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Africa. The Drone Market.

South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, and Egypt produce their own. However, around twenty African countries are purchasing unmanned aircraft for military purposes. China and Turkey lead the way among foreign exporters. Meanwhile, the arsenals of jihadist and criminal groups
are also growing.

The control of land borders and coasts, combating illicit trafficking such as drugs, weapons and poaching, raids against cells of jihadist groups or rebel militiamen. Even in Africa, the use of drones is reshaping the internal security of countries and cross-border security. Among the governments that have invested the most in the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in recent years is Nigeria. Abuja focused in particular on the Orions, produced by the French-American company Elistair. These drones from the MALE (medium-altitude long-endurance) category are capable of remaining in flight for up to fifty hours and identifying potential threats even several kilometres away.

An MQ-1 Predator, armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. Photo: Leslie Pratt – afrc.af.mil.

The first African country to equip itself with drones for military purposes was South Africa, which used them in the civil war in Rhodesia in 1978. The first UAVs produced by Cape Town date back to the end of the 1980s. Other states are also investing in domestic production. Akram Kharief, a defence and security analyst of Algerian origin, explains: “Algeria has developed two armed drones of the MALE category in cooperation with the Emirates. Egypt has also launched its similar drone at the EDEX (Egypt Defence Expo) in Cairo in 2021”. Nigeria and Morocco are also moving along the same path.

Foreign suppliers
At the moment, however, the vast majority of drones flying over African skies come from countries outside the continent. At the top of the list are China and Turkey, followed by Israel, the United States, Germany, and Iran. “The country that led the way was China”, continues the Algerian analyst. “Beijing is a leader in the production of MALE drones. Its CH3, CH4 and Wing Loong models are the most widespread in Africa, mainly in Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Algeria, and Morocco”.

A freshly delivered Malian Bayraktar TB2. Photo: President’s office Mali

Turkey has forcefully entered the African market by sending its Bayraktar TB2 drones in support of the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli. The aircraft is produced by the Baykar company, whose board of directors chairman is Selcuk Bayraktar, son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The effectiveness of Turkish UAVs in repelling the offensives of the soldiers of Cyrenaica, General Khalifa Haftar has attracted the interest of other African governments including those of Ethiopia, Morocco, Rwanda, Togo, and Tunisia. A list that Angola could soon join.
“It cannot be ruled out that other countries will enter this market”, says Federico Borsari, an analyst at the Centre for European Policy Analysis. “There are states that are recording important progress in the development of drones such as Iran. But Saudi Arabia and the Emirates are also investing heavily in their internal industry, so they will
soon start coming forward”.
According to the pacifist organization PAX, based in the Netherlands, at least 20 African countries have equipped themselves with drones for military purposes. Among these are Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mozambique. Kenya uses them to intercept incursions by al-Shabaab militiamen from Somalia. Botswana, Ivory Coast, Sudan, and Zambia have recently strengthened their respective fleets by purchasing medium-sized tactical drones.
Among these, Botswana has a consolidated supply channel with Israel, from which it had already purchased a series of Silver Arrow Micro-Vs at the beginning of the 2000s.

Drone use by Jihadists
The low cost of these aircraft, the savings in terms of human lives and the relative ease with which UAVs can be obtained for civil or commercial use have also pushed jihadist and criminal groups to focus on this solution. There is clear evidence of the use of drones by al-Shabaab in Somalia, Boko Haram in Nigeria, cells of the West African Province of the Islamic State and armed militias active in DR Congo, and Mozambique.

In recent years the Islamic State group has led the way in this regard, using DJI Phantom drones. 123rf

UAVs are used to gather information, conduct swarm attacks, or carry improvised explosive devices to launch against military and civilian targets. In recent years the Islamic State group has led the way in this regard, using DJI Phantom drones, which can be purchased on Amazon for around 450 dollars, to carry out attacks. Another increasingly widespread practice in Africa is also that of narco-drones, borrowed from Colombian drug cartels who have for some time been using UAVs to evade border security measures or attack cash vans. In the conversion of drones for criminal purposes, ‘help’ could also come from 3D printing technologies through which it is possible to manufacture missing or spare parts at home.

Rocco Bellantone

 

The Philippines. Why the Rosary in Jeepneys?

Jeepney drivers often hang rosaries and display religious images on their dashboards.  Why is this devotion to religious items in the jeepneys? We went to find out.

Riding a jeepney in the Philippines, you will be accustomed to seeing a hanging rosary in the rear-view mirror of the jeepney. Sometimes, the image of the Santo Niño or the image of the Virgin Mary is displayed on the vehicle’s dashboard. Why is this devotion to religious items in the jeepneys? Talking to some of the jeepney drivers about the display of rosaries and religious items inside of their jeepneys, the first reason they give is “for protection against evil.” For them, religious items are
a shield from anything bad.
In fact, before hitting the road, drivers often perform a ritual: they touch or hold the hanging rosary or religious items briefly and then make the Sign of the Cross. With this ritual, jeepney drivers entrust their lives to God, asking Him to protect them from all harm.

The Jeepney on the street of Manila. The drivers believe that rosaries and images of Jesus and Mary bring good health. 123rf

Protection against evil is the first reason drivers have rosaries and other religious items in their cars. They believe that through these religious items, God protects them against evil.
Kuya (brother) Jen, a jeepney driver from Parañaque, has been for 16 years carrying a small prayer booklet to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in his wallet. His reason for having that booklet is also for protection. He believes that Our Mother of Perpetual Help is his protector. Kuya Jen says, “Once on the road, we have to pray and ask the Lord and our Blessed Mother to protect us. And I believe they do. It is necessary to ask for protection when we leave our homes. Many bad things can happen when we are on the road.”
Another reason for having religious items inside the jeepneys is for good health. The drivers believe that rosaries and images of Jesus and Mary bring good health. Kuya Richard, being a jeepney driver for almost twenty year, says, “binibigyan Nila kami ng Magandang kalusugan” (They give good health). “We need good health to work and only God can give us good health.” Being a Catholic, he always makes the Sign of the Cross whenever he passes a church. And many of his colleagues do the same thing. They intend to have religious items inside their jeepneys to be healthy and strong enough to continue working. “To be a jeepney driver is demanding work. It requires good health,” repeats Kuya Richard.

Jeepneys in the streets of Naga City. “Once on the road, we have to pray and ask the Lord and our Blessed Mother to protect us. 123rf

Kuya John Marie agrees that these religious items in their jeepneys give them and their respective families good health. The presence of religious items in jeepneys also identifies the religious belief of the owner of the jeepney or the driver. If the jeepney has a rosary hanging in the rear-view mirror, the owner is a Catholic. Kuya Francis Dayola, a jeepney driver for 23 years, says, “Anytime you see a rosary in the jeepney, know that the driver or the owner is Catholic. Non-Catholics don’t put a rosary in their jeepneys.” For him, the presence of a rosary in his jeepney reminds him that God is with him. “Araw araw, bawat minuto, kasama ko ang Panginoon” (every day, every minute, God is with me).
Religious items such as rosaries, images, and crucifixes in the cars are expressions of people’s faith. These religious items increase in the people a certain sense of relationship with God, feeling His loving presence even on the road. Through these religious items, jeepney drivers experience God inside the church and more so when they drive daily. Behind these religious items in the jeepney is a hidden deep spirituality. The Catholic Church calls it popular piety. Popular piety is an expression of faith proper to a specific environment and culture. For the Church, popular piety is “a treasure of the people of God.” It “manifests a thirst for God known only to the poor and the humble.” As we can see, there is a deep sense of reverence for God in the lives of the jeepney drivers. This explains the Sign of the Cross that most of them do whenever they pass along Churches.

