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Arab World: Congratulations to Arabs Got Talents!  · Global Voices
Dareen Al Saad

Finally, a place where people can go and share their talents, away from boredom, and politics, here's one way to inspire, captivate, entertain, humour and give aesthetic and touching moments to the world…
#arabsgottalents quickly became a trending topic on Twitter
Picking up slowly and receiving lots of reviews, Arabs Got Talents’ first season launched this week overwhelmed tweeters and became a trending topic on Twitter– with some demeaning comments towards the contestants, and others ardently enjoying and admiring them…
Some comments from tweeters are as follows:
SirCheekss from Kuwait impatiently says:
SirCheekss Shkithir baji 3ala youm il yim3a? Aby ashoof #ArabsGotTalent.
SMousa, from Khobar, Saudia Arabia, is also quite anxious and remarks:
smousa Abi youm eljm3a asra3 mt7msa #ArabsGotTalent
On a more sarcastic note, ShanteleeWhaat  comments:
ShantaleeWhaat #arabsgottalent . Seriously Who Can Threaten’ USA More Then Them ?
And YaraHattab  ridicules the contestants as she states:
YaraHattab @chantelsaid #arabsgottalent HAHAHAHA . I CUDNT WAIT. I LIKE PISSED MYSELF LAUGHING. i have come to a conclusion that arabs have no talent.
On a more positive note, nidalkhoury1 from Amman, Jordan,  appraises a contestant:
nidalkhoury1 Good performance for Talal on #starbldar #middleeast http://bit.ly/fkkj2g for real #arabsgottalent
And starbldar  has the exact same reaction:
starbldar Good performance for Talal on #starbldar #middleeast http://bit.ly/fkkj2g for real #arabsgottalent
Here's to a fantastic beginning to Arabs Got Talent!

author: Dareen Al Saad


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Argentina’s Agricultural Sector on Strike: Economic or Political Impact? · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

In its ninth strike since 2008, the agricultural sector in Argentina is trying to generate a “political impact” rather than an “economic impact.” But Eliot Brockner from Latin American Thought argues that “The “political impact” is nothing compared to the billion-dollar economic impact the strikes have had over the past few years.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Silvia Viñas


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Bangladesh: Crisis In The Share Market · Global Voices
Rezwan

An Ordinary Citizen comments on the volatile share market of Bangladesh from an investor's perspective: “the market follows no logic. The matter seems to become a gamble and some powerful are stage-managing the whole show.”

author: Rezwan


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Chile: Not Alone in Protesting Gas Price Hikes · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Bloggings by Boz writes that the protests in southern Chile over gas prices are not unique to Chile.


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China: Presidents Hu and Obama set to talk · Global Voices
John Kennedy

As Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives in Washington, DC today, he now has the threat of a currency bill to start off talks.
With debt finance, Taiwan and human rights just some of the looming issues likely on the table for discussion, what would be a more conservative expectation for an outcome of this week's dialogue?
Chinese bloggers don't seem to have set their hopes too high, but have been busy assessing every aspect of the relationship between China and the US. Below are a few excerpts from posts featured today on two of China's more economics-oriented blogging communities.
US Senators threatened a currency bill
Post-80s think tank founder from Shandong province, Chi Zhuqiang: Americans don't appreciate us enough
一般认为，中美关系好 也好不到哪里去，坏也坏不到哪里来。不过，从中美关系近来屡屡直逼甚至触犯中方的利益底线和发展态势来看，美国一直占据主动地位，总是先发制人，是发号施令者
此次胡锦涛主席访美意义重大，既能够让美国人民正确的认识中国及中国人民的宗旨和外交政策，中国国家主席的访美，能够让那些到处忽悠美国人民敌视中国的美国政客们诡计失算，又能够为中美两国的经济交流与政治交流带来新的气息，二来能够进一步加深中美两国的深入合作，既可以让政府间减少摩擦，又能够促进两国的民间交流与合作！胡锦涛主席的访美必将为中美两国人民带来更多的福音！
This significance of this trip by Chairman Hu to the USA is huge, such that it will allow the American people to correctly understand China and the goals and foreign policy of the Chinese people. China's national chairman's visit to the USA can let those American politicians going around hoodwinking the American people into being hostile to China fail at their own game, and breathe new breath into economic and political exchange between China and America. It will also deepen cooperation between the two countries, helping reduce friction between their governments, and furthering interaction and cooperation between their peoples! Chairman Hu Jintao's visit to the United States will bring many blessings for the people of both countries!
王振平 发表于 2011/1/17 19:50 1楼
我实在看不出这个花瓶去美国有啥深远意义，上一次他去美国访问，第一站就是在比尔.盖茨的家做客，这一次去也没有啥可值得我们这些老百姓可期待的，我看倒是物价牵动着十几亿老百姓的心，社会的公平正义，法制的健全，民主化的进程，政治体制改革的进程，无处不有的贪污腐败的愈演愈烈得到有效的遏制倒是亿万老百姓十分期待的，别吹嘘这样的八股。
I really don't see any profound meaning in this spectacle of a visit to America. Last time he went to the USA, his first stop was as a guest at Bill Gates’ home, and this time I just don't see what us regular folk can expect to get from it; instead, what I do see is rising prices affecting more than a billion people. What millions of people are really hoping for is social justice, a sound legal system, democratization, political system reform and more effective curtailment of the all-encompassing corruption. Please spare us your trumpeting.
Investment manager He Shuyuan in Hong Kong: Picking up from their last meeting in Seoul
当时奥巴马没有向中国施压，要求其允许人民币更快升值。相反，奥巴马试图让盟友相信，美国并不是在有意让美元贬值，以获得贸易优势。当时，中国副外长崔天凯表示，关于美联储的购债计划”他们欠中国一个解释，并警告美联储”在做决定的时候，不要只考虑自己的经济，也要考虑对其它国家的影响”。这次当胡锦涛周三访问白宫的时候，情况可能有所不同。汇率紧张关系有所降温。目前中国通胀居高不下，意味着人民币实际汇率升值幅度远高于名义汇率。美国共和党在国会获得更多席位，暗示国会要求给中国贴上汇率操纵国的标签，或大幅提高关税的压力或比以往减小。布鲁金斯学会（Brookings Institution)经济学家Eswar Prasad表示，”在中期选举前对美国是否需要向中国施压一事各方意见并未取得一致。”虽然美联储11月初宣布公债购买计划后，有人担心美元会受损，但实际上美元兑一篮子主要货币随后出现了升值。胡锦涛也可以提及中国最新的贸易数据，其显示12月出口未如多数经济学家预期的那般强劲。可比的美国数据尚未出炉，但美国11月对中国出口创下95亿美元的纪录高位，为中国强调自己正在为平衡全球成长做出贡献提供了论据。在本周峰会前，中国副外长崔天凯的口气已比11月时有所软化。他表示，中国关心其在美国投资的安全性，对于美国就这些投资的安全性发表的积极言论，中国将表示欢迎。美国财政部长盖特纳认为此番言论并无新意，不过是在这种会晤前夕看到的外交辞令。
This Wednesday, when Hu Jintao visits the White House, things could very well be quite different. Relations have cooled over the exchange rate. Inflation in China remains high at present, indicating that the actual exchange rate for the RMB has already risen to surpass that of the nominal exchange rate. The Republican party now controls more seats in the American Congress, which suggests that pressure on Congress to demand China be called out for currency manipulation or substantially increase tariffs is now less than it was before.
Brookings Institute economist Eswar Prasad has stated that prior to the midterm elections, there didn't exist consensus among different parties regarding the issue of whether American needs to put pressure on China. While some worried that the US dollar might suffer following the Federal Reserve's announcement to purchase government bonds in early November, the main currencies in the US dollar basket subsequently continued to rise. Hu Jintao can also reference China's latest trade figures, which show that exports for December were not as strong as had been predicted by many economists.
Comparable data for America hasn't been released yet, but American exports to China set a new record in November with USD 9.5 billion in trade, further proof substantiating China's claims of contributions made toward stabilizing global growth. Leading up to this week's summit, Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs has already softened his tone in comparison to November.
He says that China's concerns are for the security of its investments in America, and welcomes America's constructive opinions regarding the security of these investments. American Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner meanwhile has said that such remarks don't indicate anything new and is only the kind of diplomatic language one sees before this kind of meeting.
[…]
美资企业长久以来一直抱怨在进入中国的过程中受到了不公平的待遇。奥巴马还将再次敦促中国允许人民币进一步快速升值。许多经济师预计，这一要求现在会得到更加积极的响应，因为中国正努力抑制高涨的通胀率，而人民币升值将是一个有用的工具。通过促进内需而非依赖海外需求来实现经济增长，中国一方面既可以采取华府所希望的措施，另一方面也不会显得是迫于外界压力而低头。中国的通胀数据定于胡锦涛白宫之行之后一天发布。该数据料将显示，去年12月居民消费价格指数(CPI)较上年同期增长4.4%，这与去年11月5.1%的增长水平相比略有降温，但仍处在令人不适的高位。
‘Hu Jintao’, by Flickr user rbschmitz
Phoenix Blog columnist Zheng Hao: Taiwan will trump many other issues
笔者认为，从当前两国关系的总体形势上看，产生严重分歧的关键层面主要有两个：一个是台湾问题，另一个是对中国迅速崛起的认识问题。至于其他问题，例如贸易摩擦、人民币汇率、人权问题、西藏问题等，都不会令中美关系发展出现大幅倒退，这在中美建交三十多年间已经被反复证明了的。
台湾问题是严重影响中美两国关系发展的核心问题之一，它不仅没有因为两岸关系自2008年后的大幅改善而退居次席，反而因为奥巴马政府坚持对台售武而使得这个问题变得更加敏感、更为尖锐。前不久美国国防部长盖茨访华时，曾极力试图说服中国把对台售武与发展两国军事关系分开，提出了所谓“两分法”，即“政治问题归政治问题，军事关系归军事关系”，但遭到中国军方的严正拒绝，认为这是对中国国家主权利益的严重干涉，而干涉就是干涉，不存在“政治与军事分开”的问题。美国必须停止对台军售才会减少妨碍中美关系的干扰，这才符合中国国家的核心利益，也有利于两军关系的发展。
The Taiwan Problem is one of the main issues with serious impact on Sino-American relations; Not only did it not take a backseat position following the substantial improvement in cross-Strait relations beginning in 2008, but has become even more sensitive and acute given the Obama administration's insistence on selling arms to Taiwan. Recently during American Secretary of Defense Robert Gate's visit to China, exhaustive efforts were made to convince China to keep keep the issues of arms sales to Taiwan and development of military relations between China and the USA separate, even mentioning a ‘law of separation’, to let ‘political problems be political problems, and military relations be military relations”, which was solemnly rejected by the Chinese military, who would see such as severe interference in China's national sovereignty interests, and interference being interference, there exists no question of any ‘separation of politics and military affairs’. America must stop selling arms to Taiwan if it wants to reduce the interference which obstructs Sino-American relations. Only this is in China's core national interests, and in the interests of growth in military relations between the two countries.
而对中国快速崛起，特别是中国军力的迅速发展，美国的担忧更多的表现在如何认识的“态度”问题上。不可否认，美国国内的保守势力正在企图利用“抹黑”方式，敦促美国政府加大对中国实施战略围堵的力度，但美国核心领导层心里非常清楚，单靠围堵中国是无法达成目的的，更何况美国非常需要中国在国际社会发挥更大的作用，同美国一道应对全球共同面对的挑战。因此，美国对中国的快速崛起，更多的是需要端正态度和更快的加以适应，它不会成为严重妨碍中美两国关系发展的根本障碍。
Ding Dong, writer on international politics based in Anhui province: What's in Chimerica's best interest
不管怎么说，中美都在一个充满险恶风浪的大海中航行，都为在如何确保自身国家利益的前提下，推动建立一个有助于实现自身利益的全球和地区体系。双方都意识到对方的强大和重要，美国不仅希望从中国的经济发展中实现双赢，而且希望中国在政治上也不脱离西方的轨道，为此它既需要对中国进行遏制和威慑，确保美国能随时扭转中国的航向，同时又展示与中国的亲密合作关系，尤其是在美国仍然深陷金融危机的背景下，中国的订单和外汇储备对其至关重要。
据最新消息，美国为胡锦涛的即将访美准备好了红地毯，将给予其高规格礼遇，包括美国副总统亲自接机、奥巴马在白宫为胡锦涛设私人晚宴以及盛大的欢迎仪式和正式晚宴。这些不同寻常的安排都是为当今世界对美国来说最重要的国家而设。
中国离不开美国，美国离不开中国，当然世界也离不开中美。美国，正如中国一样，在期待着，通过胡锦涛的访美，在双方坦诚的开诚布公的协商下，两国能够在新的历史起点上拨云见日，从经贸、军事、政治等角度重新构建中美复杂而新型的双边关系，说服中国启动政治改革、保障人权，逐步实现美国式民主政治，并开启中美合作的新时代。
China can't go anywhere without America, and America can't go anywhere without China, so of course the world can't go anywhere without both of them. America, as with China, is anticipating that, with Hu Jintao's visit, with frank and sincere talks between each side, that both countries will be able to make history and restore order to things, freshly reestablishing the complicated bilateral relations between China and America on issues ranging from trade to military affairs to politics, persuading China to launch political reforms and uphold human rights, and to gradually implement American-style democracy, and, with that, bring China and America into a new era of cooperation.

