SSFDD ALUMNI IN THE GLOBAL NEWS

The first SSFDD alumni returned home in August 2005. Since then, they continue to be closely involved in their countries’ policymaking. This webpage will serve as their medium to share activities and the ways in which they continue to build the leadership, research, and networking skills they explored during their stay at Stanford.
Here are a few of our alumni cited in the news:

FAHIM HAKIM (2005)
Nation Faltering, Afghan’s Leader Draws Criticism
New York Times, US, August 23, 2006
Hakim warns that corruption in Afghanistan is so widespread, and the divide between rich and poor so gaping, that President Karzai is losing public support.
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70B13F6395A0C708EDDA10894DE404482
 
Child beheader video ‘shocking’
News24, Cape Town, South Africa, April 24, 2007
"It is shocking," said Ahmad Fahim Hakim, from the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and SSFDD alumnus.  "It is of high concern and we condemn this sort of activity by Taliban and those who are intentionally abusing children and forcing them into this kind of brutal and violent behaviour," said the commissioner.
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2103938,00.html

DARIA MILOSLAVSKAYA (2005) and TANYA LOKSHINA (2005)
Putin Critics Get Bush’s Ears, But Putin gets the Hug
New York Times, US, July 15, 2006
Daria and Tanya were part of the Russian opposition activists who met with President Bush in advance of G-8 Summit. President Bush met with Russian opposition activists on July 14 in St. Petersburg, Russia. In the group meeting with the president were 2005 Stanford Summer Fellows Alumnae Tanya Lokshina, chairwoman of the DEMOS Center for Information and Research, and Daria Miloslavskaya, founder of the "Human Rights Hotline."
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50E14FC34540C768DDDAE0894DE404482
 
TANYA LOKSHINA (2005)
The Saturday Profile: From Warlord to Premier, a Chechen Transformation
New York Times, US, July 15, 2006
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10D12FF34540C768DDDAE0894DE404482

Signs of Renewal Emerge from Chechnya's Ruins
New York Times, May 4, 2006
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00B10FA355B0C778CDDAC0894DE404482&showabstract=1

Beslan still a mystery two years on
ABC Online, Australia, September 3, 2006
"TANYA LOKSHINA: The key problem in this respect is that there has been no independent and impartial inquiry into the circumstances of the Beslan tragedy."
http://www.abc.net.au/correspondents/content/2006/s1731364.htm

Journalist Critical of Chechen War Is Shot Dead
New York Times, US, October 10, 2006
“She was doing such risky things for such a long time that it seemed she had transcended the danger,” said Tanya Lokshina, chairwoman of Center Demos"
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/world/europe/08russia.html?hp&ex=1160280000&en=aee5e01fba4b16df&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Putin, Promoting an Ally, Fuels Speculation Over Successor
New York Times, Moscow, Russia, February 15, 2007
On Chechnya's president, Alu D. Alkhanov's resignation and Ramzan Kadyrov's presidency, Tanya Lokshina states this also underscores the Kremlin’s disregard for the complaints received about Mr. Kadyrov’s tactics. “There’s not even a nominal president who was protesting what Kadyrov is doing,” she said. “That’s what Alkhanov was doing.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/16/world/europe/16russia.html?ex=1175313600&en=a65f9229df9cacca&ei=5070
 
Moscow police detain ultranationalist activists
CTV.ca, Moscow, Russia, November 4, 2006
"For a long time, the authorities were actually dallying in nationalist and xenophobic attitudes, trying to make themselves popular in that way, and now this has gotten very much out of control and they cannot handle the situation," human rights activist Tanya Lokshina said.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061104/moscow_arrests_061104/20061104?hub=CTVNewsAt11
 
OLGA STUZHINSKAYA (2006)
Olga Stuzhinskhaya was cited as one of the TOP TEN RISING EUROPEAN STARS who will contribute to the shaping of Europe in the next decade.
E!Sharp Magazine, Belgium, September-October 2006
http://www.peoplepowerprocess.com/flash-mags/september06.htm (please download PDF version)

