text:
Egypt: The KFC Revolution · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Sign in the window of KFC on Tahrir Square during 5-day internet shutdown, reads ‘We want Internet’ Photo by Joseph Hill on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Egyptian bloggers have been commenting on the Egyptian regime's use of state-owned television channels and newspapers for their own political purposes. The influence of the media on the people is particularly important in a situation like the one currently unfolding in Egypt where opposing parties have entirely different interests.
Zeinobia writes about mainstream media in Egypt and how it is dealing with the ongoing events there:
In the past few days the mainstream media in Egypt has adopted the official public version of the story of what is happening in the country except very few outlets like Al Shorouk Daily and Daily News Egypt in particular. It is something we understand and we expected as the most of the mainstream media outlets have not dared yet to speak freely against Mubarak…
She continues:
The Egyptian TV is spreading lies about foreign reporters claiming that the country is full of foreign elements including Israeli spies, they claim that these foreign elements are infiltrating our country now. The people in the street are scared and suspicious. You can’t imagine how many foreign journalists or foreign citizens were attacked and harassed in the street due to this claim.
Another Egyptian blogger, The Egyptian Silent Majority [ar], has given more examples of what have been going on in the Egyptian media in the past days:
The divide-and-conquer plan that has been implemented by state-owned media, under the supervision of the Egyptian minister of information, is becoming clearer now.
There are phone calls, very stupid ones, where women are heard crying because of the lack of milk and water and basic supplies in the supermarkets!
A woman calls the Egyptian TV Channel-1 complaining because her daughter wakes up at night scared and asks for her father, who for sure at that time is in the street protecting their house along with their neighbours who are also protecting their houses because of escaped prisoners and the overstretched police!
Anonymous people state that they were participating in the 25 January revolution, but have now quit because the Muslim Brotherhood are currently occupying Tahrir Square!
Add to all this the claims that protesters have foreign agendas; they aren't Egyptians, just a group of ‘KFC eaters’ who are paid in dollars.
Fried chicken and foreign agendas
You may be wondering, what is the significance of “KFC eaters”?
According to the Egyptian blogger and writer Ahmed Khaled Tawfik, one phone caller to Egyptian television said that he had witnessed protesters eating from the famous American fried chicken restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), which led him to believe this was proof enough that they were traitors. Tawfik mocks the KFC situation here [ar]:
They claim that protesters have foreign agendas… Here is one! From Gr33nblr
The ‘KFC situation’ and the so-called “foreign agendas” are fast becoming the protesters’ joke of choice. Tawfik wonders further:
Alternative truths
The media have also been playing with the numbers being reported. You can see in the tweets below the differences between the numbers of deaths in protests reported by the Egyptian government, the United Nations and the Al Jazeera television news channel:
@Abdu: Egyptian government says 11 killed in the protests but the UN estimates the number at more than 300. AJ says more than 100
Al Jazeera's coverage has being widely attacked by the Egyptian media. It was even ordered by Egypt's information ministry to shut down its operations in the country last week, and later in the day Al Jazeera's signal to some parts of the Middle East was cut.
Egyptian anchor woman Shahira Amin from state-owned Nile TV resigned in protest over her channel's coverage. Meanwhile, Egyptian blogger Noha Atef, has blamed foreign news channels such as Sky News for sticking too close to Egyptian state television's side of the story:
@NohaAtef: If only @SkyNewsBreak stop quoting #Egypt state TV and look to #Tahrir! Sunday mass is being performed there… yes, on Tharir! #jan25
Once Egypt was back online last week after a 5-day Internet blackout, people were able to use social media to describe events as they really saw them. Videos like the ones showing a police van that slams into protesters in the streets of Cairo and police forces killing an unarmed Egyptian civilian, are being shared online. Nonetheless it is hard to to compete with traditional media in country where about one third of the population is still illiterate.
Hassan Hamed is one of those people who is trying to use his Twitter account to counter claims made by the Egyptian media.
@seksek: أنا حاشتغل الصبح و آتظاهر بالليل لحد ما يرحل، مش المتظاهرين اللي وقفوا حال البلد
@seksek: المتظاهرين ماقطعوش النت والتليفون وماهربوش المساجين ولا حرقوا الأقسام ، اللي بيحرر مابيهدش
@seksek: The demonstrators are not the ones who cut down the Internet and telephone lines, they aren't the ones who helped prisoners to escape from their prisons, and they didn't burn the police stations. The one who is looking for freedom isn't the one who ruins his country.
@seksek: والناس اللي مش مصدقة يوم 25 و 26 و 27 كانت أيام شغل، وكان فيه مظاهرات، مأوقفش حال البلد إلا النظام بغباوته
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.

