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Bahrain: New Restriction on Media · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif  lashes out at a new “restriction’ on media in the Arab world.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Burkina Faso: Comedy Festival in Ouagadougou · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

QuophyBlogeur writes about Burkina Faso's first comedy festival [Fr], and its “magic to break from the monotony of life and overcome life's most difficult situations.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Jennifer Brea


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Caribbean: Castro – End of an Era?   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Havana from Habana Libre, courtesy Caribbean Free Photo
The buzz in the regional blogosphere for the last twenty-four hours has undoubtedly been the retirement of Cuban leader Fidel Castro after nearly 50 years at the helm of the socialist republic.  The announcement hardly came as a surprise, what with the last couple of years of anti-Castro bloggers closely following reports of the leader's deteriorating health and speculating as to whether or not he was even alive.  This is probably not the way the blogosphere expected him to go out – The Latin Americanist, in linking to a variety of mainstream media sources and public reactions to the news, observes that The Guardian article was “reminiscent of an obit” – and most bloggers appear to be skeptical as to whether the move precedes any significant change for Cuba…
According to Babalu Blog:
If there is, as the international media conglomerate seems to think, real change coming to Cuba now that fidel has stepped aside, does that mean:
Cuban high school students are free to wear white plastic bracelets embossed with the word CAMBIO without fear of arrest?  Does it mean that state security thugs will no longer assault dissidents because they ask for human rights?  I didn't think so.
26th Parallel explains:
After all, it's another castro in charge now. It's still the same regime that's been in control for 5 decades. There's not much optimism contained in those facts.
On the other hand, this will likely be the first test of fidel's “cult of personality” image and its hold on the Cuban people. Actually, it's more of a quiz, because the real test will be when he finally kicks the bucket.
Juan Antonio Blanco writes in his blog (ES)Cambio de Época:
Algunas de las primeras reacciones a la noticia de la renuncia de Fidel Castro a ser reelecto por la nueva Asamblea parecen discurrir entre quienes consideran que el hecho es irrelevante y aquellos que son dados a magnificar su alcance. Hay una distinción entre la certeza de que la elite intentará, en lo adelante, cambiar todo lo que pueda para mantener su monopolio de poder y la pretensión de minimizar lo ocurrido. Suponer que, salvo el cambio de nombres en la cima del poder, todo permanecerá igual es una apuesta arriesgada.
Lo cierto es que la renuncia del Comandante en Jefe, permite que la nueva Asamblea Nacional respete la Constitución y sus propios reglamentos que exigen traspasos formales de esos cargos por razones de salud. Continuamos atravesando un periodo bisagra entre dos épocas. Parafraseando a Galileo diré que Cuba se mueve. ¿Hacia dónde? Esa es otra discusión.
What is certain is that the Commander-in-Chief's resignation allows the new National Assembly to respect the Constitution and its own rules that demand a formal transfer of public office for health reasons. We are still going through a decisive period between two eras. Paraphrasing Galileo I'll say that Cuba is moving. To where? That's another discussion.
There is, in fact, a lot of discussion taking place – at least online.  The Cuban Triangle says:
The meaning for Cuban policy is not clear.  Fidel plans “to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas,” and he will continue to write his newspaper commentaries. But the force of his orthodox ideas will probably wane in a government that is seeking solutions to deep-seated economic problems created by excessive centralization and planning, not to mention lack of economic freedom.
As for American policy, change is unlikely, given U.S. law and the Bush Administration’s approach. Any shift in policy or exploration for opportunities will likely come in a new Administration next year.
In the meantime, Fidel Castro is leaving on his own terms, at a time of his choosing. Neither invasion, nor covert operations, nor embargo, nor a steady strengthening of U.S. sanctions since 1992, nor the current Administration’s myriad efforts have forced him from office.
“Castro's supporters admired his ability to provide a high level of health care and education for citizens while remaining fully independent of the United States,” writes 1Click2Cuba, adding: “Castro's detractors called him a dictator whose totalitarian government systematically denied individual freedoms and civil liberties such as speech, movement and assembly.”
The latter group appears to be the more vocal on the issue.  Marc Masferrer at Uncommon Sense writes:
An unfortunate consequence of that hand-over, reinforced by Fidel's “retirement,” is that the dictatorship survives.  A face, presumably Raúl's — I haven't seen the script — will be placed at the top of the flow chart, come Sunday.  But the dictatorship survives.
The secret police. The Committees in Defense of the Revolution. The gulag…
Fidel's “retirement” is not a moment to celebrate. Unfortuntely, his legacy will survive his life's work, and his life. It is a historical moment to note but nothing more.
Ernesto Hernández Busto writes in (ES) Penúltimos Días:
Por mucha expectativa que provoque en una prensa sedienta de sucesos simbólicos, la renuncia voluntaria de Fidel Castro tras 49 años de férreo mandato es, para decirlo con pocas palabras, uno de los grandes fracasos de nuestra historia política, visiblemente encapsulada en el arbitrio de un líder octogenario y su visión dinástica del mando. Resulta comprensible que, por el momento, ni en Cuba ni en el exilio sobren las ganas de celebrar. Pues, en cualquier caso, lo único que podría festejarse es que todo está saliendo según el guión dictado desde el Palacio de la Revolución.
No matter how many expectations are raised by the press, thirsty of symbolic events, Fidel Castro's voluntary resignation after 49 years of fierce mandate is, put in just a few words, one of the biggest failures of our political history, visibly encapsulated in the will of an eighty-year-old leader and his dynastic vision of the command. It is understandable that, for the time being, in Cuba or in exile, the mood to celebrate is lacking. In any case, the only thing to celebrate would be that everything is happening according to the script dictated from the Palacio de la Revolución.
Review of Cuban-American Blogs adds:
Whatever he has been since his physical and mental decline, Castro will continue to be. Nothing has changed for him or Cuba. Nevertheless, he will be praised and congratulated for his decision by friends and enemies alike. Much will be made of Castro's “retirement” by the world media: “the end of an era” and such.
I hope sincerely that my countrymen in Miami will not be fooled by this empty gesture and celebrate this event as some kind of opening or hopeful sign. It is not. When a hole is finally dug in the ground for him, celebrate then, although that will not mean the end of Communist tyranny either, at least it will mean the end of the tyrant.
The criticism is not confined to Cuban bloggers either.  Barbados Free Press posts a photograph of Castro and former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur in an embrace, with the words: “Remembering the executed, the disappeared, the imprisoned…”, while Bahamian blogger Dan Schweissing says:
Given the rise of numerous strong populist movements and governments in Latin America while the United States has spent most of this decade quigmired in the War on Terror, it is certainly possible that Cuba will have a lot more latitude to shape its own future than it would have, say, even ten or fifteen years ago.  Regardless of where Cuba is headed though, the reality is that things are changing and those changes–whatever they may be–will be big enough to significantly impact the rest of us throughout the Caribbean.
But those that are probably impacted most strongly by Castro's resignation are those who still live in Cuba.  Yoani Sánchez writes from Havana in her blog (ES) Generación Y:
Toda mi vida la he pasado con el mismo presidente. No sólo yo, sino que mi mamá y mi papá –nacidos en el 57 y en el 54, respectivamente- tampoco recuerdan a otro, que no sea el que hoy se ha despedido de sus cargos. Varias generaciones de cubanos no se han hecho nunca la pregunta de quién los gobernará. Tampoco ahora tenemos muchas dudas de cuál persona ocupará el máximo puesto, pero al menos hay alguien que parece definitivamente descartado. Como en esos filmes de Alfred Hitchcock nos hemos enterado, sólo cinco días antes de las elecciones, que nuestros disciplinados parlamentarios se enfrentarán a una boleta diferente; que no tendrán que marcar al lado del “mismo” candidato.
I have lived all my life under the same president. Not only me, but also my mom and my dad -born in 57 and 54, respectively- don't remember another one either, except for the one that today said farewell to public office. Several generations of Cubans have never asked themselves about who is going to govern them. We don't have many doubts about who will now take the main seat, but at least there's someone that seems definitely ruled out.  As in a Hitchock film we have learnt only 5 days before the elections that our disciplined MPs will be facing a different ballot this time; that they will not have to mark the “same” candidate.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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China: Another World’s Tallest Skyscraper Plan · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Kenneth Tan from Shanghaiist reports on skyscraper plan in Shanghai, it will be the world's tallest in 2009.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: More Fake Photos · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Netizen from China dig out more fake photos circulating in the mainstream media, some of those had won photo awards. ESWN translated a local report on the fake Qinghai-Tibet railroad photo, and there is another award-winning photo in doubt called “The Pitiless Fire” (also via ESWN).


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China: Political Mistake · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zengying blogs about his experience of making a serious “political mistake” in a local T.V station at the end of the 1990s. It was about a T.V drama which had been shown in the central television station. Eventually he found out that the mistake was the pronunciation of the name of a negative character in the drama being similar to a local government leader's name! (zh)


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China: Taiwan and Kosovo · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Taiwan's Foreign Minister announced its recognition of Kosovo as an independent country, China Foreign Affair spoke person responded that Taiwan is not in position to give “recognition” to Kosovo. Bonnae from 1510.com pointed out that Kosovo's independence has put China into an embarrassing situation and Taiwan's attitude is also hitting Chinese government's nerve (zh).


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Colombia: New Television Channel Zoom TV · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Campus Comunicativo [es] writes about a new university television channel called Zoom TV, and lists some challenges, including how much influence will the government have on the message and content.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Egypt: No Change in Cuba · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Zeinobia comments on the latest news regarding Cuba's strongman Fidel Castro's resignation.


