In so many of our current national debates, there is fear-mongering ON ALL SIDES. People shouting and screaming about “death panels” in the health debate. Other people afraid of gun-toting men in para-miltary uniforms attending the debates.

This is the “Agenda of Fear”, in full bloom. Somewhere out there, somebody wants YOU to be afraid. Fearful people are easily manipulated and controlled. On the Left as well as the Right.

I have a different agenda. I want you to WAKE UP. I want all of us to be empowered. I want us to realize that fear, like joy, is a choice.

Do I get afraid? Of course. Do I allow my fears to change my vision, my values or my course of action? No.

During my recent (March/April 2009) visit to Sri Lanka, I had both my fear and my resolve tested. For years, Sri Lanka has been plagued by the infamous “white van gangs”, the modern-day equivalent of the Nazi “brown shirts”. Men riding around in white unmarked vans have been beating, killing and intimidating the opponents of the current government. Their most famous “white van” assassination was Lasantha Wickramatunga, editor of the “Sunday Leader” newspaper, in January, 2009. In a chilling post mortem editorial, Mr. Wickramatunga named his murderer — the current President of Sri Lanka.  I believe his editorial “And Then They Came for Me” is a MUST READ. The first line of Mr. Wickramatunga’s chilling post-mortem editorial: “No other profession calls on its practitioners to lay down their lives for their art save the armed forces and, in Sri Lanka, journalism.” Please click on this link to go to the Sunday Leader article: click here.

One dark night, as I was walking the five blocks from my office at Sarvodaya headquarters to my apartment, I saw out of the corner of my eye a white van pull up and slow down next to me, so close I could touch it.

I jumped out of my skin. I turned to face the van, my mind racing. Should I run? The nearest Sarvodaya security gate was blocks away. Stand and try to negotiate? Nonviolently resist?

As I prepared myself, the white van kept going. It had slowed down to negotiate the speed bump I was standing near.

In hindsight, this is a humorous anecdote. I can assure you, at the moment it was not. For days, I seriously considered giving up my apartment and moving behind the security gates of the main Sarvodaya campus, or not working until my usual 9 or 10 pm.

I did neither.

I remembered what I had written in “The Power of One: Authentic Leadership in Turbulent Times”:

“Fearlessness does not mean that you do not experience fear; it just means that you don’t let it stop you from doing what you have to do.”

I also say, “A person who does not experience any fear is reckless, dangerous and probably in denial.” Rather than deny my fear, I acknowledged it. (Easy to do when my hands were shaking so much after the incident, it took me awhile to unlock my door.) But, once acknowledged, one can move past the fear, to the point of personal empowerment.

So, I invite all of my friends, on the Left as well as the Right, to just “GET A GRIP”. Even if the sky is indeed falling, your fear reactions will mean that you are unprepared to deal with the fall. Take a deep breath, return to your inner place of power, and decide to face our collective future with positive joy. It beats all the alternatives.

Peace,

Sharif

]]> http://blog.commonway.org/2009/09/%e2%80%9csomeone-wants-you-afraid-i-want-you-empowered%e2%80%9d/feed/ 2 http://blog.commonway.org/2009/08/coming-events-for-august-and-september-2009/ http://blog.commonway.org/2009/08/coming-events-for-august-and-september-2009/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:56:55 +0000 sharif http://blog.commonway.org/?p=130

Howdy—

Thoughts on awards: Thanks for the outpouring of kind words and thoughts around the “Champion of Peace, Reconciliation and Forgiveness” award I received recently. Such an award is both an honor and an obligation… I must never “rest on my awards”, forgetting that the next challenge for peace and for forgiveness lies ahead of me. I will always have yet another opportunity to either screw up or get it right… the application of our spiritual and moral values in the context of “real world” experiences. What I “did” is the past – what I am doing, right now, is what’s relevant.

Peace,

Sharif

Coming Events for August and September, 2009:

15 August, 2009 – Vancouver, WA: IONS Community Meeting:

For those who are in the Greater Portland area, please come to this event! I will be presenting from the new book, “Seven Seeds for a New Society”.

We have created and we support a way of being, an “operating system”, based on exclusivity and adversarial relationships – a “Breaker” operating system. That entire system has become toxic to our planet and our own lives. Now, for our sake, the sake of our evolving humanity and for our planet, we must create a new “relational” operating system. This talk will describe how we can become real agents of change.

You don’t have to be a member of IONS to attend. Please see organizer Dottie Koontz’ info:

Sharif Abdullah who was our presenter a couple of years ago, has written a new book and is coming to talk about it. Sharif is the founder of the Commonway Institute and has worked in the US and many countries around the world helping to create a world that works for all. He has an affiliation with the Institute of Noetic Sciences as one of the “changemakers”. He has written a study program that has been used all over the country to learn “Engaging the Other”. He has written some brilliant material on how “enemies” see the world and has compiled a People’s Constitution from hundreds of interviews with Sri Lankans of all ethnic backgrounds. I hope you will come and participate in this program

We gather at 6:30pm for connection and munchies. Circle begins at 7pm.

Dottie Koontz

360-397-4472

15917 NE Union Rd #14

Ridgefield, WA 98642

19 August, 2009 – Portland, OR: Commonway Community Gathering at Koru House:

Please join us for a presentation and informal discussion of my newest book, “Seven Seeds for a New Society”. I will talk about the basic concepts in the book, as well as what led me to write it at this time.

We all know the ills of our society… we get bombarded with alarmist information, from the Left and the Right. What we lack is a coherent vision and strategy to attain that vision. “Seven Seeds” is the catalyst for that vision!

What are the “Seven Seeds”?

SEED #1: The Offering

We need a new perspective on seeing our challenges and a vision of our future.

SEED #2: Seeing the Problem

We have created a toxic way of living on this planet. The default option is that we don’t make it. But, there is another way. Our problems are driving us to “Plan B”, a new way of looking at humanity.

SEED #3: The Solution

Humanity is evolving to a new way of being. There are many books and many teachers who advocate a transformation of human consciousness. We are taking the next step: advocating the evolution of humanity, for the purpose of saving ourselves, all beings, and the Earth. For some of us, it will be the “end of the world”. For others, the beginning.

