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India: Price of fuel · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

To be or not to be.. on the pricing of fuel, price hikes and political play.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Jamaica: Local Fare · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As global food prices continue to rise, Transition Sunshine is eating more locally produced staples and is surprised to learn that some Jamaicans consider them “slave food”.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Jordan: Online Initiative to Support Art  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian Sugar Cubes draws our attention to JoCr8 – a new online initiative to support art and connect creative people in Jordan.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Korea: Suppressing Media or Illegal Internet Activities · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Korea’s Youtube equivalent, Afreeca, has recently become more famous due to live coverage of candlelight vigils. On the 17th, the CEO of Afreeca was taken by the prosecutor’s office under the charge of having illegal activities on the Internet. The investigation and swift confinement by the government have given rise to suspicion that the government gets back at them due to the reputation that they got from their activities for candlelight vigils. The live coverage conveyed what’s happening on the spot of the demonstration to netizens, and large number of people watched it and appreciated  that live coverage helped prevent physical violence from breaking out between the demonstrators and police, because there would be no way to hide who started it. Therefore, the action of the government leads to aggressive complaints from netizens.
Some netizens have different opinions. A netizen writes the post, “Is the investigation really the political suppression?”
케이블TV가 안나오는 우리집에서는 더 이상 유로2008(Euro 2008)을 볼 수 없다. 브라질과 아르헨티나만 빠진 작은 월드컵이라면서 예전에는 공중파에서도 큰 관심을 갖고 중계하던 경기였었지만 공중파 채널들이 케이블 채널까지 소유하게 되면서 각종 스포츠 중계는 케이블에서만 중계할 뿐 지상파에서는 자취를 감추고 말았다[…] 하지만 궁하면 통하는 법이라고 그 와중에도 방법이 전혀 없는 것은 아니었다. 바로 ‘방송놀이 신대륙'을 자처하는 ‘아프리카’ 덕분이다. 네이버에서도 해주지 않는 실시간 중계를 아프리카에서는 볼 수 있었다.[…] 아프리카는 분명 ‘신대륙'이었다. 정규방송도 종료되어버린 새벽시간에 TV도 아닌 모니터 화면으로 지구 반대편에서 벌어지는 축제에 참여할 수 있다는 사실은 분명 획기적인 일이 아닐 수 없었다.[…]
하지만 아프리카를 통해 유로2008을 보면서도 사실 저작권 부분에 문제의 소지가 있을 수 있다는 생각이 들었다.[…] 결국 오늘 아침, 아프리카를 운영하고 있는 나우콤 문용식 대표이사에게 구속영장이 발부되었다는 소식이 들렸다. 많은 네티즌들은 반정부 시위로 변질되어 가고 있는 촛불집회 현장을 생중계했다는 이유로 탄압(?)을 받기 시작했다고 해석하는 듯하다. 물론 있을 수 있는 일이다. 하지만 앞서 말했듯 아프리카는 여러가지 시비의 소지를 안고 있었다. 무료로 이용하고 있는 이용자의 입장에서는 고마운 일이지만 저작권 소유자 입장은 또 다르다 할 것이다.
아프리카는 사업자가 제공하는 서비스가 아니다. 회원들이 자신만의 방송을 할 수 있도록 인프라를 제공하는 서비스다. 즉 기반시설만 제공하고 실제적인 방송은 회원들이 만들어가는 방식인 것이다. 일종의 UCC라고 볼 수 있다. SBS의 ‘세상에 이런일이'에서도 30년동안 누워서 꼼짝도 못하던 장애인이 인터넷 방송 DJ로 거듭나는 감동적인 모습을 보여준 적이 있었다. 좁은 공간에 갖혀있어야 했던 그였지만 인터넷방송을 통해서 비로서 삶의 의미를 찾을 수 있었고 살아야 할 이유를 찾게된 것이었다.
그런 이유로 아프리카는 계속되어야 한다. ‘사람을 향한다'고 하던 어느 통신회사의 광고처럼 아프리카로 인해 희망을 찾고 기쁨을 찾았던 이들에게 계속적으로 희망과 기쁨이 되어주어야 한다. 이번 검찰의 수사가 정치적인 탄압인지 일상적인 저작권 관련 수사인지 분명하지는 않다. 다만 이번 사안에 대해 나우콤으로서는 상당히 당황스럽겠지만 모쪼록 좋은 방향으로 해결되어 앞으로도 방송놀이가 계속될 수 있도록 힘써주기를 바래본다.
While owing to Afreeca I was able to watch Euro 2008, I was concerned about copyright.[…] This morning, I heard that Moon Yong Sik, CEO of Nowcom who manages Afreeca, was issued a warrant for arrest. Many netizens seem to interpret that it happened because Afreeca aired live coverage of candlelight vigils. It could be possible. But like I mentioned before, Afreeca has plenty of cause for disputes. I appreciate it as the person who uses it free, but copyright proprietors might have different opinions.
Afreeca is not a service that an enterprise provides. It has an infrastructure whereby members make their own programs and show them to other members. Therefore, it just provides the infrastructure and members use it for their own programs. It’s a kind of UCC. In a program, ‘What’s happening in the world’ in SBS broadcasting, it showed that a handicapped person who could not move around for 30 years could have a different life after he became a DJ on an Internet broadcast. He was isolated in a tiny space, but through Internet broadcasting, he found meaning and the reason of his life.
For these kinds of reasons, Afreeca should be continued. Like an advertisement for a telecom company, ‘for humans,’ many people found hope and pleasure. And their duty should be continued. It is unclear whether investigation by the prosecution started due to political pressure or copyright. Even though Nowcom is perplexed due to this happening, I hope that it leads in the right direction and result, and it continues its job.
A netizen suggests a clear distinction of activities between illegal download and achievements of candlelight vigils.
오늘 뉴스를 보니 아프리카TV의 사장인 문용식씨가 정권의 탄압에 의해 검찰에 조사를 받으러 간다는 소식을 들었다.
나우콤 문용식 대표이사 구속영장 발부에 대한 나우콤의 입장
인터넷 개인방송 아프리카는 지난달 25일부터 이달 10일까지 700만명 이상이 생방송으로 촛불집회를 시청했을 정도로 온라인 시위의 메카로 떠올랐습니다. 아프리카로 접속이 몰리자, 과잉 압박 수사로 촛불시위의 확산을 막으려는 정부 당국의 정치적 의도가 개입된 것은 아닌지 의심을 지울 수 없습니다.
인터넷 방송국 아프리카의 공지에 까지 노출하며 적극적으로 네티즌들에게 알린것이다. 이 공지문 하나로 촛불을 든 네티즌들은 또 다시 광분하기 시작했가 아프리카를 지켜야 한다고 호들갑을 떨었다. 하지만 이 사안은 아프리카TV의 사장 문용식이 아닌 피디박스의 사장 문용식을 구속시키는것이다. 다른 언론들의 보도를 보면 웹하드 업체 11개곳 업체 대표를 모두 수사한다고 하는데 웹하드 업체 문용식을 불법자료의 유통 방조에 대한 조사를 하는것이다.
사실 피디박스는 어둠의 다운로드시장의 대부와 같은 위치에 있던 회사가 아닌가. 이런 회사를중 11개곳 사장을 조사한건데  이 조사가 무슨 큰 문제가 있는것은 아니다. 11개곳중 5개곳의 대표를 구속시켰다고 하는데  5개곳은  불법다운로드 방조를 넘어 공모를 했다는 정황까지 포착된것이다. 한마디로  방관자를 넘어서 불법을 조장하고 부추기는 파렴치범으로 치부된것이다. 더더군다나 이 조사의 시작은 촛불시위를 시작하기 전인 4월부터 검찰이 준비했다고 한다.
그런데  문용식사장은 검찰에 끌려가면서  독립만세를 외친꼴이다. 가득이나 이명박정권을 마득치 않게 보고 있던  네티즌들이 독립만세~~ 소리에  연행되어가는 나우콤사장을 아프리카사장으로 인식하고  언론탄압이라고 부르짖으면  그를 보호할려는 모습까지 보였다.
하지만 나우콤의 문용식사장은 독립투사가 아니다. 그는  파렴치범인 피디박스의 사장일 뿐이다. 본질은 흐리고 자신의 안위를 도모하기 위해 네티즌들에게  손을 내민 문용식사장 이런 사장에게  애정이나 도움의 손길을 줄 필요가 없다. 그는 독립투사가 아니다. 테러리스트일 뿐이다.
“What Nowcom thinks about the investigation toward Moon Yong Sik, CEO of Nowcom.
Afreeca, Internet broadcasting, became the mecca of online demonstrations since more than 7 million people watched the candlelight vigils during live coverage from 25th of May to 10th of this month. Since the number joining Afreeca increased, it is hard to get rid of the doubt that this excess investigation includes political intentions from the government authority in order to prevent the spreading of candlelight vigils.”
It was on the public notice of Afreeca website and let all netizens know about it. With this notice, netizens raising candles started being crazy and shouted out that they should protect Afreeca. However, the reason why he is investigated now is not because he is the CEO of Afreeca TV, but because he is the CEO of PDBox. According to other media, CEOs of 11 webhard companies are all investigated and he is on the list because he disregarded copyright.
As a matter of fact, PDBox company was like the godfather of illegal download. Among those kinds of companies, 11 CEOs will be investigated and 5 of them were confined. Those five companies already have evidences to have activities of illegal download. In other words, there were not just bystanders, but criminals to encourage illegal activities. In addition, the prosecution said that they started the investigation from April before the candlelight vigils started.
But while Moon Yong Sik was dragged by the prosecution, it looks like he was a hero. Netizens who don’t like the Lee government regarded the CEO of Nowcom as the CEO of Afreeca and seemed to protect him, taking it as suppression of the press.
However, he is not an independent activist. He is the immoral CEO of PDBox company. The point is that we don’t need to protect or help him, asking helping from netizens for his own sake. He’s not an independent activist, but a terrorist.
Many other netizens are concerned that this action of the government will lead to gradual pressure on free speech and expression. A netizen makes an example of other cases and talks about the function of the Internet.
[…]중국정부는 3월 20일에 25개 동영상 UCC싸이트을 서비스 중지하였다. 또한 10개 싸이트에 대해서 경고 처분을 내렸다. 이것은 앞으로 중국 정부가 동영상 UCC에 대해서 더욱 강력하게 관리를 할 것이라는 의미이며, 특히 외국계 투자자들의 투자 심리를 꽁꽁 얼어붙게 하는 처사이다. 또한 티베트 사태와 무관하다고 하면 웃길 소리일 것이다. 여기서 끝나지 않았다. 요즘들어서 “베이징 올림픽 저작권 문제”을 언급하며 다시 동영상 UCC싸이트에 대한 경고조치가 시작되었다. 이에 대해서 대부분의 중국인들도 이것은 과도한 탄압이라면서 반발을 하고 있다. 실제로 저작권법을 언급하며 UCC 싸이트에 경고를 보내지만, 실질적으로는 영상물로 슬슬 올라오기 시작하는 은근한 반정부영상물에 대한 경계라는 것이 중국쪽에서도 보편적인 인식이다.[…]
나는 지금 한국 정부에 진심으로 걱정스러운 눈빛을 던져본다. 왜냐하면 중국 정부의 행동도 겉으로는 “저작권 문제”을 운운하면서 사실은 언론에 대한 통제용이라고 모든 중국인들조차 입을 맞추고 있기 때문이다. 그런데 똑같은 행보를 한국에서 하고 있다. 한나라당의 사이드카 사태가 발생하고, 대통령은 아직도 “신뢰없는 인터넷은 약아닌 독될수도” 문제를 거론하고 있다. 대체 한나라당과 이명박 대통령의 생각이 무엇인지 읽을 수가 없다. 국민들을 바보로 아는 것 같다. 신뢰가 없는 글의 내용으로 네티즌을 움직일 수 있다고 생각하는가? 네티즌들은 누구보다도 의심병 환자들이다. “인증샷”이라던지 “링크”요구와 같은 것은 신뢰가 없는 내용에 대해서는 계속적으로 의심하고 또 의심한다. 본인 역시 그렇게 의심하면서 인터넷을 본다. 그리고 블로그가 대안이 되는 것이 대부분의 블로거가 자신의 이력을 공개하거나 지속적으로 글을 올림으로 인하여 네티즌에게 신뢰감을 얻었기 때문이다. 한마디로 그분들은 인터넷을 모른다. 후… […]
Now I’m concerned about the Korean government because Chinese even think that what the Chinese government officially talks about ‘copyright’ could be for controlling the media. And Korea follows the same path. The Grand National Party tries to apply the side car point (that the stock market uses) to the Internet and the President still says, “untrustful Internet could be the poison rather than the medicine.” I really don’t understand what they think. Do they think that writing without any trust can motivate netizens? Netizens are like patients who doubt everything at first. If there are no references or links on posts, they don’t trust those writings. I myself also use the Internet based on this doubt. And the reason why netizens trust blogs is bloggers should publicize their profiles and they get trust through continual writings. It seems that they still don’t understand the Internet.[…]

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kosovo: Cyber-Attacks · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LimbicNutrition Weblog writes that “pro-Serbian hacktivists” are attacking pro-Kosovo web sites.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Latvia: Economic Crisis and Theft · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Baltic reviews some of the signs of economic crisis in Latvia: lamps and veggies stolen from gardens, gas stolen from pumps and trucks.


