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New York (CNN) — Three university researchers working on medical technology are facing federal charges — and up to 20 years in prison if convicted — for allegedly taking Chinese money for their U.S.-funded research, according to federal authorities.

Their research was partially funded by a multimillion dollar National Institutes of Health grant, according to a criminal complaint.

The three — Yudong Zhu, 44 of Scarsdale, and Xing Yang and Ye Li, both 31 of Hartsdale — are each charged with one count of commercial bribery, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan. Zhu is also charged with one count lying about conflicts of interests in a federal research grant.

The three are Chinese nationals, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office. It was not clear from the statement what their status was while working in the United States.

“Instead of working exclusively for a New York research institution, the defendants took bribes to acquire research for the benefit of both a Chinese competitor and a Chinese government institution,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos said.

The U.S. attorney’s statement described the three as “researchers who worked on improving MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technology at a university in New York, New York.” Although the statement did not name the university, the website of the New York University School of Medicine identifies Zhu as an associate professor conducting research focused on improving MRI technology.

The criminal complaint said Zhu recruited the other two scientists to aid him in the MRI research.

The defendants had undisclosed ties with a Chinese medical imaging company and a Chinese government-sponsored research institute conducting the same MRI research, according to federal authorities. The scientists allegedly shared private information stemming from their research in the United States with those Chinese institutions.

“As alleged, this is a case of inviting and paying for foxes in the henhouse,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said Monday.

The researchers allegedly accepted thousands of dollars for travel, tuition and rent.

Zhu and Yang were arrested at their residences in New York Sunday, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. Li is believed to have traveled to China before charges were brought.

Zhu and Yang appeared in court Monday and were both released on bond, according to Zhu’s lawyer, Robert Baum.

“Many of the government’s statements in the bail hearing misinterpreted facts which are actually consistent with his innocence,” Baum told CNN Tuesday.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/new-york-researchers-charged/index.html?eref=edition

Hong Kong (CNN) — Japan’s main trading index, the Tokyo Nikkei, plunged more than 7% Thursday, ending a red-hot rally that saw the bourse climb nearly 50% since the start of the year.

Investors reacted to negative news from the United States and China. U.S. Fed Chair Ben Bernanke left an open question on whether quantitative easing would end earlier than hoped, while new China data revealed factory activity fell the first time in seven months.

Though questions loom over the world’s first and second largest economies, analysts and economists agree that for Japan, the world’s third largest, things are just fine — despite this week’s stock slump.

The fact that investors pulled out is “a sign of health rather than a sign of worry,” said Jesper Koll, Director of Japan Equity Research at JPMorgan in Tokyo. “When markets go one way then it’s time to be concerned. The (Nikkei) has been up basically 70% over the last seven months.”

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In the history of global stock markets, such a major rally is very rare, added Koll. Since World War II, similar events have happened less than eight times. A correction was due.

“This looks like the selloff that so many on the sidelines have been waiting for,” said Nicholas Smith, CLSA’s Japan Strategist in Tokyo. “The Topix was undoubtedly overbought.”

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s fiscal policies for growth and inflation — known to many now as Abenomics — are not to blame so much as financial quakes and questions from the world’s other major economies. In support of Abenomics, the Bank of Japan this past Wednesday affirmed its own policies to buy long-term debt and securities. The move would double the central bank’s monetary base over two years.

“Such conduct of monetary policy will support the positive movements in economic activity and financial markets, contribute to a rise in inflation expectations, and lead Japan’s economy to overcome deflation that has lasted for nearly 15 years,” the bank said in its policy statement.

During those years of deflation and up through Abe’s election to the premiership in December 2012, Japan had a fiscal policy of “musaku” or “no policy” — “all talk but no action,” explained JPMorgan’s Koll.

Now “the most import thing is that Japan does have a policy. With Abe there is action. That’s what has been making investors confident.”

Signs of proof can be found in the return to profit of some of Japan’s exporters, in part due to the yen’s weakening against the U.S. dollar past the 100-yen mark. Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker, reported net income of $9.7 billion in the fiscal year that ended March 31 — more than triple its earnings from the year prior. Panasonic forecasts a net income of nearly $500 million in the 2014 fiscal year, versus a net loss of some $7 billion in 2013.

“We think they (corporate profits) are going to rise by about 50% over the next twelve months,” said Koll, who also forecasts Japan’s Topix — considered more representative of Japan’s stock markets — will climb to 1,400 by the end of 2013 — a rise of nearly 17%.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/24/business/japans-stock-slump-sign-of-health/index.html?eref=edition

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Ugandan eco-artist Ruganzu Bruno built an amusement park for children living in one of Kampala’s slums.

Bruno (right) worked with the local community to create the playground in a congested area lacking recreation facilities. “We built the playground together as a team,” he says.

Using thousands of waste bottles, the talented artist turned a school yard in Kampala’s Kireka community into a fun and safe place where children can play and learn.

For his work over the years, the talented artist has won several accolades, including the Ugandan Young Achievers award 2011.

Bruno says the park has had a positive impact on local children. “The attention of children in class has improved; the number of children who are dropping out [is falling] because now they have something to keep them busy there, ” he says.

Other attractions include swings and climbing structures created with recycled materials such as old tires.

Bruno plans to roll out several other eco amusement parks in other parts of Kampala.

A huge board game built inside the school yard in Acholi Quarters, Kireka.

In 2010 Bruno founded Eco Art Uganda, a collective of artists promoting environmental awareness.

He has also developed an eco-artist loan scheme to help the business endeavors of women in Kireka.

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(CNN) — No sooner had Ruganzu Bruno and his troupe of fellow eco-artists arrived at Kampala’s Kawempe area than their presence stirred up questions within the local community.

