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Catching Up with Rising Voices Outreach Projects · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Since we last visited the Rising Voices outreach award winners, much progress has been made, including the introduction of the world's first weblog in the Andean indigenous language of Aymara.
But first, let us begin in Medellín, Colombia where HiperBarrio continues to make strides in its hillside working class neighborhoods. And they've attracted some much deserved recognition for their efforts.
In the El Colombiano newspaper, a feature article describes HiperBarrio's work in La Loma San Javier, just one of the three sites where they are training young people to take advantage of computer labs at their neighborhood libraries by sharing stories, photos, and videos of their communities with the rest of the world.
En el computador de la Biblioteca La Loma, un grupo de estos jóvenes, que suman 25, pasan las fotos y muestran sus blogs. Johnnatan García se detiene en una imagen con una vista inédita. “Es la ciudad vista desde La Loma”, asegura. Muchas de estas zonas del barrio son extrañas, incluso para sus habitantes, quienes se acostumbraron, en otras épocas, a no pasar por allí cuando cargaban el lastre de la violencia. “Nos preocupa la historia del barrio”, dice Gabriel Jaime Vanegas Montoya, el coordinador de la biblioteca.
Para él, el punto de partida es contar cómo se llega hasta allí y dónde queda esta zona, olvidada quizás para algunos. Por ello, equipados con cinco cámaras digitales, una videograbadora y conexión de banda ancha, ahora todo lo que allí sucede se relata.
For him, the departure point is perhaps to describe how the neighborhood reached such violence and where the forgotten area has sinced arrived. Which is why, equipped with five digital cameras, a videocamera and broadband connection, now everything that happens there is chronicled.
Así, estas historias, con un punto de vista fresco, van a los blogs, algunos de ellos íntimos y personales, como el de Carmen Pan y Agua, llamado Baúl de Letras, en el que refleja su pasión por la literatura.
“Es una forma de expresión”, que no tenía antes, dice Carmen. Con 15 años, Catalina Restrepo publica con regularidad en su blog, que se llama Cosas del alma. Se trata de decir “lo que va surgiendo, realidades que observé y darle sentido al título”, dice sonriente.
Ahora Catalina tiene “el privilegio de contar con ellos”, los bloggers, como se denominan. Sus compañeros se contagian de lo que escribe y le dejan comentarios. Enriquecen su particular manera de ver el mundo. Sin embargo, su ejercicio no se queda allí, pues lo que escriben puede ser leído por cualquiera en el ciberespacio, que visita el sitio que los aloja a todos en http://convergentes.wordpress.com.
At just 15-years-old, Catherine Restrepo publishes with regularity in her blog, titled Things of the soul. It tries to convey “what is arising, realities that I have observed and to give some sense to the title”, she says smiling. Now Catherine has “the privilege to be part of the group”, bloggers, as they call themselves.
Her companions are infected by what she writes and they leave her comments. They enrich her particular manner of seeing the world. However, its an exercise that does not just remain there, because what they write can be read by anyone in cyberspace that visits the site http://convergentes.wordpress.com.
If you speak Spanish and would like to follow the daily updates of these new bloggers from La Loma de San Javier, head on over to ConVerGentes and click on the links on the sidebar. You can also listen to a podcast by Juliana and Jorge and explore their Flickr gallery.
The Nari Jibon project in Dhaka, Bangladesh has also been moving along full steam ahead. The young women of the Nari Jibon center began their blog with a focus on their country along with the occassional feature of a friend or acquaintance. But in recent weeks they've clearly become more comfortable with the medium and the resulting posts are at times personal, other times powerful, and frequently both. In Shahana Akter's introduction she writes:
My name is Shahana Akter Munia. I live in Dhaka City with my family. I am a student of B.A [Bachalor of Arts]. Beside this I am an English and Computer student of Nari Jibon Project. I am very glad to take training from this project in a safe environment. I have many friends. I like to gossip with my friends. Reading detective book is my hobby. I like to see Bengali movie. Some of my favorite Bengali movies are: SHUVA, JOY JATRA. I also like to hear music of Bengali Band. I am very happy to involve here in Nari Jibon Blog. I want to write about our country and myself. I am very happy to get this great opportunity from Nari Jibon.
We are also introduced to Sultana Akter and Jannatul Ferdouse, two Nari Jibon students who have started their own business, the “Rongin Tara Fashion and Boutique,” which we are told means “Color of Stars Fashion and Botique.” At just 21 and 22-years-old Sultana and Jannatul opened their shop at Khilgoan Chowrasta Moshjid Market with a 42,000 Taka investment. There are pictures of the botique and the colorful items they sell on the Nari Jibon blog. Next time you're in Dhaka, you know where to buy your female friends and family their gifts!
Another successful business woman is 36-year-old widow Ruby Rahman. In a multimedia blog post by M.G. Rabbany and Taslima Akter, we learn that Ruby was a housewife and busy mother of two until her husband – a government worker – passed away last year. She then transformed her mourning into a passion for entrepreneurialism which has resulted in a successful handicrafts business. We get a peek into her production process thanks to the great photo- and video-reporting by Rabbany and Akter.
Don't miss the recent photo essay by Sherin Sultana as she fondly and eloquently looks back at her university days and another photo essay about the good and bad of Bangladesh's intense rainy season by Mahfuza Parul Tania and Mohtarimun Nahar Bipa. And, finally, for the true polyglots, don't forget Nari Jibon's Bangla-language blog.
Weekly updates of Nari Jibon's blogging activities are available on the Rising Voices Wiki.
When we first checked in with Voces Bolivianas, just about a month ago, they were still hurriedly looking for a reliable internet cafe to host their workshops on blogging, photography, and online video. Since then, the hard work invested and the progress made is almost too much to believe.
First, Voces Bolivianas sponsored two Bolivian bloggers to attend last month's Bloguivianos gathering in Santa Cruz. Then Hugo, Eduardo, and Mario found an internet cafe in El Alto suitable for their Saturday morning workshops. They posted a video of the cafe, adding that “it is centrally located in an area with a lot of foot traffic. The video shows the surrounding area, as well as the space that will be used for the four workshops.”
Perhaps most impressive was their success in finding an Aymara translator for the project. Voces Bolivianas en Aymara is the world's first Aymara-langauge weblog. Select Spanish-language blog posts from the workshop's participants are posted to the front page of VocesBolivianas.org and translated into English and Aymara.
It hasn't been easy and the Voces Bolivianas team has volunteered countless hours to make the project a success. Via email, Eduardo Ávila writes:
On September 22, Voces Bolivianas held its first citizen's media workshop in the city of El Alto.  Through a variety of recruitment channels such as a presentation at a local cultural center, interviews on a local radio station, handing out flyers at the public university, and word of mouth, 23 interested individuals showed up for the first session of 4 workshops that will be held every two weeks.  The facility had capacity of 20 students, however, we did not want to turn anyone away and accommodated the three additional students at an adjacent internet cafe.  Participants come from a wide variety of backgrounds, such as a baker, a textile factory supervisor, neighborhood librarians, university students, and individuals interested in the arts.  Demographic information was collected through an online survey and among the interesting findings were that 61% of the participants had a computer a home, but none had home internet access.  However, approximately 87% had access to internet cafes in their neighborhoods.
You can read the lastest posts from all of Voces Boliviana's El Alto workshop participants and view their photos on Flickr. More videos will be posted to dailymotion.
Our last two Rising Voices outreach award winners are still navigating through the obstacles that are to be expected when implementing a citizen media outreach initiative in communities that have little experience with computers and, often, extremely slow internet connections.
Vickie, of the Think Build Change Salone, describes the difficulties she encountered when seeking out young, passionate interns from the capital city, Freetown. In total she received over 119 applications, but many of them seemed unsure about what an internship even was. But in the end, Vickie found 14 young leaders who, as she writes, “are the future of Sierra Leone.” You can get to know the 14 young interns yourself and see their pictures in Vickie's introduction to the program. Over the next few months these young men and women will start their own blogs and describe their experiences as they work with NGO's and social groups throughout the country that are helping to restructure and reunite Sierra Leone after years of civil war. They will also organize outreach workshops in which they relay their citizen media skills to other Sierra Leoneans outside the capital.
The Neighborhood Diaries project has gotten off to a slow start, but the project's organizers have been extremely busy registering their organization, Kalam: Margins Write as an ‘official independent literary arts organization recognized by the Indian Government.’ As they should be, the group is all smiles after signing all the necessary forms in Dalhousie's West Bengal Registration Office. As an independent organization, it should now be easier for Kalam: Margins Write to find the perfect project coordinator for the Neighborhood Diaries project, which promises to train young people in Kolkata's slums to use digital photography and blogs as an outlet of creativity and a way to document their neighborhoods from their perspectives.
The Rising Voices website has also gotten off to a slow start, but that should be changing soon. Please keep your eyes on https://rising.globalvoicesonline.org for more updates from our outreach award winners, more features on media activists from the developing world, and more resources to make entry into the world of participatory media less daunting. Stay tuned!

author: David Sasaki


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Iran: Thousands of hungry workers go on strike · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Thousands of unpaid Haft Tapeh sugar cane factory workers in Shoush in the  Khuzestan province in Iran started a strike last week. Government sent security forces to repress the workers but strike continues. Several bloggers covered this event, and other related stories of difficult conditions of labor activists.
Kaargar (means worker) says[Fa] that thousands of Haft Tapeh sugar cane factory in Khouzestan province started strike on Saturday 27th September. The blog adds that one of the upaid workers’ slogan was “Haftapeh workers are hungry”. The blogger adds the number of workers was around 3000 and they wanted to demonstrate in front of governor's office but police stopped them.
The blogger writes that Haft Tapeh workers have striked before and each time the government gave them promises but never kept them.
Kaargar adds[Fa] that:
… on the fourth day of striking and demonstrating, some other workers from Dezfoul sugar can factory who had lost their jobs, joined the Haft Tapeh workers. The workers chanted, ‘our salary is our absolute right’ (the Iranian government's slogan is ‘nuclear energy is our absolute right’).
Workers-1may says that on September 12th, all 5000 workers of Haft Tapeh in a letter announced their decision to start a strike. The blogger says in last months, workers negotiated with Iranian officials, but each time just received empty promises.The blog says that workers also sent a letter to ILO.
Repression
Kaargar adds [Fa] that security forces attacked several workers and injured 10 of them. A worker activist, Ferydoun Nikofard, was arrested at his home.
Pejvakezendanyan (means echo of prisoners) says [Fa] that after two days of striking, Iranian intelligence agents started to put pressure on workers and threaten them with severe punishment. The blog says when the workers are not paid and are threatened, it is time that the International Labour Organization should intervene.
Workers in chains
Kargaran (means Workers) informs [Fa] us that Haft Tapeh workers are not the only ones in trouble. The blog has published a video film of Mahmoud Salehi, a labor activist in Kurdistan, who is in prison. He was shown in the video film with handcuffs in hospital!

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Fred Petrossian


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Lebanon: Blogger Fights Cancer · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“I am not going to be polite and hold it in any longer. I am not going to let my anger kill me. And I am not going to die of cancer because Lebanon is in agony,” says Dove who also asks: “Is cancer a disease of anger?”

author: Moussa Bashir


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Myanmar: Thinking Ahead · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Bangkok Dazed wants the opposition to talk to the ruling Junta while there still a small window of opportunity.

author: Preetam Rai


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Thailand: Bangkok Bombers · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The Lost Boy wants to know who is blowing up Bangkok. The Thai capital city has been target of multiple bomb attacks over the last year and still there is no confirmation on who is carrying out the attacks.