Colourful passenger jeepney with bright designs on the streets of Cebu. They are neither afraid nor shy to express publicly their Catholic faith. 123rf

No matter what reason the jeepney drivers give as an explanation for hanging rosaries and putting other religious items in their vehicle, the truth is that this practice reveals their faith. They are neither afraid nor shy to express publicly their Catholic faith. This expression of their faith through the religious items (rosary, images, crucifix) shows knowingly or unknowingly, how much they love and treasure their faith and want to share it with others that they may know about it too.
They treasure their faith so much that they pass it on from generation to generation. A woman selling turon (fried banana rolls) at Sucat Highway’s jeepney station says, “Hanging rosaries and having images of Mama Mary and of the Santo Niño in jeepneys, have become a tradition for Filipinos.” For her, it is a legacy of the Filipino Catholic faith passed on from one generation to another. The said practice (hanging rosaries, images of Mama Mary and the Santo Niño in jeepneys) may seem so ordinary without much importance.
Yet, this practice describes in a simple and meaningful way, the faith of an ordinary Filipino, that God is part of his daily life.

Noel Sakie

 

Kenya. Preparing Future Entrepreneurs.

The Institute for Social Transformation (IST) in Nairobi is a leader in social entrepreneurship training in Africa. It was founded 30 years ago by the Comboni Missionaries within the Catholic University of Tangaza. Today, it hosts more than 330 students of various nationalities eager to contribute to the improvement of society.

On 25 August 1986, Tangaza University College (TUC) was born in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Five missionary institutes, including the Comboni Missionaries, were among the founders.
Today, the TUC is a consortium made up of 22 religious congregations. TUC has become one of the leading Catholic universities in East Africa. From just over 100 theology students with whom it opened its doors, today it hosts more than 1,700 lay students and almost 800 men and women from different congregations and 35 nationalities.

IST students during a lesson. File swm

During its 37 years of existence, more than 30,000 young people have earned one of the 59 degrees currently offered by the university. It offers a Doctor of Philosophy in ‘Social Transformation’, the first of its kind in Africa; nine master’s programs; 10 degrees; 21 higher degree courses, and 18 intermediate degree courses.
The growth of the TUC, both in terms of qualifications and enrolled students, can be explained by its founding idea of being an open academic space. This approach has allowed the creation of various initiatives within it.The need to provide adequate training to teachers in their schools in East Africa compelled the Brothers of the Christian Schools – the De La Salle Brothers – to create the Institute of Education. The Maryknoll Missionaries promoted one for the Study of African Culture; the Salesians that of Youth Studies, with the aim of offering academic training to the people who accompany young people; the Missionaries of Africa – White Fathers – opened one specialized in Interreligious Dialogue and Islamic Culture; the Carmelites that of Spirituality; while the Vincentian Family has launched a Leadership and Management Centre which provides practical skills and knowledge in the management of all types of institutions.

A Comboni project
The First Special Assembly for Africa held in Rome in 1994, known as the African Synod, invited the Church of the continent to offer qualified training to its pastoral agents to enable them to be evangelizing and transforming agents of their communities. Furthermore, the Synod insisted on the need to improve the self-financing of the African Church, which is too dependent on external aid. Starting from this invitation, the Comboni Missionaries founded the Institute of Social Ministry in 1994, which in 2008 changed its name to the Institute for Social Transformation (IST). Its current director, Brother Jonas Dzinekou, believes that this initiative is “An expression of the Comboni charism, given that the concept of social transformation that we use today actualizes Comboni’s dream of regenerating Africa and his inspiration is still present in our work”.

Father Francesco Pierli, founder of the Institute (L), Br. Alberto Parise (Director from 2004 – 2014). The current director, Brother Jonas Dzinekou. File swm

The inspirer and first director was Father Francesco Pierli, a former superior general of the Comboni Missionaries from 1985 to 1991. The Institute started by offering a two-year course. At first, the course was intended for non-ordained religious men and women, but slowly it opened up to lay students and consequently to the birth of new training programs with more focus on the social sciences, without forgetting the theological aspect and spiritual basis.
In 2004, Fr. Pierli was replaced as director of IST by Br. Alberto Parise who had attended the institute during his training. He has had some work experience in the Kariobangi slum on the outskirts of Nairobi. “During my experience in the field – says Brother Parise – I was able to discover the usefulness of all the content I received, but I also understood that the practical dimension had to be further strengthened. The agents of social transformation are like artists, who in addition to having creative ideas must also know how to handle the brush or callipers; that is, they must grasp the techniques that allow them to express their ideas”.
Under the direction of Brother Parise, IST training began to have a strong theoretical-practical component which continues today. This fact led to a real ‘re-education of teachers, accustomed to giving long speeches in class and seeking increasingly active participation from students ’. With this new perspective, and under the supervision of the faculty, students at all levels of the IST, from doctoral to intermediate level cycles, must now develop social and business transformation projects that they then apply in the field. Brother Dzinekou insists that “They must be projects that work, not theoretical constructions that offer no verifiable results”.

Students from the IST on a field research project. File swm

An example is the Mango Tree Trust-Kenya, an organization created in 2006 in the Kenyan county of Homa Bay for the community integration of orphans and families affected by HIV-AIDS. The project currently relies on the help of volunteers who provide direct or indirect assistance to nearly 3,000 orphans.
Other successful projects by IST alumni have been developed in areas as diverse as the resolution of inter-ethnic conflicts, the development of agriculture and livestock farming, the reintegration of marginalized people, the production of renewable energy or political support projects, such as defending the rights of people with disabilities on public transport in Kenya.
Popular education is another aspect that has been present at the IST since the beginning. Every year the teaching staff organizes numerous meetings and seminars outside the university campus. One of the best-known initiatives is Mtaani University, launched in September 2012 in the Huruma neighbourhood of Nairobi.
For the first time in the country, a university moves away from classrooms to train students directly in the environment they will have to work in in the future. Teachers go to various neighbourhoods for several weeks each term to provide theoretical training and offer concrete tools for civic education and social entrepreneurship. For the rest of the terms, students are in the field identifying problems and raising awareness in their communities. Thanks to this practical training, the transformative impact is indeed great.

Social entrepreneurship
The global crisis of 2008 warned IST leaders about the limits of development projects, which are heavily dependent on external financing. Furthermore, as Brother Parise points out, “The dynamics of the project require us to decide on the objectives before starting the journey, and this logic did not fit well with our more participatory ministerial approach. For this reason, we have started to focus more on a social entrepreneurship project model, encouraging our students to be entrepreneurs in creating social enterprises. These are not based on the donor-beneficiary duo, nor do they have a specific execution period, but rather aim at long-term economic sustainability”.

Working group meeting at Mtaani University. Photo: IST

Again, numerous examples could be cited of social enterprises created by IST alumni that have a positive impact on society. One of these, Sanpad Kenya Limited, is a sanitary pad specialist company founded by former student Lucy Kapkirwok.
The more entrepreneurial orientation of IST, started during the management of Brother Parise, was strengthened with the arrival in 2014 of Brother Jonas Dzinekou, a doctor of economic sciences with a good knowledge of the business world. “How is it possible that some young Africans risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean in search of a better life and do not see the enormous opportunities that their continent holds?” asks Brother Jonas. Without hiding the many obstacles that young Africans face, he affirms that “Africa needs the commitment of young people to create many micro-enterprises because large companies and multinationals will not solve the problems of poverty on the continent”.To help young students develop their entrepreneurial skills, the IST created the Social Innovation Sandbox, a centre integrated into the Yunus Social Business Centre network, founded by Muhammed Yunus, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to the development of microfinance and microcredit, as a means to combat poverty. The Social Innovation Sandbox has an economic fund to support the most innovative ideas of IST students and, according to the director of the centre, “as well as being a novelty in the Kenyan education system, it represents a good formula for combatting unemployment among young Africans”.

