text:
Ukraine Elections Online: Crowdmaps To Report Voter Fraud, Hashtags To Vent About Politics · Global Voices
Tanya Lokot

As Darth Vader from the Internet Party of Ukraine voted on Sunday, voters used crowdmaps and hashtags to report on election fraud. Images mixed by Tetyana Lokot.
As Ukraine went to the polls this past Sunday, October 26, to choose its new parliament amid ongoing unrest and conflict in the East, voters once again turned to the Internet to seek information, report election violations and vent their frustrations about the process on social media. RuNet Echo looked at the most popular online tools and how they were used.
The elections themselves have so far had positive feedback from observers: Ukraine’s Voter Committee has reported three times fewer election violations this time than in the 2012 parliamentary elections, and the overall turnout was close to 52%.
The Ukrainian East, of course, fared worse, since swathes of both Donetsk and Luhansk regions are still controlled by the separatists. 1.5 million people in the Donetsk region (45%) did not take part in the elections, while the self-proclaimed “Luhansk People's Republic” announced that residents who participated in the elections were “to be judged by martial law,” and any members of the precinct and district election commissions would be “shot dead.”
Ukrainians have spent considerable time on social media discussing the relative merits of parties and candidates competing in the parliamentary run-off, and some political forces clearly took advantage of the viral marketing possibilities of the Internet. The Ukrainian Internet Party released a whole cast of Star Wars characters to run for seats in the parliament, with Darth Vaders, Chewbacca, Yoda and Padme Amidala competing for billboard space and tweet mentions with boring humans.
Of course, Ukrainians don't just go online to watch viral campaign videos: the civic efforts to make the voting more productive and transparent this year are more visible then ever. Activists working on election-related web services are primarily concerned with raising awareness of the party platforms, educating voters about who is running for which party, and providing the means to report election violations.
With talk of lustration and anti-corruption sentiments running strong, it seems especially important to know the backgrounds of the candidates for seats in the parliament. Several citizen projects have created online databases to provide helpful histories for each person competing in the elections, both those in the top spots on the party lists, and those competing in the district single-mandate elections. The “Chesno” (Honestly) citizen movement has a search bar on their website, where anyone can enter the last name of any candidate to find out whether they have a murky past. Websites like Vyboromat (Electomat) and Novateza (New Thesis) allow users to lean about the political agendas of each party: citizens can answer a series of questions about their preferences on key policy issues, and see which party's promises are closest to their stance.
The search bar on the Chesno website gives you a chance to learn about any candidate in the elections. Screenshot from chesno.org.
Digital technologies and social media platforms proved to be a significant component of the organizing, mobilization, and information dissemination tactics used by Euromaidan protesters, and some of those tactical lessons seem to have trickled down into civic efforts around the elections. Vitalii Moroz, head of new media at Internews Ukraine, says there is definitely more sophistication in the tools offered this time around:
Онлайн-платформи та додатки для українських виборів у 2014 році стали більш рознамітними й технічно складнішими аніж це було у 2012 році. Рішення стають все більш інтерактивними та заторкають різні аспекти виборів – від спостереження до обрання партій за критерієм ідеології.
The online platforms and apps created for the Ukrainian elections in 2014 have become more varied and technically complex then they were in 2012. The solutions are becoming more interactive and address different aspects of the elections—from monitoring to selecting parties based on their ideology.
Crowdmapping has become a staple of election monitoring efforts in Ukraine. During the 2012 parliamentary elections, three separate maps were set up by local civic organizations to engage citizens in reporting elections violations via email, text message or website submissions. This year, OPORA citizen network recreated their crowdmap and has received close to 900 reports of possible violations from all over Ukraine.
Another crowdmapping initiative, Opir (Resistance), was built by volunteers who banded together during the Euromaidan protests. The project combines an online map with Android and iOS apps, to provide more opportunities for reporting suspicious activity in the polling stations to Ukrainians who are increasingly using the Internet on their smartphones. Besides submitting reports and photos/videos of incidents, users can sign up to join mobile monitoring groups that combine drivers, lawyers and journalists and travel between precincts to monitor the voting process.
An example of a violation report at a precinct in Kyiv on the opir.org. website. Screenshot from opir.org.
Ukrainian authorities also jumped onto the citizen reporting bandwagon: the Ukrainian State Security Service created a dedicated portal where voters could upload photos and videos of purported violations of election procedures. The website has a form for submissions, but does not show the results on a map and generally looks somewhat forbidding, so the state still has a lot to learn from the brighter, more interactive civic web services.
OPORA network also banded together with the Institute of Mass Information, a media NGO, to create a helpful Andriod app for journalists covering the elections. The app, Elections 2014, is chock full of legislative documents, training manuals for election observers, and template forms for reporting violations (both election-related and concerning freedom of speech). The app's main goal was to provide reporters with an arsenal of tools to protect themselves and allow them to cover the elections more effectively.
The citizen-driven online tools certainly make a difference in the level of transparency, as they provide yet another safeguard against mass attempts to manipulate votes and report fraudulent results to the Central Election Commission. But much of the reporting also happens spontaneously, mostly on Facebook and Twitter (check out the #UkraineVotes hashtag for a taste.) Moroz, who has been observing the Ukrainian social media sphere closely during election seasons, says there is a constant stream of opinions and reports from all over Ukraine—but it's getting harder to track:
Увага користувачів розсіюється між різними платформами у порівнянні з 2009, 2010 та 2013 рр. Щось схоже сталося з Твітером – раніше ключовими хештегами були #elect_ua та #вибори2012 – нині їх багато – #elect_ua #вибори2014 #выборы #вибори #опора
The users’ attention is being diffused between different platforms, as there are more of them compared to elections in 2009, 2010 and 2013. Something similar is also happening on Twitter—whereas before we had two key hashtags, #elect_ua and #вибори2012, this year we have many more: #elect_ua #вибори2014 #выборы #вибори #опора.
Increased availability of dedicated tools for reporting violations and open platforms for exchange of opinions are definitely conducive to a healthier election climate in Ukraine. But if you follow the reporting (the violations were not many, but they were there) and the heated discussions of exit polls and election results on Twitter and Facebook, it's clear that not everyone is happy with the make up of the new parliament and what it might mean for Ukraine's immediate future. Regardless of their political sympathies, Ukrainians will probably need to get into the habit of monitoring those in power and get used to holding the new MPs accountable using every means available, both online and offline.

author: Tanya Lokot


text:
6 Things You Wanted to Know About Cameroon but Were Afraid to Ask · Global Voices
Gail

School children in Cameroon – Public Domain
This post is part of a series shedding some light on underreported or unusual topics in many African countries. Our first installment was about Madagascar. In this post, Gaelle Tjat, based in Douala, tells Global Voices about six must-know issues in her country, Cameroon. This post is republished and translated from her personal blog Amazing Tjat Bass with her permission.
1. Besides President Biya, who are Cameroon's most influential or famous personalities today?
Cameroonian citizens often ask themselves the same question. So if you happen to know the answer, please kindly enlighten us. But if there is something people should know, it is that the Cameroonian political system was designed in such a way that only one person can be in the spotlight at all time (see photo below).
Paul Biya – Public Domain
In that context, it is quite a challenge to identify other influential figures. But in the long run, one can see that there are some potential “decision-makers” who are currently keeping a low profile. This is the best way to avoid being sent behind the bars by the ubiquitous “sparrowhawk”.
So let us talk about famous people rather than influential ones. For those like me born in the 1980s or later, footballer Samuel Eto’o, the most decorated African player of all time, is one of those hailed figures. DIPMAN, a Cameroonian communications and marketing agency, listed the top 10 Cameroonian personalities who are most influential on Twitter and three football players top the list.
Well, at least those mentioned in the list (pop celebrities notwithstanding) are succeeding in changing and transforming attitudes in Cameroon. They also provide hope for a better future despite all difficulties we face here.
2. Is there any actual tension between English speakers and French speakers in Cameroon or is it others who are making too big a deal out of this issue?
In my humble opinion, Anglophones and Francophones coexist peacefully all across the national territory as citizens of the same planet. The problem arises when we start thinking in terms of integration and national unity.
One issue of importance is that of the marginalisation of southern Cameroonians. Because of this situation, political parties such as the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC) have been strongly seeking more autonomy and pushing for secession (The Southwest region is mostly anglophone). So if one day, you feel like wandering through both the “Francophone” and “Anglophone” sides, you cannot help but notice the stark contrast between the two. You will see that the Anglophone side will show favorably when it comes to infrastructure and orderly behavior.
Unfortunately, nothing is done to unite this differences at the national level. We can even count on one hand the number of southerners who share a part of the country's “mangeoire” (wealth)  [ed's note: for more on this, see Ladislas Nzessee definition of Mangeoire in his report on “Cameroonian French: Appropriation and Dialectisation,” page 121. It is ”an organisation of individuals who consider ‘national wealth” as their private propriety. Nzessee also speaks of accredited  ethnicities.”] Perhaps it is about time to restore some balance in Cameroon when it comes to wealth distribution. This article and this one provide additional excellent insight on this issue.
3. In everyday life, do you speak English? French? Both?
Cameroon is a bilingual nation. However, its citizens are either Francophones or Anglophones, but rarely both. In that manner, we would be only copying the example of our head of state who delivered the opening address of the Commonwealth Conference in French.
The only time where bilingualism is brought into limelight is in the use of pidjin, which is a mix of French, English, Portuguese and Spanish. Pidjin came to be as a mode of communication during the slave trade along the coast of the country in order to facilitate transactions between traders and buyers.
Bilingualism is also used within the context of “camfranglais,” slang language created by Cameroonians.
4. What were the happiest times or greatest moments of pride in the country? And the saddest?
Many young Cameroonian activists are fighting to keep the memories of the country's forgotten heroes alive. So far, our proudest moments mostly include victories in sporting events. Most of those memories were created by the Cameroon National Football Team, aka the Lions Indomptables (the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon): their qualification to the quarterfinals of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy; their back-to-back victory in the 2000 and 2002 African Cup of Nations; their triumph at the 2000 Olympic Summer Games in Sydney; their runner-up status at the 2003 FIFA Confederation Cup.
Aside from football, there were also Françoise Mbango's medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. But these happy moments were short-lived as no further action was carried out to ensure the sustainability of these successful stories. So we are left with the nostalgic memory while hoping for the best at the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2016 and 2019.
As for moments of great sadness, I recall the 1,700 people killed because of toxic gas released from Lake Nyos on August 21, 1986.  I also felt so sorry for those 250 Cameroonian citizens who lost their lives on February 14, 1998 during the Nsam train explosion. There was also the tragedy of Cameroonian international footballer Marc Vivien Foé‘s sudden death in 2003 on the football field during the FIFA Confederation Cup.
Lac Nyos by Peuple Sawa
Nsam Disaster
5. What should the rest of the world know about Boko Haram in Cameroon ?
In the beginning, Boko Haram in Cameroon was composed of Nigerian rebels who would kidnap missionaries, Chinese people and young girls. Missionaries and Chinese people were set free after a likely hefty ransom payment. However, the girls are still held hostage somewhere in Nigeria.
On the other hand, the regime is carrying out a massive crackdown on those accused (rightfully or wrongly) of colluding with the enemy. These accusations result in arbitrary arrests and random raids of the homes of those alleged accomplices. So it is hard in these circumstances to try to get a clear picture of the issue here, even though Boko Haram is clearly a major problem in the region.
6. Why was Serena Williams wearing a Cameroon jersey while playing at the 2002 French Open?
During the finals of the 2002 French Open, the tennis champion was clad in a Cameroonian green, red and yellow outfit. Those Mr. Know-it-Alls out there, or ”sabitou-sabi-all’‘ as we call them in Cameroon, insinuated that she was involved romantically with some members of the football national team. The national media were gleefully buzzing about it all.
Serena Williams – Public Domain
But the real reason behind Serena's outfit is a simple one: Back then in the early 2000s, Cameroon was indeed an Indomitable football team, just like Serena in tennis. They stood out from other football teams by wearing sleeveless jerseys (see photo) usually sported by tennis players.
Cameroon National Football Team – Public Team
Serena needed an outfit for the French tournament. So Puma, who was the sponsor for both the Cameroonian football team and Serena at the time, suggested that she wear their colors since she and the lions shared the same fighting spirit and she agreed.
Parceque les Lions Domptaient tout sur leur passage #LionSpirit RT@TjatBass: pourquoi Serena W. portait le vert-rouge-jaune à un moment?
— Cyprien TANKEU (@Cyprien_T) September 13, 2014
Because the Lions would tame everything in their way. #LionSpirit RT@TjatBass: Why did Serena W wear the green-red-yellow at one point?
I hope I have satisfied your curiosity and given you a taste of my homeland. I also hope that you will come visit to know more about my beautiful country, Cameroon.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Gail


