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The Google Bus Is Bringing Internet Skills to Half A Million Students in Bangladesh · Global Voices
Rezwan

Screenshot of Google Bus from the Intro Video on YouTube (click to watch the video)
A team from tech giant Google is driving across Bangladesh to teach half a million college and university students throughout Bangladesh how to make the most of the Internet. The specially retrofitted Google Bus powered with 3G mobile Internet will visit 500 campuses in 35 locations across the South Asian country.
More and more people in Bangladesh are going online, thanks to 3G mobile Internet. In last two years, Internet penetration jumped to 20 percent from just 5 percent in 2012. These new users, especially young people, do not have adequate training to harness the potential of Internet and new media.
The Google Bus initiative seeks to change that, not only allowing students to connect to the Internet but also learn about new tools that aid their education and development and attend instructor-led training sessions. Students involved in the project will also be able to use a number of Internet-connected Android devices.
The bus has already visited several colleges and universities in the capital Dhaka. In the coming months, it will start its journey towards academic institutions in and around Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barisal and other major cities.
Netizens have expressed their enthusiasm for Google's initiative:
#Google is #driving all over #Bangladesh to #teach #college #students about the #internet http://t.co/MvMCMhz74M
— Kadeer Arif (@Kadeer1) November 14, 2014
@google Bus begins its journey in #Bangladesh http://t.co/WpimpOe7bx via @bdnews24com #GoogleBus #GoogleBusBD #Google pic.twitter.com/xSY8RYWsyl
— Nurunnaby Hasive (@nhasive) November 13, 2014
#Google is betting on #Bangladesh #ICT…too…! Google u're welcome! :) http://t.co/9zZphMwi6e #googlebusbd #business #internet
— Hamidul HUQ (@EMADSWISS) November 14, 2014
Many students have shared their experience on the Google Plus community page. Murad Hossain from Adamji Cantonment College posted:
The Google bus team came to our #ACC college Campus..It's just great :) Though it's new to me but feeling excited. Hope in Bangladesh it will spread soon and gain popularity…
Orpita Ahmed (Bristy) wrote:
Hi, I'm bristy from tejgaon college. I like Google Bus. It is very essential for our daily life. So I like it very much.
On Bangladeshi blog Jhalmoori, Ahmed Rabib Towsif explained the significance of the Google Bus:
Google as we all know by their search engine is a multinational company with a mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. With the Google Bus Bangladesh initiative it would not only benefit the youth from today, but benefit the whole country tomorrow.


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Young People Will Revitalize Politics, Promises This Year’s World Forum for Democracy · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

Opening Session, November 3, 2014. Photo via Suzanne Lehn.
The third annual World Forum for Democracy took place earlier this month in Strasbourg, France, where the Council of Europe hosted. The gathering's theme this year was “From Participation to Influence: Can Young People Revitalize Democracy?” For the first nine days of November, moreover, several venues throughout the city welcomed the public for various side events and meetings addressing broader civic engagement issues. Three Global Voices contributors attended, and below you'll find a summary of their impressions, with some photographs, too.
Palace of Europe lit up by  Ososphère. Photo by GV member Marie Bohner.
Preliminary note: What exactly is the Council of Europe? (Not to be confused with the European Union.)
The Council of Europe is separate from the EU, though all 28 EU member states are also members of the Council of Europe, which is an intergovernmental organization committed to liberal democracy and political pluralism.
The Council of Europe Facility. Photo by Suzanne Lehn
Here are some basic facts about the Council of Europe:
The European Union, on the other hand, is
Young People, Front and Center at the 2014 Forum
Blue hats are the symbol of engagement for young participants. Photo via Suzanne Lehn
The opening session on Monday, November 3, was an inaugural lecture by social theorist and economist Jeremy Rifkin, who emphasized the importance of information technology today, speculating that a new world could emerge from the “third industrial revolution”: a digital, fully interconnected global economy. A new global economy, connected as one single unit, which Rifkin described as “the only hope for reducing the ecological footprint of the human race”.
In an interview (available on YouTube) recorded just before he spoke, the renowned essayist explained his vision and mapped out how young people would live in this new era.
D'ici 2050, le capitalisme va donner naissance à un nouveau système économique, qui sera sa descendance : l'économie du partage sur creative commons. Cette transformation sera rendue possible par de grandes transformations technologiques – communications, énergie et transports, ce que l'on peut appeler le coût marginal zéro.
From now until 2050, capitalism is going to give rise to a new economic system that will be its progeny: the sharing economy and the collaborative commons. This transformation will be made possible by huge technological transformations in communications, energy, and transportation—what can be called zero marginal cost.
In Session, Lab 7: Artificial intelligence and democracy. Photo by Suzanne Lehn.
The Plenary Session on Tuesday, November 4, was dedicated to 21 “Labs”—roundtable workshops showcasing some 30 innovative projects, selected from 150 proposals. The projects were assessed for potential real-world impact on four criteria: attitudes, decisionmaking, politics, and institutions. From social inclusion to art, from artificial intelligence to participatory democracy at school, from local to global projects, and from social movements to youth parliaments. The Forum's website contains details about all the programs and their participants, and offers full video recaps of every session and workshop.
Images of the “unconference” dedicated to “Liberal or Un-Liberal Democracy, or Is There a Third Path?” Photo via Suzanne Lehn.
For the 2014 edition, organizers introduced a new and innovative format. Some “speed-dating” sessions with lab presenters were available, while others could also attend presentations on “democracy prototypes,” “un-conferences,” or “collaborative conferences“. (Preparation for these “un-conferences” began online in early September!) Once underway, they offered opportunities for attendees to speak up and participate spontaneously, whether or not they were engaged in the official sessions. One such “unconference” posed the question, “Is there a place for illiberal democracy?” The session set the stage for some surprisingly rich debates. Marsida Bandilli, who drew from her experience in Albanian politics, broke down the session like this:
La démocratie est définie par les gens, dans chaque pays, c'est un processus, saisi à un certain moment dans le temps. (…) Les tenants de la troisième voie sont des réalistes, ils sont plus ouverts à des définitions alternatives, au lieu d'exclure les démocraties réelles. (…)
Democracy is defined by the people, in each country; it is a process that takes hold at a certain moment in time […]. Those who adhere to the idea of a third path are realistic—they are more open to alternative definitions, instead of excluding true democracies. […]
The Forum and the side events were live-tweeted under the hashtag #CoE_WFD, and a dedicated Twitter account, @WFDemocracy, collected all the tweets in real time. Mainstream media coverage, on the other hand, was minimal. Although French newspaper “Le Monde,” a partner of the forum, organized some of the side events, the only substantial mainstream media coverage appeared on the website Mediapart, which echoed the conference's call for youth participation.
There was a cartoonist for each lab. Above, a humorist take on politics: “What do young people bring into politics?” “Well they are nearly as pretty as we were at their age.” Photo via Suzanne Lehn.
Although participants came from all over the world to debate in a respectful manner, tense subjects like war weren't absent at the forum. In fact, the conference's final presentations made a point of acknowledging these issues.
The next World Forum for Democracy will take place in a year, between November 18 and November 20, 2015. The theme of the 2015 event hasn't yet been decided, but the call for lab candidates will probably be announced soon after New Year's and remain open for several months. This year's invitations for the “unconference” labs, for example, remained option until September. It seems the relatively unstructured formula will return next year, with the “idea machine,” as it's called at the conference, offering up new thoughts and concepts to the Council of Europe.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Suzanne Lehn


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Chinese Fishermen Are Poaching Coral From Japanese Waters · Global Voices
Nevin Thompson

