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India stays home for 14 hours in the fight against COVID-19 · Global Voices
Devika Sakhadeo

Deserted streets in Pune, India. Tea stalls, bakeries and other non-essential shops have been closed. Image by the author. Used with permission.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
Millions of Indians stayed at home on Sunday, March 22, 2020, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an unprecedented Janta Curfew (peoples’ curfew) from 7am to 9pm to reduce the risk of spreading the potentially fatal COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Most public transport and all shops and services were closed during the curfew, with the exception of essential and emergency services. The prime minister requested that people stay indoors and not leave out of the house except in the case of an emergency. But netizens are wondering whether this measure is sufficient to stop the spread of this disease in this populous country. In the state of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital, the curfew has been extended till Monday morning.
In a few minutes from now, the #JantaCurfew commences.
Let us all be a part of this curfew, which will add tremendous strength to the fight against COVID-19 menace. The steps we take now will help in the times to come.
Stay indoors and stay healthy. #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/11HJsAWzVf
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2020
People generally observed the Janata curfew, posting the views of empty roads and bridges from their houses and hotel rooms.
#JantaCurfew This is Marathahalli bridge right now! Thank You Bangaloreans! For responding to PM @narendramodi call.
(If u are not from Bangalore, you won't appreciate what a miracle this is) pic.twitter.com/ejfeLZIoLR
— Shannu Kaw (@ShannuKaw) March 22, 2020
Mumbai today #JantaCurfew ?pic.twitter.com/6N9dMbj2Oc
— Samir Abbas (@TheSamirAbbas) March 22, 2020
Responsible villagers Bhander, Pali, Rajasthan ..No one outside #JantaCurfew @narendramodi_in @narendramodi #fightagainstcorona #Waragainstvirus pic.twitter.com/mbEW2s8edt
— ANIL BOHRA (@AnilBohra30) March 22, 2020
Video from #CannughtPlace taken by me at 9 AM today. No one is on the road. People of Delhi is staying inside their homes. #JantaCurfew @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/67La2RNk76
— Manish Shukla (@manishmedia) March 22, 2020
As of March 22, 2020, India has reported 345 cases of COVID-19, with the numbers showing a steady growth. There have been six deaths so far. In a country with a population of more than 1.37 billion people, extreme preventive measures are essential to curb the spread of the virus.
Measures taken by the Indian government include banning the entry of visitors from all EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18, 2020. Throughout India all passenger train service has been suspended till March 31, though cargo trains will continue to function throughout the country. Local bus and metro service in cities like Mumbai and some suburban areas have been suspended.
Large department stores, shopping malls, gyms, theatres, colleges, schools and universities have been shut since March 15 in most cities. People have been asked to stay at home and some companies have been issued a government circular directing them to grant work-from-home privileges to all employee, and to allow not more than 35 employees to be present at one time on the business premises.
All people arriving in India are checked at the airport. Those without symptoms are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days, and those suspected of being infected receive a hand stamp with the date from which the 14-day quarantine is mandatory. People with mild symptoms or temperature arriving from other countries are quarantined. Facilities belonging to the army, and the Sports Authority of India have been commandeered for use as quarantine centres to supplement government hospital facilities. The government has also reopened a hospital in Bangalore and will turn it into the country's first facility dedicated exclusively to COVID-19. India has also evacuated more than 600 Indian nationals from Italy.
Across India, 70-plus testing centres have been established. Private testing facilities will also be able to offer testing soon. The government has issued guidelines stating that the cost of a test at a private testing facility should not be more than 4,500 rupees (approximately $60 USD).
Indian Council of Medical Research D-G Dr Balram Bhargava holds press briefing on #COVID19, says ICMR is encouraging private laboratories to set up facilities to test for the novel coronavirus pic.twitter.com/X7Vb3gKmX6
— WION (@WIONews) March 17, 2020
The chief minister of Maharashtra announced on March 22, that the Janta curfew has been extended till Monday morning, and the entire state has been put under Section 144 from March 23, 2020. Section 144 restricts assembly of more than 4 people. He also added that no international flights will not be allowed to land in Mumbai airport till March 31, 2020.
People step out the day before the Janata curfew to stock up necessities. Only grocery stores were open. Image by Author.
The state governments of Karnataka, Punjab and 75 COVID-hit districts (out of 720 districts in India) have extended their lockdown to March 31.
In the address declaring the Janta Curfew, Prime Minister Modi requested that people to clap as a sign of appreciation and gratitude for people working in the essential services sector that includes medical services, groceries, dairy and produce distribution and aviation. This request received a mixed reaction and some criticism.
Thank you @airindiain senior pilots, Capt Chauhan and entire crew for the Rome evacuation of Indians and for risking your life at the front line. This evening at 5 pm a big clank on your thali for them too please folks #JantaCurfew pic.twitter.com/p9Kt9HBHYb
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) March 22, 2020
What was expected?
?Expanding CoVid Testing
?Free Treatment
?Good Financial Package
What was announced?
?1 day #JantaCurfew
?5 PM – 5 Min Balcony Applause
?No Panic Buying
PM said it's a war-like situation.
We should have taken war-like measures, not usual gimmicks!
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) March 19, 2020
I support the Junta curfew and I will also be clapping from my window this evening at 5pm.
But, India also urgently needs
1. Mass testing kits and testing capacity
2. Ventilators and medical infrastructure
3. Isolation wards in every private + public hospital
4. Free treatment
— Faye DSouza (@fayedsouza) March 22, 2020
“Washing hands is key to containing coronavirus – but 2.2 billion people lack access to clean water”
Rather than focusing on #JantaCurfewMarch22 , Govt should focus on improving primary health care & access to clean water to every single citizen of India.#CoronavirusPandemic
— Abhijit Mukherjee (@ABHIJIT_LS) March 22, 2020
People also urged others not to resist the tempation to “celebrate” the end of the curfew by taking to the streets. This message has been shared by many.
Appeal to my fellow countrymen. Tomorrow night at 21:00 when the #JantaCurfew gets over don’t get out in the streets as if we’ve won the World Cup . It will defeat the 12 hours of good work you did staying indoors ??????
— Ronnie Lahiri (@ronnielahiri) March 21, 2020
Actions taken by the government and citizens of India over next few weeks will be crucial in terms of curbing the spread of the virus.

author: Devika Sakhadeo


text:
Classified data shows that China’s official figure of zero domestic COVID-19 cases excludes asymptomatic carriers · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Central Television reported that Chinese doctors were sharing their experience battling COVID-19 with the world via video conference. Screen capture from CCTV.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic has subsided in China, with zero domestic cases reported since March 18, and all new cases confirmed as of March 22 reported to be imported. However, classified data seen by the South China Morning Post has indicated that the official announcements of confirmed cases exclude asymptomatic virus carriers who tested positive.
By the end of February, at least 43,000 identified asymptomatic cases had been placed in quarantine. This figure is more than half the 81,689 total confirmed cases reported as of March 23, 2020 and constitutes about one-third of the total number of tested positive cases.
The idea that the Chinese government had excluded asymptomatic cases from the official announcements has been circulating on social media networks such as WeChat for more than two weeks, as many people noticed that the on-the-ground figures of confirmed cases were different from the official figures.
Twitter user @ding_gang posted a number of notices about newly confirmed cases from residential districts in Wuhan and questioned the official figure:
武汉到处都是新增病例，官方数字是零增长！ pic.twitter.com/9Rd04uOWJI
— 路德 (@ding_gang) March 21, 2020
So many newly added cases around Wuhan and the official figure is zero!
Some pointed out that China’s National Health Commission had put asymptomatic cases and confirmed cases into two separate categories in the third edition of its “COVID-19 Control Guidelines” published at the end of January. In fact, the working definition of “confirmed infection” used by Chinese health authorities has changed a number times since January.
Red: confirmed cases; yellow: suspected cases. Screen capture from Tencent's COVID 19 update
As shown in the outbreak curve above, after the health authorities subtracted the asymptomatic cases from the official figure, the number of confirmed cases peaked at about 4,000 on February 4, and slowly declined to about 2,000 February 11. Then there was a 600 per cent surge as 15,152 confirmed cases emerged February 12  following major leadership changes in Hubei province and the city of Wuhan. Under the new leadership, the definition of “confirmed” was changed from being based on laboratory testing to clinical diagnoses. In reality, there were only 1,820 confirmed laboratory cases, while the remaining 13,332 of the new cases were clinically confirmed. After February 12, the curve of confirmed cases declined as the definition of “confirmed” infection was shifted back to laboratory testing.
Many netizens believed that the goal of the manipulation of the figures was to prepare the country for resuming production in March, as the economic impact of not doing so would be likely to generate greater political instability than the disease. Chinese writer @laodeng89, for example, commented on a Bloomberg analysis of the impact of COVID 19 on China's economy:
为复工保经济
土共竭力压低感染数字
因为武汉连续十四天零感染即可全面复工
但彭博社分析指出
随着疫情全球蔓延
即便中国平安复工也于事无补
中国经济将面临二次冲击 pic.twitter.com/qbnRK7n9fb
— 老灯 (@laodeng89) March 23, 2020
In order to defend the economy, the CCP tried all means to repress the number of confirmed cases. If Wuhan had 14 consecutive days of zero infection, the whole country could resume work. But according to Bloomberg’s analysis, the resumption of work in China would not relieve the economic pressure, as the spread of pandemic across the globe would strike China hard as well.
Political dissident @caojitw cited mainland Chinese news outlet Caixin’s investigative report on the impending economic crisis:
尽管中共宣称武汉肺炎疫情大幅趋缓，上海浙江等19省市外贸企业复工率近百分之百，整体复工率达九成。但财新网报导，欧美市场因疫情导致需求紧缩、订单锐减，中国根本无工可复，情况比金融海啸还惨淡。
订单没了就意味没有外汇收入，而中国每年石油、粮食和芯片进口约需4千多亿美金。中国经济还有戏吗？
— 草祭 (@caojitw) March 23, 2020
While the CCP claimed that Wuhan's rates of pneumonia had declined, foreign trade corporations in 19 provinces had resumed almost 100 percent of their business, and overall, 90 percent of the businesses in the country have resumed work, Caixin reported that the shrinking in demand and contracts from the US and Europe because of the pandemic had taken away work. The situation was more devastating than during the financial tsunami. No contracts, no foreign currency, but the annual importation of oil, food and chips would cost US 400 billion dollars. What would become of China’s economy?
At the same time, the threat of transmission from asymptomatic infections cases is still alive. Although China has kept track of asymptomatic infections, as the country resumes its economic activities some asymptomatic coronavirus carriers may have returned to the workforce and spread the virus to others. At least one study has found that infected people can be highly contagious even if they have mild or no symptoms. In a separate study, it was estimated that the rate of “silent transmission” is about 10 per cent.
The overseas political dissident site Epoch Times also reported that a large number of patients released from medical care had tested positive again.
Additionally, both Hong Kong and Taiwan are facing a second wave of outbreak. The number of confirmed cases in Hong Kong doubled in 10 days from 150 on March 14 to 317 as of 22 of March. While the majority of the cases are imported, an increasing number could not be traced back to existing cases, indicating that asymptomatic transmission has taken root in the local community.
According to Tencent's daily update on COVID-19, on March 23 there were about 191 confirmed cases across the country (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), of which 60 were imported. While the page had removed the specific locations of the confirmed cases, the trend indicates that COVID-19 is coming back to China.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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Combating ‘fake news’ in the time of COVID-19 in Myanmar · Global Voices
The Irrawaddy