SEED #4: Principles and Values

Our current society is dominated by one primary value: money. Religions that are based on exclusivity have failed to supply the way to a 21st Century that works for all. We must transform to a society based on our universal spiritual/moral principles and values. Our prime value must be enhancing the Web of Life.

SEED #5: The Relational Operating System

ROS is based on inclusivity, abundance and relationships with all beings. Our current operating system is based on fear, adversarial relationships, exclusivity, scarcity and greed. We need a change.

SEED #6: The Relational Agents

We are conscious supporters of a relational operating system. We are moving away from behaviors that support and reinforce the fear-based, adversarial, exclusivist, scarcity-based operating system. We can end the Breaker system by becoming conscious, and behaving accordingly.

SEED #7: Next Steps for Humanity

We are unleashing a centuries-long vision of a world that works for all beings. With this long-range vision, we can then see the steps we must take to co-create our future.

Date: Wednesday 19 August, 2009

Place: Koru House, 1704 SE 22nd Ave, Portland OR

Time: 7:30 to 9:30 SHARP (come at 7:00 for tea and fellowship)

Cost: Come prepared to buy the book!

{NOTE: The Vancouver and Portland events will cover essentially the same ground. Feel free to chose one or the other… or, choose both!}

16-19 September, 2009 – Greater Detroit, MI Area: Multiple activities centering around “International Peace Day”

If you are near the Detroit area, please mark your calendars for “International Peace Day” activities during the week of 16-19 September, with various school visits, evening workshops and seminars, culminating in my keynote address at the “Peace Day” multicultural program on 19 September. For information on the Michigan events, please contact Rev. Matthew E. Long (248) 891-4365 www.peaceunitychurch.org

25-30 September, 2009 – Bay Area, CA: Multiple activities, centering around SF State presentation: “Reinventing the World”

For those who are in the Bay Area: I will be there at the end of September, helping to kick off Kenn Burrows month-long “Reinventing the World” discussion speakers. (Other speakers include friends Bruce Lipton, David Korten, Tom Greco and Joanna Macy.) For more information, contact:

Kenn Burrows
Institute for Holistic Health Studies
San Francisco State University
<http://www.sfsu.edu/~holistic>

Stay tuned for other activities in the Bay Area! (If you want me to present to your group or organization, please contact me at 503-281-1667.)

NON-EVENT: No “Tele-Seminar” for August…

There are some outstanding technical issues with the “Maestro Conference” format that I was planning to use. Rather than try to rush the process, I decided to wait until the techno stuff gets resolved.

I have various plans for the Fall, including:

• A “classic” training series, for those who are new to Commonway.
• A multi-part series that follows the “Seven Seeds” outline.
• A series of informal evenings, where the topics are chosen by the participants.

Stay tuned!

I was recently informed that I am to be the recipient of the “Champion of Forgiveness, Nonviolence and Peace” award, by the New Thought Center for Spiritual Living. For more information: http://www.newthoughtcsl.org/

From their flyer:

Sunday, August 2, 2009

13th Annual Celebration

The Worldwide Forgiveness Alliance (www.forgivenessalliance.org) founded the first International Forgiveness Day the first Sunday of August, 1996. Over 20 cities and 9 countries celebrated International Forgiveness Day last year. Rev Noel McInnis was a founding member.

The focus of the International Forgiveness Day is to honor those identified has Heroes and Champions of Forgiveness, Nonviolence and Peace. These people exemplify the power and benefits of the healing power and benefits of forgiveness and nonviolence. They also serve as outstanding role models, which are so desperately needed.

Upcoming Radio Interview:

I recently recorded an hour-long interview with Steve Bhaerman for his Heartland Security Radio Show.

http://www.worldpuja.org/heartland-security.php

Steve has been a friend and “co-conspirator” for quite awhile. You may know his “alter ego” self – “Swami Beyondananda”. Through humor, “they” are working on the same point of awakening that is the mission of Commonway. I think you will enjoy this interview!

The Internet broadcast is Tuesday, August 4th at 11 am PT, (2 pm ET) and is re-broadcast at 6 pm PT / 9 pm PT. Give it a listen, and tell us what you think. Listen here http://www.worldpuja.org/heartland-security.php You will need to sign up, but there is no cost or obligation.

Upcoming Tele-Seminar??

Those who were able to participate in the recent “Maestro Conference” tele-seminar reported back a very satisfactory experience with the new technology. As a presenter, it was simply amazing to be able to break people into small groups, ask for questions and actually SEE who wants to ask a question…

The Maestro Conference folks have offered the technology to me for the month of August. I am considering putting together a short tele-seminar series. I am considering one of two topics:

1. I am considering “Our Collective Shadow”, focusing on how we address issues of race, poverty/class and other sensitive issues from the perspective of inclusivity and a world for all.

2. I am also considering “The Challenges of Nonviolence”, focusing on the ongoing violence in Sri Lanka and how that violence is our challenge to evolve to a more appropriate form of humanity on our planet.

Would you be interested in another “quick” tele-seminar? Which one? Let me know…

Buy the Book!!

I’ve heard from quite a few people that they’ve tried to purchase “Seven Seeds for a New Society” from Amazon or Barnes and Noble, to no avail. The “global” distribution stuff won’t be completed for another month or so…

And… if you purchase through one of the multinational corporations, virtually ALL of the money benefit of the book goes to THEM. Commonway receives less than 75 cents when the book sells through Amazon or B&N. That compares with several dollars that come to Commonway when you purchase direct from our printer, www.lulu.com.

So… click on THIS LINK http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/seven-seeds-for-a-new-society/7396858 which will take you directly to my book. Thumb through a few pages… then BUY IT! Now! (Actually, buy two! One to keep, one to wave around to show your friends…)

Peace,

Sharif

Seven Seeds for a New Society

My newest book, Seven Seeds for a New Society is available NOW!

“Seven Seeds” is emerging at a critical phase of our time here on the planet. Many of us can see an unprecedented catastrophe looming on humanity’s horizon. I believe that we can still avert that catastrophe – a crisis caused by the arrogance of the exclusivist “Breaker” mindset. It is not too late to take the next step in our human evolution – moving out of our “caterpillar” phase (consuming everything in sight), into our transformative “butterfly” phase, casting beauty everywhere.