author: Tarek Amr


text:
Egypt: Wael Ghonim Released? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Update: We have heard several contradicting accounts of this story on the ground and await further evidence that Ghonim has actually been released.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal spoke to a US State Department source today who says they have received confirmation that Ghonim was released.
Egyptian cyber activist and Google executive Wael Ghonim has been released today, as Egyptians continue to demand the end of Mubarak regime.
Widespread protests are continuing for the 14th day across Egypt calling on Hosni Mubarak to step down as president. Ghonim, who vanished on January 28, has been named by the protesters at Tahrir Square, as their spokesman, to press the government to release him. The protests have started with a call on Facebook, on a group, reportedly administered by Ghonim, and other social media, starting a country-wide call for change.
Egyptian state television yesterday announced that Ghonim would be released at 4pm Cairo time, but supporters had to wait for more than an hour until his release was finally confirmed.
Although news agencies, tweeps and contacts confirm Ghonim has been released, netizens around the world want to see more tangible evidence.
@bencnn: Wael @Ghonim has been released. #Tahrir #Egypt #Jan25
@AJELive: Wael Ghonim, a Google executive and political activist, arrested on 25 January by Egyptian authorities has been released. #Egypt
@Dima_Khatib: CONFIRMED by several sources now: activist Wael Ghonim is indeed FREE #jan25 #egypt
@Hisham_G: uh-oh! RT @HalaGorani: RT @IvanCNN on the phone with Hazzem Ghonim. Says he has no idea that Wael Ghonim has been released. #Jan25 #Ghonim
Saudi tweep Essam Al Zamil writes (Ar):
@Dima_Khatib: Many of you are saying: until I read a tweet from @Ghonim I won't believe he is free. People have ZERO trust in the REGIME! #jan25 #egypt
@Ambitionissta: @AJArabic we need tangible proof that he is released, all this is now is recycled news! #Jan25 pictures please! @ghonim
Others need to check in person:
@Salma_ts2al: tab who has wael @Ghonim's no.? please #Jan25 #Egypt
@hkhalifa: @Ghonim welcome back. Get some rest and then tell the whole world what happened.
Ghonim tweets @Ghonim. Stay tuned for more updates when Ghonim comes online and tells us his story.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
El Salvador: The Left Assumes Presidency of Legislative Assembly · Global Voices
Omar Nieto

