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Pakistan: Huge Blasts at a Naval Air Base in Karachi · Global Voices
Rezwan

News is coming in that there were consecutive blasts inside a Pakistan Naval base in Karachi at around 11pm on May 22, 2011.
The PNS Mehran (Pakistan Naval Station Mehran), a heavily guarded facility of Pakistan Navy located along Shahrah-e-Faisal,  is the headquarter of the Navy's Naval Air Arm. Eight to ten terrorists entered from the naval museum and launched an armed attack on PNS Mehran, destroying a P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft with rockets.
There are reports of loads of gunfire and towering flames as the security forces and army personnel retaliate. Reuters reports that four Pakistan airforce personnel have died in the attacks so far.
P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft. Image via Twitpic by @FarrukhSiddiqui.
Pakistani Twitter users were quick to spread the news and voice their reactions. Here are glimpses of those conversations.
Osman from Lahore, Pakistan reports:
@BitHack3r: PNS Mehran is being attacked by terrorists. – Rehman Malik #Pakistan #Karachi
@BitHack3r: A 4 engine naval aircraft being hit by terrorists, still on fire. #Karachi #Pakistan
@BitHack3r: Terrorists are still inside PNS Mehran (Faisal Base). – Rehman malik
Saad informs:
@kursed: Attackers came in from 3 sides at PNS Mehran; Dalmiya, Gulistan e Johar and Shahrah e Faisal
More reports:
@FK_kashmir: #blasts near PAF Base Faisal. thick smoke and flares for SOS can b seen from my place, can also hear firing going on there #Karachi #Pakistan
@Bixenjo (Sikander Bizenjo): Firing and blasts on naval base in Karachi; around 20 blasts have been heard around. Smoke up in the sky due to huge blasts. #Pakistan
@javeednusrat: a dependable source insists the attack started with rocket fires and not bombs.it has all the appearances of a well-drilled out attack.
@ammaryasir: 5 injured includes one foreigner, probably a Chinese.
@faizanlakhani:  complete blackout in base Faisal and Mehran
@terminalxpk: NSSG (Naval Commandos) deployed through choppers at the firefight area, counter-operation underway #Karachi #Pakistan
@kfaroqi: Pak Army killed 6 jamat e islami taliban and al qaeda terrorists in PNS Mehran. Well done #karachi #Pakistan #mqm
@hiranajam: All of PNS Mehran, Faisal Base cleared – except for the building where the terrorists are sheltering themselves – Reports
Khaver Siddiqi depicts the reality:
@Thekarachikid: There's a 9/11, 26/11 and 7/7. Then there's everyday in Pakistan. #prayforpakistan
More reactions:
@faisalkapadia Wake up this is our fight they are attacking us no one else lets use any means to get em before they ruin us #pakistan
@adnanrasool: I have a feeling that.. the attack in Karachi is aimed at blowing up planes of #pakistan Navy and Airforce… its horrific in #karachi
@faisalkapadia: People of #karachi we are under attack we must “unite” and not panic! Please stay calm we are togather in this. #mehran
Check out more updates on this developing story using these hashtags –  #Karachi, #Pakistan, #KarachiAttacks and #mehran.

author: Rezwan


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Peru: Fear in the Election Campaign · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Almost 20 days before the date set for the second round of Peru's presidential elections, the electoral campaign has begun to include more than just kissing babies and smiling for photos. In the past week a series of events are showing the polarisation and even radicalisation that has come to surround candidates Keiko Fujimori and Ollanta Humala.
Maybe this is a result of the virtual stalemate shown in the polls. The first [es] polls showed a distance of between 6 and 8 percentage points between Humala (who was in first place) and Keiko. The next [es] polls showed a difference of between 5 and 3.8 percentage points between the two candidates. Later polls [es] gave a difference of 1 or 2 points but this time with Fujimori in the lead, displacing Humala as the electoral favourite. And some of the latest [es] polls confirm this trend while others show Humala making a comeback.
Candidates Ollanta Humala and Keiko Fujimori
For many voters this second round is just the way Mario Vargas Llosa described [es] it after he heard the results of the first round: “Humala or Keiko? That's like choosing between AIDS and cancer, a rather academic discussion.” A lot of people are resisting voting for Alberto Fujimori‘s daughter as they say they fear the return of the people who participated in her father's corrupt regime. On the other hand, many won't vote for Humala for fear of returning to an outdated model like communism, and falling under the influence of ‘chavismo‘.
But is that really how things are? At this crossroads where Peruvians find themselves, the mass media should be fulfilling an informative and clarifying role, but this is far from reality. A recent poll shows [es] that the public sees the candidate for Fuerza 2011, Keiko Fujimori, as receiving greatest support from the media (48.3%). Ollanta Humala, on the other hand, is seen as having greater media support by about the same percentage of people who think neither candidate receives media support (18.1%).
This perception is not gratuitous – a few weeks ago it was made public [es] that two journalists from the cable TV chanel CanalN were fired “for not supporting Keiko Fujimori”. Meanwhile, there were rumours [es] that another 4 journalists quit their jobs at the newspaper Perú 21 “for not attacking Ollanta Humala in their writing.” Coincidentally both media outlets are owned by the same group of companies.
Gustavo Gorriti, journalist for IDL-Reporteros, recently declared [es] that there is a media front against Humala. Among other things he said that when talking about the threat that Ollanta's tendencies towards authoritarianism and chavismo pose to democracy, the media immediately support and promote Fujimori's candidacy, without considering that it may pose a much more serious threat to democracy and human rights.
But it is not only a question of bias in a large section of the media, but also of events that involve various levels of violence, and that make it clear that fear, an element that is present mainly in the counter-campaign against Humala, figures not only discursively, but also in reality and, unfortunately, it comes in varying degrees from both sides.
Javier Fernández from the blog Javi270270, reported [es] on the attack, or ‘escrache‘, of journalist Jaime de Altahus on leaving the television channel where he works (Canal N). A group of people (Javier mentions a Colectivo Dignidad [es] (Dignity Collective) that called a sit-in at the entrance to the channel's building, protesting their pro-Fujimori stance) surrounded and blocked the passage of the journalist's vehicle, while protesting against him with epithets of varying levels of offensiveness:
lo que ha pasado ayer a Altahus no es nada nuevo. Ciertamente es una  salida que algún grupo ha decidido frente a tanta parcialización de los  medios como la que describió Gustavo Gorriti casi a la misma hora.
In addition, Javier points out the lightness with which other media described the attack as coming from “Humalist mobs”. Altahus himself later stated [es]: “I don't know what their relationship is to Humala […] but they were obviously defending the position of Ollanta Humala”. Carlos Quiróz from the blog Peruanista mentions [es] that there could have been infiltrators in the protest who carried out the violent acts in order to later incriminate Humala's supporters.
Another confusing event took place against Keiko Fujimori herself in the jungle region of Satipo. When the candidate was getting out of the truck that had taken her to a meeting, someone threw an egg at the vehicle. Media outlets like El Comercio talked [es] of eggs and stones, while in La República they wrote [es] that the incident had been exaggerated and reported on attacks by Fujimori's security personnel against the journalists that tried to record the incident. Matte from the blog Lugares Comunes (Common Places) writes [es]:
Rápidamente, la candidata acusó a Ollanta Humala del ataque a través de su cuenta de twitter. Sin embargo, podría tratarse de un montaje hecho por la candidatura fujimorista. […] Según fuentes policiales, quienes atacaron a Fujimori habrían sido empleados municipales. […] (esto) nos recuerda al incendio del Banco de la Nación, en Lima, durante la Marcha de los Cuatro Suyos, para acusar de ser violentos a quienes luchaban por la democracia.
A third incident comes, supposedly, from Fujimori's side. César Lévano, director of the newspaper La Primera, which has anti-Fujimori tendencies, was sent a wreath of flowers, like those used at funerals. Lévano himself wrote [es] that the message was meant to discourage his sources, who have shown fundamental veracity and strategic location. He added that the newspaper's information on the Plan “Sábana” (“Sheet” Plan) [es] has had international repercussions. In the blog Elecciones2011 (Elections2011) they comment [es] that:
Y aunque nadie se explica de donde salieron ambas coronas, esta práctica  se  realizaba en los años 90 (NdA: los años del fujimorismo) para intimidar a los periodistas.
These three incidents, among others, illustrate in a special way the dynamics of the current political campaign, in which the media are playing an important role, although for some it is a negative one. In the magazine Mariátegui‘s blog, there are some conclusions [es] on the matter:
Los medios de comunicación masivos pretenden calumniar a Ollanta y  ensalzar a Keiko Fujimori, sin ningún tipo de reclamo. La victimización  de la prensa y el constante clima de polarización incitan a periodistas  como Renzo Mazzei a justificar la campaña mediática denunciada por  Gustavo Gorriti sobre el cargamontón de El Comercio contra Ollanta. […] Si el ambiente sigue con manipulaciones en medios y en encuestas  que difieren abismalmente, vendrán más incidentes que pondrá en frente  no sólo a fujimoristas y nacionalistas, sino a los medios, los  colectivos y los jóvenes como en el 2000 …
From a similar perspective but with various differences, Renzo Mazzei writes [es] in his blog El Aliento de la Cebolla (Onion Breath):
Observo a diario que muchos de los simpatizantes humalistas pifean las  preguntas de los periodistas referidas a temas que seguramente no son  del agrado del candidato. Algunos periodistas han sido empujados,  golpeados y hasta acorralados como ocurrió con Jaime de Altahus. Hay que  recordarle al señor Humala que estos actos no solo le quitan votos sino  que además justican para muchos esa campaña mediática de la que habla  Gustavo Gorriti. Al señor Humala le debería preocupar no solo hablar su  bendita pensión 65 o el programa SAMU sino también aquietar los  apasionamiento de sus militantes. De lo contrario cualquier protesta  contra alguién que anuncie su respaldo a Keiko Fujimori será relacionado  con el modus operandi de algunos simpatizantes humalistas.
Meanwhile, journalist Jackqueline Fowks also stresses [es] in her blog the presence of fear in the campaign:
el miedo en una sociedad que ha vivido terrorismo, es gasolina al lado de un  fósforo prendido. Los spots radiales de Confiep y el video de la  Sociedad de Radio y TV son aludidos hoy por Jorge Secada Koechlin y José Villaorduña, quienes sugieren que los empresarios quieren perder algunas libertades y vendérselas a Fujimori.
What will happen in the remaining days of the campaign? Maybe the trend will continue, that is, more violent events, more polarisation and more misinformation. How will Peruvians vote in the end?
Columnist Farid Kahhat wrote [es] “It doesn't seem that how about half of Peruvians will vote in the second round can be explained by ignorance or resentment.” It probably shouldn't be explained by fear either.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Juan Arellano


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Peru: World Internet Day Seminar in Lima · Global Voices
Felipe Cordero

Juan Arellano, author of the blog Globalizado [es] and Global Voices Spanish Editor, shares his impressions about the World Internet Day Seminar [es], a 3-day event held in Lima, Peru. In detail, he shares interesting reflections on the first [es], second [es] and third day [es] of the conference.

author: Felipe Cordero


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Puerto Rico: Bloggers Conference · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Read the reflections, opinions, and posts on the most recent Bloggers Conference [es] in Puerto Rico.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


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Puerto Rico: New digital magzine · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Students, activists, journalists and bloggers have launched the digital magazine El Punto [es] to foster a transnational conversation between Puerto Ricans living on the Island and those who belong to the diaspora in the United States.