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Mexico: Possible Destruction Due to Construction of Tunnel · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Blog Populi, Blog Dei [es] cites many of the possible environmental problems that might result from the construction of the Cerro de la Silla Tunnel near Monterrey, Mexico.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Nepal: Monarchy and after · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepali Netbook on the demise of monarchy and the political factors that might shape Nepal's future.


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Pakistan: Truck painting · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

All Things Pakistan on the fascinating art of truck painting.


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Paraguay: Victory Over Brazil · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Viviana Benitez of Panambi News [es] recounts her experience listening to the Paraguay's 2-0 victory over powerhouses Brazil on the radio.


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Poland: “Observations of the Polish Character” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

At Polandian, “observations of the Polish character” by Scatts: “Some of them relatively new or recently reinforced, others very old but all have been openly discussed with a variety of Poles who, for the most part, agree with me. Those who don’t agree with me, tend to disagree with anything bad being said about Poles by any foreigner. Fair enough.”


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Russia: Mail-Order Brides · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Anna Ershova shares her thoughts on “how (not) to date a Russian woman”: “According to some of my sociologist friends, many Russian women who marry a foreigner out of material reasons end up getting divorced after they get their new foreign citizenship. In the meantime, they often manage to get an education and a job. Many of them end up finding a man who is interested in things other than their similarity to Victoria’s Secret models.”


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Russia, Moldova: Pioneers · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scraps of Moscow writes about the Young Pioneers organization in Russia and Moldova.


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Russia: Moscow Football Fans · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LJ user nl posts two pictures of Moscow fans celebrating Russia's Euro 2008 victory over Sweden – here and here.


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Russia: New Army Chief of Staff · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Siberian Light writes about Nikolai Makarov, Russia's armed forces’ new chief of staff.


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Russia: Poverty · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog writes about poverty in Russia: “Apparently living poor isn’t just about surviving, it’s about surviving artfully.”


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Russia: Second-Hand Shopping · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Anna Ershova of Anna’s Out of Town News blogs at Siberian Light about second-hand shops in Russia – and the option of second-hand shopping via LiveJournal.


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Russia: The eXile · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Robert Amsterdam's blog – on the shutting down of the eXile – here and here.


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Russia, U.S.: Becky Hammon · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

FP's Passport starts a discussion on whether the U.S. basketball player who'll play for Russia at the Olympics is “a traitor or a savvy capitalist.”


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Serbia: Aleksandra Stratimirović Daggfeldt · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sandra Draskovic of Demystifying Serbian Design writes about the work of Belgrade- and Stockholm-based artist Aleksandra Stratimirović Daggfeldt.


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Soviet History: Political Jokes · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A Soviet-time joke in a post at Robert Amsterdam's blog: “… the man who goes to buy a car in Moscow, pays for it, and is told by the salesman that he can collect it on a particular date in 10 years’ time. The buyer thinks for a moment and then asks: ‘Morning or afternoon?’ The salesman, astonished by the question, asks: ‘What difference does it make?’ And the buyer answers: ‘Well, the plumber is coming in the morning.'”


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: R.I.P. Roy Ralph  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Abeni bids farewell to the late Roy Ralph, “the man who…epitomises Carnival” in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Land Ownership  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

KnowProSE.com is preparing for his new agricultural venture and blogs about a particularly mind-boggling encounter: “This is land ownership in Trinidad and Tobago. The police can't be involved in trespass of this sort because it revolves around ‘Civil Law’.  There isn't much civil about it, I suppose.”


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Ukraine: NATO Ads and Protests · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about pro-NATO ads and anti-NATO protests in Ukraine.


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Ukraine: Paul McCartney in Kyiv · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about and posts photos and video from Paul McCartney's concert in Kyiv.


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Africa: Afrigadget joins TIME’s Most Important Websites 2008 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Congratulations Afrigadget: “AfriGadget, that brave new face of the “can do” attitude personified has joined the prestigious community of  Time Magazine's 50 Best Websites 2008!”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Africa: Is PayPal effective in Africa? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Collins asks “Is PayPal effective in Africa?”: I believe that maybe Paypal does not recognize the potential and opportunities available in Africa and it is time we trumpeted this cause and let them know they are loosing out and costing us!


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Armenia: Children’s Political Park · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped comments on the latest move taken by the authorities to prevent tomorrow's planned rally by the radical opposition in the Armenian capital. In order to prevent supporters of the first president from assembling in Yerevan's Liberty Square, a children's park has been set up. The blog casts doubts on the Armenian government's commitment to meeting post-election demands from the Council of Europe.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: New Youth Initiative Action · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer reports on the second action staged by the newly formed HENQ Youth Initiative while my The Caucasian Knot also covers the flash mob staged today in the Armenian capital and includes photographs.


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Bahamas: Crime on the Agenda · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Rick Lowe of Weblog Bahamas continues his analysis of the crime problem and the failure of the judicial system. “The law”, he says, “needs to be allowed to take its course, free of political influence, plain and simple.”

author: Skye Hernandez


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Bahamas: Unfair Reporting · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I smell the stink of patriarchal collusion”: Bahamian blogger Womanish Words takes issue with the mainstream media's reporting of a brothel raid.


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Bolivia: Launch of Adriana Gil’s Political Party · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Sebastian Molina of Plan B [es] writes about the launch of a new political party by Adriana Gil called Democratic Force. The 26 year-old Gil was once an ally of Evo Morales and MAS and had opened up doors for the politician in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: Mass Grave; Court Case · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Srebrenica Genocide Blog posts images from a mass grave excavation at Zeleni Jadar. Foreign Policy Association's War Crimes blog writes about a case brought before a Dutch court to “determine whether Dutch peacekeepers operating under the flag of the United Nations are liable for the 1995 massacre of thousands of Muslims in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica.”


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China: Attitude Towards Homosexuality · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Li Yin-he posted a survey on the public opinion towards homosexuality. When compared with the U.S, Chinese are more moderate in their attitude [zh].

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Beijing subway line 8 opens · Global Voices
John Kennedy

China's Olympics are brought to us by the lucky number 8, as you've no doubt heard, so it only makes sense that line 8 of Beijing's subway system will bring us to the Olympics. David Feng at CN Reviews connects us with the details.

author: John Kennedy


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China: Cement Production · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Hilary Faxon from Shanghaiist blogs a stats on new cement production in China.


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China: Flood in Guangzhou City · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tianya forum has some photos on the recent flood in Guangzhou city.


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China: New website for a free Tibet · Global Voices
John Kennedy

“With the start of the Beijing Olympics less than 50 days away,” writes cold mtn at the Tibet Will Be Free blog, Students for a Free Tibet is stepping up its Olympic campaign efforts with a new website. Check out their new strategy and video here.


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China: Olympic trash · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Fast fact from the Sierra Club blog The Green Life: Organizers of the Beijing Olympics expect the daily garbage load from the Athletes Village to reach 110,000 pounds.


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China: Universal Education and Fragile School Buildings · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Deng Fei traces the background of the fragile school buildings in the earthquake zone to the local implementation of 9 years universal education [zh].


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Costa Rica: Andrea Morales Leaves Her Political Party · Global Voices
Roy Rojas

Andrea Morales, a deputy from the Citizens Action Party (PAC) in Costa Rica, caused controversy when she resigned from her political party, in which she has belonged to during the past several years.  Many speculate that her exit was expected, and others felt that she was forced to make that decision.
The young congresswoman has faced political pressure [es]  over the past few days. Pressue that very few has had to deal with, and as one blogger writes, that it appears that she truly wanted to help the country.  As Cristian Cambronero of Fusil de Chispas [es], “opportunistic or not, calculating or not, her attitude is civic.”
The Costa Rican blogosphere has been talking about this recent event, with some in favor and with others against.  However, each gives their opinion. Cambronero, who once supported the PAC and now regrets his vote says:
La actitud de Morales hoy es titubeante, floja. De asumir posiciones valiosas de divergencia con su propio partido, la diputada ha pasado a ser una feliz veleta a merced de los vientos del oficialismo, refiriéndose a que varios sectores del PAC le recriminan que ella ha tomado una posición de poca oposición contra el gobierno.
Morales’ attitude is tongue-tying and loose. By taking brave positions different from her own party, the deputy has become a happy weather vane at the mercy of the officialist party, referring to the fact that various sectors of the PAC are reproaching the fact that she has taking positions that have not been against the government.
The underlying question that this brings up is what happens when a deputy falls out of line with the official party and makes her own personal decisions? Should she be expulsed from her party? One of the decisions that have been criticized has been Morales’ decision to not oppose the laws so that the Free Trade Agreement is approved.  In her defense, she says that her decisions reflect the will of the people who voted for this agreement.
Dean Córnito en the blog La Suiza Centroamericana [es]:
De todos es conocida la posición de Andrea Morales con respecto al TLC. No lo apoyó, pero desde un principio dijo que habría que respetar la voluntad popular y que, en su visión de mundo, eso significaba no obstaculizar la agenda de implementación en la Asamblea si el TLC era aprobado en el Referéndum.
Everyone knows Andres Morales’ position on the Free Trade Agreement.  Even though I don't support it, she said from the beginning that one must respect the will of the people and in her vision of the world, this means to not be an obstruction in the implementation in Congress if the Free Trade Agreement was approved in the Referendum.
The PAC continues to commit errors after errors, and losing support little by little according to Roy Rojas of the News Star [es].  He writes in the post Costa Rica and its Political Games that the PAC is in trouble and due to the arrogance of its leader Ottón Solís, it would never notice it.
qué pasó con el partido político que le decía no al obstruccionismo, aquel partido que se perfilaba como la voz del pueblo?. Ahora el PAC se ha convertido en uno más, incluso por su falta de experiencia cometiendo errores que les puede costar muy caro en un futuro cercano
What happened to the political party that said “no” to obstructionism.  The party that represented the voice of the people? Now the PAC ahs become just another party, and for its lack of experience it is committing errors that could prove very costly in the near future.
The blog Manda Güevo [es] also shows support to Morales for standing up to the PAC leader.
However, not all agree with the decision. The blog La Foto Salió Movida [es], the writes is very direct in expressing displeasure at the deputy's behavior and says:
La diputada del PAC Andrea Morales, no sólo debería renunciar al PAC, si no a su curul. Esto como manera de respetar el convenio que firmó con su partido al inicio de la gestión, Con Morales tenía esperanzas, pero ahora ha enviado por un tubo grandes esfuerzos. Le endoso semejante responsabilidad, porque aunque diga todo lo contrario, ha dado de las peores muestras de coherencia que alguien pueda dar, más directos no podrían ser.
The PAC deputy Andrea Morales, should not only resign from the PAC, but also from her seat. This is something that would respect the agreement that she signed with her party at the beginning of her term.  With Morales, I had hope, but now she sent her efforts down the drain. I endorse such responsability, because even though she says the opposite, she has demonstrated the poorest examples of coherency, more direct it cannot be.
So the debate continues whether Andrea Morales did the right thing, and whether she should resign from her seat in the Legislative Assembly.  However, most bloggers applaud her decision and believe that she is being unfairly criticizes for her personal decision.

author: Roy Rojas


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D.R. of Congo: On the Rumba River · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A new film about Congolese music: On the Rumba River: a new French film on Congolese music and life on the world's second largest river, now a graveyard for abandoned barges and steamers.


