May 2010

IJB Thinks #17

Revolution;Conflict Resolution

- CISV 2011 year of Conflict and Resolution “We encourage the resolution of conflicts through peaceful means”.

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Editor’s Note

It seems as we are surrounded by a world of conflicts. When I turn on the news I hear about riots, murders, revolutions, wars, people dying and politicians who can’t agree. Eeish, I am tired of it! It seems as the news I am hearing aren’t even news anymore - they keep saying the same thing everyday! Now, it might sound as I am a cold and cynical person who doesn’t care about others far away from me. The fact is, that I do actually care, a lot!

When I look around and open my eyes and ears, I do however also see and recognize the huge amount of people, countries (sometimes too many countries), national organizations and international NGOs who are doing their best to improve the situation and finding solutions for the conflicts. Seeing how the international society has supported Egypt for instance or how CISVers from all over the world sent their thoughts to Japan was truly amazing. What often happens though is that too many countries and NGOs are trying to put forward their own agenda, and this results in long and unproductive negotiations, which creates a diplomatic mess. Sometimes it is better to stand on the side, and do what you can with the ressources and opportunities given to you, rather than pushing forward western agendas on other peoples costs!

Of course the UN is a great example of a diplomatic mess. 192 nations trying to agree. Again: What a mess! Simply try to think of your own camp meetings, board discussions at AIM, or decisions in your family! What a mess! However some credit must be given to the UN for the recent resolutions in Libya and Ivory Coast (see statement from Cote d’ivore in the bottom of this issue). We all know the UN soldiers with their blue helmets symbolizing peace. Well, in april they all took their weapons and started fight along with the french soldiers (I am not taking any side in this conflict at this moment - please note that) to stop the civil war state that has been in the country since november. This example of Cote d’ivore is seen by many as a new time in the UN. A way more active UN which actually does something instead of being a diplomatic mess.In Libya we saw they same thing, unfortunately (and this is the case with both Cote d’ivore and Libya) they were still too late in their resolutions. Even so, it is a strong and powerful resolution accepting almost everything to protect the civil society. This is, in my point of view, a huge step forward! Now all they need to work on is doing it faster. But now they also have the practice, and practice makes master right?

How do we do in CISV?Well, If you open a CISV passport at page 9 you will find our educational principles. Here it states that: ”As CISV continues to grow around the world we remain united as an organization by our educational principles. These reflect the way we think and behave:”Below this you will find a sentence stating that “We encourage the resolution of conflicts through peaceful means”.

I find this amusing because we have recently seen a lot of great examples of how conflicts has been solved by non-peaceful means. As a CISVer I am even suggesting that this is okay, and a good thing! And we have seen CISVers taking an active part in these conflicts. So are we not true CISVers? or are there simply exceptions to the rules?

Tore Bang HeerupIJR 2011

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What’s inside

Think Pieces “What a difference does it make?”

By James Pattinson

“The conflict of volunteering” By Ulrika Dane

“When a CISVer throws rocks” By Rowan El Shimi

“Italy, Libya and the burden of our shame” By Dario Vegetti

The situation in Cote D’ivore 04.04By Naon Katiohora (CISV president of Cote d’ivore)

IJB Thinks and Thanks!

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On 26 March 2011, an estimated 250000 to 400000 people took to the streets in London to protest against government budget cuts, the latest in a series of protests starting from student protests in November. Debates in the media, however, have not just focused on the effects of these cuts, but also questioned the democratically elected coalition government, and also anger at the police handling of the protest, sparking arguments about the right to protest versus public security. However, there is a general sense of dissatisfaction and most people have their own story to tell about what’s happening.

I have found it very hard to decide how to react to our demonstrations, in the face of the Arab revolutions. Comparing the two is maybe a very difficult or dangerous thing to do. A handful of injuries, some serious, aren’t really comparable to hundreds giving their lives in Egypt. Disagreement with our government’s recent actions seems small compared to decades living under a regime in a state of emergency. I write, therefore, wary of our reasons to protest, and what is really at stake when we do.

To give a bit of background, a coalition government was formed in Britain in May 2010 when no single party won the vote outright, the first time since World War II. Like many European countries, national debt is huge and needs sorting. Wide reaching cuts were announced in March 2011 following the tripling of University fees in November 2010, which were the motivation for the major student protests. The rise of fees was approved in parliament on 9 December, by 21 votes, many from the Liberal Democrats, part of the new Coalition, who had pledged during the election to vote against this before they joined the coalition.