There is still time for all of us (including our President) to engage in “Plan B thinking” – if we’ve struck an iceberg, we are NOT getting back to “normal”. Trillion dollar life support for institutions that are TOO BIG TO EXIST gets us nowhere. “Plan B” is: “let’s do something different”.

The change of consciousness is already in motion! You already understand this. Others, including our brilliant President, will eventually get there. We can help this process by being CLEAR that this is not a “Progressive” (or “Conservative”) agenda. Those are just two different ways to articulate an ADVERSARIAL point of view. That separating, exclusivist point of view has gotten us all in trouble, no matter which side you are loyal to. It’s time to free ourselves from our limiting thoughts and viewpoints. “Seven Seeds” was written to show us how.

“Seven Seeds for a New Society” provides you with a very concise tool to engage people in the conversation on how to transform our society from its current toxicity to one which reflects our deepest values.

Do you notice how often conversations stay stuck in discussing “the problem” and don’t go on to solutions and visions? Do you notice how people can talk about what they DON’T want easier than discussing their hopes, dreams and visions? “Seven Seeds” is designed to help us past those conceptual barriers.

PLEASE HELP ME SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT “SEVEN SEEDS”. I don’t have a huge advertising budget. I don’t have a paid publicist or a staff cranking out press releases. What I’ve got is you. Acting together, we can raise awareness and consciousness, better than a hired marketing staff.

1. Buy the book! To order, go to the Commonway website and follow the directions: http://www.commonway.org/seven-seeds-for-a-new-society. (In a few weeks, you will be able to buy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and also from your local bookseller.)

2. Encourage others to buy the book. We all have “networks” that we belong to. Some are only a few dozen people. Others are in the hundreds or thousands. Regardless of the size of your list, please tell folks on your lists that (1) you are buying this book, and (2) you encourage them to do the same. (Don’t forget to send them a copy of the webpage link.)

3. Print out a copy of the two-page flyer. Pin a copy to your church’s bulletin board. Make another copy for the community board at your coffeehouse or café. Leave a copy on top of your desk, for your nosy office mates to have something to look at! (At the bottom of the web page is an attachment for the printable version, in PDF format.)

Let’s work together to get this in front of as many eyes, minds and hearts as possible, to catalyze the next steps on our evolutionary path.

Lao Tzu said that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. Our journey of 6,800,000,000 hearts and minds begins with your first contact.

Peace,

Sharif

PS: For the observant: you may have noticed a title change. I am still writing “Spirit on Earth: An Operating System for a Spiritual Society”, which will definitely relate to “Seven Seeds”. But, talking about two books with one title was confusing even me! “Seven Seeds” should be considered a stand-alone “prequel” to “Spirit on Earth” when it comes out sometime next year.

PPS: On the printer’s website (www.lulu.com), “Seven Seeds” is listed in the “Religion and Spirituality” category. That’s simply the “least bad” category available from their website. They don’t have categories for “Consciousness”, “Current Affairs”, even “Politics” or “Ethics”. (I could have listed it under “Horror”, or even “Cooking”, but I’m not sure many people would have gotten the joke.)

]]> http://blog.commonway.org/2009/07/seven-seeds-for-a-new-society-now-available/feed/ 1 http://blog.commonway.org/2009/06/announcing-my-newest-book-spirit-on-earth-an-operating-system-for-a-spiritual-society-in-the-21st-century/ http://blog.commonway.org/2009/06/announcing-my-newest-book-spirit-on-earth-an-operating-system-for-a-spiritual-society-in-the-21st-century/#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:17:58 +0000 sharif http://blog.commonway.org/?p=104 Howdy–

A lot has shifted for me in recent months.  I want to share that with you, and give you some news on my new book and related activities.

The recent events in Sri Lanka have affected me deeply.  The Sri Lankan government’s willingness to kill and imprison an entire population in pursuit of their goal to eliminate the Tigers is appalling.  Even more difficult for me has been Sarvodaya’s silence in the face of this nightmare.  Because of confidentiality, I cannot go into the details of this matter.  However, suffice it to say that they are NOT following my STRONG advice.

In the face of this setback for peace, in the face of the temporary triumph of violence and fear, I asked myself a question: have I wasted the last 14 years?

The answer that came back from that introspection was a resounding NO!  I have learned a lot from my international work, in Sri Lanka, in Cuba, in Argentina, in Russia, in Venezuela, in many other places in the world.  I have understood what makes societies work, and I’ve learned when and how they fail.  I’ve learned the difficulties of keeping to one’s values in the face of adversity, and how easy it is to go along with popular opinion, even when that opinion violates your core values. I’ve learned what it means to be alive in the beginning of the 21st Century, and what it’s going to take to create a world for all beings.

I have also been searching through over 100 distinct cultures, looking for the common spiritual threads that unite humanity and connect us with the Divine.  And, I’ve found them.

Every year, I use my birthday as a time to reflect back on my life, to look at how things have been and where I’m going.  (I turned 58 in March.)

For the past 50 years, I have been witness to the NEED for a new society.  For the past 30 years, I have been ENVISIONING the system that will lead us to that society.

For the past 15 years, I have been both discovering and field-testing the elements of a new operating system in places like Sri Lanka, Cuba, Argentina, Bali and now Nepal. I have learned what works (regardless of how improbable or unlikely) and I’ve learned what doesn’t work (despite how good it looks on paper).

And, for the past several months, I’ve been writing down what I have learned about Spirit and society.  So, on the 20th anniversary of “The Power of One” and the 10th anniversary of “Creating a World That Works for All”, I am doing a new book, my most comprehensive.

My working title is: SPIRIT ON EARTH: AN OPERATING SYSTEM FOR A SPIRITUAL SOCIETY. Our challenge: to practically apply our spiritual values in the world, in a realistic way that we can save humanity and save the Earth. My goal is to envision a system that can work in Oregon and in Egypt, in New York and New Delhi, in Kathmandu and in Chattanooga. I am articulating what I call the “Relational Operating System”, as the replacement for (and antidote to) Breaker systems such as capitalism, communism/ socialism and any other human system based on separation and exclusivity (including most religions as practiced).

We know quite well what doesn’t work.  Our problem is that we don’t know what will.  For the first time in human history, our technology has outstripped our imagination.  Recently, one of my critics wrote: “If socialism has failed we might as well embrace our coming extinction.”  Isn’t that sad?  In his self-limited mind, there are only two thoughts in the world: capitalism and communism/socialism.  You can only have one or the other…

My new book will offer a solution to this dilemma.

