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Conservation 2.0: Congo Park Rangers Bring Global Attention To Endangered African Wildlife · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Conservation, like many other areas of our professional, political and social life, is currently adapting to new trends in information and communication technologies. Despite the colossal digital divide that exists in the Democratic Republic of Congo, blogs are becoming an important information and communication weapon in the hands of Congo park rangers.  Since last year, Congo park rangers have been using blogs to communicate with the outside world about their struggle to protect the Mountain Gorilla, hippos and other endangered animals in Virunga National Park.
Virunga, the first national park in Africa, was named a United Nations World Heritage site in 1979 and classified as an endangered site in 1994. The Mountain Gorilla in Virunga National Park is listed on the Red Data List as critically endangered. There are about 700 Mountain Gorillas left in the world today.
Congo rangers started blogging after the establishment of WildlifeDirect, a charitable organization helping conservationists in Africa to tell their stories using the power of the web. WildlifeDirect is a program of the African Conservation Foundation chaired by African paleontologist and conservationist, Richard Leakey:
WildlifeDirect was established to provide support to these conservationists via the use of blogs – this enables anybody, anywhere to play a direct and interactive role in the survival of some of the world’s most precious species. We believe that the Internet provides an unprecedented means of bringing the remarkable efforts of these dedicated people to the attention of the world.
Armed with blogs and cameras, the elite park rangers tell their own stories, which have hitherto been mostly ignored by the mainstream media. Their blogs have established a new channel of communication, which allows the world to know the plight of endangered animals and the dangerous conditions they work in:
As while we’re out on patrol there is no room for mistakes, one wrong move could spell a potential disaster, which may be why Discovery Channel has labeled being a Congo Ranger as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
In addition, their blogs have become a powerful fundraising tool. Before they started raising money online, these park rangers were working for several months without pay. With blogs, the situation has changed:
I should like to thank each and every one of you for your generous donations since I started this blog on 8th January 2007…I am very happy to report the following donations:
Open Donations to Gorilla Protection: $21, 234.40 (net of Paypal fees)
Community Liaison Officers: 13 months worth of officer
Fuel for Ranger Patrols: 4
Patrol Boots: 3 pairs
Patrol Rations: 54
Patrol Tents: 1
Truck Hire: 4
Uniform for Rangers: 1
Wall Maintenance for Gorilla sector of the park: 17 kilometers
As you know Chris A donated $12,000 for a vehicle (included in open donations). This has been purchased 2nd hand from Oxfam here in Goma and the engine and spare parts for its refurbishment are being brought from Kampala. It should be on the road very soon and I will let you know! Chris also donated $2,300 for two laptops for Camp Karema, the new gorilla monitoring station we are setting up in Bukima, in the Mikeno Sector of Virunga. These have also been purchased. Georgina O donated $1,000 for the tent for Camp Karema, which is up.
Their blogs have been providing regular stories and voices from the deepest part of Africa for a global audience. There are stories of a rare sighting of 10 elephants and rumors of rebels seen in the area, birth of a baby Gorilla, Chimpanzees rescued from illegal trafficking, warning signs from a rebel group, and updates about their social life.
The Bloggers
Except for Robert and Samantha, all bloggers are Congolese. Since French, Swahili, and Lingala are the most common languages in Congo, their stories are translated into English before posting:
At the moment we write the blogs by giving the Advance Force cameras for them to record their daily lives, and then for them to sit down with us to add description and talk about their work, which we then translate into English and post.
This way of blogging is very time consuming and, as the WildlifeDirect team is only very small, will not be sustainable once we have more blogs on the go. So you can imagine we were thrilled when Kavusa suggested both English and computer lessons for the Advanced Force.
Park ranger Atamato works in Ishango, a sub-station of Virunga National Park (see Ishango bone):
My name is Atamato and above you can see me with my wife Mawanzo. We live in Ishango in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I work as a Park Ranger in Virunga National Park and oversee the Ishango Sector which, following the recent massacre of Hippos around Lake Edward, now contains the last remaining significant group of Hippos in the region.
Up until now we have been working in almost total isolation but now, thanks to WildlifeDirect, this blog is a way for me to join forces with those who are interested in conservation, and hopefully together we can work to preserve the park’s wildlife.
Welcome to my blog, and welcome to Ishango.
In one of his recent posts, Atamato writes about Mai Mai rebels:
I want to give you all an update on the situation here in Ishango, and also say a thank you for the donations that I have received through this blog and to let you know where this money will go.
As I stated on a message in the last post, it is the Mai Mai who are back in the area. This is the same rebel group who were responsible for the mass slaughter of hippos in Lake Edward at the end of last year. For the moment they are in Muramba again, which is about 12 or 13 kilometres from here, and I have heard from my sources that there are about 40 men altogether.
To be honest, at the moment in Ishango we are not equipped to deal with the Mai Mai should anything happen.
Elie Nkuba is the Commander of the Advance Force in Virunga National Parks:
Dear Friends…
My name is Elie Mundima Nkuba and I am the Commander of the Advance Force of the Rangers in Virunga National Park, in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo. I am 41 years old and I have been a Ranger for over 17 years. I have received quite a lot of training over the years, including as an alpine mountain guide and in Wildife Management.
His May 8 post, Congo Rangers, most dangerous job in the world?, reads:
As while we’re out on patrol there is no room for mistakes, one wrong move could spell a potential disaster, which may be why Discovery Channel has labeled being a Congo Ranger as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
The rangers face bullets from rebels and poachers. Last month a ranger was shot dead by poachers:
On 18th April the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that a Ranger in Nyaruhangi, in Virunga National Park, was shot dead by armed men assumed to be from the FARDC during the night of the 17th. Paul Bagambe Baibutsa was Chief of the Ruti Patrol Post. It seems that Bagambe was targeted as he was seen as an obstacle to animal poaching.
Aloma Major has been working in Virunga National Park for over 10 years:
I am 34 years old, and I have been working in the park for over 10 years. I was born in North Kivu province which is in the east of Congo.  I am married, and my wife, children and I live in a village called Mutwanga which is just on the edge of the park.
I have worked with the Mountain Gorillas for most of the time I have been a ranger. I protect the Gorillas and the park from poachers and other dangerous groups who want to hunt illegally in the park. We have poachers not only from my country, Congo, but also from Sudan and Rwanda as we are close to the borders of these two countries. Virunga National Park is actually Africa’s oldest national park. It was established by the government in 1925!
This is the first time I have ever done a blog, so please forgive me if I make any mistakes. Plus my English is not that fluent so someone from Wildlife Direct helps me write this post.
Aloma's work is sponsored by Stratton Elementary School in Colorado, USA, where students have been selling pickles to raise money for him:
This last week I’ve received messages from the students of Stratton Elementary who are sponsoring my work here. Their support has been tremendous and never ending, and I have heard from their teacher Libby that towards the end of last week they had been selling giant dill “Pickles for Primates” for 50 cents a piece to raise enough for my sponsorship.
I am not a preacher nor a business man, and so it is difficult for me to find the words that express what I want to say. It is not just the physical things that the students at Stratton Elementary have made possible, like my boots and my rations, but they have also given security to me and my family. This makes it easier when I go out on patrol as I am able to concentrate on my work, and I hope that one day that all of the rangers who work for the Advance Force will also have this ongoing support.
Stratton Elementary, you have given more than money and for that I am truly thankful.
Aloma uses his blog to engage in dialogue with students at Stratton Elementary:
dear Aloma Iam happy you are safe. Are you? do you drink soda. sinserly Danny
Hello Danny, I hope you are well. We are now safe in our homes in Mutsora as the area is a lot more stable than before. And yes, I do drink soda. I like to take a coke and also I like sprite too. What is your favourite soda?
DearAloma, I’m so sorry that an other goille got killd! How is your family doing? When did that happin? I do not know wath we can do whith out you. I mena that. Love, kori
Hello Kori, and thank you for your message. Yes, we were very sad when the silverbacks were killed, it is a very sad thing to happen. They were killed at the end of last year. I am pleased to say that all in my family are in good health. How are you and your family?
Dear Aloma, I’m glad that you are helping the gorillas in the Congo. How are you doing? I like you!! Sincerely, Hannah
Dear Hannah, I’m doing very well. Thank you for all that you are doing to help our work here.
Dear Aloma, Are classes hearts are with you and family .we are listining to africin music ..we will keep giving money to you gys so we can help you gys thrue the summer . Are hearts are also with the gorillas .we love you to the bottem of my heart .we are learning about meal worms and catapeelers they are relly cool . sincerely , brittany
Thank you so much Brittany for such a kind message. It is good to know that I have such a good team behind me, so that me and my rangers can keep protecting the mountain gorillas and all the other animals here in Virunga National Park. I like caterpillars too, what is your favourite animal?
Paul Ngobobo is a senior warden with the Congolese Wildlife Authorities:
I’m Paulin Ngobobo. I’m a senior warden with the Congolese wildlife authorities known as ICCN. I’m responsible for the Southern Sector of Virunga National Park. The greatest challenge, and my biggest responsibility, is protecting the Mikeno Gorilla sector, which protects many of the last remaining Mountain Gorillas.
My wish is that this blog might inspire others, wherever they are in the world, to join in our struggle to protect our mountain gorillas who are now on the edge of extinction.
Paul has posted pictures of a newborn mountain gorilla, Kabila, named after the president of Congo, Joseph Kabila, and Ndeze, named after a local tribal chief who died just two days before the birth. And news of a sick gorilla infant:
I am happy to tell you all that the 2 1/2 year old infant of the Kabirizi family is not in grave danger. Ntibahanana has discoloration of the hair and the hair is also falling out on the thighs. Dr Jacques from the Mountain Gorilla Vet Program visited the family yesterday, but was unfortunately not able to get too close.
The post resulted into a visit by a vetenerian from the Mountain Gorilla Vet Progam:
Following my post last week Dr Jacques from the Mountain Gorilla Vet Program traveled to Bukima today in the Mikeno sector to try to see the sick 2 1/2 year old infant of the Kabirizi family. He was unable to visit the family. The trackers, who following the Mountain Gorilla families every day, had trouble locating the Kabirizi family as they had moved to about 4 hours walk from the patrol post. So by the time the trackers got back to Bukima, it was too late for Dr Jacques to set out.
Deo Sindani hopes that his blog will inspire other to help protecting Mountain Gorillas:
My name is Deo Kakule Sindani and I am Ranger in Virunga National Park in eastern Congo. I am 32-years old, I am married, and my wife, my 4 children and I all live in Mutsora, a village just inside the park…
Part of the reason is that we are so isolated, which is why I am so grateful for this blog and your support. This blog will be a diary of our efforts to protect the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga. My wish is that this blog might inspire others, wherever they are in the world, to join in our struggle to protect our Mountain Gorillas who are now on the edge of extinction.
Robert Muir is with the Frankfurt Zoological Society:
I am Robert Muir, and I manage the Frankfurt Zoological Society’s programme in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On May 3 Robert brought to the world attention plans by the Congolese military to set up a military training camp inside Virunga National Parks:
The Congolese military are going to set up a military training camp at Nyaleke, inside Virunga National Park. I was told today that after huge efforts by UNESCO, the European Union, the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) and other conservation NGOs over many many months, all efforts have failed and we are soon going to see thousands of Congolese soldiers receiving training within the borders of one of the world’s most spectacular national parks.
This is not a regular military training camp. It is called a “camp de brassage” and is one of many such camps set up for the training, redeployment and demobilization of the Congolese military. While these camps are a crucial part of the peace process in Congo, placing them within the park is potentially very damaging.
Elie Nkuba blogged about the illegal camp:
Some terrible news for the park.
There is already a small military camp illegally within the park, but we have just found out that this will be extended to house 4,000 men and maybe their families too.
So did Aloma:
There are plans to extend the military camp that is already illegally located within Virunga National Park. This is not good news for the park as the camp is going to house about 4,000 men, plus their families.
Conservation Through Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube
The rangers are not only posting pictures and text on their blogs but also videos. They have created a channel on the popular video sharing site, YouTube. Another channel has been created by Bill Creary, WildlifeDirect board member.
In an effort to communicate widely and effectively, the rangers are also using the power of social networking tools such as MySpace and Twitter. They are urging supporters to digg their stories:
We're looking for people with Digg accounts (they're free). Often, such as the gorilla and hippo killings, important news stories happen here in Africa. But without a media presence these stories often go unnoticed, and so we are looking to the internet as a window to the world.
Using blogs and social networks such as Twitter, YouTube and now MySpace, these stories are finally getting out. But they could go even further. When there is the need, we will post these stories on the MySpace Bulletin board and then urge you to Digg these stories so that even more people find out.
Congo Rangers Blogs: A Success Story of Technology and Conservation
Speaking with Saratoga News, Bill Cleary says that the use of blogs to protect Mountain Gorillas has so far been effective:
It's blogs such as Ngobobo's and his fellow rangers that Cleary knew would really help to make a difference in the fight to protect the mountain gorillas.
So far, it really is working.
One month after the site launched, $20,000 was raised, more than 600 comments and messages from the public were received and approximately 300 articles were written in the international media about the Wildlife Direct's endeavors.
Today, nearly three months after its launch, close to $60,000 has been raised through the site.
Donations have enabled them to buy a second-hand vehicle. Paulin writes on his blog:
Thanks to your generous donations we are in the process of rehabilitating a new vehicle for the Rangers. We purchased this second hand vehicle, and are working on putting in a new engine, a Turbo fuel injector, new front suspension, new tyres… basically a complete overhaul. We order the parts from Rwanda because you cannot find them easily in Goma.
Congo Rangers Blogs in the Blogosphere And Mainstream Media
Articles and posts about Wildlifedirect blogs have appeared both in mainstream media and blogosphere. Bill Cleary, in his interview with Saratoga News, points out that one month after the site launched approximately 300 articles were written in the international media about Wildlife Direct.
The National Geographic News article, Exposing Atrocities, Blogs Give Wildlife Warriors Instant SOS begins:
Getting the message out isn't easy on the front lines of wildlife conservation.
News crews and other media are seldom on hand to spread the word of efforts to save endangered animals in remote tropical regions often ravaged by war, poverty, and disease.
Now conservationists are taking matters into their own hands, via their keyboards, in harnessing the power of the blog to attract headlines and much needed support.
Fred wrote “Congo Rangers blog from the front line” back in March. Our link to Fred's post led BBC Pods and Blogs to do a story about WildlifeDirect.
Rebecca MacKinnon had this to say after reading their blog:
I was just poking around their blogs. Great stuff: wonderful pictures and videos, and real windows onto the lives of some dedicated Congolese park rangers. If you care about African wildlife you should definitely follow their blogs. A great example of one less thing I ever would have known about if it weren't for Global Voices.
Comfortable Disorientation writes, “A blog less ordinary“:
Yesterday, I was gobsmacked (in a good way) to discover William is in the Democratic Reublic of Congo, working for Wildlife Direct. This mostly involves him blogging about the (often dangerous) work of the Rangers in Virunga National Park.  I mean The Congo? That's not just Africa, that's deep, deep Africa! Somewhere I can barely imagine – so it's lucky his blog does such a good job of bringing it to life…Here's a video that William helped Elie, one of the rangers, to put together.  It does a great job of introducing what his job is all about and is simply a fantastic example of why I love the internet!
Blog News (unfair and biased) posted, “Blogs For A Cause? Wildlife Blogs,”:
Concerned citizens have come to the rescue by creating their own means of spreading the word to the rest of the world � through blogging. Take for example Congo Rangers, a blog maintained by rangers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In October, they alerted the world to an atrocity committed against hundreds of hippos which were massacred by armed men in the Virunga National Park.
This blog is merely one of the blogs which are part of Wildlife Direct. Indeed, in these times when authorities left and right are going on about the danger of blogs, it would be good to realize the great potential of blogs to save lives � both human and otherwise.
A blog post by Elie Nkuba about a park ranger, who escaped after being held by rebels for two years, was picked up by Voice of America:
From the post on Tuesday about Jean Marie’s escape from the rebel leader 106, Samantha Newport from the WildlifeDirect team saw the story and wrote a press release. The story was then this weekend picked up by Voice of America and so on Saturday I did an interview over the phone with one of their reporters Kari in Kenya.
Mike Pflanz, The Daily Telegraph’s Africa Correspondent, notes that “Wildlife Direct is a new idea in conservation terms…“:
I come across a lot of charities and international organisations in my work, most doing admirable jobs in tough situations where, without them, little would get done.
But most move very, very slowly. There are procedures and procurements, tendered bids and bureaucracy. Wildlife Direct, a new idea in conservation terms, sidesteps a lot of that. Without wanting to sound like a spokesman for them, I’m pretty impressed (ok, I know I sound like a spokesman, but hear me out).
They’re setting up blogs written by the rangers in the parks. They’re getting pretty good hits, too. When you go online, you can read what the teams have been up to, where the gorillas are moving to, new births (two babies in the last three months in Virunga’s southern sector – pretty rare) and so on.
Then, you can send some cash, which is distributed immediately on the ground by the Frankfurt Zoological Society, a key partner of the Congolese wildlife service which has been operating in the country since the 1950s.
The Christian Science Monitor  writes:
The idea is simple. Wildlife Direct acts as a conduit for information, supporting conservation workers in hazardous and remote locations.
The organization, which is registered in Washington, has sent Web wizards out to Africa, where they have established a series of online blogs, written by conservationists, rangers, and bush veterinarians, detailing their daily struggle to safeguard endangered animals.
These blogs by the Congo park rangers are one of many examples of why blogging matters and the value it can add to institutions, individuals, and society in general, even in places where the digital divide is enormous.
Related Links:
The Great Apes Survival Project
Virunga Widows Fund
International Gorilla Conservation Programme
Dr. Richard Leakey explains WildlifeDirect (video)

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Czech Rebublic: Exact Change · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“In the Czech Republic, paying by cash can be a complicated business,” writes My Czech Republic Blog, inspired by what another blogger – NvB: Bored in Brno – wrote last year.

source: news-globalvoices

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Dubai: Tradional Dhow Sailing Contest · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Dubai-based blogger Seabee  brings us the latest in text and photographs about the traditional dhow (boat) sailing race later this month.
“AED6 million (US$1.63 million) is the prize money for this year's traditional dhow sailing race, due to be run on May 26. It's a great sight too, the 60 foot traditional wooden dhows racing 54 nautical miles into Dubai from Sir Bu Naair island. This year it's expected that there will be more than 100 dhows in the fleet,” he writes.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Earthquake in Laos, Felt in Thailand · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Some bloggers in Thailand are reporting the tremors they felt from a quake in Laos up north.  There are no reports of and injuries or damage to property as of yet.
Thaizer, based in Northern Thai city of Chiang Mai wrote
A couple of hours ago I was at home in Chiang Mai working away at my desk, when I felt my chair move backwards slightly. To be honest, I thought I’d spent too much time looking at the computer and was having a dizzy spell! It didn’t last long and I can’t say the whole room shook or there were pictures falling off the walls, but there was definitely something going on.
The location of the earthquake in North West Laos near the border with Myanmar and Thailand.
Popagandhi, A Singaporean currently traveling in Thailand with her mother also felt the quake
The earthquake of magnitude 6.1 rocked my second floor hotel room in Chiang Mai! The lights were shaking, my bed was shaking, I was lying down in bed at 3pm (that’s all I do these days, exhausted from the previous week of working).
Mum: “What was that?”
Me: “What was what?”
Mum: “That shaking!”
Me: “Oh, you felt that too? I thought everything was swaying because I took too much flu meds. That was probably, um, a… zzzz.”
3 Bears, also in Chiang Mai did not feel the quake but saw the water level in the hotel's pool drop.

author: Preetam Rai


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El Salvador: Planned or Spontaenous Violence in the Capital  · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

San Salvador recently witnessed events of violence during clashes between market vendors and the police during an operation trying to displace “illegal” places of sale.  The conflict caused some bloggers to worry about what might come, such as Hunnapuh [ES], who wonders whether the violence was spontaneous or planned. “I hope that Saturday's events were planned and coldly implemented by twisted minds from either side, and I'd feel more at ease if it were … because if it were not, then I would recommend that you pack your suitcases and get out while you can, and for those that cannot leave we will have to take cover from the hurricane, because it is almost a sure thing that there can be extreme and uncontrolled violence and there is nothing we can do about it…”

author: Eduardo Avila


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Europe: Still Some More on Eurovision · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Another mini-roundup of entries on last Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest: Anegdote encourages readers to rejoice – because they “accomplished something too by watching” Serbia's winning entry on TV; Belgrade 2.0 thinks Western Europeans should set up a bloc of their own next year, to counter the votes of the existing Eastern and Central European blocs; Reluctant Dragon notes that Serbian nationalists praising Marija Serifovic would've probably attacked her had they known “she was a Gypsy or if it turned out she actually was gay”; the beatroot argues that the contest “is all about nationalisms and politics”; Illyrian Gazette has more on bloc-voting and the potential profitability of appealing “to ‘eastern’ tastes.”


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Europe: The Problem With Eurovision · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Carpetblogger writes about the Eurovision Song Contest: “The problem with Eurovision is that not that it's tacky and frequently trite — all of us appreciate that. It's that it's taken so dead seriously. When people are arguing about and voting for ‘the best song’ they seriously mean ‘the best song,’ not the ‘most over-the-top-song’ or ‘song that best illuminates national character’.”


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Fiji: Blogs are a threat to national security · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

On  May 14th, Intelligentsiya reported that the army's Land Force Commander has a list of about 20 people who will be arrested in connection with anti-military blogs. It has also been reported that the Fiji Military Forces (FMF) have pressured FINTEL, Fiji's only ISP, to block blogspot.com blogging platform, nearly exclusively used by the “Fijian Freedom Bloggers”. It seems that the Fiji's military junta is considering blogs as “a threat to ‘national security“.
Lats week, on Friday 11th May, 2007, the prominent businessman Ulai Taoi was arrested and then released after 24 hours custody. The FMF suspected him of being an anti-military blogger. It was reported that he was “physically abused while in custody”.

author: sami ben gharbia


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French Annexation of Tunisia: How to Remember History? · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Tunisien Doctor explains why it is important [Fr] that Tunisians remember May 12, 1881, the day France annexed Tunisia, and asks why so many have forgotten.  At least one reader thinks it's time to “turn the page on that brief chapter of our long history and move on to other things.”

author: Jennifer Brea


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Guadeloupe Celebrates the Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Of all the festivities to celebrate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery, Guadeloupe Attitude was most impressed by the performance at the Victor Hugo Middle School of Saint-Yorre, which brought together the entire school community.  Jean-Claude Haley links to photos.


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Hungary: Partial Renovation · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Pestcentric posts a wonderful picture of a Budapest building and writes about it: “Why should you suffer if your neighbors are too cheap to chip in the money to renovate the house your flat is in? Fix up your own part, and show the rest of the city what cheap bastards the rest of them are!”


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India: Plagiarism and MSM · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Offstumped on plagiarism and how easily it comes to Indian MSM. “For long now Journalists in the mainstream media have derided blogs as banal and bloggers as plagiarists. Offstumped had challenged these attacks in the past with very charitable rejoinders , but this Sunday marks a new low in the Blogs versus Journalists debate. The mainstream newspaper in question is, The Pioneer .”

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: Tasteless Advertising? · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Sudeep's Diary points to advertising that appears to be offensive to certain communities. “How is it that such a blatant mockery of people belonging to scheduled castes and backward classes passing off without a resistance? Or has everyone taken the tagline too seriously?”


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Iran: Police Officer Kicks Woman · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iranian authorities are fighting against women on at least two fronts. On one side,  women activists protesting for equal rights are sent to prison and persecuted. On the other side, Iranian police officers continue with a nationwide crackdown aimed at making women abide by Iran's Islamic dress code. Although the head of judiciary, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroud, criticized the police action, the operation still goes on. Thousands of women have been warned and hundreds arrested for wearing overly loose headscarves or excessively tight coats.
The following video clip displays the violent behavior of Iranian security forces. More than 38,000 viewers have watched it on YouTube so far.
Nasrin says [Fa] that the police actions against women are a humiliation to the so-called ‘Hezbollah.’ Instead of words, art or thoughts, they just use force. She adds that 4,000 students have signed a petition and protested against the recent crackdown on women.
Zeynabeh Peyambarzadeh, a woman's activist and journalist has been arrested. According to [Fa] Meydan, Zeynab is suffering form heart problems and her family has not been able to convince prison authorities to deliver her medcines and clothing. More than 500 social and cultural activists and personalities protested against her detention.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iraq: Danish Soldiers Captured .. and Released · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Raed Jarrar reports that three Danish soldiers have been captured in Iraq. ‘A number of Arabic news websites, affiliated with armed groups in Iraq, are reporting that 3 Danish troops were captured by an ‘Iraqi resistance group’. A Danish military spokesman in Copenhagen confirmed that one soldier was killed and five wounded, without any more details about missing troops,” he writes. He later announced that the three were released by British forces.


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Iraq’s Segregation · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Angry Arab News Service links to a Washington Post article by Nir Rosen which sheds light on the role  Paul Bremer played in Iraq. He quotes Rosen as writing: ‘But Bremer himself never understood Iraq, knew no Arabic, had no experience in the Middle East and made no effort to educate himself — as his statements clearly show.Time and again, he refers to “the formerly ruling Sunnis,” “rank-and-file Sunnis,” “the old Sunni regime,” “responsible Sunnis.” This obsession with sects informed the U.S. approach to Iraq from day one of the occupation, but it was not how Iraqis saw themselves — at least, not until very recently. Iraqis were not primarily Sunnis or Shiites; they were Iraqis first, and their sectarian identities did not become politicized until the Americans occupied their country, treating Sunnis as the bad guys and Shiites as the good guys. There were no blocs of “Sunni Iraqis” or “Shiite Iraqis” before the war, just like there was no “Sunni Triangle” or “Shiite South” until the Americans imposed ethnic and sectarian identities onto Iraq's regions.’


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Israel: Daily Kos Bans Palestinian Bloggers · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jerusalem-based blogger DesertPeace  announces : “In their continuing ‘War Against Truth, Justice and The American Way’ Daily Kos banned two other writers who dared to speak the truth. My dear Brother Haitham of Sabbah's Blog and my Sister Nancy of Umkalil.”


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Japan: Constitution debate  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Japan Observer summarized the editorial of major daily news on the revision of constitution.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Kenya: Presidential debate to stream online  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The Alpha Quadrant reports that the Kenya presidential aspirants debate today is to stream online:
“Today (Wednesday 16th May) at 1400hrs EAT
live debate stream on http://idhaa.kenic.or.ke:8001/
Follow via blog – http://beckyit.blogspot.com/
The debate is calculated to ensure that ICT issues are put on the pedestal during the campaign period and in the process hold the future leaders accountable given the commitments they will give that day.”


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Korean dishes · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

This blog has put together recipes for some famous Korean dishes. If you don’t read Korean, try to guess the ingredients from the photos.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kurdistance: The Honor Killing of Dua · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

This may seem like old news….but it isn't. Even though the tragic honor killing of a young girl in Northern Iraq/Southern Kurdistan took place in early April, sometimes the meaning of these sad stories take a while to surface. There are conflicting reports about how 17-year-old Dua died, some say that she was lynched, some stoned to death, others say both. What we do know was that Dua was a young girl in love, who left her Yezidi faith to live her life with a man that she loved. She was brave and idealistic; and she died horribly because of it. A mob of Yezidi men dragged her into the street, tore her clothes to shame her, and then the mob killed her…the final blow being a large rock taken to her head. And someone filmed this horror, which is floating around the internet somewhere if you truly wish to see it. What is important, is that this tragedy not only is sad in the individual sense of this girl's death, it is also sad in what it signifies for a culture and society eager to change, but unable to, as the Kurdish bloggers point out.
While all Kurdish bloggers have condemned the death of Dua, the discussion has been focused around women's rights. Iraqi Kurdistan, while discussing how Kurdistan is falling behind in implementing increased women's rights, gives an excellent summary of what honor killings are:
Having lived in a western society for the last 14 years, where women have equal rights to men both constitutionally, legally, culturally and socially and at the same time being a Kurd, who spend most of his life before that in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan, one cannot avoid making comparisons about the state of women in both those cultures.
What made me think about this issue more recently, was the local Kurdish statistics which showed an increase in the numbers of the so-called “Honour killings”, which are usually perpetrated by one or more male members of a family, usually a brother or a father or a cousin, against a female member of the family, usually a daughter or a sister or a wife or a cousin, mainly because this female member was judged by the family, to have spoiled the honour of the family, a concept which means a real or purported emotional or sexual relationship outside the boundaries of marriage, even if that the female member was raped against her will and even if the perpetrator was a member of the family or someone close to the family. The punishment is almost always for the female part of the equation, leaving the male partner practically unscathed, as it`s usually the female who is conceived as the symbol of honour in such societies.
Reading the local newspapers of Kurdistan, you notice alarming statistics of thousands of women being killed or women falling victims to severe fatal burns, a method of suicide popular in Kurdistan by desperate women who find themselves threatened or humiliated or abused by other members of the family, by pouring kerosene on their bodies and setting themselves alight, usually enduring 80-90% of third degree burns, which is almost always fatal. Surprisingly every other member of the family appears complacent about the accident and portray it as an accident, and mostly without shedding any tears or showing any signs of sorry for the victim.
Kurdistan Aspect covers the state of honor killings in Kurdistan and some of the specific cultural ideals that play into it:
Despite that we come to know that the Yazidi society suffers serious shortcoming. It has still a caste system. We can also expect that they suffer all the ills that afflict and finally cripple any ideological systems, if not the world – the way Islam is currently besetting the world.
The next shocking aspect of Yazidi culture that I have discovered was the way women are treated. A few months ago, a Yazidi lady published a critical view about the treatment of women within her society. It was clear that Yazidi women are treated even worse than Muslim women. The impression one would get is that the sexual act within the Yazidi marriage does not differ considerably from rape. The man is expected to be as rough as possible without slightest regard to her feelings or humanity. However, here we cannot ignore that such an attitude might have been also influenced by Islam. It might be a case of impressionable victim taking after the aggressor, when the aggressor is not punish and left to make ill-begotten gains and claim glory on top of all that, as Muslims do.[5] It seems that Yazidis have been trying to convey a message to the Islamic neighborhood that although they differ slightly in their religions they share all other values with Muslims, particularly in regard to women, whose sexuality seems to have become the pivot of Yazidi and Islamic men’s honor.
In all ideological system one should expect the maltreatment of the weaker parties. The treatment of women was not in fact much better when Christianity dominated the political life in Europe.
Blogger Karer of Kurdistan notes how this common tragedy is even apart of ballads and love songs of the region:
They would not marry an outsider who is from their Yezidi belief. They would kill a Yezidi girl who marries a Muslim Kurd etc. They are very strict in preserving this tradition. So they would marry among themselves. Kurdish love songs are full of such tragedies. The young girl who is a Yezidi may not marry her lover who is a Muslim Kurd. The songs contain sad lyrics about the tragic loves just because the beliefs are different.
A few days ago, Kurdish Web sites were discussing a Kurdish girl killed by a mob in Iraqi Kurdistan. The girl was of Yezidi fell in love with a Muslim Kurd and ran away with him. The Yezidi relatives found her and killed her in mob styles. Yezidis, I believe, would not accept converts; you are either born as a Yezidi or not. I bet many young people have loved each other from Yezidi and other religions but could not marry because there is not escape out of it. I wonder how it is now among the Yezidis in Germany where most of the Yezidis from Kurdistan (Turkey) live now. I would like to see the impact of the German society on the Yezidis in Germany whether or not they have relaxed their traditions in that regard. The tragedy happened a few days ago spilled cold water on heart on the tightly knit societies and belief systems that allow revenge as a mode of solution no matter what the ethnic background is—Kurd, Turks, Arab, or Persian.
And Rasti notes that a fundamental change is needed:
One might also ask if the reason the KRG finally issued a condemnation of the murder is also because “non-Kurdish fundamentalists and foreign organizations began discussing the issue.” I would add that it's not enough that this be a problem addressed by women's organizations because it is not simply a “women's problem.” It is a domestic problem and a societal problem, which means that everyone, including men, are involved and must fight for change.
All of the posts that I have linked to today have been excellent, and I recommend reading them all in their entirety. If you are interested in news commentaries on this subject, I also recommend this article and this commentary piece (and the comment discussion). This is definitely a subject which needs to be explored more in depth. Next week we will cover what bloggers are saying about the Ilisu Dam project in Northern Kurdistan/Southeast Turkey and give you a visual tour of the region.

author: Deborah Ann Dilley


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Monem: first blog-post from prison · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

The Egyptian blogger Abdel-Monem Mahmoud managed to smuggle his first blog-post from his prison cell in Torah Mahkoum where he is being detained for a renewable term of fifteen days: “Despite all what happened from prison, torture, corruption and poverty; I am still in love with you Egypt. I might have thought of leaving you but I can never hate you. I love you Egypt and I want you free. I will continue to blog, write, and demonstrate until you are set-free.” Nora Younis has posted a translation of the blog-post.


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Nepal: Child Labour · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Kathmandu Speaks on the vulnerability of children, as they are forced to work, or turn to addiction. “By ‘ketaharu’ or boys, the owner surely meant for minors and not others. I was shocked to see such an advertisement. It is illegal to hire minors, but the courage of this owner should be praised! For he dared to sought such boys so openly, and I think he had no fear or knowledge of any laws existing in the country which forbids child labour.”


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Palestine: Double Nakba  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Writing from Gaza for the Electronic Intifada, Rami Almeghari  says:  “My pen is bleeding, my hand is shaking, my heart is sighing and my mind is stuffed with the bitter experiences of the past 14 months. The latest is today's anniversary of the Palestinian catastrophe (Nakba); today is a double Nakba. My ideas are scrambled; however, I must rein them all in and allow my words to flow, with the hope of reaching hearts, minds and souls.” The double-Nakba refers to the in-fighting between Palestinians.


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Palestine: Life in Gaza  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian blogger Dr Mona El Farra describes her life in Gaza here.
“In the last 4 days, situation has deteriorated in Gaza, clashes between Fath and Hamas restarted, I am staying at home, my daughter could not go to school…I cannot go to my work; I have patchy power, and some foodstuff in my fridge, enough for both of us,” she writes while accusing both Fatah and Hamas of serving Israel's interest. “I don’t whatever forgive both parties Fattah and hamas from their criminal act against the Palestinian people present past and future,” she notes.


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Peru: The Grupo Néctar Tragedy · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Translator's Note: On May 13, Peruvians awoke to the news that thirteen members of a popular musical group, Grupo Néctar, comprised mainly of Peruvian immigrants in Argentina who had succeeded in building a strong following both in Argentina and Peru, had been killed in a horrific automobile accident in Buenos Aires. In this article, Juan Arellano discusses this tragedy, and more importantly what this group's popularity has to say about changes in contemporary Peruvian society, as people from Lima's more working-class neighborhoods and Peru's provinces, and their musical and entertainment tastes, transforms the state of popular Peruvian culture. End of Translator's Note.
I don't think I'd be mistaken if I say that Sunday, Mother's Day in Peru, was celebrated with the music of Grupo Néctar. Many radio stations played their songs, and I bet at many of the private celebrations throughout the country, their music was played. The reason? The news of the tragic death of the entire group in Buenos Aires. It would have been sad news if just one of the members of this Peruvian musical group had died, but the tragedy in this case is that the entire group was killed, except two members who happened to have been in Lima at the time.
Grupo Néctar was formed in 1995 by singer Johnny Orozco in Argentina, where he was living and working. Ten years later, the group's career also ended in that same country.  There are rumors the automobile accident which provoked this tragedy might have been intentionally caused by the mafias who control the musical circles in the Argentine capital, but to date nothing has been confirmed.
Today, I was in different parts of Lima, where radio stations continue to pay homage to this group by playing their songs. The evening news reported that other Peruvian musicians of the same genre were in the process of writing a song in memory of the group. Bloggers have also had a massive reaction to the news of these sad events. At Diario de IQT (ES), Paco Bardales writing from the steamy Amazonian city of Iquitos, explains what Grupo Néctar signified in recent Peruvian musical terms:
un terrible accidente de tránsito ocurrido en Buenos Aires se ha llevado a mejor vida al grupo Néctar, uno de los más importantes referentes de la música popular peruana … los liderados por Johny Orozco (qepd) han sido parte del soundtrack de ese vertiginoso panorama social que nos tocó en el quinquenio final del siglo XX. Claro, aquel que nos legó a Fujimori, Laura Bozzo, Susy Díaz, los cómicos ambulantes, Montesinos, los diarios comprados por la mafia, la movida de Janet Barboza, las marchas estudiantiles contra la dictadura, el calor tropical de Ruth Karina, … Néctar es parte de esa gloria chicha que encumbró a agrupaciones que antes no habían tenido el favor de los medios de comunicación (más preocupados en mirar para afuera que desde adentro) … la “cultura combi” no solo fue un intento de barbarización y enajenación colectiva, sino también (sospecho que sin querer) un primer vehículo de reivindicación de las periferias y las provincias, una auténtica revolución pacífica, sabrosa y tumultuosa que bajaba desde los cerros y, al fin, pudo convertir en realidad el sueño de Chacalón y Los Shapis de trascender las carreteras y polladas y ganar un espacio en la actualidad oficial.
Grupo Néctar had humble origins, like the majority of Peruvian groups playing cumbia, technocumbia, chicha, or whatever you want to call it, whose origins are in the provinces or the peripheries of Lima. Its success was due to its talent and hard work. As they say, they made it. In ¡¡Y no paran de soñar!! (ES), blogger Bruno Ortiz tells us his version of those years:
En la capital se rompió (por segunda vez, por lo menos que yo recuerde) la barrera que permitió el ingreso de música popular de provincia (la sierra y la selva) y que hasta antes de ese momento era considerada por muchos (aunque ahora lo puedan negar) “para cholos”. … La tecnocumbia y las toadas se bailaban en todas las fiestas de todo el país. Y, por supuesto, en las fiestas de la universidad. Todos se sabían las letras de las canciones de moda. Incluso muchas de las escenas que nos llaman la atención y nos causan gracia de aquellos reportajes sobre las fiestas chicha, en donde los asistentes cantan a voz en cuello, con la cara compungida, con lágrimas en los ojos y con la cerveza en la mano, se podían repetir hasta en las fiestas más exclusivas de la capital… y siempre con la misma música de fondo. Yo creo que por eso, esta tragedia le ha movido el piso un poco a todos. Todos nos sabíamos esa canción o por lo menos la habíamos escuchado más de una vez. Creo que por eso hay tanta información sobre el tema disponible en la red y que por eso casi todos los medios de comunicación le han dedicado espacios tan grandes al tema (para El Comercio fue su nota principal de portada.. ¿increíble, no?).
Although, as some say it was incredible El Comercio [mentioned this tragedy] in [its main] headline, [the newspaper] did not refer to them as Grupo Néctar, but as “thirteen Peruvians who died in Buenos Aires”. For those who don't know the song referred to in the previous post, it is called El Arbolito, The Little Tree. This is Grupo Néctar's most well-known song, and the video is linked in many of the posts mentioned. The author of Luna Antagónica (ES), tells us her personal feelings about the group:
De Lima a Carabayllo, de combi en combi, de fiesta patronal a fiesta patronal, en la alegría comunal, en las salidas de campo, bailar con la gente, coreando sus canciones, viéndolos en vivo. En toda fiesta, Néctar y su cumbia deliciosa, se han ido… dan ganas de llorar..
Despite the pain and sadness, in Un sitio muy personal (ES), blogger Jorge reminds us that these sorts of situations can be overcome and serve to not let us be defeated:
A veces está cantada y sólo se la espera q llegue, a veces es “suave”, a veces es despiadada, y a veces llega de golpe, como una maldita entrometida. Sin embargo cada promesa que se lleva la muerte se convierte, como una venganza de los q quedan, en parte de la leyenda que nos da fuerza para seguir adelante.
There are many blogs that have posted about this event. Here is a list of the ones I have been able to see, and I hope I haven't missed many:
Diario de IQT: Tragedy: Grupo Néctar killed in a traffic accident in Argentina and Néctar, in Heaven (with Sarita Farfán)
Peruanista: Videos of the tragedy of Grupo Néctar and a brief history of the Peruvian cumbia
Blog de Notas: Music: Why is Grupo Néctar remembered so much?
¡¡Y no paran de sonar!!: Why is Grupo Néctar remembered so much?
Pueblo Vruto: The Little Tree
Utilisimos: A  little tree has wilted
El blog del morsa: tragedy: grupo néctar has died
mundo chanfainita: Goodbye Grupo Néctar
Un sitio muy personal: Grupo Néctar, from Argentina to Heaven
Luna Antagónica: Néctar makes us want to cry…
De todo un poco: [Video] First images of the accident in which the members of the Peruvian group Grupo Néctar were killed
MEDIA PERU: The tragic disappearance of Grupo Néctar
Todo musica: [Video] Accident of the musical group Grupo Néctar
El Golpedegato: Peru: Tragedy of Grupo Nectar in Google News
RCPAL Takillakta: Video, Musical group Grupo Néctar killed in accident in Argentina
DttodoMúsica: [Video] Members of musical group Grupo Néctar killed
Radio Alfil: Grupo NÉCTAR, the tragedy, Causes of the tragic accident on Highway 25 de Mayo under investigation, and  Néctar, a cycle ends
El útero de marita: La cholósfera se despide del Grupo Néctar
Océano de Mercurio: “Néctar” y mi canción de combi favorita
Farandula Tv.: Mueren integrantes del grupo “Nectar”
Sonidazo: Vídeo Grupo Néctar – El arbolito
Angelux: Adios al Grupo Nectar – Descansen en Paz
El Blog de Veperu: Grupo Nectar…
Blog de FiZeR: Tragedia con el Grupo Nectar
And some more links:
What Lima's El Comercio says about Grupo Néctar.
RPP radio special on Grupo Néctar.
The latest on Grupo Néctar at Google News.
Videos  of Grupo Néctar on You Tube.
Peruvian Cumbia Forums, with testimonies and messages of condolences about Grupo Néctar.
I can't think of anything else to say. I imagine Grupo Néctar would like people to continue to listen to their music, so go ahead and do so.
Translated by Alejandro García.

author: Juan Arellano


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Poland: Fear of “Homoagitacja” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes about yet another form of homophobia in Poland: fear of “homoagitacja.”


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Poland: Lustration Law Unconstitutional · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot comments on the verdict of the Constitutional Tribunal on Poland's Lustration Law.


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Russia: Cars ABC · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Turkish Invasion reproduces a hilarious Russian ABC (in Russian) and writes: “It is now a fact that there are more foreign automobiles on Moscow roads than Lada…no wonder why kids are now learning the Alphabet by auto brands.”


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Russia, Ukraine: T-Shirts · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Vilhelm Konnander reports on how a bit of Russian xenophobic propaganda has slipped into Britain via this message printed on Burton menswear store's t-shirt: “We will cleanse Russia of all non-Russians!” Carpetblogger displays “some fun t-shirts” of her own.


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Serbia: Pictures of Belgrade · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Prishtine: Independence and Kanun posts pictures of Belgrade.


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Should all handicapped people not have been born? · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Lee Myung-bak, former mayor of Seoul, South Korea and a presidential candidate, answered a question about abortion for a newspaper “Fundamentally I am opposed, but there would be unavoidable cases. We should accept inescapable abortion like when fetuses have obstacles.” Bloggers show how handicapped people would feel and snapshots of their strikes, “Does that mean all handicapped people should not have been born?”


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Sierra Leone: East vs. West Music Competition · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Live From Freetown posts more videos from Sierra Leone's East vs. West Music Competition: “I’ve been trying to upload this to YouTube forever, but our bad internet connection got into the way. This morning: great success! Click to see the video.”


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Sudan: dust storm in Khartoum · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Haboob hits Khartoum: “Haboob comes to Khartoum! Here are some pictures from last Sunday's dust storm.”


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Sudan: Sudanese blogger in USA Today and LA · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Sudanese Thinker is quoted in LA Daily News and USA Today: “Yaaaaaaay! I got quoted in LA Daily News and USA Today.”


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Syria: Term-end Exams Are Postponed for “Spontaneous” Celebrations · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

The Ministry of Education in Syria has apparently decided to postpone the exams that happen to coincide with the celebrations of the next presidential referendum. So that the students can take part in the “spontaneous” show of support for the president.
‘The Ministry, guided by the Baath Party, has declared that students, teachers and school administrators “will wish” to take part in the nationwide rallies planned in support of the president on that day. Assad, the sole candidate, is seeking a second 7 year-term in office in a yes or no vote,’ writes blogger Philip I of Via Recta.

author: Yazan Badran


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Trinidad & Tobago: Cricket Curfew  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“If it was in my hands I’d have had guys more free to do what they want to do in the lead-up to the first Test match.”  West Indies Cricket Blog quotes Chris Gayle on the issue of curfew.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Tunisia: No Ethical Training for Doctors · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Zizou from Djerba explains that there is no ethical training in Tunisia for doctors [Fr] and other professionals.  Although Zizou received a medical degree, he was never taught medical ethics.  He wonders if there is a connection between weak ethics and corruption in Tunisia.


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Ukraine: High-Risk Politics · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LEvko of Foreign Notes writes on the most recent accidents involving Ukrainian politicians. “One thing is certain – participation in top-level politics in Ukraine carries risks,” he concludes.


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Yemen: From Camels to Toyotas  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Yemeni blogger Omar Barsawad notes  how Toyota and Isuzu trucks came to replace camels and donkeys as Yemen's preferred “wheels of choice.”
‘Many times, I have asked people around – “why the old Isuzus?” The answers vary, but means the same: through experience, they say, the old Isuzus serve them best. As do Toyotas. And as did and still do – camels and donkeys,’ he writes.


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Afghanistan: Angling For Failure? · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Joshua Foust says that transplanting drug interdiction strategies from Colombia into Afghanistan is a recipe for failure.

author: Nathan Hamm


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Afghanistan: Mysterious Assassinations · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Afghanistanica wonders who is behind a string of assassinations of former Hizb-i Islami commanders in northern Afghanistan.


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Africa: Africa@home · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Timbuktu Chronicles writes about Africa@home: “…AFRICA@home is a website for volunteer computing projects which allow your computer to contribute to African humanitarian causes…The first application being developed for AFRICA@home is called MalariaControl.net. This application models the way malaria spreads in Africa and the potential impact that new anti-malarial drugs may have on the region…”


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Africa: my dad reached over and slapped me across the face… · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Dear Seun: “What happened next shocked me, my dad reached over and slapped me across the face. “Liar”, he shouted. “Am I raising a prostitute and a liar? You know what the bible says about these things. So if you don'thave a boyfriend, who were you saying i love you too to? Eh, you can't talk abi? Tomorrow evening you had better bring this boy with no home traing home” and with that, I was dismissed.”


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Algeria: On Explosions and Elections  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

As Algerians head apathetically to the polls, in the sixth bout of elections held in the country since 1992, another attack rocks a major Algerian city; Constantine in the country's rugged east. The attack was comprised of two blasts, ten minutes apart detonated by way of remote controlled mobile phones. The attack wounded fourteen and killed one police officer, writes Nouri, whose amazing insight gives us an eye-opener to the election scene in his country.


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Arabeyes: Memorial Translations  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

It may be a genuine mistake or a calculated propaganda strategy, but the Middle East Media and Research Institute (MEMRI) sure has a lot of explanation to do as bloggers across the region started questioning their motives this week.
It all started with the translation of a children's television programme, which appeared on Hamas TV, in which a Palestinian girl allegedly threatens to ‘annihilate’ all Jews and become a suicide bomber.
CNN Arabic Department member and blogger Ali Al Arabi briefs us about the situation:
How easy was it for MEMRI to fool so many of the US media outlets with its translation of a children program on Hamas TV, where a child was supposedly have said the words “ we will annihilate the Jews”
It was very easy!
The controversy was fuelled further when CNN decided to yank the video off the air because of major translation errors on part of MEMRI.
First let me just say that I reviewed the Arabic version of the MEMRI clip which looked discontinuous and disjointed because the context of the conversation in the show did not seem to be coherent. However, at the bottom of this page you will find my corrections of MEMRI translation errors.
The inflammatory words MEMRI blasted the US media with were when the young caller “Sanable” was supposed to have said “we will annihilate the Jews” were not even mentioned by the caller or by anyone else in that clip.
“Sanable actually said “The Jews are shooting us” which is entirely different word and different meaning and which makes me wonder as to where in the world the words “we will annihilate the Jews come from.”
Was MEMRI actually playing verbal gymnastics? Yes indeed.
The issue here is not simply some error in the translation of this word or that, but actually making new words up and putting them in the mouth of that child to show defamatory evidence against the Palestinians.
MEMRI which stands for Middle East Media Research Institute was established by former Israeli intelligence agents, the Mossad, to police Arabic media for any evidence of anti-Israeli rhetoric.
The Angry Arab News Service, run by As'ad Abu Khalil, weighs in:
“The Lies of MEMRI, yet again. I normally would not link to MEMRI, but this time I will,” he states.
Abu Khalil goes further and actually translates the entire text, highlighting the phrases MEMRI got wrong. Click on the link above to read the entire text.
Meanwhile, Brian Whitaker, of the Guardian Online, gives us his take, describing the situation as follows:
In the Hamas video clip issued by Memri, a Mickey Mouse lookalike asks a young girl what she will do “for the sake of al-Aqsa”. Apparently trying to prompt an answer, the mouse makes a rifle-firing gesture and says “I'll shoot”.
The child says: “I'm going to draw a picture.”
Memri's translation ignores this remark and instead quotes the child (wrongly) as saying: “I'll shoot.”
Pressed further by the mouse – “What are we going to do?” – the girl replies in Arabic: “Bidna nqawim.” The normal translation of this would be “We're going to [or want to] resist” but Memri's translation puts a more aggressive spin on it: “We want to fight.”
The mouse continues: “What then?”
According to Memri, the child replies: “We will annihilate the Jews.”
The sound quality on the clip is not very good, but I have listened to it several times (as have a number of native Arabic speakers) and we can hear no word that might correspond to “annihilate”.
What the girl seems to say is: “Bitokhoona al-yahood” – “The Jews will shoot us” or “The Jews are shooting us.”
This is followed by further prompting – “We are going to defend al-Aqsa with our souls and blood, or are we not?”
Again, the girl's reply is not very clear, but it's either: “I'll become a martyr” or “We'll become martyrs.”
Whitaker further adds:
The curious thing about all this is that Memri's translations are usually accurate (though it is highly selective in what it chooses to translate and often removes things from their original context). When errors do occur, it's difficult to attribute them to incompetence or accidental lapses. As in the case of the children's TV programme, there appears to be a political motive.
The effect of this is to devalue everything Memri translates – good and bad alike. Responsible news organisations can't rely on anything it says without going back and checking its translations against the original Arabic.
For Algerian linguist Lameen Souag, there simply is no excuse for bad translations.
“The moral in all this for English-language media is clear: when some helpful organisation sends you a free translation of some foreign-language article or program, do look a gift horse in the mouth, and check the translation with an independent source first. As for readers/viewers of the media in any language – caveat lector! But you no doubt already knew that,” he notes.


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Argentina: Buying Bus Tickets · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Ever wanted to travel overland in Argentina?  Chances are you would depart from Buenos Aires’ Retiro station.  The approximately 200 different bus companies can be a bit overwhelming.  Argentina's Travel Guide provides instructions on how to maneuver through the busy station.


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Argentina: Kirchner’s Role in the Upcoming Elections · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Martin Varsavsky [ES] writes a thorough overview of the national elections to take place in October of 2007.  Among the topics he discusses is the role of Nestor Kirchner and his wife, as the probably presidnetial candidate.


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Bahrain: Inciting Hatred  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Inciting hatred” is becoming a fashionable charge in Bahrain, explains blogger Mahmood Al Yousif. “Soon, Bahrain’s streets, villages and towns will once again live several days of a perfumed atmosphere. The wafts of tear-gas and the sounds of rubber bullets will be infused in decrepit narrow streets, while that effervescent smell of burning rubber, that major adrenaline aphrodisiac normally only experienced when paying hundreds of dinars at the F1 racetrack, will be available completely free of charge while cars dodge the flames and probably accompanied by thrown rocks and sticks; all of those terrorist acts by kids who – because of their reaching the legal age of maturity which is 15 in Bahrain – could be imprisoned for a very long time, but could never dream of exercising their energy and intellect to vote for a representative who could speak with their voice,” he notes.


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Bulgaria: Cyclists Protest · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

In Bulgaria's capital this week, “there wasn't a strike of the drivers, but there was a protest of the cyclists,” Sofia's Hidden Beauty reports.


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Burundi: French Man Mistaken for a Cannibal · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Bien Au Bout… shares the strange story of children who fled their schools en masse fearing they might be eaten [Fr] by a white man seen wandering in the forests outside their villages.  Local rumor had it that Patrice Faye, a French naturalist and collector of endangered snakes with 30 years’ experience in Burundi, was a cannibal.


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Chilean Gas Crisis: Biofuel Perspectives · Global Voices
Rosario Lizana

Cold temperatures in Argentina this week decreased the supply of gas to Chile. Even though the Argentinean government declared that Chileans will be provided their regular supply of gas, Chileans are seeking other energetic alternatives to ensure the energetic supply for the country. This week, the Ministers of Economy, Energy, Agriculture and Revenue decided to release biofuels from a tax in order to promote their use.
Ecoperiodico (ES) explains that this tax also applies to gasoline and diesel, and with this measure the prices of bioethanol and biodiesel will be a third of the price of one liter of gasoline.
Chile decidió el miércoles eximir a los biocombustibles de un impuesto específico que pagan las gasolinas y el diésel para fomentar su uso, en medio de preocupaciones por un menor suministro de gas natural desde Argentina, su único proveedor del recurso.
Chile decided this Wednesday to eliminate a specific tax on biofuel,  that is also paid on gasoline and diesel in order to promote their use. This takes place in the middle of the concerns about the reduced supply of gas from Argentina, which is the only supplier of this resource.
The note continues explaining that Chile imports almost all of the fuel that it consumes, and this decision will help reduce the fluctuations in fuel prices and gas supply. One of the most affected areas is the northern part of the country. One of the projects that is concerned for this area is from the Ministry of Interior. The Interior Minister, posted on his blog (ES) an agreement with the University of Tarapacá to develop the crop “Jatropha” on 1,500 hectares. Jatropha is a shrub that is used in Europe and the Middle East to generate biofuel.
Also in regards to biofuels, but not related to the energy crisis, Atinabiotec (ES), which is a blog that publishes biotechnology-related news, posts the results of The Insurance Society Co-op, which warns about the dangers for the environment due to the use of biofuels. One of the issues is that the use of biofuels can help reduce the greenhouse effect, but on the other hand, it can also increase the use of agriculture land for biofuel plantations. This could decrease the amount of available lands for agriculture in countries that still have famine.
Local newspapers and television said that the gas for domestic use will be supplied. The most serious situation is for the companies that must find other sources of fuel in order to operate.

author: Rosario Lizana


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China: Genocide Olympics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Imagethief analyses whether the “genocide Olympics” campaign against China's stance in Darfur would be working or not.


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China: Internet politics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Joel Martinsen from DANWEI translates an interview with Yu Guoming, a vice-dean of the Renmin University School of Journalism and head of that university's Public Opinion Research Institute, on Internet and politics, published at Globe magazine.


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Ecuador: Expensive Internet Connections · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Christian Espinoza of Cobertura Digital [ES] links to a study that found that Ecuador ranks the highest in costs per kbps, and it is almost three times as much as Peru.


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Egypt: Citizens and Residents  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Nora Younis focuses on the meanings of being a citizen as opposed to being a resident in Egypt in the aftermath of an attack on Coptic homes in the village of Bahma. “I tell you if we let the discriminative and politicised security apparatus grib all our causes and issues, if we don’t stand for citizenship rights, for places of worship, for building churches, for freedoms to all Egyptians, then the exodus will continue and those who remain will be residents – not citizens. Who would want a country like that? Who would want an over-crowded plot of land with 70 million residents and no citizens? Are they leading us to civil war?” she asks.


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Egypt: It’s all in the beard · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Sporting a beard could land you into trouble with the authorities in Egypt, reports Nora Younis, who translates a post by Asad.
“This is a hilarious post by Egyptian blogger Asad. Although it is a very short real life experience he went through at a main road checkpoint, it clearly depicts the black comedy of our police state – Egypt,” she writes.


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Estonia, Israel: Peres’ Visit and the First Synagogue · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Eternal Remont posts a note on the opening of Estonia's first synagogue since WWII. A Step At A Time follows Shimon Peres’ visit to Estonia – here and here.


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Hong Kong: Indecent bible? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Upon the Obscene Articles Tribunal issued the ruling on Chinese University publication “CU Student Press” as second class “indecent” material, local netizen launched a campaign to the Television and Entertainments Licensing Authority (Tela) to complain on the indecency of Bible. Uptill now, there are more than 1,000 complaints being sent.


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In Search of a Liberation Theology in the Democratic Republic of the Congo · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Blaise Mantoto at UDPS Liege argues the Congo's Christian revivalist churches encourage political disengagement [Fr] by interpreting “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's”  to mean “leave politics to politicians, don't get involved.”
Correction: Samy Musampa Batenababo was erroneously cited as the author of this post


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India: Democracy and Uttar Pradesh · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Deepa's Web Log on the sheer “show of democracy” in the recently conducted elections in Uttar Pradesh. “In the heartland of India's largest state where women are by and large in purdah, a woman, from the lower caste, with no pretensions to sophisticated qualification or degrees or mannerisms, managed to build a majority across caste-based divisions and clocked a milestone by winning the largest majority in 14 years.”


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Iraq: Heavy Fighting in Mosul  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger LadyBird  reports  heavy fighting in Mosul between ‘occupying’ and ‘resistance’ forces.


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Is Chad Ending its Official Use of Child Soldiers? · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Prisma International writes that the Chadian government plans to discharge all child soldiers [Fr] currently serving in its army. A UNICEF investigation counted 400 children between the ages of eight and eleven among the ranks of Chad's armed forces.


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Israel: Terrifying Conversation from Sderot · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blogger Stephanie  posts an IM chat between Sderot resident Shlomo and a friend sitting at a business meeting in another part of Israel. “In our day/age of YouTube, BlackBerry, IM and the power of “instant”, the effect of someone chatting to another person in real time during a rocket hit is quite surprising,” she notes. According to Aussie Dave: There seems to be no respite for Sderot, towards where 30 Qassams were directed yesterday. Already today, a number of Qassams have struck the western Negev, including one that struck a high school. Today's wounded include a mother and her nine-year-old daughter who are suffering from shock.


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Jamaica: Power of Poetry  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“…I rejoice because Clifton reminds me always of why writing poetry is important and why it is good to believe this.”  Geoffrey Philp quotes Kwame Dawes’ meditation on James Dickey, Lucille Clifton, and the power and grace of poetry.


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Japan: The Ongoing Geisha Saga · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Marie Mockett from Japundit gives an update on the dispute over violating the privacy of Mineko Iwaaki in “Memoirs of a Geisha.”


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Jordan: Arab Media Watchdog · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian blogger Lina links to a news article which says that journalists from five Arab countries are to launch a media watchdog group in reaction to what they call increased restrictions on press workers in the region.
According to the article, 20 reporters from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco and Libya will launch the Cairo-based “Free Media Workers Union” in June, an initiative supported by Egyptian-American sociologist and human rights activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim.


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Kazakhstan: Constitutional Amendments · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

KZBlog reports on a long list of proposed amendments to Kazakhstan's constitution.


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Korean sex trafficking: past and present · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Korean sex trafficking: past and present. A blogger wonders why the past is a bigger deal than the present in Korea, linking to a news article, “Enslavement of women persists despite new law.”


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Kyrgyzstan: Going for the Gold · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

KyrgyzReport reports on the Kyrgyz government's attempts to make more money from gold mining, but says that the lack of transparency in licensing decisions reduces potential income.


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Madagascar: Malagasy bloggers in France criticize Sarkozy’s proposed immigration policy · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The platform on which France's new president Nicolas Sarkozy was elected proposes the creation of a ministry of immigration and national identity. Immigrants who have been  living in France for a substantial amount of time would have to go through a strict application process providing evidence of  their attachment to France to obtain permission to stay as full citizens. This new sets of law has the Malagasy bloggers in France discussing the new deal with disappointment and a bit of sarcasm. Tattum wrote a post illustrating what this new set of rules means to her. It also generated a few opinions in the comment sections by other bloggers.
Candidate pour une immigration choisie?
J'ai achevé les études que je suis venue faire, unique période de ma vie où j'ai bénéficié des allocations françaises, pour le logement. Hmm… Comme la grande majorité des étudiants, je présume. Je n'ai pas à rougir de mon entrée dans la vie active à la française, m'étant même mieux sortie que des amis de promotion bien français, de souche s'il fallait incongrûment le préciser. Bâti un réseau professionnel honorable du côté du Sud-Ouest de la France, rencontré des personnes formidables qui vous jugent sur vos valeurs et compétences, s'est vu proposer trois CDI en quatre ans….
Mais s'il fallait remplir un dossier de candidature pour justifier cela, je ne me ferais pas chier pour un sou ne m'embêterais pas, ne me donnerais pas la peine, ne daignerais pas, ne me plierais pas en 4, ni en 2. Rien en-deça de la fierté. Parce que lorsque le vent tourne et change de cap, je ne me place jamais en contre-sens.
Candidate for a selected immigration?
I completed the studies  I came to achieve, the only period of my life where I benefited from French allowances for housing. Hmm… Like the large majority of the students I suppose. I won’t be ashamed of my entry in the French professional world. I have even done better than some of my French-born classmates, if I had to make such an incongruous comparison. I built an honorable professional network in the Southwest of France, met formidable people who judge you on your values and competence, and was offered three job contracts in four years, …
But if it is now necessary to file a candidate report [for immigrant status] to justify that, I just wouldn't give a crap or bother with it anymore, wouldn't give in to the hassle, wouldn't deign, wouldn't bend over, there is still some pride and I won’t stomp beyond. Because when the wind turns and changes course, I will never go against it.
In the comment section :  Lutinewink says she feels pretty ostracized by the new laws:
Oui, on peut dire que je me sens hyper visée par ce probable futur ministère de l'immigration et de l'identité nationale…L'ironie étant que j'avais justement réuni toutes les pièces nécessaires à une demande de naturalisation. Autour de moi, beaucoup de personnes, notamment les collègues de “job” ont été surprises d'apprendre que je n'avais pas la nationalité française tellement ils me pensaient “intégrée” sans doute
Vola sista says that she understands the new president’s policy:
Pourtant aujourd'hui on y repensant bien, à Mada, si je devais être présidente, j'appliquerai (ou presque) les mêmes lois que celles pensées là bas en métrople à propos de l'immigration!”Ceux qui n'aiment pas Mada, dégage!
Nivo underlines the issue with the intent of the new laws. She thinks it cheapens the human aspect of the issue and the criteria for naturalization are highly subjective.
Concernant l'immigration choisie, il est clair que je désapprouve ce qu'il propose, non pas en tant qu'étrangère vivant en France, mais en tant que personne respectueuse des dignités humaines et du libre arbitre et du choix concernant la direction que chacun veut donner à son existence
Et puis, comment réellement apprécier la “qualité”, l”amour”, l'”engagement” d'un individu envers un pays étranger ? Je ne pense pas qu'il y ait de critères assez objectifs pour nous permettre d'être juges… C'est bien dommage. Ca aurait arranger tellement de choses….
Rotsaka points out the eerie similarity between the increasingly authoritarian decisions made in France and in Madagascar.
Sylvain Urfer vient d etre expulé, sans raison comme cela selon le bon vouloir de l Etat malgache, 30 ans de vie rayées d un trait sans explication, le mépris supreme. Pas le premier apres Peguy de RFI et le gars des Nouvelles de Mada mais un embleme. Il a tellement fait pour Anosibe, il est maintenant non grata.
Parce que je ne veux pas qu en France l arbitraire prenne le pouvoir, je preferais Sego, sans passion… Parce que je supporte pas l idee que des malgaches installés en France puisse se sentir méprisés ou rejetés aussi.
Sipakv is a bit amused considering their respective policies that the US president was the first one to welcome the new French president.
Non pas que j’eus un doute sur le visage -et les tics, sic!- du président mais l’espoir fait vivre et m’a fait suivre le déroulement du grand final, arrimée au bord du Potomac river. D’ailleurs, notre héros local a été le premier parait-il à décrocher le bigophone pour le féliciter. Dommage que leurs temps ne concordent pas, ils auraient été bras dessus bras dessous faire la revue des troupes en Irak.
Harinjaka writes in Malagasy a humorous post on the all-powerful French government and Sarkozy, whom he calls “petits corps malade”.
Hjk [mg]
bedy izay tsy mitovy hevitra amin’i “petit corps malade”, bedy raha mandeha mafy amin’ny aotômobilina na tsy mamatotra fehikibo, bedy ny tena raha tera-tany vahiny ka mba te hitady ravinahitra aty amin’i la frantsa reny malala

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Moldova, Romania: Travel Notes · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Economist's Edward Lucas writes about his recent trip to Moldova, Transdniestria, Romania and Ukraine – here, here, here and here (the last installment is due to be posted Friday).

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Morocco’s first English-language newspaper  · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

The View from Fez was the bearer of good news this morning, informing us that Morocco has finally released its first English-language print newspaper.  Although international papers are available in Morocco, and Magharebia.com and Maghreb Arabe Presse provide anglophones with news on the internet, there's nothing better than settling into Morocco's cafe culture with a good newspaper.  The View's Samir says: “Starting a newspaper anywhere is always a difficult and risky undertaking. Creating a viable readership not only relies on advertising and word of mouth, but also on the content of the newspaper. It must be relevant, fresh and engaging, with a range of stories covering as many aspects of life as is feasible. In this regard The Casablanca Analyst is off to a good start.”

author: Jillian C. York


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Myanmar: Financial Difficulties for Studying Medicine · Global Voices
May Hnin Phyu

Blogger Phoe Htaung is organizing the financial support for Mg Aung Myin who came from a poor family and having a financial difficulties studying Medical Science. He is currently a third year Medical student and needs about ~ US$ 50 per month for another 2.5 years to finish his study. “Mg Aung Myin who is currently studying Medical Science at Magway Medical Colleage as a Final Part I student, is seeking financial help for his studies. He is almost near his goal just need a few steps to be Medical Doctor. He needs about 50,000 Kyats per month for 2.5 years.”

author: May Hnin Phyu


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Myanmar: Government banned the sale of Remote Control toys · Global Voices
May Hnin Phyu

Moe Moe wonders why her cousin asked her to send him a remote control car for his birthday because of the Government decision on banning such toys. “Strange thing to ban toys, really, to stop terrorists from bombing more things in the country. I mean, everyone knows the government itself has been known to set off bombs just to scare people and seriously, why not ban soap as well while you are banning things.”


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Nepal: Youth Communist League · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

United We Blog! on why the Youth Communist League's activities are unacceptable. “Prachanda and his rag-tag army committed the first blunder by declaring an armed rebellion back in 1996. Even if we agree on their claim that they raised awareness in the rural areas, the loss of human lives, infrastructures and economic deterioration do not justify the so-called people’s war.”