The Salvadoran congress, or the Legislative Assembly [ES], is comprised of 84 deputies that are directly elected by popular vote, creating parliamentary groups that correspond to the parties that acquired deputies in the elections that take place every 3 years. On February 1, the party of the left, Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN [ES]) assumed the presidency of the Legislative Assembly for the first time since it has parliamentary representation.
History behind the power in the Assembly
Since the period 1985-1988 when the Christian Democratic Party (PDC [ES]) had control of the Legislative Assembly by parliamentary majority and also of the executive branch with President José Napoleon Duarte, no party has been able to attain a similar share of power. In 1989, the party of the right, the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA [ES]) won the presidency of the republic with Alfredo Cristiani and achieved a relative majority in the Assembly, which permitted him to have the presidency of the board, maintaining this position with the argument that the majority party deserved this post. All the same, starting in 2000, the party of the left, the FMLN [ES] has obtained more deputies than ARENA [ES] in some elections, but due to internal divisions in the party of the left and to agreements between ARENA [ES] and other right wing parties with whom it achieved a simple majority, it impeded the FMLN [ES] from obtaining the presidency of the legislative body.
Graph by author Omar Nieto showing number of ARENA vs. FMLN representatives in the Legislative Assembly
In 2009, the FMLN [ES] had legislative majority and consolidated its entire bench, but a new arrangement between ARENA [ES], the PCN [ES] (Party of National Conciliation) and the PDC [ES] added up to a majority and prevented the left wing party from assuming the presidency of the Assembly.
At the end of 2009 this changed, as ARENA [ES], soon after loosing its first presidential election in 20 years, suffered a party crisis that ended up in the division of the party and the rupture of its legislative bench. Its bench was reduced from 35 deputies to 19, with 12 drop outs that formed the new party The Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA [ES]) together with deputies who had also left their respective parties to make a total of 16 deputies. In October of 2009, these deputies signed a joint protocol with the other benches of the right – with the exception of ARENA [ES] – that allowed the division of the mandate of the presidency (of the Assembly) in two periods of 15 months each, the first of which was occupied by Ciro Cruz Zepeda [ES], deputy of the PCN [ES] and starting on February 1, 2011 by the FMLN [ES] occupied by Sigfrido Reyes [ES].
Citizen reactions
Reactions from the blogosphere were swift. Carlos Sura of the blog Sura’s Way [ES] qualifies this day as a “historic first of February,” [ES] because finally it is possible to achieve what he calls “political justice.” But Carlos warns that it will not be easy to assume the presidency due to the opposition of the political right, and advises Sigfrido Reyes to take the lead in promoting laws that seek the welfare of the population as well as that of the FMLN [ES].
El FMLN y Sigfrido Reyes deberían advertir que en esta administración no todo será sonrisas y buenas intenciones. Ya sabemos de personeros de derecha y medios que no perderán oportunidad para complicar las cosas.
Ernesto Rivas of the blog Conversaciones con Neto Rivas [ES] opines that Sigfrido Reyes will assume the presidency [ES] of the Legislative Assembly as a part of his personal agenda to become a presidential candidate for the 2014 elections, interests that will not allow him to carry out the role of president of the legislative body; he also doubts that his aspirations are supported by the leadership of his party, but in the end congratulates him for being an intelligent person and a good politician.
En todo caso, bienllegado a su nuevo cargo, señor presidente. Lo estaremos observando de cerca, listos para reconocer sus méritos y criticar sus faltas, pero en ambos casos con la sinceridad y ética que distingue a nuestro blog.
Jijmar of the blog Hunnapuh-Comentarios [ES] opines that the right is giving an exaggerated media relevance to the president of the Assembly [ES], as a part of a strategy to create the perception that the left is completely dominating the government and then to fault the FMLN for all the problems and disgraces of the country, similarly to what Napoleon Duarte of the PDC did at the end of 1980s, which ended with ARENA securing its power for 20 years and the almost disappearance of the PDC.
Si Sigfrido Reyes creyera que a partir de mañana tendrá el poder de Ciro Cruz en la Asamblea Legislativa, puede que se equivoque. Lo único seguro es que a partir de mañana tendrá una enorme responsabilidad con poco poder y autoridad real y esta es una de las fórmulas de los  fracasos.  Mañana podríamos ver a los diputados del FMLN caer en una de las trampas políticas más antiguas: “La trampa del oropel” los veremos desfilar felices sobre la alfombra roja, sin que se den cuenta que la derecha tiene el suficiente poder para jalar la alfombra con fuerza y botarlos a todos.
On the blog Moncada, group of readers around the world [ES], Mario Zavaleta publishes a suspected statement of the FMLN committee in Sweden [ES] in which, equal to that of Carlos Sura of Sura’s Way, they consider that obtaining the presidency of the Assembly is a historical deed of political justice despite the efforts of the right wing opposition and even though this doesn’t change the parliamentary arithmetic, having a representative of the left in the presidency will make a legislative difference.
Sigfrido Reyes, heredero de sangre y de principios de Farabundo Martí, y continuador del batallar de obras e ideas de Schafik, sabrá ser digno representante no solo del FMLN sino de las grandes mayorías de salvadoreños que están esperanzados, que en el país se legisle con coherencia y presteza para hacer avanzar el proyecto de transformar la sociedad salvadoreña en el camino de la democracia participativa con justicia social. Felicidades Sigfrido, Viva el FMLN!
FatiGonz [ES], a journalism student, comments in her post “Another of these changes” [ES] the details she saw during the transfer ceremony, which was televised, capturing “memorable” phrases from both the outgoing president (Ciro Cruz Zepeda, PCN) and the incoming president (Sigfrido Reyes, FMLN) with its dose of sarcasm and scepticism with respect to the significance of the event.
Saluditos, a ver que pasa con este histórico traslado de poder en la Asamblea ^^ y no se alarmen que no van a sacar un decreto para hacernos jabón ni para comerse a los niños (por comentarios que escuché).
For her part, Virginia, of the blog Doxa [ES], in her “Editorial Monday #XXII” [ES], signals the bombastic and “Biblical” tone with which the media of the left magnifies this type of event, referring specifically to the article published in the newspaper Colatino [ES] titled: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's”.
On the blog Tu Opinión Ciudadana [ES] they bitterly criticize the arrival of the FMLN to the presidency of the Legislative Assembly [ES] and qualify them as the wealthy bourgeois left which have become parasites of the people. They consider that the only solution is for it to arrogate itself to the recently founded Participatory Democracy Movement [ES] (MDP) of the group called Revolutionary Tendency [ES].
El pueblo mismo debe de crear las condiciones para salir de esta cueva de rateros públicos. Debemos de crear candidaturas independientes, que no provengan de la derecha ni de una mal llamada izquierda, que se encuentra desgastando los perfiles de nuestros valores revolucionarios y que escupe la sangre de los caídos.
Repudiation, joy or indifference have been the reactions of the Salvadoran blogosphere, demonstrating the diversity of thought of the Salvadoran people and the ease with which they can express it and make it known to the world thanks to citizen media.