Travelers at Yangon International Airport walk past a Ministry of Health and Sports advisory billboard about COVID-19 on March 18, 2020 / Photo and caption by Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy
This edited article by Nan Lwin is from The Irrawaddy, an independent news website in Myanmar, and is republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in China’s Hubei province, social media has spawned countless fake news stories and hoaxes in Myanmar, including promises of false cures that have caused panic among the public.
As a countermeasure, Myanmar’s Ministry of Health and Sports (MOHS) formed a team in early January to give the public timely information about the global coronavirus pandemic, including the latest data and updates on the exact number of suspected cases and laboratory results, in collaboration with state and regional governments. The MOHS team also launched a website with videos about the virus as part of their effort to raise public awareness on how to stay safe—for both medical staff and the public—and also provide do’s and don’ts from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Irrawaddy spoke to MOHS Assistant Director Dr. Htoo Myint Swe, who is responsible for the public awareness information team, about the virus and how the ministry is providing information to the public and fighting fake news on social media and online platforms.
Nan Lwin: We have seen countless fake news stories, misinformation and disinformation on Facebook, especially about COVID-19. How does the MOHS work to fight fake news on online platforms?
Dr. Htoo Myint Swe: The most important thing is that when you hear a rumor, you must check the MOHS official website and Facebook page. When it comes to fighting fake news, our team has a responsibility to give the public real information. We have to act as a watchdog for all information related to COVID-19 on social media among Myanmar users.
Our team includes officials from the CDC [Myanmar National Center of Disease Control], public health and electronic health system officials, and other officers who are working to prevent and fight COVID-19. We also coordinate with other related departments to distinguish between real news and fake news.
We have to respond immediately, as soon as fake news has spread. Recently, everyone began to panic after a rumor spread on Facebook that one patient [in Myanmar] died of COVID-19. We had to respond immediately—it was totally fake news.
Many people have been sharing misinformation: that people need to drink hot water to prevent COVID-19 and also that eating ice cream could cause the disease. People think that those instructions came from UNICEF. So we had to discuss with officials from UNICEF in Myanmar and explain to the public that this is not right.
Now, we are also collaborating with the Ministry of Transport and Communications to track down people who are spreading fake news. We also share information with each other. Recently, our ministry also issued a warning that we will take action against people who spread fake news on social media.
NL: What kind of fake news stories have people been taking seriously?
HMS: We watch carefully and take it seriously, especially fake information that has caused serious panic. Recently, panic buying has started across Yangon after a fake voice recording circulated on Facebook. They used both a woman’s and a man’s voices, pretending to be government officials saying that there are many people infected with COVID-19 in Yangon. Moreover, we found out that many pages on social media are provoking panic buying and fear mongering among the public.
Recently, social media users are helping our work to fight fake news and our public awareness campaign. Thousands of social media users made a group and a network to serve as watchdogs for fake news on social media. They also report it to Facebook as soon as they see the fake news, misinformation or disinformation. We are also connected with that network to make our work more effective.
NL: How does Facebook’s Myanmar team collaborate with MOHS?
HMS: Facebook already has a function to report for controversial issues. When we find out about fake news, we report it to [Facebook] to check it carefully and to take it down. But they don’t take down every post that we report. They only take down posts when they don’t follow their community standards.
NL: Why is it important to fight fake news in the time of coronavirus?
HMS: It is very crucial to fight fake news in the time of coronavirus. A piece of fake news, a photo or a status could easily provoke the public to panic. We are all together during this critical time. We need to unify to fight together. Fake news could lead to instability in the country. The result will be bad for every citizen in this country.
I would like to advise all social media users to think carefully before they share something on Facebook. Recently, we found out that some websites have been sharing disinformation about the virus, like how many have died in Myanmar due to COVID-19. Many people are sharing it without knowing it is a clickbait website.
However, we are facing challenges in trying to take down those kinds of websites. Also, some users are sharing posts that mix factual and fake information. These posts come with the UNICEF logo to get more attention, so we have to check with UNICEF about which information is right or wrong. Then we still have to inform people about the truth.
I would like to advise people to believe the statements from the MOHS official website and Facebook. The WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a global pandemic. Even though we have no cases so far, we need to prepare to fight the disease together.
NL: Currently, Myanmar has tested nearly 150 people for possible virus infection. But Myanmar has not yet seen a single confirmed case of the coronavirus so far. Some people wonder if the virus is going undetected or the government is covering it up. What would you want to say to them, as an official from MOHS?
HMS: No, we don’t…. We are not covering up anything. This is absolutely not true. COVID-19 is not the kind of disease we could cover up. Nowadays, everyone has a phone and internet access. We could not hide anything. Now, everybody knows the latest formation as soon as we find out about a suspected patient in the country, including the [test] results. I would like to tell the public not to worry—we won’t be covering anything up. We will give timely and correct information to the public on everything related to COVID-19.

author: The Irrawaddy


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Croatia’s earthquake risk disrupting partial lockdown amid COVID-19 outbreak · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Damage in Zagreb after the March 22, 2020 earthquake. Photo by Government of Republic of Croatia, used with permission.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
A series of tremors hit the Croatian capital Zagreb on early Sunday morning on March 22, leaving at least 27 people injured, one critically, and widespread damage to old buildings in the historic center.
The epicenter was registered at seven kilometers north of Zagreb at a 5.3 magnitude on Richter's Scale.
During the tremors, debris from facades, slabs from roof tiles fell on the pavement and flattened cars. Local residents immediately fled their homes in fear of aftershocks.
Rumors that another, stronger quake was imminent stoked some panic in the population. But in the two days after the first quake, no such tremor happened. About 60 small tremors in Zagreb area were registered, with the last one reaching 3.2 degrees on Richter's Scale on the evening of March 23. No additional damage was reported due to these smaller aftershocks by the publication of this story.
The earthquake hit at a very unfortunate moment as authorities just recently imposed drastic measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
Measures include the closure of all non-essential businesses, prohibition of all public gatherings including religious ceremonies, and closing all land borders. Authorities are also requesting people to stay home as much as possible.
“Panic is not our ally at this time,” Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Plenković said at a press conference on Sunday that was streamed by Al Jazeera on Facebook.
Ines Ivančić, MSc, head of Seismological Service, with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at the press conference on March 22, 2020. Photo: screenshot from Al Jazeera webcast.
Authorities advised citizens who had exited their homes and were waiting for aftershocks to keep a distance from each other and fight the natural urge to huddle together or congregate in groups.
Speaking after the president at the press conference, Croatia's top seismologist Ines Ivančić said that it's impossible to predict whether there will be another tremor or not. She said the possibility of aftershocks cannot be ruled out, and that they might come within hours, days, or weeks.
These statements confirmed a message by the Seismological Service of the Zagreb University, headed by Ms. Ivančić, who tweeted in the morning:
Potrese ne možemo prognozirati, bilo kakve obavijesti da slijedi snažniji potres nisu točne! Postoji vjerojatnost za jači potres, ali je izrazito mala. Možemo očekivati naknadne slabije potrese. Nemamo struje i radimo sve što možemo da damo pravodobne i točne informacije
— Seizmološka služba HR (@seizmo_hr) March 22, 2020
We can't predict earthquakes, and any information that a stronger quake is imminent is not true! The probability of a stronger tremor exists, but it is extremely small. We can expect further weaker tremors. We have no electricity in our office and we do all we can to provide timely and accurate information for you.
The authorities noted that they will monitor the situation, based on scientific assessment, and issue recommendations on how to proceed. They reinforced warnings against panic, which has proven harmful in recent similar situations in the Balkans region.
Most of the damage was sustained by older buildings, which abound in Zagreb, as the city had largely been spared the wartime and earthquake devastation experienced by other Balkan capitals during the tumultuous 20th century. The last tremor of similar magnitude to hit the city was 140 years ago, the Great Zagreb earthquake of 1880.
At the same press conference on March 22, Zagreb's Mayor Milan Bandić said that 80 percent of the population now lives in buildings made with reinforced concrete, which are considered safe for earthquakes of up to a certain magnitude. He advised citizens living in such buildings to return home and practice self-isolation to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
The remaining 20 percent of the citizens who live in buildings or houses built before the 1960s remain at risk. Authorities have dispatched teams of specialists to evaluate whether those residents are safe to return home.
Accommodation and meals for up to 1,500 persons are provided in a student dormitory of Zagreb university, and about 60 citizens whose houses were deemed unsafe spent the night there.
Material damage is considerable. One of the towers of iconic Zagreb Cathedral, built at the end of the 13th century, has suffered damage, as well as much of the city's infrastructure, with parts of the city losing access to electricity, water, and heating.
The city's gasworks asked the citizens to close down their valves in order to minimize the risk of natural gas explosions from punctured pipes.
Some of these older, damaged buildings, house public institutions, including hospitals. Images of evacuated mothers and babies on the street in front of the maternity ward of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology went viral in the Balkan internet. The victims were all quickly moved to other hospitals.
Petrova bolnica rodilište pic.twitter.com/GALjpbCQHF
— kmario (@kmario) March 22, 2020
Maternity ward of Petrova [street] Hospital.
Some media initially reported that a 15-year-old had died from his injuries, quoting a health official in charge of the Emergency Medicine Institute, but the director of Zagreb's Children's Hospital, Goran Roić, clarified that the report was inaccurate.
He said that the victim was, in fact, a girl and that she had not died but remained in critical condition. According to her parents, she was hit on the head by a falling object during the earthquake.
The Croatian Army, the Red Cross, and other volunteers were quickly dispatched to aid the population in affected areas, who also suffered from the cold. Europe has experienced a sudden drop in temperature, which brought snowfall to much of the Balkans.
Interventni timovi Crvenoga kriza obilaze gradjane u uzem i sirem centru Zagreba i dijele deke. Ako vidite da nekome treba pomoc, javite nam, a pomozite i vi ako vidite da netko treba. #ZagrebEarthquake pic.twitter.com/8as32EkGY0
— Hrvatski Crveni križ (@crvenikriz_hr) March 22, 2020
Intervention teams of the Red Cross visit citizens in the center of Zagreb, downtown and neighboring areas, distributing blankets. If you notice someone needing help, please call us, and also don't hesitate to help on the spot yourself.
The government of neighboring Slovenia was also the first to offer assistance, followed by European Union officials.
Slovenian authorities were also quick to announce that the earthquake had not affected the Krško Nuclear Power Plant, located near the border with Croatia, and about 50 kilometers away from Zagreb and the earthquake's epicenter.

