Archive - 2011

Volunteers and Victims By JIA TOLENTINO Published: May 13, 2011 THIS week, in the wake of accusations that the Peace Corps had mishandled the startling number of sexual assaults against its volunteers over the last decade, Congress invited former participants to tell their side of the story. In many cases, their tales were horrifying – not only of rapes and attempted rapes, but also of the Corps’s efforts to play down or ignore them, as well as the risks involved in certain country assignments. Many echoed comments by volunteers interviewed for an ABC News report in January. Karestan Koenen, who was raped in 1991 in Niger, said, “My own experience was that the treatment by the Peace Corps was worse than the rape.” As a recent Peace Corps volunteer whose service in Kyrgyzstan ended early because of sexual harassment, I sympathize with Ms. Koenen. My ultimately positive experience points to . . .

Aaron Williams took one on the chin for the Peace Corps on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. He took one for his Administration, all those CDs and APCDs around the world; he took one for all the past Peace Corps Directors when he appeared as the sole Peace Corps voice at the House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing to examine what its chairwoman, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtien, Republican of Florida, called “serious crimes” committed against Peace Corps Volunteers, including murder. In announcing the Hearing, her office cited reports of “gross mismanagement of sexual assault complaints.” She is right. All of us going back fifty years could say much the same. We all have stories to tell from being there. Trying to ‘run’ the Peace Corps from Washington is like trying to organize a gaggle of geese. It can’t be done. Aaron, and the Directors before him, has had to delegate authority to others, many others, . . .

We are more than half way to raising our ($10,000) to reserve space for our Third Goal Bash, a party in D.C. on Saturday night, September 24, 2011, of our 50th Anniversary Peace Corps Reunion. Thanks to all of you who have made contributions and bought tickets. Now as for the rest of you who are coming to Washington, D.C. (and not attending the NPCA Gala,) but who want a place to party…Well, we’re the place you want to be. We are hosting a second gala (with a small ‘g’) and you can make it happen by buying your ticket(s) early. They are just $33. Thirty-three dollars for the Third Goal. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the George Washington University athletic arena. We’ll have beer, wine, soft drinks, and food, plus entertainment and plenty of space to dance or just hang around and talk to others from your years overseas and find out what has happened to them since you last . . .

If you missed yesterday morning’s live showing of the Hearings, then missed them last night after midnight, you can watch them now at:http://www.c-span.org/Events/House-Foreign-Affairs-Cmte-Hearing-on-the-Peace-Corps-50th-Anniversary/10737421475-1/ Thanks to Stan Meisler for the ‘heads up’ on this link.

May 10, 2011 Peace Corps Volunteers Speak Out on Rape By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG WASHINGTON – Jess Smochek arrived in Bangladesh in 2004 as a 23-year-old Peace Corps volunteer with dreams of teaching English and “helping the world.” She left six weeks later a rape victim after being brutalized in an alley by a knife-wielding gang. When she returned to the United States, the reception she received from Peace Corps officials was as devastating, she said, as the rape itself. In Bangladesh, she had been given scant medical care; in Washington, a counselor implied that she was to blame for the attack. For years she kept quiet, feeling “ashamed and embarrassed and guilty.” Today, Ms. Smochek is among a growing group of former Peace Corps volunteers who are speaking out about their sexual assaults, prompting scrutiny from Congress and a pledge from the agency for reform. In going public, they . . .

AFTER THE APRIL FIRST-ROUND CONTEST for the Peruvian presidency that involved five top candidates, two remaining candidates are slugging it out before the June 5th run-off. The turnout could prove enormous when voters choose either Ollanta Humala, a former army colonel who lost in the 2006 election, or Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori. Recently in Washington, DC, Peru’s Deputy Consul General Maria Eugenia Chiozza de Zela met with Tino Calabia (Peru 1963–65) and Sarah Stewart (Guatemala 2004–6, Honduras 2006–7, PC Response/Panamá 2009–10) to discuss getting help with the election at polling sites in this country from Spanish-speaking RPCVs. Both Tino and Sarah had joined 13 others recruited by RPCVs Mike Wolfson and Gloria Levin, (President of Amigos de Bolivia y Peru), to assist with the April elections. Chiozza now needs more help, and Sarah and Tino agreed to contact Spanish-speaking RPCVs who once served in Peru . . .

Tom Neilson (Colombia 1970-74 & Senegal 1976-78, plus a gig as Kenya Training Officer 1981-82) is really a singer, and his song “Biomess” about about the proposed biomass plant in Greenfield, Massachusetts is nominated for an Earth Day song of the year award. If you support the environment, (or Tom!) you can vote for the song, but you need to do it by the end of today. (midnight, I think) The more votes the song gets, the more publicity for clean energy, forest protection, clean air, water, sustainability. You vote by selecting the download option under his photo at this site. Thanks. http://earthday.sonicbids.com/BandDetails.aspx?b=28241&bn=Tom+Neilson

You might have missed Stan Meisler’s  comment on the proposal someone named  Charles Kenny  wrote for the Center For Global Development entitled: “The Peace Corps in a Smaller World: A New Model for the Next 50 Years.” Kenny is a fellow at Global Development, or whatever they call   such ‘Think Tanks’. Judging from his CV, he is a Brit so we have to cut him some slack for not knowing what he is talking about. Stan Meisler, however, does know what he is talking about. Stan was a Peace Corps Evaluator in the early days of the agency and recently wrote, When the World Calls: The Inside Story of the Peace Corps and Its First Fifty Years. Charlie James Kenny as it  appears from his CV, has a blog: http://www.charleskenny.blogs.com but has never volunteered for anything or ever had a real job (you know, as Republicans like to say, “has he met a payroll?”) Charlie recently published his . . .

The hearing on issues of sexual violence in the Peace Corps has been announced for next Wednesday, May 11, at 9:30.  This hearing is open to the public.  If you are in or near D.C., or planning to fly in, First Response Action would love to have your support!   First Response Action Coalition www.firstresponseaction.org http://firstresponseaction.blogspot.com Join First Response Action on Facebook Hearing Information  Wednesday, May 11, 2011  9:30 AM  Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building Witnesses Panel 1: Problems of Safety and Security Ms. Jessica Smochek RPCV Ms. Carol Clark RPCV Karestan Chase Koenen, Ph.D. RPCV Ms. Lois Puzey Parent of Late Peace Corps Volunteer Ms. Jennifer Wilson Marsh Hotline and Affiliate Service Director RAINN Panel 2: Assessment and Reform The Honorable Aaron S. Williams Director Peace Corps Panel 3: A View from the Inspector General Ms. Kathy A. Buller Inspector General Peace Corps