text:
Tanzania: 2010 General Elections Roundup · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tanzanians will go to the polls on 31 October 2010 to elect the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, President of Zanzibar, Members of Parliament and Members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives. This is a roundup of blog posts about the elections.
Tom Rhodes reports that the Tanzanian government has threatened the press ahead of the elections:
Whether the Tanzanian press feel at liberty to cover this tight race is another matter. Critical reporting on the government during this sensitive time appeared risky after Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary Sethi Kamuhanda toured print media offices earlier this month, threatening to shutter any media house that “put the government in a bad light,” state television reported. More than 50 human rights and media organizations issued a joint statement last week, claiming the government has threatened the press in advance of the forthcoming elections.
Since polling began, the Registrar of Newspapers, a government-run licensing agency, has been busy issuing letters to newspapers, warning against any negative coverage of the government, local journalists told CPJ. Three private weeklies, Mwanahalisi, Raia Mwena, and Tanzania Daima have all been warned by the Registrar to avoid coverage deemed “inciteful” by the government or face suspension.
“Such kinds of threats have been common from the Registrar of Newspapers, whom the minister [of information] uses as a means to enforce self-censorship,” the chairman of the Tanzania Editors’ Forum, Absalom Kibanda, told me.
The country's leading Kiswahili daily, Mwananchi, received two letters from the Registrar recently threatening to suspend the paper for negative government coverage, Managing Editor Theophil Makunga told me.
ZanziBits says that the absence of violence in 2010 election campaigns in Zanzibar shows that people have embraced democracy:
In past election years, there was political violence in Zanzibar as people prepared for the elections, but not this time.  All of the campaigning has been peaceful and secure.
These are good signs for our country, because it shows that our people are embracing democracy and becoming involved in the political process.
Campaigning officially ends on October 30.  On October 31, the Tanzanian people will choose their new leader.  We all hope that it is someone who is fairly elected and who will bring development to our country.  Above all, we all hope that our elections are as peaceful as the campaigns have been.
God bless Tanzania and its islands.
Labda Hata Mimi writes about Tanzania election and the growing tech community:
There is now an Ushahidi Election Violence, Issue and Rioting Reporting Map instance up for the Tanzanian elections taking place next Sunday. You can also apply as an ushahidi voluntia translator and verifier at this Google Form. As of last week, one of four polls suggests opposition may have an edge. I do not take a position for any party in the elections but I do hope that they are carried out peacefully. I especially hope that my friends in country, Watanzania and Wamerikani alike, are safe. (As Pernille points out, UCHAGUZI is a collaborative initiative between TACCEO, Tanzania; HIVOS, Netherlands; Haki Elimu , Tanzania; the biggest Tz national ICT community Jamii Forums, Tanzania; Rakesh Rajani’s TWAWEZA , CRECO, Kenya in association with USHAHIDI and SODNET, Kenya as technology & strategy partners.
Pernille announces the launch of Uchaguzi Tanzania:
UCHAGUZI, TZ is a platform that leverages on USHAHIDI's web and mobile-based technology software, enabling unprecedented collaboration between election observers and citizens to monitor elections in near-real time.
Check it out now – the Tanzania elections are on Sunday, and it will be interesting to see how the crow-sourching tool will boost information in this regard.
Kenyan blogger, Chris, asks, “Will there be trouble in Tanzania after election?”:
On Sunday Kenya’s next door neighbours, Tanzania go to the polls. The reality on the ground is that the Tanzanians have been watching with great interest and then envy as Kenya has gone through a very eventful two years or so. Tanzanians are now asking why ordinary folks in their country cannot be like Kenyans who to them appear to be very much aware of their rights and willing to fight for them.
I was shocked beyond words recently when I overheard ordinary Tanzanians in a Dar-es-salaam surburb discussing Sunday’s polls and saying that it would be a good idea to stock up in food and stay indoors, expecting the worst.
He continues:
To most Kenyans (like the guys who never miss an opportunity to spew tribal hatred in this blog) it would be mighty difficult to understand Tanzanian politics. Tribalism hardly exists in this country that is almost the size of both Kenya and Uganda put together and boasts of over 140 tribes (to Kenya’s 40 something). Neither is there a history of certain tribes reigning supreme over others. The one man who must take the most credit for this unity that is rare to find in any African country is the founding father the late Mwalimu Julius Kabarage Nyerere. While Kenya’s Tom Mboya and Jomo Kenyatta prided themselves in national symbols based on strong animals like the lion, Nyerere quietly chose the unassuming Giraffe. And there is plenty of proof in the man’s life that he was able to see extremely far into the horizon so much so that he still holds great sway even from the grave. Nyerere unified the country by aggressively adopting the Swahili language into the fabric and way of life of Tanzanians.
Jerry Okungu advises Tanzanians not to fall into Kenya's trap of election violence:
Three different newspapers published in Dar es Salaam cannot be wrong especially if one of them, the oldest, belongs to the CCM. They are all saying more-or-less the same thing; that there is uncertainty and anxiety in the air. They are all expressing fear that Bongoland’s elections may be rigged in favor of the ruling party based on the mood in the country that seems to be craving for regime change in the land of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
Signs that all is not well are clearly brought out in the latest opinion results conducted by Research and Education in Democracy in Tanzania(REDET), a state owned research center housed at the University of Dar es Salaam, Synovate of Kenya and several online surveys conducted by Daily News, Uhuru Publications and ThisDay newspaper published by Reginald Mengi’s outfit.
In the run-up to the Kenyan elections in 2007, we had a similar scenario where opinion polls became the centre of vicious debates, claims and counter claims of doctored results depending on who or which party was favored or dismissed by the polls. Whenever an opinion poll favored PNU, other parties and their supporters dismissed it as cooked. On the other hand, if another pollster published results that favored ODM, other players routinely dismissed it as bogus.
VijanaFM blog lists technology initiatives that revolve around people-to-people reporting on election issues:
A few weeks ago we told you we started TZelect, an Ushahidi-based platform that aims to collect and discuss reports from East African youth about election events.
Recently we were contacted by a few organizations who have put together a similar platform, Uchaguzi Tanzania, which allows for reports to be sent in via SMS.
Both TZelect and Uchaguzi Tanzania are focussed on the immediete elections being held in Tanzania on October 31st of this year, as well as the long-term progress of elected candidates in office.
However, while Uchaguzi Tanzania is built to accomodate hour-to-hour updates from the general public on the ground in Tanzania, TZelect is built to collect continuous, analytical discussions about these election events, specifically from youth.
An American in Tanzania writes about her experience at a political rally for the main opposition party, Chadema:
On Thursday afternoon I attended a Chadema (Chama Cha Demokracia na Maendeleo, or Party of Democracy and Development) political rally for Doctor Slaa, the most popular opposition presidential candidate on the mainland. Despite the fact that he never showed up (TIA, right?) and that I only understood about 40% of what various candidates yelled crazy-African-preacher-style over the loudspeaker, it was a really interesting and enlightening experience. I made friends with two high school teachers and we discussed (in Swahili!) the election, the history of Tanzania, and the platforms and promises of various parties and candidates.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Approaching Storm  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

aka_lol says that an approaching tropical storm “doesn’t look good for a population that had to put up with extremely bad weather for the rainy season and continues to weather the Clico financial crisis with desperate threats from formerly-rich policyholders.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: LGBT Community Speaks Out  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Globewriter's Weblog says: “We have had this  Ex-Gay minister here for a week and apparently the LGBT  community has reached a boiling point…”; gspottt confirms that the community has had it with the “lying, ducking and hiding” when it comes to young people and their sexuality.


text:
‘Bloggers for Malaysia’ group · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The ‘Bloggers for Malaysia’ group was formed this month to protect the welfare of bloggers in Malaysia in light of the recent cases filed by the police against online critics of the government.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Egypt: From Dakar … with love · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Fatma Emam, an Egyptian female blogger, wrote about her experience in searching for her real identity during her visit to Dakar.

author: Eman AbdElRahman


text:
Egypt: The Story of Totalitarianism  · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Egyptian-in-USA wrote interesting reflections from George Orwell's novel 1984, projecting them to the current political situation in Egyptian today.


text:
Egypt: Unauthorized Hebrew translation of a novel · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

M. Lynx Qualey, commented on the latest news that Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany has lashed out at an unauthorized Hebrew translation of his most popular novel “The Yacoubian building“.


text:
Iran: A blog for Islamic Wallpapers · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

An Iranian blogger creates Islamic Wallpapers from religious Saints to high- ranking clerics in his blog.

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Iran:Palin, Crowley in Twitter Duel · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to several news sites “a tongue-in-cheek US birthday message to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over Twitter [by PJ Crowley State Department spokesman] may not have reached the intended recipient, but triggered a rebuke from someone else — Sarah Palin.”


text:
Jordan: Political Cartoonists Take Aim at Campaign Posters · Global Voices
Betsy Fisher

Jordanian social media writers continue to focus their writing about the November 9th parliamentary elections on the election posters covering the country, and particularly the capital city, Amman.  One Twitter user, Mayousef, quipped on October 25th,
since the parliaments candidates have nothing but their pictures to offer, I DECIDED TO VOTE FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER ..
But comments on the posters are no longer coming from just bloggers and Twitter users.  Jordanian political cartoonists have now joined the fray.
3la Rasi features several cartoons satirizing Jordanian election posters.  This series of posters
features cartoon characters with the caption “Election slogans” and posters that read “The letter A is for Arnab (rabbit),” “The letter B is for Bandura (tomato),” and “The letter T is for Toot (berry).”
Another illustrates two posters, the first with a caveman, and the second with George Clooney, captioned, “Before Photoshop,” and “After Photoshop.”

author: Betsy Fisher


text:
Malaysia: Questionable overseas trips of tourism minister · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Wee Choo Keong, a blogger-parliamentarian from Malaysia questions the cost of the 16 overseas trips made by the tourism minister last year.


text:
Malaysia: Universal Service Provision fund · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Bloggers from Malaysia demand an accounting of the Universal Service Provision fund which is being collected from telecommunication companies in order to improve internet connectivity in the rural areas.


text:
MENA: Women Writing; Women Reading · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Canadian expat, Maryanne Gabbani, recommended a few of her favorite female writers from the Arab world. In a way, she is trying to prove her experience that while life for women in the Middle East is all sunshine and lollipops, women are not the doormats that they are imagined to be either.


text:
Mexico: Drug Gangs Using Guerrilla Tactics? · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Tim Johnson says that, “Thursday’s killing of nine police is important for what it reveals about the tactical military capabilities of drug gangs.”