“What are you doing?” the startled residents asked. “Why are you using all this plastic?” they continued, baffled by the piles of waste bottles that were gradually filling a dusty compound yard in the northwestern suburb of the Ugandan capital.

What the group of artists was doing was creating “The Hand That Speaks,” an enormous structure made of recycled materials to raise awareness about environmental degradation.

“We were trying to bring out the message that the hand is the one which is throwing this trash into the environment and at the same time it could be used to collect [them] and save the environment,” says Bruno.

And once the nine artists started assembling their futuristic creation, using more than 20,000 bottles collected in the slums of Kampala, the local crowds also decided to lend a helping hand.

“At first, the community were confused but then they really loved it,” says Bruno. “They were always getting us bottles.”

Eco Art

That was about four years ago, when Bruno was still a student at the Kyambogo University fine art school. During that time, the talented painter and sculptor discovered that he wasn’t interested in just crafting artworks that would only satisfy his creative needs.

Instead, he wanted his art to have a positive impact on his community.

“When we are trying to achieve things in life we are self-centered, and as artists we tend to make work for ourselves,” explains Bruno, 30.

“I kind of felt a change within myself to think about others,” he adds. “From then on I could not only paint — I decided to work on work that was beneficial to my community.”

Driven by a desire to influence his surroundings, Bruno then became involved in eco-art projects, devising innovative ways to deal with Kampala’s acute waste management problem.

In 2010 he founded Eco Art Uganda, a collective of artists promoting environmental awareness by transforming anything from discarded bottles and cast-aside metal to broken TVs and computers into contemporary and functional pieces of art.

Read this: Specs ‘give trash a second chance’

“I was looking for materials that were not expensive and easily available,” says the soft-spoken artist, who hails from southwest Uganda.

“I really found that this trash and rubbish could actually become a really positive way of communicating to people,” adds Bruno, who’s won several accolades for his work, including the Ugandan Young Achievers award 2011.

Amusement park

In April last year, Bruno also won the $10,000 City 2.0 Award at the TEDx summit in Doha, Qatar, for his idea to create an amusement playground for children living in Kampala’s congested slums.

Using an array of recycled materials, Bruno went on to transform a school yard in Kampala’s Kireka community into a fun and safe place where children can play and learn.

The eco-park, which was completed last September, is dotted with whimsical structures attracting dozens of children each day — from a colorful helicopter and life-size board games made of bottles to recycled swings and climbing frames crafted from old tires.

Bruno says the entire community, which lacked a recreation facility, embraced the project wholeheartedly.

Read this: Boy’s flashy invention scares off lions

“I talked to the head of the school, and together with the parents and the students, they are the ones who collected the bottles,” says Bruno, who is also a lecturer in the department of Art Design at Kyambogo University.

“So we built the playground together as a team and they know how to repair it — this is very important in terms of sustainability.”

But more importantly, Bruno, who was orphaned at a young age, says the project has had a positive impact on the children.

“The attention of children in class has improved; the number of children who are dropping out [is falling] because now they have something to keep them busy there, ” he adds. “There is a really good progress and it has also helped them to express themselves in class.”

Legacy

Bruno says his goal is to recreate “as many as 100″ similar amusement parks in other parts of Uganda.

He is also using the prize money to grow an eco-artist loan scheme he’s developed, aimed at supporting the business endeavors of creative women in Kireka.

It’s all part of his continuous efforts to be an artist whose work will serve his community’s needs.

“I think a man will always be remembered by his work, “says Bruno. “I’m an advocate now of the environment; I’m an advocate for play for children; I’m an artist …who wants his work to have an effect on the people.”.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/24/world/africa/playground-trash-ruganzu-bruno-uganda/index.html?eref=edition

Hong Kong (CNN) — Ai Weiwei is at it again. This time, the controversial Chinese artist-activist has taken his first venture into music, releasing a heavy metal single and music video inspired by his harrowing detention by the government two years ago.

A perpetual thorn in the Chinese government’s side, Ai, whose projects have spanned art installations, film, photography, writing, and architecture, was en route to Hong Kong in April 2011 when he was taken into custody at Beijing’s international airport.

He was detained for 81 days amid a government crackdown on political activists, widely believed to stem from government fears of a potential uprising inspired by the Arab Spring. Upon his release, Ai was subjected to severe restrictions on his movements and later accused of tax evasion — charges which he rejected and unsuccessfully challenged in court.

Entitled “Dumbass,” the five-minute music video features the burly, bearded artist recreating his time in jail to expletive-laden lyrics denouncing government repression.

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“The idea (for this song) first came to me while I was in detention and the guards watching me quietly inquired if I could sing,” Ai told CNN. “That was when I realized that both the guards and I were being detained; in their three years in the army, they had never been allowed to leave this place.”

“For young people around the ages of 19-20, music can spark their imagination and passion, and this small incident moved me. After I was released, I thought I should write my own song,” he added.

Ai penned the lyrics to “Dumbass,” while rock musician Zuoxiao Zuzhou composed the music and Australia’s Christopher Doyle directed the video’s cinematography.

Ai said the dark visuals, from the artist being taken into jail with a black hood to being perpetually accompanied by two guards while eating, sleeping, and using the bathroom, mirrored his ordeal.

Some of his jabs at government repression in the video materialize in defiant fantastical elements, such as the river crabs scampering over the toilet (“hexie” is a pun for “harmonization” — a government euphemism for societal repression) and the horse sitting in for the artist bound to a chair (“caonima” is a pun for cursing someone’s mother).