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Thailand: Book on Democracy Banned · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Bangkok Pundit writes about a book ban in Thailand. The banned book contains writings from a respected Thai scholar. (Via Thailand Jumped The Shark)


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Thailand: Open Letter To in Support of Myanmar Protesters · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Prachatai publishes an open letter framed by the attendees of a development studies conference in Thailand. The letter appeals to the governments of China, Japan, India and Thailand to “to stand up to their responsibilities and overcome short term economic interests” and bring pressure to the government in Myanmar.


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Africa: Ideas for African web developers · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

White African writes 3 localized ideas for African web developers: “A fine example of local content would be MyStocks, a website for the Kenyan stock market. It is hyperlocal content designed only for people interested in a specific area, in this case Kenya.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Bangladesh: Traditional Media and Blogs · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The 3rd World View on the state of traditional media in Bangladesh, and the role of blogs.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Barbados: “Oedipal complainers”? · Global Voices
Nicholas Laughlin

Barbados Free Press comments on an op-ed piece written by Barbados's commissioner for Pan-African affairs, who suggests that Barbadians are “Oedipal complainers”.

author: Nicholas Laughlin


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Bolivia:  The Plane Carrying Morales for Visit to the U.S. · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Martin P. Gutierrez of Vitrina de la Realidad Boliviana [ES] discusses the details behind the claims of mistreatment when President Evo Morales arrived in the United States in a Venezuelan plane with pilots, crew and security from the other South American country.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Chile: Bachelet’s Approval Rating · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Greg Weeks wonders how low Chilean president Michelle Bachelet's approval rating can go.  According to the latest poll numbers, she has an 35.3% rating.


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China: Chinese Blogger Conference 2007 · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Chinese Blogger Conference 2007 is opened for registration now. This year, it will take place in Beijing, Nov 3-4. There are already 163 people registered for the conference (zh).

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: From Mao To Buddha · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

During the cultural revolution, Dazhai (in Shanxi Province) was a model rural collective to show the superiority of socialist China. Recently a large Buddhist temple has been built in the village. Joel Martinsen from DANWEI translated an article from South Wind to explain how the worship of Mao turned into the worship of Buddha in Dazhai.


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China: Government Auditing Report · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ni-ming comments that the Audit Department is like Sisyphus in its auditing work as it doesn't have any significant impact on the government officials (zh). According to the report, 49 government departments has RMB16.3 billion (US8.2 billion) unjust and illegal accounting and during the auditing period, a total of RMB17 billion yuan abusive account has been adjusted.


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China: Library  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ran Yun-fei from Tianya criticizes that the library management in China is designed for thought control (zh). Dissent voices have been censored away.


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China: Today’s Myanmar, yesterday’s China? · Global Voices
Jacky

In John's round-up of Chinese bloggers’ responses to the Saffron Revolution, he mentioned that some Chinese bloggers used "this incident as an opportunity to reflect on the state of China's own democratic movement."
Some of them even link the Saffron Revolution to the political disturbance of Beijing in the 1989's summer.
Here is an example. A post Myanmar's Today on TianYa.cn reads,
你们吃人民给你们的食物。你们却杀戮人民、杀害僧人！
曾经，有些人吃人民的乳汁，当人民的子弟兵，却杀戮xuesheng。
To avoid censorship, the author used PinYin for the word Student instead of Chinese characters.
It is not easy to find similar posts on the Chinese internet now. As the 17 Party Congress is approaching, most of the Chinese web sites have tightened up their filters.
However, Chinese are good at expressing themselves implicitly.
A netizen, personating the Myanmar Daily Editorial, wrote a post A Clear-cut Stand Against The Myanmar Unrest, imitating the tones and styles of the People's Daily Editorial.
…
全国僧侣、全国人民必须清醒地认识到，不坚决地制止这场动乱，将国无宁日。这场斗争事关缅甸振兴和国家建设的成败，事关国家民族的前途。
…
All the monks and the people shall realize that if we do not stop the unrest resolutely, there will be no peace in the country. This battle is concerned with the revitalization of Myanmar and the success of nation-building. It is vital to the future of the nation.
Replacing the words Myanmar and Monks with China and Students, you get the message.
Many Chinese readers found this article interesting and cross-posted it on different BBSs and Blogs. But the intention of this article is too obvious to the web sites’ moderators. It disappeared from most of the big BBSs and blog sites. Still, readers can find pieces of this article hidden scatteredly in some comments of BBSs or Blog posts.
Some netizens took more complicated routes to get their voices across.
A post on KDNet.net, The Iron Evidence of America Interfering Myanmar Internal Affairs – Let's Protest Together!, has generated many responses from the readers.
The author called on the readers to protest against the US.
想干涉下美国内政的就跟贴干涉好了，我搂主大大的欢迎！
It looks like a post from the Anger Youth, buried in some other nationalistic posts. But if you read carefully, you will find something interesting. Responding to Bush's statement on the situation in Burma, the author wrote,
我呼吁秉持砖制和奴才价值观的人们颠覆美国布什政府的狰荡要求。
Many readers applauded the author in their comments.
From this cat and mouse game, we can see that the monks’ protest in Myanmar is not only a foreign issue but also an internal issue to the Chinese government.

author: Jacky


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Cuba: Che, forty years later · Global Voices
Nicholas Laughlin

October 9 is the fortieth anniversary of Che Guevara's death. HCV Analysis posts a short biographical video on the Cuban hero.


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DRC: Kinshasa Plane Crash “Will Not Be the Last” · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Du Cabiau à Kinshasa, a Belgian living in Congo, writes (Fr) about last week's plane crash in Kimbanseke, a poor and densely-populated neighborhood in Kinshasa.
At least 50 were killed in the crash and dozens more injured.  The transport minister has since been dismissed for “his inability to reform the aviation sector.”
Du Cabiau à Kinshasa thinks the accident was all but inevitable:
Cet accident était mille fois prévisible. Étant donné l'absence quasi totale d'infrastructures terrestres (route, rail…), l'essentiel des échanges à l'intérieur de la RDC se fait par avions. Pour un pays très pauvres, le trafic aérien est très intense. Il y a des dizaines de petites compagnies privées et donc des centaines de tombeaux dans les airs. Chaque jour, nous voyons des ancêtres surchargés décoller à l'horizontale au dessus des habitations. Ce crash n'est pas le premier… il ne sera pas le dernier
Congolese blogger Alex Engwete observes it can take a disaster to turn the world's attention to the DRC:
CNN montre des images de l'avion carbonisé à Kinshasa. Des images sensationnelles catastrophiques dont raffolent les géants médiatiques… et qui les tirent de leur indifférence systématique de la RDC.

author: Jennifer Brea


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Egypt: Home made Pizza · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Lasto-adri *Blue*  has made a ‘perfect’ home made pizza.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Guatemala: Child Abuse · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Claudia Navas Dangel tells the story of a Guatemalan boy, who she has seen from time to time and has shown signs of abuse.  She adds child abuse statistics from Guatemala on her blog Ordinaria Locura [ES].


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Guatemala: Extreme Sports Photos · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

BMX Bikers often use the areas around churches for their jumps and tricks in Jocotenango, Guatemala.  La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo provides two action shots of these daredevils.


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Hong Kong: 10 Reasons Not To Vote · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fai Mao lists out 10 reasons why he decided neither to vote for Anson Chan nor Regina Ip in the Hong Kong Island Legislator seat competition.


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India: Sexuality and Women · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

smallsquirrel on female sexuality in India after conversations with co-workers. An interesting discussion in the comments space on the perceptions of men.


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Iran:Down with the Dictator · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Tribone Azad says[Fa] that 1500 students chanted slogans such as “down with the dictator” against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad while he wanted to deliver his speech in the University of Tehran on October 8th.


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Iran:Photos and the day of Quds   · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Erfan Najafabadi has published several photos of his city,Shiraz,in the international day of Quds (Jersualem)on October 5th.


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Jamaica: Images of Montego Bay market · Global Voices
Nicholas Laughlin

Montego Bay Day by Day offers a glimpse at everyday life in Jamaica's second city, with photos from the Montego Bay market.


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Jamaica: Talking to Imani · Global Voices
Nicholas Laughlin

Jamaican writer Geoffrey Philp interviews litblogger Imani.


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Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago: Naming places · Global Voices
Nicholas Laughlin

Trinidadians seem comfortable naming places after living heroes, says Moving Back to Jamaica, but Jamaicans seem to prefer their heroes safely dead — why?


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Jordan: Advice to Facebookers · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian blogger Hareega dishes out advice to his country's Facebooker's in this post.


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Jordan: Occupation 101  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mohammed Al Qaq from Jordan says  that Occupation 101 is a must watch documentary.


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Jordan: Teaching Eighth Graders · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Lina Ejeilat  writes about her experience teaching a class of eighth graders in this post.


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Jordan: Welcoming Sindibad · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Ahmed Humeid introduces us  to Sindibad, (Ar) the Arab business renaissance blog.


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Kenyan Bloggers on Safaricom mystery · Global Voices
Bankele