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Pakistan: Paypal Denied · Global Voices
Rezwan

Faisal Khan updates the struggle of Pakistani net users to bring Paypal to Pakistan.

author: Rezwan


text:
Pakistan: Who’s perception is this? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Faisal Kapadia at Deadpan Thoughts questions the transparency and methodology of the Transparency International's Pakistan operation and the validity of its corruption perception index.


text:
Palestine: Autumn in Gaza · Global Voices
Katharine Ganly

Lina, who blogs at Live From Gaza gives us a view of the brooding autumnal sky from her window.

author: Katharine Ganly


text:
South Africa: South Africans end week of “secrecy bill” protests · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“On Wednesday, just before South African lawmakers were scheduled to debate amendments to the controversial Protection of Information Bill, thousands of protesters marched to the gates of Parliament in Cape Town to oppose the measure, which they called an apartheid-style secrecy bill,” Clifford Derrick reports.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Tanzania: God Bless Tanzania · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

God bless Tanzanians as they vote tomorrow: “Tomorrow is an important day for Tanzanians. It's the day to exercise their democratic right in the 2010 General Election.  I would have loved to have been there in the run up as I know it has been quite different to the campaigning that went on here in the UK earlier this year.”


text:
Tanzania: Vote, don’t wage war · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“Today is the last day of campaigning before Tanzania and Zanzibar go to the polls to elect a new Government. Elections in Zanzibar are extremely close-fought events, though you wouldn’t guess it to look at the results over the last forty years. The ruling party, CCM (Chama Cha Mapinduzi, The Party of the Revolution in Swahili), has held power ever since independence,” reports Ranil Dissanayake.


text:
Vietnam: Analysis on blog arrests · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Saigonnezumi from Vietnam provides some background to the “crackdown’ of bloggers in Vietnam in the past year.


text:
Americas: Virtual Memorial for 72 Victims of Migrant Mass-Killing  · Global Voices
Ellery Roberts Biddle

As a graduate student at the University of Chicago, I have had the pleasure of studying with Mexican journalist and memoirist Alma Guillermoprieto. This post is based on an interview that I conducted with Ms. Guillermoprieto in October of 2010.
At the start of her career Alma Guillermoprieto gained wide recognition as a journalist for her ground-breaking investigation of the 1981 massacre at El Mozote, El Salvador, where nearly eight hundred peasants were killed by the Salvadoran army during the nation’s civil war. Over the last thirty years, she has written for The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and The New York Review of Books, covering everyone from Fidel Castro, to Carlos Salinas, to leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
She is an old-school story-teller, a journalist who says that she doesn’t have an “Internet life.” But over the last two months, she has led an online project in response to the mass killing of seventy-two migrants that took place in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas in August.
72 Migrantes [es] is “a virtual altar” to the slayed migrants.
Logo by site designer Daniel Castrejon
Like thousands before them, these men and women left their homes in Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Brazil for work in the United States. But their journey ended in a warehouse, some one hundred miles from the US-Mexico border, where seventy-two bodies were found on August 23rd. Most had been shot in the back of the head. Among the four who escaped, only one has given an account of the massacre. Thirty of the victims remain unidentified.
After the news of the mass killing broke, Guillermoprieto contacted Lolita Bosch, editor of Nuestra Aparente Rendición [es], an online forum of artists and intellectuals who work in or are native to Mexico and are appalled by what they see happening to the country. Through the site, and through personal contacts, they convened a group of writers, asking them to write about each of the victims. On Nuestra Mirada [es], a website for Latin American photojournalists, a call went out for photographs of migrants. Over the next few weeks, writers, photographers, and web designers volunteered their time and skills to create 72migrantes.com.
“We wanted to create something that would reach the families of the victims,” Guillermoprieto says, “and to create an altar for Day of the Dead.”
“In a real altar, you give people back their faces by putting up their pictures. You make them live again through memory.”
She points to the different features of 72 Migrantes, explaining that each part of the site corresponds to a different part of the experience of visiting an altar “in 3-D” (in real life.) On the Day of the Dead, you visit the altars of your loved ones; you sing to the departed, leave them flowers, and share food with them.
At 72 Migrantes, you can listen to music for the dead (click ‘descargar canciones’), leave a rose icon (click ‘dejar una rosa’), and share food with living migrants by making a donation (click ‘donaciones’). Donations are sent directly to Father Alejandro Solalinde of Hermanos en el Camino, a church organization that provides food, shelter and support to migrants and those who have been kidnapped or threatened by drug and human traffickers in Mexico.
Photograph by Edu Ponces, part of collection at 72migrantes.com
The centerpiece of 72 Migrantes is a collection of narratives and photographs, one for each of the victims. The authors (among them Elena Poniatowska, Jorge Volpi, and Juan Villoro) have written the stories of the dead by seeking information about their lives, often from their loved ones. But most families of the migrants have been too afraid to identify themselves publicly. Many of the authors, with little more than a name, have written narratives that fall somewhere between obituary and testimonial. And others have chosen to write the stories of the unidentified by imagining the lives of their subjects.
“The people I care most about,” Guillermoprieto says, “are those who have been stripped even of their names by this horrible thing.”
“I still don’t have a clue as to who did this,” she says. The only witness who has come forward has testified that the killers identified themselves as members of the Zetas, the most notoriously violent drug group in Mexico. Guillermoprieto describes the crime scenes that the Zetas have left in the past—they are bloody, violent. She is not completely satisfied with the attribution of this latest atrocity to the Zetas, contending that the plain, clean nature of the Tamaulipas massacre was highly unusual for the organization.
As a Mexican, Guillermoprieto says the massacre left her with a deep feeling of shame “that these seventy-two people were killed by Mexicans in Mexico.” In response, she says that she wanted to create something that would stand as a witness to the crime and to the memory of the victims. And she wanted to create a place where people in Mexico and all over the Americas could come to pay their respects and sit, virtually, with the departed.

author: Ellery Roberts Biddle


text:
Armenia: Nationalist backlash against Azerbaijan film festival · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped and Le Retour (in 3 Parts) comment on the nationalist backlash to a festival of films from Azerbaijan to be staged in Yerevan, Armenia, next week. The former says that the negative reaction is hypocritical when the same nationalists decry attempts to prevent artistic expression and freedom of speech in Azerbaijan and Turkey while the latter sadly concludes that hatred and xenophobia is alive and well in the country. In a semi-related post, Unzipped also comments on news that a memorial to the Jewish Holocaust was defaced by local Neo-Nazis in the Armenian capital earlier this month.

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
Bangladesh: Participating In Global Hand Washing Day 2010 · Global Voices
Rezwan

“The students of The Dhaka Project staged 6 different drama’s addressing the importance of awareness of Global Hand Washing Day on 30th October 2010,” informs Touhid at The Dhaka project blog.


text:
Brazil: Dilma Rousseff elected president · Global Voices
Marta Cooper

Winning 55.7% of the total votes, Dilma Rousseff today became Brazil's first female president [pt]. Voter turnout was also high, with estimates lying between 92 and 96%. We will bring you views from the Brazilian blogosphere as they come in.

author: Marta Cooper


text:
Caribbean: Hurricane Tomas  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad and Tobago, the twin island republic that seemed to be directly in Tomas‘ path on Friday, was spared its effects, but as the storm veered north, islands that had previously been out of its path were suddenly thrust into storm warning mode.
Barbados, still grappling over the death of its Prime Minister, was the first to get hit.  Barbados Free Press’ reported that:
It’s not too bad. Noisy. Wet. Water went off with the power, but it’s back. One of our friends has one of those little wind things on top of his house and it hit 87 mph just before a calm period maybe an hour and a half ago.
A later update stated:
There are a couple of boats smashed up at Oistins. Lots of damage, roofs off. It looks like the south took a harder hit than we did.
Facebook was filled with private updates discussing the intensity of the storm and the fact that some areas were without electricity; after the worst was over, My Barbados Blog posted this update:
The parishes hardest hit by Tomas were St George, St Philip, St Joseph, St Michael, St Andrew and St Lucy with roofs blown off, trees uprooted, palings blown down, streets blocked, and downed utility poles.
The Bajan Reporter posted a story which stated that the country's Department of Emergency Management was caught “pretty much off-guard” by the warnings from the Barbados Meteorological Service.
The storm ploughed through St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Martinique where damage primarily consisted of felled trees, downed power lines, flooding in some areas and roofs being torn off, but Vincentian bloggers have been uncharacteristically quiet, leading to speculation that internet access may also be affected.  Dominica News Blog said:
The passage of Hurricane Tomas to the south of Dominica has brought a day of gusty winds and heavy showers. No damage has been reported as yet, but the current poor weather conditions are set to continue overnight.
The storm now appears to be headed towards Jamaica; bloggers have been discussing the country's level of preparedness on Twitter. @anniepaul said:
ppl are aware and nervous but we're still recovering from Nicole RT @Fledgist: @anniepaul How ready is Jca for Tomás?
@therealnickmack added:
@anniepaul We're not ready! There are so many damaged roads & bridges that are either being repaired or not yet assessed!
Tomas is now situated south-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico; the hope remains that the Category 2 storm, which is expected to gather more strength, will steer clear of Haiti, which is still dealing with the debilitating effects of the massive January 12 earthquake and a recent cholera outbreak.  real hope for haiti is reporting that:
Haiti issued an orange storm alert, the second highest level. Authorities warned southern and western regions — including the quake-ravaged capital of Port-au-Prince, where an estimated 1.3 million people are living in tent camps — to be on guard for high winds, thunderstorms and possible flooding.


text:
Cote d’Ivoire : Citizen and Collaborative Election Monitoring System · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

The internetsansfrontieres.com  website informs  [Fr]: “For the presidential elections in Cote d'Ivoire on Oct. 31, Internet Sans Frontières and Akendewa  set up a citizen and collaborative election monitoring system. The system allows for direct access to citizen reporting.”

author: Abdoulaye Bah


text:
Cote d’Ivoire : SMS Service Suspended During Elections to Prevent Violence · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah


text:
Georgia: Halloween protests & revelry · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Young Georgians examines the history of Halloween, and not least in Georgia where controversy often results in religious groups objecting to young people holding their own events. This year is no exception with Orthodox Christians planning to stage protests while several events in clubs and public gatherings are scheduled for those who want to enjoy the Halloween festivities.