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Haiti: Jean-Juste Charges Dropped  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Blog de Port-au-Prince is happy to report that all charges against Father Gerard Jean-Juste (the Catholic priest who is a prominent supporter of Famni Lavalas, the political party of ousted Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide) have been dropped.


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India: On Homophobia · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Remains of the Day from India lists various reasons for the prevalence of homophobia, both in the law and popular culture.


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Iran: Citizen Media Sex Scandal · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Earlier this month, students at Zanjan University in North-West Iran recorded and uploaded a video of their school's vice president, Hassan Madadi, with his shirt unbuttoned, allegedly preparing to have sex with a female student. Several Iranian websites and blogs say the female student had alerted her university's Islamic Student Association that she was under pressure by the vice president to have sex with him.
Students at other Iranian universities including Kirmanshah University have previously made allegations of sexual harassment from officials, without consequences. In this case, the evidence of citizen media was clear: students protested for one week, before the vice president was finally suspended. The President of the University apologized and thanked students.
Here is the video showing a very confused university vice president listening to the orders of the students who filmed him. This film has been watched more than 67,000 times in less than 10 days.
Iranian blogger, Asmoun Abi writes [fa]:
I am living in a country where the only thing I get is a veil. I am living in a country where you look at me as somebody to sleep with. I am living in a country where in its most secure and cultured place, a woman gets violated.
The blog, Zanjan1387 was launched by students in Zanjan University to keep readers updated about their protest movement. In this blog we read  [fa] that more than 1500 students signed a petition asking the Minister of Science to fire the President of Zanjan University. The blog has also published several photos and videos from different protests.
Sano claims [fa] that the vice president put pressure on this girl to have sex with him and wanted a 7 month “temporary marriage”. The blogger adds that before this incident there were other cases too.
Tourjan says  [fa] that the interesting point is that Madadi, the vice president who has acted in a very immoral way, a few weeks ago told the Association of Islamic Students that they would be shut down for doing immoral things!

author: Fred Petrossian


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Israel: Green Tourism in the Middle East · Global Voices
Maya Norton

Looking to leave a green footprint when you travel? Look no further than the Green Prophet for information on eco-tourism in the Middle East. “There’s no absence of environmentally friendly vacation options in Israel… But what’s a green tourist in the Middle East to do outside of Israel? Well, he or she doesn’t have to look much further than right next door (so to speak). In Jordan.”

author: Maya Norton


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Israel: Keffiyah Seen as Symbol of “Terrorist Chic”  · Global Voices
Maya Norton

Israellycool blogger Aussie Dave responds to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's image of Che Guevara wearing a traditional Arab headdress that “the keffiyeh [is] the latest symbol of terror chic.”


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Israel: New National Bird Good for a Laugh · Global Voices
Maya Norton

Embarrassed about your country's national bird? Don't be. Israel has one far more comical. Comedy Central's hit television show “The Colbert Report” cites Israel's choice of the long-billed hoopoe as evidence that, “Countries don't make passes at birds that wear glasses.”
Isrealli, who has the video clip, says:
Last night, Stephen Colbert reported on some of the more important developments going on in Israel. For starters, Israel has a new national bird.


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Jamaica: Crime Solution · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As Jamaicans clamor to re-institute the death penalty, My View of JamDown from Up So says: “In Jamaica we don’t merely try and convict criminals. We try and convict poor people and the poorly-connected.  We need to stop the gimmicks, nonsense, and short-cuts and begin to prosecute all criminals big and small.”


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Juneteenth  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican Geoffrey Philp remembers Juneteenth, “the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.”


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Japan: Minimum Wage · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

James blogs about the minimum wage policy in Japan with a chart comparing the wage standard in different countries.


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Kenya: E-Commerce Competitiveness · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Al Kags writes about the ICT Public Panel for e-commerce Competitiveness in Kenya: The purpose of the ICT Public Panel for ecommerce competitiveness was to look at all the issues that relate to the ecommerce framework in Kenya that will make kenya competitive from an ecommerce perspective.


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Kenya: Notoriety Index · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenyan Notoriety Index: Members of Parliament- Nothing good can be said of these people. They know how to debate on many issues concerning how to raise their money, how to use their money and how to have money after they leave parliament. Very progressive indeed.


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Kenya: Only Kenyans… · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Only Kenyans: 1. Are engaged for 5 years or more, 2.Never bother to divorce, they just separate, 3.Are late to church, work, and everything else, EXCEPT when the disco is free before 9pm, 4.Refer to diabetes as “SUGAR”, 5.Show up at weddings, showers, graduation, birthday parties with a new outfit on with nails and hair done but no gift


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Lebanon: on going clashes · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“Last night, three people were killed and four wounded [in Taalbaya and Saadnayel, two tiny villages in the Bekaa] in fighting that lasted from late evening to early morning and included RPGs and mortars…The victims, predictably, are all civilians who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,”
reports In the Middle of the East.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Lebanon: Prostitution · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

Bech writes about prostitution in the Palestinian refugee camp of Sabra and elsewhere in Lebanon.


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Lebanon: Condoleezza Rice’s Surprise Visit · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced, five-hour visit to Lebanon on Monday, June 16. She declared her government’s support for the newly elected Lebanese president, as well as for the Lebanese government, the parliament’s speaker and the democratic system in the country. Rice last visited Lebanon during the devastating 2006 Israel-Lebanon war that left more than 1,300 people dead, most of them Lebanese civilians. Here are some of the responses to this visit in the Lebanese blogosphere:
Sursock observed that death always follows Rice on her visits. He was also sarcastic about her brushing aside of any suggestions referring to the US interference in Lebanese politics, even after what she had to say upon visiting some of the Lebanese leaders:
Authorities in Lebanon say at least three people have died in clashes between pro- and anti-government groups in the eastern [Bekaa Valley] villages of Saadnayel and Taalbaya….
The clashes took place as Condi “birth pang” Rice paid a surprise visit to Lebanon. Death always seems to follow her. According to the AFP:
Rice said she made the trip to “express the United States’ support for Lebanese democracy, for Lebanese sovereignty.”
Tantalus criticized Rice’s incomprehensible support for some of the Lebanese leaders and questioned the actions of some of those leaders for whom she declared the backing of the US government:
Rice, talking to reporters at Ain al-Tineh said Speaker Nabih Berri realizes that he enjoys the backing of the United States.
That's quite confusing for all those who recall that Berri's thugs are the ones who spread the chaos during the fateful days of May 7-21. The Berri-backed Amal sons-of-b*****s threw stones, fired guns, burned tires, talked shit all over the city of Beirut. Was that US-backed too?
How does the US function?
Tears for Lebanon mentioned some of the criticism directed to Rice by some politicians for her treatment of the “March 14 Alliance” as school children:
Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun
on Tuesday criticized U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for
meeting leaders of the March 14 alliance like “students gathered in a
class room.”
However, he emphasized that “one issue remains vague, that is the issue of naturalizing Palestinians in Lebanon.”
Jnoubiyeh posted an article by Franklin Lamb in which he analyzes Rice's visit and in which he states that:
It is likely Ms. Rice's last visit to Lebanon, but not her finale to the region which have averaged roughly one appearance every 9 weeks since assuming her current post. Rice, as with the Bush administration generally, remains hugely unpopular here in Lebanon based partly on her callous remarks: ” it ( the wanton Israeli killing and bombing) are birth pangs of the new Middle East” , “it's too early for a sustainable ceasefire”, “Israel is just exercising its right to self-defense and the United States supports that right”, etc . during the 33 day July 2006 War and her work to delay a ceasefire during the fighting which directly contributed to the more than 1,400 Lebanese killed, 4,500 wounded and massive destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure as well as its economy and environment.


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Lebanon: Wilayat el Faqih · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

MFL wrote an informative study on the controversial issue of Wilayat el Faqih, that is currently taking up much of the political discussions in Lebanon, in an article he titled “Iran, Wilayat el Faqih, and Historical Facts.”


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Lithuania: Missile Shield Plan · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Robert Amsterdam and Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog write about an alternative U.S. missile shield plan that involves Lithuania.


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Morocco: The Fez Festival of World Sacred Music · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

As the 14th annual Fez Festival of World Sacred Music comes to a close, bloggers – both Moroccan residents and travelers – share their experience with this year's festival.  The View from Fez bloggers, who were fortunate enough to be in the thick of things for all of the festival, shared their favorite bits of the festival, one of which was the Sami singer Mari Boine:
The Batha Museum was the venue for what we had picked as one of the outstanding concerts for the entire Fez Sacred Music Festival – and we were not disappointed. Mari Boine is an amazing performer and the selection of Sami chants and songs was pure magic.
Equally outstanding were the arrangements and performance by her band. The guitar of Georg Buljo wove beautifully through the songs along with Svein Schultz on bass, Ole Jorn Mykelbust on trumpet and Gunnar Augland on percussion. Departing from her published programme, Boine gave us a taste of her earlier work with Gula Gula and exhibited her traditional joik throat singing to amazing effect. For those used to seeing a singer open their mouth wide to reach for a high note, it was extraordinary the volume and pure tones achieved by Boine with almost closed lips. Her drumming added a wonderful touch, but as she said – “My drum is used to cold weather.” So she wet the skin with a bottle of Sidi Ali!
As the festival wrapped, The View from Fez summed it up in a few words:
Nine days of afternoon and evening concerts, Sufi nights, art exhibitions, children's events, free concerts in the medina and the new city, Rencontres debates on the sacred, more talks at Palais Jamai, fringe events at Dar Batha … all in all a very busy time. How was it for you?
They also had a few criticisms of this year's event…
2008 was not a vintage festival and one is left with the impression that the programme was assembled on a very tight budget. The feeling is that the Fes Festival needs more money pumped into the artistic director's function of booking artists. In years past we've seen luminaries like Youssou N'Dour and Ravi Shankar, but such stars seem to be sadly missing these days.
…But in general were pleased with the work that went into it:
It's a huge job putting on such a big Festival, and The View from Fez congratulates the whole team.
Everything Morocco was also in Fez for the festival, and shared this tidbit:
Overall, this week at the Fez Festival has been a series of pleasant surprises, particularly Fahdel Jaziri's production of Hadhra and Abdelwahab Doukkali's special performance Thursday night at Bab Makina. We have seen Touaregs on the electric guitar, R&B saxophone in an Arab orchestra and all sorts of traditional instruments from every region of the globe. And there is no better place than Fez for all of this to come together at one time.
the art of the drum, who was just traveling through at the time, had much to say about the festival's commercialism:
In the most basic sense, sacred music seeks to create a spiritual connection with the Divine. Religious (sacred) music often is performed in the confines of a holy institution, like a church or temple, to eliminate worldly distractions. In the moments of a sacred music performance, is the stage not the temple? It is a doctrine of all religions to disavow any sort of commerce within the physical space of the institution? (Yes, yes, I have been to plenty of Hindu temples that sell souvenirs, and the Vatican does have a gift shop). Surely John 2:16 is not just a Christian prospect – materialism has no place inside of a mosque or synagogue or any sort of holy sanctuary, for that matter. How can proper devotion to the Divine be made when a vender is hawking Hagaan Daz a hundred feet from the stage? At what point do we distinguish between reverence and exploitation?
He also took issue with the sense of “orientalism” about the event:
Another reservation for me to endorse the festival is the immense sense of Orientalism that surrounds the festival. The concept of Orientalism, as written about by the great scholar Edward Said, essentially states that in the West, we have a very skewed view of the Eastern cultures. Strictly in terms of “religious studies,” some Westerners perceive Eastern religions as more “mystical” than Western traditions, and thus they are “better.”(You see this practice quite frequently in India, Westerns that “adopt” Hinduism because of the esoteric essence of an Eastern religion)
The blogger also added:
Clearly, I have very strong feelings about the essence of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music. Believe it or not, as you will read in future posts specifically about my experiences at the performances, I genuinely enjoyed the festival – despite my many, many reservations about it. Take what I wrote with a grain of salt: as Man Ray once said, “All critics should be assassinated.”
Photograph of Ismael Lo and the Hamadcha Brotherhood by The View from Fez

author: Jillian C. York


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Pakistan: Death Penalty · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Pak Tea House publishes a report on the death penalty and there is a small discussion in the comments space.