EU renews Belarus sanctions ahead of Minsk opposition rally
Charter '97, Brussels, Belgium, March 20, 2007 and EUObserver, Brussels, Belgium, March 19, 207
"This [the quick release of Mr Vyachorka and Mr Siuchyk] is a good sign...but you could hardly call it a big step, as it is just going back to the same situation we had before," NGO activist Olga Stuzhinskaya said.  "If they released Kozulin that would be a real step. But unfortunately there are no signals we can expect anything on that any time soon," she added.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2007/03/20/eu
http://euobserver.com/9/23732
 
Belarus duplicity made clear by fresh arrests
EUObserver, Brussels, Belgium, March 14, 2007
"Lukashenko's decorative talk about bilateral relations with the west all started after the oil and gas price increases from Russia," said NGO activist and SSFDD alumna Olga Stuzhinskaya. "Since then there has not been any single, little concrete step. Now, before 25 March there are more arrests. People are being arrested every day."
http://euobserver.com/9/23702
 
KAVI CHONGKITTAVORN (2006)
Coup raises fresh questions about press freedom in Thailand
International Herald Tribune, France, September 22, 2006
"I think the coup leaders are sensitive to online information and electronic broadcasts," said Kavi Chongkittavorn, senior editor at The Nation, noting that were the outlets that Thaksin depended on to get his message out.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/22/asia/AS_GEN_Thailand_Coup_Press_Freedom.php

Thailand Reinterprets the Rules of Democracy, Again
New York Times, US, September 21, 2006
Calling Tuesday’s coup a hiccup, Kavi Chongkittavorn, a political commentator at the daily newspaper The Nation, said: “It was a necessary evil, if you look at it. There were no other options to end this political cul-de-sac.” But he conceded: “It is a contradiction in terms to have a military coup that calls for political reform. That’s the dilemma.”
Reprinted in the Boston Globe, Boston, and the International Herald Tribune, France.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/21/world/asia/21thailand.html?ref=world
 
Thai Coup Leaders Tighten Control Over Media Outlets
Voice of America, US, September 21, 2006
Kavi Chongkittavorn, the assistant editor for one of Thailand's English language newspapers, The Nation, says so far his paper has been able to publish without ...
http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-09-21-voa13.cfm

Saving Thai Democracy: Will the Cure Kill the Patient?
New York Times, US, August 30, 2006
“Mr. Thaksin says he plays by the rules, but he’s the one who broke the rules most of the time,” said Kavi Chongkittavorn, a political commentator at The Nation daily newspaper. "I think democracy means a lot of things. It doesn't just mean elections; it also means checks and balances, it means transparency, it means how you use your powers, it means you are accountable as a leader. On these things, Mr. Thaksin does not have a good record at all."
Reprinted in Inter Press Service, Italy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/30/world/asia/30letter.html?hp&ex=1156996800&en=b7b4e727b6d59082&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Exiled leader calls shots as junta stumbles
The Peninsula, Qatar
"The ruling authorities ... would prefer that the media perform the role of promoting national unity (and) harmony," Kavi Chongkittavorn, a commentator, wrote this week.  "What they fear the most is the media taking up a watchdog role." 
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/commentary/commentaryother.asp?file=januarycommentary562007.xml
 
Thailand's government in crisis
The China Post, Bangkok, Thailand, March 31, 2007
"Thaksin did not show much respect to the king," said Kavi Chongkittavorn, an SSFDD alumnus and senior editor at The Nation, an English-language daily.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/archives/editorial/2007116/100130.htm
 
Bush Irrelevance Showing
IPS - Inter Press Service, Bangkok, Thailand, November 22, 2006
‘'It is clear that the countries in Asia want to display a mind of their own, with new interest towards China. Trying to push APEC to accept an U.S. agenda will not work,'' Kavi, a senior editor at ‘The Nation' newspaper, told IPS. ‘'Bush has come to be seen as a two-issue president by some -- the Middle East and Iraq. These don't address the concerns of the people here.''
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=35569
 