text:
A Mouse Amidst the Mist · Global Voices
Iñaki García

First thing in the morning, amidst the mist that populates the waves in the township of Guetaría, a typical fishing village in the shores of Guipuzkoa (Basque Country), we can discern the shape of Mount of San Antón, which as we can see on J. G. del Sol Cobos in this image from this group blog, resembles a mouse. All along the rough way up, we have one of the best sights of the Basque Country. There is even a lighthouse on top that integrates the landscape and makes us think of the traditional lifestyle in this area of Northern Iberian Peninsula.
This so well-known shape in Guetaría connects through a tombolo (branch that gets two parts together) with solid ground, and from different point of view will look as the tail of a rodent.
@Cyberjuan Foto de Txantxikulandia del Ratón de #Guetaria desde #Zaráuz, #Guipúzcoa, #España: http://t.co/PxqqmTdQCY #lunesdeblogsgv
— J. G. del Sol Cobos (@jgdelsol) octubre 27, 2014
Image by of the Guetaria Mouse from Zarauz, Guipuzkoa, Spain.
After some research about the history of this natural park surrounded by the Cantabrian sea, we know that until the 16th century it was an island. Today, it's a famous spot in Guipuzkoa, where we can find plants and trees as native as exotic, besides a fantastic panoramic view of the coastline.
You can follow J. G. del Sol Cobos on Twitter.

author: Iñaki García


text:
Blogger Argues Corporate Sponsorship Cheapening Bangaldeshi Folk Culture · Global Voices
পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha)

Devotees of Fakir Lalon Shah, a Bengali philosopher poet, come to pay their respects on the anniversary of his death. Cheuria, Kustia, Bangladesh, 18/10/2009. Image by Suvra Kanti Das. Copyright Demotix
If we look back the history of Bangladesh, we see examples of ancient kings and land lords who sponsored cultural activities, making literature, music and art flourish in the region. In the present era, we see affluent corporations, mostly telecom companies in Bangladesh, taking their place.
They have been going the extra mile to sponsor a wide variety of cultural pursuits, including a rural festival celebrating Fakir Lalon Shah (c. 1774–1890), a popular Bengali baul saint, mystic, songwriter, social reformer and thinker, but not always with positive reception.
Zahid Islam at the blog Alal O Dulal explains how corporations are selling the Lalon culture:
In 2007 for the first time in history, Lalon Phokir’s Dol Uthshob (Lalon's Dol Festival) was held under sponsorship, with promotion campaigns so aggressive and ill designed it disgusts me to even remember it. Since then Grameenphone and Banglalink (telecom brands) took turns in sponsoring the festivals.
He also mentions that Lalon festival is getting a modern shape under corporate banner:
The first time around, those of us who had been visiting Cheuria for many years, were shocked to find the sponsorship junks.
And the need to protect their sanctity:
There are many people and organisations, home and abroad, that feel we need to “protect” the baul way of life. I do not necessarily agree with this notion. Rather I feel our intervention is what creates most of the “problems.”

author: পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha)


text:
Hooligans Crash LGBT Community Celebration in Macedonia · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) was among the very few media to report about an attack on the second anniversary celebration of the center for support of the LGBT community in a cafe in the Old Bazaar are of Skopje. On October 23, 2014, some 20 hooded young men attacked those attending the celebration and vandalized the venue.
“The hooligans entered the cafe and started throwing everything, like bottles, crates… It was a stampedе. One girl was injured and was taken to the accident and emergency center. She is fine, but still recovering,” Uranija Pirovska, director of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Macedonia, a host of the event, said.
Outgoing Dutch Ambassador to Macedonia, Marriët Schuurman, also spoke to BIRN openly about the use of violence to “shut people up” in Macedonia, in particular expressing deep concern about how acceptable such practices had become in the country.
Schuurman says Macedonia faces serious problem when it comes to the rule of law: “Citizens no longer feel protected by the authorities who, under the constitution, should protect their rights, and particularly those minorities.”

author: Danica Radisic


text:
#LeyChavez: Peru’s Chavez Law Could Endanger Email Privacy in the Workplace · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Imagen de g4ll4is en flickr, usada con licencia Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Links in Spanish unless otherwise noted.
Does an employer have the right to look at his or her employees’ emails? This is not a rhetorical question, but rather a situation that is likely to become a reality in Peru if the Congress approves a ruling by the Commission on Labor and Social Security of the Congress of the Republic.
The bill included in the report, issued on Sept. 24, entitled “Act to regulate the use of information technology in public and private workplaces,” and stated that it seeks to “protect the constitutional rights of the worker referring to the privacy and confidentiality of communications”, in Article 3 mentions [es]:
Los medios informáticos en el centro de trabajo son de titularidad del empleador, independientemente de su asignación al trabajador y su uso no genera una expectativa razonable de privacidad o secreto.
Information technology in the workplace is the property of the employer, regardless of its allocation to the workers, and its use does not generate a reasonable expectation of privacy or confidentiality.
Further on, Article 7 establishes:
En ningún caso las facultades de control y fiscalización del empleador suponen la interceptación o acceso a los correos electrónicos, redes sociales y demás medios informáticos de comunicación de titularidad del trabajador, bajo responsabilidad administrativa, civil y/o penal según corresponda; salvo que exista autorización escrita de este.
In no case do the powers of control and supervision of the employer involve interception or access to the email, social networks, or other information technology media belonging to the employee under administrative, civil, and/or criminal responsibility accordingly, unless written authorization  has been given.
Erick Iriarte, a lawyer specializing in the use and regulation of the Internet, showed his concern over the aforementioned Article 3 contradicting Article 2, section 10 of the Constitution, which establishes confidentiality and inviolability of private communications and documents. He later adds:
El proyecto confunde el uso de herramientas informáticas con los contenidos que puedan circular por ellas, haciendo que los mecanismos de control sobre los primeros terminen afectando los segundos […]. No se puede por contrato ceder derechos y esto parece olvidarse la comisión con este dictamen, cuando plantea en el art. 7.1 que el trabajador puede por “autorización escrita” permitir la interceptación o acceso a correos electrónicos.
The bill confuses the use of IT tools with the content that can be circulated by them, making the control mechanisms over the former affect the latter […]. Rights cannot be assigned by hires, and the commission seems to have forgotten this with this report, when it states in Article 7.1 that the employee can permit the interception or access to email by “written authorization”.
Aside from this, Iriarte also raises other unforeseen contexts:
[El proyecto] Adicionalmente abre las puertas para situaciones que afectarán a cualquier persona aun cuando use sus propios instrumentos informáticos. Esto se entiende en el artículo 2, donde dice que la conexión a Internet también es considerada un instrumento. Es decir: ¿si llevo mi laptop y la conecto a la red del empleador, este puede monitorear mi propia computadora?
[The bill] additionally opens the door to situations that will affect any person even when using their own software tools. This is understood in Article 2, where it says that Internet connections are also considered instruments. That is, if I take my own laptop and connect it to my employer's network, can my computer be monitored?
Nonetheless, Iriarte concludes that there are parts of the bill that would be beneficial:
…de mantenerse este proyecto todos los emails de funcionarios públicos se volverían de libre acceso […]. Esto también incluiría todos los contenidos de comunicaciones de whatsapp realizadas en móviles (de acuerdo al artículo 2 del dictamen) aun siendo sus propios equipos (si utilizan la conexión a internet de la institución).
…by keeping this bill, all emails of public officials would become freely accessible […] This would also include all of the content in WhatsApp communications on mobile devices (according to Article 2 of the report) despite being their own devices (if they use the institution's Internet connection)
Blogger Julio Cruz Merino, also a lawyer, sees this bill as an attack on constitutional rights and liberties by legislators in the camp of Alberto Fujimori, Peru's former president who is now in prison for human rights violations committed under his administration. Martha Chávez, President of the Committee on Labor and Social Security, is part of this bloc. Also part of this group is Congressman Carlos Tubino, who presented one of the bills that the Committee took a stance on in the ruling:
Para conocimiento general, el Ministerio de Justicia y el Tribunal Constitucional (Exp. N° 04224-2009-PA/TC) han indicado que otorgar esa potestad al empleador es incompatible con el derecho fundamental al secreto de las comunicaciones del trabajador. Por lo tanto, y si se usa la lógica, la razón y se aplica correctamente el derecho aunque sea por una vez en el Perú, el pleno del Congreso de la República debería rechazar de plano la pretensión de la bancada naranja.
For general knowledge, the Ministry of Justice and the Constitutional Court (Exp. N° 04224-2009-PA/TC) have indicated that granting this authority to the employer is incompatible with an employee's fundamental right to confidentiality of his or her communications. Therefore, if logic and reason are used and the law is applied correctly, even though it may happen only once in Peru, the Congress of the Republic should outright reject the claim of the orange bench.
While Congresswoman Martha Chávez is not the author of the bill, the initiative is known as the Chavez Bill (#LeyChavez [es]) in the Twitter world. Erick Iriarte put together a few of Chávez's tweets that defend the bill.
los argumentos de @MarthaChavezK36 en defensa de su #dictamenPrivacidadLaboral (y que pueden llamar #leychavez) pic.twitter.com/2qX7pAYOkh
— Erick Iriarte Ahon (@coyotegris) October 17, 2014
@MarthaChavezK36‘s arguments in defense of her Labor Privacy ruling (which can be called the #chavezlaw)
Although it is evident that the bill, as is, could serve as a basis for abuse on behalf of the employers, these abuses could also be produced on the employees’ end. Internet security specialist Dámasco Fonseca says:
Fuga de info, secretos comerciales y demás es lo que busca parar el #dictamenPrivacidadLaboral (mal llamada #LeyChavez) #Competitividad
— Dámaso Fonseca (@jfonzy) October 17, 2014
Leaking info, commercial secrets, and more is what the the Labor Privacy ruling (poorly labeled the #ChavezLaw) is looking to stop
Al #dictamenPrivacidadLaboral (mal llamada #LeyChavez) lo único q se le debe exigir son reglas claras desde el inicio y capacitación en uso
— Dámaso Fonseca (@jfonzy) October 17, 2014
The only thing that should be demanded of the Labor Privacy Ruling (poorly labeled the #ChavezLaw) are clear regulations from the start and training in use
Firmaste un documento en tu chamba q dice q revisaran hasta tu correo personal? Eso se acaba con la #LeyChavez . SOLO CORREOS CORPORATIVOS.
— Dámaso Fonseca (@jfonzy) October 19, 2014
Did you sign a document at work that says they will even look at your personal email? That ends with the #ChavezBill. ONLY CORPORATE EMAILS.
The discussion will continue, as it will be some time before the ruling will be seen in the Congress.