author: Filip Stojanovski


text:
Thai workers speak out about their need for unions and better conditions at the workplace · Global Voices
Prachatai

Interview with several workers in Thailand. Photo by Prachatai
This edited article is from Prachatai, an independent news site in Thailand, and is republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.
In a an economic system that favors the owners of capital, workers need to consolidate their ability to protect their rights, and negotiate over fair benefits with the management. In order to map the current situation of labour rights in Thailand, we interviewed workers from six sectors of the local economy, including domestic work, higher education, health sector, textile industry, sports equipment production, and the banking sector. While there are both similarities and differences in terms of working conditions, it appears clearly that all of the workers require a labor organization in order to promote better living conditions, as well as a level of freedom based on universal democratic principles.
These are the workers we interviewed:
Domestic worker. Ms. Malee Sorblec is working in the house of her employer. Domestic work is part of the care sector which is growing in Thailand. However, domestic workers are often treated poorly and denied respect. Their status is lower than factory workers. As a result, they are now organizing a labor group for both Thai and migrant workers to restore their dignity and to be free from abuse. Their main demand is a written employment contract.
University employee. Mr. Pinyapan Potjanalawan is a university lecturer. Although professional lecturers in public universities have competitive salaries, they remain trapped in short-term employment contracts. This situation leads to job insecurity and weaker bargaining power against executives and educational quality assessors. Currently, they do not have a union.
Hospital worker. Ms. Punyisa Watchala-anan is a secretary of the Nurses Union of Thailand. Nurses have seen their status change. They were previously covered under the state bureaucracy that provides comprehensive welfare benefits. After the privatization of several segments of the healthcare system, public hospitals reduced their labor standards and costs, resulting in the poor quality of medical services. This situation has inspired nurses to set a union and demand pay raises, larger benefits, a better working environment and to be promoted in the management system.
Sports equipment maker. Ms. Wilaivan Ritthiron, who previously worked in a popular sporting goods manufacturing company, was unfairly dismissed because she was involved in organizing a union while demanding a pay raise, more benefits, and fair treatment from management. Her group also advocates being safe and free from sexual harassment.
Textile worker. Mr. Sia Jampatong is the president of the Phiphatsamphan Textile Labor Union and of the Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation Thailand, an organization known in Thailand for defending labour rights. The union is able to bring issues up from the local level to a national one and thus allow workers to directly participate in state policy making, including the creation of a universal welfare state.
Bank employee. Mr. Withit Sirisuwan is the president of the Siam Commercial Bank Labour Union, and reflects on the impact of changes caused by advanced technology such as digital platforms. The union agrees with the management to adjust and transform original job positions into new ones for the survival of the banking industry. The trade union plays an important role in negotiating policies with management to ensure that advanced production will serve not only customers but workers as well.
Watch the interviews with subtitles here

author: Prachatai


text:
Azerbaijan signals a lockdown and a crackdown in fight against coronavirus · Global Voices
Arzu Geybullayeva

“How to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection,” reads this public information poster in a nearly empty cafe in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan. Screenshot from BBC News Azərbaycanca's video March 18 YouTube video “Bakıda koronavirus məhdudiyyətlərilə bağlı vəziyyət belədir“
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
As usual, Azerbaijanis were looking forward to the Nowruz festival, which is celebrated on March 20-21. But this year was different; the streets are silent and the celebrations have been cancelled. Citizens over 65 years are banned from leaving their homes. The authorities have postponed all public events, including weddings, until further notice. Schools are closed until April 20. City streets have become eerily empty.
The coronavirus pandemic has spread to the South Caucasus; at the time of writing, according to the Johns Hopkins University map, there are 72 confirmed cases of the virus in Azerbaijan. Although Azerbaijan confirmed its first case on February 28, that of a Russian citizen who had travelled to Azerbaijan from Iran, there were suggestions of possible cases in the country several days before. Belarus also reported its first case that day: an Iranian student who had travelled to Belarus from Azerbaijan on February 22 was diagnosed with the virus. On February 27, western neighbour Georgia confirmed that a Georgian citizen had been infected by the virus after travelling through Azerbaijan from Iran several days before (Azerbaijani customs officials claimed that the visitor had not shown any symptoms when crossing the border.)
Most of these cases are connected with travel to Iran, Azerbaijan's southern neighbour which has been badly hit by the pandemic. Iran, which faces one of the biggest outbreaks outside China, reported its first cases on February 19 — yet it took Azerbaijan ten days to close its borders with Iran, the last country to do so. That delay has already prompted fierce criticism of the government.
The authorities attempted to quarantine arrivals from Iran fairly early on, but scandals arose about the conditions. On February 27, a group of patients shared videos on social media of the hospital in which they were confined after crossing over from Iran. Their rooms lacked bedsheets, soap, and water. Shortly afterwards, the head of the hospital was dismissed. The following day, more videos appeared online attesting to the poor state of central hospitals in the Astara and Jalabad regions, where people who had arrived from Iran were being held in quarantine. When a group of patients attempted to leave, the hospital was surrounded by special forces police while a state medical spokesperson told Azadliq Radio, the Azerbaijan service of RFE/RL, that the conditions inside were fine and that the patients were simply acting up. On February 29, Azerbaijan finally closed its border with Iran.
Nevertheless, cases continued to rise. On March 5, one German and two Azerbaijani citizens were diagnosed with the coronavirus after returning from Iran; 276 Azerbaijani citizens evacuated from Iran were placed under quarantine. Baku closed its borders with Georgia and Russia on March 13 and 16. The country mourned its first death on March 12: an Azerbaijani man with an autoimmune disease had died while seeking medical treatment for the coronavirus in Iran.
Like its neighbours, Azerbaijan is now under lockdown. And the restrictions go much further than bans on celebrating Nowruz. A special headquarters at the Council of Ministers is tasked with punishing those who spread disinformation and warning those who impede the work of medical services. On March 17, municipalities started to reduce public transportation and put restrictions on intercity travel.
That same day, the National Assembly, Azerbaijan's parliament, passed legislation tightening the punishments for violating the emergency regime. Amendments to the criminal code now provide for up to three years’ imprisonment or a fine of 2,500-5,000 Manat (US$1,500-3,000) for violating the epidemic rules or assisting the spread of the disease. Amendments to the administrative code now mean that regular citizens in violation of basic rules can be fined 100-200 Manat ($60-120), while officials face fines of 1,500-2,000 Manat ($900-1200). New amendments to the law on information also tighten the restrictions on “false information which can harm the life or health of citizens.”
In many of these measures, Azerbaijan's response is not so different from other states. For example, in her nationwide televised address on March 18, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that this pandemic, was the greatest challenge since World War II. She called on Germans to recognise the gravity of the situation and do their part to help to slow down the spread of the virus.
But 3,700 kilometres away in Baku, the tone of the Azerbaijani leader's response was rather different.
On March 19, President Ilham Aliyev, addressed the people of Azerbaijan, celebrating the arrival of spring and explaining the reasons for the cancellation of public events. Then, he switched to a different message:
[…] We see open provocations. Where do these provocations come from? From the very fifth column, from the enemies who are among us, the elements calling themselves opposition, the traitors who receive money from abroad. Their main goal is to destroy Azerbaijan. The worse for Azerbaijan, the better for them. Look at their addresses on social networks, they are full of hatred and provocation. They seem to want riots to happen. They want turmoil. They want panic. And then they claim that they care about the Azerbaijani people. They are our enemies, and we must openly state this. It is not known what this disease will lead to. Therefore, during the existence of the disease, the rules of completely new relationships will apply. Let everyone know this. It is possible that a state of emergency may be declared at some point. In this case, the isolation of representatives of the fifth column will become a historical necessity […] But we cannot allow the anti-Azerbaijani forces, the fifth column and national traitors to take advantage of this situation to commit various provocations. Let everyone know it.
This address was not too different from the speech which president Aliyev delivered on March 14, at the first session of the newly elected National Assembly:
It is no secret that the public and political situation in Azerbaijan is currently very stable. There is not a single factor in our country that can pose a threat to public and political stability. This is why the anti-Azerbaijani forces are trying to create these factors outside our country. They no longer rely on the group that calls itself the opposition here and supposedly continues to operate in an absolutely shameful position. And there is no more confidence for them. So work is underway to create a new fifth column because the current fifth column does not justify the confidence of its owners […] Therefore, a new fifth column is being sought. In this regard, I want to strictly warn all political forces: this is a path of betrayal. Whoever follows this path will commit treason against the people and state. Therefore, all our internal problems should be resolved within Azerbaijan. We should not export our domestic problems or political discord. First of all, it is absolutely pointless because there is no force in the world today that can impose any solution on us or dictate anything to us. There is no such force out there and as long as I am president, there won’t be any. Therefore, it is absolutely pointless. Attempts to exert pressure on Azerbaijan or threaten us with sanctions are all completely meaningless. This is a crime against the state, not against the government, and let no-one forget that.
These speeches intrigued observers. Who was “everyone” who needs to know? More importantly: who was “the fifth column”? The originated during the Spanish Civil War, and refers to a group of people whose intent is to undermine a larger group or a nation from within by any means at their disposal.
This term is traditionally used in Azerbaijan by government representatives when referring to their political opponents. In December 2014, the president's then Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev published a sixty‑page manifesto entitled “The World Order of Double Standards and Modern Azerbaijan,” claiming that Azerbaijan’s human rights defenders were a “fifth column” of the United States. In 2015, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Novruz Mamedov reiterated a theory that the National Endowment for Democracy was the primary actor in supporting the “fifth column” in Azerbaijan.
Both men were eventually dismissed from their posts, but this worldview persists.
Mehdiyev's expose came at the time of an unprecedented crackdown against Azerbaijani civil society activists and the shutdown of Azadliq Radio. Scores of journalists, human rights defenders, and political activists were arrested on questionable drug possession charges and sentenced to lengthy jail terms. There are now concerns among opposition activists that a new crackdown on Azerbaijan's opposition is imminent. With the new emergency powers to contain the coronavirus pandemic, fear activists, president Aliyev's government may have a perfect opportunity to tighten control even further.
There have been some indications of this. On March 8, the opposition group D18 were made to vacate their offices due to a supposed coronavirus threat. On March 11 Fuad Ismayilov, an activist who was detained while spraypainting protest slogans near the offices of Azerbaijan's Central Electoral Commission, was refused permission to speak with his lawyer. The authorities cited the coronavirus as the reason. On March 23, Tofiq Yagublu, a leading member of the opposition Musavat Party, was sentenced to prison. After the trial, Yagublu's daughter noted that “Ilham Aliyev is filling up prisons” while governments elsewhere released inmates due to the coronavirus threat.
As Arif Mammadov, a former Azerbaijani diplomat, wrote on Facebook:
Meanwhile, Azerbaijanis are asking whether their healthcare system is ready to cope for a full-blown pandemic. In a vox pop on January 28, Azerbaijani nationals were asked by Azadliq Radio whether the country's hospitals were really ready. One Baku resident believed that the virus would not make it to Azerbaijan at all, while many others expressed doubt that the authorities would cope.
Unfortunately, like the rest of the world, Azerbaijan will soon get a chance to find out.