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Egypt: Young People  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Arabist links to a feature by the New York Times on young people in Egypt.


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French immigration minister: ‘France isn’t racist’ · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Forum Realisance summarizes French immigration minister Brice Hortefeux's recent interview [Fr] with Jeune Afrique in which he discussed DNA testing for immigrants, immigration quotas, expulsion and other controversial issues, finally stating, “No, France is not racist.”


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India: Auction and cricket players · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Smoke Signals on the bidding process for cricket players for the Indian Premier League.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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South Asia: Managing urban growth · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Development Industry on manging urban growth in South Asia – given that estimates suggest where over a third of the people live in urban areas.


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Jordan: Baby on Board Stickers · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Ibrahim Owais, from Jordan, draws our attention to a Baby on Board sticker for garbage bin. The campaign, from Italy, is part of a drive to stop people from ‘dumping’ newborns into garbage bins.


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Jordan: Country in Denial  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Tololy, from Jordan, is angry her country has rejected a Human Rights Watch report on Jordan as baseless. “Some times I wish there was a huge creature who could slap Jordan on the face and wake us all up,” she writes.


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Jordan: Linux Disaster · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“I did a silly thing and decided to switch to Linux today. My laptop is no longer functional, it talks in strange tongues now and will not do anything. I will be back when my life is a little less ruined,” writes TololyJ, from Jordan.


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Kosovo: Implications and Consequences · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“Kosovo’s declaration of independence has meant that a state of uncertainty has returned to the region,” writes Balkan Baby.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Kosovo: Views from the Russophone Blogosphere · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

According to the Yandex Blogs portal, over 3,700 posts on Kosovo independence have appeared in the Russian-language blogosphere in the past three days. Some of these posts have received dozens, if not hundreds, of comments.
Below are a few snippets of this lively discussion, all translated from Russian.
LJ user iraan reported from Kosovo on Feb. 15:
[…] In Kosovo, everyone is promising independence – even this hotel ad.
A picture of a roadside ad for a hotel in Kosovo's capital Priština accompanied the post; the ad read:
INDEPE
NDENCE
HOTEL AFA IS READY
On Feb. 17, the day Kosovo declared independence, LJ user iraan wrote:
…Priština. Today
…celebrations are in full swing here already. Here you go, my dear ones
In the comments section, she later added two photos of happy-looking men waving Albanian flags. LJ user cqdx – who served in Kosovo (RUS) as part of Russia's peacekeeping mission, but is currently based in Geneve, Switzerland – noted:
[…] If at one point Yeltsin's Supreme Council hadn't chickened out and instead accepted Serbia as part of Russia, there wouldn't have been today's [orgy] in Kosovo. […]
In another Feb. 17 post, LJ user iraan made this observation about the flags she was seeing in Kosovo's capital:
…there are more stars and stripes in Priština than even the black eagles. It is obvious who the papa is and who is directing the process.
LJ user vikrussia left this comment:
How sad. I am speechless. There was hope until the very last moment. And now there's only one thought in my head: this is what they are going to do to us, too – “in a civilized manner,” [pretending to observe principles] of “legality” and “law.” The Slavic world has died. God has turned away from us. We have to figure out what for.
Serbia-based LJ user sanielisse wrote this on Feb. 19:
I've been reading and watching the news non-stop for the second day in a row. […] Kosovo, an independent state?
On Friday and Saturday, they began sending SMS's – “pray fro Kosovo… […]”
Where were you before? Why didn't you pray every day in Serbian temples for the rescue of Kosovo and its relics, and its Serbian people?
A female student at the university declared to me today: “I want to live and not to think about Kosovo…”
It's easy to sell your past. But then you'll be walking through a swamp.
After these words I joined the protest rally with my friends. My heart was aching…
Is this a protest, or a funeral of Kosovo, or a holiday? Not very clear… God, what can one understand here, in Serbia, when the president declares, “Be peaceful…” How could those who carried out the pogroms on Sunday night stay peaceful if the country's heart and soul had been torn out?
And if today you stopped those who were yelling “Kosovo is Serbia's heart” and asked WHAT IS KOSOVO, would many of them have an answer?
And no one but [Bishop Artemije] has mentioned that it's not just an attack on Serbia. It's a new blow to Orthodox Christianity.
[Abkhazia's Sergei Bagapsh] and [South Ossetia's Eduard Kokoity] said beautifully today: Serbia is a country well-established politically, it's not in turmoil, and a piece of it is being cut off only because two ethnic groups look at each other through gun muzzles… And what can be said about Georgia, a country that isn't well-established yet, which is permanently on fire, and into which North [sic] Ossetia and Abkhazia are being squeezed? […]
LJ user dreamy_tanger left this comment:
[…] Why wasn't your heart aching when [Slobodan Milošević] organized the genocide of Albanians and Bosniaks? Was Orthodox Christian “compassion” an obstacle? As for Kosovo, there's no use worrying about it anymore, it has not been part of Serbia de facto for a long time, now at least they'll be obliged to observe minorities’ rights as an independent state.
LJ user drugoi, on Feb. 16, posted five photos of the pre-independence celebrations in Kosovo, titled his post, “Farewell, Serbia?” – and received four pages of comments. Here are some of them:
drakon_1 [Israel-based]:
Hurrah!!!
dtxysq [Russia-based]:
Hurrah?
sergey_sht [Ukraine-based]:
He doesn't live in Kosovo.
“Freedom and land to Palestine!”
drakon_1:
Palestinians, too, should have a state of their own, with clearly defined borders – I don't see any contradiction in this.
sergey_sht:
Albanians also should have a state of their own with clearly defined borders. But for some reason they want Kosovo, too, just like Arabs want Jerusalem.
Don't you understand that it can't be just ‘We want it and that's it.’ It's not as simple over there.
dao_b [Russia-based]:
Russians also should have a state of their own with clearly defined borders. But for some reason they want a small Russian republic on the territory of Moldova, too.
Don't you understand that it can't be just ‘We want it and that's it.’
***
polinsky_yard:
[…] Well, good luck to them.
Why are we saying farewell to Serbia as if it's something that belongs to us? We have no more rights for it than Americans.
terskiy_kazak:
Oh-oh, are you serious?! [Count with me]: faith, language, history… Damn, we are the same people with Serbs! It's somehow awkward to even discuss this subject: it's like proving that the Earth is round…
LJ user shupa (originally from Belarus, currently based in Prague, Czech Republic) wrote this in the yugo_ru LJ community, whose focus is on “culture, history and literature of the former Yugoslav states”:
Someone has reminded us here today: “I'm reminding you that Kosovo is a historically Serbian territory, which, in the past half a century, has become dominated by Albanian population.”
What kind of term is that – “historically XXX territory”? If we start looking for all the historical territories and all those who are occupying them now, then Russians should be kicked out from behind [the Urals] or even closer (definitely [Smolensk], [Prussia], [Ingria]). And I'm not even talking about [the Americans]. Anyway, let's all return to the borders of the 14th century, when [the Grand Duchy of Lithuania] stretched from one sea to the other :)
The most important thing now is for them not to start killing one another again. As for all this screaming – we are not giving Kosovo away, Moscow is behind us – these are indeed [calls to action]. There must be plenty of them on the other side, too, only we don't see or hear them, and “the other” side isn't really advertising them. […]
LJ user michail wrote this:
[…] Serbian [dear brothers] deserve our sympathy, of course. But, honestly, would all that's happened be possible if Serbs hadn't exchanged their resistance will for the sweet promises of the Eurocommissars? One's gotta pay for “the European choice.” […]
I suspect that we need the proverbial solidarity with [dear Serbian brothers] more than Serbs do. I haven't forgotten yet that the [Russian mass awakening] began with the [1999 NATO bombing of Belgrade]. We were throwing stones at the U.S. embassy then and singing [Kosovo Front] all together – was it in vain? Cannon fire in Serbia awoke the Russian bear, ridding him of a whole package of the most dangerous illusions of the 1990s. […] And, thank God, it was someone else's war that served as a catalyst for national awakening. […]
LJ user michail ended his post with a video of a Corsican band “L'Arcusgi,” which included a Corsican female singers’ performance of “the famous ‘Hegoak’ – a patriotic anthem of [the Basque Country].”
Israel-based LJ user aristocrate was not sincere when he congratulated Europe on the birth of its “new child”:
I congratulate Europe with a new child – Kosovo!
And since the EU has so happily supported the unilaterally declared independence of a new Muslim state on its territory, I'm also wishing it to have many, many more kids: independent Catalonia, Corsica, Wallonia, Flanders, the Basque Country, Wales, and, somewhat later, Normandy, Ruhr, Gascony, Wallachia, Prussia, Sicily, etc.
You deserve it, idiots. […]
LJ user varfolomeev66, a Russian journalist, was “more concerned” with the fate of Russia than with that of “the USA and the leading European states. He wrote:
I'm trying to understand: our diplomats and those who sometimes listen to their recommendations – are they fools or enemies?
I'd like to have a look at the authors of the thesis on the “precedent-making nature of Kosovo case,” about which Putin and [Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov] have been talking incessantly for the past few months. Do they understand what they are doing?
I assume they […] were trying to intimidate Europe and America this way: like, Wales and Montana will follow Kosovo's example. But [they] ended up prescribing treatment that's worse than the disease itself.
The president, who has called the unilateral separation of Kosovo a precedent, has given [freedom to act] to our own, home-grown separatists. If, for example, Ingush, Karelian or [Primorye] comrades decided to split from Mother Russia, they would remind those who'd try to stop them that Putin himself had shown them the way! Wasn't it Putin who said that other peoples may follow after Kosovars – and we are following them!
[…]
Instead of emphasizing the uniqueness of the Kosovo case along with the countries of the West and talking of the impossibility of repeating it, our regime is voluntarily provoking our own secessionists. […]
LJ user freetatarstan – which is actually a “journal for those who support the idea of independence of [the Republic of Tatarstan]” – wrote:
KOSOVA!
Remember how some observers used to assert that as soon as Russia starts being nice to Abkhazia and Ossetia in response to Kosovo's independence, the national autonomies of the Russian Federation will raise their voices as well…
Well, what can you say to this… We wouldn't want to disappoint them… […]


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Kosovo: “Western Protectorate” Tradition · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“Kosova’s status as a Western protectorate, replete with a banal, EU-style flag, is therefore entirely in keeping with the tradition of earlier Balkan states that successfully achieved their independence under Great Power guidance,” writes Greater Surbiton.