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Puerto Rico: Review of Performance “Esquina Periferia” · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

The artist, professor and blogger Bernat Tort reviews the most recent artistic performance [es] created by the actor, dancer, and musician Eduardo Alegría, titled “Esquina Periferia.”


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Spain: Website #tomalaplaza · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Protesters in Puerta del Sol, Madrid, have posted their manifesto, communiques, and other information on their daily activities at the website Madrid #tomalaplaza [es].


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Technology for Transparency: Final Report · Global Voices
Renata Avila

The Technology for Transparency Network is proud to announce the release of its final report, Global mapping of technology for transparency and accountability.
The report is being published by the Transparency and Accountability Initiative (@TAInitiative) along with a over a dozen other reports on the global transparency movement.  The reports focus on three key research areas: Impact and Learning, New Technologies, and Policy Innovations.
Many thanks go to the Transparency and Accountability Initiative for supporting our work, to our amazing team of researchers, and to David Sasaki, who  launched and directed the initial phase of the Technology for Transparency Network, which laid the groundwork for this report.
This report contains the key findings from having reviewed more than 100 projects and having interviewed dozens of practitioners in Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union, and Sub-Saharan Africa who use new technologies as a means to increase transparency and accountability. This summary helps to ‘take the pulse‘ of the Technology for Transparency and Accountability movement and suggests both exciting possibilities for scaling impact as well as important caveats and challenges.
For practitioners in the transparency and accountability space, it is useful to frame the potential for leveraging technology towards transparency and accountability initiatives in at least four ways:
The majority of projects we studied focus on the executive or legislative branches of government.  A smaller number of projects focus on the  judicial branch, the media, the private sector, and donors.
Nearly half of the projects focus on monitoring elections.  While many  of these use Ushahidi, some have developed their own approaches, including aggregating elections news from multiple sources on a single site and tracking official election monitors’ reports on Google Maps.
Projects in multiple regions focus on transparency in the legislature, often tracking legislative bills and posting profiles for each representative that include biographies and voting records. Some also include profiles of political parties or records of legislative spending.
Data visualization and navigation tools are a key feature in more than half  of the projects we documented, as are diverse forms of data collection from citizens. Approximately one third of the projects use mobile phones in some way, most commonly by allowing citizens to submit or receive information via text messages.
The Technology for Transparency Network website will remain open as a place where we can share projects, tools, and ideas, as a meeting point for successful initiatives and those who want to learn from the work others have done. You can subscribe to our mailing list, read or contribute with specialized articles on Global Voices Online, and follow us on Twitter (@techtransparent) and Facebook. This field is just beginning to emerge, and we look forward to helping nurture global efforts through collaboration and communication across borders.

author: Renata Avila


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Uruguay: Congress Upholds Amnesty Law for Military · Global Voices
Felipe Cordero

The Latin America News Dispatch writes about the Uruguayan Congress’ decision to uphold a 1986 amnesty law that “prevents the prosecution of military officials from the 1973-1985 dictatorship for crimes against humanity.” Hours after the Congressional vote, 8,000 Uruguayans marched in Montevideo in a “March of Silence,” an annual walk to remember their disappeared and murdered relatives (photo gallery here).


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Africa: The role of music in African cinema · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Beatriz Leal Riesco explores the role of music in African cinema: “Since the early days of African cinema, music has formed part of a (self) conscious discourse concerning the problematic realities of Africa.  Its use has rarely been gratuitous and goes far beyond the traditional—and much less experimental—Western customs of dramatic punctuation, of evocation of place, of establishing an emotional relationship with the spectator in which the image is almost always predominant, or as accompaniment to the never-ceasing rush of action that hardly leaves one time to think…”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Barbados: Code of Ethics for Elected Officials · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The irony of the acting Prime Minister “ha[ving] the audacity to lecture the Barbados news media on ethics and the purpose of journalism” in the absence of a “code of ethics for elected and appointed government officials” is not lost on Barbados Free Press.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Caribbean: Reflections on the Rapture  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

So the world was supposed to end this past Saturday – at least according to some religious sects.  Caribbean bloggers write about how one man's delusion had an impact on the region and put a humourous spin on surviving the end of the world.
Jamaican blogger Stunner's Afflictions was…shall we say…stunned to discover that:
The May 21 believers are so convinced of this that they have embarked on a massive campaign, which has resulted in many large billboards being placed all over the US and even here in Jamaica! There are also floods of Google ads and other forms of electronic media being used to propagate this baseless prediction.
He goes on to point out the irony of the fact that:
Camping and his followers, however, despite claiming to be followers of God has completely disregarded the very word of God himself, which states that only God knows the exact time when He will brig fourth his judgement on those who fail to serve him. The Bible states in several books that only God himself can say when this great day will be.
Meanwhile, Jamaican diaspora blogger Grasshopper Eyes The Potomac concedes that:
It has been a world that has had its share of events fitting for the last days…
Jones cites “the allegations laid against the now former-Managing Director (MD) of the International Monetary Fund” and the case of “a wealthy, white, Jewish Frenchman, highly regarded in the world of finance, and a potential French presidential candidate having close encounters with an (I assume) not very well-off, black, Muslim, woman hailing from one of France’s former colonies, and with no known political aspirations” to underscore his point, adding:
Of course, should the world remain as we know it, then we will all have more time and actions with which to reckon. Those who do not want to face tomorrow will not be very happy.
Guyana-Gyal, in an entertaining post, answers the all-important question, “Wha’ you drinkin’ today when the world gon end?”, then considers her brother's explanation for the whole affair (“the man does do this to scare people so they gon sell out their property cheap-cheap and he gon buy it up”), concluding:
That would never work in Guyana. Things does get tough like drought and them-these people does hold out for high-high price!
Blogging from Trinidad and Tobago, Outlish‘s Afiya Ray goes to great lengths not to “pour criticism on anyone's personal beliefs”.  In contrast, diaspora blogger Trini Like Salt thinks the whole idea is preposterous and doesn't hesitate to poke fun at the concept, first re-blogging this post-Rapture to-do list “for sheer brilliance”, then posting his own “notes” on the subject:
I’m nekkid AND I can fly! Rapturing is awesome!
I can see Sarah Palin’s house from here!
Rapturin’ gives me gas, man.  Or maybe it was that pizza.  That sinful, sinful pizza.
Fab Five Freddy tells me everybody’s high, DJ’s spinnin are savin’ my mind…oh wait, wrong Rapture.
Did I mention I was flying naked?
Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!
Across much of the region, life went on as usual, as Throwing Down the Water proved in this post:
The end of the world looks like sunshine. It sounds like Latin drums on the radio and a baby chasing a rooster next door. It smells like onions frying in the kitchen. It feels like a clean breeze coming through the windows and shoulder-solid hugs from good friends. It tastes like just pressed papaya juice, cool on my throat, kind to our thirst.
The last day failed to materialize as per Camping's prediction, but Stunner gets the last word:
Camping and his following have proven what they are since it is already May 21, 2011 in half of the earth and nothing has happened thus far. But Camping is not the first who thinks he can beat God's word with his own prophesy and he shall certainly not be the last. The Bible has warned against people like him and they have manifested themselves, misleading many.


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China: Fang Binxing Shoegate: Responses Within China · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fang Binxing,the Father of the Great Firewall, and was pelted with shoes by students protesting Internet censorship. The China Digital Times has translated Chinese netizen's responses to the act.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Three Gorges Dam, A Time To Reflect · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