author: Arzu Geybullayeva


text:
Across Africa, COVID-19 heightens tension between faith and science · Global Voices
Amanda Lichtenstein

A nun holds a cross in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Photo by Pernille Bærendtsen, used with permission.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
Leaders in Africa are grappling with faith in their messaging on COVID-19, the potentially deadly disease that is spreading rapidly throughout the continent.
While many African governments have taken stringent measures to slow the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus that causes COVID-19, including school closures, travel bans, social distance mandates, and contact tracing, not all leaders agree with banning one kind of public assembly: faith-based gatherings.
Some leaders have aligned their policies with medical experts’ advice to practice physical distancing to slow the spread of the virus and have agreed to postpone religious gatherings. But others have invoked religious ideology to confront the virus, assuring followers and devotees that faith offers adequate protection.
Religion plays a major role in countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, where church and mosque gatherings are a consistent part of everyday life. Yet some citizens have raised serious concerns over the danger of spreading false hope and misinformation at a time when fact-based action is critical to curbing the contagion.
As of March 25, 2020, over 436,000 people worldwide have been infected with the novel coronavirus, with at least 1,500 confirmed cases in Africa.
With 46 COVID-19 cases and one confirmed death as of March 25, Nigeria has taken a series of measures to stem the spread.
On March 20, the National Economic Council (NEC), which includes the vice president and governors of the 36 states, “strongly recommended” a ban on all public gatherings, including religious gatherings.
Lagos State specifically banned religious gatherings of 50 people or more. On March 21, Adewele Martins, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos suspended Sunday masses for one month. The church encouraged vulnerable people, such as the sick and elderly, to watch church services on TV or via online streaming.
Upon confirmation of the index COVID-19 patient, the Catholic Church in Lagos on February 29 banned “shaking of hands as a sign of peace during Mass,” and also suspended some services.
The Methodist Church in Nigeria sent a letter to archbishops and bishops on March 18 directing all branches to continue holding services, despite the Nigerian governments’ advice against large gatherings.
By March 20, they reversed course, directing compliance with the 50-person limit and limiting services, including those conducted online, to one hour or less.
Methodist Church makes u-turn, directs compliance with ban on large gatherings https://t.co/3hqYiqtVTm via @thecableng #COVID19NIGERIA
— TheCable (@thecableng) March 20, 2020
Others were less willing to abide by the guidelines.
Nigerian pastor E. A. Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), posted a message on Instagram to assure his followers that “no virus can come near your dwelling” but also reminded them that “basic hygienic measures are next to Godliness:”
I want to assure you that so far you are in the secret place of the Most High, no virus can come near your dwelling. Remember being able to abide under his shadow involves you living a life of cleanliness. The basic things like washing your hands, keeping your environment clean and adhering to basic hygienic measures are next to Godliness. God bless you.
And while the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) urged Muslims to comply with the ban on congregational prayers, some Muslim leaders continued to share misinformation that Muslim believers are “immune” to the contagious disease.
Coronavirus: Muslims immune, don’t stop mosque prayers – Scholar warns Buhari, Islamic Council – Daily Post Nigeriahttps://t.co/gGiTy89KSY pic.twitter.com/98BXcmFAuf
— nigerianbulletin (@nbnews247) March 19, 2020
On March 18, Islamic scholar Abubakr Imam Aliagan warned President Muhammadu Buhari's government, the Sultanate Council and Muslim authorities not to shut down mosques in Nigeria, claiming that Muslims “have already been endowed with natural immunity to the virus.”
“If God say yes, who will say no?” writing on a wall in Yei, South Sudan. Photo by Pernille Bærendtsen, used with permission.
The government of Tanzania has confirmed 12 COVID-19 cases as of March 25.
As the numbers continue to rise in Tanzania, President John Magufuli took some heat from critics for comparing the coronavirus to Satan and encouraging worshippers of the Christian faith to continue to congregate and pray, despite health experts’ advice to practice social distancing and stay home.
Magufuli in fact attended church in Tanzania's capital, Dodoma, on Sunday, March 22, where he told fellow congregants that mosques and churches will remain open despite the overall recommendation to ban public gatherings, because “true salvation” can be found in religious spaces.
Netizen Ferdinand Omondi shared the president's controversial remarks on Twitter:
Tanzania President: we are not closing places of worship. That's where there is true healing. Corona is the devil and it cannot survive in the body of Jesus. pic.twitter.com/YE2b6wQXML
— FERDINAND OMONDI (@FerdyOmondi) March 22, 2020
Netizen Said Muhammed questioned this faith-based reasoning:
To people saying we need to pray to (some) god. I am just asking you: has god been on paternity leave or something since January? Is he unaware of whats going on? If Mecca and the Vatican have closed up shop then maybe he's not listening, not caring, or.. not there. Stay At Home!
— Said Muhammed (@saidmuhammed) March 23, 2020
This netizen expressed admiration for the president's faith in God, but called for balance:
This man honors God. I agree with him. But I would suggest that we rethink this strategy….balance honoring God, and health protection…
— Ssempa = Gabriel Baaba Gwanga'Mujje (@martinssempa) March 23, 2020
And this netizen wondered if greed might be a factor in the reluctance to close mosques and churches:
Church and Mosque attendance is going to be the Final nail in the coffin to African Countries. Tamaa za sadaka kwa viongozi wa dini itatucost @zittokabwe
— Frank Kinubi (@frankkinubi) March 21, 2020
Church and Mosque attendance is going to be the Final nail in the coffin to African Countries. Religious leaders’ desire for charity — it will cost us.
Abdifatah Hassan Ali alluded to the church that was responsible for a large cluster of COVID-19 cases in South Korea:
Magufuli is playing with fire and he’s not taking this pandemic seriously! Does he knows that secretive church gathering with its rituals demanding mass human contact was the main factor of spreading the #COVIDー19 in South Korea? https://t.co/nJaaefx5Sj
— Abdifatah Hassan Ali ?? (@IamAbdi5) March 22, 2020
Ethiopia currently has 12 COVID-19 cases as of March 25, and in response, the government has decided to close schools, ban public gatherings, close all land borders and enforce a 14-day quarantine for travelers who enter the country.
Fifty million-plus Ethiopians belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), and faith, in general, plays a huge role in shaping public thought.
When Ethiopian Prophet Israel Dansa, a Protestant preacher, told his thousands of followers that he “saw the virus completely burned into ashes” with the power of his prayer, US-based professor Endalk Chala (a Global Voices contributor and former editor) warned on Twitter that spreading false promises of healing from prayer is dangerous misinformation — and called on YouTube to remove the prophet's message:
An Ethiopian prophet says “Last night when I pray, I saw the Spirit of God putting the coronavirus in my hand just like this water. Then when I put the word out, I saw the virus completely burned into ashes” This kind of misinformation will cost lives & YouTube should remove it. https://t.co/X4X4Zv7LCG
— Endalk (@endalk2006) March 23, 2020
Chala also told Global Voices that as of March 25, EOTC priests in the city of Addis Ababa are still performing their ritual of going around with thuribles (censers) wafting frankincense and myrrh through the streets to protect their followers from COVID-19:
በአዲስ አበባ መንደሮች እጣን ማጠን ዛሬም ቀጥሏል። የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋህዶ ቤተክርስቲያን ቀሳውስት እና ምዕመናን የኮሮና ቫይረስ ወረርሽኝ ከዓለም እንዲጠፋ በማዕጠንትና በመዝሙር አምላካቸውን እየለመኑ ነው። #AddisAbaba #Ethiopia #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/ThdnNw5Axl
— Tesfalem Waldyes (@tesfalemw) March 25, 2020
Today smoking and burning myrrh have continued in the neighborhoods of Addis Ababa. The priests and followers of EOTC are praying to their God to eliminate coronavirus from the face of the earth.
In times of great anxiety and fear of the unknown, religion and faith can be a major source of comfort. But given the exponential growth in cases of COVID-19 worldwide, heeding the advice of medical experts is more likely to save lives.