author: John Kennedy


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D.R. of Congo: Are we prepared for elections? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Is the Democratic Republic of Congo prepared for elections this year?: “We have yet to see the new electoral commission (CENI) inaugurated, as legislators are still bickering about its composition. The revision of the electoral roll is ongoing in the provinces, but there have been many complaints about the lack of registration sites where people can register.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Ecuador: Crime as the Government’s Main Challenge for 2011 · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

One of the outstanding social responsibilities of the government of Rafael  Correa is public safety. United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston issued a report about his visit to Ecuador in June 2010 which b10.com.ec [es] quoted: “The homicide rate in Ecuador has doubled in the last 20 years.  In 1990 it was 10.3 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, in 2009 it was  18.7 and up to date the estimate suggests an increase to 20.”
Back in 2007, FLACSO [es] (Latin American Social Sciences Institute) scholar Fernando Carrion Mena, quoting a study by the Inter-American Development Bank, wrote that economic costs of criminal violence in Ecuador are quite high and that they are dramatically increasing over time.
Ecuadorian police stands guard on a street in Guayaquil. Photo by Flickr user ‘rumble fish’ and used under Creative Commons license
Andrés Rodríguez from Modestamente Humano [es]  writes about his experience with a street vendor selling movies while  he rode a bus in Quito. He talked to the vendor who told him he was  frustrated because he hadn't made a sell and thought he better get  another job: stealing.
Blogger Sebas of Desde el rincón de mi vida [es]  feels sad about how he's had to start the new year: his friend was killed and to make things worse the hired assassin shot his friend by mistake. He calls on everyone to show each other affection and love, but also criticizes the absence of drive from some Ecuadorians:
Resignación dicen algunos, […] resignarse ante la violencia es darles la victoria a los malos, es seguir dejando pasar, es pretender que la gente asesinada es un número más, no pienso hacer eso, resignarse jamás.
Many people have been writing letters to the President begging him to take immediate action against crime. But in a speech at one of the largest prisons in Guayaquil, he expressed that such offenders are victims of the society, and they deserve a second opportunity, as Carlos Sagnay of Desde mi trinchera [es] writes:
[Correa] visitó la Penitenciaría del Litoral, se dirigió a los delincuentes, asaltantes y asesinos, y les dijo que por culpa de asambleístas opositores están cumpliendo penas largas.
In Dialogo con Joselias [es] journalist and blogger Joselias, who writes from the Manabí province, echoes what is happening in Ecuador's main port, Guayaquil. He reports that even Intelligence Police can't get away from violence; Joselias explains that two officers were shot in southeastern Guayaquil.
Poverty, unemployment, and lack of education are factors that have led many to commit crimes and if caught serve prison terms. But in reference to the presidential visit to the coastal prison in Guayaquil, Manuel Ignacio Gomez of Hoy y Ahora [es] argues that one thing is to be concerned about their rights and rehabilitation, and another is to side with them, as if the President cared more about the welfare of the delinquents than the lives of the victims:
Muy bien que Correa se preocupe por la rehabilitación de los presos y mejorar las condiciones en las cárceles. Adelante. Tiene razón que la solución no está en encerrarlos para que se pudran, sino en convertirlos en personas útiles a la sociedad con verdaderos programas de rehabilitación. Los derechos humanos son para todos, incluyendo los presos. Pero esto de poco servirá si el Presidente no asume su papel con posturas, declaraciones y acciones prácticas, firmes y duras contra la delincuencia.
Another issue that concerns Ecuadorians is the growing number of adolescents involved in criminal offenses. The use of minors as young as 10 years old to commit offenses is also taking place; children can’t be incarcerated under these offenses.
Juancabrito in his blog [es] writes that the media invests too much time opposing the government but they forget to educate. The media, he says, needs to move from the “pseudo analysis” to a concrete reality. He is confident that President Correa, who now personally oversees public safety in Ecuador, will succeed, even with criticism from the opposition.

author: Milton Ramirez


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Ecuador: Photos of the Rainforest · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Carla Badillo shares photos of her trip to the Ecuadorian rainforest.


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Education Policy For A Secular Bangladesh  · Global Voices
Rezwan

J Rahman at Mukti opines that the new education policy of Bangladesh, which seeks to modernize the country’s madrassahs, can one day create a secular state in Bangladesh.


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Guatemala: President Colom calls Rigoberta Menchu a “Fabrication” in Latest Wikileaks Cable · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Mike reports that a new Wikileaks cable on Guatemala reveals that “[President] Colom called  [Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta] Menchu a “fabrication” of Elizabeth Burgos, the French anthropologist and author of “I, Rigoberta Menchu.” (Colom has already responded that he respects Menchu even though he often disagrees with her and that he didn't say those things about her to the US ambassador).”


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Haiti: Duvalier Arrest Imminent? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

UPDATE: 7:23 pm AST – @kiskeacity tweets that ‘Baby Doc’ #Duvalier charged with corruption in Haiti http://ht.ly/3G5s4#BabyDoc
UPDATE: 4:15 pm – Duvalier is en route back to his hotel; will apparently address the media later.
UPDATE: 2:05 pm – The motorcade has reportedly arrived at the “Parquet”.
From just before eleven o'clock this morning, Twitter has been rife with speculation that Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, the banished former dictator who has been living in exile in France and who made a surprise return to his homeland on Sunday evening, may be in the process of being placed under arrest.
@emilytroutman started the ball rolling when she tweeted:
BREAKING: Radio Caraibes reporting #Babydoc will be arrested today. Security at hotel locked down. #Haiti
Soon after that, @kiskeacity, a diaspora netizen, began re-tweeting updates from @jacquiecharles, a correspondent for the Miami Herald, whom @RAMHaiti has accused of not always checking her facts.  Still, @jacquiecharles has been updating her tweets regularly:
Five HNP officers just showed up at Karibe. Headed to Duvalier's room. #haiti #elections
Are they here to make an arrest? That is the word. #haiti #elections
Two heavily armed HNP just mounted the staircase after the final officer came down. #haiti #elections
Six heavily armed Haitian SWAT just jumped in back of a pick-up. We feel this is a diversion, but where to? #haiti #elections
The chief prosecutor just arrived and the justice of peace. #haiti #elections
Neither Judge Gabriel Ambroise nor Chief Prosecutor Aristides would say if they have an arrest warrant. Many more police. #haiti #elections
HNP won't say if there is an actual arrest warrant, only they were asked to send police to secure hotel. #haiti #elections
Soon afterward, it appeared that Duvalier put out a call for legal representation:
@jacquiecharles: #Haiti attorney Reynold Georges just arrived. Says Gervais Charles en route. Charles hasn't represented JCD for years. #haiti #elections
Thus far, no-one can confirm whether Duvalier has indeed been arrested. It now appears, as of 1:10 pm, that he is coming out of the hotel that has been surrounded by police for the past couple of hours, perhaps for the reason that @carelpedre tweeted:
Jean Claude Duvalier and His Lawyers will go to the Court of Port-au-Prince to continue with the hearing. #babydoc
@carelpedre seems convinced that:
Jean Claude Duvalier's arrest becomes increasingly likely after his 1st meeting with the Haitian justice
Even as Duvalier supporters appear to be “mobilizing protests against his arrest”, the actual details of his apparent detainment remain sketchy.
@carelpredre just confirmed that:
Jean Claude Duvalier, his staff & his lawyers r leaving the Karibe Hotel now. He's going to the “Parquet” for further questioning.
Global Voices will continue to follow developments and post updates as they become available.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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India: Women Empowerment and Videoblogging · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