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Pakistan: Journalism and Agendas · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Five Rupees from Pakistan on agenda-based journalism that determines the kinds of headlines one sees in newspapers.


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Pakistan: Price hikes and the Government · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Pakistani Spectator on the apathy of the government towards the spiraling price hikes.


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Poland: Lech Wałęsa · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Polandian writes about allegations that Lech Wałęsa collaborated with the Communists.


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Russia: Update on Politkovskaya’s Murder · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog posts an update on the investigation into the 2006 murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya.


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Serbia: Free Wi-Fi Zone Vandalized · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LimbicNutrition Weblog reports that the recently installed free wi-fi zone in Students Park in Belgrade has been vandalized.


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South Korea: the Korean Dream · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Michael Solis from Ohmynews reports on the migrant workers’ story in South Korea.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Life and Death  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Notes from Port of Spain shares his thoughts on death.


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Zimbabwe: Help a Zimbabwean return home to vote · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A campaign to help Zimbabweans abroad return home to vote: Sponsorship options include assisting an employee with a return ticket, paying for one or more seats on a bus via the www.votezim.com website, or even sponsoring an entire bus.


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Zimbabwe: Mapping terror · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mapping terror in Zimbabwe: Sokwanele has mapped a sample of the cases based on recorded first hand testimony from victims, and the interactive map so far bears witness to over 1,000 confirmed experiences of terror and intimidation.


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Zimbabwe: Murders and violence · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Violence and murders continue in Zimbabwe: Four MDC youths were this morning found dead after Zanu PF and state security agents had abducted them in Chitungwiza yesterday morning.


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Afghanistan: Brokenness of a Different Sort · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust reports on an incendiary new report on the abuse of detainees in U.S. custody at overseas facilities like Bagram air base in Afghanistan.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Afghanistan: Displaced Families Face Lethal Circumstances · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Rumi reports that the problem of displaced families who currently live in camping in a desert nearby Mazar-I-Sharif city was discussed on the special meeting of Afghanistan Human Right Commission, Balkh Provincial Enlightenment Movement and civil rights activists.


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Bangladesh: Working in Bahrain · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A discussion on the state of Bangladeshi workers in Bahrain at Unheard Voices.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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China and U.S: Why Block Chinese Direct Investment · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

DANWEI posts an article by Pete Sweeney questioning the U.S government's policy in blocking Chinese direct investment.


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China: Is the West afraid of our patriotism? · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Are there factors informing your perception of China circa 2008? Novelist-blogger and researcher of worldly affairs Yang Hengjun moves on from ‘How did America cover up the truth of the bombing of our embassy in Yugoslavia?’ to his post last week, ‘Are Western countries afraid of the Chinese people's patriotic fervor?’
提起这个题目我又要提起一段往事——后来每每回想起来就让我有些黯然神伤的往事。1997年台海危机一触即发，台海周边形势紧张。当时我们在华盛顿做了一个日本和台海问题的研讨会，会议主发言人是来自日本防卫厅的主掌美日情报交换的某君。这位日本情报官在谈到周边各国对当前局势的看法的时候，使用了排列句子。说到美国可能出现的情况，他的排列是：白宫如何看待危局，国会如何做决定（出兵要国会批准），美国的民意又会如何演变（因为美国民意会最终决定总统如何介入台海危机以及介入多深）；他说到日本的各界的反应是这样的：日本首相会如何、日本执政党和国会又如何，右派势力会否抬头，以及日本民众的民意走向会如何影响事态发展，影响有多大；在他谈到台湾时，排列也是类似的：总统李登辉的意思、军方的忧虑以及台湾2千多万民众的态度如何决定台湾的政策……
最后他说到了中国大陆也是这样排列的：中国政府的看法（他又把它分成了温和派和强硬派），中国军方的一些看法，中国地方政府（诸侯的态度）——文章到此结束。
日本情报官对于可能进一步恶化的台海危机，提出了当时牵涉其中的各国可能持有的态度和采取的措施，基于公开资料和日本情报部门的研判，还是有一定说服力的。可是他的报告刚刚做完，美国前驻北京大使馆武官文某就提出了一个问题：你的报告在谈到各国各方势力的态度时，都提到了政府和民众的互动，比较全面。但是，我也注意到，在你提到中国各方面的反应和可能对最终政策的影响时，你唯独没有论及中国民众和中国的民意。12亿人的意见难道不重要？
In response to the possibility that the Taiwan Strait Crisis could begin to deteriorate, this Japanese intelligence official brought up the likely stances held and steps to be taken by each country involved, basing them on publicly available information and Japanese intelligence agency assessments, so it was rather convincing. But, just as he finished his report, a former American military attache stationed at the embassy in Beijing brought up a question: in your report you discuss the stances held by various countries and powers, mentioning the interaction between government and people, very thoroughly. But, I've noticed one thing, that when you brought up the various responses in China and their possible impact on a final outcome, the only thing you didn't mention are the Chinese people and public opinion in China. So what, are the opinions of 1.2 billion people unimportant?
事情过去很久了，而且我也在一些场合提到了这个例子对我的影响，可是，今天还是想起来了，并先记录下来。也许现在的中国有所不同了？但愿如此。但那天那个日本情报官为自己论文的辩护是这样说的，中国的民意应该是和官方一致的，至少是被控制的，他们自己的发不出来，就是发出来也不会影响政府的决定。而且，在没有任何独立的途径得到中国民意相关数据时，我还是认为不能写进论文里，不严肃。
12亿民众的民意竟然是无法预测的，是被政府控制的，是不严肃的，对于我这位12亿人中的一员，我的心情可想而知。
1997年后互联网迅速崛起，成为西方了解中国大陆民意的重要工具，然而，如果从学术的角度，那些数据还是有些问题的，而且最主要的是，互联网反应出的大陆民意就是准确的？没有被控制和删减吗？
The public sentiment of 1.2 billion people actually cannot be predicted, and being under control, it is unreliable. As one of those 1.2 billion people, you can easily imagine how I feel.
Since 1997, the internet has quickly risen, and become the primary tool with which the West is able to understand popular opinion in mainland China. That said, if one considers the academic's perspective, this data is still problematic, mainly the question ‘are mainland public opinion responses given on the internet accurate? Aren't they controlled or getting deleted?’
[snip]
Yang spends the next several paragraphs shifting the topic onto the US bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, considering the truth of the matter, the anger in China regardless of one, and proceeds with the assumption that the bombing might have been mistaken, as claimed at the time:
“误炸”使馆事件出来后，中方反应之大，出乎意外，中美关系一下子降到底点，甚至比1996年台海危机时还要恶劣。“误炸”大使馆的一个最大结果就是中国民众的爱国激情被炸了出来，这激情如此之烈，以致让人无法分清是爱国主义还是民族主义了。两年前那位日本情报官已经回到日本情报部门任职，我想这使他一定很吃惊，他会不会说：哇塞，中国民众的声音终于发出来了？
但发出来了是发出来了，问题却在于，这种声音有多少可以进入他的研究报告之中？或者他又会在现在的情报研究中如何评价中国民众的爱国热情呢？他会提醒日本和美国政府不要掉以轻心？研究周边问题的情报分析对于这种爱国和民族主义当然不会错过，但中国这种爱国主义和民族主义的大混合是否是政府处理对外关系的一种重要依据？或者只是政府掌控的一种用来达到自己对外对内政策的一种手段和策略？——相信这是美日情报机关最为关心的事情了。
这也是我今天要说的最主要意思，虽然和轰炸大使馆离得有点远。大家不妨思考几个问题：中国民间痉挛似的爱国激情和时不时冒出来的民族主义对我们国家的对外政策是否有影响？是否影响中国和世界各国特别是西方、日本等国家的关系？是否影响我们的国际贸易？是否影响到中国的经济发展，影响了中国融入世界？那么再思考一下，每一次的爱国热情过后，给中国带来了什么变化？
Voice coming out is fine and well, but the real problem is: of these voices, how many of them will end up in his research reports? I mean, how else could he be assessing the Chinese public's patriotic fervor in his reports now? Will he be warning Japan not to lower its guard with the American government? Intelligence analysis of research into neighboring countries’ issues of course will not miss patriotism and nationalism such on this scale, but is China's super-blend of patriotism and nationalism a key foundation of the government's approach to foreign relations? Or was it just a sort of tactical strategy controlled by the government to demonstrate for others its own internal policy? I believe that this was the thing that American and Japanese intelligence agencies paid the most attention to.
This is also the main point I want to make today, even if the embassy bombing departs from that. People would do well to consider a few questions: Chinese civil unrest that appears to be patriotic fervor and the nationalism that occasionally pops out from that, does this have any impact on our country's foreign policy? Does this affect China's relationship with the world, particularly with Japan and the West? Does this affect our international trade? Does it affect China's economic growth, or China's place in the world? And consider also, following every patriotic fervor episode, what changes has it brought to China?
对于我来说，这尤其重要，因为我也爱国，也激情，但无论怎么激情的爱国，我的目标是要中国能够继续经济发展，社会稳定，而且政治不断进行与时俱进改革。而这也是我对一些爱国热情和民族主义非常之担心的，认为任何人不管你高调还是低调爱国，不过你说自己是爱国主义，还是民族主义，如果你的爱国不能够提高人民生活水平，让中国人的人权得到保障，生活安定，政治清明，如果你的爱国不符合人类日益接受的普世价值，你的爱国就是误国，你也就无异于爱国贼。爱国也就是爱民。
这就是每一次看到爱国又起的时候，我最担心的，会不会把国际关系全部搞坏了？会不会破坏我们的经济发展了？会不会，说到这里我是很欣赏“韬光养晦”的策略的 ——你还别说，经过这一段时间的观察和调查，我得出了也许让很多反对冲动爱国的人士不那么喜欢听的结论：中国民众无论是反日抵制日货，还是到抗议美国轰炸大使馆，再到把爱国大游行搞到国外去，保护圣火等等，所有的这些激情大爱国，都没有影响中国政府和外国政府正常交往，没有影响多边经贸关系。
This is what worries me every time I see patriotism rising up again, wondering if it will completely ruin international relations. Will it ruin our economic growth? Having said that, I really admire the ‘play dumb, keep quiet and bide your time’ policy. Wait now–after some time observing and investigating, I've arrived at a conclusion that many people who oppose impulsive patriotism might not like: The Chinese people, whether in protesting against Japan, boycotting Japanese goods, or even protesting America's embassy bombing, then from there taking the big patriotic protests to other countries, protecting the sacred torch and what have you, none of this super patriotic fervor had any impact on the Chinese government's usual interactions with foreign governments or on multilateral trade relations.
从这一方面说，我对中央政府的清醒头脑大加赞赏。他们显然比爱国的群众更“理智”，你砸大使馆可以，但中美关系特别是和美国人做生意一如既往；你到街上喊两声抵制日货或者砸两部日本汽车可以，但在政府的主导下，一部日本小车被砸倒，千千万万辆日本小车站了起来；你说抵制法货可以，但如果真激情到家乐福门口去折腾，公安会伺候你；你把美国怎么骂都不为过，但中美贸易一日千里，人员交往日新月异……最主要的是，几乎所有的爱国热情都是被政府的某种言行及时划上了一个句号：就在海外留学生爱国爱得要死要活的时候，中央发话了：干好你自己的事就是爱国。就在抵制日货呼声没有停下来时，领导人说了，记住历史，忘记仇恨；就在愤青们都想把CNN吃掉的时候，却发现地政救灾中，CNN是最重要一家被中央政府允许进入灾区的媒体！而且就在部分民众包括那个余秋雨高叫海外反华势力的时候，政府只字不提不说，而且还和这些外国政府打得火热……
一次狼来了，西方人很紧张，两次狼来了，西方政府冷静了一些，等你一而再再而三地折腾以反西方某个国家和个人为主的爱国主义时，西方人终于笑了。他们笑什么？他们笑我们那种奇怪的爱国主义，看上去毫无内容的爱国主义，让他们折腾吧，他们的政府不会怎么样，他们照样和我们做生意，他们照样和我们来往，一切照旧。于是，我们看到了，当中国在西方主要国家的中国留学生挥舞五星红旗宣示爱国的时候，人家冷眼旁观，西方主流媒体甚至于不屑于报道，人家根本不把你当回事。人家知道，你在怎么折腾，你不敢不和他们做生意，不敢宣布自己把门关起来，当然那些留学生更不敢收起皮箱，打道回府，那人家还有什么好担心的，好怕的？
Start acting up once, and Westerners get nervous; twice, and western governments calm down a bit, waiting for you to get over agitating about some western country or another, and get over your personal patriotism, and in the end westerners just laugh. What are they laughing at? They're laughing at our strange sort of patriotism, which for all appearances is completely void of patriotism, so ‘let them agitate,’ they think, ‘their government won't do anything about it, they'll keep on doing business with us, keep on dealing with us, and everything will be just as it was. Then we saw that when Chinese exchange students in major western countries started waving the five-star red flag and declaring their love for China, people just watched with indifference, and western mainstream media didn't even bother reporting it, pretending like you weren't even there. Because those people know, no matter how agitated you get, you won't dare trying to stop doing business with them, or threaten to slam the door and lock yourselves away, and of course those overseas students wouldn't dare start packing up their suitcases and return home. So what else is there for people to be worried about, afraid of?
那么现在让我们涉入最深层的问题，既然中国民众的爱国热情不但对中国政府对外决策不起影响，而且弄得外国人也麻木了，人家不但不怕，而且觉得好玩，那么这种爱国激情为什么还像肌肉痉挛一样，过一段时间就来那么一次，而且每次到来的时候，还往往让你感觉到有人在煽风点火？真得一点作用没有？目的何在？
不抵制外国产品，也不会缩减经贸交往，连国际交往也没有减少，而且我们的爱国主义几乎没有几次能够真正成功迫使西方政府对我们政府让步的，很多时候反而造成西方政府对我们发难。那么这种爱国主义到底有什么作用？
If you don't boycott foreign goods, you won't reduce trade interaction, you won't even reduce international engagement, and what's more is that our patriotism it seems has rarely been able to successfully force western governments to yield to ours, instead most of the time it just leads to western governments raking us over the coals. So what exactly is the purpose of this kind of nationalism?
[Snip]
可见，中国的民族主义和爱国主义以及激烈的反对西方的运动，并没有阻止中国政府和西方国家的进一步交往，特别是没有影响中国和西方在经贸、科教甚至社会方方面面的交往，唯一影响的是中国老百姓对西方的认识，对西方以人权、民主和自由为主体的价值观的了解！
现在，让我回到这篇文章的假设和我的推论，美国误炸大使馆，可是却搞出了那么激烈的抗美爱国事件，中国人民被激怒了，于是去抗议去游行去示威，去砸大使馆，就在大家快要激动到忍不住要去“援越抗美”的时候，中央接受了美国提出的赔款要求，误炸事件被确认下来，爱国游行倏然收场。
可是，“误炸”大使馆事件却成为一个深深影响中国人的标志性事件。就在几天前，我和一位比较喜欢的80后聊天，他说到自己的思想变化时，说，我以前也会同意你的观点，但1999年美国轰炸我大使馆，让我突然清醒过来，改变了我对美国的看法，对中国的看法。
Now, let me go back to this post's assumption and my deduction from it, that America mistakenly bombed [our] embassy, and out of that came an intense anti-American patriotic incident. The Chinese people were enraged, and went to protest and went to demonstrate and went to rally, and smash up the American embassy, and right when people were so worked up that they couldn't hold themselves back from opposing America that the central government accepted America's terms for compensations, and once the mistaken bombing incident had been confirmed as such, the patriotic demonstrations ended quickly.
But, the “mistaken bombing” of the embassy incident went on to become a symbolic incident which is deeply affected the Chinese people. Just a few days ago I was chatting with one post-1980s kid that I'm really fond of, and when he began to talk of how his own thinking has changed, he said, ‘I used to agree with your point of view, but after the American bombing of my embassy in 1999, I quickly woke up and changed my views towards America, and towards China.’
我真是太震惊：你不会告诉我轰炸大使馆事件竟然能够改变了你的价值观？那真是太神奇了！！如果这个轰炸是误炸呢？难道你没有发现问题，你的价值观到底是被什么改变的？！轰炸使馆事件是把你震醒了？还是轰炸大使馆事件后发生的那些爱国游行事件把你弄糊涂了？！
有人说，你说了半天，还是基于这次轰炸是“误炸”，可如果不是误炸呢？好，那么就让我告诉你，如果我们的假设是对的，那是误炸的话，那么你如何解释这次误炸竟然阴错阳差地改变了一代人对美国（及其价值观）的看法？用你自己的脑袋想一想吧。
现在我再告诉你：我并不认为轰炸大使馆是误炸，“误炸”只是这篇文章的假设。但即使不是误炸，我也因那件事竟然改变了一些人对世界和自己的看法，而且开始塑造一代年轻人的世界观感到无比震惊。
而且，当你和我一起开始认定那次轰炸不是“误炸”的时候，在你对世界的观点改变之前，你最好和我一起问这样一个问题：以美国为首的北约为什么胆敢轰炸我大使馆？
Someone said, ‘you've been going on about this forever, you might as well stick to the bombing having been “mistaken”. But what if it wasn't? Okay, well then just let me tell you, if our assumption is correct, and it was a mistaken bombing, then how do you explain that despite all odds how it was that this mistaken bombing was actually able to change an entire generation's views (and its values) regarding America? Use your brain to think about this one.
And now let me tell you: I don't believe that the bombing of the embassy was a mistaken. “Mistaken bombing” is only the assumption made in this post. But, even if it wasn't a mistaken bombing, because of that incident, I too have in fact seen some of my views of the world and of myself change, and have also begun to form a sense of incomparable shock at one generation's view of the world.
Moreover, when you and I begin to recognize together that that explosion was not “mistaken”, but before your view of the world changes, you'd be best off to do as I do and ask this kind of question: ‘Why would NATO, as headed by America, have the audacity to blow up one of our embassies?’