author: Amanda Lichtenstein


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Calculating the hidden costs of breakaway borders in Georgia · Global Voices
ForSet

Farmer David Vanishvili stands behind a razor wire fence set up by de facto South Ossetian authorities, 2016. Overnight, he was severed from his land — and from the rest of Georgia. Photo CC BY-NC 2.0: Jelger / Flickr.
This article is made possible through a partnership with Transitions, a Prague-based publishing and media training organisation
On New Year’s eve, the Georgian magazine Indigo published a letter addressed to the Georgian prime minister sent from Akhalgori, a town in the de facto state of South Ossetia, a Russian-occupied territory in Georgia. Its author was the journalist and activist Tamar Mearakishvili, who has been denied the right to leave South Ossetia for over two years because of her activism. Since early September 2019, Mearakishvili's neighbours have shared her fate; that month, the main crossing point into Georgian government-controlled territory was closed, stranding the 1,500 residents of Akhalgori and the surrounding district in the breakaway state.
“Akhalgori's inhabitants are draining away, and you are among those to be blamed,” Mearakishvili pithily put it to Prime Minister Georgi Gakharia. She said that while vulnerable people struggled to survive, politicians did nothing for them. In Georgia, the public is already discussing the humanitarian crisis in Akhalgori.
In recent years, the boundaries between the two breakaway states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and territory controlled by the Georgian government have hardened. Local people wake up to find their land behind barbed wire, under the control of the occupying Russian military. Sometimes they are detained and accused to great surprise of “illegal border crossing.” Data which we have collected about these cases demonstrates the human costs of “borderisation,” which makes victims of ordinary people on both sides of the divide.
But first, let's look at the context behind this adversity. How did we come to this point?
Georgia has two breakaway territories: Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the latter also known as the Tskhinvali region. In the chaos following the disintegration of the Soviet Union during the early 1990s, Georgia first fought a war against separatists in the Tskhinvali region, which was at that time an autonomous oblast (a lower-level administrative entity in the Soviet Union), and then with Abkhazia, which was an autonomous republic. Both these territories have remained outside Tbilisi's control ever since. Although the government had lost control of these territories, local people still had opportunities to interact with each other, trading and travelling across the boundaries. But all that changed after the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, when Moscow recognised the independence of these two de facto states. What had once been “softer” administrative boundaries turned into “hard” borders, with more patrols, more checkpoints, more Russian soldiers and border guards deployed, and harsher policies put in place to regulate “border” crossings.
After the 2008 war, Georgia lost control over even more territories in the eastern part of the Tskhinvali region, including Akhalgori. But unlike other towns and villages under the breakaway authorities, which thousands of ethnic Georgians fled during the 1990s, Georgians returned to their homes in Tskhinvali and retained their Georgian citizenship. Since then, the population of the district has been subjected to various political manipulations from the de facto South Ossetian authorities. For example, they are routinely denied permission to cross the “border” into Georgian government-controlled territory during large public holidays. The current crisis is not the first, but it is by far one of the worst.
According to Tamar Mearakishvili, elderly people who survive mostly on financial assistance from the Georgian government cannot receive their pensions. The de facto government has therefore made an exception for them, and sometimes opens the crossing point for them for a five-day period; enough time for the elderly to receive pensions and return to Akhalgori. However, the situation is very concerning for people with serious health issues, as medical services are drastically worse in Tskhinvali than in Georgian government controlled territory. They are almost nonexistent in Akhalgori. Mearakishvili says that ten people died so far as a result of the closed border. The emotional and social consequences must also be taken into account; family members, who left Akhalgori before the closure of the crossing point have now been separated from each other for months. Tamar herself has not seen her daughter since last September.
As the crisis intensifies, more people in Akhalgori have started to speak out against their rulers in Tskhinvali. However, the de facto authorities’ answer has been to to press the Georgian government to demolish a recently erected police post near the boundary with South Ossetia. Accordingly, some analysts believe that the de facto government is attempting to use the ethnic Georgian minority under its rule as a bargaining chip in relations with Tbilisi. This calculation may play an important role in “borderisation.”
Creeping borders
After the 2008 war, the South Ossetian de facto authorities and their Russian patrons began to demarcate South Ossetia's self-declared borders. The problem is that they were using different versions of old Soviet-era maps of the boundaries of the former autonomous oblast. This makes the demarcation process high unpredictable for locals living near the border. The new “border” might go through the farmlands, orchards, and pasture local residents use to graze their cattle, or the forests where they collect firewood. Most tragically of all, it can even go through their homes. Cases have even been reported of families dismantling their houses to rebuild them on the Georgian-controlled side of the line.
Click to enlarge. Data from Amnesty International's 2019 report on borderisation in Georgia. Photo (c): ForSet / GlobalVoices. Used with permission.
Nor are the “borders” always visible. It is easy for people to cross this invisible “border,” as it has no discernible geographic features. Locals can easily get arrested by patrolling Russian border guards. In its recent report about the circumstances of people living near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL), as the Georgian government calls it, Amnesty International gives numbers for those detained from 2008 to 2018 for “illegal crossings.” These numbers were provided by the government of Georgia and only represent people who crossed the border from Georgian government controlled territory into South Ossetia.
What is less widely reported is that crossings do occur in the other direction, although South Ossetians crossing into Georgian government controlled territory are frequently caught by Russian or South Ossetian border guards before they reach the other side. According to Amnesty International, the South Ossetian security services, still known by the acronym KGB, published statistics for detentions of these irregular crossings for 2016. These data include people arrested when crossing from both sides and show even higher numbers, amounting to 549 people. Amnesty International's report suggests that these people are South Ossetians who cross into Georgia, not always deliberately, to access agricultural land and to keep contact with ethnic Georgian villagers living on the other side.
Data from Amnesty International's 2019 report on borderisation in Georgia, based on 2016 data from the South Ossetian de facto authorities. Photo (c): ForSet / GlobalVoices. Used with permission.
All these data show that Georgians and South Ossetians suffer equally from borderisation, a fact which is often eluded by Georgian narratives about the conflict.
The boundary between Abkhazia and Georgian government controlled territory may be easier to spot — it mostly follows the course of the Inguri River — local residents face a similar problem. In fact, the number of detentions of people living in or adjacent to Abkhazia is even higher; it reached almost 400 in 2013. These numbers have increased noticeably since the 2008 war, and it is anybody's guess how locals will respond to the closure of multiple official crossing points into government-controlled territory since 2016. Most of those detained are ethnic Georgians from the Gali region of southern Abkhazia, where they form the majority of the population and maintain social ties across the divide.
What is clear is that the mobility restrictions of recent years have taken a toll on local communities. Many local people had social ties across the boundary, and traded with these friends and acquaintances. The hardening of the border was bad enough — those possibilities largely ended. But the ongoing borderisation threatens what little local residents have: their land. Their land is often their sole source of income.
As most of this land is privately owned, the Georgian government does not always compensate owners for their loss of access to it. Amnesty International reports that local people had higher incomes before they were dispossessed of their lands, regardless of whatever meagre financial assistance they receive from the Georgian government.
The price of freedom
Last but not least, there is one further indicator of the financial and social cost of borderisation: the fines which these unfortunate people must pay to be released from detention. Those detained by the de facto authorities in South Ossetia must pay on average 2,000 Russian rubles (US$30), and it is not known whether the de facto authorities in Tskhinvali specify a larger amount for repeated violations.
If they are detained by the de facto authorities in Abkhazia, the fine for “illegal crossing” can reach 15,000 rubles (or $230). Repeated violations can lead to fines of between 30,000 and 60,000 rubles ($460-920).
For villagers living off the land and trading their produce in markets, these can be extraordinary large financial burdens.
If the breakaway authorities’ reported numbers of detainees is accurate, this means that over the past 11 years, ordinary people have had to pay immense sums of money to escape imprisonment. Citing data from the European Monitoring Mission to Georgia (EUMM), Amnesty International writes that between 2008 and 2018, there were 1,871 detentions of people crossing from Georgian controlled territory into Abkhazia. Assuming that each of these was a first-time violation, and that detainees paid the full $230 for their release, this potentially means that $430,330 could have been paid into the de facto government's coffers. These data also suggest that 1,215 people crossed from Georgian controlled territory into de facto South Ossetia. Assuming that they each paid the average $30, this means that the de facto South Ossetian authorities received $36,450 in fines over that ten year period.
These figures are in all likelihood a lot larger, as they do not include those who are detained and fined by the de facto authorities upon unsuccessfully trying to cross into Georgian territory. This is complicated by the fact that in South Ossetia, detainees rarely go to court, and must usually pay the fine upfront to law enforcement agencies. In any case officially recorded sums may not tally with amounts actually paid due to the likelihood of bribery. Furthermore, in December 2018, the head of South Ossetia's de facto Committee for State Security Vladimir Khubayev stated that people detained at the “border” paid 1,004,000 Rubles (or $12,800 at current rates) for 2018 alone.
Khubayev's words suggest that our calculations are probably the tip of the iceberg.
At the start of 2020, Abkhazia and South Ossetia continue to assert their unrecognised independence with military and political support from Russia. Despite the isolationist policy pursued by Tbilisi towards the two breakaway regions, Georgia is nowhere nearer to a final resolution of these conflicts.
As a result, ordinary people are still kept in insecurity, confusion and fearing the worst thing of all: another war.