I plan a very unique 3-step presentation/ rollout for “Spirit on Earth”:

COREBOOK:  First, there will be a short “corebook” that will contain the essence of the concept.  The corebook will be “launched” on 14 July (my late mother’s birthday, as well as the French Bastille Day – a good enough time to talk about the liberation of humanity… from itself).  I am aiming for the corebook to be about the size and length of “The Power of One”.

I intend to offer this corebook as SHAREWARE!  People will pay for it as they can, and to the degree they derive value from it.  The intention is to BROADCAST “Spirit on Earth” widely.  The goal here is maximum impact… well beyond the “usual suspects” that have populated Commonway’s database.  I am also looking for some definitely non-traditional distribution methods.  I’m going to seek some funding (probably from Fetzer Institute) to support the distribution.

SOURCEBOOK:  Next, I will write and publish a “full” text of the concept.  I am aiming for a December, 2009 publication.  This will be available in a more traditional format.  The sourcebook may be attractive to a publisher (especially if the launch of the corebook is successful).

THREE IN-DEPTH BOOKS:  Depending on what happens with the sourcebook, I intend to write up to 3 other books in 2010 or 2011, one each on Consciousness, Economics and Power.  (Most of the text has already been gathered.)

In addition: I intend to offer a series of new workshops and seminars, all based on how to understand and implement the Relational Operating System.

What I need from you is three things: spiritual support, networking support, and financial support.

1. Spiritual Support: One of the things that I learned from Sarvodaya: focused spiritual activity can shift the “psychosphere” the field of human thought. All it takes is focused will. Through your prayers, affirmations and meditations, you can help me to establish this one thought: “IT IS TIME FOR US TO LIVE OUR VALUES”. That will help prepare the ground for “Spirit on Earth”.

2. Networking Support: Each of you is part of a network. Some are obvious, like Facebook or MySpace. Others are less obvious (and more “human”): your church group, your school groups, your neighbors. By seeding the question – “WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR US TO TRULY LIVE OUR VALUES?”, you will be helping me to prepare the ground for what I hope will be a major dialog on our future as humans on this planet.

3. Financial Support:  I am working as full time as my schedule allows (while monitoring the situations in Sri Lanka, Nepal and elsewhere, and doing some fee-based contract work during the summer).  What I need from you is financial support.  The more financial energy I get from you, the less I have to stop writing to do fee-based work to cover expenses.

I have already received a few generous donations, totaling over $1,000 toward my goal of $8,000 to complete this book by mid-July.  This money will keep Commonway going, as well as allow me to hire a page editor, cover designer and other behind-the-scenes people who turn a collection of ideas into a BOOK.

Those who donate $100 or more to the corebook development and launch, will get a “Producers” credit in the book itself!

To Donate: Click on the “donate” button on the lower left-hand column on any page of the Commonway website:  http://www.commonway.org/.  After making your donation, please send me an email saying that you would like the funds applied to the “Spirit on Earth” book launch.  (And remember: I still accept donations the “old fashioned” way: paper checks made out to “Commonway Institute” and mailed to:

COMMONWAY INSTITUTE

P.O. BOX 12541

PORTLAND, OR 97212

If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Peace,

Sharif

A quick update: according to both Sri Lankan government sources and Tamilnet, the LTTE (also known as the “Tamil Tigers”) have been militarily defeated. Vellupalai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Tigers, has been killed, along with all senior LTTE leaders. The government reports that all Tamil civilians formerly used as human shields by the Tigers are under its control (although TamilNet reports many civilians still hiding in bunkers).

For an in-depth analysis, please see the excellent article by my friend Dr. Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka: http://www.peace-srilanka.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=132:first-steps-to-be-considered-in-post-war-phase&catid=1:latest&Itemid=121.

I want to take a second to acknowledge Jehan for his courageous and consistent voice for peace in the face of the drumbeats of war and violence. Right now in Sri Lanka, people who speak out against the violence have been beaten and killed. (The infamous “white van gangs”, mobile death squads that no one can seem to find, will stop at home or office, beat or kill journalists or other public figures, then speed off.  There’s never been an arrest.)

It takes a clear sense of mission and a lot of personal integrity to be a voice for peace and nonviolence. In these times, silence can be construed as complicity. It takes real guts to say not just what is popular or what is politically expedient – to say what is TRUE.

As I think about Jehan, my thoughts go to another Harvard-trained lawyer, this one from Chicago. I think about the Chicago lawyer speaking out for peace at a time when the drumbeats of the Iraqi War drowned out all reason in America. Once Americans woke up from our orgy of violence, once we saw the true costs of the war (in dollars, blood and spirit), we turned to him and made him our President.

So Jehan, keep speaking out. Stay as safe as possible. “Temple Trees” (the Sri Lankan Presidential residence) awaits. [For more on Jehan’s work and writings, click here: http://peace-srilanka.org/]

Reactions and Predictions:

I shed no tears for the passing of the LTTE or its leader, Prabhakaran. The goal of the organization was always unrealistic and its methods always brutally violent. I am not sorry to see them go.

I do lament the orgy of violence, and the bloodlust that still grips the island. With upwards of 20,000 of their fellow-citizens killed or maimed in the recent fighting, with their country and their economy in tatters, I believe the celebrations in the capital city of Colombo are ill-advised and will be short-lived. The costs of this war will be more than the country can bear.

As bad as things are, I believe the situation is poised to get MUCH worse. Is it possible for a “failed state” to get “FAILED-ER”? War crimes, summary executions, extensive use of prison/ concentration camps and the possibility of ethnic cleansing are distinct possibilities.

So, what happens next? It’s anyone’s guess, but here are a few benchmarks or milestones you should pay attention to in the near future:

The next 3-6 days:

• Are international observers granted access to all former battle areas?
• Are international observers and international/ independent media granted access to all refugees?

(If not: expect a massive cover-up of war crimes, summary execution of suspected LTTE cadres and sympathizers, and bulldozing the “safe zone” battlefield to conceal the extent of non-combatant deaths.)