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Nigeria: Naija Bloggers – The Book · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A call to Nigerian bloggers to be part of a book called, Naija Bloggers Vol. 1: “This is a call to all Nigerian bloggers worldwide to become a part of An anthology of the greatest works of Nigerian Bloggers-A book called Naija bloggers Vol 1.
Nigerian Bloggers around the globe are requested to send in their stories or recommend great posts for the publication of a physical anthology, the first of its kind by any group of bloggers on any continent.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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North-South Korean Train · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

“Give me a train ticket for Pyongyang” Koreans express their joy for the North-South Korean train through internet cartoons and gatherings. See the moment  the train finally operated today from Munsan in South Korea to Kaesong in North Korea. Against the festive mood, families of people who have been abducted by North Korea cry in the same place.


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Oman: More Airports  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The construction of five new airports in Oman will deal a serious blow to the environment, notes Sleepless in Muscat.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Pakistan: About Karachi · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

iFaqeer compiles reactions of Karachiites on the recent events in the city. “A lot of the discussion around what happened in Karachi starting on the 12th of May has been centered on the role of the MQM. I thought readers might appreciate reading the following exchange between a few people who, though they spend most of their time living outside Karachi, strongly feel and identify with the city.”


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Panama: Strange Sights on the Highways  · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Every once in awhile, driving along the roads of Panama one sees the strangest sights.  CaDs [ES] happened to have a camera handy and captured the image of a man sleeping in a hammock on the back of a moving truck.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Philippines: Campaigning Thoughts · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Mong Palatino shares the good and not so good of his campaigning experience in the recent elections in Philippines.

author: Preetam Rai


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Puerto Rico: Leadership · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“What happens when you have managers that will not extract opinions from employees AND employees that are so deferential they will not offer them”: El Gringoqueno thinks he has identified the simple problem with Puerto Rico.


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Russia: Nashi’s Bad English; NBP · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Via La Russophobe, the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi demonstrates poor knowledge of English (among other things) – a forged International Herald Tribune headline in the Nashi‘s brochure reads: “Russian soldiers, that were named a heroes for the acting in chechen war, were nailed charges in murder of chechen rebels.” A Step At A Time links to an article by Leonid Radzikhovsky and writes: “…the actions and ideology of one of Russia’s principal opposition movements, the National Bolshevik Party, differ little from those of its opponents, the government-controlled Nashi youth movement.”


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Self reflection and the search for meaning in the Ugandan Blogosphere · Global Voices
Rebekah Heacock

My name is Rebekah Heacock. This is my first post as I am taking over from Joshua Goldstein.
The Ugandan bloggers are having an existential crisis of sorts.  The self-examination among the Blogren, as they’ve started calling each other, began in January when several bloggers objected to the establishment of Uganda Bloggers Happy Hour and the Uganda Best of Blog awards.
Two recent events in Kampala sparked a new round of posts concerning the purpose of blogging in Uganda.  The first was the visit of four Danish documentary filmmakers who came to study the Ugandan blogosphere.  They wondered what sector of the population they’d see through the eyes of the average Ugandan blogger.
The 27th Comrade responded with a scathing critique of traditional media approaches to Africa:
Have you, blogren, noticed that whenever Africa is shown on CNN (or whatever other channel is feeding you on the Enemy's propaganda), all you see are smelly little kids with flies in their nostrils?… I have a whole pile of stories to tell about growing up on the equator…. But because I am well-fed, I speak (horrible) French, I dunno what war sounds like… I use Linux, I hack Haskell, I love Ruby, I have been a computer freak from age 9 (and never off the Blessed Continent for a second), and I program SMS engines in a boring afternoon (yes, Americans are welcome to the duel—I'm trying to brag here), I am not going to be the subject of Focus on.
In a follow-up post he noted that this kind of media attention “brain-washes the West into thinking we are all a**holes. We aren't all, mainly because the UG bloggers are in Africa, and so is my Mum.”
Country Boyi took up the media thread, inspired by a conversation with a reporter who explained the need for more local perspective in international news, especially in stories about the decades-long conflict in northern Uganda. He pledged to contribute some of this perspective:
I therefore must read as much about international humanitarian law and understand the Rome Statute of the ICC. The court is going to be my beat. I need to stay on top of the news. I must learn how the system works, study hard and “walk the beat” for in covering courts, Katy told me, I'll be documenting history.
The second event to spur the purpose debate was last month’s riots in Kampala over the sale of Mabira Forest land for use as by sugar cane company.  Berating his fellow bloggers for failing to write more extensively on the violent demonstrations, Henry Owera focused on the importance of citizen journalism — whether the “citizens” are expatriates or Ugandans — and of “keeping a journal [on] the situation and events” in the country.
Last week the search for meaning spread out of the blogger circle to an unidentified “Ugandan Blogosphere Fan,” who wrote to Josh at In an African Minute and thanked Ugandan bloggers for unintentionally reminding him of the many kinds of life in the country:
Occasionally I get completely saturated in the worst-case stories that I retell over and over again (babies in latrines, child soldiers, wholesale rape and murder, maize meal, missing limbs) that I forget Kampala has a thriving community of people who drink coffee and talk about the greater world and give each other blogger awards. It's important for me to see Uganda in another context besides a backdrop to the hopeless misery I write about.
* A note from Joshua Goldstein:
I want to thank everyone who read and commented on my posts over the last 8 months. I especially want to thank the Ugandan blogren, which I have had the pleasure to watch come together at Uganda Bloggers Happy Hour in Kampala and in the blogosphere. I won't be far.

author: Rebekah Heacock


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Serbia, Russia, U.S.: Kosovo · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Mark MacKinnon quotes William Montgomery, “the U.S. ambassador who headed the efforts to oust Slobodan Milosevic seven years ago,” on the current Kosovo situation: “Montgomery's point […] isn't that Kosovo should never receive the extra autonomy its people are demanding. He's asking why Washington and Moscow are hurtling towards a confrontation that both sides claim they don't want.”


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Singapore: Copying in China · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Singapore based design consultant Brian Ling tries to figure out why there is so much copying of products and designs in China.


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South Africa/Sudan: peacekeeper and bloggers returns home · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A South African peacekeeper and blogger returns home from Darfur, Sudan: “Driving from the airport in Johannesburg to Pretoria. What a sweet feeling to be back home. After three days of demobilisation we were allowed to go to our homes. Even though I was happy to arrive home I am still thinking about the people of Darfur. My thoughts are with you.”


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Sri Lanka: Forcing families to give up children · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Lankawatchh alleges that LTTE forces families to send their children to join their forces. “Reports from LTTE controlled areas reveal that the LTTE is on a fervent campaign to forcibly draft Tamil youth to fight the Sri Lankan government forces. The campaign called on every family in the LTTE controlled areas to give one child – regardless of age – to ensure security for the family. According to the reports, the children of parents who fail to comply will be abducted while the parents risk being murdered.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Sri Lanka: Is popularity evil? · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Why do bloggers get cynical about the motives of other bloggers? A Voice in Colombo on why we blog. “What can I gain by creating a popularity for a nickname like Voice in Colombo? Contest to become the next Mayor of Colombo? (If I wanted that, I would start driving a taxi, rather than blogging) These comments lead me to make a post on the subject “Why Do People really blog?””


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St. Lucia: Confusing Road Signs · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Living in the Caribbean posts video of some grammatically confusing St. Lucian road signs.


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Sudan: identity crisis · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Sudanese Thinker writes about identity crisis in Sudan: “After 9/11, I believe things changed for most Northern Sudanese though. Many in America where happy to be identified as African and not Arab. They wanted nothing to do with being Arab. All of a sudden it became a burden. My brother didn’t care much. For him, nothing changed. He had always regarded himself as first Muslim, second African and third Arab, the same way I do. But hey, this is me and my bro. Bring a sizeable group of us Northern Sudanese (about 10 or 20), drop the question, “are you Arab or African” and be prepared to run after that. It might get ugly… the identity crisis continues.”


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Tanzania: bloggers association logo · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

One of these logos will probably become the official logo of the Tanzania Bloggers Association (Jumuiya ya Wanablogu Tanzania – Jumuwata).


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The EU: “The ‘Balkans’ They Love to Hate” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's The nEUrosis critiques a Times’ story on the EU's newest members: “But rather than explaining the situation, the article goes on to provide no explanation or example why Bulgaria and Romania are in such a sordid state. In the same vein, anyone could say the same about any country out there – and let’s be fair, there are places in England which do a great job resembling Ukraine.”


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Togo: Julie Akofka Akoussah, Diva of Togolese Music  · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Julie Akofka Akoussah, the “Diva” of Togolese music, said, “Music is in my blood.  It allows me to communicate the joy that animates me to all of those whose hearts are suffering and who have lost their smile.” [Fr]  She passed away in late April and will be buried this Saturday in her native village in southwest Togo.  Togo-iTunes has information on a memorial held for her in Brussels and Agence Togolaise Press Atop her death and legacy.

author: Jennifer Brea


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Trinidad & Tobago: Naipaul’s Rules for Writing  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Want to improve your writing?  Antilles features “V.S. Naipaul's Rules for Beginners”.


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Uganda:  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Observations about the Ugandan blogosphere from the makers of Ugandan Blogumentary: “[Blogren] the term was invented and introduced by the Ugandan blogger the 27th comrade on February 6. 2007 to respond to his fellow citizens (please correct us if we’re wrong). What the blogrens have in common is their love of writing and their opinionated minds. Besides that they are very different indeed and they have very different motives of writing. Following some of the motives: release/therapeutic (public diary), escape of the mundane, to meet people, rebellion, to get connections and networking, to get publicity.”


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Uzbekistan: Angry Over Sanctions · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Registan.net covers the angry response from Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the EU's decision to extend sanctions against Uzbekistan.


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Afghanistan: Scholarly Blogs · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Afghanistanica surveys the scholarly blogs covering Afghanistan.