author: ForSet


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Coronavirus and surveillance technology: How far will governments go? · Global Voices
Hong Kong Free Press

Electronic tracking bracelet on a passenger at Hong Kong International Airport. File photo: Rachel Wong/HKFP.
The following post written by Shui-yin Sharon Yam, Assistant Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies at the University of Kentucky, was originally published on Hong Kong Free Press on 24 March 2020 and republished here on Global Voices under a content partnership agreement.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
Since the COVID 19 outbreak became a fast-spreading pandemic, governments from across the globe have implemented new policies to help slow the spread of the virus.
In addition to closing borders to non-citizens, many governments have also mobilized digital surveillance technologies to track and contain visitors and citizens alike.
On Wednesday, the Hong Kong government announced that all new arrivals to the city must undergo two weeks of self-quarantine, while wearing an electronic wristband that connects to a location tracking app on their phones.
If the app detects changes in the person’s location, it will alert the Department of Health and the police. Prior to this new policy, only people who had recently visited Hubei province in China were required to wear a monitoring wristband during their quarantine period.
While surveillance technologies and measures may give the public a sense of security in controlling the spread of the virus, we must remain mindful and vigilant of their continued use after the pandemic subsides.
European and North American countries like Italy, Spain, and the US are currently being hit hard by the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Asian countries have been praised by international media for their swift responses and use of surveillance technologies to control the outbreak.
The Singaporean government, for example, implemented policies that can effectively and rigorously trace a complex chain of contacts. As of February, anyone entering a government or corporate building in Singapore will have to provide their contact information.
In addition, the government has been gathering a substantial amount of data detailing not only each known case of infection but also where the person lives, works and the network of contacts they are connected to.
While these measures have thus far seemed to yield positive results, they have highlighted the technological capacity and power of the government to monitor the movements and lives of every individual.
In China, where Covid-19 was first detected, the government has been deploying not only drastic lockdown policies but also a variety of surveillance technologies to ensure public compliance with self-quarantine and isolation.
In addition to using drones to monitor people’s movements and ensure they are staying home, police in five Chinese cities have taken to patrolling the streets wearing smart helmets equipped with thermal screening technologies that sound an alarm if a person’s temperature is higher than the threshold.
The government has also collaborated with the company Hanwang Technology Limited to finesse their existing facial recognition technology, so that it can work even when the person is wearing a face mask.
When connected to a temperature sensor and the Chinese government’s existing database as well as state-level intel, this technology allows authorities to immediately identify the name of each person whose body temperature is above 38 degrees Celcius.
According to Hanwang Technology, this refined facial recognition technology can identify up to 30 people “within a second.”
While the use of surveillance technologies like these has been effective in lowering the number of confirmed cases in China, it is not without risks.
Beyond the pandemic, both the Chinese government and the company have substantial interests in further developing and deploying this technology: the government can make use of it to track and suppress political dissidents, and the company has much to gain financially.
This technology can also be co-opted by China’s counterterrorism forces to further monitor and regulate the movement of the Uighur people, who are categorised as terrorists by the Chinese government and are currently being forced into mass detention camps and subjected to forced labour.
Outside of Asia, Middle Eastern countries like Israel and Iran have also been deploying similar surveillance technologies, citing the need to control the spread of the coronavirus.
The Israeli government now makes use of technologies developed for counterterrorism to collect cellphone data, so that the government can trace people’s contact network, and identify those who need to be quarantined.
The geolocation data gathered via people’s phones will then be used to alert the public where not to go based on the pattern of infection.
Not only is it unprecedented for Israel to deploy counterterrorism data to combat a public health crisis, but the existence of this data trove has also, according to the New York Times, not been reported prior to this.
On March 6, researcher Nariman Gharib revealed that the Iranian government had been tracking its citizens’ phone data through an app disguised as a coronavirus diagnostic tool.
Security expert Nikolaos Chrysaidos confirmed that the app collected sensitive personal information unrelated to the outbreak – for example, the app recorded the bodily movements of the user the way a fitness tracker would.
Google has since removed the app from Google Play, but this case demonstrates the need for ongoing public vigilance over government use of surveillance technologies in the name of public health.
Safeguarding public health has historically been used as a justification for mainstream institutions and government authorities to stigmatise, monitor, and regulate the lives of marginalised people – such as immigrants, racial minorities, LGBTQ+ people, and people living in poverty.
If we do not hold our government accountable for its use of surveillance technologies during the current pandemic and beyond, we will be putting those who are already marginalised at further risks of regulation, suppression, and persecution.

author: Hong Kong Free Press


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Grief, alienation, trauma: Kashmir under lockdown · Global Voices
GV South Asia

Police in Kashmir confronting violent protesters in December 2018. Image by Seyyed Sajed Hassan Razavi, Tasnim News Agency via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 4.0.
This story is by Kabir, a writer based in Kashmir. Check out Global Voices’ special coverage “Inside Kashmir's Crisis”.
Over the months leading up to August 2019, Kashmir had been in the news for a variety of reasons — political, human rights violations, and the often-peddled India-Pakistan rhetoric.
But August was different. The massive build-up of troops was ominous, and indicated that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was planning something big and horrendous in the valley, which both India and Pakistan claim in its entirety. The urgent circulars to armed forces and government offices sent Kashmir residents into a tailspin of fear and chaos, while mainland Indians on pilgrimage or tours were asked to leave the valley immediately.
Everyone tried second-guessing the outcome, to no avail. Doomsday scenarios were whispered in hushed tones as people began stocking up on essentials.
On the morning of August 5, 2019, everyone in Kashmir woke up to a complete blackout. There was no mobile or internet service. A shrill silence fell over the state as neighbours sat in silence.
Within a few hours, Prime Minister Modi announced the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, that the state would be divided into union territories, and also the changing of various state-specific laws.
We Kashmiris felt betrayed. But the decision was lauded in the Indian nationalist press, with publications such as Times Now and Republic calling it a brave decision.
Indigenous Kashmiris were under siege, with schools shut and hospitals out of reach amid a curfew. Reporting the on-the-ground realities — one of the cornerstones of journalism — was forgotten, as Indian media spent the first few days in celebration, and information filtered through them offered no crucial context for local Kashmiris.
We struggled to connect with our loved ones in different regions of the state and had no clue about major political and social developments. People travelled for miles in the searing heat, spending large sums of money just to access healthcare with no respite whatsoever.
The observances for the Islamic festival of Eid on August 12 were muted. We did not celebrate, merely offering prayers in the morning as dictated by religious practice. For the children there were no toys or sweets, as we were barely surviving on the bare essentials.
As is the case with any sort of curb on freedoms, people were impacted heavily both emotionally and physically, and started buying food and other essentials at highly inflated prices despite financial constraints. In times of crisis, even basic survival seems like an uphill task.
Barbed-wire in front of government houses and bridges. Image by Fatima Jahan. Used with permission.
Every street was filled with fear and grief. Nobody was aware of the happenings in other households, not to mention happenings around the world. People who were believed to have any semblance of political affiliation were caged and transported to jails outside the state.
Kashmir — already the largest militarized zone on earth — was converted into a garrison of forces. The extraordinary situation worsened the health of my mother, who has been on medication for diabetes. Lack of medicine and transportation made matters worse, and we had to seek help from a kind local man who dropped us at the hospital gates in Srinagar.
We were handed prescriptions and a limited quantity of medicine, as the doctors said medicines had to be rationed so that there would be enough for everyone in the event of a further crisis. We also failed to procure the medicine from local pharmacies, and after walking for over seven miles my mother’s feet were swollen, bringing alive my worst fears about her frail health.
Even my sister, who suffers from cardiac issues, could not access healthcare for months, and we could not contact an ambulance or a private vehicle for emergencies. It was the darkest phase of our lives. To overcome anxiety and depression, my father started smoking heavily, while I dived into the world of books to keep the stress at bay, but with minimal success.
One morning, as I pored over Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”, a friend walked in with grim and heart-breaking news: a childhood friend who had been dealing with a chronic illness had died. One of my dearest school friends, though I had lost touch with her. The news shook me. The internet is crucial — phones in the 21st century are nothing without internet connectivity. And lives are lost and connections temporarily severed whenever there's an internet shutdown.
Not believing the news, I kept restlessly looking at my phone, hoping there would be a signal, even for a split second, that would allow me to talk to her. The panic only worsened my feelings of helplessness and isolation. Eventually, I decided to seek help and confided in a friend about my paranoia, and we decided to walk in the blistering heat to my friend’s house, as all modes of transport had stopped running.
We walked for hours in the humidity. Upon reaching her house, we were informed of her death. I crumpled to the floor as the memories hit me, and the human cost of a political mess became even clear.
I kept dreaming about her life and was sleepless for over two months. Then I collected myself and mustered the courage to seek mental health counselling. It helped a bit, but when you find yourself in a loop of unending tragedy, nothing ever remains the same — ever.
The impact of Modi’s decision is clear. The blackout has alienated Kashmiris even further, in their hearts and their minds alike. There is no other way to look at it.
The removal of Article 370 may or may not impact the people of the Kashmir valley, but the treatment meted out to us only reminds us about the brutal occupation of our land. The cruelty inflicted on us has resulted in far worse human tragedies. But these things refuse to leave our minds and will only strengthen our desire for an independent land.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage The Kashmiri People Versus the Indian State.

author: GV South Asia


text:
The Mexican engraver reviving the magical imagery of Chiapas · Global Voices
Alejandro Barreto