The next 3-6 weeks:

• Are the refugee camps opened and unlocked? Are people residing in the camps only because they WANT to be there, not because they are FORCED to be there? (Of course, it is reasonable to restrict people from returning to areas that have not been cleared of landmines or have other health and safety hazards.)
• Are detention camps for LTTE combatants open to Red Cross inspection?
• Are the Sri Lankan people given full information on how much the war actually costs, in human lives and in financial expense? (The government stopped publishing casualty figures months ago, similar to the Bush Administration not allowing photos of flag-draped caskets returning from Iraq.)
• Has the government initiated and opened a national dialog on the long-term solution of the underlying ethnic issues that gave rise to the LTTE? Have all parties and constituencies been invited to participate?

(If not: expect summary execution of LTTE combatants and ethnic cleansing.)

The next 3-6 months:

• Is insurgent violence receding (or eliminated)?
• Is there a reduction and removal of the police state security apparatus (fewer checkpoints, less population screening, fewer “high security zones” in the North and East)?

(If yes: this would be the first indication that the violence of President Rajapakse’s military offense against LTTE is yielding a non-violent result.)

Next year:

• Is there a rise in post-traumatic stress related factors (the already astronomical suicide rate goes higher; alcohol and drug use up, domestic violence on the rise)?
• Is there more violence on the island than in 2003 (the first full year of the Ceasefire Agreement)?
• Is there a rise in communal violence?

(If not: Sri Lankans can then legitimately celebrate the victory of May, 2009.)

Three years:

• Is there a meaningful devolution of power that protects the rights of ALL Sri Lankans, including Tamil and Muslim minorities?
• Has Sri Lanka moved off of the list of “failed states”?

Stay tuned. The first benchmarks are less than a week away.

Peace,

Sharif

]]> http://blog.commonway.org/2009/05/next-steps-in-sri-lanka/feed/ 4 http://blog.commonway.org/2009/04/the-destruction-of-buddhism/ http://blog.commonway.org/2009/04/the-destruction-of-buddhism/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:45:47 +0000 sharif http://blog.commonway.org/?p=78

I had gotten pretty immune to the never ending stream of “patriotic” billboards and posters along Galle Road, Sri Lanka’s Main Street. Soldiers in jungle gear, faces smeared with war paint, huge assault guns held in ready position, with lots and lots of bullets draped on them – the jewelry of death.

Because I turn off the propaganda of war (in whatever country I’m in), I almost missed this poster: a little larger than usual, and with more implements of violence (jet fighters, helicopters…). But, the thing that got my attention was its position: right in front of a huge statue of the Buddha.

My first reaction was: “I didn’t see that.” Maybe my mind conjoined two very separate images — after all, most of Galle Road is a blur to me, after traveling this main traffic artery for over a dozen years.

A few days later, I drove back by. This time, I asked my driver to stop. And I took some photos. And a movie clip, in case someone accuses me of Photoshopping (a verb, akin to plagiarizing).

Buddha and War Poster

The war poster caption reads: "Now we have a country for our selves, There is now a tomorrow for you, son." "We salute you!"

I am not a Buddhist scholar. I haven’t formally studied the religion. But, from the little that I know, I believe the Buddha would unequivocally condemn the violence being done in his name in Sri Lanka. If that statue could move, it would get up and tear down the poster that glorifies and revels in violence. If that statue could cry, it would.

All around the world, I see people all too willing to hijack and subvert their most precious spiritual beliefs, to satisfy their lust for blood and their lust for power.

This isn’t about a minor deviation from a minor aspect of a hard to understand religious dogma. It is a major violation of one of the core tenets of one of the world’s most important faiths.

But that’s not the bad part: what turns my stomach is the near-silence met by this travesty.

The Life Of Buddhism

For most of us in the world, when we think about the term “Buddhism” we picture the smiling face of the Dalai Lama. Indeed, for many of us, his stance of nonviolence in the face of Chinese aggression is the epitome of what Buddhism looks like, as practiced. The Chinese aggression made the Dalai Lama a world-class figure, and Tibetan Buddhism known throughout the world.

The Dalai Lama: The Face of Buddhist Practice

The Dalai Lama ACTS like being “Buddhist” is more important than being “Tibetan”.

The Death of Buddhism

When I ask you to think about the term “Buddhism” you probably DON’T think about Sri Lankan Buddhism.

Recently, I was in the Midwest, doing a presentation on Sri Lanka before an audience of a few dozen people. To exemplify the Sri Lanka military, I downloaded a few photos of the proud Sri Lankan soldiers in their snappy uniforms, marching. One woman raised her hand and asked, “I thought Sri Lanka was a Buddhist country. Where are the Buddhists?”

To answer, I blew up the picture of the Sri Lanka soldiers, focusing on the hand of the soldier in the foreground. Around his wrist was a telltale white band. I told her, “These soldiers ARE the Buddhists. This band is the cord each one of them received when he went to the Buddhist temple to get the blessings from the monks, before marching off to kill human beings.”

Sri Lankan Soldiers

The Seal of Approval

The woman burst into tears. “I thought Buddhism was DIFFERENT!” she said between her tears. “I thought Buddhists actually PRACTICED what they talked about!”

A rude awakening.

Just like Christianity, Islam and everything else, Buddhists are just as likely to fall prey to powerful men who want to re-write the rules to suit their own agenda. Because the Buddha’s message: “Do no harm to any sentient being” is so clear, it makes the re-write so ludicrous and the attempts at manipulation so blatant and repellent.

But, if the re-write of “DO NO HARM” into “KILL OUR ENEMIES” is so obviously WRONG, what causes millions of otherwise sane and devout Sinhalese to buy into this, to revel in war and violence? More importantly, what causes them to go along with this attempt to conflate their ethnic identity with the OPPOSITE of their religion?

The Burning Buddha

One of the most durable terror symbols in the modern world is the “Burning Cross” of America’s Ku Klux Klan. In their heyday, the symbol of the Burning Cross struck fear among millions of America’s black citizens. It stood for the widespread practice of lynching, torture and intimidation — violence done openly and with impunity. Terrorism, pure and simple. Terrorism in the name of Jesus.

The KKK: America’s Home Grown Terrorists

In the light of this cultural terrorism, it’s hard to remember that the Cross represents the doctrine of Jesus, a doctrine of love, nonviolence, inclusivity, and acceptance. Jesus said that there were only two laws: (1) Obey God, and (2) Love your neighbor as yourself. (He actually went further and declared that we should LOVE OUR ENEMIES. I think Jesus and the Buddha would have really gotten along well with each other!)