This post is part of our special coverage Global Development 2011.
Women Aloud Videoblogging for Empowerment (WAVE) is a platform and program aiming to get women from semi-urban areas of India to voice their opinions on topics that matter to them through online video tools.
WAVE's tagline reads: “30 women, 30 regions, videoblogging every day”, and indeed, there are many different videos on the site covering a wide range of topics from what seems to be every region in India.  The women who participate were chosen by universities or NGO's to be a part of a 9 month mentorship program where they were provided with training, equipment and a stipend in exchange for their videos.
WAVE’s philosophy is that young women in India need to be heard and encouraged to analyze the problems in their communities and go on to become leaders who provide effective solutions in order for society to become socially and economically empowered.
Twenty-four year old Chinju Prakash from Trivandrum, Kerala works for SPACE, an NGO developing and delivering programs in New Media and Information Communication Technology. In one of her videos she shows us the Kalavara, a canteen run exclusively by women and we get to hear what the experience has been like for these women who are now able to make a living for themselves.
Preeti Jain is a 27 year old from Bilaspur, Chattisgarh. Through her videos she aims to focus on an indigenous community of Chattisgarh to raise awareness about their issues.  In this next video, she focuses on their odd customs for arranging marriages: departing from the norm in India, the young men of the Baiga tribe meet and choose their wife during social events such as dances, and then let their parents know.
Salam Babina Devi is from Imphal, Manipur and volunteers full time at a grassroots organization dealing with women and child development. Her videos focus on cultural aspects of Manipur, like this next example on dance:
In Manipur every significant social and religious event is celebrated with its special form of dance.  Here are glimpses of tribal, folk and classical dances from the hills and valley of an ancient land.
Visit WAVE for more stories and videos from women from different corners of the country.
This post is part of our special coverage Global Development 2011.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Iran: 14 Lions Killed in Tehran Zoo · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Environmental bloggers are angry and concerned about the killing of 14 lions in Tehran Zoo. Iranian media reported that the lions were put down because they were diagnosed with an infectious bacterial disease, glanders, which is more commonly found in horses, donkeys, and mules. Two weeks earlier, a Siberian tiger sent to the Tehran Zoo as part of an exchange program with Russia died after being fed contaminated meat.
Houman, a veterinary doctor writes [fa] in his blog, Troubles of a veterinary:
We no longer hear the groaning of lions… Yesterday they killed 9 lions. Just like that. Because of their sickness. Because they ate infected donkey's meat. A sickness that could have been cured… It was about two weeks ago that we took a blood test… I am really sad. Time to move, and leave here.
Varteh writes  [fa]:
It is very sad to see a lion in cage. The Lion knows its humiliation… It died like a soldier… Previously in this damn zoo, I saw another terrible scene. Domestic dogs in a cage waiting for a hand to caress them. You can just imagine these dogs on a couch, not on the cold ground…
Kelk, another Iranian blogger, with irony says, that it seems these lions were accused of hostility against the regime and were executed.
United4Iran writes that there is mismanagement in Tehran Zoo and recalls that a few days after the death of the Siberian tiger, 14 lions were killed.
Mojgan Jamshidi, a blogger and journalist, writes  [fa] that importing the Siberian tiger was just a gesture of propaganda for the Iranian authorities, and that from the first step everything was done wrong, and they did not get any appropriate care.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Jamaica: So Long, Calabash · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Well, the news of the moment is that Jamaica’s beloved Calabash International Literary Festival is no more”: Active Voice and The Caribbean Review of Books bid a fond farewell.


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Jordan: Debating the Country’s Leadership · Global Voices
Betsy Fisher

Blogging and Twitter conversations in Jordan have continued on from Jordan's Day of Anger on Friday January 14th, 2011, and subsequent protests sponsored by Islamists, as well as protests held outside the Tunisian Embassy in Amman.  These events had demonstrators demanding the resignation of Jordan's Prime Minister Samir Rifai, and demanding more attention paid to high prices, high unemployment, and low wages.  These events continued to build with labor protests on January 17th.
These events are widely seen to have begun with Jordan's lower house of Parliament giving the government a record vote of confidence, with 111 of 119 members voting in favor.  These events led many Jordanians to question the legitimacy of both the Parliament and the royally-appointed government; according to some, any vote with more than 90% in favor of giving confidence just demonstrated that only loyalists were represented in Jordanian systems of governance.
Meanwhile, Jordan has experienced many events underscoring identity issues of tribalism and between Jordanians of Palestinian origin and those of Bedouin origin.  And many of this week's protests have been inspired by Tunisian protests that led to Tunisian President Ben Ali leaving the country.
In light of all these events, Jordanians have been discussing the future of Prime Minister Rifai's government, as well as their trust in the Jordanian Parliament.  Some, such as Fadi Qutaishat, called for the recall of Rifai:
“We are calling for the departure of Samir Rifai's govt and a govt of national unity, not a govt of Amman corporations”
Mohammad Yousef reported of earlier protests:
Protesters focus on the fact PM Samir Al-Rifai used to manage Dubai Capital holding, labeling him as a capitalist #ReformJO
Others were skeptical that replacing Rifai would accomplish anything, referring to cycles of appointments and re-appointments, often within the same families.  Ali Abunimah humorously asked:
Jordan protestors calling for PM to be replaced are foolish. Don't they know Samir Rifai's son is not old enough yet?
Majd Yousef wrote:
lets assume that the PM stepped down, let me recall when was it the last time we had New minister! Diff PM same ministers #AngryJordan
For Mahmoud Lattouf, Rifai was the wrong target:
I find it weird that people demand the resignation of AlRifai Government, they should first demand dissolving the fake Parliament! #ReformJo
As protesters chanted outside the parliament building, the lower house debated lowering the criminal penalty for adultery.  This juxtaposition brought more ire upon the parliament from Tololy:
Important to keep the timing of media coverage of “adultery” penalty in mind: diverting attention from protests? Keeping people busy? #JO
While Mohammad Yousef despaired:
the summary of #Jordan-ian chronicles “isn’t the Parliament part of the government?” #ReformJO #DamnManThatsSAD
Others simply blamed systemic political and economic woes.  Omar Tahboub wrote:
When govts subsidize prices, the wealthy benefit most because they consume most.  Not a smart way to help the less fortunate #AngryJordan
From 7iber.com, Mohannad blogged his political opinion that what Jordan needs is not resignations, which constitutes merely a “scapegoat” but systemic reform.
The names of the people are irrelevant at this stage. What we have is not a persons problem but rather a systematic one. One where the choices of the few, historically, created a framework for corruption, hereditary superiority and unaccountability…The solution is us. Jordan are us. We can be the framework for change.
Moving beyond rhetoric, urgent steps to rebuild trust are needed now more than ever. Show us the money. Lay it all out. Stop living a lavish life while the majority of our country are struggling to make ends meet…Take responsibility for the mistakes made. Define corruption clearly so that we can all be on the same page. Being a public servant and a businessperson is a toxic combination. Create a strike force headed by trusted public figures and empower them to attack corruption at all level, and I mean ALL levels. No one, should be immune, NO ONE. Redistribute the power and most importantly remove the power to dissolve the parliament.
Rather than blame anyone Aiah Fwares simply tweeted:
Why do I love sleeping?!  There's no government in my dreams!  #ReformJo Good night world!
Jordanians were resolute, though, in their support of the Hashemite monarchy, even while calling for reforms.  Upon speculation of an overthrow, Naseem Tarawnah bluntly replied:
Def not happening
Support for the monarchy extended also to defending Queen Rania.  After an Egyptian sent a tweet suggesting that Queen Rania and her husband would be the next rulers to be ousted from office, Lara Hadi responded in outrage:
We love our Queen … and if #AngryJordan was anything, it was a day for Jordanian’s to vent out and express themselves. Yes Jordan is a poor country, true we do have corruption and unemployment, but we don’t have people arrested left and right and tortured, we have leaders, working for a better Jordan, for today and for the future, we have a democratically elected government for God’s sake…
To follow Jordan's ongoing conversations, follow #ReformJo and #AngryJordan

author: Betsy Fisher


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Kenya: I support the ICC process · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Wambui has just signed The Kenyans In Support of the ICC Process petition: “I believe we as Kenyans need to start somewhere to stop this insanity that is our Government dragging our name across the realm of madness in their attempt to rule this our country.”


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Kenya: New constitution sets new standards for privacy and data protection · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Michael Murungi says that Kenya's new constitution has set new standards for privacy and data protection: “Kenyan law on the subject remains sketchy and even with the improved level of the enjoyment of civil liberties and democratic governance that the country has experienced in the last three decades…”


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Nigeria: Is this the death of Nigeria’s monolithic north?  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Is the elections in Nigeria this year the beginning of the end of Nigeria's monolithic north?: “Since 1960 when Nigeria gained independence, the North have dominated the political landscape, thus, the zone formed the first government at independence.”


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Puerto Rico: Online Debate on Hooded Protesters · Global Voices
César Santiago

This post is part of our special coverage Puerto Rico Student Protests 2010/11.
The student strike at the University of Puerto Rico took a turn last week when hooded protesters committed acts of vandalism and intimidation in the student center and other parts of the main Río Piedras campus on Tuesday, January 11th. One of the most publicized incidents was when a group of these hooded protesters turned tables, broke glasses and dropped smoke balls in the cafeteria of the Río Piedras campus.
Detractors of the strike have used this incident to accuse students of merely being extremist activists. YouTube user luisanthony40 posted this video of the incident in which he refers to the students as “young terrorists”:
luisanthony40 writes in the introduction to the video[es]:
La Verdad es una sola y los videos no mienten, Son protestas VIOLENTAS a la cañona, “me das lo que quiero o destruyo a la UPR y la Economía de Puerto Rico” esa actitud, no abona a un diálogo serio, razonable y realista.
Some bloggers who have consistently supported the students’ cause expressed dismay with the incident. Professor Mario Nuñez from the blog Digizen: Un blogfesor aprendiendo[es] expressed his discontent on Twitter[es].
A la verdad que no entiendo la lógica de algunos estudiantes de destruir la Universidad para “salvarla”. #luchaupr
Professor Edwin Vázquez also expressed his discontent with the incident. He tweets[es]:
Si los estudiantes permiten que los encapuchados violentos de hoy en RP les controlen la #huelgaUPR perderán la lucha medíatica y mi apoyo.
Some users downplayed or justified the actions like @comandobetances who wrote[es]:
Existe la violencia estratégica. Le toca a los estudiantes en lucha hacer las críticas necesarias del evento de ayer y seguir #HuelgaUPR.
To this, Professor Nuñez responded[es]:
¿la estrategia era cambiar la opinión pública a favor del gobierno?
In the meantime the day after the vandalism incidents, a number of students (whose faces were not covered) were arrested for distributing leaflets in the classrooms[es]. Student blog Desde Adentro questions[es] why these students were arrested while the true vandals were not:
Ayer varias personas que participaban de la manifestación estudiantil causaron daño a la propiedad de la Universidad de Puerto Rico y empujaron a la Decana Auxiliar de la Facultad de Administración de Empresas, según ella misma expresó a los medios momentos después del incidente. Sin embargo, ayer no se produjo ni un arresto.
Arrested student Gamelyn Oduardo. Photo by Ricardo Alcaraz, taken from Desde Adentro, under a CC License.
Another group was arrested the day after [es] on charges of aggression and illegal appropriation. However a judge found no cause for arrest for 5 of the 6 students[es].
This inconsistent enforcement of the law led blogger and historian Ivonne Acosta Lespier to  dispute that these hooded protesters are students at all [es] and suggest that the government put them there to wreak havoc and discredit the movement:
Esos actos lograron su propósito: desvirtuar el mensaje de los estudiantes huelguistas y justificar al Gobierno en su empeño por insistir que estamos en un país de “ley y orden”, como dijo el Secretario de Justicia, para aplicar los métodos represivos que hagan falta. Ya empezaron por arrestar a los estudiantes que, descubiertos y pacíficamente, repartían hojas sueltas en el campus universitario. ¿Y los encubiertos? Bien, gracias.
She also reminds her readers of the use of undercover agents by the government in the late 1970’s to disrupt strikes:
Agentes encubiertos y provocadores pagados por el Gobierno participaban en huelgas, piquetes y manifestaciones, tomaban fotos y amedrentaban a los participantes. También se cometieron actos de sabotaje en múltiples ocasiones que la prensa atribuyó a los huelguistas, como por ejemplo, en la huelga contra la Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica en 1977-78 en que se cometieron actos de vandalismo por órdenes de la Policía, entre otros por el notorio Alejandro González Malavé
However, Professor Nuñez does not buy this argument[es] as he perceives support from some of the student leadership for the hooded protesters:
El argumento de que los encapuchados son personas que envía la administración para desprestigiar la #luchaupr no es uno convincente ya que líderes estudiantiles apoyan ese tipo de participación Y me imagino que lo hacen porque conocen la identidad de esos encapuchados y apoyan sus acciones.
* Photo by Ricardo Alcaraz, taken from Desde Adentro, under CC License NC-ND 3.0.
*Photo used for thumbnail is a collage by Noelia González Casiano, taken from 80 Grados, under CC License NC-SA 3.0.
This post is part of our special coverage Puerto Rico Student Protests 2010/11.

