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Expert: Tackle Pakistan poverty
By Tom Evans; Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.
(CNN) - One week before top-level U.S.-Pakistani talks in Washington on security and aid, one of Pakistan's leading development experts said it's vital to tackle poverty in her country to fight terrorism.
"I personally think that addressing poverty, which is Pakistan's biggest problem today, is going to combat in some ways the issue of security that we face," Roshaneh Zafar, founder and president of the Kashf Foundation told CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Thursday.
"We worked with 1 million poor families across Pakistan, and we've seen what happens, the change that happens." She said even small increases in family incomes can transform society, because parents can then put their children in private schools.
"[By] putting in micro-finance, which is the most sustainable way of providing aid to low-income households, we are beginning to see a silent revolution take place both in terms of children going to school, their ability to actually transcend their social backgrounds and become professionals," she said.
Pakistani journalist Mosharraf Zaidi, a former adviser to the British Department for International Development, said he disagreed with the idea that poverty fuels terrorism.
"The evidence from a substantial body of work that's pre-9/11 as well as post-9/11 [suggests] the link between terrorism and poverty or terrorism and literacy is tenuous at best," he said.
And now your feedback
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The child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church stirred the emotions of the Amanpour audience. The majority felt celibacy was not conducive for the priests in the Catholic Church because it propelled them to act on their physical instincts at “some point in life.” According to most viewers, the continued claims of child molestation publicly known throughout the years have been few, compared to the real statistics of these “despicable acts” against children. Overall, the audience expressed extreme disappointment over the decision the Church took to hide these incidents instead of legally prosecuting the offenders.
What are your thoughts? Please share your thoughts with us! In addition, if you missed the show go to http://www.amanpour.com for more information.
Below, you will see some opinions from viewers like yourself. We would love to hear what you think.
Facebook comments
Mary Kadesa The catholic church is a big figure in the history of christianism,I think celibaty was abig mistake and that is the cause of this scandals.
Abimbola Ololade Olutobi i have always thought that catholic celibacy is sheer hypocrisy.Except a man is castrated,sexual feelings are inevitable.it is worse for people who have once had sex before becoming priests or nuns.
And now your feedback
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The power of combining art and social media highlighted Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei as the free speech pioneer in Asia for some in the Amanpour audience. His vociferous style propagated courage for some, although these same viewers commented there was a fine line between daring and insensitive speech and in the case of the latter, it could instigate violence and cause anarchy.
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Facebook Comments
Comments about Chinese artist Ai Weiwei
Brian Tilley In the short period of time that we have had access to these forms of communication these social medias have shown to have a great impact.However,in regards to what impact they will have in communicating with our govt., as Kasiva asked, will they willing to listen?They may find that they( the govt.) have no choice, at least in some countries.
Ricardo Kosche I think it would make sense everwhere. The point is probably that it is not a very good idea everwhere because of safety concerns. But in a democracy social media is definitely a good thing to remember governments or other authorities who they should work for.
Tom's Take
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/16/christianetom.jpg caption caption="Sr. Writer for Amanpour, Tom Evans, works on scripts with Christiane"]
On AMANPOUR. today, we look at the Catholic Church global sexual abuse scandal. Has it now reached into the top levels of the Vatican? There are new questions about what role, if any, Pope Benedict XVI played in handing pedophile priests to new parishes rather than to the law when he was an archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982.
We look at the culture of impunity at the root of this crisis. Could this be due to a lack of women in positions of real power? Would the extent of the abuse have been averted if women provided a moral compass? Some cite the clergy’s celibacy vows as the culprit. Will all this force a debate about fundamental reform? This scandal is just one of the stories in the news today. Here are some perspectives.
Tom Evans
Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.
CATHOLIC SEX ABUSE SCANDAL – How far did the cover-up go in the Catholic Church?
– Pope today says he hopes upcoming pastoral letter on the scandal will “help repentance, healing, and renewal”
– Sources say Pope’s letter is likely to be released on Friday or Saturday
– Abuse scandal extends across the globe, from Germany to Ireland… Brazil to Australia… from the U.S. to Switzerland. It’s worst crisis in Catholic Church in centuries
QUESTION: Was there an international conspiracy by the Catholic Church to hide the true extent of the scandal over priests who abused children?
Activist: China trying to silence critics
Watch the complete edition on Ai Weiwei on our podcast.
Watch the complete edition with Ai Weiwei on our podcast.
By Tom Evans; Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.
(CNN) - Leading Chinese activist and artist Ai Weiwei declared that China's government has no humanity - and that the Communist Party is trying to silence anyone who disagrees with it.
"They crack down on everybody who has different opinions - not even different opinions, just different attitudes," Ai told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
"Simply to have different opinions can cost (dissidents) their life; they can be put in jail, can be silenced, and can be disappeared," he said.
Ai is no stranger to controversy or danger. He helped design the iconic Bird's Nest stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but then called for a boycott of the games because in his opinion China was using them as propaganda.
He also faced a barrage of official criticism in 2008 when he assembled activists to collect the names of thousands of unidentified students who were killed in the massive Sichuan earthquake. He also slammed local governments for allowing the construction of shoddy schools that collapsed.
Ai has paid a heavy price for his dissent. He says he was beaten in a hotel room by Chinese police and later needed emergency brain surgery for injuries he suffered in the assault.
Rwandan president rejects human rights criticism
Watch the complete interview with Rwanda's president on our podcast.
Watch the complete edition on 'The Story of Stuff' on our podcast.
By Tom Evans; Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.
(CNN) - Rwandan President Paul Kagame hit back Monday at human rights activists who say he's behaving like an autocrat and fueling a bloody civil war in Rwanda's neighbor, Congo.
"If you are talking about people in the human rights community from outside... I have an issue with this," Kagame said, 16 years after he was hailed as a hero for ending a genocide that killed at least 800,000 people.
"You tend to make a judgment of a country, 11 million people, on what a couple of people have said and (they) don't take into account what Rwandans say."
Kagame added, "Nobody has asked the Rwandans ... it's as if they don't matter in the eyes of the human rights people. It's our own decisions in the end."
He said everyone in Rwanda has to play by the rules and be accountable. "There has to be leadership to make things move in the right direction," Kagame stated.
And now your feedback
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Rwandan President Paul Kagame generated passionate feedback among the Amanpour audience. While some defended his posture, others felt he was in the wrong and made strong accusations against him. Overall, the reactions offered a mixed result that highlighted a very definite stance, either in favor of President Kagame or completely against him.
What are your thoughts? Please share your thoughts with us! In addition, if you missed the show go to http://www.amanpour.com for more information.
Below, you will see some opinions from viewers like yourself. We would love to hear what you think.
Email Comments
HI Amanpour,
I support the comments of Prof Soyinka. The National Sovereign conference is long overdue. Many a politician are toying with the lives of Nigerians. We need to sit down and redesign and negotiate how we Nigerians want to leave together and share the resources we have. The conflicts in Nigeria are on the increase because it is very clear that the handed down structures from the Colonialists – internal and external are totally not in tandem with the wishes of all Nigerians
Silas Gurumdi
Tom's Take
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/16/christianetom.jpg caption caption="Sr. Writer for Amanpour, Tom Evans, works on scripts with Christiane"]
On AMANPOUR. today, we focus on human rights and freedom of speech in China. Christiane speaks, in a global exclusive, with leading Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei. Ai Weiwei, who designed the “Bird’s Nest” stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has continued to highlight injustice through both his art and through social media like Twitter, despite surveillance, threats and physical attack. We ask Ai Weiwei about his art, the role of the social web and digital activism in China and beyond, as well as about the challenging role he plays on the world scene as an artist and social activist in China. That’s not the only story we are focusing on today. Here are some perspectives.
Tom Evans
Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.
MIDDLE EAST – Is the diplomatic dispute between U.S. and Israel worsening?
– U.S. peace envoy George Mitchell postpones trip to Middle East amid heightened tensions over Israel’s decision to build 1,600 new homes on disputed territory
– Dozens of masked Palestinians throw rocks at Israeli police and burn tires in east Jerusalem
– U.S. demanding that Israel abandon construction project, a demand that Israel calls “unreasonable”
QUESTION: Will growing tensions between U.S. and Israel be accompanied by new violence by Palestinian protesters furious at Israel?
FULL POST
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The Amanpour audience expressed interest regarding the story of the use of rape against women as terrorism. Most agreed with this concept and added it was not only “an act of terrorism but it was also a criminal offense.” Additionally, the Israeli novelist, Oz Amos proved popular among Amanpour viewers. Many felt inspired and stated they hoped peace could be accomplished in the Middle East.
What are your thoughts? Please share your thoughts with us! In addition, if you missed the show go to http://www.amanpour.com for more information.
Below, you will see some opinions from viewers like yourself. We would love to hear what you think.
Facebook Comments
Comments about rape against women equaled terrorism in Africa
Agbai E Agbai i think rape is a criminal offence and not a terrorist act.
Ezumah Davis Its terrorism if u use it as a weapon of war, Vis a vis d Congo.
Robin Young In parts of Africa, as in Bosnia, rape has become a political tool of subjugating the enemy by having armies rape thousands of women. By breaking up families and forcing women to bear children conceived by the rape, it has long term consequences after an army has been withdrawn or loses. With the lack of counseling and help for these women, their lives can be ruined, especially if social tradtions cause them to be expelled by their families.
Lennox: HIV/AIDS crisis "breaks my heart"
(CNN) – The HIV virus and AIDS, the debilitating condition it causes, are the leading killers of women of reproductive age in the world, the singer and activist Annie Lennox told CNN in an interview aired Friday.
“The world needs to wake up and realize that the HIV/AIDS pandemic has changed its face since the 1980’s. It has been affecting women and children at an enormous rate,” Lennox told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.
“As a woman and a mother myself, I want to contribute to keeping this issue on the table. HIV is invisible”, she added.
“You have swine flu, you have bird flu, and everybody is up in arms. But this has been a killer for years and it’s not getting any better.”
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