author: Juan Arellano


text:
Aleksandr Makarenko: Digital Quartermaster for Ukraine’s Army · Global Voices
Daniel Alan Kennedy

Aleksandr Makarenko has raised over $75,000 for Ukrainian soldiers. Image from Facebook.
This article is part of an extensive RuNet Echo study of Russian-language blogosphere in Eastern Ukraine. Explore the complete interview series on the Eastern Ukraine Unfiltered page.
It's no secret that Ukraine's armed forces have been woefully unsupported by the state for the entirety of Ukraine's post-Soviet history. Hamstrung by almost farcical levels of corruption and underfunding, the army was caught off guard, first by Russia's annexation of Crimea, then by the uprising in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. While Ukraine was able to mobilize troops by reinstating the draft, and allowing the formation of irregular volunteer paramilitary units like the Donbass Battalion, many fighters have complained about a lack of suitable equipment, warm clothing and body armor.
To compensate for this failing, the Ukrainian army and pro-Kyiv forces have relied heavily on support from private citizens. Some of this comes in the form of oligarchical backing, from figures like Ihor Kolomoisky, but ordinary Ukrainians have also stepped in, some donating money and resources, and others coordinating the fundraising.
One such Ukrainian is Aleksandr Makarenko, a 32-year-old from Kharkiv. Makarenko has over 27,000 followers on Twitter, where he tweets under the name “Хуевый Харьков”, Russian for “Shitty Kharkov”, part of a network of pro-Ukrainian “shitty cities.” He is also active on Facebook where he has 1,800 followers and over 3,400 friends.
Makarenko uses his social media clout to raise money and supplies for Ukrainian fighters. He estimates that he's raised over one million hryvnias (approximately $75,000) for Ukraine's armed forces. Makarenko's provisions range from the banal (cigarettes, tea, sugar, and warm clothing are always in demand) to the fantastical (quadcopter drones are apparently much in demand and Makarenko recently provided two DIY armored personnel carriers to the volunteer-staffed Aidar Battalion).
One of the two armored personnel carriers Makarenko has sourced for the Aidar Battalion. Courtesy image.
RuNet Echo spoke to Makarenko and asked him how he came to be a volunteer quartermaster to the Ukrainian army.
Сначала сам. Носил сигареты солдатам которые охраняли ОГА. Потом написал и в твитере и люди попросили от себя купить и выслали деньги. Ну так и закрутилось.
I started out myself, I took cigarettes to the soldiers who were guarding the Regional Government Administration [building]. Then I wrote about it on Twitter and people sent me money and asked to buy some for them as well. Well, then it all took off.
Makarenko organises provisions out of a sense of duty, but also a sense of regret.
я не был на Майдане зимой. Я чувствовал, что должен быть там. Заниматься помощью солдатам начал потому что чувствовал себя виноватым, за то что отсутствовал на Майдане.
I wasn't on the Maidan in winter. I felt that I should have been there. I started providing aid to soldiers because I felt guilty that I hadn't been on the Maidan.
Makarenko often publishes critical posts about the Ukrainian government's failure to provide for its soldiers. In one such post he writes:
А в чём собственно заключаются функции государства Украина? Приходит иногда в голову такой вопрос. И я не могу на него ответить. По идее государство — это властно-политическая организация, обладающая суверенитетом, аппаратом управления и принуждения и устанавливающая правовой порядок на определённой территории.
Армия — аппарат принуждения. Что делает государство для своей армии? Рассмотрим не абстрактное государство, но нашу родную Украину. Всё безмерно печально. Бойцам дали оружие образца середины XX века, бронетехнику того-же времени, которая ещё и ломается постоянно и… И всё!
But what really is the function of the Ukrainian government? The question occasionally pops into my head. And I can't answer it. In theory, a government is an organisation of political authority, possessing sovereignty, the apparatus of governance and coercion and the provision of a legal order on a given territory.
The apparatus of coercion is the army. What does a state do for its own army? Lets look not at an abstract state, but at our native Ukraine. Everything is incredibly depressing. The fighters are given weapons from the middle of the 20th century, armor from the same period, which also breaks constantly and… and that's it really.
When RuNet echo asked Makarenko what he thought the Ukrainian government should do to improve the situation for its military personnel, he was blunt: “Stop stealing,” he replied laconically. Makarenko maintains the government diverts funds meant for the army “constantly.”
Like many of the activists interviewed in this series, Makarenko has been radicalised to a large extent by the conflict. Asked if he had any messages for readers in the West, Makarenko replied scathingly:
Я бы хотел, чтобы в Европе отличали русских и украинцев. Мы совершенно разные. Но нас путают. Мы хотим в Европу, мы хотим идти вперёд. Русские — только пить водку.
I would like people in Europe to distinguish between Russians and Ukrainians. We're completely different. But they mix us up. We want to get into Europe, we want to go forward. Russians just want to drink vodka.

author: Daniel Alan Kennedy


text:
Mexican University Students Go On Strike Over Ayotzinapa Tragedy  · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

“They were taken alive, we want them back alive!” Ayotzinapa at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Photo by the author, J. Tadeo
The Mexican government continues to face pressure over the murders of students from the Raúl Isidro Burgos Rural School in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, in southwest Mexico, and demands that the missing students, who disappeared more than 26 days ago, be returned alive.
In early October, Mexicans took to the streets calling for the students to be returned. People from different walks of life united for the cause. Later, the country's student community went on a 48-hour strike.
Several schools at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, which is the largest public institution of higher education in the country, as well as the Metropolitan Autonomous University, joined the movement. News and analysis website Animal Político shared a list of the schools and colleges that are participating in the strike.
Statement of the actions to be taken by the School of Law during the national strike. Photo courtesy of http://juantadeo.wordpress.com/
Website Sopitas said that more than 70 educational institutions on the national level joined the temporary suspension of activities.
Marco Zavala shared the following image:
¡La Facultad de Derecho se une al paro nacional por la lucha de los Derechos Fundamentales! pic.twitter.com/022hi5xY7X
— Marcos Zavala (@MarcosZavala365) October 22, 2014
The School of Law joins the national strike in the fight for Fundamental Rights!
Ana Lilia Mata said that the chancellor of the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos joined the cause:
Rector de la UAEM encabeza protesta a favor de normalistas de Ayotzinapa pic.twitter.com/Ylhu7pjoc5
— Ana Lilia Mata (@AnaLiliaMata) October 22, 2014
President of the UAEM leads the protest in favor of the Ayotzinapa teachers
Sanjuana Martínez called for President Enrique Peña to behave respectfully towards the families of the victims of these crimes:
¿Cuánto tiempo piensa el gobierno de @EPN que puede ocultar a las víctimas de Ayotzinapa? Respeto a las familias de los 43 #EPNBringThemBack
— Sanjuana Martínez (@SanjuanaMtz) October 22, 2014
How long does the government of Enrique Peña Nieto think it can hide the victims of Ayotzinapa? Respect for the families of the 43. #EPNBringThemBack
Not everyone was in favor of the strike, however. Twitter user Joaquin expressed himself as follows in regards to the movement:
pensar que el paro nacional ayuda a mejorar las cosas es muestra del pensamiento mediocre por el que este país no sale adelante
— Joaquín (@jprecomav) October 22, 2014
Thinking that a national strike helps to improve things is proof of the mediocre thinking that prevents this country from moving forward
In this context of widespread discontent, the political firestorm cannot be underestimated. Journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva said that October 22, 2014, was a good day for the governor of Guerrero to leave and begin preparing an explanation as to why “within and outside of Mexico, the night of Iguala will pursue him for the rest of his days,” in reference to the night when the violent acts that prompted the protest occurred.
Beyond the political and legal consequences, if any, of the disastrous incidents, the human tragedy and the grief felt by the families of the students that lost their lives and those whose whereabouts are unknown should be kept in perspective.
Follow our in-depth coverage Bring Back Mexico's Missing #Ayotzinapa Students

