Peace Corps Online: 2006.06.29: June 29, 2006: Headlines: PCOL Magazine: Year 06 Issue 5: PCOL Exclusive: Changing the Face of Hunger

2006.06.29: June 29, 2006: Headlines: PCOL Magazine: Year 06 Issue 5: PCOL Exclusive: Changing the Face of Hunger

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: PCOL Magazine: 2006.06.29: June 29, 2006: Headlines: PCOL Magazine: Year 06 Issue 5: PCOL Exclusive: Changing the Face of Hunger

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Changing the Face of Hunger

Changing the Face of Hunger

In this Issue:

Changing the Face of Hunger

Peace Corps evacuates East Timor

Chris Dodd considers run for the White House

Interview with a Hit Man

The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan

Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee

PCOL readership increases 100%

Changing the Face of Hunger

Peace Corps Online

In his new book Tony Hall (RPCV Thailand) says Humanitarian aid is the most potent weapon the United States can deploy against terrorism.

Providing food for one’s enemies not only fulfills a basic teaching of Jesus Christ; it’s also good foreign policy, said Hall, an evangelical Christian who served 12 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and recently completed a stint of a more than three years as ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome.

Hall is a big believer in faith-based organizations in the fight against hunger.

"These people are amazing. They’re not there to work for the dollar. They’re not there because they’re getting big salaries. They’re there because they care. They sustain themselves through their faith. They last longer. They can continue to do it much longer, and the ones I’ve dealt with are very trustworthy."

Members of Congress have recently recommended that Hall be appointed special envoy to Sudan to focus on ending the genocide in Darfur.

One hundred nineteen Members of Congress have signed a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in support of the appointment of a special envoy to Sudan to focus on ending the genocide in Darfur and ensuring that the North-South peace agreement holds, according to Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA).

“We are concerned that there is no one single point person whose sole responsibility is to monitor the situation in Darfur and the South and answer directly to you and the president,” the letter said. “ . . . It is not too late for Sudan, but time is of the essence. There are clear steps that can be taken. The appointment of a special envoy with a clear mandate and authority, who has the ear of the president and the secretary of State, is past due.”

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2049025.html

Peace Corps evacuates East Timor

Peace Corps Online

On May 8 Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez announced that volunteers serving in East Timor had safely left the country as a result of the recent civil unrest and government instability.

The Peace Corps Press Office has given us the latest update concerning the status of the Peace Corps Program in East Timor

In early May, the Peace Corps evacuated all volunteers from East Timor due to civil unrest and government instability. Initially, the Peace Corps was cautiously hopeful that the July trainee group would be able to go to East Timor as planned. Unfortunately, that will not happen as the situation in East Timor has deteriorated.

The State Department extended the mandatory evacuation for East Timor an additional 30 days. At this time, the Peace Corps has no plans to re-enter the country in 2006. All but one of the volunteers who were serving in East Timor at the time of the evacuation have been COSed. The other volunteer was in the process of transferring to Guatemala when the decision to evacuate was made. Therefore, he is currently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Central American country. The Peace Corps recently sent a letter offering eligible volunteers the opportunity to reinstate their service in another country.

The departure of the Peace Corps from East Timor comes on the heels of departures from Chad on April 14 and Bangladesh on March 15.

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2046913.html

East Timor Country Director Gene Ward writes: a rebel leader with a cause

East Timor Country Director Gene Ward writes: a rebel leader with a cause

Caption: East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao, right, looks grim as Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri sits next to him while he talks to media upon arrival back from Indonesia at Dili's airport, East Timor, Sunday, June, 18, 2006. Gusmao said Alfredo Reinado, who is demanding that East Timor's politically powerful prime minister step down, 'was not a rebel' despite the fact he took up arms against other government forces while he was in Bali. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

Gene Ward says the average man and woman in the streets of East Timor truly love their president, and have actually voted for him. But no one ever voted for Prime Minister Alkatiri.