author: Omar Nieto


text:
Grenada: National Day  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Today is Grenada's National Day, on which the country commemorates its independence from the United Kingdom.  Repeating Islands has the details.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Guatemala: 19th Anniversary of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit (URNG) · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Mike writes: “On February 7, 1982, the Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP), the Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), the Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA), and the Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT) formed the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit (URNG).” He goes on to write about the URNG‘s history, including the party's significance today.

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Guyana: Going Solar?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Want to make money in Guyana?  Guyana-Gyal has a bright idea.


text:
Jamaica: Lessons from Marley · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“One of the most striking aspects of Marley’s songwriting is his authenticity”: Diaspora litblogger Geoffrey Philp wonders if bloggers can learn a few lessons from the late reggae great.


text:
Jamaica: Social Media is the Message  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“How messages of revolution are transmitted is crucial…this is why…powerbrokers have always tried to control the media, whether these were the drums of the enslaved signaling revolt on Caribbean plantations or more contemporary forms of broadcasting which now include Twitter and Facebook”: Annie Paul thinks Malcolm Gladwell is wrong about the significance of the role of social media in the Egyptian protests.


text:
Japan: The last Japanese man remaining in Kazakhstan · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

At Japan Subculture Research Center‘s blog, Richard Orange and Ikuru Kuwajima tell  the story [en] of “one Japanese POW trapped in the Soviet Union after the end of the Second World War.”

author: Scilla Alecci


text:
Jordan: Demonstrations and the Older Generations  · Global Voices
Betsy Fisher

Jordanian blogger Naseem Tarawnah examines why older generations, rather than youth, have led Jordan's recent demonstrations.  He comments: “Much of the older generation … are a constituency of people who rely on a flawed system. They want to see that system maintained.”

