Aga Khan’s J-School Will Educate Media Owner

By KHALID MAGRAM
Aga Khan University’s new Graduate School of Media and Communications in East Africa soon will commence on a unique mission of teaching media owners about their responsibilities in a society. It will also concentrate more on training journalists from developing world on how to deliver quality analysis in wake of events such as referendum, civil conflicts and elections.

HH the Aga Khan delivering a lecture on pluralism & Journalism in front of a packed audience at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

“One of the things we looked at for our school of journalism is who has the ultimate responsibility for what is sold on the streets and what is shown on TV,” said His Highness the Aga Khan, during the LaFontaine-Baldwin Symposium lecture at the Royal Conservatory of Music Friday. “And I think our conclusion is been essentially that it is the owners rather than manufacturer of the product.”

His Highness said, therefore the school of journalism is going to be about educating the owners on what are their responsibilities in a society, what are their responsible to the region – because ultimately they have to decide what it is that they want to distribute within their own countries.

“Conveying quality information in developing world has been very challenging for many years for our network (the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)).”The Aga Khan added. “For example finding a competent journalist to write on comparative government in developing world is very big problem, which mean when there is referendum on constitution the actual value of that referendum becomes subject to question.”

He was quick however to point out some exceptions efforts of journalists work in the developing world. He cited a veteran Ghanaian journalist, who recently wrote of African journalists’ contributions on number of essential events in Africa.

Kwame Karikari, executive director of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), recently summed up the power of autonomous journalists when he wrote of their

“…remarkable contributions to peaceful and transparent elections in Benin, Cape Verde, Ghana, Mali, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia; to post-conflict transitions … in Liberia, Mozambique and Sierra Leone; and to sustaining constitutional rule … in Guinea, Kenya and Nigeria.”

Aga Khan’s host, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s John Ralston Saul and founder of the Symposium asked the Aga Khan how exactly the new grad school would be able to do things different from other j-schools elsewhere, which seems to be engaging more in teaching of technical stuff and not the content of what is it to be a journalist.

The Aga Khan replied that the media owners would be primary beneficiary of the graduate school – by ‘educating the media owners’. A fascinating concept Saul noted – bringing thunderous laughter from the audience that included senior Canadian journalists.

The Aga Khan once again emphasized the urgency of pluralism challenge during his speech at Royal Conservatory of Music in Downtown Toronto.

“Independent news media and journalists free from external control and constraint are key element in building stronger pluralist societies,” said Aga Khan, who is also spiritual leader of world’s 14-million Shia Ismaili Muslims

His Highness also noted that a wide-open internet allows divisive information to travel as far and as fast as reliable information. There are virtually no barriers to entry and anyone responsible or irresponsible – can play the game.
“The way we communicate with one another has been revolutionized,” he says.

“However, more communication has not meant more cooperation.” More information has also meant more mis-information – more superficial snapshots, more shards of stray information taken out of context, he said.

“We are at a particularly complex moment in human history. The challenges of diversity are frightening for many people, in societies all around the world. But diversity also has the capacity to inspire,” His Highness the Aga Khan said.

Violence against Albinos continues in Tanzania’s countryside

Senseless killings continue to create havoc in the Albino community in some rural parts of Tanzania. Local authority has found yet another Albino person, brutally murdered last week and his body parts taken for apparent witchcraft purposes.

By KHALID MAGRAM

In the past 18 months, at least 25 Albinos, including children, have been mutilated and murdered in Tanzania. Authorities say witchdoctors appear to be linked to the killings.

Albinism affects as many as one in a thousand people. It occurs when the genes do not produce enough portions of a pigment known as melanin, meaning the skin is extremely pale.Instead of having dark skin and black hair, people with albinism are blond with pale skin, because their skin lacks pigment. Albinos are at particular risk from skin cancer and often suffer from poor eyesight.

Police in Kagera region in Northern Tanzania are holding two people in suspicion of the latest killings.
Jovin Majaliwa 46, and his wife, also Albino were brutally attacked in their home Friday night by unknown men with machetes. Attackers’ fled the scene after cutting-off Majaliwa’s right leg and his private parts. Living his wife seriously injured.

Witch doctors claim Albinos body parts has special powers to make people rich.
BBC Swahili reports, clients for these witch doctors include police officers. This makes task to apprehend culprits of these senseless and brutal killings even harder.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has appointed special Member of Parliament to oversee this problem and crackdown violence againts albinos, which is tarnishing Tanzania’s reputation and image abroad.

48-year-old Al-Shymaa Kway-Geer, Tanzania’s first albino MP was appointed to fight the discrimination that she and other people with albinism suffer.

