conditions. He spoke about HSUS advocating strongly for ‘cage free’ eggs and in this context have been educating shareholders about the important role they can play. He spoke about shareholders resolution and citing a few examples said that while on one hand Wall- Mart is challenging their resolution and not being receptive, Safeway (one of the leading grocery chains) after a couple of meetings have finally introduced new policies representing important progress on basic animal welfare issues and is sure to positively affect many thousands of animals. He said that Safeway's move also sends a strong message to the agribusiness industry that it must rapidly move away from the worst factory farming abuses, such as intensive confinement systems and the conventional poultry slaughter method. Safeway has establish a purchasing preference for cage-free eggs, which is intended to favor producers who are converting away from battery-cage confinement systems. He also mentioned that Safeway has decided to give purchasing preference to poultry slaughterers that use Controlled Atmosphere Stunning, which causes significantly less suffering than the conventional poultry slaughter method.

During the weekend, I met Gargi’s friends Dolly & Nazmul, a very fun – loving couple and we stayed over at their place on Saturday night. Dolly made some excellent food and I was amazed with her pickle making skills...absolutely delicious!

As seasons come and go…memories are locked in our minds…and we remember the gone seasons for a reason!

Cold & Cloudy!

Today is another winter day. The sky is cloudy and the sun would not look down on the people.
The clouds play tricky…they slowly ascend blocking the rays of the sun… leaving emptiness all around. I don’t want to go another day with clouds in my way…please let the sun shine through!

Lately, wierd thoughts about ‘life’ have been hitting my mind. I keep telling myself philosphical stuff like - we all travel on this long road called life, which is kind of bumpy and sometimes tiring, and the end is a secret hidden by a blanket of fog. But no matter what - one has to go on and on... (Is it the weather or may be I am just missing my husband too much!)

Anyway, on another note - few weeks’ back, I went for an event organized by the Global Health Council on ‘Trafficking of Children & Adolescents as a Public Health Issue’. The meeting focused on the fact that sex trafficking of children & adolescents is a worldwide problem with enormous health consequences including HIV and STDs, reproductive health issues, gastro-intestinal diseases and bodily injuries. These health challenges impact both individuals and wider community, yet there is little involvement of the public health community either in terms of data collection or service delivery.

The speakers for the event were distinguished people like Gary Cohen, who’s the Board Director of Perrigo Company, the US Fund for UNICEF, the Academic Alliance Foundation and a member of the private sector delegation to the Global Fund. He serves as an advocate, speaker and expert panelist in forums involving child health & HIV/AIDS. Other speakers for the day were Azra Kacapor Nurkic, who’s the Director for Children and Youth Programs at World Learning Headquarters in Washington DC, Jay Silverman, who’s a public health researcher-his work focuses on the improvement of practice in the prevention of violence against adolescent and adult women in the US and internationally and Brian Willis, Health Advisor for ECPAT USA, who also served in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.

Last weekend, Gargi and me got the opportunity to visit the ‘Kali Maa’ (Hindu Goddess) temple in Washington DC with an Indian couple. It was a sight to see so many Indians together and all women dressed up in ‘sarees’! After offering prayers, we had ‘prasad’ (food) at the temple and then got back home after a nice long drive.