The Nairobi Stock Exchange, where Kenyan companies are traded has been on a downward trend in the second half of the year.
Blogger Odegle Nyang  narrates Real Lean Times after observing his stockbroker whose “expansion (was) informed by the huge volume of business and euphoria witnessed last year. But now most of their 14 teller booths are empty and those occupying them are visibly bored and yawning.”  The brokers blame the downturn on the feeling that an opposition leader, Raila Odinga, could win the elections expected in December 2007 as voters “are ignoring the noise about economic growth, creation of jobs etc.” by the incumbent president.
He observes:
the situation really is grim in the stock brokers front. my favorite standard investment bank had expanded and moved into a new large office in the center of the town. the expansion informed by the huge volume of business and euphoria witnessed last year. but now most of their 14 teller booths are empty and those occupying them are visibly bored and yawning. but standard investment bank still is a good broker and their orders are still executed within 3 working days.
Another Blogger Riba Capital adds that multiple factors are causing the slump with foreign investors are being spooked by the elections and retail investors simply waiting for the initial public offer (IPO) of Safaricom, the country’s largest mobile phone company, which is excepted before the end of the year:
My take, is that multiple factors are coming into play at the same time.
There is the factor of institutional players (fund managers) crystallizing profits for the third quarter reporting period.
Then there is the heightened political situation as various political heavy weights take to the campaign trail making promises and hitting on their competitors from all angles, this factor affects more on foreign participants and retail investors who do not have any major links or contacts with the various political players.
The third factor but of which is not fully fledged is some investors liquidating their positions in preparation for the Safaricom IPO later in the year if all goes as planned.
The market has taken a bit of a knock, with a significant reduction in trading volumes and market prices after it had appeared to be recovering fully from the prolonged drop in share prices earlier in the year.
But this is likely to improve as fund managers mop up shares at discount prices and consolidate their portfolios. My take is that we should also be taking advantage of this time to buy into the stable and sound companies with a sound dividend payment policy.
Mobile phone company Safaricom has risen to become Kenya's largest company with profits of 17 billion shillings (about $250 million in 2006). However, it has been plagued by a mysterious shareholding matter – as the company which was officially declared and to be a partnership between the national landline operator Telkom Kenya (with 60%) and Vodafone – UK (with 40%) has now been found to have a third shareholder – through an unregistered company known as Mobitelea, which owns 5% of the shares.
Here’s a rundown on Safaricom:
Bankelele had earlier opined that the Safaricom IPO could be a crucial vote getter in an election year if it was well managed:
(Premium) Story in the Nation about the Cabinet being presented with a paper to approve the sale of 25% of Safaricom to the public.
This is a winning card this election year that will be foremost in the minds of investors and voters. A well managed Safaricom IPO before December could deliver more votes than needless voter expenditure or rhetoric from any leader.
John Maina places that mysterious shareholder issue on par with other Kenyan mega scandals like Goldenberg and Anglo Leasing:
Many questions are flying around on Whom, How, What, Why, When this mysterious company Mobitelea acquired the 5% which was previously 10%.
A quick background check on Mobitelea reveals that it is registered in Guernsey under 2 nominee companies. Talk about identity protection. Just wonder whether a travel down to this tax haven would reveal much more?
My concern is that having pulled through the Goldenberg and Anglo-leasing scandals, this may be another one in the making.
Coldtusker argues that 10% was stolen and not 5% of Safaricom by the mysterious company:
The crescendo over the, mobitelea stolen indirect 5% ownership in Safaricom, is rising. What many commentators are missing is that it was 10% (not 5%) that was stolen from every Kenyan Man, Woman & Child.
mobitelea – often referred to as moi biwott telecoms of east africa – had stolen 10% but sold 5% in 2002 to its partners in bribery, vodafone, when moi's proxy was going to lose the elections.
The way I figure it out is that Vodafone bought 40% of Safaricom from GOK but had to cough up 10% to mobitelea as “grease” money. A pity but vivendi had to cut a deal with naushad merali (the ty”con”) for the 2nd license.
Mars Group Kenya, an anti-corruption watchdog group, gives a rundown of findings by the Kenyan parliament who looked into the shareholding issue:
10% of Telkom (K) Ltd shares in Safaricom were irregularly transferred to Mobitelea Ventures without the consent of Treasury and that of the parent ministry according to the Fifteenth Report of the Public Investments Committee on the accounts of State Corporations 2007. The explosive Parliamentary Committee Report on Public Investments wants the Director of KACC to immediately institute investigations on the circumstances and manner in which the shares were transferred to Mobitelea with a view to taking appropriate action against any persons found culpable. The PIC also wants the Director of KACC, to include a progress report on the investigation in the Commissions quarterly report to the House for the next immediate period.
Wikileaks publication of a  report from Kroll Associates  sheds some light on who the shareholders may be.
However, Pesa Tu  argues that the mystery shareholder is a non issue as far as Kenyan IPO investors are concerned, since Vodafone (UK) is the only aggrieved party to a private dispute with Mobitelea. He explains why the IPO must go on:
Why the IPO must go on
The Safaricom IPO will ignite significant foreign interest that will grow our markets and put Kenya in focus of all the top markets.The market Growth will create more jobs for everyone and grow the economy.
If we stop the IPO we can get back Mobitelea's stake
Ha, Not a chance the Mobitelea stake is parked in a private company Vodafone(K) Ltd.Government cant interfere with private property that is unconstitutional
Let me put the point across using a story:
There was once an old mzee who had 10 acres of land.He sold 4 acres to his Best Friend.The Best Friend then sold 1 Acre to a stranger the Mzee didn't like.The Mzee wanted that particular 1 Acre(that was sold to the stranger back).Do you think he got it ?
This is unfair Mobitelea's owners are getting away with free money
Life is unfair that why some people have first class degrees and are clerks while others have Certificates and are millionaires.Thats the case whether in USA or Kenya.

author: Bankele


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Korea: High School Student and Religious Freedom · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

A teenager’s struggle for  religious freedom over three years achieved victory this month. He was a student at a Christian high school and had to attend chapel regularly. He requested not to take the classes, but his request was turned down by the school. His fight against the school has taken three years to complete.
Gemengi summarizes the event and discusses how religion should be treated.
내가 강의석 군의 1인 시위를 처음 접한 것은 ‘시사 투나잇’에서였다. 키가 크고 바싹 마른 고등학생이 특정 종교를 강요하지 말라는 피켓을 들고 아주 분명하게 자신의 의견을 피력하는 모습을 보면서 ‘용기’와 ‘신념’이란 것에 대해 생각했었다.
‘시사 투나잇’에서는 그의 모습을 꾸준히 취재해 방영하였다. 하지만 학교측은 그의 의견을 수렴하지 않았다. 그러자 그는 단식을 시작했다.
‘배고프면 포기하겠지!’
이게 일반 사람들의 생각이었다. 그러나 그는 목숨을 건 듯했다.
그리곤 3일간 행방불명까지 되었었다. 피골상접한 그의 모습은 차마 바라보기 힘들 정도로 망가져 있었다. 그는 자신의 주장을 접지 않았다. 강의석 군의 생명이 위태로워지자 이윽고 목사인 선생님들까지도 학교측에 신앙의 자유를 보장하라고 요구했다. 사람부터 살리고 보자는 것이다. 방송을 타고 강의석 군의 사연이 전해지자 학교에 대한 비난 여론이 들끓었고, 결국 학교는 강의석 군의 요구를 들어주는 듯했다. 그러나 그는 퇴학처분을 당했다. 그는 학교측에 퇴학 무효 소송을 걸어 승소했다. 그리곤 누구나 가고 싶어하는 서울대에 입학했다. (수시인가?)
그 후 종교 행사 강요로 헌법에 보장된 종교ㆍ양심의 자유, 행복추구권, 평등권을 침해당했다며 대광 고등학교를 상대로 소송를 내어 요번에 승소한 것이다.
이번 판결은 종교의 자유가 있는 대한민국에서 당연한 것이었다. 우리가 사랑하는 이에게서 진실을 원하듯 신도 진실한 신앙을 원할 것이다. 스스로 깨우쳐 그분의 말씀을 실천할 수 있는 참된 사람을 원할 것이다. 집단의 분위기나 개인적 이익에 휩쓸려 종교를 믿는 것은 거짓 신앙이다.
Not a few bloggers would like to share their own experiences.
소위 미션스쿨이라는 종교사학에 배정 받아 3년을 보냈다. 전통종교와 정서가 더 맞는 상황에서 기독교라는 사상은 처음 접해 본 것이다. 학교는 온통 선교위주로 짜여져 있었다. 예배. 기도, 성경시간으로 빡빡하게 짜여져 있어서 수업보다는 선교에 더 목적이 있는 것처럼 느껴졌다. 이런 분위기 속에서 기독교와 정서가 맞지 않은 학생들은 예배시간이 무척 고역이었다. 꼼짝도 할 수 없는 상황에서 고개 숙이라면 고개 숙이고 일어나라면 일어나는 소극적인 행동을 보일 수 밖에 없었다. 찬송시간에 찬송가는 따라 부르지 않고 듣기만 하였다. 그러나 이런 소극적인 학생들을 학교는 내버려 두지 않았다. 성경시간에 한 사람 씩 앞으로 나와서 기도 하게 한 것 이다. 그 기도는 번호 1번부터 시작 되었다. 일주일에 한번 하기 때문에 내 차례가 될려면 한참 있어야 하는 것이다. 기독교와 정서가 맞지 않은 사람에게는 마치 도살장에 끌려 가는 소처럼 고역이 아닐 수 없었다. 그런데 그 기도 시간에 사건이 벌어 진 것이다. 약간 껄렁하고 반항적인 기질의 한 친구의 기도 시간이 되었다. 그 친구의 종교가 무었이었는지는 모르나 분명한 것은 기독교와는 정서가 맞지 않은 사람임에는 틀림 없었다. 그 친구는 교단 앞으로 나가서 많이 보고 들은 대로 ‘다 같이 기도 합시다’하고 눈을 감았다. 그런데 그 다음 말이 나와야 하는데 말은 나오지 않고 말없는 침묵 시간이 길어졌다. 그리고 그 학생은 그냥 ‘아멘’ 하고 내려와 버렸다. 갑작스런 사태에 교실은 긴장감이 감돌았다. 다들 교목의 얼굴을 쳐다 보았다. 분명히 그 학생은 교목으로부터 혼이 나고 어떻게 처벌 받을 까 하는 생각을 가진 것이다. 약간 반항끼가 있는 학생과 교목간의 일촉즉발의 상황이 몇초간 흘렀다. 그러나 교목은 더 이상 문제 삼지 않고 없던 일로 처리 하고 그 사건은 끝이 났다. 이런 영향이어서 인지 모르나 그 후에는 교단 앞으로 나와서 순번으로 하는 기도 시간은 유야무야 되었다. 과연 기도 시간에 무슨 말을 해야 하고 어떻게 해야 하는지 고민 아닌 고민을 해오고 있던 필자는 그 고통에서 해방 된 것이다…. 마치 군대3년 보내 듯이 어서 시간이 지나 가기를 바랄 뿐 이다. 기독교와 정서가 맞지 않는 학생에게는 청소년기가 악몽과 같은 불행한 시간이 되어 버린 것이다.
A blogger shared his experience of how he became a Christian at a Christian school, but not because of school chapel.
…물론 학교 측에서 적절한 해결책을 찾기가 쉽지는 않았을 것이다. 하지만 최선은 아니더라도 최악의 방법을 택해야 할 필요는 없었다. 그런데 학교 측에서는 오히려 학생에게 자퇴를 권고하고, 채플 강제를 유보하겠다는 약속을 저버리는 최악을 택했다. 종교와 교육을 가장한 폭력이 얼마나 무서운지 새삼 느끼게 하는 사건이었다. 우리나라에는 자천타천 존경받는다고 하는 종교 지도자가 유독 많다. 전 세계에서 가장 크다고 하는 교회도 우리나라에는 부지기로 많다. 그런데 그 많은 교회 지도자 중에 이 문제를 해결하기 위해 선뜻 나선 사람이 하나도 없었다는 사실이 나를 더 슬프게 했었다. 강의석 군이 제기한 소송에서 결국 법원은 강의석 군의 손을 들어주었다. ‘종교를 전할 자유보다 종교를 선택하거나 강요받지 않을 자유가 더 크고 중요하다'는 법원의 판단이었다. 지극히 상식적이고 당연한 법원의 판결이 왜 이제서야 이루어졌는지 그것이 더 답답할 뿐이다.
기독교 재단을 둔 고등학교와 대학교를 거치면서, 나는 10학기 동안 채플 수업을 받았다. 당시로서는 개인적으로 채플 수업에 대해 크게 불만이 없었지만, 채플 수업을 모든 학생에게 강요하는 것은 옳지 않다는 생각을 나 역시 해보았었다. 내가 처음 고등학교에 입학 했을 때 나는 기독교 신자가 아니었다. 1학년 때의 담당 전도사님은 수업에 들어와서 불교 신자들은 손을 들어보라고 하였다. 나는 불교 신자는 아니었지만 어머니가 불교 신자이셨기 때문에 별 느낌 없이 손을 들었다. 그러자 그 분은 대뜸 나에게 ‘일 년에 절에 몇 번 가냐’고 물었다. 물론 나는 절에는 가지 않기 때문에 아무 말도 할 수 없었다. 전도사님은 ‘그것 봐라. 일 년에 한 번도 절에 안 가면서 무슨 불교 신자냐’고 했다. 그것으로 끝이었다. 불교 신자들이 절에 가지 않는다고 해서 불교 신자가 아니라는 논리의 근거는 무엇이며, 그것이 왜 하나님을 믿어야 하는 이유인가에 대한 그 어떤 설명도 없었다.
담당 전도사님의 그런 일방적인 종교적 우월주의와 무미건조한 종교학 강의는 내게 아무런 감흥도 주지 못했다. 채플 수업을 듣는 1년 동안에도 기독교에 대한 관심보다는 반감만 커져 갔다. 그 이듬해에 나는 결국 기독교 신자가 되었지만, 그 믿음 중에 고교 1학년 때의 전도사님이나 채플 수업에 빚진 부분은 없을 것이다. 기독교 신앙을 전파하는 가장 강력한 수단은 다른 종교와 마찬가지로 종교 정신을 올바르게 실천하는 데 있다. 내가 기독교에 대해 조금씩 관심을 기울이고 믿음을 갖게 된 것도 자기의 신앙을 생활을 통해 구체화하는 사람들을 목격하면서 부터였다. 예수 그리스도를 믿으라고 입으로만 외치는, 믿지 않으면 지옥에 간다고 겁을 주는 사람들의 외침은 믿음을 전할 수 없다. 성실하게 자신의 일에 최선을 다하면서도 항상 웃음을 잃지 않고, 타인을 위해 희생하려는 이웃들을 통해 나는 신의 사랑을 알게 되었다.
…대학교의 경우와 달리 고등학교는 학생이 학교를 선택할 수 없기 때문이다. 대학의 경우 자신이 선택해서 진학하는 것이고 학생은 자신이 진학하는 학교가 미션 스쿨이라는 점을 스스로 인지하고 선택하기 때문에, 신앙의 유무를 떠나서라도 채플 수업을 감내해야 한다. 하지만 우리의 현재 교육 제도 내에서 고등학교 선택권은 주어지지 않는다. 그러므로 고등학생들이 종교 수업을 감내해야 할 의무 또한 없다고 봐야 한다. 기독 교리의 입장에서 보면 아니랄 수도 있겠지만, 현실 세계에서는 종교를 전파할 자유보다 더 중요한 것이 종교를 선택할 자유라는 점을 잊지 말아야 하는 것이다.
…I went through high school and university based on Christianity and had to take chapel classes for 10 semesters. During that time, I was not so miserable about taking the classes, but I also thought it was not right to force the classes on all students. When I entered a high school, I was not a Christian. In the first grade, the form missionary came to the classroom and asked the Buddhists to raise hands. I was not a Buddhist, but my mom was. So I raised my hand without any serious thought. He asked me ‘How many times do you go to the Buddhist temple?’ I couldn’t answer because I didn’t go. So he said, ‘See. Even though you don’t go to the temple, how could you say you’re a Buddhist?’ That was it. Where did he get the idea that if Buddhist believers don’t go to temple, they are not believers? Why is that the reason people should believe in Jesus Christ?
His classes and his religious chauvinism didn’t make any impression on me. While I took the classes for one year, I learned to be antipathetic rather than interested in Christianity. The next year, I became a Christian, but the belief didn’t come from the missionary and his classes. The strongest method to deliver Christianity is to practice its spirit righteously like other religious should do. The reason why I got to be interested in Christianity and started having the belief was from people who lived up to the spirit. People who cry out to believe in Jesus Christ and threaten others to go to the hell can’t deliever the belief. I got to know about God’s love through looking at Christians who do their own best without smiling and are willing to sacrifice themselves for other people….
… Compared to colleges, students can’t choose high school….high school students don’t have any choice. Therefore, high school students don’t have to put up with religious classes. Maybe it doesn’t match with Christian theory, but the more important thing than delivering religion in the real world is the freedom to choose religion. It shouldn’t be forgotten.
There are bloggers who debate the problem from theperspective of the education system.
학생의 진학권과 학교의 학생선발권이 둘다 존재치 않는 평준화 지역에서 일어난 일이다. 미션스쿨에 보낸 교육부의 책임이 존재하는 만큼 반씩부담하는 것이 옳을 듯 하다. 말로만 교육개혁 하자고 하지 말고 작은 것도 해결하지 못하는 바보들이 그 동안 교육을 말아 먹었다. 불교나 무교 혹은 유교인 학생에게 기독계열 학교로 배정해 놓은 것은 교육부의 잘못이다. 강의석군 사건은 기독교 계열 학교에서 벌어진 일이지만 불교계열 학교에서도 마찬가지 일이 일어난다. 기독계열 학교에 학생들을 배정을 할려면 기독교를 믿는 학생들을 배정을 하고 불교계열 학교에 학생들을 배정을 할려면 불교를 믿는 학생들을 배정을 하라. 종교계열 학교들이 문제가 되는 것은 학교의 학생선발권과 학생의 진학권이 없기 때문에 일어나는 일이다….
No matter what result and influence this event generates, his brevity is regarded respectful.
강의석군의 의지에 경의를 보냅니다.강요하는 종교에 굴하지 않고 이루어낸 결과입니다. 종교가  인간의 기본권을 앞설수 없슴을 잘 보여준 판례 입니다.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Libya: In Love with Soup · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Libyan The Highlander confesses her love for soup in this post.  She writes: “My favourite dish on the evening meal is the Libyan soup and this soup only tastes special with watani lamb meat ( watani meaning local). I can never tire of eating it for 30 days in a row so delicious it is.”


