Is It Worth It?

Do national security concerns justify injury and death during national service? 

Last year a young Singaporean died during national service. He wasn't the first, nor will he be the last. As a parent whose son also did his national service, the death of this 19-year old made me sit up and think about the cost of  NS. 


My son survived his NS obligations but he also could have lost his life in an accident. He didn't. But other parents go through the pain of losing their sons during National Service. Our sons benefit from NS. This is true, but do the benefits outweigh the dangers posed by the training and the loss of 2 years in the life of a young man? Perhaps not. And shame on us, if we shrug our shoulders and heave a sigh of relief that it wasn't our son who died. 

NS poses some tough questions. I don't know if I have all the answers but I see no harm in scaling down the training to one year. This reduction minimizes the risk of fatalities, provide our sons with more time to get ahead in education, and improve their career prospects. No, I am not against NS but there are benefits to reducing the present 2-year commitment.    


The death of a national serviceman last year forced me to put my thoughts in a post last year. I chose however keep it as a draft and to not post it. A year has passed. There's a greater sense of urgency to post it on this blog, now. So here it is. Better late than never:    


Another NS man dies after training!

Sad. And no, 19 - year olds aren't men. NS helps to discipline teenagers and instill a sense of patriotism and helps to put them on the path to manhood. Those doing NS are teenagers, still kids in some families. They don't deserve to die.

Deaths like these make one reflect and think about the meaning and cost of  NS.
 
The arguments for NS sound patriotic and right. None of them however justify the death of a 19-year old boy. We should work toward a zero casualty rate in training. Parents entrust their sons to the SAF for two years with the hope that no harm will befall their sons. 

Deaths during NS should shake us up. Is there a silver lining for those who grieve the loss of their loved ones?


The boy's name is Liam Kai Zheng. And yes, he was a boy - only 19 years old! His parents will not celebrate his 21st birthday nor will they attend his wedding. Forget about the grandchildren. The nation mourns the loss of Kai Zheng - a member of the wider Singapore family. He died for the sake of our security needs. Do our security needs require our sons to face the dangers and demands of military training for 2 years? 

Do they give their lives in order for us to feel secure? It might seem obvious for those whose sons either escaped unscathed during NS or whose call up for NS is still due. It's different however for those who've lost their sons during NS. It's easy to shrug our shoulders and get on with our life until we lose one of our own. 

My condolences to his family.

Here is an excerpt from the Straits Times May 23 2009,


After Mr Liam Kai Zheng, 19, got off the boat at the Singapore Armed Forces' ferry terminal in Changi, he was taken in an ambulance to the Changi General Hospital, where he died nine hours later on Friday morning.

Mr Liam had recently completed a four-day field camp before checking out of the Basic Military Training Centre in Pulau Tekong on Thursday night.

ITS COLD!!!

Temperatures have dropped to 4% centigrade. We've never had to cope with this sort of climate before in Santa Cruz for such a prolonged period. Freezing cold weather only lasts for a day or two. We've had to put up with this icy temperature for about a week. Its really cold! Both us, Michelle and I use nearly 3 to 4 layers of warm clothing. 

6 sick people, vulnerable to death, succumbed to the cold. 

The municipality have opened large enclosures for the homeless. A place to sleep and some hot soup keep them warm.Home made bonfires keep the poor families warm. Schools are closed till the weather improves.It gets dark by about 6 pm. Only few cars ply the roads. The few brave souls who walk the streets are heavily clad in winter clothing. 

AT LAST!

Brazil, is the first Latin American nation to host the Olympic Games. All of South America celebrate with Brazil's triumph in getting this golden opportunity to host a major world event.

Why did it take so long?

Most countries in Latin America are third world and may not have the infraestructure to host such a massive event. The Brazilians have their limits but they should do a good job. Besides must the Olympics have such fancy opening and closing ceremonies? No, absolutely not! Sadly many nations confuse national prestige with mind blowing and expensive opening and closing ceremonies i.e Beijing Olympics

Congratulations Brazil!

SANTA CRUZ: EUROPEAN STYLE SENSUALITY

Latin Americans love beauty! Venezuelans and Colombians regularly sweep the board in the miss world and universe competitions.