Ai said the “dumbasses” and “f**kers” he denounced in his lyrics also refer to scholars and intellectuals in China who “don’t have a clear understanding of China. Despite going through so many disasters, they are still deluded. I find this ridiculous.”

In one scene, the artist’s head is shaved by a child — a reference to his two-year-old son whom Ai said he constantly thought of during his detention and whom he feared would no longer recognize him by the time he was released.

He said the song may help him overcome the trauma of his detention, which he described as “extremely difficult.” At the same time, he said he has no regrets over his actions, believing that people have a responsibility to bring hope and warmth into the world — and that as an artist, he has certain platforms of expressions that he should use to this end.

“Many people are still imprisoned, many for much longer (than me) because we all expressed a difference of opinion and were accused of incitement to subvert state power,” he added. “So I have to speak out for them.”

Meanwhile, the artist addressed another pressing problem in China — mainland Chinese, spooked by a scandal over melamine-tainted baby milk formula, have snapped up tins in Hong Kong, leading to a public outcry over the resulting shortage and the institution of a two-can (1.8 kg) cross-border limit in March by the city’s authorities.

“Milk Formula” debuted at a Hong Kong exhibition Friday — a 10 meter by 8 meter map of China created with 1,815 tins of various brands of baby formula.

“Although China’s economy is developing, China’s food products and the environment have already been completely sacrificed because of deteriorating ethic,” Ai said. He described the situation of people needing to seek milk formula outside their own country to feed their children as “absurd.”

While Ai professed no solutions, saying that the purpose of art is raise questions, he said the problem of milk formula should be resolved by the people rather than through harsh legal measures. “It shows that the ‘one country, two system’ [policy] is extremely contradictory and difficult to coordinate,” he added.

“Dumbass” is one of six songs on the topic of Ai’s detention — the rest will be released next month as part of an album based on his personal experiences.

CNN’s Beijing bureau contributed reporting.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/23/world/asia/china-ai-weiwei-music-defiance/index.html?eref=edition

(CNN) — Openly gay youths will be allowed to join scouting, a historic decision the Boy Scouts of America says will keep it unclouded by “a single, divisive, and unresolved societal issue.”

More than 60% of the group’s 1,400-member national council voted Thursday at an annual meeting in Grapevine, Texas, for the change, which takes effect Jan. 1.

“No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone,” says the resolution.

The BSA, however, will maintain its ban on gay adult leaders.

Boy Scouts of America is an organization that says it is focused on mentoring young men and helping them develop life skills. Here’s a look at BSA by the numbers. (Source: Boy Scouts of America).

102: The number of years since Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. Membership topped 20 million by 1952.

2.7 million: The number of youth members as of 2011. BSA also boasts 1.1 million adult members.

420,000: The number of youth members in units chartered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the most of any faith-based organization. As of 2011, the United Methodist Church had the second strongest membership, followed by the Catholic Church.

181: The number of NASA astronauts that participated in Scouting. Neil Armstrong was an Eagle Scout, the highest ranking in the program.

206: Number of lawmakers in the current session of Congress that have participated in Boy Scouts. Fifteen current governors were Scouts or Scout volunteers.

18: The number of presidents that have served as honorary president of Boy Scouts of America. (That’s every president since BSA was founded).

161: The number of countries with Boy Scouts, as of 2010.

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Photos: Boy Scouts by the numbers

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‘Learning from mistakes’ in Boy Scouts

“The resolution also reinforces that Scouting is a youth program, and any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting,” the 103-year-old organization said in a statement after the vote.

The BSA said there are no plans for further review of the issue.

BSA President Wayne Perry said the vote came after “an extensive dialogue within the scouting family (that) was exhaustive and … very respectful.”

“No matter how you feel about this issue, kids are better off in scouting,” Perry told reporters. “Our mission is to serve every kid.”

Reaction from interest groups to Thursday’s vote was swift.

The Human Rights Campaign said the BSA took a “historic step forward.”

“Unfortunately, the new policy does not go far enough, leaving adult Eagle Scouts, scout leaders, and parents behind,” the group said.

Scouts for Equality and GLAAD lauded the BSA’s “commitment to creating a more inclusive organization.”

Jennifer Tyrrell, an Ohio mother who was ousted as a den leader in April 2012 because she’s lesbian, called Thursday’s vote “incredible.”

Opinion: Boy Scouts’ decision makes no sense

“They’ve never been raised to discriminate against anyone regardless of sex or color or anything, so they can’t understand why people care so much,” she said of her children. “… Definitely, one day, I hope they look back and think that we’re part of something amazing.”

Tyrrell, in an interview with CNN affiliate KTVT, said that the vote energized her for her next push — to change Boy Scout policy so that gays and lesbian adults, like herself, can serve as leaders.

“When we used to exclude women from things, when we used to exclude black people from things, and that never has ever worked, but we continue to do it,” she said. “I’m going to be around to make sure that that’s not the case. We’re definitely not going to go away.”

Conservative groups and some religious organizations argued against making any change in the membership policy, saying it would dilute the Boy Scout message of morality and potentially destroy the organization.

John Stemberger, founder of OnMyHonor.net, which opposed the resolution, called the vote a “sad day for Scouting.”

Stemberger claimed that Boy Scout officials didn’t foster a “robust discussion,” didn’t provide “honest information” and “hid information from the delegates.”

He claimed that scouting groups now have two options: to “segregate” gay scouts from heterosexual ones by putting them in separate tents, or “put homosexual boys with other boys and put them at risk.”

“We wouldn’t put boys and girls sleeping together. Why? Because they’re attracted to each other,” Stemberger told reporters.

The conservative Family Research Council tweeted: “Sadly, the @boyscouts’ legacy of producing great leaders has become yet another casualty of moral compromise.”

