Send Them Peace

STP Target Dates : June 11 to June 24, 2016

So many recurring themes in these Targets where Peace and Compassion can't seem to make inroads...

We will make inroads. We will SendThemPeace.  Participate in The Challenge each day.

Overview : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic and also

www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ct.html

Geography/ Climate : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_the_Central_African_Republic

Target Coordinates Used (Lat./ Long.) : 4° 22' 0" N, 18° 35' 0" E 
4.366667, 18.583333 tools.wmflabs.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Central_African_Republic&params=4_22_N_18_35_E_type:city

History : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Central_African_Republic

Travel Guides : www.worldtravelguide.net/central-african-republic
Immunizations required : (Zika is endemic in the C-A-R). wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/mission_disaster/central-african-republic?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001

People : 

• Demographics- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_Central_African_Republic
• Ethnic Groups : see this page for links : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic

Global Peace Index Ranking : Central African Republic is ranked number 157 out of 163 countries ranked, placing it between Ukraine and Yemen.

Health : www.who.int/countries/caf/en/ and a statistical summary of health issues at apps.who.int/gho/data/node.country.country-CAF (not much data, but discouraging). 
Avg. Life Expectancy 46.88 years. Infant Mortality Rate : 106 per 1000 live births.

GDP per capita (current US$) - (year: ) : 358.5 per capita 

• (Other countries for comparison) : 

Burundi : 286/ cap in 2014 
Central Afr.Rep.: 359/ cap 2014 
Somalia : 543/ cap in 2014 
Afghanistan: 634/ cap in 2014 
Cambodia : 1,090/ cap in 2014 
Myanmar : 1,203/ cap in 2014 
Yemen : 1,408/ cap in 2013 
Syria: 2,080/ cap in 2007 
Bosnia&Hz 4,790/ cap in 2014 
Israel: 37,206/ cap in 2014 
Belgium : 47,517/ cap in 2014 
U.S.A. : 54,629/ cap in 2014

Good Country Ranking (best = 1, Sweden; worst = 163, Libya) : C-A-R ranked 160.

Corruption : ranked 145 of 167 countries. Transparency. org 's corruption perceptions index is given here : www.transparency.org/country/#CAF One can get a sense of the extent of corruption globally, with this map : www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results#myAnchor1

Strengths/ Weaknesses : Literacy: 55.2% www.coface.com/Economic-Studies-and-Country-Risks/Central-African-Republic
The above includes a quite useful summary of the unstable political environment which continues in the Central African Republic.

Peace & Compassion Deficits : 

Start with this short video to gain some perspective on this challenging situation : 

Will latest elections lead to Peace? www.reuters.com/article/us-centralafrica-president-idUSKCN0WW1ZG

Sexual misconduct and exploitation : www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=53598#.V1s5g_l9500

Human Rights violations : www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=54168#.V1s50_l9500

Situation of Children and Women in C.A.R. : www.unicef.org/sitan/files/SitAn_CAR_2010.pdf
"Although women are more successful (60%) in the informal sector and appear to improve their social status, in the formal private sector or the public sector their voice is barely heard in relation to their numbers involved at a national level."

A gallery of images for the Central African Republic.

The Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa

Fula women in Paoua

Rebel Militia member

1905 - The Sultan of Bangassou and his wives.

A woman in the Boali shelter

The airport in the Central African Republic

 About to be beheaded.

Christian extremist militia members.

Lapidation

Looking for Muslims to behead.

Awaiting vaccination for malaria.

Street violence.

Will loans fix this ?

Will foreign armies fix this? 

Is this all just too much madness for anyone to do anything about?

Meet The Challenge.

SendThemPeace.

His eyes are seeking Peace and Compassion. SendThemPeace. Each day for 12 days, 20 minutes at noon GMT.

Target : Israel 

STP Target Dates :  June 1 to June 10, 2016

The lack of Peace in Israel, ongoing since the mid 20th century, has now become almost cliché. As you increase your knowledge through study of the links given below, see if you can identify the problem. It's not the GDP nor widespread corruption. What does it take for people to learn to live compassionately? 

Perhaps: The Compassionate Listening Project?

Compassionate understanding of our worst enemy is the answer.  SendThemPeace. Meet The Challenge.

Perhaps all it takes, is Send(ing)ThemPeace.