Bolivia have their fair share of pretty girls, many of them in Santa Cruz. Beauty pageants and famous models are very popular in the lowlands of Bolivia.

South American girls, especially fair skinned blonds, are trained from young to be beauty queens. They keep a trim figure; wear right clothes; walk the catwalk sensually and flaunt branded products. Its hard not to see western and european physical features dominate judges's perception of beauty in pageants.

Beauty is decidedly euro-centric: Nordic, Latin and Anglo Saxon. Beauty queens with very distinct non european local features almost never win anything. Ever seen a chinese girl with mongoloid features walk the aisle with the miss universe crown? How about dark stubby nosed girls from South India? Some girls from India have been doing relatively well in the past decade or so. Are they the exceptions to the rule? Not so. Take a close look at them. They're tall, fair, possess sharp noses, are from the north, speak very good english - a european language. None of the Indian girls who've done well in pageants have ever violated the canons of european style aesthetics.

Its not surprising therefore if Santa Cruz's babes tend to accentuate their European heritage because pageants have marked out a criteria of beauty that's euro-centric. This is not meant as a put down of local indigenous features but a sober observation of what's happening

Sadly, beauty is also commercialized and vulgarised in Santa Cruz. At a trade fair several years ago, the semi clad buttocks of a female model were compared to a cow's behind! Something crass was said about the model's anatomy. Beauty queens are props; their bodies are hangers for the latest swim suit bikini and revealing dress. Why young ladies allow themselves to be used like meat in a butcher's shop, remains a mystery.

SANTA CRUZ EXPOCRUZ 2009

September is a special month for the city of Santa Cruz. We celebrate the anniversary of the city's founding with parades and speeches.

The highlight is a huge trade fair called EXPOCRUZ where one gets to see the latest and best technology, livestock, concerts, beautiful girls, new products; farming utensils n machines, overseas imports and lots of businessmen from all over Latin America cutting deals.

Here's a photo of the trade fair.

SANTA CRUZ 199 YEARS

PARADE

Here is another photo of the civic leaders of Santa Cruz. You guessed right, green is the color of the city. The grey headed guy is waving the flag of Santa Cruz.

SANTA CRUZ 199 YEARS CELEBRATION

Here is a photo of the Santa Cruz's political elite celebrating the city's anniversary.

The mayor of Santa Cruz, Percy Fernandez is waving to the crowd. On his right is the governor, Ruben Costas.

SANTA CRUZ, 199 YEARS!

Yesterday Santa Cruz celebrated its 199th anniversary. Note the fireworks on the photo on your right!

My wife, son and I lived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia for 14 years. Elijah, my son, was only 3 years old when we first arrived. Michelle and I, being young missionaries, were struggling with learning the language and adapting to Bolivian culture. Cruceños, know how to celebrate and have a great time. Brass bands fill the air with the sound of drums, trumpets and trombones during all sorts of celebrations. I kinda miss the people dancing and milling in the streets, amplified music blasting away from sound systems in cars, laughter, animated conversations, traffic jams. I certainly dont miss the urine on the streets, broken beer bottles, and the permissiveness these celebrations unleash.

Anyone reading the news would also know that Santa Cruz is the centre of opposition against the central government and the president Evo Morales. I have written many posts on this subject. Just click on Current Affairs. In recent months the nation has been preocuppied with the upcoming general elections in December. The president is expected to win and his party will probably be returned to the legislative assembly with a majority.

Santa Cruz, a gateway city, is a spiritual hub. You just get the feeling that this city has a special place in the Lord's overall plan for the nations. The churches here are vibrant and there have been concerted efforts to reach out to the lost and get involved in overseas missions. Private universities with a young student population are also springing up.

To say that we miss Santa Cruz is an understatement! The good news however is that we shall be returning soon to this city. More news about this in my next post!

PRAY FOR IRAN!

The people of Iran need our support and intercession. Pray for an end to injustice, tyranny and a return to human decency and true law and order.

SINGAPORE MASS MEDIA…FEROCIOUS SHARKS?