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China: Right to Entertainment · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ran Yun-fei from my1510 points out that earthquake victims need entertainment to restore their lives, others shouldn't be too harsh to judge them [zh].


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Cuba: Europe to Lift Sanctions · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

The Cuban Triangle takes note of the European Union's decision to lift sanctions imposed in 2003, while Ninety Miles Away….in another country quotes Oswaldo Yañez to provide a “frame of reference” for this development.


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Dominican Republic: Questioning the Milk Given to School Children · Global Voices
Alan Davidson

Photo by Guille Padilla and used under a Creative Commons license
In what might seem small inconsequential news, the Dominican Republic is going through a milk scandal and it is being blogged that sugar water is being given to school children in place of whole or regular milk.  The Daily Dominican [en] writes:
The Dominican Pediatrics Society (SDP) is calling for the Ministry of Education to discontinue the purchase of a breakfast drink that a TV investigative journalist Nuria Piera determined fails to meet its own established minimum standards of nutrition. Dr. Tharsis Hernandez, president of the SDP said that what the Ministry is serving is “whey” or “water with sugar.
The ministry of education has a contract with a number of different milk providers, one of which is the Dominican Dairy Producers (Ladom), according to Blog Santo Domingo [es].  The official who is presiding over the quality of the milk given to school children is Minister Alejandrina German, whose daughter works in an administrative position with Ladom.  German stated that this liquid is not toxic:
Pero esa no es la inquietud en relación al líquido que Lacteos Dominicanos (LADOM) introduce en nuestras escuelas públicas y pretende hacer pasar por leche. El problema está en que este líquido no tiene los nutrientes suficientes para llamarse leche y es comparable a un suero de agua con colorante. Frente a estas acusaciones Alejandrina Germán se hizo la loca y declaró que el líquido no intoxica. ¿Y cuando ha visto ella que el agua con colorante intoxica?
However, that is not the issue in relation to the liquid that LADOM provides to our public schools and attempts to pass as milk.  The problem is that this liquid does not have the sufficient nutrients to be called milk and it is comparable to an IV for colored water. Facing these accusations, Alejandrina Germán played dumb and declared that the liquid is not toxic.  When has she seen colored water be toxic?
Piera, the journalist with Color Vision, first broke the news around the first of June.  Clave Digital [es] blogged that he received a letter from a concerned parent about the apparent poor quality of the milk her child receives and said parent’s inability to give her child another milk option.  Piera, along with fellow journalist Odalis Castillo, had independent tests administered on the milk to discover that the Ladom brand does not meet the minimum qualifications for protein.
German has denied these statements, according to Clave Digital [es], saying that there wasn’t any milk in the school system that did not meet the protein requirements.  However, when pressed by reporters, she declined to mention the milk provider that was temporarily suspended.
Blogger Leoncio Bautista of El Informador [es] wrote that the chairman of the Federation of Dominican Merchants, Ivan Garcia, said that every year the Dominican Dairy Companies (Ladom) comes under attack because of other producers’ inability to reach Ladom’s level of excellence; and the competitiveness of this type of business leads to these false claims.
Explicó que ahora se han inventado que la leche que sirve esta industria al Desayuno Escolar “es pura agua”, una denuncia falaz, sin fundamentos, que no resiste al más mínimo razonamiento de una población inteligente, como la dominicana, que sabe distinguir entre lo bueno y lo malo, lo que tiene calidad en el mercado.
(Garcia) explains that the claim that the milk served in this industry to the School Breakfast is “purely water,” is false and without proof,  and that it is not backed by the most minimal reasoning of an intelligent populace, such as the Dominicans, that knows how to distinguish between the good and the bad quality that can be found on the market.

author: Alan Davidson


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Ecuador: Twitter Updates of Qualifying Game · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The recent World Cup qualifying game between Colombia and Ecuador was covered by the newspaper HOY through the use of live twitter updates writes Christian Espinosa of Cobertura Digital [es].