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Kyrgyzstan: Leading University at the Center of Parliamentary Debates · Global Voices
Asel

During the last week, one of the most discussed topics among Kyrgyz bloggers was the situation around the American University in Central Asia. As its website says, AUCA has an established reputation for “dedication to democratic values, individual freedoms and the spirit of innovation”, and, indeed, it has played an important role in the region's educational field and grew into one of the academic leaders in Central Asia.
However, on February 15, the Jogorku Kenesh [Parliament] deputy Ishak Masaliev raised [ru] the issue of AUCA’s location and gave a commission to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education and Culture to address his concerns.
The main argument was that the building of the university has a historical importance as it used to be home for the Kyrgyz government in Soviet times. He also alleged that the majority of AUCA students come from rich and highly-ranked officials’ families, while poor students from regions make up a very small percentage.
This statement spurred a heated discussion in the blogosphere. Ibragim from Nomadistan notes:
I can assure the readers that the majority of students represent middle class, most of them get financial aid in order to pay tuition fees. I guess our deputies should take care of serious problems of the whole country, but not give hard time to the developing institutions like AUCA….
Kanykei, an AUCA student, has also expressed her opinion:
I am not a government official's or a millionaire’s daughter. I am from a regular family, and I'm happy that I can get quality education in Kyrgyzstan without bribery, which, unfortunately, exists in most universities. AUCA really gives generous opportunities for all students.
Tuliprevolution condemns an old-school MP Masaliev:
Masaliev is still dreaming of Soviet-type free-of-charge education! Man, wake up, its capitalism era!!! Besides, if it's the point of private higher education institutions without scholarships, then why he did not start with another university of a kind, KRSU? A communist never says things like that about a university, controlled by a “bigger” brother…
Anonymous from Akipress blog says [ru]:
54 per cent of AUCA students come from the regions. My sister studies there and she has never had to pay or bribe teachers.
We can now only hope that this university – that brings together bright and intellectual young minds from all parts of Central Asia and beyond – will not be forced to leave the place where it is currently located.

author: Asel


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Madagascar: After the storm Ivan, the aftermath · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

( photo via GAZETY_ADALADALA)
Tropical Cyclone Ivan has now left Madagascar leaving behind several regions in shambles and thousands of people without homes.
The official account by the authorities reports 2 deaths and 15,000 people without homes. Considering that Ivan was classified as a very severe cyclonic storm with winds at up to 137 km/h, many people are wondering what might be the final count of actual casualties and damages. As pointed out here, the intensity of the wind guts is similar to that of Hurricane Katrina.
One blogger reacts to the official temporary report (fr):
” Alors que des milliers de personnes ne sont pas recensées habituellement, comment peut-on savoir qu’il n’y a que deux morts à déplorer après un phénomène de cette ampleur ? Constat dérisoire lorsque l’on connaît l’état de l’habitat de ces régions”
The rescue effort, spearheaded by government agencies such as Apipa or BNGCR and NGOs, are already moving forward even though communication and transportation are still very difficult at this point.
The flow of information on the radio air and on the internet were unprecedented considering the magnitude of the disaster that frequently induced prolonged interruption of means of communication.  People were sharing information via phone calls or SMS when possible and even blogs, online forums and videocasts.
A valiant effort was conducted by Joan to collect in one centralized place all the available updates under any formats about Cyclone Ivan. This led to an interactive map of up-to-date reports in several places.
Similarly, planete vivante was able to update the situation frequently and constructed a map of all the affected agglomerations and publish this striking sildeshow:
(via http://planetevivante.wordpress.com)
This also led to conflicting reports that bloggers were quick to point out.
We wrote earlier that 9 people were trapped under the ruins of Hotel Antsara in Sainte-Marie and reported dead. This information was relayed by several radio stations and newspapers before being infirmed by the government. We are glad that the 9 people are reported safe. Jentilisa warns (mg) of the danger of spreading too hastily  unconfirmed informations. An explanation for the conflicting reports can be found here.
The lack of emergency feedback  and the overall difficulties to communicate and provide urgent response are discussed by Tomavana (mg). He wonders why there is no equivalent of a toll free 911 in Madagascar.
Providing tools for keeping track of the cyclone and predicting its path was illustrated by Harinjaka.
The aftermath on the short and long term is difficult to foresee but most predictions are pessimistic. Flooding are already taking places in Antanarivo. As seen on the photoblog of avylavitra, there is reason for concerns in the capital city as well.
Here is a video posted by avyalvitra illustrating  the alarming rise of the Ikopa river in Antananarivo, already invading real estate on a few habitations.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Malaysia: Rethinking the Opposition · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Fat4 thinks Malaysian opposition parties must rethink their strategy in order to give the ruling coalition a good fight.

author: Preetam Rai


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Martinique: Dockworkers on strike.  Again. · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

In Martinique, le blog de [moi] writes that the port of Fort-de-France is completely blocked [Fr], and has been for a week, by dockworkers on strike.  She's not too sympathetic, noting, according to one report, that dockworkers’ salaries have doubled in the last five years, and that they last went on strike four months ago.  The port is Martinique's main artery.


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Myanmar: Suicide Attack · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Dawn reflects on a recent case of suicide bombing in Myanmar.


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Myanmar: Suicide Attacks · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Dawn reflects on a recent suicide bombing attack in Myanmar.


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Pakistan: Elections and after · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Pakistan Paindabad on the morning after the elections – the results are in and life gone as usual.


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Pakistan: Voting dilemmas · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Lahore Nama on the the dilemmas of a Lahori voter in the recently held elections in Pakistan.


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Russia: Adamov’s Case · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Siberian Light reports on the case of Russia's former Nuclear Power Minister Yevgeny Adamov.


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Russia: BP Closes Sakhalin Office · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

BP has closed its Sakhalin office, White Sun of the Desert reports.


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Russia: Volga Cars · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

History of Volga cars – at Windows to Russia!


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San Francisco Gay Choir, in Arabic · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Zizou from Djerba blogs about the San Francisco Gay Choir‘s performance of Safeer El Layl, quite possibly the world's first gay-themed choral number to be written and sung in Arabic.


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Singapore: Japanese Food Bazaar · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Sparklette reviews a new Japanese Food Court in Singapore.


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South Korea: Dark Tourism · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Korea Beat translated a local report on the phenomenon of “dark tourism” to the scene of the Namdaemun/Sungnyemun fire.


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South Korea: Haagen-Dazs Workers Protest · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Chamnews reports about Korean Haagen-Dazs’ workers protest against the company's outsourcing and restructuring policy.