text:
India: Free Speech Or Sedition? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Arundhati Roy protests against dams on Indias Narmada River. Image by Flickr user International River. CC BY-NC-SA
Indian novelist, essayist and activist Arundhati Roy has more often been highlighted in media not for her writing but because of her outspoken criticism against the Indian state. Since her Booker prize winner novel The God of Small Things, she has devoted herself mainly to nonfiction and politics voicing issues related to social justice and economic inequality.
Her support for Kashmiri separatism has recently stirred a debate across India. She was speaking at a conference titled “Whither Kashmir- Freedom or Enslavement?” organized by JKCCS in Srinagar on October 24, 2010. Roy said, “Kashmir has never been an integral part of India. It is a historical fact.” Here is a video of that speech uploaded in Youtube by Wahidfayaz:
Salil Tripathi at Index On Censorship Blog summarizes reactions of the Indians:
If sentiments expressed on the Internet — through Twitter and Facebook — are an indicator, her remarks have outraged many Indians. Some want her to be sent away to jail for a long time. One even tweeted that she should face capital punishment, although the maximum punishment under the sedition law is life imprisonment. For its part, the government has not said it will prosecute Roy, although a lawmaker of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party from the northern state of Uttarkhand has filed an official complaint, which could set the stage for some legal action.
Along-with Indian media, the Indian blogosphere has exploded with reactions for and against her statement. Rajan Venkateswaran thinks that freedom of speech should be within limits and writes:
It is sad that Government decided not to prosecute her. I really wish someone would file a PIL and the Supreme Court put her in a slammer, and make an example for others of her ilk.
Travails and Travels criticizes Roy's stance:
Is there injustice in India? Yes. Corruption? Yes. Favoritism, Nepotism, Communalism, Criminal behavior, Oppression? Yes, Yes, Yes…. But, India is not bad as you make it sound to be. You make it sound as though a bunch of upper class elite wake up every morning with a JD that says, “prey on the poorest of the poor, rape a few adivasis, oppress a few more, trample on human rights with an attention to detail.”
Arundhati Roy speaking at Harvard University in April 2010. Image by Flickr user Jeanbaptisteparis. CC BY-SA
Chinmay Kumar defends Arundhati Roy:
Did she misuse freedom of speech? May be, may not be. If it stirs political disaster then it is of course a misuse. Kashmir has always been a catastrophic political issue, starting from the day of freedom if India. Her statement was enough to cause hullabaloo as India has been protecting Kashmir for a long time, which she stated as the colonialism of the country. [..]
There are voices that will rise again and again and there will be attempts to crash them. That happened hundreds of years ago and few decades ago. From Socrates to Suu-Kyi and today Arundhati Roy.
K.R. Surendran from Kerala informs:
Arundhati Roy has made a statement pitying the attitude of our nation for speaking out without fear and she has made it clear that whatever she said is out of love for our nation. Listen leaders…….
Rahul Basu at As I please disagrees with virtually everything that Arundhati Roy says or writes, however, he opines:
Is her speech worthy of a case of sedition being slapped on her? I am astounded that there has been so much discussion about this issue in the media.
Blogger and writer Dilip D'Souza at Death Ends Fun concludes in his post on this issue:
I urge you too to get used to the idea that there are people who disagree profoundly with things you believe and hold dear.
Yes, that includes Kashmir. Get used to it.
And that there exist those differing views, that they are expressed, does not by any means equate to sedition. It is instead the definition of being Indian. Get used to that too.


text:
Japan: Photography Project ‘Yamanote Loop’ · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Steve from the Fwdmovement site has kicked off a photography project called Yamanote Loop. The project will cover each of the 29 stations in Tokyo's JR Yamanote Line, starting with Mejiro Station.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


text:
Africa: Women Bloggers discuss war of a different kind · Global Voices
Paula Odhiambo

It's been a while. I took some time to go and fight some personal wars. It ended up being quite a while. I'm back now and eager to share with you this blog roundup about African women bloggers talking about “war of a different kind.”
Tehilah has been away for almost an entire month – but not without leaving us with some wonderful warfare secrets.. Far be it from me to get all judgmental and hypocritical, though! I have been away for much longer, after all.  Tehilah has been studying the book of Exodus, and has shared a few battle tips with us.
“There is a constant battle in the realm of the spirits,” she says, somewhat sternly. “The choice of soldiers who will fight alongside you is probably one of the most important decisions anyone can make.” She ends her post in an urgent tone: “Warfare is serious business! You must put away sentiments!”
Oh, if only it were that simple! We are women – sentiments are something that come naturally for us.
Take Wanjiku, for example. She misses the simple love of yesterday. She explores the possibilities of loving with a new mindset, in a new generation. Where did the innocent, hassle-free days go? How and where are all the people we loved in those days? What are the acceptable and unacceptable processes of the now?
…who said we have to be happy all the time ?? where is it written that we are supposed to be compatible ?? where is the fun in having someone who likes the same things, does the same things that i do ?? love is a mystery, marriage is a mystery how two people born in different places, different upbringing come together and became one… no its not about two half people…its two whole person….becoming one..mathematics by the creator of marriage and relationships himself !
. . .
if only husbands will read the bible before that affair, if only wives would read the bible before plotting and visit the witch doctors….if only we could teach our children how to read the bible from when they are born !!!
Imagine the possibilities, a new generation, a new mindset….a fresh beginning….
i miss the simple love of yesterday…
Rockhead cannot stand hypocrisy, it seems. “Does anybody hear” this young lady's heart? She went to get some juice, someone happened to be witnessing to the shopkeeper, and suddenly she was given a new title: Distraction. Can’t a girl just buy orange juice in peace?:
What?It took all my willpower to not march back there and give the guy a piece of my mind. This is a shopkeeper, his work is to sell stuff to customers…how is my coming to buy something a hindrance to God’s word? Was it because I interrupted them to ask for the flavor of the drink I wanted? Was it just becasue I dared walk there while they were preaching to the guy? Does this mean people should not perform their duties because the word of God will be hindered?
Exactly how weak is this word that anyone walking by can manage to hinder it?
She continues:
I felt so judged, I felt like they were those Pharisees I read about in the Bible. The weird part is that I am saved. I’m not lost or Godless. Is it because I wasn’t dressed like a Christian? What is the dress code for Christians anyway?
Talking to them would have probably not helped. I would have come out sounding like I needed to prove a point (and been late to work and forgotten my drink, maybe).
As we read her blog entry, we can conclude with her that many times, the biggest hypocrite is that girl in the mirror.

author: Paula Odhiambo


text:
Azerbaijan: Sexual intrigues ahead of parliamentary election · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Fatalin's Blog comments on the pro-government media the airing of a video depicting an opposition newspaper editor having sex. The blog decries the level of journalism in the country and how black propaganda is being spread ahead of the 7 November parliamentary election.


text:
Barbados: All Talk, No Action?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Diaspora blogger Jdid says his piece about the “lack of action we see in Barbados following disasters.”


text:
Bhutan: Our Greedy Bank Accounts · Global Voices
Rezwan

“All because of our greedy bank accounts, we have corruption, fraud, fronting, theft, bribery, black market, vandalism, and desecration of ancient monuments, all that we the Buddhists utterly condemn,” opines Bhutanese blogger Penstar.