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Myanmar: Treat Us Like The Rest · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Anti-Sanctions blogger Freedom From Fear wants the world to treat Myanmar the same as rest of the non-democratic nations. “IF YOU BOYCOTT BURMA , YOU DO THE SAME FOR CHINA AND VIETNAM, THAILAND AND ALL THE COUNTRIES WHICH DO NOT HAVE DEMOCRACY.DO NOT DISCRIMINATE BURMA.”


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Myanmar: Video Clip Collection · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Burma Underground has created an YouTube playlist for video files relating to the recent events in Myanmar.


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Pakistan: Elections and Musharraf · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Islamabad on the elections in Pakistan and Musharraf's win.


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Pakistan: Ramzan Memories · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

All Things Pakistan walks down memory lane, and remembers Ramzan in Pakistan in the years gone by.


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Peru: Forced Sterilization Investigation Reopened · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Jose Alejandro Godoy of Desde El Tercer Piso [ES] writes about the reopening of the investigation of forced sterilizations during the Fujimori administration in Peru.


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Podcast with an Iranian Student · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mideast Youth has posted a podcast with an Iranian student who lives in the UAE here.


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Colombia: Humorous Business Blog Given Top Prize · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The Cámara Colombiana de Informática y Telecomunicaciones CCIT  (Colombian Chamber of Telecommunications and Information Technology)  gave the Best Blog in 2007 Award to Se nos cayó el sistema [ES] , a blog which talks about productivity and business matters in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. The name of the blog is the most common phrase you will hear from any type of employee to excuse themselves and their company for any mistakes: we had a system failure.
Se nos cayó el sistema es el libro de negocios [en curso] sobre los temas empresariales y de negocios en el entorno de negocios del tercer mundo. Es una mirada divertida a las historias y los componentes de estrategia, organización, tecnología, procesos y gente que hacen a las economías en desarrollo
The System´s down is a business book [in process] about businesses and enterprise topics related to doing business in the third world. It is a fun look at the stories and the components of strategy, organization, technology, processes and people who make part of the developing economies.
This blog is also nominated for the The BoBs, The Deutsche Welle International Weblog Awards.
Blogger Víctor Solano [ES] mentions:
El blog ganador ha mostrado una suficiente coherencia conceptual y un enfoque disciplinado en el horizonte que se trazó. Con la mirada de un consultor que ausculta cada uno de los rincones del entramado organizacional, Andrés Naranjo deja ver un gran pragmatismo y no por ello descuida el humor y la dimensión social de cada uno de los momentos agrios y festivos de una empresa que se disculpa en la caída del sistema para evadir sus responsabilidades.
The winning blog has demonstrated conceptual coherence and a disciplined focus on the horizon it drew for itself. With the perspective of a consultant who studies each and every one of the nooks and crannies in the organizational network, Andrés Naranjo lets his great pragmatism show through, but doesn't forget humour and a social dimension to the different sour and festive moments of a company who places the blame on a system failure to avoid responsibilities.
At Se nos cayó el sistema, the author Andrés Naranjo writes about the award ceremony with the same style Mr. Solano previously mentioned:
No obstante, me parece interesante que este blog y su contenido – enfocado a temas de negocios, productividad, etc… – coincide con el zeitgeist del momento – (competitividad, productividad, etc…). Estoy seguro que eso tuvo que ver… y eso deja una lección de ventas (todo en este post es de negocios)… la lección es que es mas importante lo que estén comprando [el jurado] que lo que usted esté vendiendo!
Nevertheless, it is interesting to me that this blog and its content – focused on topics of business, productivity, etc…- coincides with the moment's zeitgeist – (competitivity, productivity, etc…) I'm sure that this had something to do…and this is a sales lesson (everything in this post has to do with business)… the lesson is that whatever they [the jury] is buying is more important than whatever you are selling!

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Qatar: Sunbathing in Ramadan · Global Voices
Mohamed Nanabhay

Gypsy was shocked to find someone sunbathing in a bikini in the parking lot of a popular shopping centre in Doha. She writes that “laying out in your bikini in a busy parking lot with labourers and women in hijab and abaya walking by you DURING RAMADAN is the most disrespectful thing I have ever witnessed in Qatar.“

author: Mohamed Nanabhay


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Russia: Anna Politkovskaya’s Memorial Rally · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