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Hong Kong: Internet Service Fee Scandal · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ibrahim from Outblaze blogs about the recent internet service fee scandal in Hong Kong. The extremely high bill (HK$14,000) is due to policy on the by the “byte” extra charge on Internet access.


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India: Marrying an NRI · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Heartcrossings on the diminishing value of the once prized trophy – a Non Resident Indian groom.


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India: Quitting · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

zigzackly survives a heart attack, and now details his plan to quit smoking.


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Japan and China: East Sea Deal · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Sun Bin blogs about the details of the East Sea oil field deal between Japanese and Chinese government.


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Japan: Greenpeace Members Arrested · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Martin J Frid from Kurashi blogs about the arrest of two Greenpeace members in Japan. The arrest is related to the whale meat scandal.


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Kazakhstan: Astana’s Pyramid · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam posts a picture of the notorious Pyramid of Peace, whose project was developed by the project by Sir Norman Foster, in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.


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Kazakhstan: Sputnik lost · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Lena B-va reports that the first and the only Kazakh satellite, which was launched last year with a great PR and pompous celebrations, is out of control due to a computer glitch and is likely to be lost.


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Kyrgyzstan: Ahead of Olympiad · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elena reports that there will be 20 Kyrgyz sportsmen in Beijing at Olympic Games 2008.


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Kyrgyzstan: Visa Issue · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elena publishes a list of countries which don’t need to get the visa to visit Kyrgyzstan.


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Pakistan: Slasher Flick · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

CHUP! on the first Pakistani slasher flick – Zibahkhana.


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Paraguay: First Week Back Home · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Muna Annahas reflects on her first week back in Paraguay and notes that the famous Hotel Guaraní in Asuncion has now reopened its doors after many years of abandonment.  She also visits a local hospital and acts to help the patients in need.


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South Korea: Sentiment Behind Anti Beef Protest · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Korea Beat looked into the sentiment of protesters in the anti-U.S beef demonstration by some protest statistics. Ask a Korean pointed out earlier that the leaders and participants of demonstrations are different in their attitude towards U.S.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Watching (out for) Whales · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Life from a caffeine hyped point of view takes issue with some of the justifications being made for the resumption of commercial whaling—and recalls the day she found herself “holding a whale” off the southeastern coast of Trinidad.


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African Pioneers Win Green Energy Prize · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

The African Uptimist congratulates three African companies for winning the 2008 Ashden Awards.

author: Juliana Rotich


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Barbados: Caribbean Football Falters · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Living in Barbados comments on the fortunes of regional football teams, as qualification matches begin for World Cup 2010.


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China: Bad Fuwa! · Global Voices
John Kennedy

From Flickr user Matthew J. Stinson: “My favorite graffiti here depicts one of the Fuwa as a graffiti artist. It was added about a month ago.”


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China: Free blogphones from fring for the Olympics · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Vlogging the Olympics might be off-limits now (so they think), so hopefully that won't affect fringsters who show up with new free fring swag, in return for blogging Olympic events.


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Cuba: Election Summer  · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Circles Robinson Online on Cubans’ interest in November's US presidential election, and what the possible election of Barack Obama may mean for relations between the two countries.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Wildlife in Peril · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

The re-introduction of the Blue and Gold Macaw to Trinidad's Nariva Swamp some years ago was a triumph for environmentalists. Why does the glass have to be half empty or half full? is outraged at the news that the successful breeding programme has been endangered by poachers.


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Venezuela: Government Halts Proposed Education and Intelligence Policy Changes · Global Voices
Luis Carlos Diaz

In 2007, when President Hugo Chávez announced that he was going to begin the “5 engines for the construction of socialism in Venezuela,” he did not know that one year later that he would be changing speeds or in some cases, going in reverse.  The socialist revolution in the petroleum-producing country appears to have some difficulties in the attempt to govern in order to resolve the country's most serious problems.
Meanwhile, concerns and issues appear each week like fireworks, dispersing one's attention. There have been many bumping of heads with the Venezuelan government ever since it lost last December's referendum aimed at reforming the national Constitution. This is part one in an article collecting some viewpoints of Venezuelan bloggers regarding Chavez’ recent policy changes regarding education and intelligence.
Due to the discomfort from many teachers across the country, the new Bolivarian Educational Curriculum was halted, which had included several “socialist” ideological components that was to be included in the students’ studies. Blog Al Agua [es]  attended one of the classes for teachers and comments:
Resulta pavoroso el hecho de que se pretenda ideologizar la educación venezolana a partir de un palimpsesto de imágenes nacionalistas, frases hechas de corte castro-comunista y lugares comunes de la indefinible politiquería oficial. Terrible el hecho de que se mantenga a los educadores sometidos a esa vejación a punta de amenazas sobre su futuro profesional.
It is scary that one would attempt to ideologize Venezuelan education through the palimpsest of nationalistic images, Castro-like and Communist phrases and places common to the official undefinable politics.  It is terrible that these educators are subject to thise type of humiliation to a point where their professional futures are threatened.
RomRod [es] also said that there lacked debate from public opinion, and that the law was not analyzed carefully:
Como corderitos todos van a la jornadas donde les están inyectando a los docentes de este país el nuevo currículum bolivariano mesmo.
Like sheep, everyone goes to work where the same new Bolivarian curriculum in injected into the country's teachers.
A month later, due to the underground displeasure from the teachers’ unions, the government withdrew the educational program that included remnants of the Constitutional reform that was not approved.
The National Assembly also decided to reverse some laws that it had changed to control the motorized traffic anarchy [es] and the high bus fares. After two large protests that collapsed the center of Caracas [es], both measures were cancelled. In addition to the raise in fares, the bus drivers called for justice for the kidnapping of an owner of a transport line.  Days later he was murdered.
Another episode that had a lot of repercussions in the Venezuelan blogosphere was the decreed Law of Intelligence and Counterintelligence impulsed by Chávez through this entitled power.  In Venezuela, the president was given the power to legislate and take on Congressional powers, in which the laws are not debated or approved in consensus by the citizens. This time, the debate took place after the fact and soon after, the sound of the streets and the internet sounded in the ears of the president.  The Law of Intelligence and Counter-intelligence denominated the Toad Law (because a toad has a big mouth capable of telling others), turned Venezuela into a country of spies.  The blogosphere was very active and said things like this:
The blogger Panfleto Negro [es] said  “Todos seremos sapos” (We Will All Be Toads):
Como todos sabemos la defensa contra los crimenes contra la “seguridad nacional” ha sido la coartada usada por todos los gobiernos con ansias totalitarias – asi se escuden bajo ropajes democraticos – para acabar con sus adversarios politicos, con las demandas de los sectores sociales y mantener al resto de la poblacion en estado subalterno mediante la represion y la autorepresion impulsada por el miedo y la desconfianza mutua que son los unicos productos de una ley tan inhumana.
We all know that the defense against crimes against “national security” has been the alibi used by all of the governments with totalitarian yearnings – that is how they hide under democratic clothing – in order to get rid of their political adversaries, and attend to the demands of the social sectors and maintain the rest of the population in a subordinate state through repression and self-repression caused by fear and mutual distrust, which would be the only products of such an inhumane law.
Iria Puyosa of Resteados [es] adds her thoughts on an especially troubling part of the proposed law:
“Este 28 de mayo salió en Gaceta Oficial la Ley del Sistema Nacional de Inteligencia y Contrainteligencia. Our very own Homeland Security Act, our Venezuelan Patriot Act. El Artículo 6 asigna las competencias al Sistema Nacional de Inteligencia y Contrainteligencia, entre otras cosas incluye:
“Identificar, prevenir y neutralizar toda actividad interna o externa ejecutada por cualquier factor que pretenda atentar contra la seguridad, la soberanía nacional, el orden constitucional y las instituciones democráticas.”
Es decir, casi cualquier cosa que usted se pueda imaginar que no le guste al gobierno”.
On May 28, in the official Gazette the Law of the National System of Intelligence and Counterintelligence was released. Our very own Homeland Security Act, our Venezuelan Patriot Act. Article 6 outlines the responsabilities of this system, which includes:
“Identifying, preventing and neutralizing all internal or external activity conducted by any factor that attempts to attack against security, national sovereignty, constitutional order or democratic institutions.”
In other words, almost anything that you can image that the government doesn't like.
Khandika of Enigma Express [es] writes about a country of frogs and traitors.  He also includes a piece of graffiti that says “Big Brother is Watching You.”
Me acuerdo de un profesor de la UCV que nos decía: venezuela es un nido de traidores. Y nosotros tomábamos la frase a manera de mamadera de gallo. Pero regresemos al tema de sapos y traidores. O más sutilmente de inteligencia y contrainteligencia. De ahora en adelante los informantes y colaboradores serán recompensados por el Estado acobijados bajo la nueva política de inteligencia y contrainteligencia. […] El fin último, en ambos casos, es de todas maneras el mismo: la obtención de información acerca de los enemigos. En este caso los enemigos, son los enemigos de la revolución.
I remember a professor from the UCV who would tell us: Venezuela is a nest of traitors. We took that phrase like a joke.   Coming back to the topic of frogs and traitors. Or more subtle regarding intelligence and counterintelligence. From now on, informants and collaborators will be compensated by the state sheltered under the new policy of intelligence and counterintelligence […] Now in both cases, it is the same: the collection of information about one's enemies. In this case the enemies are enemies of the revolution.
Even though different political spokespersons appeared defending the law, the reversal was already in place.  Chávez left his supporters with their defense on their lips and ordered the withdrawal of the law under the argument that the law is not bad, but there are components that generate fear through the use of the internet, text messages, television, the press and the radio. He continued by saying that there no dictatorship in place that no  one would be obligated to say anything more that they want.
Jeanfreddy of Hay Que Ser Irresponsable [es] writes about the strategic halt to the law and Chavez’ change of tone:
¡Alerta! Vuelve aquella labia de “por amor”. Como novio arrepentido, que viene por debajito porque se sabe culpable, es capaz de hacer las cosas más insólitas, bellas y conquistadoras, para mostrarse como alguien diligente, conciliador y hasta justo. Quizás cambiado.
Caution! The rhetoric of “love” returns.  Just like a contrite boyfriend, who comes crawling back because he knows he was wrong, he is capable of making things more unheard, beautiful and conquering, to show himself to be someone diligent, conciliating and even fair.  Maybe even changed.

author: Luis Carlos Diaz


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Armenia: FUNarchists · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Seetizen, the blog of a youth activist, comments on the approach taken by a new youth initiative in the country. The blog says that by encouraging young Armenians to develop ideas about changing their situation, HENQ offers an alternative to the approach favored by those initiatives supporting the radical opposition.


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Armenia: Higher Education Blog · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Armenian Higher Education & Sciences has been established by Aryana Petrova, an education consultant and lecturer. The blog should provide a unique insight into the education sector in Armenia and starts the ball rolling with posts on the appointment of Spartak Seyranian as the new education minister.


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Armenia: Racist Rhetoric? · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogian raises concern over what it considers to be racist rhetoric used by Armenia's first president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, at a radical opposition demonstration staged Friday in downtown Yerevan. Meanwhile, The Armenian Observer and my The Caucasus Knot carries more coverage of the unsanctioned rally.


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Armenia: Regional Supermarket · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogrel comments on news that a Yerevan-based supermarket chain has opened a store outside of the capital. The blog wonders how such a development will affect small stores and market traders in the regions.


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Azerbaijan: Mulberries · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Sheki, Azerbaijan reports that everyone is getting ready for mulberry season in the country. The blog says that in addition to being quite tasty, they are also healthy and excellent as a source of vitamins as well helping strengthen the immune system.


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Big Foot in Sarawak? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Is Big Foot in Sarawak? A pair of giant footprints in a village in Sarawak was discovered by residents and is gaining some attention.

author: Mong Palatino


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Caucasus: European Integration · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Azerbaijan – a part of Europe says that it hopes the countries of the South Caucasus will be close to integrating with Europe in 10 years. However, the blog concludes, it requires a change in the mindset of the local populations and how they think.