author: César Santiago


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Russia: Anti-Corruption Blogger’s Gmail Hacked · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Alexey Navalny, one of the Russia's most influential anti-corruption bloggers, twitted [RUS] that his Gmail account has been recently hacked. This happened after Navalny accused [RUS] one of the Russian ministries in corruption. Gmail, however, reacted fast, and within 15 minutes returned [RUS] the account to the owner.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Russia: Blogger Tests if $88 per Month is Enough to Survive · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Volunteer project minproduct.ru launched by a 17-year-old Muscovite examines the state-defined monthly living wage (around $88 per month). Many Russians retirees have nothing but this amount to live on. Vitaliy, an author of the blog, shares recipes and pictures of his humble daily diet.


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Russia: Bloggers on Lessons of Tunisian Revolution · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.
Can Tunisian revolution launch another Russian revolution?, photo: Wikimedia Commons
Russian bloggers, as others around the globe, have entered into a lively discussed about the recent revolution in Tunisia. Following the field reports by resident bloggers, the discussion moved to the question of whether a Tunisian scenario would be possible in Russia.
Initial reporting and reactions
One blogger attracted the attention of RuNet by re-posting messages [RUS] from her friends:
Пишет подруга из Габеса: …слышали что кричат радостно…теперь звонят сыну предупредить что в Габес едет банда из Хамма/они разграбили полиц.участок забрали оружие и едут разбираться вГабес—-мы еще с вечера заготовили ведро камней и железки всякие–на случай…..сидим  по прежнему в дыму–так как пожар разгорелся с новой силой–уже огонь полыхает вовсю и взрывается что то там постоянно…..
Bloggers’ take on the revolution, as usual, wasn't universal. Blogger Avmalgin expressed his frustration that the revolution threatened the image of the country as a popular tourist destination. Roman-n wrote [RUS]:
Наши врачи и инжинеры, которые работали в Тунисе, на своих застольях всегда пили за “хабиба президента Бен Али”. Потому, что они считали, что именно благодаря ему там не режут головы на площадях. Вот щас посмотрим что там будет.
Italian76 was more optimistic [RUS]:
Надеюсь, что Тунис покажет и другим странам мира, где засели такие же мрази, что можно достаточно мирно и безболезненно скинуть гнет диктаторов, […] и создать нормальное общество для всех, а не только для избранных.
Is Tunisian scenario possible in Russia?
The major topic of discussion, however, was spinning around the possibility of the replication of the Tunisian scenario in Russia. LJ-user Vadimb wrote:
Тунисская молодежь протестовала против низкого уровня жизни и безработицы, а затем стала выдвигать политические лозунги. И все получилось.
Да, так просто. И в России не сложнее будет.
LJ-user chudinovandrei wrote [RUS] that no one could think that an African country would provide an example for an advanced revolution:
Первая в мире интернет-революция состоялась там где её никто и не ждал, в Африке.
События в Тунисе станут грозным предупреждением для всех авторитарных коррупционных режимов, и для нашего разумеется. Подозреваю, что у Суркова может случится преждевременный инсульт. Ведь по ЦТ приходится показывать видео-уроки народной кулинарии, с подробным описанием того, как надо заварить кашу и с чем её лучше съесть. […] А теперь нам надо брать уроки даже у африканцев. Уроки живой демократии и самоорганизации.
A blogger max_55555 was also optimistic and wrote [RUS] that “the're will be a holiday on our street as well, hopefully, without victims.” A blogger paiberg concluded [RUS]: “That's how the regime change takes place in countries without election. I am sure that the Putin’s Russia will have a similar destiny.”
Some bloggers paid attention [RUS] to the time that took to remove the Tunisian leader and asked if Russia should wait for another 13 years to reach the revolutionary situation. LJ-user Gloriaputina offered [RUS] a comparative analysis of the term length of the Arab leaders and concluded that eight years of Putin’s rule was not enough. But bloggers also found similarities between Tunisian leader and Putin. A blogger Malvinarus wrote in LJ-community putinvotstavku (“Putin should resign”) that both leaders used the struggle against terror as legitimization for tightening laws and expanding their authority. Other bloggers discussed where Primer Minister Putin could flee once the people will go out to the streets.
While modeling situation in Russia, user gigameg used some bits of Lenin's revolutionary theory and revised it under new conditions:
Так вот, революционная партия, конечно, хорошо, не помешает. Но не обязательна. В условиях жестокого подавления и диктатуры алгоритм другой – партии не создаются до, они моментально вырастают ПОСЛЕ революции.
Few users agreed [RUS] that the main difference between Russian and Tunisian leadership has been a readiness to use force against the opposition. Pcnariman wrote [RUS]: “He (Ben Ali) refused to give an order to shoot the rebels, but I don't think that in Russia there is any problem with it.”
There were bloggers that denied [RUS] analogies with Russia. Blogger al_ven explained [RUS] that the main problem of the Russian political culture was apathy and reluctance to change.
LJ-user zerrega emotionally wondered [RUS] what should happen in Russia to make possible wide protests against the government. zerrega reminded the situation when several thousands persons were locked in the paralyzed Moscow airports and haven't even filed any official complaints afterwards. The blogger concludes:
Если в Россию и нужна трудовая миграция, то это тунисские торговцы зеленью! Буазизи, твоё имя в наших сердцах!
Some bloggers pointed out some principal differences between Tunisia and Russia that made impossible the replication of the Tunisian scenario. Blogger amazonka_urals explained that the two countries have very different demographic situation. Unlike Tunisia, the Russian job market is relatively friendly to young generation (youth is dominating Tunisian demographic structure), while the elder people experience more employment problems. Amazonka_urals brought [RUS] another reason:
Но наше поколение, уже пережившее распад государства во взрослом возрасте и все связанные с этим прелести испытавшее на своей шкуре, государство валить ни за что не будет. Оно будет его критиковать, ругать, может бунтовать против какого-то конкретного закона или против каких-то конкретных представителей власти, но против государства – ни за что.
LJ-user Russobalt_k suggested [RUS]:
Путь России – в росте гражданской ответственности, активности, зрелости. Другого пути нет. Но и этот путь – совсем не “овощной”. Он предполагает и противостояние “власти” в ее некомпетентности, халатности, злом умысле. Обязательно постоянное давление критикой, отстаивание своих прав – даже и с перехлестом, с провокациями, с “пробой на зуб” тех или иных вариантов.
But still LJ-user Altoliman believed [RUS] that the Tunisian experience can be valuable for Russians: “They should write ‘How-to.’ It will be interesting.”
Internet and global revolution
There are a lot of discussions on the Tunisian revolution being the first real Facebook/Twiiter revolution. If the degree of local impact is debatable, the global impact is visible and clear. The  revolution in Africa arouses thoughts and minds of people all over the world including Russia. There is also some type of opposition solidarity between young social media generation all over the world.
American political scientist E. Schattschneider in his book “The Semi-Sovereign People: A Realist's View of Democracy in America” explains that nature of the conflict depends on the degree of the audience's involvement. He wrote that “the outcome of all conflict is determined by the scope of its contagion. The number of people involved in any conflict determines what happens; every change in the number of participants, every increase or reduction in the number of participants, affect the result.”
The new informational technologies eliminate the ability of the state to control the range of a conflict. The scope of revolution contagion goes far beyond the borders of Tunisia. The range of revolutionary discourse expands and becomes global. The local ideas and political developments suggest global agenda and inspire global audience.
It doesn’t mean the revolution in Tunisia will cause tomorrow's revolutions in Belarus, Russia or Central Asia. But it definitely means that the global world becomes more dynamic and less stable, when the social media community and the new generation of bloggers play an increasingly significant role. It can be a good news for those who are looking to overthrow totalitarian regimes. It can be also a source for concerns. As blogger Shraibman wrote [RUS]:
Меня гораздо больше заботит то обстоятельство, что в современном мире остутствует ярко-выраженное альтернативное по отношению к капитализму и авторитаризму мышление. Революции и восстания могут легко отлиться в новые диктатуры, примеров море от Ленина до Хомейни, а народное восстание может превратится в погром на национальной почве…
Some experts claim modern nation-states are the most dangerous threats to their own people when it comes to digital technology. There is, however, even worse scenario than the one when the state filters information, hacks e-mails or manipulates Facebook and Twitter. It is when various networks become initiators of violence (e.g. the way it happened on Manezhnaya square a month ago). In other words, the real threat to networks are the networks itself.
This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.

author: Gregory Asmolov


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Russia: HimkiLeaks Project Launches Campaign Against Corrupt Mayor · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

LJ account HimkiLeaks [RUS] published several reports exposing Vladimir Strelchenko, ill-famed mayor of Khimki city. Previously, Strelchenko's name has been connected with such drastic events as repressions against environmentalists, assaults on journalists Konstantin Fetisov, Oleg Kashin, Mikhail Beketov, etc.


