Language Resource Center International Recipe Swap

By Amelia Luo ’23 

Staff Writer & Photographer

From Dec. 1, 2020 to Jan. 15, 2021, the Language Resource Center is hosting an online recipe swap for Mount Holyoke community members to share their favorite recipes and holiday traditions. This activity will take place via a shared Google Doc, which is accessible to everyone interested. 

In the document, people can link or type out their recipes as well as comment on the recipes provided by others. This activity aims to encourage people to try different dishes from around the world while connecting them with different languages and cultural communities. 

Jean Janecki, the Language Resource Center coordinator and liaison, said, “I have been saddened by the emptiness in the LRC and missing all our students, staff and faculty that share the love for different languages and cultures. I am always looking for ways to keep our community connected and even more so now in our remote world.” 

Inspired by a recipe swap hosted by LITS and other colleges’ online activities, Janecki chose food as the theme of this activity. “Since food is something we have in common, I thought it would be nice to see what others enjoy around the world and even better if the dishes, stories and recipes could be shared. All MHC students, staff and faculty are welcome to submit their recipes, along with photos, and it would be great to have some videos too,” Janecki said.

Ina Dombrowski ’24, who participated in the recipe exchange, shared her recipe for Laugenbrötchen, or pretzel buns. 

“I was very excited to participate in the international recipe swap, especially since I love to travel, I love all kinds of food and I love learning about other cultures. I chose to share my [Laugenbrötchen] recipe since they are my go-to-bake when I’m craving some comfort food from Germany, where half of my family is from,” Dombrowski said. 

Due to the busy time of year, Dombrowski has yet to test out the other recipes but is excited to try them soon. “Baking and cooking things outside of my own experience and comfort zone [is] one of my hobbies, even if the recipes don’t turn out the way they were supposed to,” she said. 

Janecki shared that she hopes to eventually organize the recipes into a website. “When we are allowed to meet in person, [I want to] have a celebration of cultures featuring some of the dishes. I submitted the first recipe, beef empanadas since my family has an Argentine background and this is one of our favorite fiesta foods.”

These recipes can be found in the Google Doc to be read or attempted as a break after or during finals.

Palestinian Prisoner Ends over 100-Day Hunger Strike

By Saman Bhat ’22 & Amelia Luo ’23

Global Editor & Staff Writer, Photographer

Maher al-Akhras, currently a Palestinian prisoner, has ended his over three-month-long hunger strike after Israeli forces agreed to grant him freedom on Nov. 26, rather than renewing his sentence. Beginning on July 27 of this year, the day he was detained, the 49-year-old father of six went on a hunger strike for more than 100 days. According to The Guardian, he lost over 90 pounds. 

Al-Akhras was arrested and detained under what is known as “administrative detention,” a controversial policy that Israel implements to legally detain Palestinians for indefinite periods due to suspicion of undisclosed security offenses. These detentions can last for years without trial. According to Al-Jazeera, Israel claims that the “procedure allows authorities to hold suspects and prevent attacks while continuing to gather evidence.” However, some critics think the country is abusing its power through this practice. Amnesty International, along with several other Palestinian rights groups, have claimed that Israel’s administrative detention policy is a human rights violation, as it obstructs Palestinian peoples’ right to due process.  

According to a Time magazine article written in 2016, Israel has imprisoned nearly 4,000 people under administrative detention over the past decade, with only 35 of them being Jewish. This procedure heavily targets Palestinian citizens, as over 350 Palestinians — including two minors — were being held in Isreali prisons under the policy as of August 2020, as reported by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. This violates international humanitarian laws, as Article 76 of the fourth Geneva Convention states that protected people under occupation should be detained only in the occupied territory. 

One anonymous Mount Holyoke student noted that administrative detention has a historic connection to colonization, writing, “I think that the parallels between the methods of administrative detention taken by Israel and the colonization efforts made by Great Britain in the past highlight the fact that Israel is clearly colonizing Palestine.” 

 According to the Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency, al-Akhras was arrested because information suggested that he was an active member of the Islamic Jihad Movement and was involved in “activities that endanger public safety.” Michael Lynk, a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Palestinian territories, called for al-Akhras’s immediate release. In a report to the United Nations Human Right Council, he said that “Israeli security forces who arrested and detained Mr. Al-Akhras have not provided any persuasive evidence in an open hearing to justify its allegations that he is a genuine security threat.” 