MEDIA AND AWARE
Very rarely have the Singapore mainstream media gone after a story with such unbridled passion...like ferocious sharks thrashing about in a feeding frenzy!Yup, I'm referring to the controversy surrounding AWARE.

Unless you were on a holiday in Mars, you'd probably have read or heard about the AWARE saga. For the uninitiated AWARE is a civil organization dedicated to women's issues.

A few ladies, led by Josie Lau, took over the leadership of AWARE at the group’s annual AGM. This new team attempted to steer the organization back to its original purpose of only dealing with women’s issues. AWARE’s growing links with the gay lobby in Singapore were viewed as a distraction to the group's original purpose. A training manual, sponsored by AWARE, on sexuality which was used to prepare trainers for sex education in schools was found to encourage homosexual behavior.

THE MEDIA POLARIZES
The ousted old of guard of the organization hit back hard. They managed to convene an EGM and recaptured the reins of power at the meeting. The endless stream of stories and columns in the press further polarized the supporters of old guard from the new team. Much was made of the new team's church affiliation and christian background.

The Singapore mass media are a tame lot. They’re into nation building (euphemism for communicating government views) and normally avoid stories which portray Singapore as conflict ridden. Foreign investors dont like political instability. The appearance of a well run country is a central motif in newspaper reporting. If there was an academy award for self censorship, Singapore mainstream media would blow the competition away.

And so the sight of the media inciting rivalry between the two opposing groups was a bit of a shocker. Singapore media have learned a thing or two from their Western or Latin American colleagues.

ARE WE IN BOLIVIA?

Was I in Singapore? For a moment I thought I was in Bolivia. The Bolivian media, not unlike the media in freewheeling liberal democracies, are experts in playing up opposing viewpoints for the sake of sensationalism. And sensationalism sells newspapers; strong sales bring in advertising revenue.

Some of the reporting was balanced…but by and large the media-driven stereotype of the new team as narrow minded Christian Talibans sunk them.

Josie's team should have been given a chance, a year at least, to work at their plans and prove themselves to the AWARE members. A challenge to dismount her team could have been initiated at the following AGM. Unfortunately an EGM was convened by the older leadership to reverse the decisions of the AGM.

Hopefully the mainstream media would have learned a thing or two from this episode and refrain from one sided reporting.

YES WE CAN!

Unbelievable!

A black man is elected President of the US.

This cartoon in the Washington Post sorta says it all.

The mind boggling American melting pot continues to inspire!

DRIVING, SANTA CRUZ

The clogged intersection is a vivid reminder as to how crazy it can get in the roads of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. There are no traffic lights in some of these places. The result is congestion, jams and fearless driving!

Driving thru this maze requires skill and a gung ho atitude. I kinda miss it!

JB JEYARETNAM - R. I. P

Voice for the Voiceless

Jan 1926 - Sept 2008

I recieved news of JB Jeyaretnam's death through a SMS at a meeting. I was shocked because of the suddeness of his passing away.

Life seemed fragile. A great man had died. A heart attack was the cause, I found out later.

He was not a stranger to my family. Scenes of our past encounters flashed through my mind: a chance meeting in a lift; bumping into one another in the streets; discussions in church, buying his book.

We met several years ago. I was as a young deacon in St Andrews Cathedral. He was a server and carried the cross during the procession at the 8am service. He had an easy smile and fulfilled his duties with sobriety and dedication. We chatted about family and life in general. I lost contact with him after leaving the Cathedral. He will certainly be missed.

Jeyaretnam was a special man who pulled no punches, especially when locked in debate with his political opponents. The parliamentary debates between him and MM Lee were riveting. He gained their respect for his tenacity and perserverance in the face of huge obstacles and attacks. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in a very unusual gesture, mentioned Jeyaretnam in a parliamentary speech as a positive example sticking it out in Singapore through thick and thin.

Singapore is no paradise, especially for the poor. It has its fair share of people who struggle to eke out a daily living. And believe me these people struggle! They do not win scholarships nor are they given medals during national day celebrations. Wealth is supposed to trickle down to them. And sometimes this trickle is a literal trickle, crumbs from the table. Without these strugglers a wealthy economy is only an idea in a textbook.