Planting the organic garden in Kajiado. Photo: IST

Since its creation 30 years ago, the IST has been able to adapt to the social needs of the African continent by providing practical and realistic training programs starting from a Christian vision of reality. He recently joined the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, promoted by Pope Francis through the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, responsible for organizing action in favour of caring for our common home.The future is not written in stone, and it is difficult to predict the evolution that the IST will undergo, but it will always maintain its vocation of educating for social transformation. “I observe our young people a lot and when they have spent two years at the centre, they are no longer the same as when they arrived. We can see in their eyes the joy of knowing they themselves are capable of improving reality, escaping the fatalism that sometimes grips young Africans”, Brother Dzinekou concludes. (Open Photo: A student at the Institute for Social Transformation (IST) – Enrique Bayo)

Enrique Bayo

 

Asia. Uneasy Scenarios.

The new year comes not only with a wide series of events, starting with important elections in several countries, but it also opens onto a restless scenario with open conflicts and tensions that could further increase the instability of crucial areas of the continent from the South China Sea to the East China Sea, as well as in areas contested by Pakistan, India, and the People’s Republic of China.

In China, the post-Covid-19 pandemic seems to propose new difficulties rather than a recovery that would serve to ward off suspicions and criticisms at home and abroad regarding the authorities’ attitude in combating the virus which has been accompanied by the accentuated authoritarianism of the almost total power of President Xi Jinping. However, this does not prevent there being difficulties in managing power, tensions between the various currents and clans within the party, as evidenced by the dismissal of several ministers in 2023, and the de facto end of the reformist movement headed by former prime minister Li Keqiang who died on October 27. The planning today does not seem to coincide with the data and prospects of the current five-year plan and the objective of global economic primacy indicated to the Chinese by Xi which could, at the very least, recede, while the already eroded confidence of diplomacy and investors awaits Beijing to test its maturity in managing the Ukrainian crisis and the growing tensions in the Far East of which it is a co-protagonist.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in San Francisco, the United States, Nov. 17, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

In Hong Kong, the ongoing economic and financial decline in the Special Autonomous Region of China will be confronted with political choices aimed at limiting even more freedoms and rights. The expected approval of a new security law that definitively closes any space for criticism and opposition will certainly not restore impetus to a society impoverished by the substantial emigration of young people, intellectuals and professionals; infiltrated by denunciation, intimidated by continuous arrests and trials that affect anyone who has participated in any way in the anti-government demonstrations of recent years based on liberticidal measures imposed since 30 June 2020 inspired by the National Security Law of the People’s Republic of China. The production and financial system, which is increasingly subjected to the needs of the People’s Republic of China and its rules, sees the withdrawal of foreign companies and investments without signs of a countertrend for 2024.
Taiwan. Taiwan will see new parliamentary and presidential elections on January 13th. A decisive round in a period of growing tensions with the threat increased by repercussions. Despite not being the favourite for the parliamentary vote, even if probably with the support of the new Taiwan People’s Party, it is even more difficult for the Kuomintang to try to have its own presidential candidate. In favour of the island’s integration with mainland China and winner of the local elections in November, the party seeks a statement that eases tension with Beijing and the risk of military initiatives. The Democratic Progressive Party of outgoing president Tsai Ing-wen, although disheartened by voters regarding the management of the pandemic and the increase in the cost of living, on the other hand, can capitalize on the support of large sectors of the economy and the population who fear the realization of the idea of ‘one country two systems’ which has dramatically revealed its failure in Hong Kong.

Lahore. Minar-e-Pakistan is a national monument marking Pakistan’s independence movement. CC BY-SA 4.0/ Holosoft

This year will also see elections in the major Islamic countries of Asia: to renew their respective parliaments on January 13th in Bangladesh and on the 28th in Pakistan. These events are expected, in the first place, to confirm the leadership of Sheikh Hasina Wazed and his pragmatic choices even if not free from criticism for the harshness with which he contrasts political opposition and radical Islam; and in the second to perhaps allow greater stability after months of political uncertainty and social tensions in a dramatic economic situation.
Indonesia‘s elections will be presidential and parliamentary on February 24th. A three-way race for the highest state office which, according to analysts, could divide the country with the largest economy in South-East Asia looking for a role that has so far not been achieved. Another element of interest but also of concern is the participation as a vice-presidential candidate in the team of the former general and current Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, a conservative candidate for the position of head of state, of Gibran Rakabuming Raka, son of the president in office, Joko Widodo, who defeated Subianto in the last elections. Beyond the evident contradictory nature of the candidacies, the fear is that this could consolidate a new dynasty of leaders in the turbulent Indonesian politics, in apparent contrast with the democratic and progressive demands promoted by Widodo so far.
The result of the Indonesian vote will be even more important, due to the passing of the rotating presidency of ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) from Indonesia to Laos last September. A ‘weak’ presidency that the new Indonesian leaders will be able to try to address, strengthened by the demographic and economic weight of their country but also by the complete democracy of the archipelago where there is no shortage of limits and contradictions.
Laos, in fact, with Cambodia and Myanmar, is part of a group under pressure inside and outside the Association regarding respect for fundamental rights and individual and collective freedoms, as well as for the low level of development and well-being.

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India. (Photo: Prime Minister’s Office)

Finally, even India, ‘the largest democracy in the world’, presents itself on the electoral front in 2024 with a call to the polls of great importance and complexity which in several rounds between April and May will allow almost a billion voters to renew the lower house of the central Parliament but also the local assemblies of all levels. Once again competing for control of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha will be the coalition led by the nationalist Bharatiya Janata party and the one led by the Indian National Congress party which in the outgoing chamber had obtained 303 and 52 seats, respectively. The position of the BJP led by Narendra Modi is almost unassailable, but the battle will clarify whether the Congress will be able to overcome its now long leadership crisis, which not even the central role of the Gandhi family has so far been able to heal.

Members of Myanmar Parliament attend the Lower House session in capital Naypyidaw, Myanmar. CC BY-SA 3.0/ Htoo Tay Zar

In Myanmar, under an emergency law that had been postponed several times and which has postponed new elections now scheduled for 2025, there is an increasingly full-blown civil war. In the face of international inattention, the regime continues to arm itself to fight against its own population, to keep in detention or under house arrest a large part of the democratic leadership that had re-imposed itself with the November 2020 vote, defeated by the regime after the coup of February 1, 2021. Those who saved themselves from repression and who gave life to the National Unity Government (NUG) which operates clandestinely, continue to seek international legitimation and support while increasingly directing not only the Burmese dissidents, who in turn are arming themselves and organizing themselves into popular self-defence groups, but also ethnic militias. The current international situation and the still present interests of many countries in Burmese resources play into the junta’s game, while the situation for the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been imprisoned again for months and in precarious health, becomes difficult also on the level of personal safety.

Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida. CC BY 4.0/Prime Minister’s Office

Japan. Facilitated at the end of 2023 by an economic recovery and a weak yen which made products and brands more saleable, the year 2024 will be lived in a Japan aiming for recovery from the Covid emergency with hopes of a greater strategic role for Tokyo which, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, also works on the renewed interest abroad in the country (as evidenced by an unstoppable tourist flow) and a more proactive role of the government required by its alliances and the protection of its interests at a regional and global level. Internally, Kishida has two lines: continue the expansionary policy of his predecessor Shinzo Abe (Abenomics) to relaunch production, exports, and consumption; address more efficiently the problems associated with the decline in births, the accelerated aging of the population, adequate welfare, and guarantee adequate employment opportunities for women and young people. (Open Photo: Pixabay)

Stefano Vecchia
Asian Analyst

 

Yemen: Houthi piracy in the Red Sea.

Recent Houthi piracy attacks heighten global maritime security concerns in the Red Sea, despite international efforts of deterrence.

The issue of maritime security and insecurity in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb area is primarily tied to Yemen’s militarized islands. Since 2015, Yemeni islands are mostly controlled, as for its coastline, by armed groups: the Iranian-backed Yemen’s Houthis and a variety of forces supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In the context of the Yemen war, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi and Emirati targets using various maritime warfare tactics. Recently, amid the Hamas-Israel war, the Houthis are turning to piracy –alongside aerial attacks- against Israeli targets in the Red Sea.

