genetic engineering
The Hunger
Submitted by ni-radio on September 14, 2007 - 12:36pm.
This program hits the airwaves at the start of Ramadan - the most significant month of the Islamic year: a month in which fasting features. So, inspired by the millions around the world of all faiths who fast, today we're focusing on food - who's got it, who hasn't, and how it's being used for religious and political pursuits:
- With global grain reserves at levels so low that would only be capable of satisfying world demands for two months, Angus Calder - a company director in search of more efficient agriculture - takes us through the problems that threaten our food supplies. As rising populations face falling levels of both water and agriculture land, he explains the conflicting choices that are about to be served up to our dinner tables.
- Many millions in Africa are on the starvation line. Yet a number of African countries don't want genetically modified food to feed their people. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action in Nigeria, tells us why.
- During Ramadan, thousands of Jews and Christians in the United States are planning to join their Muslim friends for an interfaith fast asking for an end to the war on Iraq. Rabbi Arthur Waskow, from the Shalom Center in Philadelphia is one of the organizers. As he shares their plan of action, he explains the significance of fasting across faiths.
- And while we're talking about food as a tool of political protest, we visit Palestine, where political prisoners (more than 11,000 of them now) have a rich history of using hunger strikes to leverage basic human rights from their Israeli captors. Jaber Wishah - a political prisoner for 16 years and now Deputy Director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights - tells us how.
To set the mood, we dip into the CD Sahara performed by Javier Ruibal. He's a highly regarded singer-songwriter from Cadiz in Spain, blending more relaxed North African sounds with passionate flamenco.
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Radio New Internationalist – Peace of the action
Submitted by ni-radio on April 6, 2007 - 12:00am.
Peace of the action
Protecting a human rights campaigner as he lays bare the connections between a mayor and notorious paramilitary death squads. Helping mothers negotiate the release of their children – kidnapped to become child soldiers. These are just some of the stories that women peacekeepers share with us in this week’s program. Challenging the perpetrators of violence with words, not arms, Jodie Martire from Peace Brigades International and Angela Pinchero from the Nonviolent Peaceforce take us to the front-line of the conflicts in Colombia and Sri Lanka and introduce us to the people who they are helping to protect.
Their stories explore the ways that truth can combat violence and the latest tactics at the peace movement’s latest frontiers. In addition:
- Anastasia Moloney drops in from Bogota to tell us how – for the first time in Colombia’s history – their war criminals are facing trial.
- And Sarojeni Rengam – the Executive Director of the Pesticide Action Network for the Asia Pacific region and one of the leaders of Week of Rice Action – talks about how the cultural and spiritual significance of rice could be threatened by genetic engineering.
Our album of the week: The invigorating music of those sons of Cuban music … Sierra Maestra …from their Soul of a Nation CD.
Listen now (click the play button) or download the program (click this link)
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A Green OPEC?
Submitted by Adam Ma'anit on January 28, 2007 - 11:37am.
Despite the underwhelming emphasis on climate change at the World Social Forum, there were a few interesting sessions and issues worth noting, many of which might not have been labeled as strictly ‘climate change’ sessions.
One in particular was a workshop on biofuels, organized by the Global Forest Coalition. Read more »
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New Internationalist (NI) workers' co-operative exists to report on issues of world poverty and inequality; to focus attention on the unjust relationship between the powerful and the powerless worldwide; to debate and campaign for the radical changes necessary to meet the basic needs of all; and to bring to life the people, the ideas and the action in the fight for global justice.
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