author: Betsy Fisher


text:
Jordan: Proud to be an Arab · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Jordanian blogger, Roba Al-Assi, wrote a list with photos of 10 things that happened during the Egyptian and Tunisian uprisings that made her proud to be an Arab.


text:
Mexico: Journalist Carmen Aristegui Fired  · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Twitter is abuzz with the news that journalist Carmen Aristegui was fired from MVS Noticias [es]. Clases de Periodismo [es] reports netizens speculate she was fired for asking if President Felipe Calderón has a problem with alcohol. Journalist Lydia Cacho reports on Twitter [es] that Aristegui's staff say she refused to read a letter of apology the government requested she read on the air. #Aristegui is now a top worldwide trending topic.


text:
North Korea: Another Sign of Small Revolt? Burning Picture of Kim Family · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

A video burning Kim Jung-il and his mother's portrait got leaked from North Korea, Daily NK reported[en]. The report analyzed the act may have been carried out by a North Korean high-ranking official.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


text:
Russia: Analyst on How Social Networks Change Russian Media Environment  · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

“Twitter is faster than FSB,” argues Marina Litvinovich in her recent op-ed on social media in Russia [RUS]. Besides already observed effects of information de-monopolization she notes several new features of the country's media space: growth of mobile Internet and Facebook/Twitter. “[Facebook] like-er and re-poster – are the main heroes of new media epoch.”

author: Alexey Sidorenko


text:
Russia: Bloggers React, Reflect On Egypt Protests · Global Voices
Ashley Cleek