At a State Council steering committee meeting on May 18, 2011, a statement was issued acknowledging serious flaws in the Three Gorges Dam project.
Through 17 years of construction until its completion in October 2008, China lauded the project as one of the engineering marvels of the world. The dam raised water to 172.5m above sea level by the end of 2008 and necessitated the relocation of 1.4 million people.
According to local reports, the State Council has admitted a number of negative impacts of the project, including on the livelihoods of those who were displaced, ecological and geological issues, the impact on river transportion, devastation wrought by drought and flooding in downstream provinces.
Three Gorges Dam, Yichang. Image taken from Flickr user: DigitalGlobe-Imagery under CC license BY-NC-ND 2.0.
The Three Gorges Dam and water resources
Recently, provinces downstream from the dam on the Yangtze River, such as Hubei and Jiangxi, have been hit by severe drought which affects a population of more than a million and millions hectares of farmland. Moreover, the water level of China's largest freshwater lake, Poyang Lake, has dropped to the  lowest point in its recorded history. Freshwater Finless Porpoises which inhabit the Yangtze River are now on the verge of extinction. Much online public opinion has begun to see a connection between the Three Gorges Dam Project and the ecological disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, flooding and droughts which have occurred over the past several years.
Below is a selection of Sina Weibo comments [zh] from a thread on news of the drought in Hubei and Jiangxi provinces:
这就是伟大的山峡工程的巨大作用：珍稀鱼类无路可走而灭绝，上游泥沙堆积导致航道堵塞，大坝蓄水导致下游湖泊消失，环境巨变导致气候异常，还能发生些什么？这些仅仅是个开始？？？ 当我们在为人类伟大的创造力而自豪的时候是不是该尊重下自然？不要因为部分人所谓的伟大理想而荼毒子孙！
千湖之省啊,如今也如此,不敬畏自然,不敬畏天地,GDP当先,最终毁掉一切,我的孩子,我们留给你的是一个怎样的未来?!
这就说明民主的重要性了。当修水坝成为国家意志和地方政府意志，而真正的专家、广大民众却无法参与到决策的时候，灾难的发生是长久和不可愈合的
中国淡水资源及其缺乏，如果连南方都出现严重旱灾，南水怎能北调？北京是缺水的地方，不管盖多少房子把房价炒得多高，一旦缺水，人的生活就变成梦魇。
-This is the function of our grand Three Gorges Dam Project: the most precious fish species have come to extinction. The upstream river is blocked by sediment buildup which affects river transportation. The dam has stopped water flow and led to the disappearance of downstream lakes. The environmental changes have affected the weather… what else we will be confronting? Is this only the beginning [of further disasters]?? At the same time that we feel proud of humanity's power, have we shown respect to nature? Do not harm our offspring just for some people's dream of the ideal!
-A province with more than a thousand lakes has ended up in drought. We have lost our respect for nature, for our mother earth, in order to chase after GDP. Eventually, we will lose everything. Children, what kind of future we have left for you?
-This explains why democracy is so important. When the dam project was turned into the will of the nation and local governments, the real experts and ordinary people could not get involved in the decision-making process; the disasters will be eternal and cannot be fixed.
-China has a very serious fresh water shortage problem. Now that serious drought is occurring in the south, how can we channel water to the north? Beijing has a water shortage problem, no matter how high the property market is there. Without water, people's daily lives will become a nightmare.
A satire on the world's greatest dam
Prominent writer and blogger Han Han has responded to the issue with his satirical style—by arguing that the Three Gorges Dam is the greatest in the world:
反对派认为，三峡大坝建成以后，上下游的生态会失衡，我认为在三峡大坝建成以前，生态已经失衡了，所以这个反对意见不成立。
反对派认为，三峡大坝建成以后，成为一个重大的显眼的军事目标，一旦敌人对三峡大坝实施打击，能源供应和下游人民都会遭殃。我认为这个问题我们已经解决的非常圆满，我们在下游的城市里布置了大量类似富士康之类的企业，一旦三峡决堤，城市被淹，全世界都将无法享用到中国廉价劳动力带来的恩惠，最关键的是，美帝将无法生产苹果手机，光这一点，外敌就不敢对三峡大坝发动攻击。
反对派认为，三峡大坝建成以后，将引发地震。首先这些都是推论，无法证实，其次退一万步来说，就算汶川地震都是由三峡大坝引起的，我们看汶川地震三周年，晚会都叫中国奇迹，而地震对我们来说不存在反思，全是各种伟大的胜利。把逻辑关系捋顺了以后就可以总结出：三峡大坝引发中国奇迹，完成伟大胜利，天底下还有比这更好的事么？
反对派认为，三峡大坝建成以后，会引发旱灾。今年，中国最大的淡水湖鄱阳湖的水面只有往年的十分之一，很多人对此颇为担忧，觉得江西省政府一定很头疼。其实你们不懂，地方财政主要依靠土地买卖，湖面又不能卖，所以我觉得江西省应该把握机会，在鄱阳湖的湖口修建一个大坝，连那十分之一的水都不要剩下，这样，江西政府将瞬间多出几万平方公里的土地可供买卖，而卖点自然是鄱阳湖的遗址，平原上的盆地，万水之源，聚宝之盆，开启您的财富生活。再请一个当年力保三峡工程的老人，在鄱阳湖遗址上画一个圈，建立一个经济特区，那又是一段佳话，而且对内陆经济的推动绝对是不可估量。
有些人利用三峡大坝攻击一些领导人，说他们的想法是“我死后，哪怕他洪水滔天”，我想告诉这些别有用心的人，领导们恰恰和你们想的相反，领导就是因为害怕死后洪水滔天，所以才力主修建了三峡大坝，这样他死后，最多上游滔天。只要下游不滔天，虾米总是有得吃。所以，这一条也是站不住脚的。
Those in opposition said: the Three Gorges Dam will affect the upstream and downstream ecology. My argument is, even before the project has completed, the ecology has lost its balance. They have missed the point.
Those in opposition said: the Three Gorges Dam will be a target for military attack. Once the enemy forces hit the dam, electricity will be disrupted and people downstream will face great disaster. I think we have solved the problem: we have already placed global corporations such as FoxConn in the downstream cities. If the dam leaks and drowns the cities, the world would no long enjoy China's cheap labour. Most important of all, the U.S could not produce more iPhones. In consideration of that, enemy forces will not attack the Three Gorges Dam.
Those in opposition said: the Three Gorges Dam will cause an earthquake. This is pure speculation and cannot be proven. Even if the Wenchuan earthquake was caused by the Three Gorges Dam, on the third anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake, the grand TV show called it a China miracle. There is nothing for us to reflect upon. The earthquake shows that we have had a great victory. If we follow this logic, we can conclude that the Three Gorges Dam will bring more miracles and victory to China. Who else in the world can compete for such glory?
Those in opposition said: the Three Gorges Dam will lead to drought. This year, the water surface of Poyang Lake, the greatest fresh water body in China, has been reduced to one-tenth of its volume in an average year, and many people are very worried about this. They think the Jiangxi government will have a headache over this. Actually, you are too ignorant. The financial income of local landlords is based on the selling of land. Water surface cannot be sold. The Jiangxi government should take the opportunity to build a dam in the water entrance and drain away all the water. Then the Jiangxi government will suddenly have an extra few thousands square kilometers of land for sale. They even have a selling point: the relic of Poyang, the source of water in the vast base land area, a treasure holding bowl for the beginning of your wealthy life. They can also invite the old man who pushed through the Three Gorges Dam project to draw a circle in the Poyang relic and build a special economic zone there. This will be another legendary move for promoting economic development in the central China region.
Some people used the Three Gorges Dam to attack our leaders, putting words into their mouth such as, “I won't see any floods after I pass away.” I want to tell all these ill-hearted people that they are completely wrong. The leaders are concerned about flooding after they die. That's why they build the dam. After they die, only the upstream will be flooded while the downstream won't. They still have many shrimp to eat. Hence, this argument cannot stand. [Translation note: the meaning of flood means opportunity to make money. Water is related with money in daily usage…]
Environmental problem turns into conspiracy theory
The Chinese Community Supporters from the Maoist Utopia website, however, believe that the discussion about the Three Gorges Dam is another plot hatched by the right wing to discredit the older generation of leaders:
别说三峡大坝的功过利害尚且需要论证和讨论，即使真的弊大于利，真的需要拆毁拆除，它也不能用来作为党争的工具和筹码，它也不能用来否定江泽民等上一代中央领导集体！只有那些争权夺利为了显摆一己之能的奴才们，才会拿着历史人物的错误去否定历史人物，他们永远不会从历史人物的错误吸取教训而反过来敬重历史人物。
中华民族正在进行一场前所未有的伟大而又艰难的转型，这个过程中，中央高层内部的党争也就会日益激烈，但越是在这个时候，我们越是要睁大眼睛，那些看上去毫无瑕疵、毫无争议甚至是誉满全球的人往往是大奸若忠之徒，而真正的英雄则诽谤缠身，因为真正的英雄，从来不是为了喝彩的掌声而活，只有那些别有用心的政客们才会为了所谓的支持率而操控媒体去沽名钓誉！
三峡大坝是社会主义集中力量办大事的一个杰出典范，是孙中山、毛泽东、邓小平、江泽民等老一代革命家振兴中华实现民族复兴的伟大构想，它绝不等同于那些官僚们的形象工程，而是功在当代利在千秋的伟业，因此，任何只看其害而不看其利的思想都应该遭到严厉的批判。
我们应该警惕，那一小撮正在掌权而又不甘心看到自己失势的自由派精英们正在拿着三峡大坝反过来砸向社会主义、砸向老一代中央领导集体，让我们联合起来，一起戳穿并识破他们这一不可告人的阴谋！
Let's leave aside the discussion about the pros and cons of the Three Gorges Dam for a moment. Even if it had more defects than achievements, such that we had to demolish it, we could not turn the issue into a political struggle and denounce the older generation central government collectives led by Jiang Zemin. Only running dogs thirsty for power and their own interests would use history to denounce a historical figure. They don't know how to learn from history and show respect from historical figures.
The Chinese nation is now in a difficult period of transformation. In this process, power struggles within the party will escalate. In this historical moment, we have to open our eyes and see that the villains are now seemingly flawless, uncontroversial and globally famous people, while the true heroes suffer defamation. Real heroes would not talk just to receive applause and cheers; only politicians with a hidden agenda would build their fame by getting people's support and through controlling the media.
The Three Gorges Dam is an excellent example of socialist collectivism. The idea comes from older generation revolutionists—Sun Yat-sen, Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin—who devoted their lives to the revival of the Chinese nation. It cannot be compared with image engineering projects carried out by bureaucrats. It is a contemporary achievement that will change Chinese history. Therefore, we should condemn and criticize comments that merely stress the negative side of the project.
We should be aware that a minority of liberal elites, who are now in power but see themselves losing their position, are trying to use the Three Gorges Dam Project to badmouth socialism and the older generation of leaders. We have to unite and unveil their secret plot.


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China: War Game Between China and the U.S · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Patrick Keefe from Shanghaiist blogs about the debate a computer war game, Glorious Mission which pits Chinese forces against U.S. Combatants. The game is developed joint handedly by Chinese software company Giant Interactive Group and the People’s Liberation Army.


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China: “We Chinese” · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Scott Brauer introduces a project, “We Chinese”, which aims to develop a portrait of the country by looking at the individual people that make it up.


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Cuba: Cultural Center Closed  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Generation Y blogs about “the shock of the correctives” in the form of “the closure of the cultural center run by the painter Pedro Pablo Oliva”.


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Cuba: More on “The Student”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

More details on the death of Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia, from Without Evasion.


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Greece: A Lukewarm Reaction to Attacks on Immigrants · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

Greek blogger To Vytio (The Jerrycan) writes an elegiac post [el] on his return to Athens from a weekend trip, finding the city gripped in violence, fear, apathy and scary rhetoric. “Our mortal leap was the reaction to what happened in Athens against the immigrants. Lukewarm, blasé. With [right-wing extremists], journalists, politicians, coffee shop patrons and bus passengers gleefully, secretly – or even, not so secretly – contemplating mass extinction”

author: Asteris Masouras


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Greece: A Proposal to Reform the Police · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

Greek blogger Leonidas Irakliotis proposes several measures [el] to reform the police and restore public trust, in light of recent police violence and failure to deal with a wave of anti-immigrant attacks in Athens. “As long as we tolerate this incompetence, we will suffer from an under-performing police force; resulting in this abusive, vindictive, senseless and sometimes murderous police violence, ” he says.