Falling through the cracks the marginalized face isolation and poverty, they dont fit into a fast moving urban city nor are they selling points of a successful system. You seldom see them in church on Sundays. They're busy working, hustling for every cent in order to meet basic needs and pays the bills. Its easy to sideline the poor as part of a "small" social category and claim the sanctimonious priority of keeping one's eye on the whole picture of a nation's prosperity. Strange how the whole picture seems to benefit only a certain sector.

Their voices are drowned out by statistics and pragmatic reality. There was a need for someone brave enough to respect their dignity and speak for them. Jeyaretnam was such a man. He speak up for them. Seah Chiang Nee a former journalist characterizes him as someone ready to fight for the ordinary folk, especially the poor:

The greatest loss is felt by lower-income people who feel left out by “elitist” policies that cater more for profits than their welfare.

This class of people regards Jeyaretnam, a long-time socialist, as someone who genuinely cared and was ready to fight for the ordinary folk, especially the poor.

JBJ Jeyaretnam, voice for the voiceless.

His speeches and work as a politician arose out of a conviction that the weak and oppressed needed to be looked after and empowered. Man is not a digit in the economy but a sacred being made in the image of God and worthy of treatment befitting his dignity.

He was a patriot - a citizen fulfilling our Lord's calling to love our neighbour.

His legacy? I'd like to think of him as a voice for the voiceless.

DESPERATION!

Here is a picture of mobs, followers of the government, entering the periphery of Santa Cruz with sticks and weapons.

Armed groups in Santa Cruz are ready to engage these mobs in violent confrontations.

This threat of a violent clash between the government and the civic authorities in Santa Cruz forms the backdrop to continuing negotiations between the Government and opposition groups, led by Santa Cruz.

All of Bolivia is hoping and praying for a settlement which will bring to an end this seemingly never ending conflict between the highlands and the lowlands.

BLOOPER!

Oh dear...in my great enthusiasm I gave the mistaken impression, in my previous post, that the government and the opposition from the lowlands signed an agreement to bring an end to the social upheaval in Bolivia.

Actually they only agreed to an agenda for negotiations. It was a positive step but the problems remain.

Government's supporters have laid seige to Santa Cruz!

There was a plan to invade and create havoc in the city. By God's grace nothing of the sort happened. The government managed to calm the situation by insisting that their supporters remain in the outer fringes of Santa Cruz and to not do anything.

Meanwhile some sectors in Santa Cruz have armed themselves and are ready for a bloody confrontation. Businesses have reinforced security in their shops. Its tense in Santa Cruz.

Lord have mercy on Bolivia!

BOLIVIAN GOVERNMENT AND HIS OPPONENTS SIGN AN AGREEMENT!

Thanks to outside mediation, President Morales and his opponents have agreed to terms which will cool tempers and hopefully bring the current violent upheaval to an end. The terms of the agreement as reported by CNN appears to favor Morales's opponents in the valley and the lowlands.

Thank you for all your prayers.

There are still critical issues which have not been resolved, the approval of the new constitution being one of them but on the whole Bolivia and its adopted sons (I'm one of them!) heave a sight of relief.

The photo above shows the Cardenal Terrazas receiving a copy of the accord from Mario Cossio, the governor of Tarija, which was signed by the goverment and the governors of the various regions. The man seated is the governor of Santa Cruz, Ruben Costas

PRESIDENT MORALES DECLARES MARTIAL LAW IN PANDO
By Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer September 13, 2008

BUENOS AIRES -- Bolivia declared martial law Friday in the isolated northern state of Pando, site of violent clashes a day earlier that left at least nine dead and dozens injured.

The move was the government's most dramatic action yet against a wave of violence this week in provinces opposed to the leftist leadership of President Evo Morales. The violence had prompted widespread speculation that the government would declare a national state of siege.

But Friday's announcement was limited to Pando, where the order limits public gatherings, bans protests and imposes a midnight-to-6 a.m. curfew.Morales warned Thursday that "patience has a limit," as his nation endured its third day of clashes and attempted sabotage of natural gas pipelines.