“The president chose me at this time, when albinos are being killed and abused.” “It was something very great for me – I didn’t expect it,” Ms Kway-Geer told BBC World Service’s Outlook programme.

“Many albinos are poor, and therefore they need help from the government,” said the new MP.
While there have not yet been any prosecutions regarding the recent spate of murders, 172 were last month arrested in connection to the cases – 71 of whom said they had been told by witch doctors to bring them albino body parts.

Eco-Islam reaches Zanzibar fishermen

By KHALID MAGRAM

Religious leaders are using the texts of the Koran to promote conservation messages-An approach, which has proved a great deal more successful than government regulations.

The island of Misali is just a small dot in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Pemba in Tanzania. The coral reef surrounding it is home to a rich variety of fish and turtles.

Just a few years ago, this fragile island paradise was under serious threat. Destructive fishing methods were damaging the corals and harming species that lived there. Government bans had little impact.

The non-governmental organization Care International stepped in to persuade fishermen to take better care of their environment – through a scheme based on Islamic principles.

“People didn’t experience environmental destruction in their areas until very recently,” says Ali Thani, Care’s project director.

These fishermen have learned the benefits of fishing in a sustainable manner without harming the island’s bio-diversity.

After what they are experiencing, they feel that Islamic environmental ethics might be better to create awareness in the community to protect their environment says Thani.

Local religious leaders like Shehe Mlekwa Lissani Bambi are now highlighting Islamic teachings about conservation in their sermons.

The Koran is not widely known by many as a source of guidance on environmental and conservation. Therefore, this seem the first time the teachings of the Koran have been used in Tanzania to promote conservation.

Salum Haji has fished these waters for as long as he can remember.

“There have been a lot of bad things happening here,” he says.

“People have used dynamite and guns to fish here.” This has destroyed the coral.

“I am happy that now we have learnt that the Koran tells us to protect everything in this world, including the environment.

“I am more dedicated to protecting the environment now and a more committed Muslim as well,” says Haji.

The Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar and Pemba lie off the east African coast.

The semi-autonomous territory maintains a political union with Tanzania, but has its own parliament and president.

A former centre of the spice and slave trades, present-day Zanzibar is infused with African, Arab, European and Indian influences.

Original SOURCE BBC

East York Kenyans distraught over recent violence

Originally filled on Feb 22, 2008 for East York’s Observer

BY KHALID MAGRAM
While political turmoil continues to create havoc in many parts of Kenya, Kenyans who live and work in East York are worried for their friend and family’s safety in violent-stricken East African country. They are also actively working on finding ways to help and support those affected by violence including raising funds to help those affected by mayhem.

Since most of Kenyans who live here in East York, are in school, or tied up with other commitments, they are finding other means and ways to communicate, including meeting on the internet with one another here, in Kenya and with Kenyan Diasporas elsewhere.

“We meet on Yahoo forums, with each other whenever we can, to give support and discuss the situation back home,” said Jane Etharia, who sits on the board of KCO (Kenyan Community in Ontario), an Ontario-based not-for-profit, non-political and non-denominational organization promoting the settlement and development of all Kenyans in Ontario.

“We also held a fundraising for people affected, last week at Mel Lastman Square,” and “We would like to do more,” to help the situation back home. Etharia said.

Kenya, a favorite tourist destination for many holiday seekers from Canada and around the world, erupted into chaos and violence soon after disputed presidential election on Dec. 27, 2007. The unpleasant images of death and destruction transmitted daily out of Kenya and viewed around the world on TV and on the internet have been upsetting and horrifying for many.

In the capital city Nairobi, more than 600 Kenyans including children have so far lost their lives in the ongoing violence. Disorderly mob have looted or torched number of local businesses, hundreds of people forced out of their homes and remain homeless, seeking refuge in churches, police stations and other places of worship.

Violence has directly affected Jane Etharia. Her family in Kenya was caught-up in the initial stages of the conflict, which is ongoing for a month now. “Some of my family members had to seek protection in a police station.” Etharia said.

Shiraz Kara, a prominent member of Ismaili community’s Don Mills congregation located on Overlea Boulevard near Don Mills Rd. said, many in the East York’s Ismaili community have family members and friends directly affected by the chaos and instability in Kenya.

“Some have been airlifted to the neighboring countries.” Kara said.

The International community; including Canada has ever since the unrest been urging Kenya’s political parties involve in political dispute to find a peaceful solution in ending the crisis.

Mediation by other African heads of state and former U.N Secretary General Kofi Anan is underway to bring about peace between the dissenting parties in the crisis.

According to KCO there are 5000 registered Kenyans living in East York and in the immediate surrounding area of GTA. Many still have relatives and friends living in violent-hit parts of the country.

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