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Brazil: While traditional media deals with lawsuits, blogs report · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

Two of the biggest media companies in Brazil are currently involved is court cases that similarly raise the issue of freedom of speech and press even though the media finds itself on opposite sides of the issue in the two cases. The influential newspaper ‘Folha de SP’ is facing a series of lawsuits filed by followers of an evangelical church, while Veja, the top weekly magazine, and some of its main editors are going after a blogger through another series of lawsuits. Taking the larger view, the Brazilian blogosphere is uniquely pointing out the similarity and contradictions revealed by the connectedness of both situations.
Folha's problems started a week ago when Elvira Lobato, a reporter who is now facing about 50 individual suits, published an article about the finances of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God – IURD, and its connections with tax havens. The piece lists the TV network (2nd national audience), 23 TV and 40 radio stations, besides the other 19 companies — 2 newspapers included — that forms the church's ‘empire’, but the suits actually complain about IURD being portrayed as a ‘sect’.
The issue has called RSF's attention, and the ABI [Brazilian Press Association] has released a note [pt] describing IURD's reaction as an ‘unprecedented coercive campaign in Brazilian media history’. While the suits against Folha has generated such compelling response from traditional media and its backers, a very different approach is being adopted towards the legal dispute between Veja magazine and the journalist-turned-into-blogger Luis Nassif. As expected, the blogosphere has much to say about that.
A blogosfera está fervilhando sobre a disputa político-ideológica(?) do jornalista Luis Nassif com a revista Veja. É a primeira vez que vejo um assunto gerar tanto debate na blogosfera. O fato curioso é que não apenas os blogs de política estão acompanhando o tema. Nassif começou a publicar no blog Projeto Brasil, no início deste ano, uma série de textos sobre o papel de revista Veja em episódios políticos recentes na história do país, especialmente durante os governos FHC e Lula.
Luis Nassif X revista Veja: blogosfera está fervilhando – GJol
The blogosphere is sizzling about Luis Nassif's political-idoeological(?) dispute with Veja magazine. This is the first time I see an issue generating so much debate in the blogosphere. The curious thing about it is that not only the political blogs are following the theme. Earlier this year, Nassif has started to publish a series of articles about the role of Veja magazine in political affairs of the country's recent story, specially during FHC and Lula's government.
Luis Nassif X Veja Magazine: the blogosphere is sizzling – GJol
Já escrevi aqui e repito: não vejo diferença de caráter entre a Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus e a grande mídia. Moralmente, são todos farinha do mesmo saco. Um leitor me pergunta, então, se sou a favor das ações em série que os fiéis da IURD movem contra a “Folha”. Claro que não, mas é um direito deles, ora. Numa democracia, as desavenças (físicas e jurídicas) são resolvidas num tribunal e não a pauladas como na época da caverna (se o leitor sente saudade dessa época, vá morar no Timor-Leste). A “Veja” decidiu processar Luís Nassif usando o mesmo procedimento e até agora não vi nenhum movimento nacional liderado pela OAB, ABL e ABI em defesa do jornalista. Hipocrisia é a homenagem que a virtude presta ao vício. Estou fora.
José, o Bispo, Nassif e a Hipocrisia – Blog do Ailton
I've already written about that here, and I'll repeat: I see no difference between IURD and big media in terms of character. Morally speaking, they are made of the same stuff. A reader asks me if I am in favor of the series of suits that IURD followers filed against ‘Folha’. Obviously not, but they are within their rights. In a democracy disputes are resolved in courts, and not through fights as it were in the age of the caves. Veja has decided to sue Luis Nassif using the same procedure, and until now I've not seen any national movement led by the OAB [the Brazilian equivalent of the American Bar Association], or the ABI [Brazilian Press Association] in defense of the journalist. Hypocrisy is a tribute that virtue pays to vice [sic]. Leave me out of that.
José, the Bishop, Nassif and Hypocrisy – Blog do Ailton
Em reação às denúncias de Nassif, a revista Veja entrou com ações na Justiça contra o jornalista. A revista não refutou nenhuma denúncia sequer. Apenas quer usar a Justiça como instrumento para retardar ou dificultar a publicação das denúncias. É um direito da revista procurar a Justiça por sentir prejudicada. Porém, sempre que a imprensa faz uma denúncia vazia e alguém entra na Justiça, é logo acusado por toda ela, sem defecções, de querer calar a imprensa ou de ato contra a sua liberdade. Dessa vez, nenhum veículo de comunicação ou grande jornal em circulação saiu em defesa da liberdade jornalística do Nassif. Dois pesos e duas medidas. Sempre assim. O curioso é que a grande imprensa silenciou sobre as denúncias. É o assunto do momento, em todas as redações, nas páginas da web, mas não saiu uma linha sequer nos grandes jornais.
Batalha Nassif / Veja: A grande imprensa na defensiva – Blog do Desemprego Zero
In response to Nassif's denouncements, Veja magazine has filed legal suits against the journalist. The magazine has not refuted any of Nassif's allegations, and has been using legal technicalities in order to delay or hamper the publication of the series of articles. The magazine has the right to go to the courts to seek reparation for possible damages. BUT, everytime the press publishes empty charges and somebody seeks for reparation,  he/she is promptly accused of trying to silence the press, or acting against freedom. This time, no media outlet or big newspaper has come in defense of Nassif's journalistic freedoms. Two weights, two measures. It is always like this. The curious thing is that the big media has been silent about Nassif's charges. It is the big case of the moment in all newsrooms, on the web pages, but not even a line about the issue can be found in any big newspaper.
The battle Nassif vs. Veja: Big media in defensive mode – Blog do Desemprego Zero
Como a internet inteira já sabe, Luiz Nassif está fazendo uma série de acusações contra a Veja. Não sei o que a motiva; afinal, como ele mesmo diz a meu respeito, esses “são temas intrincados, e ela não domina essa área”… Ele há de ter suas razões, imperceptíveis à minha ingenuidade. De modo geral, discordo da sua posição política, o que não há de ser surpresa para quem lê o que eu escrevo e lê o que ele escreve, se é que há quem se inclua em categorias tão díspares. Mas isso é secundário, como é secundário o fato de, pessoalmente, nós termos respeito e simpatia um pelo outro. O que importa, aqui, é que a Veja decidiu processá-lo. Péssima decisão! A imprensa está vivendo um momento delicado, com processos de sobra movidos por terceiros. Para ficar apenas no exemplo mais recente, aí está a igreja universal do reino de deus disparando uma série de processos sobre a Elvira Lobato, através dos seus fiéis, no nítido intuito de silenciá-la.
Nassif vs. Veja – internETC
As the whole Internet already knows, Luiz Nassif is publishing a series of accusations against Veja. I don't know what motivates him; after all, as he says about me, these ‘are complicated themes, and she does not master the field’ … He must have his reasons, imperceptible to my naivety. I disagree with his political positions in general, which is not a surprise for anybody who reads what I write, and reads what he writes, in case there is someone included in such contrasting categories. But this is secondary, as it is secondary that, personally, we have built respect and appreciation one for the other. What matters, here, is that Veja has decided to sue him. Terrible decision! The press is going through a delicate moment, with lawsuits abounding everywhere. Just to mention the latest example, here we have the IURD casting a series of lawsuits over Elvira Lobato [Folha's reporter] through its followers, with the clear intention to silence her.
Nassif vs. Veja – internETC
A IURD está preocupada com os efeitos que as denúncias da Folha, bem como dois outros jornais – um do Rio e outro da Bahia -, possam ter nas parcerias corporativas necessárias para a expansão do império econômico fundado pelo bispo Macedo. Por seu lado, a Folha e os demais jornais temem que a onda de processos judiciais contra a jornalista Elvira Lobato e os repórteres Bruno Thys (jornal Extra, RJ) e Walmar Hupsel Filho (A Tarde, BA), autores de três reportagens diferentes, acabe saindo muito caro em indenizaçőes e custos judiciais. A estratégia de ambos os lados é esgrimir o conceito de liberdade: a religiosa e a de imprensa. São dois argumentos de peso em matéria de estratégia de marketing político, mas frágeis em termos de conteúdo. As reportagens não ameaçam a liberdade religiosa no país, no máximo os negócios do bispo Macedo, da mesma forma que as açőes judiciais interpostas por fiéis da IURD não ameaçam as liberdades da imprensa e de informação. Enquanto isto, os leitores (pelo menos os do Observatório) fazem uma leitura diferente da questão. Não mostram simpatias com a Igreja Universal, mas também não poupam a imprensa. Isto mostra que um segmento do público leitor brasileiro começa a dar sinais de maturidade para experimentar fórmulas colaborativas de produção de informaçőes, uma das grandes inovaçőes introduzidas pela Web.
Outra polêmica envolvendo a imprensa – Código Aberto (Observatório da Imprensa)
IURD is worried about the effects that Folha's articles, and also the ones from the two others newspapers — one from Rio and one from Bahia — may have had in the corporate partnerships needed to guarantee the expasion of the empire founded by Bishop Macedo [IURD's religious leader]. On the other side, Folha and the other newspapers are afraid that the wave of lawsuits against the journalist Elvira Lobato, and the reporters Bruno Thys (‘Extra’, from Rio de Janeiro) e Walmar Hupsel Filho (‘A Tarde’, from Bahia), authors of three different reports, will end up in an expensive bill of legal costs. The strategy, from both sides, is to contend over the concept of freedom: religious freedom and press freedom. These are two heavy arguments in terms of political marketing strategy, but fragile ones in terms of content. The reports do not threaten religious freedom, maybe only Bishop Macedo's businesses, in the same way that the lawsuits filed by IURD's followers do not threaten freedoms related to press and information. Meanwhile, the readers (at least the ones here at the Observatory) are showing a different approach to the issue. They do not show any sympathy for the Universal Church, but they do not sympathize with the press either… [At least] a segment of the universe of Brazilian readers is starting to show signs of maturity to experiment colaborative forms of information production, which is one of the big inovations brought by the web.
Another polemic around the media – Código Aberto (Observatório da Imprensa)
This feature of collaborative production of information is one of the most interesting aspects of Nassif's series of articles. In the lastest chapters many readers of Nassif's blog — should we say, community of readers? — are helping in the analysis of elements, links and evidence related to the intricate collection of facts that forms the ‘Veja Case’. This novelty, along with the perception that the quest for quality of information in the blogosphere is starting to rise above the usual left / right bickering, maybe a sign of the blossoming maturity of Brazilian blogs.
Chamo a atenção de vocês para um resultado genuíno do trabalho em rede. O trecho abaixo fecha o capítulo ‘Lula é meu álibi’, no dossiê Veja. Foi um trabalho minucioso de pesquisa feito por vocês (clique aqui para ler o capítulo). Quando pedi a ajuda de vocês, houve quem risse do pedido. Esse povo não sabe o que é o trabalho cooperativo em rede.
A rede e os g00db0ys – Luis Nassif Online
I call your attention to a genuine result of networking. The piece below closes the chapter ‘Lula is my alibi’, in the Veja dossier. It was a meticulous research job made by you (click here to read the chapter). When I asked for help from you, there were some people who laughed at my request. This crowd does not know anything about networked collaborative work.
The network and the g00db0ys – Luis Nassif Online
Algo de muito importante está acontecendo na blogosfera brasileira desde que Luis Nassif começou a publicar suas reportagens a respeito da revista Veja: a conversa mudou de patamar. Das picuinhas habituais entre blogs de esquerda e de direita, entrou no bate-boca algo novo. Informação. Nassif recorreu a um instrumento tradicional, o da reportagem, para levar a seus leitores a informação que coletou, certamente, após muitas entrevistas. (Dá trabalho informar.) Mas como foi via blog que divulgou, a blogosfera melhora. Temos uma blogosfera que não costuma informar muito, quanto mais produzir informação do zero. A esperança, agora, é que seguindo ele, sem histeria, alguém pegue as atividades da Secretaria de Comunicação do atual governo – ou mesmo do governo passado – e mostre seus hábitos. Quem é favorecido, quais seus critérios de distribuição de propaganda, qual a linha editorial habitual dos agraciados, quanto circulam. Costumamos, jornalistas, cobrar das estruturas do governo e das grandes empresas que sejam transparentes. A imprensa – e, sim, isto inclui blogs – tem uma das tarefas mais delicadas da democracia. É a ela que cabe informar. É através dela que o público toma conhecimento do que acontece. Sem uma imprensa livre não é possível formar opinião. A mesma transparência que a imprensa cobra de governo e empresas deve ser cobrada de volta. Provavelmente vai ter briga e vai ter polêmica. É do tipo saudável.
Luis Nassif, Veja e a blogosfera – Pedro Dória Weblog
Something very important is happening in the Brazilian blogosphere since Luis Nassif has started to publish his reports about Veja magazine: the conversation has experienced an upgrade. From the habitual altercation between blogs from the left and blogs from the right, something new has emerged in the debate: information. Nassif is using a traditional tool, the report, to present to his readers the information he has collected, I am certain, after many interviews. (It takes work to inform). But as he used a blog to publish the stuff, the blogosphere gets better. Our blogosphere has not ben committed to to inform, even less to produce information from zero. Our hope now is that, following him, without hysteria, someone will take on the activities of the Secretary of Communication of the present government — or even from the last government — and show its habits. Who is favored, what are the standards for distributing advertisement, what is the editorial line of the ones awarded, and is it always the same ones? We journalists are accustomed to demand tranparency from governments and big companies. The media — and yes, it includes the blogs — holds one of the most delicate tasks of democracy: the role to inform. It is through the media that the audience takes notice of what is going on. Without a free media it is not possible to form an opinion. The same transparency that the media demands from governments and companies should be applied to us. We will probably have fights and polemics — of the healthy kind.
Luis Nassif, Veja and the blogosphere – Pedro Dória Weblog
Thus there are signs, as the blogosphere grows in significance, that it has begun to ask for itself the deeper questions of what produces both free and good information.