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Greece: Is it time for the #GreekRevolution? · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

The peaceful mass popular protests in cities across Spain, calling for democracy and protesting bipartisanship on the eve of elections, caught Greeks by surprise after a year of fruitless protests in Greece against IMF/ECB imposed austerity measures. Many Greek netizens reacted in solidarity to the sight and sounds of the “Spanish Revolution” and considered their own predicament.
Greece + Spain = Solidarity
Spanish protesters, reportedly influenced by the Greek student revolts of 2007-2008, tweeted solidarity to Greece, being the first European Union country to taste the sting of IMF/ECB austerity since last year:
@GonChristopher: GREECE from Spain we say to you WAKE UP!!! go out to the street and claim freedom!!!! THE TIME IS NOW!!! #greekrevolution #spanishrevolution
And solidarity was tweeted back:
@neopolitis: Solidarity from Greece. #yeswecamp #acampadesol#spanishrevolution
"SOLIDARITY WITH GREECE" #greekrevolution, Valladolid (Spain). Twitpic photo by Christopher Gonzalez.
Greek exchange student and Global Voices Greek translator Nathalie Fytrou attended the May 20 Puerta Del Sol rally, tweeting reports to this author via SMS, and posting a photoset on Flickr when she returned home:
@asteris: At Madrid's Puerta Del Sol subway station, they substituted ‘Sol’ with ‘Solucion’ on the sign (@NathalieFytrou via SMS) #acampadasol
@asteris: #acampadasol @NathalieFytrou: “#15m movt comparable to #griots movt; talking abt reaching out to society, workplaces, schools, universities”
@NathalieFytrou: Just came back from Puerta del Sol.. What an amazing night! More organized things tonight.#spanishrevolution
Giannis Nikolopoulos (@Xeirwn) posted non-stop inside updates from Spain,
@Xeirwn: η συντονιστική ομάδα της ΝτεμοκράσιαΡεάλ στην Μαδρίτη τονίζει:πρότυπό μας και η Ελλάδα του Δεκέμβρη 2008 #rbnews #spanishrevolution
20,000 Greeks protest over new austerity measures in central Athens. Image by Mary Stamm-Clarke, copyright Demotix (11/05/11).
While others Twitter users were also conveying messages and images from Spain to Greece:
@miawkoue: another msg from spain: we have the solution! put the bankers in prison #spanishrevolution
And Brussels resident Krotkie tweeted and blogged revolutionary updates from across Europe [el], as revolution fever gripped Greek Twitter users:
@krotkie: http://tinyurl.com/68q8b92 και οι Γερμανοί στο παιχνίδι #germanrevolution #rbnews
@krotkie: οι Ιταλοί καλουν αυριο στη Piazza Duomο στις 7.30 #rbnews
@athensbynite: Μπέστε εδώ #irishrevolution , μόνο εμείς λείπουμε #greekrevolution
@Cyberela: I want to catch that Spanish revolutionary virus too! #SpanishRevolution #Greece
@Cyberela: Where the f*ck is the #GreekRevolution. Are we PIIGS or what! #Greece #SpanishRevolution
From camp map: Greece greets Spain. #SpanishRevolution #solidarity. Twitpic screenshot by @Cyberela.
A “Greek revolution” in the making?
The #greekrevolution hashtag was quickly adopted:
@Baracunda: Οι Ισπανοι κανουν το αυτονοητο…μαζευονται στις πλατειες…δε κανουν πορειες…τοσο δυσκολο ειναι να το κανουμε και ‘μεις; #greekrevolution
Only to be flooded by sceptics and cynics:
@fotek75: Αν γίνει κάτι παρόμοιο με την Ισπανία στην Ελλάδα βλέπω να καταργούνται οι πλατείες με νομο
@Ali_ki: Όταν αρχίσουν οι απολύσεις στο δημόσιο, τότε μάλλον θα αρχίσει και η #greekrevolution
@2metrapalikari: ΛΟΙΠΟΝ, είναι απλό. Όσοι θέλετε #greekrevolution σκάστε μύτη Κυριακή στο Σύνταγμα. Όσοι δε θέλετε #greekrevolution, σκάστε να κοιμηθούμε.
But revolution advocates were adamant:
@miawkoue: the domino already started with or without u #greece It's ur call. #greekrevolution
@amaradino: Είμαστε επίτιμοι καλεσμένοι στο πάρτυ των λαών για δημοκρατία και αξιοπρέπεια και αργούμε.ας αφήσουμε για λίγο την πλάκα #greekrevolution
An impromptu call went out for a gathering in Athens next Sunday, after heated discussions:
@tasos_hardcore:  Κυριακή 12 το μεσημέρι,στο Σύνταγμα.Ας έρθει όποιος θέλει να   διαμαρτυρηθεί για την αδικία της Κυβέρνησης.Πόσοι μπορούμε να μαζευτούμε   άραγε;
A Facebook group to promote protests inspired by the Spanish movement, titled “Democracia Real Ya, Grecia” [el], was set up (numbering 4,884 users at the time this post was being written), and a meme made popular during the Arab Spring protests made an appearance:
@yns_x: Instaling democracy 2.0 in Greece ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 5%
First solidarity camp
A solidarity camp was called by the group in front of the Spanish Embassy in Athens on Saturday, however attendance was reportedly low:
@Gangelakis: At 19:00 starts a camp at Spanish embassy at Athens (Greece). #spanishrevolution #europeanrevolution #nonosvamos #acampadasol
Solidarity protest in front of the Spanish embassy in Athens. Photo by Gabriel Piperas on Facebook.
Solidarity protest in Athens: last rites for democracy administered by a corrupt priest. Twitpic photo by Cyberela.
Lamenting the apathy of Greeks about the chronic ills that plague the birthplace of democracy, Cyberela blogged [el] in admiration of the Spanish revolution, pointing to the revolution camp map:
Καθώς η Ελλάδα αδρανεί και κρύβεται πίσω από τις ωχαδερφικές δικαιολογίες δεκαετιών που δίνουν ασυλία στην καθολική κατάντια, η ιδέα για μία πραγματική δημοκρατία, μίας συμμετοχικής δημοκρατίας που δεν υποδουλώνεται και δεν διαστρεβλώνεται αρχίζει και παίρνει μορφή στις πλατείες μας.
At the time of writing this post, there were 10 Greek pins on the camp map, but only the two events in Athens had been announced.


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Greece: No Peace without Justice · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

“I cannot remember, in living memory, any instance where I felt a distinct similarity between the events happening in Greece to the Nazi Germany pogroms against Jews and communists of the 1930s.” Technology blogger Cosmix breaks with his usual subjects to dissect the causes of recent rampant violence against immigrants in Athens, urging for swift justice for the victims of violent extremism.


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Hungary: Orbán Government and Romania’s Hungarian Minority · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes about the relationship between the Orbán government and the Hungarian minority in Romania.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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India: The Death Of a Terrorist  · Global Voices
Rezwan

“I find it difficult to conceive of a time in the future when terrorism will cease to exist,” comments Sourav Sengupta while sharing his reflections on the death of Osama Bin Laden.


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Iran: 30 Bahais are arrested · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Azadi Ghlam reports [fa] Iranian security forces arrested 30 Bahais for ‘online university’. The Bahais are barred from higher education and government posts

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: Bloggers remember the legendary football player · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Naser Hejazi, legendary Iranian football player, died today in Tehran. Several bloggers remember him as a national hero. He recently criticized Iranian government's economic policy. Negahe Man writes [fa] Hejazi wished to see freedom in Iran.


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Japan: Video Haiku · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Vimeo user Stephen Niebauer presents a project called Video Haiku. A haiku  is a short form of Japanese poetry that usually consists of three verses of 5,7 and 5 morae. “So, for this project, your video structure should be like this: 5 second shot, 7 second shot, 5 second shot.”

author: Scilla Alecci


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Kenya: Paula Kahumbu to Speak About Social Media for Conservation · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Renowned conservationist and 2009 PopTech Social Innovation Fellow Dr. Paula Kahumbu is scheduled to speak about social media and conservation at the National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi on Wednesday, 25 May 2011, S. Maina reports.


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Myanmar: Farmers receive lengthy prison sentence · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Aye Nai reports that farmers involved in a land dispute in Myanmar were given 8 to 12 years of prison convictions by a court. The land is owned by the military. The farmers are accused of stoning, cursing, damaging property, trespassing and violation of export/import law.

author: Mong Palatino


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Pakistan: Imran Khan’s Sit In Protest · Global Voices
Rezwan

XYZ at Cafe Pyala has some thoughts on the two-day sit in (dharna ) protest by Pakistani politician Imran Khan to block NATO supply routes from the Karachi port. The goal of the protest is to raise voice against the continuing American drone strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan.


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Pakistan: Is It America’s War Really? · Global Voices
Rezwan

D. Asghar reacts on the recent terrorist attack in a Pakistan naval air base by asking these questions: “Is it ‘America’s War’ really? If so then why is Pakistan facing the worst of it. Why is Pakistan taking so many casualties on a daily basis?”


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Philippines: K+12 education reform · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Sarah Maramag discusses the new education program of the Philippine government. Two more years of schooling will be added to the basic education cycle.


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Poland: Taxation · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Politics, Economy, Society explains the Polish taxation system.


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Russia: Daghestani Media Online · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia reports that “virtually all Daghestani media outlets now have online versions.”


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Russia: EU’s Roma to Move to Russia? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia wrote in early May that “rising tensions between the Roma and the titular nationalities of the European Union have sparked reports in Moscow that some of this often-despised community are about to be moved to the Russian Federation, either on their own or from a deal between the EU and Russian officials who believe that that country needs all the migrants it can get.”


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Russia: History of Russian Pop · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A translation of History of Russian Pop (the Russian-language original appeared in Russkii Reporter) – at RussiaWatchers, here and here.


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Russia: Medvedev and Press Freedom · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Vadim Nikitin of Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog writes that while the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev “had no problems embracing iPad and Twitter,” he “seems to be a late adopter when it comes to good old fashioned press freedom.”


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Russia: Parking and Driving in Moscow · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

English Dad in Moscow writes about and posts photos of parking and driving in Moscow.


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Slovenia: Law on Mayor/MP Conflict of Interest; New Family Code · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sleeping With Pengovsky reports that “a law establishing a conflict of interests between holding an office of mayor and MP at the same time” has been passed in Slovenia, and also writes about the attitudes towards “the new Family Code which – among other things – was meant to allow same-sex weddings and child adoptions.”


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South Africa: What’s next for Judge Aikona Motata? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Pierre comments on the news that the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC)  in South Africa has found that race remarks made by judge Nkola Motata constituted a prima facie case of gross misconduct: “Among other things, Motata seemed to have channelled his inner Julius Malema [the controversial president of the ANC Youth League] and said with reference to Richard Baird, owner of the house where the crash happened: “No Boer is going to undermine me. This used to be the white man’s land, but it isn’t anymore.” Motata also allegedly told members of the Johannesburg metro police that “they should not support the white man.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Race & Stereotyes  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Anje Woodruffe writes at Outlish about how she was programmed to stereotype black men; CODE RED for Caribbean freedom! responds.