text:
Brazil: country elects first female president · Global Voices
Marta Cooper

Dilma Rousseff, a former Marxist guerrilla who was imprisoned and tortured during Brazil's military dictatorship, has become the country's first female leader [pt], winning 56% of the total votes compared to rival Jose Serra's 44%.
62-year-old Rousseff, the protegee of current leader, Lula, has vowed to follow in her predecessor's footsteps by eradicating extreme poverty in Brazil [pt], one of the world's most unequal countries. Calling on the nation at a victory rally in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, Rousseff said,
We cannot rest while Brazilians are going hungry, while families are living in the streets, while poor children are abandoned to their own fates and while crack and crack dens rule.
She heralded her win as a demonstration of democratic progress in Brazil, adding [pt],
Eu gostaria muito que os pais e as mães das meninas pudessem olhar hoje nos olhos delas, e dizer, “sim, a mulher pode.”
I want fathers and mothers to be able to see today through their daughters’ eyes, and say, “yes, a woman can.”
Voting maps [pt] showed a clear divide between north and south. Dilma won a landslide victory in Brazil's impoverished northeast, as well as in much of the Amazon region, while Serra's gains in his home state of São Paulo were strong.
Dilma Rousseff at her victory speech in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia. Image from Rede Brasil Atual's Flickr photostream. Used under a Creative Commons license.
Brazil's blogosphere exploded with elation at the news. Political blogger Eduardo Guimãraes wrote a brief entry on Blog da Cidadania [pt]:
Não devo escrever muito. O momento é de os democratas comemorarem a vitoria da verdade sobre a mentira, da democracia sobre os vassalos da ditadura militar que ameaçaram retomar o poder por meio de um homem sem caráter, capaz de tudo para atingir objetivos pessoais.
Haverá muito, muito tempo para analisar o novo Brasil que não pára de surgir no horizonte. Agora é hora de comemorar. Comemore, pois. Escreva aqui o que quiser. O blog é seu. Você merece por ajudar este espaço a travar o bom combate com seu apoio, com sua leitura, sua repercussão.
Viva Lula!
Viva Dilma!
Viva a Democracia!
Viva a verdade!
Viva o Brasil!
I don't need to write much. The moment is for the democrats to celebrate the victory of truth over lies, of democracy over vassals of a military dictatorship that threatened to return power to a man without character, capable of anything in order to achieve personal objectives.
There will be a lot of time to analyse the new Brazil that is looming on the horizon. Today is the time to celebrate. Celebrate, then. Write here what you wish. The blog is yours. You deserve it for helping this space to catch the good fight with your support, your readership, your repercussions.
Long live Lula!
Long live Dilma!
Long live democracy!
Long live truth!
Long live Brazil!
Escrevinhador's Rodrigo Vianna [pt] added that Dilma's victory has been a long time coming, and will allow the government to continue Lula's gains in widening social inclusion, creating welfare programmes, reducing poverty, strengthening regional and international diplomatic ties, and extending partnerships with social movements and unions. Slamming the campaign tactics employed by Brazil's right wing, Vianna added [pt] that Dilma's victory symbolised the defeat of preconceptions and hate. He writes,
Dilma significa a vitória de um projeto generoso, e o enterro de uma determinada oposição.
Dilma signifies the victory of a generous project, and the burial of a determined opposition.
Left-wing portal Vermelho [pt] also listed a number of other ‘losers’, including Brazil's highly concentrated mainstream media, whose monopolisation over electoral news was challenged by bloggers and citizen-led initiatives [pt], such as 48 Horas Democracia [pt], which provided live alternative coverage of the elections. What ensued throughout the presidential campaigns was nothing short of a politically-aligned media war:
Os meios de comunicação monopolizados por um minúsculo grupo de famílias capitalistas (Marinho, Civita, Frias e Mesquita) estão entre os grandes derrotados deste pleito. Com o destaque das Organizações Globo e da editora Abril, que transformou a revista Veja num mal disfarçado panfleto da campanha tucana, a mídia escancarou o apoio ao candidato da direita e em certo momento passou a ditar a agenda da campanha. Deixou cair a máscara do pluralismo e da imparcialidade. A verdade saiu arranhada nesta mídia. Apesar do segundo turno, o povo não se deixou enganar e impôs nova derrota à mídia…Tudo isto deve servir de lição ao novo governo, que pode pautar um debate mais sério e sereno sobre as propostas da Primeira Conferência Nacional da Comunicação (Confecon).
The means of communication monopolised by a miniscule group of capitalist families (Marinho, Civita, Frias and Mesquita) are among biggest losers of this election. With the prominence of Globo and Abril, which transformed Veja magazine into a poorly disguised veil of the toucan's campaign (a term for the opposition party, PSDB), the media opened wide the support for a candidate of the right and in a certain moment began to dictate the agenda of the campaign. They left the mask of pluralism and impartiality. The truth came out scratched in the media. Despite the runoff, the people were not deceived and imposed a new defeat of the media…All this serves as a lesson to the new government, that can guide a more serious and serene debate of the proposals of the first National Conference on Communication (Confecom).
Embracing more alternative means of communication (as the Confecom proposed) and continuing the democratisation of Brazil's media system, Vianna says [pt], will remain one of Dilma's key challenges. Others believe [pt] she will struggle to set herself free from the shadow of her predecessor and mentor, Lula. Politics and electoral blogger Alexandre Campbell [pt] writes,
Em 2003, Lula sucedeu um adversário que deixou o cargo com os índices de popularidade aos frangalhos. Por isso, a comparação de Lula com os tempos de FHC foi sempre benéfica ao atual presidente.
Dilma, ao contrário, sucederá um aliado, que deixou o cargo com alta popularidade. Não poderá culpar Lula pelos problemas que vier a encontrar e, ao mesmo tempo, não adiantará apenas dar continuidade aos seus avanços.
In 2003, Lula succeeded an adversary who left office with popularity ratings ripped to shreds. For this, the comparison between Lula and the times of FHC [Fernando Henrique Cardoso] were always beneficial to the current president.
Dilma, however, will succeed an ally, who left office with high popularity. She will not be able to blame Lula for the problems she will encounter and, at the same time, it will not be enough to only continue his successes.
Supporters celebrate Dilma's victory. Photo by Marcello Casal Jr/ABr, from Jornal Correio Regional's Flickr photostream. Used under a Creative Commons license.
Meanwhile, the question of what having a woman in power will mean for Brazil has inevitably been raised [pt]. Dilma rarely marketed herself explicitly as a female president, instead prioritising poverty reduction over gender issues. But women's groups applauded [pt] her win as a huge success in a country in which females are often excluded from decision-making, and hoped it would boost the creation of public policies for women.
Last week, veteran women's rights activist Rachel Moreno also mulled over the topic [pt], inviting feminists to look beyond the debate on decriminalising abortion that marred the presidential runoff. Dilma believes, Moreno says,
In the amplification of the space and meeting of the demands of black people; in the social inclusion through the policy of stimulating consumption and job creation; in the Bolsa Familia [a family welfare programme], in the realisation of Conferences on Women and in the inclusion of our claims in government policies.
But, Moreno continues,
Hoje, temos ainda a reivindicar mais creches e escolas em período integral para as crianças, maior qualidade do ensino e mais funcionários nas escolas, com a devida valorização salarial e de formação dos professores. Temos a reivindicar a equiparação salarial das mulheres; o acesso maior e a efetiva equidade no mercado de trabalho; a Reforma Política que nos dê condições de igualdade, uma imagem respeitosa, diversa e plural na mídia; etc. etc. etc.
Today, we are still yet to claim more full-time creches and schools for children, higher-quality teaching and more staff in schools, with the due appreciation in salaries and training of teachers. We are yet to claim equal pay for women; better access and equity in the labour market; political reform that gives us an equal playing field, a respectful image, diverse and plural media; etc. etc. etc.
Maíra Kubík Mano, writing at feminist blog Viva Mulher [pt], also stressed the symbolic importance of a woman leading the country given the low participation of women in Brazilian national politics. However, also referring to the ugly nature of the recent abortion debate, she reminded us that “Dilma is not synonymous with having a government that supports feminist agendas”:
Na verdade, se pensarmos no quão conservador se tornou o debate em torno dessa questão [o aborto], não seria exagero dizer que o cenário piorou para as pautas historicamente ligadas ao feminismo. E, para além de ações isoladas, principalmente da Secretaria de Políticas para as Mulheres, o governo Dilma dificilmente contribuirá para reverter isso.
Much in line with Dilma's own approach, Vianna writes [pt],
É importante eleger uma mulher – sim! Importantíssimo, e nos próximos dias poderemos avaliar isso melhor. Mas Dilma não é simplesmente “mulher”. É uma brasileira que ousou lutar contra a ditadura, em organizações clandestinas. Isso a velha elite não perdoa. É uma marca tão forte quanto os quatro dedos do operário que nunca será aceito na velha turma.
Yes, it's important to elect a woman! Very important, and in the next few days we can assess this better. But Dilma is not simply a “woman.” She is a Brazilian that dared to fight against the dictatorship in clandestine organisations. The old elite does not forget that. She is a brand as strong as the four fingers of the worker that will never be accepted in the old gang.
Building on Lula's progress, Dilma Rousseff certainly symbolises a new era for a country whose growth rates make the West envious. The challenges that lie ahead of her are not small: she has pledged to move 20 million Brazilians out of poverty, while the country remains besieged by drastic crime rates, to name but a few. But with the majority of this South American giant behind her, the future looks bright.
This post was proofread by Diego Casaes.


text:
Brazil: Dilma’s election and what’s left for the opposition · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Hugo Albuquerque, from the blog O Descurvo, analyses [pt] the historical importance of Dilma Rousseff's electoral victory, while João Villaverde comments [pt] on what's left for the defeated party, PSDB.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


text:
Brazil: Right of reply on Twitter · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Gabriela Zago, from the ius communicatio blog tells us [pt] about the first time Brazil's TSE (Superior Electoral Court) granted the right of reply on Twitter. Rui Falcão, one of president-elect Dilma Rousseff's campaign coordinators, was condemnd by the TSE for allegedly posting offensive tweets regarding opposition candidate, José Serra.


text:
Bulgaria: Reactions to Dilma Rousseff’s Victory in Brazil · Global Voices
Ruslan Trad

Front page of the Nov. 1 issue of the Bulgarian newspaper '24 Hours': ”BG enthusiasm on the 140 days of battle for President of Brazil.”
Brazil's President-elect Dilma Rousseff has been the subject of many conversations in Bulgaria, due to her Bulgarian roots.
False Flag, a Bulgarian blog about international politics, wrote this [BG]:
For some time now in Bulgaria there's been a show of interest in the presidential elections in Brazil. This sudden expansion in the interests of Bulgarian society is due to the fact that the main candidate for the post is half Bulgarian.
Dilma Rousseff's father is a Bulgarian emigrant – Peter Roussev. Among other things, he was an active member in the Bulgarian Communist Party during the 20's, a period marked by [the bombing of the St. Nedelya church]. In the late twenties, he ran from political persecution and fled to France and later to Latin America, until he settled in Brazil.
Here is a comment from one of the readers of False Flag:
What joy, what a miracle, big deal… I'm sick of hearing about this guerrilla. If anything, she represents the “export of revolution” we've made, according to the guidelines of Comrade Lenin.
24 Hours, one of the biggest Bulgarian newspapers, published an interview with Rousseff [BG]:
678 days or 1 year, 10 months and 7 days. Much time has passed between November 17, 2008 – the moment when the daily newspaper “24 Hours” requested an interview with Dilma Rousseff, and the day it finally took place – September 24, 2010. In this time several dozen calls were made to Rousseff's ministry, to her party, and finally – to her election headquarters.
- Ms. Rousseff, what are your feelings towards Bulgaria, the homeland of your father?
- They're feelings of tenderness and love. And I would say that to some extent I regard myself as a Bulgarian, although I've never visited my father's homeland. Unfortunately I never saw my brother Luben, who died two years ago. I know you've met him and written about him, for which I'm extremely grateful to you. My father died when I was only 15 years old, so I didn't manage to learn Bulgarian through him. I once knew a couple of words in Bulgarian, but I've since forgotten them.
- Should we be expecting you in Bulgaria?
- No doubt, I will come to visit.
- As the president of Brazil?
- God willing.
Allow me to give you a letter and a small gift from your first cousin Tsanka Kamenova, who lives in Sofia, as well as greetings from another first cousin – Nadezhda Hristova, who lives in Canada. They wish you success in the elections.
- I thank them wholeheartedly. My relatives in Bulgaria should be expecting me soon. I'm eagerly awaiting the moment when I will finally meet them.
Eli, the author of a Bulgarian blog called Razmishlyotini, wrote [BG]:
From a feminist point of view, Rousseff is a phenomenon not only because she's the first woman elected president of Brazil. There are many similar examples – Mireya Moskoso in Panama, Violeta Chamorro in Nicaragua, Michelle Bachelet in Chile and Cristina Fernandez in Argentina. But they've all risen through the ranks with the help of a male relative in politics – either a husband, a father… Rousseff is perhaps the first to have made it without such assistance. Despite being twice divorced, with one daughter, at the beginning of her campaign and her treatment for cancer, she had to spend some effort on cosmetics and appearance. Let's not forget that we're talking about Brazil, a country where the “beauty tax” is one of the most important factors for social acceptance of a woman regardless of her profession.
Dilma Rousseff's presidential campaign was aimed at improving the country's infrastructure and education – something the U.S. should pay close attention to.
Another Bulgarian blogger, Vessela, wrote this on her blog [BG]:
I don't get this euphoria on every TV channel that Dilma Rousseff would become president of Brazil. That's fine, she has Bulgarian roots. Sarkozy has Hungarian roots, I don't remember such a media frenzy in Hungary during his campaign.
Several online media outlets wrote about Gabrovo, a Bulgarian town known as “an international capital of humor and satire” – and the hometown of Rousseff's father.
Bulgarian news agency Darik wrote this [BG]:
The Municipality of Gabrovo sent a congratulatory note to the new President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff. It wishes her success and expresses confidence in her successful term as President.
“We believe that Brazilian passion, mixed with the defiant Bulgarian spirit and Gabrovo entrepreneurship, will surely lead to the successful governance of one of the fastest growing economies in the world,” Gabrovo wrote.
Newspaper 24 hours published this interesting story on its website [BG]:
An exhibition entitled “Gabrovo Roots of the Brazilian Presidential Candidate Dilma Rousseff” opened yesterday at the Historical Museum in Gabrovo. Thirty-five archive photographs and two genealogical charts prove her local roots. Krassimira Cholakova from the Museum of History explains how it all began when two prominent Gabrovo families were joined. Stefan Roussev from the Rousschushky family married Tsana Kornazheva from the Doskov family. Peter Roussev, one of five children, left Bulgaria in 1929 and settled later in Brazil, where he became known as Pedro Rousseff.
The two families are intertwined with members of other prominent Gabrovo families, including that of the first mayor after the National Liberation – Tsonyu Michkovets, Nikola Rasheev, the man who started the first linen-hemp factory in the country, and Peter Peshev – a Minister in several of the first Bulgarian governments after 1878. Many of Dilma's relatives were members of the Narodniak and Social-Democratic parties. However, there aren't any historical documents that state Peter Roussev was a member of a political party. It's possible that he wasn't repressed for his political beliefs, but rather emigrated to France and then to Brazil for economic reasons.
There is a Bulgarian Facebook fan page about Rousseff – “Дилма Русеф-Президент на Бразилия” (Dilma Rousseff-President of Brazil).
On my own Facebook page, I have asked my friends to share their thoughts about Rousseff [BG], and here are some of the responses:
Gergana Vlaykova: Yes, I also believe that she doesn't really care that much. Aside from that, as a source of some pride, or just as a pleasant fact. I'm personally annoyed by the reactions of her relatives. I'm convinced that if they found out about her while she was in prison (for which we are not sure), they would have been ashamed of her and wouldn't care if she was fairly accused, or whether she needed something. Now that she's President, it's a great deal of joy for the “family” …
Vesela Georgieva: I don't understand why the whole situation is being inflated out of proportion when the woman considers herself a Brazilian. To expect that Saint Dilma will appear in a bright halo and help us fix some of our messes, is just not serious.
Maxim Prodanov: Looking at the international scene, I'm glad that Brazil continues to pull farther and farther away from its dark past of dictatorship and inequality, and elects spirited, socially conscious leaders. I'm glad to see poverty drop in a region that desperately needs and deserves better living standards. Looking at the domestic Bulgarian scene, I can't help but cringe at my fellow Bulgarians’ attempt to find pride in any successful person with a trace of Bulgarian blood. Nationality means nothing, it's just an artificial division. Whether Dilma Rousseff turns out to be brilliant or not, it would be her own achievement, not ours.

