The Washington Diplomat - December 2019 by The Washington Diplomat

VOLUME 26, NUMBER 12

DECEMBER 2019

WWW.WASHDIPLOMAT.COM

Latin Amer ica

Countries in Latin America Erupt in Rage

From Santiago to Quito to La Paz, massive and often violent protests sparked by contentious elections, constitutional crises and worsening inequality have thrown a good portion of Latin America — including several normally stable countries — into disarray. PAGE 8

People of World Influence

Impeachment Casts Glare On U.S. Diplomacy For Donald Trump, the State Department has largely been an afterthought — until now. U.S. diplomats have taken center stage — and come under fire — during the president’s impeachment hearings, prompting former ambassadors such as Reuben Brigety to come to their defense. PAGE 4

Middle East

Despite Ongoing War, Syrians Fight For Elusive Justice

For the victims of human rights abuses in Syria, hopes are slim that they will ever see justice, but experts say that without addressing past horrors, there can be no future for the warravaged nation. PAGE 12

Culture

Women in Their Element ‘Live Dangerously’

“Live Dangerously” uses humor and menace to challenge assumptions about a woman’s place in nature. PAGE 26

AFGHAN ODYSSEY

Roya Rahmani, Kabul’s first female ambassador to the U.S., can barely recall a single day of peace growing up in Afghanistan. While the U.S. has been fighting there for 18 years, “the reality is that for us, this war has lasted over 40 years,” says Rahmani, who was born just before the Soviet invasion. But she insists that despite the long nightmare, “for the first time, we have the vision, the will and the human capital” to achieve peace. PAGE 19

Asia

As 2019 Ends, U.S.-China Tensions Don’t As 2019 comes to a close, the trade war between the U.S. and China is far from over. If anything, China expert Elizabeth Economy says it could augur a new era of relations between the world’s two largest economies — one that for this administration, rightly emphasizes competition over cooperation. PAGE 22

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Risky Business: Retired Envoys Say Post-Benghazi Fears Are Holding U.S. Diplomats Back NOVEMBER 2019 ISSUE OF THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT I read Ryan Migeed’s article in the November 2019 issue (“Risky Business: Retired Envoys Say Post-Benghazi Fears Are Holding U.S. Diplomats Back”). I must say that the far-seeing and courageous Anne Patterson presented in the piece bears little resemblance to the Anne Patterson I was familiar with when she was ambassador to Pakistan. She and her staff spent most of their time bunkered in the embassy. It had absolutely nothing to do with government restrictions. This was long before Benghazi. It was that she and her staff seemed to view every Pakistani as a potential assassin and behaved accordingly. I led one of the three international votemonitoring efforts in the 2008 parliamentary elections. Because I was one of the few people who had good relations with both the Pakistan People’s Party, which was voted into office in that election, and the Army, two entities that distrusted each other intensely, my sponsoring organization (Centre for Media and Democracy-Pakistan) asked me to stay and engage with each. I was therefore in Islamabad when the Army’s Surgeon General was killed by a bomb. A television host called and told me about the attack. He then added: “I guess this means we won’t be seeing anything of your ambassador for at least six weeks.” I thought this was a bit harsh. However, about 15 minutes later, I received a call from the head of the Institute of Regional Studies, an Islamabad think tank. He asked me if I could chair a roundtable on Pakistan-American relations there the following week. He told me that Ambassador Patterson had been scheduled to chair it, but had just cancelled. I shook my head, then accepted. Later that year, I was invited by IRS to deliver a paper at a conference on India-Pakistan tensions. The moment the embassy found that I had been invited, the State Department did everything it could to prevent my going. It began with a call from State, in which the caller told me essentially that if I went to Islamabad I’d get blown up. He even claimed to have intelligence to that effect. The “intelligence” turned out later to be a conclusion that Pakistani terrorists seemed to like blowing up major hotels and since the Marriott had already been blown up, they’d probably be attacking the Serena, at which I would be staying, next. I told him that running and hiding because a few criminals had issued a few threats was absolutely unthinkable. “Besides, it’s ridiculous to think that there is going to be any kind of happy

ending in Pakistan if the good guys aren’t at least as brave as the bad guys, so I’m going,” I added. He told me that my lack of concern for my own life was up to me, but that if I was attacked, I would be putting the lives of embassy personnel who responded at risk. I was stunned. “Trust me, if I end up bleeding to death in the street, the embassy would be the last place I would call, mostly because I already know that no one in that place would ever risk his life to protect an American citizen,” I replied. Other people I spoke to who have been to Pakistan with fact-finding duties at that time were given more or less the same spiel and while there were warned by the embassy to avoid going out. I went to Islamabad, and the conference was great. I calculated that the attendees (from Europe, India, Australia and me, the only American) had learned in three days what otherwise would have taken about six months’ study. It struck me that while just about every Western European embassy had staff attend the entire conference (Switzerland’s ambassador was there for all three days), no one from the U.S. embassy had even stuck their heads in. As to Patterson’s narrative in regard to engaging with “the opposition” in Pakistan during that time, a word absolutely must be said. She is clearly referring to her meetings with Nawaz Sharif (leader of the then-main opposition party who is currently in prison for corruption) in which she prevailed upon him not to try to bring down the government. By that point, the government was under extreme public and judicial pressure on the subject of corruption. Washington supported it because it was at least friendly to the U.S. and could be enticed to do what we wanted it to do on occasion. Patterson had nothing much to do with anyone who mattered in the reform movement. Her embassy, as far as I could see, never made a serious attempt to find out what was going on in Pakistan or what the people really thought or wanted. Her efforts were therefore seen by reformers and a large section of the population as outrageous interference in Pakistani affairs amounting to neocolonialism. Trust in our embassy eroded significantly, something we are still paying for. In my opinion, she is neither a sage nor a heroine. Sincerely, Thomas Houlahan

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December 2019 |

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CORRECTION NOVEMBER 2019 ISSUE OF THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT In the November 2019 Diplomatic Spouses profile “Game, Set, Match Renown Tennis PlayerTurned-Ambassador and Wife Come to U.S. from Bosnia and Herzegovina,” former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito was identified as Serbian. He was in fact Croatian. Also, while Bosnia and Herzegovina is working toward membership in the European Union, there is no consensus yet on seeking membership in NATO.

2 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

ON THE COVER

Photo taken at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center by Jessica Knox Photography.

Contents

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

NEWS 4

PEOPLE OF WORLD INFLUENCE

29 COVER PROFILE: AFGHANISTAN

Kabul’s first female envoy to the U.S. urges Americans not to give up on her country.

Foreign policy in an age of impeachment: One U.S. ambassador speaks out.

8 LATIN AMERICA ERUPTS

After a year of trade battles, Beijing and Washington cement their status as competitors.

Inequality, corruption and other grievances fuel unrest throughout Latin America.

12 ELUSIVE JUSTICE

People fight to hold perpetrators of war crimes in Syria to account.

IN FROM THE COLD?

Belarus performs a delicate balancing act between Russia and the West.

YEAR OF COMPETITION

CULTURE 26

GROUNDBREAKERS

“Live Dangerously” shows women breaking new ground — by reclaiming it.

OWNING THE STAGE

Signature’s “Chorus Line” casts a harsh — but heartfelt — glare on Broadway dreams.

REASSESSING THE NABIS

“Bonnard to Vuillard” resurrects a group of postImpressionist French artists known as the Nabis.

CAPTIVE IMAGINATION

“Radical Link” looks at asylum as both an archaic cage and and a modern-day sanctuary.

REGULARS 30 CINEMA LISTING 32 EVENTS LISTING 34 SPOTLIGHT 38 CLASSIFIEDS 39 REAL ESTATE CLASSIFIEDS DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 3

WD | People of Wor ld Influence

Diplomacy Under Attack Foreign Policy in an Age of Impeachment: A Former U.S. Ambassador Speaks Out BY ERIC HAM

or President Trump, the State Department has largely been an afterthought. He has regularly proposed steep cuts to the international affairs budget, left top posts vacant and consolidated control of diplomacy in the White House as the negotiator-inchief. But now, the much-maligned State Department may be the president’s undoing. Multiple high-level U.S. diplomats have testified during the House impeachment inquiry that Trump committed what Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called “bribery” to force the Ukrainian government to dig up dirt on the president’s political opponent Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Trump is accused of withholding nearly $400 million in crucial military aid to Ukraine and an Oval Office meeting with the country’s newly elected president, Volodymyr Zelensky, unless Zelensky publicly announced investigations into Hunter Biden’s work for a Ukrainian energy firm and a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine tried to help Democrats during the 2016 election. State Department officials have also testified that Rudolph W. Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, took over the Ukraine portfolio and waged a shadow foreign policy campaign to advance the president’s personal political agenda. One by one, seasoned diplomats such as William B. Taylor Jr., the top U.S. envoy to Ukraine; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs George P. Kent; former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie L. Yovanovitch; former Russia adviser Fiona Hill; and Gordon D. Sondland, Trump’s handpicked ambassador to the European Union, have given testimony that lends credence to Democratic arguments that Trump abused his office by trying to pressure a foreign power for personal political gain. Trump has dismissed the impeachment proceedings as a “joke” and a deep state witch hunt. Republicans initially criticized the process of the Democratic-led impeachment hearings instead of addressing the substance of the charges. Even though those hearings have since been opened to the public, Republicans remain largely united behind Trump (as are the overwhelming majority of his supporters, according to polls). Some GOP lawmakers have suggested that any quid pro quo, while inappropriate, is not an impeachable offense; others have argued for the president to distance himself from Giuliani and Sondland. But most have echoed Trump’s line of defense that the accusations are the work of partisan, unelected bureaucrats who want to reverse Trump’s election and who have no firsthand knowledge of the president’s interactions with Zelensky (those who do have been barred from testifying). As Republicans seek to discredit the witnesses who have come forward, the diplomat who has come under perhaps the heaviest fire is Yovanovitch, the veteran U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who was abruptly removed from her job in May. Officials such as Kent and Taylor have accused Giuliani of a smear campaign to get Yovanovitch fired, possibly because she would have stood in the way of business dealings by two of Giuliani’s clients. Yovanovitch’s colleagues lamented that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not do more to protect a respected diplomat from false attacks. Michael McKinley, a career diplomat and senior adviser to Pompeo, resigned because of Yovanovitch’s treatment and because he was “disturbed” by the reported efforts of administration officials to enlist foreign powers to hurt political opponents, a tactic that could “have a serious

4 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

PHOTO: THE ELLIOTT SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Reuben Brigety, who most recently served as the U.S. representative to the African Union, is now the dean of The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.

“

My office has become like a speakeasy for State Department officials. Many come and say, ‘You have no idea how bad it is.’ Let me be clear, the State Department is not filled with ‘never Trumpers.’ FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR REUBEN E. BRIGETY II

dean of The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs

impact on foreign service morale and the integrity of our work overseas,” he said. Morale has by most accounts plunged at the State Department, which had barely recovered from the disastrous tenure of Rex Tillerson. While Pompeo boasted that he would bring “swagger” back to State, he has since been criticized for not defending his own diplomats. One of those critics is former U.S. Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II, who argues that Pompeo had to “throw an ambassador under the bus” in his efforts to

”

stick by the president. Brigety, who most recently served as the U.S. representative to the African Union, is now the dean of The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. Brigety held numerous postings in the State Department, including deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of African Affairs and deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Population, RefuSEE B R IG ET Y • PAGE 6

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 5

Brigety CONTINUED • PAGE 4

gees, and Migration. A former active duty U.S. naval officer who holds a Ph.D. in international affairs from the University of Cambridge, he also held several staff positions in the Pentagon and conducted research missions in Afghanistan and Iraq for Human Rights Watch. While most commentators have focused on the impeachment inquiry’s effect on domestic politics, less attention has been paid to the global consequences of the Ukraine scandal and the repercussions it has had on U.S. diplomacy. From his office in Foggy Bottom, only a stone’s throw from State Department headquarters, Brigety is in constant contact with many foreign service officials, whom he says have been wrongly impugned as “never-Trumpers.” He argues that with no clear foreign policy guidance from the White House, diplomats are unable to do their jobs, hamstrung by the whims of the president’s tweets. Meanwhile, countries from China to India are equally uncertain of the president’s foreign policy and rushing to fill the void left by his retrenchment. Above all, Brigety worries that the way Trump has handled the levers of soft power has upended decades of statecraft. As an authority on the inner workings of those levers, Brigety offered us a sobering analysis of America’s standing in the world. THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT: The impeachment inquiry is being seen from a domestic lens but what is being lost is the fact that this controversy emanated from the president’s handling of foreign policy. How do you view the president’s actions and his impact on the projection of U.S. diplomatic power? REUBEN BRIGETY: It’s a complicated issue. You are correct, at its root this is a foreign policy question. [President Trump] is, after all, the chief arbiter of American foreign policy. He decides how to engage a foreign interlocutor about a matter he felt was significant. That is broadly speaking his prerogative and the Constitution gives him broad leeway to do that. It also gives the president broad leeway about how the president conducts foreign policy and whom he entrusts to do it. There have been famously important backchannels to interlocutors, whether it was Henry Kissinger’s backchannel that led to the opening of China in 1972 or the Obama backchannel that led to the Iran nuclear deal. That is not

PHOTO: STATE DEPARTMENT

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, is greeted by U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland upon his arrival to Brussels on July 10, 2018. During the House impeachment inquiry last month, Sondland, a wealthy Trump donor, unequivocally told lawmakers that there was a quid pro quo whereby Ukraine’s president would be granted a White House meeting only if he investigated Joe and Hunter Biden.

CREDIT: STATE DEPARTMENT PHOTO / KHASHAYAR GHASHGHAI

Reuben Brigety held numerous postings in the State Department, including as deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of African Affairs. Above, he greets the head doctor at a hospital in Dadaab, Kenya, during a July 13, 2011, visit.

unusual. Crucially, every ambassador serves at the pleasure of the president. He could withdraw every single one of them at will if he chose. In fact, every time a president is elected or re-elected, every ambassador submits his or her resignation as a matter of course. None of that is without precedent. What is absolutely without precedent in American history is Donald Trump — as president of the United States — used all of these tools for the explicit purpose of advancing his domestic political fortunes in the United States vis-à-vis a foreign power. This is textbook what the framers [of the U.S. Constitution] had in mind when they were concerned about foreign influence in our democracy and holding the president to account up to and including removal by impeachment. The [current impeachment] process is valid as

6 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

it is playing out. What concerns me is if we cannot agree on basic standards of conduct governing the president of the United States, it is hard to see how, in the words of Ben Franklin, we can have a republic we can keep. It is impossible how we hold ourselves up as a model for others to emulate. TWD: I want to follow up on the issue of backchannel diplomacy. How is what the president engaged in through his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, in Ukraine different than what we have seen in past backchannel engagement? RB: The two biggest ways this is different is Rudy Giuliani is not an employee of the U.S. government and does not have a security clearance. Therefore, it is hard to see any way he is acting on behalf of the people of the United States. The second issue, what he was doing

was for the purpose of supporting the president’s re-election purposes. Those things are highly problematic and unprecedented in the history of the republic. TWD: The State Department has not been able to get on track under this administration, be it Rex Tillerson’s aloofness or Mike Pompeo’s lack of support for staff. You worked there. What are you hearing? RB: My office has become like a speakeasy for State Department officials. Many come and say, ‘You have no idea how bad it is.’ Let me be clear, the State Department is not filled with ‘never Trumpers.’ Republican giants [James] Baker, [Colin] Powell and [George] Shultz understood the importance of diplomacy as a core component of American power and the State Department specifically as the means of projecting American diplomacy. They

prided themselves on being able to do so regardless of a Democrat or Republican in office. What they never had to presume is whether they served a president who took the oath of office as serious as they did. Not because morale is low, but [because diplomats] don’t know for sure if the president is acting in the interest of us or someone else. That’s the depth of the concern and why so many are willing to come forward. The power of the secretary of state comes from the belief he or she speaks for the president and is the vicar of American diplomacy. And everyone in the rest of the world has to believe that and everyone in the State Department has to believe that. You have to be on the side of the president and have the support of people in the building. Tillerson lost the building trying to cut the staff in an effort to get the support of Trump. Pompeo saw that and decided to stick close to Trump no matter what. To get his Ukraine deal, he had to throw an ambassador under the bus. The rest of the department saw that and said, ‘If it can happen to Yovanovitch, it can happen to any one of us.’ Given his dispute with Michael McKinley, it’s hard to see how Pompeo has any credibility left in the building. TWD: How is the rest of the world looking at this Ukraine imbroglio? RB: When I often give talks about Africa, a friend said there are enough countervailing facts that you can pick any set of facts to support any counter-narrative you want. One can argue that’s where we

are in the current perception of American foreign policy. There are those — many of our allies in Europe — that think the U.S. is no longer thinking about them but thinking about ourselves and the president is acting on a mandate to withdraw and retrench and therefore they need to be thinking about their own position. There are others who are arguing, ‘We don’t know if the word of the United States can be trusted.’ If you are Japan or South Korea, you have to be hedging your bets with regard to your strategic posture in the region because you don’t know if the United States is going to be there — certainly under the context of the current administration. The counter-narrative is, to the extent Europe is more intently focused on its own security, great! That’s exactly what the president was elected to do. To the extent the president is withdrawing from a lot our positions in the Middle East, particularly Syria with regards to the Kurds, fine. You might not like the way he did it, [but he] pulled the poison, drew the knife out quickly. That’s the counter-narrative. What is compelling is that there is even a debate. American foreign policy after World War II has been played within the 40-yard line with the exception of a couple of outliers. A Democratic president might focus more on human rights; a Republican president might focus a bit more on hard security. But this president, through his words and actions, has challenged — in very real consequential terms — some of the underlying assumptions in American foreign policy, such as: we support trade and trade wars are bad; we support a global trading regime; or we absolutely, unquestionably are committed to NATO; or we are absolutely committed to the defense of South Korea. All these sorts of things are … now up for debate about where America stands. That, in a chaotic, challenging world, is problematic. And you will see or are seeing other countries, principally the Chinese and Russians and other places, trying to fill in those voids to their own benefit. That’s the danger. TWD: Aside from the big and oft-repeated nations seeking to fill the void as you say, such as China, Russia and Turkey, what are some other nations that might seek to operate in a more open landscape without a heavy presence from the U.S.? And can the U.S. reclaim the space it’s now vacated on the international stage? RB: Every nation is looking to see how it can position itself given current events. Take a country like India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is

arguably in the mold of a number of increasingly nationalist leaders that have a particularly ethnic view about their country’s role. They see themselves less as a cosmopolitan international order [and more as] advancing the interest of their state by ethno-religious perspective. Take a look at what they’re doing in Kashmir, which is a play [the Indians] arguably would not have made four years ago if they thought they would get a much stronger rebuke by the U.S. Everybody is trying to be much more assertive about what they perceive as a decrease of American interest in maintaining these worldwide commitments. Now to your question: Can America ever get back in the game? No, in the sense the rest of the world is figuring out what’s it like to get along without American leadership. If President Trump woke up tomorrow and said, ‘I realize there are a number of things we need to do differently’; or if another Republican president were elected and took us back to the George H.W. Bush internationalism; or a Democrat were elected and wanted to take us back to a promotion of human rights, the rest of the world will know the U.S. no longer plays between the 40-yard line in terms of its foreign policy. The world will know a new president can come in and upend all these traditional commitments that they’re making. The second thing they’ll know is there are other arrangements and new players they can make deals with. That’s what’s happening with China and Russia with respect to Africa.

RB: The world has moved on and they know: Why should they speak to the secretary of state or the country ambassador because they know the only thing that matters is getting to Trump. A number of countries are playing this out: the Saudis, the Japanese, the Hungarians, the Poles, the Turks. For the love of God, the president completely undercut years of painful counterinsurgency strategy to defeat ISIS with a 30-minute phone call with [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan. TWD: So not only has the world moved on without us, but even internally (within the State Department), there’s an irrelevance of leadership because all signs begin and end with Trump?

PHOTO: MYKOLA LAZARENKO / THE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION OF UKRAINE

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is greeted by U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Kurt Volker, the former special U.S. envoy for Ukraine, during Zelensky’s inauguration on May 20, 2019. Both Perry and Volker have been accused of helping Rudolph W. Giuliani, President Trump’s personal lawyer, run a shadow diplomatic campaign to advance Trump’s personal political agenda.

What the president has tried to do is to argue that the idea of American leadership undergirding an imperfect but still discernible international order is no longer in our interests. We now, like any other country, just happen to have a stronger military and bigger economy than most. And that approach leads necessarily to a series of circumstances where everyone else tries to be the next bigger or powerful country as opposed to operating in a system in which we invite everybody or as many countries that want to

play by these rules. TWD: How does the U.S. diplomatic corps reset to meet this new paradigm shift? RB: With regard to our professional diplomatic corps, they will advance whatever foreign policy they are getting from the president to the extent they can understand it, and to the extent it is discernible. No ambassador in the field knows that the instructions they are getting from

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D.C. via cable today will be relevant by the time they wake up tomorrow by tweet from the president…. [Trump’s] players don’t know what play the coach is going to call and secondarily, they’re not even sure if the coach is on the same team as they are — given what we’re seeing play out in Ukraine. That’s the challenge. TWD: By this standard, the rest of the world has moved on and is no longer playing by the same standards as the U.S.?

RB: That’s correct. The meta question underlying all of this as we head into an election year for the American people: Is this how we want to run our place in the world? Democracies get the leaders they deserve. If it is the judgment of the American people that this particular moment in our history and our world’s history that, not withstanding all the criticism, yes we are comfortable with this, then this is where America is going in terms of its place in the world. And the rest of the world will take notice. WD Eric Ham is a national security/political analyst on BBC, SkyNews and SiriusXM’s POTUS Channel and the creator of “The PJs! a.k.a. The Political Junkies” digital political show.

