Saturday, March 31, 2007

世界展望會 2007春季最新活動--- 與世界的兒童做朋友


主題:在樹下上課
作者:法依娜 阿依夏奇耶
年齡:14
國家:盧安達 (Rwanda地理位置 非洲中東部,北臨烏干達,東界坦尚尼亞,西臨剛果民主共和國及基霧湖,南接蒲隆地,位於剛果河與尼羅河之分水嶺,地處東非高原。)
計畫區:布里沙
作品介紹:因為教室缺乏,小孩子在樹下上課。

「世界,聽我說 World,listen to me!」世界小畫家聯合畫展,包括台灣之28個受助國家、48個計畫區的受助兒童先在所在地區進行繪畫比賽,從國內選出117幅、國外195幅,共計312幅兒童畫作,並在2月初經國立台灣師範大學美術系師生進行初步甄選,選出了137幅優秀兒童畫作展出,於3月5日至30日在台灣世界展望會網路進行票選活動,歡迎踴躍上網選出你最感動的兒童畫作,同時將在兒童節期間,巡迴台北、台中、高雄舉辦三場展覽,邀請民眾踴躍支持,透過網路投票、參觀畫展及愛心捐款行動,為身處艱難環境中的孩子加油,有機會為自己創造美好明天,實現心中夢想。

歡迎闔家於4月4日至30日到現場參觀畫展,並邀請親朋好友、同學一起踴躍參與喔!



世界小畫家聯合畫展:
台北:青少年育樂中心2F展覽廳
台北市仁愛路一段17號
展出時間:4月4~14日
上午9:00至下午17:30
假日與週末延長至晚上19:00
 

台中:新國自在購物中心1F大廳
西屯區市政北一路1號
展出時間:4月16~21日
下午13:00至晚上21:00
 

高雄:大遠東百貨17F誠品書店
苓雅區三多四路21號
展出時間:4月23~30 日
上午11:00至晚上22:00
 
 
此時此刻,全球正有10億兒童處於極度貧窮中,每天生活費用不到1美元…諾貝爾和平獎得主德瑞莎修女曾經說過:「有了愛就有了一切!」有了您的愛與關懷,將讓他們貧瘠童年中, 擁抱豐盛的希望夢想!

想要更進一步了解這些兒童嗎?? --->
http://www.worldvision.org.tw/edm/20070301WFRIEND/about_kids.html

資料來源:台灣世界展望會
http://pay.worldvision.org.tw/Children/200703ChildrenPaint/ch/note.html

http://pay.worldvision.org.tw/Children/200703ChildrenPaint/ch/ShowPaint8.php?CardNo=RWAB04

Friday, March 30, 2007






獅子山共和國Republic of Sierra Leone

國情簡介(2004年資料):
  
加入聯合國日期:1961/9/27
  國慶日    :4/27
  語言     :英文、Krio語
  首都     :自由城 Freetown
  面積     :7萬1,740平方公里
  人口     :600,5萬人,其境內有20多個種族
  宗教     :伊斯蘭教、基督教、拜物教等。以伊斯蘭教為主
  氣候     :熱帶季風氣候,高溫多雨
  地理位置   :非洲西部,北部與幾內亞、東南與賴比瑞亞交界
  與我國關係 :1963年9月28日獅子山與我國建交
1971年7月29日獅子山與中國建交
我國於同年8月20日宣佈與獅子山斷交
【國旗由來】國旗是在獨立之初制定的,綠色是農業,也表示該國主要地形是丘陵,白色為和平和正義,藍色代表圍繞本國的大西洋,與西非第一良港的獅子山。
獅子山的國旗有三種顏色,綠色是代表農業,白色是代表著和平以及正義;藍色則是代表著圍繞著獅子山的大西洋。

經社概況:

匯率     :US$1=2,914.28Leone (2005年9月)
出生/死亡率 :42.84%(2005)/20.61%(2005)
GDP    :600美元 (2004)
國內生產毛額 :33億3,500萬美元(2004)
國內各業生產毛額結構:農業:49% 工業:31% 服務業:20%(2001)   通貨膨脹率  :1%(2002)
失業率    :不詳  進口值    :2億6,400萬美元(2003)
出口值    :4,900萬美元(2003)   主要進口產品 :機械、食品、飲料、菸草、燃料及潤滑油
主要出口產品 :鑽石、金紅石、魚貨、鐵礦、可可、咖啡   主要出口國  :比利時、西班牙、美國、英國
主要進口國  :英國、美國、象牙海岸、比盧
較具規模之外貿:英國、美國、象牙海岸、比盧
財政收支   :礦產輸出佔外匯一半,負債高達十一億美元

政局情勢:
  一九九六年二月二十六、二十七日獅國舉行總統及國會選舉。國會選舉方面,選出八十位國會議員,由獅子山人民黨(Sierra Leone People’s Party)、聯合全民黨(United National People’s Party)、人民民主黨(People’s Democratic Party)、全民國會黨(All People’s Congress Party)以及全國團結黨(National Unity Party)等政黨依得票率分配席次,另有十二席係票選傳統酋長,共計九十二席國會議員。總統選舉方面,由於無候選人獲得百分之五十五選票之情形下,故由得票率最高之二位候選人:獅子山人民黨卡巴(Mr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah)與聯合全民黨卡瑞法-史馬特(Mr. John Karefa-Smart)參加第二回合選舉。次(三)月十五日,第二回合總統選舉順利完成,卡巴膺選為新任總統。同月二十九日,軍政府將政權和平移交卡巴總統。一九九七年五月廿四日晚,獅國軍人發動政變,推翻卡巴政府,卡巴總統逃抵幾內亞,獅國首都自由市為叛軍掌控。六月廿二日,獅國軍事執政委員會(Armed Forces Ruling Council, 簡稱AFRC)主席柯洛馬少校(Johnny Paul Koroma)宣誓就任總統。一九九八年二月五日,西非維和部隊(ECOMOG)在西非經濟共同體(ECOWAS)授權下,對以柯洛馬(Major Johnny Paul Korama)為首之獅國軍政府發動軍事攻擊,十二日西非維和部隊攻進獅京自由城,並控制獅國內陸主要城市,惟軍政府與叛軍「革命聯合陣線」所屬部隊則流竄叢林鄉野,頑冥抵抗,在獅國東部、南部地區仍有零星戰火。一九九八年三月十日現年六十六歲之卡巴總統重返獅京自由城執政,渠立即重 組內閣及設置政策諮詢委員會,強調和解(reconciliation)政策,呼籲獅國人民團結一致重建家園。一九九八年八月間「革命聯合陣線」領袖山柯(Corporal Forday Dankoh)自奈及利亞押返獅京自由城接受審判,叛軍不斷以游擊戰方式攻擊政府軍與西非聯軍,同時以槍殺、凌遲及砍斷手腳等殘酷手段破害普通百姓,製造恐怖氣氛,嚴重打擊獅國向以人力耕作之農業生產,並造成難民潮。一九九九年元月六日「革命聯合陣線」叛軍在Sam Bockarie率領下一舉攻入首都自由城東區,與駐獅之西非聯軍發生激戰,叛軍佔領總統府、警察局及電台等重要據點。一週後(元月十二日)西非聯軍反攻,叛軍不敵竄逃至鄰近山區,伺機而動。一九九九年七月七日在西非經濟共同體輪值主席,多哥總統調和下,獅國政府與叛軍簽署和平停火協定,並籌組聯合政府,惟因叛軍要求分配之部次長職位數與卡巴總統同意數相去甚遠,故迄未入京就職。二○○○年五月初獅國「革命聯合陣線」扣押約五百名聯合國維和部隊人員,五月九日首都自由城居民數千人在該陣線領袖山柯(Forday Sankoh)住宅前示威抗議,遭該陣線士兵開槍射殺,致引起暴動,聯合國立即撤退非必要之工作人員。至五月二十八日止尚有五十六人未釋放。2002年5月總統大選, Kabbah獲得連任, 2003年3月21日獅國成立特別法庭以審判1991年至2000年引發內戰之罪犯。2007年7月28日獅國總統及國會將進行大選。
(資源來源:http://www.mofa.gov.tw/webapp/ct.asp?xItem=243&ctnode=276 )