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China: Measures to cut down on Beijing smog implemented · Global Voices
John Kennedy

New traffic measures aimed at reducing pollution in time for the Olympics are now in place, writes Austin Ramzy at The China Blog. The test run last year didn't impress locals much, and others doubt the measures will even make a difference.


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Costa Rica: The Active Arenal Volcano · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Arenal Volcano near the Costa Rican town of La Fortuna de San Carlos has been especially active in recent weeks writes The Real Costa Rica Blog.

author: Eduardo Avila


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El Salvador: Bus Fare Hikes Cause Protests · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Due to rising fuel prices, some bus operators in El Salvador have illegally raised fare prices to cover these costs.  As a result, there have been critiques against the government for not enforcing these laws. The rising fares have also led to protests writes Tim Muth.


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Georgia: Abkhaz Tensions · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Steady State comments on how the media in Georgia reports on continuing tensions with Russia over the breakaway region of Abkhazia. The blog implies that the media is being used to encourage such tensions and says that if there was any real interest in peace then a different approach would be taken.


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Georgia: Post-Election Concerns · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Steady State comments on the evaluation of the recent parliamentary election in Georgia by the country's human rights ombudsperson as the “worst in the country’s history.” The blog also examines the position of international observers and the United States on the vote and raises it concern with some of the statements made by both.


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Indonesia: Human Rights · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Walking Contradiction uploads a document highlighting the human rights situation in Indonesia


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Iran: Ahmadinejad banned a conservative journal · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to several Iranian blogs and news sites, Tehran Emrouz journal was shut down yesterday because it criticized president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's economic policy. Heiderpix also says the journal published this photo of Ahmadinejad that created government's reaction.


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Iran: Iranian Blog Declaration Against Filtering · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Digiactive writes that about 100 Iranian bloggers signed a declaration that condemns filtering and call for freedom of speech.


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Malaysia: Motion of No Confidence · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A Malaysian political party will file a motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister on Monday. A blogger thinks the power struggle is also a battle for a prime real estate in Malaysia.


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Mexico: 12 Die at Nightclub Raid · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

During a nightclub raid in Mexico City, 12 people were killed by the stampede, including several policemen. Mexico Reporter writes that the police had gone to investigate whether drugs and alcohol were being sold to minors.


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Mexico: Food Products Price Fixed · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Diego from Blog.com.mx [es] lists the 150 food products that were price-fixed by the Mexican government.  He notes that many of these products are not necessarily consumed by many people.


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Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Myanmar police arrested members of the National League for Democracy who were “celebrating” the 63rd birthday of detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi.


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Philippines: Unreliable typhoon report · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A strong typhoon hit the Philippines this weekend. Weather reports are not updated, according to the Dusk Chronicles.


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Thailand: Casino’s new name · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

To minimize criticism, Thailand's Prime Minister said the government is building an entertainment complex, not a casino. Blogger The Farang is not amused.


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Thailand: Sensational news reports · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Tom in Thailand advises media outlets not to use the words “mob” and “seige” in reporting the protest actions in Thailand


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Afghanistan: Taliban Retreat  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Patrick Frost says that after a couple weeks of poor news regarding Afghani security, there was finally some positive developments as a force of Afghanistan troops supported by NATO armored vehicles and helicopters appeared to rout Taliban forces who recently took over the Arghandab region surrounding Kandahar.


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Bahamas: Words of Advice · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

WeblogBahamas thinks the late Tim Russert's advice to his college-bound son should be adopted by Bahamians, especially the part about not cultivating a sense of entitlement.


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Bangladesh: On Gorkhaland · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices from Bangladesh takes a closer look at the Gorkhaland issue in India, and focuses on the apparent Bengali racism.


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Barbados: Solar Power · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Barbados Underground makes the case for solar power, and says for the “first time in history, cost-competitive solar power is now within the planning horizon of every utility in the nation.”


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China: Earthquake Runaway Teacher · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fan Meizhong a teacher who dashed out of the classroom when the earthquake hit and left his students behind has become the most controversal figure in China. ESWN has translated yweekend's chronicle of the debate.


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China: Lesbians Face Blood Donation Discrimination · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

DANWEI posted an opinion piece on the discrimination of lesbian in blood donation.


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Cuba: EU sanctions · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Ninety miles away….in another country posts two updates on the European Union's lifting of sanctions against Cuba. One is a comment on a CNN reporter's use of the word “blockade“, and the other a note on the arrest of an activist.


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East Timor: Medical Care · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Timor Diver provides a peek into the medical care situation in East Timor.


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Hungary: “Map Of Things To Do In Budapest” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Annotated “map of things to do in Budapest” – by Eszter of Crooked Timber.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Japan: Politics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Shisaku has some obervations on Japanese politics.


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Kazakhstan: Astana Anniversary · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust is ironic saying that Kazakhstan seems to have no other problems than how to light its not-fake capital’s overly elaborate 10th anniversary.


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Kyrgyzstan: U.S. troops won’t expand · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elena reports that US Deputy Assistant Secretary George Krol refuted rumours about the expansion of American airbase in Manas airport near the capital of Kyrgyzstan.


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Laos: Hydropower Plants · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Phanomsinh has set up a blog to give regular updates about the construction of hydropower plants and dams in Laos


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Myanmar: More cyclone disaster pictures · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Hanna uploads some images taken in the Irrawaddy Delta six weeks after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar.


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Nepal: On Gorkhaland · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepali Netbook provides a perspective on the Gorkhaland issue in India.


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Pakistan: Gold and Copper · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A Jaywalker's Diary on the world's largest gold and copper reserves found in Pakistan.


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Philippines: Ferry disaster · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

More than 700 are dead or missing after a ship capsized in central Philippines. Talim ng Araw blames the ship owners and coastal guards. Some pictures of the tragedy were uploaded by Ang Umalohokan.


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Philippines: Maritime disaster · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Ang Umalohokan lists the worst maritime disasters in the Philippines.


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Singapore: Internet regulation · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Singapore Patriot tackles the issue of regulation of political content on the Internet in Singapore.


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Singapore: “Useless opposition party” · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Diary of a Singapore Mind writes that it is not possible to have good opposition in Singapore


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South Korea: Life as a Korean AIDS Patient · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Korea Beat translated a local report on how Korean AIDS patients live and die.


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Sri Lanka: No Paypal · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Chromosome LK laments the lack of paypal services in Sri Lanka.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Praise Song · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Four Fingers and a Thumb 2.0 is stirred by a hymn being played by a steelband, reminding her of the “magically bizarre wonderful place” that is Trinidad.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Soca Sweet No More · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

A loud party in the neighbourhood forces Why does the glass have to be either half empty or half full? to think about her favourite types of music. As the blaring continues, she remembers why her native Trinidadian soca is not at the top of her list.


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Afghanistan: Costs and benefits · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Peter Marton quotes a high-ranking German general, who admits that the costs and benefits of the Afghanistan mission have to be expected, not merely counted as they are at present.


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Bahrain:Blocking Sites  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Blocking websites is the most effective way of making them famous, notes Bahraini blogger Mahmood AlYousif on his country's latest threat to block some sites.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Barbados: New Consumer Watchdog · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Barbados Underground welcomes the emergence of a new consumer organisation in the island. The blog says Barbados Consumers Watch “will advocate using the novel approach of the electronic channels of Facebook and blogging” in serving the needs of the public.

author: Skye Hernandez


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Bolivia: Autonomy Referendum in Tarija · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Miguel Centellas and Miguel Buitrago both write about the recent autonomy referendum in Tarija, Bolivia, which passed with approximately 80% in support.


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Brunei: Improving the traffic · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Winx @ Silver FairyAngel is not happy with the road network of Brunei. The blogger also has some tips on how to improve traffic in the country


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Caucasus: Religious Practices · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Social Science in the Caucasus examines data on religious practices in the region. The blog of the Caucasus Resource Research Centers (CRRC) uses its own data to assess the importance of religion in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. According to the survey from last year, respondents in Georgia were more numerous in terms of saying that religion played a very important role in their lives. They also regularly attend more religious services.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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China: Politicization of Xiaonei.com · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Xiaonei.com is one of the largest social networking site in China targeting at university students. ESWN translated an article from my1510 on the recent politicization within the network.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Colombia: Conclusions from Blogger Gathering · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Campus Comunicativo [es] writes about the recent Colombian blogger gathering and provides some conclusions from the event, such as the need to find ways to make blogs profitable through e-marketing and third-party financing.


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Cuba: Exploring Oil · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

The Cuban Triangle is puzzled by a Florida Congressional delegation's idea that Cuba should be blocked from drilling for oil in its own Gulf waters. He says comments by Senator Mel Martinez, reported in El Nuevo Herald, must sound to Cuban readers, “as if he thinks he is in charge of their country.”


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Egypt: Bahai Rights Comic  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mideast Youth publishes a comic strip here about the rights of the Bahai religuious group here.


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Egypt: Kareem’s 600th Day in Prison  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

It will soon be the 600th day in prison for jailed Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabil Sulieman. Bahraini Esra'a writes about how you can get involved in pressing for his release.


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Guyana: Death of a President · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

Ruel Johnson's Fictions notes the passing yesterday of Arthur Chung, the first President of Guyana, at the age of 90. He held the post from 1970 to 1980, and was “the first ethnic Chinese President of a non-Asian country.”


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Hong Kong: No Blogger Accreditation · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Thomas Crampton talked to the Hong Kong government’s Director of Information Services Betty Fung, who said Hong Kong does not recognize bloggers for accreditation to official media events and she has never received a request for accreditation from a blogger.


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Hungary: Photoblogging · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

As the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit in Budapest is less than one week away, and after introducing a few Hungarian food blogs, we have been now browsing through Hungarian photoblogs. There are many of them and the quality is very high, so here's just a little sample.
Probably the most popular photoblog on Budapest is Budapest Daily Photo, by the same author as The Budapest Guide. Moreover, his photos can also be viewed in his Flickr account.
The two photos below are from Budapest Daily Photo, the left one is of St Lázsló (Saint Ladislaus):
Ladislaus is one of the most respected kings of Hungary. Following a long period of civil wars, he strengthened the royal power in his kingdom by introducing severe legislation. After his canonisation, Ladislaus became the model of the chivalrous king in Hungary.
The photo on the right is of a tree sign that he found on the János-Hill in Buda.
The multimedia blog Explore Hungary often has photosets of trips, the latest one being the Szamos Marzipan Museum in Szentendre. The author also has a Flickr photostream where lots of photos of Hungary and Budapest can be found, such as the one below of a building facade in Budapest.
Ervin Sperla's photoblog has some impressive photos of Budapest, such as the one below of a new bridge being built over the Danube. A whole photoset of the bridge can be also found on his Flickr photostream.
Another artistic photoblog is Naked Eye, where the photo below of an Impala car in the center of Budapest is taken from. His recent photos also include an image taken with a pinhole camera, and two images of the Hungarian dish Lecsó.
Dimi's Fotolog has both colour and black and white pictures of random scenes in Budapest, capturing daily moments of unexpected intimacy and truth. The picture below is taken from this surprising Fotolog.
Another interesting photoblog is Andrey's, which has several photos of Budapest's cafés such as this one below.
Several Hungarian photoblogs can also be found on Aminus3, a high-quality photoblog hosting. For example, user Flmstrp has photos of lively people taken in and around Budapest, or beautiful night cityscapes such as this one below.
And for those that didn't find enough Hungary photos in those photoblogs, they can explore the Hungary Starts Here Flickr Pool, where photos such as the one below of Budapest Keleti railway station can be found.

author: Elia Varela Serra


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India: Right to Recall · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Law and Other Things on voters in Chhattishgarh, India exercising  their ‘right to recall’ elected representatives.