On the first anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya‘s death, a few hundred people gathered in Moscow to pay tribute to her – and to talk politics.
LJ user mr_forester posted photos from the Oct. 7 memorial rally and wrote (RUS):
The rally marking the first anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya's death turned into the opposition's full-scale campaign event. Of those who spoke at the rally, the only person who didn't talk about politics was Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta [the newspaper that Politkovskaya wrote for]. In particular, ex-premier [Mikhail Kasyanov] called to his supporters to boycott the upcoming [State Duma] election. [Boris Nemtsov], in his turn, called to those who were at the meeting to fight against the “bureaucratic [sovereign democracy] for a free Russia.” Under the banners of SPS [the Union of Right Forces], apparently. Aleksandr Averin represented the [National Bolsheviks] at the rally; he said that the opposition no longer had “the time for mourning, becuase it's time to be proactive.” Pyotr Miloserdov called those at the meeting to attend the Russian March, planned by the radical right-wing groups… […]
Photos from a year ago by mr_forester are here.
LJ user afrikane3 has more photos from this year's rally.
LJ user olga_beshley attended the rally, too, and wrote this (RUS):
And there's nothing surprising about the fact that, as recently as yesterday [Oct. 6], the Internet was [silent], and today [Oct. 7], after 1 PM, the web was practically bursting with all the reports about the rally. But yesterday, I couldn't find any info on the upcoming event on any of the popular news sources. Where? What? Where to? What time? But hey, why should the people know… what if they show up there, God forbid. First, there's a rally, then, there's an orange revolution, you know.
[…]
L. and I bought two red roses each. They had run out of carnations in the underground pass.
When we walked out into the square, we had to open our umbrellas. The sky was gloomy, and was throwing down an occasional drop, and it appeared opposed to something, too. To whom? Well, to [Nashi, a pro-Kremlin youth movement], for instance: they were celebrating something today [about 10,000 Nashi members celebrated Vladimir Putin's 55th birthday with slogans such as “Putin is our everything!”]…
But the cops made us happy: there were very few of them.
As for the rally, it left a bitter aftertaste. On the one hand, it was nice to see a square full of people, banners, leaflets, photographs of Politkovskaya.
On the other… Again, it seemed as if there were more journalists than there should have been. I don't have a TV set, but I can imagine that there's solidarity with [Nashi members] on the TV today – they must be congratulating VVP [Putin]. Honestly, I haven't seen logos of the federal [Russian] channels at the [Politkovskaya] rally. So here's a question: Who are all these people? Are there really so many foreigners out there? Hmmm.
[…]
I didn't like any of those who spoke at the rally. The people around were quietly talking among themselves, not really listening to Kasyanov and Co. Because their speeches were not inspired, lacked a spark, didn't burn. There was something like a feeling of being doomed in the air. The [so-called] “elections” are almost here, but the opposition is nothing but a damaged mosaics […].
[Eduard Limonov] once said that the Dissenters [the opposition to the Kremlin] had gained a tiny victory by regaining their right [to voice their opinion publicly]. But is it a victory? Five hundred – or even 700 – people at Novopushkinskiy Square [in Moscow] – is that victory? Maybe it's the other way around – the regime hasn't come to terms, but is no longer afraid?
A foreign journalist wearing a foreign hat did a mini-interview with us on Lesnaya St. [where Politkovskaya lived and was shot to death]. We had come there long before the rest of the marchers did and had already laid the flowers by then.
- Why are there so few people?
“Because no one gives a damn.”
– Hmm, because the mass media didn't really advertise this event, and people need to be constantly reminded…
[…]
LJ user peresedov wrote (RUS):
First, I went to Anna Politkovskaya's memorial rally that was taking place at Novopushkinskiy Square. It (the rally) turned out to be a [Dissenters’ March], too – the first one this season. I didn't notice any marching, but the rally was well-organized and went smoothly enough. OMON [riot police] were hiding in buses around the perimeter, the square was surrounded by soldiers in waterproof capes, there were many people, but the majority knew each other.
I […] didn't like it that a memorial was turned into a podium to show off political ambitions. The intensity of it pushed back the mourning nature of the event. But Vladimir Korsunskiy, for example, didn't think there was anything bad about it: he explained that this was, above all, a political rally – tied to a sorrowful day.
The equipment worked well and loudly, big screens on both side were showing faces of those who were speaking and banners of those who came to the rally.
There were lots of speeches: I liked those by Kasyanov, by the [Nord-Ost] victims, and by the journalists, Politkovskaya's colleagues.
[…]
I liked the initiative to declare October 7 the day of civil dignity.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Russia: Remembering Anna Politkovskaya · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean Guillory of Sean's Russia Blog links to the New York Times’ translation of an interview with Petros Garibian, the chief investigator in the Anna Politkovskaya murder case, and receives over 50 comments to his post on commemorating the slain journalist. Mark MacKinnon writes about Russia's “Day of Shame.” La Russophobe devotes Oct. 7 to collecting tributes and other material on Politkovskaya. Grigory Pasko writes on Robert Amsterdam's blog: “The seventh of October will never again be Putin’s birthday – it will be the day Anna died.”


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Russia, UK: RIP, Dainton Connell · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russia Blog writes about the death of the Pet Shop Boys’ manager Dainton Connell in a car crash in Moscow on Oct. 5.


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Senegal: Education System Goes “Mafia” · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Blog Politique au Senegal describes (Fr) Senegal's education system in a state of crisis: “It's difficult to say that the Pdef and the 40% of the national budget allocated to education haven't served any purpose: multiple strikes, the lowering of education standards, botched programs, phony grades…illicit practices have more and more become the common currency.”


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Senegal: Water Taxis in Dakar? · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Blog Politique au Senegal offers a modest proposal (Fr) for water taxis in Dakar.


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Singapore: Hate Comments  · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Rinaz in Singapore has figured out a way of dealing with hate comments.


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Slovakia, Ukraine: Migrant Labor · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Dr. Sean's Diary writes about Ukrainian migrant laborers in Slovakia.


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Sri Lanka: Lanka and Ravana · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

While the controversy over Adam's Bridge continues, in Sri Lanka, the mythological character of Ravana is undergoing a process of Sinhalization. More at Transcurrents.


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Trinidad and Tobago: Campaign-watching · Global Voices
Nicholas Laughlin

It's election campaign time in Trinidad and Tobago. Guest-blogging at Izatrini, Manicou reports on the weekend's big political rallies.


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Ukraine: Blogger to Read on Chernobyl on BBC · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

MoldovAnn will be on BBC Radio tomorrow, reading from one of her posts on a trip to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone.


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Ukraine: Kovbasa/Kolbasa · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about Ukraine's kovbasa/kolbasa.


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Ukraine: “NUNS’ PoRnification”? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana hopes that “the Orange Revolution’s third anniversary will not be defiled by NUNS’ PoRnification.”


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Ukraine: Okean Elzy · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainian Musical Matters writes about Okean Elzy, a Ukrainian band.


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Ukraine, UK: “Falsification, London Time” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Taras Kuzio writes about his 81-year-old father's failed attempt to vote at the Ukrainian Embassy in London on Sept. 30.


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Africa: A tale of two Internet blockers · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“A tale of two internet blockers: You block Blogspot, I block Boing Boing,” writes Andrew Heavens.


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Arabeyes: Egyptian Blog Review · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Egyptian blogs were abuzz with activity, despite their show of solidarity with a strike by a number of newspapers, which didn't appear in protest against the jailing of Egyptian journalists today. Our review today talks about the strike, the anniversary of the October 6 war with Israel and the detention of an Egyptian Shiite among other topics.
Newspapers on Strike
On October 7, many newspapers, mainly independent ones, decided not to appear in order to show their stand against the detention of the Egyptian journalists who were detained for publishing news about the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak which came out not to be true. Many Egyptian bloggers (perhaps hundreds of them) decided not to post anything on that day as well. Most of them put logos showing their solidarity with the Egyptian journalists, while some blogs such as Kareem El Beheiry of “Egyptian-Workers” decided to write a short paragraph about it.
قررت مدونة عمال مصر اغلاق ابوابها اليوم تضامنا مع كل الصحف المحترمة المحجوبة اليوم الاحد وذلك لان المدونات هى نسيج من الصحافة الحرة
كما تقرر مدونة عمال مصر مقاطعة كل الجرائد القومية ” الحكومية ” لتخاذلها عن نشر قضايا المواطن المصرى ووقفوها بجانب الصحف التى تطالب بحرية الصحافة والتزامها بالتعليمات الحكومية فقط وتدعوكم المدونة لتفعيل المقاطعة بينكم وعلى رأس هذه الصحف الاهرام – الجمهورية
“The Egyptian Workers Blog decided to be closed today in solidarity with the respected newspapers which are not going to appear on news-stands on Sunday, as blogging is considered to be related to Journalism. We are also going to boycott the the National – Governmental – Newspapers because of their failure to publish what really matters the Egyptian citizens, and for not standing with those newspapers asking for freedom of speech, and for their continuous submission to the government. And we ask you to boycott them, and on top of those newspapers comes Al-Ahram and Al-Gumhureya.”
Egyptian Workers Blog.
The October 6 War
Another main event was the anniversary of The Sixth of October War which took place between Egypt, the Arabs and Israel. Zeinobia decided to share with her readers a link for an Arabic Web-Site dedicated to the war.
طبعا انتم جميعا تعلمون ان اليهود نجحوا فى تحويل الانتصار المصرى الى هزيمة عن طريق ماكينة اعلامهم التى لا تمل و ايضا تعلمون ان هناك بعض الاخوة العرب اللى بينظروا لحرب اكتوبر كما لو كانت للنكسة
لذلك لا يزال دورنا كمصريين ان ننشر الحقيق و لا نمل من دورنا كذلك حتى لو العالم لم يسمع لمئة سنة لان هذا دورنا و هذا اقل ما يكمن ان نقدمه لهولاء الرجال العظماء الذين لم يبخلوا اى يعطوا اغلى ما يملكوا لاستعادة كرامة هذا الوطن الجليل
You sure know that the Israelis have succeeded in converting the Egyptian victory in the October war into a defeat using their non-stop propaganda. And you know, many Arabs (we normally use the term Arabs to refer to the rest of the Arab Nations excluding Egypt, and some times we use it to refer to the Gulf Countries in specific) as well share the same view with the Israelis.
So it is our task as Egyptians to publish the truth and not to be bored from doing this even if nobody listens to us for a hundred years. Because this is the least we can do for those great men who didn't hesitate to pay their own lives in order to liberate our land and re-gain our national dignity.
Zeinobia, Waqaee Masreyah
Al Ahly Qualifies to the Final
And here comes one of my favourites, a blog post about El Ahly football team, grrrrr.   Beit El Reyadah, wrote about El Ahly qualification to the African Champions League final match.
بالفعل ليس فقط الف مبروك لكل اهلاوي بل اقول الف مبروك لكل المصرين علي تأهل الاهلي للدور النهائي للبطولة الافريقية لمواجة فريق النجم الساحلي التونسي في نهائي البطولة و الذي بأذن الله سوف يفوز النادي الاهلي علية ويأخذ البطولة الافريقية ويحقق انجاز عالمي يضاف الي انجازاتة بأنة سوف يعتبر اول نادي في العالم يصعد لثالث مرة الي بطولة العالم للاندية
“Not only congratulations to El Ahly fans, but also congratulations to all Egyptians, as El Ahly football team qualified to the final match of the African Champions League, and it will meet the Tunisian team Etoile Sahel there. And El Ahly will win by the will of Allah and will become the first team to be qualified for the third time to the FIFA Club World Cup championship.” Beit El Reyadah.
Federalism in Iraq
Another controversial post by Malek – AKA MaLcoLM X – about federalism in Iraq.
عارف ان التدوينة دي حتزعل ناس ياما مني واعتقد ممكن تزعلني انا شخصيا من نفسي,بس مقدرش امنع نفسي اني افكر ,ولما الاقي نفسي محتاس طيب
فيها ايه لو اتقسم العراق فيدراليا؟
وليه عاملين دوشه كبيره على الموضوع ؟
الأهم من دا ان لو بالديمقراطيه العراقيين حيصوتوا بأغلبية واضحه”شيعة واكراد” للكونفيدرالية.
ايه الأزمه عندنا احنا؟
“I know that this post is going to piss many of you off, and it will piss me off as well. But I can't stop myself from thinking.
What is the problem with dividing Iraq into federal states? Why are people everywhere complaining about it? And the most important question, if the majority of Iraqis are with federalism and they are going to vote for it in a democratic process, what is our problem then?” MaLcoLM X.
Shiite Activist Arrested
Finally, an Egyptian Shiite activist was detained by the policy for simply being Shiite. So Rasha – like many other bloggers – decided to write about this in her blog.
يقرأون الفاتحة فى الركعتين الثالثة والرابعة أولا يقرأونها ، يسّبحون فى الركعتين الثالثة والرابعة ، يقرون بالولاية للإمام علي فى الركعة الأولى من كل صلاة ، يذكرون الأئمة الأثنى عشر فى نهاية كل صلاة ، يؤدونها على الشقفة أو التربة الحسينية ، ينادون لها بـ “حى على خير العمل” كما يفعل السنة فى “الصلاة خير من النوم” .. يختمون صلاتهم بالدعاء بدلا من التسليم، فليس هناك خاتمة لها..
لاأعرف كيف استطاع المحقق فى إعتقال محمد الدرينى أن يوجه له تهمة التسبيح فى الصلاة؟
أن يسأله عن صلاته ، عن معتقداته ..ثم يتهمه بإزدراء الأديان!
Reciting “Al Fateha” (a chapter from Quraan) in the third and fourth “Rakaas” (parts) of their prayers or not. “Tasbeeh” (calling the name of God) in the third and fourth “Rakaas” of their prayers or not. Calling Imam Ali an Iman in the first “Rakaa” of their prayer or not. Calling the names of the twelve Imams after their prayers or not. Praying on a carpet or on El Turbah El Husaineyah. Adding the phrase “Hayy Ala Khair El Ammal” in the “Azan” (call for prayer), like Sunnis adding the phrase “Al Salah Khayron Men Al Nawm” in their “Azan”. Reciting “Duaa” after ending their prayers instead of “Tasleem”.
I don't know how was the police detective able to accuse Muhammed El Durainy of saying “Tasbeeh” in his prayers?
He asked him about his prayers and beliefs, and then accused him of “Disrespecting Religions”!
Each time, and in each new case, the regime proves its fascism against those who are different from them.
Rasha, Ay Haga (Anything).