On November 19th, the hijacking by the Houthis of an Israeli-related cargo ship, “Galaxy Leader”, has turned the light on the risks to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The ship was seized off the Yemeni Western coast and diverted to the close Houthi-controlled Hodeida port city. However, this is not the first time the Houthis perform a
piracy attack in these waters.

Between January-April 2022, the Iranian-backed armed group, controlling much of North-Western Yemen, seized an Emirati cargo ship, “Rawabi”, while it was sailing off the Hodeida coast. The 11-member crew was released only four months later, due to the national truce brokered in Yemen.

In recent years, maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb area has been negatively impacted by the Yemen war. Since 2015, the Houthis have attacked several times both military and commercial targets in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb: Saudi warships, the US Navy, Saudi oil tankers and coastal infrastructures, Emirati civilian ships.

Maritime attacks from Yemen were performed with drones, missiles, rockets, remoted-controlled boats; floating sea mines were also planted to disrupt navigation. Between 2015-17, the Bab el-Mandeb strait was the epicentre of Houthis’ attacks.

Since 2017, Emirati-backed Yemen’s armed groups have taken control of the Bab el-Mandeb area pushing the Houthis to withdraw, and thus securing the choke-point’s neighbourhood. Therefore, the flashpoint area has moved to the Southern Red Sea, where the Houthis are still in control of Hodeida, the main port of the Yemeni Western coast.

As for its coasts, Yemen’s islands since 2015 have undergone a process of gradual militarization. First, the Houthis have extended their control to a series of Red Sea islands off the Hodeida coast: these have become linchpins for maritime attacks.

According to the independent Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, since early 2023 the Houthis have been stepping up their military presence off the Hodeida coast, also performing marine patrols. Moreover, Houthis’ naval forces unprecedentedly clashed (in June 2023) with the National Resistance Forces (the Western coast coalition headed by Tareq Saleh), stationed at Zuqar.

In late 2015, the Saudi-led Coalition retook Zuqar, an island of the Hanish archipelago (between Yemen and Eritrea), previously seized by the insurgents, and established a military outpost for the Coalition.

Regarding the Emirati-backed groups, Tareq Saleh’s National Resistance Forces, a coalition which oppose the Houthis while not formally part of the regular security sector, are stationed at Zuqar (Southern Red Sea) and Perim/Mayyun (Bab el-Mandeb).

In 2021, Tareq Saleh stated during an interview that some units of the National Resistance Forces are deployed in Perim, where these are also affiliated with the Yemeni Coast Guard. The small island of Perim hosts an airbase reportedly built by the UAE in 2021.

In the Arabian Sea, Yemen’s Socotra archipelago is a natural gatekeeper to the Bab el-Mandeb, given its geographic location. Since 2018 onwards, Socotra and another island of the archipelago, Abd Al-Kuri, have seen rising military presence, primarily due to the UAE.

When the pro-secessionist-and Emirati-backed- Southern Transitional Council (STC) took control of the island in 2020, the local Coast Guard (still loyal to the internationally-recognized government) had to withdraw from its positions, while one of its battalions joined the STC.

Socotra would host some Emirati-built military installations comprising an Emirati intelligence base in cooperation with Israel, which could deploy Israeli-made sensors to counter Iranian-made missiles and drones). Recently, a military airport would have also been
built in Abd Al-Kuri.

Maritime security in the Red Sea is an issue of global concern. For trade and energy reasons, European, American, Arab and Asian powers are all interested in protecting freedom of navigation along the waterway connecting the Suez Canal with the Indian Ocean.

In recent years, several initiatives have been taken to strengthen Red Sea security, also at the multilateral level. For instance, a US-led task force, the CTF-153, was launched in 2022 to improve maritime security in the area and countering weapons smuggling (of whom the Houthis are the main recipients).

Before and after the start of the Hamas-Israel war, the US has deployed warships and marines in the Red Sea. Moreover, since late October, Israel has strengthened its defense posture to deter Houthis’ attacks.

However, deterrence hasn’t been effective. Rather, the Houthis seem emboldened by the ´stage` the Israel-Hamas war has been indirectly offering them, as well as by the possibility to engage with the US Navy. At the same time, Saudi-Houthi direct talks aimed at reaching a bilateral ceasefire in Yemen are not preventing the armed group from performing multidimensional attacks (aerial and maritime) in and through the Red Sea, with uncertain prospects also for Saudi national security.

While the Bab el-Mandeb area looks safer now, due to the deployment of UAE-backed forces, the Southern Red Sea represents a rising global security threat. As long as the Houthis will hold coastal territories, Yemen’s Western islands will continue to be unpredictable stoplights in the Red Sea.  (Photo: The guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) transits the Arabian Sea. MC3 Jeff Atherton/US Navy)

Eleonora Ardemagni/ISPI

Syria. Aiming at the New Generations.

Thirteen years of war have shaped the daily lives of the people remaining in Syria. Millions of children have never known peace. Quality school education is almost non-existent. A generation without a future, which also influences the future of the country. The ‘Don Bosco’ paediatric centre of the Salesians in Damascus is a refuge for many of these boys and girls.

According to United Nations estimates, at least 13,000 children and young people have been killed in the Syrian war. Katia Sioufi survived. In those days, a few seconds could have decided whether she or someone else would be left lifeless on the pavement in front of the school gate. Images that the young woman, now 24 years old, will keep forever. Images of a war that changed her life and her future forever.

Katia was 11 years old when the war began and took with it many of her friends.Photo Salesian missions

Katia was 11 years old when the war began and took with it many of her friends. Her family remained intact: her father Elias, her mother Violet, and her younger brother Georges.
The older sister Maria left Syria some time ago and took refuge in Hungary with her husband. For the next few years, Katia would only be able to communicate with her youngest niece via cell phone.
Despite everything, Katia is lucky because she is not one of the two million children in Syria who have not attended school for years. They could not be educated because their schools were destroyed, their teachers fled, or poverty forced them to work. The neighbourhood of Jaramana where Katia lives, a suburb southeast of the historic centre of Damascus, has been violently attacked for years, but the school has remained standing despite the impact of grenades and bombs. Sometimes the teachers would only come in the morning.

The Don Bosco Centre
In those years, the one place where she always found someone to welcome her was the ‘Don Bosco’ Salesian Centre for children and young people. The team made up of a handful of religious, lived there and would deliberately leave the gates open, even when gunshots could be heard day and night, and many were afraid to leave their homes. Even today, Katia, who now studies computer science at the University of Damascus, visits the bright building, located on a quiet street in the Al-Salheya neighbourhood, near the city centre, several times a week. Next door, the Salesian nuns run a kindergarten and, from the minaret opposite, the muezzin calls the Muslim neighbours to prayer.

For many years, Fr. Miguel Ángel Condo Soto has worked alongside the populations of the Middle East. Photo: Salesian Missions

Here, at the Don Bosco Centre, Katia meets her friends; here they can have fun together, listen to music, practise sports, play the guitar or put on plays, talk about God and the world – and always find someone to listen to them when their worries are great. The heart of the centre is the chapel. It is a place of peace where Mass is regularly celebrated (attended by many migrant workers, especially Filipinos). Every week, 1,200 children and young people aged between 8 and 25 from socially disadvantaged areas of Damascus attend the Salesian centre with its huge courtyard. Most of them live in the densely populated Jaramana area.
They come from Christian, Orthodox, Maronite and Catholic families – a minority that is disappearing in Syria. “Our centre is a refuge”, explains Miguel Ángel Condo Soto. The 34-year-old Bolivian Salesian priest knows well the needs and suffering of Syrian families. For many years he has worked alongside the populations of the Middle East. “The people in Syria have more than thirteen years of war behind them. They suffer and yet continue to live every day. Everything is in short supply here. Many people can barely earn their daily bread. Food prices are high, petrol is expensive. With us, children and young people can leave the worries of everyday life behind for a few hours and grow stronger”.