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Jordan: A Hushed Up Secret  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Jordan, Naseem Tarawnah  writes about a letter “written and signed by a group of ex-politicians, including a past prime minister and head of the GID, Ahmad Obeidat, and essentially it strongly criticizes the government for its liberal economic policies, the way it is being managed, and more specifically, the forever-controversial topic of land sales.”


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Jordan: Internet Cafes · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Qwaider warns Internet users about the security concerns from using Internet cafes.


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Jordan: Noting Changes  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian ASKAdenia [Ar] is back home for a visit and notes several changes in his country. Among them is the skyrocket prices of fuel and other commodities, as well as the presence of large numbers of Iraqis.


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Kazakhstan: Freedom House blames Astana · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Zhanna Zhukova reports that Freedom House said yesterday that the resource curse in energy-rich Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan is taking root.


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Kazakhstan: Highway to prosperity · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ben reports on the World Bank’s president, Bob Zoellick, visit to Kazakhstan, which has resulted in a $2.5 billion infrastructure project.


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Korea: Hiddink’s Miracle and Korean Politics.  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

When Hiddink led the Korean soccer team into the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup he became a hero in Korea. Everywhere – in bookstores and on advertisements – was his face. People were busy talking about his leadership and fresh thought. He was harshly criticized by the media early on when he was hired for the 2002 World Cup. His different style of recruiting players and training them brought suspicions that he would destroy the Korean team. But the result led Koreans to think about what real leadership is. His training style was analyzed in books and applied to the economy and politics. And six years later, he is making another miracle in Euro 2008.
Now Koreans miss Hiddink in a different way.
Many netizens miss his leadership and interpret it in the current chaotic politics in Korea.
정말 대단한 사람입니다. 히딩크, 그가 또 세계를 흔들고 있습니다. 유럽축구의 변방인 러시아를 일약 유로2008 4강 대열에 합류시켰습니다. 다시 ‘매직’이 운위됩니다. ‘기적’이 거론됩니다. 전 세계가 히딩크의 마법에 놀라고 히딩크의 리더십에 경탄합니다. 비결이 뭘까요? 이 세상에 ‘매직’은 없습니다. 히딩크 또한 마법사의 힘을 갖고 있지는 않습니다. 그의 ‘기적’은 단지 노력의 결과입니다. 모두가 공감하는 게 있습니다. ‘동기 부여’입니다. 선수들에게 동기를 부여함으로써 개개인이 가진 잠재력을 극대화하고 이렇게 표출된 잠재력을 조직력으로 엮어내는 능력에 있어서만큼은 타의 추종을 불허한다고 모두가 인정하는 것 같습니다.
히딩크가 ‘동기 부여’를 하는 데 얼마나 탁월한 재능을 가졌는지는 숱한 일화가 증명합니다. 훈련에 지각하던 러시아 수비수 이그나셰비치를 집으로 돌려보낸 일화는 PSV아인트호벤 시절 호마리우 일화와 빼닮았습니다. 유로2008에서 러시아 최고의 공격수로 활약하고 있는 아르샤빈을 한때 대표팀에서 뺀 일화는 한국 대표팀 시절 홍명보의 일화와 비슷합니다. ‘자극’을 받아 ‘자발성’을 내보이는 선수에게는 공평하게 대했습니다. 당장의 명성에 현혹되지 않고 당장의 악평에 휘둘리지 않았습니다. 모두를 같은 출발선에 놓고 공평하게 재려 했습니다. 그 결과가 박지성과 김남일입니다. 고만고만했던 선수들을 대표팀의 주축으로 키워냈습니다.
기껏해야 심리전이라고, 선수 다루는 기술에 불과하다고 폄하할 일이 아닙니다. 히딩크는 그러면서도 동고동락했습니다. 선수들과 같이 공을 차고, 선수들과 같이 장난을 치고, 선수들과 같이 하나의 목표를 향해 어깨동무를 했습니다. 과하다 싶을 정도로, ‘뻥’이 세다고 싶을 정도로 자기 팀을 치켜세웠고 주변의 비아냥에는 단호한 태도로 임했습니다. 이렇게 조직력을 키웠습니다. 통합을 일궈냈습니다.
그리곤 맡겼죠. 어차피 그라운드에서 승부를 펼치는 주체는 선수들이니까 그들에게 맡겼습니다.
이렇게 정리해도 될 것 같습니다. 히딩크의 리더십은 수직적 리더십이 아닙니다. ‘나를 따르라’는 독불장군식, 메시아식 리더십이 아닙니다. 히딩크의 리더십은 수평적 리더십입니다. 선수를 끌고가는 게 아니라 그들 속으로 들어가 자극을 주고 뒤에서 밀어주는 리더십입니다.
오버랩 되는 인물이 있습니다. 이명박 대통령입니다. 서울시장으로 있을 때 반바지에 샌들 차림의 아들과 함께 히딩크와 기념사진을 찍은 일 때문이 아닙니다. 두 사람의 리더십이 극명하게 교차된다고 느끼기 때문입니다. 지금까지는 그랬습니다. 이명박 대통령은 ‘동기 부여’를 하지 못했습니다. 국민의 자발적 참여는 둘째 치고 청와대 비서진과 내각의 자발적 헌신조차 끌어내지 못했습니다. ‘얼리 버드’로 상징되는 ‘다그침’만 보였습니다. 어떤 사람의 말처럼 부처 과장이 할 일조차 직접 챙겼습니다. 관료의 창발성을 고양하기보다는 눈치보기 풍조를 야기했습니다.‘탕평’의 리더십도 보이지 않았습니다. 이명박 대통령 스스로 천명했던 ‘실용’의 리더십도 아니었습니다. 자신과 잘 아는 사람을 기용했습니다. 부도덕한 행적을 보인 사람조차 ‘연’을 중시해 내치지 않았습니다.‘통합’의 리더십도 펼치지 않았습니다. 국민과 소통하지 않고 토론하지 않았습니다. 논란이 많은 정책인데도 공개적 토론보다 비밀스런 추진에 힘을 쏟았습니다. 자신이 추진하고자 하는 정책에 국민들이 반대를 하면 ‘오해’라고 했습니다. 지금까지는 그랬습니다. 이명박 대통령이 그동안 보인 리더십은 이랬습니다. 앞으론 어떻게 될까요? 바뀌는 걸까요?
그럼 다행입니다. 5년의 임기 가운데 석 달여는 극히 짧은 기간입니다. 지금부터라도 새로운 리더십을 보여줄 수 있다면 지난 기간은 전화위복의 준비기간 쯤으로 여겨도 됩니다. […]
There are so many episodes. The one that he sent Russian player, Ignashevich, back home because he was late to a training course is similar with Romário de Souza Faria’s story in PSV eindhoven. In Euro 2008, the story that he excluded the best Russian player, Arshavin, from the team is similar with Hong Myung Bo’s story in Korea. He treated players who work hard equally. He didn’t care about reputation and criticisms. He put everyone on the same starting line and analyzed them. Its result was Park Ji Sung and Kim Nam Il. He made them from no-name value players to the major players of the team.
People can just call it ‘psychological warfare’ and as the skill of how to deal with players. Hiddink shared everything with his players. He played with them and became their friends. He walked with them together. Sometimes, he was praising his team a little bit too much and regardless of sneers from people around him he didn’t care. He imparted organizing ability and unity.
And then, he trusted. Players are the ones who play on the ground. He trusted his players.
I would like to summarize. Hiddink’s leadership is not hierarchical leadership. His is not the Messiah style. His leadership is horizontal leadership. Not dragging players, he pulls motivation out of the players’ minds and supports them.
There is another one who is overlapped. President Lee. When he was Seoul Mayor, he took his son wearing shorts and sandals to the public place in order to let his son take the photo together. I’m not talking about that. I think about the big difference of their leadership. So far, President Lee hasn’t given ‘motivation.’ Not only disregarding peoples’ volunteering participation, but he also didn’t lead the volunteering contribution from his secretaries and cabinet. He just showed ‘force.’ Like some people said, he even did what other department managers should do. Rather than encouraging ‘motivation’ and ‘creativity,’ he made a trend where everyone studies others. He even didn’t show the ‘practical’ leadership that he emphasized. He appointed people he is familiar with. Even people who have immoral work were not kicked out due to the relations with him. He even didn’t show the leadership of ‘unity’ He didn’t have communication and discussion. When he dealt with argumentative policies, he chose secret propulsion rather than public discussion. If people are opposed to his policies, he just said ‘misunderstanding.’ So far, that’s what he has done. That’s what he has shown us as leadership. How about the future? Will it change?
Then, it will be great. As a matter of fact, three months of five years of his governance is pretty short. If he can show a new kind of leadership from now on, it could be better. […]
In 2002, his leadership was highly praised and it came back.
정말 지도자의 중요성을 일깨우는 사건이다. 흔히들 좋은 선생은 학생탓을 하지 않는다. 학생은 가능성의 덩어리 이니까.
While many netizens compliment Hiddink’s leadership and compare his to the current president’s, there is also a different interpretation.
[…]2002년 국민적인 영웅이었던 히딩크를 생각해보자. 히딩크 부임 초기에 몇게임 경기를 해 보고는 성적이 좋지 않다고 갈아치우자고 목소리를 높였던 기억이 나시는지? 그때 히딩크 갈아치웠다면 2002년의 그 영광이 우리에게 있었겠는가? 누구나 완벽할 수는 없다. 이명박 대통령과 그를 둘러싼 사람들도 마찬가지. 물론 온 나라를 좌지우지 할 수 있는 자리에 있는 분은 훨씬 더 신중하고 자신들이 작은 판단이 얼마나 국민들에게 큰 영향을 미칠 지를 미리 가늠해야하는데 그런 점에서는 부족한 점이 없지 않았다. 하지만 이제 겨우 집권 100일을 넘기지 않았는가? 100일동안 일시켜보고 못한다고, 맘에 안든다고 바꾸고, 다음에 다른 사람 대통령되어서 잘못하면 또 바꾸고… 정말로 명박퇴진을 주장하는 사람들. 진정으로 명박퇴진을 원하는가?
명박 대통령. 아마 지금쯤 국민들의 힘이 얼마나 무섭다는 것을 뼈저리게 느꼈을거라 생각을 한다. 그리고 과거 하듯이 밀어부치기가 이시대에는 먹히지 않는 다는 것을 깨달았으리라 생각을 한다. 그에게 한번 더 기회를 줘보면 어떨까? 우리 손으로 뽑은 대통령이 아니던가? 비록 도덕적으로 완벽하지 않다는 것을 알았지만 그 모든 것을 떠나서 우리 좀 잘 살게 해달라고 뽑았던 대통령. 그분이 나름 경제를 한번 살려보겠다고,FTA비준 한번 받아보겠다고 밀어부친 소고기 협상이 맘에 들지않는다고 갈아치우자는 주장은 정말로 생각이 없어보인다. 명박퇴진 이후에는 그럼 어떻게 하겠다는 말씀인지? 이 어려운 시기에 그럼 누구에게 이 나라를 맡기자는 것인지?
비판하기는 쉬우나 대안없는 비판은 차라리 무책임입니다.
I am sure that he realized keenly people’s powers are strong. And the bulldozer style that he pushes forward is not going to work in this time. Why don’t we give one more chance to him? Didn’t we select him with our hands? Even though he is not morally perfect, we chose him in the hope of betterment. In order to have a better economy, he dealt with the beef negotiation for FTA. He didn’t do a good job. So we speak out that he should quit. It’s thoughtless. What will we do after his resignation? In such a difficult time, to whom will we ask to take care of the country?
It’s easy to criticize, but criticism without alternatives is irresponsibility.

author: Hyejin Kim


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