Delegation of UN Peacebuilding Commission concluded maiden mission to Sierra Leone

Freetown, Sierra Leone, 25 March 2007 --- A delegation from the newly established United Nations Peacebuilding Commission completed its first-ever mission, a five-day visit to Sierra Leone, as part of reinforced efforts by the world body to prevent countries emerging from civil war and other conflicts from slipping back into bloodshed.
The 12-member delegation, which wound up its visit on 25 March, has held intensive talks with President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and other senior officials of the small West African country, which after 11 years of civil war has now entered a peace consolidation phase.

“We came here to look on the ground for first-hand information on issues that the Commission is meant to deal with and to identify challenges to the peacebuilding process,” said Ambassador Frank Majoor, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the UN, who headed the delegation in his capacity as chair of the Commission’s Country Specific Meetings on Sierra Leone.
After earlier discussions in the Commission, the Government and the UN mission in Sierra Leone jointly conducted an analysis of critical gaps in peacebuilding efforts and drew up a national priority plan that has been endorsed by the stakeholders and includes youth employment and empowerment, democracy and good governance, justice and security as well as public service delivery.
Mr. Majoor said the working visit helped the delegation to determine specific priorities and gaps within these wider priority areas for the Commission to solicit extended support from donor countries.

He emphasized that the Commission is now closer to an integrated framework – a compact between the Government, donors, the UN, the private sector and civil society – to sustain the national and international commitment to support peacebuilding and stability in Sierra Leone over the years to come.

He and other delegation members described the consolidated approach on various tracks to peacebuilding and development, thus maintaining the continuity of already existing mechanisms such as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Project and the Peace Consolidation Strategy.
Earlier this month, Sierra Leone received $35 million from the UN Peacebuilding Fund, established from voluntary contributions to aid countries which have recently emerged from war from slipping back into conflict, with Sierra Leone and another formerly war-torn African country, Burundi, the first nations to be referred to it.

Although the two countries have made much progress in emerging from their devastating civil conflicts, they continue to face great political and economic challenges, the Commission said then.


PBC(Peacebuilding Commission )成立迄今,第一個任務出現了,就是前往獅子山五天,與當地的重要官員進行瞭解當地情形以及設法避免當地再次發生戰爭、衝突。經過開會討論後,當地政府將與聯合國設立於當地的組織一起努力,重建當地的和平。前些日子,獅子山收到聯合國捐贈的三千五百萬美元,並與另一個國家-蒲隆地(位於中非)共同努力,即使都曾遭受過大規模的摧殘,但依然以重建和平時代為共同目標
資料來源:http://www.uniosil.org/
New York/Freetown, Sierra Leone, 1 March 2007 --- The Secretary-General of the United Nations today announced that an allocation of US Dollars 35 million will be made available from the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) in support of Sierra Leone. This announcement follows a review in New York of the Priority Plan submitted jointly by the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations presence in the country.
The allocation will be used to fund projects in the areas of youth employment and empowerment, democracy and good governance, justice and security as well as public service delivery.

Against the backdrop of the discussion in the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), the Government and the United Nations presence in Sierra Leone jointly conducted a country level analysis of critical gaps in the peacebuilding efforts and drew up a national priority plan that has been endorsed by the stakeholders in Sierra Leone. Civil Society Organizations continued to play a key role to ensure the country’s effective engagement with the Peacebuilding Commission
The Peacebuilding Fund is established from voluntary contributions, as part of the new peacebuilding architecture, under the authority of the Secretary-General. It seeks to address critical peacebuilding priorities and benefits countries such as Sierra Leone, under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission, as well as others in similar circumstances, as designated by the Secretary-General.

The Peacebuilding Commission formally declared Sierra Leone as eligible for PBF funding in October 2006. The allocation of the fund now paves the way for the implementation of projects in the four priority areas following a review and approval by the Peacebuilding Steering Committee in Sierra Leone, co-chaired by the Government and the United Nations. A Peacebuilding Fund Steering Committee, comprising Government, civil society, external partners and the United Nations presence in Sierra Leone, has been established.

Member States have so far pledged some USD 210 million to the Peacebuilding Fund. This is the second such allocation made under the Peacebuilding Fund following an earlier country envelope in support of Burundi, the other country currently under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission.

Speaking at the UN’s New York Headquarters, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding, Ms. Carolyn McAskie said “the Peacebuilding Fund will support critical interventions in Sierra Leone and we hope that it can play an important catalytic role in attracting additional donor support to further consolidate the peace process.”

After the end of a destructive eleven-year conflict, the Government of Sierra Leone, with the support of the United Nations and other external partners, has made significant progress towards lasting peace, national recovery and democratization of the country. However, these achievements remain vulnerable and need to be consolidated and sustained with the support of the international community.