BSA conducted a survey on the issue

The vote followed months of intense debate among interest groups and within the ranks of Scouting itself.

In February, the Boy Scouts’ national executive board postponed a vote on the issue and ordered a survey of its members.

That survey showed an organization divided by age and, in some cases, by region.

“While a majority of adults in the Scouting community support the BSA’s current policy of excluding open and avowed homosexuals, young parents and teens tend to oppose the policy,” the survey said.

Survey: Should gay and straight Boy Scouts share a tent?

A BSA spokesman at the time called the issue “among the most complex and challenging issues facing the BSA and society today.”

“The Boy Scouts of America will not sacrifice its mission, or the youth served by the movement, by allowing the organization to be consumed by a single, divisive, and unresolved societal issue,” the group said after Thursday’s decision.

Chief Scout Executive Wayne Brock said, “Our goal through all of this was to put kids first … It allows us to serve youth who want to be part of scouting.”

A long time grappling with a polarizing issue

The BSA for years has been at the center of the debate over gay rights.

A recent Washington Post-ABC News Poll showed that 63% of Americans said they would support allowing gay youths to join the Boy Scouts.

The vote comes more than a decade after the Supreme Court ruled that the organization has the right to keep out gays but also at a time of declining participation in the organization.

Membership in Boy Scouts has declined by about a third since 1999. About 2.7 million people now participate nationwide.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after the vote, said it will continue to work with the BSA.

“Sexual orientation has not previously been — and is not now — a disqualifying factor for boys who want to join Latter-day Saint Scout troops,” it said in a statement.

It was too early to tell what impact the decision might have on scout troops, and whether some families may join other organizations.

The impending vote did spur action by a new organization called Faith Based Boys. Thomas Dillingham, an official from that group, said applications will be accepted starting in August for youth members and group leaders.

“Christian churches and organizations will use this program to continue serving God by training young men to have good character through service to their communities,” Dillingham said Thursday. “The profound need for a nationwide program like this has now been realized and the relevance of such a program will only become more important as time goes on.”

Tico Perez, the BSA’s national commissioner, said there have been ongoing talks with churches and others opposed to the inclusion of gay scouts.

That said, he echoed other Boy Scout officials in saying they believe that Thursday’s vote ultimately helps advance the cause.

“We’re accepting youth,” Perez said, “and we’re excited about where we are.”

CNN’s Katia Hetter and Ed Payne contributed to this report.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/23/us/boy-scouts-sexual-orientation/index.html?eref=edition

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Ugandan eco-artist Ruganzu Bruno built an amusement park for children living in one of Kampala’s slums.

Bruno (right) worked with the local community to create the playground in a congested area lacking recreation facilities. “We built the playground together as a team,” he says.

Using thousands of waste bottles, the talented artist turned a school yard in Kampala’s Kireka community into a fun and safe place where children can play and learn.

For his work over the years, the talented artist has won several accolades, including the Ugandan Young Achievers award 2011.

Bruno says the park has had a positive impact on local children. “The attention of children in class has improved; the number of children who are dropping out [is falling] because now they have something to keep them busy there, ” he says.

Other attractions include swings and climbing structures created with recycled materials such as old tires.

Bruno plans to roll out several other eco amusement parks in other parts of Kampala.

A huge board game built inside the school yard in Acholi Quarters, Kireka.

In 2010 Bruno founded Eco Art Uganda, a collective of artists promoting environmental awareness.

He has also developed an eco-artist loan scheme to help the business endeavors of women in Kireka.

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(CNN) — No sooner had Ruganzu Bruno and his troupe of fellow eco-artists arrived at Kampala’s Kawempe area than their presence stirred up questions within the local community.

“What are you doing?” the startled residents asked. “Why are you using all this plastic?” they continued, baffled by the piles of waste bottles that were gradually filling a dusty compound yard in the northwestern suburb of the Ugandan capital.

What the group of artists was doing was creating “The Hand That Speaks,” an enormous structure made of recycled materials to raise awareness about environmental degradation.

“We were trying to bring out the message that the hand is the one which is throwing this trash into the environment and at the same time it could be used to collect [them] and save the environment,” says Bruno.

And once the nine artists started assembling their futuristic creation, using more than 20,000 bottles collected in the slums of Kampala, the local crowds also decided to lend a helping hand.

“At first, the community were confused but then they really loved it,” says Bruno. “They were always getting us bottles.”

Eco Art

That was about four years ago, when Bruno was still a student at the Kyambogo University fine art school. During that time, the talented painter and sculptor discovered that he wasn’t interested in just crafting artworks that would only satisfy his creative needs.

Instead, he wanted his art to have a positive impact on his community.

“When we are trying to achieve things in life we are self-centered, and as artists we tend to make work for ourselves,” explains Bruno, 30.

“I kind of felt a change within myself to think about others,” he adds. “From then on I could not only paint — I decided to work on work that was beneficial to my community.”

Driven by a desire to influence his surroundings, Bruno then became involved in eco-art projects, devising innovative ways to deal with Kampala’s acute waste management problem.

In 2010 he founded Eco Art Uganda, a collective of artists promoting environmental awareness by transforming anything from discarded bottles and cast-aside metal to broken TVs and computers into contemporary and functional pieces of art.

Read this: Specs ‘give trash a second chance’

“I was looking for materials that were not expensive and easily available,” says the soft-spoken artist, who hails from southwest Uganda.

“I really found that this trash and rubbish could actually become a really positive way of communicating to people,” adds Bruno, who’s won several accolades for his work, including the Ugandan Young Achievers award 2011.