“We begin!” woodcut and drypoint 10x10cm. Image used with permission.
Engraver, woodcut artist, and printmaker Antonio Waco Ponce Muñoz’s desire is to expand the teaching of traditional Mexican engraving in Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost region and one of its most impoverished states.
Mexico has a prolific tradition of printmaking, recognized in Mexico and by its international fandom as a form of art. Its defining visual characteristics have endured from pre-Hispanic times well into modernity. A vast expanse of art movements has employed engraving as a tool for expression and identity, generating a compendium of Mexican themes in the process.
Muñoz's work takes inspiration in the culture of Chiapas, a state in the southeast of Mexico that is home to a sizeable Mayan population, where languages such as Tzeltal, Tzotzil, Ch’ol, and Zoque are widely spoken. Another hallmark of Chiapas’ tourism is its exuberant nature, with the Lacandon Jungle its beating heart.
I have spoken to Ponce about his work. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Alejandro Barreto (AB): How did you come to devote yourself to the art of engraving?
Antonio Ponce (AP): I decided to become a printmaker after I was introduced to engraving techniques at the age of 21. I wanted to know the history of Mexican graphic art, with the Taller de la Gráfica Popular (TGP), for example, or the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists. I was drawn to these movements because they caused an awakening in Mexican society in the early 20th century.
Along similar lines, it is important to me to know the history of Chiapan graphic art and renowned masters like Franco Lázaro Gómez, Ramiro Jiménez Pozo, and Máximo Prado, who were invited to work in Mexico City by Jorge Olvera Hernández and came back to Chiapas as a more empowered force. They all succeeded in broadening the artistic spectrum of Chiapas, and personally inspired me to become an engraver. I found within engraving a tool with several possibilities for expression, giving me the ability to create images.
“Trasatlántico”, etching, aquatint and sugar-lift etching, 23 x 33 cm, 2017. Image used with permission.
AB: Does the context of Chiapan history and tradition influence your work?
AP: Yes, it’s a direct influence. I grew up in a small town called Sabanilla, where my grandmother's house had a huge chicken coop and lots of animals. I remember drying out coffee beans from Yajalón, (the capital city of a northern region in Chiapas called Tulijá Tseltal Chol). Those memories are still so close to me I can breathe them. They are part of my visual imagination and artistic creation. Living between the capital and the outer communities among the high jungle and near the border state of Tabasco formed my experiences.
“The Society of the Spectacle”, engraved in MDF (medium-density fibreboard), 46 x 63 cm, 2019. Image used with permission.
AB: Tell me more about where you grew up and its influence on your work.
AP: I was raised near rivers and its pools, among a natural habitat for animals like deer, badgers, toucans, and turtles, who were sometimes kept as pets by the people. My grandmother Doña Chole told stories and legends about my town and the church with its sacred 17th century art, where as a child I saw these striking images of saints and biblical passages.
One of my works, for example, is a rooster inside a television, contrasting how one starts the day in the city by turning on the TV whereas in the communities it is the rooster that crows to start the day. I hybridize animals with major human inventions, like a whale-ship, as a contrasting duality. But I also return to more personal themes, allegories, or social situations, sometimes by fusing different techniques together or by playing with different images.
“Aburro”, engraved on wood, 34 x 25 cms, 2015. Image used with permission.
AB: What do you think of the current art scene in Chiapas?
AP: There is a very good art scene here, and more and more offers are coming out of all disciplines – visual, musical, stage performance, etc. I think one of the main reasons why is due to the social detachment the people of Chiapas have felt throughout its history as [Chiapas is] a place that has been marginalized and forgotten by the government and cultural spheres, in both economic and educational aspects.
Nevertheless, thanks to the University of Sciences and Arts of Chiapas, renowned visual artists such as Jorge Olvera Hernández, Armando Duvalier, Guillermo Lowe, and engraver Alberto Beltrán have come here to promote education in the arts. They’ve even sent teachers from Chiapas to train in Mexico City. I feel that art here is now regarded as a profession instead of just a trade, and it’s giving way to a more complex and identity-defining art.
Artistic production made at the “Taller San Caralampio” in San Cristóbal de las Casas. Photo used with permission.
AB: What's the importance of independent workshops like the San Caralampio Studio, which you founded?
AP: A lot! Thanks to the studio, so many people have become more interested in learning, amassing, and being in direct contact with techniques, all of which combined add real value to graphic prints created in our state. I am against some galleries who argue that engraving is devalued by its inherent ability of making multiple reproductions, because they imply that an engraving is not a unique or original piece. From my perspective, the social contribution of the San Caralampio studio promotes quality and presents the public with an opportunity for direct use of the workshop and its tools, so that pieces in a series are known to be multiple originals and are all part of one edition.
“San Caralampio” workshop. Photo used with permission.
AB: What is the role that art plays in the Mexico of today?
AP: At the time of the post-Mexican revolution, graphic art was a movement that helped provide popular visual and imaginary education directly to people – with a large number of TGP prints, for example. These spread among the working class. Nowadays I compare it to urban art that tries to bring art closer to the public, by giving them logical, digestible, and direct understanding through a graphic image without far-fetched meanings.
“There is no King Without Palace”, etching and aquatint, 15 x 15 cm, 2018. Image used with permission.
You can see more of Ponce's art at his Instagram account.

author: Alejandro Barreto


text:
Can Zimbabwe handle the coronavirus amid a collapsing health care system? · Global Voices
Kudzai Chimhangwa

A health worker points out what few drugs he has left in his stores in a health center, Mazoe, Zimbabwe, April 22, 2009. Photo by Kate Holt / AusAID via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
As the government of Zimbabwe confirms the first COVID-19 casualty in the country, many Zimbabweans have questioned Zimbabwe's capacity to handle a public health pandemic of this magnitude.
The nation's fragile health care system combined with its poor record of internet access has citizens on high alert — and already grieving.
Zororo Makamba, 30, succumbed to complications from the coronavirus on the morning of Monday, March 23, 2020, at Harare Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital, where he was admitted after showing symptoms.
Makamba was popularly known for his explainer video series, “State of the Nation with Zororo.” He was the son of a prominent businessman, James Makamba.
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obediah Moyo has confirmed the death of Zororo Makamba, who was the second person to test positive for Covid-19 in Zimbabwe.@GNyambabvu @EMupoperi @JoshMunthali @nickmangwana @MoHCCZim @lizmaggz @samaita44 pic.twitter.com/XIqHLiezR2
— ZBC News Online (@ZBCNewsonline) March 23, 2020
Mutumwa wrote on Twitter, “let us pause and reflect”:
Mr Zororo Makamba, the son of Mr James Makamba has passed on. MHSRIEP. I have just learned of this tragic loss of life due to the virus. A giant with so much potential has fallen. Corona is real. Let us pause and reflect. Life is too precious.
— Mutumwa (@mmawere) March 23, 2020
Zororo is the second case of coronavirus reported by the Minister of Health and Child Care Obadiah Moyo last week.
Moyo announced the first confirmed case was a British national who resides in Victoria Falls. The 38-year-old male had traveled to Manchester, England on March 7 and traveled back to Zimbabwe on March 15 from Manchester, via South Africa.
Upon arrival, the patient went into self-quarantine on the advice of Moyo, according to The Chronicle. However, after developing “severe respiratory distress,” he was admitted to Wilkins Hospital, where he tested positive for the virus.
With two confirmed cases as of March 26, according to WHO, Zimbabweans have no choice but to brace themselves for potential disaster.
On Wednesday, Zimbabwe's doctors and nurses went on strike to protest a lack of personal protective equipment (PPEs) necessary to treat patients with the highly contagious virus.
Even before the coronavirus crisis reached Zimbabwe, its health care system was collapsing, and families have been expected to provide their own gloves and clean water for basic treatment in health care facilities, according to Time magazine.
Doctors and nurses had only returned to work in January after a four-month strike to demand higher salaries and improved working conditions, according to Time.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week issued an announcement banning gatherings of more than 100 people in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. Mnangagwa also ordered the closure of schools, colleges and universities on Tuesday.
Twitter user Rashida Abbas Ferrrand asked why there wasn't more “realistic discourse” about COVID-19:
Why are we not having a realistic discourse about #COVID19 in Africa- the first fatality in Zimbabwe died gasping for air, doctors on strike as no protective gear, no water in hospitals. People who stay at home have no income and no food
— Rashida Abbas Ferrand (@rashida_abbferr) March 25, 2020
Thobekile Matimbea human rights advocate in Zimbabwe, wrote a Facebook post on March 23, sharing her concerns about Zimbabwe's state of unpreparedness:
I am concerned about the state of unpreparedness that our country is in. A friend of mine battling to save lives in UK while at risk said the Covid Beast is real. I see my fellow citizens in denial that this can happen to us. No one is immune. The cities and towns are buzzing with life. Business as usual. What signs do we need? People are dying. Are we seriously waiting to be told to stay at home.
Matimbe also raised concerns about sharing basic public health information related to COVID-19 due to a systemic lack of internet access and the high price of data in Zimbabwe, on March 26:
Access to information is a fundamental right. This means internet access is most critical as we stay home. I wonder how our communities are faring with all the news on Covid-19. What are the strategies our governments have put in place for this? How can we all access the internet? Sadly, in the remote parts of our country, some are clueless of this pandemic. Digital access is a fundamental component of the right to information. A friend of mine keeps highlighting that she can't open some of these informative videos in circulation and she is right. The price of data at this point must promote access to information.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, along with the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), issued a statement imploring concerted national effort led by the government to strengthen the healthcare system and vigilance by focusing on key issues.
These range from early detection and mitigation, capacitation of health personnel, decentralization and capacitation of health workers and information access among other mitigating measures.
The statement reads:
As civil society, we commit to assist and work with government in fighting COVID 19, and we implore everyone in Zimbabwe to be compliant with directives from the health and national authorities in the interest of our health and the collective interests of our nation. As much as possible, we must drive prevention while preparing for the worst.

author: Kudzai Chimhangwa


text:
COVID-19 diaries from Wuhan: Looking for human connection in isolation · Global Voices
Winston Chiu