Photo of pro-democracy protesters in Egypt on January 28, 2011. Taken by monasosh
As protesters surged to the streets in Tunisia and Egypt at the end of January, Russian bloggers began to rehash the news, and some reflected on how the uprisings in these Northern African countries could affect Russia and Russia's stifled opposition movement.
Discussing the reasons of the Egyptian revolution
Many bloggers tried to interpret the reasons behind what seemed like sudden protests, citing the unequal economic situation as well as high unemployment among youth, plaguing countries in Africa and the Middle East. LJ-user Neoliberal2 wrote [RUS]:
Я думаю, что причин две: 1. Последствия мирового экономического кризиса (нет дешевого кредита); 2. Повышение цен на хлеб, вызванных в том числе пожарами в России;
Таким образом, пожары и смог в России лета 2010 года докатились до Египта и реально подпалили режим. Тунис кстати тоже покупал зерно в РФ.
I think that there are two reasons [for the unrest in Egypt] 1. Consequences of the world economic crisis (there is no cheap credit); 2. The increase of the price of bread, caused by, among others, the fires in Russia; And, in this way, the fires and smoke in Russia during the summer of 2010 reached Egypt and literally burned the regime. Tunisia also, by the way, bought grain from the Russian Federation.
In a trend that has been the topic of multiple news articles, Gregory Asmolov referenced [RUS] the role of Al Jazeera on the protests, and specifically the influence of Wadah Khanfar, director general of Al Jazeera television:
У событий в Тунисе, Египте и других краях арабского мира нет четкого лидера, но есть “невидимая рука”. Она отображена на фотографии сверху. Это [Вада – GV] Ханфар, глава телеканала “Аль-Джазира” […] Канал, информационная политика которого быть голосом народа более чем выполнил свою функцию. Он почти полностью лишил арабские государства контроля над информацией, и моментально распространил искры сопротивления по всему арабскому миру, показывая события через фрейминг “народного сопротивления”. Искра также была подхвачена социальными сетями и Твиттером, которые помогли, где более где менее успешно мобилизовать толпу.
Comparing to Russia
As in the discussion of the Tunisian revolution [ENG], bloggers compared the protest to revolutions in post-Soviet states. Blogger Sasha [RUS] couched her praise of Egypt with a fear that, should such a movement happen in Russia, it would not be as relatively peaceful as Egypt’s has been.
Вчера разговаривал с dingir [RUS] которая как раз вернулась из Каира очень понравилось ее высказывание о том что в Египте типичная “левантийская революция” в одном квартале погромы в соседнем все сидят по кафе и кофе пьют, правда боюсь что сейчас там все усложняется и Левант заканчивается, кстати по поводу множества восторгов в нете и возгласов “скоро в России” искренне надеюсь что нет, Россия не Левант там все обычно жестко.
A handful of bloggers attacked Western government for their “hypocritical” stance toward the Egyptian government, specifically referencing their treatment of “authoritarian regimes” like Aleksandr Lukashenko’s in Belarus, while seeming to support Mubarak's 30 years of rule. Pilgrim-67 wrote [RUS]:
Декабрь 2010 года. Лукашенко разгоняет митинг на Плошчы Незалежнасцi. Это занимает один вечер. Ни одного человека не погибло.
Западные дерьмократы забились в истерике, зашлись воем о том, что Лукашенко тиран и прекратили всяческие контакты с ним.
Январь 2011 года. Мубарак убил около 100 жителей Египта. Волнения происходят не первый день. Мубарак уже не контролирует страну.
Очаровательный америконегритянец вышел, невнятно побредил немного. И все!!!
The Egyptian government's shutdown of social networking services and cell phone services worried some bloggers that the Russian government would resort to similar measures. Bloggers re-posted an article from the Russian newspaper “Argumenty Nedeli” [RUS] and noted that soon the Russian government would come after “facebookers” and “twitterers.”
В России создана совместная группа, состоящая из ответственных руководителей Администрации Президента, МИД, СВР, ГРУ ГШ и ФСБ, которая анализирует причины «жасминовых революций» в Тунисе, Египте и Йемене. […] Цель ее работы – выработать рекомендации для правящих кругов в России с целью не допустить у нас повторения событий в Северной Африке.
Eduard Limonov, a leader of the opposition party “The Other Russia,” wrote on his blog [RUS]:
В свете  революций в Тунисе и в Египте уже даже  клиническим идиотам должны стать понятными  репрессии  против активистов Триумфальной площади, активистов “Стратегии-31″,продолжающиеся уже  около двух лет, и понятны  интриги вокруг Стратегии-31.  Власть РФ, по духу своему соответствующая  авторитарным режимам Туниса и  Египта,  насмерть перепугана возможностями, которые откроет перед российскими гражданами  свобода мирных собраний.
LJ-user belekhoff wrote [RUS] on his black-and-red themed blog that he hopes Russia’s power structure is toppled in a similar way.
А мне нравится то, что сейчас происходит в этих арабских странах, очень хорошо, что рушатся тоталитарные режимы, глядишь и до России дойдёт очередь. И вот тогда поедет Вован Путин на восток, вот только не Ладе-Калине, а в “столыпинском” вагончике, […]. А вместе с ним отправятся и его подельники, Бориска Грызлов, Серж Шойгу, Валюша Матвиенко или Валя Стакан, ну и остальные едрорасы. Всё правильно, паразитам дорога только на зону. Они этого заслужили за 11 лет строительства тоталитарного государства.
LJ-user Volokhonsky concluded [RUS]:
Круто у них там, да. Вот египетская ситуация куда ближе к нашей, чем тунисская. У них, как и у нас, нет действительно сильных оппозиционных политических сил, нет и какого-то существенного раскола в партийной элите. Поэтому сейчас по улице бегают сотни тысяч людей, которые не связаны каким-то внятным единством требований, кроме как отставки Мубарака.

author: Ashley Cleek


text:
Russia: Review of the Environmental Blogosphere in January 2011 · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Russian environmental blogosphere is a mixed bag of negative forecasts and positive initiatives, Bellona.ru reports [RUS] in its January digest. While Alexey Yablokov, famous environmentalist and blogger, forecasts [RUS] several catastrophes (including one nuclear), Russian Environmental Movement publishes funny movie clips [RUS] agitating to save the planet.