Amusement park

In April last year, Bruno also won the $10,000 City 2.0 Award at the TEDx summit in Doha, Qatar, for his idea to create an amusement playground for children living in Kampala’s congested slums.

Using an array of recycled materials, Bruno went on to transform a school yard in Kampala’s Kireka community into a fun and safe place where children can play and learn.

The eco-park, which was completed last September, is dotted with whimsical structures attracting dozens of children each day — from a colorful helicopter and life-size board games made of bottles to recycled swings and climbing frames crafted from old tires.

Bruno says the entire community, which lacked a recreation facility, embraced the project wholeheartedly.

Read this: Boy’s flashy invention scares off lions

“I talked to the head of the school, and together with the parents and the students, they are the ones who collected the bottles,” says Bruno, who is also a lecturer in the department of Art Design at Kyambogo University.

“So we built the playground together as a team and they know how to repair it — this is very important in terms of sustainability.”

But more importantly, Bruno, who was orphaned at a young age, says the project has had a positive impact on the children.

“The attention of children in class has improved; the number of children who are dropping out [is falling] because now they have something to keep them busy there, ” he adds. “There is a really good progress and it has also helped them to express themselves in class.”

Legacy

Bruno says his goal is to recreate “as many as 100″ similar amusement parks in other parts of Uganda.

He is also using the prize money to grow an eco-artist loan scheme he’s developed, aimed at supporting the business endeavors of creative women in Kireka.

It’s all part of his continuous efforts to be an artist whose work will serve his community’s needs.

“I think a man will always be remembered by his work, “says Bruno. “I’m an advocate now of the environment; I’m an advocate for play for children; I’m an artist …who wants his work to have an effect on the people.”.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/24/world/africa/playground-trash-ruganzu-bruno-uganda/index.html?eref=edition

Editor’s note: ‘Funmi Olonisakin is the founding director of the African Leadership Centre, and director of the Conflict, Security and Development Group, at King’s College London.

(CNN) — President Goodluck Jonathan’s response to the Boko Haram insurgency, including his recently declared state of emergency in three northern Nigerian states, is eerily reminiscent of previous approaches to sectarian violence in that region.

The Maitatsine uprising of 1980 is perhaps the single most important precedent-setting example. In December 1980, the confrontation between the Al-Masifu Islamic sect — which advocated purity in the practice of Islam — and the people of Kano came to a head. The Nigerian army and air force mounted a campaign against the sect. In the end, more than 4,000 people were dead with double this number injured alongside massive destruction of property.

Times have certainly changed. Nigeria’s population has doubled since the Maitatsine uprising. Nigeria continues to experience the “youth bulge” — a growing youth population — that was not planned for. The resulting pressure on socio-economic systems is evident in limited education and health and dwindling economic opportunities for young people.

Poor policies and bad planning have produced youth vulnerability and exclusion from mainstream life. This is doubly so in northern Nigeria, where class divides have further created a community of people with nothing to lose.

Read this: Nigerians ask, are we at war?

The global environment has also changed amid growing transnational threats. Al Qaeda continues to lurk in the neighborhood. Excluded groups in the region with affinity for Boko Haram are potential support networks amid an ever-rising flow of illicit weapons into the region.

One thing has hardly changed: elite behavior. Nigeria’s power elite remains far removed from the realities of life experienced by ordinary citizens.

2012: Who are Boko Haram?

Empowering Nigerian youth

Gadhafi’s end unleashes flood of weapons

The ruling elite’s framing of the Boko Haram challenge lends itself easily to just one set of responses — the use of force to rout Boko Haram, although more recently the federal government of Nigeria proposed an amnesty for Boko Haram.

To be certain, a military approach is only part of the solution. It is by no means a panacea. This military campaign, coupled with amnesty, rings hollow. It does not offer much hope for dealing comprehensively with the underlying causes of the Boko Haram phenomenon.

It is no wonder Boko Haram has treated the offer of amnesty by the Jonathan-led government with disdain. For one, it may be worth holding out for a greater prize, knowing that it probably has this regime by the jugular. Besides, how could it trust that the offer of amnesty — which will unveil Boko Haram — is not a ploy by the regime to round them up and execute them? The allegedly extra-judicial killing of the sect’s late leader, Mohammed Yusuf, serves as a constant warning.

Watch this: Who are Boko Haram?

Perhaps more importantly, this military solution and current state of emergency is potentially damaging for the military. The Nigerian military only recently managed to repair its image, winning accolades abroad for its peacekeeping role. Asking it to employ maximum force in internal operations — causing casualties in the process among the very people it is meant to protect — has repercussions. Surely, this will diminish its stature abroad and reduce citizens’ confidence in the military at home, while drawing more support to Boko Haram and weakening troops’ morale.

That said, it is also the case that Nigerians far removed from the locus of the crisis may not see the military’s role in such negative terms.

This crisis will potentially deepen religious and regional cleavages. Perhaps the country’s saving grace is that for the time being, Nigeria’s youth population mostly buys into these divides. They do not yet have a common narrative about who their “real enemy” is. Barring a small number of states, where genuine effort is being made to confront serious governance deficits, the picture of elite marginalization and widening inequality is consistent countrywide.

Spreading the wealth in Nigeria

Workers abducted in northern Nigeria

Boko Haram commands the loyalty of the excluded at several levels. At this moment, Boko Haram is obviously asserting influence, and that assertion of influence is accepted by a significant number of people who see no change in their primary condition.

This factor partly attracted large crowds to the preaching of Boko Haram’s late leader, Yusuf. His narratives about the ills of Western education were enriched by evident gaps in governance. The breakdown of the education system, growing youth unemployment and insecurity amid rampant corruption swelled the ranks of Boko Haram. When the sense of “nothing to lose” is mixed with these strong narratives, the issue is not whether or not they are true but that there are no strong counter-narratives or genuine counter actions.

A lasting solution to the crisis in northern Nigeria might lie in a missing trinity: a meaningful but powerful narrative to counter Boko Haram’s narrative; an action plan akin to a “Marshal Plan” for northern Nigeria; and isolation of what Jonathan has described as Boko Haram sympathizers in the government and security forces.

Developing a powerful counter narrative will demand a measure of sincerity and consistency among the country’s ruling elite. Such a narrative must stand up to the seeming lure of Boko Haram and have the ability to hold a young population captive for the foreseeable future.

An action plan akin to a Marshal Plan for northern Nigeria must be developed to suit the context. The federal government’s investment in regeneration of northern Nigeria, with a focus on youth sensitization, education and development of social and economic entrepreneurship, will be key. This might entail deliberate forms of youth cantonment, census-based planning, community-based programs, and innovative education schemes to kick start regeneration.

To be sure, an action plan for northern Nigeria will not be sustainable in an environment where youth exclusion is a countrywide problem even if it is more chronic in the north. Expressed intention to do this nationally in due course might persuade a captive youth audience.

The question remains as to whether alleged Boko Haram sympathizers among the elite can be dislodged from this process. This might be the single most important obstacle in a situation where retaining political power in 2015 seems more valuable to the regime than the welfare of a few million disposable citizens.

In the immediate term, we can expect the Nigerian military to record successes against the Boko Haram sect. But the victory will be hollow. Without the trinity of measures earlier described, Jonathan’s government risks sacrificing the ordinary people of northern Nigeria, the military’s reputation, and innocent bloodshed.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ‘Funmi Olonisakin.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/24/opinion/nigeria-boko-haram-funmi-olonisakin/index.html?eref=edition

Editor’s note: ‘Funmi Olonisakin is the founding director of the African Leadership Centre, and director of the Conflict, Security and Development Group, at King’s College London.

(CNN) — President Goodluck Jonathan’s response to the Boko Haram insurgency, including his recently declared state of emergency in three northern Nigerian states, is eerily reminiscent of previous approaches to sectarian violence in that region.

The Maitatsine uprising of 1980 is perhaps the single most important precedent-setting example. In December 1980, the confrontation between the Al-Masifu Islamic sect — which advocated purity in the practice of Islam — and the people of Kano came to a head. The Nigerian army and air force mounted a campaign against the sect. In the end, more than 4,000 people were dead with double this number injured alongside massive destruction of property.

Times have certainly changed. Nigeria’s population has doubled since the Maitatsine uprising. Nigeria continues to experience the “youth bulge” — a growing youth population — that was not planned for. The resulting pressure on socio-economic systems is evident in limited education and health and dwindling economic opportunities for young people.

Poor policies and bad planning have produced youth vulnerability and exclusion from mainstream life. This is doubly so in northern Nigeria, where class divides have further created a community of people with nothing to lose.

Read this: Nigerians ask, are we at war?

The global environment has also changed amid growing transnational threats. Al Qaeda continues to lurk in the neighborhood. Excluded groups in the region with affinity for Boko Haram are potential support networks amid an ever-rising flow of illicit weapons into the region.

One thing has hardly changed: elite behavior. Nigeria’s power elite remains far removed from the realities of life experienced by ordinary citizens.

2012: Who are Boko Haram?

Empowering Nigerian youth

Gadhafi’s end unleashes flood of weapons

The ruling elite’s framing of the Boko Haram challenge lends itself easily to just one set of responses — the use of force to rout Boko Haram, although more recently the federal government of Nigeria proposed an amnesty for Boko Haram.

To be certain, a military approach is only part of the solution. It is by no means a panacea. This military campaign, coupled with amnesty, rings hollow. It does not offer much hope for dealing comprehensively with the underlying causes of the Boko Haram phenomenon.

It is no wonder Boko Haram has treated the offer of amnesty by the Jonathan-led government with disdain. For one, it may be worth holding out for a greater prize, knowing that it probably has this regime by the jugular. Besides, how could it trust that the offer of amnesty — which will unveil Boko Haram — is not a ploy by the regime to round them up and execute them? The allegedly extra-judicial killing of the sect’s late leader, Mohammed Yusuf, serves as a constant warning.

Watch this: Who are Boko Haram?

Perhaps more importantly, this military solution and current state of emergency is potentially damaging for the military. The Nigerian military only recently managed to repair its image, winning accolades abroad for its peacekeeping role. Asking it to employ maximum force in internal operations — causing casualties in the process among the very people it is meant to protect — has repercussions. Surely, this will diminish its stature abroad and reduce citizens’ confidence in the military at home, while drawing more support to Boko Haram and weakening troops’ morale.

That said, it is also the case that Nigerians far removed from the locus of the crisis may not see the military’s role in such negative terms.

This crisis will potentially deepen religious and regional cleavages. Perhaps the country’s saving grace is that for the time being, Nigeria’s youth population mostly buys into these divides. They do not yet have a common narrative about who their “real enemy” is. Barring a small number of states, where genuine effort is being made to confront serious governance deficits, the picture of elite marginalization and widening inequality is consistent countrywide.

Spreading the wealth in Nigeria

Workers abducted in northern Nigeria

Boko Haram commands the loyalty of the excluded at several levels. At this moment, Boko Haram is obviously asserting influence, and that assertion of influence is accepted by a significant number of people who see no change in their primary condition.

This factor partly attracted large crowds to the preaching of Boko Haram’s late leader, Yusuf. His narratives about the ills of Western education were enriched by evident gaps in governance. The breakdown of the education system, growing youth unemployment and insecurity amid rampant corruption swelled the ranks of Boko Haram. When the sense of “nothing to lose” is mixed with these strong narratives, the issue is not whether or not they are true but that there are no strong counter-narratives or genuine counter actions.

A lasting solution to the crisis in northern Nigeria might lie in a missing trinity: a meaningful but powerful narrative to counter Boko Haram’s narrative; an action plan akin to a “Marshal Plan” for northern Nigeria; and isolation of what Jonathan has described as Boko Haram sympathizers in the government and security forces.

Developing a powerful counter narrative will demand a measure of sincerity and consistency among the country’s ruling elite. Such a narrative must stand up to the seeming lure of Boko Haram and have the ability to hold a young population captive for the foreseeable future.

An action plan akin to a Marshal Plan for northern Nigeria must be developed to suit the context. The federal government’s investment in regeneration of northern Nigeria, with a focus on youth sensitization, education and development of social and economic entrepreneurship, will be key. This might entail deliberate forms of youth cantonment, census-based planning, community-based programs, and innovative education schemes to kick start regeneration.

To be sure, an action plan for northern Nigeria will not be sustainable in an environment where youth exclusion is a countrywide problem even if it is more chronic in the north. Expressed intention to do this nationally in due course might persuade a captive youth audience.

The question remains as to whether alleged Boko Haram sympathizers among the elite can be dislodged from this process. This might be the single most important obstacle in a situation where retaining political power in 2015 seems more valuable to the regime than the welfare of a few million disposable citizens.

In the immediate term, we can expect the Nigerian military to record successes against the Boko Haram sect. But the victory will be hollow. Without the trinity of measures earlier described, Jonathan’s government risks sacrificing the ordinary people of northern Nigeria, the military’s reputation, and innocent bloodshed.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ‘Funmi Olonisakin.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/24/opinion/nigeria-boko-haram-funmi-olonisakin/index.html?eref=edition

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MAY 24 – LONDON, ENGLAND: On May 23, 2013, a police officer stands in a hail storm close to a crime scene where a soldier from Wellington Barracks was killed in Woolwich on May 22. British Prime Minister David Cameron said the “appalling” attack appeared to be terrorism related. He added that “nothing in Islam … justifies this truly dreadful act.”

MAY 23 – NEW DELHI, INDIA: A boy minds his family’s containers as people fill theirs with water. High temperatures are causing a strain on water supplies in Delhi, with many residents having to rely on water being brought in by trucks on a daily basis.

May 22 – VALPARAISO, CHILE: Demonstrators are dispersed by police water cannons during clashes in Valparaiso. Students in Chile have been demanding a fairer education system which would allow those from poorer backgrounds access to the best schools.

MAY 21 – MOORE, OKLAHOMA : Debris covers the ground after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20. It tore through a highly populated area, wiping out entire neighborhoods, schools and other buildings.

MAY 20 – SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: Young South Koreans participate in a traditional Confucian coming-of-age ceremony in Seoul. The ceremony celebrates young people who have turned, or are going to turn, 20 this year and is meant to increase their awareness about the responsibilities of adulthood.

MAY 17 – SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: Name cards with wishes of Buddhist followers are attached to lotus lanterns during a ceremony to celebrate the birthday of Buddha at Jogye temple. Buddhism is one of South Korea’s largest and most active religions with millions of followers. Although the exact date is unknown, Buddha’s official birthday is celebrated according to the lunisolar calendar, on the eighth day of the fourth month.

MAY 15 – NEW YORK, U.S.: The new “Rain Room” installation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City creates a field of falling water that stops in the area where people walk through, allowing them to remain dry. The piece releases a 260-gallon of water per minute.

MAY 14 – POPOCATEPETL, MEXICO: Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano has been rumbling with explosions and expulsions of ash and gas, prompting authorities to bar people from getting close to a crater that is within sight of Mexico City and many of its 19 million residents.

MAY 13 – WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron meet in the White House to foster the “special relationship” between their countries. Despite talk of Britain considering an EU exit, the bonds between U.S. and UK remain strong.

MAY 11 – CAIRO, EGYPT: A supporter of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak holds his portrait outside the Egyptian police academy in Cairo, on the first day of the retrial on May 11, 2013. Mubarak is appealing against his conviction for the murder of hundreds of peaceful protesters during the 2011 uprising.

MAY 10 – LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Supporters of former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif stand on a wall overlooking the field where he held the closing rally of his campaign on May 9, 2013. 86 million voters are due to go to the polls on May 11; the election will be the first civilian-to-civilian transition of power in the country’s 66-year history.

MAY 09 – MOSCOW, RUSSIA: Russian soldiers march in Red Square during a Victory Day parade. Fighter jets scream overhead and heavy tanks rumble over cobblestones as Russia flexes its military muscle on the anniversary of its costly victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

MAY 08 – LONDON, ENGLAND: Queen Elizabeth II arrives to the State Opening of Parliament in London. The monarch will mark the 60th anniversary of her coronation later this year and despite being 87 years of age, she’s shown no inclination to step down.

MAY 07 – NEW DELHI, INDIA: Om Dubey, 20, shows off his moves as elderly yoga practitioners sit in the courtyard of a mosque. India’s under-30s, comprising 60% of its 1.2 billion population, represent what experts call the “demographic dividend” of young workers that can help power the economy.

MAY 06 – KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor cut a cake to celebrate the Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition victory, which has ruled for 56 years. Vote-rigging allegations and violence marred the most hotly contested election in Malaysian history.