聯合國於3月1日宣佈捐助三千五百萬美元協助位於獅子山共和國的PBF(Peace building Fund)以回復當地和平;此外,當地的CSO(Civil Society Organizations)也將會協助PBF能順利運行。關於PBF,這係由各地募集資金所構成的基金,用來幫助各個需要幫助的地區,像是獅子山以及其他類似狀況的地區。而在紐約,PBC(Peacebuilding Commission)總部,的Carolyn McAskie小姐表示:PBF是個協助國家重建和平的機制。但這重新建立的和平依然脆弱無助,需要各地人士能出錢出力,幫助PBF,幫助各地需要幫助的國家。

註:獅子山共和國的PBF成立於2006年10月資料來源:http://www.uniosil.org/
Freetown, Sierra Leone, 9 March 2007 --- A top United Nations official said during a press briefing at UNIOSIL headquarters on the new United Nations peacebuilding architecture that Sierra Leone has set an example in maintaining peace. And that is after over a decade long conflict that left an estimated 50,000 people dead and thousands maimed. The Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, Ms. Carolyn McAskie, told a room-full of local journalists and international correspondents that “the war has been over for five years, the peace has held, I think that's a gold standard. Five years is a long time after the kind of deep and violent conflict which took place here in Sierra Leone. There is still a lot to do though”, she added. Ms. McAskie visited the country from 6 to 8 March 2007 and had meetings with government officials, civil society representatives, the donor community and the United Nations Country Team.
According to the Head of the UN Peacebuilding Office progress is expected to continue in consolidating the country's peace with a “$35 million envelope out of the Peace Building Fund” which the UN Secretary-General recently approved for Sierra Leone. That money would be spent on urgent peacebuilding projects to be decided by a Steering Committee. The Committee comprises various stakeholders and will be co-chaired by the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone at the country level. The Executive Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in Sierra Leone, Mr. Victor Angelo, noted during the press conference, that the Steering Committee will soon begin its work.

In response to a question on the overall resource requirements for peacebuilding efforts in Sierra Leone, Ms. McAskie expressed the hope that the US$35 million allocated from the Peace Building Fund (PBF) can play an important catalytic role in attracting additional donor support to further consolidate the peace process. The ASG further observed that Sierra Leone has done a great deal of work in advancing a peace consolidation agenda, and commended civil society groups who she said “are organizing in very strategic and impressive way”, adding that the role of the press as well is very important in the peace process.
“Sustaining attention on a crisis or a post crisis period is very, very critical and I see this as the most important part of the work of the Peace Building Commission”, Ms. McAskie said.

Ms. McAskie announced that a delegation from members of the Peace Building Commission would soon be coming to Sierra Leone “to get a sense of developments on the ground and to better inform the Commission on the next steps of engagement with the country”. She explained that the visit would help in developing “an integrated peacebuilding strategy”. Carolyn McAskie referred in this regard to the country's Peace Consolidation Strategy as an example of the “great deal of work” that has been done and that the PBC would be building on.

The Peacebuilding Commission is a recommendation from the 2005 World Summit and has a mandate, among other things, to assist post-conflict countries in consolidating peace and prevent from relapsing to war. It currently has Sierra Leone and Burundi under consideration.

在過去,死於戰爭的獅子山人民高達五萬以上,而存活下來的民眾,其中也有數千名手腳殘疾。在戰爭結束的五年後,ASG組織伸出了援手,協助在當地建立PBF(Peace Building Fund),希望能夠重建當地的和平時代。3月1日,聯合國捐助當地的PBF三千五百萬美元助其重建,而Carolyn McAskie小姐表示,希望PBF是和平的催化劑,且能妥善運用各地捐贈的金錢、物資以幫助各地重建,並且能夠成為一種建立和平上的指標。資料來源:http://www.uniosil.org/

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Freetown, Sierra Leone, 9 March 2007 --- The Government of Japan has announced a US$2.8 million contribution to the 2007 Elections in Sierra Leone. This contribution from the people of Japan will support the National Elections Commission (NEC) in their organisation of the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, scheduled to take place on 28 July, 2007.
The purchase of vital materials for the smooth operation of voting on polling day and the construction of a warehouse at the new NEC headquarters, are just two areas the Japanese contribution will fund.
The donation by the Government of Japan complements a larger ‘basket fund’ of contributions from the international donor community, which comprises of the European Union, United Kingdom (DFID), Ireland (Irish Aid) and the Danish Government. Together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resources, this basket of donors is supporting the electoral institutions of NEC, the Political Parties Registration Commission and the Electoral Offences Court, to ensure credible elections.

The assistance of these donors has paid off already in a number of ways, including arranging for timely cargo flights to provide NEC district offices with voter registration training kits and the delivery of essential equipment to all voter registration centers. The international community contributions have been coordinated by the UNDP, in close association with the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone, UNIOSIL.

Preparations for the elections are well underway with registration running from now until 18 March, at 2740 Registration Centres around the country. According to Victor Angelo, head of the UN system in Sierra Leone, ‘the contribution from the people of Japan arrives at a crucial time in the electoral process, and creates the conditions for better planning of the next phases of the electoral process.’

日本政府於3月9日宣佈捐助280萬美金給獅子山共和國,希望當地能夠順利完成總統大選(2007年7月28日)。日本政府不僅是捐助金錢,也捐助其他物資,像是NEC(National Elections Commission)的總部,以及幫助訓練選舉期間的人力、技術。除了日本政府之外,許多國際組織,像是European Union, United Kingdom (DFID), Ireland (Irish Aid)以及Danish Government,也幫助獅子山使其選舉能順利、可信。獅子山當地表示,日本的資源宛如即時雨,幫助當地能建立更好的選舉流程資料來源:http://www.uniosil.org/
UN Peacebuilding Commission can help states avoid renewed conflict – officials told General Assembly
New York, 6 February 2007 --- War-ravaged countries suffering from destabilizing factors such as poverty and lack of good governance can benefit from the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, officials told the General Assembly today. Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa pointed out that the Peacebuilding Commission has already started dealing with Burundi and Sierra Leone, two countries which have emerged from conflict with the UN’s support.

“The challenge now lies primarily in the need for the international community to deliver on the pledges made to assist the peoples of these countries in their efforts to rebuild the institutional and human capacity needed for comprehensive and lasting peace,” she said.

She stressed that the UN must help countries to address the link between poverty, weak State capacity and instability, which lead countries to relapse into conflict. “The Peacebuilding Commission has an important substantive and coordinating role to play in promoting post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery, including respect for human rights and the rule of law.”

She also stressed the importance of the Peacebuilding Fund, which has received over $140 million in pledges, urging all countries to work together to reach the $250 million funding target. “I will personally write to a number of potential donors to encourage them to contribute to the Peacebuilding Fund so that the funding target is met,” Sheikha Haya said.

Also addressing the Assembly, which heard from over 20 speakers, was the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Dalius Cekuolis, who hailed the Peacebuilding Commission as a tool that would better enable the UN to promote sound policies on poverty eradication, sustainable development and human rights.

Mr. Cekuolis pointed out that nine out of 10 countries with the lowest human development indicators have experienced conflict at some point since 1990. “These countries are clearly the farthest away from achieving the targets and goals set out in the United Nations development agenda,” he said.

But he said the Economic and Social Council had taken several important steps to help post-conflict countries, such as Guinea-Bissau and Burundi, to plan a coordinated approach to peace and development. “ECOSOC is ready to support the work of the Peacebuilding Commission collectively and through its members.

The General Assembly was debating the work of the Peacebuilding Commission for the first time since that body’s establishment in December 2005.