2007 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize awarded posthumously to Russian reporter Anna Politkovskaya
UNESCO Press Release No. 2007-XX, Paris, France, March 29, 2007
Kavi Chongkittavorn, President of the UNESCO/Guillermo World Cano Press Freedom Prize jury of fourteen professional journalists and editors from all over the world, explained the jury's choice:
"Anna Politkovskaya showed incredible courage and stubbornness in chronicling events in Chechnya after the whole world had given up on that conflict. Her dedication and fearless pursuits of the truth set the highest benchmark of journalism, not only for Russia but for the rest of the world. Indeed, Anna's courage and commitment were so remarkable, that we decided, for the first time, to award the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize posthumously."
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22079&Cr=&Cr1=
 
Little commitment to new ideas
Nation Multimedia, Bangkok, Thailand, March 29, 2007
The Asean non government sectors also urged the drafters to pay attention to the role of the media in promoting awareness of Asean identity and consciousness as well as to provide feedback of their current concerns.
"Access to information and uninterrupted flow of information for the media is important to promote a people centred Asean," commented Kavi Chongkittavorn, chair of Southeast Asian Press Alliance and SSFDD alumnus.
http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/03/28/headlines/headlines_30030482.php
 
LIU JUNNING (2006)
Dismissing Democracy. China's government speaks out against political reform—just in time for Bush's state visit
The Time, Asia Edition, October 2, 2006
http://www.time.com/time/asia/news/article/0,9754,1122519,00.html

The primary concern of the Law of Property is human rights
China Information Center, March 29, 2007
SSFDD alumnus Liu Junning reports on the property rights developments in China.  He stresses the importance of property rights as the fundamental basis for human rights and to regard "property rights merely as a type of civil rights such as economic rights, particularly the rights of welfare, is a partial and incomplete understanding of the real sense of the term."
http://www.cicus.org/news/newsdetail.php?id=7249
 
GLADWEEL OTIENO (2006)
A lot is up to us: Interview with Gladwell Otieno
MS Kenya, Danish Association for International Cooperation, News and Articles, August 2006
http://www.ms.dk/sw44801.asp

Search for stolen billions hits snag
The Standard, Nairobi, Kenya, March 5, 2007
Two years ago, the then Transparency International Director, Ms. Gladwell Otieno, was quoted on BBC news online as having said that the odds of recovering the funds were against Kenya.  "The people who got the money out obviously had enormous resources, and it’s not easy for developing country Governments to conduct these cases," stated Gladwell.
http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143965650
 
Make the battle with corruption relevant to Africa
Mail & Guardian, Johannesburg, South Africa, March 14, 2007
Gladwell Otieno, the executive director for the Africa Centre for Open Governance in Kenya and SSFDD alumna, recently had an interview with the Mail & Guardian's Haydée Bangerezako about her efforts in preventing anti-corruption.  The interview touched on African Union anti-corruption protocol, African asset-recovery programme, and the highlights of the African Union convention.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=301996&area=/insight/insight__africa/
 
Lobby’s bid to cut MPs’ pay package
The Standard, Nairobi, Kenya, May 3, 2007
"Do not think that you will sign the charter for the heck of it. If you sign for the wrong reasons, you will regret it," former Transparent International Director and SSFDD alumna Ms Gladwell Otieno said.
http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143968088
 
Britain fails Kabbah on the fight against corruption
Christian Monitor, Freetown, Sierra Leone, April 16, 2007
Because of the lack of political will to fight corruption, the report conducted by distinguished consultants Joel Cutting and SSFDD alumna Gladwell Otieno, recommends that the British Government cease support to the ACC with immediate effect. UK development funds could be more productively spent elsewhere, including the media and other anticorruption activities, the report suggested.
http://www.christian-monitor.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=384&Itemid=26
 
Graft – Leakey Warns Officials
AllAfrica.com, Washington, United States, April 4, 2007
Dr Leakey, who also served as a member of the "Dream team" of technocrats hired by President Moi in the mid 1990s, said: "We still see graft in elections, at road blocks and at education offices."
He said he would help restore the eroded image of the NGO following the controversial exit of two chief executives, SSFDD alumna Ms Gladwell Otieno and Mr Mwalimu Mati.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200704030955.html