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Ukraine: No Bail For Ex-Interior Minister Lutsenko · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Notes writes that Ukraine's ex-minister of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lutsenko has lost an appeal to be released on bail and is “back behind bars.”


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Africa: Bloggers Discuss The Failed Rapture · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The American Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicted that the Rapture will take place on May 21, 2011. According to Wikipedia, the Rapture is a reference to two verses in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – 17. It is the time when Christians will be caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus. The verses read:
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Rapture Ready Decision Tree. Photo courtesy of Flickr user richardmasoner (CC BY-SA 2.0).
The Rapture did not happen. However, Camping has reset the date for the Rapture: October 21, 2011.
Blogger Collins notes that the end of the world “is not coming at the behest of a human interpretation”:
It is now clearly apparent that the end of the World (which in itself is a matter of different interpration and subject of immense confusion among the churches of Christendom) is not coming at the behest of a human interpretation.It is just amusing how time and again those claiming belief in the bible openly go against its tenets,moving many to wonder where can you truly get satisfying answers.
Despite the prediction being wrong, Camping and his followers have a right to believe in anything:
I will not question Harold Camping's faith and those of his followers.They have a right to believe whatever they choose to believe just that “it may not be right” like it clearly was .True their doctrine has now shifted to 21st October 2011 being the penultimate date but i pity their cause.I can bet 1 to 100 that they will be terribly dissapointed as serving God with a day in mind is just wrong in itself .Unfortunately that tendency to pre- Judge what God would do and when without scriptural backing often proves disastrous and yields suicidal tendencies.
Kenyan Mom freaked out when she heard about it:
I heard about it sometime last year. I read about it properly a few months ago. Either way, it did make me uncomfortable. O come on! Don’t tell me you did not pause for a moment, contemplating the rapture! Every cynic I know had an opinion about it.
Yes, I know, you are wondering, so what was my opinion? Frankly, I was freaking out. Not because of the heaven/hell concept, but the thought of everything not being the way I know it. I don’t handle change very well, and everything that threatens change, especially in the magnitude that the rapture drama took? I’d be lying if I said I was not somewhat cowering. Humans behave in very interesting ways when confronted by a situation they know little about, or worse, one that tends to threaten the perceived perfect balance they find themselves in. Yes,I said perceived. Trust me. There is no such thing as the perfect balance.
She asks her readers how they reacted upon hearing about the Rapture on May 21. Wiselar responds:
Frankly I didn’t pay much attention to that Camping fella. Did you see him on TV? How now would such a fella be believable?
Would be interesting to know how he’s explaining why the rapture didn’t happen. Or maybe he will blame it on a computer, I know some fellas who have before him.
Otienno Hongo was amazed to find out that people took the prediction serious:
I was actually amazed that some people took this so seriously! I am not the greatest believer in religion (I mean I am consider myself a christian but I do not actually believe in the creation story- I know this is contradictory!) but even the basic reading I have heard of the bible is enough to inform me that such claims are nonsense. So on Sato I relaxed with some shots of viceroy and tonic in Eldoret town and at the zero hour, I was checking into a flight back to Nairobi – determined to soak in the rapture view from the air!
Caught up in the rapture. Photo courtesy of Flickr user Analogick (CC BY 2.0).
Nittzsah identifies 4 lessons she learned from the failed Rapture.
Lesson number 1: There Was That 1% of Doubt:
Even those folks who knew that Harold Camping was lying from the creases on his wrinkled face kept wondering – what if? But they’d shrug with that one-liner defense “nobody knows the day or hour.” The other one “he’ll come like a thief in the night” was not easy to conjure in the mind, in a country full of thugs and robbers. The common knowledge among Christians is that He’ll come – regardless. A fact that is embedded in the Apostles Creed. But then no one knows when, and it sucks like hell (pun intended), which is why quite a number of people paid attention to Camping. Could it be the same reason the Kenyan church waited for so long to distance themselves from Camping’s math despite the fact that the Billboards had been there since January this year?
Lesson number 2: Everyone Wants to Leave:
We all want to proceed to the afterlife, the other heaven, but what  have we contributed to this one we are in. If anything we’ve done out best to trash it. We’ve cut trees, polluted the air, killed elephants for their tusks and exploded minerals out of the sea and land leaving both lifeless and derelict, for nothing but our selfish gains. Why would God want to hangout with us? I’m just thinking, if you had kids who trashed your house, none of your relatives would love to have them over now, would they? I don’t know. I’m no evangelist. Please ignore me.
The end of piano lessons. Photo courtesy of @david_hammar.
Fiona is glad the world did not end:
I can't imagine it's a whole lot of fun to get up the day after you expected the world to end. While I appreciate that there are a lot of disappointed people out there, personally, I'm pretty happy with the outcome.
However, I do think we have a lot to thank Harold Camping for. No, not because he encouraged lots of people to sell up their lives and sit around waiting to be sucked up into the sky, nor because he seized upon the opportunity to once again play to divisions in society (You're a believer – off to heaven, you're not – down below). No, because he inspired a global moment of reflection. I think there are plenty of people, many of them sceptics, who for a few seconds stopped and wondered, What would I like to be doing if this was the end of the world?
You may use these tips from Parklife to avoid the Rapture on October 21:
1. Vote ANC – Here's a GUARANTEED get out of jail free card, right on your door step!
2. Plead the 5th…
“Cameron did you steal that Fizpop from Mr. Gilopoppomoledes Cafe’ when you were 5???”
‘I cannot answer the question on the grounds it may incriminate me…’
3. Misdirection – Mention you watch Desperate Housewives and when the Big Guy says, “Me too,” you say, ‘Ha… you TOO!’ and stroll on past the Pearly Gates.
4. Miscommunication – I prayed on Sunday, but never got a response? So just took it as a ‘yes'!


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Archive of Southeast Asian Music · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Archive of Southeast Asian Music provides plenty and rich materials about the music of Southeast Asian nations especially in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.


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Azerbaijan: Congratulations Scary Azeri! · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Global Voices would like to congratulate Scary Azeri, one of the most prolific and original bloggers from the South Caucasus, on news of the arrival of her second child. While Global Voices understands that blogging might not be top of her list of priorities for some time, it also looks forward to her return online.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Azerbaijan: Free Eynulla Fatullayev! Twitter campaign · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Amnesty International has started a Twitter campaign to call for the release of imprisoned journalist and prisoner of conscience Eynulla Fatullayev. Supported by prominent English journalists such as Channel 4's Jon Snow, more details of how to participate can be found here.


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Azerbaijan: Jon Snow and Amnesty International in Twitter Action · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Ahead of tonight's Amnesty International Media Awards 2011, the organisation has launched a Twitter photo campaign to call for the release of an imprisoned journalist and newspaper editor in Azerbaijan. Eynulla Fatullayev was sentenced in 2007 to eight and a half years in prison, on charges that international human rights and media monitoring groups consider to be politically motivated.
Amnesty International declared Fatullayev to be a prisoner of conscience and in April 2010 the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of his immediate release. The Council of Europe supported the decision.
However, although the Azerbaijani Supreme Court revoked the charges against Fatullayev at the end of last year it instead resurrected another previous charge of defamation and also one of drugs possession while in prison. Again, human rights groups considered the charges to be fabricated with the intention of keeping Fatullayev, perhaps the most outspoken critic in the oil-rich former Soviet republic, behind bars.
As a result, in recent months, Amnesty International has become more active in campaigning for his release.  Today, however, the United Kingdom branch of the international human rights group used micro-blogging site Twitter to do so:
Two years ago at the Amnesty UK Media Awards, we honoured Azerbaijani newspaper editor Eynulla Fatullayev with the AIUK Special Award for Journalism Under Threat. Eynulla is an outspoken journalist who has been imprisoned since 2007 on a series of trumped up charges, including defamation, terrorism and incitement to ethnic hatred.
Even though the European Court of Human Rights have quashed some of the charges and called for his release, he remains under lock and key on a more recent conviction for drugs possession brought to dodge the ECHR ruling. We firmly believe that all the charges against Eynulla have been fabricated to silence his critical reporting of the Azerbaijani government, and that Eynulla is a prisoner of conscience.
As we prepare for the 2011 Media Awards, we’re renewing our calls to free Eynulla Fatullayev with a twitter action led by Channel 4’s Jon Snow. Journalists will be taking the action at tonight’s awards – we need you to join them.
Indeed, a dedicated tweep, the Channel 4 anchor set the ball rolling although most of those supporting the action didn't tweet any pictures preferring to instead re-tweet others or to send their own message of support.
@jonsnow: Support us! :I’m calling on @presidentaz to free wrongly imprisoned journalist #Eynulla Fatullayev in #azerbaijan http://yfrog.com/h7lf39j
Channel 4 anchor Jon Snow.
As some Twitter users joined the campaign, however, government supporters in Azerbaijan, especially those part of the İRƏLİ Public Youth Union, reacted harshly. This was particular true for İRƏLİ's Secretary General Rauf Mardiyev who in recent months has been particularly active in getting his members to flood Twitter with tweets in order to drown out alternative voices in Azerbaijan.
Jon Snow, however, was quick to respond.
@raufmardiyev: @jonsnowC4 @presidentaz if you are that fair then start a campaign over oppupied #Karabakh! #Azerbaijan
@raufmardiyev: @jonsnowC4 @presidentaz and it will be better if you stop blurring the image of #Azerbaijan
@jonsnowC4: Wow! We have got under your skin Mr Mardiyev! Release this editor and live proud: his detention disgraces your President and you!
Other İRƏLİ members also weighed in.
@Eldar_Mirze: @jonsnowC4 We will not fall a victim to your propaganda!
@jonsnowC4: @Eldar_Mirze Eldar, anyone who needs to Tweet the same subject eleven times in 3 minutes has something to hide: FREE #Eynulla Fatullayev!
It wasn't all criticism from Azerbaijan, however, with many Azerbaijani progressive youth activists joining the campaign. They included Parvana Persiani, youth leader and partner of recently released video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizada, and Global Voices’ own Leyla Najafli. Both were particularly delighted to see the involvement of Jon Snow.
@parvanapersiani: @jonsnowC4 done. with love from Azerbaijan!
@leylanajafli: I HEART @jonsnowc4 – thank you for bringing attention to this case! And thank you @amnesty ! #FreeEynulla
@FuserLimon: @presidentaz Adnan Hajizada urges you to free wrongly imprisoned journalist #Eynulla Fatullayev in #Azerbaijan
@turkhankarim: @presidentaz #Eynulla Fatullayevi Azad Et! — Free Eynulla Fatullayev! — #Azerbaijan
@reader_in_baku: I am calling @presidentaz but he doesnt pick up. Dude, FREE #EYNULLA FATULLAYEV NOW!
Somewhat alarmingly, though, in an attempt to counter the campaign, presumably pro-government supporters appeared to then Photoshop images of some of Amnesty's supporters in response. One of them featured Private Eye editor Ian Hislop in a poor attempt at image manipulation.
Ian Hislop 'calls' to stop pressure on #Azerbaijan
Amnesty International informed its Twitter followers:
@AmnestyUK: You're really having an affect with our #eynulla action, pro-azerbaijani tweeters are photoshopping our images. Imitation is flattery…
According to Amnesty International UK, the Twitter action and tonight's Media Awards will be used to increase momentum in the campaign to have Eynulla Fatullayev released from prison. For those interested in supporting the call, the hashtag #Eynulla is being used on Twitter.