PBC(Peacebuilding Commission)協助遭到戰爭遺害的地區,像是蒲隆地或是獅子山等地方,去幫助重建和平,以及去避免內部流血衝突再一次的發生,也希望能夠將「和平」永遠地流傳下去。Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa表示,她希望聯合國務必幫助那些貧窮、政局不穩定的國家,以脫離不穩定的生活。此外,她也表示將以個人的名義去尋求潛在的捐贈者來一起協助PBF(Peacebuilding Fund)。
資料來源:http://www.uniosil.org/
UN in Sierra Leone: Statement on harmful traditional practices affecting women and children Freetown, Sierra Leone, 8 March 2007 --- The United Nations in Sierra Leone takes the opportunity of the International Women’s Day, to call for an end to the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), early and forced marriages, and all harmful traditional practices against women and children. As part of the efforts towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly those of improving maternal health and promoting gender equality, the UN considers FGM as an infringement of the basic rights of women and girls. The practice violates the right to be free from violence, abuse, torture, cruel and inhuman or degrading treatment as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Sierra Leone is signatory. Apart from exposing women and girls, some of them very young, to serious physical and mental health risks, FGM affects the education of girls as many are taken from schools and kept in “initiation bushes” for weeks.

In this regard, the United Nations calls upon the leadership of Sierra Leone, at all levels, to commit themselves to intensified efforts towards stopping the practice of FGM in all its forms, as well as early and forced marriages. We urge the Government, at the earliest, to accelerate the enactment of the Child Rights Bill to give effect to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the three drafts bills - Domestic Violence, Registration of Customary Marriages and Divorce, and Devolution of
Estates. The enactment of these bills will create the conditions for the implementation of the Convention on the Eradication of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).The United Nations further calls upon all Political Parties to desist from underwriting the costs of FGM or using the practice as a political campaign strategy for the 2007 elections.

The United Nations also appeals to the religious leaders of all faiths to exercise their moral authority to end the practice, and to Civil Society Organizations to embark upon concerted sensitization of the populations on the dangerous effects of the practice with the view of bringing about change in attitude.

The United Nations reaffirms its support to every effort aimed at ending all harmful traditional practices and promoting gender equality and human rights, including those of women and girls.


聯合國搭上三八的婦女節的列車,趁機在獅子山內宣導破除以往傷害婦女以及孩童的習俗,像是FGM (female genital mutilation)這種違反人權的習俗。同時,聯合國也呼籲各層階級的官員去制止這種行為再次發生;也希望各種宗教的領袖以道德的方式去說服當地的人民破除這項習俗。
資料來源:http://www.uniosil.org/
New year’s message by Victor Angelo, Executive Representative of the Secretary-General and UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone Freetown, 1 January 2007 --- A new year brings hope for better lives, better prospects and better opportunities. But it is only through sustained peace, security, respect for human rights and development that the hopes of every Sierra Leonean will be realized. There are many challenges ahead of us – credible elections, women’s empowerment, tackling unemployment, and creating the conditions for human development.
I am sure that the people of Sierra Leone will build upon the successes achieved so far, and continue to work together to promote and consolidate the existing culture of peace, through dialogue on critical national issues. When there is peace, there are dividends to enjoy. People will feel safe enough to go about their daily lives – to till the land, harvest the crops, develop livelihoods, go to school, invest, create jobs, construct homes and build a future 2007 is a significant year for Sierra Leone as the country prepares for the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections in July. The experience we have so far with the electoral work has convinced us that the process can remain on track. We salute the independence demonstrated by the National Electoral Commission (NEC), and encourage all the parties to continue to collaborate with the Commission. Adherence to the Political Party’s Code of Conduct will decisively contribute to a constructive electoral climate. It is encouraging that in November 2006, eight political parties signed a Code of Conduct for the Elections.
The establishment of a Media Code of Conduct for election coverage is also vital. So too is voter education and a successful registration, which will start on 26 February.

Other critical tasks call for attention. As we recognize the relevance of being the first country to partner with the newly established UN Peace building Commission, and congratulate the government for this meaningful international commitment, we should keep in mind that the priorities agreed with the Commission require steadfast implementation to consolidate stability and democracy. Youth unemployment remains a major issue. There is a need to harness the young people’s abilities and to sharpen their skills through education, vocational and professional training programmes, and to develop their management skills. Food security is also imperative for the well-being of citizens. Improved agricultural productivity, and adequate post-harvest techniques, will provide better nutrition and health for both rural and urban communities. The growth of small-scale farming and farm-related businesses and industries will generate additional rural incomes. All these will create firmer conditions for private sector growth. Efficient management of Sierra Leone’s natural resources, such as mining and fisheries, will ensure a sustainable future for its people. However, providing regulated access to these resources and markets remain a challenge. This is where public-private sector partnerships are useful for infrastructure and market development.
The establishment of a Media Code of Conduct for election coverage is also vital. So too is voter education and a successful registration, which will start on 26 February.

We must step up our work to secure a viable future for the men, women and children of Sierra Leone. There are still mountains to climb. The international community must continue to support those negotiating steep inclines to ensure that no key player loses balance. We believe in the future of Sierra Leone.

As 2007 beckons and as we stand together, the UN staff and I share with the people of Sierra Leone a vista of hope in the year ahead.

新年帶來了希望,帶來了更好的生活以及機會,但僅限在和平、安全、重視人權的地區。獅子山的人們就沒法過著相同的日子,因為當地充斥著各種不安、危機。不過,當地的人們致力於重建屬於他們的現存的和平文化,想要享受著各種和平帶來的好處:上學、做生意、找工作、以及盛大的收獲。然而現在機會來了!在2007年7月的總統大選就是獅子山民眾的機會。因此他們尋找NEC(National Electoral Commission)的協助以確保一切能夠順利。當然,其他的事情也被密切注意著,像是當地的失業率、食物來源、農業採收量以及當地資源管理等。現今,依然有許多的事需要各地的幫忙、協助,幫助獅子山人民去掌握屬於他們的未來! 資源來源:http://www.uniosil.org/

Monday, March 26, 2007

魔鬼的羽毛
The Devil’s Feather

作者:米涅.渥特絲
譯者:朱孟勳
出版社:臉譜
出版日期:2006 年 11 月 12 日

你是否曾經想深深埋藏一個秘密,不讓任何人發現?
  
獅子山有五名女性被殘暴殺害時,路透社的特派記者康妮.柏恩斯,對於三名叛軍被指為兇嫌而落網,心存疑慮,但沒人把她的話當一回事。在歷經數十萬人死亡與流離失所的慘烈內戰後,婦女被強暴和殺害的案件根本微不足道。即使青少年兵被屈打成招,有誰在乎?誰又會注意到在外籍傭兵之中,出現了一名性變態狂?
  