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Spanish reactions to Kosovo’s independence · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Two days after Kosovo's declaration of independence in spite of Serbia's opposition, the debate about the merits of recognising it as a state is still raging. According to the website Kosova Thanks You, so far 17 countries have recognized the new Republic of Kosovo and 34 others are ready to do so. Within the European Union, countries such as France, UK, Germany or Italy have recognized it, while others such as Slovakia and Spain have strongly opposed it as they consider that the declaration does not respect international law.
However, Spain vehemently protested to Russia a few days ago over remarks by President Vladimir Putin in which he likened the situation in Kosovo to that in Spain's Basque and Catalan regions. For the Spanish government, Kosovo has nothing to do either with Catalonia or with the Basque Country.
Bloggers in Catalonia have been debating the issue intensely during the last few days. While supporters of an independent Catalonia have welcomed Kosovo's independence with campaigns like adding a banner recognizing the new state or including the title “Today Kosovo, Tomorrow Catalonia” in as many blogs as possible, other Catalan bloggers agree with the position of the Spanish government.
Diari del votant anònim [cat] thinks that Scotland is a much better model to admire, and Joan Safont [cat] thinks that Kosovo should not be dismissed as an example to follow by other European regions with aspirations of sovereignty:
It is not comparable with Catalonia or the Basque Country. However, I think that any process towards sovereignty in Europe should take it into consideration. That's the reason why we are so repeatedly told that the two cases are different.
[…] Kosovo might not be our mirror, but every time that a new state says freely what and how it wants to be, the world becomes freer.
Narcís Sastre [cat], however, is not sure about what to think:
I can't help but having contradictory feelings. On one hand, as a defender of people's right to self-determination, I am happy for Kosovo, but I can't help feeling a certain empathy with Serbia, who is witnessing the loss of a territory with a great symbolic and historical value.
The Basque government, on the other hand, expressed its enthusiasm even before Kosovo's declaration of independence considering it an example of “how to solve identity and belonging conflicts in a peaceful and democratic way”. Basque senator Iñaki Anasagasti also applauded Kosovo's move in his blog [es]:
The best news of the week have been the independence of Kosovo. Not a single bullet shot, not a single kale borroka action, with a new president visiting the Serbs in Kosovo assuring them that the new country in which everybody will live without discrimination and with respect.
These statements have stirred controversy on the issue and have been rejected by a wide array of Spanish blogs and forums, that consider that Basque politicians like Anasagasti “live in a parallel reality”. A user of the social portal Menéame ironically says:
So in Kosovo there was no genocide, there was no bombing by NATO, it's not an occupied country in which only the presence of foreign forces guarantees the peace, there are no old hatreds… all of that took place in my imagination.
For Francisco Veiga [es], what is at stake in Europe after Kosovo's independence is not that it may create a precedent for other territories, but the type of precedent that it is:
[…] What is being debated here is not the old byzantine-politological discussion about the intangibility of really existing borders or the hypothetical “domino effect” on Iberian sovereignty movements. The issue at stake is another.
The central problem […] is that Washington and Brussels are recognizing, de facto and de jure, the validity of the armed way to achieve nationalist political objectives in the European continent. Or more precisely, the old basic principle of “action-reaction” of guerrilla and terrorist groups since more than a century. Because that's what is shown by the fact that the current Albanian-Kosovar Prime Minister of Kosovo is Hashin Thaçi, a former guerrilla commander of UÇK whose code name was “Snake.” Or that another Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, also a former military leader of UÇK, is being tried in the ICTY in The Hague for War Crimes.
He also adds, in his latest post, that the EU has unknowingly managed to align most Balkan countries in their lack of enthusiasm for Kosovo's declaration of independence, and criticizes EU's role in the process:
In fact, EU's behavior in the Balkans doesn't differ all that much from the one that European hegemonic powers would have adopted a century ago. Actually, it's the perfect anniversary: 1908-2008. The first date marks the annexation by the Austro-Hungarian Empire of what was then the protectorate of Bosnia-Hercegovina, which led to the Great War five years later.
Although in his blog Cartas del Este [es] Basque professor Asier Blas didn't support Kosovo's independence, he is is optimistic about the benefits of the new state of Kosovo for its Serbian minority:
At the end of the day [Kosovo] is not for me and not for you, not for Albania nor Serbia, it's for Kosovars. And in the long term this move especially favors the Serbs, because if Kosovo manages to establish itself as an entity with its own uniqueness, the ghosts of a future Greater Albania will be left behind […]
We should add to all this the opportunities that the future membership to the European Union will bring. If it happens not too far away in the future, the outcome will be that the Albanian and Serbian populations will have a very free relationship with Albania and Serbia. Newspapers from Serbia will reach Serbian-Kosovars, as well as TV stations and other cultural products. There will not be boundaries and regional economic integration will be underway, which will make it possible to play down the limits of the current states.

author: Elia Varela Serra


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Turkmenistan: UN Awards Turkmen President  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Maciula criticizes the United Nations Organization for awarding President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov the order “For Outstanding Achievements in Information Science”.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Ukraine: Yatsenyuk and Highway Patrol · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about Ukraine's parliamentary speaker's rough encounter with the “Ukrainian driving culture” – impersonated by “the deputy chief of Kobra, a special highway patrol force authorized to inspect officials’ cars.”


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Afghanistan: Local Charity Aids Needy People · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Mohammad reports that Ahmad Shah Massoud Foundation distributes winter aid for hundreds returning refugee families in the north and south of the Afghanistani capital, Kabul. Ahmad Shah Massoud had been a Defense Minister before he was killed in a suicide attack in 2001.


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Africa: AfricaNews seeks reporters · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

AfricaNews seeks African reporters, writes Ore's Notes: “If there are journalists out there or budding journalists, you might be interested in writing for AfricaNews. Check out their site for more info on signing-up as a reporter.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Africa: Interrogating the blogosphere · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Koluki interrogates the blogosphere by looking at the Globl Voices Online coverage of “Portuguese-speaking African countries”: “The most striking observation from this graph is that OC appears not only, as we have seen before, as the “undisputed champion” of GVO reporting about the “Angolan blogosphere”, but also as the “champion” (only “disputed” by Carlos Serra, one of the bloggers I covered for GVO) of their “Lusophone” Sub-Saharan Africa reporting. A second interesting observation is that less than one third of the bloggers covered are actually based in Sub-Saharan Africa.”


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Are languages free? Thoughts on the International Mother Language day · Global Voices
Rezwan

Today is the International Mother Language Day, an annual event in UNESCO member states to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. This is mostly the international recognition of the Language Movement Day called ‘Ekushey February’, which is commemorated in Bangladesh since 1952. The date of 21st February was chosen in homage to a number of ‘language martyrs’ from Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) who were shot on 21st February 1952 in Dhaka, during public protest. They were demonstrating to establish their mother language Bangla as a national language along with Urdu, which was chosen as the sole official language in the then newly created Pakistan.
Photo: Shaheed Minar, a solemn and symbolic sculpture erected in the place of the massacre. The monument is the symbol of Bangladesh Nationalism.
How important is the mother language?
Our mother tongue is more than a language, a soul inside us. It is an armory of the human mind; an archive of the history. We invent the world through language.
Mrunalini feats her mother tongue Telugu:
“How sweet our languages are, how proud they make us.  How much we miss talking in our mother tongue. Especially, when we are away from it.”
Ripon Kumar Biswas in Bangladesh watchdog says:
“Mother tongue is the language of nature, which is intimately related to the individual because it is structured and upheld by local laws of nature, which structure the physiology of the individual.”
But it is even more than that. “One does not inhabit a country; one inhabits a language. That is our country, our fatherland –and no other;” said E. M. Cioran, the Rumanian-born French Philosopher.
That is why some times we see nationalism sparking in the world based on languages and language matters!
The freedom of languages in the world:
Thousands of local languages used as the daily means of expression are absent from education systems, the media, publishing and the public domain in general because of state policies.
We learn better in our mother tongue when it is taught in school (Mother tongue Dilemma –UNESCO News letter). But this is not the case of all minority languages. 476 million of world’s illiterate people speak minority languages and live in countries where children are mostly not taught in their mother language.
From Southern Azerbaijan under Iranian rule BayBak, Voice of a Nation says:
“It is more than 80 years that Iranian Fars authority has banned other nationalities language, such as Turks (majority in Iran), Arabs, Baluchs, Turkmens and Kurds. Every year in 21st of February all nationalities celebrate the International Mother Language Day named by UNESCO. But as before, of the day of celebration Iranian police will ride on the crowd and will arrest many.
Regarding news from Southern Azerbaijan, preparations for the 21st of February are continuing widely compare to last year. Also thousands of flyers been spread in Azerbaijan’s major cities. Capital Tebriz has been well prepared and the time for demonstration been set.”
The Unesco Courier:
Several thousand years old, the Ainu language spoken in northern Japan was dying out due to political pressure from the central government. At the end of the 20th century, this trend was reversed. While Ainu’s future is still not guaranteed because it isn’t taught in schools, the resurgence of interest is undeniable.
Sid writes in Picked Politics:
“International Mother Language Day deserves celebration in Zambia. The country has worked hard to establish and maintain political unity over the years. But as other societies are learning too late, it would be a tragedy if this hard-fought unity should be maintained at the expense of the variety of languages and dialects that have long called these lands home.”
Is your mother tongue facing extinction?
About 27 percent of the world's languages (about 6000) are threatened to be extinct. The Foundation for Endangered Languages says 83 percent of the world's languages are restricted to single countries, making them more vulnerable to the policies of a single government.
Abhinaba Basu at Geek Gyan says:
“A lot of people speaking English natively forget the importance of mother language due to its predominance. They take their language for granted. However, each year a bunch of languages become extinct, the latest being Eyak, which got extinct exactly a month ago with the death of Marie Smith Jones the last native Eyak speaking person.
I believe that if we don't actively try to preserve our mother language they will slowly become extinct. One of the most important things to preserve a language is to ensure that they are better covered by technology.”
Using ICT in Mother Language advocacy:
Citizen media is a great tool to promote own languages. According to Technorati there are more than 100 million blogs out there. A previous year’s report show that about 37% blogs are in Japanese followed by English (36%), Chinese (8%), Spanish(3%), Italian (3%), Portuguese (2%), French(2%) among others. And there are other growing language communities and they will rise eventually.
There are ICT based advocacy sites like Bisharat which promotes research, advocacy, and networking relating to use of African languages in software and web content.
Global Voices Online also supports and promotes the diversity of languages. Its Lingua project translates the contents of its main English page in a dozen languages. Now that is one example many international online media may want to follow to secure meaningful transfer of information to global readers.
Thumbnail: UNESCO poster

author: Rezwan


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Armenia: Disputed Election · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Nazarian says that the 20 February presidential election in Armenia might well have been the worst in the country's short history as an independent post-Soviet republic. However, international observers said it largely complied with international standards.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: Endless Protest Action · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer posts photographs from the start of today's “endless protest action” staged by supporters of former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, following Tuesday's disputed presidential election.