On Friday, amid relative calm, officials signaled that a harder line was likely."We are not going to tolerate any more the actions of radical and violent groups that are only causing confrontations among Bolivians, causing pain and suffering among brothers and threatening the national security," Gen. Luis Trigo, Bolivia's military chief, declared in a statement.

Outnumbered troops and police officers have generally stayed out of the way of violent groups such as those who sacked government buildings in the eastern city of Santa Cruz, a center of opposition to the central government in La Paz. The general also rebuffed an offer of help from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a close ally, who this week pledged to come to Bolivia's assistance should Morales face a coup. The armed forces, Trigo said, "emphatically reject foreign interventions of any kind."Across the region, many are worried that the nation of 9 million could veer into civil war.

"There is no question that these conflicts this week have pushed Bolivia farther toward the abyss than at any time since the return of democracy a quarter century ago," Jim Shultz of the Democracy Center, a nongovernment group based in Bolivia, wrote in his blog. "And what makes it so is the absence of any obvious way for it to end."Bolivia is deeply divided even though Morales won 67% of the vote in a national recall referendum last month.

A conservative opposition bloc comprising the leadership of five of Bolivia's nine states is demanding greater autonomy and a larger share of revenue from natural gas and petroleum sales. Most energy fields are situated in opposition strongholds.Both Morales and Chavez have accused Washington of working with right-wing agitators in Bolivia to topple the president, an allegation denied by the Bush administration.Bolivia and Venezuela expelled their U.S. ambassadors this week in protest against Washington. The State Department responded with expulsion of the Bolivian and Venezuelan envoys.On Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two Chavez aides and Venezuela's former interior minister, Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, for allegedly aiding leftist rebels in Colombia.

Morales was scheduled to meet Friday with opposition Gov. Mario Cossio, of gas-rich Tarija province, in what was described as an effort to head off further conflict. However, the daily La Razon reported that Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera participated instead of Morales."I am completely convinced that this is the last opportunity to begin a process of reconciliation and leave behind the process of confrontation," Cossio told reporters before the meeting.As the unrest eased Friday, an atmosphere of tension remained in much of the country, according to reports from Bolivia.

Road blockades were causing shortages of food and fuel in Santa Cruz. Long lines were reported for diesel and cooking gas.Gov. Ruben Costas of Santa Cruz province, a leading opposition figure, blamed the central government for the shortages, saying Morales' supporters were exacting revenge. Coca growers loyal to Morales were reported to be blocking the main road that links the central city of Cochabama to Santa Cruz. Pando, home to only 60,000 people, is an Amazonian state that borders Brazil and counts nuts and latex among its main products.

Thursday's violent confrontations in Pando resulted in at least nine deaths, the highest toll yet in Bolivia's civil conflict. Media accounts from the isolated zone indicated that most died of gunshot wounds.Unconfirmed reports circulated Friday that six other bodies were found in the Tahuamanu River in Pando.

One government official, Sacha Llorenti, who holds the title of deputy minister for social movements, was quoted in news accounts as labeling the killings a "massacre" by anti-Morales gunmen.

BOLIVIAN UPHEAVAL CLAIMS 8 (its now 15) LIVES!

The Final Showdown?

Pando, a small state in Eastern Bolivia (lowlands) was the scene of major confrontation between the government and political and civic leaders from the East.

The government's decision to use the newly won revenues from oil companies as a handout to the elderly and a plan to go ahead with a nationwide referendum to approve the new constitution was the spark that set the lowlands on fire.

The result: 8 ( now 15 )deaths with countless injured.

Eastern Bolivia is now entangled in a violent engagement with the government. Sectors of the local population under the leadership of civic leaders have clashed with police and seized government buildings. The army is on alert. The President's para military are heading toward the East. Its spinning out of control.

Is the stage being set for the final showdown??

BOLIVIA ORDERS US AMBASSADOR OUT!

Breaking News
Sep 11, 2008

(picture on the right shows the ambassador with a member of the cabinet in happier moments)

LA PAZ - PRESIDENT Evo Morales of Bolivia on Wednesday ordered the US ambassador expelled, accusing him of contributing to divisions in the country which the government warned was headed towards 'civil war'.
Ambassador Philip Goldberg was to be sent an official message from the foreign ministry 'informing him of the decision by the national government and its president that he should return to his country at once' and that he was 'persona non grata', Mr Morales said.