Slogan on the street: ‘Stop the disease scientifically. Do not panic. Do not let rumors make the situation worse.’ (Photo credit: Guo Jing.)
The following post is the second in a series of diaries written by independent filmmaker and feminist scholar Ai Xiaoming and feminist activist Guo Jing. Both are living in Wuhan at the center of the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read the first part of the series here.
This second installment was written between January 29 – February 4, 2020. The original Chinese diaries are published on Matter News.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
工作现在是很多人的担忧。春节假期现在延长到了2月2日，可是如果疫情还在继续发展，人们怎么可能安心地返工。大公司可能有足够的财力维持运营，延长假期给一些小企业和个体户带来的损失更严重，他们的盈利可能并不多，会有房租的压力，给员工发工资的压力，就可能会裁员。在裁员中，女性经常是首先被裁掉的员工。
对于个人，大家会在考虑要不要冒着一定风险去上班，他们中可能有人面临房贷的压力，有人要照顾家庭。如何解决这些问题？
Many people are worried about their jobs. The Chinese New Year holidays were extended to Feb 2. However, if this infectious disease keeps spreading, how can we feel safe to return to work? The big companies might have sufficient financial resources to keep their operations going. However, for those small companies and businesses, the extended holidays will bring serious financial stress as their businesses generate less profit while they still need to pay for rent and their employees’ salaries. It would lead to the laying off of employees and females are usually the first on that list.
As for individuals, we have to ponder whether we should risk going to work. Some may have the pressure of paying their mortgage. Some may have family burdens. How to deal with all these issues?
A man put a plastic bag on his head for protection in a supermarket. (Photo credit: Guo Jing.)
小心翼翼地生活是反人类的。
每天花很多时间做一些防护措施我有点厌烦。每天要保证通风，前几天天气阴冷又担心感冒。我是一个怕麻烦的人，日常生活并没有那么讲究。我小时候生活在农村，对食物的态度是“不干不净吃了没病”。食物尚且如此，对衣物就更不会那么在意。如果不出门，我会好几天不洗头。我开始觉得自己有点过度清洁，这两天就没有拖地。
昨天的晚餐是炒土豆茄子加稀饭。我感到很疲惫，不太有胃口，做完晚饭半天我都没有动筷子。这种疲惫感更多的来自心底深处的无力。
It is against human nature to live in such a meticulous manner.
I am tired of spending so much time on guarding myself from the disease. I need to ventilate my apartment everyday. However, as the weather was cloudy and cold several days ago, I was worried that I would catch a cold. I am a carefree person and pay little attention to triviality. I lived in the countryside when I was a kid, and my attitude toward food is “the cheap food is good for our health.” Neither do I care about my outfits. If I do not go out, I can keep my hair unwashed for several days. But now, I feel I am a bit obsessed with housekeeping and feel uneasy as I did not mop the floor yesterday and today.
What I cooked for dinner yesterday is porridge and fried potatoes and eggplants. I did not pick up my chopsticks upon cooking. I felt very tired and lost my appetite. The tiresome feeling comes from feeling powerless.
在封城后，武汉的一些医院公开向社会募捐，很多志愿团体动员社会力量为医院运输物资。后来，政府开始接管募捐工作，声称为了避免公众被骗，于是指定了5个官方机构来协调募捐工作。可是湖北红会加分配的工作人员一共六十多人，对接整个湖北的医院。
武汉慈善总会收到400多万人的5亿多捐款，昨天都还1分钱未花。从海外寄来的医用物资，海关会要求联系慈善总会或者红十字会才能过关。
After the lockdown, some hospitals in Wuhan started making public calls for donations and many volunteer groups mobilized citizens to collect and deliver medical necessities to these hospitals. Later, the government took over the work and claimed that people might be cheated (by fake volunteer groups). The government then designated five official organizations to coordinate donations. However, there are only about 60 staff members in the Red Cross in the province of Hubei, and they are assigned to work with all hospitals in the Hubei. [Editor note: Wuhan is the capital city of Hubei, and the city alone has 128 hospitals.]
The Wuhan Benevolent General Association has received a 5 billion Yuan donation from more than 40 million people, but till now they did not spend a cent to help ones in need. Regarding those medical necessities sent from overseas, customs will keep the goods on hold until Wuhan Benevolent General Association or the Red Cross reaches out to them.
今天早上突然发现，我桌子上的日历停在1月22日。我现在无法有计划，我甚至都不知道明天会怎样，只能尽力去过好每一天。
This morning, I noted that the calendar on my desk stopped on Jan 22. I cannot do any planning now. I do not even know what will happen tomorrow. I can only do my best to carry on my life everyday.
Ai Xiaoming in her gear when she went to hospitals with volunteers to deliver protective suits. (Photo credit: Ai Xiaoming.)
我隨行了志願者團隊。1月29日，跟15輛私家車，往21個醫院和單位，送了約6500件防護服。
如果我去醫院，會戴一個 N95口罩，外面再套一個一次性的口罩。回來以後，我沒有扔掉那個N95的口罩。我洗了後放到電水壺裏煮，煮完了然後放在電暖器上給它烤乾了。其實我覺得是很可笑的，一次性口罩拿去洗，那不是很可笑嗎？但是你想一想，這口罩咱們一般買不到。
我們送去的醫院醫生也是這樣，说你再沒有防護服送来，醫生護士都沒法查房了。做不到用一次就扔，醫生都是紫外線照一下，重複穿。
如果封城時間延續下去，可能後面的困難就會比較多了，因為匱乏的情況會越來越多。接下來進入日常生活，老年人的常用藥怎麼辦，醫院能不能開到常用藥也不知道，因為如果連口罩都缺乏的話，沒有物流的話，後面的生活就很難想象。
我們家貓的貓糧吃完了，我現在訂的貓糧也沒到。 目前我們就是維持一個脆弱的平衡。
我認為目前恐慌帶來的問題和危機，比疫病更兇險，因為恐慌造成的人和人之間的隔離…昨天我們看到一個消息，因為要隔離一個被感染的父親，他腦癱的長子被留在家裏無人照顧，幾天後死了。在這種社會心理的狀態下，我覺得死去的腦癱孩子就像一個隱喻，预示在這種極度的隔絕下會發生什麽樣的悲劇。
I went to some hospitals with a volunteer group on Jan 29. We had 15 private cars, and we went to 21 hospitals and organizations. In total we delivered around 6500 protective suits.
If I go to a hospital, I wear a N95 mask and use a medical mask to cover it. After I return home, I do not throw away that N95 mask. I boil the N95 mask in an electric kettle and dry it above an electric heater. It is indeed very funny to wash a single-use mask, isn’t it? But think again. It is difficult to buy a N95 mask now.
The medical doctors in those hospitals that we visited also told us that if we did not give them that protective gear, the doctors and nurses could not do the ward rounds anymore. They cannot afford to throw away the disposable protective gear and the doctors usually use UV light to disinfect them so that they can wear them repetitively.
If the lockdown extends, it will become more and more difficult, because more and more people will face the shortage of necessities. What if the elderly people run out of their medicine? We do not know if the hospitals can still prescribe those drugs. If we do not have masks and delivery services, it is very difficult to imagine how we can get through it.
The food for my cat is running out, and the cat food that I ordered was not been delivered to me yet. Our status is in a fragile balance.
The problems and crisis brought by panic is more dangerous than the disease itself, because panic isolates people. Yesterday, I saw this news: an infected father was put under forced-quarantine and his oldest son, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was left alone at home and died several days later. In this kind of sociopsychological condition, I feel this dead child with cerebral palsy is a metaphor for the current social psychology — it is the kind of tragedy that could happen in extreme isolation.
The volunteers delivered protective suites to hospitals. (Photo credit: Ai Xiaoming.)
每天出门成为我的一个重要日常。其实我已经觉得出门不是必要，可我还在偏执地坚持。
我在坚持什么？这个城市不会在明天突然解封，外面不会在一日之内发生翻天覆地的改变。
这其实是一个微小的反抗，在信息的封锁中寻找真实的信息，在隔离中寻求和他人的联系，在不确定中寻找某种确定性。
Going out every day becomes my important routine. Actually, it is not necessary for me to go out, but I stubbornly keep this routine.
What do I insist on this? This city will not stop lockdown tomorrow. The world outside will not change overnight.
This action is my private resistance. I am looking for real information when information is blocked. I am looking for connections with others in isolation. I am looking for something certain when everything is uncertain.
前几天看到一个人发的朋友圈，写道：“封城封村的消息才几天，有多少男的在一个快被急疯的状态，试想一下有多少女的一年四季都是这样的日子。”
封锁一定程度上让男性体会了女性缺乏公共生活的感受。很多已婚女性在结婚后开始不得不围绕着家庭，即便她们有全职工作，下班后她们洗衣做饭、照顾孩子，做了很多不被重视的家务劳动。她们公共性的生活不断缩减，跟同事、朋友谈天的时间越来越少，她们对家庭的投入多于对自己的关注。
晚上和我的朋友们聊天。前一天成都发生了地震，我们就聊到了08年的汶川地震。…我们重新审视了集体主义和英雄主义。在灾难面前，我们塑造一味奉献的英雄，贬低所谓“自私”的行为，而事实上很多看似自私的行为只是人们的自保而已。集体主义具有很强的情绪渲染力，甚至会制造厌恶甚至仇恨，比如中国人讨厌日本人。这种情绪会让我们忽略人本身。
很庆幸我们今天除了赞美医护人员的付出，也看到他们的脆弱。
Several days ago, I saw a friend’s message on my social circle. She wrote, “Many men become very irritated in these days after the lockdown. Can they imagine that many women have been living this kind of life year after year?”
The lockdown, to some degree, let the men experience the feeling that so many women have experienced: the lack of public life. Many married women are trapped in their families. Even if they have a full-time job, they need to wash clothes, take care the children, and do a lot of housework. Their public life has been shrinking. They have less time to talk to their colleagues and friends. They pay more attention to their families than to themselves.
Tonight I chatted with friends. Yesterday there was an earthquake in Chengdu, so we talked about the Wenchuan earthquake back in 2008… We discussed aspects surrounding collectivism and heroism. When facing a tragedy, we tend to see the act of self-sacrifice as heroic and look down on so-called ‘selfish’ behaviors. However, people also rely on these seemingly selfish behaviors to survive.  Collectivism has a strong influence on our emotions, and sometimes it can spread antagonism or even hatred. For example, [nationalism has] antagonized Chinese and Japanese people. Such sentiment makes us ignore other aspects of humanity.
I am glad that today when we praise medical staff we see their fragility too.
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author: Winston Chiu