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South Korea: During Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak, A Female Official Died of Fatigue · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

A female official who handled quarantine work has died of fatigue, South Korea's citizen media, Wiki Tree reported today[ko]. As the country faced its worst foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, the workload for quarantine workers has greatly increased lately.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Singapore: Using social media to promote clean toilets · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Restroom Association Singapore uses various social media tools like twitter, youtube, and facebook to promote cleaner public toilets in Singapore.

author: Mong Palatino


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Haiti: On the Return of “Baby Doc”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Empath has a question about the return of Jean-Claude Duvalier to Haiti: “How is he able to do return and not Aristide?”


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Political Women  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

And Still I Rise blogs about women and politics.


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Sudan: Chronicles of Darfur · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Lidwien reviews a new book by Jerome Tubiana, Chroniques du Darfour (Chronicles of Darfur): “This is a unique contribution to the growing field of Dar Fur studies, which brings to bear on the war in Dar Fur the unique strengths and achievements of its author.”


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Tunisia: Blogger and Former Political Prisoner Appointed Minister · Global Voices
Hisham Almiraat

This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.
The Tunisian revolution seems to bring an endless daily dose of surprises. Yesterday, the Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi, announced the formation of an interim unity government. The transitional government will include members of the opposition but also figures of the old regime. Some key portfolios remain in the hands of ministers who served under ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, including Foreign Affairs, the Interior, Defense and Finance. But perhaps the biggest surprise, especially for netizens, was the announcement of Slim Amamou, blogger, activist and Global Voices contributor, as Secretary of State for Sports and Youth Affairs.
Slim (@Slim404) broke the news on Twitter:
Je suis secrétaire d'état a la Jeunesse et aux sports :)
In an interview with French Radio, Slim explained that he was approached hours before the new government was announced and that his choice was a natural decision for someone who wants to participate in the building of his country, adding that “it will take Tunisia a least 10 years for a stable democracy to establish itself.”
As soon as the appointment of Slim was made public, reactions on Twitter started pouring in. Along side warm congratulations, reactions were mixed. Some wanted Slim out of the government, others were prepared to grant him the benefit of the doubt.
Lebanese @Antissa (Antoun Issa) writes:
Congrats to @slim404, from detention to ministry in Tunisia. Maybe the next Arab Bloggers Conference should be held in Tunis? #sidibouzid
@TeaCupThrills (i.bushra) replies:
@antissa nothing to congratulate. If anything, he's sold his soul. Seems a little suspicious to me. Alas to each their own
@kikukoloko (Gontran) tweets:
@slim404 J'espere que ton nouveau role en #tunisie ne te montera pas trop a la tete et que tu resteras ce mec bien qui ta amene au poste ;)
Yassine Ayari is Slim's friend and old partner in activism. He posted this video [Ar] in which he addresses Slim and explains why he considers his old friend's decision to join the government unwise. He says:
Slim, you deserve better that that. The people who offered you that post today, have no legitimacy. They are using you to stifle us, Internet activists.
To which Slim Amamou replies on Twitter:
@yassayari je suis pas secrétaire d'etat pour que vous fermiez votre gueule, je suis la pour en prendre plein la gueule avec le gouvt. :)
@yassayari je vais faire mon travail, et je compte sur toi pour ne pas etre d'accord comme d'hab. on a tjrs bien fonctionné comme ca.
@yassayari la variété, la différence il n'y a que ca de bon. on n'a pas l'habitude en Tunisie, mais on s'y fera tres vite ;)
@yassayari I'm not Secretary of State for you to shut your mouths. I was appointed here to challenge the government ;)
@yassayari I will do my job and I count on you to disagree with me as usual. We have always functioned this way.
@yassayari Diversity, difference… these are good things. We're not used to this in Tunisia, but we will get there ;)
Egyptian @mfatta7 (Mohamed Abdelfattah) asks:
@slim404 why have you accepted ur post under this unelected farce government ?
@mariamekea (Mariam) writes:
I don't want to be judgmental, but he just capitulated himself to the regime that had imprisoned him in the first place
To which Moroccan @IbnKafka (Ibn Kafka) replies:
@mariamekea: as he wasn't part of the RCD [Ben Ali's party] prior to the revolution, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt
@ifikra (Sami Ben Gharbia) writes:
As a dear friend, I ask you @slim404 don't accept to collaborate with those who killed Tunisians, stay clean stay citizen #SidiBouzid
Finally, @MehdiLamloum (Mehdi Lamloum) notes:
La nomination de @Slim404 suscite une grande controverse … ça doit être cela qu'on appelle la liberté d'expression et la démocratie…
This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.

author: Hisham Almiraat


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Uganda: Does size matter? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Does size matter when talking about population?: “As a reference point for how big Uganda is, one frequent comparison is that it is about the same size as the State of Oregon in the U.S. The current population of Uganda is just over 33 million… It turns out that there are only 3.8 million people in Oregon.”


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Ukraine: State’s Grip on Media Tightens, Affects Bloggers · Global Voices
Tetyana Bohdanova

According to the latest statement [ENG] by Reporters Without Borders, since President Yanukovych came to power in February 2010 the situation with the free media in Ukraine has declined steeply, which is reflected by the increasing number of press freedom violations in the country.
Among the recent incidents is the court ruling [ENG] on withdrawal of frequencies from TV channels TVi and Channel 5 (two channels still providing independent and fair TV news coverage [ENG], according to a Ukrainian media watchdog Telekritika), and their redistribution in favor of Inter, the country's most-watched channel, which, coincidentally, belongs to the chief of the State Security Service (SBU) Valeriy Khoroshkovskyy.
Another episode (mentioned in a recent GV post) included SBU summoning and interrogating a blogger after he criticized Yanukovych, for allegedly threatening the president’s life.
The latest incident involves blogger and journalist Olena Bilozerska, who frequently covers protests and unrest. On Jan. 12, her Kyiv apartment was raided and searched [ENG] by police, and her professional equipment was confiscated. Law enforcement authorities said [ENG] the search was carried out because of Bilozerska’s possible involvement in an attempt to set on fire Party of Regions‘ public reception office. According to Bilozerska, the link to a YouTube video of the arson attack was sent to her through email. She then posted it online, condemning the attack and symbols appearing in the video.
This is how she describes [UKR] the events on her blog:
Обшук тривав приблизно з 8:30 до 14:30. Перерили квартиру догори дном, конфіскували всю техніку, а саме – системний блок, нетбук, принтер, сканер, фотоапарат, відеокамеру, усі можливі флешки і всі жосткі і компакт-диски, навіть із фільмами, диктофон, і навіть стареньку “мильничку” батька. Тобто – повністю позбавили мене можливості працювати.
[…]
МЕНІ НЕ ДОЗВОЛЯЛИ ЗВ”ЯЗАТИСЯ З МОЇМ АДВОКАТОМ СИДОРОМ КІЗІНИМ! Я встигла лише набрати його номер, як у мене одразу ж відібрали всі телефонии.
[…]
Після допиту мені повернули мобільні телефони, принтер, сканер і ще кілька дрібних речей, але не повернули головне – комп”ютер, нетбук, фотоапарат і відеокамеру, без чого я реально не можу працювати. Коли повернуть – невідомо.
Reporters Without Borders were among those commenting [ENG] on the incident:
The police said they carried out the search because Bilozerska was involved in disseminating a video on the Internet that showed an act of arson. But article 17 of Ukraine’s media law says “journalists may not be arrested or detained in connection with their professional activities and their equipment may not be confiscated.”
A Ukrainian human rights organization Vinnytsya Human Rights Group (VHRG) has also issued a statement condemning [UKR] the events:
З інформації, яка доступна для аналізу на цей момент, цілком очевидно, що порушення недоторканності місця, за яким мешкає п.Білозерська, а також вилучення міліцією майна цієї особи пов‘язані не з безпосередньою причетністю п.Білозерської до вчинення злочинів, а з намаганням правоохоронних органів отримати інформацію, зібрану журналістом у ході легітимного виконання професійних обов‘язків та завдань. Попри твердження влади, що вказане втручання пов‘язане із розслідуванням злочину (підпал офісу однієї з політичних партій в м.Києві), влада не навела жодних доказів намагання збалансувати інтерес кримінальної юстиції та гарантій вільного здійснення журналістами своєї професійної діяльності.
In the statement, VHRG also noted [UKR]:
Журналіст Білозерська ніколи не приховувала своїх політичних переконань та свою підтримку певним ідеологіям чи політичним лідерам. Проте це не виключає її з-під гарантій на вільне одержання та передачу інформації, встановленими Європейською Конвенцією про захист прав людини та  основоположних свобод і розвинутих у відповідній юриспруденції Європейського суду з прав людини.
It must be added that this is not the first instance of pressure on Olena Bilozerska – the previous cases have already put her on GV's Threatened Voices watchlist.
On her blog, Bilozerska provides [UKR] a personal assessment of the situation:
Моя оцінка ситуації: тиск суттєво посилюється. І цим не закінчиться. […]

author: Tetyana Bohdanova


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Zambia: Barotseland becomes hotbed of contention · Global Voices
Soneka Kamuhuza

