Comments for Dr. Carl LeVan's Homepage

Comment on Assessing the Ban on “Conflict Minerals” from the DRC by Carl LEvan

Carl LEvan — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:13:52 +0000

As the SEC tries to iron out the rules, human rights groups and multinational corporations square off over the effects -- and a few companies rise above to fray in an effort to serve as good examples. Read this analysis from the NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/business/use-of-conflict-minerals-gets-more-scrutiny.html

Comment on Democratization and Securitization in Uganda by Carl LeVan

Carl LeVan — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:33:47 +0000

The State Department published a fact sheet on February 7, 2012 outlining current assistance to Uganda. This includes the deployment of "a small number of military advisers to the LRA-affected region to enhance the capacity of the national militaries to pursue senior LRA commanders and to protect civilians." It also includes USAID assistance provided through USAID. During Fiscal Year 2011, the US provided more than $18 million for food assistance and implementation of food security, humanitarian protection, health, livelihoods initiatives, and other relief activities for IDPs and the communities that host them.

Comment on Assessing the Ban on “Conflict Minerals” from the DRC by Deborah Brautigam

Deborah Brautigam — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:47 +0000

Nice analysis, Carl. Although it’s off-region, I’ve been thinking about sanctions and the Burmese situation today. We’ve had sanctions for two decades, and now the situation is looking decidedly brighter for democracy and political change. Is it the sanctions that at long last are having an impact, hurting the Burmese government enough after 20 years to cause a new regime to call uncle? Or is it the rapid expansion of Burma’s looming northern neighbor?

Comment on Kenyan Human Rights Activist Arrested in Uganda by Carl LeVan

Carl LeVan — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:03:08 +0000

After nearly a year in detention in Uganda, Kimathi has been released. During that time the government failed to outline its charges against him and he was subject to various types of demeaning treatment. However the main significance of his unjust imprisonment is that it intimidated critics of the war on terrorism. Human Rights Watch also notes that harassment of such critics continues in east Africa, including in neighboring Kenya.

Comment on Power Sharing Agreements and Problematic Elections in Africa by Chike

Chike — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 23:57:52 +0000

Found your blog interesting. However, you need to look at Nigeria with a fresh set of eyes. Nigeria is rapidly evolving and using old categories to understand new problems will not be helpful.

First, although the CPC represents the aspirations of the dispossessed in the North, the “talakawas” it is not yet the “defacto” Northern party – results of other elections point to that fact. CPC was distinguished by its lack of organisation and over-reliance on the core North, it also has little traction outside Buhari.

(Most Northern governors either belong to the PDP or the ANPP).

Four years is a very long time and the Northern elite have more to gain from aligning themselves with the PDP than from shouting themselves hoarse in the CPC. Northern Nigeria does not have a history of opposition politics, so I cannot see them playing opposition effectively for the next four years, its not their style, they’ll prefer to influence things from within the ruling party.

Secondly, Jonathan is genuinely popular in the Niger Delta South-East, South-West and most importantly, the “Middle-Belt” regions of Nigeria. So he has very widespread support. He is in a much stronger position than El-Rufai would have you believe.

Thirdly, let me give you an alternative explanation for why Nigerians defined democracy as “the government of the people by the people for the people”. We are taught those words in primary school – I learned them in my Civics class and I can rattle them off even when woken up from sleep.