text:
Russia: Vkontakte Social Network as a Unique Video Clip Environment · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

“Kid-hop,” a genre of lo-fi hip-hop videos shot by teenagers from the Russian regions, has become a unique phenomena that blossomed in Vkontakte social network, Alexander Gorbachov writes [RUS] supporting his argument with several dozens of music videos.


text:
South Korea: Protests Against 30 Minutes Pizza Delivery System · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Korean net users have filed an online petition[ko] urging big pizza chains to halt their 30 minutes delivery system which have cost several young lives and injured numerous delivery people, especially during snowy season.


text:
Thailand: Coup rumors · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

veera from Thailand cautions the public not to quickly believe in military coup rumors.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Thailand: Monitoring the trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn  · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Jon Dent writes about the trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn (known to friends as Jiew), director of independent news website Prachatai.com in Thailand. Jiew is accused of violating the 2007 Computer Crimes Act for “intentionally supporting or consenting for crimes linked to the use of computers” when she allowed Lese Majeste comments on her website.


text:
Thailand: Reds grateful to Yellow Shirts? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Thai Talk learned from a Red Shirt member that their group is now watching the TV operated by their rivals, the Yellow Shirts, because the latter has been openly criticizing the government. The Red Shirts belong to the opposition while many of the Yellow Shirts are supporters of the government.


text:
Thailand: Teaching children not to cheat · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Tweet Yourself Thai blogs about the efforts of the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority to teach children not to cheat when they become adults.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: What Egypt Can Teach Us  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“It would be extremely poor of me to compare our situation with that of the people in Egypt. They have legitimate reasons to demand a change and have stood by the courage of their convictions”: Still, Coffeewallah wishes that Trinbagonians would “approach our issues with the single-mindedness [with which we] party.”


text:
Zimbabwe: Meet Zimbabwean blogger and poet, Mcgini Nyoni · Global Voices
Pamela Mutamba

Zimbabweans are leaving their mark in the world of blogs and other social media tools. Zimbabwean blogger, poet, playwright and writing instructor, Mcgini Nyoni, is not an exception. Mcgini is the Creative Director of the project Poetry Bulawayo. Here is an email interview I recently conducted with him.
Q: Can you briefly tell us about yourself?
I started blogging around September 2009 after a workshop with Ivor Hartman at the Intwasa festival. He runs the Storytime blog and in that workshop he opened our eyes to the fact that we could have a free website (a blog is a website really); something we thought was not possible.
Q: Please tell us more about what you write?
The Poetry Bulawayo blog is an online publication of poetry and that
is the blog I will focus on in this interview. I also  write opinion articles mainly on governance issues  on Kubatana blog.
Q: How are you involved with Poetry Bulawayo?
I needed an outlet for my poetry and the poets I work with also needed a place where they could post their work. The blog
poetrybulawayo.blogspot.com has published poetry from across the world and the major achievement to date is the compilation of the poetry anthology DAYBREAK which is available through UNIBOOK online.
The Poetry Bulawayo blog came about after the realisation that mainstream publishers are not interested in publishing poetry mainly
because it is not viable to do so. It is therefore left to those who are driven by passion to push it.
Q: What are the main obstacles for individuals or organisations planning on using social media tools in the country?
The main challenges of being a blogger in Zimbabwe is the limited access to internet and computers. I have to update the blog from an internet cafe, which is not the ideal situation. With blogging you have to be consistent and that cannot happen easily in Zimbabwe. The other problem is that not many zimbabweans use the internet, so most of the hits on the site
are from international visitors. Whilst the international readers are welcome, we would appreciate more local readers.
Q: What  is the future of blogging in Zimbabwe?
More and more people are taking up blogging in Zimbabwe, but it will take some time before it becomes an alternative means of communication. But we will get there eventually.
Pamela: Thanks for your time
You are welcome
Here is one of Mcgini's poems called State Witness.