The shanty towns
The Salesian community hires buses to take all the children and young people to the safety of the Don Bosco Centre and bring them home after morning lessons. Katia Sioufi steps out of one of these colourful vehicles in Jaramana in the late afternoon. In the dusty streets there is a lot to do. To the right and left of the narrow alleys, illegally constructed buildings rise towards the sky, leaning precariously.
In the past, when Jaramana was still a small town in its own right, most of the people who lived here were Christians and Druze. Today Jaramana is a refuge for countless Palestinian families and Iraqi refugees. The slums begin on the outskirts of the city, where children rummage through piles of roadside rubbish. Katia is returning home. She used to live in Babtouma, the city where she was born, but rents have become unaffordable for a family like the Sioufis.
On the top floor of a tall building, Katia’s parents are waiting for her. Three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. The folding dining table is pulled out from behind the cabinet. Mama Violet serves rice today with chicken meat, which cost her a lot of money.

The Don Bosco Centre wants to offer a safe place for many children and young people. Photo: Salesian Missions

The 51-year-old woman comments: “What we earn is barely enough to live on. Before the war, we could send Katia to a public school. Now we can no longer support our children as we would like”. Later, 19-year-old Georges returned home. He has found work in a small jewellery shop. The money he earns is not enough for him to study. Like every other day, he makes his bed on the sofa. Hoping for a better future, Katia wants to continue studying. She can do this with the help of the Salesians, who have rented a small house in Jaramana with financial help from abroad. In the classrooms of this outpost of the Don Bosco Centre, every day, supplementary lessons are given to as many children in the neighbourhood as possible: mathematics, Arabic, English, physics, and everything you need. For many of them, it is the only quality education they receive during the day. The teachers are former students of the Don Bosco community, who teach younger children in the afternoon, thus earning some money for their families. “We support young people socially, emotionally and spiritually”, explains Father Miguel. Katia is one of the young people who teaches the younger children, and she enjoys coming here to study. There is almost no electricity in the house and in winter there is no heating.

“We want the young generations to realize their dreams here again”. Photo: Salesian Missions

“If we are cold, we cannot learn well”, says Leen Abou Sekka, another former Don Bosco youth in charge of the Jaramana house. About 250 children come regularly. Leen turns off the lights at 10 p.m. “Public schools in Syria are not of a good standard. Furthermore, many girls and boys have physical and psychological injuries. They have suffered many bad things. Some have stammers, others are violent, still others have completely withdrawn from the community. The war still affects them today”. Leen would like more space and a larger group of teachers. But there is no money. However, a small meal is served every day. Nothing hot, mostly sandwiches, which can easily be prepared. The centre asks families for a symbolic financial contribution.
In Damascus, there are not many safe places for children. The Don Bosco Centre wants to offer a safe place for many children and young people. Father Dany Kerio, director of the Salesian community in Damascus, says: “We want the young generations to realize their dreams here again”, so that Syria does not remain a lost country. (Open Photo: Salesian Missions)

Kristina Balbach/Missio

 

The Sahel. The Elegance of Nomads.

For desert shepherds, elegance and grace are antidotes to the desolation and hostility of the environment. Their cult of beauty has an identity value that hides profound social implications, as demonstrated by the significance of the turbans and Saharan makeup.

Although they live in the desert or arid lands, the Tuareg and the Peul, nomads devoted to pastoralism, do not give up caring for their physical appearance: self-care, however, is never an end in itself, but always oriented towards socially defined purposes.
The two peoples, scattered over a large part of the Sahara and the Sahel, live in contiguous territories and this has stimulated fierce friction or deep collaboration, depending on the circumstances.

the Tuareg and the Peul, nomads devoted to pastoralism are scattered over a large part of the Sahara and the Sahel.

In Mali and Burkina Faso, the tensions that see them as protagonists are lacerating, but in Niger, at the end of the rainy season, anyone wandering around the golden savannahs around Abalak would find dozens of Tuareg and Peul families moving to reach the same pastures rich in salt and good for their animals.
The closeness between the two groups in Niger is such that the Peul have taken on some of the typical elements of the Tuareg parure in their clothing, such as the turban, the traditional sword, called takuba, and the red leather cases to be worn around the neck and displayed towards the front, useful for holding tobacco or money.
The sharing of the same spaces, however extensive, has favoured the migration of aesthetic details from one group to another, as proof of the porosity of each ethnic group and of the openness to adopt features of other contiguous ones.

Discretion and pride
Generally, there is no family or village celebration, or even a simple visit to relatives or acquaintances, which is not an excuse to dress in a certain way and decorate oneself and the dromedaries with an abundance of carefully painted leather harnesses, to use the best saddle and to wrap meters of fabric around the head for the turban, the element that more than any other identifies the men of this group.

“A word that must be raised, fed and trained; the word as something to take care of like the body or clothing”.

The tagelmust is a long cotton band, usually between 3 and 5 meters long, but which can also reach 10, dyed indigo and wrapped around the head and face of the Tuareg so as to form both a turban and a veil which covers the face, leaving only a slit open for the eyes. The tagelmust is part of the clothing of every Tuareg but above all, it is an integral part of the way of behaving, it is an emanation of the code of values in which discretion and pride are intertwined.
The band on the forehead of the turban is called asshak and represents all the things that make a man worthy of being called as much.

Words to be shepherded
The part that covers the mouth and nose, called tenna, represents the ability to keep faith with what is said, with one’s word. In the context of a pastoral culture centred on transhumance and the daily care of animals, in a society where everyone, except blacksmiths, is also a shepherd, to think that the attention paid to the word implies the same sense of caring for animals and that therefore the man through the veil is the shepherd of his own word gives the measure of the attention, of the thoughtfulness, of the reflection with which the word is used, as precious as the heads of cattle. A word that must be raised, fed and trained; the word as something to take care of like the body or clothing. Tradition has it that the eyes, ears, and nose are covered as much as possible by the veil both to protect against the wind, sun and cold and to prevent bad spirits from infiltrating the orifices.

Different turbans
Therefore, the use of the turban, such an eye-catching and distinctive element of the aesthetic aspect of the Tuaregs, arises from practical needs related to the environment as well as from spiritual beliefs and, as a consequence, confers mystery and majesty on men, removing what is human, of truth, which is in every face.

The turban represents the identity of a group and at the same time each one’s personality.

It is representative of the identity of a group and at the same time of each one’s personality, as each man wraps it in his own way by superimposing the band of fabric in multiple concentric turns: some make it into a large pot-bellied doughnut, some compose it vertically creating a sort of cylinder, fitting the end that closes the bands in a charming and showy way creating a sort of bow. During daily activities, the turbans worn are those of ‘work’, worn and soiled but never wrapped carelessly or badly.
The classic festival veil, called alesho, made of at least fifty narrow bands of cotton fabric sewn together and dyed with indigo, is used only in ceremonial circumstances. The colour with which the fabric is soaked is not indelibly fixed since there is no mordant for indigo, which releases bluish shades with metallic reflections on the skin, and it is foreseen that these are left both to protect the skin and because the face, tanned in this way, is aesthetically very appreciated.

Code of conduct
Among the Peul, there is a code of behaviour that inspires everyone, the pulaaku, which dictates not only the rules of action to be worthy of calling oneself Peul but also the rules of speaking, the tone of voice, one’s appearance and one’s pose. Carriage and good manners are absolute values among the Peul and should be celebrated together with the concept of tappel, physical beauty.
Proud of their looks, the Wodaabe shepherds (a fraction of the Peul world scattered between Niger and Chad) gather every year in the heart of the Sahel at the end of the rainy season on the occasion of Gerewol, a sort of great vanity festival that celebrates the beauty of nomads and it is the occasion when marriages are arranged.

A pastoral culture centred on transhumance and the daily care of animals.