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Armenia: Karabakh Control · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Nazarian reports that a day after the 19 February presidential election marked the 20th anniversary of the Karabakh movement. Demanding the unification of the territory of Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia proper and causing a war with neighboring Azerbaijan, Nazarian wonders if it the Karabakh movement wasn't a mistake now that the country is ruled by ethnic Armenians from the disputed territory.


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Armenia: Opposition Protest · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Following a disputed presidential election on Tuesday, The Armenian Observer says that 50,000 people have rallied in support of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian in downtown Yerevan. However, other sources such as the international media and local bloggers such The Armenian Patchwork put numbers far lower. The latter blog also posts photographs.


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Armenia: Realpolitik and Blat · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The BBC's Matthew Collin provides readers of his blog, This is Tbilisi Calling, with a very depressing and sobering look at how some feel about this week's presidential election in Armenia.


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Barbados, Cuba: Castro’s Legacy · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As David Thompson praises the Castro legacy, Barbados Free Press says: “A damned shame. We had hoped for better from the new Prime Minister.”


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Barbados: Strike on Hold · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Barbados Free Press reports that the national strike is on hold, while Notes From The Margin says: “We…always felt that the Union had painted itself into a corner by reaching for the ‘big gun’ prematurely. The lateness of this climb down also has several knock on effects that may be more long lasting.”


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Bermuda, Guyana: Government Media · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Politics.bm blogs about the implications of state-owned media in Bermuda.


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Bhutan: Right to Education · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Freedom in Bhutan on why it's hard to exercise the right to education in Bhutan.


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Cameroon: Mt. Cameroon Race for Hope · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Rev. Tracy writes about Mt. Cameroon Race for Hope: “My race went well, I won my age group, and I was on television for the 3rd time! This race was much better funded and somewhat better organised than other races we've particpated in, but still quite a shambles by US or European standards. It took an entire day (8:30am to about 5pm) to get our medical clearances and t-shirts. And there were only 1,000 participants.”


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Chile: Participation in OLPC · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Educalibre [es] finds the comments of Nicholas Negroponte as curious, in reference to Chile's decision to join the countries that have pursued the One Laptop Per Child project.


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China: Premier Wen, Please Visit your Neighbor · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

During the snow storm, Premier Wen Jiabo has been traveling around the country and visiting victims of the storm. Tiger temple urged Premier Wen to visit his neighbor, homeless in Qainmen. The city control team has torn away their shelters in cold weather (zh).


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China: Tiananmen 2.0 · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Feng37 set up a blog called Tiananmen 2.0. It is a fan blog for Hu Jia and Zheng Jinyan.


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Colombia: Witnessing a Murder · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Six years later, Catalina Restrepo of Cosas del Alma [es] shares her difficult experience of witnessing a violent murder in her town in Colombia, as she prepared to go to school.


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Ecuador: Government Declares Emergency Due to Flooding · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

Recently the Ecuadorian government wrote a decree, which declares a National Emergency in Ecuador due to heavy flooding in various regions. This decision was made in order to protect and provide assistance to Ecuadorians, as the previous declaration made on January 31 only included certain regions particularly on the coast.  Tungurahua was one of these provinces that were declared in emergency because of activities of the Tungurahua volcano but,  President Correa signed the document backed by 47th Article of the Ecuadorian Constitution and declared the emergency not for the eruption of the volcano, but for the heavy rains across the country.
Ecuadorian bloggers, of course, are following the events and here a roundup of what are they thinking:
Gaby Salas [es], for example, quotes the article 5 of the government's decree and explains what should be the course of actions for all involved:
Se declara la Movilización Militar, Civil y Económica en todo el territorio nacional en todos los Frentes de Acción de la Seguridad Nacional, de todos los bienes, servicios, empresas, industrias y alojamientos que deban prestar su colaboración para superar la presente emergencia, para lo cual se autoriza al Jefe del Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas que determine todas las movilizaciones que sean necesarias y emita las directivas para la ejecución de los trabajos de todas persona natural o jurídica, nacional o extranjera. Eso siginifica, que todos quienes estamos en el país en algún momento dado tendremos que ayudar en todas las formas a quienes estan sufriendo por motivos invernales.
Military, Civil and Economic Mobilization is declared throughout the country on all action fronts of the National Security in regards to all goods, services, companies, industries and accommodations that must cooperate to overcome this emergency, which has been authorized by the Chief of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, who will  determine the necessary mobilizations and issue instructions for those people, national or foreign, to carry out this work. This means that all who are in the country at any given time will have to help in every way to those who are suffering from this weather.
Ciudadanía Informada [es] echoes what's going on in Ecuador and summarizes the list of benefits delivered by the government to those affected:
El Presidente Correa manifestó que los afectados por las inundaciones que reciben el Bono de Desarrollo Humano podrán acceder al “Bono de la Emergencia”,  para lo cual trabaja el Ministerio de Inclusión Social en el levantamiento de datos. El bono es de USD90 que serán entregados en  dos partes la primera que será de USD45 en los próximos días y la segunda en el mes de marzo por la misma cantidad  “para que puedan disminuir en algo la crítica situación en la que se encuentran”, acotó el mandatario. Los agricultores que han perdido su ganado y cultivos serán beneficiados  con el “Bono de Emergencia Agropecuaria” el mismo que les permitirá acceder a semillas y fertilizantes gratuitos, una vez pasada la emergencia. A esto se suma la entrega de nuevos créditos a través del Banco Ecuatoriano de Fomento. El mandatario destacó que los municipios podrán utilizar los dineros que el Estado entregó como parte de su presupuesto normal, pues el decreto suscrito permite que estos fondos sean utilizados en acciones  de emergencia “y todo se les repondrá, no se les perjudicará en dos reales de su presupuesto normal”.
To show the cruel realities in which some people from the Ecuadorian Litoral have faced, El Blog de Naranjal  [es] writes an extensive report about Naranjal, an area of Guayas province and the intervention of the local Red Cross:
El desbordamiento de los ríos Bulu-Bulu y Cañar, invadieron extensas zonas agrícolas del sector. Los muros de contención cedieron ante el impresionante volumen de su caudal. El nivel de la cota llego a 46, (el límite tolerable es 36). La población de las zonas inundadas se vio afectada, ya que se registraron en algunos sectores 3 metros de inundación, perdiendo sus pertenencias. Por fortuna no hubo pérdida de vidas humanas.
Secular groups started preparing early for this kind of situation in Ecuador, considering that it is a cycle Ecuadorians have to live with every year when winter arrives. This is what is being reported by E-zine SUD [es] page, where Ecuadorians are finding ways to remain alert.  One of the rescue workers said, “it is better to prevent, than to lament.”

author: Milton Ramirez


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Egypt: Three Years Blogging · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian Tarek Amr commemorates his third year as a blogger was an amazing insight into the Egyptian blogosphere and his own journey blogging.


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Europe, Canda, U.S.: Serbian Protests · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Byzantine Sacred Art Blog invites Diaspora Serbs to protests “against illegal amputation of Kosovo” that are planned to be held in North America and Western Europe this coming weekend.


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Georgia: Patarkatsishvili Dies · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

TOL Georgia comments on the death of Badri Patarkatsishvili in London at the age of 52. The blog remembers Georgia's richest man who in recent years has been synonymous with support for opposition groups in the country and who was harshly critical of the Georgian authorities. However, the blog reminds its readers, Patarkatsishvili was also prolific in many charitable endeavors and was persecuted or ostracized until his untimely death.


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Hong Kong: Indecent and Obscene Classification · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated Next magazine's feature on how obscene articles tribunal adjudicators classify sexy photos gate.


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Ikhwanweb founder and Editor-in-Chief arrested · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

Khaled Hamza, Ikhwanweb  (Muslim Brotherhood's official English website) founder and Editor-in-Chief  was arrested in Cairo yesterday by Egyptian police. Khaled was coordinating the Brotherhood's blogging campaign and has been inspirational for many young Muslim Brothers activists.

author: sami ben gharbia


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Inmates use blogs to start a reform of society · Global Voices
Rezwan

Originally published on Rising Voices.
The concept of prison diaries is not new. Back in 2001 National Public Radio in the U.S. recorded an intimate portrait of five inmates behind bars using audio journals. British best-selling novelist Jeffrey Archer wrote a three volume memoir called Prison Diaries which was later converted into a play. Last year celebrity Paris Hilton also wrote a brief account of her days in prison.
But what we are talking about here is completely different from all of the above.
Rising Voices second round grantee Prison Diaries, based in Jamaica, will use citizen media tools like blogs, video and podcasts to share the daily journals of prison inmates, allowing all Jamaicans to learn about the realities of Jamaica’s overcrowded prison system with the hope that this will help counteract false ideas generated by the mainstream media.
(Image: CrimsonNinjagirl from Flickr -used under creative commons license)
It all started in 1999 with the S.E.T. Foundation, an inmate driven transformative program that has been successfully reducing the rate of recidivism in Jamaica’s prisons through reform of Jamaican society at its most grassroots level. Through S.E.T., the inmate becomes a constructive player who can contribute meaningfully to society, while the community, in turn, gains a new citizen who can contribute to the process of restorative transformation and economic growth.
Its leader Kevin Wallen describing his vision, writes, “I closed my eyes for a moment and when I opened them I found myself in hell and this is what it looked like, this is what I saw. In order for us to turn this back into the paradise it is is not difficult at all, it’s simply all for one and one for all.”
Kevin Wallen has been doing notable work using motivational workshops within the penal institutions. Jamaica's law and order situation has deteriorated in recent times and it has been branded internationally as the ‘murder capital of the world.’
Kevin points out the goal of the Prison Diaries project:
Much of Jamaica’s culture of crime has been blamed on the popular veneration of gang leaders. The project will attempt to confront this ‘badboy veneration’ by training current prison inmates to blog and podcast.
In their introductory post on the Rising Voices project blog for Prison Diaries Kevin writes:
The S.E.T. Prison Diaries project will allow inmates and ex-inmates to tell their stories so that a greater understanding of the experiences, social and economic conditions which compel them to engage in criminal activities can be recorded and utilized as an authoritative source for studying criminology and designing rehabilitative programs regionally and internationally.
The inmates will primarily  generate their own content with the training they have received through the S.E.T program. They will record and edit audio and video clips and these will be uploaded to our blog and accessed by the general public.
More ideas are coming up from the Prison Diaries team:
For those persons who have told their stories on paper and may not want to do a audio or video interview, we have decided to do dramatic readings of their stories which the inmates themselves will edit using the skills they have learnt.
You can learn more about the Prison Diaries project from their recently published  press release. Already a few stories have been recorded and will be published soon. We are eager to read the diaries of the inmates. Please keep an eye on the Prison Diaries Blog or subscribe to its RSS feed.