MAY 03 – SAVAR, BANGLADESH: A lady believes her missing relative may be trapped in the rubble of an eight-storey garment factory collapse in Savar on April 24. The rising death toll has surpassed 500 and the country’s PM says Western retailers are partly to blame.

MAY 02 – KABUL, AFGHANISTAN: An Afghan woman takes part in a pro-democracy demonstration condemning the victory of former mujahideen groups that led to the start of Afghanistan’s 1992-1996 civil war. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed in the conflict.

MAY 01 – JAKARTA, INDONESIA : Protestors around the world took to the streets to mark the May Day. In Jakarta, crowds demanded higher minimum wages and better working conditions.

APRIL 30 – AMSTERDAM: Queen Beatrix abdicates in favor of her son, King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands. Now known as Princess Beatrix, she greets the crowds accompanied by princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane.

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Editor’s note: Each day, CNN brings you an image capturing a moment to remember, defining the present and claiming its place in history. The photographs we select will look ahead to the future and chronicle our changing world.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/01/world/defining-moments/index.html?eref=edition

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MAY 24 – LONDON, ENGLAND: On May 23, 2013, a police officer stands in a hail storm close to a crime scene where a soldier from Wellington Barracks was killed in Woolwich on May 22. British Prime Minister David Cameron said the “appalling” attack appeared to be terrorism related. He added that “nothing in Islam … justifies this truly dreadful act.”

MAY 23 – NEW DELHI, INDIA: A boy minds his family’s containers as people fill theirs with water. High temperatures are causing a strain on water supplies in Delhi, with many residents having to rely on water being brought in by trucks on a daily basis.

May 22 – VALPARAISO, CHILE: Demonstrators are dispersed by police water cannons during clashes in Valparaiso. Students in Chile have been demanding a fairer education system which would allow those from poorer backgrounds access to the best schools.

MAY 21 – MOORE, OKLAHOMA : Debris covers the ground after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20. It tore through a highly populated area, wiping out entire neighborhoods, schools and other buildings.

MAY 20 – SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: Young South Koreans participate in a traditional Confucian coming-of-age ceremony in Seoul. The ceremony celebrates young people who have turned, or are going to turn, 20 this year and is meant to increase their awareness about the responsibilities of adulthood.

MAY 17 – SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: Name cards with wishes of Buddhist followers are attached to lotus lanterns during a ceremony to celebrate the birthday of Buddha at Jogye temple. Buddhism is one of South Korea’s largest and most active religions with millions of followers. Although the exact date is unknown, Buddha’s official birthday is celebrated according to the lunisolar calendar, on the eighth day of the fourth month.

MAY 15 – NEW YORK, U.S.: The new “Rain Room” installation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City creates a field of falling water that stops in the area where people walk through, allowing them to remain dry. The piece releases a 260-gallon of water per minute.

MAY 14 – POPOCATEPETL, MEXICO: Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano has been rumbling with explosions and expulsions of ash and gas, prompting authorities to bar people from getting close to a crater that is within sight of Mexico City and many of its 19 million residents.

MAY 13 – WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron meet in the White House to foster the “special relationship” between their countries. Despite talk of Britain considering an EU exit, the bonds between U.S. and UK remain strong.

MAY 11 – CAIRO, EGYPT: A supporter of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak holds his portrait outside the Egyptian police academy in Cairo, on the first day of the retrial on May 11, 2013. Mubarak is appealing against his conviction for the murder of hundreds of peaceful protesters during the 2011 uprising.

MAY 10 – LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Supporters of former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif stand on a wall overlooking the field where he held the closing rally of his campaign on May 9, 2013. 86 million voters are due to go to the polls on May 11; the election will be the first civilian-to-civilian transition of power in the country’s 66-year history.

MAY 09 – MOSCOW, RUSSIA: Russian soldiers march in Red Square during a Victory Day parade. Fighter jets scream overhead and heavy tanks rumble over cobblestones as Russia flexes its military muscle on the anniversary of its costly victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

MAY 08 – LONDON, ENGLAND: Queen Elizabeth II arrives to the State Opening of Parliament in London. The monarch will mark the 60th anniversary of her coronation later this year and despite being 87 years of age, she’s shown no inclination to step down.

MAY 07 – NEW DELHI, INDIA: Om Dubey, 20, shows off his moves as elderly yoga practitioners sit in the courtyard of a mosque. India’s under-30s, comprising 60% of its 1.2 billion population, represent what experts call the “demographic dividend” of young workers that can help power the economy.

MAY 06 – KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor cut a cake to celebrate the Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition victory, which has ruled for 56 years. Vote-rigging allegations and violence marred the most hotly contested election in Malaysian history.

MAY 03 – SAVAR, BANGLADESH: A lady believes her missing relative may be trapped in the rubble of an eight-storey garment factory collapse in Savar on April 24. The rising death toll has surpassed 500 and the country’s PM says Western retailers are partly to blame.

MAY 02 – KABUL, AFGHANISTAN: An Afghan woman takes part in a pro-democracy demonstration condemning the victory of former mujahideen groups that led to the start of Afghanistan’s 1992-1996 civil war. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed in the conflict.

MAY 01 – JAKARTA, INDONESIA : Protestors around the world took to the streets to mark the May Day. In Jakarta, crowds demanded higher minimum wages and better working conditions.

APRIL 30 – AMSTERDAM: Queen Beatrix abdicates in favor of her son, King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands. Now known as Princess Beatrix, she greets the crowds accompanied by princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane.

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Editor’s note: Each day, CNN brings you an image capturing a moment to remember, defining the present and claiming its place in history. The photographs we select will look ahead to the future and chronicle our changing world.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/01/world/defining-moments/index.html?eref=edition