Exuberantly dressed and made up, the young people flaunt their physical prowess and give life to a spectacular ceremony made up of sensual dances and alluring glances. It is not a simple beauty contest, but an aesthetic ritual that has a profound social value. These ceremonies, by encouraging marriages between members of different clans, are a valuable tool for strengthening the cohesion of an otherwise very fragmented ethnic group. For seven days and seven nights the dancers of two different lineages, by previous agreement, confront each other in a battle with dances and songs whose protagonists are the men on the stage and the women are objects of seduction and potential candidates for new marriages.

Caring for one’s own body
The young nomads spend hours putting on make-up and dancing, showing off their physical beauty and graceful posture as well as their ability to move to reproduce the movements of the long-legged white heron resting on oxen. Self-care and attention to beauty are part of the process of building a relationship with the environment: in a world of thorns, prickly herbs, muddy water, only summer rains if all goes well, scorpions in the dark and merciless suns, the pulaaku, in imposing, among other things, grace, a certain posture and the care of one’s body, feeds a constant yearning for the absolute value of beauty.

The young nomads spend hours putting on make-up and dancing, showing off their physical beauty and graceful posture.

Taking care of one’s body and adorning it even in carrying out daily practices has to do with the rules that regulate the daily relationship with the other, marked by reserve and elegance in manner and tone, but even more: the more the environment is hostile, the gentler one must read on it. The Sahelian undergrowth is insidious, and only postural and gestural elegance allows one to relate to it with a straight back. (Photos: Francesca Mascotto)

Elena Dak/Africa

Elections 2024. From “Confirmed” to “Unknown”.

 Russia, Ukraine, the European Union, and the United States. An intense year of elections in the shadow of Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In Russia, at war with Ukraine, presidential elections will be held on Sunday 17 March 2024. The likely scenario is that the war will still be going on and this situation will influence the electoral process, the unlikely second round of which will take place on April 7.
Putin was first elected in 2000, being re-elected for another four years in 2004. From 2008 to 2012 he gave way to Dimitri Medvedev, whom he replaced as prime minister.
During this period, the constitution was reformed, with six-year presidential terms and several subsequent re-elections.

In Russia, presidential elections will be held on Sunday 17 March 2024. 123rf

Today the Russian president could be re-elected until 2036. The Russian population is 143 million. About 109 million Russians voted in the last presidential elections in 2018. Putin then obtained 76.6% of the votes, in the context of an authoritarian political regime and a minority liberal opposition. Today it is predictable, with the context of the Ukrainian war which has revitalized nationalism, that Putin will win the first round. As The Economist wrote: “Putin will not have a problem declaring himself the winner of the election. His problems may start afterward, as the futility of his war exposes the hollowness of his triumph”. Meanwhile, Russia’s budget for 2024 shows a 70% increase in military spending, to 6% of GDP and a third of all spending.

On March 31, presidential elections would take place in Ukraine. Pixabay

Two weeks later, on March 31, presidential elections would take place in Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian constitution, elections will be held on the last Sunday of March of the fifth year of the current presidential term. However, the Russian invasion of the country prompted the introduction of martial law, and Ukraine’s constitution prohibits the holding of elections while this law is in force. This implies that if martial law is still in force by that date, the elections could be postponed and rescheduled. If the elections were held, President Volodimir Zelensky would be elected by a landslide. In the Economist’s Democracy Index, Ukraine ranks 87th, within the group that qualifies as hybrid regimes, the third highest place in the ranking.

The European Union will hold parliamentary elections from 6 to 9 June 2024. The European Parliament building in Strasbourg. Photo © European Union, EP.

The European Union will hold parliamentary elections from 6 to 9 June 2024. Its 27 countries are represented by 705 deputies. It is the largest electorate after India and the first in number of voters for a transnational organization (it has a population of 446 million). The first bloc is that of the People’s Party, with 177 legislators. These are centre-right forces, mostly of Christian Democratic origin. As its first force, it elected the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyden, of the German Christian Democrats. Second is the Progressive bloc formed around social democracy, and it has 142 deputies. Third is Renovating Europe, a moderate centre-right force, with 100, and fourth is the Greens, with 72 seats. Then comes the Group of European Conservatives and Reformists, with 66, followed by Identity and Democracy, seen to be of the far right, with 62 members, and the Confederal Group of the European United Left, with 37. Furthermore, there are 47 independent deputies. Clearly, the right predominates in its various expressions, moderate or extreme. The central question is how much the bloc of identity and democracy will grow, as it challenges the European Union with varying degrees of emphasis. This current brings together national renewal in the Netherlands, with Geert Wilders, Georgia Meloni’s coalition in Italy, Viktor Orban in Hungary, Marine Le Pen in France and Alice Weidel in Germany. It is expected this group to pick up many seats in the newly expanded 720-strong chamber.

The US presidential election will be held on November 5, 2024. Pixabay

Finally, the US presidential election will be held on November 5, 2024. This country has a population of 328 million. In 2020, 231 million voters were registered for the presidential election. The primary process will be defined in June when it is known who the presidential candidates are. But neither Joe Biden for the Democrats nor Donald Trump for the Republicans seems to be facing rivals of any weight.
For this reason, primaries are held without questions for the presidential formula. Politically, and ideologically, they face a moderate Democrat and a radicalized Republican. Biden is up for re-election, keeping his vice president, Kamala Harris, as his running mate. In the case of his opponent, it is still uncertain who will complement his pairing. But there are many similarities in other fields. If he took office, Biden would do so at 81 and Trump at 78. There has never been a competition of candidates in America at such an advanced age. It doesn’t seem to be the best for a strongly divided society with the tangible unease generated by various causes. The House of Representatives in which Republicans now have a slight majority will also be fully revamped, as happens every two years. So will a third of the Senate, in which Democrats have the majority by a slim margin. On the same date, governors will also be elected in eleven states and two territories. (Open Photo: 123rf, Pixabat, swm)

Rosendo Fraga/Nueva Mayoria

Africa’s election issues.

Electoral events refer to issues, problems, or challenges that influence elections and voters’ choices. Inherent in the democratic process, they vary depending on the political, economic, social and cultural context of a particular country.

In short, they often include issues of democracy, transparency, access to information, political participation, representativeness, good governance, human rights, and so on. Focusing on these issues is more important than ever to ensure elections that are free, transparent and credible; in fact, it helps to strengthen citizens’ trust in the
democratic system.

In Africa, the electoral process is plagued by major problems related to democracy and political participation. Consequently, challenges such as guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms, the political inclusion of minorities, the transparency of electoral processes and the participation of young people and women are still important issues.

Besides, it is not uncommon for elections to be a source of tension and conflict in most African countries. This is due to corruption and fraud, on the one hand, and the tendency towards exclusivity, on the other. These problems dilute trust and undermine the legitimacy of results. In this increasingly digitalized world, access to information and technology represents a major challenge for African elections, as it can affect transparency, communication between stakeholders and voter education.

Furthermore, politicians’ exorbitant earnings influence elections in Africa in one way or another. Didn’t Jean-Marie Ntema say that “Ants never go to an attic where there is nothing”? In some African countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, everyone wants to run towards the same attic; and those who are already there certainly don’t want to leave it. This leads to corruption in government and coups d’état. Politicians may be tempted to accept bribes or engage in illegal activities to increase their personal wealth, compromising the integrity and transparency of electoral processes.

Furthermore, elections in Africa are subject to the long hand of external powers. Financed largely by these powers, they dictate the outcome of the electoral process one way or another.

Western geopolitics, the interests of multinationals and the political calculations of international bodies come into play. Aren’t international observers really the eyes of the so-called “great powers”, who want things to go according to their understanding and vision? It must be said that, although this can be seen as a measure of transparency, their presence has a mainly political motive.

From the above, it is clear that solving the problems associated with electoral issues in Africa requires a multi-stakeholder approach and cooperation between various actors – including governments, regulatory bodies, civil society and citizens (without forgetting the good desire of governments to hold legitimate, free and fair elections). It should be emphasized that politicians’ remuneration must be fair and reflect the value of the work they do.

It will therefore be necessary to promote an inclusive political environment and guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms, in particular for minorities and marginalized groups, encourage the active participation of citizens in the electoral process, put in place control and regulatory mechanisms to prevent electoral fraud, corruption and abuse of power – and ensure the full transparency of the electoral process, including voter registration, vote counting and the proclamation
of results.

Charity Kahongya/J’écris, je crie

Brazil. The Magic Dance.

The marambiré is the most authentic African ritual of all Amazonia. Its rhythm is similar to that of the candomblè, whose costumes, musical instruments, coloured ribbons and rhythm are reminiscent
of African heritage.

It is a display that goes back to the time of slavery. It has been celebrated for almost two centuries and is one of the major popular feasts of the municipality of Alenquer in Parà State in the heart of Amazonia.The marambiré is a sacred rite that is fascinating, dynamic, lively, enchanting, seductive and full of evolving elements. It is marvellous in its human and divine creative imagination and in its mystical power over nature.
It is the greatest sign of the resistance, the cultural life and the desire for freedom of all the black people of Amazonia.

Candomble members dancing and singing. The dance reflects the African origins of the habitat where the culture of Mother Africa developed. 123rf

As a whole, it is a celebration of ‘confraternisation’, a great expression of the humanity of the black community that is understood by retracing the history of the methods of production common in Africa (horticulture) and the memory of the ancestors taken from their country and their cultural context, chained up and thrown into the holds of ships. Many died during the crossings and their bodies were thrown into the Atlantic Ocean. This is why the feast of the marambiré concludes its cycle with a procession along the river where, to the sound of music, thousands of coloured flowers are placed.
It is believed that the waters of the sea and the river are scared as they constitute the cemeteries of their relatives and friends.
The marambiré is the deepest expression of syncretism among the traditions coming from the African continent, especially the Congo, Angola and Mozambique, and the mythology of the Amazonian flora and fauna. It is now part of the historical, cultural, social, political, philosophical and religious heritage of the municipality of Alenquer and the whole of Latin America.

The dances
In the marambiré ritual, dancing is of considerable importance. It is a sort of dancing mime with well-defined rhythms. It is a dance inspired by the coronation of the black kings that the slaves elected in certain periods. Following the oral tradition of ancient beliefs and customs, the marambiré players do not take part in the dance. They accompany an exuberant choreography which produces a spectacle of rare beauty and imagination. As people dance in a circle, all the living strength and flexibility of the black body is visible.
The marambiré is majestic and solemn; as they perform the steps, the dancers exhibit a wealth of movement.
The songs consist of short phrases, simple and enchanting, a mixture of African languages and Portuguese.
The dance reflects the African origins of the habitat where the culture of Mother Africa developed.Those who take part in the marambiré dance go out on the roads in lines and circles, dancing in the squares and internal courtyards of private houses. However, strictly speaking, tradition requires that the dance take place only at the houses of descendants of slaves up to the fifth generation. The dancers, instead, must be directly related to the third degree.

Brazil. The marambiré is majestic and solemn; as they perform the steps, the dancers exhibit a wealth of movement. Pixabay

The dancing group is composed of eighteen first-born men and seven married women called contra-mestre. The musicians are also seven, besides the King and Queen of the Congo who are considered as one, ‘a single and absolute being’. The Queen of the Congo is the most important person in the dance. Dressed very discreetly, she receives the expressions of respect and affection offered by her ‘subjects’. To the sound of drums, tamborins (tambourines), atabaques, violins and pandeiros, the lwulum or ludum similar to the carimbò and the marabaixo is then performed. The Queen of the Congo then dances with such complete vigour that it grips those present to whom – the men, naturally  –  she launches a subtle and knowing challenge by exhibiting versatile and attractive steps which, to the sound of appropriate music, involve the whole group and the audience.

Amazon Forest. The feast of the marambiré concludes its cycle with a procession along the river where, to the sound of music, thousands of coloured flowers are placed. Pixabay

Those flattered by the crown of the king or the queen cannot turn down the invitation: in the final analysis, their majesties are sacred people worthy of respect and must not be disappointed. It is a song of sorrow and lament but also a song of joy and the hope to live free like the birds; the marambiré is not only folklore but a concentrated process of a homogeneous and unified culture that celebrates the wisdom and the struggle of the black communities of Amazonia. (Open Photo:123rf)

Lucas Moraes

The Church young people dream of.

A Church… free, open, welcoming, inclusive, simple, poor, uncomplicated, closer, up-to-date, innovative, comprehensive, authentic, apolitical, humble, respectful, joyful…

Behind the generic name of Church there are actually many different experiences and young people distinguish one from another: the Church is their own parish, their own group, their own association, their own priest, their own ecclesial institution; each of these faces of ecclesial reality evokes different feelings and reactions in young people; interests and objections; attention and suspicion…

For those who have had a parish experience of a certain duration and intensity, Church means one’s own group, people who evoke situations and moments, are more or less pleasant and interesting, depending on the case. Thinking about the parish means remembering faces and relationships: warm or anonymous, cordial or indifferent,
friendly or conflicting.

For better or for worse, this is the aspect that leaves an imprint on the conscience of the new generations that is difficult to erase. There are those who have remained in the ecclesial environment because of the bond with some people, especially significant adult figures, and those who left because they did not feel understood, perceived themselves as excluded, or judged, or not valued. Relationships are very important in the lives of young people.

For the majority of young people, the church is an anonymous, cold, unattractive place: a context to which it is not worth belonging. The experience lived in one’s community calls into question the concrete daily style of ecclesial life, its relational style, a privileged vehicle for communicating the human quality of its life and its message.

Much more problematic is the relationship with the Church as an institution: for many adolescents and especially young people, this constitutes the greatest obstacle to their belonging. For many it seems unthinkable that the religious experience and the relationship with God, which they experience in a very personal and sometimes individualistic way, could be inscribed within an institutional reality that they perceive as mortifying due to the spontaneity of a feeling that in their opinion does not tolerate restrictions that come from the outside.

This aspect is certainly influenced by that trait of youthful sensitivity that finds it difficult to accept that their subjectivity is limited from the outside and which leads them to have a problematic relationship not only with the Church but with all institutions; it certainly
also concerns the Church.

The ecclesial style is perceived as old, boring, cold, and closed. It is clear that a reality perceived in this way cannot be attractive, interesting or engaging. It should also be noted that this way of seeing the ecclesial reality does not only belong to young people who have decided to move away but is also shared by those who have felt they had some reason
to stay or to return.

A Church… free, open, welcoming, inclusive, simple, poor, uncomplicated, closer, current, innovative, comprehensive, authentic, apolitical, humble, respectful, and joyful are the adjectives with which young people represent their dream of the Church.

These qualities speak of a passion for the Church, expressed by young people who also declare they have abandoned it. It could perhaps be said that many abandonments arise from a passion, even before and even more than from rejection; from a wound that doesn’t heal.

There is a desire among young people for a warm, human, welcoming Church, as a twenty-five-year-old with a very effective image states: “The Church should be like a dinner at a friend’s house, where you are free to talk about what you want knowing that on the other side, there are people who love you and who listen to you and who don’t judge you, regardless of what you say and what you think. And also let it be a moment of conviviality.”

And then young people would like a Church in dialogue: with them and with everyone, not dogmatically entrenched in its own positions, but willing to listen, to discuss, to question itself.
The indisputable nature of its positions, even beyond their content, is in itself a reason for distancing.

How many of the young people who have distanced themselves from the Church are willing to return? Many answer “Yes, but… “Yes, but on condition that the Church changes”, “With a Church like this, no”.

Is there a possible rapprochement today between the world of youth and the Church? What steps would young people expect? It is not that the Church should do something particular for young people, but rather it should change its life in those aspects that cause distancing.

It is not that the Church must build its life and its thoughts on the basis of requests from young people or anyone else; however, one cannot fail to evaluate the question of authenticity that exists in their positions: this should be recognized and it deserves an answer.

Young people do not ask her just to change, but to do so from the perspective of the Gospel: to show interest in the existence of people and express the desire to encounter that life that beats in their conscience and in their hearts, as in that of many, not just young people. (Ed.)

Paola Bignardi/Avvenire

Why forest animals live freely.

Many years ago, when the sky was sparsely populated, Hubeghedeh, God of heaven, came to visit his wives on earth, which even then was full of beautiful girls.

In those days, a great Limba tribal chieftain had a very beautiful daughter. She was the only daughter among the many children he had from his many wives, so he named her Taduba (Blessed).
The great chief loved her very much and kept her close to him at all times, so much so that he was immediately worried as soon as Taduba went away even for a few moments.

One day, without telling her father, Taduba went into the forest to look for yam (truffles), and as she wandered, she discovered a spring of clear water that she had never seen before. Tired and thirsty, she approached it to drink and refresh herself, not knowing that the spring belonged to Hubeghedeh and his servants. Every day, in fact, he came to refresh himself and wash at that spring.

Opening the gates of heaven in advance, Hubeghedeh’s servants realized that there was a beautiful maiden at the spring. They immediately went to report this to God, their master, who, appearing at the door, wanted to see who she was. “She is indeed a beautiful girl. I want you to go down at once and take her without doing her any harm. Bring her then up here because I want to see her close. If I like her, I will marry her and she will be my last wife. Quickly, lower the ladder and get her up here before she leaves”, God orders the servants.

The servants carried out the orders without hesitation. In a few moments, Taduba was abducted, taken to heaven, and into the presence of Hubeghedeh. The servants then withdrew the ladder and the
door to heaven was closed.

Taduba’s father was desperate: not seeing her return, he had all his wives search for her everywhere and call for her, to no avail. Days passed without any news of Taduba. The tribal chief wept and despaired. There was no one to reassure him about the fate of his Taduba, whom her father had even promised in marriage to whoever would find her.

The day came when even the animals of the forest heard the cries of the chieftain, whom they respected because he had ordered his people not to set any more traps to catch them. They all decided to go to him together and after giving him courage, they promised him that they would do their best to find his beloved Taduba.

“Please search for and bring back to me my beloved daughter. I will not rest until I see her again! As for you, dear friends of the forest, not only have I already instructed my people not to set any more traps, but I promise that I will give you full freedom to roam all over
my hill country,” said the chief.

Among the animals were a dog, a spider, a goat, a lion, an eagle, a fly, a parrot and an elephant. Before dismissing them, the chieftain had much food prepared for them and, after eating, they set off in search of the beautiful Taduba. The dog preceded them, saying: “If you do not mind, I will go first; by sniffing the air I can discover the direction taken
by the chief’s daughter”.

One after the other, the animals followed the dog. The latter, sniffing right and left, led them to the spring where Taduba had been abducted. Here he stopped abruptly; he sniffed left and right for quite a while until, at a certain point, he lifted his snout upwards, sniffing the air intensely.

Finally, the dog said: “Taduba has risen upwards. Perhaps she has been kidnapped by Hubeghedeh’s servants whom every day come down to wash at this spring. But now, how to get up there?”  “Leave it to me – replied the spider promptly -. I will weave a ladder to the sky; we can then climb it all and look for it up there too.”

As he finished speaking, the spider began to climb, leaving behind a very thin thread. It ascended to the sky, climbing as best it could between clouds and dust. Finally, it descended, leaving behind another thread parallel to the other. The spider ascended again, zigzagging from right to left and vice versa and intersecting the two vertical threads with horizontal threads, like rungs, one not far from the other, so that all the other animals could reach the sky, step by step.

The roads ahead were all covered with grass, so they did not know which way to take to reach the entrance to Hubeghedeh’s palace.
Then the goat came forward and said: “Do not be discouraged. I am used to grazing in the grass. I will lead the way, grazing on the grass that covers the path. Follow me.”

All the other animals followed her. After a few hours, they arrived, all together, at a large entrance barred by several guards, beyond which voices could be heard. The guards blocked their way, threatening them. Then the lion stepped forward and said: “Leave it to me. A roar from me will be enough: they will run away and disappear or faint with fear”. So, saying, the lion emitted a tremendous roar that made the guardsmen fall to the ground, half dead with fear.

Once they had entered Hubeghedeh’s palace together, they heard voices but could not see the people speaking who was behind many curtains. An eagle came forward and said: “Mother Nature has provided me with very long and strong claws with which I will tear down all those curtains: then we will be able to see who is behind them”.

Hubeghedeh appeared to them in all his splendour, but no one could approach him, protected as he was by numerous guards and servants. It was the turn of the fly who said: “Stay here. Do not be afraid. I will go slowly and I will perch very close to Hubeghedeh, perhaps behind his back and, without being noticed, I will be able to hear everything he orders from his servants.”

The fly flew very close to the servants, then settled on Hubeghedeh’s back and listened attentively to his orders. He heard him tell the servants to be very hospitable to the ‘foreigners’ and to entertain them kindly by offering them food and drink. But then, approaching the ear of one of his most trusted servants, he said: “Have a lot of rice cooked and put a good dose of poison in the seasoning while you pour another dose of sleeping potion into the palm wine. As soon as they have finished eating and drinking, they will all be dead.”

Hubeghedeh invited the animals to sit down comfortably and asked them the reason for their sudden visit to heaven. “Well … we, great God of heaven – replied the parrot spokesman for all the others -, we have come looking for a girl, Taduba, daughter of a great and generous Limba tribal chief. She disappeared a few days ago and we heard that she had come up here. Perhaps she may now be among your people. “

“You are mistaken. No one can set foot here alone, without my permission or invitation”, said Hubeghedeh. “Of course – replied the parrot -, but we would be immensely grateful if you would allow us to look in among your people, wives and servants.”

“With pleasure – Hubeghedeh replied – I only hope you can find her.” While all the animals were searching, the fly heard Hubeghedeh order one of the servants: “Quickly, go and tell all my wives, including Taduba, to all dress alike and cover their faces with a veil. In this way, it will be very difficult for the animals to discover Taduba. I will tell them that they are dancers dancing in their honour.”

The fly detached itself from Hubeghedeh to follow the servant in charge of carrying the order received; it entered the harem with him and heard him say: “Listen to me well and attentively all of you: Hubeghedeh has given orders that you should all wear the same model of dress to entertain the guests with a special dance. He does not wish you to be recognised, so you will cover yourselves with a veil up to your eyes and always remain with your heads down as a sign of respect towards our guests. Do you understand? And you, Taduba, do you understand?”

The fly which flew over them and, as soon as the girl answered in the affirmative, landed gently on her and never left. When they were ready, they were ushered into the hall where Hubeghedeh awaited them with all his other animal guests.
The sky God, turning with a gentle smile to the animals, told them: “I imagine you are satisfied but rather tired. I will entertain you with a dance performed by my best dancers. Take a seat and relax.”

As soon as the wives entered the hall, the fly tried to detach itself from Taduba to be noticed by its friends, but in doing so it was also afraid of losing sight of her.
While Hubeghedeh was still talking to his guests and the wives stood waiting behind him, he quickly flew to his friends: “Be careful! Taduba is alive and is among the wives. I will return to her and stand on her head. Do not lose sight of me. As soon as I reach her and rest on her, grab her and flee.”  “Leave it to me,” replied the elephant confidently.

Before Hubeghedeh gave the order to start dancing, the fly came back to Taduba and landed on her. The elephant then emitted such a horrifying screech that it made the sky tremble and headed towards the girl, while all the other animals kept Hubeghedeh’s servants and guardians at bay.

The elephant came near Taduba, and as the fly whispered in her ear not to be afraid, for they had come to free her from Hubeghedeh, he took her gently with her trunk and, all together, they returned to earth. (Photo: 123rf)

Folktale from Birrwa-Limba people. Sierra Leone  

 

 

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