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DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 7

WD | Latin America

Anger Boils Over Inequality, Corruption, Other Grievances Fuel Unrest Throughout Latin America BY LARRY LUXNER

rom Santiago to Quito to La Paz, massive and often violent protests sparked by contentious elections, constitutional crises and worsening inequality have thrown a good portion of Latin America — including several normally stable countries — into disarray. Suddenly, it seems, incumbent presidents are being challenged on the streets and at the ballot box. Pundits are scratching their heads trying to understand not only what’s happening throughout the region, but why it’s happening now and seemingly all at once. The latest violence has erupted in Bolivia, where, as of press time, over 30 people have died in street protests there between security forces and coca farmers loyal to ousted President Evo Morales. The longtime populist leader, who accused his enemies of staging a “right-wing coup,” resigned and fled to Mexico after the Organization of American States revealed evidence that vote-rigging had tainted his Oct. 20 election victory. “I am concerned that the situation in Bolivia could spin out of control if the authorities do not handle it … with full respect for human rights,” warned Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights. Bachelet is former president of neighboring Chile, which itself has seen weeks of protests and violence that have left at least 25 dead. At a recent event titled “Latin America’s Autumn of Discontent” — itself a misnomer since it’s currently spring, not autumn, in the Southern Hemisphere — three experts named Michael joined a fourth expert, Monica de Bolle, to make sense of it all. “These are turbulent times in Latin America,” said Michael Camilleri, director of the Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program at the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, which hosted the Nov. 6 panel. “A seemingly innocuous fare hike in the metro system of Chile led to the most severe outbreak of violence in decades, while elections in Argentina and Uruguay promise to reshape the region’s political map, protests continue in Haiti, not to mention horrific news from Mexico that highlights the country’s losing battle with organized crime.” Michael Penfold, professor at Venezuela’s Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración, noted that the current unrest isn’t the first time Latin America has gone through such convulsions. “Two or three years ago, we had a wave of street protests in Nicaragua which were based on fiscal austerity measures. There were also protests in

8 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

PHOTO: BY HUGO MORALES - OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 4.0

Thousands march toward Plaza Baquedano in Santiago protesting inequality and the high costs of living in Chile, which for years has been seen as a regional poster child for its economic growth and political stability.

“

Inequality doesn’t only mean social and economic inequality. It also means inequality in access to justice and the rule of law. I’m not terribly optimistic. We’re seeing this crisis of representation not only in Latin America, but in other parts of the world too. MICHAEL SHIFTER

president of the Inter-American Dialogue

Venezuela, Brazil and Chile,” he said. “Perhaps what’s striking about this time is the size, momentum and scale of these protests.” So what’s behind the turmoil? While the unrest has erupted in each country for different reasons, the common threads driving much of the protests seem to be rising inequality; a commodity boom that raised economic expectations and a bust that dashed them; an out-of-touch governing elite; rampant corruption; and the erosion of democracy. The latter led to the downfall of Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous president, who had been widely popular for ushering in a period of economic growth that embraced pragmatic,

”

market-friendly policies while also improving living standards for millions of previously disenfranchised Bolivians. But when Morales, who came to office in 2006, defied the constitution and decided to seek a fourth term, people had had enough. After weeks of protests following his dubious election victory, the military and police abandoned Morales and he resigned. However, Morales’ supporters have staged their own protests since his ouster, blocking food and fuel from reaching the capital and clashing with security forces who have opened fire on them. The new government is scrambling to hold new elections, but so far the violence has continued unabated. “The consequences of [the recent

violence in Bolivia] are huge because they highlight this regional trend of indefinite re-election. This is extremely problematic for governance,” said Penfold. “The real issue with Bolivia is the constitution. Was it right for this president to run for re-election again? And which country will be the next to explode?” Surprisingly, that seems to be Colombia, where demonstrators have taken to the streets to protest a raft of grievances, including potential labor and pension reforms by right-wing President Iván Duque, the killings of community activists and the failure of Duque to fully implement a peace accord with FARC rebels. The protests, which have begun to take a violent turn, have shaken a country that in recent years had been held up as a model of economic transformation. Likewise, Chile was once considered the region’s poster child for its economic prosperity and political stability. But after President Sebastián Piñera proposed a modest increase in subway fares, deadly protests broke out in Santiago, snowballing into the worst crisis to hit the country since its return to democracy in 1990. The uprising revealed how Chile’s impressive economic growth has failed to address the country’s deep-seated inequality. Similarly, in Ecuador, pocketbook issues triggered violent protests against

IMF-designed austerity measures that would have doubled fuel prices through the elimination of subsidies. In the face of riots led largely by indigenous people who would be hit hardest by the fuel hike, President Lenín Moreno was forced to move his government from Quito, the capital, to coastal Guayaquíl, and backtrack on his plan to end the four-decade-old fuel subsidy. Moreno accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of conspiring with Ecuador’s former leftist leader, Rafael Correa, to activate a “destabilization plan” with help from Cuba. Correa, who’s living in selfimposed exile in Belgium, laughed off such suggestions, telling Reuters that, “People couldn’t take it any more. That’s the reality.” But others blame Correa for contributing to that reality through years of overspending that blew up Ecuador’s debt, forcing Moreno to impose austerity measures as part of a $4.2 billion loan agreement with the IMF. On that note, Correa joins a long line of leftist leaders who were able to spend heavily on popular socialist programs thanks to a boom in commodity prices that spurred strong economic growth throughout Latin America from 2003 to 2011. But with the fall in global prices of oil, copper, iron ore, crops and other commodities in 2014, that growth sputtered, straining economies in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. In Chile, for example, Codelco, the world’s top copper producer, announced in August that its profits had plunged by 74% to $318 million in the first half of 2019. Monica de Bolle, director of the Latin American Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, said that many governments did not use commodities profits to prepare for leaner times. While Chile did better than other countries in that regard, she said its leaders failed to invest in education or health care, whose high costs have been among the protesters’ chief complaints. And while incomes have generally risen throughout Chile, so has the cost of living — Santiago is the secondmost expensive city in Latin America — leaving many Chileans in debt and struggling to get by. De Bolle also pointed out that austerity measures such as the removal of fuel subsidies or an increase in bus fares hit people in their wallets immediately, adding to the sense of frustration. “Chile has a VAT-based tax system, and we know that VAT is a very regressive tax because it’s consumption-based,” she noted. “It is going to affect the poor more than the rich unless you create mechanisms by which you compensate people for paying that tax.” Penfold said that when commodity prices go down, it hurts the most vulnerable people — those earning $10 to $20 a day. He added that the commodities boom helped millions of Latin Americans get a taste of the middle class, but their expectations of continued upward mobility were cut short when economic growth stalled. Perhaps nowhere was this boom-

PHOTO: MONICA VOLPIN / PIXABAY

A skyscraper rises over a cathedral in the Chilean capital of Santiago, the second-most expensive city in Latin America. When President Sebastián Piñera proposed a modest fare hike for the city’s subway system, seen below, massive protests broke out, snowballing into the worst crisis to hit the country since its return to democracy in 1990.

and-bust cycle more evident than in Brazil, where leftist President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva was able to lift millions of people out of poverty in part because of high commodity prices. But starting in 2014 and 2015, all of the social gains enacted under Lula’s administration were erased. “Brazil’s poverty rates have risen 50% in the past four years alone, as opposed to other countries, where they’ve only stagnated,” de Bolle said. “It sort of hits people at a time when the region had seen such social transformation, and people were taking for granted that this would continue going forward. It adds to the overall sense of frustration that was already building up.” Also contributing to the frustration is widespread corruption (Lula himself was just released from jail after serving time for corruption). Brazil’s Operation Car Wash, which started off as a criminal investigation into money laundering, has became the biggest corruption scandal in modern history, revealing systemic graft in the top echelons of power. The sprawling bribery probe has also ensnared politicians from Panama to Peru, where in October, the president dissolved Congress for blocking his political reforms (three former Peruvian presidents face corruption charges and a fourth shot and killed himself during his arrest). Recent protests against corruption have also rocked Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti. The administrations of Piñera in Chile and Morales in Bolivia were also dogged by corruption scandals. As Latin America transitioned to democracy, a freer press has helped to expose corruption at the top, while elections have allowed people to vote for change at the ballot box. De Bolle said the ongoing unrest clearly coincides with the region’s current three-year cycle of elections, starting in 2017. “These have been very busy years, as we have every so often this coin-

PHOTO: BY OSMAR VALDEBENITO - ORIGINALLY POSTED TO FLICKR AS ESTACIÓN HERNANDO DE MAGALLANES, CC BY-SA 2.0

PHOTO: BY SEBASTIÁN PIÑERA E. - ORIGINALLY POSTED TO FLICKR AS PRESIDENTA BACHELET, CC BY 2.0

Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, right, meets with his predecessor Michelle Bachelet during the presidential transition in 2010. Many Chileans complain that the government is dominated by a small group of old-guard elites. For example, the last four presidencies were held by two people elected to nonconsecutive terms: Bachelet (2006 to 2010 and 2014 to 2018) and Piñera (2010 to 2014 and 2018 to the present).

cidence of super-election cycles,” she said. “People’s frustrations have resulted in changes of government — not so much because they were voting in new governments they liked, but rather voting out governments that they disliked.” Even though every nation in Latin America — with the exceptions of Cuba and Venezuela — are now considered democratic, “there is a sense among voters that the electoral process is not ending with

outcomes that are relevant,” said Penfold. “They’re fed up with the lack of alternatives. In Argentina, only two presidents have ever lost a re-election, but this is the first time you had an incumbent president not even being able to make it to the second [round].” That incumbent was Mauricio Macri, who was trounced by leftist candidate Alberto Fernández and his running mate, former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, in

Oct. 27 elections. Macri, a wealthy businessman, failed to deliver on his economic promises and imposed unpopular austerity measures as part of a controversial $57 billion IMF bailout. Investors now wonder whether the new administration will pull the country out of recession or return it to the days of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s leftist presidency, which was criticized for its interventionist economic policies and endemic graft. But President-elect Fernández could prove to be a wildcard who forges his own moderate path independent of his polarizing vice president. Regardless, politics in Argentina — as in many Latin American countries — doesn’t often change hands. Alberto Fernández previously served under former President Néstor Kirchner (Cristina’s husband) and is a product of Peronism, the populist, nationalist ideology that has dominated the country's politics since the end of World War II. This political revolving door has also fueled the current protests. While the region ostensibly adopted democracy following decades of dictatorships and coups, many members of the authoritarian old guard are still firmly entrenched in power. “The elites have captured the policymaking process, yet support for democracy in the region remains high, so the real perception is that the policymaking process and outcomes are not working,” Penfold said. A recent region-wide survey showed that 74% of Chileans believe that process has been compromised in some way; in Bolivia, it’s 60%; in Ecuador and Colombia, it’s 81%; and in Peru, it’s 84%. In Chile alone, the last four presidencies were held by two people elected to nonconsecutive terms: Bachelet (2006 to 2010 and 2014 to 2018) and Piñera (2010 to 2014 and 2018 to the present). Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, says Chile’s apparent success story masked deep structural problems. “There was tremendous inequality, and Chile had a political class on both the right and left that was very disconnected to its citizens,” he said. “At the same time, Chile’s economic performance and the reduction of poverty has been undeniable. It worked, but now it’s at a point where it has to be completely changed.” Shifter attributes Chile’s current crisis to “profound” problems that stem from the 1973 military overthrow of democratically elected President Salvador Allende by Gen. Augusto Pinochet, whose rule ended in 1990 but whose influence endures to this day. Even though the Pinochet dictatorship may have set the stage for economic prosperity — Chile has consistently enjoyed the fastest GDP growth in Latin America’s history — not everyone has benefitted. In fact, the country of 18 million people has one of the highest levels of income inequality within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Experts attribute that in part to the Pinochet-era constitution that SEE L AT IN AM ER ICA • PAGE 11

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 9

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Latin America CONTINUED • PAGE 9

enshrined a neoliberal, market-driven economic model but did not establish the state’s responsibility to provide education, health care or pensions. Piñera, a billionaire businessman who was initially caught off guard by the protests and sent the military to suppress them, has since offered the protesters a series of concessions. Notably, that includes a plan to hold a referendum next April on a new constitution, asking the public whether it should be drafted by the existing Congress or a new group made up of legislators and specially elected citizens. Piñera has also vowed to investigate abuses committed by security forces and suggested increasing the minimum wage and pension payments. While the moves received tentative praise, it remains to be seen if they will be enough to quell the discontent, particularly among the country’s youth. “Chile has a generational problem. Both the government and the opposition were very much shaped by the Pinochet era, and for most of the people on the streets, that’s not a part of their experience,” Shifter said. “Inequality doesn’t only mean social and economic inequality. It also means inequality in access to justice and the rule of law. I’m not terribly optimistic. We’re seeing this crisis of representation not only in Latin America, but in other parts of the world too.” Penfold agrees that the protests in Chile should be viewed not only through an eco-

PHOTO: BY JOEL ALVAREZ (JOELS86) - OWN WORK, CC BY 3.0

Bolivian President Evo Morales is seen with his supporters in 2008. The country’s first indigenous president, Morales took office in 2006 but was forced to flee the country last month after protests broke out over his dubious election victory on Oct. 20.

nomic lens, but a political one as well, citing his own nation of Venezuela as an example of what happens when democracy crumbles. “It’s very tempting to compare Chile to the yellow jackets in France, but I’d be careful,” he warned, referring to the protest movement against France’s high costs of living. “I’m Venezuelan, and there was a time when Venezuela was a poster child, the region’s most stable democracy. We were among the high middleincome countries and a global energy player. Now we produce less oil than Colombia. What a backslide that’s been.” On that note, Penfold said he worries that another major crisis is being overlooked amid the wave of protests.

“I think the migration crisis from Venezuela is going to be huge. There are already 4.5 million migrants; a large portion of them are refugees, and most of them are going to Colombia, which will go through some major social changes,” Penfold said. “The real heroes right now are the local mayors in cities like Barranquilla and Cúcuta, but it’s beyond their capacity to handle.” Penfold predicted that by late 2020, the Venezuelan refugee crisis will eclipse that of Syria — and that pressures on Colombia will be immense (also see “Colombia’s Commitment: Envoy Says Government Is Sticking by FARC Peace Deal — and Venezuelan Refugees” in the November 2019 issue).

“They don’t have the resources to deal with it,” Penfold said. “But more importantly, there’s no Germany, no European infrastructure to absorb them, and no job market. Of course, this is going to be a source of social discontent in many ways.” De Bolle worries about social discontent in another Latin American heavyweight: Brazil, where conservative President Jair Bolsonaro was elected on an anti-establishment platform last year. A former military officer, Bolsonaro has made waves with his praise for the authoritarian regimes that once ruled the region, as well as his hard-right views on the environment, gay rights, women and secularism. But whether Bolsonaro can tackle the bread-andbutter issues that propelled him to office — righting the economy and rooting out corruption — remains to be seen. “We are now 10 months into the Bolsonaro administration. The fact is, apart from this political dysfunction, we’re talking about an economy that is growing very slowly,” de Bolle said. Although unemployment has dropped slightly — to 11.8% from 13% a year ago — that reduction was made possible only by an expansion of the underground economy. “Brazil has seen a 50% rise in extreme poverty, meaning 13.5 million people who live on less than $50 a month,” she said, adding that “it wouldn’t take much for Latin America’s largest nation to crumble into chaos” like it did in 2015, when Brazil went through a massive recession. “The country is in a sort of Stockholm syndrome,” she lamented. “People feel they have to support the very government that’s hurting them.” WD Larry Luxner is the Tel Aviv-based news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

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WD | Middle East

Justice for Syria Groups and Governments Work to Hold Syrian Perpetrators of War Crimes to Account BY JONATHAN GORVETT

n October this year, a court in Karlsruhe, Germany, saw two men stand trial, jointly accused of 58 murders, multiple rapes and a host of aggravated sexual assaults. Ordinarily, the magnitude of such alleged crimes would likely make global headlines, yet this time, there was little international coverage. What was also unusual about the case — from a legal standpoint — is that neither of the accused were German citizens or residents, and none of the crimes they allegedly committed were carried out on German soil. Instead, they allegedly occurred over 2,000 miles away, in a hellish government prison in Damascus, Syria. The two men, Syrian nationals who are thought to be intelligence officers and known only as Anwar R. and Eyad A-G., were arrested by German police last February under universal jurisdiction, a condition in German law that allows the prosecution of certain cases regardless of jurisdiction or nationality because the crimes are so severe. Globally, such laws — and such prosecutions — are rare, yet they are currently one of the few remaining hopes for victims of human rights abuses in Syria that they will ever see justice. Justice, however, is not the priority at the moment. The immediate goal in Syria is still to end the fighting, which has killed hundreds of thousands, displaced millions, destroyed the country and upended the entire region. But after nearly nine years of brutal warfare, the contours of a resolution are coming into focus — as are the victors. With airpower from Russia and manpower from Iran, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad managed to beat back a constellation of rebel groups trying to oust him. Meanwhile, the Islamic State was largely stamped out thanks to Kurdish-led forces with support from the U.S., although President Trump’s recent decision to pull U.S. troops out and abandon the Kurds has empowered Assad, Russia and Turkey — and left the U.S. as a marginal player in

The Al-Ikhlas hospital for women and children in the Syrian village of Shnan was severely damaged by airstrikes that hit in the early morning hours on Nov. 6, 2019, affecting health care services for tens of thousands of residents. The U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria says Syrian forces backed by Russian warplanes have carried out airstrikes on civilian targets and bombed hospitals, schools and markets.

“

There can be no such thing as a stable, post-conflict Syria … if the underlying causes of the conflict — including the abuse of citizens, denial of rights and suppression of dissent — are not addressed. SARA KAYYALI

Syria researcher for Human Rights Watch

Syria’s outcome. Despite the country’s longrunning conflict entering a new and perhaps final phase, with Assad, Iran, Russia and Turkey emerging as the main powerbrokers, a political settlement among Syria’s warring factions is far from guaranteed. And even assuming a settlement can be reached and elections eventually held, that does not even begin to address the unimaginable scale of reconstruction that the devastated country will need in the decades ahead to rebuild and recover — let alone the immediate needs of the millions of refugees who could potentially be forced to

12 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

return to the country. That leaves the issue of accountability for crimes against humanity — torture, rape and murder on a mass scale — on the backburner, with a growing fear that it may get lost altogether in the desire to produce a settlement. The consequences of not addressing this horror, however, may have long-term consequences for the deeply scarred country. “There can be no such thing as a stable, post-conflict Syria,” Sara Kayyali, Syria researcher for Human Rights Watch, told The Washington Diplomat, “if the underlying causes of the

”

conflict — including the abuse of citizens, denial of rights and suppression of dissent — are not addressed. If they aren’t, we’re just as likely to see further uprisings in the future and further abuses.”

DOCUMENTING THE HORROR

Since the Syrian conflict began in 2011, there have been a colossal number of recorded human rights abuses, committed by both regime and opposition forces, as well as by international actors. The Syrian Network for Human Rights documents a

civilian death toll of 224,948 between March 2011 and this year, with 14,298 tortured to death, 98,279 enforced disappearances and 144,889 people arbitrarily arrested. The U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria says Syrian forces backed by Russian warplanes carried out airstrikes on civilian targets, allegedly used chemical weapons and bombed hospitals, schools and markets. In particular, evidence has mounted of numerous aerial bombings on hospitals, but Russia has reportedly pressed U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to keep the conclusions of the inquiry

PHOTO: UNICEF

chemicals to Syria that might have confidential. been used to produce sarin gas,” Meanwhile, the Islamic State Valérie Paulet, editor of the Univer(ISIS) and the previous al-Qaeda afsal Jurisdiction Annual Review and a filiate Jabhat al-Nusra — now Hay’at legal consultant with a Geneva-based Tahrir al-Sham — also stand accused NGO called TRIAL International, of numerous violations, including told The Washington Diplomat. attacks on civilians, arbitrary detenThe scale of the abuses and the tions, kidnappings and executions. range of alleged culprits is vast. And Women and girls have been disas far as the Syrian regime is conproportionately targeted by all these cerned, its human rights abuses go groups, which have used them as back long before the current conflict, human shields and sex slaves, while with Assad — and his father Hafez their children have often been forced — notorious for their brutal Military to become child soldiers. Intelligence Directorate known as Some of the most disturbing rethe Mukhabarat. ports to emerge from the war come Uprisings against the regime have from Syrian detention facilities that been repeatedly and violently suimprisoned tens of thousands. pressed, from 1973 riots; to the 1982 “Authorities held detainees in inMuslim Brotherhood-led revolt in humane conditions, keeping them in Hama that killed thousands; to the filthy, overcrowded cells for months 2001 roundup of reformist activists; or even years. Detainees said they to the current civil war. were provided with such insufficient “While before 2011, there were food that they slowly starved,” wrote many arbitrary arrests, disappearHuman Rights Watch in the Dec. ances and torture, after 2011, these 16, 2015, report “If the Dead Could practices reached unprecedented Speak.” PHOTO: UNICEF / DELIL SOULEIMAN levels,” said Kayyali. “Former detainees also described At the same time, the perpetrators various types of torture in security On Jan. 26, 2019, children and families huddle together after being forced to flee their homes in Syria and find safety in refugee of many of these crimes will likely branches including shabeh (suspend- camps. A U.N. inquiry investigating possible war crimes in Syria has found that terrorist groups such as the Islamic State have disproportionately targeted women and girls, using them as human shields and sex slaves, while their children are often forced end up — or continue to be — in the ing detainees by their wrists for to become child soldiers. Syrian government and military after hours or days); beating detainees on NOTE: Although every effortbeen is made toofassure of mistakes in spelling and content it is ultimately to the customer to make proof. by the war, makingthe theirfinal prosecution their heads or chests with PVC pipes, the withdrawal of U.S.up troops. accused crimes.your ad is freeviolations. domestic courts highly unlikely. whipping with steel cables, electroEven companies and corporations On the flip side, the Kurdish The U.S. and its anti-ISIS coalition The first two faxed changes will be made at no cost to the advertiser, subsequent changes will be billed at a rate of $75 per faxed alteration. Signed ads are considered approved. In such circumstances, the body cution, and burning,” according to partners have hit civilian targets, population has suffered abuse at the may have had connections to the the report, which noted that inter- while supporting the Syrian conflict that violate the Turkish-backed DemoPlease check hands this adofcarefully. Mark anyFree changes to your ad. human rights or that can prosecute such individual perpetrators is the International rogators or guards “beat detainees to cratic Forces (SDF) and People’s Pro- Syrian Army (FSA) during Turkey’s other legal sanctions. If the death, ad is correct sign fax to to:die (301)tection 949-0065 changeslooking into Criminal Court (ICC). The Haguehung them, or and left them “Weneeds are currently Units (YPG) — both primar- successive invasions and occupations after severe bouts of torture.” ily made up of Kurds — which have of Kurdish-held territory in northern what companies may have been The Washington Diplomat (301) also 933-3552 Approved But all sides in Syria’s war have Syria, including most recently after involved, for example, in sending been accused of human rights __________________________________________________ SEE S YR IA • PAGE 14 Changes ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Prosecutions under the concept of universal jurisdiction can also take advantage of the so-called “Triple IM” U.N. General Assembly resoluCONTINUED • PAGE 13 tion, which was passed in December 2016 in response to the Russian and Chinese vetoes of referring Syrian based court, however, only has juriscases to the ICC. This resulted in the diction in cases involving the citizens International, Impartial and Indeof the 122 countries that are parties pendent Mechanism (IIIM), a body to the Rome Statute that set it up — designed to assist in the investigation and Syria is not among these. The and prosecution of individuals reother option is if the U.N. Security sponsible for the most serious crimes Council votes to refer a case to it. under international law committed But Security Council members Rusin Syria. sia and China both vetoed any such But universal jurisdiction is limreferral back in 2014. ited in its reach. Such cases are exRegardless, the ICC is a court of PHOTO: BY EMESIK - OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 3.0 tremely rare and difficult to proslast resort — set up after the ad hoc Despite the horrors perpetrated by the Syrian government, President Bashar PHOTO: BY EMESIK - OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 3.0 ecute because of the inherent lack of tribunals that emerged in the 1990s al-Assad (a mural of whom is seen in Latakia in 2011, above) looks set to remain “With other avenues for justice access to crime scenes, witnesses and to deal with atrocities committed in in power during any post-war transition period, making it virtually impossible currently blocked, criminal inves- other evidence inside chaotic war the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda for victims of his regime to find justice in domestic courts. tigations in Europe are a beacon of zones. — and is itself a sign of how difficult Still, the mere prospect of finding regime liable for the extrajudicial hope for victims of crimes in Syria diction allows national courts to init can be to bring perpetrators of war killing of war correspondent Marie who have nowhere else to turn,” justice for the crimes they and their vestigate and prosecute grave crimes crimes to justice. Since its formation said Maria Elena Vignoli of Human loved ones endured has galvanized Colvin. in 2002, the ICC has spent hundreds regardless of where the crime was Universal jurisdiction has allowed Rights Watch in an Oct. 3, 2017, re- thousands of Syrian refugees who committed or the nationality of the of millions of dollars but only issued fled to Europe — particularly Gerseveral European countries, notably port for the group. nine convictions and four acquittals. perpetrator. Under universal jurisThat report highlighted the need many — “to wage an unprecedented diction, certain crimes such as geno- Germany and Sweden, to launch cide and torture pose such a serious cases against Syrians accused of war for victims to obtain justice to find legal battle for justice in European peace. “My brother was killed with courts,” wrote Deborah Amos in the threat to the international commu- crimes. UNIVERSAL In fact, the German trial of An- 14 bullets by the regime,” said Sami- Sept. 24, 2019, NPR article “Mountnity that states have a logical and JURISDICTION ing Syrian Warthe Crime Raise NOTE: Although every effort moral is made your ad is free war of mistakes inreported spellingasand content it is lives ultimately upand to lost the sevcustomer to make finalCases proof. ra, who in Sweden R. — widely Anwar dutytotoassure prosecute responsible Raslan, a colonel in Syria’s military eral family members in the war. “All Hopes for Justice Against a Brutal “So, what’s left?” asks Paulet. The individuals. The first two faxed changes will be made at no cost to the advertiser, subsequent changes will be billed at a rate of $75 per faxed alteration. Signed ads are considered approved. Countries such as Australia, Can- intelligence prisons accused of di- my family died. I saw five children Regime.” answer appears to be the exercise of The article notes that since 2012, being recting systemic Mark and brutal and check Ma- this universal jurisdiction. “It’s not a per- ada, Britain, Spain, Israel Please adthe carefully. any torchanges to executed, your ad. I saw their heads fect solution,” she readily concedes, laysia have variously used the con- ture of thousands of detainees — will being cut off. I couldn’t sleep for a the Commission for International It’s very important to have Justice and Accountability (CIJA), to recognize certain crimes and mark the first time a high-ranking week…. “butis it’s the only have If the ad correct signone andwefax to: for (301)cept 949-0065 needs changes authorize their prosecution. Most Syrian official will appear in open justice, which will let me feel that I’m an independent nonprofit group now.” The Washington Diplomat (301) 933-3552 Approved funded by Western governments, has human.” court on war crimes charges. recently, a U.S. court found Assad’s__________________________________________________ The principle of universal juris-

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worked with Syrians on the ground to smuggle documents out of the country and ensure that evidence is collected for future trials. “Last year, acting on evidence compiled by CIJA and witness testimony, French and German prosecutors issued the first international arrest warrants for senior Syrian officials: thennational security chief Ali Mamlouk and the then-head of the Air Force Intelligence Directorate, Jamil Hassan. Yet Assad and his lieutenants remain beyond prosecutors’ reach as long as they stay in Syria, protected by military allies Iran and Russia,” Amos wrote. Nevertheless, activists and organizations have been working assiduously for years to gather evidence — CIJA alone has stored over 800,000 Syrian documents — to try future cases, whether in European courts, the ICC or some hybrid tribunal combining domestic and international law. Another body collecting information is the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, which falls under the U.N. Human Rights Council and was set up in 2011 to investigate alleged violations. Another channel is the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which seeks to fulfil the mandate of the Chemical Weapons Convention, a multilateral disarmament agreement to which Syria is a signatory, along with Russia. OPCW concluded that the Syrian regime had carried out a sarin gas attack in April 2017 against the town of Khan Sheikhun. Other organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights have also collected much of the information necessary to build cases. Eyewitnesses have also come forward.

PHOTO: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

The International Criminal Court holds a meeting on Nov. 15, 2019. Perpetrators of war crimes in Syria are unlikely to be sent to the ICC because Syria is not a party to the Rome Statute that created the court, and because U.N. Security Council members Russia and China have vetoed attempts to refer cases of possible Syrian war crimes to the ICC.

“With the wave of refugees that came into Europe from Syria,” says Paulet, “we had both victims and suspects coming in. The refugees often live together in the same areas, so they see each other. Some cases have started with a victim identifying a perpetrator in the street.” Perhaps the most consequential eyewitness thus far has been the Syrian forensic photographer known by the code name Caesar, who took over 55,000 images of detainees killed in regime prisons before fleeing Syria in 2013. The gruesome images show nearly 11,000 bodies with

bruises, protruding bones and signs of torture. “History will not be written by the victors in the case of Syria,” said Kayyali. “The sheer volume of documentation and witness statements is incredible — and a testimony to the work of all these people and organizations.” Caesar has also given his pseudonym to the Caesar Syria Civil Protection Act of 2019, a bill currently working its way through the U.S. Congress that seeks to deploy additional sanctions against individuals and institutions implicated in trade, financial and property transac-

tions with the Syrian government or military. “This legislation provides the administration much-needed leverage to impose sanctions against Assad and his backers, punish war criminals and cut off funding that fuels the regime’s war tactics,” said Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We must act immediately to hold Assad and his supporters accountable to deter this perpetual cycle of brutality against the innocent people of Syria.” Yet such sanctions are not the same as criminal prosecutions, and for now, accountability will rely on the vigilance of mainly European NGOs and police forces, picking out perpetrators at airports in Switzerland, France, Germany or Sweden — all of which have recently begun detaining suspects and launching criminal cases. “One of the challenges,” says Kayyali, “is that the people who travel to these jurisdictions often turn out to be the small fry. To get to their commanders, the masterminds, that is a lot more difficult.” The hope is there, though, that one day, such prosecutions may happen because justice will be key to any post-war settlement. Kayyali said that “while people are exhausted by the war and want a settlement, they also want their sons and daughters back, their grievances addressed and those that abused them brought to account. This fact must also not be forgotten if Syria isn’t to end up in the same situation all over again.” WD Jonathan Gorvett (jpgorvett.com) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat and a freelance journalist specializing in Near and Middle Eastern affairs.

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 15

WD | Eastern Europe

Belarus’s Balancing Act ‘Europe’s Last Dictator’ Walks Fine Line Between Russia and the West BY DERYL DAVIS

hile Ukraine is in the spotlight because of the impeachment inquiry against President Trump, a recent report suggests Ukraine’s neighbor Belarus should be receiving more attention from the U.S. and its allies. Like Ukraine, Belarus is a former Soviet republic and a strategically important buffer state between Russia and the West. Unlike Ukraine, however, Belarus is not a functioning or even developing democracy, and its longtime leader, Alexander Lukashenko, is known for his authoritarian rule and for playing Russia and the West off one another. Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have designs on this country of nearly 10 million people, just as he did with Ukraine in 2014, when Russia annexed that nation’s Crimea peninsula. “Russia has intensified its pressure on Belarus … politically, economically and through propaganda,” according to Uladzimir Kobets, executive director of the International Strategic Action Network for Security, or iSANS, which produced the report on Russian interference in Belarus last spring. Kobets told us via email that “the Kremlin wants deeper integration, first economically, then politically” with Belarus in exchange for economic favors to its oil-hungry neighbor. “Essentially this would mean giving up Belarusian independence,” Kobets warned. The iSANS report, titled “Coercion to ‘Integration’: Russia’s Creeping Assault on the Sovereignty of Belarus,” suggests that Moscow is actively attempting to destabilize Belarus and to divide the Belarusian public to promote the idea of a union with Russia. The report alleges that Russia is using “multiple instruments of influence” to do this, including economic pressure; divisive propaganda and online disinformation campaigns; vigilante networks; and the co-opting of Belarusian far-right groups. Last year, Moscow raised the price of the vital oil supplies it sells to Belarus, and recently, Russian media have reported that Lukashenko and Putin have agreed on parts of a “road map” to economic integration between the countries that could be presented as early as this month. Belarus is, in fact, already aligned with its neighbor by means of a “union state” memorandum signed in the late 1990s. That agreement, never fully implemented, provided for economic and military links between the two countries and the possibility of shared legal and political systems, including a single head of state. There has been widespread speculation, both in Belarus and the West, that Putin might

PHOTO: BY OKRAS - OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 4.0

President Alexander Lukashenko, seen above in 2014, has ruled Belarus since 1994 and is often called “Europe’s last dictator.”

“

We and the EU need to remind [Alexander] Lukashenko that he doesn’t get a free pass on human rights just because of pressure coming from Moscow. DAVID KRAMER

”

senior fellow in human rights and diplomacy at Florida International University

seek a Russo-Belarusian political union as a way of circumventing his constitutionally imposed term limit in 2024 and stay in office. “It’s a live, serious issue,” said David Kramer, senior fellow in human rights and diplomacy at Florida International University and a former deputy assistant secretary in the State Department, where his portfolio included both Belarus and Russia. “This could be Putin’s way of staying in power past 2024, because unlike Ukraine and Georgia, which are trying to join Western institutions [such as the European Union], Belarus doesn’t have those aspirations.” But that doesn’t mean Lukashenko

16 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

doesn’t have other aspirations — namely keeping his country from being absorbed by Russia. In the past, he has rebuffed Russian entreaties for a monetary union and a common foreign and security policy. Cognizant of how dependent Belarus’s decrepit economy is on Russian subsidized energy — and how Russia meddled in neighboring Ukraine — Lukashenko has in recent years tentatively reached out to the West in an effort to hedge his bets. But Western relations with Belarus are and always have been complicated. Since independence in 1991, Belarus has regularly turned to Moscow for economic, military and other kinds of

aid and its president has been careful not to upset his benefactors. Moreover, Lukashenko — often referred to as “Europe’s last dictator” — has held Belarus in an authoritarian grip since coming to power in 1994. In fact, just last month, not a single opposition candidate managed to win a seat in parliamentary elections (although Miss Belarus 2018, who’s been romantically linked to the president, did become the country’s youngest member of parliament at age 22). Lukashenko, who said he would stand again in 2020 presidential election, has long resisted U.S. and European calls to respect human rights, restore civil liberties and allow freedom of the press and of expression. Beginning in the early 2000s, the U.S. and its EU partners slapped a series of sanctions on Belarus in response to ongoing human rights violations and election fraud, including the jailing of political opponents. Lukashenko retaliated in 2008 by kicking out the U.S. ambassador to Belarus and many of her colleagues. There has not been a U.S. ambassador to Belarus since. However, following an important visit to Belarus in August by then-National Security Advisor John

Bolton, in which Bolton was warmly received by Lukashenko, the U.S. announced it was ready to exchange ambassadors with Belarus again as part of an ongoing “normalization” between the two countries. “On the one hand, it’s a big deal,” Kramer said of the planned ambassadorial exchange after a gap of nearly 12 years. “But on the other hand, [the ambassadorial agreement] is an easy thing for Lukashenko to give the U.S.” Kramer said he hopes the U.S. “isn’t taken in too much” by the seeming thaw with Lukashenko, and that the authoritarian leader really means what he says. “We and the EU need to remind Lukashenko that he doesn’t get a free pass on human rights just because of pressure coming from Moscow,” Kramer said. “He’s been skillful at solidifying his grip on power while ‘crying wolf ’ about the Russians, and we’ve been guilty of falling into that trap.” German Marshall Fund senior fellow Jonathan Katz, a former USAID official whose portfolio included Belarus, agrees that Lukashenko is a wily character who cannot be trusted in every situation. But he does think the Russian threat to Belarus may be at a new high and that Lukashenko knows it. “Right now the dial is going up from a five or six to a 10,” Katz said. “It looks like the Kremlin is pushing much harder to make this [political union] happen and to increase pressure on Lukashenko to come to the table.”

An aerial view shows Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, home to roughly 2 million people.

Katz said that the Belarusian president “is no dummy. He can see [from examples in Georgia and Ukraine] that Russia and Putin are willing and ready to act when their interest is at stake.” Noting Lukashenko’s recent visit to the EU, where the Belarusian autocrat met with Austrian government officials, Katz believes Lukashenko is both “trying to play ball with the Kremlin, but also trying to find outside levers to decrease the pressure from it.” Significantly, Lukashenko’s visit to the EU was his first since 2016, when the bloc lifted a travel ban against him

related to human rights violations. However, Katz thinks Lukashenko’s delicate balancing act between Russia and the West “is getting harder and harder to maintain” as Moscow implements its own game plan in Belarus. “That timetable is determined by Vladimir Putin and what he wants to do, not by Mr. Lukashenko,” Katz said. “It’s possible that Lukashenko could soon be a casualty of Mr. Putin’s ambition and of Russian external strategy. Every couple of years, there’s a new target on the periphery. Now it may be Belarus.” While Katz believes the Russian

PHOTO: A_MATSKEVICH / PIXABAY

threat to Belarus could be imminent — although hard to pin down with any certainty — the Wilson Center’s Yauheni Preiherman disagrees. “I don’t think there is an imminent threat that Belarus might be consumed into Russia,” Preiherman wrote via email from the South Caucasus. “The real problem is longer term. If Belarus fails to make the diversification of its economic and foreign relations sustainable, and if there is no economic progress in the country, risks to Belarusian sovereignty will grow exponentially.” Lukashenko seems to be some-

what cognizant of this threat and has been courting investment from Europe and even China to wean itself away from Moscow (half of Belarus’s trade is currently with Russia). Notably, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Lukashenko did not recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and even offered his country’s capital of Minsk to host peace talks between the warring factions. And in March, Lukashenko openly called for closer ties with NATO, further irritating Moscow. Preiherman, who directs the Minsk Dialogue Track II Initiative in Eastern Europe, says it is natural that Russia should be concerned with Belarus: It is in Russia’s own backyard, it has been a Russian ally for many years now and the two countries already share strategic economic and military interests. Additionally, Preiherman said that the 1999 “Union State” agreement ensures parity between the two constituents. Russia cannot implement any part of the agreement unless Belarus concurs. “And for now, the sides [have] agreed to work strictly within that agreement,” Preiherman noted. Another concern raised by critics of Lukashenko is whether or how much to trust his apparent overtures to the West, and whether he can be relied upon to maintain Belarusian independence beyond what bears upon his own interests and political survival. “The space for maneuvering is almost zero now,” iSANS’ SEE B EL AR US • PAGE 18

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Belarus

CONTINUED • PAGE 17

Kobets argued. “We hope Lukashenko and the people around him will have come to [an] understanding that the Union State and Russia’s policies — especially after 2014 — are a threat to Belarus, while the West is not a threat and is not going to make any regime change.” Former State Department official Kramer views Lukashenko’s overtures as many “olive branches” thrown to the West that are carefully designed not to provoke reciprocal moves by Moscow. “We should be supporting the people of Belarus in all this,” he said, “not Lukashenko.” For his part, Preiherman takes Lukashenko’s recent engagement with the West at face value. “He seems to be as serious as never before about making foreign policy and economic diversification work,” Preiherman told us. “[H]e is trying to hedge against various risks, and this is the essence of Belarus’s foreign policy, which is not too much different from what other small states do in similar geopolitical contexts.” Preiherman added that Belarus’s “central problem” is that it has isolated itself from the West for so long. “[I]t is now extremely difficult to bring relations with the West back to normal and achieve sustainable progress.” One thing many Belarus experts agree on is that to establish real relationships with the West and build up Belarus’s internal resiliency, Lukashenko must relinquish his authoritarian grip on the country. “He has to do what he hasn’t been willing to do so far,” Katz said. “He has to empower the people of Belarus, create a civil society and allow press freedoms. He

PHOTO: ARKADIUSZ FÖRSTER / PIXABAY

A statue of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin sits outside the House of Government in Minsk. In parliamentary elections last month, not a single opposition candidate won a seat — a sign of how tightly controlled the government is by President Alexander Lukashenko.

PHOTO: АДМІНІСТРАЦІЯ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ, CC BY 4.0

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko meets with newly elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, in October 2019. While Lukashenko has historically maintained close ties with Russia, experts speculate that Moscow’s annexation of Crimea may have prompted Lukashenko to hedge his bets against Russian interference by courting the West.

needs the people to help strengthen Belarus’ self-identity, to create a sense in that society of a desire and an interest to have and defend their own state. It’s much easier to withstand Russian aggression if you have an independent media and the rule of law [in order] to directly counter what’s taking place.” One report says Lukashenko has taken small steps to do that, at least when it comes to cultivating a national identity. Despite Belarus be-

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ing the most “Russianized” of the post-Soviet countries, with a population that is culturally and linguistically close to Russia, “the Belarusian regime has noticeably broadened the country’s self-identity by increasingly stressing its independence; pursuing a balanced, multivectored foreign policy; cultivating a Belarusian national identity; and projecting a neutral peacekeeping role in the region,” according to Artyom Shraibman, who wrote the April 2018 report “The House That Lukashenko Built” for the Carnegie Moscow Center. Shraibman says that Belarusian elites remain united around Lukashenko but that in recent years, a group of progressive economic bureaucrats has emerged to convince Lukashenko of the need for market reforms, which the author speculates could lead Belarus to “transition to a softer form of authoritarianism.” Kobets says such reforms are critical for the country’s survival. “What is needed is an understanding by Lukashenko and his circle that without even modest changes, the country will not survive,” he argued. “A country’s resilience is always weakened by repressive measures, as only a free media and a real civil society are the cornerstone in building resilience.” Kobets said that Belarus’s governing elites need to acknowledge one thing above all: If Belarus won’t work to maintain its own independence and establish its own freedoms, no one else will. “No one will be fighting a war with a Russian bear.” The iSANS report offers some recommendations for how Belarus can protect itself from Russian aggression and how the West can help. First and foremost, the international community must take the threat to Belarus’ sovereignty seriously, a threat the report argues will only increase in the years ahead. Second, the U.S. and international partners must persuade Lukashenko of the urgency in cooperating with the West, of economic reforms in state-owned enterprises and of basic human rights and the rule of law, among other things. Democratic nations must actively support civil society organizations and media activists in Belarus so as to counter Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns. And no one should count on the nation’s president for support. “Lukashenko is not a real guarantor of the country’s independence,” the report declares. “He is a non-rational player clinging to power to guarantee his own safety, unwilling to carry out any real reforms.” The report claims that the real hope lies with those beneath Lukashenko, the (perhaps nameless and numberless)

government bureaucrats who make the country run, but are now ready for reform and turning their eyes toward the West. But other experts see Lukashenko as perfectly rational and don’t predict a major geostrategic upset one way or another. “Belarus continues to do what it does best: pragmatically navigating its way through crisis, trying to reduce dependence on Russia, and being rewarded for its loyalty by both sides,” wrote Benno Zogg in the April 3, 2019, commentary for War on the Rocks titled “From Belarus with Love: The Limits of Lukashenko’s Dalliance with the West.” “Lukashenko is gifted at this. Russia can rest assured that Belarus will not follow Ukraine’s path toward the West and Europe can cease worrying about it becoming Russia’s fully compliant satellite as long as he is in office,” Zogg wrote. Zogg argues that in the meantime, the West “should focus on slowly building mutual trust” but “reluctantly accept that this authoritarian regime could help mediate between the West and Russia and that its stability has certain benefits for the Belarusian people, its Ukrainian neighbor to the south, and the wider region.” What, exactly, the West will do, however, is anyone’s guess. Certainly, Western democracies do not want to see Russia violate the sovereignty and integrity of yet another country, as it did with Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014, the latter an ongoing conflict. But Preiherman says it is hard to see exactly what shape American diplomacy toward Belarus will take, and Kramer acknowledges that it is indeed “conceivable” that “we will wake up one day and find Russia and Belarus have finalized a deal.” Kobets believes that can be avoided if Belarus implements its own sweeping reforms, and if the U.S. and its partners stand up for Belarusian independence and help counter Moscow’s disinformation through media literacy and by including Belarus in USAID programs such as the new Countering Malign Kremlin Influence Development Framework. “People in Washington are waking up to what’s happening,” said Katz. “Nobody thought Russia was as far along as it is today in terms of its effort [toward Belarus]. Now, it’s shocking to people that Russia is spending so much energy and resources in a country which many consider an ally of Russia.” Like many other Belarus watchers, Katz considers the small East European nation something of a bell weather for Moscow’s next moves on the world stage. “It’s like the canary in the coal mine,” Katz observed. “People are thinking, if you’re treating your ally this way, then something really is afoot.” That may be something only Vladimir Putin knows. WD Deryl Davis is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

Cover Profile | WD

Never-Ending War? Afghanistan’s First Female Ambassador to U.S. Insists Peace Is Still Possible BY LARRY LUXNER

oya Rahmani can barely recall a single day of peace growing up in Afghanistan. In 1979, the year after she was born, Soviet troops invaded her country, launching a never-ending cycle of occupation, revolution, religious extremism and terrorism. The first woman ever to represent Afghanistan as ambassador to the United States, Rahmani, 41, is still haunted by those early memories. “During the Soviet occupation, I couldn’t always go to school because missiles were hitting the city, and as I was growing up in Kabul, I never thought of visiting any other province because it was simply too insecure,” said Rahmani, interviewed Oct. 29 as part of The Washington Diplomat’s Ambassador Insider Series. “Starting in the ’90s, there was famine and drought, and during the 1992-96 civil war, we were literally pushed out of our homes. I remember our family hugging each other, thinking this would be the last night of our lives,” she said. “Then the Taliban took over, and I could forget about the university. As a woman, you weren’t even allowed to go to school. This is how things went from bad to worse. “The reality is that for us, this war has lasted over 40 years,” Rahmani told us. “It’s been my entire life — starting with the Soviet invasion, then the collapse and withdrawal of Soviet forces, then a civil war from 1992 to 1996.” That’s when her family fled to Pakistan, where Rahmani attended a Saudi-funded school for refugees in the town of Peshawar. That school was so crowded, the ambassador told NPR in March, that she and her classmates had to study on the roof for an entire school year. By the time Rahmani returned to Kabul in 1998, the Taliban were in charge, and she refused to leave her house rather than put on a burqa as required under strict Islamic law. But a scholarship from the World University Service of Canada changed her life. She enrolled at Montreal’s McGill University and earned a bachelor’s degree in software engineering. In 2004, Rahmani returned to Afghanistan representing a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to educating Afghan women and girls. Eventually she got a master’s degree from New York’s Columbia University and joined her country’s government, first at the Ministry of Education and then at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Before her Decem-

PHOTO: JESSICA KNOX PHOTOGRAPHY

“

The reality is that for us, this war has lasted over 40 years. It’s been my entire life — starting with the Soviet invasion, then the collapse and withdrawal of Soviet forces, then a civil war from 1992 to 1996…. Then the Taliban took over. ROYA RAHMANI

ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States

ber 2018 appointment by President Ashraf Ghani as ambassador to the United States, she was posted to Jakarta as ambassador to Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Rahmani is one of four female ambassadors in the Afghan Foreign Service. Besides her native Dari, she speaks Pashto and English, with a basic understanding of Urdu and French. She’s also married and the mother of a little girl, Bareen.

”

The ambassador, who in midNovember was included in the 2019 Time 100 Next event, is a powerful voice advocating for Afghanistan at a time when a war-weary American public wants to forget about it. U.S. troops have now fought in Afghanistan for 18 years; it ranks as the longest war in American history, surpassing the Vietnam War by nearly 10 months. Since President George W. Bush announced the invasion of Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2001 — less than

a month after the 9/11 terrorist attacks — roughly 150,000 people have died in battle, according to Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. That includes over 38,000 civilians, 58,000 members of the Afghan military and police forces, and 2,400 U.S. troops (two of whom died just last month in a helicopter crash). In all, over 750,000 U.S. troops have fought at some point in Afghanistan, and U.S. taxpayers have spent nearly $1 trillion on military operations, along with economic, social and educational initiatives, according to a new report by the Watson Institute. Many Americans question where that blood and treasure went. The central government in Kabul is still heavily reliant on international military and economic assistance; living standards in Afghanistan are among the lowest in the world; more than half the population lives on less than a dollar a day; and less than half the country can read. But Rahmani counters with statistics of her own that she says show her country’s enormous progress. In 2001, Afghanistan had 50 miles of paved roads and only 20,000 digital phone lines, half of which weren’t even working. Today, it boasts over 10,000 miles of roads, and 85% of all Afghans have access to mobile phones. Meanwhile, in the past 18 years, annual per-capita GDP has jumped from $120 to $608, while access to health care has risen from 9% to more than 70%. At the time of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, no girls went to school; today, 4 million do, and the Afghan security forces include 4,000 women volunteers. Rahmani also disputes estimates suggesting that the Taliban controls roughly half of the country’s territory. “The reality is that out of 420 districts, the Taliban controls only 16, and that’s down from 23 last year. And even in these districts, if somebody needs a passport or health services, they have to go to a government office,” she told The Diplomat. “Our NATO partners have decided they’re not even going to measure control based on territory, because we’d rather put our security forces around centers of population than completely vacant, uninhabited land.” Even geographically, Afghanistan’s status is in dispute. Rahmani said the World Bank considers her country part of South Asia, the IMF says it beSEE AF G HANIS TAN • PAGE 20 DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 19

PHOTO: CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Surrounding farmlands are seen from within the caves at the “Large Buddha” statue in Bamyan. The caves were once inhabited by Buddhist monks who left behind a legacy of frescoes and paintings, many of which were destroyed by the Taliban.

Afghanistan CONTINUED • PAGE 19

longs in the Middle East and her own government views Afghanistan as part of Central Asia. What is not in dispute, however, is President Trump’s determination to keep one of his core campaign promises: to get U.S. troops out of Afghanistan and end America’s “endless wars.” At present, about 20,000 foreign troops, including 14,000 U.S. soldiers, are on the ground in Afghanistan as part of the U.S.-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. To reduce those numbers, Trump dispatched former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad to negotiate a peace settlement with the Taliban. After nearly a year of talks, the two sides seemed close to a deal that would’ve seen a partial U.S. troop withdrawal in return for Taliban pledges not to allow Afghanistan to become a launching pad for terrorism. But those talks came to a halt on Sept. 7, when Trump surprised everyone by canceling them after a Taliban car-bombing in Kabul killed 12 people including a U.S. soldier. (Trump’s invitation to host the Taliban at Camp David shortly before the 18th anniversary of 9/11 also generated significant backlash.) Many Afghans expressed relief that the talks were called off — at least for the time be-

ing. There were widespread fears that in his eagerness to withdraw from Afghanistan, Trump would leave behind a security vacuum or pave the way for the Taliban to return to power and re-impose its harsh Islamist rule over the country. Trump also came under fire for excluding the Afghan government from the talks. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has repeatedly said that the Taliban must negotiate directly with Kabul to achieve an enduring peace, but the Taliban has refused to sit down with what it calls a puppet of the U.S. While appearing reluctant to criticize the Trump administration directly, Rahmani said it’s a huge mistake to leave her country out of talks that directly affect its future. “The only way to achieve peace is if a settlement is achieved by the Afghan people — specifically their elected representatives — and the Taliban. You need the beneficiaries’ buy-in and their trust. Without that, it’s simply not possible to have a sustainable deal,” she said. Rahmani urged a sweeping review of the U.S.-Afghan partnership to achieve a lasting peace that preserves the hard-fought sacrifices of U.S. soldiers — and the hardfought gains of Afghanistan’s 35 million people. “We need to understand

20 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

At the time of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, no girls went to school; today, 4 million do.

this relationship better and know what the U.S. wants and how we can bring that about,” she explained. “I believe there’s a convergence of interests. The U.S. wants to end the war and ensure that the gains are preserved and that human tragedy does not continue. This is exactly what we want too. We want to reach a peaceful settlement with the Taliban, to achieve economic self-reliance. Today, for the first time, we have the vision, the will and the human capital to achieve that. This is not pie-in-the-sky.” Rahmani cited Afghanistan’s Sept. 28 presidential elections as proof that Afghanistan is making tangible progress. Speaking Oct. 16 at the Atlantic Council, Rahmani praised the elections — whose results have yet to be announced because of disputes over the recount — as “a critical step in our evolution as a new democracy and our path toward selfreliance.” Afghanistan’s nascent democracy, she added, is key to America’s counterterrorism strategy because it ensures that her country will never again become a breeding ground for extremism. Noting that this was Afghanistan’s fourth presidential election since 2001, Rahmani said that 70,000 Afghan security forces ensured the safety of voters, while another 200,000 Afghans worked the polls, more than 10,000 of them women. While turnout was lower than previous elections, over 3 million Afghans cast their

PHOTO: WIKIIMAGES / PIXABAY

CREDIT: OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY SHEALAH CRAIGHEAD

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani shakes hands with President Trump at the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Determined to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Trump has ordered peace talks with the Taliban, but those negotiations have been criticized for excluding Ghani’s government.

PHOTO: AMBER CLAY / PIXABAY

A father sits with his daughter on the mud outside their home. Despite tens of billions of dollars of investment, living standards in Afghanistan are still among the lowest in the world, with more than half the population living on less than a dollar a day.

vote “in brave defiance of terrorist threats from the Taliban,” Rahmani said, declaring that the elections were “a turning point” for the country and that “for the first time in a very long time, I see the path to peace and prosperity clearly visible before me.” A seven-point plan pushed by Ghani’s technocratic government outlines that path to prosperity and long-term security, although it also includes “adjustments in our partnership with the United States moving forward,” Rahmani said without elaborating. In addition to the U.S., “we need to have a discussion with our regional partners. Without that, sustainable peace will not be achieved,” she said. “Regional factors have kept this war going, because the Taliban were taken too lightly, and regional factors were not addressed the way they should have been,” the ambassador said, alluding to Afghanistan’s neighbor, Pakistan, which has been accused of harboring Taliban insurgents and which will be instrumental in any efforts to reach a peace deal with the Taliban. “We need to ensure that the rest of the region also shares our vision,” Rahmani said, “and for us to do our homework internally, providing better governance and services to our people so that poverty does not push them to violence.” And addressing the violence is more urgent than ever. According to statistics, 2018 was the deadliest year for Afghan civilians since the United Nations started keeping track, and this year is shaping up to be the worst yet as both U.S. forces and Taliban insurgents stepped up operations to gain leverage during peace talks. The Taliban was responsible for 75% of all deaths from terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and 20% of terrorism-related deaths worldwide in 2017. But according to a recent U.N. report, civilian deaths caused by U.S. and Afghan government forces for the first time surpassed those caused by the Taliban and other insurgents, with the U.S. and Afghan forces killing 717 civilians in the first six months of 2019. The deaths were largely attributed to an increase in U.S. airstrikes, which put civilians at greater risk. But over the summer, Taliban insurgents ramped up attacks, killing 1,174 civilians between July and September alone, according to the U.N. Rahmani disputed those numbers, but she did agree that the war is becoming more lethal. “Unfortunately, as peace talks were going on, the Taliban were getting beaten on the battlefield. As a tactical shift, they moved to centers of population and targeted more civilians in order to gain leverage at the negotiating table,” she said. “Even as they were talking to U.S. negotiators, they were attacking and killing Afghans and Americans. Finally, President Trump said, ‘I don’t think you’re serious about peace, so let’s call it off.’” But the recent prisoner swap of two Western hostages and three Taliban leaders suggests that negotiations might be restarting soon. And while some interpreted Trump’s decision to abort the previous talks as a sign that he remains committed to Afghanistan, the president has made it clear that he still intends to bring U.S. troops home, with or without a peace deal. In fact, the administration has already quietly reduced the number of troops in Afghanistan by around 2,000 over the past year. White House officials say the reductions are gradual and won’t hamper counterterrorism efforts, but critics say that by removing troops, Trump is throwing away an important bargaining chip he can use to extract concessions from the Taliban. The disclosure came shortly after Trump announced the abrupt pullout of 1,000 U.S. troops from northeastern Syria who had been protecting Kurdish forces from a Turkish invasion. As expected, Turkey moved in and oc-

PHOTO: AMBER CLAY / PIXABAY

U.S. soldiers survey the rugged Afghan landscape. At present, about 20,000 foreign troops, including 14,000 U.S. soldiers, are on the ground in Afghanistan as part of the U.S.-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces.

Afghanistan at a Glance Independence Day Aug. 19, 1919 (from U.K. control of Afghan foreign affairs) Location Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Flag of Afghanistan

Capital Kabul Population 35 million (July 2018 estimate) Ethnic groups Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, other (includes smaller numbers of Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, Pashai and Kyrghyz)

(2015 estimate)

GDP (purchasing power parity) $69 billion (2017 estimate)

GDP per-capita (PPP) $2,000 (2017 estimate) SOURCE: CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

GDP growth 2.7 percent (2017 estimate) Unemployment 23.9 percent (2017 estimate) Population below poverty line 54.5 percent (2017 estimate)

Industries Small-scale production of bricks,

textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets, natural gas, coal, copper

PHOTO: BY SENIOR AIRMAN ANDREA SALAZAR (U.S. ARMED FORCES)

Afghan women work in a textile factory in Kabul. Under the Taliban, women were not allowed to work or go to school, and many now fear that if the Taliban return to politics under a peace deal, the gains they have made could be wiped away.

cupied the Kurdish-held territory right after Trump’s announcement, prompting criticism that the president had abandoned a key ally who helped to stamp out the Islamic State in Syria.

Rahmani did not comment on concerns about a possible Islamic State resurgence because of Trump’s decision, although she did say that news of the Oct. 26 death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria’s Idlib province

during a U.S. special operations mission was well-received back home because the Islamic State has been an increasingly violent force in Afghanistan. “The kinds of atrocities they have committed are unimaginable, including the recent bombing of a wedding party that killed over 70 innocent people,” she said. “Some analysts have said the killing of a leader doesn’t mean the group will be disrupted, but at least we’re hoping they’ll be weakened and will start learning their lessons.” Asked why she’s so optimistic now — given the ongoing bloodshed and Trump’s vow to extricate U.S. forces from the region, possibly abandoning Kabul like he did the Kurds — Rahmani attributed it to “new realities” in the region. “The Taliban used to say that time was on their side. In 2001, they actually told Khalilzad [who then had a top position on the U.S. National Security Council] that, ‘You have all the watches, but we have all the time.’ I think that equation has been reversed — not because they bought all the watches, but because they no longer have time on their side.” More specifically, she said, “they cannot push young women back inside their houses, they cannot ask young boys to give up their hopes and surrender to the kind of ideologies they were perpetuating. The recent election was a very clear example of our resolve. Under gunpoint — literally, because the Taliban had declared a war on our election — the people of Afghanistan took the time to register, find their polling stations and vote. We are demonstrating our commitment to democracy, and I hope our partners do the same.” Rahmani also hopes that as her daughter Bareen grows up, she’ll never have to worry about limits being placed on her dreams because of her gender. “My work is not a job, it’s a passion, and my daughter gives it even more meaning,” she said. “I think of her every day, and whenever I see children suffering, I see her face.” WD Tel Aviv-based journalist Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 21

WD | Asia

U.S.-China Standoff As Trade War Drags on, Beijing and Washington Cement Competitor Status BY AILEEN TORRES-BENNETT

s 2019 comes to a close, the trade war between the U.S. and China that has dominated the news all year is far from over. If anything, it could augur a new era of relations between the world’s two largest economies — and for this administration, that era would represent a course correction that rightly emphasizes competition over cooperation. For years, as China became a rising power, the U.S. hoped that integrating it into the global economic community — notably by allowing it into the World Trade Organization in 2001 — would lead to democratic changes in the nation of 1.3 billion. But those changes never materialized. China’s communist government has maintained a firm grip on power while expanding its ambitions across the region, both militarily, by fortifying its presence in the contested waters of the South China Sea, and economically, through its Belt and Road Initiative, which would create a modern-day Silk Road stretching from Asia to Europe. Former President Obama tried to walk a fine line between courting China and increasing America’s influence in the Pacific through his Asia Pivot, which was aimed at counterbalancing Chinese hegemony in the region. While Obama did not explicitly view China as an enemy, his successor recently labeled Chinese President Xi Jinping as just that. Under President Trump, the relationship between the U.S. and China has shifted from guarded cooperation to open hostility, especially on the trade front. At the moment, the U.S. economy remains larger than China’s, with a GDP of $20 trillion in 2018 versus China’s GDP of $13.6 trillion last year, according to the World Bank. President Trump wants to keep it that way and has zeroed in on the U.S. trade deficit with China, which stands at $167 billion for the first half of 2019, according to U.S. Census figures. Trump has targeted this deficit through a series of escalating tariffs. The president had already slapped tariffs of 25% on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods such as machinery and furniture this past May after a year of up-and-down trade talks failed to yield any progress. On Sept. 1, Trump imposed a 15% tariff on an additional $125 billion in Chinese imports such as flat-panel TV screens and footwear, but he held off on raising the 25% tax on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods to 30% pending the outcome of talks. Meanwhile, another round of

CREDIT: OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY SHEALAH CRAIGHEAD

President Donald Trump looks over at Chinese Vice Premier Liu He during a meeting in the Oval Office on April 4, 2019, to discuss the trade dispute between Washington and Beijing.

The U.S.-China relationship has always been characterized by elements of cooperation and competition, but competition now outweighs cooperation as the dominant narrative.

22 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

tariffs of 15% on $156 billion in Chinese products such as cellphones, laptops, toys and clothing is scheduled for Dec. 15. For its part, China has retaliated by slapping tariffs on U.S. imports such as cars and crops. In recent months, the two sides have been locked in negotiations to complete a “phase one” deal that China hopes will roll back some existing tariffs and cancel additional ones (such as the scheduled Dec. 15 tariff). Trump, however, has not committed to scrapping any tariffs. In addition to disagreeing over the level of tariff relief, the two sides have reportedly clashed over issues such as the exact amount of agricultural products China would purchase from the U.S. and the enforcement mechanism to protect intellectual property. Many economists say tit-for-tat tariffs are blunt-force instruments that mete out pain to everyone, and they argue that trade deficits, which are

caused by a variety of factors such as consumption and savings habits, are not indicative of an economy’s overall health. So, while Trump has said that China is paying the U.S. billions of dollars in tariffs, economists point out that tariffs are in fact import taxes that American businesses pay, often passing the costs down to consumers. The eventual goal is to compel businesses to bring China-based manufacturing back to the U.S. — and Trump has demanded that U.S. companies do just that — but businesses are more likely to shift manufacturing and supply chains to other low-wage countries such as Vietnam (also see “As U.S. and China Duke It Out in Tariff War, Other Nations Emerge as Winners” in the August 2019 issue). While many economists say Trump’s fixation on deficits is misguided, the president has earned praise for confronting longstanding irritants in the

PHOTO: COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

Elizabeth Economy

U.S.-China relationship, namely Beijing’s theft of intellectual property, its expansive state subsidies and the forced transfer of technology from American companies wanting to do business in China. As trade talks drag on, the question becomes who will blink first, especially if the trade battle precipitates a global economic downturn ahead of the U.S. election. In October, the IMF said it expects global growth to slow to its weakest pace since the 2008 global financial crisis, cutting its expected growth for

2019 from 3.9% down to 2.6%. According to the IMF, the biggest factor weighing growth down is the U.S.-China trade war. The Diplomat asked Elizabeth Economy, the director for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a visiting fellow at Stanford University, to explain the current U.S.-China standoff and its implications for the two countries and for the world. THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT: The U.S.-China relationship is changing to one of outright competition instead of strategic cooperation. What would you say is the catalyst for this evolution? ELIZABETH ECONOMY: The U.S.China relationship has always been characterized by elements of cooperation and competition, but competition now outweighs cooperation as the dominant narrative. I think that there are three catalysts for this shift. The first, and most important, is the fundamental transformation in Chinese domestic and foreign policy unleashed by Xi Jinping. The Xi model is one that sharply limits the opportunity for foreign actors and ideas to engage within China through policies such as Made in China 2025 … at the same time as it promotes a far more ambitious and expansive foreign policy. China’s aggressive approach to sovereignty issues — the South China Sea, Hong

PHOTO: LESLIN_LIU / PIXABAY

The skyscrapers of Shanghai are seen lit up at night. China is the world’s second-largest economy after the U.S., with a GDP of $13.6 trillion last year.

Kong and Taiwan — elements of its Belt and Road Initiative, its military build-up and its efforts to reform norms and institutions around global governance all make it much more of a competitor than partner

for the United States. There is a sense that China is challenging the United States on all fronts — political, economic and security — both in the bilateral relationship and on the global stage.

This has contributed to a sense in the United States that the Xi era offers significantly diminished opportunities for cooperation. There is no longer a belief that if the United States simply models principles

of openness and transparency, as well as the rule of law, China will eventually follow suit. The second catalyst is the emergence of China as a center of innovation and rising economic power. Any country with the economic heft and technological prowess of China will be a competitor of the United States. The real issue is whether China maintains a level playing field for multinationals. If it did, its economic rise and the competition it posed for U.S. firms would be understood in the same context as Germany and Japan today. However, the range of market and nonmarket barriers to competition make China’s economic rise far more challenging because Beijing does not play by the rules governing other advanced economies’ interactions. The result is that the United States confronts not only a legitimate economic competitor, but also one who doesn’t play by the rules. Finally, the change in U.S. administrations from Obama to Trump introduced a set of senior officials who possessed a different set of understandings regarding Chinese intentions and the degree of threat that China’s economic and military rise poses to the United States. So, the perception of the Trump administration has also played a part in this shift from emphasizing coSEE CHINA • PAGE 24

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 23

powerhouses. Nonetheless, overall global growth is slowing, and both the Chinese and American economies are suffering from the unpredictability generated by the trade war, as well as real hits to sectors such as agriculture and technology.

China CONTINUED • PAGE 23

operation to competition. TWD: There are two main elements of U.S.-China competition: military and economic. China just released a defense white paper that seems to react to the latest U.S. National Security Strategy. The two countries are basically calling each other out as non-friendly without officially declaring each other enemies. Is this the start of a new cold war? EE: It is possible that we are entering a new cold war, although I certainly hope that is not the case. Most U.S. China analysts would agree that there is growing economic and military competition. Many argue, however, that it is a not a cold war because, unlike the Soviet Union, China is not exporting its political system and because there is far greater economic interdependence between the United States and China than there was between the United States and the Soviet Union during the

TWD: What are your thoughts on where the tariff talks stand, and do you expect any kind of mild breakthrough in the next month or two?

PHOTO: WOONG_HOE / PIXABAY

President Trump launched a tariff war against Chinese imports because of America’s trade deficit with China, as well as other trade irritants such as Beijing’s expansive state subsidies and alleged intellectual property theft.

Cold War. I worry, however, that a technological bifurcation between China and Westernbased systems will contribute to a cold war-type polariza-

tion. Moreover, while China is not exporting communism as an ideal or even the dominance of a communist party, it is exporting elements of its political system that support

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authoritarianism. It is undertaking political capacity building in countries such as Tanzania, training officials on how to manage the internet and control political dissent. It has conducted cybersecurity seminars for Belt and Road countries on how to do real-time censorship of the internet. And, certainly, it is exporting its surveillance system to many countries, although this could also be understood as simply an economic export opportunity. In addition, at the level of global governance, China is working to reshape norms and institutions to fit its political priorities and values in areas such as development finance, human rights and the internet. And, I would argue, it is having some success in this effort. Even as China is forcibly removing more than 1 million citizens [the Uyghurs] from their homes in Xinjiang and placing them in labor and re-education camps, ambassadors from 37 countries signed a letter in July in support of China’s human rights practices. Most of these ambassadors represent countries with like-minded authoritarian political systems. The political element of a new cold war may not be communist versus democratic countries, but authoritarian states versus democracies. TWD: On the economic front, the U.S.-China trade war continues. Can you break down the negotiating positions of each side? How do you interpret the trade war’s

effects on the U.S. and China individually in the short and long term? And what does all this mean for the global economy? EE: The trade war reflects a range of different U.S. concerns and impulses — some of them are short-term ‘feelgood’ asks, while others represent a demand for significant structural change in the Chinese economy. They include zeroing out the trade deficit through more Chinese purchases of U.S. goods, protecting intellectual property and ending nonmarket barriers to entry, such as Made in China 2025, coerced technology transfer and subsidies to state-owned enterprises. Washington also insists that there be some mechanism of enforcement, such as keeping some tariffs in place and/or an independent adjudication system, since China has often failed to deliver on its promises to make changes in its trade and investment policies. On the Chinese side, the government wants the restrictions lifted on Huawei and an end to punitive measures against other Chinese tech companies, the lifting of all tariffs and a realistic ask in terms of goods purchases from the United States to redress the bilateral trade deficit. Some countries, such as Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh and South Korea, have benefited as multinationals, and even some Chinese companies, have begun to move their supply chains out of China to these other wellpositioned manufacturing

EE: With the announcement that a ‘phase one’ deal is underway, it appears that both sides are attempting to take the temperature down on the trade front. The cancellation of the 2019 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit slated for mid-November in Chile, however, probably set negotiations back a bit. The meeting had provided a target date for negotiators to have a deal for the two presidents to sign. Without such an incentive, the likelihood increases that over time, offhand remarks and speculation by officials and/or commentators could contribute to derail the progress that has apparently been achieved to date. TWD: How will the trade war, which looks set to continue into next year, impact the 2020 elections? EE: There is strong incentive for President Trump to demonstrate some progress on the trade war before the election, particularly if growth in the United States continues to slow. Of course it is also possible for him to avoid real progress and simply target electoral swing states with favored treatment —such as subsides for soybean producers — to try to see himself through the election. TWD: Anything you want to add? EE: While the trade war has brought a spotlight to the United States and China, it is important to remember that most of the world’s advanced economies and market democracies share Washington’s concerns about the nature of China’s political, military and economic power, and China’s failure to adhere to international norms around freedom of navigation, free trade and human rights. The EU has publicly proclaimed China a ‘systemic rival’ promoting alternative forms of governance. Xi Jinping’s China is not a uniquely American concern. WD Aileen Torres-Bennett is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

Culture arts & entertainment art

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diplomatic spouses

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theater

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photography

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music

The Washington Diplomat | December 2019

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history

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film

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events

THEATER

Stage Presence Signature Theatre, renowned for its ability to dust off old stan-

dards and make them shine, lives up to its reputation with “A

Chorus Line,” which

revives the classic musical of dancers determined

to make the cut and realize their dreams. PAGE 27

ART

Impressive Gift The Phillips Collection’s latest exhibition, “Bonnard to Vuillard: The

Intimate Poetry of Ev-

eryday Life,” celebrates a significant promised

gift the museum hopes will inspire a reassessment of a short-lived,

often overlooked group of post-Impressionist French artists known as the Nabis. PAGE 28

ART

Captivity and Freedom Israeli artist Michal Heiman offers two very different takes on the

term “asylum,” on the one hand

depicting women who were locked up in 19th-century mental asylums in London and Venice, while on

the other exploring the modern-day phenomenon of refugees seeking asylum abroad. PAGE 29

Rania Matar’s “Yara, Cairo, Egypt”

PHOTOGRAPHY

IN HER

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY ; © RANIA MATAR

ELEMENT

In “Live Dangerously” at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, humor and menace coexist in a show that challenges assumptions about a woman’s place in nature. PAGE 26 DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 25

WD | Culture | Photography

In Her Nature ‘Live Dangerously’ Shows Women Breaking New Ground — By Reclaiming It •

BY MACKENZIE WEINGER

Live Dangerously THROUGH JAN. 20

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS 250 NEW YORK AVE., NW

(202) 783-5000 | WWW.NMWA.ORG

n “Live Dangerously,” now at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, humor and menace coexist in a show that challenges assumptions about a woman’s place in nature. The exhibition, which features the work of 12 photographers, takes a number of chances by positioning the female body in provocative poses — some resembling corpses — against natural backdrops in its attempt to rethink traditional depictions of women passively occupying the environment around them. “The inspiration behind ‘Live Dangerously’ was two-fold: to highlight NMWA’s extensive collection PHOTO: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS; © JANAINA TSCHÄPE; IMAGE COURTESY OF JANAINA TSCHÄPE STUDIO of modern and contemporary photography, particu“Live Dangerously” challenges larly landscape photography by women, and also to exhibit conventional ideas about women the entire ‘100 Little Deaths’ by Janaina Tschäpe for the first in nature with pieces such as, from time,” Orin Zahra, the museum’s assistant curator, told The top: Janaina Tschäpe’s “Weimar”; Washington Diplomat. Graciela Iturbide’s “Mujer Ángel, The female body as a structural element serves as the efDesierto de Sonora (Angel Woman, fective thread to tie together the selected images into a largeSonoran Desert)”; and Justine ly cohesive show. Kurland’s “Jungle Gym.” “From there, we asked ourselves what other works in the collection might form a dialogue with Janaina’s powerroad can seem startling and terrifyful body of work. As the exhibition started to shape up, we ing, but seeing 100 of them one after saw that women artists approached the idea of female bodies another becomes performative, often interacting with — and often disrupting — their built eneven humorous, which was absolutely vironments in ways that were fresh, innovative, witty and her intention,” Zahra said in an email. subversive. We wanted to show this very traditional genre “Janaina herself was influenced by of women in nature through the contemporary female gaze,” 19th-century German Romanticism PHOTO: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS; © GRACIELA ITURBIDE; she added. and the idea of the lone man contemIMAGE COURTESY OF THROCKMORTON FINE ART, NY The exhibition aims to disrupt accepted notions plating his existence in the face of naof a woman’s place in the natural world, and does so ture. Here, we have the lone woman in these various natural with prints that are crisp, vivid and varied. The “100 settings contemplating her life — and death.” Little Deaths” series is the unquestionable showstopThat feeling of the comic mixing with the ominous is also per, with incredibly compelling images that fill the apparent in Anna Gaskell’s “untitled #4 (A Short Story of walls without any identifying captions — a bold, and Happenstance),” a delightfully kooky photograph that flips effective, decision by the curators to keep the focus on the viewer, and the subject, on their head. these prints. While the show offers several other connective threads, “The curators really wanted this to be an awe-inwhat makes it worth the trip are the variety of images on spiring visual experience of entering the space and bedisplay. Along with a woman’s place in nature, the works on ing surrounded by 100 large-scale images. We wanted display often feel connected through environmental conthe feeling to be similar to encountering a sublime cerns and an interest in folklore and mythology. Alongside landscape. We didn’t want to break the continuous Tschäpe’s mysterious, lifeless forms we see women blending, flow of the images with individual texts,” Zahra said, dominating and playing with the landscape around them. adding that it also made logistical sense given that the Dana Hoey’s “Phoenix” features one of the youngest subPHOTO: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS; © JUSTINE KURLAND; IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND MITCHELL-INNES & NASH, NY legibility of any wall text would have been difficult in jects, a girl photographed as seemingly part of a large tree, the selected display. only just emerging from the leaves. Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide’s “Mujer This choice also yields different experiences upon visiting the exhibition. At first ángel, Desierto de Sonora (Angel Woman, Sonoran Desert)” is incredibly evocative, glance, the series comes across almost like a commentary on the true crime phenom- with its stunning black-and-white imagery of the desert locale and a Seri woman in enon where women can so often exist in these spaces as only dead, faceless forms. traditional garb holding a boombox. The contemporary works by Lebanese-PalestinDo the women belong here at all? What is the artist conveying about the existence ian-American photographer Rania Matar, produced this year for her series “She,” put of women in spaces where they clearly don’t belong? What did “living dangerously” her early 20s-something subjects in unforgiving landscapes. mean for row after row of these women photographed around the world? Is this, as Going full circle from “100 Little Deaths,” the show concludes with more active the museum suggests, a way for the German artist to contemplate her own mortality expressions of women in the natural world, with Justine Kurland’s “Smoke Bombs” and eventual passing from the earthly realm? It’s jarring, and strange, and demands and “Jungle Gym” standing out. These staged photographs speak to the exhibition’s repeated viewings. sense of danger and freedom — here, to climb, or play with fire — for women who are Another pass through the exhibition builds humor into the threat that seeps changing and exploring their environment in surprising, funny, startling ways. WD through every image, something Zahra says was entirely intentional by the artist. “What’s wonderful about this body of work is that it can be and has been read in Mackenzie Weinger (@mweinger) is a contributing writer different contexts. Seeing one image of a woman lying in the middle of a beach or for The Washington Diplomat.

26 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

Theater | Culture | WD

Bold Leap Signature’s Heart-Pounding ‘Chorus Line’ Stands Up to the Test of Time •

BY LISA TROSHINSKY

A Chorus Line THROUGH JAN. 5

SIGNATURE THEATRE 4200 CAMPBELL AVE.

(703) 820-9771

| WWW.SIGTHEATRE.ORG

“A

Chorus Line” is a classic tale of hopes and dreams — some realized, some squashed, others fleeting. It’s because of this timeless theme that we can forgive the dated feel of the 1970s Broadway musical that took place in a world where dancers wore thigh-high leg warmers, parents were stunned when their effeminate sons became drag queens and male directors were blatantly sexist and personally intrusive. Wait, back up. That last bit might be more current than we had previously thought (Harvey Weinstein, anyone?) The Signature Theatre — renowned for its ability to dust off old standards and make them PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER MUELLER shine — lives up to its reputation in spades for this production. Signature Theatre revives the Broadway tale of dreams “A Chorus Line,” featuring performances by, The story is a touching one. Seventeen dancfrom bottom left: Emily Tyra, Matthew Risch and Kayla Pecchioni. ers vie for a coveted space in a Broadway chorus line during a grueling audition in which they not only must perform new choreography, but also must tell their demanding director about their personal childhood stories that led to them becoming dancers. The play’s only structural downfall is that the opening song and dance number — a technically difficult, aggressive jazz piece called “I Hope I Get It” — is so powerful that the remaining production struggles to compare. Signature made the bold decision to veer from the original, iconic choreography that Michael Bennett made famous during the play’s initial smash run in 1975 and tapped Denis Jones to rework it (with permission from Bennett’s estate). Jones’s fast-paced choreography is daunting and the dancing so proficient that it wows and completely overtakes the audience. To add to the dancers’ difficulty is the fact that the bare stage is narrow, and the long-limbed performers must maneuver tightly through a series of high kicks, multiple turns and dramatic leaps. If to become a kindergarten teacher. Even in numbers involving the entire company, during the number your heart doesn’t melt, it will at the finish when the hopefuls his voice rings out over the others. hold up their black-and-white headshots over their faces. Through this profound Although she doesn’t have a solo, Corinne Munsch, as Judy, has exquisite dance silent gesture, we see the arbitrary competitiveness of show business. After their lines and a seductive lure. Meanwhile, Adena Ershow, as Val, is delightful in the display of extreme physical exertion and years of dance preparation and perfec- iconic “Dance: Ten, Looks: Three” — more commonly known as “Tits and Ass” — tion, in their desperation for a job on the chorus line, they are reduced to a two- where she defends her decision to choose plastic surgery after repeated rejections dimensional moment in time. because of her looks. Director Matthew Gardiner’s decision to place the mostly callous chorus line di“Tits and ass won’t change your life unless they’re yours!” is one of the funnier rector (Zach, played by a handsomely bearded Matthew Risch) embedded in the one-liners belted out in this piece. dark audience adds to their agony. We hear his booming voice around us bark at All the songs are memorable, but especially poignant is “What I Did for Love,” the dancers and we wince. when the dancers answer the painful question, “What will you do if one day you Although much of the self-deprecating humor told by the dancers when asked can’t dance any more?” Crooned out with passion by the feisty Diana (played by about their pasts is now cliché (over-the-top exaggerations about growing up in the Samantha Marisol Gershman), she and the company sing, “Look my eyes are dry.… Bronx and woeful tales of not being good in sports), some of the jokes still work, The gift was ours to borrow,” claiming they don’t regret following their dream, even such as, “I wanted to kill myself, but realized that suicide in Buffalo, N.Y., was re- it’s only short-lived. dundant.” There are few nuances in “A Chorus Line,” where the uncovering of young artists’ Although there are no slackers in this production, there are a few standouts. Em- private demons and dreams are laid bare for the taking. One could fault the show ily Tyra, who plays Cassie, Zach’s past love interest, shines in her lithe solo “The for lack of sophistication and, at times, corniness. But in the end, this is the charm Music and the Mirror,” while she begs him to let her in the chorus line after a fal- of the long-running musical. To witness unadulterated emotion without the filters tered career as a soloist. The lighting design, by Adam Honoré, in this number adds of Instagram or Twitter is scarce in today’s world and should be gobbled up any another layer of drama to an already gripping display of desire. chance we get. WD The raw talent of Richie, played by a chiseled Phil Young, explodes as he dances and sings about his circuitous career path that first led him to winning a scholarship Lisa Troshinsky is the theater reviewer for The Washington Diplomat. DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 27

WD | Culture | Art

Not Your Everyday Gift ‘Bonnard to Vuillard’ Draws on Collection of Art by Short-Lived Nabis •

BY MACKENZIE WEINGER

Bonnard to Vuillard: The Intimate Poetry of Everyday Life–The Nabi Collection of Vicki and Roger Sant THROUGH JAN. 26

PHILLIPS COLLECTION 1600 21ST ST., NW

(202) 387-2151

| WWW.PHILLIPSCOLLECTION.ORG

he Phillips Collection’s latest exhibition celebrates a significant promised gift the museum hopes will inspire a reassessment of a short-lived, often overlooked group of postImpressionist French artists. “Bonnard to Vuillard: The Intimate Poetry of Everyday Life” draws from the Nabi collection of Vicki and Roger Sant. With over 70 pieces on display, the exhibition explores the group of painters in the 1890s who called themselves the “Nabis,” a name that comes from the Hebrew word for prophet. These artists — including Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, Maurice Denis and Ker-Xavier Roussel, among others — embraced color, form and bold lines, inspired by Paul Gauguin’s style, as an abstract, symbolic expression of human emotion. “The Nabi Sant collection adds mightily to the growth of our holdings and strengthens our role as a leading center for the research and presentation of late 19th-century European art,” Elsa Smithgall, senior curator at the Phillips Collection, said. While “Bonnard to Vuillard” lacks the power and immediacy of the Phillips Collection’s most recent blockbuster exhibition — the searing, incredibly ambitious “The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement” — this showcases an important part of the museum’s future as the holder of this impressive gift, and illuminates its longstanding role in introducing America to modern art. Cozy and intimate, as promised in the title, “Bonnard to Vuillard” is a wise choice for a show that stretches through winter. With lithographs, paintings, woodcuts, drawings, Tiffany stained glass, wallpaper motifs, tapestries, small bronzes and even theater programs and book illustrations, the exhibition offers a thoughtful survey of this group of versatile artists. With images of social inequality, the life of the home, animals, city scenes and more, this show offers a varied examination of everyday life in late 19thcentury France. The influence of the graphic art of Japan was also a major part of the group’s aesthetic and is explored within the show, which notes how the Nabis drew upon 19th-century Japanese ukiyo-e art. Paul Ranson’s yellow lithograph “Tiger in the Jungle” pops against the deep blue wall color selected by curators, and a tapestry he designed — likely woven by his wife, MarieFrance — is particularly stunning. It’s a vivid example of the arts and craft movement, and a subtle reminder of the question of who is the artist. There’s an interesting thread throughout the show on the shift from painting from life to painting from memory, as expressed in the vibrant yellows, reds and oranges of Vuillard’s “Apprentices.” Reflecting his mother’s corset business, the work here transforms into an explosion of color. But the details and patterns in these pieces of art also matter, with their exploration of geometry and prints in familiar settings. The exhibition intriguingly notes that the Nabis often used newly available handheld Kodiak cameras to trigger memories that they then turned into works of art. Vuillard’s “Interior with Red Bed” offers a particularly striking example of his intimate genre scenes, giving a look into his sister Marie’s preparation of the bedroom on her wedding night as it ensures the vibrant prints on display in the room are of the most immediacy and highlighting the Nabis’ interest in medieval tapestries. Memory becomes feeling becomes art in this Phillips exhibition. These artists are often associated with dark, almost stifling rooms, and this exhibition reinforces that in many ways, but also adds an eruption of color and design to the overall 28 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

PHOTOS: THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION

“Bonnard to Vuillard: The Intimate Poetry of Everyday Life” showcases an often-overlooked group of post-Impressionist French artists known as the “Nabis” with works such as Pierre Bonnard’s “Après-midi au jardin (Afternoon in the Garden),” above, and Édouard Vuillard’s “Intérieur au lit rouge ou La chambre nuptiale (Interior with Red Bed or The Bridal Chamber).”

understanding of the Nabis. Pinks and yellows and oranges stand out in these works, as in Maurice Denis’s “View of Mayenne,” with a subtle pink and purple sky reflected in the path. His “Yellow Gable” is another memorable piece, defined by the geometry of the buildings bursting in yellow against the brilliant orange streets that fade into a dour blue gray. The landscapes in the exhibition are delicate and personal, with some true surprises. Tucked away in a corner, in Bonnard’s “Afternoon in the Garden,” an oil-and-pen-andink on canvas, faces explode out of the hydrangeas and the greenery that seem to envelop and entomb the bodies. It’s lush and strange and unexpected, and comes displayed in a wonderful frame. “It is a striking work and one that embodies the flat ‘patchwork,’ or layered patterning, that is so characteristic of the Nabi aesthetic,” Smithgall told The Washington Diplomat in an email. “The scene is likely inspired by a family gathering at Bonnard’s grandmother’s home in Le Grand-Lemps.” It’s a gorgeous, gloriously unexpected image that I haven’t been able to shake, especially after comparing it to his better-known, but less inventive “Goûter au jardin” following the show. Smithgall notes that in considering the evolution of that image to the one on display at the Phillips, “one glimpses Bonnard’s distillation of the motif into a more decorative, abstract arrangement of forms. In the latter, Bonnard has built up the scene fluidly with a more subdued palette of greens, yellows, reds and whites in which the figures literally blend into the surrounding beautiful garden of hydrangeas.” Félix Vallotton’s “Passerby” also stuns in person, with the luminous orbs in the windows highlighting the magnificent deep purple cape on display. It’s on the museum’s advertising for the show, but if you’ve seen it, it doesn’t capture this small, powerful work. Evocative, urban, mysterious, it’s a truly memorable piece of art. “This, the first show dedicated to the Nabis in more than 20 years and the first one in Washington, D.C., presents rarely seen works from one of the finest private collections of Nabi art in the United States,” Smithgall noted. “The Nabis aspired to ‘link art with life,’ and we sincerely hope the exhibition will reignite those connections for our visitors.” WD Mackenzie Weinger (@mweinger) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

Art | Culture | WD

Captive Audience ‘Radical Link’ Looks at Asylum as Both an Archaic Cage and Modern-Day Escape •

BY KATE OCZYPOK AND ANNA GAWEL

Radical Link: A New Community of Women, 1855-2020 THROUGH DEC. 15

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM 4400 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., NW

(202) 885-1000

| WWW.AMERICAN.EDU/CAS/MUSEUM

sraeli artist Michal Heiman offers two very different takes on the term “asylum.” On the one hand, she depicts women who were locked up in 19thcentury mental asylums in London and Venice; on the other, she explores the pressing modern-day phenomenon of desperate people seeking asylum in other countries. One form of asylum denotes prison and captivity, while the other is associated with sanctuary and freedom. Her work spans gender, race and time. But the unifying theme in “Radical Link: A New Community of Women, 1855-2020,” Heiman’s exhibition at the American University Museum, is a multimedia focus on those who have suffered at the hands of racism and misogyny. And, of course, there is an element of wanting escape, whether it’s from a 19th-century insane asylum or a 21st-century war-torn nation. According to the museum, the exhibit is Heiman’s way of extending “solidarity to those who engage in acts of resistance by creating a new community through her photographic practice.” Heiman, who works with photographs, film, sound work and archival documents, is based in Tel Aviv, teaches at Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and is a member of the Tel Aviv Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis. “I am fascinated with her photographs, films and performances because they respond very pointedly to the history of photography and also consider connections among art, psychoanalysis and both mental and political asylum,” said Sarah Gordon, curator of the exhibition. “Refugees and asylum-seekers are encountering incredible difficulties right now,” Gordon added. “Also, women’s rights are as important today as ever. Both of these issues are addressed in the exhibition.” The overlap is both thematically and visually striking. Heiman specifically zeroes in on women who were brought to the Surrey County Asylum in London and the San Servolo Asylum in Venice. She also highlights contemporary asylum-seekers, artists, activists, gatekeepers and others who’ve faced repression in her efforts to create a “radical link” among her subjects. To that end, Heiman creates poignant, simple portraits of people dressed in monotone plaid nightshirts — the kind you might see in an asylum — posing against a similarly bland gray-blue backdrop. Their facial expressions are subtle but vary from despondent, contemplative to quietly combative. These subjects could represent people with mental illnesses who were hidden away from society over a century ago, or modern-day refugees sitting in a chair, as if waiting for an asylum interview. The photograph of Noureldin Musa clearly depicts the latter, as the real-life asylum-seeker who lives in Toronto poses for Heiman, his face looking empty and emotionless, as if weathered and beaten down by life. Other photographs show a clear overlap between past and present, as seen in a piece where the subject holds an aged sepia photograph of another woman over her face. Yet another woman holds a photographer of author Virginia Woolf, a nod to Heiman’s focus on women breaking gender norms.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Israeli artist Michal Heiman examines the concept of “asylum,” then and now, with works showcasing women in 19th-century mental asylums in London, above, and photographic compositions featuring modernday asylum-seekers such as “Noureldin Musa,” at left, who lives in present-day Toronto.

The exhibition also features stills and films of interview setups, complete with tables and microphones, including some of Heiman herself, who was in residence at the museum until Nov. 16. A prominent advocate for women’s rights, Heiman has also tackled the issue of non-Jewish refugees to Israel, mainly from Africa, and the contentious debate over who has the right of return to the Jewish state. “The work can be understood in relation to the history and culture of Israel-Palestine but also, on a larger scale, it asks questions about what it means to seek and grant asylum, how institutional spaces and structures can subjugate individuals and how we can offer the possibility of sanctuary,” Gordon said. “The subject matter is powerful and may be challenging, but it is also beautiful and provides ideas for offering solace and creating community.” Gordon said she hopes the experience will be moving, especially for visitors who are able to take the time to see the films — some are as short as two minutes, others as long as 20 minutes. She was inspired to curate the exhibit while writing her book, “Indecent Exposures: Eadweard Muybridge’s ‘Animal Locomotion’ Nudes,” when she came across a work that Heiman made in response to a Muybridge photo. Gordon then wrote to the Israeli artist to see if she could add that work to her book. The following year, Heiman wrote to Gordon about her latest project and that started the collaboration between the two women. “Radical Link” is the first U.S. museum exhibit for Heiman. The works demonstrate the AU Museum’s commitment to Israeli art, as evidenced by the Rothfeld Collection of Israeli Art and the recent acquisition of 62 works by Israeli artists from the collection of Nancy Berman and Alan Bloch. WD Kate Oczypok (@OczyKate) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat. Anna Gawel (@diplomatnews) is the managing editor of The Washington Diplomat. DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 29

WD | Culture | Film

Cinema Listings *Unless specific times are listed, please check the theater for times. Theater locations are subject to change.

BULGARIAN The Father

Directed by Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov (Bulgaria/Greece, 2019, 87 min.) Pavel is seemingly cold and indifferent to the passing of his mother Valentina, but his father Vasil is devastated and convinced her spirit still remains after a funeral attendee claims to have received a call from Valentina on her cellphone during the burial. Now Pavel must put his life on hold to help his father process the loss and begrudgingly come to terms with his own grief (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 13 TO 18

CROATIAN Mali

Directed by Antonio Nuić (Croatia, 2018, 90 min.) Frenki is a drug dealer, and four years in prison haven’t changed him much. With his wife on her deathbed, his in-laws are determined to get custody of Mali, Frenki’s teenaged son. But Mali loves his dad — and his unorthodox parenting style (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 12 TO 17

CZECH Bear with Us (Chata na prodej)

Directed by Tomás Pavlícek (Czech Republic, 2018, 77 min.) A family decides to sell their lovely cottage, so the mother suggests they all spend one last day there before the sale takes place. During their time together, issues among the members of the family inevitably come out into the open in this deliberately paced comedy. THE AVALON THEATRE WED., DEC. 11, 8 P.M.

The Painted Bird

Directed by Václav Marhoul (Czech Republic/Slovakia/ Ukraine, 2019, 169 min.)

Based on the celebrated novel by Jerzy Kosinski, this staggering work of beauty follows the brutal hardships of a young, Jewish boy as he wanders the countryside during World War II in search of some respite from the atrocities of daily life (Czech, German and Russian; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SUN., DEC. 15, 6:05 P.M.

DANISH Out of Tune

Directed by Frederikke Aspöck

(Denmark, 2019, 89 min.) Newly imprisoned celebrity financier Markus gets a rude awakening on his first day behind bars when he’s greeted with a beatdown from a biker gang. Scared into voluntary solitary confinement, he reluctantly joins his fellow inmates in the choir, where his ego compels him to reach the top of the established hierarchy (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE FRI., DEC. 10, 7:45 P.M., SAT., DEC. 21, 3 P.M.

DUTCH Instinct

Directed by Halina Reijn (Netherlands, 2019, 108 min.) Psychologist Nicoline accepts an assignment in a men’s rehab facility housing violent sexual criminals. There, she takes on the case of Iris, a handsome and charismatic manipulator who has served five years for rape and assault. Professionally, Nicoline doubts that Idris is reformed, yet personally, against all better judgment, she experiences an undeniable attraction to him (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 7 TO 12

proud fisherman forced to sell his boat and relinquish his home to a fancy London family looking for a weekend getaway spot (part of the AFI European Union Showcase).

AFI SILVER THEATRE FRI., DEC. 20, 5:45 P.M., SAT., DEC. 21, 5 P.M.

Beats

Directed by Brian Welsh (U.K., 2019, 101 min.) In this bittersweet, nostalgic view of ’90s rave culture in suburban Scotland, 15-year-old Jonno — against his parents’ wishes — is best friends with likable lunkhead Spanner, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks (part of the AFI European Union Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE FRI., DEC. 6, 9:30 P.M., MON., DEC. 9, 9:20 P.M., TUE., DEC. 10, 5 P.M.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Directed by Marielle Heller (China/U.S., 2019) Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in this timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of the real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

ENGLISH

ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA

63 UP

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

Directed by Michael Apted (U.K., 2019, 180 min.) Director Michael Apted returns with the latest installment of his groundbreaking documentary series, unmatched in the history of cinema for its astonishing and revelatory longevity. The original “7 UP” was broadcast in 1964 and featured 14 British children talking about their hopes and dreams for the future. Subsequent visits every seven years over six decades have documented the group as they grew up, became adults and entered middle-age, dealing with everything life has thrown at them in between. LANDMARK’S THEATRES OPENS FRI., DEC. 13

The Aeronauts

Directed by Tom Harper (U.K./U.S., 2019, 100 min.) In 1862, daredevil pilot Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) and pioneering meteorologist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) find themselves in an epic fight for survival while attempting to make discoveries in a gas balloon. THE AVALON THEATRE

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA OPENS FRI., DEC. 6

Bait

Directed by Mark Jenkin (U.K., 2019, 89 min.) Set in a once-thriving Cornish fishing village, “Bait” tracks the ongoing war between locals and tourists through the eyes of a

30 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

THE AVALON THEATRE

Bombshell

The Washington Diplomat

The Ground Beneath My Feet

Directed by Marie Kreutzer (Austria, 2019, 108 min.) Ruthlessly efficient and seamlessly together Lola is thriving as a successful business consultant. But she is also in the midst of a secret relationship with her boss Elise and struggling to support her sister, who is battling long-term mental illness (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 15 TO 18

Harriet

Directed by Kasi Lemmons (U.S., 2019, 125 min.) Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, Harriet tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. ANGELIKA POP-UP

ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA THE AVALON THEATRE

A Hidden Life

Directed by Terrence Malick

(Germany/U.S., 2019, 173 min.) Based on real events, Franz Jägerstätter refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II. When the Austrian peasant farmer is faced with the threat of execution for treason, it is his unwavering faith and his love for his wife and children that keeps his spirit alive (English, German and Italian).

Directed by Jay Roach (Canada/U.S., 2019, 108 min.) A group of women decide to take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network.

AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., DEC. 7, 3:30 P.M.

Dark Waters

Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese saga of organized crime in postwar America told through the eyes of World War II veteran Frank Sheeran, a hustler and hitman who worked alongside some of the most notorious figures of the 20th century.

ANGELIKA MOSAIC OPENS FRI., DEC. 20

Directed by Todd Haynes (U.S., 2019, 126 min.) Inspired by a shocking true story, a tenacious attorney uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths due to one of the world’s largest corporations. In the process, he risks everything — his future, his family and his own life — to expose the truth. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

The Good Liar

Directed by Bill Condon (U.S., 2019, 109 min.) Consummate con man Roy Courtnay has set his sights on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish, worth millions. But this time, what should have been a simple swindle escalates into a catand-mouse game with the ultimate stakes. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

ANGELIKA MOSAIC

LANDMARK’S THEATRES OPENS FRI., DEC. 20

The Irishman

Directed by Martin Scorsese (U.S., 2019, 209 min.)

AFI SILVER THEATRE

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

Jojo Rabbit

Directed by Taika Waititi (Germany/U.S., 2019, 108 min.) This World War II satire follows a lonely German boy named Jojo whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

The Lighthouse

Directed by Robert Eggers

(U.S./Brazil, 2019, 109 min.) This is the hypnotic and hallucinatory tale of two lighthouse keepers on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s. WEST END CINEMA

Little Joe

Directed by Jessica Hausner (Austria/U.K./Germany, 2019, 105 min.)

Alice, a single mother, is a dedicated senior plant breeder at a corporation engaged in developing new species. She has engineered a very special crimson flower that, if fed properly and spoken to regularly, makes its owner happy. Alice takes one home as a gift for her teenage son, Joe, but as it grows, so too does Alice’s suspicion that her new creations may not be as harmless as their nickname suggests. LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA OPENS FRI., DEC. 6

Little Women

Directed by Greta Gerwig (U.S., 2019, 134 min.) Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

LANDMARK’S THEATRES OPENS TUE., DEC. 25

Mr. Jones

Directed by Agnieszka Holland (Poland/U.K./Ukraine, 2019, 119 min.) The latest film from Agnieszka tells the real-life story of Gareth Jones, a Welsh journalist who made a tour of the Soviet Union in 1931 but failed to get the interview with Stalin he desperately wanted. In 1933, he scored a major scoop as the first international journalist with firsthand coverage of Hitler’s ascension to chancellor. Then he undertook his most daring investigation ever: slipping into Ukraine incognito to report on the widespread famine taking place there (English, Ukrainian, Russian and Welsh; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SUN., DEC. 15, 12:30 P.M., TUE. DEC. 17, 7:10 P.M.

Official Secrets

Directed by Gavin Hood (U.K./U.S., 2019, 112 min.) In this true story, a British whistleblower leaks information to the press about an illegal NSA spy operation designed to push the U.N. Security Council into sanctioning the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This film is presented by the Center for International Policy and features a brief postfilm discussion. To RSVP, email rsvp@internationalpolicy.org. LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA TUE., DEC. 10, 6 P.M.

Patrick

Directed by Tim Mielants (Belgium, 2019, 97 min.) Meet Patrick (Kevin Janssens,

December 2019

THE ARDENNES), the handyman and carpenter at his family’s nudist camp, who has just lost his father — but more importantly, his hammer. On a mission to get back his prized possession, he must fend off the swarming buzzards who will stop at nothing to take his dad’s vacant seat as owner of the camp (English, Dutch, French and German; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., DEC. 21, 7 P.M., SUN., DEC. 22, 5:30 P.M.

Péitruss

Directed by Max Jacoby (Luxembourg, 2019, 93 min.) Since she’s started a passionate new relationship with the handsome and mysterious Joakim, life is smiling back at Lara again. Her marriage to detective Toni is now a distant memory. But when Toni accuses Joakim of having committed a series of unsolved murders, Lara’s world is thrown into chaos (English, German and Luxembourgish; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE MON., DEC. 16, 9:30 P.M., TUE., DEC. 17, 3 P.M.

Queen & Slim

Directed by Melina Matsoukas (Canada/U.S., 2019, 132 min.) Slim and Queen’s first date takes an unexpected turn when a policeman pulls them over for a minor traffic violation and Slim shoots the officer in self-defense. When a video of the incident goes viral, the unwitting outlaws soon become a symbol of trauma, terror, grief and pain for people all across the country. ANGELIKA MOSAIC ANGELIKA POP-UP ATLANTIC PLUMBING CINEMA

The Report

Directed by Scott Z. Burns (U.S., 2019, 119 min.) Idealistic Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones, tasked by his boss to lead an investigation into the CIA’s post-9/11 detention and interrogation program, uncovers shocking secrets. THE AVALON THEATRE WEST END CINEMA

Rosie

Directed by Paddy Breathnach (Ireland, 2018, 86 min.) When the landlord unexpectedly sells their rental home, Rosie, John Paul and their young family find themselves homeless. Cramming their belongings into their car, the family begins a daily search for a place to sleep (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 13 TO 16

Shooting the Mafia

Directed by Kim Longinotto (Ireland, 2019, 94 min.) Sicilian photographer Letizia Battaglia began a lifelong battle with the Mafia when she first

Film | Culture | WD

Young Ahmed

dared to point her camera at a brutally slain victim. A woman whose passions led her to abandon traditional family life and become a photojournalist in the 1970s, she fearlessly and artfully captured everyday Sicilian life — from weddings and funerals to the grisly murders of ordinary citizens— to tell the narrative of how the community she loved in her native Palermo was forced into silence by the Cosa Nostra.

Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne (Belgium/France, 2019, 90 min.)

Ahmed, 13, a psychologically fragile Brussels teen, begins to fall under the spell of a charismatic imam who preaches an extremist, intolerant interpretation of Islam (French and Arabic; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., DEC. 14, 5:15 P.M., WED., DEC. 18, 7:20 P.M.

WEST END CINEMA OPENS FRI., DEC. 6

Sorry We Missed You

Directed by Ken Loach (U.K./France/Belgium, 2019, 100 min.) Ken Loach looks at a facet of life in contemporary Britain through the harsh realities of the gig economy and the lens of one family struggling to make ends meet in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crash (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE FRI., DEC. 6, 7:20 P.M.

The Traitor

Directed by Marco Bellocchio (Italy/France/Brazil/Germany, 2019, 145 min.) Veteran Italian master Marco Bellocchio crafts a gangster epic for the ages with this powerful profile of real-life mafia boss-turned-pentito Tommaso Buscetta, whose work as an informant led to the largest, most public prosecution of the Sicilian mafia in Italian history (English, Italian, Sicilian and Portuguese; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., DEC. 14, 3:30 P.M.

The Two Popes

Directed by Fernando Meirelles (U.K./Italy/Argentina/U.S., 2019, 125 min.) Behind Vatican walls, the conservative Pope Benedict and the liberal future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church a(English, Latin, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese and German). LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA OPENS FRI., DEC. 6

Variações – Guardian Angel

Directed by João Maia (Portugal, 2019, 109 min.) Portuguese pop music icon António Variações gets his due in this long-awaited biopic, which charts the singer’s unlikely rise to fame before his untimely death from HIV/AIDS in 1984 (English, Portuguese and Dutch; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE MON., DEC. 9, 7 P.M., THU., DEC. 12, 2:45 P.M.

The Whistlers

Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu (Romania/France/Germany/ Sweden, 2019, 97 min.) This twisty neo-noir caper has it all: a corrupt cop, a femme fatale, a Mexican mobster, government surveillance, doublecrosses galore, a mattress full of money and, of course, an indigenous whistling language

GEORGIAN And Then We Danced

Directed by Levan Akin (Sweden/Georgia/France, 2019, 105 min.)

PHOTO: LIA PASQUALINO / SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

The Traitor” tells the true story of Tommaso Buscetta, played by Pierfrancesco Favino, the man who brought down the Cosa Nostra in Italy. called “el Silbo Gomero” (English, Romanian and Spanish; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase).

tween the promise of newfound freedom and Maria’s dangerous, all-consuming love (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase).

AFI SILVER THEATRE FRI., DEC. 13, 7:30 P.M., TUE., DEC. 17, 7:15 P.M.

AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 5 TO 8

Zombi Child

FRENCH

Directed by Bertrand Bonello (France, 2019, 103 min.) Mixing zombie lore with meangirl angst and a smart examination of France’s colonial history, Bertrand Bonello (expertly shifts between 1960s Haiti and contemporary France to meditate on the intricacies of race, class and cultural appropriation (English, French and Haitian; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE FRI., DEC. 13, 9:45 P.M., THU., DEC. 19, 7:35 P.M.

ESTONIAN The Little Comrade

Directed by Moonika Siimets (Estonia, 2018, 99 min.) In the midst of Stalinist tyranny, 6-year-old Leelo’s mother is sent to a prison camp. Haunted by her mother’s last words telling her to be good, Leelo vows to be on her best behavior in the confusing grown-up world, in hopes that it will bring her mother back (Estonian and Russian; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 6 TO 11

FINNISH Maria’s Paradise

Directed by Zaida Bergroth (Finland/Estonia, 2019, 110 min.) In this chilling tale based on a real-life scandal from 1920s Finland, charismatic cult leader Maria Åkerblom leads her devout followers to Helsinki. Among them is the adoring teenager Salome, who was orphaned at a young age and knows nothing of life outside her community in their rural farmhouse. When Salome befriends local sex worker Malin, her worldview is challenged, and she is torn be-

Alice and the Mayor

Directed by Nicolas Pariser (France/Belgium, 2019, 113 min.) After 30 years in politics, the mayor of Lyon, has become a creature of habit: over-cautious, bureaucratic to a fault and lacking the passion and ideas he once had. Enter Alice, a recent Oxford grad with a degree in philosophy. Inspired, for the first time in years, by his conversations with Alice, the mayor creates a new position for her before she can be slated for reassignment: to be his ideas person (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE WED., DEC. 4, 7:15 P.M.., SUN., DEC. 8, 3:15 P.M.

Deerskin

Directed by Quentin Dupieux (France, 2019, 77 min.) In this daring and hilarious tale, a troubled man takes his obsession with his designer deerskin jacket (admittedly, a very nice coat) to murderous extremes (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 6 TO 11

Les Misérables

Directed by Ladj Ly (France, 2019, 102 min.)

Inspired by the riots which swept the Parisian banlieue in 2005, Ladj Ly’s urgent, frenetic debut centers on three members of an anti-crime unit and their tense relationship with the community in the tough Montfermeil district, where they are charged with patrolling the neighborhood and keeping the peace (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). TUE., DEC. 10, 7:20 P.M., SAT., DEC. 14, 1 P.M.

On a Magical Night

Directed by Christophe Honoré (France/Belgium/Luxembourg, 2019, 86 min.) In this screwball sex comedy, Maria is a law professor with a good eye for handsome young men, and no qualms about pursuing them. Richard. Maria’s husband of 20 years, is less than keen on her extramarital interests, and when he discovers her latest infidelity, it’s the last straw. Maria retreats to a hotel across the street where she can gaze down on her apartment and keep an eye on her pained husband. But waiting for her in the room are the ghosts of affairs past (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 7 TO 12

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Directed by Céline Sciamma (France, 2019, 119 min.) In rugged, 18th-century Brittany, when budding painter Marianne is commissioned by an Italian comtesse to paint a portrait of her soon-to-be-wed daughter, her assignment is complicated by the fact that she must not disclose the reason for her visit to their remote coastal abode, where the two women form a close bond (French and Italian; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SUN., DEC. 8, 8:15 P.M., MON., DEC. 9, 7:10 P.M.

The Truth

Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda (France/Japan, 2019, 106 min.) With her American husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) in tow, Lumir (Juliette Binoche) goes to visit her mother Fabienne (Catherine Deneuve) in her beautiful country home to celebrate the release of Fabienne’s memoir chronicling her lifelong career in front of the camera. Meanwhile, Hank, the TV actor who speaks no French, is just happy to be along for the ride (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., DEC. 14, 8:30 P.M., THU., DEC. 19, 7:20 P.M.

Levan Gelbakhiani dazzles as Merab, the star student at Georgia’s national dance academy whose customary role as the leading male dancer is usurped by the arrival of a talented newcomer (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., DEC. 7, 7:10 P.M., SUN., DEC. 8, 7:10 P.M., MON., DEC. 9, 5 P.M.

GREEK Pause

Directed by Tonia Mishiali (Cyprus/Greece, 2018, 96 min.) Locked for years in a stifling routine with her uncaring but demanding husband Costas, fiftyish housewife Elpida begins to see things in a new light as she enters menopause, with visions of retribution playing out in her mind, perhaps inspired by the steady diet of thrillers she watches in the evenings (Greek and English; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 7 TO 9

Zizotek

Directed by Vardis Marinakis (Greece, 2019, 92 min.) Nine-year-old Jason’s world is shattered when he is abandoned by his mother on an afternoon trip to the local folk festival. Panicked and afraid, he wanders into the woods and into the cabin of a reclusive, bearded man with a shotgun who reluctantly takes him in (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 6 TO 11

GERMAN

HUNGARIAN

I Was At Home, But

Those Who Remained

Directed by Angela Schanelec (Germany/Serbia, 2019, 105 min.) Astrid, a Berlin mother of two, faces a crisis after her 13-year-old son disappears, only to reappear a week later, seemingly unharmed, with the event going largely unexplained (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE WED., DEC. 11, 9:15 P.M., SUN., DEC. 15, 8:30 P.M.

Lara

Directed by Jan Ole Gerster (Germany, 2019, 98 min.)

Directed by Barnabás Tóth (Hungary, 2019, 83 min.) In 1948 Budapest, having survived the war’s extermination camps, Dr. Kőrner has revived his medical practice but is still haunted by the loss of his wife and sons. He begins an unconventional but vitally supportive friendship with Klára, a 16-yearold survivor of the camps who is full of life but who has not yet fully processed her own trauma (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., DEC. 14, 6:30 P.M.

It’s Lara’s 60th birthday, and she has every reason to celebrate: Tonight, her son Viktor will give the most important piano concert of his career. Yet despite the fact that she paved the way for his musical success, Viktor has been unreachable for weeks, and nothing indicates that his mother will be welcome at his debut performance (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase).

ITALIAN

Pelican Blood

AFI SILVER THEATARE DEC. 10 TO 16

AFI SILVER THEATRE SAT., DEC. 21, 1 P.M., SUN., DEC. 22, 3:30 P.M.

Directed by Katrin Gebbe (Germany/Bulgaria, 2019, 121 min.) Wiebke and her adopted 9-year-old daughter Nicolina live alone on an idyllic horse farm. After many years of waiting, Wiebke now has the chance to adopt another girl, 5-year-old Raya, but what begins as a harmonious new family takes a turn for the worse when Raya’s increasing aggression grows violent (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 6 TO 11

Dafne

Directed by Federico Bondi (Italy, 2019, 94 min.) Dafne, a bright young woman with Down syndrome, finds her stable family life upended by the unexpected death of her mother. As Dafne’s father struggles with his grief, Dafne finds her own way to process the loss, assuming increasing responsibility at home and at work (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase).

Martin Eden

Directed by Pietro Marcello (Italy/France/Germany, 2019, 129 min.) Filmmaker Pietro Marcello transposes Jack London’s 1909 American novel about a rugged, radical individual — seamanturned-novelist Martin Eden — to a Neapolitan port city in the late 20th century (Italian, Neapolitan and French; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase).

SEE F IL M • PAGE 39

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 31

WD | Culture | Events

Events Listings *Please check the venue for times. Venue locations are subject to change.

ART DEC. 6 TO JAN. 3

Recollection: Reinterpreting Tradition and Heritage In this group exhibition of painting, photography and sculpture works, five Korean artists radically reinterpret a variety of classic forms into the visual language of contemporary art. Through vastly different artistic approaches, materials and subject matter, Jaehyug Choi, Soomin Ham, Hyeon Suk Her, Doo Yeon Jung and Yoohyun Kim each grapple in personal terms with the apparent contradiction of a modern Korean society still deeply rooted in its cultural history. Whether those bonds to the past are merely added weight or a strengthening foundation is up to each artist to decide. KOREAN CULTURAL CENTER

THROUGH DEC. 14

Moves Like Water: New Curators Open the Corcoran Legacy Collection

This exhibition contains select paintings and photographs from the collection of 9,000 artworks the AU Museum received as a gift from the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Following the closure of the Corcoran, more than 19,456 works from the collection were distrubted to museums and institutions in Washington, D.C. This is the first in-depth exhibition at AU Museum of work from the collection and is inspired by Walter Hopps, briefly the director of the Corcoran and an American curator of contemporary art. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

THROUGH DEC. 15

Ann-Sofi Sidén – After the Fact

Ann-Sofi Sidén is one of Sweden’s most internationally renowned contemporary artists. She puts herself in the center of her projects, often with provoking statements about society and the human condition. The works presented in House of Sweden include three ways of looking at the female body. They independently carve out their own narrative space and yet converge by depicting an experience either happening in the periphery or in the hidden, challenging preconceived ideas of what a woman is or should be. HOUSE OF SWEDEN

THROUGH DEC. 15

Fast Fashion/Slow Art

“Fast Fashion/Slow Art” scrutinizes today’s garment industry. A diverse group of emerging and established contemporary artists and filmmakers including Julia Brown, Cat Mazza, Hito Steyerl and Rosemarie Trockel explore issues of waste, consumerism and the human cost of mass production through 11 films and video installations. GW ART GALLERIES

The Washington Diplomat

December 2019

THROUGH DEC. 15

THROUGH JULY 5

The photo exhibition portraits 45 fathers who belong to the relatively small percentage of fathers in Sweden who choose to stay at home with their children for at least six months. Swedish photographer Johan Bävman examines why these fathers have chosen to stay at home with their children and how their relationship with their partners and their children has changed as a result. The exhibition aims to show the effects of gender equality on parenting, both for an individual and for society.

Taking its name from a 1970’s feminist anthem, “I Am… Contemporary Women Artists of Africa” draws upon a selection of artworks by women artists from the National Museum of African Art’s permanent collection to reveal a more contemporary feminism that recognizes the contributions of women to the most pressing issues of their times. With experimental and sophisticated use of diverse media, the 27 featured artists offer insightful and visually stunning approaches to matters of community, faith, the environment, politics, colonial encounters, racism, identity and more.

Swedish Dads by Johan Bävman

I Am… Contemporary Women Artists of Africa

HOUSE OF SWEDEN

THROUGH JAN. 5

By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs

The year 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. Photography played a significant role both in preparing for the mission and in shaping the cultural consciousness of the event. An exhibition of some 50 works will include a selection of photographs from the unmanned Ranger, Surveyor, and Lunar Orbiter missions that led up to Apollo 11. NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

THROUGH JAN. 5

Ginny Ruffner: Reforestation of the Imagination

Imagine an apocalyptic landscape. It appears barren, devastated and hopeless. It is not. At the Renwick Gallery, internationally renowned artist Ginny Ruffner creates a seemingly bleak environment that suddenly evolves into a thriving floral oasis by combining traditional sculpture with augmented reality (AR) technology. RENWICK GALLERY

THROUGH JAN. 5

A Monument to Shakespeare

The Folger Shakespeare Library is throwing back the curtains on its origins and exciting future in an exhibition where visitors are invited to play, lounge, be curious and see more of the Folger Shakespeare Library than ever before. Among the treats: rummage through Henry Folger’s desk and read the correspondences that brought the Folger to the nation’s capital; explore large scale reproductions of Cret’s detailed architectural drawings, newly digitized for this exhibition; and visit the first complete edition of Shakespeare’s plays published in 1623. FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY

THROUGH JAN. 12

Everything is Palpitating: Rodolfo Abularach

From 1957, when the Art Museum of the Americas’ (AMA) founding director José Gómez Sicre acquired several pieces by Gua-

32 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

PHOTO: MENA BRUNETTE / XMB PHOTOGRAPHY

The Washington Ballet’s Stephanie Sorota and Corey Landolt perform in “The Nutcracker,” now running at the Warner Theatre. temalan master Abularach for its collection, the artist has been prominently interwoven within the institution’s history, as well as that of Guatemalan and Latin American art in a broader sense. This exhibition is an opportunity to gather one of the larger samplings of Abularach’s works representing 60 years of his output. It surveys not only the artist’s impact on the direction of art of the hemisphere in the 1950s to the 1970s, but also the role that AMA has played in its development.

ART MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS

THROUGH JAN. 12

Intersections: Los Carpinteros – Cuba Va!

Los Carpinteros (Marco Castillo and Dagoberto Rodríguez) is an internationally acclaimed Cuban artist collective best known for merging architecture, sculpture, design, and drawing. From the outset in the early 1990s, Los Carpinteros’s work has reflected on social transformations in post-revolutionary, socialist Cuba, offering critical commentary of dominant ideologies and power structures with humor and artistry. THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION

THROUGH JAN. 12

Mid-Century Master: The Photography of Alfred Eisenstaedt

When he photographed her for the November 5, 1965 issue of Life magazine, Alfred Eisenstaedt cemented Marjorie Merriweather Post’s place among the most notable people of the 20th century. Featuring nearly fifty Eisenstaedt photographs and ephemera from his career in photojournalism, focusing on his timeless images of life in the mid-20th-century and the era’s most celebrated figures, this special exhibition will explore the relationship between Post and Eisenstaedt and the broader body of Eisenstaedt’s work documenting life in the midtwentieth century. HILLWOOD MUSEUM, ESTATE & GARDENS

THROUGH JAN. 26

None Swifter Than These: 100 Years of Diplomatic Couriers

Learn more about the U.S. Diplomatic Courier Service, which in wartime and peacetime carries the sensitive materials, equipment and information that make diplomacy possible. Today, the State Department’s 100 badged diplomatic couriers travel the globe safeguarding our nation’s most sensitive information and materials. They constantly trouble-shoot and innovate to ensure secure logistic supply chains while supervising the delivery of classified equipment and documents, as well as secure construction materials to nearly every nation where U.S. diplomats work. U.S. POSTAL MUSEUM

THROUGH JAN. 26

The Touch of Color: Pastels at the National Gallery of Art

Featuring approximately 70 exquisite examples drawn entirely from the permanent collection, “The Touch of Color: Pastels at the National Gallery of Art” traces the history of pastel from the Renaissance to the 21st century and examines the many techniques that artists have developed to work with this colorful and versatile medium. NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

THROUGH FEB. 17

Alonso Berruguete: First Sculptor of Renaissance Spain

This is the first major exhibition held outside Spain to celebrate the expressive art of the most important sculptor active on the Iberian Peninsula during the first half of the 16th century, Alonso Berruguete, featuring an impressive range of more than 40 works from across his career, including examples of his earliest paintings from his time in Italy, where he trained. NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

THROUGH MARCH 8

Visual Memory: Home + Place

This mid-career survey of multimedia artists Scherezade García and iliana emilia García explores how each artist reflects upon constructed notions of human geography and history in a creative multidisciplinary approach. Generating a provocative and incisive rethinking about the possibilities of visual memory, they engage with timeless universal concerns about global migration, settlement and the spaces we occupy. ART MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS

THROUGH MAY 1

Women: A Century of Change

As we approach the 100th anniversary of the U.S. constitutional amendment confirming women’s right to vote, this powerful new exhibition and book from National Geographic showcases iconic women around the world. The exhibition’s stunning photographs, drawn from National Geographic’s unparalleled image collection, span nine decades and feature a myriad of countries. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MUSEUM

THROUGH MAY 25

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART

THROUGH SEPT. 7, 2020

Pat Steir: Color Wheel

The Hirshhorn will host the largest painting installation to date by the acclaimed abstract painter Pat Steir. The exhibition is an expansive new suite of paintings by the artist, spanning the entire perimeter of the Museum’s second-floor inner-circle galleries, extending nearly 400 linear feet. HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

THROUGH SEPT. 13, 2020

Lee Ufan: Open Dimension

“Lee Ufan: Open Dimension” is an ambitious site-specific commission by the celebrated Korean artist Lee Ufan. The expansive installation, featuring 10 new sculptures from the artist’s signature and continuing Relatum series, marks Lee Ufan’s largest single outdoor sculpture project in the US, the first exhibition of his work in the nation’s capital, and the first time in the Hirshhorn’s 45-year history that its 4.3-acre outdoor plaza has been devoted, almost in its entirety, to the work of a single artist. HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

THROUGH OCT. 12, 2020

Chiura Obata: American Modern

Marcel Duchamp: The Barbara and Aaron Levine Collection

SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM

HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

Chiura Obata (1885-1975) ranks among the most significant Japanese American cultural artists and figures of the 20th century. Best known for his majestic views of the American West, Obata brought a distinctive trans-Pacific style to the arts community of California as an artist and teacher. This major traveling retrospective presents the most comprehensive survey to date of his acclaimed and varied body of work, from bold landscape paintings of the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park to intimate drawings of his experiences of the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Featuring the recent gift of over 50 major historical works, including more than 35 seminal works by Marcel Duchamp, this exhibition comprises an unparalleled selection of art, thoughtfully acquired over the course of two decades and offering a rarely seen view of the entire arc of Duchamp’s career. This is the first stage of a two-part exhibition on the life and legacy of Duchamp. The second stage, opening spring 2020, will examine Duchamp’s lasting impact through the lens of the Hirshhorn’s permanent collection, including significant works by a diverse roster of modern and contemporary artists.

Events | Culture | WD

DANCE

DISCUSSIONS

NOV. 23 TO DEC. 29

WED., DEC. 4, 6:45 P.M.

The Nutcracker

Set to Tchaikovsky’s magical score, this celebrated production is set in historic 1882 Georgetown with George Washington, King George III and other historical figures coming to life with intricate, stunning set designs, original period costumes and over 100 dancers including students and trainees from The Washington School of Ballet. It has become the signature Nutcracker of the nation’s capital. Please call for ticket information. WARNER THEATRE

FRI., DEC. 13, 7 P.M.

French Embassy Holiday Gala and Viennese Ball

This holiday gala and Vienniese ball at the French Embassy features alumni from Princeton, Yale, Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, Wellesley, Stanford, Smith, NYU, Johns Hopkins and many other U.S. universities. A partner or prior dance experience are not needed to attend, as Viennese Waltz lessons will be offered just before the ball. Enjoy a night of classic music with the Salon Orchestra of Washington Strauss performing waltzes, the famous Radetsky Grand March and other ballroom music from around the world. Tickets are $79 to $109; for information, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/frenchembassy-holiday-gala-vienneseball-french-wine-desserts-dancetickets-80409818933. EMBASSY OF FRANCE

Eileen Ivers: A Joyful Christmas

Europeans have spent centuries integrating the architectural legacies of their cities into buildings that meet the changing needs of their residents and reflect an evolving array of design styles. Highlighting examples in Italy and France, architect Paola Lugli addresses how historic buildings can survive and thrive through modern adaptations, as well as how architects are re-purposing buildings today. Tickets are $30; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org.

“A Joyful Christmas” recalls the roaring hearths and roars of laughter that make up Christmas in Ireland. Virtuoso fiddler Eileen Ivers interweaves age-old Wren Day songs, beloved American carols and even a jigging Bach for a tuneful, soulful celebration capturing the true spirit of the season. Tickets start at $29. WOLF TRAP

SAT., DEC. 7, 8 P.M.

Joy to the World: A Christmas Musical Journey

S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

Damien Sneed brings good tidings to Sixth and I with a combination of gospel, jazz, and classic Christmas carols, presented by Washington Performing Arts. Tickets are $35.

THU., DEC. 5, 6:45 P.M.

Delayed Justice: The Hunt for Hitler’s Hidden Soldiers in America

In 1990, in a basement archive in Prague, two American historians made a startling discovery: a Nazi roster from 1945 that no Western investigator had ever seen. The long-forgotten document, containing more than 700 names, helped unravel the details behind the most lethal killing operation in World War II. Author Debbie Cenziper unfolds the harrowing wartime journeys of two Jewish orphans from occupied Poland who outran the Nazis and settled in the United States, only to learn that some of their one-time captors had as well. Tickets are $30; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org. S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

MON., DEC. 9, 6:45 P.M.

With world-class artists, dazzling costumes, stunning sets, towering puppet, and soaring birds, don’t miss your chance to ring in the holidays with this acclaimed Christmas extravaganza. Please call for ticket information.

Italy has many of the most beautiful and meaningful celebrations of the Christmas season to be found anywhere. oin popular Smithsonian speaker Fred Plotkin, an expert on everything Italian, on a memorable tour that celebrates the magic that

MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE

SAT., DEC. 7, 3 AND 8 P.M.

The Architecture of Reuse: Lessons from European Cities

DEC. 15 TO 16

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker

pianists. Tickets are $35.

MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE

Buone Feste: How Italy Celebrates Christmas

PHOTO: SCOTT SUCHMAN / FORD’S THEATRE

Rayanne Gonzales is the Ghost of Christmas Present in the Ford’s Theatre production of “A Christmas Carol.” is Christmas in Italy. Tickets are $90; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org.

S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

TUE., DEC. 10, 6:45 P.M.

Vital Voices: Endangered Languages in a Changing World

Languages are integral to our identity, heritage, and humanity. There are roughly 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, but it’s estimated that without intervention, more than half of them will disappear by the end of this century. Mary Linn of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage examines the critical importance of maintaining language diversity, the forces that threaten to silence endangered languages, and the efforts to combat them. Tickets are $30; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org. S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

THU., DEC. 12, 6:45 P.M.

Barack and Joe: The Making of a Presidential Friendship

Joe Biden and Barack Obama were a study in sharply contrasting styles. That they came to form a dynamic professional partnership and close personal relationship is remarkable in so many ways. Author Steve Levingston explores the evolution of this relationship in his new book based on original interviews, media reports, memoirs and other sources. Tickets are $30; for information, visit smithsonianassociates.org. S. DILLON RIPLEY CENTER

MUSIC TUE., DEC. 3, 7 P.M.

Clara Schumann’s Life and Love

PHOTO: STARLIC WILLIAMS

Damien Sneed brings a combination of gospel, jazz and classic Christmas carols to Sixth & I on Dec. 7.

On the 200th anniversary of the birth of German pianist and composer Clara Schumann, acclaimed Austrian pianist and lecturer Elisabeth Eschwé has created a scenic piano recital, staging Schumann from her early childhood under the tutorial guidance of her father Fried-

rich Wieck; to the celebrated prodigy, secret fiancé and then wife of Robert Schumann; to a grief-stricken mother and widow; and finally her years as internationally renowned pianist and lifelong friend of Johannes Brahms. Admission is free; register at acfdc.org.

EMBASSY OF AUSTRIA

WED., DEC. 4, 6:45 P.M.

Gala Holiday Concert with the New York Virtuosi Strings

Join the Embassy Series for its annual holiday concert featuring champagne, cuisine, carols and a performance by the New York Virtuosi Strings. Tickets are $225, including buffet, wine. For information, visit embassyseries.org. EMBASSY OF SLOVAKIA

FRI., DEC. 6, 7:30 P.M.

Zlatomir Fung, Cello; Rohan de Silva, Piano

Enjoy the acclaimed sounds of cellist Zlatomir Fung, who just won the gold medal at the Tchaikovsky International Competition. He also recently captured First Prize at the 2018 Schoenfeld International String Competition, as well as the competition’s sole performance engagement prize for a concert with Poland’s Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets are $125, including buffet, wine and valet parking; for information, visit embassyseries.org. EMBASSY OF BULGARIA

FRI., DEC. 6, 7:30 P.M.

Timeless Armenian Classics: Komitas at 150

Komitas (born in 1869) is rightfully considered the father of Armenian national school of music. He collected and transcribed over 3,000 pieces of folk music and was revered by his contemporaries, including by composers Clade Debussy and Camile SaintSaens, before his tragic death in Paris in 1935. Strathmore presents an evening of music of Komitas, Khachaturyan and other Armenian composers performed by Armine Grigoryan, one of Armenia’s most accomplished

SIXTH AND I

DEC. 7 TO 15

The Christmas Revels: Celestial Fools

Magic is just around the corner in a rustic village in Europe. As the winter days grow short, three wandering performers from far-off lands weave music, dance and stories from their cultures into an enchanting and dramatic tale of the Winter Solstice. But when the sun finally sets on the longest night, these “Celestial Fools” lead us on a journey into the heavens to reclaim the light and restore its warmth to the world. Join a cast of over 100, ages 9 to 90, for this timeless fable and sing along and dance through the aisles to eclectic instrumentals by Seth Kibel, Vladimir Fridman and Bob Abbott, with the glorious tones of the Washington Revels Brass. Tickets are $12 to $65. GW LISNER AUDITORIUM

WED., DEC. 11, 7:30 P.M.

Year-End Concert with Korean Artists

This year-end concert hosted by the Embassy Series in cooperation with the Korean Cultural Center features violinist Youjin Lee, cellist Min Ji Kim and pianist Do-Hyun Kim. Tickets are $60, including buffet and wine, or $150 for patrons; for information, visit embassyseries.org. ANDERSON HOUSE

THU., DEC. 12, 7:30 P.M.

Tribute to Tchaikovsky

In advance of Tchaikovsky’s upcoming 180th anniversary year, the Russian Chamber Art Society’s 2019 holiday concert will be a unique and festive tribute to the beloved composer. Though best known worldwide for his ballets, orchestral works and operas, Tchaikovsky displayed his supreme gift for melody in more than 100 Russian art songs or “romances.” Exceptional young lyric tenor Fanyong Du, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Odessa National Academy of Music in Ukraine, will perform a selection of Tchaikovsky’s most exquisite romances with pianist Vera Danchenko-Stern, RCAS founder and artistic director. Tickets are $55, including post-concert

reception; for information, visit thercas.com.

EMBASSY OF FRANCE

DEC. 15 TO 24

The Choral Arts Society of Washington: Songs of the Season

The Choral Arts Society of Washington brings glad tidings with a selection of its favorite holiday carols and seasonal classics performed by the Choral Arts Chorus and Youth Choir that combine traditional favorites and choral jewels of the season with masterpieces performed by soloist Kristina Lewis. Tickets are $15 to $72. KENNEDY CENTER CONCERT HALL

SAT., DEC. 21, 8 P.M., Sun., Dec. 22, 3 p.m.

National Philharmonic: Handel’s Messiah

No Christmas celebration is complete without a performance of Handel’s uplifting oratorio Messiah, a work that has delighted and inspired audiences worldwide since its premiere in 1741. Please call for ticket information. MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE

THEATER DEC. 1 TO JAN. 5

She The People

Since 2009, Woolly Mammoth has partnered with The Second City to bring their signature brand of laughter-fueled activism to D.C. audiences. This brand-new play further satirizes the reality of being a woman in the United States, exploding the myths and misrepresentations surrounding body positivity, bachelorettes, Beyoncé, the 2020 ballot, and exploring the impact of the Trump presidency and the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. Tickets start at $38. WOOLLY MAMMOTH THEATRE COMPANY

DEC. 3 TO DEC. 29

The Second City’s Love, Factually

“Love, Actually” — whether you love it, hate it or have never even seen it, you’ll definitely love this romantic romp that parodies the film along with many other classic holiday romcom moments. Back by popular demand following a sold-out run in 2018, this year’s “Love, Factually” is packed with even more parody of the classic holiday film. Tickets are $49 to $79. KENNEDY CENTER THEATER LAB

DEC. 3 TO JAN. 12

Peter Pan and Wendy

Bold, budding scientist Wendy Darling dreams of earning a Nobel Prize. When Peter Pan arrives at her bedroom window, she takes a leap and leaves finishing school behind, chasing adventure among the stars. Facing down fairies, mermaids and the dastardly Captain Hook, Wendy, Peter and their friends discover the power of standing up together for what’s right. Please call for ticket information. SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY

SEE EVENT S • PAGE 38

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 33

WD | Culture | Spotlight

Diplomatic Spotlight

December 2019

Afghanistan Ambassador Insider Series Afghan Ambassador Roya Rahmani, Kabul’s first female envoy to the U.S., headlined The Washington Diplomat’s Oct. 29 Ambassador Insider Series (AIS), held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC) and moderated by news editor Larry Luxner. Rahmani talked about why Americans should not give up on her homeland, even though Afghanistan now ranks as the longest war in American history, and addressed the most pressing developments in the country today, which you can read all about in our cover profile on page 19.

Afghan Ambassador Roya Rahmani, third from left, poses with members of The Washington Diplomat. From left are intern Steven Phillips, publisher Victor Shiblie, managing editor Anna Gawel, news editor Larry Luxner and operations director Fuad Shiblie.

Afghan Ambassador Roya Rahmani is interviewed by Larry Luxner.

Shadi Sadeghi of Children’s National, Golnaz Feiz of RRB/ITC and Safia AlSadoon of the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Traditional Afghan cuisine was served, including chicken and lamb kebobs.

Derrick Wayland of the Department of Homeland Security, Simon Klink of the Defense Department and Marissa Gesell-Klink of Alliance Lighting.

Andrew Gelfuso, vice president at Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA), which manages the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, joins Ambassador of Uzbekistan Javlon Vakhabov and Lyle Dennis.

Andrea Mendez of the Embassy of Panama, Daniel Erickson and Jan Du Plain of RRB/ITC.

Taweel Tawil of Sahouri Insurance, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Heuer, Leila Beale and former U.S. Chief of Protocol Sean Lawler.

— Photos: Jessica Knox Photography —

Afghan Ambassador Roya Rahmani is interviewed by Larry Luxner.

Puru Trivedi of the Meridian International Center; Kriti Doval of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum; Bart W. Édes, North American representative for the Asian Development Bank; Michael Green of Sannam S4; Anna Gawel, managing editor of The Washington Diplomat; and Omar Er of Middle Bridge Partners.

Ambassador of Afghanistan Roya Rahmani, moderator Larry Luxner and Ambassador of Albania Floreta Faber.

34 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

Heather Campbell, senior legislative assistant in the office of Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), and Sydnee Urick, correspondence manager for the U.S. Senate.

Over 120 guests turned out for the talk.

Timothy Colson of the Department of Homeland Security; Julie McConnell, vice president of marketing for Long & Foster; Sanna Kangasharju of the European Parliament Liaison Office; and David Van Ongevalle of Mercuri Urval.

Afghan Ambassador Roya Rahmani.

Connor Wagner of Monmouth University, Hannah Luetke-Stahlman of the Cerner Corp. and former APSA Congressional Fellow Shae Allen.

Elizabeth Moody of the Society for International Development (SID-Washington), Amanda Klimek of the U.S. Census Bureau and Evan Johnson.

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Heuer asks a question.

Spotlight | Culture | WD

Afghanistan Ambassador Insider Series

Puru Trivedi of the Meridian International Center, Lara Romano of the Embassy of Croatia and Kriti Doval of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

PHOTOS: JESSICA KNOX PHOTOGRAPHY

Hosai Lulu of RRB/ITC and Fuad Shiblie of The Washington Diplomat.

At left, Eric Ham of SIRIUS XM’s Potus Channel, Jacob Wirtschafter, Middle East bureau chief of Associated Reporters Abroad, and Anna Gawel of The Washington Diplomat.

PR consultant Bill Outlaw asks a question.

Kevin Downey and Piotr Witak of the Embassy of Poland.

Thomas Coleman of the Department of Homeland Security, Roseann Pinkney and Gary Pinkney.

Kofi Campbell of Blue Glacier Security & Intelligence LLC and Stefan Gudjohnsen of Globescope.

Abid Saeed of the Embassy of Pakistan, right, listens to the discussion.

German Unity Day German Ambassador Emily Haber and her husband Hansjörg Haber welcomed hundreds of guests to their expansive residence on Foxhall Road for the annual German Unity Day reception, which this year celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the conclusion of the initiative “Wunderbar Together – Germany and the U.S.” The event featured stations of traditional German cuisine, music by various German and U.S. bands, a beer garden and special appearances by surviving U.S. veterans of World War II. German Ambassador Emily Haber and her husband Hansjörg Haber, right, greet guests.

Ambassador of Serbia Djerdj Matkovic and his wife Vera Matkovic.

PHOTOS: GERMAN EMBASSY WASHINGTON

Remnant of the Berlin Wall were on display.

Ambassador of Germany Emily Haber and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The U.S. Air Force Band Max Impact performs on stage.

Katie Baughman sings the German and American national anthems. The Meute German marching band performs.

Guests fill the expansive gardens.

Ambassador of New Zealand Rosemary Banks and her husband Brian Lockstone.

Ambassador of Bulgaria Tihomir Stoytchev and his wife Lubka Stoytcheva.

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 35

WD | Culture | Spotlight

Diplomatic Spotlight

December 2019

51st Annual Meridian Ball Over 850 people came out for the 51st annual Meridian Ball, including members of Congress and the administration, ambassadors, corporate executives, the media and other various other notable guests. Over 35 embassies hosted pre-ball dinners at ambassadorial residences around town, followed by desserts and dancing at the Meridian International Center. The ball, which raised $1.3 million this year, brings together members of the public and private sector to celebrate Meridian’s ongoing efforts to prepare leaders for a complex global future.

— Photos: Stephen Bobb Photography —

Members of the 51st Meridian Ball Leadership Committee pose for a photo. From left are: Clyde Tuggle of Pine Island Capital Partners; corporate chair Mary Streett of BP America; Leah Dunn; Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.); Meridian Board of Trustees Chair Ann Stock; Edilia Gutierrez; former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez; Gwen Holliday; Meridian President and CEO Stuart Holliday; Chairman and CEO of KAPCO Holdings; Roy Kapani; Manisha Kapani; Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV.); and Gayle Manchin.

The Meridian International Center is a global leadership nonprofit that strengthens U.S. engagement with the world and accelerates collaboration through the exchange of leaders, ideas and culture.

The Colombian Residence was home to one of the 35 embassy pre-ball dinners. Ambassador Singapore Ashok Mirpuri, Michelle Kosinski of CNN and her husband philanthropist Kimbell Duncan.

Ambassador of Colombia Francisco Santos shares a laugh with guests at his pre-ball dinner. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV.) and Gayle Manchin join Loran Aiken and Robbie Aiken, former Meridian Ball chairs.

At left, Janna Ryan and former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Leah Dunn, Politico CEO Patrick Steel and Fred Hochberg.

Meridian President and CEO Stuart Holliday; Stuart Stock; Megan Beyer; former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Ann Stock; Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.); and Meridian Executive Vice President and COO Lee Satterfield.

Meridian Board of Trustees Chair Ann Stock greets Ambassador of Nepal Arjun Kumar Karki.

Greek god actors stand among the dessert bar in the Meridian House.

Ambassador of Slovenia Stanislav Vidovic and former Ambassador of Serbia Vladimir Petrović.

Ambassador of Argentina Fernando Oris de Roa hosts a pre-ball dinner.

Rod Rosenstein, former U.S. deputy attorney general, makes a toast at the Colombian ambassador’s dinner.

David Carmen shares a laugh with Meridian Ball Chair Manisha Kapani at the White Meyer Dinner.

Paula Dobriansky of the Harvard Future of Diplomacy Project; Bruce Friedman, special assistant to the U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States; and Ed Royce, former Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Guests of Ambassador of Bahrain Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa and his wife join them at their residence for a pre-ball dinner.

36 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

Belinda Cherrington, British Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Tatham, Niamh King and Edward Luce of The Financial Times.

Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper and Ambassador of Bahrain Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa enjoy a cigar.

Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, Gena Bernhardt, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper attend the Bahraini pre-ball dinner.

Shaikha Aisha AlKhalifa, wife of the Bahraini ambassador, welcomes Shaista Mahmood and Tina Mather to the Bahraini Residence. Guests — including U.S. special envoy for Iran Brian Hook, at left — react while watching television streaming of the Washington Nationals playing game three of the World Series.

Candles light up the grand table at the Bahraini pre-ball dinner.

Spotlight | Culture | WD

51st Annual Meridian Ball

Lala Abdurahimova and Ambassador of Azerbaijan Elin Suleymanov.

Gwen Holliday, Roy Kapani, Manisha Kapani and Stuart Holliday.

PHOTOS: STEPHEN BOBB PHOTOGRAPHY

Debbie Meadows dances with her husband, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.).

Hogan Gidley, White House principal deputy press secretary, center, talks with British Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Tatham, right.

Amrita Mahbubani, President and CEO of Multitronics VMI Ashok Mahbubani and Gouri Mirpuri, wife of the Singaporean ambassador.

Anna Gawel of The Washington Diplomat and Thomas Coleman of the Department of Homeland Security attend the Bahraini pre-ball dinner.

Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Steve Clemons of The Hill newspaper and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV.) share a laugh. Carlos DiazRosillo of the National Endowment for the Humaniteis, Martha Diaz, Bernie Grootenboer and Ambassador of the Netherlands André Haspels.

Ambassador of Bulgaria Tihomir Stoytchev, Lubka Stoytcheva and Ambassador of Albania Floreta Faber.

Kevin Sheridan, Erika Gutierrez Sheridan, Ashraf Fawzy and Lara Fawzy.

Abby Phillip, CNN White House correspondent, right, and a guest.

Mimi Burke of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck; former U.S. Ambassador Walter Cutler; and Kristin Solheim, director of Citigroup government affairs.

Singapore National Day

Ambassador of Denmark Lone Dencker Wisborg and a guest.

Ping-Pong Diplomacy Embassy liaison Jan Du Plain and Ambassador of Tunisia Fayçal Gouia attend the Singapore National Day reception.

Ambassador of Singapore Ashok Mirpuri, second from left, leads a toast with VIP guests on stage at Singapore’s 54th National Day and Armed Services Day reception held at the embassy.

Diplomats and embassy staff from the area formed a total of 16 teams to compete in a “Diplomacy Ping Pong” tournament held at SPIN, the ping pong social club in downtown D.C.

PHOTO: DENIS LARGERON PHOTOGRAPHIE

At right, guests mingle at the Embassy of Singapore. PHOTO: DENIS LARGERON PHOTOGRAPHIE

At right, guests enjoy the outdoor terrace. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David R. Stilwell delivers remarks.

PHOTO: DENIS LARGERON PHOTOGRAPHIE

Ambassador of Albania Floreta Faber and Ambassador of Nicaragua Francisco Campbell attend the Singapore National Day reception.

China won the final of the “Diplomacy Ping Pong” tournament. The other countries represented in the final included Japan, Thailand, Chile, Armenia, Czech Republic, Singapore and the United States (a group formed by the Sports Diplomacy Division at the State Department of State).

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 37

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Through her ups and downs, her contradictions and evasions, the audience witnesses the complicated evolution of one of the 20th century’s greatest artistic minds. Tickets are $39 to $69.

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THU., DEC. 5, 7 P.M.

DEC. 8 TO JAN. 5

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Baltimore School for the Arts, its theatre experimental lab presents a new performance using translated extracts by Spanish authors such as San Juan de la Cruz, Calderón de la Barca, Miguel de Unamuno, Santa Teresa and Irma Correa — offering a journey into Spanish literature from the 16th century to the present day. Admission is free but RSVP is required and can be made at www.spainculture.us/city/washington-dc/.

Synetic presents a whimsical, family-friendly adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s beloved fairy tale, The Snow Queen. Join Gerda, a little girl with gumption, a magic mirror, and a quest to save her best friend, as she sets out on a life-changing journey that takes her over mountains and across distant lands to the Snow Kingdom. Tickets are $15 to $30.

Of Gods and Men

FORMER RESIDENCE OF THE AMBASSADORS OF SPAIN

THROUGH DEC. 8

Occupant

Edward Albee’s “Occupant” imagines an interview with sculptor Lousie Nevelson from beyond the grave and digs into the icon’s turmoil and triumphs as she transforms from a young Jewish girl immigrating from Russia to a master at the height of her creative powers.

The Snow Queen

SYNETIC THEATER

DEC. 12 TO 31

An Irish Carol

An original work by Keegan company member Matthew Keenan, “An Irish Carol” is an homage to Dickens’ classic — told as only the Irish can. This comic and touching play, set in a modern Dublin pub, follows one evening in the life of David, a wealthy pub owner who has lost touch with his own humanity in the interest of self-protection and material success. But on this Christmas Eve, three voices

38 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | DECEMBER 2019

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may change David’s life forever. Tickets are $36 to $46.

KEEGAN THEATRE

DEC. 14 TO JAN. 12

The Dead

Scena Theatre presents an original musical version of the classic short story by Ireland’s greatest writer, James Joyce. The story opens at a Christmas party where the young Gretta swoons while a renowned tenor sings at the piano. Her husband Gabriel feels amorous while he watches her. Later that night, he’s devastated to learn she was actually moved by the memory of her first love, who died hopelessly obsessed with her. Realizing his marriage lacks such passion, Gabriel feels like a shadow of a person, flickering in a world where the living and “the dead” converge. Tickets are $15 to $50. THE ATLAS

THROUGH DEC. 15

White Pearl

A leaked ad for skin-whitening cream is going viral for all the wrong reasons and someone’s definitely getting fired in this twisted corporate comedy about selling whiteness and the ugliness of the beauty industry. Please call for ticket information. THE STUDIO THEATRE

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DEC. 17 TO JAN. 19

My Fair Lady

Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “My Fair Lady” tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed? Tickets are $39 to $159. KENNEDY CENTER OPERA HOUSE

THROUGH DEC. 22

Amadeus

Genius and jealousy collide in the opulent salons and opera houses of 18th-century Vienna when an impulsive and eccentric prodigy outshines an envious, God-fearing composer consumed by bitterness. Theatrical fireworks emerge as mediocre Salieri will do everything in his power to destroy his musical rival Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Tickets are $27 to $85. FOLGER THEATRE

THROUGH DEC. 22

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Murder. Mystery. Mayhem. Math. What begins as an investigation into the grisly death of a neighbor’s dog results in a remark-

able coming-of-age journey for 15-year-old Christopher Boone, a self-described “mathematician with some behavioral problems. Tickets are $32 to $68. Round House Theatre

THROUGH DEC. 29

Dear Jack, Dear Louise

When two strangers meet by letter during World War II, a love story begins. U.S. Army Captain Jack Ludwig, a military doctor stationed in Oregon, begins writing to Louise Rabiner, an aspiring actress and dancer in New York City, hoping to meet her someday if the war will allow. But as the war continues, it threatens to end their relationship before it even starts. Please call for ticket information. ARENA STAGE

THROUGH DEC. 29

Disney’s Newsies

In the summer of 1899, the newsboys of New York City took on two of the most powerful men in the country — Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst — and won. Inspired by true events, the Broadway smash hit is a testament to the power of standing up and speaking out. Please call for ticket information. ARENA STAGE

THROUGH DEC. 29

A Christmas Carol

It’s the 10th Anniversary of Olney’s favorite Christmas tradition, as Paul Morella’s captivating solo performance of the Dickens classic keeps audiences coming back season and after season. Tickets are $40 to $84. OLNEY THEATRE CENTER

THROUGH JAN. 1

A Christmas Carol

Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption. Originally conceived by Michael Baron, this music-infused production captures the magic and joy of Dickens’s Yuletide classic. Tickets are $34 to $124. FORD’S THEATRE

THROUGH JAN. 4

A Chorus Line

Winner of nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize, overflowing with sensational ballet, tap and jazz dance numbers, this nonstop showcase with one of the largest casts in Signature history is the one singular sensation for the holiday season. Please call for ticket information. SIGNATURE THEATRE

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Film

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AFI SILVER THEATRE SUN., DEC. 15, 3:30 P.M., MON., DEC. 16, 7 P.M.

JAPANESE 13 Assassins

Directed by Takashi Miike (U.K./Japan, 2010, 125 min.) DJ 2-Tone Jones, who performed to a packed house during the Freer’s 2018 Made in Hong Kong Film Festival, returns with another “Can I Kick It?” performance, this time with a bloody historical epic directed by the notorious Takashi Miike. In this remake of a 1963 film based on actual historical events, 13 of the best samurai in Japan are recruited to take down a ruthless warlord who is oppressing his people. FREER GALLERY OF ART THU., DEC. 5, 7 P.M.

The Minamata Mural

Directed by Noriaki Tsuchimoto (Japan, 1981, 111 min.) After a handful of groundbreaking films detailing the tragedy and suffering of the mercurypoisoned Japanese town of Minamata, documentary master Noriaki Tsuchimoto revisits the subject of Minamata through the eyes of the celebrated husband-and-wife painting duo Iri and Toshi Maruki. FREER GALLERY OF ART SUN., DEC. 8, 2 P.M.

A Story from Chikamatsu

Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi (Japan, 1954, 102 min.) Based on a classic of 18th-century Japanese drama, this film traces the injustices that befall the wife of a Kyoto scrollmaker and his apprentice after each is unfairly accused of wrongdo-

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WASHINGTON F I N E P RO P E RT I E S , L L C ing. Bound by fate in an illicit, star-crossed romance, they go on the run in search of refuge from the punishment prescribed them: death.

FREER GALLERY OF ART WED., DEC. 4, 2 P.M.

KOREAN Parasite

Directed by Joon-ho Bong (South Korea, 2019, 132 min.) Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. But when a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out. ANGELIKA MOSAIC

LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

LITHUANIAN Nova Lituania

Directed by Karolis Kaupinis (Lithuania, 2019, 96 min.) In the late 1930s, with a potential war looming on the horizon for the young country of Lithuania, geographer Feliksas Gruodis convinces the prime minister to establish a tropical colony overseas in case of emergency, and the two begin meeting in secret to make his dream a reality (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 5 TO 10

MALTESE The Weeping House of Qala Directed by Mark Doneo (Malta, 2018, 85 min.)

In the quaint village of Qala in Gozo, Emily Edevane was abandoned, along with her three small children, by her husband. No one seems to have heard of them since. Four decades later, a Maltese documentary crew agrees to spend a day at the now desolate and decaying mansion, hoping to find out what became of the family (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 15 TO 18

MANDARIN White Snake

Directed by Amp Wong and Ji Zhao (China/U.S., 2019, 99 min.)

In this visually stunning new take on a classic legend, from Light Chaser Animation, one of China’s premiere animation studios, a young woman named Blanca is saved by Xuan, a poor snake catcher from a nearby village. She has lost her memory, but learns she has magical powers. Together they go on a journey to discover her real identity, meeting many adventures, and developing deeper feelings for one another along the way. LANDMARK’S E STREET CINEMA

POLISH Corpus Christi

Directed by Jan Komasa (Poland, 2019, 115 min.) When 20-year-old Daniel is released from a youth detention center, his dream of entering the priesthood is squashed by the weight of his violent criminal record. Instead, he is sent to work at a carpenter’s workshop in a rural town, where the community is struggling to heal from a recent tragedy. Mistaken for a priest in a strange turn of events, Daniel decides to run with it, gradually becoming a beloved fixture in the community (part of the AFI European

Union Film Showcase).

AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 5 TO 12

PORTUGUESE The Domain

Directed by Tiago Guedes (Portugal/France, 2019, 166 min.) In this epic story, the lives of three generations of landowners unfold on the south bank of the River Tagus, against the backdrop of several tumultuous decades of Portuguese history (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE SUN., DEC. 15, 7:45 P.M., WED., DEC. 18, 8:30 P.M.

RUSSIAN Oleg

Directed by Juris Kursietis (Latvia/Lithuania/Belgium/ France, 2019, 108 min.) fter Oleg, a young Latvian butcher living and working in Brussels, finds himself out of a job, he falls under the spell of Andrzej, a fast-talking, Polish, small-time crook he meets at a party. What starts as a promising opportunity to get back on his feet soon turns into anything but as Oleg tries to escape his newfound life of crime (Russian, Polish, Latvian, English, French and Flemish; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase).

SUN., DEC. 15, 2 P.M.

The Children of the Dead

Directed by Kelly Copper, Pavol Liska (Austria, 2019, 90 min.) Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek’s 666-page novel “The Children of the Dead” depicts a zombie uprising highlighted by conveniently forgotten figures from Austria’s recent past, both Nazis and Jews alike. As realized for the screen by producer Ulrich Seidl, Jelinek’s scabrous novel becomes a most unusual modern-day silent film, featuring an amateur but very game cast (part of the AFI European Union Showcase). SAT., DEC. 14, 10:45 P.M., WED., DEC. 18, 10 P.M., THU., DEC. 19, 9:45 P.M.

SLOVAK Let There Be Light

decide to rent a flat together in the capital city of Ljubljana (Slovenian and Albanian; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase).

DEC. 8 TO 12

Stories from the Chestnut Woods

Directed by Gregor Božič (Slovenia, 2019, 81 min.) This touching homage to a lost way of life unfolds in a decaying forest on the Yugoslav-Italian border in the years after World War II. In these decaying surroundings, twp lonely souls share fond memories — transformed into imaginative tales — and melancholic contemplations of their futures (Slovenian and Italian; part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase). AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 14 TO 19

SPANISH

Directed by Marko Škop (Slovakia/Czech Republic, 2019, 93 min.) Milan, a father of three, does construction work in Germany in order to provide for his family back in Slovakia. While visiting home over Christmas, he discovers that his eldest son is a member of a paramilitary youth group and has been involved in the bullying and death of a classmate — and now Milan must decide what to do (part of the AFI European Union Film Showcase).

The August Virgin

AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 16 TO 22

AFI SILVER THEATRE WED., DEC. 18, 7 P.M., THU., DEC. 19, 5 P.M.

SILENT

SLOVENIAN

Broken Blossoms

Pain & Glory

Half-Sister

AFI SILVER THEATRE DEC. 6 TO 12

Directed by D.W. Griffith (U.S., 1919, 90 min.) Set in London’s East End, this moody fog-bound tale is a tender love story, a tragic melodrama and a prescient study in immigrant relations. FREER GALLERY OF ART

Directed by Damjan Kozole (Slovenia/Serbia/Republic of Macedonia, 2019, 105 min.) Neža is going back to school and Irena is getting a divorce. Despite their past grievances and outspoken hatred for one another, the two half-sisters

Directed by Jonás Trueba (Spain, 2019, 125 min.) On the verge of turning 33, Eva decides to spend her August in Madrid, where the heat and holiday festivities drive most locals to abandon the city. Seeking small revelations from the world around her, Eva embarks on a journey of self-discovery that unfolds on screen as a joyous, magical summer tale (part of the AFI European Union Showcase).

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar (Spain, 2019, 113 min.) Antonio Banderas plays Salvador Mallo, a film director in physical decline who reflects on his past as his present comes crashing down around him. LANDMARK’S BETHESDA ROW CINEMA WEST END CINEMA

DECEMBER 2019 | THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | 39

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