Tako-iwa (Octopus Rock), Nakoudojima Island, Ogasawara. Photo by Flickr user Froschmann. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
In recent years, autumn has marked territorial disputes between China and Japan. In 2014, the battle has shifted to illegal coral harvesting in Japanese waters.
Hundreds of fishing boats with Chinese markings have been spotted — often at close range — near islands stretching thousands of kilometers south of Tokyo over the past few months. Illegal coral harvesting is occurring in the subtropical, ecologically diverse Ogasawara and Bonin islands that make up a remote, sparsely populated archipelago that lies about 1,000 kilometers south Tokyo.
It's thought the boats are illegally harvesting red coral, which can be sold for thousands of dollars per kilogram.
小笠原のサンゴ密漁　最多212隻の中国船 http://t.co/412F8ceNEI / 伊豆諸島・鳥島周辺にも不審船 http://t.co/NildO6gXiP
— どですか (@goosaygo) November 14, 2014
Illegal coral harvesters off of Ogasawara. Up to 212 Chinese vessels were observed http://t.co/412F8ceNEI; Suspicious vessels off of Torishima, Izu Archipelago http://t.co/NildO6gXiP
However, the situation is also thought to have a deeper connection with the ongoing dispute between Japan and China over the Senkaku islands to the west of Okinawa. While red coral may fetch high prices for fishermen, it still does not seem to make economic sense to send a boat all the way to the Ogasawara islands.
There are also suspicions the Chinese government has been giving tacit encouragement and assistance to the fleet of fishing trawlers in order to test Japan's response.
As well, in recent years the waters off of Taiwan, Korean and Japan has been witnessing an increasing number of maritime incidents involving Chinese fishermen.
While Japan is often considered a small, cramped country, in reality it stretches from far-flung territories such as the Ogasawara and Bonin islands in the far south, to remote islets far to the west of Okinawa Prefecture. The expansiveness of the country's maritime borders makes it difficult for Japan to assert its sovereignty and prevent overfishing.
One blogger who resides on one of the remote Bonin islands expressed frustration and despair about what is happening:
８月から小笠原諸島近海で度々目撃されている不審船… 高値で取引される宝石サンゴ（赤サンゴ）の密猟が目的のようだ…
網が流されると、赤サンゴはおろか、根魚や根魚の住処の他のサンゴや岩まで根こそぎさらってしまい、海底を破壊してしまう…
このままでは長い年月を掛けて自然が作り上げた美しいサンゴが根こそぎ盗られ、
小笠原の海の自然が破壊されてしまう。
Suspicious boats have been observed in the Bonin Islands waters since around August… It seems they are illegally dragging for red coral which can be sold for high prices. However, when they drag for coral they snag everything off the seabed, including bottom fish, as well as other coral and rocks that make up the habitat, destroying everything.
Beautiful coral that has taken years for nature to create are being uprooted. The maritime ecosystem of the sea around the Bonin Islands is being destroyed.
It's thought that many of the fishing vessels collecting coral illegally in the sea around Japan originate in Xiangshan County in Zhejiang Province, China.
However, in the face of such a widespread problem, there are few tools and resources to deal with the problem.
はよ→ サンゴ密漁　安すぎる日本の罰金…大幅引き上げ検討　中国に防止策要求（産経新聞） http://t.co/BDJDU1FGET
— 崎村夏彦 (=nat) (@_nat) November 7, 2014
Fine for coral poaching, too cheap, debate underway to drastically increase penalties; request sent to China to take preventative measures.
(Yahoo! News / Sankei Shimbun) Government coalition partners discuss massive influx of illegal coral harvesters in seas off Ogasawara Islands.
The recent APEC summit in China provided an opportunity for Japan and China to address the problem. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed the issue directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
中国船のサンゴ密漁、安倍首相が習主席に対応を直訴 http://t.co/B0DtbsnFxJ (Reuters) pic.twitter.com/EXBzmxQ3c4
— ウォール・ストリート・ジャーナル日本版 (@WSJJapan) November 12, 2014
Abe makes direct appeal to Xi about issue of illegal coral harvesting on.wsj.com/1xrDOyX (Reuters)
The dialogue between Abe and Xi, combined with increasing media coverage, seems to have paved the way for more aggressive efforts by the Japanese government to deal with the problem.
Indeed, following the APEC summit, even the American government strongly condemned illegal coral harvesting in Japanese territorial waters (starting at 00:00:35):
Coast guard vessels are now working at driving off and sometimes seizing the coral poachers. Since October, the captains of six vessels have been detained.
The talks between Abe and Xi, plus American support, have also allowed Japanese lawmakers and the Coast Guard to talk about even confiscating and destroying ships.
In terms of finding a longterm solution to the problem, there may be little the Chinese government can do to stop the problem quickly.
As online news magazine The Diplomat explains:
The relationship between the Chinese government and the fishermen is complicated. On the one hand, it is very difficult for the Chinese government to control and manage its fishermen and stop them from fishing illegally; on the other hand, fishermen do not always trust government officials. In the latest anti-corruption campaign in Hainan, a dozen officials from China’s fishery administration were arrested for stealing or appropriating fishermen’s fuel subsidies.
With no solution in sight, the helplessness and frustration of Japanese netizens has resulted in outrage and in black humor.
Earlier in November a powerful typhoon passing through the Ogasawara and Bonin Islands momentarily curtailed illegal coral harvesting, prompting a fairly popular meme on Twitter and elsewhere in social media:
【台風】最大瞬間風速65メートルの台風20号 小笠原諸島「赤サンゴ密漁船団」直撃へ©http://t.co/k0SuuZj7l0 http://t.co/4C7DOP3Sno 神風かな？ ꒰@ ╹ω╹ ꒱つ pic.twitter.com/a4dj3GEhBI
— スイカ羊 (@suika_sheep) November 5, 2014
Typhoon warning: Typhoon 20 with wind speeds of 65 meter per second in Ogasawara Islands makes a direct hit on illegal coral harvesters. http://t.co/k0SuuZj7l0 http://t.co/4C7DOP3Sno
Perhaps this is a kamikaze “divine wind”? pic.twitter.com/a4dj3GEhBI

author: Nevin Thompson


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GV Face: Seeking Justice for Mexico’s Missing #Ayotzinapa Students · Global Voices
Ellery Roberts Biddle

The disappearance of 43 students in Ayotzinapa, Mexico, and the subsequent discovery of multiple mass graves in the region, has led to country-wide protests and a tense national debate about law and order.
In this video hangout, Global Voices’ Mexico team and partners discuss the story and its ramifications for Mexico's political and social fabric.

author: Ellery Roberts Biddle


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Hijras, Bangladesh’s ‘Third Gender’, Celebrate First Ever Pride Parade · Global Voices
Rezwan

The 2014 Hijra Pride festival began in Bangladesh on Sunday. The photo was taken from the Sahabgh Raju Circle in Dhaka. Image by Anwar Hossain Joy. Copyright Demotix (9/11/2014)
About a thousand Hijras took part in Bangladesh's first ever “Hijra Pride” in the capital Dhaka last week to celebrate the first anniversary of their recognition as a separate gender by the government. Hijra is a feminine gender identity that some people who are born male or intersex adopt, often labeled as transgender by the West.
Bangaldesh's about 10,000 Hijras have long suffered discrimination. At this first pride parade, participants with colourful dresses sang and danced in the streets carrying Bangladesh flags and banners, one of which read: “The days of stigma, discrimination and fear are over.”
Take a look at some snapshots of the event:
People parade with the national flag in Dhaka to mark ‘Hijra Pride’. Image by Sony Ramany. Copyright Demotix (10/11/2014)
The colourful rally organised by the Bandhu Social Welfare Society took place near the press club, Dhaka. Image by SK Hasan Ali. Copyright Demotix (10/11/2014)
Celebrating ‘ Third gender (Hijra) Pride 2014′ in Bangladesh. Image by Sk. Hasan Ali. Copyright Demotix (10/11/2014)
Celebrating Hijra Pride Parade. Image by Mohammad Asad. Copyright Demotix (10/11/2014)
Bangladeshi Hijras dance in the street during a pride parade. Image by Indrajit Ghosh. Copyright Demotix (10/11/2014)
Hijra celebrate with a beauty talent show during the evening. Image by Mohammad Asad. Copyright Demotix (10/11/2014)
‘Hijra pride 2014’ ended with a talent hunt competition. Image by Mohammad Asad. Copyright Demotix (10/11/2014)
People also celebrated with them and shared support via Twitter:
First ever transgender Pride march held in Dhaka being a Muslim majority country. http://t.co/RLms00Lmha #thirdgender #hijra #Bangladesh
— Lenin (@nine_L) November 11, 2014
Hena Festival is the part of Hijra Pride 2014 in Bangladesh. All designers come from Hijra Community. pic.twitter.com/K1LVdZnyoU
— BSWS (@bandhubd) November 9, 2014
Congratulations to the #Hijra community in #Bangladesh. Here's to moving forward! #solidarity #hijrapride pic.twitter.com/ttz1l2iVGN
— Moncho (@projectmoncho) November 11, 2014

author: Rezwan


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Kremlin Has Mastered Propaganda, But Not Photoshop: Fake MH17 Photo Lights Up RuNet · Global Voices
Aric Toler

Whoever is behind the ‘satellite photo’, their Photoshop skills leave much to be desired. Images mixed by Tetyana Lokot.
A purportedly new satellite image presenting unbeatable ‘proof’ of Ukraine’s fault in the Malaysia Airlines MH17 plane crash has garnered ridicule on the RuNet.
Mikhail Leontyev, editor and host of “Odnako” (However) evening show on Kremlin-owned Channel One TV, dropped the bombshell: an American whistleblower had come forward with a ‘satellite’ image of a ‘Ukrainian fighter jet’ shooting down MH17. The host of Odnako went on to show a letter, allegedly from an MIT aviation expert with 20 years of experience, named George A. Bilt, who purportedly agreed with the Russian government that a Ukrainian fighter jet—not a Buk missile controlled by pro-Russian separatists—had shot down MH17. The photo was presented as proof. The image is not grainy, distorted, or in any way ambiguous—it’s crystal clear, in fact.
The image Russian state TV claims is proof that MH17 was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet. Screenshot from 1tv.ru.
The photo shows MH17 a bit north of Donetsk being fired upon by a ‘fighter jet,’ presumably Ukraine’s, with a missile en route. A number of pro-Kremlin bloggers and Russian news outlets immediately shared this news as a smoking gun, claiming that what most in the West had dismissed as a conspiracy was now indisputable. However, as many on the RuNet immediately noticed, this image was just too good to be true.
Russian Twitter user Abu quickly noticed an inconsistency in the source of Mikhail Leontyev’s find, tracing the satellite photo to an older post on a web forum in October:
этому снимку уже месяц – http://t.co/vHn76yANY2 pic.twitter.com/q9sbTnxheH
— Abu (@abunyasha) November 14, 2014
This photo is a month old.
ну и последнее, короч. на снимке Донецк, а связь с самолетом пропала в районе Снежного. и логотип малайзийской авиакомпании не в том месте.
— Abu (@abunyasha) November 14, 2014
Oh, and one last thing. The photo is of Donetsk, and the communication with the plane was lost near Snezhnoye. And the Malaysian airline logo is in the wrong place.
Popular blogger and Moscow municipal deputy Maxim Kats did a Google image search for “Boeing top view,” with the first result looking suspiciously familiar:
Интересно, изображение Боинга они прямо загуглили тоже? Или совпадение? Первая картинка в выдаче «Боинг вид сверху» pic.twitter.com/e5MyH07UWQ
— Максим Кац (@max_katz) November 14, 2014
Interesting, did they also Google a Boeing image like this? Or a coincidence? The first picture in the search results for “Boeing top view”
As detailed on Ilya Varlamov’s popular LiveJournal, a laundry list of other inconsistencies surfaces, the more one examines the photograph, including how the cloud and crop formations of the satellite photo exactly match a patchwork of Yandex and Google Map satellite images from 2012.
As soon as it became clear that this satellite image was not the smoking gun it was billed as, the RuNet decided to have some fun with the photo, sharing outrageous conspiracy theories and critiquing the Photoshop skills of whoever was behind the image.
#версия Боинг сбили фашиствующие инопланетяне… pic.twitter.com/4z25E7UBjb
— Reincarnation. (@TukvaSociopat) November 14, 2014
#version Fascist-minded aliens shot down the Boeing…
Наш фотограф крупным планом запечатлел момент, когда украинский истребитель сбивал малайзийский Боинг pic.twitter.com/5BLglmWMmR
— Lie News (@Lie_News) November 14, 2014
Our photographer captured a close-up of the moment when the Ukrainian fighter jet shot down the Malaysian Boeing.
ПРАВДЫ НЕ СКРЫТЬ! На снимке видно, что крылья истребителя, сбившего Боинг, раскрашены в цвета украинской вышиванки! pic.twitter.com/VfttMMu72i
— Дядюшка Шу (@Shulz) November 14, 2014
YOU CANNOT HIDE THE TRUTH! In the picture, it is apparent that the wings of the fighter jet, which shot down the Boeing, are painted in the colors of Ukrainian embroidery!
It seems most likely that the sudden resurfacing of the MH17 conspiracy theories and ‘incontrovertible proof’ of Ukraine's fault might be Kremlin's reaction to a series of stories on the MH17 crash by crowdsourcing investigative website bellingcat, released earlier this month. Alternatively, it might be a ploy to draw the world's and Russians’ attention from other events in Russia, such as the worsening economic crisis. We may never know who decided it was a good idea to headline a state-run television channel’s news show with a fabricated photograph, but it is certainly far from the first time that the Russian government has taken liberties with photographs or, for that matter, with journalistic objectivity.