Do I think student fees should go up? No. Do I feel disappointed that our politicians live up to the stereotype of lying power-hunters? Very. There were big protests at my university, occupying a university building, did I support them? I walked past, but I had a deadline so I hurried off to the library. Not very active for an ‘active global citizen’, but my reasons for this attitude hit home when the government still voted to raise the fees, despite the thousands of protests across the country. It was a feeling of strong frustration that whatever action we could take could not change the final result, or the decision of our elected government.

While it seems that public dissent in this case didn’t change the government’s action, it’s important to remember that what we do and don’t do still matters, and more than that there are many different ways of doing things. CISVers have sometimes wondered, what difference do we make anyway, and if we’re really changing things for the better in the world. Many people have debated CISV’s status as a ‘non-political’ organisation. I think that CISV does do its job and it does it in many ways.

Many people at the protests talked about ‘getting our voices heard’, and this has made me question whether turning up to a demonstration is effective compared to writing to my elected member of parliament who is meant to represent my views. If you’re keen to get your opinions heard, why not take them straight to the person you elected to represent you, who could probably do something about it. In CISV, we elect many

Think Pieces

What a difference does it make?By James Pattinson - Great Britain

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people as local, national and international representatives, and we expect them to act in our interests, and we go to them with our ideas.

There are also more creative ways to express dissent, such as through art and humour. Banksy is internationally known for his graffiti art, and members of the Russian group Voina have been arrested for public pranks. In CISV, many people have a story of that ‘great prank’ on a camp, and I wonder if this creativity may one day be used to make a difference.

Finally, I don’t feel like I am not an ‘active global citizen’ because I walked past the student protest in November. As clichéd as this is inevitably going to sound, I think that CISV events, programmes, resources and educational content do, like I said earlier, do the job of educating and inspiring for a more just and peaceful world. It may not feel

like we may change much right now, though not to say we shouldn’t try, but we are educated and prepared to hopefully take actions and make decisions in the future that will make a change.

So, with all the revolutions, protests and decisions that are happening around the world right now, what’s your next move? I’m probably going to the library.

James Pattinson studies politics at Cambridge university, and he believes that he has found the right balance between, studies, CISV and his work in bar! James has already had a long career in JB as NJR and EJB-Team - now is running for IJR!

Editors note:

If you want to know more about the position of IJR check out this JBPedia siteI also invite you to read James’s questionnaire: http://intranet.cisv.org/ijb/IJR%20Work/IJR%20Candidate%20Questionnaires/2011/IJR%20Questionnaire%20-%20James%20Pattinson.pdf

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The Conflict of volunteeringBy Ulrika Dane - Sweden

“She does not answer my emails”

“He does not want to take time to plan”

“She rather play mafia than focus upon meaningful activities”

“They never follow through with their project ideas”

…

Heard this before? Are your fingers starting to itch to write that – not so nice – email? Is the frustration crawling up your backbone? Well. For me it is. I’ve been in this situation a lot of times. Both as one of the do’ers and one of the don’t’ers. And yes. It is frustrating no matter which of the two positions you are at. Things are not happening. Things are not getting done. Either you blame someone or that someone blames you.

Imagine yourself in your school, at your job or maybe even in your family. What would the consequences in that environment be if things weren’t getting done? You get a lower grade? You’re called to a meeting with your boss? You’re fired? You have to do the dishes for a week? Well, yeah. I can relate to some of those things.

So. I guess this means I’m facing either that - not so nice – email or actually getting fired. Ouch. None of them sounds very appealing to me. But if I would compare or rate them, getting fired seems to be the one I would fear the most. That makes sense, right? Getting fired is worse than an email, right? Loosing your job is worse than being told you don’t involve enough in your voluntary work, right? Yes. I would say it is. Though there is something about this that tells me things are not as simple as we sometimes wish they where.

Right now I work in a boutique. I sell clothes for a living. Do I like it? To be frank, no – not so much. Why do I do it? Mainly to be able to afford my rent and maybe even to grab a beer or two with my friends. That’s what keeps me going. Right now I’m also the senior National Junior Representative for JB Sweden. Do I like it? Yes, a lot! Why do I do it? Because I believe in it. That’s what keeps me going.