The Zambia Watchdog reports that two people were killed after rioting broke out in Mongu, the capital of Western Province over reinstatement of the Barotse Agreement of 1964. It very much appears that this issue cannot be ignored as unrest grows. Long considered a non-issue because of the backdoor political posturing that occurred through decades of one party rule, Barotseland appears to finally have become a hotbed of contention.
As we will see in this post, there are clearly very strong feelings on either side of this argument. It is clear that tensions among Zambians, who are made up of over 70 different tribes, are rising. The comments below come from a blog post entitled, “Police kill two in Mongu protests over Barotseland agreement.”
Vinobs writes:
let us cut off the sand area and creat a border at Kazungula and Mumbwa / mongu road where we will demand for a passporsst and visas before they can come to Zambia. (SIC)
Wink writes:
U cannot demand independence & at th same time demand zambia to finance barotseland administration and economic development, needless to say in the same measure like any part of zambia. This agreement is shallow, when you assert independence you should not expect to be taken care of period
However, there are those who believe that this call for succession is a critical part in the future of the Lozis.
Mwana’ Nyandi writes;
Well I hope the senseless talking will now come to an end. There is the full document which protects the sovereignty of Barotseland. The sad thing is that most so called Zambians are too narrow-minded to analyze issues critically. I want to help you understand one or two things
i) Those calling for the full restoration of Barotseland Agreement are not secessionists, the secessionists are those advocating for the abrogation of the agreement. The BA ’64 was a unifying document and to abrogate it as Zambia has done is to bring about the secession of Barotseland. The fact that the Agreement has been breached for all these years and Barotseland is still part of Zambia simply means Zambia has forcibly colonized Barotseland because Barotseland can only be part of Zambia on the terms of the Agreement.
ii)No where in the Barotseland Agreement does it talk about all these areas that the unlearned keep shouting about. Nowhere does it say that we want Copperbelt, Central or Southern Province. Barotseland is and has always been a well defined territory with historic maps and Barotse Self determination activists demand that the BA ’64 be restored in full or Barotseland is not oblidged to be part of Zambia. The Barotseland we talk about is one that is clearly defined by international statutes. No lamba, lenje or Tonga should have sleepless nights over the restoration of the BA ’64 because we mean them no harm.
Phiri Mweenda responds to Mwana’ Nyandi's arguments:
@ Mwana’ Nyandi please forwarned that much as you would love to have your own state in BA’64 agreements more peoples of the said or covered territory will still not be able to agree with what was contained therein.My only cocerns for the BA’ 64 agreement(s) is the issue for the LOZIs to include other regions such as Copperbelt, Cental province, Southern province , and Lusaka province. If we look critically on the general welbeing of these areas by tribal composition then wewill realise that provinces like Central have two differing tribal composition or make up which are: Lenje, Soli and a few Kaondes who are pro-Tonga in tribal aligment where as the other tribal groupings such as the Bisa and the Lala are are pro Bemba or are generally reffered to as Bembas and are generally tribal cousins to Easterners who plays the tribal cousin ship (CHIMBUYA). coming to LUSAKA province the same is what prevails with TSWAKA people and the Soli people being aligned to the Tongas while the tribes EAST of Chongwee are pro Easterners the Chikundas. who then can agree to be cut off from their genetic alignment under the so called BA’ 64?
Sibatana says that the situation in Western Province is a good example how how civil wars are born:
The recent protest in Western Province on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010, resulting in very serious injuries and one death was something that should never have happened. But the government’s reckless behavior by ignoring Western province submissions to the new constitution has outraged the people of Barotseland. This is a good example of how civil wars are born. One little spark is capable of igniting a huge and destructive fire.
All this came about in August 2010, following the release of the final draft of the constitution. It was discovered then that all the submissions from western province were not included. Someone essentially thought they were not that important, and that Zambia can do just fine without them. Turned out to be a big mistake and recipe for disaster. Prior to this incident, when asked if he would ever thank the people of WP for tilting the presidential election results in his favor; president Banda is believed to have said; ” I did not ask for their votes.” As if that was not enough, the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia went to Western province and made a very troubling statement at the Ku-fuluhela gathering, which is reverse of Ku-omboka 2010. He publicly told the people; ” A Mulozi will never be president of Zambia.” People were so shocked that the Induna who was translating for him collapsed and passed out. Without an apology, he further demanded for another translator. The final nail on the unitary state coffin came when the constitution submissions from western province were thrown out of the draft. People who were in denial of government agenda can now smell the coffee. Hence the events of that fateful Saturday, after three requests to legally acquire public permit to hold a public meeting were denied by the pro Barotseland freedom advocates, not secessionists,
President Banda’s stance on the issue seems very clear as reported in MuviTV, he is alleged to have stated that government will only dialogue with the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) .
Furthermore, as Zambia moves towards upcoming Presidential elections in 2011, this unrest is being politicized by the very people who were very much a part of the machinery that suppressed the agreement in the first place. Both Rupiah Banda and the main opposition leader Michael Sata were ministers in former President Kaunda’s government, which signed the agreement. There is subsequent evidence that Michael Sata was a member of a committee that recommended expiration of the agreement.
A governance and human rights expert and a member of parliament have accused the opposition leader, Michael Sata, for the loss of life in Mongu ecause of his careless statements over the matter.
IQ disagrees with their analysis:
Simple minded people why blame Sata for every thing all he said was that the barotse Agreement is real and its true. Just read it on Goggle if you can and Judge for yourself. The problem is that you all so scared of Sata the veep can sleep everybody now it you mwanajidi. Issue based campaigns will save MMD not the mud you are throwing at Sata please.
People can tell that some thing has gone terribly wrong in MMD the think tank for MMD is no more. shame. You blame the post and Sata for everything even when the post talked about Project Water you said its not true but it has come to pass.
So does Party Adviser:
Mr machungwa [MP] and Mwnajiti [Governance consultant] are MMD cadres whose comments are not balanced. In any case no normal person can believe this scrap. All those responsible for the confussion are being pursued by the police, Sata is not among them. Please comment sensibly.
Freeman says Sata's statements may have worsened the situation. He also says that he does not feel sorry for the man who was shot dead by the police:
Irresponsible statements from Sata may have contributed too anyway. But I dont understand a damn thing now on what these Lozis want. The BA does not in any way talk about secession. Some of these arsonist, whom we shall cage as Zambians, have not even read the Agreement at all and yet they claim to be champions. Whats their objective and what do they want to achieve? Are they truly for peace or they just want to make a name?
Honestly, a man wanting to set ablaze a filling station deserves to die. Well done police and I dont even feel remorseful for this criminal who should rot now. If the intention of the so called secessionists was good, why prepare knives and all those weapons. Thats st.upid to say the least. This shows that people wanted to fight and I assure you that they shall meet them with full force. Proceed if you doubt but I assure you that the wrath of the law shall visit these fools.
OBINNA writes:
You *** Sata has never at any point advocated for secession, but merely pointed at the fact that the BA64 [the Barotse Agreement of 1964] is valid. Now for those who have read the AGREEMENT, there is no where it talks about seceeding. Why are you giving Sata so much credit, a lot of eminent politicians have commented including HH.
It is quite clear that the upheaval for the succession of Barotseland is just the beginning. It would be prudent for Zambia to take note.

author: Soneka Kamuhuza


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Angola: Listing blogs that talk about the country · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Jota Cê Carranca calls all netcitizens to help him reach the number 500 in a list of “Blogs that Talk about Angola” [pt]. Until today he has gathered 443.

author: Sara Moreira


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Azerbaijan: Remembering Hrant Dink · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Önər Blog [AZ] remembers Hrant Dink, the slain Turkish-Armenian journalist, editor and human rights activist who was murdered in Istanbul four years ago today. The post is also available in Armenian. 1+1=3 [AZ], another Azerbaijani blog, also posts an entry in memory of a figure who stood for reconciliation and friendship between nations.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bahamas: Fixing the Nation  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Something is wrong with us”: Weblog Bahamas‘ Edward Hutcheson says that Bahamians must make hard choices if things are to improve.


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China: 2010 housing demolition report  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

C Custer from ChinaGeek has translated a housing demolition report 2010 (part one and part two) that has been banned from publishing in mainland Chinese mainstream media outlets.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Mapping labor unrest · Global Voices
Andy Yee

Cornell PhD student Manfred Elfstrom has started a website to map instances of labor unrest across China on the Ushahidi platform.

author: Andy Yee


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China: Police and Japanese porn star · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Many regional police departments have launched their micro-blogs at Sina for promoting their image and public relations. Recently netizens found out that Xigang Branch Office of Dalian Police Department has only followed one user – Sora Aoi, a popular Japanese porn star in China. See Ministry of Tofu for their reactions.


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China: Ticket shortage unresolved for Spring Festival Rush · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Joel Martinsen from DANWEI translates a news story from Youth Times [zh] on the Ministry of Railways’ unfulfilled promise in solving the ticket shortage problem during the Spring Festival Rush.


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Cuba, U.S.A.: Effects of Lifting Travel Limits  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“President Barack Obama's decision to loosen limits on travel and remittances from the United States to Cuba is a gift the Castro dictatorship has not earned”: Uncommon Sense links to an article which makes him surmise that “as a result, Cubans will have to wait even longer for freedom.”


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Guinea-Bissau: Construction Works meet Public Health · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Guineense, from the blog Made in Bissau [pt], shares two videos from construction works taking place in  the main avenue of Guinea Bissau's capital, while describing the poor respiratory conditions of the ones who pass by due to the dirt on the air.


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Haiti: About “Baby Doc”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Préval, who will complete his mandate which runs from 2006 to 2011, has betrayed the aspirations of the Haitian people. Now he organizes the return of a dictator who should be judged for his crimes”: The Haitian Blogger translates a French blog post that opines about the return of Duvalier to Haiti.


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Indonesia threatens to close down Blackberry · Global Voices
Juke Carolina

Through his twitter account, Indonesia's Minister of Communication and Information Tifatul Sembiring accused Blackberry Research In Motion (RIM) of being unresponsive to the demand of the government to filter pornographic content via its browser. He added that if RIM doesn't comply with the demand by January 21, the government will block Blackberry's browser.
Tifatul is a member of an Islamic political party which is known to be a strict follower and enforcer of Shariah laws.
Responding to his latest anti-porn tweet, many twitter users in Indonesia started to use the #bbsyariah hashtag. Here are some twitter reactions:
dreamofDaru:  #BBSyariah klo ditimeline ada yg ngetweet ‘Babi,Anjing’ henpon harus dicuci pake tanah 7x. #tif
imanbr: Flirting di BB kepada bukan muhrim. muncul emoticon cambuk, rajam #BBSyariah
fanabis: #bbsyariah nama bb berubah jd ALblackberryah :
WicakTP04: Pak @tifsembiring silahkan lihat hashtag #BBSyariah. Gara2 kebijakan Anda, skrg Islam jadi dipermainkan.
After harvesting protests from the Indonesian tech savvy community, Tifatul then said that porn filtering push was not the main issue with RIM. He then came up with other demands and opinions while piggy backing on nationalism and homeland security issues to gain support.
And it somehow worked. He gained some support from legislators, local politicians, and some of the people who were initially skeptical about his initial demand. According to IT consultant Daniel Tumiwa , some of Tifatul's demands are already complied by RIM. Here (id) are several of the demands and Daniel's twitter arguments summarized by Baban Sarbana:
TS: Kita minta RIM agar buka perwakilan di Indonesia, karena pelanggan RIM di Indonesia untuk Blackberry sdh lbh dari 2 juta. #RIM
DT: #RIM sdh buka kantor Okt 10. BKKPM hadir. Dibuka olh Menteri Keuangan Kanada. Bpk Tidak hadir?
TS: Kita Minta RIM agar membuka service center di Indonesia untuk melayani & mudahkan pelanggan mereka yg juga WNI. #RIM
DT: RIM sudah punya belasan Srvc Center dan akan punya lebih dr 30 di thn ‘11. Done.
TS: Kita minta RIM agar merekrut dan menyerap tenaga kerja Indonesia secara layak dan proporsional. #RIM
DT: Done. Setahu sy Expat hanya 2. Sisa staff WNI. Done.
TS: Kita minta RIM agar sebanyak mungkin menggunakan konten lokal Indonesia, khususnya mengenai software. #RIM
Blogger Rob Baiton who blogs at The RAB Experience, found Tifatul's crusade “bizarre”:
So desperate is TitS (author's note: blogger's nickname for Tifatul Sembiring) to beat down RIM he has gone outside his mandate to try and portray this spat as one that has a nationalist pride angle to it. In fact, TitS has decided that, in his opinion, RIM is a marauding infidel invader that has only come to Indonesia to rape and pillage her of her resources and wealth, and pay no taxes into the bargain.
Taxes are generally the domain of the Minister For Finance, and perhaps the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, but generally taxes are not the primary concern of ministers in other fields. In light of the TitS charge, it is worth asking whether RIM pays its dues. The reality is, if RIM has not been paying its financial obligations then why has it taken a spat over porn filters to make this publicly known?
Thumbnail from the Flickr page of basibanget used under CC License Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

author: Juke Carolina


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Jamaica: No More Calabash · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Regional bloggers continue to say their farewells to Jamaica's beloved annual Calabash International Literary Festival, which has come to an end after ten years.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Jordan: Social Media Combats Deforestation Project · Global Voices
Betsy Fisher