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Bahamas: Fish Market Hazard · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Weblog Bahamas‘ Sidney Sweeting acknowledges that “hindsight is always better than foresight” as he blogs about a fish market that he considers “a ticking time bomb”.


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Brazil: Crowdfunding Potential · Global Voices
Janet Gunter

Recent months have seen an explosion in Brazilian crowdfunding sites, inspired by the pioneering United States site Kickstarter that has raised over US $40 million for creative projects in just two years. All links in this post lead to Portuguese language pages, except when otherwise noted.
The blog of the State of Rio de Janeiro's Culture Secretariat explains  to newbies:
O termo crowdfunding pode ser traduzido  literalmente como  financiamento da multidão, ou  seja, uma versão 2.0 da  antiga “vaquinha”,  só que agora voltada para a  produção cultural.
Movere.me – Move ideas, move people, move the world… and you, what does it move you?
The concept has rapidly gained public attention writes Tati Leite, founder of a platform called Benfeitoria (Dogooder Factory). She wrote   recently on the blog Crowd O quê? (Crowd What?):
A impressionante – e emocionante! – explosão das plataformas de crowdfunding no  Brasil desde janeiro de 2011 ganhou bastante espaço na mídia e em  veículos especializados em negócios
Collaboration instead of competition
Brazil has one high-profile site for fundraising for creative projects that was first out of the box: Catarse (Catharsis). However sites like Multidão (Crowd), Movere and Benfeitoria (Dogooder Factory), and yet smaller sites are trying to raise their profile as well.
Screenshot of #Crowd Map, powered by ideias.me
Members of the Google Group Crowdfunding Brasil have collaborated to list all of the existing sites (currently about 20 in total). Ideias.me has mapped the platforms by place of origin, revealing more than one outside of the more “connected” states of the south, including one in development in the state of Ceará.
All adopt the “all or nothing” approach, which is that if projects do not meet their fundraising goal, they are not funded and money pledged is not charged to supporters. (Catarse, Multidão and Movere all charge a 5% administration fee and transaction fees on donations. Others charge as much as 9%.)
Catarse and Multidão both favor creative projects based in “action”. They are currently joining forces, and in keeping with a strong Open Source culture in Brazil, Catarse recently opened the code for its site, demonstrating their total commitment to collaboration.
Some sites are looking to focus on the common good, including Senso Incomum (Uncommon  Sense) and Benfeitoria, which has a  slightly more ambitious concept that transcends money and allows for  collaboration. Benfeitoria is trying to set itself apart by not charging  for administration, not calling fees “unjust” – they claim to be simply  experimenting with another business model.
Benfeitoria co-founder Leite cites what she says is a “convergence of values and a collaborative posture adopted by the creators of the platforms”.
A couple of blogs have sprung up around the idea of crowdfunding and  crowdsourcing, including the blog Crowdfunding Brasil aiming to disseminate the idea in Brazil.
With a Brazilian accent
Many cite the beginning of crowdfunding in Brazil as the initiative of a bunch of Rio music fans in August 2010. Bruno Natal of URBe blog recounts:
Por email, organizamos uma campanha entre amigos para rachar os  custos e viabilizar a vinda da banda. Nascia o “Miike Snow  no Rio”.
By email, we organized a campaign among friends to cover the costs and make possible a trip by the band. “Miike Snow no Rio” (“Miike Snow in Rio”) was born.
This successful effort led to the creation of the site Queremos.com.br (We Want), which has subsequently brought Belle and Sebastian and other bands to Rio.
With the launch of the broader sites mentioned above, we can start to  get a feeling for what crowdfunding may look like in Brazil, a country  known for organic community organizing and creativity.
Small arts projects (photography, film, dance, music, music videos) seem to have the greatest chance at getting funded at the moment, those under R$5,000 seem to have the best chances. This one Diário de Bordo (Travel Diary), on the website Catarse, was to support a 19 year old illustrator's first trip to São Paulo, and her diary of sketches that will result. She writes in her blog:
Meu nome é Amanda, sou ilustradora, universitária e moro em Natal – RN,  local de onde nunca havia saído. Sempre sonhei em conhecer São Paulo, participar do Festival YouPix e  concorrer ao prêmio Blog Talent Show. Inquieta, decidi criar um projeto  de crowdfunding […] Nas últimas horas, a agência Tboom doou os 40%  restantes e, junto com os demais doadores, tornou realidade todas as  minhas expectativas.
Two larger journalism projects caught the imagination of the online community. Ajude um Repórter (Help a Reporter) is a project recently funded by Catarse, that will create a crowdsourcing platform over email and on the web, helping reporters connect to “citizen reporters” on the ground on issues that affect them. Cidades para pessoas (Cities for People) will finance a trip to 12 cities around the world to bring clues back to Brazil about what makes a more livable city.
Only a small number of successful projects were looking at social change. One micro project for bookswap shelves in the city of Campinas got funded on Senso Incomum. Another small project that got funded, at Incentivador (Motivator), is a community clean-up project for an indigenous village in the state of São Paulo.
At the Casa de Cultura Digital (House of Digital Culture) in São Paulo, a recent session with the founders of Catarse gave some insight into the numbers so far:
A média do que é solicitado para as propostas está entre 5 e 10 mil  reais. O máximo já pedido foi 40 mil reiais e o máximo conseguido foi 26  mil.
International potential
Comum (Common), "a nonprofit group devoted to the promotion of a new economy based on collaboration and emotional relationship between people".
Perhaps what is most exciting about Brazil is the dual potential of crowdfunding: what appears to be a huge domestic appetite, and international interest in Brazilian culture and innovation.
The Paris-based crowdfunding site Ulule has opened a  Portuguese-language site which sits alongside English and  French-language sites, and could strengthen international links for  Brazilian projects.
Catarse / Multidão have created an interface in English, for potential international funding, but most creators of project have not translated them into English for an international audience. The site will soon offer this possibility for users.
And the issue of international payments has yet to be completely ironed out for most sites, but most are aiming to incorporate Paypal soon.
The online forum The Daily Crowdsource just set up online forums on  crowdfunding and open innovation in English, German and Portuguese,  in what seems a recognition of the importance of the Brazilian  groundswell of interest.

author: Janet Gunter


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Brazil: Forest Defender Shot Dead · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

As the Brazilian Congress debates a new Forest Code, and as the Environment Ministry launches new raids on illegal deforestation in Brazil, forest defender José Cláudio Ribeiro da Silva was shot dead [pt]. He had announced his life was under threat in the TEDxAmazonia conference, last November.

author: Sara Moreira


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Brazil/Palestine: Football Player Removed from Facebook and National Team · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

The blog Palestinian Field Negro denounces that the Facebook account of the Brazilian football player from Real Madrid (Spain), Marcelo Vieira, has been deleted due to his support of the Palestinian cause. Later on Marcelo was also cut from the Brazilian national team [pt].

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


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Cuba: Rojas Detained  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Cuban bloggers focus their attention on Luis Felipe Rojas, who was reportedly detained this past weekend, allegedly for blogging about the beating of three women.


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Cuba: Students Need Internet  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The more often I read about the internet from the Cuban government perspective the more I feel like we need to do a better job of explaining to them why the internet is necessary”: Graham Sowa, blogging at Havana Times, makes a case for why the Internet is a critical tool for students.