"After more than sixty years, the Israel-Palestinian issue is as intractable as ever. Groups and individuals on either side reflexively point to the other as the cause of conflict. Blame and intense emotion permeate virtually any discussion of the subject. In this book, Richard Forer explains that no action occurs in a vacuum, that we all play roles in the suffering of others and that only an honest intention to discover the history for ourselves can alleviate the suffering. Through meticulous research Forer examines and reframes the most common and misunderstood arguments on both sides of the conflict. He shows that the real enemy is the unexamined mind that projects its suffering onto the other. Though not a religious Jew, Forer had been a loyal defender of Israeli policy all his life and zealously supported Israel s 2006 invasion of Lebanon. In response to what he perceived as growing global anti-Semitism, he became a member of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Angry that two of his most trusted friends resisted his views, and surprised that a long-time Jewish friend would suggest that his opinions were not as factually based as he assumed, Forer began an intensive study of the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, determined to discover the facts for himself. With an uncompromising commitment to the truth, he went far beyond his original intention, even challenging his very identity. Reaching into the depths of himself, in a remarkable moment he underwent a spontaneous spiritual transformation in which he awoke to his true identity, beyond the limits of the ego and its enforced loyalties. Feeling how his attachment to Israel had blinded him to the human dimension of the conflict and had led him to reject the other in a heartless way, Forer realized that the true root of conflict is one's presumed identity and the beliefs and images that emanate from and reinforce that identity, and that these presumptions are false and unnecessary. He discovered that in Truth we are all Muslim and Jewish, Palestinian and Israeli. Forer had recognized the heart of Judaism, which embraces the Universal and identifies with all of humanity." at  Amazon.com

Overview : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel and www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/is.html
Geography/ Climate : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Israel
Target Coordinates Used (Lat./ Long.) : 31°30'N 34°45'E tools.wmflabs.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Geography_of_Israel&params=31_30_N_34_45_E_type:country

History : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Israel#State_of_Israel_.281948.E2.80.93present.29
Travel Guides : www.worldtravelguide.net/israel
Immunizations required : wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/extended_student/israel?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001

People : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Israeli_people and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelis

Global Peace Index Ranking : Israel is ranked 148 out of 162. Clearly, not a peaceful country. 
Details of the GPIR are found here : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Peace_Index#Global_Peace_Index_rankings
Health : www.who.int/countries/isr/en/
GDP per capita (current US$) - (year: ) : 37,206 current $US/ capita in 2014. 
(GDP in USA, 2014, for comparison : 54,629.50 US$/ capita). 
(Other countries for comparison) : 
Burundi : 286/ cap in 2014 
Somalia : 543/ cap in 2014 
Afghanistan: 634/ cap in 2014 
Cambodia : 1,090/ cap in 2014 
Myanmar : 1,203/ cap in 2014 
Yemen : 1,408/ cap in 2013 
Syria: 2,080/ cap in 2007 
Bosnia&Hz 4,790/ cap in 2014 
Israel: 37,206/ cap in 2014 
Belgium : 47,517/ cap in 2014 
U.S.A. : 54,629/ cap in 2014

Good Country Ranking (best = 1, worst = 125) : Israel is ranked 37th. Here are the overall rankings :  http://goodcountry.org/index/overall-rankings

Corruption : Israel is ranked 32nd (#1 = Denmark, best, and #167 Somalia, is worst) 

And from Transparency International : www.transparency.org/country/#ISR the percentile rank for Israel is 72% 

Strengths/ Weaknesses : www.coface.com/Economic-Studies-and-Country-Risks/Israel
This lists major macro economic indicators, and discovers a relatively high public debt in Israel. Political fragmentation is at the root of most weaknesses. 

Peace & Compassion Deficits : The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, see : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict

The remaining key issues are: mutual recognition, borders, security, water rights, control of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, Palestinian freedom of movement, and Palestinian right of return. The violence of the conflict, in a region rich in sites of historic, cultural and religious interest worldwide, has been the object of numerous international conferences dealing with historic rights, security issues and human rights, and has been a factor hampering tourism in and general access to areas that are hotly contested.

STP Target Dates : March 16 - Mar 27, 2016 

Target : Somalia 
Overview : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalia
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html

Geography/ Climate : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Somalia
Target Coordinates Used (Lat./ Long.) : 5° 35' 38.83" N, 47° 13' 9.26" E

History : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Somalia
Culture : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Somalia

Travel Guides : www.worldtravelguide.net/somalia
Immunizations required : wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/mission_disaster/somalia?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001

People : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalis and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalis#Clan_and_family_structure

Global Peace Index Ranking : 157 (of 162) as listed at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Peace_Index#Global_Peace_Index_rankings

Health : www.who.int/countries/som/en/

GDP per capita (current US$) - (year: ) : 542.6 US$/ capita (2014) 
(GDP in USA, 2014, for comparison : 54,629.50 US$/ capita). 