除了親眼目睹一名妓女受到野蠻攻擊之外,康妮幾乎沒有實證,但她認為有個外國人是兇手:一個自稱待過空降特勤隊,目前擔任一黎巴嫩鑽石商人隨扈的男子。她記得在金夏沙見過他,當時他是羅倫.卡比拉政權旗下的傭兵,她懷疑他趁戰亂,將自己的性虐待幻想在婦女身上實際操作。
  
兩年後在伊拉克,她第二度嘗試揭發他,後果卻非常不堪。她拖著受創破碎的身心,羞愧消沉,惶惶不可終日地躲到英格蘭,卻在那兒和潔思.德比夏結為好友。獨來獨往的潔思過著隱士般的生活,可能也隱瞞了許多秘密。康妮在潔思身上發現了共通點,便借助好友的力量,決定放手一搏,第三度揭發連續殺人兇手的真面目……
  
魔鬼的羽毛(典故源自土耳其)——引起男性遐想而不自覺的女人;挑逗性慾的不智之舉。


作者簡介

米涅.渥特絲(Minette Walters)從小嗜讀社會新聞版的渥特絲,十一歲就被送到Godophin 寄宿學校讀書(艾嘉莎?克麗絲蒂也曾就讀此校)。達拉謨大學外語系畢業之後,她擔任倫敦一家雜誌Woman Weekly Library 羅曼史專欄的助理編輯,短時間內晉陞為主編。
  
大量閱讀羅曼史及日積月累的編輯經驗醞釀了她洗鍊的文筆,使她踏上文字工作者的舞台。處女作《冰屋》於1992年出版,出書後一鳴驚人,《紐約時報》書評寫道:「渥特絲小姐扭轉了英國傳統推理小說的既定格式,創作出更具特色、非傳統、層次感豐富的小說藝術。」
  
靠寫羅曼史貼補家計的家庭主婦,四十七歲開始執筆寫偵探小說。至今,渥特絲被譽為最精采可期的偵探小說暢銷作家之一,曾贏得CWA John Creasey Award的犯罪小說最佳初作獎,與美國艾倫坡獎的最佳犯罪小說獎;兩項CWA Gold Daggers小說獎,以及法國的Grand Prix des Lectrices d’Elle,與丹麥的Pelle Rosencrantz獎。

資料來源
內容連載

獅子山內戰受害者 “十一隻腳”的足球隊



(照片1:隊員莫翰弗法納在Freetown戶外踢球。PHOTO: AFP)
(照片2:獅子山單腳足球隊隊員排成一列行走。2006/11/26)
(照片3:單腳足球隊在Lumley海灘訓練。)


獅子山1991年爆發內戰,2002年內戰正式結束。長達十年的獅子山內戰共造成20多萬人死亡,數十萬平民百姓被打傷致殘或被迫逃離家園。內戰結束後,獅子山開始進行重建,旅遊業開始復蘇。儘管如此,其多數居民的生活仍然非常艱難。近日,在聯合國人類發展指數的排名中,獅子山排名倒數第二。 對於獅子山內戰中成千上萬的截肢者來說,踢球讓他們摔得鼻青臉腫,但這對於愛球如命的他們來說是一種回報,也讓他們重燃生命的希望。

故事一:護士提議成立俱樂部

2001年戰爭結束時,拉彼得和其他人圍坐在首都弗裏敦一個截肢者營地裏,痛惜自己失去的無數的東西,痛悼自己毫無希望和夢想。

有一天,美國西雅圖“假肢超越基金會”成員迪伊·馬爾楚來到了營地裏。迪伊是位女護士,也是截肢者。她回憶說:“我當時也不知道對他們說什麼好。他們看上去那麼無助、那麼沮喪。護士本性促使讓我想讓他們振作起來。”

這群男孩子中有一位來找她,她提出的建議像一顆小種子一樣落到了獅子山的紅土上:海外的截肢者能踢球,這兒為什麼不能踢呢?今天“獨腿截肢者俱樂部”已經擁有3支球隊,成員有80來個。

故事二:一條腿的遊戲

22歲的穆罕默德·拉彼得至今記得5年前自己再次踢球的那一天,他繃緊每一塊肌肉去踢皮球,但沒踢中。接著又沒踢中。但踢球對於他來說不可或缺。

拉彼得是在踩上地雷後失去一條腿的。和隊裏其他人一樣,拉彼得撐著拐杖而不是戴假肢踢球。靠一條腿足球是一種完全不同的遊戲。你的身體背叛著你,隨時會失去平衡。

故事三:戰爭折斷了翅膀

獅子山長達10年的內戰讓成千上萬的人致殘。22歲球員賈巴提·馬姆布曾是中學足球隊的一員,他過去常常貼著球場邊緣疾飛,一門子心思全是射門。

他堅信自己能脫穎而出,代表祖國踢球。但在1999年,在馬姆布還只有16歲時,挑戰總統阿合馬德·卡巴赫的反叛組織“革命聯合陣線”攻打弗裏敦。人們紛紛跑進附近的任何一處房子躲藏。當反叛者踹門而入時,馬姆布一頭躲到了床底下,士兵們最先逮到了他,然後又抓住另外幾個。帶到外面後,士兵們命令一名男孩子取來一把斧子。他們按住馬姆布,朝他的胳膊劈去。

馬姆布現在是一名學生,也是球隊的守門員。對於他來說,當守門員永遠也沒有當邊鋒那樣刺激。“我不得不當守門員,”他悲哀地說。

故事四:踢球改變了生命

2003年,獅子山的這一班球員前往英國,和那些強大而富有經驗的截肢者球隊競爭,這些隊裏的一些成員在喪失腿部時曾經踢過職業球賽。

由於缺乏經驗,資金又有限,他們輸掉大部分比賽。但每一次行程本身就是一個奇跡,對於這些此前一直在獅子山社會邊緣苦苦掙扎的年輕人來說,這是讓他們踏入另一個世界的不可思議的機會。

單單出國這一點,就讓他們成了弗裏敦的名人。拉彼德說:“我以前只是想:我只有一條腿,我在社區裏有什麼用啊?球隊一成立,我再也不是只會幹坐著了。它改變了我的生命。現在我有了勇氣。而且我成了社區裏的一位有頭有臉的人物。”

故事五:像芭蕾舞者一樣優雅

弗裏敦盲人學校校長桑迪說,殘疾人在這個國家飽受歧視。但在“獨腿截肢者運動俱樂部”開賽時,人們常常為球員們的速度、能量和技巧驚嘆不已。球員臉上體現出的努力和痛苦,看上去像有身強體壯的選手們兩個那麼多。一位球員重重地摔了一跤,摔了個倒栽蔥,倒在塵土中,臉上痛苦地扭曲著。另外一位球員也摔倒了,但他帶著憤怒的意志,掙扎著爬了起來,跳躍著追逐著球。

馬爾楚已經和西雅圖的截肢者們一道工作了30年,幫助在那裏成立了足球聯盟。她說,截肢者付出的努力比正常人要多出許多,但滿足感也要大得多。“現在我碰到球時獲得的快樂,比我過去用雙腳踢球時要大得多,”22歲的奧貝·賽西說,“我感到興高采烈。這是一種向人們證明我自己的方式。”他接著說,加入這支球隊“能減輕痛苦。我覺得自己是和有著同樣一些苦痛的人在一起。”(來源:ChinaFotoPress)