Into this philosophy of love, nonviolence and inclusivity, the KKK added a superseding Commandment: “Hate and kill those who look, act or think DIFFERENT from you.” In the doctrine of Jesus (as re-written by the KKK), white skin was more important than any other consideration, including ANYTHING Jesus said to the contrary.

Fast forward 100 years. Take this doctrine of cultural arrogance to a different continent and a different culture. Have it based not on the color of skin (everybody in Sri Lanka is some shade of brown) but on language and cultural behaviors.

The Recipe for Cultural Arrogance:

1. Start with an unhealthy inferiority complex. (In the case of BOTH Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka, I believe the inferiority comes from centuries of colonization.) ANYTIME you see a resort to violence (a man punching his wife, or one country punching another), inferiority lies somewhere in the mix.

2. Add anger and a misplaced need for revenge (or, the need to “prove” oneself).

3. Place your CULTURE above your RELIGION. (Better still: confuse and conflate the two.)

4. If available: add a legitimate goal. The desire to live free from terrorism and the threat of violence is a legitimate goal. BUT, this goal can be attained NONVIOLENTLY. Indeed, it is the ONLY way it can be attained. Don’t believe me? Ask the Buddha.

Cultural arrogance lies at the intersection of bad nationalism and bad religion.

Bad Nationalism

Now, nationalism or ethnic identity is not by itself a bad thing. I am very proud of my culture and my history and heritage as an African-American. And, I know many other Americans are proud of their ethnicities also. But, the key point is this: I don’t need to put anyone else down in order for me to feel good about myself. The need to be “better-than” another person (on the grounds of culture, religion, gender or anything else) is the hallmark of a serious INFERIORITY COMPLEX. Secure people are not arrogant. Arrogant people are not secure.

The mixture of a feeling of inadequacy, coupled with the external need to be “better-than” some other group, is the recipe for what I call “bad nationalism”. By “bad nationalism”, I mean a “national” identity that hyper-inflates the stature of one group within a nation, at the expense of all others.

Remember: the people that Adolph Hitler and his Nazis put into concentration camps and exterminated – the blacks, the Jews, the Gypsies, the homosexuals – were ALL GERMAN CITIZENS. Under the Fascists, true “nationalism” – the German nation – was not important. A false notion of “racial purity” – the Aryan ideal – took its place. Bad nationalism.

The Sri Lanka “nation” consists of THREE major ethnic groups, not ONE (Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim). The Sri Lanka “nation” consists of FOUR major religions, not ONE (Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian). The Sri Lanka “nation” speaks THREE languages, not ONE (Sinhala, Tamil and English).

As any American can tell you, practicing inclusivity and political and cultural pluralism is not easy. In our relatively short history, America has gotten it wrong more often than right. But, since the Sixties, we have been firmly committed to the path of inclusivity. And our entire country has benefited from our adherence to the goal of “E Pluribus Unum” (“Out of Many, One.”) Even those who fight against the concept of inclusivity are its beneficiaries.

Forging one nation in Sri Lanka will be messy. It always is. It will involve compromise and sacrifice. No one will get everything that they want. But, in the end, all Sri Lankans will be better for it. And Buddhism will thrive on the island, without the need for protectionist laws against religious conversion.

Bad Religion

Religion can be a beautiful thing. I have had the privilege and the honor to participate in spiritual ceremonies from virtually every major wisdom tradition on Earth – from Eastern Orthodox Christian ceremonies in the far North to Maori ceremonies in the far South. And everything in between – including Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim ceremonies in Sri Lanka.

The thing that makes a religion beautiful, the thing that creates MEANING within the religion, is that the ceremonies each REPRESENT something. The actions and rituals represent something in this world and also represent something in the Transcendent realm. The wisdom teachers (of all faiths) left us a set of moral principles to guide our lives and our societies.

However: when you take the meaning out of the religion, when you scrub away the moral principles, then you are left with a handful of rituals that have no MEANING attached to them. This is what I call “bad religion”. Bad religion is full of rituals but devoid of meaning. It’s like a hungry man sitting down to a dinner of plastic food. He can put it in his mouth, chew and swallow, but he’s still empty. Your Spirit cannot be fed by a religion that is almost exactly OPPOSITE to the principles taught by the Buddha.

The philosophy of the Buddha has been feeding the world for over 2,500 years. The culturally arrogant “anti-Buddha” philosophy has been spiritually starving Sri Lanka for awhile – long enough for Sri Lanka to have one of the world’s highest suicide rates AND one of the world’s highest alcoholism rates. This is what happens from spiritual stomachs full of plastic.

Those with the guns, planes, cluster bombs and “patriotic” billboards say that they act to “preserve Buddhism”. (This argument has the same reasoning – and the same lack of morality – as the Christian “just war” doctrine.) What those gripped by cultural arrogance and the blood-lust cannot understand is this: NOTHING CAN DESTROY BUDDHISM, EXCEPT THOSE WHO BELIEVE IT CAN BE PRESERVED BY VIOLATING ITS PRINCIPLES.

The Way of the Buddha is the way of loving-kindness, compassion and nonviolence. In its essence, it is the exact opposite of what the current Sri Lankan government is practicing in the Vanni right now. You can either be a peace-loving Buddhist, or you can be a war-loving chauvinist, BUT YOU CAN’T BE BOTH.

Or, maybe you can. Maybe, in this crazy, upside-down world, the Buddha of the 21^st Century condones, supports and blesses the guys with the biggest guns, the guys who wage the best battles. Instead of sitting in meditation, maybe this new Buddha will be seen carrying an assault rifle – and a bottle of Arrack (why not? If you violate one principle, why not violate them all?)

THERE IS HOPE

The “good Sinhalese” are out there. The people who are offended by the war posters are in hiding on the island. While writing this article, I received an email from a Sinhalese friend:

I am happy you are away from this blood bath and craziness. Most of us are trapped in this hell. I feel shame to be a so called Sinhalese and live in this world. But, a little bit of remaining Faith and Hope helps me to bear this heavy burden of shame.