I guess most of you heard about the term motivation. That thing that keeps us going. Why we actually do things. According to Wikipedia: “motivation is the driving force by which we achieve our goals.” So, let’s apply “motivation” to the two examples I listed above. My motivation for work – money. My motivation for being involved in junior branch – a belief.

So what are really the differences in these two? Let’s use Wikipedia again:

“Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of the individual. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards like money and grades…and threat of punishment”.

“Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure”.

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So, there are two different kinds of motivation. One that comes from the outside, from an external factor and one that comes from our selves and our inner believes.

Hey - isn't this an article about conflicts? Then why are we talking about motivation?

Let me tell you.

We are dealing with two different kinds of motivation (extrinsic and intrinsic), which equals two different ways of why we choose to engage (money and beliefs). My opinion is that, when lack of motivation occurs, we would benefit from approaching them with two different methods as well.

Get fired or receive a – not so nice – email. Are they different kinds of methods or are they in the same category? At first my gut shouts “Different! How can you even try to compare getting fired vs. receiving a (not even angry, but) – not so nice – email?” Then it changes it mind “Oh. Jeez. They are… They are… actually the same”.

Why? The method of getting fired is something you dread which scares you and therefore motivates you to achieve your goals at work. The method of a – not so nice - email is also something you might dread and also scares you which therefore motivates you to achieve your goals within your volunteer work. These are both of the kind extrinsic motivation.

Sending that – not so nice – email to a group of people who does not follow through with the project they started to plan trying to push them and telling them that they should finalize it does, by my experience, not work. Either nothing will happen and we have a group of people with no motivation to continue working with their project, or we have a group of people that actually follows through with their project but with forced motivation, which lowers the ambition and probably also the result of the project.

So again. Why? Why is the method of extrinsic motivation not the ultimate one when trying to cure lack of motivation within something you engage in voluntarily? Because, as said before, volunteer work is often driven by intrinsic motivation and therefore we must act with that intrinsic motivation to actually motivate a person that volunteers.

Take the group of people who does not follow through with their project again. If instead of sending that – not so nice – email and take time to rephrase and send another email asking, “What would you need to feel motivation to continue working with your project?” and even more important “What do you feel motivated of doing right now?” I believe have greater impact. Though the last question could have the effect a lot of us dread for. The answer of “I got this new awesomely cool idea I would like to work on and I feel super motivated!” (Uh oh. Error! Error! – This means that the person will not follow through with the first project he or she started, but instead create a new one). But you know what. As hard it might seem. That.Is.Okay.

Being involved in a volunteer organization can be frustrating if you want to see large amount of results and see them carried out quickly. But instead of seeing that I would like to focus upon a resource that those companies, business and factories that do have a large amount of results which are carried out quickly don’t have. They do not have us. People with the true belief that we as individuals can make a difference. People with the true belief that we as individuals want to make a difference. People with such true belief that we are actually willing to cut our free time to work non-profit for it. And this only because we, as individuals believe in something. That’s why it’s time for us to set our frustration and eager for results aside and instead face them with our biggest strength: our belief and our intrinsic motivation. Because if we manage to keep that little spark inside of us and focus upon our belief instead of results we will be able to achieve great things for a great amount of people.

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When a CISVer throws rocks

As thousands of protesters peacefully marched on the “Friday of Anger” on January 28th from different points around the city, heading to the famous Tahrir Square they were met by an insane amount of violence. Hundreds of expired tear gas cans were thrown at us, which causes an irritation of your skin, shortness of breath and an inability to see clearly. Not only that, they also fired at us rubber bullets (which were not rubber) that caused many to lose an eye or in some cases die, in addition to other injuries. They fired live ammunition in some places. They beat us with sticks. They detained some of us. When we stopped to pray they

sprayed water cannons at us. When they ran out of options they started running us over with their cars.

Weʼve all read, watched and followed stories about the Egyptian revolution. Stories about how the will of people, and peaceful protest, triumphed a thirty year dictatorship. Some of us here got to live it. It was peaceful, but not all of it. The protesters called for a peaceful protest, but were met by an intense amount of violence by the Central Security Forces of the old regime.

We went into the protest, a group of friends, most of us knew each other through CISV. We are all peaceful people, we are all anti-violence and pro-peaceful conflict resolution. Most of us work with our local chapter and give trainings to participants going on programs just like anyone volunteering in CISV around the world

Ulrika Dane is a beautiful swede, and a true Dane! She is currently senior NJR in Sweden. When she is not working her, there is a mind (under all the red hair) filled with crazy and creative ideas!

