Last month, East Asia and the region well beyond marked three important anniversaries. First, at the end of April it was 50 years since the reunification of Vietnam. Second, a few days earlier in 1975, the Khmer Rouge had come to power in Cambodia.
And third, mid-April was the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, which laid the foundations for the establishment in 1961 of the Non-Aligned Movement, chiefly through the efforts of five developing world titans: India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, Indonesia’s Sukarno, Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser and Yugoslavia’s Josip Broz Tito.
The first two anniversaries generated quite a lot of coverage, with thoughtful pieces published in states that participated in the war in Vietnam, including the country itself, the US and Australia. The famous image is of the last helicopters taking off from the rooftop of the US embassy in Saigon as the North Vietnamese forces closed in, but even the way one describes the event is loaded: was it the liberation of South Vietnam from a corrupt US-backed regime by the victorious communists? Or was it a justification for the domino theory, that once the capitalist West allowed one state in the region to be taken over by the “reds”, others would follow?
The disastrous and genocidal consequences of the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia have also been widely examined, including some analysis of why many of its people have an ambivalent attitude towards that four-year period. As the Cambodian-American political scientist Sophal Ear wrote last month: “For many young people, it’s something their parents don’t talk about and the state prefers to frame selectively.”
It was somewhat different, however, when it came to the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference. Celebrations of the latter failed to register in large sections of the western press, to the extent that the Economist recently published an article headlined: “How the Global South forgot its own birthday.”
The meeting in 1955 at the Indonesian city of Bandung – also known as the Afro-Asian Conference – brought together participants from 29 countries, representing more than 50 per cent of the global population at the time, and is considered a key moment in building solidarity among the countries that are now sometimes called the “Global South”. A 10-point “declaration on promotion of world peace and co-operation” was agreed, and stirring speeches were delivered. Nehru, India’s then prime minister, set the tone when he declared: “For too long we, of Asia, have been petitioners in western courts and chancelleries. That story must belong to the past. We propose to stand on our own feet. We do not intend to be a plaything of others.”
Setting the stage for the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement, a major development at the height of the Cold War, was a highly significant movement. If the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference had indeed “passed with barely a squeak”, as the Economist put it, that would have been quite shocking. But that was not the case at all.
There were big conferences in Beijing and Jakarta, the former co-hosted by the prestigious Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the latter held in co-operation with the London thinktank Chatham House and Oxford University. There were panel discussions and events in – among other cities – Delhi, Johannesburg, Colombo, Doha, Moscow and Hyderabad, op-eds published in newspapers from Tanzania to South Korea, and at least one new book. This is a far from exhaustive list, but it does show that the anniversary was celebrated widely and received extensive media coverage – just not, perhaps, in the outlets the Economist editors care to read or view.
But that is, I’m afraid, symptomatic of how Bandung and everything that followed has been treated for decades by what we might refer to now as the “old world order”. The Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 developing countries established at the UN in 1964? They were derided as meaningless talking shops, hardly worth mentioning – even while their luminaries, such as Indonesia’s then president, Sukarno, and Cuba’s Fidel Castro, were viewed as sufficiently dangerous for the CIA to devise countless operations to undermine or overthrow them.
In fact, the Bandung principles – including those of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, insistence on peaceful means to settle international disputes, resistance to great-power coercion, and promotion of co-operation and conciliation – have long been at the heart of South-South discourse. They were taken further and incorporated into subsequent organisations such as the Association of South-East Asian Nations (formed in 1967), and have been reborn, as it were, in Brics – which many see as the 21st-century successor of Bandung.
Of course, Brics as a grouping is also frequently dismissed in certain quarters. Yet why, as I asked in these pages nearly two years ago, are so many countries keen to join if it is irrelevant?
Part of this is a refusal to depart from seeing the world through the prism of highly formal structures such as the EU and Nato. We know what they have achieved. (A highly mismanaged migrant crisis in the Mediterranean and war with Russia, would be one brutal – but true – answer.) What, ask the naysayers, were the concrete consequences of the Bandung Conference?
Let’s say I asked those same people this question: how did the yearning for freedom and belief in religion contribute to the downfall of officially atheist communist regimes in the Cold War? They would insist that those beliefs did have effects – and I would agree with them – but they would find it almost impossible to quantify them.
So with Bandung. It’s the spirit of the conference, the power of the idea, that has lived on and has grown. The Economist’s writer doesn’t get it, saying the fact that India has moved from a policy of non-alignment to one of multi-alignment shows that the notion of collective solidarity has failed.
On the contrary, non-alignment was a sign of the times: middle powers and small countries didn’t want to end up as client states of great powers. Multi-alignment – which is the position of most countries in the Global South – means they want to be friends with all. And being friends entails mutual respect and a degree of similar standing. That’s a sign of confidence. It’s a sign of success. And it’s a measure of just how far those countries have come since they gathered at Bandung all those years ago.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. Company%C2%A0profile
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
'Midnights'
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West Asia rugby, season 2017/18 - Roll of Honour
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
Fifa Club World Cup:
When: December 6-16
Where: Games to take place at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain
Defending champions: Real Madrid
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
THE%20STRANGERS'%20CASE
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This is an info box
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (rated 95-108) US$125,000 2000m (Dirt).
Winner: Don’t Give Up, Gerald Mosse (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap (95 ) $160,000 2810m (Turf).
Winner: Los Barbados, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
7.40pm: Handicap (80-89) $60,000 1600m (D).
Winner: Claim The Roses, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (Div-1) Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D)
Winner: Gold Town, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Cape Verdi Group 2 $200,000 1600m (T).
Winner: Promising Run, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D).
Winner: El Chapo, Luke Morris, Fawzi Nass.
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Scorecard
Scotland 220
K Coetzer 95, J Siddique 3-49, R Mustafa 3-35
UAE 224-3 in 43,5 overs
C Suri 67, B Hameed 63 not out
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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The finalists
Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho
Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson
Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)
Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid
Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
COMPANY%20PROFILE%3A
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Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
German plea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the German parliament that. Russia had erected a new wall across Europe.
"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelenskyy told MPs.
Mr Zelenskyy was applauded by MPs in the Bundestag as he addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly.
"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he said, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