author: J. Tadeo


text:
Laughing at Russia’s 2018 World Cup Logo · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Laughing at the 2018 World Cup logo. Images edited by Kevin Rothrock.
More than 200 miles above the Earth yesterday, humanity got a peek at the official logo of the next FIFA World Cup, which will take place in Russia less than four years from now. Russia made quite a show of the unveiling, too, tasking the job to its three cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station.
Live video footage of the soccer tournament's logo aired on primetime Russian television. Immediately afterwards, sports officials also blanketed the Bolshoi Theater in an impressive light show, narrating the Cup's migration from Brazil to Russia.
Hosting the World Cup, the planet's single most popular sporting event, is sure to be a major moment for Russia on the world stage, where Moscow's reputation has suffered over the past several months, after violence in Ukraine has washed away most of the good will created by the Sochi Winter Olympics.
Good will is also in short supply among Russian social media users, admittedly, and the logo for the 2018 World Cup became the target of mockery the moment it went public. RuNet Echo presents some of the jokes now circulating on Russian-language Twitter.
pic.twitter.com/01t2JzSStG
— Лентач (@oldLentach) October 28, 2014
Душевненько pic.twitter.com/O7h1AWTUpZ
— Иосиф Сталин (@StalinGulag) October 29, 2014
Heartwarming.
pic.twitter.com/mBR28YWx12
— _ (@sobaka__) October 28, 2014
Обратная сторона ЧМ-2018. pic.twitter.com/mBQZDMfbHR
— Белка Пекарь (@BBelbro) October 29, 2014
World Cup 2018 [viewed from] the other side.
Ахаххах pic.twitter.com/MbAD53g8pz
— Рустем Адагамов (@adagamov) October 28, 2014
Ahahhah.
Вот тоже отлично сделано) pic.twitter.com/3C0UkvjptB
— Олег Океанч (@olegnovikovkh) October 28, 2014
This one is also done quite well. :)
The logo itself isn't actually Russian-made. The design belongs to BrandiaCentral, a Portugal-based branding agency that beat out six other firms, including some Russian companies.

author: Kevin Rothrock


text:
Take a Photographic Tour of Hong Kong’s Pro-Democracy ‘Umbrella Square’ · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Major landmarks in Admiralty protest site. Image created by DASH.
Pro-democracy protesters have occupied three major sites in Hong Kong for over a month now to demand an open nomination system for the candidates in the election of the city's top leader in 2017. So far, talks between officials and representatives of student activists haven't gone far — Hong Kong's government insists that the largely pro-Beijing nominating committee prescribed by mainland authorities cannot be changed.
To prepare for a long-term occupation, protesters have turned the sit-in sites into orderly, functioning villages, decorated with political messages for the public by pro-democracy artists and designers.
The protest site in Admiralty is serving as the headquarters for Occupy Central, as the movement is called. Here, organizers hold public gatherings and report on the latest developments of the democracy movement. At last count, protesters have set up more than 1,600 tents.
Dash, a student activist media platform, created a map (see image at top) showing major landmarks at the Admiralty protest site. Below is a brief explanation of the landmarks with photos taken by Au Kalun, a former journalist and a famous blogger.
1. Umbrella Square at Harcourt Road
Umbrella Square. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
Protesters have occupied eight vehicle lanes across Harcourt and Connaught roads, with more than 1,600 tents erected here. A statue, Umbrella Man, designed by a 22-year-old university student, stands in the so-called Umbrella Square.
Umbrella Man statue created by a 22-year-old student. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
2. Study Hall
Many students joined the class boycott to participate in the massive sit-in. To help them continue learning while on site, carpenters set up tables and chairs and volunteer teachers give classes in the study hall area.
Students reading and doing their homework in the study hall. Photo taken by Au Kalun,
3. Lennon Wall
The Lennon Wall in Admiralty is covered with colorful Post-it notes. People write their wishes and dreams for the future of Hong Kong and stick them onto the wall.
Lennon Wall covered with colorful Post-its. Photo taken by Au Kalun
4. Wall of Shame
The wall of shame is the iron gate outside the government headquarters. The iron gate was built in August after a protest against the development of Hong Kong's Northeast New Territories. The city's top leader, the chief executive, then ordered security to be strengthened surrounding the building with a two-meter-high iron gate to prevent people from entering the square. Protesters have turned the wall into a forum for posting critical comments about the government.
Two-meter-high iron gate outside the government headquarter is now called the wall of shame. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
5. Highway plant
Beijing continues to say that Occupy Central will not change the politically rally of Hong Kong, a special administrative region of mainland China. However, the students insist on “dreaming the impossible.” One artistic statement of this daring attitude is growing plants on the highway.
A plant that symbolizes the realization of an impossible dream. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
6. Honorable blockade
The police department has been under public scrutiny since they deployed tear gas to suppress peaceful protesters on September 28. Later, on October 3, opponents of the Occupy Central movement attacked protesters at Mongkok while the police turned a blind eye to the violence. Police denied that they allowed or worked with thugs to clear the protest site and stressed that the police department is “Guang ming lei luo” (光明磊落) – a Chinese term which carries a rich meaning to describe a person's character as upright and honorable, bright and straightforward, open and forthright, candid and sincere. Protesters and netizens have started using the term with a sense of sarcasm after the “dark corner” video was released.
A hugh blockade set up by the protesters. They called it a “honorable” blockade. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
7. Dark Corner
On October 14, protesters tried to block a major road, Lung Wo Road, that connects the eastern and western side of Hong Kong island in reaction to the police clearance of blockades that day. One of the protesters was handcuffed and brought to a dark corner where he was beaten by seven police officers. The beating was recorded by a TV news camera. The spot where the police violence took place became a major landmark in Admiralty.
The spot where seven police officers beat up a handcuffed protester is now marked as dark corner on the google map. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
8. Infrastructure
Construction workers have set up infrastructure, such as staircases, to help people crossing the highway block and enter the protest site. For the public bathroom near the government headquarters, people have donated all sorts of body care products like soap, toothbrushes, toner, napkins and tissue so that protesters can keep themselves clean while camping out.
You can find all sort of body care items in the public bathroom near the government headquarters. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
9. Empty Road and Tunnel
Connaught Road is a most congested road in Hong Kong island. The sit-in has transformed the city landscape and now the highway and the vehicle tunnel are empty and the air is free from exhaust.
The empty vehicle tunnel looks rather surreal. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
10. Harcourt Village and Umbrella Roundabout
Civic groups that promote alternative lifestyles have also move into the protest site. You can see people weaving cloth, making leather products, painting and planting vegetables in the highway. The umbrella roundabout installation outside the Legislative Council symbolizes the need to reflect on the path of society's development.
A simple weaving machine has been set up in the Harcourt village. Photo taken by Au Kalun.
Follow our in-depth coverage: Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
Understanding Southeast Asia in 19 Infographics · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Home to more than 600 million people, Southeast Asia is one of the most dynamic regions in the world. A gateway to the Pacific, it is an important trading hub. It is also blessed with a rich and diverse natural ecosystem. The eleven countries of Southeast Asia are Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, and East Timor. Except for East Timor, all countries in the region belong to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Next year, the region hopes to realize “ASEAN 2015″—the full integration of Southeast Asian economies, along the lines of the European Union.
The region is a place of contradictions, too. It is home to glitzy skyscrapers like Malaysia’s Petronas Towers, and it hosts the infamous sweatshops that are the target of consumer boycott campaigns in the United States and other developed countries. Southeast Asia’s uneven development is also reflected in the rise of rich countries like Singapore and Brunei, while poor countries like Laos continue to search for viable economic models.
With so much going on in Southeast Asia, infographics offer a useful heuristic for understanding the area, highlighting the diversity of the ASEAN community and the challenges that lie ahead.
The ASEAN Community Facebook page. Notice there are only 10 children representing 10 countries. East Timor is not yet a member of ASEAN.
Southeast Asia is home to varying degrees of democracy. The recent coup in Thailand is just the most recent example of an ASEAN country's military intervening in its own domestic politics.
ฤาเพราะไทยไม่เคยเรียนรู้ Thailand & Lessons never learned #coup #ThaiCoup #Thailand #asean #ASEANDNA pic.twitter.com/egC84r25Vq
— ASEAN DNA (@ASEAN_DNA) May 22, 2014
Countries like Myanmar have implemented democratic reforms in the past few years. Presumably as a result, recent elections attracted higher voter-turnout levels:
#politics in #SoutheastAsia is a mixed bag and no mistake http://t.co/c00ftRbvBw pic.twitter.com/bgxnBTFdf6
— Southeast Asia Globe (@SEA_GLOBE) July 10, 2014
The region now confronts shared environmental threats, as well. Almost annually, forest fires in Indonesia generate deadly haze in Malaysia and Singapore. Expanded rubber plantations and palm oil production are spurring deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia, eradicating the region's endemic species.
Let celebrate (late) World Environment day with this infographic showing how many forest areas we have in #ASEAN. pic.twitter.com/VEZwme8CeV
— ASEAN DNA (@ASEAN_DNA) June 13, 2014
Despite the impressive economic growth of many countries in the region, there are still worrying signs that income inequality—the so-called “wealth gap”—is also rising:
Inequality in #Indonesia rising faster than most neighboring countries. Full infographic: http://t.co/rJ0QSHbpPA pic.twitter.com/4EpycxzsRn
— World Bank Asia (@WorldBankAsia) September 27, 2014
Many consumers complain that tax rates are too high:
Image from Visual.ly.
One of ASEAN's major trading partners—and a chief competitor for foreign investment—is China.
As predicted in @Focus_Asean FDI into #asean outpacing #china http://t.co/AJAz23wqDd pic.twitter.com/thmYqLxQ8R
— Focus Asean (@Focus_Asean) May 2, 2014
Oil and gas deposits also abound in the region. Unfortunately, they are located in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), where ASEAN nations and China have overlapping claims.
Image from ASEAN's Facebook page.
The movement of people across borders in Southeast Asia has been a source of intense friction between ASEAN members, particularly concerning issues of global significance like human and sex trafficking, which are widespread in the region.
Image from Trendnovation Southeast.
Tourism is big business—one of the area's most promising industries for developing the region further.
Image from ASEAN's Facebook page.
Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. There are also large Muslim communities across the region:
Image from Mcedralin Files.
Internet speed is slow in many ASEAN countries, but it has improved in the law few years:
Now let's take a look at the internet speed in #ASEAN #ASEANDNA #internet #speed pic.twitter.com/Hz5VPJFbcO
— ASEAN DNA (@ASEAN_DNA) May 17, 2014
Like many places around the world, Facebook is the most popular social network in Southeast Asia:
How much time do you spend on social media each week? http://t.co/A4uT421XZR #socialmedia #SoutheastAsia pic.twitter.com/Zy712t46YS
— Southeast Asia Globe (@SEA_GLOBE) August 13, 2014
Despite the uneven and poor IT infrastructure in many ASEAN countries, mobile-phone density in the region is quite high. Myanmar lags, but investors are quickly establishing a presence there, too.
Image from Fifty Viss, created by ASEAN DNA.
Mobile-phone subscriptions have increased dramatically in the past decade:
Image from ASEAN's Facebook page.
Life expectancy is also rising in most ASEAN countries:
Image from ASEAN's Facebook page.
Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam are the most populous countries in the region:
Image from Mcedralin Files.
Obesity is also a growing problem in ASEAN countries:
Just how well does your country score in the #fitness stakes?http://t.co/2SqUcdPntX #diabetes #obesity #southeastasia pic.twitter.com/TXA4N99EoV
— Southeast Asia Globe (@SEA_GLOBE) May 27, 2014
Over the past ten years, there has been a boom in nursing enrollment in several Southeastern Asian countries, particularly in the Philippines, in response to the demand for young health workers and caregivers in wealthier countries.
Image from ASEAN's Facebook page.
With world-famous cities like Singapore, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur, third-world spectacles in Jakarta, Manila and Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), and exotic destinations in Phuket, Bali, and Boracay, it's hard to deny the singularity of Southeast Asia. As it continues to prosper and assume greater prominence in the world, the region should also address the lingering inequalities that undermine its continued growth and robust future.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
World Forum for Democracy Will Discuss “Youth and Democracy” in Strasbourg, France · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