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Iran: A cartoon about elections · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Nikahang, journalist and a leading cartoonist, has published a cartoon about Iranian elections.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:14-Year-Old Girl Stoned to Death by Father · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to[Fa] Varesh, the authorities say that when a man found out about his 14 years old daughter’s relationship with a boy, he took her to the mountains around the city of Zahedan in Iran and killed her by stoning.Read more in English here.


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Iran:Solidarity with jailed leftists students  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Azadi-barabary blog has published several photos of demonstrations in Europe and USA to support jailed leftist students,on 16th of February.


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Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Moon Shadow  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Life and Times of Michmac and Caribbean Free Radio post photos of last night's lunar eclipse.


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Jamaica: School’s Out · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Jamaican teachers have taken a stand that they will no longer tolerate the impish, rude, violent and classless behaviour which takes place in our schools”: Jamaican Lifestyle blogs about the island's “bad behaving school children.”


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Jamaica, USA: Obama the Orator · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“No, this isn’t an endorsement for Barack Obama—this is a literary blog after all,” writes Jamaican Geoffrey Phlip, as he examines the text of a speech that the Democratic presidential candidate gave in Wisconsin.


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Japan: Advertisers abandon print, move online · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Japanese blogger and journalist Fujishiro Hiroyuki at Gatonews summarizes results [ja] from a report [ja] issued by Japan's largest on ad agency Dentsu on advertising sales in Japan over the year 2007. The figures indicate a shift away from newspapers and magazines and toward online media: compared to figures from 2006, advertising sales in print plunged to 94.8% over 2007, television remained roughly constant at 99.1%, and Internet climbed to 124%. (Note: see also a post in English at Joi Ito's lab blog.)

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Gov’t to admit Burmese refugees · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

At the Glocom blog, there is news that the Japanese government is planning to admit refugees from Burma now staying in Thailand.


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Jordan: Wikipedia and Prophet Muhammad  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Another storm is brewing in the Arab world regarding the depiction of Prophet Muhammad in drawings after Wikipedia refused the demands of more than 180,000 people who called for the illustrations to be removed.
According to the Guardian:
More than 180,000 worldwide have joined an online protest claiming the images, shown on European-language pages and taken from Persian and Ottoman miniatures dating from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, are offensive to Islam, which prohibits any representation of Muhammad. But the defiant editors of the encyclopaedia insist they will not bow to pressure and say anyone objecting to the controversial images can simply adjust their computers so they do not have to look at them. The images at the centre of the protest appear on most of the European versions of the web encyclopaedia, though not on Arabic sites.
Roba Al Assi, from Jordan, announces her support for Wikipedia, drawing a barrage of comments from readers. Roba explains her stance saying:
History doesn’t just belong to modern-day Muslims, especially if it is related to Islam as done by Muslims of other centuries. After all, modern-day Muslims are a very, very small part of all the Muslims in history, and these modern-day Muslims have absolutely no right to try to negate the history of Islam’s other Muslims.
Historical negation aside, these images were taken from Islamic manuscripts intended to actually SPREAD Islam by using images when most people in the world did not know how to write or read. That actually makes them a pretty lofty cause as far as Islam is concerned, because they did manage to convert some Berber, Persian, and East Asians to Islam.
Commenting on the post, Abed Hamdan writes:
The historical manuscript you claim says that Muslims used pictures of the prophet to “SPREAD” Islam. I still don’t understand how pictures of the prophet would be used to SPREAD Islam.
FYI, in Islam the sketching of human figures is forbidden. That was in Islam, a rule, since the dawn of Islam. “Modern Muslims” didn’t make it up, because Islam didn’t changed since then. Quran hasn’t been tampered with since then.
FYI, “SPREADING Islam” is not the actual duty of a Muslim, “explaining Islam” and “showing Islam” to other cultures IS the responsibility of Muslims. After having this right granted, “SHOWING ISLAM”, then it’s up to people to take it or not. And showing pictures will not spread Islam or any religion. Even if it does, then it’s not allowed in Islam.
So if Wikipedia is showing these pictures of the holy prophet, then it gives a false image about how Islam was “SPREAD”. Even if some “modern Muslims” find it convenient, this doesn’t change the Islamic law.
(…)
I like Wikipedia, but as an honest Muslim it’s very obvious that this is not the correct view of Islam. Islam is different that Christianity in this sense, and to each his own.
He further adds in a follow up comment:
If the pictures are part of a history, then they should be referred to as a history not as a part of Islam as a religion. Some Muslims could’ve used these images, but this is against Islamic rules. So for the sake of intellectual honesty, it must be removed from anything related to Islam, and must be put in context of mentioning those groups who used those images.
Egyptian Sandmonkey tunes into the argument. In his response to Hamdan, he remarks:
I find it hard to believe that the muslims of the 14th and 15th century were less islamic than their 21st century counterparts, to the degree that that they would commit such a “blasphemous act” as to picture the prophet in art, when we, the good muslims of the 21st century, like to burn embassies and kill people when others do that same thing.
(…)
Here is what I propose though: Wikipedia removed the pics from the arabic version, but are keeping them in the english one. Those pictures, whether you agree to them or don’t, belong to the human heritage at this point, and neither you, nor I, nor anyone, have the right to remove them just because we don’t like them anymore or they don’t fit in our current set of beliefs. And even if the entire world turns muslim and believes that those pictures should be removed, rest assured that me, or someone like me, will tell all of them that they can’t. Burning books, removing images, or destroying graven idols of other religions is the stuff of the dark ages. It’s a national shame that such thinking is allowed to exist till today.
A Western By Stander also weighs in, writing:
Why is there a prohibition against having pictures of the Prophet Mohamed?
From my reading of the Koran, it appears to me that Prophet Mohamed did not want be prayed to as an intermediary, as was a common practice in the Eastern Orthodox Church at the time with Christians Saints, Mary and Jesus. Since only God should be worshiped and prayed to, he was preempting the Icons and the practices associated with them.
The Prophet Mohamed stated he was not better than any other prophet such as Noah or Abraham. I felt he was saying – “it’s the message, not the messenger,” or in more colloquial terms “I’m like a telephone. You wouldn’t worship the telephone, would you?”
If this is the case, I think he would be horrified that someone would kill somebody for making a drawing of him, because that would be elevating him to a position that he was trying to avoid.
More on the issue could be found on this Wikipedia page. According to the site:
There has not been an original argument against the showing of the pictures in well over a year. Every point brought up on this page has been discussed in the past to the point of exhaustion and time and time again we have decided the pictures are appropriate.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Kazakhstan: Clinton’s Kazakh Affair Is Spinning · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Zhanna Zhukova provides an update on the scandal around ex-president of the United States Bill Clinton, his friend Frank Guistra (a Canadian financier & businessman) and Kazakhstan, where Guistra got a lucrative contract in uranium production after a visit to Almaty together with Clinton.


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Kazakhstan: State of the Nation · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The main event in the country’s politics never passes by the bloggers’ attention. This week it was the time of presidential State of the Nation address. All TV stations and state-controlled newspapers provided its aggressively propagandistic coverage, that bloggers were unhappy with [ru].
As megakhuimyak jokes, “our president does not need the always assenting people – that’s why when he says “No”, we all shall say “No”. [ru]
However, many observers felt quite sincerely positive about the speech, which was more realistic than the earlier ones, with more pragmatic and unpleasant things like the stressed need for economy.
A comprehensive review of the president’s address came from count-asylum, who notes the bookmarks – increased pressure on the foreign companies working in the extractive sector, taxation system reform, strengthening of the state-owned holdings and governmental regulation of the financial sphere together with a welcoming stance towards foreign banks [ru].
One of the most anticipated promises was facilitation of procedures and requirements for entrepreneurial activity, also declared by the president – however, not for the first time in recent years. But this time, few days after the speech, president Nazarbayev really commissioned the government to enact a moratorium on checks of small medium enterprises by the regulatory bodies.
“We have won!” reads the statement by Kazakhstan’s Entrepreneurs Forum, which nearly a week before the president’s address came out with a number of suggestions on improvement of business climate – and the lift of checks was among them [ru].
Another interesting development in the aftermath of the presidential speech was about his call for strict economy of resources and funds. Neweurasia blog portal featured a post on how this appeal correlates with the forthcoming celebrations of Astana’s tenth anniversary. The capital of Kazakhstan was moved to Astana from Almaty by president Nazarbayev 10 years ago. Then the Day of Astana was also moved to coincide with the president’s birthday.
Festivities were to last several months and include concerts of the world pop stars, Venice gondola show and Vienna ball and etc. etc. Few days after the post, president Nazarbayev urged the government to make the festivities more modest, Adam Kesher reports [ru].
Meanwhile, not everybody is rethinking politics in official terms. Nemtschin reflects on who could he be if the Soviet Union had not collapsed.
“Nine years after continuous work at one enterprise, I could receive a room in a “family-type dormitory”. I could be sitting now near a bad Soviet TV set, wearing old tracksuit and gym-shoes made in Vietnam, drinking bad Soviet beer and dreaming of bad Soviet car. Now I have a flat stuffed with electronic stuff, two cellular phones, tons of foreign clothes. I can afford a good cognac or red wine, and I drive a good foreign car. Life’s good” [ru].


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Kenyan Bloggers Outline Political Solutions · Global Voices
Rebecca Wanjiku

As the dust blown by fleeing residents of Kenya's violence prone areas settles, the fires of political hatred are finally subsiding and leaders are coming to their senses.
From the high street cafes to the dark alleys in Nairobi's river road (down town), Kenyans can be heard discussing what former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan should prescribe as the compromise. There are voices of hope and optimism as well as prophets of doom who see the current exercise as mere puppetry. The role of the international community has also been discussed accross the divide.
This situation is also reflected in the blogosphere.
Kenyan Entreprenuer gives their take on news about what the opposition wants from the talks and sums up that President Kibaki will not agree to the demands:
Finally, some news is beginning to trickle out about what ODM is looking for in it’s talks with the government. There’s no way in hell Kibaki is going to agree to these stipulations, which are:
An Executive Prime Minister who’d be the head of government and share power with the president
-A two-year period to review the constitution before a re-run of the election
-Half of all the cabinet positions should go to ODM
-Civil service jobs should also be distributed proportionally (which really means “ethnically”)
I don’t think Koffi Annan fully grasps the historical roots of Kenya’s current crisis. I don’t think he understands the players involved (both on the government side and on the opposition side) and at this point, Kibaki needs to find a way to spare Annan the public embarrassment and allow him to leave the country gracefully (I have no idea what Graça Machel and Mkapa are doing or why they were even invited).
Power sharing is the biggest stumbling block to the peace deal. Kumekucha feels that power sharing is not coming soon:
Sharing power is fraught with its own unique dynamics. Things can be so unpredictable once the interim administration acquires a life of its own. Imagining such a development must be scaring the octogenarians who detest anything seen to upset their glittering status quo. They are home with life as defined in their secluded comfort far away from the average Kenyans.
Kenya remains a bleeding hostage to tribal elite whose only common ideology is nationalized BIGOTRY. In the eyes of these owners of Kenya any attempt to empower the hollo polloi would be akin to sharpening the very knife whose blades they will be forced to kiss. In the eye of their twisted minds they must keep any trace and smell of blood from the sharks’ path.
Eyes on Kenya feels that the optimism is contageous and soon peace will prevail:
This optimism is contagious and is slowly affecting me. However, I still retain that a lot has to be considered and changed within the political environment between those involved and Kenyans in general. This is based on an analysis of the facts surrounding the nature and evolution of political parties in post-independence Kenya.
After a detailed analysis of the political crisis, the post concludes:
Kenya needs a fresh start in conceiving, feeding and maturing political parties that differentiated from each other in terms of ideology, a critical fact that would take them away from the current ethno-based party quagmire they are entrenched into. We need political parties not ethno-representatives.
The role of the international community has equally been controversial.wherethemadwomanresides opines about where/why the International Community comes in:
I’m very cross with Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga and their respective hardline surrogates today, for putting us in this position where the “International Community” have all the excuse they need to swagger into our sovereignty and order us around.
Because Condi, Milliband, and that tall German whatsisname guy with an unkempt moustache would not be all up in our faces being patronizing if Kenya's erstwhile leaders just left their mountain-sized egos outside the negotiating room and got their acts together already. We want back our country and our pride. Give us back our country and our pride.
Kenya Imagine sees USA's involvement as motivated by the global war on terror:
The State Department at first congratulated President Mwai Kibaki on his re-election but later rescinded as European Union and other observers reported irregularities in the vote-count. Since then, the Bush administration has been trying not to take sides in the election dispute and his Ambassador taken unofficial role as the Spokesperson for the entire International community pressuring Kenya's political elite to come to a compromise. To America, it is unfathomable that one of its most reliable and crucial partners in the “war against terror” was going to crumble in its lap.
The US is concerned about the security ramifications in the Greater Horn of Africa which it has been trying to hold together. A quick look at the map of Eastern Africa gives America little solace. Somalia is in anarchy with a multitude of warlords and radical Islamists, Sudan is involved in the Darfur war and Ethiopia is near war with Eritrea, which the US accuses of sponsoring terrorism. Between the grim sketches is Kenya, America's hope in the region which is now teetering on the verge of instability.
Kenya's political situation unravels at a time when the 2008 US defence budget has substantially increased reinforcing the Bush administration's persistence that its long “war on terror” will remain at the centre of its security strategy. The core budget for 2008 is expected to be $481.4 billion, compared with $441.5 billion for 2006. In raw terms, the US defence budget is now at similar levels to those during the height of the cold war in the mid-1980s.
Sir Ken wonders whether Annan should have integrated some known Kenyan mediators into his peace team:
He failed to search and incorporate ‘eminent’ Kenyans in his team and assumed that no Kenyan could have helped resolve the impasse. The truth of the matter is that the resolution lies with Kenyans and a spice of Kenyan mediation leadership could have helped. A good starting point would have been Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat, Rtd General Lazarus Sumbeiywo, Washington Okumu and representatives from religious, legal, business and civil society. If the two sides could not have greed on common Kenyan mediation leaders they would have been allowed to nominate their own. Such leaders would have provided good background of the crisis and co-chaired/moderated the sessions to lead to a Kenyan solution that would most likely be accepted by a majority of Kenyans.
The constitutional review in Kenya has been pending since 1992. There has been many midwives to a new constitutional regime but nothing yet. This constitutional complications are threatening to derail the peace process.
Sir Ken explains:
There has been debate whether there is a constitutional crisis in Kenya that allows for the current constitution to be altogether suspended or selectively applied as some have been advocating. It is true that Kenyans have always wanted a new constitution dispensation. The assumption has always been that the current constitution be in place fully until the new one is enacted. At no one time have Kenyans envisaged a transition period where there is no constitution, new or old. The question is, should at that point, the military be allowed to take over?
Kenyan Jurist gives an opinion about the constitutional issues:
The reason there is negotiation or mediation to resolve the current political crisis is because the constitution and the present institutions have failed us. To adopt a purely legalistic stance, that all negotiation must take place within the confines of the current constitution is to negotiate without negotiating. As I have always argued in this blog, the current crisis facing Kenya is not a legal problem but a political one. Once a political settlement of all issues is reached, the necessary legal instruments including the constitution can be enacted and given legal force. What we must not do or what we must avoid is use the law or place legal impediments in seeking solutions.

author: Rebecca Wanjiku


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Kuwait: Largest Chili’s in the World · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Kuwait boasts the largest Chili's in the world, announces Mark, who wrote to Chili's to verify the fact.


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Lebanon: Danish Cartoons Again · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Oh, no. Not again. Not Danish cartoons. Ayatullah Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah sent an official letter to the Danish government regarding Danish cartoons (not pastries). He express his concern that “some Jewish sides that are linked to International Zionism” may be behind Danish cartons,” announces The Angry Arab News Services.


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Nepal: Woes in transition · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Radiant Star on the woes of transition – moving towards a new Nepal.


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Pakistan: Election results · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

opendemocracy breaks down the results of the elections in Pakistan.


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Pakistan: Elections in 2009? · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

With elections in Pakistan just over, The Pakistani Spectator predicts that another round of elections are likely in 2009.


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Peru: Nude Cyclist Protest · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Carlos García of La Cofradía [es] will participate in a gathering of nude cyclists, who will take to the streets on March 8th to protest against “how cyclists are unprotected from the abuses, accidents, and inconsideration from motorists (especially taxis and buses).

author: Eduardo Avila


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Russia: Amateur Astronomy · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about amateur astronomy in Russia.


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Serbia: Belgrade Riots · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Limbic Nutrition on the situation in Belgrade: “The violence tonight was fully expected. Western embassies were texting and emailing their citizens all week warning us to stay away from the demonstrations. Since Monday, the day after rioters attacked the US and Slovenian embassies in response to Kosovo’s declaration of independence, Serbs have been warning foreign friends to avoid speaking foreign languages too loudly on the streets (although that is pure alarmism. In three years I have never once encountered serious xenophobia and the mobs are not attacking individuals).”


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Serbia: Twitter Updates from Belgrade · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Mini-updates on Twitter from Belgrade 2.0 blogger Viktor Marković are here.


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Slovenia: The Erased · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sleeping with Pengovsky writes about the plight of Slovenia's “erased” residents.