• (Other countries for comparison) : 

Burundi : 286/ cap in 2014 
Somalia : 543/ cap in 2014 
Afghanistan: 634/ cap in 2014 
Cambodia : 1,090/ cap in 2014 
Myanmar : 1,203/ cap in 2014 
Yemen : 1,408/ cap in 2013 
Syria: 2,080/ cap in 2007 
Bosnia&Hz 4,790/ cap in 2014 
Belgium : 47,517/ cap in 2014 
U.S.A. : 54,629/ cap in 2014 

Good Country Ranking (best = 1, worst = 125) : Somalia is Not ranked in the GCR 

Corruption : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Somalia also, www.transparency.org/country/#SOM
Somalia is ranked 167 out of 168 for corruption. It's score is 8 of a possible 100. 

• Somalia’s Corruption Epidemic.
• Corruption in Somalia’s Government.
• Corruption and Anti-Corruption in Somalia.
  

Corruption is rampant in Somalia. A 2013 UN Monitoring Group report on Somalia and Eritrea indicated that 80 percent of withdrawals from Somalia’s central bank were made for private purposes.
In 2014, the monitoring group alleged that the president and a former foreign minister conspired with U.S.-based law firm Shulman Rogers to steal funds from overseas Somali assets. Source: Freedom House review of Freedom in Somalia.

Peace & Compassion Deficits : www.usip.org/publications/2015/07/23/the-current-situation-in-somalia

www.hiiraan.com/news4/2016/Feb/104025/au_lauds_progress_on_peace_efforts_in_somalia.aspx

books.google.be/books?id=gDhycGy84HAC&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=Bringing Peace to Somalia&source=bl&ots=cf2sjoX6d6&sig=SelCoptB1zgh5qHDG9z9Tc9YxEM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiIpMz548PLAhVBApoKHUIGAs8Q6AEIPzAG#v=onepage&q=Bringing%20Peace%20to%20Somalia&f=false

Somali Pirates : www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/04/20/escape-or-die

 1 Mar 2016

Somalia: Why is Al-Shabaab Still A Potent Threat?

Corruption is rampant in Somalia. A 2013 UN Monitoring Group report on Somalia and Eritrea indicated that 80 percent of withdrawals from Somalia’s central bank were made for private purposes. In 2014, the monitoring group alleged that the president and a former foreign minister conspired with U.S.-based law firm Shulman Rogers to steal funds from overseas Somali assets.

DON'T Send Money: They'll never get it! SendThemPeace! Meet The Challenge.

STP Target Dates : Mar 6 - Mar 15, 2016 

Target : Myanmar (Burma)

Overview : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bm.html

http://www.csostat.gov.mm/myanmar.asp

Geography/ Climate : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Myanmar

www.google.com/maps/place/Myanmar+(Burma)/@18.8536873,87.637373,5z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x305652a7714e2907:0xba7b0ee41c622b11?hl=en

Target Coordinates Used (Lat./ Long.) : 19°45'00.0"N 96°06'00.0"E (geographic center) 
www.google.com/maps/place/19%C2%B045'00.0%22N+96%C2%B006'00.0%22E/@24.7065421,93.084768,4z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0?hl=en

History : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Myanmar

Travel Guides : www.worldtravelguide.net/myanmar

Immunizations required : wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/mission_disaster/burma?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001

People : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar#Ethnic_groups

Global Peace Index Ranking : ranked 130 out of 162, where 162 is the least peaceful. An improvement from 140 in 2013. 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Peace_Index#Global_Peace_Index_rankings

Health : www.who.int/countries/mmr/en/

GDP per capita (current US$) - (year: ) : 1,203.8 (2014)

• (Other countries for comparison) : 
  Burundi :          286/ cap in 2014 
  Afghanistan:    634/ cap in 2014 
  Cambodia :   1,090/ cap in 2014 
  Myanmar :    1,203/ cap in 2014 
  Yemen :        1,408/ cap in 2013 
  Syria:            2,080/ cap in 2007 
  Bosnia&Hz   4,790/ cap in 2014 
  Belgium :    47,517/ cap in 2014 
  U.S.A. :       54,629/ cap in 2014

Good Country Ranking (best = 1, worst = 125) : Not ranked; no data.