The third edition of the Strasbourg World Forum for Democracy will kick off next week in Strasbourg, France.
The topic of the debates organized this year from Nov. 3 – 5 at the seat of Coucil of Europe will be: “From participation to influence: can youth revitalise democracy?”. The various labs will be live-tweeted under the hashtag #CoE_WFD. You can also follow the Council of Europe Twitter account @coe, and the dedicated blog. The debates will take various shapes.  Various unconferences during the forum will report their findings on Nov. 4. The insights gathered during the World Forum meetings will be integrated in the future projects of the Council of Europe and its partners in the field of democracy and democratic governance. Furthermore, the Fringe Program will offer numerous events from conference and meetings to film festival and artistic performances, in various venues throughout the city from Nov. 1 to 9. Three Global Voices contributors will attend the forum.

author: Suzanne Lehn


text:
Anti-Censorship Play Receives Surprise Approval From Lebanon’s Censors · Global Voices
Jess Holland

Lucien Bourjeily’s headshot
A play that examines Lebanon’s censorship system has been approved by the country’s office in charge of artistic permits, a decision that could point towards a more open future for the country’s writers and performers.
“La3younak Sidna,” (“Sir Yes Sir”) was written by Lucien Bourjeily and will be produced by March, an NGO that campaigns for free speech in Lebanon. Billed by Bourjeily as the theatrical version of a documentary, it chronicles the team’s own struggles as they tried and failed to get a permit for their previous work, “Bto2ta3 aw ma Bto2ta3” (“Will it Pass Or Not?”).
The expectation was that this play would be censored as well, but to their surprise, the permit was granted after a month’s wait.
Jubilant messages from the team flooded social media. “After almost 2 years of banning, ill-treatment, and unlawful passport confiscation by the authorities comes today's amazing SUCCESS,” reads Bourjeily’s Facebook status on 16 October. Gino Raidy, a member of March’s advisory board, began a blog post with the words: “Flabbergasted would best describe our reactions at this unexpectedly positive decision.”
Bourjeily is a longstanding critic of Lebanon’s lack of free expression protections. His last play “Bto2ta3 aw ma Bto2ta3” was a fictional farce about bumbling General Security officers decimating the scripts of weary playwrights. There was a long wait after he submitted it to the bureau last year, and it was finally denied on the grounds that it was poorly written and inaccurate.
Lebanon’s laws allow censors to cut anything that might inflame political or religious tensions, but the system lacks oversight, and there is wide scope for individual officers to interpret laws as they see fit.
“We wanted to show that [the censors] can manipulate the law as much as they want,” Bourjeily told me in January, “and this is the biggest proof. They say ‘we’re protecting people,’ but they are only protecting themselves.” He vowed that he was committed to a long fight, and his perseverance earned him a spot on the shortlist for the NGO Index on Censorship’s 2014 Freedom of Expression Award, who also featured text from the play online and in their magazine.
Later in the spring, Bourjeily’s passport was confiscated by General Security just before he was due to fly to the UK to take part in the London International Festival of Theatre. The explanation? “You know what you did.”
Bourjeily spoke out about the incident online, sparking an international outcry, and the passport was returned a couple of days later.
Undeterred by all these setbacks, Bourjeily decided to poke fun at General Security by taking them at their word. If they deemed his fictional play about censorship too unrealistic, he’d write a play that documented his own experiences trying to get a theatrical permit, using real names and repeating conversations verbatim.
“There’s a saying in Arabic,” he told me. “Follow a liar to his doorstep.” There wasn't much hope that the play would get approved, but Bourjeily saw the process as an effective awareness campaign, and he relished the chance to include scenes that were even funnier and more bizarre than anything he could have dreamed up, like the time he walked in to see a copy of Playboy magazine on an officer’s desk – to censor it, of course.
He imagined that once the permit was once again denied, he might perform the piece online via a live-streaming service, and then he’d write yet another sequel. In an interview with the Lebanese newspaper the Daily Star, he joked, “maybe one day the tenth sequel of ‘Will It Pass or Not?’ will be accepted and then we’ll throw a great party.”
So when the permit finally arrived, granting permission for the new play “La3younak Sidna” to be performed in Lebanon, Bourjeily and the March team could hardly believe their eyes.
The permit stated that the play was approved, pending one change. The censor board requested the playwright replaced the term “General Security” with “Censorship” throughout the text. The head of general security’s signatures on the request suggested that the text went all the way to the top of the chain before the request was granted. (General Security could not be reached for comment.)
Bourjeily’s Facebook post was full of wild enthusiasm. “Many times in Lebanon we’ve given up on our homeland just moments before we reach a better country,” he wrote, “just moments before we succeed in breaking the chains of oppression and corruption… this time we won’t & we shouldn’t!! … THANK YOU… each & everyone of you for standing up against censorship & supporting freedom of speech! One small strategic battle WON: hopefully many others will follow!!”
Raidy’s response was more measured. He noted on his blog that, “since our last attempt, the chief of the bureau and most of the team have been replaced and the new chief and team seemed far less intent on censoring free speech.” He added that the shift in attitude only confirms what the group have always argued, that the law is too vague, and that he hoped “that this will be the first of many steps towards a more pragmatic stance on censorship from the government.”
The play debuted at the American University of Beirut on October 23.
Also see our in-depth coverage Fighting for Their Art Against Censorship.

author: Jess Holland


text:
Comic Explains the ‘Cold War’ Between Hong Kong’s Pro-Democracy Protesters and Their Parents · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Jason Li has translated a letter written by a web user named Cherish to her parents, which was published on citizen media website inmediahk.net, and turned it into a comic. The letter addresses the generational conflict triggered by the Occupy Central protests in Hong Kong.
Most of the pro-democracy protesters are under the age of 45 and grew up in a politicized Hong Kong society following the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. On the other hand, those older than 45 are mainly migrants from mainland China who settled in Hong Kong with a hope of improving their family's living conditions.
Take a look at what Cherish said to her parents:


text:
Drone Footage of Hungary Protests Against “Internet Tax” · Global Voices
Atlatszo.hu

Hungarians have been rallying in masses against a proposed tax on Internet traffic that many in the country find to be outrageous.
The Hungarian government plans to introduce a tax of approximately 0.6 US dollars per gigabyte of Internet traffic. This proposal tipped the scales for many, and tens of thousands went to the streets of the capital Budapest on Sunday, October 26, 2014, and Tuesday, October 28. The protests in the capital were soon joined by protests in several other cities as well.
The Facebook page has been used to coordinate these events and has accumulated more than 200,000 likes so far. Protesters raised their mobile phones in the air as a symbolic demonstration to Hungary's prime minister that they do use the Internet and need it for learning about the world daily. Atlatszo.hu investigative site published videos with footage of drones flying over both protests in Budapest:
http://vimeo.com/110394933


text:
Human Rights Activist Iyad El-Baghdadi Speaks Out on His Deportation from UAE · Global Voices
Nwachukwu Egbunike