author: Jose Murilo


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China: Hu Jie · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zhai Minglei posted an interview with Hu Jie (zh), a documentary film maker, who lives with the poor with his camera.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Human Flesh Search Engine · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated a story about a netizen's call for “human flesh search engine” to identify a malicious “uncle figure” in an online video. In the end, they managed to find the uploader, but not the “uncle”.


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China: Wen Jiabao’s neighbors forcefully evicted · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Since his blogging tour by bike through some of the poorest areas in China, veteran Beijing blogger Laohu “Tiger Temple” Miao has over the past two months taken on the part-time job of social worker for a group of homeless and destitute senior citizens living behind a temporary roadside wall just opposite Tiananmen Square, collecting donations and organizing clothing and food drives through his blog, 24 Hours Online, and through this inspiring similar actions [zh] in other cities.
In early January, one younger member of ‘the tribe’ as he calls them, Ai Ding, mysteriously disappeared [zh] the day before Tiger Temple and several of his readers showed up one morning to deliver goods, leaving his makeshift shelter and all possessions behind, and hasn't been heard from since. If anything of Ai's was left following a series of police and chengguan raids throughout January and February [zh], including the heavy winter jacket Tiger Temple left behind despite Ai's absence at the time, hope of getting it back now is gone following yet another raid on February 20 by police and chengguan, which this time seemed intended at getting rid of the elderly dwellers for good. Tiger Temple looks into the situation, makes his second recent appeal for help to a national leader, and outlines plans for more deliveries this weekend in his Feb. 21 post, ‘Premier Wen Jiabao, you really ought to come visit your neighbors’:
晨六时，乘第一班地铁我赶往前门下流民部落，看望昨日下午被公安及城管强行拆毁住宿窝棚的苦难人民群众。
昨日接到流民部落打来电话已是晚上八时后，我在电话里安慰了他们几句，之后一夜难眠，说实话，我们一点别的办法也没有，流民们在最困难的时候想起了我，是我的荣幸，可是我能是救世主吗？我想来想去也只有尽我最大能力给予他们以心灵上的抚慰。
早上的前门依然是灯火辉煌，在那堵著名的“盛世和谐墙”的后面依然是漆黑着。
At 6 this morning I took the first subway train and hurried to the drifter tribe over at Qianmen, to visit that suffering group who just yesterday afternoon had their shanty shelters forcefully demolished by police and chengguan.When I got the call yesterday from the drifter tribe it was already after 8pm; I gave them a few reassuring words over the phone, and then tossed and turned all night. To be honest, there isn't anything we can do for them; that the drifters, in their most difficult moment, thought of me, it's an honor, but I'm not The Saviour. After thinking it over and over, the most I can do is to do everything I can to give them some spiritual solace.
Qianmen in the morning is still brightly lit, but behind that well-noted wall of “prosperity and harmony” it's still pitch black.
我从外围及至内部一一对现场做以查看，直到走近老葛原先窝棚的位置。赶巧，黑暗里老葛正从窝棚里爬出来。我打了声招呼，老葛立刻高兴地应承着向我走来。当我问起“他们呢？”老葛顺手往我脚下一指，“老张还睡着呢。”我疑惑地往我脚下一看，果然见有一人形倦缩在我脚下，外面裹着的是商店里拣来的一块脏灰色化纤地毯，从露头的地方我看见了老张的那一顶标志性的深红色毛线帽。我不禁惊呼一声“这样露天怎么能睡！”
老张、老王、老刘听到了动静一一起身和我打招呼。黑暗里，我见他们就都只穿件薄衣，那些前几天看起来还像模像样的小地窝子今天却都空空如也。还是那样的一格一格，每一格外头用破包装纸箱、塑料片子，甚至有用报纸的代替遮寒的门帘。
流民们七嘴八舌地对我倾诉起他们昨天的遭遇。
From the periphery to the inside, I did a thorough inspection of the site, right up to the spot where Old Ge's shanty used to be. By chance, Old Ge was just crawling out from his shanty in the dark. I called out, and Old Ge happily said he'd be right over. When I asked, ‘and them?,’ Old Ge just pointed towards my feet, ‘Old Zhang's still sleeping.’ Confused, I looked down at my feet, and sure enough I saw the shape of a person curled up at my feet, wrapped in a dirty gray synthetic carpet no doubt picked up from some shop. From the part of him that stuck out I could see Old Zhang's trademark crimson wool hat and I couldn't help but should, “how can you sleep in the open air?!”Old Zhang, Old Wang and Old Liu heard the commotion and one-by-one got up to say hi. In the dark, I could see that they were all only wearing light clothing, and those little nests which just a few days ago still looked presentable enough were now as empty as could be. They're still there in between the concrete barriers, covered with tattered cardboard and sheets of plastic, with newspaper ‘door screens’ to keep out the cold.
The drifters all started talking over each other to tell me all about what they'd been put through the day before.
20下午，公安和城管利用流民们不在家的机会，倾巢出动。他们拆掉了部落里凡是能够拆掉的东西，只留下那个拆不掉的，著名的为迎接市长给前门东路剪彩而临时搭建的“盛世和谐墙”，墙下垒起一座水泥台子，为的是让花儿们露出墙头去给领导们看，后来这个台子下就成了流民们窝居之地。老葛叙述着，几番哽咽，说到自己为保命，多年积蓄下不敢轻易动弹的七百元钱也在昨天的拆迁中被盗。他为此翻了一夜，差点要抛坑去找，几次怀疑是自己眼花，却最终没有能找到。说到此，老葛神情流露着恍惚……老王在此次拆毁行动中也丢失二百元钱，同时丢失了一架复读机，顺便说一下，老王这个残疾人虽是在流浪中，但是始终在学习英语，这架机器的丢失对他来说简直就是要命。北京知青老张（60岁）在此次拆毁行动中丢失了前篇文章中所附视频中大家看到过的那口近乎豪华的硬壳衣箱，在那段录音里，大家还可以听到这个北京人到死也要面子的一句“别看我这样了，我还有一套千元的西服在箱子里呢，你们记者要照相的话，我有行头……”
On the afternoon of the 20th, police and chengguan waited until there would be no drifters in their homes, then moved out in full force. The tore down everything of the tribe's that they could, leaving only the thing they couldn't tear down, this temporary construction, this famous “wall of prosperity and harmony” delivered to Qianmen Rd. East by the mayor with a ribbon-cutting, with a concrete table as base in behind, meant to seat flowers that would poke up from behind the wall, for the leaders to see. Only later the space beneath this table became the nesting place for these drifters. Old Ge tells what happened, between his choked sobs, and how the 700 RMB in emergency money he'd been collecting for years and seldom touched, was stolen yesterday during the demolition. He spent the night searching for it, stopping just short of digging the ground up; he thought several times that it might be his eyes playing tricks on him, but in the end he wasn't able to find it. Having said that, Old Ge gets a faraway look in his eyes……Old Wang also lost 200 RMB in the demolition, as well as a tape recorder. On that, although Old Wang, who is disabled, is here among the drifters, he's been studying English for years, and the loss of this tape recorder is devastating for him. Old Zhang the Beijing ‘zhiqing’ [intellectual youth] (age 60) lost the near-luxury hardcase suitcase we saw in the video attached to the post prior to this. In the recording, we hear this Beijinger who would rather die than lose face say “don't look at me like that, I still have a thousand-RMB suit in my suitcase; if you journalists want to take any pictures, I have an outfit…”
我问到“他们来拆，难道没有留下什么话？比如要求去哪里报到，或者是前往登记处理？”他们回答我说“没有，没有任何留话。直到我们回来才听旁的目击者说起事情经过。”
当夜，这些可怜人儿就聚坐一起，后夜里就只好躲进遮风的地方，一夜未眠。尤其是缺乏照顾自己能力的老张干脆就躺在露天的土地上，身上裹着破地毯睡了一宿。北京的天气虽然逐渐在回升，但是在夜里也仅在零上1、2度左右，我真不知道他们今夜该如何渡过。
因为我还要去上班，临走时留给流民们一百元钱（是网民善款其中部分）叮嘱先解决早餐，周末我会再来送些军用被子或者大衣。没有想到的是，当年已七十的河北葛大爷收到款子时，竟然号啕大哭，老泪纵横，令现场所有人唏嘘不止……
I asked, “when they came to tear [your dwellings] down, did they really just leave without saying anything? Like telling you to go somewhere to report in, or where to register to resolve this?” “No, they didn't say anything. It was only when we came back that we overheard eyewitnesses say what had happened.”That night, these poor people sat with each other, later ducking into a sheltered spot, unable to sleep throughout the night. In particular was Old Zhang, who is unable to care for himself, who just went and laid down on the ground in the open, spending the night wrapped in his ratty carpet. Although Beijing's weather is gradually picking up, it's still only 1 or 2 degrees out at night; I really don't know how they'll get through tonight.
Because I still had to go to work, before I left I gave the drifters a hundred RMB (part of the money netizens have donated), and told them to go get some breakfast first, that I'd be back on the weekend with some army blankets or heavy clothing. What I didn't expect was for 70-year-old Hubei-born Uncle Ge to burst out crying loudly when I gave him the money, tears running across his face, leaving everyone there unable to stop sobbing….
我想再次重申，任何人也没有权利赋予任何人以剥夺他人生活权利的权利！这与市容整顿全然无关，更与奥运无关。倘若打着奥运的旗帜做着这样令人发指的反人类、反同胞的行经，那么全中国人民就是你们的敌人。
温家宝真的该微服私访一下您的邻居了，我可以告诉您地址：出了中南海，左拐，右拐，再左拐，再右拐，20米开外，左手花墙后头便是。我们正在把您03年亲自签署的国家法规印发给流民们，叫他们尽量学习和配合国家，规范自己的活动范围，下面就看公安和城管是否也忠实配合啦！
另讯：今早由前门采访归还，收到天津阎女士昨天快递而来的洗涤用品、柠檬卜夹心饼干、方便面、法式小面包等。其中洗涤用品为原计划流民们集体沐浴所备。另外如有爱心支援者可以直接去送衣服和被褥。目前前门最缺的就是这些。
I'd like to reiterate again, that nobody has the right to give anyone the right to deprive others of the right to live! This has absolutely nothing to do with urban renewal, and even less to do with the Olympics. If you're doing these loathsome, inhumane and anti-compatriot things in the name of the Olympics, then all the people in China are your enemies.Wen Jiabao, you really ought to pay an incognito visit to your neighbors; I can even tell you the address: come out of Zhongnanhai, turn left, then right, then left again, then right again, go down 20 meters, and the lattice wall will be on your left. We are currently distributing to the drifters copies of the law that you yourself signed in 2003, telling them to learn it and fit in with country as best they can, to establish boundaries to their lives, and hope from here on in to see if police and chengguan can also stay true to the law!
Side note: This morning after returning from Qianmen, I received cleaning products, lemon wafers, instant noodles and French buns and other things couriered here by one woman in Tianjin. The cleaning products were sent to allow the drifters to take a collective bath. Others with that much caring support can go themselves to hand out clothes and bedding. At present it's these they lack most down at Qianmen.
Included in the post is an audio recording of Tiger Temple's interview with those behind the Qianmen wall from the morning of February 21:
Sixty year-old Beijing ‘zhiqing’ Old Zhang was forced to sleep out in the cold last night…..
When I left behind the netizen donation, 70 year-old Lao Ge from Shandong started crying on the spot…..
The food Ms. Yan from Tianjin sent arrived in Beijing this morning, among which are cleaning products meant so the drifters can all bathe.

author: John Kennedy


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Cuba: Stop the Presses? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Hold the presses, stop the videocameras! The Great Deceiver may have fooled us again”: Review of Cuban-American Blogs wonders whether or not Fidel Castro's resignation should be taken at face value.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Egypt: 150 Muslim Brotherhood Members in the Dock · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Security forces arrested at least 70 members of the Muslim Brotherhood in predawn raids around the country this morning, bringing the total number of members arrested in the past week to at least 150, writes Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Egypt: Code of Ethics for Arab Satellite Channels · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Arab information minister’s recent decree introducing a “code of ethics” for Arab satellite stations was the butt of jokes in an Al Jazeera TV programme, according to The Arabist.


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Egypt: Monopoly on Backwardness · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt, links to a story of an Israeli MP blaming the recent earthquake on gays and comments: “Lest anyone think that we in the Muslim world have a monopoly on backwardness and comical fundamentalism.”


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Guyana: The Reality of Distance  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The murders at Lusignan and Bartica are outside my realm of reality…”: Signifyin’ Guyana tries to make sense of the recent massacres and bridge the gap between the Guyanese disapora and those still living at home.


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Hindi: No smoking and Cricket Auctions  · Global Voices
Amit Gupta

TodayKhabar reports that results of a survey done by a non-governmental organisation say that majority of women stay away from men who smoke. According to the surveyed women, 75% don't want to marry men who smoke while 67% wouldn't go on a date with a smoker. The tolerance level seems to be high in men though with only 47% of them saying that they wouldn't want to hang around with smokers. The survey further reveals that out of the smokers surveyed, 46.4% say that they acquire the smoking habit under the influence of their smoker friends and coworkers etc. while 30% smoke to relieve themselves of mental tension.
BCCI (Board of Cricket Control in India) sometime back brought out its plans for its domestic Twenty20 tournament Indian Premier League(IPL) and recently auctioned different teams which were bought by multi-billionaires like Mukesh Ambani, beer king Vijay Mallya and movie stars like Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta and other business houses. Now a couple of days back both Indian & international cricketers were auctioned and were bought by different teams in the run up to the first IPL (Indian Premier League) season kickstarting in mid April this year.
TodayKhabar reports that the Hyderabad team seems to come off as the strongest as its captain & star player VVS Laxman denied the status of icon player thus making it possible for his team to get star players like Andrew Symonds & Adam Gilchrist from Australia, Shahid Afridi from Pakistan and Herschelle Gibbs from South Africa as all teams were allowed to spend only 5 million USD at most in the auction to keep the buying field even for all. All these four players are explosive batsmen who can rip apart any bowling attack in the world and are thus very good choices for the shortest version of the game. Similarly Chennai team also have managed to come off good; even though it got the Indian One Day team's captain M.S.Dhoni for 1.5 million dollars, they managed to get all rounder Jacob Oram and ex-skipper Stephen Fleming both from New Zealand, star batsman Matthew Hayden from Australia and master off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan from Sri Lanka. Sharukh Khan and Juhi Chawla's team Kolkata doesn't seem to be that good with only ex-Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly and aussie skipper Ricky Ponting, New Zealander Brendon McCullum, West Indies star batsmen Chris Gayle and one of world's fastest bowlers Shoaib Akhtar from Pakistan. Similarly Mr.Mukesh Ambani's team didn't manage to lay its hands on many good players and have to be content with master blaster indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, explosive Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya and ex-South African skipper and opening bowler Shaun Pollock. Preity Zinta's team Mohali managed to have only one biggie in the aussie ripping fast bowler Brett Lee besides the sixer king Yuvraj Singh and Kumar Sangakkara & Mahela Jayawardene both from Sri Lanka. Other teams were left sort of deprived and only the outcome of the tournament will show how their less famous lineups fare against the heavyweights.
Dilip Mandal at RejectMaal is reporting that some US$2.9 billion will be spent over the period of next five years in India by the Indian government as well as other international organisations towards AIDS prevention program to ensure people don't get the disease. Highlighting the names of organisations contributing big amounts, he reports that about US$356 million will be contributed by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation while about US$447 million will be coming from The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and approximately US$281 million will be put forth by World Bank, among others. All projected accounts etc. are available here at the website of National Advisory Council of India. Dilip further writes that US$2.9 billion in five years means more than half a billion dollars per year will be spent on a disease because of which less than 2000 people die in a year, a count which is in no ways increasing. However only US$10 million(approx.) were spent on the National Cancer Control Program in 2006-2007 and this amount has been increased to about US$35.5 million. The problem is that about 440,000 people die every year because of cancer. On the other hand, Tuberculosis accounts for about 370,000 deaths per year while approximately US$56.5 million were spent to fight this spreading disease!! So he wonders if really the aim is to spend this huge AIDS bounty to curb the disease and are the hearts in right places; somehow he seems to doubt that himself.

author: Amit Gupta


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India: On Fidel Castro · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

MantraBlogs from India on the legacy of Fidel Castro – as he announced his retirement a few days back.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Iran: From Prague to Iran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Michal Svec, a young Czeck man has published several photos of his trip to Iranian cities.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:A petiton against Google Earth · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

More than 4000 people have already signed a petition against Google Earth. The petiton that says: “dear Administrators of Google Earth, we, the undersigned, through this letter, protest your irresponsible, unscientific actions, and demand an immediate and unconditional deletion of “Arabian Gulf” from Google Earth.”


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Iran:Three workers were whipped · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to [Fa] several bloggers including Salam Democrat,three workes who had been arrested last year for participating in May Day( Workers’ Day) ceremonies,were whipped in city of Sanandaj in Kurdistan.The blogger says we are all workers ,whip us all!


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Israel: Palestine and Kosovo · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

One Jerusalem from Israel, discusses Kosovo's independence from Serbia in this post, as well as its implications on Palestine.


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Jamaica, Haiti: Haitian Creole · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I learned many things from Felix Morisseau-Leroy and one of the most important was his commitment to the Haitian Creole language”: Geoffrey Philp posts one of the writer's poems.


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Kazakhstan: Govt Threatens to Delicense Arcelor Mittal · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Zhanna Zhukova reports that after series of tragedies, when dozens of miners were killed in blasts on the coal mines of Arcelor Mittal’s Kazakh subsidiary, the government took a firm stance and warned of the possible cancellation of the license.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kazakhstan: Park in Almaty · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Kamneed is posting picturesque photos of the central park in Almaty, a city called Southern capital of Kazakhstan. The shots shows us how this small piece of calmness in the heart of noisy city is looking this winter.


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Kazakhstan: Political Parallels · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Marat posts an interesting view on the Kazakhstani politicians and their clones in the Russian Federation, drawing the parallels by the political nature and status of the personalities.


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Korea: Increase in Living Expenses and Freedom of Speech · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

While Koreans are waiting for the new administration after the presidential election, the ambitious policies of the new administration and the burning of Namdaemun (South Gate) in Seoul seem to cause Koreans to build up uncertain trust toward the administration.
Some netizens are afraid of the possible control of freedom of speech and compare it with the past history of Korea. Washinsangdam’s post has been responded to by many other netizens.
독재와공포정치를 경험해보지 않은 젊은 네티즌에게!!! 인터넷공간에서의 이명박 비판 앞으론 정말 조심하셔야 합니다. 과거처럼 인터넷공간이 정권과 국가원수를 대놓고 씹어대는 일은 없을겁니다. 정권바뀌면 제일먼저 인터넷 언론통제에 들어갑니다.두고보세요!
박정희식 개발독재의 성격상 불가피한 언론통제이죠!벌써 수백명의 네티즌이 이명박을 비판한죄로 선거법위반에 엮여 줄초상을 치르고 있습니다.저도 선거기간중 정치기사 댓글에 이명박 비판한 글(대부분이 퍼온글)이 선거법상 특정인을 낙선시킬 목적으로 허위사실을 유포하고 비방했다는 혐의를 뒤집어 쒸어 검찰에 불려가 조사받고 재판 기다리고 있습니다.
검사의 신문을 당하면서 독재의 검은 먹구름이 밀려오고 있다는 느낌을 지울수 없었습니다.!
앞으론 정치에 관심을 끊고 죽은듯이 납작 엎드려 지내는게 상책입니다.민주주의는 분명 퇴보하고 있다고 봅니다.언론자유가 탄압받으면 그것은 매우 중대한 민주주의 가치의 훼손입니다. 신 공안정국이 다가옵니다. 네티즌 여러분도 자중을 하십시요![…]
It will be control of speech like in the time of the Park Jung Hee dictatorship. Several hundreds of netizens are already under the name of the breach of the election law as criticizing Lee Myung Bak. I’m also waiting for trial because I put a post criticizing Lee Myung Bak (most of the writings are from others) on the internet. The accusation toward me is that I spread fallacies about a specific candidate with a political purpose. While I was investigated by the prosecutor, I couldn’t help but predict the cloud of the dictatorship.
From now on, the best tactic is to disregard interest in politics. Democracy goes backward. If freedom of speech is suppressed, it is the damage of the most important value of democracy. New security government is coming. You netizens, be careful![…]
Look at how other netizen responded.
[…]저는 박정희,전두환 시대를 겪어보지 않았습니다. 다만 TV에서 그때 겪어본 분들의 이야기를 듣고 제 주위에도 그때를 겪어보신 분들이 많습니다. 대포집 같은데서 술먹다 술에 취해 대통령을 비판하면 바로 잡혀가는 시대였다고 그러더군요. 그리고 황당한 이유로 대중가요를 금지곡으로 만들었구요..
그 정도는 아니겠지만 지금 말대가리단추구멍 하는것을 보면 전혀 엉뚱한 이야기가 아닙니다.[…]
경찰이 한 영화 포스터를 압수하는 헤프닝이 일어났습니다. 문구인 ‘대통령 저격'이 문제였습니다. 말대가리단추구멍과 아무런 관련도 없는 이 영화 포스터를 경찰이 허둥지둥 압수하는 것은 표현의자유를 침해한 사건이고 누가 들어도 황당한 사건입니다.[…]
와신상담님의 글을 읽으며 ‘민주주의'라는 것의 소중함을 다시 깨우쳤습니다. 나는 그냥 당연한듯 살아왔고 이런 세상을 만들어주신 분들을 잠시 잊었습니다. 숭례문이 불타면서 문화재의 소중함을 비로소 깨우친것처럼,, 와신상담님의 글을 읽으며 또한 많은 것을 느꼈고 배웠습니다.
네티즌 여러분, 우리가 사는 이 시대는 그냥 만들어진것이 아닙니다. 일제때 잔인한 일본으로부터 항거했던 많은 독립열사들, 6.25 전쟁때 불법 남침했던 북한으로부터 조국을 수호하고자 목숨 버린 호국열사들, 독재정권과 맞서 국민이 주인되는 세상을 만들고자 거리에서 불의한 권력과 맞서 싸웠던 민주열사들.. 이분들이 피를 흘려 만들어주신 시대에 살고 있습니다.
늘 감사하며 살아가야 하겠습니다.[…]
I don’t think it will be like that. But when I saw what he does, it might not be fantastic.[…]The police seized a movie poster because of a phrase, ‘assassinate the president.’ Even though it is not relevant at all, the police hurriedly confiscated it and it is against the freedom of speech.[…]
After reading Washinsangdam’s post, I recognized the importance of ‘democracy.’ I have taken it all for granted and forgotten people who made this. After the burning of Namdaemun, I recognized the value of cultural assets. I learned a lot after reading his post.
Netizens! The period that we live is not just simply made. We live in a place where independent activists against Japanese imperialism, warriors of the Korea War, and democracy patriots against the dictatorship, fought.
I should live with appreciation.[…]
Other netizens take seriously the decreasing popularity of the presidential candidate even before he starts the real job.
어쩌다 이 지경이 되었을까? 레임덕의 초기현상이다. 취임초부터 레임덕이라? 보통 1년 동안 점진적 하락하다가 2년째부터 고꾸라지기 시작하는데, 그리고 통당선후에서 취임후 6개월까지는 웬만하면 밀어주는 경향이 강해서 지지율이 견고한데,
이건 취임전부터 민심이 이반되고 있으니…
이명박 당선인 지지율이 < 국민일보> 여론조사에서 50%대로 급락한 가운데, 역대 대통령 당선인 가운데 취임전 지지율이 하락한 것은 이 당선인이 처음으로 4월 총선에도 변수로 작용할 수 있다는 지적이 나왔다.[…]
He loses popularity even before the inauguration.
The popularity of Lee Myung Bak goes down to 50 percent according to the poll from Kookmin Daily. It is the first time since the winning president candidates of many generations and it will affect the general election of April.[…]
Regardless of many issues, the increase in living expenses produces the most anguish among netizens.
어제 마트의 풍경
퇴근길에 좀 살게 있어서 마트를 들럿지요..사람들의 카트 마다 최소 2박스의 라면들이 실려 있더군요. 전 이명박이라는 사람이 당선되던 그날 라면 2박스를 마트에서 구매 했지요. 사재기보다 저 홀로 상징적인 의미 둔 행동 이였지요. 외부적인 요소로 인해 각종 식료품의 가격이 눈에 띄게 올라 가고 있습니다. 아직 내부적 요소는 시작도 하지 않았는데..
한은 총재도 인플레심리가 염려된다라는 말을 짧게 비추었습니다. 또한 차기정부의 금리인하 방침을 그대로는 수용하지 않겠다고도 했습니다. 그러나 온국민이 본 동영상의 증거도 무마 시켜버리는 막강한 권력이 탄생했습니다. 그런 정부에 굴복하지 않고 소신대로 통화 정책을 구사할 수 있을까요?
차기 정부의 경기부양정책은 6,70년대 개발경제시대에나 걸 맞는 정책들로 일관 하고 있습니다.
우리는 앞으로 저들이 말하는 잃어버린 10년이 아니라 3,40년을 잃어 버릴 것 같습니다.
퇴근길에 오늘은 마트에서 어떤 풍경이 일어나고 있는지 구경이나 한번 가볼까 합니다..
I dropped by a grocery store to buy something after my work… every person tucked two boxes of ramen at least into each cart. On the date we elected the new president, I purchased two boxes of ramen. It was symbolic behavior for myself. Due to external elements, the price of groceries goes up fast. We haven’t even started the change of the internal elements….
A chairman of Bank of Korea briefly implied that he is worried about inflation mood. In addition, he said that he is not going to accept the new policy about the fall in the rate of interest from the next administration. But strong authority was born, so they can delete the evidence of a video clip that all people saw. Without submitting to the government, would it be possible to retain the monetary policy according to his belief?
The expansionary policy that the next administration is pursuing is similar with policies in the 1960s-1970s. We might lose 30-40 years, not losing 10 years that they insisted we already lost with the current administration.
On the way back home after work, I might drop by a grocery store in order to see what scene I can see today.
There are many netizens who elaborate on how their daily lives will change.
달콤한 소주
LPG값-이건 참여정부때도 오른거라 치고…
콜라값 – 30%정도 인상
라면값  – 20%정도
밀가루값 – 50%정도 올랐는데  추가로 오를가능성이 많음
아이스크림 = 두달안에 500원 짜리가  700원으로 모두 오른다고 함
빵값  –  시중 500원짜리 600원으로 인상
과자값  –  수퍼에가면  500원으로 사먹을게 없음,500원짜리는 초등학교 문구점에나 가야 있음. 더 서글픈것은   붕어빵이 4개 천원에서 3개 천원으로 올랐다는것.
전부다  서민들이 즐겨 먹는거라니깐..
Cola: 30 percent increase
Ramen: 20% increase
Flour: 50% increase (possibly more increasing)
Ice cream: 500 won to 700 won in two months
Bread: 500 won to 600 won
Snack: nothing you can buy with 500 won, maybe in stationary stores for primary school students.
What makes me sad the most is “carp bread” (bung-eo-bbang) will be 1,000 won for three, up from 1,000 won for four.
They all are things common citizens enjoy eating…

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kuwait: A Dusty but Profitable Week · Global Voices
Abdullatif AlOmar

Dust storms are wreaking havoc in Kuwait. But amid the dust, there is a silver lining, with a Cabinet decision to grant an extra KD120 (US $435) monthly bonus for Kuwaitis employed in the public and private sectors.
Let's start with the weather. Fonzy over at Fonzation talks about that and says:
The sky during the past two days was orange cos of all the dust flying around. With all the dust is a slight cold breeze. Personally, I haven’t stopped sneezing.
As I was walking out today, the amount of dust on the floor was so thick, footprints were all over my building entrance. According to the weather forecast, the dust is supposed to settle within the next day or two, and will be replaced with low temperatures. Lets just hope that it rains soon and cleans out the skies from all the dust or else we are looking at a very dusty summer.
Intlxpatr also speaks about the dust storms and paints the following picture:
This is what it looks like in a dust storm. Imagine fog, but fog that cakes on your face and makes it grainy, that gets in your eyes and up your nostrils. Dust that gets in your ears, dust you can taste. Your skin dries out like an alligator and there is a coating of slick grit on the road.
It’s a driving challenge. Visibility is low. But people are driving more slowly, at least along the roads I drive, so I am actually enjoying the experience. It’s kind of an adventure.
Now to the salary increments. Mishary over at somecontrast writes about the wage increase in Kuwait and says:
The cabinet approved Thursday a monthly bonus of KD 120 for Kuwaitis employed in the public and private sectors
On the other hand, Raybay, an expatriate living in Kuwait, speaks of the implication of it on him and other expats not working in the government
Hmmmm,,, i dont think this is a fair deal. While the locals get a raise, we expats face the music from local traders and price increase.Im a Trader too. Well PEOPLE & COMPANIES.. now pls dont cry, when i increase my prices for my IT services!. im facing inflation, i need to survive here!
In other interesting posts, Saint on a bench speaks of his experience of eating Nepali food – not in a fancy restaurant but in a small cheap one.
My favourite places to eat are places where the common folk like to go. Who the hell are the common folk? Maids, drivers, construction workers, sweepers and other people that don't give two ***** about dolce
Thouq asks a question about the traditional Arab dress for men in Kuwait and the Gulf – the Dishdasha – on his blog. He writes:
Dishdasha is a fundamental everyday wear to many young and old men living in the Gulf. And it has always been limited to locals.
Abdulhaleem wore it 40 years ago, and today we’re seeing more celebrities of non-Gulf nationals wear it as well, whereas some local celebrities here have abandoned it.
Is it time to see dishdasha embraced as a clothing option to others throughout the Middle East?
Kismat over at The 9th Tribe talks about a common problem with Kuwaiti bureaucracy.
Why the hell does it take more than 13 days to get your passport renewed
And last but not least, Mr_CHoCoLaTe discovers that a local daily newspaper used his registered logo for an advertisement in one of their issues and after a lot of searching he found out why.
قالي إن جريدة الشاهد مستخدمينه بعدد اليوم 19 فبراير 2008
He told Alshahid newspaper used it on the issue of 19th of February 2008
طبعاً مريت الجمعيه و خذيتلي نسخه من العدد
للي يتحدث عن تحديد كميات التموين و ضبط غلاء الاسعار و جذي
كان نازل بكل الجرايد يومها
و بس الشاهد مستخدمين شعاري
بس الظاهر في موظف في الجريده كاتب بالجوجل : وزارة التجاره و الصناعه
وطالع له شعار موقعي لأني تكلمت عن الوزاره في موضوع سابق

author: Abdullatif AlOmar


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Kyrgyzstan: President Ponders to Oust US Troops · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ayan Dane informs readers that Kyrgyzstan's President Bakiev has made a statement that Kyrgyzstan will eventually insist that the United States removes its military airbase from the country.


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Lebanon: US Embassy in Serbia on Fire · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Lebanon, Sophia keeps us up-to-date with the attack on the US Embassy in Serbia in this post.


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Mexico: AOL to Return · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Vivir México [es] writes about America Online's (AOL) return to Mexico trying to become major player in that country's internet services. However, it won't be as internet providers or connections, rather through its portal.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Middle East: Wishing Kosovo all the Best! · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bloggers and some politicians in the Middle East were quick to draw parallels between Kosovo's independence from Serbia and the Palestine Question. Following the news from the Balkans, here's a snapshot of more reactions from Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Israel:
From Israel, Aussie Dave finds the parallel  ridiculous to say the least. He writes:
“Kosovo is not better than us. We deserve independence even before Kosovo, and we ask for the backing of the United States and the European Union for our independence.”
- Yasser Abed Rabbo, aide to PA leader Mahmoud Abbas
The sad thing is, he probably believes it.
I honestly can’t think of one reason why the so-called palestinians deserve independence. As I have argued time and time again, even if you acknowledged they were a distinct nation entitled to self-determination in the historical homeland of the Jews, they have forfeited any right to independence through their morally reprehensible behavior.
Yael, takes another stance, saying:
This little new country, like our own, is going to have rough going. I wish them the best and hope that they, as we have, will survive. I hope that both Kosovo and our own country in the future will have peace with our neighbours, even if it is a cold and not at all friendly peace, but a peace and cessation of violence nonetheless. Congratulations Kosovo. Welcome to the world of nations. Welcome, too, to the reality of that world that is not necessarily something to celebrate. I hope that you and your nation not only survive but find peace and prosperity sooner than our little nation which, after 60 years, is prospering but still attacked from nearly all sides. I do indeed wish you luck new little country and I think that you will need it.
Qatar:
Abdulrahman Warsame, who based in Qatar,  also hopes the best for the people of Kosovo – but for different reasons. He explains:
The long wait is over. It's a great moment, how often do you see a new country born, and what if it's a predominantly Muslim country in the heart of Europe?
EU and US recognition is expected to come tomorrow, together with many Muslim countries. Russia and Serbia have made it clear that, though unable to stop Kosovo from becoming independent, they'll make it painful for the kosovars.
Looking at the bright side, ‘Aqoul comments on Qatar's Al Jazeera coverage, saying:
A brief note, the coverage today of the Kosovo declaration / celebrations on Al Jazeerah and on Al Jazeerah was quite interesting: the actual Sat broadcasts focused quite a lot on the Kosovo-American flag pairing and US … conditional support I suppose. Interesting imagery to be dominating the screen. The US could stand for this sort of positive imagery more often. One does not often get imagery on the Sats of hidjab wearing ladies leaning out of cars waving American flags wildly.
Saudi Arabia:
An even brighter outlook comes from Dotsson, from Saudi Arabia, who is really excited about Kosovo's declaration because of matters close to the heart. He announces:
I don't know much about Kosovo except that it recently declared independence from Serbia and a bunch of hot women came out on the streets to celebrate.
But not everyone is celebrating. Russia is upset because it regards the move as an infringement on Serbia’s territorial integrity. But **** Russia and Serbia and anyone else that has problem with Kosovo declaring independence. I don’t remember Russia protesting when Slobodan Milosevic was busy slaughtering ethnic Albanians.
In short, Dotsson supports an independent Kosovo and any cause where there are hot women on the streets. AND SO SHOULD YOU!
Egypt:
Zeinobia, from Egypt, wonders about where her country stands from the announcement. She writes:
Kosovo declared its independence and became a country the world is divided whether to recognize as independent state or not , even Europe is divided , I do not know on which team my country Egypt will be , but I think it will join the American team in the end and leave the Russian team , not because we are with the people of the Kosovo as a Muslim but because we are in the Same team of the American administration I am afraid.
And Tom Gara makes the following announcement:
I am offering a cash prize…
To the first rapper who uses the line “I'm independent like Kosovo.”


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Morocco: Hijab as a Choice · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Much has been said about “the veil,” or hijab.  Perhaps too much – mention it, and suddenly everyone – Muslim or not – is an expert.  While in the West, hijab is often used to simply refer to the headscarf (veil), a more correct definition is any Islamically mandated dress for either gender, which for women includes, but is not limited to, covering the hair.
In Morocco, hijab is certainly a choice.  Young and old alike don the headscarf, and in big cities, seeing it is as common as not seeing it.  Although in rural areas it is more prevalent, all women have (legal) freedom of choice whether or not to wear it.  Everything Morocco explains Moroccan dress accurately:
Veiling in Morocco is not a law, but a choice. Some women may wear it in submission to their husbands, but many women wear it as a sign of faith in and respect for the Islamic code. On the street, veiled women walk openly with their unveiled sisters and friends. Women in the same family may or may not choose to veil and it's nobody else's concern. Older women still wear the full veil, revealing only their eyes. I have even seen the occasional burqa like the Afghan women wear.
No doubt part of the choice to wear hijab is conformity to traditional customs and social rules, but even that is not necessarily so strong it prevents a woman's choice. It is much the same as when a Western woman didn't leave the house without a hat, coat and gloves. I remember when I lived in Nurnberg and a woman did not go into the city in pants or shorts. If you were inappropriately dressed, the sales clerks in the stores wouldn't even wait on you. So, most Moroccan women won't leave the house without putting on their djellaba and a scarf over their hair.
Two elderly Moroccan women tie their scarves under their chins
Another excellent article, from the Washingtonpost.com, has Pamela Windo sharing her experience with hijab in Morocco:
Although [the scarves] are made of colorful fabrics with pretty clips at the back, what most struck me was the blatant dichotomy between the hijab and their other clothes. While a few women wear it with a subdued djellaba, and others with their everyday modern suits, skirts and coats, a startling number of young Moroccan women combine the hijab with figure-revealing blue or black jeans, elaborate glittering belts, modern sexy tops and designer sunglasses. Equally striking is the glossy-magazine-style make-up, heavy on the lipstick and black kohl eye-liner.
Traveling Mama offers a slightly humorous perspective in a post entitled “Advice for Grandma”:
There is a wide variety of interpretations of “modest” dress, but one rule that most women follow here is that the *ahem* buttocks must be covered.  Many of the local women choose to do that with a jilaba, but there are others such as the woman crossing the street in the picture above who choose to simply wear a long shirt or jacket.  You would also want to avoid anything particularly low cut, revealing or sleeveless.
The subject of hijab has apparently become so important among foreigners as to prompt a discussion on the subject at a Fez cafe, reports The View from Fez.  The discussion, entitled The Role of the Hijab, takes place on March 7 at Cafe Clock, and is presented by Subul Assalam Centre.
For more on the subject of hijab, read Abdurahman Warsame's recent article, “Somalia: Can a hijab-wearing blogger get a respectable job in the US?”
Creative Commons-licensed photo by koffiemetkoek.

author: Jillian C. York


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Myanmar: To start a radio campaign for Free Burma · Global Voices
May Hnin Phyu

Burma Sitmone urges fellow Burmese to start a radio campaing for Free Burma, “There are wonderful young and energetic Burmese bloggers who have been posting very relevant and interesting opinion in Burmese language … it would be very lucky if these posts are read by one percent of Burmese staying inside the country”. He feels “that this is the high time to start radio campaign for free Burma, as radios are cheap, easily available for majority of Burmese staying in rural area of Burma”.

author: May Hnin Phyu


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Pakistan: Election results · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Lahore wonders why the elections results in Pakistan are confusing to the West.


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Pakistan: Why is YouTube blocked? · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

YouTube appears to be blocked in Pakistan, All Things Pakistan points out that this may have a political rather than a “cultural” reason – given that a number of videos of election rigging were posted.


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Palestine in the Aftermath of Kosovo · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Diana, from Kabobfest, discusses Palestinian politics, following the declaration of Kosovo as an independent state.


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Serbia: Bloggers Discuss Rally and Rioting in Belgrade · Global Voices
Sinisa Boljanovic

Yesterday, Kosovo is Serbia rally was held in Belgrade. According to unofficial sources, 150,000-200,000 people attended it to protest against unilateral proclamation of independence of Kosovo. The rally went peacefully, but was followed by rioting. Buildings of the American, Croatian and Turkish embassies were set on fire. Many people were injured, at least one person was killed.
Below are a few reactions by the Serbian bloggers who blog at B92's blog portal (all but one are translated from Serbian).
Milan Lukic posted this short summary:
Let's sum it up once again: the rally in Belgrade today was party-organized, not a people's rally. […]
[…] Let's non allow losers of the last presidential election to cancel the people's will by force. Let's not allow that today's peace protest, as it is falsely named, to cancel the democratic will of the majority. Let's not allow the rats to pull us under water, into mud. Into their false country.
Dejan Stankovic provided this vivid description of yesterday's events in Belgrade:
1. Prime minister, accompanied by his friends and like-minded persons, looked like someone who is sick of everything when he addressed the people. Two hundred years ago, his speech could be perceived as modern. Today, it is a parody. […]
2. The not-to-be president of the country [Tomislav Nikolic] and prime minister's pal threatens to go into Kosovo. I immediately remember the '90s and it gets me worried.
3. Then, the naivete of the athletes was abused. Publicly, so that the whole world could see. At that moment, I was sorry more than I was ashamed.
4. Then appeared a convert disguised as Rasputin [filmmaker Emir Kusturica]. At that moment I felt nauseous.
5. Parents of Serbian young people applauded. I felt even more nauseous.
6. And their children, the future of Serbia, became wild. After the rally, they were destroying, breaking, burning and looting all over Belgrade. […] Then I was sorry and, at the same time, I was angry. […]
For the end, the impression of the night:
A picture of the demolished Belgrade, victim of Serbian terror.
Apocalyptic scenes, chaos and fire, and in the middle of the disarray, young Serbian vandals walk indifferently down the street. They grew up in chaos and in the chaos they live the best.
But, in the middle of the disarray, a group of Roma was diligently clearing Belgrade's streets…
Then I recalled the words of a man who told me when I was child that the Roma were Serbia's biggest shame. […]
Ivan Marovic, wrote this in English in a blog post titled, “The end of nationalism”:
Since Kosovo declared independence Belgrade has become a warzone. Radicals are burning and looting, and ordinary people are confused – five days ago they were concerned with Kosovo, today they are concerned with the possibility that drunken hooligans may smash their heads with rocks. Kosovo is far away, radicals are just around the corner, breaking windows and setting buildings on fire.
The Belgrade riots are a symptom of a failed political movement. Nationalism has nothing to offer, no strategy, no plan, no political vision. Unlike Gazimestan in 1989, where Milosevic faced a crowd much bigger, crowd consisted of people that were calm and determined, Kostunica today faced people without a clue. Unlike Milosevic who promised war and revenge, Kostunica has nothing to promise, nothing to offer. He can only complain.
You can tell the day by the dawn. Nationalism is finished in Serbia, nationalism has nothing to offer except self destruction. We just need to wait for the mob to get tired of rioting, come out and continue the peaceful protest that started two weeks ago, protest led by Belgrade students, protest with a clear goal – European integration.
Boris Tadic was in Romania, while Kostunica was giving a speech together with Nikolic. This may prove to be a big blow to Kostunica. The message is more than clear: Serbian interests are better served with diplomacy than with speeches followed by looting. The contrast between Tadic and Kostunica is clear and will undermine Kostunica's base of support in the months to come. […]
Nebojsa Milenkovic sent an open letter to president Tadic. He warned him about vandalism in the streets of Serbian cities and the possible consequences.
Mr. President Tadic,
I am turning to you on behalf of the citizens who, despite all, still believe in the democratic heritage and who strongly want Serbia to become part of the civilized, developed and democratic society. I am asking you, a person with a huge confidence of citizens on the last voting, to turn to the public and protect all people who are exposed to danger and violence by many hooligans in Belgrade's streets at the moment when our country comes face to face with one of its biggest historical defeats and humiliations.
[…]
You should not be silent until the mass political hysteria and blindness of those people […] became wild in the streets of Serbian cities in the last days. The current situation the in country should not serve as justification for suspension of freedom of speech or even physical liquidation of each political alternative, and you had to react to this fact! On the contrary, if this madness is not be stopped, the loss of Kosovo and Metohja would be followed by a permanent loss of the even elementary European and democratic perspective for this society and would return destructive political forces on the stage of Serbia. You overcame them in the last election thanks to the votes of those citizens who exposed violence in Serbia today. […]
Jelena Milic quoted statements by two Serbian ministers who have justified violence; below is one of these quotes:
“Democracy also means smashing embassy building windows.”
Velimir Ilic, Serbian minister for infrastructure.

author: Sinisa Boljanovic


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Serbia: “People’s Protests” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hugh Griffiths writes on his B92 blog about the history of the “so-called ‘people’s protests'” in Serbia – “which are in actual fact not organised by the people themselves, but by those working in state institutions.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Serbia: Political Unrest, Now and 17 Years Ago · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Anegdote watched the rioting in Belgrade from his balcony and wrote about how history seems to be repeating itself: “Many people were injured in Belgrade today, and one person died. But that feels like nothing compared to knowing that lunatics are once again politicians and that people are capable of such hatred, again.”


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South Korea: New Political Party · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Newcham has an interview with lawmaker Shim Sang-jung, who is in the process of building a new political party.


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Sri Lanka: Tamil Identity · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

groundviews on the idea of Tamil identity and nationalism in Sri Lanka.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Assisting Guyana · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Perhaps…this can be the precursor to a properly organised Caribbean-based defence initiative which…moves us one step closer, even through tragedy, to a single pan-Caribbean nation”: Keith in Trinidad shares his thoughts on T&T's offer of assistance to Guyana.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Music Festival  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“It seems to defeat the purpose of competition when it seems no matter how hard you try…you could still end up tied with fellow competitors in the top three. Wither, then, the prestige and the incentive?”  Discover TnT Blog is a tad disappointed with the Trinidad & Tobago Music Festival.


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Ukraine: Fancy Cars · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Notes writes on how Ukrainian officials’ fancy cars don't really belong to them.


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Uzbekistan: Reshuffling Again? · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Mansurhon writes about the recent arrest of Uzbekistan's Deputy General Prosecutor, saying that shuffling of higher officials is a usual procedure for Uzbekistan, as president Islam Karimov often changes key people in both in central and local governments.


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Uzbekistan: Tycoon Buys English Football Club · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Libertad writes that Alisher Usmanov, a businessmen born (and held in custody) in Uzbekistan, currently a mining tycoon and Russia’s 18th richest man, decided to increase his share in the Arsenal FC.


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Venezuela: Falling Profits for PDVSA · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Venezuelan blog Otra Expresión [es] writes that profits for the state oil company (PDVSA) has fallen in the past year.


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Africa: The dust horror · Global Voices
Paula Góes

“Between Conakry and Bamako there are 1000 km of motorways. First forests, then mountain, savannas after. It is a gift to the eyes and a way to ease the 15 hours’ drive. The trip ends in a bath of dust, by the entrance to Mali's capital”. On publishing an incredible picture he took last week, Jorge Rosmaninho [pt] says sorry to those people who live by the motorways he drove past carelessly and left in a cloud of dust.

author: Paula Góes


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Angola: A new web forum · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Angola Haria [pt] has created a new discussion forum for Angolans, a place where the blog's readers may write a simple message, share memories or promote healthy discussions.


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Angola: Racism is unavoidable · Global Voices
Paula Góes

(R)evolução em Angola [pt] publishes the first of a series of posts by  Mukuolua Kinamatos about racism in Angola. “White or mixed races? Asked me the lady who was filling my identity card form. White, black and mixed races are the 3 races that can be provided on the Angolan identity card. A very naive person could say, “there is no racism in Angola”. And I respond to this person: look at the identity card, and see more than official evidence that ours is a racist country which encourages racism”.


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Armenia: Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Resigns · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer comments on reports that ARF-D presidential candidate Vahan Hovannisian has resigned as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. The move follows last week's presidential election in Armenia.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: Diplomats Resign · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped comments on reports that four senior Armenian diplomats have resigned following Tuesday's disputed presidential election in Armenia. One of them, Armenian Ambassador to Italy, Spain and Portugal, Ruben Shugaryan, was presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrossian's aide and press secretary from 1991-3.


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Armenia: Post-Election Protests · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Patchwork posts photos from one of the post-election protest demonstrations staged by presidential candidate and former head of state, Levon Ter-Petrossian. The blog says that to date there has been no coverage of the rallies held to protest the 19 February presidential election in Armenia on national television.


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Brazil: Protesting against public corruption · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Blog do Tchôla [pt] has a video and pictures from a massive popular protest on the streets of Maceió, capital of one of Brazil's poorest states. The protest was against the public corruption that has led to R$ 200 million (around US$ 114 million) losses caused by unauthorized, irregular, and wasteful expenditure, as well as criminal activity. “The protest took the streets of the capital in an orderly and peaceful manner. The message was delivered and I believe that many of those [politicians] involved will only be able to rest on sleeping pills and lots of imported whiskey”.


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Cape Verde: Journalist is jailed · Global Voices
Paula Góes

A journalist has been jailed this week for taking photographs in Cape Verde, Nós Media [pt] reports. The blogger has learned the piece of news trough a newspaper's website. “Despite the ambiguity of the piece of news, that don't let us really understand the circumstances in which the journalist was arrested so that we be able to ascertain whether there was an obstruction to the exercise of his work through a violation of Right to Information and Freedom of the Press, it is always bad to arrest a media professional while they are on duty”.


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East Timor: Salsinha admits attacking Xanana Gusmão · Global Voices
Paula Góes

According to Timor Online [pt], Gastão Salsinha, who replaced Alfredo Reinado as the rebels’ leader after he was killed during the attacks on the East Timor's top leaders, has admitted having opened fire against Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão but said they did not intend to kill him. “So the theory of coup d'etat and attempted kidnapping has been dismissed. It is still unclear what Alfredo Reinado was doing at Ramos-Horta's house”, asks the blog. The state of emergency will be in place for another 30 days.


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Egypt: Informer Kills Officer · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“A police informer entrapped and shot dead an officer, after the pig tortured and sodomized him just like what happened with Emad Kabeer…,” writes Hossam Al Hamalawy from Egypt.


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Iran: Save Stony Lion in Hamadan · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Parviz Imani has published several photos of a 2000 years old (or more) Stony Lion in Hamadan in Iran. The blogger says[Fa] such a monument should be preserved in much better conditions and neither people nor government care about it.


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Iran:Exposition on environmental protection · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Avayeh mohitzist (means voice of environment) says[Fa] the seventh international exposition on environmental protection in Iran was a failure. The blogger adds factories and companies that are responsible for destruction of our environment, were main organizers of this exposition.You can see some photos of exposition here.


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Iran:Persian Arts Festival Celebrate New Year in N.Y. · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Persian Arts Festival celebrates Norouz (Iranian New Year) at Queens Museum of Art in New York.Persian Arts Festival has joined forces with the Queens Museum of Art to present a groundbreaking exhibition, Weaving the Common Thread.


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Iran:UN report on Iranian nuclear activity · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Negarakha says[Fa] a UN report on Iranian nuclear activity just got announced and we don't know that we should be happy or sad. The blogger says while Iranian government celebrates,western countries say the report proves new sanctions should be imposed on Iran.Read about report here.


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Kuwait: Power and No Style · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Thouq from Kuwait posts the pictures of three gulf politicians, two from Kuwait and one from Bahrain, comments: “With all respect to all our brave women working in politics: you certainly have power, but not style!”


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Morocco: Health Care · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Abdelilah Boukili of Regular Comments Based on Issues Raised by BBC World Haveyoursay questions the practice of Western countries recruiting health care professionals from developing countries.


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Morocco: Learning Arabic · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Evelyn in Morocco shares her struggles of learning Arabic.


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Abu Aardvark: Doha Notes · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Abu Aardvark attended the Brookings Institution's annual US-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar, and shares his thoughts about the event and the people he met here.


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The groundswell of opposition to AFRICOM from African bloggers · Global Voices
John Liebhardt

At the tail-end of U.S. President George Bush’s six-day, five-country farewell tour of Africa came the announcement the Pentagon’s plans for a second U.S. military base on the continent of Africa is dead.
While the U.S. military presently houses about 1,500 soldiers in Camp Lemonier in Djibouti, the Pentagon has spent much of the past year searching various locales in Africa for a second base.
This story begins one year ago when the United States military announced the creation of AFRICOM, a separate command structure to oversee all U.S. military operations in Africa (except Egypt). AFRICOM was meant to provide the military with a more efficient approach to Africa because previous responsibility for the continent had fallen under three separate command structures.
People soon realized that AFRICOM stood for more than streamlining responsibilities. Enmeshed in AFRICOM’s DNA from day one is what the Pentagon refers to as “capacity building”: The idea that if the U.S. military can assist African nations build democratic institutions and establish good governance, some of the pockets of poverty and disorder that remain fertile grounds for terrorist groups would disappear. Also, if U.S. soldiers could work with local populations and show their softer side, it may reduce the appeal of extremism and curb Africans’ mistrust of American intentions.
U.S. soldiers training African armies is one thing. So is digging wells and vaccinating cattle for villagers. But rumors persisted that the U.S. also wanted to place a second military base on the continent. Eventually the Pentagon admitted it was searching for real estate that would allow it to better serve local soldiers, provide development work and respond quicker to crisis and contingencies. That’s when the AFRICOM program began running into problems.
For many African bloggers, a second proposed U.S. military base on the continent raised many red flags. Questions from the blogshpere flew: What exactly are U.S. interests in Africa?
For Tristen at Contrary to Authority the answer was simple: The U.S. wanted to extract Africa’s vast oil reserves.
Africa is under a new wave of exploitation, this time, instead of people, rubber and gold, it is Chinese and American interests competing for oil.
This older post from Sokari Ekine at the blog Black Looks raises many concerns Africans had about an AFRICOM base:
The question should not be whether Africa NEEDS Africom but why the US believes it NEEDS to have a military presence in Africa. We should be asking ourselves the following questions. Why does the US feels it needs a military presence in Africa? What will the US military presence consist of in terms of military hardware and numbers of personnel? How does the US intend to operate and in what circumstances will it’s forces be mobilized? In what way will the US military presence dictate or determine the price of Africa’s natural resources and who gets access to them? In what way will the US military presence infringe on the internal affairs of independent African countries and determine their foreign policy towards other AU members? How will the US military presence influence the foreign policy of independent African states towards non AU countries such as China? How will the US enhanced military presence infringe of the rights of African citizens? How will Africom impact on continental migration and the rights of the millions of Africans without citizenship and the rights of refugees?
The blog Katch Up outlines how President George Bush first moved U.S. policy towards Africa from dealing with mostly military matters and began addressing the daily concerns of many Africans, like providing functional schools and hospitals. However, when AFRICOM was proposed, Bush supplanted the interests of regular people for the welfare of his military.
Regrettably, over emphasis on militarisation has often had a boomerang effect which has begat the US more enemies that it would wish to have. Amusingly the greatest modern threat to America, terrorism, has its most effective launching pads in former US allies.
This distrust of the US has not whirled past Africa but indeed has acquired roots here, especially if you throw in the humus that is religion, and uniquely Islam. The new policy, whose worth Bush has now come to evaluate, is the latest Yankee detergent for its PR.
…
China won the heart of Africa with its emphasis on partnership rather than handouts. Well, handouts do feature still but partnership in trade and investment has given Beijing inroads in record time.
Between January and October 2007, Beijing made an incredible 30% jump to trail EU and US as the biggest trading partner with Africa. The time that these three have taken to position themselves as such tells you why the US is repackaging itself.
After Bush’s announcement in Accra, Ghana, the international media made it sound like he backed down from his plan in the face of criticism from African governments. In the end, only Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia invited the Americans to set up a base in her country. (During the Cold War, the U.S. military and the CIA ran a large communications station in Liberia.)
For African bloggers, however, it wasn’t just the governments who stood up for African rights, but Africans themselves. AfricanLoft, which sponsored more than a few debates on AFRICOM, asked its readers to weigh in on Bush’s statement.
It is a triumph for Africa that African countries held fast, writes Xcroc, who blogs at Crossed Crocodiles, but he warns:
However, AFRICOM can still do most all of what Bush has in mind without an HQ on the continent. Still, it shows they did not plan, and they did not take their target into account, and at least this far, they failed.
The Bush intention with AFRICOM has been to use mercenaries, to train African militaries to act as surrogate. And by “partnering” and training, get to know their strengths and weaknesses, in case of fighting with, or against them in the future. They don’t need an HQ on the continent to do this.
Ayo, the Care Taker at African Loft has this to say:
As much as I like the US, I feel their timing was off. The war on Iraq is an eye-sore and no amount of PR can erase the fact that there isn’t any basis for the war. Also, there wasn’t enough “back-room” consultation before the idea was make public, and this is somewhat strange given how the US is perceived worldwide. Now it’s up to the next administration to make the decision; we haven’t heard the last of it yet.
Bobby writes this:
Perhaps, as I have been saying all along, they are waiting for the country(ies) they want the HQ to be based in to stabilize before they make any announcements.
The sad thing about it is that the people who make the US foreign policies always seem to dismiss the interests of those foreign countries as though it won’t hurt the US in the long term.
Sokari, who blogs at Black Looks (from above), instructed readers at African Path that the fight against AFRICOM is not over. People need to keep the pressure on.
The about turn by the US government can be seen as a small victory for African sovereignty and the continents refusal to be drawn into America's “War on Terror” agenda which is being used as a cover for protecting US commercial interests, such as oil,  across the globe.  Nonetheless, the Command still exists and can be mobilized at short notice and as this report shows – “AFRICOM  heads for the Gulf of Guinea“.   The questions I raised above should still raise concerns amongst African citizens and Civil Society organizations  should continue to pressurize their respective national governments and the African Union, to address the questions.
Also from African Path, here is a comment from Shaft
Let there be democracy in Africa, and let Africans do business withanyone that is willing to do business with them. What Africa need is not another militaristic institution, but businessmen willing to invest in Africa. Africans with their country and resources and anyon else with their money can raise the African's living standard. I am glad that President George W. Bush finally realized that it is not in the interest of Africa and America to have a militaristic institution stationed in Africa preventing democracy from sprouting and flourishing.

author: John Liebhardt


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Angola: Condolences message · Global Voices
Paula Góes

“Angola lost today two of its most distinguished defenders of Angolanness: Gentil Ferreira Viana and Joaquim Pinto de Andrade. Two men from different backgrounds but alike in the highest defense of our homeland and Angolanness”, reports Eugénio Costa Almeida [pt], who has


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Armenia: Election Disgrace · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer details his displeasure with the final pronouncement from Armenia's Central Elections Commission (CEC) that the prime minister, Serge Sargsyan, won last week's presidential election amid opposition allegations of vote buying, ballot box stuffing and other voting irregularities and falsification.


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Armenia: Exit Polls · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Economist comments on two exit polls conducted during voting for last week's presidential election in Armenia . The blog appears to consider the British Populus poll the more reliable of the two, but says the discrepancy between the findings of both is striking.


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Armenia: Life Continues · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Shooosh at Life in Armenia admits that she is still confused as to what really happened during last week's presidential election in Armenia and says that reliable information is hard to come by. Nevertheless, the Diaspora blogger concludes, life in the country continues on regardless.


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Armenia: Post-Election Confusion · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogian comments on the latest post-election developments in Armenia after receiving an sms from an American friend asking what is going on in the country. In response, Simon says that he can see both positive and negative aspects to what still remains an unpredictable and confusing situation.


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Armenia: Women March for Ter-Petrossian · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Patchwork posts photographs of yesterday's march by female supporters of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian following last week's disputed presidential election in Armenia. Meanwhile, reporting on the same rally, my Armenia Election Monitor 2008 revisits the Babe Theory of Democratic Movements.


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Blogger of the Week: Nicholas Laughlin · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

An author, editor, art enthusiast, activist and “occasional” blogger, Nicholas Laughlin has dreams bigger than life for his hometown in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and writing projects and engagements which make him wish the day was longer than 24 hours.
His voyage into blogging, in 2002, may have been by accident, but his involvement with Global Voices Online is certainly by design.
“I wrote my first GV post on 13 January, 2006, because Georgia Popplewell drafted me. And because from the moment, more than a decade ago, when I grasped what the WWW is, I've been convinced that the people who stand to benefit from it most are those–like me–living in small, obscure, far-flung parts of the world. GV helps make our voices less obscure and pulls us together into a web of delightful collaboration and coincidence,” he admits.
Covering the Caribbean, Nicholas surely has issues to confront – concerns, which he is working to bridge, by utilising blogging and other online tools available in an optimal fashion and promoting their use.
“In the Caribbean as a whole, the big issue is who is blogging and why. Not enough of us. Too many barriers: access to technology, access to education. Caribbean bloggers come for the most part from the educated middle class. Where are the other voices?” he asks.
By his own admission, he too blogs “very sometime-ish” on both his personal blog, and on Antilles.
“I don't update my personal blog very often, don't really have a sense of an audience, and think of it as a fairly self-indulgent incomplete sort of stream-of-consciousness. Antilles is rather sometime-ish too, I guess–mostly because I just don't have the time to everything I ought every day. At Antilles I simply try to keep up with news on Caribbean writing and art, link to Caribbean writers who also blog, and occasionally I post mini-essays or interviews. At Antilles we can pay more timely attention to what's happening today, or this week,” he reflects.
“At the moment, if I spend two hours blogging each week, that's a lot. At various times in the past I've been far more prolific. I certainly spend a lot of time online–‘keeping informed,’ I tell myself, but it's really a form of higher procrastination. I am a slow writer, it takes me ages to get started, and I crave distraction of any kind.”
Despite his sporadic blogging, Nicholas is quick to point that his blogging experience is rewarding, with the highlight of his blogging career being live-blogging his country's World Cup qualifying match against Bahrain in 2006.
Blogging has given me a better understanding of online tools and media, first of all, and their possible value. A space to try out tentative ideas in public. The opportunity to ‘meet’ people and grapple with new ideas I might not have encountered otherwise. A forum for expressing worries and frustrations. The thrill that everyone feels of seeing one's words and ideas injected into a global conversation. Also the occasional illusion of productivity! There have been days when I've got almost nothing productive done, met not a single deadline, but have told myself, at least you posted one paragraph on your blog about X,” he explains.
My most memorable experience blogging is probably live-blogging the football match in which Trinidad and Tobago beat Bahrain 1- 0 to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. It was too nerve-wracking to watch the match on TV, so I listened to it on the radio, alone at my office, and live blogged to keep my nervous fingers occupied. For some reason my hits, never very numerous, spiked that day.
Away from blogging, Nicholas is a busy author and editor, who is heavily investing his time and effort in promoting Caribbean literature and arts.
“I'm the editor of The Caribbean Review of Books, a quarterly magazine covering chiefly Caribbean literature, but also visual art and current affairs. The CRB was launched nearly four years ago, in May 2004, and you can find out more about the magazine at our website, or at our blog. Here in the Caribbean, we consider the literature of the entire Antillean chain plus some continental territories (like Belize, Guyana, and Suriname) to be a single “national” literature which happens to be written in several languages (English, Spanish, French, Dutch, various creoles). It's quite a challenge trying to keep up with what writers from so many different territories are doing, plus those Caribbean writers in the global diaspora. The CRB is run as a non-profit, so fundraising occupies a lot of my time, apart from my various editorial tasks.
Just about a month ago I completed a biggish project I'd been working on for a year–a new edition of V.S. Naipaul‘s early family correspondence. That will be published in the UK by Picador, probably towards the end of this year. My own major writing project is a book about Guyana–part travel narrative, part cultural history, part I'm-not-yet-sure, with the working title “Imaginary Roads”. There's some information about it at my website.
I've been working at that for nearly three years now, very slowly and indecisively. Last year, I was awarded something called the Rex Nettleford Fellowship in Cultural Studies by the Rhodes Trust, which is helping to fund my research and writing. I also seem to write lots of book reviews and occasional pieces about Caribbean contemporary art. I post links to many of them here – though the page hasn't been updated in a while!”
Being a writer, says Nicholas, opens the door wide for having interests in all aspects of life.
“Susan Sontag once described a writer as a person interested in ‘everything’. I've always liked that idea. I think I have pretty wide-ranging interests and I have a sometimes disastrous tendency to plunge into new projects without fully comprehending how much time they'll require and how they'll derail existing obligations.
Trinidad has a small but energetic (if anarchic) art scene (read a little more about that here, in which I've got increasingly involved. In late 2006 I helped organise and run a six-week arts programme called Galvanize, and more recently I've been working with friends and colleagues to run a modest arts space called Alice Yard.
I'm also right now in the middle of a campaign to preserve a historic building in Port of Spain, which is under threat of demolition–see the website (built by my friend and GV colleague Georgia Popplewell) here. This is a good example of a new project into which I plunged without fully understanding.
And as all the above links might suggest, I'm very keen on using easy, free, or near-free online tools to document the life and culture of Trinidad and the rest of the Caribbean–making our ideas and stories and concerns globally accessible, responding to the sun-sand-sea stereotypes of Caribbean life, and turning up the volume on our voices in the global conversation. The great Trinidadian thinker Lloyd Best, who died last year, often described the immense challenge facing Caribbean people: understanding ourselves in and on our own terms. “Epistemic sovereignty” was his phrase. That must also extend to our presence, our existence, on the WWW.”
Despite a full schedule, Nicholas also has time to dream.
“These days, what I hope for is that the small society I was born into and have always lived in will remain a viable one. That may sound pessimistic. Trinidad and Tobago is in a phase of rapid change, mostly not for the good, and our prospects for the future depend on whether enough of us can stand up and grasp the responsibilities of true citizenhood. It is possible, yes. I don't know if it's probable. I like to think–or I hope–that many of the projects I devote my time to (the CRB, various arts initiatives, promoting the use of online media and tools) will have some ultimate good effect,” he hopes.


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Brazil: Human rights groups united against extermination groups · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Vera Mattos [pt] publishes a statement by various human right groups denouncing the work of extermination groups, protesting against the ineffective public security and demanding that the authorities investigate the execution of young, poor black people resident of the outskirts of Salvador, capital of Bahia, Brazil.