Uneven Blogging

Sorry blog friends, we're so crazy getting ready for our amazing 50,000 Bones Preview Installation that my blog schedule is whack. 

Bear with us until the preview is over, at which time, we'll be back to normal.

In the meantime, this email came to me from Chloe at Raise Hope for Congo and I thought I should share it.

"Remember the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, tasked with issuing regulations on conflict minerals as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act?

Despite the fact that more than 25,000 supporters like you have called on the SEC to issue strong regulations to require companies to clean up their supply chains in eastern Congo, we've recently received discouraging news that these draft regulations are under threat due to pressure by companies and certain Members of Congress.

If the SEC caves to pressure and issues a delay or "phased-in approach" to regulating conflict minerals, it would significantly hinder progress toward legitimizing Congo's mining sector so that it no longer fuels violence and instability.

We need your voice more now than ever.

Your Member of Congress has the power to influence the SEC by voicing opposition for a delay and phased-in approach, and you have the power to encourage your elected officials to weigh in and make sure they represent your views on this issue.

Here is what you can do:

1. Send an email to your Member of Congress

Ask them to weigh in with the SEC to support the approach of no additional delays and no phase-ins on the conflict minerals provision.

     2.  Join the Raise Hope for Congo Camapign and Enough's Congo experts for a national conference call to hear more about the pressure the SEC is facing and additional steps you can take to ensure strong regulations. When: Friday, August 5th at 3pm ET or Tuesday, August 9th at 7pm ET.  Dial in: 1-888-387-8686, ID: 8565908

This is a critical moment for conflict minerals regulations. Join us in the fight to ensure our electronics products are not fueling rape and violence in eastern Congo.

News Flash

Everyone loves good news and so we're going to share a bunch with you today.

We’ve had wonderful donors make super donations to our Kickstarter campaign and I’m SO happy to announce we broke the $10,000 mark yesterday.  We still need your support if you haven’t donated yet, but we are moving closer and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve already started making the bones with our donor’s names on them so a photo update will be on the Kickstarter page soon.

AND

Last week, our wonderful friend, Richard Garriott-Stejskal, donated a marvelous kiln to us, which dramatically increases our “fireability” (yep I made that word up and I love it). 

AND

Plans for the 50,000 Bones Preview Installation are coming along really well.  Shira Greenberg of Keshet Dance Company is going to do the choreography, and Keshet staff and dancers will be helping lead the movements during the performance. We're still looking for volunteers so you can contact Kathleen through the OMB website if you're interested.

We’ve signed on with Deltree to do the filming of the 50,000 Bones Preview Installation.

We have over 40,000 bones packed and ready and many more waiting to be fired, in our new kiln.

We’re all over the moon here in the One Million Bones office today, and grateful for every single person who has supported us this far!

Negotiations between north and south

I’ve mentioned some of the internal issues that South Sudan faces as they move forward as the world’s newest nation. None of them will be easy to deal with, but the enthusiasm and pride of nationhood and the joint efforts of all the citizens dedicating themselves to making South Sudan a successful state, will very likely help.

What won’t be swayed by the newfound pride or enthusiasm are the issues that remain between north and south. This article from the Sudan Tribune addresses two very difficult and looming issues that still must be resolved.

And this article addresses the oft-overlooked issue of south Sudanese living, working, having a life in the north. What will become of them?   How will the NCP, the ruling party in Sudan and the SPLM, the opposition party, handle their citizenship?

It’s over issues like oil revenue sharing and Abyei where we’ll see the north’s commitment to peaceful resolution of issues with their new neighbor and the south’s ability to stand firm and fair.  It’s through addressing issues of southerners living in the north that we’ll see if the NCP and SPLM are willing to respect southerners as citizens of a sovereign nation and the authority of that nation.

But, is there one thing that north and south could do to help with all these negotiations? This article from the Christian Science Monitor suggests one way.  Invite women negotiators to the table!

Seems like the men in power in Sudan and South Sudan think that’s too radical an idea, but the article makes clear that it’s women who understand the day-to-day issues and have already been working together across any and all lines to mitigate the effects of the war as it’s been happening.

Maybe we can use this as the true test of the commitment of both countries to peace.

"Let’s begin building our nation," & Friday housekeeping

From the Government of South Sudan website: 

“The Republic of South Sudan is at the tail end of economic development. All the indices of human welfare put its citizens at the bottom of all humanity. The independence we are now celebrating transfers the responsibility for our destiny and reversing the tide underdevelopment to our own hands. The challenges are great but we must begin the task of nation building immediately.

All the citizens of this great nation must therefore fully dedicate their energies and resources to the construction of a vibrant state. Economic development is a vital key to human prosperity and satisfaction. Our country is endowed with vast natural resources. We must work to harness these resources for the good of our people and nation. We must build and apply the human capital necessary to translate these resources accordingly.

One of the economic sectors we must prioritize is agriculture. Our country has vast fertile arable land and several months of rainfall every year. We have the potential to become the breadbasket of the region. We should never import basic food commodities we are capable to produce locally. Let us be ready to make our hands dirty but fill our lives.

We will also pursue investment in other sectors such as tourism, hydroelectricity generation, physical infrastructure development, social services and amenities, hospitality, mining, forest resources, food processing and sports, to mention but a few.

The eyes of the world are on us. Everyone is watching us closely to see whether our first steps in nationhood are steady and confident. We must rise to the occasion and prove that we are capable of playing our honest part in the international community of nations. What are you doing for your country today?”

If South Sudan could go this way to prosperity and security in peace, what a remarkable, truly remarkable, journey that would be.

And, before you start your weekend festivities, PLEASE, check out our Kickstarter page.  We broke $5,000 this week in the campaign to support the 50,000 Bones Preview Installation in Albuquerque.  Can you help us break $6,000 by the end of today?  We don’t have far to go and we’ll get there super fast with your help.

Thanks from all of us at One Million Bones!

South Sudan's Internal Challenges...

...well some of them.  

The following are all links to pieces that begin to give a picture of the difficulties facing South Sudan.   

This opinion piece from the Winnipeg Free Press makes a case for a long road ahead for the South Sudanese.

And this piece from the UN News Centre does the same. 

The next two pieces addresses issues with the health system, or lack of one. This first link is from January 2011 from the PBS Newshour. And this second link is from Radio Dabanga just this week. 

This is a great article from an organization called Act for Peace that talks about the agonies women suffered during wartime in Sudan, and about the lack of rights they suffer still. But also about how important the women's vote was during the referendum and how that is empowering women. And this article from Rebuild Sudan about the challenge and importance of promoting women's participation in the new government. 

And finally today, this article from the Unicef website looks at many issues in the context of South Sudan’s children. And, we'll have more about that in the next few weeks.