Iyad El-Baghdadi was arrested and deported from the UAE for his Tweets
On April 30, 2014, Palestinian blogger and human rights advocate Iyad El-Baghdadi, a lifelong resident of the UAE, suddenly went silent on Twitter. Until last week, little was known of his fate.
On October 20, El-Baghdadi surfaced in Oslo, Norway and news broke that he had been arrested by UAE authorities on April 30. The blogger received no formal criminal charges — he was simply given the option of either living in indefinite detention in the UAE, or deportation to Malaysia. He chose Malaysia, and arrived there on May 13. Given his lack of official documentation, he remained in the Kuala Lumpur airport until June 8 or 9 until he managed to obtain a Palestinian Authority passport. El-Baghdadi was unable to leave the country until just last week.
The next day, El-Baghdadi recounted his experience at the Oslo event, garnering great affection and support from the audience. El-Baghdadi. In an email interview with Global Voices, El-Baghdadi recounted how “the reactions to the speech were overwhelming. People were walking up to me telling me how they were crying. People were messaging me telling me that they're watching it in tears. I hope that this can be a turning point and a milestone and a call to action.”
He remained in Malaysia until October before moving to Norway, where he has applied for political asylum. El-Baghdadi speculated on whether specific tweets sparked his deportation, but told Global Voices that he does not “think it's a particular tweet but my overall activism.”
Iyad El-Baghdadi, has been a vocal advocate for human rights and democracy on social media and in the blogosphere. His blog describes his involvement with the 2011 Arab uprisings:
In 2011, with the “Arab Spring” uprisings, Iyad began tweeting about the Egyptian revolution, translating statements, chants, and videos from Arabic to English, which allowed the international audience to understand what was happening. In February 2011 he translated Asmaa Mahfouz’s now-famous pre-revolution call for Egyptians to go down and protest. This video collected over a million views, and Iyad’s translation became the standard in literature documenting the revolution.
During the Libyan revolution, Iyad continued tweeting, cultivating reliable sources for information, making him one of the most active and important voices during that revolution. Between February 17 and the international intervention on March 19, 2011, he became known for his maps showing strategic on-the-ground positions.
El-Baghdadi is an avid Twitter user and his apparent silence for  179 days – from April 29 to October 22 (almost 6 months) – drew attention. Alex Rowell recounts:
It wasn’t long after Iyad El-Baghdadi’s last tweet, on 30 April, that I realized something had to be wrong. This was Iyad, after all, a man who (literally) averaged over 35 tweets a day – and could comfortably double that figure when he got on a roll, or when some new dictator’s speech or sectarian massacre sent him into a fury. For him not to have tweeted at all for several weeks was, frankly, alarming. I wondered at first if he was observing a 40-day silence in mourning of the tragic death of Bassem Sabry, the Egyptian writer and friend of his who passed away the day before. But that milestone came and went without result. I feared he too had come into some misfortune, and asked on Twitter if anyone knew anything. No one did, but several people re-tweeted the question, suggesting many of us had the same concerns.
But UAE authorities evidently were rattled by his vocal tendencies and thus arrested him. Glenn Greenwald's The Intercept gave a detailed account of El-Baghdadi's arrest, detention and subsequent expulsion:
Baghdadi….maintained a highly active social media presence during the revolutions which suddenly went quiet earlier this year, shortly after the death of his friend and well-known Egyptian activist Bassem Sabry. His last Tweet, about Sabry’s death, was on April 30th.
The very next day, he was summoned to an immigration office in the UAE, arrested, and told that he would be immediately deported from the country. “The morning I was arrested,” Baghdadi says, “I woke up still crying over losing him…I didn’t get to mourn him like everyone else.”
In addition, he tweeted the following:
I have just applied for asylum in Norway.
— Iyad El-Baghdadi (@iyad_elbaghdadi) October 25, 2014
I was arrested the morning after @Bassem_Sabry died. And I'm reaching safety and seeking asylum on his birthday.
— Iyad El-Baghdadi (@iyad_elbaghdadi) October 25, 2014
Everything since Bassem's death – including his death – feels like a dream. All of it.
— Iyad El-Baghdadi (@iyad_elbaghdadi) October 25, 2014
My first night in jail, all my dreams were of @Bassem_Sabry.
— Iyad El-Baghdadi (@iyad_elbaghdadi) October 26, 2014
Bassem was El-Baghdadi's “friend, comrade, colleague and brother.” He is yet to over come the grief caused by the loss of his friend Bassem, who fell to his death from a balcony in Cairo. El-Baghdadi wrote of Bassem:
His sincerity and love touched everyone he met or worked with. He was of course very smart and ambitious, but over anything else it was his humanity and warmth that won people over. He himself was a liberal, but he talked to and worked with everyone for the good of Egypt and the Arab world. Importantly, he was an excellent networker and a hub through which so many activists knew other activists and ultimately became best friends. Bassem knew everyone and everyone knew him and loved him. His death at such a young age and in such a tragic way was especially sad because Bassem was someone who could have made a great politician, a new kind of politician who is driven not by power and greed but by a genuine desire to do good. Bassem could have gone all the way, I honestly believed that one day he would be the President of Egypt. Even if he didn't get to do that, and didn't get to do so many things in his short life, he's still great and we'll never forget him. He'll always be a symbol and an idol for our movement.
Reactions to El-Baghdadi's ordeal have varyied, with some in support of UAE's actions and others against it. We asked El-Baghdadi what he thinks about these reactions:
The overwhelming response was shock and horror, disgust and anger at the decision, and genuine sympathy. The reaction across the board warmed my heart even in these difficult circumstances. So many people wrote to me to show their support and to tell me this is only a slight setback and that I continue to be an important voice. A small minority – the tyrant-lovers – continue to insult me and to call me names, but I never cared about them before and won't start to care now.
When asked about his decision to seek asylum, he replied: “most people weren't surprised and told me it's the right move, necessary for protection and for me to be able to continue my activities at full productivity and capacity without harassment.” We wish the very best for El-Baghdadi and hope that he will soon be united with his family.

author: Nwachukwu Egbunike


text:
With Homes and Infrastructure Destroyed, a Tough Winter Lies Ahead for Gaza · Global Voices
Maya Norton

Winter is coming to Gaza, where some 100,000 people have been left homeless. On Twitter, @NourAlghussein says: “winter is on the doors here .and Gaza is still besieged >there's no materials to rebuild these houses #BreakGazaSiege”
After the intense destruction caused by this summer's war, thousands of Gazans are left with insufficient resources to brave winter's coming cold.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in October 2014 that an estimated 20,000 homes were destroyed, displacing 100,000 people. Refugees either live with host families or in collective centers, like schools.
On Twitter, the first rains of autumn spurred concern for the refugees’ future.
If You Want To See How People In #Gaza Spend The Winter This Year Here Is A Sample For You Sir/Madam …#Gaza #Winter pic.twitter.com/DFvnoXGcc0
— Salah AlQady (@salah_alqady) October 19, 2014
Heavy rains in #Gaza. First winter storm to hit since the end of war, with thousands of families displaced or living in damaged homes
— Fares Akram (@faresakram) October 19, 2014
Blogger Omar Ghraieb, who is based in Gaza, wrote:
It hasnt stopped raining since the morning & I havent stopped praying & thinking about displaced & homeless people here & everywhere. #Gaza
— Omar Ghraieb (@Omar_Gaza) October 19, 2014
Later that day, he added:
#Photo: Displaced Palestinians in #KhanYounis trying to stop rain floods 4m washing away their tents\caravans! #Gaza pic.twitter.com/et1I5oWAby
— Omar Ghraieb (@Omar_Gaza) October 19, 2014
Posting these photographs when the rain finished, he tweeted:
#Photo: Despite destruction, a rainbow bows over #Gaza shyly after a day of heavy rain washing pain & souls. pic.twitter.com/0dvEX3vKAs
— Omar Ghraieb (@Omar_Gaza) October 19, 2014
In an article entitled, “No Shelter from Winter Rain for Thousands in Gaza,” collective blog Electronic Intifada‘s Rami Almeghari reported:
[…] hundreds of families whose homes were bombed by Israel lack basic infrastructure, including electricity and access to water, and remain in metal caravan shelters or at United Nations-run schools. Heavy rainstorms have recently swept through Gaza, further damaging the electricity, water and sewage networks.
“These people had no chance to be safe during the rains … it’s alarming for the whole population of the Gaza Strip, particularly those who have been displaced. The winter will be a difficult time for these residents,” [The Electronic Intifada's Rami] Almeghari explained
Though international donors have promised reconstruction aid, the physical process of reconstruction has not yet started. “These people have been waiting since the war ended in August for the reconstruction to take place,” Almeghari said
Numerous crowdsourced donation campaigns have also arisen. A selection of these are as follows.
An Indiegogo campaign by the Al-Rahma Society will provide winter clothing to refugee children. At time of writing, more than US$3,300 had been pledged of the $5,000 sought in funding:
Make Gaza children's winter warmer is the name of our campaign in which we advertise our message for the world to donate for our campaign, we try to collect money to buy the clothes for the children. When we receive any money we will start making deals with clothes stores, and prepare cards for the children to come and choose their needs. We will try to offer 50$ for each child.
On Go Get Funding, a user only identified as Abu Yazan has established a campaign called Help Gaza This Winter, raising $1,871 so far. The author writes:
Winter is coming for Gaza and this year its different than the years before. Winter this year will be hard since thousands of houses in Gaza are totally or partially destroyed and over 100,000 Palestinians are left homeless… This is an initiative to help these people out during the winter, to warm them, to protect them from the rain & expected floods and to reinforce their steadfastness in these hard times.
The campaign appears to be associated with Gaza Youth Breaks Out, an anonymous Palestinian youth group that describes itself on Facebook as a “political party,” as it links to them on the campaign page and they promote the project in this tweet:
Winter in #Gaza will be hard and your help is needed.. Please retweet. http://t.co/LHzlQYqOec
— Gaza Youth Break Out (@GazaYBO) October 20, 2014
The Save Gaza Project is running two simultaneous campaigns on Go Fund Me and Indiegogo. On Indiegogo, the campaign to provide backpacks and school supplies to children has raised 9,800 British pounds (about US$14,800) of its 15,000-pound goal, and on Go Fund Me, it has raised 5,200 pounds, 200 pounds over its original goal. The organization works in coordination with the Al-Tawheed Society in Gaza to distribute funds.
On Facebook, Palestine Loves Israel encourages donations to Gaza through Caritas, a well-respected international aid organization, writing:
As winter is about to come in the Middle East, many Gazans are still without proper shelter and suffer from a severe lack of warm clothes, blankets and other goods. I contacted Caritas Israel again to see weather they are still delivering goods to Gaza. They do… We recommend Caritas because they have been proven trustworthy and reliable more than many others that we checked so far, and they are working with local officials from the red cross and red crescent. http://www.caritas-germany.org/internationalaid/donations
During Israel's offensive in Gaza, 40 percent of Gaza's urban area was reduced to rubble, according to some estimates. Israel attacked the only power plant in Gaza on July 28, plunging the congested strip of 1.8 million people into darkness while putting its limited water and sanitation infrastructure under crippling stress.
On August 26, 2014, Israel and the Palestinian factions agreed to halt fighting indefinitely, putting an end to seven weeks of catastrophic destruction and loss of life. At least 2,100 Palestinians were killed, more than 10,500 injured, and 520,000 displaced during Israel ‘s massive offensive Protective Edge against the 40-kilometer-long coastal strip.
Follow our in-depth coverage: Indefinite Ceasefire War-Battered #Gaza