The move came amid violence in several regions that Mr Morales's spokesman, Mr Ivan Canelas, said were creating conditions for 'a sort of civil war'.

Anti-government protesters on Tuesday ransacked government offices, and seized oil facilities and three regional airports.

In south-east Bolivia, a gas pipeline was blown up Wednesday in what head of the state energy company YPSL, Mr Santos Ramirez, said was a 'terrorist attack' by anti-government protesters.

The explosion occurred in Yacuiba, near the border with Argentina, causing a cut in natural gas supplies to that country and to Brazil.

The unrest was a worsening of a political conflict between Mr Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, and rebel governors in five of the country's nine states.

The conservative governors are opposing Mr Morales's bid to reform the country along socialist lines designed to benefit the indigenous majority, and are encouraging the protesters in their actions.

They have also made moves towards autonomy, something Mr Morales has branded as illegal. Two weeks ago, he ordered troops to guard gas facilities and government offices in their eastern lowland territories.

In his speech on Wednesday, the president accused the US ambassador of aiding his opponents.

Last month, his foreign ministry protested a high-profile meeting Mr Goldberg held with the governor of Santa Cruz state, Ruben Costas, Morales's chief foe.

The government also noted this week that the head of the Santa Cruz employers' federation, Mr Costas's ally Branko Marinkovic, had just returned from the United States.

In Washington, the US State Department said it had not received a formal order from Bolivia to withdraw its ambassador.

A spokesman, Gordon Duguid, said Mr Morales's charges against Mr Goldberg were 'baseless'. Bolivia, South America's poorest nation, has been in the grip of the contest between Mr Morales and the rebel governors for months, but the risk of widespread violence had up to now been tempered by political moves by both sides.

Last month, a referendum called by Mr Morales delivered a strong confirmation of his leftist mandate, with two-thirds of voters backing him. But in the rebel states, voters also returned most of the governors forming the opposition coalition.

After failed negotiations to find a compromise solution, Mr Morales announced two weeks ago a new referendum, for December 7, to vote on his rewritten constitution, which would redistribute land and national revenues to give more to the indigenous population.

The opposition coalition, which also includes town mayors, have focused their attention on the main source of Bolivia's income: the natural gas fields that lie in their eastern half of the country.

Militants linked to the opposition group set up road blocks to add pressure to the governors' demands for more control over gas revenues.

On Wednesday, pro-Morales supporters did the same, cutting roads from the capital La Paz to Santa Cruz.

The situation has created a divided Bolivia, one riven by ethnic confrontation between the indigenous community and the population in the more prosperous east which is largely of European and mixed descent. -- AFP

MEANWHILE...IN BOLIVIA!

No, I have not forgotten Bolivia.

My wife, Michelle, recenlty returned from Bolivia with the latest news. Federico Bascunan's (one of the clergy in Santa Cruz) daughter got married to her boyfriend. Michelle also into old friends. Carlie and Simon Thomas. They were the first missionary couple we worked with in Santa Cruz. Simon was very patient with us and a very prayerful person. He is retired. Time flies!

Folk in Santa Cruz miss us. They want to know when we're returning to begin some of the projects we lined up. Hmmmnnn......

The problems in the country continue unabated. The President and the governors of the various states were all re elected in a recall election. Only one anti government governor lost his seat. Evo Morales, the president is now proposing a referendum to approve the new constitution which was drawn up by the Constitutional Assembly. The oppostion in Eastern Bolivia believe the constitution to be flawed because it was never passed in the Assembly with a 75% approval of the delegates.

Positions have hardened. The states in the East are attempting to close the highways to the West in an attempt to corner and starve the government. Rumors are swirling of a take over of government buildings in the East. The damage on the Bolivian economy will be immeasurable. Michelle told me that prices were still high and that goods in supermarkets were dwindling. The President has called on the Army to forcibly impose government control of its institutions and the highways.

My heart continues to ache for this landlocked country in South America.

Lord have mercy on Bolivia!