Make the battle with corruption relevant to Africa
Mail & Guardian, Johannesburg, South Africa, May 3, 2007
Gladwell Otieno is the executive director for the Africa Centre for Open Governance, based in Kenya and SSFDD alumna. An uncompromising anti-corruption campaigner, she aims to revive Kenyan civil society's work on anti-corruption and good governance.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=301996&area=/insight/insight__africa/

SAADIA ABBASI (2005)
War against Pak to intensify: Marri
Hindustan Times, India, September 15, 2006
"Saadia Abbasi said Balochistan should be seen as an important unit of the federation and it must have all the rights as envisaged in the Constitution."
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7932_1797739,001601170000.htm

Possible US attack on Iran would destabilize region: Speakers
Online News, Islamabad, Pakistan, March 29, 2007
Senator and SSFDD alum Saadia Abbasi supports the viewpoint presented by Prof. Nazir Hussain that the US was planning to promote sectarian divide in an effort to weaken the states in the region.  "Our interests should be to come closer to Iran," she urged in an effort to restrain the government from any plan of attack on Iran.
http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=108832
 
Senate session starts amid PPP boycott
Daily Times, Islamabad, Pakistan, February 20, 2007
Opposition in the Senate calls for improvement in the agricultural, industrial, and service sectors.  “The government should concentrate on improving skilled labour and creating job opportunities,” she said, adding the government should also try to control high production costs that were creating problems for the industrial sector in the international market.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C02%5C20%5Cstory_20-2-2007_pg7_33
 
Legal action to be taken against UN offices
Gulf Times, Islamabad, Pakistan, January 29, 2007
Senator Saadia Abbasi has been urging the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to move against the United Nations Food Programme (UNFP).  Following her complaint the authorities in Pakistan have decided to try the United Nations for using residential areas for illegal uses.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=129975&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23
 
Ministers rebuked for staying away from Senate
The News, Islamabad, Pakistan
In light of Tariq Wasi Ghazi allotment of plots in federal capital, Senator Saadia Abbasi has demanded an end to such allotment of plots to military personnel. 
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=40268
 
800 residences being misused for commercial purposes: Tariq Azeem
The Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan, January 19, 2007
800 residential units are being used in violation of the rules and Senator Saadia Abbasi has tried to bring to attention corporate commerical activities in residential areas ranging from embassies to transmission towers.   “Chairman CDA even do not bother to reply to a letter written to him drawing attention towards these violations,” she said, expressing the apathy of the Capital Development Authority in checking these violations. 
http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2337&Itemid=2
 
Opposition, treasury senators demand quota in manpower being sent abroad for employment
Online - International News Network, Islamabad, Pakistan,
Senator Saadia Abbasi called to attention a federal minister's illegal act of giving auto companies special benefits through tax reductions and demanded a debate over this matter. 
http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=107485
 
Senator demands fresh election in Bajaur
The News, Islamabad, Pakistan, March 31, 2007
“An election in which half the registered voters were not allowed to participate is clearly not a fair election, and it is important that a fresh election be conducted so that the right of adult franchise is upheld,” demanded Senator Saadia Abbasi in her petition addressed to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=38876
 
Non functional CJ, his family members are kept like prisoners: Class fellows of CJ’s daughter
Online – International News Network, Islamabad, Pakistan, May 3, 2007
PPP-P central leaders Abida Hussain, Zammurd Khan, Khawaja Asif and SSFDD alumna Saadia Abbasi of PML-N also participated in the demonstration. A large number of women, lawyers and Haroon ur Rashid, president Islamabad bar association also attended the rally.
http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=109676
 
Govt has strengthened institutions – Durrani
Associated Press of Pakistan, Pakistan, May 3, 2007
The Minister informed that several lawyers and politicians including Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Abida Hussain, SSFDD alumna Saadia Abbasi, Iftikhar Gillani, Athar Minnallah and others met the Chief Justice on Friday.
http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5942&Itemid=2