author: Maya Norton


text:
Pioneering Trinidad & Tobago TV Personality Hazel Ward-Redman Remembered · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Screen grab of Hazel Ward-Redman, taken from a documentary about the 50 most influential people in Trinidad and Tobago.
This week, Trinidad and Tobago got news that Hazel Ward-Redman, a veteran television personality who encouraged the musical and artistic talents of generations of youth, had passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Her television programmes Twelve and Under and Teen Talent showcased the abilities of kids from all over the country – poetry, dance, music and singing were all standard fare – and launched the future careers of many who were passionate about the arts. Contestants went on to become writers, musicians and filmmakers. In 2006, when Trinidad and Tobago Television (the national broadcaster that produced Ward-Redman's shows) finally closed its doors, her colleague Neil Giuseppi reminisced:
And there was Auntie Hazel Ward whose cultural programmes set standards of excellence I attempted to follow in later years […]
Over the years, ttt became the breeding ground for many of this nation’s cultural icons. Programmes like Scouting for Talent, Mastana Bahar, Teen Talent, Twelve and Under, Mainly for Women and Indian Variety, continuously unearthed the great wealth of talent that resides in our twin-island Republic. Several of the country’s top artistes got their first public recognition through the screens of ttt.
Trinidad and Tobago will forever owe a debt of gratitude to people like Hazel Ward-Redman […] for their tremendous contributions to the development of the nation’s culture.
“Auntie Hazel”, as she was called, was honoured in a television documentary as one of the 50 most influential people in Trinidad and Tobago:
Tributes soon began to pour in via social media. On local radio station 96.1 WEFM's Facebook page, Ward-Redman was acknowledged for her work in television broadcasting. Commenters on the thread had fond memories of growing up watching her on television and commended her encouragement of young people. Anthony Brooks called her a “pioneer and trailblazer”, while Roma Sinanan described her this way:
Beautiful and exuberant spirit, so infectious that her personality was reflected on all who loved her and appreciated her tremendous contribution to our children of our land. Thank you and many blessings on your journey to the Source from which you came.
The Independent Media Producers Association of Trinidad and Tobago noted:
We have lost a valuable Icon today. Please stop for a moment and remember the light that was Aunty Hazel. May she rest in peace.
On Twitter, Patricia Worrell felt as if something significant had come to an end:
'End of an era' talk has become a bit of a cliché. But #HazelWard is dead, and it feels like the end of an era to many. RIP Aunty Hazel
— Patricia Worrell (@bytesdog) October 27, 2014
People who knew her personally or professionally flooded Facebook with tributes of their own – I was one of them:
Auntie Hazel Ward, thank you for understanding young people and encouraging their talent. I appeared (along with my guitar) as a guest artiste on one of the 12 and Under shows; Auntie Hazel always had a way of making you feel special. Farewell and God speed to a woman who did yeoman's service for music and the arts in this country.
Writer Lisa Allen-Agostini shared this anecdote:
I remember being on Teen Talent a million years ago. I auditioned at Newtown Girls and the accompanist Maurice Connors was so puzzled at my (ahem) unique vocal ability that he stopped halfway through and asked what I was singing. Aunty Hazel kindly asked me whether I had another talent. She let me return after half hour's practice in the yard, and loved my poetry. Not exactly a star is born but still. RIP Aunty Hazel.
My colleague, filmmaker Danielle Dieffenthaler, summed up her influence like this:
For a generation of us, she was the inspiration.
Hazel Ward-Redman's funeral is scheduled for this Saturday in San Fernando, the main city in south Trinidad.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Thailand’s High School Civic Activism in a Time of Martial Law · Global Voices
Zashnain Zainal

Student activists at their first conference in March 2014. The ‘XI’ sign represents 11 proposals on education reform. Image by Nattanan Warintarawet.
These days, you don't see much idealism or activism among Thailand's youth—not since a coup last May led to the imposition of martial law. Now that the government has banned public gatherings of five people or more, it's become extremely difficult for young people to get involved in social movements. Criticizing army officials or trying to organize protest actions against the state, many fear, might even put activists in danger.
But not everyone in Thailand remains silent. 17-year-old Nattanan Warintarawet, more commonly known as “Nice”, has dared to speak up publicly, challenging the new military-backed government. Warintarawet has criticized the authorities in multiple areas, including academic freedom and youth politics. She has also challenged the state on sociopolitical issues ranging from the justice system to participatory democracy to fundamental human rights.
As Secretary General of the Education for Liberation of Siam (ELS), she organized several activities that have already had a strong effect on Thai society—an impressive achievement in a nation under martial law. Last month, the ELS published an open letter addressed to the prime minister and coup leader, General Prayut Chan-o-cha. ELS seeks reforms for Thailand's ailing education system, advocating an end to the country's top-down approach, which currently excludes students from much of the bureaucracy's decisionmaking.
…the underlying philosophy of education that stresses authoritarianism and causes hindrance to the critical thinking of students still endures.
We truly believe that the effective education reform must be based on a bottom-up or decentralized approach, not a top-down practice. Voices of students must be heard and taken into account.
ELS's open letter is partly a response to the junta's “education-reform roadmap”, published earlier this year, which identifies General Prayut's 12 “core values” in education.
Student activists protesting in front of the Thai Education Department. Image by Nattanan Warintarawet (second from right).
Earlier this month, ELS held a peaceful gathering in front of the Ministry of Education. Their aim was to raise student awareness and assert their right to debate the the policies and values that affect their lives. The Education Minister Admiral Narong Pipatanasai unceremoniously called their actions as abnormal.
Warintarawet told Global Voices that the rebuke by the education minister is a restriction on academic freedom:
We have to understand other people. We should respect others, based on humanistic values and not on those values of what the government said.
Different beliefs are not the cause of conflict. Conflict is caused by the inability to not being able to express.
An anti U-NET protest. The U-NET testing system requires every university/college student to take the test in order to graduate. Image by Nattan Warintarawet.
Warintarawet argues that students need to participate in policymaking, which would in turn enable Thai youths to think for themselves. Like her peers, she faces challenges from some nationalist groups, who prefer students to remain obedient to the state. Warintarawet says she gets her determination from her parents, who encourage her to stay dedicated to nonviolent activism.
We have to accept (that) our country has flaws but extreme nationalism will prevent us from growing.  My parents are supportive but my mother was initially worried. It took me 4 days to reassure her.
Warintarawet says stubborn commitment to outdated ideas is an obstacle to critical thinking—a skill she worries is desperately needed among Thai youth today. Warintarawet also believes government officials are monitoring her at her school, where life has become uncomfortable, she says. The attention amounts to “harassment,” in her own words.
The school administration is keeping an eye on me.
Many people like what I am doing but some don’t want to openly support me.
They have their studies and some say that as a student I should not fight for rights.
ELS recently launched a social media campaign and an online petition to promote academic reform and student rights awareness.

author: Zashnain Zainal


text:
A Game of Marbles to Prevent Homeless Deaths  · Global Voices
Indira Cornelio

Image from El Caracol profile on Facebook
In Mexico, the Day of the Dead is coming and this sets into motion, as every year, the game #ChirasPelasCalacasFlacas, that involves playing with marbles, an initiative by the organization El Caracol (the snail) that works to reduce the risks that lead to deaths of the homeless.
The homeless population in Mexico is affected by discrimination, that is reflected in the denial of health services, as in te case told by Luis Enrique Hernández about Susana, who died due to labor complications, “because she was denied medical by staff of Women's Hospital and Gregorio Salas Hospital. She died at four in the morning, outside the hospital.”
To talk about the risks of death and how to prevent them, promoters of Chiras Pelas Calacas Flacas visit groups of homeless people in Mexico City. They also documented cases of deaths people might remember and write obituaries about them to put on church altars. In 2009, the campaign was awarded a honorable mention at the UNICEF Awards 2009 for innovation and creativity in using Mexican traditions in promoting the right to life.
Game of marbles, data registry and reflections about death risks. Photo from El Caracol's profile on Facebook.
The organization invites everybody to join the campaign. You can download the obituary from http://bit.ly/1qYge7J. Print it with some of the names that appear and take it to your closest offering. Send a picture using #GritaMuerteCero (shout death zero).

author: Indira Cornelio


text:
How Young, Independent Women are Making a Space for Themselves in Pakistan’s Music Industry · Global Voices
Sabrina Toppa