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Egypt: A Day for Criticizing the Military · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.
For decades, the Egyptian media was not allowed to criticize ousted President Hosni Mubarak – or the military – and journalists were jailed if they dared break such taboos. Then came the Egyptian revolution on  January 25, 2011, and floodgates opened.
No one was afraid of attacking Mubarak in public any more. However, the military continued to remain a red line that is hard to cross by the media.
After about 100 days of revolution however, Egyptians decided to continue breaking the taboos they inherited from the former regime, dedicating the 23 May to criticizing the military and the SCAF (Supreme Council of Armed Forces) on their blogs.
#NoSCAF is a special hashtag that was was created on Twitter in order to collect all the blogs involved. Sherwet Ahmed collaborated with other netizens in order to collect all the blog posts in a Facebook note and on a blog account as well. So far the collected blogs have reached 375 posts, and there might be even more posts not yet included.
NoSCAF Trending in Egypt
Hussein wrote a post about his participation in the day, and the self censorship citizens used to suffer from:
Even though my mother warned me about posting anything anti SCAF, I still posted this. I just cant sit here and read all these posts and be silent.
I spent my entire life living under a self censorship rule that I should never break and when I did, I was on the way to a severe punishment. My father made a few calls and It was as if nothing happened. It was the most awful feeling I’ve ever experienced. A feeling that is absurdly intoxicating and not even in a nice way, it intoxicates one with indifference and apathy.
He then continued to compare the state of the taboos we have before and after the revolution:
After Jan25 I felt different, I felt like I couldn’t be silent any more, I felt like the unseen observer had disappeared, I felt safe, I felt noble, I felt love but most of all I felt heard. Heard by those whom I’ve always wanted to reach. It was intoxicating once again, but this time it was absolutely phenomenal.
Unfortunately the feeling of self censorship took over once again, a little bit of at a time, till I felt like I was back pre Jan25. only this time it was worse, stories of military trials and sentences delivered in 10min without lawyers, stories of torture in the museum, stories of sexual assault and stories of media censorship. At least in Mubarak’s era my father’s phone book could help me, but now… with the army that is, I don’t think it can any more.
The SCAF had managed to make me feel insignificant once again; they managed to make me feel the fear. The SCAF unjustly persecuted civilians in military courts just for criticizing them. So I would like to tell the SCAF, with all due respect… “SHOVE IT!!!”
Mayet described the main goal for the blog posts [ar], and how it is meant to challenge the existing taboos:
Before anonymous people start to ask us why we are writing such blogs? Who is behind this initiative? Who pays you to do so? Is it the CIA behind this? And some others might even accuse us of being part of a counter revolution. Also to make is easier for the members of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces. This blog is one of hundreds of blogs which were written in the 23rd of May on the SCAF. It is also meant to remove this barrier that stops anyone from criticizing the SCAF, and its members who are humans and could be subjected to criticism. Let alone that they are now politicians, after they refused to form a civil council to rule the country during the current transitional state instead of them.
The goal of this blog is to launch an alternative media, after the traditional media is now controlled by its new owners and does not want or is not able to criticise the ruling armed forces council. Besides, they threat of using that law which I cannot remember its name that forbids publishing news related to the armed forces and whoever does so is subjected to detention. And this is what we are challenging now, as the SCAF is now ruling the country and we should be allowed to criticize it.
Journalist Evan Hill added on Twitter how such blogs are all technically against the law:
@evanchill: There are now at least 160 blog entries criticizing #Egypt's military leadership, which, technically, is a crime.
But as Mayet says above, all this is meant to challenge such laws in the first place – laws that were behind the arrest and detention of a blogger like Maikel Nabil.
The initiative was strong enough that some people who never blogged before, created blog accounts specially to participate in it. Fadaeya, who is one of the new bloggers, also shared her opinion [ar]:
Karakeeb of Thought also shed the light on the way the media deals with the SCAF [ar]:
Karakeeb then moved on to the military trials and the way the army deals with demonstrations and sit-ins:
Michael Habib also wrote [ar] about the referendum that was held in March, and how the army is dealing with its results since then:
What was the point of the referendum? Why did you make us vote on 9 articles, and then came out with a 60 or 70 item-long constitution. Some of them have be copied from the old constitution and some were edited? Why didn't we vote on all the articles then?
And why did General Mamdouh Shahin say on ON TV  that the poll was on the SCAF, and those 77% who voted with yes voted for the armed council and against having a civil council in charge? Was the poll on the council or on the religion [as one Salafy preacher said] or what? I though it was on the constitution, and this is why I travelled to Egypt especially to vote, as the constitution is something really important to me and to my country.
There are also calls for big demonstrations next Friday to make sure the demands still not achieved from the revolution to be fulfilled. Mostafa Sheshtawy wrote about his wish to have a civil state as well as on the planned 27th of May demonstrations:
So what did change? Why is the SCAF still in control? Is it pride? They will seem weak if they leave the control to someone else? I find almost every demand of Jan25 still not met! Only the overthrow of Mubarak, and after writing this, He is not really gone YET!
I’m glad we have a “strong army” but please I don’t want to see you unless we have a war, or unless I’m cursed enough to be enrolled this year!
See you Friday May27
And finally Al-Komy made it clear [ar] that we do not want to be a confrontation with the army, and that there is a way to not reach such a stage:
This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.

author: Tarek Amr


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Equatorial Guinea: Blogger Juan Tomás Ávila is Back · Global Voices
Ana Lúcia Sá

Juan Tomás Ávila has written his first post on his blog Malabo [es] after an absence of two months. In the context of the meeting in Annobon Island to discuss constitutional reforms, held by a committee named by the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, Juan Tomás Ávila discusses the inhumanity of this regime, the need for a strong opposition, and the importance of rescuing the wisdom of the elders if the aim of this political moment is to demand democracy.

author: Ana Lúcia Sá


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Estonia: Between East and West · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Giustino of Itching for Eestimaa reflects upon Estonia's changing politico-cultural identity against the backdrop of the 2011 Lennart Meri conference.

author: Vilhelm Konnander


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Georgia: Tolkienesque Clashes on the Streets of Tbilisi · Global Voices
Ana Keshelashvili

On 21 May, 2011, just days before the 20th anniversary of Georgia declaring its independence from the former Soviet Union, protests organized by the opposition People's Assembly accusing President Saakashvili of monopolizing power became the main focus on social media sites.
As many as 10,000 people, who gathered first at the central Freedom Square, later marched on the Public Broadcaster demanding that the protest be broadcast live.
Channel 2 aired the demonstration, complete with Bella Ciao, an old Italian partisan song that has become almost an anthem for the protests, repeated nearly constantly in the background. An independent journalist who runs his own personal news blog uploaded a video:
The following morning, however, saw the situation turn ugly when protesters clashed with police. Attacking them with plastic flagpoles, the police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd and several minor injuries were reported on both sides.
A second clash also occurred when a group of unknown people with similar poles attacked protesters resulting in a minor skirmish on the streets.
While some bloggers reacted to the protests with critical comments, others used more visual ways of expressing themselves, recreating scenes from several famous movies from photos of the events:
The clashes reminded some of Star Wars.
This image parodying the dwarf from Lord of the Rings was widely shared on Facebook.
A tongue in cheek representation of a protester as Mel Gibson from the film Braveheart.
Some were having fun recreating reality, others seemed simply bored with the latest political developments broadcast live on television:

author: Ana Keshelashvili


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Hungary: Changing the memory of Holocaust · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Eva Balogh of Hungarian Spectrum reports on how the government of Hungary has sacked the director of the country's Holocaust Memorial Center and replaced him with one more compatible with the views of the current regime.


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Myanmar: Assessing the new government · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

S.H.A.N. assesses the 50-day old Thein Sein government in Myanmar. S.H.A.N. notes that military rule has strengthened in Myanmar despite the election of civilian leaders last year.


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Myanmar: Political prisoners hold hunger strike · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Ba Kaung reports that political prisoners in Insein Prison in Myanmar have gone on hunger strike after the government released only 47 political detainees. There are more than 2,000 political prisoners in the country.


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Myanmar: Profile of jailed journalists · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Mizzima News has uploaded on Scribd the profiles of imprisoned journalists in Myanmar. There are about 21 journalists in the country's prisons.


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North Korea: Kim Jong Il in China · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Adam Cathcart from Sinologistical Violoncellist blogs about various economic and political implications of Kim Jong Il's visit in China that might have been missed by western media.


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Russia: Attack Survivor Journalist Oleg Kashin on Internet Freedom · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