Even in the midst of this insanity, I still have hope. This is not just a stubborn refusal to face facts. This is my way of looking at facts through a long lens. The one thing that the past 100 years of organized evil has taught us is this – BLOOD-LUST ONLY WORKS IN THE SHORT TERM. People eventually come to their senses. In my country, it took us 8 years to wake up from our most recent trance, to retrieve our democracy and our Spirit from the hands of those who wanted to rule the world and were willing to trample underfoot both our Constitution and the lessons of Jesus to achieve their goal. It took about that long for the “good Germans” to realize the horrors that the Nazi government was perpetuating in their name.

Right now, it is very dangerous for people in Sri Lanka to stand up and speak out. The blood-lust is high. The war drums beat. Political disappearances are at an all-time high. In Sri Lanka, dissent is dangerous.

But, people will eventually wake up. Even as the statues of the Buddha are desecrated with the images of war, it is important for us to remember that a statue is a statue… the place the true Buddha resides is in our hearts. And that’s the place we need to keep clean and clear, as we wait for the blood-lust to spend itself.

May all beings be well.

May all beings be secure.

May all beings be happy.

Peace,

Sharif Abdullah

[This is my first report from this visit to Sri Lanka. The situation over here has become very dangerous – people are being attacked and killed for speaking out. Because of what is in this report, I want to make it clear that the thoughts expressed herein are MINE and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of Sarvodaya and/or its leadership.]

Howdy –

In a recent article, the fair and objective “International Crisis Group” (ICG) laid out the problem of the continuing war in Sri Lanka and its devastating consequences for civilians trapped by both sides in the fighting. (Please review this article by Lakhdar Brahimi at: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=6013&l=1. For a recent “Conflict Risk Alert” on the Sri Lanka humanitarian crisis by ICG, click here: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5974&l=1.)

However, calling on the parties that have been so committed to violence to end their mutually destructive campaigns is a plea that will fall upon deaf ears. It will not be heard.

Both the Government and the Tamil Tigers have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to injure or kill civilians in order to achieve short-sighted aims. I see no evidence that this will change. The over 70,000 war dead in Sri Lanka were not killed by accident – they were killed by INTENTION. That intention to commit acts of violence, on both sides, continues.

BLOOD-LUST – AMERICA AND SRI LANKA

The Southern part of Sri Lanka is currently gripped by blood-lust. The drums of war drown out all reason. This is similar to what gripped America at the start of the Iraq War. And, like the Americans, once the blood-lust wears off and the Sinhalese people see the true cost of this war, they will question whether what was gained was worth our young men and women, our treasury and our souls.

The war in Iraq bankrupted America. It is the leading cause of our catastrophic economic free-fall to the bottom. We are seeing a tidal wave of soldiers returning from Iraq with broken bodies, broken spirits and broken souls. Drug abuse, suicide, broken families, post-traumatic stress — we are paying the price for our arrogance. This is the price of yielding to the blood-lust. After the orgy comes the hangover.

The war in Sri Lanka is bankrupting this country, financially and spiritually.

The blood-lust of the South is mirrored by maniacal martyrdom in the North. Sitting on ever-shrinking territory in the North, the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) appear gripped with a fanatical fatalism – a willingness to not only martyr themselves, but also sacrifice up to 150,000 of their fellow Tamils. Under the guise of “protection”, they imprison these trapped innocents, turning them into unwilling pawns, negotiating points and human shields.

THE PROBLEM OF POWER

Unfortunately, this situation is not unique. The deplorable situation for civilians here in the Sri Lanka War Zone is played out all around the world. On every continent, governments have shown themselves to be at odds with the people they allegedly govern. People like Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Al-Bashir in the Sudan or Kim Jong-il in North Korea are but three examples among many, examples of leaders willing to sacrifice their own citizens as pawns in a mad chess game. Increasingly, government is the problem, not the solution.

THE PARADOX OF “AID”

In this context, international helping agencies often become the enablers of government violence, greed and waste. Here in Sri Lanka, the government attempts to borrow over a billion dollars from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), after spending over a billion dollars on war and violence.

For their part, the LTTE has collected hundreds of millions of dollars from the worldwide Tamil diaspora. Instead of investing these funds for the uplift of the Tamil people, they invested in ever-increasing war and violence.

Both government and insurgent share the same attitude:

“We’ll buy what we want (war, violence, corruption), and beg for what we need (food, water, shelter and education for our citizens).”

The reason I call this a “paradox” is this: what does a compassionate person do, when faced with human need? Yes, governments in Zimbabwe, Sudan, Sri Lanka and elsewhere OUGHT to feed their people, but DON’T. It falls upon strangers to do so. And, these same compassionate groups become targets of criticism and violence when they point out that they are doing what the governments will not. (The Sri Lankan Defense Minister recently lashed out at international aid groups. For his comments, click here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7961088.stm.)

THIS MUST CHANGE.

But how? How do you change a government (or an insurgency) that has no intention to change? How do you change more than the personalities – how do you change the SYSTEM of governance itself?

In the past, the answer to this question was simple: get guns and wage a violent revolution, a struggle for “liberation”. History teaches that the violent insurgents become the next violent government, willing to oppress its own citizens.

Something that I state often in my conflict resolution classes: “Whatever tool you are willing to use against your “enemy” is the same tool you will eventually use against your “friend”.”

If asking government to change doesn’t work, and violence is out of the question (for spiritual, moral and practical reasons), what do we do?

CRAFTING A WORLDWIDE SOLUTION – BUILDING THE RELATIONAL SOCIETY

The basic problem is that our “leaders” act as though they are not in RELATIONSHIP with their citizens. They act out of EXCLUSIVITY.

We can ask them to change. (The success rate on that is not high.) Or, WE CAN CHANGE OURSELVES.

Right now, people around the world are creating a new, alternative governing and economic structures. Rather than relying on our past “-isms” (either “capitalism” or “communism”), people are waking up to the need to create NEW, human scale institutions, grounded in universal principles of love, compassion, sharing, humility and inclusivity. These new forms are not threats to the existing forms of governance – they are supplements.

Around the world, people are looking for ways to deepen democracy by including previously excluded voices (including ethnic and religious minorities, as well as socially/culturally unpopular groups). People are learning that exclusion and domination of others is the recipe for violent reaction. People are learning that, by coming together, we can harness the power most overlooked by traditional governments – the power of the human spirit.