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Syria: The Changing Face of Syria · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

Syria, is a country that is still “officially” considered a Socialist country. The socialist policies in Syria date all the way back to 1958, when Egypt and Syria formed the United Arab Republic, under the leadership of Gamal Abd el-Nasser. It was a very short lived republic that ended in 1961 but which marked the turn of Syrian politics and economy into the socialist thinking. That continued after the Baath party took power in the March 8th coup d'etat. But all that is changing now.
After president Bashar Assad was elected in 2000, a lot of changes took place, shifting the economy into more liberal free-market thinking. Damascus is in a process of transformation. A construction boom is in place, and the financial judicial structure is being reformed and revisited. In many ways Syria is going through the Egypt model of transformation from socialist economy to a free market economy. And Damascus, is more and more starting to look like Cairo. That includes the widening gap between the rich and the poor.
Wassim laments the changing face of Damascus and Syria in this post,
There is a lot of Gulf money pouring into Damascus, a lot of investment and much being said about new “malls”, apartments and what not. You get the eyesore which is the Four Seasons hotel charging prices most Syrians would never see in a lifetime of work, I mentioned already the 600 lira cup of coffee. There are the $900 pairs of jeans on sale, the latest mobile phones and cars, the trendy night clubs and restaurants and bars. But if we are disappointed that this isn't really developing the country we miss the point. It's not about ordinary Syrians, it's not even about development. It's about siphoning off the money in Syria and prostituting her ‘real’ wealth gradually. The wealthy elites who made their money through corruption or smuggling might not have had anywhere to spend it but Beirut and abroad in the old days, but today, they can spend their money on anything they fancy right at home in Syria.
One of the many examples of where this new money is going, is the construction boom Syria has been witnessing. But, if you think it is one about infrastructure of affordable housing, then think again. The new construction boom is focused on new shopping malls, luxury housing projects on the outskirts of cities, like Aleppo's Cordoba Hills, or the much talked about, Damascus's Eighth Gate. Alex introduces us to this new project on Joshua Landis’ blog, here:
Emaar Properties and IGO, the offshore investment and property development company, unveiled details of a joint venture that sets in motion plans to develop a mixed use furnished apartments, commercial and retail development in the Yafour area, approximately 15 minutes from the center of Damascus. The US$500 million project will recreate the luxury and style that are features of Emaar’s world-class Dubai developments.
The post has attracted a large amount of comments, many of them question how many Syrians are actually going to be able to enjoy such a luxurious project while others note that the project will help provide job opportunities and lift the Soviet-style architecture that Damascus has suffered from for the last four decades.
This is what Sasa had to say about the Eighth Gate:
Have no doubt, this will change the face of Damascus. Damascus in the wider sense – not the Old City, not even the New City. But Damascus and its environs. I'm not sure I am completely behind this. There seem to be too many penthouses and not enough affordable housing (building a certain proportion of affordable housing was a condition for granting Emaar a licence to build this development).

author: Yazan Badran


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Taiwan: Release Netizen! · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Hong Kong sexy photo gate effect has extended to Taiwan. Police has arrested a netizen who shared photos with others under local obscenity censorship law. Portnoy pointed out that the police has no power to define the nature of the photos, and Taiwanese has the right to enjoy pleasure. He urged for the immediate release of the netizen (zh).

author: Oiwan Lam


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Tajikistan: Five Star Hotels, No Electricity · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ian reflects whether or not the general population of Tajikistan loses its patience with the leadership amid continuing energy shortages, water purification problems, bread-price inflation, and more.


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Thailand: Haven For Criminals · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

“Is Thailand a haven for US criminals?” asks the Lost Boy.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Australia: de Boissiere Passes On  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Blogging from Trinidad & Tobago, Antilles acknowledges the passing of author and centenarian Ralph de Boissiere:  “one of the chief figures in the Beacon group, a circle of young, talented, ambitious writers that formed around the Trinidadian magazine of that name in the early 1930s.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Trinidad & Tobago: Cultural Preservation · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Even as we fret about the loss of our  historic architecture, we are losing the architects of our history”: Blogging from Trinidad & Tobago, The Liming House writes about the importance of preserving “our collective memory.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Eclipse Tonight · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean Beat Blog reminds stargazers in The Americas, Europe and Africa to look out for the total lunar eclipse tonight!


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Tunisia: New Wind Farms Soon · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Tunisia, Subzero Blue has some “good eco-friendly news.” Three wind farms with a total capacity of 120 megawatts of electricity will be built by 2009 in Bizerta, Jendouba and Beja.


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Turkey: Hijab Ban Lifted · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Erkan's field diary discusses Turkey's lifting of the headscarf (Hijab) ban in his country.


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Turkmenistan: Flag Day  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Maciula describes the celebration of the Turkmen Flag Day and quotes Shokhrat Kadyrov who claims that the flag of Turkmenistan reflects the symbols of the Teke tribe rather than the whole Turkmen nation.


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U.S.: 50 Russians for Obama · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russia Blog writes about the results of “its own humble, non-scientific poll”: Yuri Mamchur asked 50 Russians about which U.S. presidential candidate they would have preferred – and all 50 said it was Barack Obama.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Uzbekistan blocks Newsuz.com website · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

It has been reported that the Uzbek-language website Newsuz.com has been blocked in Uzbekistan. “After a series of critical publications on human rights issues, gas supply issues, and price growth, and also analytical publications on the recent elections, we began receiving letters with threats and demands to follow information posted on government sites. We did not do that and, as a result, out site was blocked,” Newsuz.Com editor-in-chief Aziz Nosirov said.


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Uzbekistan: Deputy General Prosecutor Suddenly Arrested  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nathan reports that for reasons not being reported, Anvar Nabiev, the Uzbekistan's Deputy Prosecutor General, has been arrested. He opines that the arrest is part of the Uzbek government’s campaign to impress the West with its sudden interest in observation of human rights.


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Afganistan: Story Behind Pictures · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Mohammad posts a number of pictures of Afghanistan's children in “schools” in remote areas, and says that the current authorities spend billions of western aids on luxurious houses, top model cars and jewelry instead of improving humanitarian situation.


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Armenia: Overnight Demonstration · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer details his thoughts after spending a night with a few thousand Ter-Petrossian supporters camped out on Yerevan's Liberty Square following Tuesday's disputed presidential election in Armenia.


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Bahrain: Lost causes? · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Recently a number of bloggers have complained about a lack of real education, a lack of critical thinking, and a lack of political engagement in Bahrain.
Coolred38, an American living in Bahrain, recounts some of the bad experiences her children have had at government schools, and lists all the faults of the government system as she sees them. She concludes:
I wish I could send my children to private school….I wish I could surround them with people who cared about their futures…even if they are non Bahrainis…because I sincerely believe the average Bahraini doesn't really care what the future holds for their children…as they are allowing these substandard teachers and school staff to care for their children day after day and year after year. You might say “we don't have a choice…that's the govt's doing”…the govt works for you doesn't it….silence means acceptance…if you accept your children being taught…or not taught…in this fashion…then good for you…keep quiet and don't complain later when your child can't graduate or get a good job cause they are suffering from basic education. Even those that do graduate from high school find college a whole other world…a world where people have to read in order to achieve good results…where they need to know not only where the library is but how to utilize it…a world where memorizing just doesn't cut it….my daughter just started college this year…and has had to learn the hard way….in fact…she has had to relearn how to educate herself in order to figure out college life and the standards she must maintain…even though she has been an A student all her life. At any rate….I told them I will be making a formal complaint to the Ministry of Education…[…] I just wish more parents were serious and concerned enough to complain in order to affect some change. Silence means acceptance….right?
Nido asks a similar question; he is wondering why his generation is not as politically active as his parents':
No one can seriously say that we are as politically involved as they were. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that Bahrain is less politically active nowadays when compared to the past. Bahrain is obviously one of the most politically vibrant countries in the region. I am comparing the affluent, supposedly highly educated youth back then and now. Back then getting involved in politics was the norm. Today we dare not, nor are we interested, to even speak of the subject. […] Why are we so disengaged, so uninterested?……. Why is that? Why is that in a region which is so obviously going through one of the most turbulent and important periods in its history, where lives, ideas, norms, economies, futures and even geographic boundaries are being reshaped and redefined? Where no one really has so much more at stake in what happens, and where nobody else stands to gain or lose more from the consequences? Indeed where no one else has any reason to be more concerned as to what happens? […] Why is it that so few of us bother, and if they do bother they seldom act? Why is it that for so many of us this is a pointless and boring topic that is best avoided? Why is it that we have only the courage to resort to anonymous blogs, while if the identity is public then you have to severely curtail what you dare say?
The Soft wonders at the divisions that people holding essentially the same beliefs can create between themselves:
Cookie is also disappointed with the education she is being given:
when I’ve chosen science speciality I thought that I will invent , discover something or at least spend time in labs working with real things!
But when I got there my dreams/expectations did not happen! I was in shock cause we had to imagine what we learn. we have to imagine physical actions, creatures, chemical reactions and other – must to see – things.
I thought that I’m going to think my way but I discovered that I have to think like a copying machine!
I thought that I’m going to be a little scientist but I became a broken memory card.
I believe that school make you stupid. unless you are stupid !

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Bahrain: Wise beyond her years? · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Bahraini blogger emoodz questions the appointment of a female judge – who only graduated in 2005.


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Barbados: Hair Them Out · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Why should these young men be barred from finishing their studies and leading productive lives because they made a hairstyle choice?”:  Cheese-on-bread! blogs about the latest controversy in Barbados – students being banned from classes because of how they choose to wear their hair.


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Bermuda: Immigration · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Politics.bm has a suggestion for helping Bermuda's “appallingly slow Department of Immigration.”