They only voted for the ruling Fretilin Party, which in turn chose Alkatiri. The problem, as I was told, was that few knew their vote for Fretilin meant a vote for Alkatiri as prime minister. The extreme view of the prime minister held by Alfredo is that unless Alkatiri steps down, the rebels will not put down their weapons. How 595 soldiers without many weapons can hold a nation hostage can only be explained by the sympathy that many Timorese share with the rebel leader's view of the prime minister, whom they consider arrogant and aloof.

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2048899.html

RPCV Chris Dodd considers run for the White House

Peace Corps Online

Senator Chris Dodd plans to spend the next six to eight months raising money and reaching out to Democrats around the country to gauge his viability as a candidate. Just how far Dodd can go depends largely on his ability to reach Democrats looking for an alternative to Hillary Clinton.

Dodd acknowledged it will take time to build national name recognition, but suggested that Democratic activists know him. Dodd came within a vote of being the Senate Majority Leader in the mid-1990s and delivered nominating speeches for Gary Hart at the 1984 convention and for Bill Clinton in 1996. Dodd could do well with the growing Latino population because he speaks fluent Spanish and has a record of supporting Central Americans as a former Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic and as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2047473.html

Chris Dodd and the Peace Corps

Peace Corps Online

Caption: Chris Dodd in 1965 as a PCV in the Dominican Republic

Dodd served as a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic and has been one of the strongest supporters of the Peace Corps in Congress.

2004: Dodd supports Peace Corps' Five-year rule in Senate hearings

2002: Senator Chris Dodd holds Hearings on new Peace Corps Legislation

2001: Dodd opposes renaming Peace Corps Headquarters

2001: Senator Dodd questioned Gaddi Vasquez's qualifications

2001: Dodd says to give Vasquez a chance as PC Director

2000: Senator Dodd defends Peace Corps against budget cuts

1998: Dodd supported expansion of Peace Corps to 10,000 volunteers

1997: Senator Dodd's Tribute to RPCV Paul Tsongas

1996: Dodd's tribute to Peace Corps Director Loret Miller Ruppe

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/2629/2047766.html

Interview with a Hit Man

Peace Corps Online

RPCV John Perkins says that for many years he was an "economic hit man" in the world of international finance whose primary job was to convince less developed countries to accept multibillion dollar loans for infrastructure projects that left the recipient countries wallowing in debt and highly vulnerable to outside political and commercial interests.

In this exclusive interview for "Peace Corps Online," Colombia RPCV Joanne Roll, author of Remember with Honor, talks to Perkins about his Peace Corps service, his relation with the NSA, "colonization" in Ecuador, the consequences of his work, why he decided to speak out, and what his hopes are for change.

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/2629/2046503.html

The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan

Peace Corps Online

Probably no RPCV has done more to further the Third Goal of the Peace Corps than John Coyne with the Peace Corps Writers web site and newsletter that he and Marian Haley Beil have produced since 1989. Now John returns to writing about his first love - golf in "The Caddie who knew Ben Hogan."

Read an excerpt from his novel, and an interview with the author.

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2047826.html

Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee

Peace Corps Online

Last Month we were the first to report that President Bush intended to nominate Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as the United States Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.

On May 24, Vasquez testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: "Since February 2002, I have had the unique opportunity and privilege to lead the Peace Corps as its Director. I have traveled to 60 countries and have witnessed first-hand both the challenges and suffering of our host communities and the success of Peace Corps programs. Peace Corps Volunteers have brought hope and inspiration to many towns and villages by training and generating new ideas in health, education, HIV/AIDS, agriculture, information technology, and small business. I am very familiar with the possibilities that grassroots and sustainable development can bring to the lives of men, women and children. Our efforts have been collaborative. We have worked with other U.S. agencies, host countries, community partners, non-governmental organizations, and UN agencies to advance strategic and well-planned programming and to train men, women and children around the globe. I believe in the strength of collaboration and I welcome the opportunity to work with the UN organizations in Rome in combating world hunger. "

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/2629/2047481.html

PCOL readership increases 100%

Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has doubled in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. Stay with us, the best is yet to come.

