National Discrimination

Published in Sin Chew
(Malaysia) on 19 April 2009
by 李愛如 (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Ng Ai Fern . Edited by Bridgette Blight.
From Eastern Asia to the Middle East, from Europe to South America, U.S. President Barack Obama started his overwhelming spring foreign-policy tactics with his brightest smile. Media from the West and East all raised eyebrows in reaction to Obama’s endless acclamations on this “skillful strength” in foreign policy.

Other than showing his strength, Obama also led America to abandon national discrimination in its foreign policy. Yes, other than gender discrimination and racial discrimination, there is also national discrimination in this world.

Obama showed goodwill to America’s rivals right after he took office. This implies that the previous government had no intention of mending relationships with its enemies, and seemed to purposely shun others. Obama initiated positive gestures to Cuba and Venezuela, which caused suspicion that America might lift the 47-year-old economic sanctions against Cuba. Cuba was Russia’s tool for fighting against America during the Cold War. But since America could not fight Russia, it targeted Cuba instead, which resulted in a trade embargo for nearly half a century.

Look at international conflicts of the past. Small nations usually face actual sanctions, but large nations that commit the same offense receive only “condemnation”. A variety of policies have revealed tacit national discrimination.

North Korea has pointed to this fact often. According to North Korea, every country has the right to use space, but why does only North Korea suffer sanctions that prohibit it from launching satellites.

As we all know, the reason the world powers wanted to impose sanctions on North Korea is because they suspected North Korea was conducting a nuclear test under the guise of launching satellites. However, at some point, limiting some countries’ freedom to acquire nuclear technology is indeed committing national discrimination. Hence, Obama should come out with the concept of eliminating nuclear power worldwide. If no county has nuclear power, Iran and North Korea, who have been involved in conflicts regarding nuclear threats, will have nothing else to complain about. This is easier said than done.

Obama’s appearance has weakened racial prejudice in the U.S. How far could his influence go? Could it help to reduce national discrimination and mend the conflicts that have arisen from it?


星洲日報/國際漫步‧作者:李愛如‧2009.04.19

從東亞到中東,從歐洲到南美洲,奧巴馬用燦爛的笑容展開讓人盛情難卻的春季外交攻勢。一時間,東西方媒體紛紛對這位巧克力膚色的總統施展的外交“巧實力”,讚不絕口。
奧巴馬盡情施展巧實力之餘,也領導美國,讓美國的外交政策摒除國家歧視的視角。是的,這世上不只有性別歧視、種族歧視,還有國家歧視。

奧巴馬上任後率先向美國的世敵伸出橄欖枝,益發顯得前政府不僅無意與敵國修好,反而更像要刻意結下梁子。他主動向古巴與委內瑞拉示好,讓人猜測美國或將撤銷對古巴實行了47年的禁運。古巴當年成為蘇聯在冷戰時期對抗美國的棋子,但美國因為撼動不了幕後推手蘇聯,轉為對付古巴,令古巴遭逢近半世紀的禁運待遇。
綜觀歷來發生的世界爭端,犯事的小國往往會受到實際制裁,同樣犯事的大國則只會受到“譴責”。種種的政策偏頗說明大家心照不宣的國家歧視傾向。
這一點朝鮮常常掛在嘴邊。朝鮮說,每個國家都有權利用太空,為何唯獨朝鮮要為發射衛星受到制裁?她只差沒有向世界申訴:“為何歧視我?”
我們知道,列強要制裁朝鮮的原因是,質疑朝鮮名為發射衛星,實為試射能裝載核彈頭的火箭。不過,箝制某些國家發展核子的自由,從某種定義來說也稱得上犯下國家歧視。因此,奧巴馬提出全球無核化倡議:在大家都沒有的前提下,掀起核糾紛的伊朗及朝鮮也就沒得說嘴了。儘管這項倡議說易行難。

奧巴馬的出現打破了世人認為美國膚色歧視嚴重的成見;可奧巴馬現象的影響力又能去到多遠?能否協助淡化國家歧視,進而修補由此衍生的不和?
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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