This post is part of our special coverage Forest Focus: Amazon and Global Development 2011.
The Jordanian government scheduled the building of a new military academy within the Ajloun forest, one of Jordan's few remaining forested areas.  This project requires 2200 trees to be cut down, including some from endangered species and trees estimated to be 500 years old.  Immediately, several pre-existing and ad hoc coalitions sprung to halt the project.  The Halt Ajloun Deforestation Campaign launched an online petition, presented to the  Health & Environment committee of the Lower House of the Jordanian Parliament on January 18th, 2011.
According to the campaign's Twitter account, the outcome was support from the Ministry of the Environment to halt to the project until an environmental impact assessment can be taken, an affirmation of the location within the Ajloun region but to a location with fewer trees to be removed, and a request for publication of further information.  At the meeting, the coalition presented the results of an online petition with 452 signatures.  The group is still aiming to collect more for further meetings.
The coalition, though, based its entire campaign on blogs, facebook, and Twitter.  The coalition used social forum 7iber.com to educate the population of how the project was in violation of Jordanian law:
In particular, Article 28 of the Jordanian agricultural law which relates to forestry land and mentions that it is not permissible to delegate, allocate, sell or trade forest land to any person or entity, for any reason…The project would also be in violation of Article 35 of the same law, which mentions that it is prohibited to cut down, destroy or in any way, shape or form harm any forest trees, perennials, or rare and endangered wild plants.
Furthermore, the project is not in compliance with the Jordan Environmental Act No. 25 for the year 2006, Section 13, which states that all organizations, companies, firms or any other entity whose activities may adversely affect the environment in any way, shape or form must prepare an environmental impact assessment study for their project and submit it to the Ministry of Environment to take an appropriate decision thereon.
Naseem Tarawnah chalked up the episode to cultural apathy and governmental mismanagement:
Unfortunately, our education system and our general society teaches us very little about respecting wildlife, the environment or trees, and many of us can be found cutting down trees, littering around them, and even breaking off their branches if we should be standing anywhere next to them with nothing better to do….So yes, the cutting down of 2,200 trees in Ajloun – a region in Jordan where many Jordanians travel to have picnics because it is one of the few places left with any actual forestation – is not only unusual, it is pure insanity…
For the last time I recall Ajloun’s forests and trees being threatened was when the current Prime Minister, Samir Rifai, was head of Jordan Dubai Capital, an investment corporation that had plans to uproot 100 trees in the area to put up a hotel. That spawned a national campaign spearheaded by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, and taking place mostly online. The campaign did manage to spare a big enough debate and controversy to put an end to the plans.
There is perhaps nothing sound about any of this. If no EIA [Environmental Impact Assessment] was conducted, then someone broke the law. And if it was conducted and the conclusion was “yeah, sure, go ahead and cut down 2,200 trees” then something is terribly fishy. Either way, whether the law was followed or not, the outcome is not sound.
Mahmoud Lattouf also directed his concern to the government, directly asking Prime Minister Rifai:
YE @SamirAlRifai, can we have an explanation regarding the ongoing deforestation in #Ajloun? CC: @PrimeMinistry @SaveAjlounTrees #Jo #Jordan
Hussein Rugibani joked:
Dear Sandhurst, 2200 trees are being cut down to build your academy. Sincerely, #JORDAN #AJLOUN #ENVIORNMENT http://bit.ly/hV7HwZ
Many, such as Bashar Alaeddin, were outraged that an alternative location had not been selected:
i dnt get it, i dnt frickin get it!!! out of ALL the area's in #jo to build an academy.. why, for $**@!'s sake did they choose #Ajloun ?!?!?
Hamzeh Nassif agreed:
Who's the genius behind idea of cutting down 2000 forest trees to build … an academy? Why not build next to the forest? #Jo #Ajloun
While Mohammed Mahasneh urged:
Forests account for only 1% of jordan's land mass. Let's protect them #Ajloun #JO
Further developments, and the ultimate fate of the military academy and 2200 trees, will be posted on twitter at #ajloun or #saveajlountrees, as well as on Facebook.
This post is part of our special coverage Forest Focus: Amazon and Global Development 2011.


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Korea: Twitter Launches Korean Service · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Twitter is available in Korean language starting from today. Korean Tweeters have welcomed the news. Twitter's co-founder, Evan Williams introduced Korean Twitter via twitter(@ev). It was available only in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Japanese, prompting some Korean Tweeters to use Twtkr or Twit Bird.


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Lebanon: Déjà vu as country plunges into crisis … again · Global Voices
Antoun Issa

Courtesy of Maya Zankoul
Maya Zankoul's above caricature of the latest Lebanese political crisis accurately sums up the collective mood on the Lebanese blogosphere. Another day in Lebanon, another political crisis, after a U.N.-backed tribunal issued a confidential draft indictment in the 2005 killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Al Hariri.
Liliane at From Beirut With Funk wonders, sarcastically, if a plug-in to rehash old blog posts of past years is in the pipeline to keep up with the cyclical nature of Lebanese political crises:
See just when you think that you cannot travel back in time, something in Lebanon happens and it takes you years back.
Yesterday, our Lebanese government, is no longer! Itcollapsed. 10 ministers from the opposition resigned (I don't honestly care why), and an 11th joined them, which makes the government unable to export decisions. THUS, bye bye government. Check this post of mine “Parliament out of reach, please try again later“, almost 4 years ago, deja vu? Oh and for the record, it took almost 9 months for the cabinet to form.
What else? are we afraid of a war again between Hezbollah and Israel? Oh well check the first 100 posts of this blog! No President? Let's go back 3 years, even Maz Jobranipointed it out! More scare that we'll have a civil war? hmmm should I continue? As BeirutSpring.com said, wish there was a plug-in so we can repost 3 year old posts.
Anxiety is expressed on From Miami to Beirut, where the blogger awaits the calm before the storm, in reference to the UN indictments into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri:
The streets were calm this weekend.
Too calm.
And with the STL indictments scheduled to come out tomorrow.
One can only wonder..
Is this the calm before the storm?
Mustapha at The Beirut Spring dismisses the government's resignation as having little impact on the daily lives of ordinary Lebanese:
Anthony Chadid is trying to pin down the reason why the Lebanese no longer care about crises.
I think the people realized that with or without a government, their day-to-day life remains the same.
Habib Battah at The Beirut Report fears a return to the total political paralysis of three years ago when Hezballah and its allies staged mass demonstrations and sit-ins in the capital over a two year period. Battah reports gatherings of young men in various parts of the city:
At around 7AM, groups of young men mysteriously gathered at key intersections and neighborhoods across the Lebanese capital and then disbanded one hour later.
After listing each neighborhood where the young men gathered, it then connected the dots to form a rather intimidating net cast over nearly half the city.
According to news reports, members of the opposition such as Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called the gatherings “spontaneous” outbursts of protest against the government, but on today's talk shows, pro-government politicians sarcastically questioned the possible spontaneity of multiple gatherings around the city at 7AM. MTV also said some of the men appeared to be holding walkie talkies.
However, Franco-Lebanese blogger Frenchy reports the rumours of gatherings in certain neighbourhoods of Beirut are beat-up stories by Hariri's media:
Nouvelle du jour: des rassemblements auraient lieu ce matin dans la partie ouest de Beyrouth, notamment dans les quartier s de Basta, Nourieh, Béchara Khoury et au Centre-Ville, les sources: les services de sécurités et les médias proches de Saad Hariri. La nouvelle sera démentie par les médias proches de l’opposition.
A l’annonce de la nouvelle, je n’ai pas pu m’empêcher de demander à quelques amis habitant ses quartiers s’ils ont remarqué quelque chose. Tout était normal, selon eux. « Circulez, il n’y a rien à voir ».
As soon as this news was announced, I couldn't prevent myself from asking several friends living in this quarters if they noticed anything. Everything was normal, according to them. “Tell people, there's nothing to see”.
Responding to the upcoming UN indictment, the Angry Arab lashes the US for imposing it on Lebanon:
The judge of the Hariri tribunal received the indictment today.  Let me report to you the summary: blah, blah, blah and who gives a damn, really.  Basically, we are told to believe that while the widow of Hariri and his children were willing to scrap the tribunal the US insisted that it goes forward but NOT for political reasons in order to serve Israeli interests by pinning the blame on its enemies on Lebanon, but purely for emotional reasons because Obama, Bush, Feltman, and Hillary are so emotionally distraught over the death of Hariri–who is not dead enough as far as I am concerned–that they really want to find the real culprits because they can't sleep at night. I believe that.  Oh, yeah.  Just as I believe that the Obama administration support the choice of the Tunisian people for their leaders–after but not before–the ouster of their pro-US dictator.
Rami Zurayk at Land and People equally accuses the US of being behind the UN investigation into the Hariri assassination, with the intention of destroying the Lebanese Resistance (Hezballah):
The US (and France) are clearly siding with the March 14 who are, one must admit, generally better dressed than the March 8 people. The goal is to destroy the Resistance, led by Hizbullah, so that the Arab dictators can continue to rule and oppress their people. The Resistance, both in 2000 and in 2006, showed the Arab people that one is as strong as one’s will. Destroying the Resistance is also a precondition to “normalization” with Israel, meaning that Israel will openly help Arab regimes control and oppress their people (Israel is very good at that) in exchange for Palestine and for oil and oil money.
But the Lebanese opposition is formed of sectarian parties, which reduces its effectiveness in bringing about social justice, or rather it cancels it. So where is this all going? Towards another compromise “a la Libanaise”, surely. I just hope the lives of people is spared in the process. Time to reorganize, and to offer a social justice alternative to sectarian politics…
The Hariri International Tribunal, a March 14-Israeli-US tool constructed in order to damage Syria, Hizbullah and any one the US and Israel don’t like, will probably publish its indictment of Hizbullah in the very near future.
Political blogger Elias Muhanna at Qifa Nabki praised Hezballah leader Hassan Nasrallah for maintaining his poise throughout the crisis:
…allow me to reiterate a basic point that I’ve made several times before: can anyone doubt that the opposition has the big guns (rhetorically speaking) in Lebanon? Here we have Hasan Nasrallah, the leader of a conservative religious-political party and a militia stronger than the Lebanese army that is about to be accused by the United Nations of masterminding the assassination of a Sunni prime minister, and he sounds like the most reasonable, rational, straightforward politician in Lebanon. Note that I am not agreeing with the content of what he said (which was, let’s face it, just another shade of demagoguery like everyone else’s talking points), but simply pointing out the obvious: Hizbullah would be in a vastly different position in Lebanon today were it not for the leadership of Hasan Nasrallah. No one else would be capable of reconciling the manifold contradictions in Hizbullah’s projected identity and framing their program in as capacious and catholic a manner as Nasrallah. To understate his role is to misunderstand the rise of Hizbullah completely, in my opinion.
Meanwhile, some bloggers are exploring solutions to the symptoms of Lebanon's endless political woes. The Modern Dictator put forward dividing the country into a confederation, an idea once touted by the far-right Christian Lebanese Forces.
In order to understand why is Lebanon so messed up today, we have to understand historically what happened. Do you know what happened?
During the Ottoman empire there was no Lebanon, it was part of Greater Syria – but the region of Mount Lebanon always benefited from a certain “autonomy” because it was different – it had Maronites in it (you know, the Christians that are ruled by this loser). When the Turks left the region, Lebanon and Syria were placed under French mandate and Jordan and Palestine under British mandate.
Several years after that agreement, there was still no country called Lebanon; until on day the Frenchies noticed that Mount Lebanon was different religiously and culturally. They decided to separate it from Syria (which explains why Syria is so eager to win it back) and create Lebanon.
Overall, Lebanon is screwed up as a democracy because we are made of many different religions and cultures. And as much as everybody denies it: christians don't care much for muslims, muslims don't care much for christians and sunnis and shiia don't care much for each other. So how can you run a country on this basis?
So a confederation seems to be the closest thing to a possible outcome for Lebanon. Different regions would be managed individually, and the people would be responsible for the guys they elect in their canton. The only thing I would be afraid of would be that once we get divided into cantons, the clan leaders d'antan would come back and dominate their respective regions like their ancestors did – but it's a risk I'm willing to take.
Joseph el-Khoury at Arabdemocracy takes an opposite approach and – drawing from the recent Tunisian Revolution – calls for a grassroots secular and democratic drive to unify Lebanon and rid it of the sectarianism plague that underpins its frequent crises:
I get asked a lot about my solutions for the Lebanese problem, given that I spent a significant amount of time lamenting the absence of a political movement able to challenge the structural flaws in the Lebanese system. I still believe that bold grass-root work motivated by clear democratic, secular and socially responsible principles would be a winning formula. Interestingly, one element that could explain the success in toppling the regime in Tunis is the presence of an active secular left-leaning opposition with influence within the middle classes. The Islamist movement, although active, did not appear to have taken a leading role in the uprising. I might be wrong and the days to come will reveal the full picture.
Regardless of which side of the sectarian and political fence Lebanese sit, there is a shared sense of disenchantment and fatigue at the entire political system in Lebanon. As the recent turmoil threatens to tear the fragile country apart once again, many disconnected ordinary Lebanese respond with great apathy to a political process that has only caused them pain. The latest crisis only confirms to many Lebanese that no political party in the country has their best interest at heart.

