Cesar Chelala - The Japan Times

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Cesar Chelala

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Cesar Chelala

Cesar Chelala, MD, PhD, is an international public health consultant for several UN agencies, and a writer on human rights, medical and foreign policy issues. He is a winner of an Overseas Press Club of America Award. His articles have been published in more than 70 countries worldwide.

COMMENTARY / World

Oct 3, 2003

Israeli debate over soldiers' duty deepens

NEW YORK -- The recent refusal by 27 high-ranking Israeli Air Force officers to follow superiors' orders that would involve attacking Palestinian civilians signifies a rebuke of the Israeli government's policy of "targeted liquidations." What makes the pilots' decision particularly important is that...

COMMENTARY / World

Aug 9, 2003

U.S. need not fear the ICC

NEW YORK -- In recent years regional courts have been set up in Europe and the Americas to deal with the most serious human rights abuses committed by governments. International "ad hoc" criminal tribunals have been set up to deal with atrocities and massive killings committed in the former Yugoslavia,...

COMMENTARY / World

Jun 4, 2003

Congo's riches continue to bring only death and misery

NEW YORK -- Since achieving independence in 1960, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been ravaged by internecine ethnic strife that has claimed millions of lives. In spite of that, the conflict has been largely neglected by the world's industrialized governments. The United Nations Security Council's...

COMMENTARY / World

May 25, 2003

Marooned Argentines trust in Kirchner

NEW YORK -- The election of Nestor Kirchner as Argentina's new president offers hope for a national economic and social recovery following decades of government mismanagement. Kirchner will need to back his intentions with prompt implementation of effective policies to convince Argentines that he will...

COMMENTARY / World

Apr 19, 2003

Stop demolitions of Palestinian homes

NEW YORK -- Systematic home demolitions, severe travel restrictions, curfews and town blockades are cruel occupation policies aimed at intimidating Palestinians and making them leave their lands. Since the start of Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands in 1967, more than 10,000 homes have been demolished,...

COMMENTARY / World

Apr 10, 2003

U.N. must control Iraqi relief operations

NEW YORK -- Even before the war against Iraq has reached its climax, the U.S.-British invasion of that country had already provoked a humanitarian crisis that is proving to be a nightmare for international relief agencies. Although much has been done by relief agencies in preparation for this emergency,...

COMMENTARY / World

Mar 31, 2003

Posturing of 'truths' failed to derail U.N.

NEW YORK -- One of the first casualties of any war -- although often overlooked -- is language. Perhaps this has never been more true than in the present war against Iraq. Diplomacy, we are told, "failed." The United Nations, we are told, has become "irrelevant." The attack against Iraq, we are told,...

COMMENTARY / World

Feb 8, 2003

Death and despair await Iraqi civilians

NEW YORK -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's forceful presentation to the U.N. Security Council failed to convince key council members of the need for an immediate war against Iraq. Concern for the consequences of another conflict in the region could possibly explain France, China and Russia's...

COMMENTARY / World

Jan 25, 2003

Only Mitzna offers real hope for peace

NEW YORK -- The Jan. 28 elections in Israel offer voters a clear choice: either they choose to continue with policies that have only brought increased violence and misery to their country, or they can take the bold step of choosing a candidate with risky but novel ideas on how to deal with the ongoing...

COMMENTARY / World

Jan 5, 2003

Israeli 'transfer' of Palestinians feared

NEW YORK -- A war against Iraq could have devastating consequences not only for the Iraqi people but for the course of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians as well. A statement by 187 Israeli academics -- later joined by several hundred from overseas -- calls attention to the possible "transfer"...

COMMENTARY / World

Dec 15, 2002

Fight poverty by closing education gaps

NEW YORK -- Among the issues highlighted by the 2002 "State of World Population: People, Poverty and Possibilities," released by the United Nations Population Fund on Dec. 3, is the impact of poverty on education and, consequently, health -- particularly that of women of reproductive age. According to...

COMMENTARY / World

Nov 24, 2002

Angolans starve as oil revenue vanishes

NEW YORK -- It is a sad paradox that one of the potentially richest developing countries in the world is going through one of its worst crises in history. It is a humanitarian crisis that is, to a large extent, the result of that country's corrupt leadership. While the threat of starvation rages throughout...

COMMENTARY / World

Nov 9, 2002

Public health problems in the Americas

NEW YORK -- Latin America and the Caribbean enter the new century showing measurable gains in several health indicators such as life expectancy, infant survivability and the fight against several infectious diseases. Most countries in these regions, however, still face daunting challenges due to sprawling...

COMMENTARY / World

Oct 28, 2002

Poverty and poor health go hand in hand

NEW YORK -- Poverty cannot be defined solely in terms of lack of income. A person, a family, even a nation is not deemed poor only because of low economic resources. Little or no access to health services, lack of access to safe water, illiteracy or low educational level and a distorted perception of...

COMMENTARY / World

Oct 5, 2002

AIDS: a medical and social epidemic

The rapidly increasing number of AIDS orphans worldwide is one of the most serious consequences of the AIDS epidemic today. It is estimated that more than 13 million children currently under 15 have lost one or both parents to AIDS, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Asia, the rapid spread of the infection...

COMMENTARY / World

Sep 8, 2002

Ethical dilemma in war of 'self-defense'

NEW YORK -- The recent unjustified killings of Palestinian civilians -- several children among them -- have not only raised the anger of the Palestinian population but also some of Israeli civilians. More importantly, those brutal killings endanger the withdrawal negotiations and threaten to condemn...

COMMENTARY / World

Aug 18, 2002

Domestic violence: the hidden epidemic

NEW YORK -- Gender violence, manifested essentially as violence against women -- although it is generally unrecognized and underreported -- is one of the most significant epidemics in the world today. That violence against women is considered normal behavior in many countries does not diminish its seriousness...

COMMENTARY / World

Jul 13, 2002

HIV epidemic taking its toll on Myanmar

NEW YORK -- According to the latest statistics, the number of HIV/AIDS cases in Myanmar continues to rise, fueled by drug abuse, population mobility, poverty and a lack of effective government policies. Thai medical experts report that the epidemic, if not controlled, may soon eclipse the worst situation...

COMMENTARY / World

Jun 24, 2002

Shameful progress on reducing hunger

NEW YORK-- The World Food Summit in Rome underscored the severity of malnutrition around the world. More poignantly, it showed how slow the progress has been so far toward eliminating hunger and malnutrition. According to some estimates, 800 million people worldwide -- among them 300 million children...

COMMENTARY / World

Jun 2, 2002

Rebuilding Argentines' shattered hopes

NEW YORK -- After returning from Argentina, my native country, I am deeply puzzled. It is difficult to reconcile the image of the proud country I left more than 30 years ago with the one I saw again recently. How can I explain the hundreds -- or thousands -- of people who go scavenging every day as soon...

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.

Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.

The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'

By Tomoko Otake

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