author: Tarek Amr


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Arabeyes: Moroccan Blogger Lashes Out at Gulf Arabs · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan blogger Adilski lashes out at Gulf Arabs in this post, which I am translating from Arabic. Not happy with the media attention Moroccan women are getting in the Gulf, Adilski goes on to paint Gulf Arabs as lesbians and gays, living in oppressive societies and yearning for freedom.
The Arabian Gulf is made up of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.


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Bangladesh: Bloggers protest internet user profiling · Global Voices
Rezwan

It all started when an exclusive report from E-Bangladesh exposed a memo of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) which instructed 72 Internet Service Providers (ISP) of Bangladesh to submit their individual client details and their usage details. E-Bangladesh also revealed that raids have been carried out in innocent individual users’ houses, as a part of the ongoing illegal VOIP operators busting assignment.
Check the Global Voices Advocacy report for details.
VOIP(Voice over Internet Protocol) is a low cost technology based on internet which makes cheap calls via methods like calling cards possible. There are a growing number of Bangladeshi Diaspora in the world who have created a huge demand of international telecommunication. In absence of proper Government control and awareness thousands of small scale VOIP operators have sprung up in Bangladesh in the last 3 to 4 years to cater as the backbones of the International calling card markets. These entrepreneurs are especially young techies who found a small scale investor to set up a profitable business for them basically using a fast internet connection, some mobile phone connections for call termination and some switches.
This has hurt the state run Telecommunication organization BTTB much. Its revenue came down to alarming level and it had to cut down prices of international calls. However without embracing for this new technology themselves they are trying to stop usage of this technology banning it. Since January this year the BTRC has started to bust the existing VOIP operators declaring them illegal and without considering rehabilitation of the existing operators. The government has recently declared that they will provide license to four operators of VOIP. So many opine that the said memo is a measure to protect these upcoming four operators’ business.
However BBC reports confirmed quoting the General Secretary of Bangladesh ISP that the whole point of the memo is to establish a control mechanism in Internet Service provided to individuals. The Government will also prepare a database of the internet users with that information.
Bloggers have become outraged by this. Rajkoomaree writes in Unheard Voices: Drishtipat Blog:
Now BTRC orders ISPs to reveal admin password, user data , usage pattern, IP address and so many other things (i even don’t know we need so many things to use the net) of each and every individual to track, monitor and record their activities…..
But can they do it? No. as far as you can remember, the constitution is not yet suspended or scrapped in Bangladesh. And that is supposed to be the supreme law of the country. According to Article 43 every citizen shall have the right to be secured in his home against entry, search and seizure, and to the privacy of his correspondence and other means of communication.
Blogger Arup created a banner (displayed above) to protest Internet monitoring and requested all users [bn] of the Bangla blogging platform Sachalayaton to use it as their profile picture.
However another blog Shada Kalo differs on this:
Internet monitoring and control may be very real in Bangladesh. After all, there is a brand-new, 175 person agency being set up to monitor phone conversations.
But this letter, and the current BTRC search and seizures have nothing to do with curtailing free speech (but VOIP).
This blogger says [bn]:
In todays era of Globalization people will choose the technology which is cheap and easy to use. Nobody can stop the technology.
When Fax technology was introduced in Bangladesh BTTB did not legalize it for two years stating that it will hamper its Telegraph and Telex business.
Mash at Or How I learned to Stop Worrying discusses about the recent crisis of Bangladesh media which is muzzled through threats, intimidation, and censorship. He discusses some background:
With the Bangladesh media silenced, Bangladeshi bloggers, both inside and outside the country, have filled the void. Via SMS and the Internet Bangladeshi bloggers have been both reporting on events within the country and protesting the military government’s suppression of human rights.
…..
After mass protests broke out last August, the Bangladesh military government shut down cell phone networks and the Internet as it began its crackdown. It then embarked on a campaign of intimidation against bloggers and protesters outside the country. Now the military government has taken its battle against the Internet one step further.
…..
The irony in this report is that none of the newspapers in Bangladesh have reported on this action against Internet use. The only reports have come from Bangladeshi blogs, which obtained a leaked copy of the government order, and the BBC.
You can join the Facebook Group “FREEDOM OF INTERNET USERS IN BANGLADESH” to get updates.

author: Rezwan


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Blogger Flees Uganda After Threats · Global Voices
Rebekah Heacock

Ugandan blogger and radio personality Dennis Matanda's provocative opinions on African culture, Idi Amin and recolonization have been covered on Global Voices before.  Dennis caused another stir last month when he posted on his blog under the title “How to Be Dead.”  The post chronicled the radio show, ensuing threats and frightening act of vandalism leading up to his flight from Uganda, a decision met with a mixture of support, bemusement and skepticism by his fellow blogren.
Writing about her latest dating escapades, Tumwujike tells readers, “If you want to read a post about ‘real’ drama, Dennis Matanda’s blog is the place to go.”  Tandra addresses Dennis in her post about September's Uganda Bloggers Happy Hour, saying, “pity we cldnt hang before some ignorant peeps just run mad and u had to play dead.”  But Degstar had the strongest reaction:
We had this discussion eons ago — in your old car, the one that had a toy Beretta in the glove compartment? — where I pointed out that for your being less than reserved about your feelings on things of national import, you could, should, expect to pay a price. And you, in that — some would say arrogant — devil-may-care way of yours said, “f— that. I mean really!!” me, I just said “kale.” Indeed you went on to say exactly what you wanted when and where you wanted. Then as it turns out — if I’m getting this right — your views on other people’s sexual preferences were what finally broke the camel’s back and resulted in the late night visit to your house.
Chief, what did you expect? A formal protest note delivered to your lawyer? A picket of your Nakasero hill office? A boycott of your radio talk show? Public burning of your newspaper articles? Or perhaps an invite to the Media Centre to share your divergent views in a bid to “reach a consensus and chart a common way forward?” dude please, I think not.
Now living in the United States, Dennis is working on his
first fiction piece: a novel titled Master of the Sagging Cheeks, which he hopes will bring a change in the way the world views African leaders.  He agreed to share his story with Global Voices:
Q: Can you describe the events leading up to your decision to leave Uganda?
A: There are basically three things that led me to leave Uganda. The first is that I was getting nasty phone calls from unidentified people threatening me about a radio talkshow I did each week. The calls became nastier when we discussed homosexuality on the 24th of August. I basically did not agree with the pastors and colleagues about homosexuality. I said homosexuality was not welcomed with open arms in the West and so we did not have a right to assume that it was imported into Uganda. Because I had just returned to Uganda from a holiday in the UK and the US, I got a phone call that night telling me to go back where I came from if I wanted to see the light of day.
The second is that I was not too sure who these people were and could not pinpoint if they were government agents or not.  I brought up the topic of harassment with my colleagues — not necessarily divulging the fact that these calls were coming in — but seeking information on who would be behind these things. The basic information I got was that because there are so many security operatives and many arms competing for the President's ear and so many power centers, it was almost impossible to know who was behind the calls.
And lastly, I did not know if I could trust the police with my life considering that they are obviously against anyone who says anything against the government — which I did all the time.
Q: You have a reputation as provocateur — your articles on African leaders and colonialism in particular have garnered much heated discussion.  What would you cite as the single most controversial point of view you've publicly taken?
A: I think that the Call for Recolonization has been the most unpopular. I remember getting a call from an influential person in the government asking me to put them down considering that they touched on some really sensitive issues on leadership and President Museveni. He said that although I was right and making a lot of sense, in his opinion, “the people who run the country were past sense and were now into destruction of anything that stood in their way.” Interestingly, after I run away from town, I called him and in our discussion, he said something to the extent that those articles could have been the main reason I was targeted, as they were discussed across the African continent and beyond.
Q: Do you believe the attack on your compound is related more to your blog or to views expressed on your radio show?
A: To be honest, I cannot put a finger to it. I still do not know who was after me — and this was the scariest part.
Q: How would you respond to the accusations Degstar made claiming that you “ran”?
A: Degstar’s accusations are spot on. I ran away from things I should have “stood like a man” and fought against. I guess he is personally disappointed that I ran away yet he watched me do battle with some important people while I was managing the [Ugandan public relations firm] TERP Group, which is owned by the President's son in law. The thing he forgets is that I would rather do battle with an enemy I can see — and at least know. I ran because I did not know who was after me.  Maybe I ran away too fast, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Q: What's your opinion of the current state of the Ugandan traditional media?  Do you believe Uganda has a free press?
A: For the moment, the traditional media are basically safe… at least until the end of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. But the cracks have already started to appear with upcountry radio stations in places like the Toro region in Western Uganda being harassed for all kinds of things.
The other element in the temporary safety of the traditional media is in the fact that there is not a single institution capable of managing the rapidly expanding and basically free media. The Media Center which was supposed to do this does not have the credibility and the Uganda Broadcasting Council has been known to take lackadaisical decisions (including taking Gaetano off the Capital Radio over homosexuality comments he did not make; and of course, working with the Media Center to get Blake Lambert deported).
And the biggest safety is in the fact that if the President himself has not seen the news item, there is a chance that there will be no direct reprisal on the media outlet. Besides, most of the media house do not really appreciate some of the President’s actions. About five months ago, he summoned owners and managers of the big media houses and, after making them wait at his office for over 7 hours, came in to lecture them on how to do their jobs. They did not take it well — and he seems to have created rebels in his midst — instead of making them his allies.
The Government itself, like its leaderm has also so alienated itself from the mainstream media houses that they would not necessarily toe the government line out of choice. That is where I think Uganda has a free press. They are currently getting away with things many countries would not dream of. This, and this is something to worry about, is bound to change with very big, bad consequences.
Q: What role do you think blogging plays in this situation?
A: In the middle of the 2006 presidential elections, the 27th Comrade and Ernest Bazanye are going to become points of reference. They will step into their new roles and will become news leaders. Through satire, jokes and barbed comments — like the ones Ivan makes — the bloggers will reach the bone of many a great audience. Blogs will become like valuable missives or illegal drugs which people will go out to look for and get.
Q: Do you have plans to return to Uganda?
A:  Yes. Definitely. I still have plans of becoming Uganda’s President! But between now and then, I have a couple of novels to work on, a PhD to pursue, a Health and Education foundation to introduce to Ugandan villages — and especially, a Washington Lobby to garner. So — now that I'm here, I might as well finish Master of the Sagging Cheeks.  I have another 15 chapters to go, so I'm going to spend the next six months writing.
Dennis, thank you for your time.