author: Ruslan Trad


text:
China: Control over printing of Tibetan language material · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Angry Chinese Blogger blogs about the latest policy introduced by Beijing government in controlling the printing of Tibetan language material in Tibet.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
China: Relation with Japan and the U.S · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Matters comments on the lowering of temperature between China with Japan and the U.S. at the at the Hanoi ASEAN gathering.


text:
China: Shanghai World Expo comes to an end · Global Voices
Marta Cooper

As the Shanghai 2010 World Expo has drawn to a close, Shanghai Scrap's Adam Minter looks at why the six-month long extravaganza mattered, and how foreign correspondents missed an opportunity in covering it.


text:
Côte d’Ivoire: African Elections Project uses Motribe to cover elections · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

African Elections Project uses Motribe to covers elections in Côte d'Ivoire: “One day before the elections the African Election Project and Motribe decided to work together to launch a social network that would enable Ivorians to chat, share photos and find out more about the elections as they happened.”


text:
Côte d’Ivoire: Presidential Election in Pictures · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

This post is part of our special coverage Côte d'Ivoire Unrest 2011.
On this Sunday, October 31st, registered voters in Côte d'Ivoire cast their ballots in the first presidential election in 10 years, due to the Civil War that broke out in 2002 and the subsequent issues that arose from it. The election date had been postponed six times since 2005, when Laurent Gbagbo's five-year mandate officially came to an end, amid rows over rebel disarmament and voter registration. A second round is scheduled for November 28.
Despite some initial delays in some polling stations, voting has been reportedly peaceful and the turnout appears to have been good. The African Elections Project created a Twitter account to follow the developments of the voting day, and various citizen journalists and Twitterers in Côte d'Ivoire also tweeted updates throughout the day using the hashtag #civ2010. Here is a selection of pictures of the voting day shared on Twitter:
Lines outside of polling station in Abidjan. Photo by AEP Côte d'Ivoire
Lines outside of polling station in Abidjan. Photo by AEP Côte d'Ivoire
Happy voter showing the ink mark on her finger after casting the ballot. Photo by Nnenna Nwakanma
While voters in Côte d'Ivoire enjoyed a relatively smooth and peaceful election day, it seems that their fellow Ivorians living in France had a harder time casting their ballots. About 11,500 voters were registered to vote in one of the 28 polling stations in the Paris region, but according to France24, several of them failed to open on Sunday sparking anger among voters. Twitterer Jolan K photographed some of the 500 voters gathered outside the Ivorian consulate in French capital’s swanky 16th district.
Ivorian expats waiting to vote at the consulate in Paris. Photos by Jolan K
American writer Carol Spindel, who wrote a book 20 years ago about life in an Ivorian village titled In the shadow of the sacred grove, recently traveled to Côte d'Ivoire to write about the presidential elections. For that purpose she set up a blog, One village votes, in which she's been documenting the electoral process. On Sunday she posted some photos of the election day in the northern town of Korhogo:
Voting in Korhogo. Photo by Carol Spindel
A few days earlier, Carol visited a group of women in a village near Korhogo who were learning how to vote in the dark, with the aid of a flashlight and a photocopy of a ballot:
Women learning how to vote a few days before the election. Photo by Carol Spindel.
The results of the Sunday Presidential election should be officially announced within the next 72 hours.
This post is part of our special coverage Côte d'Ivoire Unrest 2011.

author: Elia Varela Serra


text:
Cuba: Mother Harassed; Prionsers to be Released?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Uncommon Sense reposts reports of alleged state harassment of the mother of the late dissident hunger striker Orlando Zapata Tamayo; in a separate post, he comments on the Cuban Catholic Church's announcement about the imminent release of the remaining 13 political prisoners “in jail since the ‘black spring’ of 2003.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Dominican Republic: Taking Measures Against Cholera · Global Voices
Rocío Díaz

There have been more than 270 deaths due to cholera in Haiti and around 3 thousand infected people. The outbreak, which started in Saint Marc, has been spreading to the capital city, Port-au-Prince, where the first case was confirmed. Experts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) consider that it is just a matter of time before cholera reaches Dominican territory, and it is under these circumstances that the Public Health Ministry, welcoming the recommendations of the the aforementioned international organization, has endeavored into a series of actions to limit and control the spread of this sickness. An expert's opinion published by Duarte 101 [es]:
Jon Andrus, subdirector de la OPS, dijo que, si bien no se han confirmado casos en República Dominicana, su despacho espera que se produzcan, “porque esa frontera es muy porosa. Al hablar de la eliminación de cualquier enfermedad en La Española, necesitamos hablar de planes que incluyan la isla entera”.
One of the first steps taken by the Public Health Ministry was the activation of emergency commissions, especially those in border zones, where public hospitals and their personnel have been reinforced with the idea that they can respond adequately to eventual cholera cases originating in Haiti or Dominican soil. Also, the government established a preventive and collaborative sanitary cord in the border with Haiti which encompasses the delivery to this country of many tons of chlorine to purify the water and also the dissemination of basic information about cholera in English and Creole, along with radio spots in both languages. The brochure that has been being distributed in the border starts with the question “What is cholera?” (“Kisa kolera -a ye?” in Creole) and mentions the main symptoms, the causes and the best way to prevent the sickness.
Border between Haiti and Dominican Republic. Photo by Inside Disaster.*
Other measure taken by the Dominican authorities was the temporary closing of the bi-national market, which was a motive for protests in Haiti, where confusion about the sanitary situation reigns. Rull Fernández, of Duarte 101 [es], has echoed this situation publishing declarations by doctor Anggie Serrano, who expressed surprise about the apparent disinformation of Haitians:
Lo que sí nos sorprende es que ellos se preguntan por qué tantos chequeos y porqué la suspensión del mercado. Nosotros entonces les decimos que han muerto muchos por el cólera y alegan que no saben nada de eso. Tal parece que estas personas no tienen acceso a la información.
The reaction that Serrano describes refers to the cautionary measures taken around the border, where at the moment incoming cooked foods from Haiti are prohibited and the passage of Haitians has been restricted to those that show visas and are willing to submit to health checks taking place at the border, where one of the first demands is that hands be washed.
The sanitary situation in Haiti has been gradually worsening since the 12th of January this year, when an earthquake  with an intensity of 7.0 in the Richter scale devastated the capital, killing more than 300 thousand people, and submerged the nation in a profound state of emergency. Despite the funds promised by the international community and multiple meetings on the subject, Haiti still has not received this help, with the consequence that those who lost their houses are still living in improvised refuges where overcrowding and lack of hygiene reign. These two causes have contributed to the apparition of this cholera outbreak.
In view of the protests for the closing on the bi-national market, the Public Health Ministry reaffirmed yesterday that this was a temporary measure and that for the moment it is authorized to reopen, as long as the hygiene measures and controls established by the authorities are strictly followed.
Even when at the moment the first case of cholera in the Dominican territory has not been detected, the measures continues to be reinforced and the population is taking the situation very seriously.  Al Momento.net [es] informs via Twitter that the precautionary measures are being extended to the touristic areas, while Elaine Nivar [es] makes a call to all Dominicans to be alert and take precautions.  Julissa María [es] asks to pray for those sick of cholera in Haiti, where forecasts are not encouraging [es]: according to the World Health Organization (WHO) cholera has not reached its peak point in Haiti, and it will be difficult to erradicate.

author: Rocío Díaz


text:
Georgia: Reflections on Teach and Learn · Global Voices
Mirian Jugheli

Teach and Learn with Georgia (TLG) is a project established by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia (MES) aiming to recruit 1,000 native English speakers willing to teach English at Georgian schools for the 2010-2011 academic year. The first wave of teachers arrived in Georgia in the end of July and the Georgian  government expects that all 1,000 will have started by the end of 2010.
The MES hopes that not only will the teachers help improve the situation with proficiency in English throughout the country, albeit at the expense of Russian, but that they will also learn  more about Georgia and promote it back home by sharing stories with their families and friends. Several have already started  their own blogs, for example, and write about everything from their students to culture and cuisine.
One of them, drew's blog, says that many others in addition to existing students in Georgia's second largest city of Kutaisi are eager to learn English.
I’ve added some more teaching hours  outside of school.  I  made some friends at the local mall & they’re  very serious about  learning English.  I might start a club if I don’t  get too busy with  other projects I’ll be involved with.  One is Tinico’s  (my main  companion) English grammar text book that she, herself,  wrote.  She  wants me help her finish & be the editor.  I’m honored.   […]
Unlike Drew Sobota, however, not all of the teachers are located in large cities such as Kutaisi or Tbilisi, the capital, with some sent to the less well developed regions of the country. Paul Knettel, for example, arrived in Georgia in August and teaches in Zeda Etseri, a village near Zugdidi in the west of the country. Writing on Floating World, the American appears to have settled in quite easily.
I am enjoying my time here immensely. The Georgian  family is wonderful  and way too hospitable! I have been able to meet up  with some of the  other English teachers in my area (whom I trained  with in Kutaisi for 1  week), and we have gone to the Black Sea for a  breath-taking sunset and  an invigorating swim! We also played some  football (soccer for us  strange American-folk) against a group of  Georgians, which was a blast  despite the scorching heat: so much for a  cooler environment than Texas!
http://paulknettel.wordpress.com/
However, other TLG teachers do occasionally touch upon some sensitive subjects. One of them is Neal Zupancic from Slovenia who wrote on his blog, Georgia On My Mind, about attitudes towards gender and sex in what still remains a fairly traditional country. The post received more than 200 comments and initiated an intense discussion.
At orientation, the TLG staff gave us a bunch of info about dating and gender relations in Georgia. The breakdown is familiar: men are expected to be sexually experienced when they get married and women are expected to be virgins. Of course, this system cannot work without some third factor, because how are men to get experience when women are not allowed to have sex? So there must exist – or so we can theorize – some group of women who are violating the traditional rules. […]
“Dating” in Georgia is vanishingly rare. Instead, there is courtship. A man and a woman get together, they date for about two months, and then the expectation is that the man will either “do the right thing” or stop fooling around and move on. In theory every woman has a “patroni,” or male guardian, whose job it is to make sure that the men in these women’s lives “do the right thing” – in other words, propose marriage within an acceptable period of time, or leave the woman alone.
[…]
Finally, a note about talking about sex in Georgia. The subject seems to be a lot more taboo than it is in the US. Even when you talk to Georgians about dating, they are generally taken aback by the idea that anyone would talk publicly about any kind of romantic interactions between men and women. It’s pretty strange.
TLG Volunteers. From http://tlg.gov.ge
Some of the blogs by TLG teachers can be found on Dream is Destiny [GE]  as well as my own The Young Georgians. As with those blogs established by some Peace Corps Volunteers, they might well offer a unique glimpse into life in Georgia.

author: Mirian Jugheli


text:
Haiti: Earthquake, Cholera; Tomas Too?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Tomas, which got the region's attention as a Tropical Storm before being upgraded to a Category 2 Hurricane as it whipped its way across the windward islands, has been downgraded.  It is now back to its original status as it heads towards Haiti.  The system still poses a peripheral threat to neighbouring islands like Jamaica, but Caribbean bloggers are hoping that Haiti will be spared any further devastation; the country is still grappling with the fallout from the January 12 earthquake as well as a recent cholera outbreak.
The Livesay Haiti Weblog is praying that Tomas “grows weak/changes course”; real hope for haiti acknowledges that the storm's projected path is “not good”.   The blog later reports:
The exact timing and location of this turn is still uncertain, but the computer models have come into better agreement that Haiti or Jamaica are the most likely targets of Tomas. NHC is giving Port A Prince, Haiti, a 40% chance of receiving tropical storm force winds, and a 5% chance of hurricane force winds. These odds are slightly lower for Kingston, Jamaica–29% and 4%, respectively.
Pwoje Espwa – Hope in Haiti says:
The internet tells us that Tropical Storm Tomas is heading this way.  What scares me is the flooding that will happen if there's a lot of rain and, of course, that is predicted.  We'll be moving the children to higher ground, purchasing extra food and fuel to see us through this potential disaster and doing what we can to secure our buildings, animals and vehicles.  We'll also be doing some more training to prevent the children from drinking bad water and make sure we have plenty of treated water available.
How Can They Hear?  posts a link to the National Hurricane Center in Miami and urges God to “command the course of this hurricane to turn away from Haiti so that they are spared additional suffering.”
this isn't grey's anatomy–Haiti medical relief says that she “know[s] what 60 MPH winds (lasting about 60 minutes) can do to a city, trees, billboards, power lines, and tent cities”.  The blogger (Jen) was in Haiti for Tropical Storm Noel, which subsequently turned into one of the deadliest hurricanes of the 2007 season:
Though only a tropical storm, the flooding it produced was devastating in many parts of the country, especially the south. I will never forget crossing a river near Cavaillon (in southern Haiti) on the way out to Les Cayes…then crossing over the same river again several days later. The river was perhaps 3-4 times as wide as it had previously been (and was much, much deeper), and everything that had been along its banks was covered in muddy water. This was only one river of many that had severely overflowed its banks.
Based on this experience, Jen continues:
I am scared for what Haiti could experience later this week from this storm. Predictions from several days out can be wrong. But if current predictions are correct, Hurricane Tomas could make landfall as a category 2 hurricane in southern Haiti, with winds of up to 110 MPH possible (and the winds certainly wouldn't last only 60 minutes this time). I am hoping and praying the predictions are wrong, and that Hurricane Tomas continues on westward over the open ocean instead of turning north towards Haiti.


text:
India: The People Of Marina Beach · Global Voices
Rezwan

Hidden among the crowd of the popular Marina Beach in Chennai there exists a small group of people who have a story to tell. Dinidu De Alwis at The End writes about their stories.


text:
Lesotho: Maseru Men · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Maseru Men is a poem by Rethabile. Maseru is the capital of Lesotho: “Between lamp and moon tonight/you come striding in, and watch me/pull out maps, books we lived on/and which I am now discarding/for good, photos in envelopes/shut against the weary heart.”


text:
Macedonia: Campaign Against Homophobic Education · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Coalition for Protection and Promotion of Sexual and Health Rights of Marginalized Communities started a blog campaign [MKD] against the homophobic content of the official curriculum. NGOs from this group demand removal of secondary school textbooks with outdated and discriminatory lessons, and establishing a mechanism of prevention of such abuse by the Ministry of Education and Science.

author: Filip Stojanovski


text:
Macedonia: TEDxSkopje Attracts Attention Online · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Participants who spoke after it, consider the first TEDx event in Macedonia a great success. The one-day conference organized independently under license from American nonprofit TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) enabled widening the range of publicly discussed topics and inspiring at least one hundred participants to work on positive change.
As IT.com.mk reported [MKD]:
The first “idea sharing” is over. You could follow the TEDxSkopje conference via live video stream, or read about it on  Facebook or Twitter. In case you missed them, the videos will be published on the TEDxSkopje website.
The conference was quite successful. The realization was excellent, minus small technical glitches which were quickly solved. The selection of the speakers was interesting, with various topics composed into two segments. The first part focused more on technology, while the second part focused on education, motivation and inspiration for creation.
The live video stream had almost a thousand viewers from all over the world, mostly from Macedonia, curiously followed by France and the U.S.A.
The rules of the event prohibited photographing and recording, except by designated official photographers. One of them, Martin Dimitrievski, posted a short video about the event.
As previously reported by GVO, a controversy arose online after some of the would-be participants did not receive confirmations of their applications. Much of the tension was defused thanks to the willingness of the volunteers who served on the organization committee to openly discuss the issues with the public through a group interview [MKD] conducted via the aggregator Ping.mk.
After the event, the online discussions did not die, with praises from the participants broadcast via Twitter and on the Facebook profile, and some ‘ok, we got it, get off your high horse’ comments by others [MKD]. In a funny twist, one of the most persistent interlocutors during the preparation phase, Zuberot, even ‘received’ a photo comics [MKD] in which Steve Jobs and Bill Gates ask each other whether they attended the event, and conclude that at least they've heard he, Zuberot, did.
On a more serious note, Novica Nakov, one of the volunteer organizers, wrote [MKD] on his blog about the discrepancy between the online interest for TEDxSkopje and another project he takes part in – creation of the National Free/Libre and Open Source Software Policy [MKD] through inclusive, citizen-centric process:
TEDxSkopje and the National FLOSS Policy can't be more different.
The first is a private initiative, mainly supported by private entities (except the Youth Cultural Center). It is not exclusive, there can be others like it. It is not very relevant in the wider context of Macedonian society – besides the idea that TED-style presentations can raise the level of public debate, there's not much to it. Still TEDxSkopje has been almost entirely and constantly under the watchful eye of the (Internet) public […]…
The second is a public initiative, includes the Ministry of Information Society, Metamorphosis Foundation and Free Software Macedonia as implementers, as well as all stakeholders from universities and the business sector. Making such text is one-off thing. There will be no second version next year. If adopted, it will be a very important contribution to building the information society, especially regarding the transparency of ICT policies of state bodies, and their communication with all of us. The Policy can help shaping the future ICT development in this country and, if successful, it would be a great topic for some future TEDx talk. However, it remains below the radar of the online public (even though they were invited to join a number of times).
To this, add the fact that the people determined to post about all TEDxSkopje missteps are educated enough to contribute to the National FLOSS Policy, and you'll realize why I write this.
But, since I am an economist, I will remind you that people are selfish. “One's own benefit above all” – and it seems that many people think TEDxSkopje has something to do with their own benefit.
Finally, as a TEDxSkopje organizer, I can say that in spite of all that traversed, I feel flattered. But as someone who will need to submit an annual balance-sheet to the Central Register, I feel obligated to remind you that the chance to push standards and openness in e-whatever with the state is still open to all of you.


text:
Mexico: Celebrating Day of the Dead · Global Voices
Andrea Arzaba

Day of the Dead is a special and mystical season that Mexicans celebrate every year. But what exactly happens on this date? Why is this holiday so important for Mexican families?
Chase Buckner wrote a post on “Day of the Dead in Mexico” in Journey Mexico: The Blog:
Day of the Dead,  or Dia de los Muertos, is an often misunderstood holiday celebrated in  Mexico. While, technically speaking, the actual Day of the Dead is  November 2nd, the tradition has evolved to also include October 31st and  November 1st as well.
November 1st is traditionally referred to as Dia de los Angelitos  (Day of the Little Angels) in Mexico and is the day to honor infants and  children who have died. November 2nd is the actual Dia de los Muertos  when families honor adults whom they have lost. It is believed that on  these days, the souls of the deceased return to earth to be with their  families and loved ones.
Chase Buckner goes on to name some of the elements that are used in this celebration:
It is important to note that the celebrations for these holidays, especially for Dia de los Angelitos and Dia de los Muertos, vary widely  throughout the different regions of Mexico. In some areas, the cemetery  plays a larger role in celebrations than in others where the home is the center of celebrations where alters and shrines are built. The favorite food and beverage of the deceased are often taken to graves and alters to honor the dead and in some regions, people celebrate the loss of  children by hosting dinners consisting of specific foods and sweets.
Buckner concludes by writing about other significant components of the holiday, such as La Catrina and the Calaveritas, among others:
The mood of these holidays will also vary from grievance to humorous are  relatives reminisce about funny events and anecdotes of the deceased.  One of Mexico’s most prominent symbols of Dia de los Muertos, the Catrina figures (little statues of skeletons dressed in formal  clothing), began from a printed parody poking fun at an upper class  Mexican female, and there is another tradition where people write short  poems called calaveras (“skulls”), which are mocking epitaphs poking fun  at the quirky habits or funny events of the deceased and their past.
La Calavera Catrina ("The Elegant Skull") image by Wikimedia Commons user Tomascastelazo used under a Creative Commons  Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.0 Generic license."
It is very common for Mexican families to built their own altars or small shrines in their homes, as they believe that the soul of their beloved deceased will come that night and take the essence away from the things they place in the altar. Judy King in Mexconnect explains the significance of the objects that are included in the altars:
Four candles are placed on the top level to represent the cardinal directions. A candle is lit for each dead family member, and one extra so that no one is left out. The candles, which represent hope and faith, burn during the night, so that there is no darkness …
While most altars are laden with the favorite foods, sweets, drinks, and harvest fruits of each family spirit, even the most basic altar includes these basic needs:
A washbasin, soap, towel, mirror and comb are placed nearby so the spirits can clean up when they return.
The hand crafted skeletons, Calaveras are funny and friendly rather than frightening or spooky. They represent the beloved dead ones, their occupations and hobbies. As they are placed on the altar, the delightful skeleton figures bring back fond memories and cause the grieving ones to smile. The figures with the smells of favorite foods, help the spirits find the right house.
Blogger Gin Hindew 110 from the blog De La Tierra al Cielo [es] explains what these altars represent:
El altar es un lugar especial, algo sagrado en medio de  nuestra casa, es el recuerdo de nuestros muertos, la forma física de  nuestra tradición, es algo que se les enseña a los niños para que no  olviden, algo que acerca a nuestros ancianos con sus recuerdos, el altar  es nuestra forma de ser parte de algo mas, no es porque tenga flores ni  porque tenga comida, es porque nosotros lo hemos puesto ahí, nosotros  queremos recordar, queremos pensar que nuestros muertos nos acompañan
In a city near Mexico City, called Toluca, the Alfeñique fair takes place every year; vendors sell traditional sugar skulls, as well as a big variety of seasonal homemade candy. The blog One Lucky Life, shows pictures of some traditional Day of the Dead candy:
Decorated sugar skulls. Image by author, Andrea Arzaba
Traditional milk and fruit candy of the season. Image by author, Andrea Arzaba
Smiley Skull. Image by author, Andrea Arzaba
Chocolate Catrinas. Image by author, Andrea Arzaba

author: Andrea Arzaba


text:
Pakistan: Video Portal And Citizen Journalism · Global Voices
Rezwan

Salman Latif writes about a recent development in citizen journalism in Pakistan – citizen's video portals.

author: Rezwan


text:
Panama: November in Panama · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

The bloggers at Contrapunto [es] write about November in Panama, “the month of our country when we remember with pride the various deeds that have brought us here and that for better or for worse have made us who we are.”

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Peru: National Team Wins World Surfing Games · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón

Starting October 19th, surfers from Peru, Canada, Germany, Guatemala, Australia, Japan, France, Ecuador, Uruguay and South Africa traveled to Peru to participate in the Billaboing ISA World Surfing Games 2010.
After several days of competition, the Peruvian team won the world award in the teams competition. Surfing is a very popular sport in Peru, and Peruvians are celebrating their team's achievement.
World Surfing Games 2010 – Punta Hermosa, by flickr user CHIMI FOTOS, used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license
The blog Mejor hablar de ciertas cosas [es] (It's better to talk about certain things) by Luizcore, posts the final ranking and says:
La selección peruana de tabla alcanzó el título mundial por equipos en el torneo realizado en Punta Hermosa. Perú logró el puntaje más alto en la sumatoria de todos los países y superó por poco a Australia, que llegó en segundo lugar.
The group blog La mula [es] celebrates the award too, but ends its short post with some criticism:
El Perú está de fiesta. Ayer, el equipo peruano de surf consiguió ser campeón mundial de tabla en los Billabong ISA World Surfing Games 2010 desarrollado en las playas Caballeros y Señoritas, en el balneario de Punta Hermosa. Sin embargo, pese al gran triunfo, la noticia no destaca como portada en los diarios deportivos.
The blog Historias de Surf [es] shares the story of Matías Mulanovich, the hero of the Peruvian national surf team, according to the blog:
Las cosas estaban así. Ingresaban al mar para disputar la ronda diez del repechaje cuatro surfistas: el peruano Matías Mulanovich, el tahitiano Hira Teriinatoofa y los australianos Mick Campbell y Drew Courtney. Los dos mejores pasaban a la final Open para enfrentar a los ya clasificados Gabriel Villarán y el brasileño Alan Jhones.
En esta instancia, la dirección técnica de nuestro equipo y los hombres de la FENTA (Federación Nacional de Tabla) hicieron sus cálculos. Si los dos australianos ocupaban los dos primeros lugares de la serie de Matías automáticamente los canguros ganaban el título mundial.
Campbell, un viejo tiburón de los mares de la Tierra era un bolo seguro para acceder a la etapa decisiva. Quedaba Courtney y Matías dejó de lado su ego y se convirtió en su cancerbero. Se pasó todo el tiempo de la manga estorbándolo e impidiéndole subirse a una ola. Simplemente le hizo la vida imposible y lo marcó hasta más no poder.
This was the situation. Four surfers were about to go into the sea to contend the tenth round of the playoffs: Peruvian Matías Mulanovich, Tahitian Hira Teriinatoofa and Australian Mick Campbell and Drew Courtney. The two surfers with the best scores would classify for the final Open to meet the already classified Gabriel Villarán and the Brazilian Alan Jhones.
At that point, the technical direction of out team and the guys from FENTA (National Surfing Federation) did their math. If both Australians ended with the first and second places in Matías’ series, both Aussis would automatically win the world championship.
Campbell, an old sea dog from all seas of the Earth was a sure name to get into the decisive phase. Courtney was left, and Matías put his ego away and became [Courtney's] Cerberus. He spent the whole time hindering him and preventing him from getting into a wave. He simply made things impossible [for Courtney] and was on his back as much as he could.
Matías Mulanovich is the younger brother of Sofía, a very popular Peruvian surfer.
El Rafo, another author from the group blog La mula, ends his post [es] with a question that many surfing fans have asked:
Todos ellos priorizan la victoria de Universitario frente al CNI. ¿Acaso sólo el fútbol es importante?

author: Gabriela García Calderón


text:
Peru: Protest Calls on Government to Reduce Female and Infant Mortality Rates  · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

The Latin Americanist shares a link to a video of a protest held last week in Lima: “One woman dies in Peru every eight hours due to complications related to pregnancy according to AI [Amnesty International] secretary general Salil Shetty. She added that most of these deaths are preventable and especially hit rural, indigenous, and poor women.”


text:
Russia: Photos and Video From “Strategy 31” Opposition Rally · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Several bloggers post photo reports from Moscow opposition meeting here, here, here, here, and here. LJ-user drugoi posts HD-video of the event. Marina Litvinovich sums up: despite the conflict between opposition leaders, the “Strategy 31″ movement didn't fail.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


text:
Russia: Photos of a Drug Addict’s Regress · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

LJ-user Roizman, Yekaterinburg political and anti-drug activist, posts pictures of Vika Zavalina, a drug addict. The series of pictures taken from 2004 to 2010 shows a shocking regress in the young woman's appearance. The post, which ends with Roizman's conclusion that compulsory drug treatment should be legally introduced, has gathered about 500 comments in just one day.


text:
Russia: Photos of Halloween · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Users metkere and zyalt post pictures from Halloween parties here and here. LJ-user sokhovich posts picture of a person in a mask of Frankenstein-like Medvedev and other halloween'ized politics.


text:
South Korea: The Super-Supermarkets Twitter shootout · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

As mega-markets arrive to devour small businesses, serious discussions have been rekindled in Korea in both online and offline venues. On the night of October 28, while a serious debate on the SSM (Super SuperMarket) issue was taking place on a major TV network program, two formidable opponents, one representing big corporations and the other standing for the small business owners, engaged in a battle on in Twitter.
Chung and Moon are two prominent figures standing on diametrically opposite sides of the SSM debate. Chung Yong-jin is the vice president of Shinsegye Group, owners of E-mart, a Korean version of Walmart, and grandson of the founder of Samsung. His challenger, Moon Yong-sik, is a controversial figure. While most of the public would call Moon a left-leaning maverick, those on his side praise him as a warrior who fights bravely against the government. Moon is the representative of Nowcom, owners of Africa.TV, an online broadcasting service which became widely known to public after its live broadcast of the 2008 mass protest which led to Moon's imprisonment for copyright violations.
The crossfire started with Moon's out-of-context provocation regarding a comment by Chung on his workers’ welfare. Chung, shocked at Moon's sudden attack, initially thought the tweet had somehow been mistyped. Moon addressed social issues in two or three tweets, and among them was criticism of E-mart's sale of pizza, which caused the closure of local pizza parlors. The small fire turned into a conflagration as Chung brought up Moon's prison record and almost called Moon a “left-winger”. Below is a summary of the Twitter shootout:
정용진(@yjchung68) : 지난 19일 신문에 게재된 저희 회사 임직원 복지혜택 확대관련 내용입니다.직원들이 사랑하는 회사가 될수 있도록 앞으로도 계속 전진^^
문용식(@green-mun) : 수퍼개점해서 구멍가게 울리는 짓이나 하지말기를..그게 대기업이 할일이니?”
정용진 : 나우콤 문용식 대표님이 저에게 보내신 트윗입니다 마지막 반말하신건 오타겠죠?
문용식 : 오타는 아니구여.중소기업 입장에서 순간 화가나서 한말이지여. 피자팔아 동네피자가게 망하게하는 것이 대기업이 할일이냐구여? 주변상권은 다 붕괴시키면서 회사직원복지만 챙기면 되는거냐구여?
정용진 : 이분 분노가 참 많으시네요 반말도 의도적으로 하셨다네요 네이버에 이분 검색해보니 그럴만도 하세요
문용식 : 분노없이 지금 이 사회를 어찌 살겠어요? 정부회장도 좀더 안목을 키우시길. 달을 가리키면 달을 봐야지, 손가락끝만 쳐다보면 되나여? 대기업의 바람직한 상생의자세를 살펴봐야지, 반말들은것만 가슴에 담아두나여? 쯪쯪. […]
정용진 : 결국 이분 수퍼마켓과 피자얘기에서 불법상속 비자금얘기 까지 하시네요. 그래도 말투는 맘에 듭니다 ^^
Moon later thanked Chung—sarcastically—for retweeting his aggressively worded tweet to his tens of thousands of followers and for mentioning the prison record Moon acquired by breaking rules regarding the coverage of protests, as those actions helped Moon gain new 200 followers overnight. Twitter users and bloggers expressed great excitement at having witnessed a live public battle, especially regarding one of hottest issues in Korea.
Image of Homeplus in Korea
Both multinational and home-grown SSMs are present in every district of Korea's smallest cities. E-mart, Lotte Super, GS Supermarket (which spun off from LG Groups) and Homeplus (a mega-mart run by Samsung-Tesco) are the major SSMs dominating cities and towns. Local vendors and small business owners face increasingly tough competition from these retailers, who can offer lower prices, larger stores and more services.
Action to Revive Small Business Owner (Sajangnim240 Cafe), is one interest group fighting for small merchants. One netizen reported on the group's web site that a mega mart in his vicinity had opened so discreetly that few in the area noticed until the establishment's grand opening day. People presumed the mega mart had done this to give potential complaints less time to build momentum and cause permission to build the SSM in the local commercial area to be revoked.
Even though there are guidelines that place restrictions where SSMs’ can be located, and make it compulsory for companies to issue notifications prior to building SSMs at provincial level, a strong bill that could block or limit the establishment of SSMs is in its preliminary stages. As the bill is delayed in the National Assembly, more people are expressing concerns. A survey done by the Korea Small Business Institute in August 2010 (posted on the Sajangnim240 site) shows that there has been a significant decrease in sales by small businesses due to the mushrooming SSMs. (The report below had uses the word ‘SSM’ to refer the global mega markets. The term ‘mega marts’ has been adopted to indicate home-grown mega market chains)
대형마트 및 SSM 진출전 3년과 진출 당해년을 포함한 진출이후 3년간 매출액을 비교해본 결과 점포당 월평균 4,132천원의 매출이 하락하였으며, 그 비율은 28.0%가 감소한 것으로 나타났다…보다 심각한 사실은 대형마트•SSM 진출후 매출액의 감소폭이 점점 커진다는 사실인데, 시간이 지남에 따라 피해의 누적효과가 발생하여 회복이 점점 어려워진다는 것을 의미한다…고객의 변화를 보면, 대형마트•SSM 진출시점을 기준으로 급격히 고객 감소한 것으로 나타났는데, 점포별 일평균 22명의 고객이 감소하였으며, 감소율은 37%에 달하는 것으로 나타났다.
Lee Sang-hoon posted an aticle on theDaum Agora site, stressing that regulating SSMs is pointless at this stage where the Korean market is already saturated with them. According to Lee, small business owners need to save themselves and the role of the government is to assist their survival with proper education on business skills and various public services:
동네 소매시장은 이미 SSM이 있건 없건 간에 완전경쟁시장이다. 편의점은 몇걸음 가기도 전에 연달아 나오고 목좋은 곳마다 이미 동네 유지들이 기업형 대형 마트를 열어 영업하고 있다. 그외에 후미진 골목들은 영세한 구멍가게들이 다닥 다닥 붙어 있다 싶이 하며 서로 경쟁하고 있다. 이미 우리 자영업시장은 미국이나 일본에 비해 경쟁이 매우 치열하고 소득의 양극화가 상당한 수준이다…우리가 진짜 해야 할 일은 메이저 리거들이라 할 수 있는 편의점, 동네 대형 수퍼마켓, SSM들의 경쟁에 끼어드는 것이 아니라, 실업 대신 어쩔 수 없이 장사를 선택한 영세 소상공인을 돕는 것이다.
A harsh fact of life: people need to take care of themselves. But it is the government who should put on the brakes when invincible giant markets encroach upon small business owners’ territory, or at least give the latter some time to prepare for a fierce battle. This is a common courtesy granted to the weaker player in any game, but it is gradually disappearing.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