author: Aric Toler


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TV Host Replaced on Orders of  Thai Junta · Global Voices
Moui

After meeting with Thai military representatives, Thai Public Broadcasting Services (Thai PBS) demoted a TV host who delivered a news story critical of the ruling junta.
The consultation also revealed that the army wanted a Thai PBS program called “People's Voices that Need to be Heard before the Reform” to focus more on general news without discussing “sensitive” issues. The show reflected the concerns and issues of Thais on the rubber plantations and in rural villages of the southern provinces. In particular, the junta was not pleased with an episode aired on Nov. 8 that featured the views of the villagers at Hat Yai District in Songkhla Province. The army subsequently demanded the that talk show host Nattaya Wawweerakup be replaced and put into a less prominent position with the network.
Thai Public Broadcasting Services heavily depends on a yearly grant from the junta.
According to independent online media portal Prachatai, the army was reportedly unhappy with questions Wawweerakup asked during a talk show with villagers and activists, some of which allegedly touched on the coup d’état. Meanwhile, the English daily The Nation reported that the Thai PBS was forced to replace the TV host after a group of military officers “requested” the removal of the show, citing an order from their “bosses” in the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO, the name of the junta government). The Thai PBS also changed the format of the program by dropping the interview with farmers and activists.
The army launched a coup last May in a bid to end the violent clashes between supporters of the country’s major political parties. The army nullified the constitution, detained hundreds of politicians, and controlled the newsrooms of major media stations. It also outlawed protests and the public gathering of five or more people. The army promised to hand power back to the civilian government only after substantial political and electoral reforms have been implemented.
In a press conference, Army Chief General General Udomdej Sitabutr said he was unhappy with the talk show clip.
This is the clip that leader can't accept.
Following the media reports of the military intervention, Thienchay Kiranandana, the president of the National Reform Council, expressed his concern about the NCPO reaction to the show. The mandate of the National Reform Council is to carry out reforms as determined by the junta. The NRC has about 250 members, all of whom are hand-picked by the NCPO. Council President Kiranandana said:
I believe shows like this will be suspended again because of martial law. The government is clear on martial law – it is still active, and I cannot ask the NCPO to lift martial law.
Interestingly, this story was ignored by mainstream media and it was only reported on Facebook by an environmental NGO, The Energy Walk. The Facebook post of the Bangkok-based organization was later picked up by others, including Thai PBS.
According to Thai PBS media site, the public institution has two fundamental principles:
Editorial independence and accountability are crucial to the role of Thai PBS as public broadcaster.
This ironic twist left many people in social media initially confused. About a year ago, Wawweerakup openly supported the removal of a journalist in Thai PBS in relation to another case.
เราหวังว่า”ณาตยา”@ThaiPBS คงเข้าใจแล้วว่า ทำไมจึงมีกลุ่มคนออกมาเรียกร้องหา #เสรีภาพ บางคนพลีชีพเพื่อมันด้วยซ้ำ
— Lin Okabe (@Byakuren29) November 15, 2014
We hope that “Nattaya” @ThaiPBS now understand why some people are asking for #freedom while some of them sacrifice their lives for it.
The incident involving the Thai PBS generated more doubts about the independent role of the media and the impact of interference, not just by the military authorities but also by those who see the media solely as a mouthpiece of the junta.

author: Moui


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What World Leaders Should Discuss at Brisbane’s G20 Summit · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

G20 Summit in Brisbane Australia. Flickr photo from GovernmentZA (CC License)
The G20 summit on 15- 6 November 2014 has done what terrorism has never managed to do – shutdown the centre of an Australian city, namely Brisbane. Just the arrival of Barack Obama has been a showstopper.
On Friday, Facebook user Peter Black indicated why:
South Bank Brisbane G20 – Courtesy Peter Black Facebook
On my walk home from South Bank this afternoon, I got stopped by a police officer by the name of Chenin Newson on the river walk in front of the Stamford Plaza. He wanted to know why I had taken this photo of the Stamford Plaza a few minutes earlier. He also wanted to know what I was doing in the area. I explained that I lived in New Farm and had been walking around all afternoon observing the G20. He asked for my name and identification, both of which I happily provided. He took down my name, license number, address and phone number. He explained that under the G20 (Safety and Security) Act the police were required to be extra vigilant around restricted areas. I said I understood but that there was also nothing in the Act that made it an offence for me to take photos. He agreed. He then asked me what I did. I said I was lecturer in law at QUT. He thanked me for my time and understanding, and wished me a good afternoon.
Discussion about the gathering of world leaders has been more about what might not be talked about than the actual agenda. The G20 is primarily an economic forum. Climate minimalist Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has tried hard to keep off climate change.
The Macrobusiness blog sees the lighter side by pointing out the elephant outside the room:
More on the ironic G20 weather forecast. If it reaches the forecast 39C it will break the November record by more than 4 degrees
Russian President Vladimir Putin and others embroiled in the Ukraine crisis won’t be trying to solve their disagreements. The presence of Russian warships in the South Pacific has fed the melodrama surrounding his strained relationship with Tony Abbott:
Amid row over Russia's role in Ukraine conflict, Moscow sends warships to lurk off Australia's coast during Pu… http://t.co/ojncGdiqEJ
— Elexonic (@Elexonic) November 14, 2014
For those with time, a visit to Twitter hashtag #shirtfront will reveal more on this testosterone-fed duel.
You can choose from several popular hashtags on Twitter. Much more parochial are the old but affectionate #Brissie and the trendy #Brisvegas. #G20Brisbane has been trending but has a global input as does #G20.
The Ebola crisis is another issue that many want debated. Nurses broadened it to include health funding in general:
Ebola suited #G20 nurses chant demand 4 public healthcare funding http://t.co/4vxDLp5gdw @anmfbetterhands #L20summit pic.twitter.com/EioZNGQiRe
— Andrew Casey (@AndrewSCasey) November 15, 2014
There are the usual side events and protests marches. One discussion point concerns the legality of wearing Anonymous style masks under special G20 legislation:
Anonymous may wear Burqas to circumvent mask ban at fascist #G20 in Brisbane #auspol http://t.co/PeaGURivlA
— Nixon is a Crook (@occbaystreet) November 9, 2014
Watch this space for more on the developing story as the official part of proceedings begin.

author: Kevin Rennie


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Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Celebrates Diwali with the Hindu Community of Sindh · Global Voices
Anushe Noor

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hailed the anti-polio workers across Pakistan on world polio day. Image by reporter #7587667     Copyright Demotix. (15/10/2013)
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), celebrated Diwali with members from the Hindu community at his family house in Naundero, Larkana on 23 October 2014.
Bilawal, son of the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and grandson of the founder of PPP Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto follows their ideology of religious tolerance and inter-faith friendship. He wished the community through Twitter:
Diwali Mubarik to all my Hindu brothers and sisters.Esp Hindu Pakistanis. #MarsoonMarsoonJinnahKaPakistanNaDaisoon http://t.co/xnrZcj6pbB — BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) October 23, 2014
Talking about minorities, Bilawal said:
We will not tolerate discriminatory treatment of the minorities.
His speech took a political turn when he criticized the government by saying they were irresponsible regarding the rights of minorities. Referring to the assault on a Christian community at Joseph Colony and a bombing at a church in Peshawar, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said:
In Punjab, an attack takes place on a church in Joseph Colony, and no one speaks up! A blast occurs in a church in Peshawar and still silence!
He also performed the Diwali prayers at a temple that was burnt earlier this year and rebuilt by his party.
This act got a lot of media attention and was appreciated on social media. While writing for BBC, Shahzeb Jillani said:
There was little substance in his speech, though he made some bold points about the need to fight militancy and protect religious minorities.
Fayaz, an electrical engineering student, tweeted:
happy #Diwali to all my hindu brothers and sisters This is how we love nd celebrate with ppl of other religions #BBZ — Fayaz #Teambilawal (@ChacharFayaz) October 22, 2014
Majid Agha, a researcher and analyst, tweeted:
#BBZ visited “Temple” in Larkana, which was set on fire by extremists earlier this year. PPP reconstructed the temple pic.twitter.com/hjveAOltop — Majid Agha (@Majid_Agha) October 23, 2014
Journalist Ali Kamran Chishti tweeted:
Heartwarming to see #Karachites Muslims helping Hindu brothers & sisters celebrate #Diwali. This is real #Karachi – helping & tolerating! — Ali Kamran Chishti (@akchishti) October 24, 2014
The government of Sindh celebrated such events earlier as well, but this got a lot importance, as PPP aimed a political comeback through this. This act followed a large and well-attended rally in Karachi, which officially introduced Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as their leader.

author: Anushe Noor


text:
Kuwait Sentences 1,000 Bidoon Children to Illiteracy · Global Voices
Abrar AlShammari

More than 1,000 stateless children in Kuwait are not allowed to go to school. “Your silence on preventing Bidoon children access to education is a crime,” reads the placard on the left. The other one reads: “I have a dream. But I am Bidoon.” Photograph shared on Twitter by @nawaf_alhendal
While international NGOs are actively trying to save Syrian refugee children from falling behind in school, there is another Arab country that is systematically denying an education to a group of children. As schools opened across Kuwait in September, over 1,000 children from the Arab nation's “stateless” Bidoon community (“bidoon” is Arabic for “without nationality”) stood outside school gates crying, because they were not allowed to enter the premises with the rest of their classmates. The reason: lack of birth certificates.
The Kuwaiti state refuses to issue birth certificates to stateless children, denying their very existence from the moment of their birth. The Bidoon issue is a long-standing one in Kuwait, but the government is now using different tactics to isolate and ostracize members of this group. Ironically, the barring of Bidoon children from entering elementary schools is happening in a school year following one in which some of the top high school graduates were Bidoon girls. These students, however, despite having exceptionally high grades, were still not allowed to pursue undergraduate degrees at Kuwait University.
Bidoon adults are often stereotyped as criminals. In every instance of a highly publicized crime involving stateless individuals, the concluding rationale is that this is typical and expected behavior from the “uncivilized Bidoon”, which justifies labeling them as unworthy of fair treatment. However, it is important to acknowledge the vicious circle that governs Bidoon life in Kuwait. Barred from attending public schools, and usually unable to afford private education, the only employment easily accessible to the Bidoon are minimum wage jobs. This leaves opportunities for a bright future painfully restricted, though so many of them have ambitious, dreams and talents similar to that of any Kuwaiti citizen.
By depriving Bidoon children of the right to attend school, Kuwait is perpetuating a damaging stereotype and intentionally sentencing an entire generation of innocent children to a lifetime of illiteracy, paving the way to unemployment, drug dealing, crime, and resentment. Too often, I see Bidoon boys no older than eight or nine years old selling watermelons on the street during Kuwait’s smoldering summer, or peddling cheap light-up toys at stoplights in the evenings. These children are absolutely conscious of how drastically different their daily routines are from those of other kids.
When Bidoon children were denied entrance to their schools during the first week of school this year, only a handful of cases were initially mentioned on social media. Some Kuwaitis volunteered to cover their tuition and buy them the new uniforms required for them to attend school — before discovering the true source of the problem was the lack of birth certificates.
It is striking that the only real effort to rescue these children from a lifetime of limited possibilities came from Kuwait’s civil society. The Teachers’ Society of Kuwait launched an initiative called “Katateeb Al Bidoon”, and called on educators to volunteer to teach Bidoon children at The Teachers’ Society’s residence. Several did, and Bidoon children did indeed show up in uniform, lunchboxes in hand, eager to learn anywhere and at any time. But as selfless and noble as this initiative may be, it cannot be denied that these children are receiving an improvised form of education in a place that isolates them from their peers.
In the month of October, various groups protested in front of Kuwait’s Ministry of Education demanding that Bidoon children be allowed to return to school. The most heart-wrenching aspect of the protests was that they took place at 10am, with Bidoon children showing up in their school uniforms, carrying posters, at a time when they should have been sitting in their classrooms, not protesting being denied their universal right to education. Imagine the psychological trauma and confusion this is going to inflict.
Here are some photographs from the protests by Kuwaiti activist Nawaf El Hendal (used with permission):
In my public elementary school, I learned to read and write in both Arabic and English, to count, play the piano and paint, and I learned many of the basic social skills I've needed to get by in my current adult life. These are things that many of us may have taken for granted as children, but as adults, we absolutely cannot underestimate how important they are in shaping individuals into responsible and active citizens. Moreover, we cannot underestimate the inevitable, long-term consequences of over 1,000 children not having access to that essential experience. Not knowing how to write a sentence is in itself a prison sentence.
It is time to stop punishing innocent children and making them pay the price of dirty politics. Schools are meant to be places that help children flourish, feel secure, grow more aware of their unique qualities and endless capabilities. But this year in Kuwait, schools have become places that turn Bidoon children away. It’s time to rectify this transgenerational mistake by legislating inclusive policies, not new means of segregation.

author: Abrar AlShammari


text:
Why Obama is Wrong About Myanmar · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Young Burmese activists displayed banners during a forum attended by United States President Barack Obama in Myanmar. The activists reminded Obama that the so-called democratic reforms implemented by the military-backed government are either fake or illusory.
Obama’s Second #Burma Visit Falls Flat | Via @IrrawaddyNewshttp://t.co/mwY57URyGm #Myanmar pic.twitter.com/sGotp6XLnH
— Sonny Lê (@sonnylebythebay) November 15, 2014

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Jamaican Sexism Flexes Its Muscles as Gender Gaffes Stir Public Outrage  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

AJ Nicholson, minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica. Photo by The Commonwealth, used under a CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 license.
Jamaica is known for many things: its music and culture, the legacy of its heroes, its literary contributions, its dominance of international track and field — even the homophobic pronouncements of its politicians. Most recently, the misogynistic ideas of some of Jamaica's leading men, in both the public and private sectors, has entered the spotlight thanks to two events: the decision of one prestigious boys’ school not to allow women to attend its annual dinner and an off-colour remark about rape by a member of parliament.
Addressing the first incident on his blog, writer Kei Miller drew a connection between power and gender in Jamaica:
[…] it’s rather incredible to me that so many Jamaicans are dismissive of recent and fair objections being levied at one of our oldest high schools – Kingston College – whose Old Boys have decided, despite recent progressive policies, to revert to an older and regressive policy and host an all-male annual dinner.
Had Kingston College invited only alumni to the dinner, it would likely have been a non-issue. The result — a mostly male gathering — would have been largely the same, as most Jamaican high schools are segregated by gender. What happened, though, was different. Non-alumni were welcome at the dinner, provided they were men.
University lecturer Dr. Carolyn Joy Cooper criticized the dinner's ban on women with a little gay-panic humor, joking that the decision revealed the organizers’ latent homosexuality:
I have great respect for the KC old boys who have proudly come out and made their sexual preference absolutely clear. The female sex is not for them.
Given Jamaica's reputation for homophobia, the joke naturally upset some people. Miller, for instance, thinks it may have missed its mark, which was the bigger picture:
…Though I know her politics are much more complicated than that, it kinda grieves my heart to see sexuality being used – even if jokingly – as a way to send coded insult to the Old Boys who really do deserve insulting. It reinscribes the idea of homosexuality as something worthy of public shame and ridicule. Perhaps in this, Cooper’s irresponsible joking is not wildly different from AJ Nicholson’s flexi-rape joke. Both represent humour at the expense of vulnerable people.
This brings us to the parliamentarian. In a debate about the proposed flexi-work bill, Senator Marlene Malahoo-Forte suggested that women leaving work after dark could be at higher risk for sexual assault. Arnold Joseph Nicholson, who heads the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, responded with a flippant quip about “flexi-rape”. Nicholson eventually withdrew his comments under the insistence of the senate president and was pressured into making a more public apology, when faced with widespread criticism over the incident. Miller called it “one of the most unapologetic apologies one could muster”.
Some groups have called for Nicholson's dismissal and his public approval has evaporated after revelations that he sent threatening emails to other female senators over the incident. Twitter was full of commentary, a lot of which came from female users who found Nicholson's behavior disgraceful:
Flexi-Rape ! #AJNicholson SHAME ON YOU!
— Ann-Marie Vaz (@annmarievazja) October 31, 2014
Senator Kamina Johnson Smith is Right!! #PNPwomen #PMSimpsonMiller silence on #AJNicholson #FlexiRape comment is sacrilegious!!
— Kabu Ma'at Kheru (@KabuMaatKheru) November 2, 2014
One Twitter user noted that women's groups and female politicians are strangely silent on the subject:
Where are the #WomensGroups #GenderSpecialists #Churches #FemalePoliticians on the #AJNicholson #FlexiRape comment?
— Kabu Ma'at Kheru (@KabuMaatKheru) November 4, 2014
I challenge #Jamaicas #FemalePrimeMinister #FemaleCultureMinister #FemaleInfoMinister to address immediately #AJNicholson #FlexiRape comment
— Kabu Ma'at Kheru (@KabuMaatKheru) November 4, 2014
These two seemingly unrelated events have managed to bring into sharp focus the enduring patriarchal attitude that still makes some Jamaican men think they have the right to undermine women, objectify them, and discuss them in purely sexual terms. Thanks to Internet platforms, fortunately, those without the power and resources of institutions and the state are able to discuss this issue in ways that would have been impossible a decade ago.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Kyrgyzstan’s First President Dreams of Returning to His Homeland. He Should Keep Dreaming. · Global Voices
Aliaskar Adylov