By Rowan El Shimi - Egypt

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does. As we got ready the night before, my good friend Hatem Seoudi, an active volunteer in CISV Egypt, said “We will have to fight back if needed, weʼll use whatever means we have even if it means throwing rocks at them”. Hatem is really not a violent person. Last time he was in a physical fight was when he was a teenager (a common practice of young teenaged boys in Egypt). To hear him talk passionately about fighting back and throwing rocks at these policemen to aid us in moving closer to the square was definitely intense. “In that moment, what was on my mind, was that the end justifies the means. I had to do it because it was my right. I did it to protect myself and the people with me.” Hatem said.

Hatem, along with other CISVers, were throwing rocks, grabbing the tear gas bombs thrown at us and throwing them back at the Central Security Forces on that day and on the day thugs hired by the previously ruling National “Democratic Party” who attacked protesters in Tahrir on Feburary 2nd. It was probably the closest to a war-zone that any of us witnessed in our lives. When you are in that situation, your instinct of survival kicks in, so does your feeling of community amongst the people fighting on your side for their right to peaceful protest. Even when our values as individuals are anti-violent, when we were put in the situation, we fought back. And you know what? If we, along with many other brave people hadnʼt fought back with

whatever “weapons” we had, we probably wouldnʼt have made it to the square, that was home to millions during the protests, which along with other events is what led to the ousting of our previous president (it feels so good to say ʻpreviousʼ).

All these events led my mind into a series of questions. When is peaceful conflict resolution not an option? When is it acceptable to be violent? And when is the point where a CISVer throws rocks? According to most Statesʼ criminal law, aggression in an act of self-defense (whether attacked first or when you are about to be attacked) is not punishable by law.

Letʼs take this away from a personal experience. Just next door to us Egyptians, are our Libyan brothers and sisters, who thanks to Gaddafi, their revolution turned into a civil war with foreign intervention and

thousands of deaths and injuries. It led to civilians being armed and firing machine guns and rockets they probably never had experience in dealing with. Theyʼre fighting for their right to democracy, freedom and an

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end to a 42 year dictatorship. Do we view this foreign intervention, that is bombing Pro-Gaddafi units as ʻdeservedʼ? Or as CISVers are we against any form of war? But then what happens when you are being bombed and attacked by your own government? Do you go home and stop fighting for your rights? Or do you grab a machine gun, put your life on the line and start killing others for what you believe in and for your rights?

What about the Palestinian/Israeli issue? This is the longest conflict that has been going on in modern times. Fact is, Palestinians, even though by UN resolution they have the right to certain lands, that are currently occupied by Israel through settlements, they still have no real state. Also, Gaza has been under illegal blockade for years. Do we condemn Hamas firing rockets into Israel in retaliation to this blockade and the illegal settlements? Or do we see it as “self-defense” and a fight for oneʼs right to their own sovereign state and land?

Back to the still ongoing Egyptian revolution; fact is, even in what the world viewed as one of the most peaceful revolutions in modern times, as you can see, was not derived of conflict which led to violence from both sides (no matter who started it). So is there really such a thing as a “peaceful protest” in countries run by dictators that criminalize the act of protest in itself? Or is it just given that label in comparison to other worse situations with more casualties?

These questions do have one thing in common between them. That there is aggression that is affecting peopleʼs rights and lives that come from other parties, whether by the police, by their governments or by a foreign army. When this aggression comes, when it affects your rights, your home and your loved onesʼ lives, do you fight back? Or do you choose the route of pacifism and hope for the best? A question we all need to ask ourselves at one point or another in our lives.

Another question to add to the list: What is CISVʼs role in these global conflicts? We specialise in Peace Education, but are we putting our resources in the places where this is needed? We have existed for 60 years now. We have almost 200,000 people who went through our programmes. Are we targeting the right people? Or is it those peopleʼs jobs to take what they learned in CISV and address these issues? If so, then are we giving our alumni the needed attitudes, skills and knowledge to enable them to spread Peace Education in the places in the world where it is most needed?

Rowan El Shimi, in CISV better known as Rou, has recently stepped down as IJR, to be able to fully focus on and actively support the egyptian people and the revolution! She is, in many, ways a true “active global citizen”! When she is not busy being a revolutionary she spends a lot of time at “stumbleupon” and she knows all the cool WWW sites!

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Did you know that 2011 is the CISV year of Conflict and Resolution!?

Get the Conflict and

resolutions updates by subscribing

here!

Have you seen Jeremy Gilleys Peace One Day film for CISV?

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Italy, Libya, and the burden of our shame By Dario Vegetti - Italy

I admit that since the Libyc crisis burst out I have been hoping for a fast and quick international intervention to establish a no-fly zone over Libyc skies and stop the slaughter.However, a few hours afterwards, I started reflecting on the implications of such an attack. Now that it is a reality (I am writing this on march the 21st) I feel appalled by the images of Italian Tornado fighters taking off from our airforce bases, southbound to Libya.Many other Italians are sharing my feelings. The few words that follow intend to explain you why.Exactly 100 years ago, the former Reign of Italy turned itself into an empire by the occupation of the two Ottoman ex-provinces of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania, welding them together and inventing Libya as a nation (the name Libya was a Greek term to address the Maghreb region).From 1911 until 1943 Italy controlled and administered the country with an iron fist: during 32 years of Italian rule, the Italian army systematically gathered the Bedouin population in contentration camps, made use of toxic gases (despite international treaties) and executed thousands of Libycs. Since its independence in 1951 my country's interests in Libya have been enormous: we are first commercial partners for natural gas, oil, infrastructural investments, and much else. Significant stock quotas of some of the most important Italian companies such as FIAT (automotive), Finmeccanica (heavy industry) Unicredit (banking), ENI (energy) and even Juventus (a soccer team) are owned by the Libyan government or by Gaddafi's family. Not to mention that Italy has been selling directly or indirectly weapons to Libya since decades, sometimes even when embargo was enforced. The Italian government also warned Gaddafi when in 1986 the US air force bombed his residence in the attempt of killing him. Recently Silvio Berlusconi (the Italian PM) greeted Colonel Gaddafi by publicly kissing his hand (during an equally embarrassing ceremony) and signed a friendship treaty that bounded Libya to stop the migratory fluxes.

In fact many of the immigrants landing on Italy's shores have been departing as boat people from Libya; the populist right wing governing coalition needs to stop them in order to fulfill the promises made to those Italians frightened by immigrants. It will be a crucial issue during next elections.Gaddafi agreed to stop the boat people with any mean in exchange of 5 billions € as compensation for three decades of colonial occupation. Surely part of that money paid for the weapons that are now used to oppress the Libyc people.

But guess what? Now that Gaddafi does not control the coasts anymore, and boat people are flocking in again, he is suddenly expendable. A new, exactly as strict coastal control has to be established in Libya. Otherwise it will be hard for Berlusconi and his xenophobic majority to win again the elections.I hope to have made clear how Italy has had an enormous, negative influence on the evolution of Libya as a nation. We are responsible of Gaddafi's existence, we never tried to stem his dictatorship by cutting his wealth. Instead we made him and his court wealthy and powerful because that was in line with our strategic interests.It does not matter how much the operation Oddissey Dawn (I would like to meet the generals who invent such names as Enduring Freedom, Cast Lead, Shock and Awe etc) has been authorized by the security council of the United Nations with the 1973 resolution. This intervention is not justifiable with the crimes Gaddafi is

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Dario Vegetti - he studies plants and nothing triggers his masculin side as a smooth, round, soft and tender tomato! Also he is a passionate bidet user!

committing on his own people.Other countries are now experiencing similar situations (Cote d'Hivoire, Bahrain, Yemen, Somalia etc) but so far they have not deserved the same attention. How come?I believe that economic, electoral and geopolitical interests are the true drivers for this operation, not humanitarianism, not democracy, not peace. As CISVer and Italian young man, I refuse to support or accept this act of war. Our constitution states in the 11th article: "Italy repudiates war as an instrument offending the liberty of the peoples and as a means for settling international disputes [...]". And so do I.Attacking Libya now, to preserve our shores from a boat people invasion and to secure our gas influx will be not much different from 1911: when our great grandfathers slaughtered Libyans to secure for Italy a place on the international scene.

Côte d'Ivoire country situated in West Africa was a country of reference for culture of peace and hospitalized. Several populations of neighboring countries live there peacefully. Its first president Felix Houphouet Boigny did every effort to preserve social peace, he even established a peace prize at UNESCO called “The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace prize”. After his death the country was plunged into social unrest. An election is held and Mr Gbagbo became President in 2000. The candidacy of Mr. Alassane from northern part of Côte d’Ivoire was rejected because it was considered as an outsider in this election of 2000. Therefore armed groups from northern part of Côte d’Ivoire who feel excluded, made a coup of state against Mr Gbagbo, and this coup of state failed. But the country was split in two parts after the negotiations in France; the northern part of the country is occupied by the rebels and the south by the government of Mr Gbagbo. Mr Gbagbo would not hold elections because he said that the rebels should disarm first. After the Ouagadougou agreement, Mr Gbagbo decides to hold elections in 2010 but remained in power during those 10 years.

In Côte d'Ivoire, during an election, if more than two candidates are in competition and anybody does not reach 50% in the first round, we must go to the second round. In the first round Mr Gbagbo received 38%, Mr Alassane 32% and Mr Bedié 25%. While the Independent Electoral Commission held a second

Situation in Cote D’ivore 04.04.2011By Naon Katiohora - ivory coast

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round 28 November 2010 which opposed Mr Gbagbo and Mr Alassane. During three days after election, the Independent Electoral Commission has not give results and to our surprise, we saw on TV the supporters of Mr Gbagbo, who still hold the power, pulled the sheet results from the hand of spokesman of Independent Electoral Commission and break it. The commission has done everything to give the results on the fourth day. The Independent Electoral Commission declared Mr Alassane as the winner of the presidential election with 54.1% and Mr Gbagbo with 45.9%. But the Constitutional Court headed by Mr Paul Andre Yao, a personal friend of Mr Gbagbo and member of political party of Mr Gbagbo, canceled the results declared by the Independent Electoral Commission on the grounds that Mr Alassane had cheated in the north while all Observers say that the election went smoothly. From that moment the country is left with two Presidents of the Republic. On the one hand Mr Alassane proclaimed winner by the Independent Electoral Commission and recognized by the UN, African Union and the world and on the other side Mr Gbagbo declared winner by the Constitutional Court and the military-backed pf Cote d'Ivoire. After four months of negotiations, there was no agreement. Meanwhile the people who supported Mr Alassane are killed by soldiers, militias and mercenaries of Mr Gbagbo. Alassane then decided to form an army and launched an assault to save lifes of people who are tortured and to exercise his presidential term.

It's really sad, war rages and the tendency toward civil war if nothing is done. There is a humanitarian disaster in Côte d’Ivoire. Every day, the population is bombed with heavy weapons and rocket fire. There are scenes of looting, torture. We are left to ourselves, because there are no police to ensure safety of goods and people. The militias and bandits do whatever they want. The food has become scarce and very expensive. There are often power cuts and water in some neighborhoods. All banks were closed and many shops and supermarket.

I try to take news of members of CISV Cote d’Ivoire but it is not easy because the sms were cut and the network of phone calls is not very reliable. I manage to contact some by internet. The UN has issued a decree to neutralize tanks and heavy weapons of Mr Gbagbo and now I write this note, UN began bombing military camps and tanks of Mr Gbagbo's army. There are now fighting between army of Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara. The situation is precarious and deteriorating every day. We no longer know what to do, except to stay home with hope but it is not easy.

Please spare a thought for Côte d'Ivoire and the CISV Côte d’Ivoire. Our only hope, GOD!

Naon Katiohora is the CISV president of Cote D’ivore. He has worked hard and actively for establishing CISV in his country. Naon is not afraid of taking on new challenges and he believes that we are doing a difference!

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"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become

responsible, forever, for what you have tamed."

IJB Thinks & Thanks

- the little prince, by Antoine de Saint Exupéry

In this issue I want to give a very special thank you to Rowan El Shimi for her work as IJR. Rou has been a great a motivation for me personally, and she has done an incredibly job as IJR and IJB Thinks editor! She is a good friend and true source of inspiration and fun! On behalf of JB I wish all the best, and I thank you once again for your massive work and support!

Another special thank you goes to James, Paul and Zé who all finished their term in the EJB team! After 1 and 2 years of hard work and support to the European JBs and a successful EJBM they have all deserved a big applause!

The same goes for Angela and Bronwyn who has been working in the Asian Pacific Team! By supporting their region with great ideas, crazy inputs and loads of hard work, these two people deserve a cool beer and clap on the shoulder!

Do you have a better picture of the two of us? Please send it to IJR@cisv.org

YMC : A great place for career building! it is like football player building!

I also want to use this opportunity to thank Nick Trautmann for his ever inspiring blog CISV from the Balcony.