One year ago we reported that 170,000 Friends of the Peace Corps visited this web site during March, 2005. One year later our readership for March, 2006 has doubled to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - for a net increase of 100% in 12 months. This has been a tremendous year with the creation of two new web sites: The Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps.

Thanks again, everybody for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

Read the story and leave your comments at:

http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/2027420/2045809.html

When this story was posted in June 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
Changing the Face of Hunger
In his new book, Former Congressman Tony Hall (RPCV Thailand) says humanitarian aid is the most potent weapon the United States can deploy against terrorism. An evangelical Christian, he is a big believer in faith-based organizations in the fight against hunger. Members of Congress have recently recommended that Hall be appointed special envoy to Sudan to focus on ending the genocide in Darfur.

The Peace Corps Library
The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory. New: Sign up to receive PCOL Magazine, our free Monthly Magazine by email. Like to keep up with Peace Corps news as it happens? Sign up to recieve a daily summary of Peace Corps stories from around the world.
PC will not return to East Timor in 2006
Volunteers serving in East Timor have safely left the country as a result of the recent civil unrest and government instability. Latest: The Peace Corps has informed us that at this time, the Peace Corps has no plans to re-enter the country in 2006. The Peace Corps recently sent a letter offering eligible volunteers the opportunity to reinstate their service in another country.
Chris Dodd considers run for the White House
Senator Chris Dodd plans to spend the next six to eight months raising money and reaching out to Democrats around the country to gauge his viability as a candidate. Just how far Dodd can go depends largely on his ability to reach Democrats looking for an alternative to Hillary Clinton. PCOL Comment: Dodd served as a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic and has been one of the strongest supporters of the Peace Corps in Congress.
The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan
Probably no RPCV has done more to further the Third Goal of the Peace Corps than John Coyne with the Peace Corps Writers web site and newsletter that he and Marian Haley Beil have produced since 1989. Now John returns to writing about his first love - golf in "The Caddie who knew Ben Hogan." Read an excerpt from his novel, an interview with the author and a schedule of his book readings in Maryland and DC this week.
Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee
Director Vasquez testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on his nomination as the new Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture replacing Tony Hall. He has been the third longest serving Peace Corps Director after Loret Ruppe Miller and Sargent Shriver. PCOL Comment: Read our thanks to Director Vasquez for his service to the Peace Corps.
First Amendment Watch
Maine Web Report hit with Federal Lawsuit
Website wins trademark suit against Jerry Falwell
Interview with a Hit Man
RPCV John Perkins says that for many years he was an "economic hit man" in the world of international finance whose primary job was to convince less developed countries to accept multibillion dollar loans for infrastructure projects that left the recipient countries wallowing in debt and highly vulnerable to outside political and commercial interests. In this exclusive interview for "Peace Corps Online," Colombia RPCV Joanne Roll, author of Remember with Honor, talks to Perkins about his Peace Corps service, his relation with the NSA, "colonization" in Ecuador, the consequences of his work, why he decided to speak out, and what his hopes are for change.
PC Program in Chad temporarily suspended
Director Vasquez announced the temporary suspension of the Peace Corps program in Chad on April 14 and that all 29 Peace Corps volunteers have left the country. With a program dating back forty years (See Page 4 of the April 1966 "Peace Corps Volunteer"), RPCVs hope that volunteers can return to Chad as soon as the situation has stabilized. Congratulations to the Peace Corps for handling the suspension quickly and professionally.
Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request
The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that Peace Corps has blocked their request for information on the Volkart case. "After the Tidings requested information pertaining to why Volkart was denied the position — on March 2 — the newspaper received a letter from the Peace Corps FOIA officer stating the requested information was protected under an exemption of the act." The Dayton Daily News had similar problems with FOIA requests for their award winning series on Volunteer Safety and Security.
PCOL readership increases 100%
Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.
History of the Peace Corps
PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.
RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps
Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.
Military Option sparks concerns
The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program
Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger
When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.

Read the stories and leave your comments.

Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: PCOL Exclusive

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; PCOL Magazine: Year 06 Issue 5

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