文章照片2,3來源: http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/8606/2006/11/27/2225@1322036.htm

照片1來源:http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2006/05/01/2003305636
血鑽石觀後感(四)

以下提供一些關於獅子山的相關網頁與照片,有興趣的人可以再去看看:

- YEDEM(Youth Empowerment for Development Ministries International)
YEDEM是Sylvanus所創立的非營利組織,在獅子山當地提供青年短期職能訓練,以期他們在社會中具有自我謀生之技能。現在在獅子山仍有眾多青年,從未接受過教育,並失去雙親,沒有謀生能力,透過YEDEM的教育,將有機會在社會上開創自己的生活。同時,在獅子山的物資相當缺乏,舉凡能想像到的基本為生用品如衣物、糧食都需要外界援助。YEDEM除了獅子山本身的運作外,也積極拓展其他國家的業務,並在當地設立合作點。Sylvanus運用他對於電腦工程的學歷積極運用網路開發YEDEM的資源,替獅子山的青年引進更多的機會。欲知詳情請看YEDEM網站http://www.yedem.org/

- YEDEM international' s photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/yedem-international/
此是YEDEM在當地活動的相片集,想看看更多當地的生活狀況,點選這個網址吧^^

- Hope between SL & TW http://risingcompassion.blogspot.com/
這是專屬於台灣與獅子山的部落格,是一個開放的空間提供網友自由留言,發表有關非洲關懷的相關文字,使得台灣的朋友們也能藉此多了解關於非洲的事情,大家有關於血鑽石的觀後感也歡迎到這邊發表喔!

- The Government of Sierra Leone (獅子山政府) http://www.sierra-leone.org/govt.html
- 維基百科_獅子山 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Leone (英文)
- 台灣非洲研究論壇 http://www.africa-taiwan.org/fast_tw/news/index.php
- 台灣世界展望會 http://www.worldvision.org.tw/
- 無國界醫生組織 http://www.msf.org.hk/big5/home/index.php
血鑽石觀後感(三)

台灣的電影行銷是否該有些進步呢?

美國血鑽石的官網(http://www.blooddiamondaction.org/)上登著國際特赦組織(Amnesty International http://www.amnesty.org/)與全球證人(Global Witness http://www.globalwitness.org/)的贊助文宣,並且有完善的線上捐款系統,而台灣連個官網都沒有,對於片子的宣傳,能夠找到的新聞稿僅是明星的採訪與鑽石購買的5C(Conflict)認證,完全沒有任何更深刻或是對社會/世界有實質建設性的消息。

台灣記者寫出的「新聞」就真的只能這麼膚淺嗎?不要再讓讀者失望了好嗎?「新聞」的揭露與訊息的公佈對於一國人民的教育是具有極度深刻的影響力的,一篇五百字的報導,什麼是重要的,什麼是輕浮的,有這麼南分辨嗎?而對於讀者「想要看」的就真的如收視率與閱讀率顯示般是這樣膚淺的內容嗎? 血鑽石片中戰地女記者提到他到他要寫新聞,所以他需要的是時間、人名和具體的事件,他要接露的是對於鑽石非法交易真正具有殺傷力的證據,以徹底解決戰亂的問題。這就是新聞的專業,新聞的角色在於社會監督,而非娛樂大眾,然而今日台灣的新聞,缺乏獨立客觀與分析深度,所有對於事件的報導接流於表面,如此,天天收看閱讀台灣新聞的觀眾,未來又將會是如何呢?

在Google輸入「blood diamond」出現的報導滿滿是對於國際人權、稀少資源開採、內戰國家重建的新聞,然以中文輸入「血鑽石」出現的是一長串的電影劇情介紹、接著是ETToday的明星專訪,只有一篇華盛頓觀察寫得較深入,台灣報導僅聯合新聞網寫出李奧納多講的一句中肯話:「血鑽石』並非要刻意打擊鑽石產業,而是要喚起全球共同幫助這些無辜婦孺」,但最終的重點還是被導向鑽石的購買。

找了半天終於有比較值得看的報導,中時娛樂的兩篇新聞中「李奧納多看清血鑽石真面目」、「翻開鑽石啟示錄」有較詳盡的西非鑽石發展說明,可惜他卻被Google排在搜尋的第五頁,這原因為何,又是另一個值得探討的事情。之後頁數,我也無心再看下去了。

華盛頓觀察|你買“血鑽石”了嗎? http://ohaha.net/725r
中時娛樂|李奧納多看清血鑽石真面目 http://ohaha.net/7vmc
中時娛樂|翻開鑽石啟示錄 http://ohaha.net/kjpu
血鑽石觀後感(二)

在1999年聯合國維和部隊進駐,2000年RUF(聯合革命戰線)的首領桑可被制裁,聯合國並通過1306決議案,全面禁止獅子山的鑽石出口,國家才漸漸恢復和平。然而鑽石區Koidu鄰近獅子山與賴比瑞亞(Liberia)和幾內亞(Guinea)的交界處,因此大量的鑽石還是偷偷的被走私,賴比瑞亞前總統泰勒(Charles Taylor)為獲取非法鑽石,出售武器給獅子山的反政府分子,於2003年遭到聯合國控訴並流放,但他的勢力還是持續影響著賴比瑞亞及鑽石交易。

血鑽石上映第一天,我忍不住還是想在當天晚上就看到電影,於是到威秀影城買了票。在片子開始前,我一直很沉重,心繫著Sylvanus和Solomon,也期待著電影對於NPO捐助的相關宣傳。 一開始的戰亂與片中Solomon帶著兒子溫馨求學的對比,到後來走私者Archer的出現與Solomon採鑽的狀況,接著女記者Maddy Bowen對於新聞接露的鍥而不捨,政府軍與RUF的戰爭夾雜著鑽石利益的描述,Solomon搶救兒子的過程,最終Archer對於Solomon的成全,拉札‧卡普蘭國際企業(Lazare Kaplan International)鑽石商購買血鑽石故事的發表,在眾人對Solomon的勇氣掌聲中,片子結束了。這部片探討議題的複雜,值得一再的觀賞。在此,我不想發表對這部片的評述,只希望大家能夠走進電影院中親自去體驗。

但我要提的是,這部片之寫實呈現值得推廣,但更該被提及的應是在這些黑暗地區,默默付出的NPO,而需要被人們知道的是如何給於更實際的幫助,可惜在影片之前的預告片,完全不見世界展望會、世界糧食組織、無國界醫生組織,或是其他非營利組織的推廣片段,在影片最後也只出現一行「請大家不要購買衝突鑽石」。這樣的推廣有什麼樣的實質助益嗎?消費者會因為這樣一行字,而減少對鑽石的購買嗎?不可能。而De Beers宣稱99%的鑽石都是非衝突鑽石,對於那些會去購買1%衝突鑽石的人來說,這部電影對他的影響力又有多少呢?他們或許壓根不可能知道這部片的存在吧!