Image mixed by Nina Mashurova from Zoe Viccaji, Sara Haider and Natasha Ejaz‘s Facebook pages.
At eighteen, Sara Haider started playing music by herself, singing Islamic songs and then transitioning into Pakistan's underground rock scene. Without any artists in her family, she trained in classical music at Karachi’s premier music institution (NAPA), but found difficulties navigating the country's male-dominated industry.
“Male musicians and boy bands were a huge barrier for me when I first started making music,” says Haider in an email interview. She was initially discouraged from performing songs deemed ’manly,’ but found a musical role model in 75-year-old Saffiya Beyg, a self-taught female eastern classic musician. “Learning under Saffiya was fantastic for me, particularly being a teenage girl who didn’t know how difficult it was to do this,” Haider says.
Haider performs “Tara Saath,” taken from Uth records YouTube channel.
Three to four decades ago, women like  Noor Jehan, Iqbal Bano, Farida Khanum, Abida Parveen, Nayyera Noor, Tina Sani and Nazia Hassan dominated the stage in Pakistan’s music industry, but things have changed as pop, rock and East-meets-West fusion bands have taken over. In this new musical order, young and independent female artists like Haider must chart their own paths. This is particularly true in a country where there are few formal music schools, and music is a hunar (skill) traditionally passed from generation to generation within families, if not through private classically-trained ustaads (teachers).
“Females in Pakistan do not have the same opportunities to do anything, least of all music,” according to Haider. She was born in the progressive mega-city of Karachi, a far cry from Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the site of a short-lived Taliban insurgency that proscribed music and dance. Yet, even in Pakistan's most liberal city, she notes that women in Pakistan cannot access the same musical opportunities as men.
“If a girl from a random Pakistani household told her parents she wants to be on stage with five male musicians and a mic in her hand every night, things wouldn’t go too well,” Haider says.
In Pakistan today, women often find themselves unable to pursue music careers because of conservative family attitudes, political insecurity, and gender inequality.
As Pakistan’s music industry has grown and formalized, it has moved away from classical music to pop and rock. The under-participation of women in Pakistan’s new music industry is emblematic of a broader gender gap. Pakistan holds the globe’s tenth-largest labor force, but suffers from chronic female shortages in the labor market. After Yemen, Pakistan ranks last in the world for equal job participation.
In music, this inequality is partly rooted in lack of access to music education. South Asia's hereditary politics means musicians normally emerge from gharanas or musical families. For those born without a musical pedigree, music education requires tutelage from an ustaad, or teacher. The mentorship of ustaads, whose one-on-one support supplants formal education, is deeply entrenched in South Asia’s traditional music culture.  With a few exceptions (like Safiya Beyg), Pakistan’s most illustrious ustaads are male.
Although women can become pupils of male ustaads, music activist Zeejah Fazli says conservative attitudes toward female mobility and purdah (gender segregation) generally constrain choices, making women more beholden to local ustaads.
“Women, who are not allowed to travel a long distance or to another city to work on her song at a decent studio, are usually dependent on the nearest or most approachable ustaad,” Fazli says.
According to Pakistani pop artist Zoe Viccaji, Western musical training is virtually nonexistent in Pakistan and hopeful musicians must rely on self-training.
“There's not really a music education system. I just started vocal training 2-3 years ago. Every year, I look at courses online,” Viccaji says.
In Pakistan, music is rarely incorporated into the national curriculum, leaving most students to learn on their own—though most never do.  In a 2011 study in the Pakistan Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 90% of surveyed youth responded they did not play an instrument. Formal music institutions like Karachi’s National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA) are rare, only emerging in 2005.
This makes anyone with musical talent in high demand, including women.
Indie singer-songwriter Natasha Ejaz, who has been teaching music for three years, says “Progressive families don't bat an eye before sending their daughters to learn to sing or play an instrument. Maybe parents feel comfortable sending their daughters to me because I'm a woman.”
Ejaz studied eastern classical music in Pakistan under the mentorship of Ustad Sultan Fateh Ali Khan and audio production in Malaysia’s International College of Music. “Not a lot of people expect me to know what to do in a studio and how to do it, but they see me do it and they take a back seat,” Ejaz says.
Although Ejaz is a successful music producer, it remains hard to find other female producers in Pakistan. Worse, with Pakistan’s national school system ignoring music education, ambitious artists have no choice but to self-teach, take expensive private classes, or go overseas for training.
“The music industry should be flooded with female producers, sound engineers, drummers, and guitarists–clearly, there are terrible barriers,” Haider says.
Women impute career challenges to the countrywide political tumult and industry under-development—which, women point out, strain opportunities for men equally. Given the weak educational infrastructure and dearth of performance spaces, music opportunities universally suffer.
Pakistan’s political unrest also engenders a range of security quagmires that paralyze performances—often without warning. Last year, the U.S. State Department recorded 355 unique acts of terrorism alone in Pakistan.
“Every time you plan a concert, it inevitably deals with strikes or shutdowns,” Viccaji says. “For example, people discourage you on Chand Raat (eve of Eid) and tell you not to perform by saying ‘It’s a religious festival, playing music trivializes it.”
Although security challenges affect everyone, the absence of safe venues in Pakistan can be worse for female performers, who largely perform to crowds of men.
“It can get scary being surrounded by a sea of men and a handful of women — you just have to ask yourself how badly you want to do this,” Haider says.
Since most gigs are at night, Haider says women face additional security challenges. Performing during late hours can be regarded as unseemly by militant groups like the Pakistani Taliban.
“Musicians don’t work 8 am jobs. Our work starts later and ends later,” Viccaji says. Tinting her car windows, Viccaji often drives alone post-midnight in Karachi, one of the world’s most populated cities. Karachi is synonymous with street crimes and kidnappings in the eyes of most Pakistanis.
“Everyone asks, ‘how can you drive at 3-4 am in the morning in Karachi? You’re asking for something to happen.’ They’re fearful of the fact that you’re a girl. You’re not even safe from cops,” Viccaji says.
After studying in the USA, Viccaji became accustomed to walking alone on the streets, and said returning to Karachi required her to re-assess her safety metrics. Most of her peers requested that she take a male accomplice everywhere while performing, which she found disconcerting.
Viccaji is cognizant of the myriad ways gender shapes the way other industry professionals treat her. At the age of seventeen, Viccaji joined the band ‘Ganda Bandas‘ (Dirty Humans), but now performs as a solo artist, requiring her to make independent choices—without the help of men.
“Even when I was hiring a manager, I felt I was only taken more seriously when my father, a male figurehead, was there,” Viccaji says.
Viccaji recalls one embarrassing incident where she invited a male producer to her home for a meeting.“He later told me that ‘I’ve never invited to a woman's home alone—he had never experienced this before in Pakistan.”
“I'm constantly being mindful that as a musician you are working alone. As a female you have to be wary of the way you talk to guys, so there is no misreading. If I was guy, I can be sure that this is just space of work.”
Yet, more than gender, women report familial attitudes toward music determines access to music education and performance.
Haider says that among her own friends, the same trope of familial discouragement materializes to deter even the most talented women.  “A good friend of mine sings beautifully. She picked up the guitar at 15 and wrote her own stuff at 17, but she belongs to an extremely conservative background,” Haider says. “She is educated and well-off—her parents let her go to school with boys and learn how to drive and wear jeans. But singing in front of a crowd or being on TV is out of the question. Stories like this are everywhere,” Haider says.
“People channel their frustration and their hope into their music,” Haider says. “No matter what anyone says about the music industry in Pakistan, it’s a great force of emotion and catharsis.”
Despite the odds, Pakistani women who join its emerging music industry are embraced, Fazil says: “The industry is looking for women artists.”
And there are upsides to being one of the few women. Given the fewer women, Viccaji notes less competition. Once a woman attains a high status, such as Abida Parveen or Nazia Hassan, there is generally more appreciation for those who achieve high recognition and mass appeal.
“There aren’t many female musicians–there aren’t that many musicians in general in Pakistan, so there's a bigger possibility of more people hearing the music,” Viccaji says.
Also, see our in-depth coverage Fighting for Their Art Against Censorship.

author: Sabrina Toppa


text:
India’s Loud, Messy, Not-So-Happy Diwali Celebrations · Global Voices
Sourabh

Indians light crackers to celebrate diwali, the festival of light on a busy road in Allahabad on October 23, 2014. Image by Ritesh Shukla. Copyright Demotix.
During Diwali (the Hindu “festival of lights”), people dress up in new clothes—sometimes their best outfits—and light up lamps and candles inside and outside their homes, participating in prayers and launching fireworks. It's a noisy affair that produces a lot of pollution.
Despite a sustained anti-firecracker campaign, calls for a more environmentally conscious Green Diwali, an attempt to crack down on Chinese fireworks, and a 10pm-curfew, Indians didn't stay away from pyrotechnics anymore this year than last. As a result, the holiday once again made breathing difficult across the nation.
For years, India has discussed efforts to make the country's top cities as globally appealing as China's metropolises. For the next few days, India will actually obtain parity with China's biggest cities: in pollution levels! not urban efficiency or infrastructural sophistication. Thanks to Diwali, sound and air pollution in India has reached alarming levels.
On Twitter, Indians have issued public appeals to reduce pollution on Diwali:
Let's celebrate Green Diwali …Join Human Chain with @AAPYouthwing at CP by 4PM Today & Say no to crackers pic.twitter.com/CtrKqfxWpq
— Kumar Amit (@Ikumar7) October 19, 2014
Diwali in India will not be noise and pollution free till we inculcate a sense of belonging,sense of ownership+concern & respect for others
— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) October 24, 2014
Have a safe and noise-free Diwali. Reduce sound and pollution. Focus on the lights. pic.twitter.com/RxU2XvTs7s
— Sneha Mahale (@randomcards) October 23, 2014
This Diwali, spread joy, not pollution. #HappyDiwali #NoPollution
— Gautam Singhania (@SinghaniaGautam) October 23, 2014
My darlings.It's my humble request 2 U'll to not burst any crackers this year..more noise n air pollution is nt required.have a safe diwali
— Pooja Hegde (@hegdepooja) October 22, 2014
More than 15K children are employed in making firecrackers. Try to Celebrate Green Diwali @AamAadmiParty pic.twitter.com/JcKwFs2GcS
— Aam Aadmi (@pramod7224) October 18, 2014
Of course, some people argue that it wouldn't be Diwali without the noise and smoke:
#ItsNotDiwaliUnless we Burst loads of Crackers and place a tight slap on the faces of Pseudo-Seculars who are campaigning Green Diwali
— Cassiopeia (@_shomy) October 22, 2014
According to reports, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Chennai measured levels of toxic gases and materials in the air far above what's considered safe for breathing.
The festival started on Thursday, October 22, 2014. That evening, toxicity levels in the air spiked suddenly. According to the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research, the air in Delhi will be more polluted than Beijing's atmosphere for some days to come.
In one of the biggest states in India, Madhya Pradesh, pollution even seems to be affecting the weather. (The state's average temperatures spiked 1.3 degrees, thanks presumably to the massive amounts of smoke and other gases released into the air.) Due to an absence of winds, the smog left by fireworks is expected to remain in the air for another 48 hours.
Indian sportsmen lighten up the stadium with candles and fire works on the eve of Diwali in Allahabad on October 22, 2014. Image by Ritesh Shukla. Copyright Demotix.
In many areas in India, sound pollution has also been a serious problem. Mumbai, for example, has struggled with noise levels above 80dB.
Diwali's environmental impact doesn't end with bad air and loud noises, either. In Chennai, celebrations created 27 tons of waste from firecrackers—a whooping 17 tons more than in 2013. Despite continued calls for a “Green Diwali” by the Industrial Waste Management Association, the holiday continues to produce growing amounts of trash, posing a greater problem every year for India's Common Hazardous Waste Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility.
What prevents Indians from addressing the environmental damages inflicted by Diwali? Is it that the public is simply ignorant about the threats to their own health and safety?
The Indian public, however, may be getting wise. Some encouraging data suggests that people are changing the way they celebrate Diwali. Several regions in Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh, and Pune recorded pollution levels this year that are actually lower than in previous years. While toxicity is still higher than doctors recommend, the data indicates that awareness campaigns in schools are finally making a difference. Indeed, firecracker manufacturers reported falling sales this year (down by 60-70 percent!)—a drastic decline, and welcome news for India's environmentalists.
Earthen oil lamps outside a house in Delhi during Diwali celebrations. Image by Prabhjot Kaur. Copyright Demotix (2/11/2013)
In a bid to make Diwai more eco-friendly, New Delhi markets and even online stores are now selling a new line of products for “responsible citizens”—goods like upcycled candle moulds rangoli-inspired bamboo trays and sandstone diyas.
Here's hoping environmental awareness continues to spread in India and alternative celebrations catch on!

author: Sourabh