author: Rebekah Heacock


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Egypt: A Visit to an Elderly House · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Ramadan is the month of “good”. That’s how Muslims regard it worldwide. So don’t get amazed if you found various forms for “good deeds” performed amongst middle age youth here or there. You can find few joining charity NGO’s preparing “Ramadan Bags” (A bag full of some Ramadan’s food essentials, like rice, oil, flour.. etc)  then distribute them among the needy. You can also find people visiting the orphanages and elderly houses as well – like how BlueRose, a young Egyptian doctor and blogger, told us after her visit to an elderly house:
من أيام كنت بافطر مع مجموعة من أجمل من عرفت , هم سكان دار واحدة للمسنين  , كانت أول مرة أخرج معاهم عادة كنت باشوفهم في الدار
كما قلت من قبل أكتر مشكلة بتواجه العمل العام مع المسنين هو قلة المتطوعين و المتبرعين كمان للأسف
Days ago I was breaking my fast with a group of the loveliest people I’ve ever seen – residents of the same elderly house. That was my first time to go out with them, since I usually see them inside the house.
As I said earlier the biggest problem that faces working with the elderly people is the lack of volunteers, as well as donors.
Further more, she explains the difficulty of finding volunteers in an eastern society like Egypt, for two main reasons:
من جهة لأن قاطني دور المسنين أغلبهم مصاب باكتئاب مرضي , و دا غالبا مش هاتفرق معاه أي حاجة, و بالتالي أحيانا ما يجد البعض محاولات اسعاد هؤلاء محبطة
On the one hand, it is because almost all the residents of elderly houses suffer from depression, and are therefore indifferent to anything, so volunteers find it frustrating to cheer them up.
من جهة تانية المعضلة الأخلاقية , يرى البعض أن الترفيه عن سكان دور المسنين بل و مجرد وجود دور للمسنين أصلا غير أخلاقي لأنه عامل مساعد للعاق لترك أهله
On the other hand, few people think it's immoral visiting elderly houses or even the existence of such places, in the first place, since it helps sons and daughters to give their parents away.
Then Blue Rose narrated a personal experience where she said:
كنت في فترة بافكر بنفس المنطق , ساخطة دوما على عائلات من ألقاهم في تلك الدور , حتى مرة في زيارة سابقة لنفس الدار سألنا لو كان هناك احتياج للبطاطين عند دخول الشتاء , فأجابتني المشرفة ان الدار قد وفرت لهم بطاطين فعلا , و أن هناك متبرعين قاموا باهدائهم بطاطين أخرى , لكن أغلبهم أعطاها لأبنائه!!!!!
ماعرفتش أضحك ولا اتنرفز ولا اعيط
قررت ألا أحكم على أبنائهم و لو اكراما للآباء الذين مازالوا يحملون كل هذا الحب لهم , قررت ألا اسخط عليهم ولا أدعو عليهم ولا أفكر فيهم أصلا
قررت أن يكون عملي مع الثروة الحقيقية فقط لا غير
مع أهل العطاء
I used to think in the same sense for sometime in the past, always mad at the families who threw their elderly in such houses, until one time I was in another visit and asked if more blankets were needed for winter. However, the house’s supervisor replied that already other volunteers offered blankets yet most of the elderly people preferred to give them to their children.
I didn’t know whether to laugh, get angry or cry then.
And ever since, I decided not to judge the sons, even it its only in honor of their parents who still hold that love for them and decided to focus all my work with the real treasure and no one else; just the people of giving.

author: Eman AbdElRahman


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Hong Kong: We Are Ready For 2012 · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Rebuild Hong Kong has appropriated the Beijing Olympic 2008 theme song for 2012 universal suffrage movement in Hong Kong. The music video is up at Youtube.


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India: Marriage and Battles · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Heartcrossings on picking one's battles when it comes to relationships. “To her, intelligent women like Mrs. Sharma know to pick their battles and that’s the reason they survive in their flawed and imperfect marriages.”


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India: Men and Homosexuality · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Death Ends Fun on men having to hide their homosexuality.


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India: Rediscovering Che · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

a reader's words on rediscovering Che Guevara. “I finally found Che in The Motorcycle Diaries, in the deep humanism of a 23 year old student, as frightened by a pair of a cat’s eyes in the night as anyone else in his place would be.”


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Indonesia: Travel Tips For Bali · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

A Mind of My Own has some tips for those planning to visit Bali.

author: Preetam Rai


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Japan: Schoolgirl Sailor Uniform · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Nick Kapur from Japan History group blog reports on the recent controversy over the origins of the Japanese schoolgirl sailor uniform.


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Japan: Sumo Wrestler Bullied To Death · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently a Sumo wrestler was beaten seriously by his colleague and the wrestler eventually died. W. Anthony Malcolm from Japan Probe tried to give more background on Sumo training in Japan.


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Jordan: Aids Concerns · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian blogger Hareega is concerned about the spread of the deadly Aids virus in his country.


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Myanmar: Healing Myanmar · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Burmese blogger Moemoe has some ideas on how to move Myanmar towards a more normal country.


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Nepal: Referendum Politics · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

United We Blog! on the consequences of a referendum in Nepal. “Referendum would be a step backward from where we are now and many steps backward from results of the Constituent Assembly elections.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Pakistan: Faith and Fasting · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

DeOwl has an interesting post exploring the link between faith and fasting during Ramzan as she finds herself in the US, alone.


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Philippines: Arroyo’s “Third” Impeachment Complaint · Global Voices
Tonyo Cruz

Coming at the heels of the controversial National Broadband Network contract with Chinese firm ZTE, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Friday (Oct. 6) was slapped an impeachment complaint before the House of Representatives.
The political opposition and the broad anti-Arroyo movement should be rejoicing over it but nobody among the groups has owned up the cause.   Manuel L. Quezon III swiftly sees it and says the filing of the complaint and the President's issuance of a statement while on a trip in India was “perfectly orchestrated and timed”.
It's a sham, says Magdalo para sa Pagbabago and goes on to explain why:
The impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Roel Pulido against Gloria Arroyo last Friday was a big joke. First, the complaint was very week with lots of loopholes to ensure it will loose in a legal forum. Second, it was filed prematurely without consultation from concerned sectors/individuals who were already involved in the struggle for truth since 2005 (Such as the Church, business groups, political opposition, civil society, etc). Third, the word is out that Atty. Pulido had talks with Malacanang before he dropped the Magdalo officers as their counsel. He is currently a staff of Sen Honasan.
It is so obvious that they are trying to sabotage the possibility of any legitimate impeachment complaint being filed against GMA. This tactic is no different from the stunt of Atty Lozano last 2005 & 2006. This is a very suspicious impeachment complaint thus I call on all patriotic Filipinos to be watchful and remain vigilant.
Ellen Tordesillas, an Arroyo critic in the media and the blogosphere, is suspicious and cites her reasons.
The president expectedly “pooh-poohs” the complaint which a member of Congress described as being “designed to fail and not worth the paper it was printed on”.
The House meanwhile is shocked over news that certain persons connected with the Palace tried to bribe oppositionist congressmen into signing the Pulido impeachment complaint. By Tuesday (Oct. 9), Anakpawis (Toiling Masses Representative Crispin Beltran comes out with the name of Francis Ver, deputy secretary-general of President Arroyo's party Kampi, as the person who tried to buy his signature for two million pesos.
The Arroyo camp's transparent effort to vaccinate the President from a legit impeachment complaint is not lost on The Lonely Vampire Chronicles who argues that the constitutional weapon to hold high officials accountable — impeachment — is “broken” and “needs to be fixed”:
Anyway, as much as I want Arroyo impeached, the chances for such is much closer to nil than in 2005. With the impeachment reduced to a game, and with Arroyo having the numbers at the Lower House, pardon me if I am very much skeptical of the process. Now, if Arroyo pushes the wrong buttons, I might reconsider. Like, pulling the rug off the Speaker’s feet. Or, a strong clamor from all parts of the society (in your dreams).
Yes, the process is broken, and it needs to be fixed.
Taking a dig at Pulido, the erstwhile lawyer of anti-Arroyo soldiers who later fired him as counsel, uniffors baptized him with a new first name. Instead of calling him Roel Pulido, the blog dubs him Oliver Pulido in an obvious reference to Oliver Lozano who filed a similarly weak and much-maligned impeachment complaint in 2006.
Whatever the motive of Pulido and pro-Arroyo Rep. Edgar San Luis (the congressman who endorsed the complaint as required by the Constitution and the House impeachment rules), Snippets says it only means one thing:
Anyway, the actions of the administration simply points out to one thing: di pa rin nawawala ang shaky ground nila [they still stand on shaky ground]. To consider: ex-Commissioner Ben Abalos might still spill more beans. Unless he flies away. Who knows?
The impeachment complaint needs to muster signatures of at least 80 congressmen for it to be transmitted to the Senate for trial.
To know more about the impeachment process in the Philippines, you may refer to the Rules on Impeachment of the House of Representatives, Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Trials in the Senate, and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism team blog for an archive on the two previous impeachment complaints against Arroyo.

author: Tonyo Cruz


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Philippines: Enough Of Desperate Housewives · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Doctor Anonymous is asking Filipinos protesting against American TV Show Desperate Housewives to stand down. The TV show had made a joke on Filipino doctors and later issued an apology.


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Philippines: Sexism in activism · Global Voices
Tonyo Cruz

Penned by a Filipina novelist based in New York, Lily Pad replies to two letters asking about political sexism and models for activist women. Interestingly, the term Lily Pad seems to be a successful play of words and can mean “to fly” if heard by a Tagalog-speaking Filipina or Filipino.


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Russia: “A Soviet Poster A Day” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

In the latest entry, Alexander Zakharov of A Soviet Poster A Day writes about galoshes and the general situation with footwear in Russia after the 1917 revolution.


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Russia: Interview With Victor Shenderovich · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Robert Amsterdam posts the translation of an interview with Victor Shenderovich, a Russian political satirist.


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Russia: More on Putin’s Birthday · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean Guillory and Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow write about the celebration of Vladimir Putin's birthday by the pro-Kremlin youth movement Nashi.


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Russia: Politkovskaya’s Death and Putin’s Birth · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

La Russophobe offers two translations from the Russian Yezhednevnyi Zhurnal on Anna Politkovskaya's death anniversary and Vladimir Putin's birthday – here and here.


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Russia: St. Pete Miscellanea · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“A week’s worth of blog posts” – and of St. Petersburg photos – from Megan Case 2.0.


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Russia, U.S.: Satender Singh’s Murder · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Moscow Through Brown Eyes writes about the murder of Satender Singh in Lake Natoma, California, allegedly by two Russian-speaking men, one of whom, Andrei Vusik, is still at large – and, likely, in Russia: “Contact the Moscow bureau of the FBI and demand that they pressure the Russian authorities to locate and extradite Vusik.”