Akaev's legacy in Kyrgyzstan is mixed – mostly with bad things. Image shared by Central Asia Online.
It has the makings of tragic opera: the brilliantly gifted and well-liked scientist, who had power thrust on him and managed to establish his little-known country on the international stage, only to fall prey to the temptations of political office and the demands of his allegedly venal family.
For all he would like to, Kyrgyzstan's first president Askar Akaev is unlikely to see his homeland again.
On November 10, Akaev celebrated his 70th birthday in Moscow. Overthrown by opposition-backed crowds in 2005, Akaev left his country in a hurry and a helicopter, and has not returned since. A physicist by training, he currently researches and teaches at the Moscow State University. His legacy and personality divide Kyrgyz to this day.
Bald with prominent eyebrows, Kyrgyzstan's Askar Akaev has now become art. This ‘vintage’ felt doll is available from Etsy.com for $9.99.
Akaev was elected President of Kyrgyzstan in 1990, emerging as a compromise candidate to hep save the country from a potentially violent power struggle.
His ambitious reforms earned Kyrgyzstan the title of the ‘Switzerland of Central Asia’ and ‘Island of Democracy‘ but as his rule grew more entrenched, he was accused of rampant corruption, nepotism and even alcoholism.
For a long time after the so-called Tulip Revolution, Akaev stayed quiet, appearing on Kyrgyz TV screens only at extraordinary moments, such as the funeral of his friend and reputed drinking partner, Boris Yeltsin, in 2007.
It was another funeral — that of his elder brother earlier this summer — that sparked rumours Akaev would return to Kyrgyzstan. Nevertheless, the threat of arrest and an ambivalent public response to his prospective return persuaded him to stay put in Moscow.
Speaking to News-Asia with typical eloquence last week, Akaev made plain that he hadn't given up the idea of touching down on terra firma:
Я принадлежу к кыргызам плоть от плоти, кровь от крови, поэтому вполне естественно, что для меня государственная независимость кыргызов – это возможность сохранить себя на века как титульную нацию, сберечь свои неповторимые черты и качества, умножая тем самым вклад в общую копилку мировой культуры…Я был и остаюсь верным сыном кыргызского народа, гражданином Кыргызстана. Никогда не мыслил свою жизнь в отрыве от родной земли, где покоятся мои родители и мои предки. Всей душой я мечтаю вернуться на Родину.
I belong to the Kyrgyz people like flesh belongs to flesh and blood belongs to blood, so naturally I see Kyrgyz independence as an opportunity to preserve our nation for centuries, to preserve its unique features and qualities, thereby multiplying its contribution to the general treasury of world culture…I always have been and remain a true son of the Kyrgyz people, a Kyrgyz citizen. I never imagined my life separated from my home soil, where my parents and ancestors are buried. With all my soul I dream of returning to my homeland.
But while Akaev's successors have made him seem benign by comparison, many citizens are not willing to forgive and forget. As one user wrote on the social media platform of vb.kg, an online newspaper, one commenter wrote:
Он несет персональную ответственность за сегодняшнее плачевное состояние Кыргызстана, вор, предатель своего кыргызского народа.
He is personally responsible for current poor state of Kyrgyzstan, [he is] a thief, [he is] a traitor of his own Kyrgyz people.
And though he still makes a good speech, noted another commenter, his record in office speaks for itself:
По-прежнему отличный теоретик, прекрасно выражающий свои мысли — этого у ААА не отнять.Однако, второй срок, дети в парламенте, семейно-клановое правление — все это дары первого Президента, которые и привели к двум переворотам.
As previously he is an excellent theorist, able to express his thoughts beautifully — that can never be taken away from him. But his second [presidential] term, children in the parliament, family-clan rule — these were all gifts from the first president, that led to two revolutions.
Typically supporters of the first president claim he was a good person surrounded by bad people, chiefly his wife Mairam, son Aidar and daughter Bermet:
Акаев – человек с Большой буквы! Он Академик! А вот семья его подвела. У него не было мужского и сильного духа поставить их на место. А так до него нашим руководителям жить да жить! Никогда они его уровня не достигнут! Такие рождаются раз в столетие. Очень приятно, что он кыргыз и его знает и уважает  весь мир.
Akaev is a person of real importance. He is an academic. But he was betrayed by his family. He did not have the strong, manly spirit needed to stop them. At any rate, our [current] leaders will never reach his level! People like him are born once every hundred years. I am very glad that he is Kyrgyz and that he is known and respected all over the world.
But many are appalled by what appears to be an underhanded project of “Team Akaev” to allow the old man — in spite of his crimes against the state — a safe retirement in Kyrgyzstan:
Последнее время, часто стал давать интервью! Его команда уже работает над тем его вернуть в КР. И в соц. Сетях активная работа ведется в этрм направлении! Но ЧИТАТЬ ЕГО ИНТЕРВЬЮ УЖЕ ПРОТИВНО! ВРЕТ И НЕ КРАСНЕЕТ! ЗА 10 лет еще не осознал свою вину перед народом, перед страной! Лучше бы извинения попросил у народа!!! ВОР должен сидеть в Тюрьме! Этим все сказано! Еще и других обвиняет!
Recently he has begun giving interviews more frequently! His team is working hard on his return to the Kyrgyz Republic. This is happening in our social networks! But TO READ HIS INTERVIEWS DISGUSTS ME! HE IS LYING OBVIOUSLY! In [almost] 10 years [since the revolution] he has not understood his guilt before his people and country! It would be better if he asked the people for forgiveness!!! THE THIEF should be imprisoned! But he dares to accuse others!
Facebook user Meerim Sydykbekova, meanwhile, damned Akaev with feint praise, commending him for not firing on protesters as his successor Kurmanbek Bakiyev did when confronting a similar revolt in 2010:
Конечно любому человеку охота вернутся на родину,я не против этого,пусть возвращается живет,он по крайней мере не убивал людей Бакиев,но хвалить его не стоит.ничего хорошего он не сделал
Every person wants to return to his or her motherland, so I am not against it. Let him come back and live. At least, he did not kill people like Bakiyev [the second president of Kyrgyzstan] did. But we should not praise him. He did nothing good.
Wherever he ends up living out his life, Akaev has now reached 70, a highly respected age among Kyrgyz people. Moreover, he seems to have developed a taste for fashion absent during his time as Kyrgyzstan's president. Below he is pictured celebrating his birthday in Moscow, wine glass in hand:
Какой стиляга Акаев в свои 70! :) pic.twitter.com/13kvlO6glD
— Ажара (@azhar__m) November 10, 2014
Akaev is such a fancy septuagenarian! :)

author: Aliaskar Adylov


text:
Activists Discover Evidence of St. Petersburg’s River of Poop · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

The mysterious fragrance of St. Petersburg's waterways. Images edited by Kevin Rothrock.
There’s a river of shit running through St. Petersburg. It starts in a little town called Novoye Devyatkino and flows into the Neva, where it empties into Neva Bay and then the Gulf of Finland. Locals for some time have sniffed with suspicion at the waterways from Novoye Devyatkino, but a group of ecologists now says it has proof that human feces are sailing unfiltered through St. Petersburg.
Two weeks ago, a group of St. Petersburg ecologists conducted a test in Novoye Devyatkino, a suburb about 12 miles outside the city, of the local sewer system. In a study they titled “Feces Travel,” the activists dropped ten miniaturized, waterproofed GPS-tracking units down the toilet of a single apartment home and began mapping the devices’ signals. On their website, the ecologists claim the trackers spilled out directly into the open-air waterways outside the building, without encountering even the most rudimentary sewage filtration. From Novoye Devyatkino, five of the devices reached the open waters of Neva Bay, where the units’ batteries appear to have died.
Map of the GPS-trackers’ paths. Via koprotravel.info.
Some on the Internet have questioned the ecologists’ results, doubting that GPS units would be able to broadcast a signal from underground. Many of these objections are based on the misunderstanding that the ecologists were tracking GPS units in sewer lines. According to those behind the experiment, however, the trackers—along with anything else one tends to flush down the toilet in Novoye Devyatkino—never made it underground to the sewers: they spilled into the streams directly outside, without slipping through so much as a net.
Some questions, however, do remain about the experiment. On October 29, the ecologists published a video explaining what they did, featuring a woman who identifies herself as Evgenia Dolgova. In the video, Dolgova displays a small gumball-sized item when explaining the use of GPS-trackers (see photo below). The video then flashes a few stock photographs of two different types of waterproof GPS-trackers: the TKSTAR LK109 and the Twin Mask MT-90.
Evgenia Dolgova shows off one of the GPS-trackers supposedly used in “Feces Travel.”
Both these devices have a battery life of about 160 hours, making it possible to receive signals for almost a week, but the units’ faces are almost four square inches, making it hard to believe that either of these two trackers was the object between Dolgova’s fingers in the YouTube video.
On November 17, after learning about the experiment in Novoye Devyatkino, some of the area’s residents started posting complaints on the local utility company’s webpage, uploading photographs of their utility bills and circling in red the 200-ruble (about $4) fee for sewage service. The ecologists’ website, which has been experiencing temporary outages that they attribute to hackers, now includes a link to these complaints.

author: Kevin Rothrock


text:
Stencil Art ‘Terrorises the Powers That Be’ in South Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A traffic sign showing how to get to Khayelitsha, a ‘dehumanisation zone’. Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission from The Tokolos Stencil Collective.
A South African anonymous radical art collective, Tokolos-Stencil, is using stencil art to keep the memory of the 2012 Marikana mine massacre alive, disrupt colonial and apartheid statues, “terrorise the powers that be” and remind South Africans that if they want freedom and justice, they must be willing to fight for them.
Tokolos is a slang for Tokoloshe, a mischievous, dwarf-like spirit in Zulu mythology that becomes invisible by drinking water.
Writing about its work on the Africa is Not a Country blog, the collective says:
The Tokoloshe emerges from its secret lair. Like a thief in the night, it creates a mirror image of ourselves in some of the most contrary of places and then instantly vanishes.
These living pictures take us deep into the contradictions of our society. They take us back to our bloody, violent and racist history; they lay bare the smokescreens of popular culture showing us the oppressive reality of this purported democracy; and they create echoes of indignation at injustice while also reflecting on our own role in maintaining such cruelty.
Tokolos-Stencil has been putting up its “disruptive” artwork in many parts of South Africa, particularly Cape Town. Their work has appeared in government buildings, offices of political parties, highways, on bridges and public statues and even on private property such as American fast food chain McDonald's and a Ferrari dealership.
The collective encourages South Africans to download and spray paint their artwork in public places. Protesters used their artwork in support of a platinum mineworkers’ strike in May 2014 outside parliament.
“Remember Marikana” is the collective's main campaign, which is meant to remind South Africans and the authorities not to forget 16 August, 2012, when members of the South African Police Service killed 34 Lonmin mine workers and wounded at least 78 people. The incident is the deadliest use of force against civilians by the police force in post-apartheid South Africa.
One if its artworks about Marikana features Nelson Mandela, who is quoted in a fictitious African proverb:
Image source:http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission from The Tokolos Stencil Collective.
Nelson Mandela says “Remember Marikana”
“If Madiba says it, it must be true.” – African Proverb
The “man in the green blanket” trademark for “Remember Marikana” (see the image below) is the iconic image of Marikana workers’ leader Mgcineni Noki, who was killed by police in August 2012:
Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
The [African National Congress] ANC must remember what they did to the people of Marikana. [South Africa's Deputy President] Ramaphose, [South Africa's President] Zuma, [South Africa's Police Commissioner] Phiyega and [South Africa's Minister of Police] Mthethwa are complicit in mass murder.
This stencil was done outside the ANC offices in Mowbray, Cape Town.
When the collective was invited by Brundyn+ Gallery to exhibit at the “bourgeois” art gallery's #FirstThursdays initiative, they decided to disrupt the gallery's “space of exclusion”:
We feel that the entire #FirstThursdays initiative is an exclusionary space meant to help the middle class pretend that their culture is significant and relevant. Instead, First Thursdays merely serves to exclude the poor black underclass. Many of the art installations talk about the poor but rarely if ever do they actually build space of inclusion.
In order to disrupt this space of exclusion, Tokolos deposited an unsanctioned installation of its own: a pota-pota toilet from a Khayelitsha shack settlement. These disgusting plastic laptop toilets are completely unsanitary and yet thousands of people live with them every day. By placing the toilet in the middle of Hipster Heaven, we hope we disrupted the space and made visible, even if for only a few minutes, those who are generally unseen.
A portable toilet known to Cape Town's poor residents as a “porta-porta” or a “laptop”. The toilet was used as a disruptive installation Brundyn+ Gallery and Open City (Church Square) in Cape Town. Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
The collective also uses its artwork to identify South Africa's “dehumanisation zones“:
Khayelitsha, a human dumping ground of about 1 million people was built by the apartheid government and continues to be maintained by the current neoliberal ‘democratic’ regime.
The townships are hell on earth. They are a space that dehumanises all those who live in it.
Stencil signs proclaim Langa township to be a dehumanisation zone:
Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
Langa is the oldest township in Cape Town. It was built to control and contain migrant Xhosa speaking blacks from outside Cape Town who came in search of work. Langa still serves this purpose which is why it only has two entrances – easy for the army to block off and control. The Langa Temporary Relocation Area is a dumping place for blacks who have been evicted from other land. Even though it is associated with the N2 Gateway Housing Project, few of the people dumped there with the promise of housing in the project ever receive houses.
Joe Slovo's dehumanisation zone in Cape Town:
Joe Slovo shack settlement. Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
This is Joe Slovo shack settlement as visible from the N2 Freeway in Cape Town. It is one of hundreds of shack settlements of different sizes throughout Cape Town.
It exists out of necessity – because our land and housing policy is one continued dispossession of poor blacks who, with nowhere else to go, are crammed into tiny pieces of land in hellish townships.
The collective has embraced the word “terrorism” and even claimed full “responsibility for the act of terrorism against the heritage of White Supremacy in South Africa on the night of 20 October 2014″:
Disruption of colonial and apartheid legacy. Image source:http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
The collective used a Coca-Cola warehouse in Cape Town to paint a message of support to Palestinians saying “Coke Is Blood From Gaza“:
Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
On voting, the collective asked South Africans to vote in order to get “free lack of education”:
Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
On private schools:
Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
Wynberg Boys’ High School. Like all private schools is NON-POOR ONLY.
#rememberyourpriviledge [sic]
On Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille's new drug awareness campaign:
“My name is Patricia de Lille and I have an elitism problem. I don’t use drugs but my anti-poor policies create hundreds of new addicts every day.”
If the City of Cape Town really wanted to address the the drug problem, they would realise that the city that works for a few is the problem [Cape Town's slogan is “The City That Works For You”].
Tokolos-Stencil's redesign of “The City That Works For You” slogan into “The City That Works For A Few.” Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
Tokolos disrupts the statue of Cecil John Rhodes at the University of Cape Town to remind South Africans that colonialism and the Marikana massacre are a part of a history of dispossession and murder of poor blacks:
Image source: http://tokolosstencils.tumblr.com/. Used with permission.
“Cecil John Rhodes’ statue overlooking the Green Mile is a reminder of a man who held imperialist and racist views, but who also donated the [stolen] land on which UCT is built. Is it appropriate to give his memorial a place of honour on the UCT campus? Are we risking setting aside history? And should recognition of a gift extend into perpetuity?