The Shin Bet also suggested that al-Akhras had been arrested five times previously for the same reason, but the involvement was denied by al-Akhras’ family and by al-Akhras himself, who claimed not to have any involvement in “security activity.” According to the International Association for Democratic Lawyers, two of al-Akhras’s  previous arrests were under the same circumstances he is now facing. Al-Akhras was held for 16 and 11 months during 2009-2011 and 2018, respectively. He was not charged with a crime or given a trial either time.

Mount Holyoke’s Palestine Solidarity Group commented on how al-Akras’ situation is far from unique, but has brought global attention to the true nature of Israeli detention. They stated, “The Israeli prison system is an inhumane and violent tool of the illegal occupation of Palestine. Maher al-Akhras’ 103-day hunger strike has brought the conditions faced by Palestinian political prisoners to the eyes of the world, but he is far from the first or the last Palestinian to experience this violence.”

Al-Akhras is not the only Palestinian prisoner that has been detained for long periods of time due to questionable circumstances. In 2016, a Palestinian journalist named Muhammad al-Qiq was freed from six months of administrative detention after a 94-day hunger strike. Time magazine reported that “75 percent of administrative detainees are held for longer than ​six​ months without trial, and 40 percent for more than a year. Just 5 percent of Palestinians held in administrative detention are indicted at the end of their detention.”

Anat Matar, a Tel Aviv University philosophy professor who coordinates the Israeli Committee on Palestinian Prisoners advocacy group, told The Guardian about how the goal of al-Akhras’ hunger strike was not just his immediate release but also to highlight the injustices and suffering caused by administrative detention. She said, “The point for us is to protest administrative detention. What he wants is to move the discussion from his own case to the general one, and that is why he pays with his own life.”

According to Al-Jazeera, many Palestinian prisoners state that they have been subjected to torture and violence while in custody. As a result, these Palestinian detainees stage protests, including hunger strikes, against their prison conditions. This form of protest seems to be an effective tool in undermining Israeli occupation. “A hunger strike offers a rare opportunity to take back control. It is a paradoxical move, asserting the essence of your freedom by denying your oppressor control over your body,” Sally Abed wrote for The Nation. 

Al-Akhras was set to be transferred back to a prison medical facility on Oct. 23, but submitted an urgent petition against the transfer. The interim order was granted by the court. According to The Times of Israel, there were concerns from Physicians for Human Rights that the prison medical facility might engage in forced treatment or feeding, which a public hospital would not do. 

Al-Akhras’ family stated that he would be in Kaplan hospital until Nov. 16, and would then be transferred to an Arab hospital in east Jerusalem for another 10 days.

The Palestine Solidarity Group stated that they are “overjoyed that al-Akhras won his freedom.” They added, “We know that freedom for one man does not solve the collective punishment that Palestinians face on a daily basis at the hands of the Israeli occupation. We stand in solidarity with Maher al-Akhras and all imprisoned Palestinians and are committed to working against carceral systems in Palestine, in the U.S. (Turtle Island) and across the world.”

Korean Language Table

Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ‘22

By Amelia Luo ’23

Staff Writer & Photographer

This year, due to remote learning, the Korean Language Table is being hosted through Zoom. Although different from the traditional language table experience, students are adapting, finding new and innovative ways to celebrate Korean language and culture virtually. 

“The table’s goal is to make students more motivated in learning Korean as their second language … because sometimes it’s hard to start learning a new language,” Chloe Choi ’21, the host of the Korean Language Table, said. This is Choi’s first year working as a Korean language assistant and third year as a language tutor. 

“The Korean language assistant [and] tutor job is always pleasant because I can meet many students who’re interested [in] or even love the culture where I’m from,” she said. 

Each week, the language table has different themes. In the first module, they covered the national holidays of Korea; in the current module, they are learning more about Korea’s culture, history and geography. 

Choi expressed her initial worries with holding Korean Language Table on Zoom. “In the beginning, I was a little afraid of using Zoom since I was a bit worried about … less motivation [from] students,” she said. “Fortunately, everyone is very passionate and active in the events.”