Corruption : an extremely serious problem in Myanmar. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Myanmar A UN survey in May 2014 concluded that corruption is the greatest hindrance for business in Myanmar. www.transparency.org/country/#MMR It is ranked 147, where 168 is the most corrupt.

Read these steps for combatting corruption globally : www.weforum.org/agenda/2014/11/five-ways-beat-global-corruption/

Specific measures from the business community : www.weforum.org/agenda/2014/11/five-ways-beat-global-corruption/

See also : https://www.transparency.org/country/#MMR_Chapter

Strengths/ Weaknesses : www.coface.com/Economic-Studies-and-Country-Risks/Myanmar

Peace & Compassion Deficits : www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/south-east-asia/myanmar/b146-myanmar-s-peace-process-a-nationwide-ceasefire-remains-elusive.aspx

www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/south-east-asia/myanmar/b147-the-myanmar-elections-results-and-implications.aspx

The strange new world of Democracy in Myanmar... 
www.economist.com/news/asia/21690062-myanmar-awakes-new-order-parliament-freely-elected-majority-strange-new-world?zid=306&ah=1b164dbd43b0cb27ba0d4c3b12a5e227

Buddhist and Muslim tensions : www.patheos.com/blogs/americanbuddhist/2015/06/understanding-buddhist-muslim-relations-in-burma-myanmar.html

STP Target Dates : Feb 25 - Mar 5, 2016 
Target : Boznia and Herzegovina 

Overviews : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina
and www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bk.html
www.ba.undp.org/content/bosnia_and_herzegovina/en/home/countryinfo.html
www.providingforpeacekeeping.org/2014/08/11/peacekeeping-contributor-profile-bosnia-and-herzegovina/

Geography/ Climate : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina
Target Coordinates (Lat./ Long.) : tools.wmflabs.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Geography_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina&params=44_N_18_E

History : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina

Travel Guides : www.worldtravelguide.net/bosnia-and-herzegovina
Immunizations required : wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/mission_disaster/bosnia-and-herzegovina?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001

People : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_groups_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina

Global Peace Index Ranking : No. 53 out of 162 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Peace_Index#Global_Peace_Index_rankings

   One can quickly come to assume that any country or issue selected as a Target for The Challenge at SendThemPeace.com must be a "real mess." Hopefully, this overview helps to bring a Target into perspective. But for comparison, the United States is #94 out of the 162. So while Peace in Bosnia was a greater concern in the years of the war there, it still has Peace concerns and, once again, related to Corruption (see below). But it has thankfully improved markedly in recent years, and nowhere near the magnitude of problem seen in our last Target (Afghanistan). It still merits being the current Target, here at SendThemPeace.

Health : www.who.int/countries/bih/en/

GDP per capita (current US$) - (year: ) : 4,790 in 2014 
knoema.com/mhrzolg/gdp-statistics-from-the-world-bank?country=Bosnia%20and%20Herzegovina
Other countries for comparison : The GDP per capita was as follows for these countries, expressed in current $US : 
Burundi : 286/ cap in 2014 
Afghanistan: 634/ cap in 2014 
Cambodia : 1,090/ cap in 2014 
Yemen : 1,408/ cap in 2013 
Syria: 2,080/ cap in 2007 
Bosnia&Hz 4,790/ cap in 2014 
Belgium : 47,517/ cap in 2014 
U.S.A. : 54,629/ cap in 2014

Good Country Ranking (best = 1, worst = 125) : 70th www.goodcountry.org/country/BIH

Corruption : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina
and www.transparency.org/country/#BIH Rank 76 out of 168, with a score of 38/100 
Can also use map at www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results#myAnchor1

Strengths/ Weaknesses : www.coface.com/Economic-Studies-and-Country-Risks/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina
79th out of 189 countries in terms of ease of doing business. Joblessness at 43%. Also, see below, the EU Commission's 2013 Report.

Peace & Compassion Deficits : america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/12/bosnias-impaired-peace-may-not-last.html
www.un.org/en/ga/69/meetings/gadebate/26sep/bosnia.shtml

One can get a clear idea of the challenges faced in Bosnia & Herzegovina by reading (at a minimum) the introductory summary pages

from the EU Commission on B & H, and why its entry into the EU seems stalled (2013).