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Poetry Project Bridges Language and Cultural Barriers between Arabic and Hebrew Speakers in Israel · Global Voices
Maya Norton

The Two Project promotes Arabic and Hebrew arts and culture through the language of poetry.
The Two Project has just launched, a collaboration between Israeli Jews and Arabs to connect their cultures through the language of poetry. Hebrew and Arabic are both official languages of Israel. Six years in the making, the project is an offshoot of a recently published book, Two: A Bilingual Anthology (link is in Hebrew).
On their website, the Two Project's creators Almog Behar, Tamer Massalha, and Tamar Weiss write [Heb/Ar]:
This site is a part of the Two Project: a bilingual cultural project focusing on the literature and poetry of youth. Its aim is to create a convergence of dialogue between the two vibrant cultures of Israel, in Arabic and Hebrew. [The project presents] a new generation of writers and readers, who because of language barriers, culture, politics, and physical boundaries are not familiar with what goes on in the modern literary scene of their neighbors.
Anat Niv, editor-in-chief of Keter Publishing, who is responsible for the anthology, remarks:
The very fact that you are holding a book and reading it in Hebrew, with a text in Arabic script on the facing page, or vice versa, is a very powerful experience. Even if you don’t read Arabic, when reading this book you can no longer remain oblivious to the fact that this is a place where people live and create in two languages.
Follow the project on their website or on Facebook in Hebrew and Arabic. Two new authors, an Israeli Arab and an Israeli Jew, will be featured monthly.

author: Maya Norton


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There’s a Dark Side to Alibaba’s Massive Profits in China  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Artist Wu Tun's T-shirt print. From Wu's Twitter.
Every year on November 11, e-commerce giant Alibaba makes business headlines with its sales record on Singles Day, a holiday celebrating China's single men and women that has become a popular online shopping day. This year, the company racked up US$9.3 billion, almost doubled last year's US$ 5.8 billion.
The news came about two months after Alibaba set the record for the world's largest initial public offering (IPO) in the US stock market, with its market value measured as US$231 billion at closing time on its first day.
Alibaba's rosy prospects are to a large extent a result of its monopolized status in China's online shopping market. Yet to maintain such privilege, it has to work closely with the government and the Chinese Communist Party in sanctioning independent organizations and political dissents.
In September, not long before Alibaba's began trading on the US stock market, the Taobao online shop of an independent library project called China Rural Library (CRL) was forced to shut down while the authorities cracked down its 19 libraries across the country. The CRL's main income for its education and library project has been generated from its online shop. The Chinese authorities consider independent citizen initiatives a challenge to the Chinese Community Party's representation of the people.
A few days ago, Amazon-like Taobao, which is owned by Alibaba, shut down artist Wu Tun's online shop, which sold T-shirts with the phrase “Love Can't Be Here” printed on them. The Chinese character for “love” sounds like “Ai,” and the T-shirt is inspired by an overseas campaign, “Ai Can't be Here,” which calls for the release of Ai Weiwei, an artist-activist who was detained for 81 days without any official charges in 2011. Currently Ai is still monitored by the national security police and could not leave the country.
Prominent political dissident Hu Jia explained to Radio Free Asia how the authorities have suppressed dissents via online shops:
你只要是发出异见，当局一般来讲围剿你的手段基本上两方面，一个是斩断你的社会联系，让你四面楚歌，你身边的家人朋友对你避而远之，还有一个手段就是斩断你的经济来源。现在当局就是这样，他的侦查情报系统非常发达，可以获取到各种各样的信息，这些异见者他们的生活来源是从哪里来的。如果你是在中国国内获得的这些收入，他掐死你太容易了，就给你关这个网店，用不了10分钟就办妥了，你的店就给你销户了。
Once your voice your opinion in opposition, the authorities take two measures to get at you. First, cut off your social contacts. Make you feel lonely and sad as your family and friends are forced to stay away. Second, cut off your income. They collect information from all sources and identify dissidents’ major sources of income. If you get your income from mainland China, it is too easy to bring you down: They just need to shut down your online shop. In less than 10 minutes, your shop no longer exists.
Political dissidents have not only criticized Taobao. The monopolized market means small retailers face vicious competition, of which only a minority of shops survive.
A small retail shop owner explained the adverse effects of the monopoly on online shopping business in China. The article circulated online for a period of time and Letscorp, a website that bridges information across the Chinese-speaking community, reposted it on November 13, 2014:
绝大多数人会使用网络购物的方式来购物。当中也包括我，我现在所有的衣服裤子和很多工具都是网购，又好又便宜，又方便。的确很好。[…]
不良影响 ①：大批的商店、服装店、工具店、数码城、商场、将会关门歇业，即使留下的也是苦苦支撑，难以有富余的利润。网上经常有看到北京中关村，深圳华强北等一些以前举足轻重的大市场已经陷入了萧条。
②：很多零售店主失业，很多营业员，促销员将会失业。很多房东老板的店铺将会租不出去。这一部分人是最先受到淘宝影响的，且影响是最大最直接的。[…]
淘宝的成立初衷就是让所有卖家直接面对消费者，减少中间环节，让消费者得到好处。这个成立初衷也许是好的，但是淘宝演变到今天他自己也没有想到会发展成这样。会发展成为消灭了实体中间商，最后连厂家都不得不为了生存大量竞争起来。[…]
马云曾经说过一句话将来要么电子商务，要么无商可务。[…]整个中国百分之五十的零售都归淘宝卖了，而且还是很低或者没有利润的卖的，而且还会影响本来实体店卖的价格，大家想一想中国会怎样，中国的经济会怎样。原本从中能够获得利润而养家糊口的有多少人，多少家庭。我不敢想，没有利润的中国将会发生什么。
The majority of people, including myself, will shop online. I get all my clothing and hardware from the Internet. It is very convenient and cheap, which is really great. […]
Yet the adverse effects are: 1. A large number of shops — fashion shops, hardware shops, electronics shops — will be forced to close. Even if they manage to survive, business is difficult and they hardly make enough profit to carry on. From what has been reported online, Beijing's Zhongguancun, Shenzhen's Huaqiang North district [both are famous shopping destinations for computers and electronics] and others are in a great depression.
2. Many owners of small retail shops are forced to shutter. Their sales workers lose their jobs. The situation affects the landlord of shop floors as they can't rent out their place. These people are directly affected by Taobao.
The original idea of Taobao is to reduce the transaction costs so that the consumers can get more benefit. This is a good intention. But now the platform has evolved into something that the founder could not foresee. It will eventually eliminate all the middlemen and the manufacturers will have to compete with each other in a vigorous manner. […]
Jack Ma [the founder and CEO of Alibaba] once said, in the future there would be no more trading except from e-commerce […] Now 50 percent of the retail business in China is traded through Taobao. The price is so low that there is very little profit margin. The pricing has affected the prices in real shops. Please imagine the future of China's economy. Without making enough profits, how can people support their families?

author: Oiwan Lam


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Turkish President’s Columbus Comments Trigger “Mosque on the Moon” Mockery · Global Voices
Erkan Saka

What did Columbus really see? Image from Flickr
Turkish President Recep Erdoğan never shies away from an opportunity to offer an outlandish quote. Recently he claimed that Muslim pilgrims, rather than Christopher Columbus, discovered America, and suggested a mosque should be built in Cuba to honour the fact.
What? Where does he plan to build the mosque again? Widely shared on Twitter.
Addressing a gathering of Latin American Muslims in Istanbul November 15, Erdoğan said:
It is alleged that the American continent was discovered by Columbus in 1492.In fact, Muslim sailors reached the American continent 314 years before Columbus, in 1178…in his memoirs, Christopher Columbus mentions the existence of a mosque atop a hill on the coast of Cuba. A mosque would look perfect on that hill today.
A columnist, Oray Eğin, showed where Erdogan might have got his wires crossed on Twitter:
Apparently illiterate Erdogan thinks that Columbus saw a mosque in Cuba. Here's what actually happened. pic.twitter.com/E9NLkALJaq
— Oray Egin (@OrayinEnglish) November 15, 2014
Of course it may be Erdoğan's conservative columnists and advisors that are behind this revelation rather than Erdoğan himself. Abdurrahman Dilipak is one such character. In 1984 he penned a book entitled Coğrafi Keşiflerin İçyüzü, The Reality of Geographical Discoveries, which was popular in some Muslim literary circles for a time.
Dilipak tweeted his support for Erdoğan's finding on November 17:
Colomb ABD ye gitmeden önce İstanbulda kızıldeirli gelin vardı ya hu!
— Abdurrahman Dilipak (@aDilipak) November 17, 2014
Before Colombus arrived USA [sic], there was an Indian bride in Istanbul!
But Turkish netizens were quick to make fun of Erdoğan's statement.
Bobiler, a Turkish meme website, quickly seized on Erdoğan's promise to build a mosque in Cuba, turning him into a latter-day Che Guevara:
Another meme generator,İnciCaps, imagined the reaction in Havana:
“Response from Cuba came quickly”
A Google Search on the topic yields a number of other unflattering takedowns of the president's theory.
Finally netizens decided to take the president's historical expropriations to a whole new cosmic level:
Here, Neil Armstrong writes the following in his autobiography:
When we landed on the moon, we saw the ruins of a magnificent building. Buzz Aldrin and I were amazed as we approached the ruins. This was a small, elaborately-built Ottoman mosque. When we came back to earth, NASA and the American government ordered us not to talk about it…                                                                                Neil Armstrong – Autobiography, 1997.

author: Erkan Saka


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Video: Imprisoned Swazi Lawyer Speaks Through Human Rights Activists  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

#swazijustice is a campaign calling for the release of  Bheki Makhubu, editor of the Nation magazine and Thulani Maseko, a human rights lawyer, who were jailed in Swaziland for two years for writing an article critical of the judiciary in the country. The two were arrested on 17 March, 2014 and sentenced to two years in prison on July 25, 2014.
The campaign video below shows RFK Center President Kerry Kennedy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other  human rights activists read the words written by Thulani Maseko in defence of the Swazi people:


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At Home and Around the World, Supporters Demand Justice for Vietnamese Blogger Dang Xuan Dieu · Global Voices
Duy Hoang

“Free prisoner of conscience Dang Xuan Dieu” (Thanh Hoa prison camp). Photo from Facebook support page.
A grassroots campaign is underway in support of Dang Xuan Dieu, a blogger and community organizer held virtually incommunicado since 2011. Little was known about Dieu’s condition until a fellow inmate was released in early October. Speaking with Radio Free Asia, Truong Minh Tam recounted Dieu's experience in solitary confinement, where he endured beatings, starvation, and other deprivations.
Shortly after Tam’s testimony, supporters of Dieu organized a visit to his prison in Thanh Hoa province, 170km from Hanoi. Despite obstacles thrown up by authorities along the way, several carloads of supporters arrived at the prison and held a peaceful vigil calling for his release. Prison officials denied the group a visit with Dieu but yielded to allow family members to view the detained blogger from about ten meters away.
On the ground in Vietnam. Photo from Facebook support page.
His friends also initiated a postcard campaign to raise awareness. Addressed to Dieu, the cards carry personalized messages of support and informed the jailers of Thanh Hoa prison that the world is watching. Printed on the backside of each card is the ruling by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention which determined that the Vietnamese government’s imprisonment of Dang Xuan Dieu and 16 other activists is a violation of their human rights and international law.
Over the last several weeks, supporters have organized public meetups in Vietnam to collect signatures for postcards. A number of Catholic congregations have also held prayer vigils for Dieu. Prior to his arrest, Dieu was a contributor to the Vietnam Redemptorists News and known for his advocacy on behalf of children living in poverty and people with disabilities.
In Vietnam, actions like these represent a form of civil disobedience. The campaign for Dang Xuan Dieu follows a growing trend of activists gathering outside political trials, visiting detention centers, and supporting families of political prisoners despite official harassment.
Catholic diocese of Vinh (Vietnam). Photo from Facebook support page.
Vietnamese communities worldwide have also joined in the postcard campaign. Many of the photos have been re-posted on a “Friends of Dang Xuan Dieu” Facebook page.
Don Le, president of the Federal Vietnamese Students Association in Australia, wrote on his Facebook page:
Sending postcards may be a simple task but they are one of many creative acts by Vietnamese youth around the world to show global support, remind jailers of the constant attention on Dieu's case and the determination to press for his release.
Swiss officials at the Vietnamese embassy in Geneva. Photo from Viet Tan, used with permission.
In Geneva, Swiss political figures expressed their concern directly to the Vietnamese diplomatic mission. They delivered a petition requesting the Vietnamese authorities to permit a Swiss delegation to visit Dang Xuan Dieu.
In the Australian Parliament, MP Luke Simpkins remarked:
Dieu was arrested as part of a larger crackdown on human rights fighters, and is serving one of the longest sentences of any political prisoner in Vietnam.
Reports of Dieu’s severe mistreatment in prison prompted his lawyer, Allen Weiner of Stanford Law School, to call on the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to take urgent action on the case, including a prison visit with Dieu. According to Weiner:
The mistreatment of Dieu is a clear violation of Article 19(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [and] flatly inconsistent with the representations made by the Vietnamese government upon its signing on November 7, 2013, of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
In a joint letter issued on Oct. 28, seven rights groups–ACAT France, Access, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, English PEN, Media Legal Defence Initiative, PEN International, and Viet Tan–urged foreign embassies in Hanoi to visit Dang Xuan Dieu in prison and monitor his health.
Amidst advocacy efforts for Dieu from inside Vietnam and abroad, a note written by Dieu in his own blood was smuggled out of prison. Dieu explains in three short sentences why he is paying such a high price for his ideals:
I long to live in a society of FREEDOM and TRUTH. One in which no class divisions exist and people live with LOVE and RESPONSIBILITY to one another. But it is because of this that I have been persecuted, and for this I am willing and ready to die!
Dang Xuan Dieu (right) and fellow activists prior to arrest in 2011. Photo from Facebook support page.

author: Duy Hoang


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‘Pickup Artist’ Julien Blanc Isn’t Welcome in Brazil, Either · Global Voices
Mariana Parra

#TakeDownJulienBlanc. Photo from Facebook page “Conspiração dos Unicórnios Satânicos Pela ditadura Comunista Gay e Feminazi” (Conspiracy of Satanic Unicorns for the Communist, Gay and Feminazi Dictatorship”
Brazilian social media, following the example of other countries, has erupted in uproar over the past few weeks over US “pickup artist” Julien Blanc's scheduled visits to the country — and the country's authorities have listened.
A petition against his coming has gathered more than 350,000 signatures. Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called Itamaraty, responded quickly: It decided to deny Blanc's visa just two days after the petition was launched.
His two lectures in Brazil, scheduled for January in the cities Rio de Janeiro and Florianópolis, cost US$800 for a ticket. Blanc is a “coach” for the company Real Social Dynamics, which calls itself the “international leader in dating advice.” He has become notorious recently for his advocacy of violent and sexist approaches in order to “seduce” women. Facebook page Ozomexplicanista (“Mensplainist”) has been capturing some of his tweets in screenshots (Blanc made his account private after his tactics became world famous):
His violent speech and open promotion of rape were the basis of the social media campaign against him, which urged authorities to deny his entrance — a decision that the Australian government also took following public outcry. People in the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan are similarly clamoring for the cancellation of his lectures and visa.
Lola Aronovich, of the feminist blog Escreva Lola Escreva (Write Lola Write), republished a comment of one of her readers who has access to the Brazilian “pick-up artist” community. He described the kind of audience who praises figures like Blanc:
Eu passei horas lendo o que essa turma do PUA Brasil escreve. Grande parte é isso ai mesmo: estupro de vulnerável. Técnicas de conquista, sedução, sedação e como não deixar indícios de violência sexual e não criar imagem de malvado transferindo para a mulher por meio de técnicas subliminares elaboradas a responsabilidade pela relação. […]
The PUA Brazil group is old, strong and well organized. They hold events charging R$500 (about US$192) a ticket. I spent hours reading what those people of PUA Brazil write. Most of it is exactly this: statutory rape. Techniques for subjugation, seduction, sedation, how to avoid leaving traces of sexual violence or a bad guy image, transferring onto the woman through elaborate subliminal techniques the responsibility for the relationship. […]
The main victim of those PUAs are pre-teens who have reached the age of consent, 14 years old. They are more easily seduced and are ashamed to expose the violence.
On the Avaaz petition page, organizers stressed the overarching meaning of the campaign:
Essa petição não é uma causa só pra que Julien Blanc não entre no Brasil, gira em torno de uma causa maior: O Combate a violencia contra a mulher, pois não podemos suportar mais e é uma prova de que estamos juntos para combater isso!
This petition is not so that Julien Blanc isn't allowed to enter Brazil, it's about a greater cause: Fighting violence against women because we cannot bear it anymore and it is an evidence that we are all united in the fight against this!
For feminist blogger Nádia Lapa, the boycott must be extended to those who sponsor Blanc's tour:
We still need to find out who is sponsoring the events in Brazil and demonstrate our outrage and boycott. What we do not need is a convention of men who hate women.
Violence and rape culture
According to the Brazilian Yearbook of Public Security, a woman is raped in Brazil every 10 minutes. The Map of Violence 2012, from the Latin American School of Social Sciences, showed that 43,000 women were murdered in Brazil over the course of 10 years, an alarming number considering the recent progress in legislation and public policies for gender violence.
Psychologist and blogger Luciana Nepomuceno emphasized the importance of analyzing the situation beyond the “shock” that Blanc's explicit support of rape and aggressive tactics cause:
A existência dele e de um curso assim é possível apenas porque a nossa sociedade trata a mulher como um ser “menos que” o homem. Menos humano. Menos sujeito de direitos. Ele tá na paleta entre o estuprador em série e o cara que faz piada com os amigos dizendo que “mulher quando diz não, é talvez, e quando diz talvez, é sim”.
The existence of someone like him and a course like this is only possible because our society sees women as a being “less than” men. Less human. Less subject of rights. He is somewhere in the spectrum that goes from the serial rapist to the guy that make jokes with his friends saying that “when women say no, it means maybe, and when they say maybe, it means yes”.
Some debates also revolved around women's behavior, which sometimes “accepts” violent and oppressive approaches. In one of the posts on Ozomexplica's page, Thatiana Oliveira commented:
Pois é, o que existem são mulheres reproduzindo o machismo, pois foram (des)educadas a pensar que só serão alguma coisa com um omi do lado (e todos seus privilégio$ de omi)… Essa.merda toda é um círculo vicioso e não sei o que é mais difícil desconstruir :(
Yeah, what we have is women reproducing sexism because they were (mis)educated to think that they will only be somebody with a man (and all his privilege$)… All this shit is a vicious cycle and I don't know what is harder to deconstruct :(
The mobilization in many countries against these “lectures” demonstrate the growing rejection of rape culture, while violence against women continues to exist at terrifying levels, including in developed countries, as recent research conduced by the European Union demonstrated. As Luciana Napomuceno pointed out:
I think that the structures change with the dynamic dialectics between the material and the symbolic and for a country to say NO, I don't accept this discourse here, even more in a young country that is building itself up like ours, it implies in not an immediate gain, but with implications that we cannot measure at the moment. It is the meaning of this negative response that matters. The no, you cannot come in contrasts with a culture of appeasement of and consent to violence against women. It would be a really welcomed “no”.
I think we can and must make political choices. The negative response to a violent discourse is a needed political attitude. It's time to stop minimizing issues related with violence against women. It's time to take the fight against sexism out of the footnotes.
After staying silent on the matter, Blanc granted an interview to CNN on November 17, in which he apologized for his attitudes, claiming his intention was never to offend or cause harm. Journalist Chris Cuomo, who conducted the interview, questioned the sincerity of Blanc's apologies, pointing to evidence that he openly encouraged violent tactics. Blanc defended himself, saying his online posts were simply a “horrible attempt at humor.”

author: Mariana Parra


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Climate Change, Ebola, Ukraine: Brisbane’s G20 Summit Wasn’t Just About Economy · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

The G-20 Leaders – Caricatures. Flickr photo by DonkeyHotey (CC License)
There was extensive debate about what should have been discussed at Brisbane’s G20 summit on 15-16 November. As Clarencegirl shared on her blog North Coast Voices, even Pope Francis had ideas for that very public member of his Catholic flock, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott:
…there are far too many women and men suffering from severe malnutrition, a rise in the number of the unemployed, an extremely high percentage of young people without work and an increase in social exclusion which can lead to criminal activity and even the recruitment of terrorists. In addition, there are constant assaults on the natural environment, the result of unbridled consumerism, and this will have serious consequences for the world economy.
So what actually happened both in private meetings and the official forums? Netizens have had lots to say.
A speech by US President Barack Obama outside the official forum called on Australia “to step up” on climate change. It received lots of praise, including Meg Watson at Junkee:
You know when your dad’s been away for a while and he lays into you about not taking the rubbish out while he was gone? He says he’s not mad, just a little disappointed, then goes into an inspiring speech about how we all have to do our part around the house. That’s essentially what just happened to our entire country. President Obama has only been in Australia for a matter of hours and he’s already incited people to take action on climate change.
The view of well-known lawyer and human rights activist Julian Burnside was a popular retweet:
Obama's speech to UQ students will inspire a generation. Abbott's opening speech at #G20 was profoundly embarrassing. #auspol
— Julian Burnside (@JulianBurnside) November 15, 2014
Abbott’s opening speech copped more criticism:
“listening to President Obama was so refreshingly uplifting after Abbott's cringeworthy address…” — @bettsie2u http://t.co/C62HY6BQLr
— Meta Cranky Noely (@YaThinkN) November 16, 2014
The satirical website Shovel was at work slamming his local content:
LMAO Gold: “@The_Shovel_: Tony Abbott will address #G20 leaders today on car parking issues in his Warringah electorate #G20Brisbane”
— Cate Bolt (@catebolt) November 16, 2014
Many have been disappointed by the lack of aggression in the meeting of Australian PM Tony Abbott and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. There was no sign of Abbott’s threatened “shirtfront”.
It seemed to be time for cuddling and making up, according to @lynlinking:
‘It’s called a koala, Tony': Twitter explodes after Abbott trades ‘shirtfronting’ Putin for cuddly joint pic: http://t.co/ofrUosZllv
— Lynlinking (@lynlinking) November 15, 2014
Meanwhile, protests went ahead as expected with only a few arrests on Saturday. It is a sign of the times that independent legal observers were present to monitor events. Flickr has numerous Creative Commons images of the G20 summit, including this one:
Independent legal observers – Image courtesy flickr user Paul Cunningham
Any concerns that climate change and Ebola wouldn’t get into the final communiqué were dispelled:
♨ #ClimateChange #Ebola #Jobs Make Up The Headlines On 1st Day of #G20…http://t.co/DkZn1gpvp4 #auspol #G20Brisbane pic.twitter.com/0RD7Od5QEf
— theEDITOR (@smnaustralia) November 16, 2014
#G20Brisbane will be remembered for Abbott's crushing failure to convince the rest of the world to ignore #climatechange #fail #auspol
— citizen grafiti (@grafiti) November 16, 2014
Commitments to economic growth (an extra 2.1 percent of GDP by 2018) and reform were given the thumbs up by many online:
The @dailytelegraph declares @BarackObama “hijacked” the #g20 to include climate change, and that Abbott “succeeded in … economic growth”
— Faily Telegraph (@FailyTelegraph) November 16, 2014
However, Robert Fairhead was cynical about real economic outcomes:
Communique, shmunique! Bet 10 yrs on, nada! HT #G20 communique lists 800 measures for economic growth http://t.co/dMRH7MUiBG
— Robert Fairhead (@tallandtrue) November 16, 2014
Ukraine didn’t make the communiqué, but Vladimir Putin was blasted by other leaders off stage apparently. Ed Johnson, Sydney bureau chief at Bloomberg News, mused:
Putin stares down #G20 storm of criticism with Ukraine mantra http://t.co/YS0QWCX7Q1 #Putin pic.twitter.com/vjH2j3FTkh
— Ed Johnson (@edwardrjohnson) November 17, 2014
Outside the summit, Tim O'Keefe captured protesters against Putin on video:
Finally, the Ebola crisis managed to make the agenda:
#G20 statement on #Ebola commits members to do “what is necessary”. Resources, expertise needed @MSFAustralia @MSF @aspen_medical #auspol
— Dr Stewart M Condon (@drstewart_MSF) November 16, 2014
So was the 400 million Australian dollars (350 million US dollars) spent on the G20 summit by the Australian government, value for money? You be the judge!


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Critical Independent Theater Company Faces Eviction in Moscow · Global Voices
Masha

Image taken from the teatr.doc Facebook page
The Moscow Administration’s Property Department quietly terminated the lease contract with Teatr.Doc, the small 50-seat independent theater company that has occupied the premises for the past 12 years, on October 15, 2014. The country’s art community was quick to respond to the move, which they saw as politically motivated.  Activists and artists went online to write petitions and letters to politicians in order to prevent the theater’s eviction in mid-December.
Elena Gremina, theater’s founder and artistic director wrote on her Facebook wall:
Неожиданно Москва ( в лице Департамента Имущества) досрочно расторгла в одностороннем порядке, без объяснения причин, договор аренды с нашим театром. Так что, если вам нравится/интересен наш театр.doc, то советую побывать в этом историческом, не побоюсь этого слова, помещении (которое 12 лет было театром, в котором играли спектакли, проходила Любимовка, Кинотеатр.док и многое другое) – в самое ближайшее время. Потому что вскоре там будет магазин или что-то еще не менее необходимое в нынешние времена!. (предваряя вопросы – аренду и налоги аккуратно платили, пожарные и прочие предписания свято соблюдали,но и это видимо ничего сейчас не значит!)
Moscow (through the Property Department) unilaterally and unexpectedly terminated the lease with our theater ahead of time without any explanation. So if you like / are interested in our Teatr.doc I advise you visit this historic, dare I say it, space […] in the very near future. Because soon enough there will be a store or something no less necessary in current times! (Anticipating [any potential] questions – our rent and taxes are paid accurately, fire and other regulations complied strictly, but it probably does not mean anything now!)
The city’s property department claimed that the lease was terminated due to unsanctioned renovations. It turns out that the decision was taken on May 5, yet the theater was unaware of such changes.
According to Elena Gremina the “unsanctioned renovations” refer to a window that was converted into an entrance door in accordance with fire department regulations. Prior to that, people used to enter the theater through the back door.
This decision made a lot of people question the move and wonder who stood behind it.
Нет причины, и она в (заявлении) о расторжении не указывается. Из чего я делаю вывод о том, что дело в спектаклях. Нам уже делали предупреждения, неофициально – не надо политических спектаклей, снимите их
“There [was] no reason [given], and it is not indicated on the termination (statement). Therefore, I conclude that it has something to do with plays. We have already received unofficial warnings,” – Mikhail Ugarov, chief director of the theater told BBC Russian.
There is a chance that some bureaucrat in the government simply decided to take an initiative and punish the theater for it’s anti-Putin expressions.
“I've never heard about Teatr.doc and its problems, but basically there are many theaters in Moscow doing God-knows-what,” – Mayor Sobyanin was quoted on Twitter by Alexey Golubev a journalist for Echo Moskvy.
Located in a basement in one of the buildings in downtown Moscow, Teatr.doc stages political and controversial plays. This month the theater showed a play called New Life about women who were previously imprisoned on murder charges. The theater often brings up topics that are normally ignored in the Russian society, plagued by hatred and lack of acceptance. The theater remains the only space for political performances in Russia.
Tom Stoppard, the iconic British playwright, released an open letter supporting Teatr.doc. First published on the Russian news portal Colta.Ru, the letter says:
Нет причины, и она в (заявлении) о расторжении не указывается. Из чего я делаю вывод о том, что дело в спектаклях. Нам уже делали предупреждения, неофициально – не надо политических спектаклей, снимите их
For generations, Russian theatre culture has been an inspiration in good times and bad, and an object of veneration in the English-speaking world. […] In Russia, Teatr.doc is currently the most important example of a theatre group which, quite apart from the quality of its work which has given it an international reputation, contains the seeds of a vibrant and relevant theatre of the future.
Elena Gremina said in an interview to Colta.Ru:
Потерять помещение для нас — это, конечно, драма. Но, в принципе, «Театр.doc» — это не стены, это люди. И в этом смысле мы, конечно, что-нибудь придумаем. Но что говорить: это все равно удар.
“Of course losing the space is a tragedy for us. However, Teatr.doc isn’t [about] the walls, it is [about] people. In this regard, we will come up with something. Needless to say, it is still a blow,”
This story was commissioned by Freemuse, the leading defender of musicians worldwide, and Global Voices for Artsfreedom.org. The article may be republished by non-commercial media, crediting the author Masha Egupova, Freemuse and Global Voices and linking to the origin.

author: Masha