Clare Heywood ’21, who is also a Korean language mentor, sees the event as a bridge that connects a small community. “I find that it’s a very lovely way for those learning Korean at the moment or those people who have taken Korean courses at Mount Holyoke in the past to connect with the language in a small and community-based manner each week,” Heywood said. “I’m incredibly glad they’re still being held through the pandemic, and that I can continue to meet a wide array of Mount Holyoke students with similar interests as well as offer them my support as an upperclassman.”

Ayesha Khalid ’23 expressed excitement about how the language table has influenced her study of Korean. “I took Intro Korean in the first module, but I am still attending Korean Language Tables in the second module,” Khalid said. “The breakout room discussions are very engaging, and it is really fun to talk about Korean culture even if our class peers are far from each other and doing it virtually. The experience is very lively and [we’re all] inclusive of each other.”

“It would be even more fun if Korean Language Table takes place in person over the upcoming semesters,” Khalid added.

Venesia Delancy ’22 hasn’t missed a single Korean Language Table since the semester started. This surprised Delancy, who said, “Given the circumstances, I'm glad we’ve been able to transform the language table into something that still engages us and the students during these times.” 

The virtual Korean Language Table is hosted weekly on Thursdays from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST. Anyone interested in learning about Korean language or culture is welcome to join. The event is made accessible to all levels of Korean speakers, as well as people who have no background in the language at all. For the Zoom link, please contact Professor Kyae-Sung Park (kspark@mtholyoke.edu). 

Pope Francis Approves Same-Sex Marriage

Pictured above: Pope Francis. Photo courtesy of WikiMedia.

By Amelia Luo ’23

Staff Writer & Photographer

In the documentary “Francesco” — which premiered on Oct. 21 at the Rome Film Festival — Pope Francis expressed his support for same-sex civil unions, stating that gay people are also the children of God. Pope Francis’ remarks, different from the traditional teachings of the church, might bridge the gap between the church and its recognition of the LGBTQ+ community. 

“Francesco,” directed by Evgeny Afineevsky, documents Pope Francis’ (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio) papacy for the past seven-and-a-half years, including his views on the environment, poverty, migration, inequality and more. 

In the film, Pope Francis states, “Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.” This interview was the first time that Pope Francis has publicly stated his unequivocal support for same-sex civil unions after taking on the papacy.

For years, the Pope has not given a definitive answer about their views on same-sex unions. In 2013, when asked about homosexuality on a flight back to Brazil, he answered, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” Yet in 2016, he flat out rejected same-sex marriage in his book “Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Love), claiming that it is in no way equal to marriage between a man and a woman. That being said, he still voiced support for people who are in nontraditional relationships such as single parents, unmarried straight couples and gay people who live together. 

According to The New York Times, public support from Pope Francis has “the potential to shift debates about the legal status of same-sex couples in nations around the globe,” mitigating the relationship of the Catholic Church to the LGBTQ+ community. 

Rose Lu ’23, a gender studies major at Mount Holyoke, remarked on how external societal factors play a large role in influencing people’s personal beliefs. “I believe that social structure [and] culture and people’s ideas are interlinked,” she said. “I always thought that if followers can accept other things that are forbidden in the Bible such as divorce and masturbation, then they shouldn’t exclude the LGBTQ[+] group.”

Pope Francis has made increasingly progressive comments and decisions during his papacy. On Oct. 25, he appointed the first African American cardinal to the Catholic Church’s highest governing body in history. Archbishop Wilton Gregory is a Chicago native and the first American named to the College of Cardinals since 2016. 

Critics from both sides have commented on Pope Francis’ recent remarks. Since traditional Catholic teachings condemn and prohibit homosexual acts, conservatives have criticized him for “diluting” the church’s doctrine and reversing years of its teachings. 

Others point out that while Pope Francis has helped shift the tone of the church on the topic of homosexuality, there has been little action involved in actually changing its teaching or policies. 

Carrie Lewis ’23 expanded on this sentiment. “I think for Catholics in the LGBTQ+ community it’s a big step forward to accepting them fully for their sexuality,” Lewis said, noting that the Pope’s statement likely will not reverse homophobia within the religion. “For the Catholic community itself, I would be curious to see how this is introduced at the parish level. I wonder if they’ll begin to teach this new ‘dogma’ in Catholic schools.”