EZZAT I. M. YOUSSEF (2006)
President Levin Announces Selection of 2006 World Fellows
Yale University, Office of Public Affairs, May 1, 2006
“This year’s World Fellows include the deputy CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the minister of finance of Costa Rica, the director general of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office, the managing partner of Vietnam’s leading law firm and a top correspondent at Egypt’s most widely read newspaper.”
http://www.yale.edu/opa/newsr/06-05-01-03.all.html

YURI DZHIBLADZE (2005)
Moscow, unyielding, deports 153 Georgians
International Herald Tribune, France, October 6, 2006
"Yuri Dzhibladze, an ethnic Georgian and president of the Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights in Moscow, described the authorities' actions as an unjustified overreaction to political disputes with Georgia's president, Mikheil Saakashvili."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/06/news/georgia.php

Seems Like Old Times
The American Prospect, February 2, 2007
"[The government] will not tolerate foreign funding of individual NGOs," Yuri Dzhibladze, head of the Moscow-based Center for Democracy and Human Rights, told me. "We are extremely dependent on foreign funding, and President Putin calls it illegitimate interference into the Russia political system promoting foreign interests in Russia."
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=12429
 
Germany Lags in Support of Russian Civil Society, Activists Say
Bloomberg, United States, April 26, 2007
“While Chancellor Angela Merkel's first visit to Russia provided a ‘hopeful sign’ that she would alter the pro-Russian policy of her predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder, Germany has failed to provide European leadership in criticizing Putin's policies, Yuri Dzhibladze, founder of the Moscow-based Center for Democracy, Development, and Human Rights and SSFDD alumnus, said today in Berlin.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=aUC1XcQYsReU&refer=germany
 
Human rights activists demand EU take Russia to task
EUBusiness, United Kingdom, April 26, 2007
“The head of the Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights and SSFDD alumnus, Yuri Dzhibladze, said Germany had turned a blind eye to rights violations in Russia so as to not jeopardise its economic ties, in particular the energy sector.”
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1177606841.73
 
RINDAI CHIPFUNDE
Chiredzi South by-election results 
SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe News, February 19, 2007
National director of ZESN and SSFDD alum, Rindai Chipfunde-Vava, commented on the recent Chiredzi South by-election won by Zanu (PF)'s Callisto Gwanetsa.  According to Chipfunde-Vava, out of 50,000 possible voters only about 15,000 cast their votes and only 29% participation from registered voters.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news190207/chiredzi190207.htm
 
Mugabe Plans to Dilute MDC Strongholds
AllAfrica.com, Washington, United States, April 20, 2007
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) raised concerns over the time factor and voter education, which might disenfranchise a significant number of people when they go to wrong constituencies.
"In 2005 when constituency boundaries were changed in the run-up to parliamentary elections at least 10% of the registered voters failed to cast their votes when they went to wrong constituencies," Zesn director and SSFDD alumnus, Rindai Chipfunde, said.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200704200683.html
 
Zimbabwe Ruling Party Accused of Manipulating Electoral Process
Voices of America, United States, April 18, 2007
National Director and SSFDD alumnus Rindai Chipfunde-Vava of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network said the logistical burden of implementing the proposals would be overwhelming.
http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/Zimbabwe/2007-04-18-voa54.cfm

MIABIYE KUROMIEMA
Oil workers targeted as Nigeria violence grows
Reuters, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, February 5, 2007
"I think we are coming to a turning point," said Miabiye Kuromiema, director of non-government group Our Niger Delta.  "There is a chance we will survive elections without a major crisis and the next president will engage more fundamentally on the issues of the Niger Delta. If not, there will likely be a bigger challenge to oil production."
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L04602484.htm
 
SAMEH FAWZY
The Colors of Freedom. The Fourth Wave of Democracy in the World
International Sharook
SSFDD alumnus Sameh Fawzy published a new book in Arabic with the International Sharook called the "Colors of Freedom. The Fourth Wave of Democracy in the World".  Mr. Fawzy provides some valuable insight into a number of important questions pertaining to how democracy can be achieved in the hybrid regimes.  His critical discussion of the democratic processes provides a challenging perspective on the current political landscape in Egypt.