Around the world, people are building new institutions of economic relationship. We are learning that practicing a “relational economics” yields results that are not only economically fair but also spiritually satisfying. People are learning that there is more to life than money.

My job, here in Sri Lanka and elsewhere, is to observe, strengthen and catalyze these transformations.

We humans are awakening to some fundamental realities:

• Our “Motherland” is the entire Earth, not one little tiny corner of it.
• Our “Family” is the entire human species, and all other species, combined. There are no “Others”.
• Our “task” is to carry out the teachings of our wisdom teachers (including Jesus and the Buddha), to NOT CAUSE HARM TO ANY SENTIENT BEING, ESPECIALLY HUMAN BEINGS. Our wisdom teachers have told us that there are ALWAYS alternatives to violence. But, it is hard to hear this when the blood-lust is ringing in our collective ears.

The Commonway approach focuses on the long term. In the current context, we are reduced to asking the parties not to do what’s right, but to do the least amount of harm as they follow their own selfish interests.

Twenty years ago, we watched the collapse of Communism as a political and economic entity. Now, we watch the collapse of Capitalism. I firmly believe that the Commonway approach represents the next evolutionary step in human governance and represents a deepening of democracy and the creation of a relational form of economics.

LOST HORIZON

In closing, I quote “Father Bero”, the mythical “high lama” from the 1930’s classic movie “Lost Horizon”. (If you haven’t seen the restored version of this film, it’s time to update your Netflix cue!) I quoted this text in a message from Sri Lanka two or three years ago – it’s still relevant.

“What madness there is, what blindness, what unintelligent leadership! A scurrying mass of bewildered humanity, crashing headlong against each other, propelled by an orgy of greed and brutality.

A time must come when this orgy will spend itself, when brutality and the lust for power will perish by its own sword.

When that day comes, the world must look for a new life, a way of life based on one simple rule: be kind.

When the strong have devoured each other, the Christian ethic may at last be fulfilled, and the meek shall inherit the earth.”

(Father Bero, the High Lama in “Lost Horizon”.)

[Reminder: the “Christian” ethic is also the “Buddhist” ethic, the “Muslim” ethic…]

THE NEED FOR MORAL LEADERSHIP

Just as America is emerging from its orgy of violence in Iraq, finding itself depleted and soul-scarred, Sri Lanka one day will do so.

Americans turned to Barack Obama as a leader who was not tainted by the blood-lust, who had the courage to speak out, even when it was not popular to do so. Similarly, Sri Lankans will be searching for such leadership, once the blood-lust fades.

Once people start seeing clearly again, I believe that the people themselves, Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim together, will create a Society of the Spirit, for a world that works for all.

Peace,

Dr. Sharif Abdullah

Executive Director

Commonway Institute

PS: What’s the “Dr.” all about? No, I haven’t been taking courses from a “university” I found on a matchbook cover. I am resolving a conundrum that has been with me throughout my international travels.

In America, recipients of the juris doctor degree are generally referred to as “attorney”, not “doctor”. However, since I no longer practice law, referring to me as “attorney” is misleading.

In other parts of the world, a person with a doctorate (which I have) who teaches at the graduate level at a university (which I do) is referred to as “doctor”. And, I have it on the highest authority (Wikipedia!) that even in the US, holders of the “terminal” degree of juris doctor can and do refer to themselves as “doctor” when they are teaching.

Here in Sri Lanka, as in most of the world, referring to someone by their professional title is both respectful and clarifying. (It takes a lot of explaining as to why I have a doctorate and I teach, but I don’t refer to myself as “Dr. Sharif”.)

So, I’m doing this for clarity, not for ego. Those of you who know me personally can still refer to me as… Your Highness. (Don’t forget to genuflect…)

If you want to check out the Wikipedia article on the subject, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juris_Doctor.

PPS: As usual, please feel free to re-post this as you see appropriate.

]]> http://blog.commonway.org/2009/03/report-from-the-field-%e2%80%93-sri-lanka/feed/ 1 http://blog.commonway.org/2009/03/watch-your-language/ http://blog.commonway.org/2009/03/watch-your-language/#comments Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:17:47 +0000 sharif http://blog.commonway.org/?p=66

Remember the movie “Titanic”? There’s a scene where the bearded captain looks out from the bridge and sees the bow of his “unsinkable” vessel dip below the water. Imagine him at the radio, reporting that the vessel was experiencing a “downturn”!

That’s how most news media and politicians refer to the present economic transformation. A “downturn” implies a temporary condition – we just need to get through this stretch, then everything goes back to “normal”. We can resume our wasteful, toxic, greedy, unsustainable, selfish lives, once we get to the “upturn”. Just sit back and wait…

Does this look like a "downturn"??

Like the bow of the Titanic, this economy is simply not going to magically rise above the waters. And nor should it. I have been warning for over THIRTY YEARS that we were headed for this moment. Now, it’s here. Now that this moment is here, we know what needs to be done.

Because the makers of the Titanic believed the ship to be “unsinkable”, they did not put enough lifeboats on board. Because the captains of our economic ship believe(d) it to be unsinkable, they did not put ANY lifeboats on board!

That’s the bad news. The good news is… we actually have time to design and build our own lifeboats! There’s lots of usable materials lying around. Some of us have been working on the lifeboat designs for quite awhile. (My book, “Creating a World That Works for All”, is almost ten years old!)

So… a word to add to your talking/thinking about the economy: TRIAGE. In an emergency, where there are lots of injured people and only a few aid providers, doctors work out a system of who gets the limited resources.

• Those who will die without immediate attention get treated first.
• Those who are only slightly wounded, or those whose maladies are not life-threatening, get treated next to last.
• Those who are on the brink of death get treated last.

In our economic triage, we should add another category: those that really OUGHT to die! (Now, you can’t get away with THAT when dealing with humans!) The billions of dollars in life-support is NOT aimed at human casualties, but at non-human (inhuman?) institutions… some of which (in my humble opinion) are destructive of the Earth and our human niche on this planet. For example: General Motors was a bad idea 20 years ago… now that its about to die, why bother putting them on life support?

The billions that are aimed at keeping these dinosaurs alive should go to the millions of workers who are caught in this economic transformation. It would be money well spent.

Peace,

Sharif

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