According to NBC, the Vatican is still firm in its claim that marriage is an “indissoluble union between man and woman,” thus making same-sex marriage unacceptable.

Escalation in Border Conflicts Leads to Deteriorating Relationship Between India and China

Graphic courtesy of WikiMedia Commons

By Amelia Luo ’23

Staff Writer

India and China, two nuclear-armed countries, have been fighting over the disputed border in the Himalayan region, the McMahon Line, since 1914. The McMahon Line is an ill-defined border constituted by rivers, lakes and snowcaps, according to the BBC. The instability of the bodies of water causes the border to shift year to year and has led to several armed confrontations between India and China, including one this year.

On June 15, heightened tensions triggered a clash between the two countries, leaving 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers dead. This was the first fatal clash between India and China since 1975, according to the BBC. 

The details of the clash are unclear. India accused China of “provocative military movements” near the border, while China denied these charges, claiming that it was India’s troops that engaged in “open provocation and caused the border situation to become tense,” according to The Guardian.  

After the 1962 war, both sides engaged in a competition of building infrastructures such as roads, telephone lines and airstrips. This infrastructure formed what is now called the Line of Actual Control. The LAC was intended to create a demarcation line in the hopes of easing tensions between the two countries. 
In 1996, China and India signed a treaty barring firearms and other explosives along the LAC. Senior Colonel Zhang Shuili, a spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army, stated that India's move “seriously violated related agreements reached by both sides, stirred up tensions in the region ... and is very vile in nature,” according to the BBC. In rebuttal, India’s government released a statement claiming that although the Indian army is “committed to maintaining peace,” they were also “determined to protect [their] national integrity and sovereignty at all costs.”

In 2019, India completed the construction of the new Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi Road to a high-altitude airbase in the Ladakh region near the LAC. This road has enhanced India’s ability to move armies and organize support more quickly in the event of a conflict. China was strongly opposed to this project, as they believed that the road was harmful to the country’s economic corridor to Pakistan and Central Asia, according to Al-Jazeera. 

It is unlikely either of the countries will be willing to back down. Nevertheless, the standoff could escalate tensions further if neither side gives way.

Wei Chao ’23, an international relations major, shared her theory on the Chinese government’s strategy while engaging in these conflicts. “I think the Chinese government deliberately sent off troops to test [India’s] bottom line in the border issue,” Chao said. 

On Sept. 10, foreign ministers S. Jaishankar of India and Wang Yi of China reached a five-point plan in Moscow, aiming to ease tensions and resolve the crisis. That being said, this period of conflict could be the turning point of the India-China relationship. 

China is one of India’s biggest trading partners; however, India has a trade deficit of 48.66 billion, which also contributes to the political tension between the two countries. With China and India’s relationship becoming more volatile, the Indian government is calling to reduce trade and economic ties with China. It recently banned more than 150 China-linked apps such as the popular video-sharing social media app, TikTok, citing security reasons. It also introduced restrictive measures on Chinese foreign direct investment. 

Lasya Priya Rao Jarugumilli ’23, a double major in politics and physics, shed some light on why India might view China as such a big threat to the country’s sovereignty. “India is very diverse in every sense. The only thing that is keeping Indians together is this togetherness,” Jarugumilli said. “Every piece of land is important to the whole country. … [It] is part of the soul.” 

 Jarugumilli believes the aggressive response also ties back to colonialism. “[It has] not been a very long time since independence. The freedom struggle is not that far,” Jarugumilli said. “People my age, their grandparents were freedom fighters, so it is still very connected with the reality of everyday life.”  

Looking at the future of the two countries’ relationship, it is very likely that the tension might de-escalate after the diplomacy engagement in Moscow, yet the tension could easily trigger a security dilemma with 50,000 troops on both sides of the LAC. 

Seeing the potential increase in India’s military expenditure, Chao suggested that “it could be possible that the Chinese government wants to use the border conflict to force India to spend more on ground forces instead of the navy.” Suspicion like this exists on both sides of the conflict, potentially leading to a future harsh hit on the economic engagement between the two countries.