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Sao Tome and Principe: Hand-Crafted USB Drives · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Aluma blogs about an interesting project in Sao Tome and Principe:”…Pedro Alegria introduced USB flash card design to local craftsmen, all of whom had never seen or heard of such things before.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Swaziland: Swazi culture 101 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A short post on Back to Swaziland blog about Swazi culture: “While we were waiting for lunch to be ready, because you can only take uncooked food for the chief and it is prepared by his family, the chief showed us around is residence.  It was a privilege to be taken inside the traditional hut (much like the one in the picture below) where counsel meetings are held and the like.”


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Taiwan: Inflation · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Michael blogs about the inflation problem in Taiwan.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Zimbabwe: What is 200,000 Zimbabwean dollars? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Edward Popoola asks, “how much is $200,000 worth?”: The same amount in Zimbabwe (the Zimbabwean dollars) is nothing but a worthless, piece of paper that amounts to like a 100 Nigerian Naira. Well, maybe not so worthless, it would get you a drop of water in a country plagued by lack of water….nah…go find out about Zimbabwe yourself.


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Bahrain: Non-Sectarian Mosque · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif unveils plans to build the country's first non-sectarian mosque in this post.


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Bangladesh: Denying Genocide · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Mash has a post on genocide denial. “Following up on her 2005 paper denying the extent of the 1971 genocide published in the Economic and Political Weekly, Sarmila Bose has now published a paper denying the extent of the rapes of Bangladeshi women “


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Belarus: “European Choice” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's Belarus argues that the “European Choice” is actually “a ticket for Titanic.”


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: ” Great Powers & Srebrenica Genocide” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Srebrenica Genocide Blog posts an interview with the former official spokesperson for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at the Hague – who claims that “France, Great Britain and the United States have in effect protected Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, and are refusing to make available documents showing Milosevic’s involvement in the genocide at Srebrenica.”


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: Songs · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Bosnia Blog writes about a song about Bosnia by the Cranberries’ – and another one, by an Italian rock band.


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Bosnia & Herzegovina, USA: Immigration Fraud vs Genocide · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“The U.S. courts charge Srebrenica genocide suspects for immigration fraud, but fail to prosecute them for war crimes,” writes Srebrenica Genocide Blog – and posts “an incomplete list of Srebrenica genocide suspects who were (so far) arrested in the United States and charged only with immigration fraud.”


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Bulgaria: Abandoned Children · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Wanabehuman writes about a documentary on Bulgaria's abandoned children.


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China: Mao’s Temple · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tiger temple writes about “Chairman Mao Tse Dong's Temple” in my 1510. It is built in 1993 in Wang Shan, Shan'xi.


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China: World Record · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Voice in V360 have a list of Chinese records in the world (zh): 1. accounts for 80% death in mine accidents; 2. accounts for 30% suicide rate in the world; 3. has 7 cities in the top pollution list; etc.


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Egypt: Anti-Mubarak Videos  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Arabist links to anti-Mubarak YouTube videos in this post.


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Egypt: Fabricated Images · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Malcolm X reviews newspaper images of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and says (Ar) that they are fabricated – as they show the President in the same posture with different guests.


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Egypt: Jailed University Professors · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Hatshepsut  draws our attention to jailed university professors in this post. “Well, it’s not only journalists who are being sent to jail in this country,” she notes.


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Egypt: Kareem’s Sixth Letter  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Free Kareem has posted jailed Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabil Sulaiman's sixth letter from prison here.


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Egypt: Online Policy · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Mostafa Hussein shares his online policies in this post. “Anything I publish online is a form of self expression. This is something I value dearly,” he explains.


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Europe: Eurovision’s Changes · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Due to the “east/west impasse” at the Eurovision Song Contest, the event's format changes beginning next year, Illyrian Gazette reports.


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Hong Kong: Say No To Oriental Daily News · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Oriental Daily News decided to sue an Internet discussion board Uwant for slandering. Syaoran urged netizens to protest against the bullying of individual by big company (zh). He posted some newspapers reports to show that the article in the discussion board is based on facts.


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India: Contraceptives and Culture · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Youth Curry on an emergency contraceptive being marketed in India, and the “safe” advertising.


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Indonesia: Bali Images · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Javajive has posted some amazing pictures from Bali.


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Iran:Ali Farahbakhsh,economist journalist is free · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Kosoof,a leading photo blogger,says an economic journalist, Ali Farahbakhsh,was released from Evin prison yesterday after spending 11 months in 209 and 350 divisions of this prison. He was charged with “spying” and “acting” against national security of the country.You can see his photos here.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:Discover Tolouee’s paintings · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

In Mideeast Youth you can discover a Tehran based artist and her creations:R.D.Tolouee.


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Iran:Don’t Attack Iran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Homeyra has published a link to the following article:”Leading Americans Ask U.S. Military to Refuse Orders to Attack Iran.”


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Iraq: Biden Backfires · Global Voices
Salam Adil

Or so says Al-Ghad. In an analysis by the Iraqi Communist Party (Central Leadeship) published in the blog Al-Ghad, they said, “Senator Biden’s motion [in congress calling for the partitioning of Iraq] has already backfired. It was condemned by the great majority of the Iraqi people and the political personalities, including high-ranking officials of the US installed government.”
And given the universal criticism in Iraqi blogs, they may have a point.
Before the senate voted on this bill, Iraq the Model was suggesting that, given the political conditions in Iraq, the American administration should move to promote unity. They wrote:
This would be a good opportunity for the administration to convince the Sunni, Shia and Kurds that it’s time to accept one another and that there’s no other choice but to learn to coexist and work together. And, most importantly, to tell them that America doesn’t want to meet Sunni, Shia or Kurdish leaders defined as such; that it’s more interested in speaking to leaders who identify themselves as Iraqis first and foremost.
And then along came Senator Joseph Biden's resolution which instead suggested that Iraqi should be split into three sectarian regions. Here is a selection from blogs that cover a spectrum of Iraqi political opinion.
Criticism
Wafaa’ was outraged:
We, Iraqis, have invented the wheel, the alphabet and the law, we began lavish construction of hospitals and libraries, and have made endless scientific discoveries and inventions through the millenniums… Collectively, we refuse intimidation and occupation and so we are willing, able and ready to prevent IRAQ from being divided.
Let us read this as a reminder and act upon it. We, Arabs, Kurds, Turkmans and other ethnic groups must work together and not allow the division of IRAQ to take place, ever.
And so was Hammorabi:
It is not up to the others like the American Congress to decide about the fate of Iraq or to vote to divide it into states. The division is nothing but one of the ugly outcomes of the war and the imperialist occupiers of the 21 century.
Only the Iraqis will decide for themselves and they got history going back to more than 6,000 years as one state. Death to those who got ill intention to divide Iraq.
Fayrouz reminded us of past racist comments of Senator Biden and wrote:
I wasn't really surprised when the Senator from Delaware proposed a bill to divide Iraq into three regions. Again, I wasn't surprised when the bill passed the Senate. Always remember, Washington is run by politicians who voted for the war in Iraq, want to get re-elected and/or are running for President. Senator Biden matches the whole criteria. …
What amazes me most about this plan is the ignorance of Senate. Theoretically, Iraq is a sovereign country — at least on paper. But when it comes to what's wrong and right for Iraqis, the American politicians suddenly become the most knowledgeable folks in town.
A&E Iraq wonders what right congress has to legislate on dividing Iraq and suggested the resolution will focus Iraqi anger against America. He writes:
who gave the Congress members the right to discuss our future and the future of our country like we’re their slaves. Who gave them the right to suggest dividing a land they claimed that they’re doing a mission in it and will be leaving soon. I wonder if the American government will apologize for such stupid attitude of its Congress.
Those people believe that they’re masters and they’re teaching us something, and whenever we disagree with that we’re just in denial.
…  This kind of thinking helps Iraqis cope with the madness, I think. It helps them focus their rage on an enemy they have hated all their lives: the US and UK.
Fatmia agrees: “Who gave them that right? As my sister in law said, ‘didn't know that the U.S. had added a 51st state.'”
And Raed suggests that congress has some strange bedfellows in its wish to partition Iraq:
Bush administration, with the support of Congress, has taken the same side as Iran's hardliners and the same side as the Sunni fundamentalist group called al-Qaida in Iraq.
And Analysis
But criticism alone is not enough without some counter argument. One must also look to the causes of the internal strife in Iraq. And here also there is much in the blogs.
Ali does not believe the sectarian war is from the Iraq people but from a combination of lack of security and “a government that is full of thieves, racists, extremists, and murderers.” He writes:
They are not loyal to Iraq, but to neighboring countries – Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. None of them is passionate about Iraq but they are still in power.
Four years went by and people with education, passion, plans for Iraq have not been listened to and have not been protected. Many of them have been killed and the rest have fled the country and what is the result? The result is the Iraq that we see today.
While 24 Steps to Liberty thinks that the parties in power are at fault and should have never been allowed to stand for election. He explains why:
The political leaders in Iraq now are Shiites by name only, but they don’t care about Iraq or Iraqis, obviously. They are all traumatized; they were forced to leave the country decades ago, many of their family members were killed by the baathist regime in Iraq. Hakim alone lost more than 60 relatives to the baathist government….
How can someone with a history of sorrows and agonies like Hakim be trusted to govern Iraq? He has all this hatred in his heart, understandably, and the only thought he has in mind is to take revenge. Not only by ordering his Badr “organization” to kill Sunnis everywhere and for no guilt of theirs, but also by turning a deaf ear and blind eye on the corruption of the government. Why should he care? This is the country that killed his relatives and sent him to exile for years and years.
Raed on the other hand says the violence is all political. He writes: “those defining the civil war within Iraq as a religious conflict alone miss the point. Iraq's war is over control of the country and its energy supplies, not over Allah.”
Free Iraq sees an insidous link to the partiton plan in a leaked document on corruption from the American Embassy in Baghdad. He writes:
Note, in pages 14 and 15 [of the above U.S. Embassy report] how Corruption cases are divided into Shia/Sunni/Kurd. Since when do belief and ethnic background make a difference when it comes to stealing? Perhaps this demonstrates how the State Dept is preparing for partitioning Iraq?
And Al-Ghad considers this a sign that war has reached a dead-end. It wrote:
the motives behind the Senate’s motion is the realisation that the war on Iraq has reached a dead end. US forces in Iraq are exhausted and are facing un-glorious defeat, and the US might end up [quoting Senator Biden] “having to go to a draft”.
All this just reminds me of my favourite quote from a Financial Times editorial which said: ‘given a series of bad options in Iraq, the American administration usually chooses something even worse’.

author: Salam Adil


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Iraq: Holiday at Home · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger HNK explains why she will spend her holiday at home – giving us a break down of her daily activities and interests.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Iraq: Insomnia Problems · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Morbid Smile discusses her insomnia in this post.


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Israel: English Interactive Map  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mia from Israel introduces us to an English interactive map of Israel.


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Israel: Frustrating Cable · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

RR from Israel discusses her frustrations with the cable company in this post.


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Israel: Manning Security Check Points · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli A Soldier's Mother explains what it is for her son to work at a check point in this post. “What does it mean to man a checkpoint? Elie and his group will have 2-3 seconds to decide if the person who is approaching them poses a threat. Is there a chance this person is armed, carrying explosives, or someone who simply wants to support his family?” she explains.


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Israel: OneVoice Movement  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blogger Daniel Lubetzky  draws our attention to an article worth reading about the OneVoice Movement.