text:
Taiwan: March for gay rights in Taipei · Global Voices
David Reid

30,000 people marched through the centre of Taipei on Saturday 30 October in the annual LGBT Pride Parade. Baxter Ramblings writes about watching the parade for the first time. The event's organisers uploaded many photos to their flickr photostream.

author: David Reid


text:
Tanzania: Preliminary results in Zanzibar · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Preliminary results [SW] of presidential election in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Tanzania: Tensions after elections · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tensions in Tanzania after elections: “Tensions in Zanzibar, in Mwanza, Ubungo, Arusha, Dodoma… all revolving around the National Electoral Commission's laggardly pace with the results. While it makes some sense to keep quiet until they are “certain” of their results, this is not a time for reticence!”


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Bullying is No Joke  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Let us guard our own tongues against harsh and cruel words. Let us teach our youth respect for others.  Let us teach them that hurting another (physically or verbally) is anything but funny”: Outlish blogs about bullying.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Gender, Governance & Being Prepared  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Opposition Leader suggests that there was an over-reaction by the Office Disaster Preparedness and Management to Tropical Storm Tomas; 5am at Mango Media Caribbean says: “I don't for a second think that the ODPM nor the Government caused undue panic. They sent out the warnings. They encouraged people to go home. They used social media to keep citizens informed”.  The issue also prompts KnowTnT.com to examine the relationship between gender and good governance.


text:
Zimbabwe: Are women less corupt than men?  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Zimbabwean blogger Lenard Kamwendo asks, “Are women less corrupt than men?”: “Corruption has been a major setback to development in Zimbabwe. Corruption can be done either by men or by women and corruption is now everywhere in our country whether in high offices or on the streets.”


text:
Chile and China: Rescuing the miners · Global Voices
Jennifer Zhang

The news about the successful rescue of 33 miners by the Chilean government on October 14 was followed by a coal mine accident in Pinyu county, Henan province in China, on October 16. The China disaster, caused by a gas blast and explosive coal dust, resulted in the death of 37 miners. In comparing the rescue operations in the two developing countries, many netizens criticized the lack of humanistic concern in the case of China. As the country moves ahead in its development, many feel that while the economy is getting strong, people's lives remain worthless.
Chile vs China in mine rescue
Whenever mining accidents happen in China, local governments try to cover up the situation rather than seek support from the nearby provinces and the central government. Beifangkeke questions Chinese officials’ attitudes towards human lives:
这次智利矿难的救援也可以说成是一次国际救援行动。据报道，这次矿难发生后，负责营救行动的智利国家铜业公司就邀请了跨国矿业公司的专家，以及美国宇航局的专家来共同向营救人员提供建议。这不仅是一种国际智慧支援，它更增强了那些营救者和受困者的自信。有评论就指，这一现象反映出在智利人的眼中，矿工的生命比国家的“脸面”更重要。而在我们过往发生的矿难中，人们更多看到的是矿主瞒报、谎报，监管方的监管缺位、参股矿企，很多出事矿属非法开采、安全措施不到位……就在最新发生的河南这起矿难中，在相关报道当中，也有“矿难前22小时发现瓦斯超标，工作人员表示，通报后未收到相应处理意见”、“瓦斯检测员权限上缴”、“新风机尚未建好即开采”等问题被曝光。而无论怎样，我们都已经看到，智利和中国同为发展中国家，在对待矿工生命的态度上，可谓对比鲜明吧。
Blogger 70 yard declares that the Chilean government turned the tragedy into comedy, while in the case of China, the mining industry remains a living hell:
这哪是让人悲伤的矿难呀，完全是一幕喜剧电影呀。据说，智利被困矿工全部获救后，引来了国人的极度羡慕，特别是国内矿工，感叹同样是辛苦的矿工工作，却有如此天壤之别。国内矿工，几乎每天都有可能遇到生命危险的矿难事故发生。而国内煤矿事故的频繁，让国人麻木，再大的矿难也很难吸引人的眼球。尽管中国不缺钱，更不缺人，矿难一旦发生，成功救援地可能性极小极小。和智利矿难相比，被困69天矿工还能精神奇佳的走了出来，不想去医院也被“强迫”去医院的幸福相比，中国矿工在遇到矿难后，获救的希望都很渺茫，等待他们的家属的，是无尽的悲伤。
Privatization of coal mines and its unbearable consequence
Cai Chongguo, who has been blogging about China’s coal mine accidents for 10 years, explains the nightmare of mining accidents in China by revisiting the history of the national coal mine reform in the 1990s, when the profit-driven coal mine owners began to emerge:
即上世纪90年代末，政府不愿，可能也无能预计两、三年后的经济增长、能源价格上涨的未来，为了“甩包袱”，鼓励并操作全国的煤炭行业空前规模的私有化，并放开了煤矿的开采权。当时，全国，特别是山西内蒙河南等产煤大省，毫无安全保障的私人小煤窑煤矿如雨后春笋般地冒出。同时，大批国有煤矿倒闭、破产，然后以象征性价格，像批发罗卜土豆般地卖给私人。没卖的，则将其矿井和开采面承包给私人包工头，“国有”徒具其名。很多国有煤矿现在仍然如此。
Cai points out that the local governments have become protectors of private coal mine owners:
十分重要的是，是国家对矿藏开发的垄断和控制的放弃，国有煤矿盲目、无任何监督和透明度的私有化，根本改变了矿山所在地的利益关系，改变了地方政府的财政收入构成和其行为方式。它不仅对掌握权力者及其亲属朋友产生极大的诱惑和空前未有的机会及极小的以权寻租的风险，使腐败上了一个大台阶，而且使地方财政依赖煤矿。因此，很多地方政府实际上成了煤老板的秘书处，保护矿主，隐瞒矿难，不遗余力。
Death toll of Chinese miners more than U.S soldiers in Iraq
Indeed, China has been notorious for the death toll in its mining accidents. Back in 2009, blogger Yuchang compared the death toll of US soldiers in the Iraq war with those of miners in China, and discovered that the latter outnumbered the deaths of U.S. soldiers by seven times!
2006年12目30日，一名驻伊美军士兵30日在巴格达的街头炸弹爆炸中丧生,从而使伊战以来美军死亡人数突破3000大关。截止举国媒体和反美愤青欢腾的这一天，伊战期间中国煤矿矿难死亡人数约21716人（注：官方公布的数据是，2003年6683人、2004年6027人、2005年5930人、 2006年4746人，将2003年减四分之一后累加得出21716人）。
上月月初，中国媒体广泛报道：截至2007年10月30日，驻伊美军死亡3840人。同日，国家安全生产监督局网站公布，今年1至10月，全国煤矿事故 1920起，死亡3069人。看到这二则新闻，心一沉，不妙！

author: Jennifer Zhang


text:
China: 360 VS. QQ · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Annie Lee from China Hush translates a local report about the competition between an Internet security provider 360 with the Internet giant company Tencent.


text:
China: Relaxation of press restrictions will lead to collaspe · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Media Project translates an article from the Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece Seeking the truth which states that relaxation of press restrictions would lead to a series of events mirroring the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s.


text:
Cuba: Selling Your Soul · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Octavo Cerco crosses paths with a writer whom she used to admire, who now “writes nonsense about Yoani Sánchez and even dares to call her a terrorist”; the encounter causes her to surmise: “I have no doubt: some souls die in life.”


text:
Cuba: The Individual in the Collective  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Collectivization has not erased in us that human longing to have our own piece, and forced egalitarianism has only fueled the desire to differentiate ourselves”: Generation Y says many Cubans are searching for the “me” amidst the “we”.


text:
Ghana: What is the link between rain and roadworks? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Why do rains force roadworks in Accra, Ghana?: “To tell you the truth, it is generally hard to establish a logical link between rain and roadworks in this country.”