找正義》放棄年薪200萬的律師桂冠前進非洲 要幫弱勢爭人權

馬潤明 
背叛成功檔案出生:1962年
學歷:英國艾伯丁大學法學博士候選人
經歷:執業律師、台灣律師公會人權小組樂生療養院律師團發起人
追尋:患難與共倖存過後的甜蜜感

做自己第一步:離開商務事務所,開始人權辯護

馬潤明,曾是個年薪兩百萬元的律師,現在則是新莊樂生療養院律師團發起人、也是義務辯護律師之一。他原本學商,因為毫無興趣,退伍前夕重考法律系,畢業後第三年也考上律師。一般人辛苦考上律師都希望趕快賺錢成為人人羨慕的名律師。

不過,馬瑞明第一個工作在商務律師事務所,但只待不到半年。「這個律師所讓我覺得『很噁心』,他們不計一切代價打贏官司,要律師不惜說謊,做假證據。」

當時環保署鼓勵資源回收,黑心業者一手向環保署拿錢,一手放火燒掉回收物申請理賠,來往間得手上億元。「公司跟業者有種微妙的關係,」他不願成為共犯憤而離職。

離開商務事務所後,他進入「謙誠事務所」,慢慢接觸人權工作,他接手的幾個大案子都非常敏感,為台獨教主史明、陸正案被告及前「反共義士」卓長仁擔任辯護律師,「刑事案件質量都很重,磨難也特別多,這是一種藝術,不是電影那麼簡單,律師的心理素質和格局都要夠大。」

他總希望當事人據實以告,也絕不會為說謊的當事人辯護,因為強調信任,他對當事人投注很深的感情。有幾次,他的當事人遭到槍決,在趕赴刑場的途中他就忍不住哭出來。

也有本來判死刑的當事人,後來改判無期徒刑,他高興沒多久,最後卻發現當事人竟然欺騙他。這時,他就會有被深深背叛的感覺。

做自己第二步:組律師團,為痲瘋院民爭取權益

為當事人盡最大努力辯護,是律師行業的本務之一,馬潤明想擁抱正義,但往往卻只捉到正義的影子。他無法申張的正義感,卻在台北新莊的樂生療養院有了實現的機會。

過去,這裡是痲瘋病毒肆虐的殺戮戰場,受害者的手和腳大都萎縮或截肢,現在,他們因新莊捷運工程面臨拆遷噩運。今年一月,馬潤明組織了十五位律師的律師團,義務協助院民爭取權益。
為避免無錢無勢的院民在捷運動工,被迫拆遷時,遭受重大損傷,馬潤明等律師團分別向捷運局、衛生署、樂生療養院院方提出「定暫時狀態假處分」禁止拆遷搬動。

日據時期,日本政府對痲瘋病患實施強制隔離政策,在日本、韓國及台灣都設立管制嚴格的療養院。

一九九八年,日本痲瘋病患控告政府違反人權,歷經四年纏訟勝訴,日本首相小泉純一郎放棄上訴,向病患道歉,日本國會也通過「補償法」對強制隔離的病患人道賠償。

但台灣及韓國病患卻在補償之外,於是有六十一位有正義感的日本律師組團,協助韓國、台灣院民向日本政府求償。在這群日本律師來台奔走下,去年八月,台灣二十五位日據時期就遭隔離的樂生院民,也向日政府索討公道。

當時陪同日本律師來樂生療養院探訪的馬潤明說:「有一位女律師,看到坐在電動車上的老伯伯,主動拉他們的手,擁抱他們,半跪著聽他們說話,這些長期被歧視,別人碰都不敢碰一下的伯伯,激動不已,我當場覺得好感動,也好羞愧,同樣是律師,為什麼他們可以做到,我們卻做不到?」

當時有人感嘆,台灣律師向來只做「有利可圖」的事,不相信台灣會有律師願意做這件事。
就衝著這句話,馬潤明跳上火線,組織律師團幫院民爭取權益。

「我常想,日本人權為什麼那麼進步,我們的執政者很多出身律師,卻對人權觀念這麼淡薄。」馬潤明來樂生的次數已數不清了,占去他工作時間的一半,常常院民電話一打,他就趕來;或在開庭前,律師團成員大家熬夜討論訴狀,樂生已經變成他的「正職」。

在協助樂生院民的過程中,馬潤明慢慢發現,「原來我真正想追求的是只想和別人,特別是比我更沒武器的人,連結在一起。」院民的託負,讓他更完整。

「這是一種人和人之間的擁抱,一種共患難之後倖存的甜蜜感。這種感覺讓我上癮,我喜歡一起努力克服困難之後的成就感。」

做自己第三步:不惜暫別妻女,自願到非洲工作

這半年來,他更準備好要前往非洲獅子山擔任義務人權律師,除了外交部補助的半年一萬二千美元(約合新台幣三十七萬元),沒有任何薪水。

去年七月,他到愛爾蘭參加「國際人權會議」,與一百多位來自世界各地的檢察官及律師開會,三天會議全討論南斯拉夫、盧安達等國的種族屠殺事件,尤其是非洲的獅子山。
一九九一年起,獅子山爆發十年嚴重內戰,叛軍和政府軍對峙,一片殺戮,全國死亡總人數逾三十萬人。

「叛軍公開砍人手腳,特別挑小孩子下手,這些孩子若能活到今天,也都成年了,想想多恐怖,一個國家竟有好幾萬個沒有手腳的人。」

馬潤明原本對獅子山毫無所悉,但是這些一閃而過的畫面,卻令他無法忘懷。
當時,一位來自「國際刑事法庭」的檢察官,在會場徵求有國際刑法背景的律師,協助獅子山審理戰犯工作。「在毫無人權的地方,去重建人權的價值,這是我覺得最有價值的事,即使只是當檢察官助理,或這個國際組織裡的一枚小小鏍絲釘都好,」馬潤明告訴自己。於是,他慎重的遞出了申請表格。

馬潤明的妻子是法官,他們有一個三歲的女兒,要到一個出入都要維和部隊保護的地方,一去至少半年,他坦言壓力很大,「就是因為這裡沒有人去過,我才要去。大家都去的地方,我不會錦上添花。」

可是正當他辦好一切手續,準備暫別妻女時,這半年來,獅子山政局卻也陷入動盪,到底能不能去?找了新工作的馬潤明還在等待答案。

當國際法庭檢察官問馬潤明為什麼要到獅子山時,他說:「我們都在地球上,希望用我所學所知,讓獅子山的人民,有機會張開他們的翅膀,自由飛翔。」

[摘自商業周刊第 927 期]

Sunday, March 25, 2007



一段跨越疆界的旅程
文/宋睿祥(台灣第一位無國界組織MSF醫師)

「我是從台灣來的Dr. Soong,請問我可以見執行長Oliva一面嗎?」

鼓起了勇氣透過電話,我用英文簡短表明自己的來歷。

「你有預約嗎?」

「沒有,我剛從西藏回來….我知道這樣有點唐圖…..」我嚥了口口水,急忙地補上一句,「我真的想知道,如何可以成為一個無國界醫生!」

「……………………………..」電話中一陣短暫的沈默,「我不確定Oliva是否有空,但歡迎你來辦公室看一看……」

2001年六月,第一次,我踏入MSF位在香港的辦公室。

夢想的種子埋藏已久,自此開始萌芽。而當初又是如何因緣際會,在我的心田種下這一粒希望的種子?這一切就得回溯到1997年,無國界醫生組織在台灣誠品所辦的一場攝影展…..