author: Antoun Issa


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Macedonia: Recognition by Bolivia and Zimbabwe · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Within the context of the Macedonia name dispute with Greece, I, Macedonian thanks * Bolivia and Zimbabwe for recognizing Macedonia under its constitutional name.

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Mexico: A blog by and for female football fans · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Pamboleras [es] is a Mexican blog written by and for women who love “the most beautiful sport on earth”: football [soccer].

author: Silvia Viñas


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Middle East: A Closer Look at Tunisia’s Uprising   · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.
As Tunisians continue to grapple with the fast paced events of the few previous days which saw the fall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his escape, Arab bloggers continue to share their thoughts and reflections on the Tunisian uprising and what it spells for the rest of the region.
Syrian Abu Kareem, at the Levantive Dreamhouse, explains what is ‘invigorating’ about the Tunisian uprising to its Arab neighbours. He says:
It is perhaps its spontaneity, its lacks of designated leaders that give it the feel of a genuine, popular uprising and not an ideologically-driven coup destined to serve the desires of a narrow constituency.  It is easy as an Arab, to resign oneself to the fact that the region's stagnant and sclerotic political systems are immovable and immutable.  It is exactly this state of hopelessness and inertia that most of the region's leaders strive to instill in their people. It kills hope, prevents progress and keeps the leaders in power.  So I hope that the leaders across the region take note and that a cold chill runs down their spine as they watch the events in Tunis unfold; perhaps it will make them reconsider their ways.
Bahraini Emoodz broke his blogging silence vow to chant VIVE LA TUNISIE!
He remarks:
I watched with great excitement the events as they unfolded in Tunisia; in all honesty I had very little hope that the events will evolve and reach where it reached today. No matter how much research I carry out I still can’t understand how the Tunisian were able to overthrow a regime in a month’s time.
Emoodz adds:
There is this great sense of excitement going around the Arab World over what had happened, news agencies and political analysts are all of a sudden talking about how Tunisia is just the beginning to what is expected to have a domino effect and extend to other Arab governments in the region, which I think is highly improbable…
In a post entitled Tunisia, Prove us Wrong, Saudi Hala_In_USA poses the following questions:
In the aftermath, all eyes in the Arab world is tuned to Tunisia, would this be a new beginning of unprecedented democracy in the Middle East? would it lure other countries to follow? or would it fall in the grab of Islamists or the same old Bin Ali‘s men under different labels?
She also shares her anxiety:
I have  a mixed feeling in this regards, while I share the same fears of Robert Fisk of the ugly truth, that countries in the region as well as in the West will probably never support a true democracy in Tunisia, for fear that it may bring  unfavorable outcomes, that the people in power would only accept Arab  state that would support Western best interests, the hate toward Iran  and a tight control of their people… Yet,  I still believe that lessons  of oppression and corruptions have been taken well by Tunisians, that  they will not easily forget the body in flames of Bouazizi, they will always remember the days of oppression, poverty, and limited  resources brought about by totalitarian regimen, I hope that Tunisia  would lead the way for a new era, to see justice and experience for the  first time a people government, to prove us wrong, and to prove that  people do have a choice, can have a choice and can make a better future  for themselves…
Algerian-American Kal, writing at The Moor Next Door, is also apprehensive. He notes:
The Tunisian case, with all its idiosyncrasies (the legacy of Bourguiba, secularism, its high rate of education and women’s rights) it  represents something new in Arab politics that observers must continue  to pay attention. Early on the Sidi Bouzid events were dismissed as  bread riots and were not appreciated for they ended up being. This  blogger was cautious, mostly for the same reason others were: things like this weren’t supposed to happen in countries like Tunisia. What was written here during the uprising happened only because it  happened in the Maghreb (and because it seemed . . . strange). What  should be very sad is if all the work Tunisians put into their intifada was hijacked by old party people and officers and put on course for  rule by committees or strong men as has been the case following so many  times before. The question remains: what will be done?
From Israel, Yael, at Life in Israel, predicts that Egypt could be next:
The events in Tunisia –the first collapse of an autocratic regime in the Arab world due to a popular uprising that has implications for the wider region –are unlikely to, at least in the immediate future, spark a domino effect of uprisings and overthrows in other countries in the region. But pretty much all the experts are saying to keep a very sharp eye on Egypt because it is quite possible that Egypt is going to be the next one to go.
She adds:
The Arab masses (not just in North Africa but the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula) have watched the fall of the Tunisian regime blow by blow, creating the possibility that the public in many countries may find inspiration in the Tunisian experience. It is too early to say how things will unfold in the Middle East and North Africa, as each state has unique circumstances that will determine its trajectory. What is certain, however, is that a regional shift is under way, at least to the extent that governments can no longer continue with business as usual.”
Syrian Qunfuz takes a closer look at whether this “domino effect” is possible in the region. He writes:
If there is a domino effect, it won’t be immediate and it won’t proceed evenly. Current conditions in Iraq obviously will not permit a unified national uprising against the government. Such language is not even relevant. In Syria the president is reasonably popular, even if the regime around him  isn’t. And if the president were to fall dramatically from popular  grace, Syrians fear that revolution would lead to sectarian war and  Israeli intervention – both real possibilities. Saudi Arabia is too tribally divided, and many sections of society are too  comfortable, for revolutionary disruption. The angriest population in  the kingdom is the oppressed Shia community, but any action on their  part would be fiercely opposed by the Wahhabi heartland. Bahrain, with a politicised and intelligent Shia majority facing an oppressive Sunni  ruling family, is a more likely candidate for change. Egypt is the unknown quantity. On the one hand, the failure of Mubarak’s  gangster regime has been resounding. On the other, very many Egyptians  do not have the leisure to think about anything except their next meal.  They don’t follow events on Facebook or even on al-Jazeera. And we can  be almost certain that any serious attempt at popular revolution in  Egypt would result in thousands of deaths. (But that can play both ways – nothing generates a revolution like a series of funerals. See Ali  Farzat’s picture above.)
Perhaps in six months’ time non-Arab commentators will decide that  the Tunisian revolution was a mere anomaly in an eternally stagnant Arab world. But they’ll be wrong. The revolution will exert a long-term  pervasiveness throughout Arab culture, as the Iranian revolution did  before it. It will change the air the Arabs breathe and the dreams the  Arabs dream.
Meanwhile, back in Bahrain, Mahmood Al Yousif is worried that Tunisia will now go from one extreme – to the other. He writes:
I’m willing to bet that the pendulum now will swing from the one extreme of robbing the Tunisian people of one important element of their identity, religion – through to the other end and we’ll see the rise of Islamism and Islamist sentiments.
So who and what gets sacrificed at the alter of extremism? Common sense and moderation.
Al Yousif adds:
We have quite a lot to learn from the “Tunisian Experiment”, and the wise will benefit most if they take time to understand what transpired and why and try to enact those lessons in their own societies with the inculcation of the respect for human rights and their freedoms of faith, association, thought and speech, and not to shove one doctrine or another down people’s throats.
This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Nigeria: Discussion with Nigerian fantasy-sci-fi writer · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Bunmi posts a link to a video of an hour long discussion with Nigerian fantasy-sci-fi writer Nnedi Okorafor: “Here she touches on race, paralysis and plant worlds.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha