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Hong Kong: Guilty for Hyperlink and for Sex Talk · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Hong Kong government is encouraging family to have three babies, at the same time, it is so keen on censoring away information concerning sex. Of course sex is not all about giving birth, but how can we have babies without sex? Guess the government will advocate test tube babies pretty soon.
The latest sex censorship is a case against posting a hyperlink to pronographical photos in the adult section of a BBS forum. The court found the defendant guilty under COIAO (Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance) and sentenced to $5000 fine.
Charles Mok is very worried about the the case:
I think it is uncalled for for law enforecement to bring the case to court. Apparently someone made a complaint to TELA. But they are probably definitely many more serious (worse) pictures being posted on forums, and why did the Police only prosecute this case? The fact that the law enforcement in Hong Kong seldom likes to use education first, but always want to test the limit of the court by bringing nitty gritty cases to test, this practice worries me a lot and I think it is unfair to the users because they are not warned ahead of the dangers (you can't just say, “you are posting dirty pictures so you deserve it”), and to the providers it is troublesome too. I clearly remember years ago as the Chairman of the ISP Association, TELA told me that they can't do anything about those hyperlinks even if the content behind them are child porn. When did that change!?
If hyperlinks are articles that can constitute as “articles” in COIAO, will it be a precedent case that others can prosecute people posting hyperlink for many other “crimes” in civil or criminal courts for all kinds of things, even subversion or libel? It is not right I think to judge hyperlink this way, because the link points to some place not controlled by this user making use of the hyperlink, and the content behind the hyperlink can change.
This will also have dire implications to search engines or even other web hosting companies or ISPs. Does the Hong Kong government want them to carry out self-censorship from now on, on even hyperlinks? Search engine companies may be the first to get into troubles. This has serious negative consequences for Hong Kong's IT infrastructure (which includes our legal infrastructure) and the reputation of having freedom of information. Should Google and Yahoo! get out of Hong Kong?
wanszezit is very angry and says he must have broken the law as well:
見此報道，第一個反應係「有冇搞錯」，香港幾時變了大陸？同埋，其實我係咪都已經犯左法？我好似曾幾何時，貼過比色情照片淫亂千百倍的色情YouTube條link喎？！
Plastichk finds the situation so ridiculous:
在「成人貼圖區」發佈成人照片，由發佈到觀看的，雙方都是成年人，…為何同一張相片，貼在美國的討論區則合法，放 server 在香港則否？但同樣觀看的人身卻在香港），對香港警方來說，這樣的行為又如何影響香港治安了？警力過盛嗎？…
In order to protest against this ridiculous and highly political case, I have put a nude photo (link from flickr) and a hyperlink to a sex blog at inmediahk.net to invite criminal charge from Hong Kong government. I have also invited other netizens to make it a collective legal action.
Fred Lam has echoed my call and posted all the links that he search from google under “sexy hot chick”.
如果貼超連結都有罪的話，請問為甚麼政府不起訴 Google，而起訴一個在成人貼圖區貼三級相片超連結的小網民？
This is not a single case, because a few days ago, the Chinese University Student Press is also under attack by the mainstream media because they have opened some sex columns at the student magazine.
According to an insider story (via inmediahk.net [zh]) from the Student Press, the mainstream media got some complaint letters from conservative religious groups, and within 12 hours, the story hit the headline of major mainstream Chinese newspapers. And the university administration made a statement that they would investigate the issue and consider to punish the students who are in charge of the magazine.
The obscene article is a questionaire about sex, including sex fantasy. Among the 14 sets of questions, two are about fantasy and attitude towards incest and bestiality.
The case has raised concern from local homosexual and sex rights groups. As it is not the first time conservative religion groups make use of the censorship tool to silent sex talk.
As the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority will investigate the case and decide whether the student magazine has also violated the COIAO, a signature campaign has been launched at inmediahk.net to plead for not guilty.
Meanwhile, the university disciplinary committee has issued a statement saying that the student press “has passed the acceptable moral line” and will ban the publication of the sex pages and consider punishing the editor in charge as the publication has “affected the image of the university”. Plato questions whether the school administration body has the power to intervene into the student press’ editorial policy:
請中大校長、中大校務會學生紀律委員會不要受傳媒一面倒的批評所影響，請你們自行閱讀問卷的問題和內容，倘若問卷的問題及答案有直接宣揚某類性行為，請清楚指出，我相信編輯同學欠中大學生一個解釋，但倘若沒有，請中大校務會學生紀律委員會發表聲明向中大學生報編輯道歉，而本人閱讀問卷的問題和答案後，並不覺得它有宣揚某類性行為的跡象，相反它只交待不同人對某些我們在日常社交中不敢宣諸於口的性幻想、性行為和性經驗。
我不知道中大校務會學生紀律委員會是一個什麼單位，它是否有權要求中大學生報的編輯停止刊登情色版的內容呢？
Amnesty International (Hong Kong) has also issued a statement to the University Administration. The organization expressed concern that the judgement of the discipinary committee will affect the freedom of speech and press in Hong Kong.
However, diumanpark criticises that the editors are not critical but follow the market logic.
但係今日做學生就已經冇晒火，識睇住個市場，或者製造市場，先至係叻仔。我哋以前做學 生，尚有幾分熱血，對於坊間以新聞包裝嘅色情，會抗拒和批評，今日世界唔同，一份學生搞嘅風月版，不單贏盡報紙做嘅，就連色情雜誌都輸埋。
Jim feels that the university students are just reflection of the society,
眾所周知，香港教育制度落後，性教育不足，雖說是大學生，性知識仍相當貧乏，滿腦子只裝滿了由互聯網和風月刊物所提供的毒素。因此，到有機會自己辦報時，欲以學術方式談性，到頭來又不是亂倫、人獸交等話題？這究竟是大學生的錯，還是社會的錯？
I have also signed the statement against the charge of COIAO, not that I enjoy reading the sex column in student magazine, but against the unreasonable censorship practice in Hong Kong that would eventually ruin the society.


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Hong Kong: Obscene hyperlink · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Charles Mok blogs about a recent court case in Hong Kong that a hyperlink to porn website has been ruled as Obscene and is subject to a HKD5000 fine.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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India: Education and the Government · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Atanu Dey explains why liberalizing the education sector comes with many benefits. “The supply of educational services will increase, the quality will improve, and prices will come down. These are all everyday first-order efficiency effects of letting markets work. The second-order effects will be increased productivity, increased production, and better allocative efficiency within the sector. The third-order effects will arise from the increasing returns to scale associated with the production of education.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: On Encounters · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Kafila points to the suffixes used with the word encounter in India. “So my plea is that we stop using the phrase ‘fake encounter’ because encounter will suffice. Fake encounters somehow seems to posit a difference between a real encounter (that’s the one in which the police go on an investigation and the assailants open fire and the police gun them down in self defense) and a fake one (that’s the one in which the police go on an investigation and the assailants open fire and the police gun them down in self defense).”


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Iraq: Samara Dam Threat · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Ladybird reports that: “Haq Agency received serious information indicates that occupation forces preventing vehicles from crossing ‘Samara Dam’ bridge [see it on Goolge maps], claiming there is a truck loaded with explosives on the bridge.”

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Israel: Teapacks Wiped Off the Eurovision Map · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Writing from Israel, Aussie Dave  reports  that Israeli band Teapacks has been “wiped off the Eurovision map.”


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Jamaica, Barbados: Kamau Brathwaite’s Birthday  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Geoffrey Philp honours Barbadian writer Kamau Brathwaite on his birthday:  “We have done this tribute because in your poems and life, you have given us an example of how a life should be lived–on its own terms.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Japan: Summary of Tojo Yasukuni Debate · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Ampontan summarized a segment of a South Korean TV program that appeared on August 13, 2006 with Japanese subtitles. The show featured Tojo Yuko, granddaughter of former Prime Minister Tojo Hideki (who served during much of World War Two and was later hanged for war crimes), speaking to a Taiwanese woman and South Korean woman about the Yasukuni shrine and Japan's wartime history.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Kazakhstan: The Kasteev Museum · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

At neweurasia, Daniel reviews Almaty's Kasteev Art Museum, an oft-missed jewel of the city.

author: Nathan Hamm


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Korea: Living as descendants of Japanese collaborators in Korea · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

On the second of this month, the Korean government decided to take over land belonging to the families of nine Korean collaborators of the Japanese during the Japanese colonization period (1910-1945).  Their land, 255,000 sq.m, which is estimated at 3.6 billion won (4 million US dollars), will be taken from their descendants. The land that they obtained from 1904 (Russo-Japanese War) to 1945 (Independence Day of Korea) was investigated this time. The property will be used for financial support for independent activists’ descendants and events related to them. It is just 0.64 percent of the whole land that these nine collaborators owned at that time. In addition, other kinds of properties they obtained, such as cash and gold, were not included. This issue has been around for several decades but this was the first time that the court did not acknowledge the appeal of the Japanese collaborators’ descendants. The special inspection committee for this case plans to investigate more people who are on a name list.
A netizen, Cotone commented on this decision,
고작 36억!? 이건 도대체…-_-;;
Cheo0ho had a different view,
참 어려운 문제다.
이렇게 해서 민족의 정기가 바로잡히고 3.1운동의 헌법정신이 구현될 수 있을까?
그동안 그래 해방된지 60년 동안 이렇게 하지 않아서
민족의 정기가 바로 잡히지 않고 헌법정신이 엉망이 되었다는 말인가?
그렇다면 6.25전쟁을 일으키고 동족을 말살하려한 사람들,
이에 부역하고 동조한 사람들에 대하여도 이런 법률이 만들어져야 하는 거 아닌가?
임진왜란때 일본사람에게 부역한 사람은?
당나라와 원나라의 침공시 이에 부역한 사람은?
정말 어디까지 과거를 뒤집고 어디까지 밝혀야 된다는 것인가?
절대로 그들의 행위를 잊어서는 안되겠지만
이제 그만 용서해줄 때도 되지 않았나?
아니 아직 용서해주면 안 될지도 모르겠다.
그렇다고 하더라도 아니 그들의 자손들은 무슨 죄가 있다는 것인가?
Some bloggers analyzed how major newspapers which have been regarded as having collaborated with the Japanese at that time deal with this issue from the 2nd, compared to other newspapers.
Blogger, Ganeun I:
신문들은 3일과 4일자에 걸쳐 이를 빠짐없이 보도했다. 3일자 경향 국민 한겨레 한국은 1면 머리기사 혹은 상단 기사로 편집하고 관련내용을 한 면 전체를 털어 보도했다. 서울과 세계도 1면 머리기사로 배치한 뒤 사설이나 칼럼으로 의미를 평가했다.
반면 동아와 중앙은 1면 하단에 작게 보도하고 관련기사를 한 꼭지만 실었다. 중앙은 하루 뒤인 4일 뒤늦게 사설을 썼다.
조선은 1면 머리기사 옆에 1단짜리 박스로 실은 뒤 관련기사는 싣지 않았다.
Some bloggers put the politicians’ names which objected to this decision and especially marked the bold line of Park Geun-hye  who is a previous representative from the Grand National Party and daughter of the dictator, Park Chung-hee.
A blogger, “Lady with two daughters,” elaborated on why this action is necessary.
이 글을 쓰면서 굉장히 흥분되고 화가 나니 글이 잘 전개가 안되네요…^^::
여러분들은 과연 어떤가요??
친일파들의 후손이라는것도 창피하고 국민과 나라에 반성하며 그때 받은
자기들의 조상들이 받은 재산을 자진으로 헌납해도 용서를 해줄까 말까하는
형편인데 오히려 법에 호소하며 그런 재산을 지키려는 후손들..
물론 그럴수도 있습니다. 후손들의 의지와는 상관없이 조상들이
잘못 판단해서 친일 행적을 했다고 말 입니다.
그렇다고 그 후손들에게 죄를 물을수는 없습니다.
그러면 사람이고 대한민국의 국민이면 그때 받은 재산은 사회에 환원하고
반성의 생을 사는게 올바른 길이라 생각 합니다.
국가는 그들에게 역사의 심판을 묻지않고 똑같은 대한민국 국민으로
대우하고 있습니다.
나라 팔아먹은 댓가로 받은 재산을 국가가 환수하는 것은 당연하다고 생각합니다
아니 지금도 시기상으로 늦은감이 있다고 생각합니다.
진작에 이런 조치가 취해져야 했습니다.
여기서 우려 할점은 무엇이냐면 법원 판결에 국가의 손을 들어준 경우도 있지만
반대로 친일파 후손들의 손을 들어준 경우도 있다는 것입니다.
글쎄요 과연 국가를 팔아먹은 사람들,그 당사자는 아니러다도 책임이
자유로울수 없는사람들에게 정상 적인 법 기준을 적용하는 것이 과연 옳을까요???
이런 사람들에겐 칭일파 특별법을 제정해서 그때 받은 재산을 모두 환수해야 합니다.
그런데 자기 이익을 위해 국가를 팔아먹은 사람들의 후손이
나라 판 돈으로 모은 재산을 지키겠다고 법에 호소를 한다???
아마 이런 사람들이 자유롭게 생활하고 자기 목소리 내는 나라는 전세계에서
대한 민국 뿐이 없을 것이라는 생각이 듭니다.
친일파 후손 여러분들….여러분들에게 죄를 묻지는 않겠습니다.
다만 조상들이 지은죄를 대신 반성하는 의미에서 조상이 나라 팔아먹고 받은 재산
국가에 헌납하시고 조용한 생활하시면  우리 국민들은 여러분들에게 손가락질
하지 않겠습니다.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Latvia: Almost All Eurovision Songs · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Inspired by Siberian Light‘s initiative, All About Latvia links to “almost every Latvian Eurovision song ever.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Nigeria: the Egungun festival 2007 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Naijablog on the Egungun festival in Nigeria: The Egungun masquerade takes place at Iragbiji (Osun State) at the end of this month. Wikipedia tells me the town was founded by a hunter chasing a wild animal. When he finally caught and killed the animal, he sat down under a shady tree, and others joined him. Iragbiji means ‘the town under a shady tree.’

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Oman: Food Blog Launched · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Oman blogger Blue Chi has set up a cooking blog along with her friend. “I would like to confirm that all the photographs found on the Omani Cuisine website are of the actual food that we made, and no, I am not kidding.
You can now go ahead and check out the Omani Cuisine at http://www.omanicuisine.com/. Hope that you like it! :D” he writes.


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Pakistan: Islam and Democracy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Pakistani Spectator on why democracy is part of Islamic commitment. “Islam being the only religion teaches us about the rule of law & justice. People have the right to ask even the ruler (president or prime minister) about any issues related to the country, masses or the individuals. In teachings of Islam a leader should lead in Friday congregation so that he should mingle with the general public to hear their problems, views and take instant decisions for the betterment of the mankind around him.”


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Pakistan: The troubles of commuters · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Islamabad on the transport crisis for commuters. “Commuters faced problems as traffic police in collaboration with the Regional Transport Authority started impounding vehicles across Punjab to meet the ruling party plan of taking some 500,000 people to Islamabad for the May 12 rally. According to Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, 60,000 buses, wagons and cars will head from Islamabad from 35 districts of the province.”


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Palestine: Disabled Children on the Street · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah reports  the destruction of a centre for disabled children by the Israeli forces. “Where on earth would you expect to see a military forces going out at 5:30 AM to throw out ‘handicapped children’ to the cold streets after snatching the kids out of their beds? ISRAEL, no where else!
Believe it or not, the Israeli forces went out to demolish a centre for disabled children in east Jerusalem before the dawn on Tuesday. The Israeli forces claim that the centre had no license,” he rants.


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Peru: Border Issues with Chile, Reliving the War of the Pacific · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Peru's fluctuating relationship with neighboring Chile is conflicted. One day, the Presidents of the two countries are shaking hands like great friends. Then, the following day, there's news about an incident on the border, or something that affects (as we see it) the peaceful coexistence between the two countries. We discussed this subject in an article (ES) in February, but it might be time to revisit the issue.
A little over a month ago there was some commotion related to a documentary titled Epopeya, about the war in 1879 between Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. Before it was shown on Chilean TV, it got pulled. Blog del Morsa, (ES) republishes an interview with a Peruvian sociologist in  The Peru Chile conflict according to Sinesio López. Sinesio López, among other interesting things, says:
¿Tan frágiles son las relaciones entre Perú y Chile como para que nuestro embajador haya solicitado la suspensión de un documental sobre la Guerra del Pacífico?
Ahí hay que diferenciar algo. Lo que los peruanos tendríamos que reclamar es la devolución de todo lo saqueado por Chile durante la Guerra del Pacífico. Por ejemplo, el patrimonio bibliográfico documental que estaba en la Biblioteca Nacional, el cual constituye la memoria del Perú.
Eso deberíamos reclamar y no la suspensión de documentales.
Claro. Tengo la impresión de que lo que se quiere es defender a una élite incapaz y corrupta que no supo construir acá un estado-nación, que mantuvo al indio excluido y que no pudo, incluso, organizar una Fuerza Armada institucional para enfrentar una situación como la guerra de 1879.
Is the relationship between Peru and Chile so fragile our Ambassador requests the cancellation of the transmission of a documentary on the War of the Pacific?
Something needs to be pointed out. What we Peruvians need to demand is the return of everything looted by Chile during the War of the Pacific. For example, the documents and bibliographic cultural heritage, the memory of Peru, from the National Library .
That's what we should be demanding, not pulling a documentary off the air.
Of course. I get the sense what is being defended is a useless and corrupt elite who didn't know how to create a nation-state here, who excluded the Indian, and who couldn't even organize institutional Armed Forces to confront situations such as the war of 1879.
The post ends with a link to a video of the documentary, also seen here.
Bloguiarquía (ES) writes about the subject as well. In As a result of Epopeya and the Peru-Chile problem, he discusses comparison of this conflict with the one between France and Germany and their current good relations.
El objetivo de este post era señalar que una comparación entre ambos casos no era el más adecuado, ya que se ignora sus diferentes antecedentes, que conllevaron consigo distintos incentivos para cooperar. Deseo que los problemas con Chile se acaben, sea o no necesario llegar a los niveles de integración de la UE. Los incentivos a la integración en el caso europeo costó millones de vidas humanas.
The objective of this post is to point out that comparing both cases doesn't make sense, since it doesn't take into account the different origins [of the conflicts]. In turn, they had different incentives for cooperation. I want the problems with Chile to end, with or without reaching the degreee of integration as in the EU. The incentives for European  integration cost millions of lives.
Another interesting post on the subject, not just regarding the documentary but how Peruvians view this war, is Peru, Chile, and the legacy of the War of the Pacific written by Martín Tanaka on his blog Virtù e Fortuna (ES). He analyzes what historians in both countries have to say on the matter, and discovers those versions aren't necessarily in keeping with the version of the war taught in schools.
Cada país cuenta la historia de la Guerra del Pacífico a su manera. Por ello, un buen punto de partida es leer qué dicen los historiadores latinoamericanistas más serios. … ¿Qué es lo que vamos a encontrar? Para mí, lo más importante es que la idea de que Chile, para la década de 1870, era un “Estado nación consolidado”, con instituciones fuertes, con una clase “dirigente, no sólo dominante”, un país integrado dentro de un gran proyecto nacional, sin conflictos internos mayores, es simplemente falsa. Diría que esa es la imagen que la historiografía nacionalista chilena ha construido como parte de su “versión oficial” (no es lo que dice la historiografía chilena más seria) y que absurdamente los peruanos repetimos, creo que por ignorancia y porque empata muy bien con nuestra “idea crítica nacional”, la del mendigo sentido en un banco de oro, sometido por poderosos intereses extranjeros y por unas élites indolentes, del que todos se aprovechan.
¿Por qué perdimos la guerra? Yo no creo que haya que rebuscar en explicaciones alambicadas y poco sustentadas sobre la constitución nacional de los países. Si bien soy sociólogo, creo que las explicaciones sociológicas deberían venir después de las militares, si y solo solo si es que resultan insuficientes. Creo que la explicación es simple: las fuerzas armadas chilenas eran más profesionales y estaban mejor equipadas, punto. Y esto era consecuencia de su mayor desarrollo relativo. No tiene nada de raro que el más fuerte venza en una guerra.
Creo que nuestra autoestima nacional quedó mellada porque, en vez de pensar que perdimos porque el otro ejército era superior, nos quedamos con la idea de que perdimos porque fracasamos como Estado nación, porque no estábamos integrados, todo por culpa de unas élites irresponsables, sin considerar que en Chile la situación no era tan distinta, en realidad. Lo que pasa es que este discurso servía bien como crítica a las élites oligárquicas tradicionales, es decir, era un argumento político. … Estas ideas me parecen importantes para no estar “acomplejados” frente a los chilenos. De hecho, a pesar de que nos ganaron la guerra, el Perú se recuperó rápidamente a inicios del siglo XX. Y si miramos varios indicadores de cómo estábamos a inicios de la década de los años setenta, estábamos a la par, un poco por debajo, pero no mucho.
Each country tells the history of the War of the Pacific their own way. Because of this, a good starting point is to read what the most serious Latin Americanist historians have to say [on the matter]. What will we find? Most importantly for me is the notion that, by the 1870s, Chile was a “consolidated nation-state” with strong institutions, a “leading, and not only dominating,” class, an integrated country with a great national vision, and without major internal conflicts, is false.
I would say this is the image painted by nationalist Chilean historians as part of the “official version” (it is not what the most serious Chilean historians have to say) and Peruvians absurdly repeat it, due to ignorance I think, and because it ties in very well with our [own] “national critical idea,” that of being the poor man seated on a bar of gold, dominated by powerful foreign interests and lazy elites, the one everyone takes advantage of.
Why did we lose the war? I don't think you have to seek flowery and poorly-based explanations regarding the national constitution of both countries. Although I'm a sociologist, I believe sociological explanations should come after military ones; if, and only if, those are not sufficient. I think the explanation is simple: the Chilean armed forces were more professional and better equipped, period.  And, this was a result of Chile's relative greater development [at the time]. There is nothing odd when the stronger opponent wins the war.
I think our national self-esteem was wounded because, instead of realizing we lost because the other army was better, we got stuck thinking we lost because we were a failure as a nation-state, because we weren't integrated –all the fault of some irresponsible elites–without considering that in Chile the situation was not really so different.
This discourse served well as a criticism of the traditional oligarchical elites;  that is, it was a political argument. …These ideas seem important so we don't have so many “complexes” with regards to Chile. In fact, despite their winning the war, Peru quickly recovered at the beginning of the 20th century. And, if we look at various indicators of how we were doing at the beginning of the 1970s, we were [almost] equal; a little below Chile, but not by much.
I quote extensively in this article because it summarizes many ideas that are the bases of how we perceive our neighbors to the south, and vice-versa. It is difficult to construct a relationship between both countries when the perception of “loser and winner” is floating around. It is also difficult when other interests are at play, as the blog marcayuq – crónicas desde un avispero (ES) mentions in Enough historical manipulation!!!!!.
¿Cuál es el interés en todo ello? Movilizar la atención de la ciudadanía, quienes hinchados de torpe nacionalismo se dejan llevar tal cual corderitos. Felizmente no son todos… Evidentemente, para nadie de la prensa se le escapa la idea de que hablar de la guerra del Pacífico siempre aumenta el rating. … Lo más interesante es darnos cuenta, quiénes están detrás de todo esto, como para que el tema estalle y cree de la nada una crisis política en ambos países. Lo que
sucede en el Perú es que el tema de la Guerra del Pacífico se ha convertido en un evento comercial y político, altamente beneficioso para quienes lo utilizan. … La guerra del Pacífico no fue más que una guerra de intereses económicos en pos del salitre peruano, boliviano e incluso, chileno. La post guerra con Chile, que parece nunca acabar, es también otra guerra de intereses económicos y políticos. No nos dejemos engañar.
What's the purpose of all of this? Grab the attention of the public who, tired of clumsy nationalism, allow themselves to be led like sheep. Fortunately, not everyone. …Clearly, no one in the media misses the point that talking about the War of the Pacific boosts ratings. …More interesting is finding out who was behind all this so it exploded, creating a political crisis in both countries out of nothing. In Peru, the War of the Pacific has become a complete commercial and political event, highly beneficial for those who employ it. …The War of the Pacific was nothing more than a war of economic interests for Peruvian, Bolivian, and even Chilean, nitrates. The seemingly never-ending post-war with Chile is another war of economic and political interests. Let's not allow ourselves to be fooled [otherwise].
All this psychosocial manipulation has to have some real basis, and sometimes the things our neighbors do are, to put it mildly, very curious. Those who are distrustful have taken to wonder what lies behind all these small acts and attitudes. In his post Chile back on attack in Actualidad Económica del Perú (ES), Alan Fairlie Reinoso tells us:
El Canciller chileno Foxley vuelve a la carga, amenazando y señalando de manera impertinente que si el gobierno peruano nocumple con su compromiso de congelar el tema de límites marítimos, no habrá un avance en los vínculos económicos y de migraciones.
La actitud no sólo refleja soberbia, sino un reclamo explícito a un compromiso que habría adquirido el gobierno peruano y esta incumpliendo. Demuestra que la creación de la Región Arica – Parinacota desconociendo no sólo el problema de límites marítimos, sino de los límites terrestres definidos en el Tratado del 29, no era un hecho aislado. A la actitud cordial y concesiva del Perú, se ha respondido con desplantes, y con una actitud agresiva del que habiendo recibido todo lo exigido, quiere
más.
La reacción del Canciller peruano es correcta, pero insuficiente. Esta muy bien que se recuerde que no habrá futuro armonioso en el siglo XXI sin la solución de los límites marítimos. Pero, se debe dar una respuesta digna que acompañe esa declaración, y no poner de nuevo la otra mejilla.
Chilean [Minister of Foreign Relations] Foxley is back on attack, with impertinent signals and threats to the Peruvian government that if Peru doesn't follow through on its committment to freeze the maritime boundary issue, there will be no advances in economic and immigration matters.
This attitude is not only haughty, but there's an explicit demand the Peruvian government comply with a commitment it supposedly made and is not carrying out. It demonstrates the creation of the Arica-Parinacota Region [in Chile], which ignored not only the issues with the maritime boundaries but also those with the land boundaries as defined in the Treaty of 1929, was not an isolated incident. Peru's cordial and conciliatory attitude has been met with rudeness and an agressive attitude by one who, having received everything demanded, wants more.
The reaction of the Peruvian Minister is correct but insufficient. It's good to remember that, without solving the maritime boundary [dispute], there will be no harmonious future in the 21st century. A fitting response accompanying that declaration should be given, instead of once again turning the other cheek.
In the posts, Peru-Chile: Dangerous back and forth and  Our assymetries with Chile: What are we gaining Mr. Minister? (ES) the same author delves more deeply into the subject from the economic and commercial exchange perspective, without setting aside the political backdrop.
Joan Tincopa of the blog  Población, Desarrollo y Ordenamiento Territorial (ES) republishes an editorial which appeared in the Lima daily El Comercio and in her post dated  April 22, gives us the  historical counterpoint of the situation:
Ha sido muy oportuna la acción de la cancillería peruana de enviar a la ONU la Ley de Líneas de Bases de Dominio Marítimo, saliéndole así al frente a las pretensiones chilenas de apropiarse indebidamente de territorio que, sin lugar a dudas, le pertenece al Perú.
No solo intenta apropiarse de un área de terreno equivalente a cuatro manzanas a orillas del mar, sino también, siguiendo la línea del paralelo, proyectarla 200 millas mar adentro, con lo cual el área se incrementa exponencialmente. En el documento presentado a la ONU se precisa que la frontera con Chile es el Punto de la Concordia y no el Hito 1 como pretende nuestro vecino del sur. Para ello han venido creando confusión al mezclar dos asuntos que corren por vertientes
separadas: la frontera terrestre y la marítima.
El límite terrestre está perfectamente delimitado por el Tratado de Lima de 1929, el Protocolo Complementario y las actas de la respectiva comisión bilateral demarcatoria de 1930. Hay incluso croquis y mapas firmados por el jefe de la delegación chilena, Enrique Brieba, que no admiten cuestionamiento ni discusión (ver mapa 1).
Sin embargo, Chile pretende establecer que el límite no empieza en la orilla del mar y desconocer lo que firmó en las actas de la comisión demarcatoria con referencia al Punto de la Concordia: “Este punto de intersección del arco trazado con la orilla del mar será el inicial de la línea divisoria entre Perú y Chile” (El [enfasís] es nuestro). Y claro, si ambos países llegan al mar, el límite tiene que empezar en su orilla. Pretender soslayarlo es contrario a toda lógica y no podría tener otro sentido que el de aprovecharse de la situación.
The sending to the UN  [of the issue regarding]  the Maritime Domain Base Lines Law by the Peruvian [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] was a timely action. This way, Peru meets head-on Chilean pretensions of improperly trying to appropriate territory that, without a doubt, belongs to Peru.
Not only does [Chile] attempt to appropriate territory on the coast equivalent to four [square] blocks, but also, to project itself 200 miles into the ocean by following the line of latitude, thereby increasing the area exponentially. In the UN document, the border with Chile is fixed at the [marker known as] the Point of the Concord and not at Marker One, as our southern neighbor contends.  As a result, they've been creating confusion by mixing two issues that flow along separate courses: the land border and the maritime one.
The land boundary is perfectly fixed by the 1929 Treaty of Lima, the Complementary Protocol, and the acts of the 1930 Bilateral Commission on Demarcation. There are even sketches and maps signed by the head of the Chilean delegation, Enrique Brieba, that prevent questions or arguments (see map).
Nonetheless, Chile contends the boundary doesn't begin on the coast, and ignores what it signed to on the Commission on Demarcation documents with regards to the Point of the Concord: “The point where this sketched arc intersects with the coast will be the beginning of the dividing line between Peru and Chile” (The [emphasis] is ours.) And of course, if both countries meet on the coast, the boundary has to begin there.  To pretend otherwise goes against all logic and couldn't have any purpose other than of taking advantage of the situation.
Those who desire can read more articles about the border problem by different Peruvian columnists in the abovementioned blog.
When former [Peruvian] presidential candidate Ollanta Humala supported a protest march to the border with Chile, it created even more controversy about these issues. Fernando Obregón writing in Pospost (ES) did not view this turn of events with a positive eye. In Ollanta Humala seeks a psychosocial war with Chile (ES), he doesn't mince words:
Cual integrante de una barra brava, piensa ir con la casaquilla nacional y buscar camorra en el hito que divide el Perú con Chile, justo en visperas de que se cumpla un aniversario más de la
guerra que ambos países sostuvieron hace casi 128 años. El acto, es un sicosocial que busca echar sombras contra el próximo encuentro que sostendrán el presidente de Perú, Alan García y la presidenta de Chile, Michelle Bachelet y ya es motivo de preocupación por los medios de ambos países.
Like a member of a gang of hooligans, he plans on going [wearing] the national jersey to  look for trouble at the marker that divides Peru from Chile, precisely on the eve of the anniversary of the war both countries fought 128 years ago. This psychosocial act seeks to cast shadows on the upcoming meeting between Peruvian president Alan Garcia and the president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, and is already a cause for concern in both countries’ media.
This position created a debate with Carlos Quiróz in the comments section of his blog, Peruanista (ES/EN), who in Why I support the March to Tacna expressed his support for Humala's attitude and towards the march as an act of civic protest:
Un partido político de oposición ha organizado y apoyado este evento cívico (el Partido Nacionalista y su líder Ollanta Humala), y es por eso que el gobierno peruano les ha dado la espalda. Una jueza peruana ha prohibido a Humala a que se una a la marcha y varios miembros del gobierno de Lima, -incluyendo el mismo canciller- han criticado esta acción, por el hecho de ser organizado por un partido de oposición. No solo se oponen a la marcha, si no que acusan a los activistas de irresponsables, permitiendo que el gobierno de Chile se dé el lujo de advertir a los peruanos que no marchen hacia la frontera.
No por atacar la posición política de Humala y los nacionalistas, se debe ignorar que esta marcha es un acto positivo de acción cívica, y por ello merece el respaldo de todos los peruanos quienes deberían unirse en bien de protejer sus intereses, en vez de continuar atacándose unos a otros. El reclamo por un poco de mar no es simplemente una acción revanchista, sino una acción honorable que hace justicia a tantos que murieron defendiendo la integridad del territorio peruano, el cual es una de las bases de la institucionalidad de Perú como país.
An opposition party (the Nationalist Party and its leader Ollanta Humala) organized and supported this civic event which is why the Peruvian government has turned its back on it. A Peruvian judge has prohibited Humala from joining the march and various members of the government in Lima –including the [Minister of Foreign Affairs]– have criticized it, [solely] because it is organized by an opposition party. Not only are they against the march, but they also accuse the activists of being irresponsible, allowing the Chilean government to give itself the luxury of warning  Peruvians from not marching to the border.
While attacking Humala and the Nationalists’ political positions, one shouldn't ignore the fact this march is a positive civil action,  and as such deserves the support of all Peruvians who should unite to protect their interests, instead of continually attacking each other. The demand for a bit of ocean is not merely a vengeful action, but an honorable action that brings justice to so many who died defending the integrity of Peruvian territory, which is one of the bases of the institutionality of Peru as a nation.
In another post titled, One Piece of News, Two Versions (Regarding the March to Tacna), Carlos includes two videos of the march in question, one from Peruvian, the other from Chilean, television. For his part,  Javier added some of his photos related to the march in Tacna at Flickr.
Finally, Amanda Ortíz (ES) writing in Tacna. A March for Peruvianism, provides a chronology of the events that took place during the march. And while this subject won't end here, this post will. Until next time.
The image illustrating this post is from  Javier.
Article translated by Alejandro García.

author: Juan Arellano


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Russia: May 9 Photos · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Great pictures and comment on May 9 in Moscow – at Darkness at Noon.


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Sri Lanka: Photographing Sri Lanka · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

words of wisdom goes through photographs of Sri Lanka in flickr and is particularly struck by the work of one person. “When I looked at just one of his pictures it inspired me right away. Without doubt I think he has done of the best works in Sri Lankan photography. There are many people who have taken pictures of Sri Lanka but for some reason the way this special person took pictures and the way he looked at certain things in the country I still call home inspired me to a great extent.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Preserving Architecture  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Thebookmann, concerned about the disappearance of architecture with a Caribbean vernacular, posts photos of two old buildings in Trinidad and says: “Aiming to capture the title of the financial hub of the Caribbean, common landmarks in the city are being sold for the almighty dollar, and are being replaced by conglomerates who have seized the opportunity for prized locations with no incentive of the aesthetics of our island.”


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Tunisia: Why Were We Created? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Why were we created?
That's one big question; one that doesn't necessarily have one exact answer, but well depending on who you ask, you'll be getting a range of different answers,” writes Subzero Blue from Tunisia. He continues to list how people of different professions and inclinations would answer this question.


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Yemen: Tourism Boom  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Tourism in Yemen could be a wonderful industry, writes Jane Novak , who links to a news report which states that 609,000 people visited Yemen over two years.


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Bolivia: Case of Cristian Urresti Closed · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The blogger at Morir Antes Que Esclavos Vivir [ES] is bewildered that the case is closed in the investigation of the murder of Cristian Urresti, the 17-year old Cochabamba resident killed in the civil unrest of January 2007.  Even though there are supposed amateur video and eyewitnesses of the death, the police deemed that there was insufficient evidence.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Cape Verde: Cape Verdan basketball legacies · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Basketball legacies from Cape Verde: “In examining the small but intriguing world of Cape Verdean basketball, there are two families who stand out quite prominently. In each case, the athlete is a young woman, and their Father, in one instance, and Uncle, in another, is coaching at the highest levels of major college basketball.”


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D.R. of Congo: Congo’s forgotten women · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A post about Congo's forgotten women in the Sub-Saharan Africa Roundtable: “In 2001, after a disastrous misadventure in the Congo, Ugandan troops trekked back home with a cargo of hundreds of Congolese women they had “married” while fighting in that country. Most of them ended up in northern Uganda where their men had been hastily taken to continue the seemingly endless fight against the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army. But it wasn’t long before the rosy picture the Congolese women had of Uganda turned rough.”


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Iraq: New Guantanamo  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Lady Bird links to a newspaper article which claims that there are 14,000 Iraqi prisoners held in her country – making it a new Guantanamo, which no one knows about.


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Iraq: Tough Times Ahead · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Omar gives us an overview of the political situation in Iraq. He admits that it is a rough time but insists that he will not panic. “The political process in Iraq has reached another very critical and important stage. This is the time that will decide if Iraq will emerge as a country that can sustain itself and where groups of people-while have many differences-can share this nation and coexist peacefully.
There's no doubt that this is going to be a difficult journey until key requirements to reconciliation, especially the oil distribution law and the Justice and Accountability law (which will replace the debaathification law) see the light. Many concessions will have to be made by every one of the major constituents of this country before the final compromise is reached,” he notes.


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Israel: Life in Sderot · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Blogger  Rick Richman  brings us up-to-date with the latest developments in the Israeli town of Sdoret.
“The invaluable One Jerusalem held a bloggers’ conference call today with Noam Bedein of the Sderot Media Center to provide some perspective. The audio of the call is here.
Bedein told a story of rockets all the time, usually in the morning to terrorize the kids on their way to school (half the kids in Sderot are clinically traumatized), no governmental support (much less retaliation), no media coverage in the absence of blood (but the entire city is terrorized by anxiety every time there is a 15 second Red Alert) — just sports, weather and seven seconds of ‘rockets again in Sderot, no one injured,'” he explains.


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Israel: Palestinians Banned from Dead Sea · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Blogger Dan Fleshler reports  that IDF soldiers have received orders to prevent Palestinians from accessing the Dead Sea. “This is the kind of story that feeds into the increasingly popular tendency to equate Israel with South Africa under apartheid. I don’t buy into this equation…yet. There are a number of good arguments that show the differences,” he argues.


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Israel: Unreasonable Student Demands · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blogger Imshin  is disgusted with the ‘unreasonable’ demands by Israeli students enrolled in subsidized universities. “So what we have here is one of the strongest segments of society, who are behaving like spoilt brats, violently demanding that the state continue to heavily subsidize them. The state is suggesting, via the Shochat committee, that they pay more, but are able to take loans so that they can pay for their education over an extended period. The state is also suggesting that more people will be eligible for grants and scholarships. And that people who are studying for highly paid professions, such as, I suppose, accountancy, will pay higher university tuition. In return, the state will increase the university budgets.
It all sounds extremely fair to me,” writes the blogger.


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Japan: Forced Confessions · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Debito comments on a New York Times article describing the case of 13 men and women “acquitted this year in a local district court, which found that their confessions had been entirely fabricated“. Debito notes that “The Japanese authorities have long relied on confessions to take suspects to court, instead of building cases based on solid evidence. Human rights groups have criticized the practice for leading to abuses of due process and convictions of innocent people.”


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Korea: AIDS and single mothers in Korea and the power of soap operas · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

AIDS and single mothers are not easy topics in Korean society. Single mothers mean sex before the marriage and are not moral. AIDS is regarded as the result of dangerous and inappropriate sex relations. These prejudices generate social taboos. And a brave Korean soap opera, “Thanks,” has taken on these two main themes and has been popular unlike anyone expected. It has created more open discussion of these issues.
A blogger, naisuli, said how much her perspectives have changed about AIDS after this soap opera,
에이즈 편견… 깨줘서 고마워
드라마보믄서… 공부해보긴… 오랫만이네.
하긴… 에이즈보담…더 무서운 전염병도 있을텐데…
우리한테 알려질 때…에이즈에 걸린 사람들의 처음과 마지막만 보여줘서
편견이…더 심한건지도 모르거따. 다른 병…보다는 좀 남다른…게 있자네.
A blogger, springdream, concentrated on differences
드라마의 힘
세상에는 참 다른 것들이 많다.
다른 사람도 많고, 다른 생각도 많고, 다른 물건도 많고, 다른 장소도 많고….기타 등등 참 많다.
다른 것들을 열거하자면 지구를 몇 바퀴를 돌려도 모자랄 것이다.
세상에는 정말 다른 것 투성인데, 그런데 이상하게도 그것을 인정하는 사람은 많지 않다.
실상 한국만 봐도 그렇다.
꼭 크게 우리 나라를 보지 않아도 우리의 주변만 살펴봐도 그렇다.
공부를 잘 하는 사람이 있고 공부를 못 하는 사람이 있지만 그 둘은 다르게 여겨지지 않는다.
공부를 잘 하는 사람은 옳은 것이고 공부를 못 하는 사람은 옳지 않은 것이다.
돈을 잘 버는 사람이 있고 돈을 잘 못 버는 사람이 있어도,
돈을 잘 버는 사람은 옳은 사람이고 돈을 못 버는 사람은 한심한 사람이다.
‘고맙습니다.'를 봐도 그렇다.
에이즈에 걸린 봄이는 그저 남들과 다를 뿐인데 병균을 옮기는 더러운 사람이다.
미혼모인 영신은 그저 남들과 조금 다를 뿐인데 사람들은 그녀가 무언가 부족한 사람이라고 생각한다.
남들과 다르다는 것은 옳고 그름, 맞고 틀림이라는 잣대로 판단할 수 없는 것인데, 우리는 무의식적이든 의식적이든 쉽게 그것들을 판단한다.
그리고 그러한 다수의 판단은 매우 절대적인 기준으로 둔갑한다. 소수의 의견은 묵살된 채 말이다.
Copying parts of scripts seems a fad in the internet, like a blogger, happily.
“봄이가 에이즈에 걸린건 나쁜게 아니라
이상한게 아니라 다른거죠? 내가 미혼모인건 나쁜게 아니라 이상한게 아니라 미안한게 아니라 다른거죠?” 이대사 머리속에 박혔다.
Another blog has some snap shots and lines from the drama.


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Kuwait: It’s Heating Up in Here !  · Global Voices
Abdullatif AlOmar

Summer is coming to Kuwait and with the rising temperatures, people tend to stick to indoor activities.
First up, Ana Filibini tried  her luck at indoor climbing at one of the local malls in Kuwait.
The point is ladies and gentlemen I would like to invite you to drag your ass up the wall as a challenge to yourself at K Climb @ Marina Waves. I promise it will be worth your while. While you were there, look for Lino, he's this not so small Filipino guy with big muscles and a hearty laugh who could cheer you up to the top.
Magical droplets points us to another indoor activity by AWARE (The Advocate for Westerners-Arab Relations Center) – an NGO-based in Kuwait.
This Wednesday, May 9, 2007, the AWARE Center will be showing the Kuwaiti film, “Bas ya Bahaar”. It is a story about a mother who only has one son. Set in the past when all the young men would go to sea, this mother prevented her son from going for fear of losing him.
Another place to view is recommended by yo_ghurt over at stillkuwaiting.
Not Pirates of the Caribbean, but the bridge of Kuwait’s own record-breaking sailing ship, the giant dhow Al Hashemi II. ‘Moored’ between the Radisson and The Palms in Salwa, it’s a testament to one man’s desire to…er…build the world’s largest dhow.
Husain Marafie certainly constructed his ‘Baghlah’ with style. No expense was spared and the detail, down to the last piece of gold leaf, is jaw-dropping.
There is a museum next to it which is quite interesting, but what you’ll really need to do is to talk very nicely to the guards, or the museum curator, to let you wander up and through the huge dhow itself (which isn’t generally open to the public, being used for functions and concerts).
Speaking of indoor activities, Kuwaiti Cosmopolitan talks about the air siren test that he heard while he was in his office.
As usual… the wail of those sirens brings me into a huge discomfort. It's not like I am scared of the sound or anything… but its annoying!I mean Kuwait's been through a number of crises, and those tests well hmmm they are good, but would they ever be effective and used right in case of emergency or crisis??
The Stallion got out and had a busy day!
After waking up and showering I headed directly to my grand ma who wasn’t feeling too good and spent some time with her! After that I headed to AUK for their carnival! I have to admit it reminded me of ASK and Bayan carnivals but I enjoyed it! The vendors that were there were great! I got a smoothie from D.Lush, chicken wings from Pizza Hut, and cookies from the Al-Multaqa booth! Good stuff!
After that I went home to relax a bit before doing some personal stuff, then headed to the Dunkin Donuts by Al-Fanar Mall for the blogger meet-up! Since the meet-up ended at 7, I was forced to show up late at a BBQ amongst close friends
Qais over at io81 shares with us another great business in Kuwait.
Subway came to Kuwait in 1997 some thing like that, at that time it had a small kiosk in Sultan Center, Salmiya, and in the old Salmiya opposite BKME branch. At that time the owner of the leading subs franchise was Sultan Center, hence the kiosk. But at that time, it made little profits, so i guess in 2000 it got sold to Al Mutairy business man and boom! the franchise exploded.
Forzaq8 noticed the new closed circuit camera the Minstiry of Interior installed on the streets and wondered about them.
So I wonder is there a law governing these? Is our privacy safe? Who can access these? Is there a penalty for sharing videos off that camera and when is the first bluetooth shared video is out?
Photo Credit: Intlxpatr

author: Abdullatif AlOmar


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Lebanon: Arab Women in Photographs  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

An exhibition of photographs of Arab women leaves Lebanese blogger Leila Abu-Saba scratching her head. “I do scratch my head, however, at the breathless description of the purpose of the show. See Arab women cross-dressing! Unveiled! Scantily clad! Those poor Arab women, they used to be liberated and now they're all veiled and oppressed! Look at these pictures, they are so surprising! Arab women aren't all just hiding under burqas! They have intense, modern cultural interests that have been documented for the last hundred years – what a shock!” she rants.


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Lebanon: On Syria in Iraq  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese blogger Anton Efendi  sheds light on the role Syria is playing in Iraq.
“Reality is that Syria has zero assets inside Iraq. It has no influence over any Iraqi political group (here's a test, to contrast with Iran: name a single Iraqi politician that can be said to be “Syria's guy.” Exactly.). This is why they tried to create a seat for themselves at the table by hosting a sham Baath party conference in Syria, where certain marginal Iraqi Baathi figures were co-opted. The result was that the Iraqi Baath party disowned them and attacked the Syrians for trying to create a splinter leadership,” he notes.


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Malawi: Introducing Malawian bloggers · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ndagha introduces Malawian bloggers: “Today, as I look at the road to blogging, I realise it is still a new journey for many fellow Malawians. Since the publication of an article “Malawians Turn to the blogosphere” in March this year, I have recieved lots of comments and enquiries on blogging. I should admit I have been humbled. There are many people who want to start blogging but a bit constrained for now by internet access while others are scared of being misunderstood.”


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Nigeria: Nigerian democracy for dummies · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nigerian democracy (DemoCrazy) for dummies from Ijebuman's diary: “A friend wanted to know about naija's democracy, so i've decided to do a dummies style tongue-in-cheek explanation of democracy naija style.”


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Palestine: End Occupation Rallies Planned · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah  reports about mass protests to end Israeli occupation, planned on June 9th and 10th in Washington, DC.


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RSF names Maldives police unit Star Force as predator of press freedom · Global Voices
Nihan Zafar

Reporters without Borders (RSF) has listed Star Force, an elite unit of Maldives Police Service, as a predator of press freedom. The listing came weeks after a dead body fished out of water in capital Male’ made the public point their fingers at the police, whose torture techniques could be a how-to-manual for any despot. Hussain Salah has now been buried but not before the corpse caused much controversy. The basic disregard for press freedom by the police was confirmed by further arrests of journalists during protests over Salah’s death.
The government of Maldives made much hype about the World Press Freedom Day 2007, something ironic for a government with such a bad record on press freedom. The conference that the government organized to mark the day ended with more embarrassing moments such as when opposition journalists walked out when President Gayoom made his speech. A small protest by women activists outside the conference hall on the street was halted by police, who seized placards and threatened to arrest them if they did not leave the area.
Journalists in the Maldives are harassed and arrested by police during protests. In addition to the police, the judiciary works to suppress press freedom in the Maldives. The editor of most popular opposition daily faces charges which could send her to jail. Another journalist Fahala Saeed is serving a life sentence for allegedly possessing narcotics. As Saeed was summoned to the police station on a different issue, and the police made a check up of his clothes without his presence, and allegedly found the narcotics, it is easy to believe he was framed.
Cartoonist Ahmed Abbas has been recently released after serving six months in jail for comments he made to Minivan Daily. The state alleged that the comments incited violence.
An International Press Freedom Mission to the Maldives including ARTICLE 19, international Federation of journalists (IFJ), Reporters without Borders (RSF), South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) and International Media Support (IMS), which visited the country in May 2006, issued an open letter on this year’s World Press Freedom Day, expressing concerns over the state of media freedom in the Maldives.

author: Nihan Zafar


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Singapore: Caned For Porning · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Seems blogger Lam Chun See's son has been “porning” a lot lately. This “porning” has nothing to do with pornography. Lam Chun See explains what this Singlish term means.

author: Preetam Rai


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Singapore: Singapore’s Intrepid Traveller · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Singapore's Intrepid traveller Popagandhi is in the Thai-Myanmar borderlands and meets an old soldier from the Nationalist Army that fled into South-East Asia after the communists took over China.


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Somalia: protesting against illegal invasion · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A YouTube video of Somali-American protest in Minnesota: “Somali-American protest in Minnesota What they called The illigal invasion of Ethiopian army in somalia with the support of George Bush's adminstration.”


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South Africa: Market Taliban versus Populist Taliban · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Andile Mngxitama discusses the presidential succession debate in South Africa in terms of “Market Taliban versus Populist Taliban: “Developments around the presidential succession debate have brought to the fore, at least on the analytical plain, two main contending forces. These forces are symbolically represented in the persons of President Thabo Mbeki on the one hand and his former Deputy Jacob Zuma on the other. For lack of a useful coinage these forces can be characterised as a Market Taliban versus a Populist Taliban.”


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Syria: Al Hurra Unclean? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian blogger Wassim charges that Al Hurra is an American propaganda channel. “A lecturer of mine invited me to a talk that was being held by Al Hurra in London (a channel I despise) called the ‘Arab Europeans’. I will review it later and also about what I plucked up the courage to blurt on camera :)
Now I have a strong desire to go wash myself, I feel unclean..” he writes.


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Syria: Human Rights Activist Gets 12 Years in Jail · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian blogger Abu Kareem reports that human rights activist Kamal al-Labwani was sentenced to 12 years in prison for communicating with a foreign country and inciting it to initiate aggression against Syria.


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Thailand: You Tube Surrenders to Thailand · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Video sharing site YouTube has agreed to take down the videos that ridiculed the Thai king and offended the Thai government. Thailand had threatened to sue Google and YouTube is currently blocked in Thailand.New Mandala has some questions. “Following this development, there are many new questions: When will YouTube be available again in Thailand?  Will YouTube now block any future content that is deemed illegal in Thailand?  Will there be a global ban on content deemed to breach the Thai lèse majesté provisions?  Will the provocateurs who uploaded the offending YouTube videos now just find other outlets for their work?  Will they be banned too?”


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Africa: African computer games · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

White African looks at African computer games: “A recent post on a Kenyan 3D game, and spurred on by a comment (and subsequent emails) from a Ghanaian game developer, has led me to do some more research into African developed computer games (or games focused directly on Africa).”


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Africa: African fashion meets urban design · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Blogger Benin Mwangi discusses urban design and African fashion with Frederic Tape of Africaincorp.


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Africa: PayPal expanding into Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Oluniyi Ajao blogs about PayPal expanding into more African countries: “Good as it sounds, it is important to note that users in all the African countries covered by Paypal, can only send, but cannot receive money. They cannot receive payments online even if they are online merchants. This is far better than not being included at all as users in the countries can at least pay for online services or send money to other Paypal users via the Internet.
Nigeria, Egypt and Ghana are prominently missing. This might not be unconnected to the fact that these countries are consider high-risk due to the high level of credit card fraud originating from these countries.”


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Brunei: Eating Out · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Old Man's Blog is happy that more and more people in Brunei are eating out. “am glad for these changes. Brunei is growing up. The people of this wonderful place are growing up. We are venturing out. We are living our life more openly.”


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Cambodia: Visit Russian Market to beat Deadline · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Details are Sketchy links to a conversation where the country manager of a leading brand name in garments hints at why garment manufacturers visit a local market famous for fakes and pirated goods in Phnom Penh whenever they run short.


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Cambodia: Young People and Information Technology · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Vutha comments on some of the issues that are holding back Cambodia's youth- the high cost of internet access and lack of work opportunities after they graduate.


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Egypt: Last Chance for Kareem in Court · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Kareem’s pro bono lawyers have submitted a cassation file for Kareem Amer: Revocation of Karim Amer’s verdict: Last chance for justice,” announced the Free Kareem site, set up by supporters after Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabil Sulaiman was sentenced to four years in prison for insulting both Islam and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
“They point out to the following reasons why the verdict should be challenged:
• The verdict was based on the complaints and testimonials of Al-Azhar University’s suspected disciplinary board
• The court failed to identify the basic factors of the crime of profiting by religion to publish radical concepts, stipulated in Article 98
• The court applied a term doesn’t exist in the law
• The two verdicts violated the right to defence, by refusing to resolve in the defense team’s basic demands and holding back the suit discarding the defense’s verbal pleading in the first sessions,” said the site.


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Fiji: Blogging Suspect Detained. · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Pacific Empire comments on the arrest and detention of a Fijian businessman by the Fijian army. The army suspects that the businessman was writing anti-government posts. Fijian army took over the power last December in a coup. “Some had high hopes for this coup.  But truth was the first casualty, as always”. The detained person has since been released.


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Iran:Free Haleh Esfandiari · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Dr. Haleh Esfandiari is the Director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. She is a 67-year-old Iranian-American who came to the US over 25 years ago.In early May, Dr. Esfandiari received a call from the ministry suggesting she “cooperate” (i.e., confess), an offer she declined. On May 8, security forces took her away to Evin Prison, though she has not been formally charged with any crime. Evin Prison is notorious its harsh treatment of political prisoners.The “Free Haleh” campaign has been initiated by the American Islamic Congress in conjunction with Ibn Khaldoun Center in Cairo, the Initiative for Inclusive Security in Washington, and the Kuwaiti Economic Society.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:Free Places for Lebanese Publishers · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Ghomar Asheghnaeh[Fa] has published several interesting photos of International Book Fair in Tehran. The blogger says some Lebanese publishers were offered free places by Iranian authorities.He adds in this Book Fair there were no place to sit down or rest.


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Iran:Life is Insecure · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Ester,an Iran based blogger, wrote in MidEast Youth that “the [Iranian] law is invasive and vague, which is why it is so easy to break. As one friend says, “The law is so arbitrary that you can become an activist quite by accident.” The very ease of breaking the law in Iran means that nearly all adults are guilty of something. Imagine that. Granted, most people who will find themselves under scrutiny are public intellectuals, labor leaders, minority rights leaders, fallen government employees, and self-proclaimed activists, but the message is clear: life is insecure.”


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Japan’s Pacifist Constitution, 60 Years Later · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Early last week on May 3rd, amid widespread debate and discussion on the topic, Japan celebrated the 60th anniversary of its constitution. The anniversary comes at a time when Japanese citizens and their government are re-evaluating the role of their current constitution and debating its uniquely pacifist nature. With Japan increasingly engaged in combat operations overseas, notably in supporting American operations in Iraq, the existence of the country's (ostensibly purely defensive) Self-Defense Forces (SDF, in Japanese Jieitai) has come into question time and time again. The problem, for those unaware of the situation, is that the existence of the SDF, and the assertive role it is playing internationally as well as domestically, run contrary to the war-renouncing spirit of the current constitution as enshrined in its preamble and ninth article.
To recap, here is Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan:
第九条　一　日本国民は、正義と秩序を基調とする国際平和を誠実に希求し、国権の発動たる戦争と、武力による威嚇又は武力の行使は、国際紛争を解決する手段としては、永久にこれを放棄する。
ARTICLE 9. (1) Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
二　前項の目的を達するため、陸海空軍その他の戦力は、これを保持しない。国の交戦権は、これを認めない。
(2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
While Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and the Liberal Democratic Party have long proclaimed it their goal to revise the Constitution, and in particular Article 9, the Japanese people are divided on the topic. A survey conducted by Mainichi shimbun indicated this month that 51 percent of respondents favoured revision of the constitution. However, another poll by Asahi shimbun published at around the same time put the Mainichi figure into context: asked about the pacifist Article 9, 49 percent of respondents said they wanted to keep it intact, versus 33 percent who wanted it changed. An indication of the level of support for Article 9 was evidenced last week in a Constitution Peace Day March held in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park, which reportedly attracted 10,000 people.
On May 7th, shortly after Constitution Day, Japan's national broadcaster NHK aired a program on the history of the constitution and on the question of constitutional revision. Responses of bloggers to this program give some indication of the split in opinions among the Japanese population.
Blogger Tabibito writes:
7日、NHKで「憲法9条を語れ」と言う番組を放送していました。この中で9条を改正するべきだと言う人の声として、「話合いに応じない国がある。そう言う国に9条は無力だ」と、またある人は「非武装、非戦といっても国民が守られる保証がない、攻めてきた相手から国民を守る為に戦わなければならない」と。そして31歳のフリーターの男性は、自分たちが置かれている現状を変えるために、9条を変えるべきだと行っている。この男性に9条が改正されたら「軍隊に入りますか」と言う質問に、「バイトをするより待遇がよければそれはそれでいいのでは」と答えている。男性は戦争に行くと言う事の意味を深く理解していないようです。
On May 7th, NHK broadcast a TV program called “Talking about Article 9 of the Constitution”. In this show, people supporting revision of Article 9 said: “There are countries who will not respond to dialogue. Article 9 is powerless with respect to such countries.” Other people said: “Even though they are unarmed and non-combatant, there is no guarantee that citizens will be protected. When we are assaulted by our opponents, to protect the citizens of this country, we need to fight.” Next, a 31-year-old man, a freeter, said that to change the circumstances in which they are in right now, Article 9 should be changed. When asked the question, if Article 9 is revised, “Would you enter the military?”, the man replied: “If I was treated better than I am at my part-time job, then it might be good.” It seems that he doesn't really understand the meaning of going to war.
「話合いに応じない国」があるから軍隊が必要だと言っているが、武力を背景にした交渉では何も解決されない。米国はベトナム戦争では撤退を余儀なくされ、イラクでは撤退することもできず、泥沼状態に陥っている。
他国から攻められた時は国民を守る為に軍隊は必要だと言っているが、自衛の為の戦いは現憲法で認めている事なのです。そのために憲法を改正する必要がないのです。
They say that because there are “countries that do not respond to dialogue”, a military is necessary, but negotiation backed up by force does not resolve anything. America withdrew from the Vietnam War out of neccessity, now it can't withdraw from Iraq and the situation is descending into a quagmire.
They say that a military is necessary to protect this country's citizens when another country wages war on us, but fighting in the name of self-defense is permitted by the current constitution. No constitutional revision is needed for this.
現憲法では他国を武力攻撃する事を禁じていますが、攻撃された場合は自衛の為に戦う事を認めています。ようするに先に手を出す事はできないが、売られた喧嘩は買うことができるのです。
安倍首相が目指す憲法9条改正は、この売られた喧嘩を買うのではなく、先に手お出す事ができるように、憲法9条を変えようとしているのです。
The current constitution prohibits armed attacks against other countries, but in cases in which Japan itself is attacked, it permits the use of force for self-defense. Basically, while it is not possible to throw the first punch, if somebody picks a fight with you, you can respond.
The constitutional revision which Prime Minister Abe is aiming at would change Article 9 of the Constitution to make it possible to throw the first punch, not only respond to an attack.
これは米国からの強い要望によるものです。日米同盟と言う名の下で米軍が武力行使をする時は一緒に戦争に参加してくれと言うことです。米国兵が死んでいる時、日本の自衛隊も一緒に血を流してくれなければ困ると言うことなのです。
安倍首相は、国際貢献の為にとか世界平和の為になどと言って、憲法9条は時代の流れにもつともそぐわないものの一つだと言っていますが、日本の憲法は諸外国からは高く評価(米国以外の)されている平和憲法なのです。
This is in response to strong demands from the American government. In the name of the U.S.-Japan alliance, when the American military exercises its use of force, Japan must join the war. When American soldiers die, the Japanese Self-Defence Forces must also spill their blood.
Prime Minister Abe says that, in terms of Japan's international contribution and in terms of world peace, Article 9 is very unsuitable to the trend of the times. However, Japan's constitution is highly praised by foreign countries (with the exception of the United States) as the Peace Constitution.
米国と共に戦争する事は平和の為になることにはならないのでは。安倍内閣は自衛隊の兵力の維持をどうするつもりで居るのでしょうか。現在は公募により兵力を維持していますが、他国へ戦争に行くとなると命の遣り取りと言うことです。
募集による兵力維持は難しくなるでしょう。そうなると国民に対する入隊の義務化と言うことになるのでは、安倍首相は教育制度の中でボランテアの義務化と言うことを強調しています。そして憲法に愛国心を明記すべきだと考えているようです。これは自衛隊入隊義務化の準備なのでは。この先にあるのは国際貢献と言う名目での徴兵制度の導入と言うことなのでしょう。
我々は次世代に戦争と言う産物を残すべきではないと思うのですが、貴方はどちらを選択しますか。
Waging war with the United States will not bring peace, will it? What does the Abe cabinet intend to do in order to maintaining the level of troops in the Self-Defence Forces? At the present time they are maintaining the level of troops through open recruitment, but when Japan goes to war with another country, then they start dealing with people's lives.
It seems that maintaining troop levels based on recruitment will become more difficult in the future. If this happens then it will become mandatory for citizens to enlist, so Prime Minister Abe is emphasizing, within the educational system, making volunteer activities mandatory. And also, it looks like he is thinking about including love of country in the constitution. Isn't this just preparation for mandatory enlistment into the Self-Defence Forces? I wonder if, under the pretext of Japan's international contribution, a draft will then be introduced.
I do not think that we should leave behind this legacy of war to the next generation. Which would you choose?
In a post called “What is this Peace Constitution?”, another blogger minamikawa-taizo expresses a very different sentiment:
ＮＨＫのクローズアップ現代で憲法の特集をしていた。仕事の関係で冒頭部分しか観られなかったが、仕事の関係でなくとも最後まで観たかどうか分からない。
というのは冒頭に「平和憲法」というふりがあって、憲法第９条の戦争放棄の条文に触れ、世界各国から賞賛されている憲法であると訴え、その後に阿倍さんの改憲スピーチが入るという仕掛けだ。
On the NHK TV program “Today's Close-up” there was a special feature on the Constitution. Because of work I was only able to see the opening part of the show, but even if I hadn't had work to do, I'm not sure that I would have watched it until the end.
I mean, they opened the show with the pretense of talking about a “Peace Constitution”, mentioned the clause renouncing war in Article 9 of the Constitution, claimed that the Constitution is praised by all countries across the world, and after this inserted [Prime Minister] Abe's speech. This was the gimmick that they used.
とっぱなから改憲反対の姿勢を打ち出し、国民投票法案が審議されていることに触れ、その後、改憲反対論者である井上ひさし氏と子ども達のティーチインにつなげている。
これのどこが気に入らないか？まず平和憲法という表現だ。戦争放棄をうたっているのだから平和憲法には違いないのだが、それを即、改憲の動きに繋げるとあたかも改憲論者はすべて平和に反対で戦争をしたがっているように聞こえてしまう。
Right from the beginning, they came out with a position against constitutional reform, they mentioned that the referendum law for ammending the Constitution is being discussed, and then, right after that, connected this to a teach-in between Mr. Inoue Hisashi, who is against constitutional reform, and a group of children.
Which part of this don't I like? First, they use the expression “Peace Constitution”. The constitution renounces war, so there is no mistake that it is a Peace Constitution, but by basing the show on this, and by connecting it to the movement to revise the Constitution, it sounds to me like they are implying that advocates of constitutional reform are all against peace and want war.
世界中を探しても平和を否定する憲法は存在しない。どの国の憲法もその国にとっては平和憲法なのだ。
「戦争放棄」これも戦争を放棄して家族や子どもを守られるなら理想的である。
だがもしも日本が攻撃された場合に「戦争放棄」ということは「無条件降伏」を意味する。
You can search all over the world, but constitutions that renounce peace do not exist. The constitution of any country is, for that country, a peace constitution.
“War renouncing” — if it also renounces war, and protects families and children, then this is ideal.
However, in the case in which Japan is attacked, “renouncing war” takes on the meaning of “unconditional capitulation”.
改憲＝戦争という見方はあまりにも短絡的である。現在の憲法９条の精神を引き継ぎ、現実に起こるかも知れない危機に対応しうる憲法を持つことは可能だ。
日本国民として憲法を変えることが出来る権利を確保することが何故いけないのか？永久に変えることのない憲法こそ一種のファシズムではないか。
The view that “constitutional revision equals war” is very shortsighted. It is possible to have a constitution which carries over the spirit of Article 9 of the current constitution, and yet also accommodates for crises which may in reality occur.
What's wrong with assuring that, as citizens of Japan, the people have the right to change the constitution? A constitution that can never be changed is a kind of fascism, is it not?
まず憲法を変えることが出来る国民としての当然の権利を手にすることに賛成し、その上で方法論を議論すべきなのに、改憲につながる国民投票そのものに反対し、イザとなれば国民の生命を脅かされかねない「平和憲法」を守ろうとする意図が理解出来ない。
Japanese people should firstly agree to letting citizens have their natural right to have their say in changing the constitution, and then should debate the methodology of constitutional revision. However, these people [supporters of the current constitution] oppose the national referendum itself and are trying to protect this “Peace Constitution”, which, under certain circumstances, could potentially threaten the lives of the citizens of this country. I cannot understand the big idea behind this.
Finally, yet another blogger, Sira-san, gets to the heart of the problem, pointing to the general lack of understanding among Japanese people about what the word “constitution” actually means:
現在、安倍総理を中心に憲法改正についていろいろ議論されている。　新聞・テレビなどの世論調査でも、賛成だの反対だのと意見は分かれている。　こういった世論調査を見ていていつもいつも思うのだが、国民はどれだけ理解して答えているんだろう。　今回の【憲法】についても、国民は日頃からほとんど関心は無いし、憲法をどれだけ理解しているのかも大いに疑問だ・・・とは言い過ぎかな？　ならば問いたい！　憲法ってナニ？　法律との違いは？　こんな単純な質問でさえ、正直言ってどれだけの人が答えられるのだろうか。　この質問の答えとして、憲法とは日本国の歴史・文化・伝統を基にした国家の規範である・・・とか。　法律の法律・・・とか。　確かにいろんな答え方があるとは思う。　しかし、一番わかり易く答えるなら・・・【法律】は国民が守るもの、【憲法】は国民を守るもの・・・とするのはどうだろう。　もう少し付け加えるなら、時の為政者や国家権力のあやまちや横暴から国民を守るのが【憲法】と言えるのではないか。　だから、法律は国会議員が作ることが出来るが、憲法は国会が発議はできるが、決めるのは国民投票により、国民が決めることになっている。　現在、国民投票法案についてもめている。　実は、現憲法は国民の過半数以上の賛成で憲法改正が出来るとなっているが、その具体的なルールは定められていない。　国会ではまさにそのルール作りをしているということだ。
Currently, various arguments are being made about revision of the Constitution, with Prime Minister Abe taking the lead. Public opinion surveys in newspapers and on television show that there is a divide in opinions between those who are for revision and those who are against revision. I always wonder when I read these kinds of public opinion surveys about how much people understand when they answer them. These surveys about the “Constitution” as well, people do not normally have much interest in this topic, and I have a lot of doubts about how much they actually understand the Constitution… or is that saying too much? I want to ask! A constitution, WHAT is it? Is it different from laws?  Even these very simple questions, I wonder how many people can answer them. As an answer to this question: the Constitution is a set of rules for the country based on Japan's history, culture, traditions… and so on. Laws for laws… and so on. Certainly I think there are many ways to answer this question. However, if you want the simplest answer… the “Laws” are something that the citizens must obey, while the “Constitution” is what protects the citizens… how is that? Adding a little more to that, I suppose that the “Constitution” is what protects the country's citizens from the errors and the tyranny of policymakers and government power of the time. Therefore, laws can be created by Diet members, but, while the Constitution can be proposed in the Diet, it is decided by the citizens through a national referendum. Currently, there is a lot of fuss about the ammendment to the national referendum law. The truth is that, although the Constitution can be revised if at least half of Japanese citizens agree, the citizens cannot set down the specific rules. The rules are precisely what are created in the National Diet.


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Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome · Global Voices
Salam Adil

It's my birthday and I do not have the time to put in a full report this week. But the stories are interesting and are important. So I must tell you about them…
Condolences
First, my sincere condolences go out to 24 Steps to Liberty whose cousin was stopped by militias and murdered.
If you read no other blog post this week, read this one…
Chikitita takes another of her rare trips out of her house. This time to run an errand travelling across the lines of the various battlefields that are the different neighbourhoods in Baghdad.
Blogs
Marshmallow26 watches TV and compares the American reality TV shows to their Iraqi equivalents. Yes, there is even an Iraqi eqivalent of “Extreme makeover home edition”. Where the TV show renovates a house damaged by a military operation…
Fatima tells the stories of her family and friends after the ordeal of the kidnapping and eventual murder that I reported last week…
From Birth to Death
Baby Girl 3 Born
I Don't know what to call Baghdad
Also you must read…
The Iraqi Roulette
Baghdad Bacon and Eggs
Video Blogs
Just watch this one. Alive in Baghdad follows some of the results of the spate of mortars and  rockets hitting homes in Baghdad.
Hometown Baghdad, a video blog from, you guessed it, Baghdad has been enjoying some popularity lately. The even made the front page of the Times of London.
Politics
Want to know what is going on? Follow these links to get an idea…
Things are never black and white. And there are good and bad in everything. The Shaqawa discusses the militias.
Raed has another scoop. Now most Iraqi parliamentarians want the US to set a timetable to leave.
Al-Ghad reports on Sistani's latest statement on the draft Oil Law and finds him at odds with Dick Cheney.
Iraq the Model says it is a rough time but they are not panicking.
Hammorabi wonders about the imminent failure of the Americans in Iraq.
Blog Iraq discusses a new law passing through the Iraqi parliament that gives each member $200 a day just for lunch. Hmmm.
And Finally…
After being named the “Most Sectarian Blog Ever” – The Shawqawa responds in typical Iraqi style… He invites his new visitors for tea and coffee.

author: Salam Adil


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Lebanon: On Freedom, War and Olive Oil · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

The Lebanese bloggers wrote about a wide variety of topics this week making it difficult to cover them all in just one summary. This week’s weblog covers topics like the upcoming Lebanese presidential election, the Winograd Report regarding the Israeli July 2006 war on Lebanon, Lebanese agricultural products, Syrian workers, freedom of speech and freedom to blog in the Arab world, resistance to colonialism and the implications of being a leftist in Lebanon.
Although this summary attempts to cover as many interesting blog posts as possible, others are still left out because of lack of space and time. So always check back as more blogs and topics are surveyed each week.
On the Presidential Election:
Riemer Brouwer reviewed some of the contradictory articles in the local newspapers and tried to make sense out of them:
Three interesting newspaper stories came out during the last few days regarding the next Lebanese president. As usual, they all contradict each other, so it’s up to the blogosphere to make sense out of them.
Blacksmith Jade set up a draft list of general questions which can be tailored to each presidential candidate and called on fellow bloggers to help finalize them with the purpose of directing them at prospective candidates to get their positions on topics like constitutional and institutional reform and outlook, a new electoral law, foreign and defense policies, economic and development policy etc.
R at Voices on the Wind contends that the current president is one of the factors causing the current political paralysis in the country:
While it may be true that there we will see some level of perpetuation of the political paralysis in Lebanon even after Lahoud's term is over, it is also true that Lahoud himself has been an exceptional obstruction. Moreover, it is true that with the coming end of his term, Lebanon has to potentially deal with a new crisis stemming from the very divisive issue of electing a new president.
On the Winograd Report:
The committee set up by Israel to investigate the war waged against Lebanon published its report or what was called the Winograd Report. Although parts of the report were not made public, this did not stop the Lebanese from analyzing and discussing its implications. Among them was MFL who wrote a lengthy analysis on the report and on the issues that lie behind the violent conditions in the Middle East as a whole:
But this situation is different, it took a Zionist commission to convince the Israelis they were wrong to attack Lebanon, not for “virtuous reasons” rather to avoid more military disasters. Israel, that claims Hezbollah caused the destruction of Lebanon, was in fact their troops shooting and bombing almost the whole of Lebanon. Israel could have resorted to diplomacy, and political pressures. Instead, they slaughtered 1300 Lebanese, and more are getting killed by the remaining horrific cluster bombs. Worse, the Red Cross confirmed that Israel was using banned weaponry, also to be denounced by Anan himself, but the US argued that Israel has the right to defend itself.
Angry Anarchist wrote that the issue of the ex-member of Knesset, Azmi Bishara is related to the Winograd report too:
The Azmi Bishara plot thickens… I have come to increasingly view the whole affair as one that is not unrelated to the Winograd commission and attempts to quell domestic dissatisfaction by busying the public with a case of treason, against an Arab citizen to make things marketable of course. This enables the authorities to play on the feelings of the Jewish citizens especially that the July war brought to the forefront fresh divides between the Arab and Jewish communities, along with accusations of mass-treason against Arab citizens, levelled by their Jewish counterparts. Azmi Bishara seems to be the scapegoat, and his framing not only serves a public opinion purpose, but also could be related to new policies to be adopted vis-a-vis the Arab community in light of the increasing strain it places on the authorities in the domain of demographic challenge (or perceptions thereof).
On Lentils and Olive Oil:
Diamond explains the relationship between the name of lentils (the ones we eat) lenses (the optical thing used to see):
Lenses are so named because they resemble lentils – not the other way round. English, French, and Spanish (lente/lenteja) all derive their lens/lentil words from the Latin.
What surprises me more is that Arabic, which has no Latin roots, also describes lenses as lentil-like.
In Arabic, the word for lentil/s is 3adas, عدس.
The word for lens is 3adasa, عدسة.
Olive trees are planted and cultivated in most parts of Lebanon. Olive oil enters into almost all of the recipes of the Lebanese cuisine. Rami Zurayk has a post on a new book on olive oil called “Green Gold”
It is a swift introduction to Lebanon geared toward a readership of outsiders and a counterweight to the country's international media profile as a war-torn basket-case. It is a story about farmers and rural food producers. It's a journalistic account of sustainable development and a personal narrative of discovery and deep affection. It is a cookbook, a beauty guide and a how-to reference on the process of harvesting olives from start to finish. It is a source book for those interesting in organic products…
On Syrian Workers in Lebanon:
Golaniya brings up the topic of the attacks carried out by some Lebanese against some of the Syrian workers in Lebanon as the result of the political tensions over the past few years.
With all the difficulties I am facing right now in at the time being as a Syrian who proudly speaks her Syrian dialect, Syrian workers’ misery is tragical. Their lives are in danger each time Lebanon loses one of its personals. Cowardly enough, it is not the Syrian with deep pockets, students and business men, whom are subjective to this form of racism but it is those who are poor and also victim of its own government, Syrian government; the Syrian workers.[…]
There is no committee, international or local, that follows the Syrian workers’ special politicized case in Lebanon. While there is an international tribunal that investigates the murder of one man, 20 Syrian workers were reported dead and no human rights organization has broken the silence and speak of the violations of both Syrian and Lebanese regimes.
On the Freedom to Blog:
Bloggers in some Arab countries, supposedly friends of the west and the USA, are being jailed and silenced by their governments. Jeha discusses this phenomenon in this blog post:
Spare a prayer for Alaa Abd El-Fatah, Zouhair Yahyaoui, and countless other Arab bloggers who were trying to inform the world as to the true nature of our countries. It is not over, even when they’re out of jail; Zouhair paid his courage with his life, released from prison after much mistreatments, and Tunezine is now silent. Countless others have risen and will continue to rise.
Before the leaders of the “Free World” go on to meet those “leaders” of ours, spare a few thoughts for those of us who try and exercise that most basic of human rights; staying safe while trying to taste the fruits of freedom.
Should the “Free World” forget them and continue to sustain or harbour the enemies of our freedom, then the “Free World” better change its name…
… And the “Free World” can then learn to accept its sorry fate, as more 9/11’s are visited upon them; the more you give in to authoritarian fanatics, the more they want. Those who need to be convinced of this truth will never understand it.
For them, an Ostrich might as well replace that American bald eagle.
For Arab bloggers who try to remain anonymous, it is getting harder to do so by the day. In Lebanon, some subtle changes appeared lately; it may be that the leash is getting ever tighter, and would have been more so were it not for the diverging agendas of the country's rival services.
The “New Middle East” looks eerily familiar, far too much like the old; Condy Rice's “birth pangs” may actually prove to be the pains that herald the agony of a dream as history's second chance fades away…
On Resilience and Anti–Imperialism:
Serene explains why what she calls the colonial occupation of the Arab world is a bad idea:
But walk in the Arab world, and you will see, that though we are tired, we are not down. And we won't be any time soon. It just doesn't work that way.
That is the way that all areas of the world, all peoples strive, to overcome colonisation. And colonisation, like everything else, dies. People, the very essence of what it is to be human, conspire to find hope in some way or another, and you can see that struggle, written in the faces of millions.
For God's sake – just listen to dabke. Just watch it. Dance it – try it – and then face oppression.
The imperialists chose a bad spot to try and occupy – as imperialists most always do.
It's a moment, and though the fight is for the most part invisible, it is there. Meanwhile, in other places, it really is quite visible, but the media works very very hard to cover it up, even, by simply being a part of those benefiting from empire, unwittingly.
On being a Lebanese Leftist:
Finally, Bech explains are the implications of being a leftist in the confessional Lebanese
Being a leftist, is engaging above all in cultural issues. It is through the creation of meaning that oppression manifest itself. Paradoxically enough, although being a leftist is often equated with being a materialist and being concerned with the modes of production, social inequalities, etc. I think nothing of that can be understood without taking a close look at what bars some people to rise up and change the status quo, or to just follow different identification processes to arrive at new social realities. What better example to take here than Confessional Lebanon where specific ways of defining one's self along a sect has tamed a truly popular uprising. Of course, sectarian divisions exists because it pays to be sectarian, meaning that clientelistic ties makes it easy for various players to keep constituencies happy (by bribing them). And vice versa, any individual who needs something is much better going to the local sectarian leader in order for it to be done.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Singapore: Interviewing Web 2.0 Hackers · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Nimbupani interviews Herryanto Siatono, a developer in Singapore who “a social book-bookmarking site that also mashes up Amazon and Singapore National Library (NLB) catalogue information”


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Syria: A Black Week for Freedom, Back to Our Golan and Censorship · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

The last week was by all means a black week for Syrian liberties and human rights. Following the sentencing of the prominent lawyer and human rights activist Anwar al-Bunni to five years in jail for “spreading hostile information and joining an illegal political group.” The regime's crackdown on Syrian dissidents continued even stronger, Dr Kamal Labwani was sentenced to life time in prison with hard labor [charges were “undermining national security”], which was communed to 12 years. Ironically, at the very same time, President Bashar al-Assad was giving his speech to the newly elected parliament, a mere 15 minutes away from the State Security Court where all the political prisoners are put on trial. In that same session the parliament rubber stamped its first duty, the nomination of the president for his second term in office, which will be decided in a referendum later this month.
And just as I was writing this roundup, news arrived from Damascus about activists Michel Kilo and Mahmoud Issa, who were sentenced to three years in jail. The veteran activists were convicted of “spreading false information, encouraging sectarian strife and weakening national sentiment.”
It is by far, the worst crackdown on civil liberties and activists in the country since 2001, when the authorities cracked down on what has since been called “Damascus Spring”.
Earlier last week, the prisoners of conscience at Damascus Central Prison [‘Adra Prison] sent a public statement, and a letter to the world, following the sentencing of Anwar al-Bunni. The Syrian blogsphere republished the letter in many of its blogs to spread the word, and help rally support for their cause…
Taken from Fares’ Free Syria writes:
We are prisoners of conscience and opinion in Damascus Central Prison, lawyer Anwar Al Bunni, writer Michel Kilo, Dr. Kamal Labwani, activists Mahmoud Issa, and Faek Al Mir, and Professor Aref Dalila who could not be reached as he spends his sixth year in solitary confinement. After the sentencing of lawyer Anwar Al Bunni on 24 April 2007, we would like to say thank you and greet our families, friends, and all the people, groups, committees, organizations, associations, parties and political assemblies of Arabs, Kurds and Assyrians in Syria and the Arab world. We thank and greet the official representatives, countries, media and websites that support us by protesting our trials and arrests, and denying the accusations against our colleague Anwar Al Bunni.
The sentencing of Labwani for 12 years, was especially shocking because of its harshness as well as the inhumane conditions Dr. Labwani has been kept in.
Abu Kareem of Levantine Dreamhouse says:,
Yet when will the Syrian people reach their limit? What is it going to take to light a fire under our collective Syrian asses? Until that happens, the Labawnis, Kilos and others, courageous individuals willing to speak truth to power will remain easy targets to a paranoid, tyrannical regime.
Rime Allaf, writes about the heavy price of civility, and notes that the Syrian regime is most vicious against its own people when it is comfortable, and relieved from external or internal pressure. Contrary to the common excuses that many bring out, that the regime is cracking down on dissidents to face up to international pressure without internal nuisance.
Indeed, it is a mistake to conclude that the regime acts more harshly when it is under pressure; on the contrary, it is never so severe as when it has the time to “take care” of its citizens.
During the so-called Damascus Spring and the ensuing Damascus Winter, pre-9/11, before Afghanistan, before Iraq, when today’s March 14 leaders were singing the praises of Syria’s entire ruling class and bowing to representatives big and small, when the nouveau régime was thought to be full of promise and Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and other EU leaders couldn’t wait to take Bashar Assad under their wing, when George W. Bush was mostly concentrating on his own turf, this was the period when Syrian civil society activists were harrassed and arrested, including two prominent MPs who had their parliamentary immunity revoked. Syria was not under pressure then, but this did not save Riad Seif, Mamoun Homsi and Aref Dalila.
There also is a very vibrant and informative discussion in the comments section of that post.
We will stay in politics, but we move to yet another grave concern to every Syrian, The occupied Golan Heights. Since the 1967 six-day war with Israel, and consequent occupation and annexation, the Golan Heights has been the main influential cause of Syrian politics. Returning the Golan Heights is one of the few things no Syrian government had been able to shake from the heart of Syrians.
But since the War on Terror was brought up, the Peace Process has almost been put on the back burner, and so has the Syrian dream of skiing on the slopes of Mount Hermon.
The Golan Heights will always find its way to any posting about Syria's future. Philip I from Via Recta, brings the Golan back into focus as our collective aim…
Israel has been exploiting her war victory and occupation of the Golan for 40 years. Economically, the Golan has yielded enormous benefits in agricultural produce, tourist receipts and clean water. A peace deal based on a gradual but complete return of the Golan to Syria over 20 years, without destruction of existing infrastructure or compensation on either side, is both possible and feasible. Both sides must see opportunity in promoting peaceful coexistence and regional economic cooperation, but also a serious and constant danger of armed conflict and possible defeat if they fail to make progress.
Rime Allaf again, has a very different approach to the so-called Peace Process…
Some analysts have since argued that the Syrian regime is only interested in its own survival (a point which certainly holds merit) and that it would use negotiations with Israel and engagement with others merely as a means to an end – the end being its longevity and security. As long as the Syrian regime is engaged and negotiating, goes the logic, it escapes the pressure of the Hariri investigation and tribunal, amongst others.
There are some flaws in these arguments. For one, it is simplistic to imagine that the Syrian regime would only prefer the status quo to peace with Israel; on the contrary, there is merit to the case that the retrieval of the Golan Heights would give the regime renewed legitimacy, and a popularity which would allow it to ride a wave of acceptance for many years. In fact, this seems to be validated by the very generous concessions the regime seems willing to give just to rekindle the peace process. While this could be purely tactical, given Israel’s public refusal to give back the land it occupied in 1967, the regime is clearly prepared for a scenario of peaceful relations.
And to close off, back to Abu Fares, and his cry against censorship…
I have previously expressed my dislike of and disagreement with a few blogs on political grounds. However, blocking them is wrong and nobody has the right to do so. I have made that choice on my own and refused to read them long before Blogspot was blacklisted. I feel exactly the same about pornography and “morally” questionable material. I would not go purposely on a quest to find pornographic sites. However, I stand by their right to exist and the right of any adult to browse these sites till he or she drops. Is it not strange that in a city like Dubai, where soliciting the services of a prostitute is as easy as ordering a pizza by phone, internet sites are blocked because of their morally unacceptable content? What about the other Arab countries from where I keep getting hits everyday on a long gone post about Fairuz. Through search engines and from behind firewalls, these maverick browsers were looking for a “smooth ass”. Who has the right to deny these poor souls their right to see an ass? I have previously made a joke about this particular incidence but now I repent.

author: Yazan Badran


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Thailand: Jail for Youtube Fans · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Mangosauce comments on the latest cyber-crime law that promises severe punishment to people who try to access banned video site YouTube. YouTube was banned by Thailand for refusing to remove videos that ridiculed the Thai king.


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Africa: Is this the end of Blacklooks.org · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Is this the end of the winner of BOBS Awards 2006, Black Looks?: “Somewhere along the way things got lost. the bottom line is that really very few people actually give a fuck. SandMonkey was right after all – we live in a world of EXTREME APATHY. Who gives a shit about Khwezi, shackdwellers or violence against women, lesbians getting raped or young black men killing each other and then making t-shirts of the dead? Probably BL will be back sometime meanwhile a really big thanks to all the contributors – the space is here if you want – if not well it will either revive itself or die a slow death.”


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Albania: Religion · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Our Man in Tirana posts pictures of a new Orthodox Christian cathedral being built in Tirana; a discussion of religion in Albania is underway in the comments section.


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Algeria: The History of Arabs and the Early Superpowers · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Algerian blogger Nouri  gives us a lesson in history , with an interesting insight about the Ghassanid and Lakhmid Arab kingdoms/vassal states that once existed between the Byzantine and Sassanian empires in the years AD prior to Islam (for a school project). The project also studies the relations between Arabs and the surrounding Superpowers in the pre-Islamic and early Islamic eras.


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Anguilla: Corruption from a Politician’s POV  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Corruption-Free Anguilla has an interesting take on why politicians seem to be so easily led astray.


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Arabeyes: Muslim-Coptic Clashes in Egypt · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Sectarian strife rocked the quiet Egyptian village of Bahma in Giza on Friday over alleged plans to open a new church. Blogger Nora Younis tells us what happened and why. She also criticises the deafening silence of authorities in the civil war which saw the burning of five shops, 25 homes and an undisclosed number of casualties and provides a solution for the crisis.
What Happened?
Why did this happen?
How did organisations and authorities react?
How did Islamic organisations react?
The solution


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Argentina: Buenos Aires Elections on Second Life · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Pablo Mancini writes about plans for an election simulation that will take place on Second Life. Some comments worry that some non-Buenos Aires Second Life users may decide to vote and skew the results.