那一年,我還是一個醫學院大四的學生,整天埋首於病理學中,對未來充滿著茫然與惶恐。直到有一天,沒有任何預期地,我走進攝影展,然後,有一張阿富汗難民營中,營養不良、瘦骨如柴的小孩照片,進入我的眼簾。

透過照片,這個孩子深深地凝視著我,不成比例小小的身軀,刺眼的點滴打在頭皮上,彷彿這個無助的生命,用盡最後一絲力氣在乎喊著,救救我,救救我的生命…..那一刻全身像被電流穿過,有著無比的震撼。

從來不曾想過,那一雙深邃的雙眼竟引領著我一路走到這裡。

那一場展覽,讓我對「要成為一個什麼樣的醫生?」開始有了完全不同的想法與看法,原來這個世界上,還有那樣的醫療環境,是我從來不曾想像過的。我在心裡暗暗想著,總有一天,我也要加入那樣的組織,去幫助更多的人,體驗完全不同的生活。就這樣,無國界醫生這件事,自此深植在我的心中﹔那個孩子的畫面,從來不曾在我腦海裡消失過。

2000年,當我從醫學院畢業,那股跨越疆界的強烈渴望,就如同一匹脫韁的野馬,再也停不住了。我沒有選擇一般人認為的康莊大道,沒有一腳踏入那已鋪好的醫生之路,就這樣,我背上背包,從有形的疆界開始出走,腳步一刻不停歇。

漂流到歐洲,我感受到歐洲的文化,喚醒了內心那一份生而為人的喜悅﹔當我獨坐在斐冷翠的烏菲茲美術館裡,面對「維納斯的誕生」感動得流淚,那一刻,自身的靈魂,一如佇立於蚌殼之中新生的維納斯,那般純淨美好。當我一路到達尼泊爾,面對喜馬拉雅山的壯闊,穿越珠穆郎瑪峰和希夏邦馬峰,我見識到世界的遼闊,西藏更是我夢想的高原,原本仰之彌高的群山,在眼前都變得如此寬廣,一望無堐。

翱翔於天地之間,放眼所及只有三種顏色,白色的雪,藍色的天空和黃色的大地。我知道世俗所謂的「疆界」,已漸漸消失,我站在世界的屋脊上,自豪地對自己說,「天涯海角,只要我想要去的地方,我就會到!」

似乎冥冥中命運牽引著我,心滿意足的我回到拉薩,就在八角街的一隅,MSF與我在生命中再度相逢。

「成為一個無國界醫生」那曾經深埋在我心底的夢想,頓時跳上心頭。在我面前再也沒有其他的選擇,因為,這份生命中的渴望,突然一切都如此清晰,沒有任何礙障擋在我的面前。

了解我的想法之後,拉薩的MSF工作人員丟了一張香港的名片給我,名片上的地址和名字「Oliva」,就是日後我和MSF唯一的線索。靠著這張名片,我一路來到香港,直到最後,我坐在當時的執行長Oliva的面前。

Oliva是一個老MSF,他熱心地與我聊著過去在任務中的點點滴滴,我幾乎屏住心息,興奮熱情地聽著每個動人的故事,最後忍不住激動地衝口而出,「Oliva,告訴我,要怎樣才能合格地成為一個無國界醫生,我是認真的,我一定要!」

看著當時魯莽,充滿傻勁的我,Oliva著實嚇了一跳,他微笑了,「你必須要有兩年的工作經驗,還要受過熱帶醫學的訓練,才能來面試。面試通過後,MSF總部才會分發任務給你……」他將實情全都告訴我,想說這小子也許從此就會知難而退。

「等著我,兩年後我一定會再回來。」我率性堅定地說。

2003年,夏天。

經過了兩年長庚醫院外科住院醫師的洗禮,四個月英國利物浦的熱帶醫學訓練,加上多次背著背包自助旅行,我再次回到香港MSF的辦公室,辦公室外招牌仍舊,一切看來與兩年前也沒什麼不同﹔唯一不同的是,我已經準備好要出發,更加篤定這一次,不只是跨越地圖上有形的疆界,我還要穿越種族與心靈無形的距離。

MSF終於接受我的申請,也指派給我第一個任務---到非洲的賴比瑞亞行醫。

人在賴比瑞亞,我探索著「貢獻」的真正意義。曾經,在短短的一天內,我在只能容納七床的幽暗加護病房裡,親手簽下六張死亡證明書,難過崩潰地躲在值班室裡痛哭失聲。我也親眼面對原本能治療的結核病,卻因為複雜的抗藥性問題,最後我不得不向病人say no…..

那些生與死之間的掙扎、難過與悲哀,一次又一次地推擠著我,碰撞無形中那條界定「我」的邊線﹔我發覺當自己感覺到無法處理的時候,解決的方法就是將「我」的邊線不停向外延伸,再度把焦點放在外頭。回頭看來也是一件很奇妙的事情,原來「貢獻」對我而言,是讓我終於願意,漸漸放下那條區隔「我」和「你」的界限,允許別人進入我的心裡,每當我這麼做的時後,病人和我都因此得到了安慰。

從某個層面上來說,在賴比瑞亞的工作內容,和台灣並沒有太大的不同,身為一個醫者,天天有生老病死在發生,心情也有高低起伏。只是在那裡,一切喜怒哀樂的振幅,一下子都被放大了。

回顧我自己在過去七年中,前六年所有的努力,都是為實踐我自己的夢想做好準備﹔而那十個月在賴比瑞亞的行醫之路,將夢想化作現實生活的每一天,將我與一群人的生命緊緊相繫在一起。其實,這段圓夢的過程並沒有想像中浪漫,其中更有許多無奈,衝擊著我原有的價值觀,但是我更清楚經過這些淬煉,我找到自己生命更深的價值與意義。

邀請你與我共遊,這段跨越疆界的旅程。

文章來源:宋睿祥醫師部落格 http://blog.yam.com/msf_raymond/category/665192

照片來源:尋找被遺忘的國度---賴比瑞亞宋睿祥個展 http://www.msfraymond.org/aboutrssoong.htm

宋睿祥醫師著作---無國界醫生行醫記:出走到賴比瑞亞
http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010308306