Oleg Kashin, special correspondent for the newspaper Kommersant and well-known blogger, was brutally beaten near his home in November 2010 [ru]. A video recording of the attack was subsequently published on the Internet [ru].
President Medvedev tweeted about the incident and said that the criminals should be found and punished. Important accounts of this attack on Kashin were described on Global Voices by Alexey Sidorenko.
In December, 2010 Kashin published an article “A beating on my beat” in the New York Times. He took part in an international conference beginning the same day as World Press Freedom Day, where he spoke to Global Voices (GV).
Oleg Kashin. Image by Gregory Asmolov (CC BY-NC 2.0).
Global Voices (GV):  Oleg, as a blogger and well-known journalist, to what extent do you make a connection between your attack and with attempts to limit the freedom of the Russian Internet?
Oleg Kashin (OK): It was said in a Freedom House report that the attack on myself was an attack against a blogger. I absolutely do not share this opinion; if you are a practising journalist then you work round the clock, in whatever capacity. Yesterday we were at the celebrations near the White House [this interview was conducted in Washington on the following day after the killing of Bin Laden] and I uploaded a video to YouTube. In what capacity did I upload it – as a journalist or as a blogger? As a journalist, I believe, and only because Moscow, and indeed the editors were sleeping. A quick response is important and so I can upload a video to YouTube, still as a journalist, and then, taking my time I can write an article for the newspaper.
And it's just that blogging being ‘separate’ is an illusion, because professional bloggers – as they call themselves – are people who acquire ‘friends’ and readers (not necessarily through honest methods) and earn money on pushing hidden ads. They're not respected by the community. Because a person who earns money by posting some paid links in the blog is a second class person for those who earn money elsewhere and use blog as a form of communication and socialization, at least non-commercial one.
We have a lot of bloggers, and some are anonymous, who often curse, offend and so on. But, when their status as a blogger is confirmed to be a journalist with Kommersant, then the name journalist becomes of the utmost importance.
GV: How would you characterise the degree of freedom in the Russian Internet and what threats exist to this freedom?
OK: My favourite example is the recent story about a blogger from the Oryol region. In a demonstration in Triumph Square in Moscow a person came out with the the placard ‘Putin – Pidoras’ [a pejorative name for male homosexual]. The Moscow blogger Norvezhsky Lesnoy (Norwegian Forest Cat) photographed him, then a blogger, Georgiy Sarkiyan, from Oryol who wasn't at the scene of the event and on the whole bears no relation to the story, reposted the photo and the Oryol Prosecutor's office stirred up a case against him. [You can read about a similar story here which took place in the Komi Republic].
This type of occurrence where local channels of law and order enact repression against bloggers is fairly commonplace. This case and that of Irek Murtazin, who wrote about the death of Shaimiev [President of the Tartastan Republic at the time and who wasn't actually dead] and was convicted in Tartastan, and lastly there is Savva Terentyev, who wrote about the police as “disloyal cops”. He didn't manage to post it during an anti-militia campaign, otherwise he would have become a mainstream favourite on the newscast “Vremya” (Time).
On the ground, as a rule, it's crazy and you see some comic situations like the one in Komsomolsk-on-Amur where a court banned YouTube. But, this, whatever it is, is an example of many different Russias. Even now, however, imagining that Anton Nossik [popular Russian blogger] would be taken to the police for a comment on a blog is almost impossible. Nossik could rather appear in a meeting with Medvedev, than in a police department.
And since bad leadership/corruption starts at the top it also democratizes from the top, and the very fact that Medvedev is an active blogger has led to blogs becoming practically a government mission. Now the process is just beginning, there's still another generation that has yet to come to power, and then the blogosphere will become a valid representation of the society. It's possible to observe this already; for example, half of the governors, albeit scattered about here and there, have their own blog.
GV: Do you consider the negative reaction to this, as brought about by Freedom House qualifying the attack against you as a manifestation of limited Internet freedoms and an attack targeted against a blogger?
OK: It's more ironic because I don't perceive this as an attack against a blogger, rather against a journalist. But as regarding the question about  Freedom House, it is absolutely beyond question/dispute that the DDoS [Distributed Denial of Service] attacks have been going on for a number of years, yet to both the mass media and to blog platforms. Recent examples include the weeks of the LiveJournal (LJ) crashes and the rather sensational story with the Estonian Embassy. This type of cybercrime, veiled by the government, is a more “far-sighted” way of putting pressure on freedom of speech on the Internet. In principle, the government already had taste for this and Medvedev's statement saying the government has no relation to this, is testimony to the fact that he follows his own establishment badly.
GV: And talking about the DDoS attack, who, in your opinion, was behind it?
OK: We have a documented case when a perpetrator of a DDOS attack confirmed his agency. This attack on the Estonian Embassy from three years ago, was made public when a “commissar” of the youth movement Nashi, Constantin Goloskokov declared his role in the attack to the newspaper Kommersant. It's good that for once people confessed.  But when you look at those who was exposed to the attack, then it's the very people the youth organisation name as the enemies of Russia: Kommersant, LJ, Limonov's party [National Bolshevik Party] etc.
Therefore, I don't share the opinion that whoever stands behind these attacks are unknown hooligans who are impossible to catch. We should bear in mind the situation when a hacker uploaded pornography to a publicity screen in the Garden Ring. This hacker was caught in two days. I think that if the government really wanted to find the perpetrators of the DDoS attack then they would have done it. However, it appears they don't.
GV: You actively use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and you write as well. How do you find time for everything?  And how do you divide tasks between platforms? Is blogging a support to your journalistic activities?
OK: I remember how in 2005 my LJ blog was my personal blog and my editors at Kommersant constantly said to me: “How long can you sit on LJ? Better write another op-ed. That's enough time spent on nonsense!” The following year, if not two, they made us start keeping blogs on the Kommersant website and essentially encouraged us to keep a LJ. Blogs were then recognised and it was good though it was reminiscent of something from a series: ‘When I was a mod in my youth, they made me cut my hair, when I had grown old and wanted to wear a suit, they force you to be a mod”.
Now I'm more comfortable on Twitter but Twitter is still not very understood in our editing team and by most of the media. In terms of Twitter, right off the bat I can only think of Lenta.ru (@lentaruofficial), who have a sufficiently active Twitter account out of the principal media sources, but there is no one else. I think that right now we're going through a transitional period but it will take two or three years and then Twitter will be like potatoes planted under the Catherine the Great [Translator's note: Potatoes were cultivated in huge numbers during Catherine the Great's reign].
GV: And how do you define LJ for yourself; as journalistic or personal space?
OK: LJ is definitely a journalistic space. It's a source of information about youth movements, protests and so on and now I wouldn't write something like “Hey guys, I'm in love” on LJ. I'd write this on Facebook where only people I know personally are.
As far as Twitter is concerned, it's literally “information fast food” when you don't have time to verify information. I myself have more than once been sold by a fictional statement from Twitter-Lifenews, once about the death of Lyudmila Gurchenko [a famous Russian actress], two months before her death. Arkady Dvorkovich [assistant to the president of Russian federation] and I both retweeted this statement of her death and later we both apologised. And as a reader of Twitter I understand that you need to check for potential inconsistencies and excessive haste. But in these fast paced times of our lives Twitter is the most efficient tool available today.
GV: What is the role of the Internet in the coverage of your attack? Do you consider it important?
OK: I could only follow it after the fact, since I was unconscious. If you trace the series of events then the first piece of information about an attack against me appeared in LJ courtesy of my neighbour Lena Pogrebezhko. She wrote about it and my friends read it. One of my friends sent a text to my chief editor and a movement began later thanks, explicitly, to social networks as opposed to the police or ambulance services.
In the morning, the attack on Twitter went by the hashtag “Kashin” [#KSHN] and people got together to picket outside 38 Petrovka street [address of police headquarters]. These were actions taken by bloggers. Later there was a protest in support of me and other attacked journalists. This was definitely a nonparty act where people weren't from a specific organisation but namely from ‘virtual reality’ on the square. I should also mention that this is worth considering a precedent.
And indeed, from the photo documentation from the scenes I realised that I'm seeing photographs of people whom I know, even if I don't know them personally, they are all my friends, my group of friends from LJ and Facebook. If it hadn't been for the Internet the same after effects wouldn't have taken place. And, even Medvedev wrote about it on Twitter, instead of making an official statement.
GV: Do the people who know your LJ have a more personal relationship with you?
OK: Yes, of course. In fact I played this out earlier, consciously shaping my image, that's to say not just making do with the fact I work for a newspaper. I wanted to build my image, “self promotion” as it was accepted to talk about then. It is obvious that this worked as by the time of the attack happened they really knew me. And, those who knew me, took part in all this action!
GV: When did you first see the video of your attack?
OK: I was in the hospital two weeks after and I  think someone brought me a computer. It was hard to watch. Whatever.
GV: How do you feel about the recording of your attack being published on the Internet. Are you against this?
OK: I literally visited my own funeral and observed the graveside orations while being alive. Because of this when a person dies they often say “if such and such were alive, he would”. And, so there were two moments when my friends were speaking about me in such a tone and both times they were right.
Once when they said that if Oleg was with us he would also be against granting journalists a special status [one of the reactions to Kashin's assault was to introduce special punishment for attacks on journalists]. They proposed bringing in an amendment to the law meaning that an attack on a journalist is an attack on a representative of society. And secondly, that if Oleg had had to decide whether to show this video he would have done it, of course. And, in fact I would have.
This type of thing has already repeatedly been a occurrence on Life News, it's a “LifeNews Factor” [Life News – an aggressive yet successful online tabloid]. Given the scorn for tabloid methods of publishing it's necessary to recognize their role. There has been, at least, another similar episode. This one, grateful for the fact that the murder of people by the Major Yevsyukov was recorded on camera, a recording which was subsequently bought and shown by LifeNews, the crime brought about huge impact.
If there had have been  just a written account in the news about a policeman killing three people then nobody would have noticed because you can read a daily report of this type of crime every day. But when you can see, in graphic detail, how they kill, it's a whole other matter and in my opinion that's something you can't argue with.
GV: Would you allow us to ask you which of the versions which have been voiced about the attack you consider to have the most truth?
OK: The court proceedings for my case are ongoing. The leader of Nashi, Vasiliy Yakemenko presented in court about my blog entry in which I wrote that I don't doubt the version which I call Yakemenko-version, or in other words the version with the participation of pro-Kremlin youth movements in the attack against me. If it were taken generally then I've been writing about this matter for ten years and there are many cases where forceful actions have been taken against journalists and chances are this movement was behind them.
It is not even a case of ‘chances are,’ but rather ‘certain’ because there is a documented evidence which proves two members of Nashi were amongst the aggressors with baseball bats on members of the National Bolshevik Party near the Avtozavodskaya Metro station. Chances are that although this were anonymous acts, these youth movements are behind the acts against the journalists Mikhail Fishman, Shenderovich and so on. In other words, if something looks like Yakemenko, sounds like Yakemenko then it is Yakemenko.
Therefore I'm counting on this court just as I am on public version of the investigation, which is going too slowly anyway. In fact, they shed light on the acts of terror in Domodedovo airport, solved the kidnapping of Kaspersky's son, killed Bin Laden, and that it's just my crime hasn't been solved, and in my opinion that's not good.
GV: In your opinion will the role of the Internet grow, in terms of participation, during the upcoming elections?
OK: My colleague conducted a small bit of research on how to lead a pre-election campaign on the Internet. According to what he's told me (I haven't checked but I gladly trust him), this year we won't see activity on LJ like we saw in 2007 when people were paid to a picture of Putin as their avatar. It's obvious that this year the main centre of activity of the United Russia will take place in social networks, primarily in Vkontakte [a Russian social network similar to Facebook] .
This is because it is the most popular network. This is due to it being used more for video hosting than a social network but nevertheless millions of young people use it. There are also groups created in support of Putin and Medvedev, except that in my opinion they are created by some people who later plan to sell them and apparently they will be bought. Obviously the Internet has significantly more meaning than it did four years ago. But what was different about that period, when propaganda on the Internet was directed at the intellectual elite, the media and so on but now it can be directed at the masses because they are already connected up to the Internet.
GV: But on the other hand, you don't foresee an Internet revolution like the one which took place in Egypt?
OK: Navalny [well known Russian blogger] talks about the fact that in Yale University he studied with a Tunisian member of the opposition who he had the impression was a totally unimpressive outcast, but who later became a minister in Tunisia, something which surprised everyone, even Navalny.
I'll look at Navalny and at some of the lesser noticed people of this genre, for example at Yekaterinburg's Deputy Leonid Volkov [LJ username leonwolf] who is in relation to his peers, a small Navalny from Yekaterinburg who has managed to become a deputy, having pushed for a fight against corruption. It might not be a revolution but serious influence on the Russian powers-that-be is not only possible but is already taking place.
At least, the expression of “a party of thieves and swindlers” is already firmly associated with United Russia, even amongst people who aren't familiar with Navalny. Judging by taxi drivers it's already a meme. Therefore the process has already begun. So, I'm saying that what will happen in the 2018 presidential election doesn't have any relevance. It doesn't matter what happens, these formal cycles are now meaningless. Now, in fact, now, almost everything happens on the Internet.
GV: The cycles are meaningless because?
OK: Because real life doesn't take place in these formal electoral cycles, but you can literally see real life in Navalny's blog. If five years ago Yandex had handed the FSB [Federal Security Service] some sort of data, I think the person whose data was given would have just quietly moaned to himself on LJ. Now, when Yandex hands over data of its paying customers, Navalny turns it into breaking news and Navalny himself becomes a political factor.
GV: Who is behind the campaign against Navalny in this case?
OK: Behind the campaign against him, are of course, people in power but now we've found out that the FSB is a part in this. If the authorities are seriously fighting the people who have come out of the Internet this means that it really has become a political factor.

author: Gregory Asmolov


text:
Russia: FSB Blocks Access to LiveJournal in Ulyanovsk City · Global Voices
Vadim Isakov

A user of Internet portal Habrahabr wrote [ru] that on May 17, 2011 an Internet provider company in Russian city Ulyanovsk blocked access to the blog of Aleksey Navalny, a famous online personality on RuNet, following the order of FSB, Russian security service. It was later reported [ru] by GTZ.ru that the IP blocked the whole LiveJournal platform due to alleged technical problems. It is still unclear what really happened.

author: Vadim Isakov


text:
Russia: Internet Economy To Reach 4 Percent of GDP by 2015 · Global Voices
Vadim Isakov

Russian Internet economy will more than double within the next four years and rich four percent of the country's GDP by 2015, reported [ru] Lenta.ru citing the latest research by The Boston Consulting Group.


text:
Russia: Mobile Users Search and Socialize Online  · Global Voices
Vadim Isakov

Russian mobile users utilize their phones for searching, browsing social networks and downloading musics, Rumetrika reported [ru]. Half of Russians own own mobile phones. The majority of people using mobile Internet are younger than 24 years old.


text:
Russia: Most Users of Popular Social Network Are Russian Orthodox  · Global Voices
Vadim Isakov

Ten million users of the most popular social network in Russian Vkontakte.ru consider themselves Russian Orthodox, news agency Interfax reported. It is the most popular religion on Vkontakte.ru followed by Islam (1.5 million users) and Buddhism (363 thousand users).