author: Pamela Mutamba


text:
Zimbabwe: Try drinking this water! · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Marko Phiri posts a picture of Bulawayo water on the morning of 5 February 2011. He says, “Try drinking that!”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Zimbabwe: Zanu PF activates brutal campaign · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Brutal campaign by followers of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe has started: “ZANU PF is already testing the effectiveness of its bloody election machinery in Harare. Last week there were brutal attacks against MDC supporters in Harare suburbs of Budiriro and Mbare.”


text:
Angola: Zaire Province Forgotten  · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Diário da África [pt] reproduces an article by the journalist Makuta Nkondo about the political, economic and social context of the “forgotten” Zaire province in Angola. The author claims that though Zaire – together with Cabinda – is considered one of  “Angola's economic lungs” it “does not benefit from the hydrocarbon” it produces.

author: Sara Moreira


text:
Argentina: Expat and Argentine Team up in Entertaining and Informative Podcast · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

The Argentine Post interviews the hosts of the B.A. Cast podcast: “Expat Daniel Karlin (Portland, Oregon) and Buenos Aires native Fernando Farías (Monserrat) have teamed up to provide you with a weekly podcast looking at everything from lunfardo to tax evasion and the ‘laws of mate.’ The shows, available online or via iTunes, are professionally-produced, intelligent, witty and even educational.”


text:
Azerbaijan: Support site for arrested youth activist · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Following news of the arrest last week of a political youth activist in Azerbaijan, a blog, Freedom Jabbar Savalan!, has been set up in English, Azerbaijani and Russian.

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
Bangladesh: 100 Lashes For A Rape Victim And The Judiciary · Global Voices
Rezwan

RealTimeBangladesh writes about Hena, the latest victim of village (un) justice in Bangladesh, who died while sustaining a 100 lashes punishment for being raped. Although such fatwa are illegal by law, “what we see here is a case of abject poverty, ignorance and ensuing inability of poor people to claim their rights.”

author: Rezwan


text:
Bangladesh: Dhaka During The Hartal Hours · Global Voices
Rezwan

Photoblogger Monirul Alam shares photos of the Hartal (general strike) called by the opposition which took place today in Dhaka and elsewhere in Bangladesh.


text:
Brazil: Children’s Book Sparks Racism Debate · Global Voices
Luis Henrique

Whilst reading this article, why not listen to the song Yellow Woodpecker's Ranch (Sítio do Pica-Pau  Amarelo) [pt], the soundtrack of the classic Brazilian television series  based on Monteiro Lobato's children's books.
Song by Gilberto Gil, available from the artist's  website. Click to open the audio player in another window.
During recent months Brazilian citizen media has been debating literature, censorship, racism and education, following the suggestion by the country's National Council on Education (NCE) to withdraw celebrated author Monteiro Lobato's book Caçadas de Pedrinho (Pete's Hunting) [pt] from schools.
Lobato's Caçadas de Pedrinho was made into a famous television series in the 1980s which is still broadcast in Portuguese language-speaking countries today. In the late 1990s it was adopted as teaching material in schools throughout Brazil, and it has also been part of a government program that distributes books to children in public schools.
However, at the end of 2010 a citizen filed a complaint claiming the book does not follow NCE's courseware directives [pt], particularly regarding “the absence of prejudice, estereotypes or doctrination”, in a list of criteria that also includes “the quality of the text, the theme, the graphic quality and the reading potential, considering the target audience”. Sergio Leo explains:
(…) os especialistas do MEC [Ministério da Educação] analisaram a denúncia e tiveram de admitir que a obra tem elementos racistas e concluíram que, do jeito que está, não deve constar da lista de distribuição, a menos que tenha uma orientação ao professor e aos pequenos leitores, mostrando que lá em 1933 havia mais racismo no Brasil e que não se deve tomar como padrão de conduta e valor o tipo de referência depreciativa que Lobato faz a negros.
Opposition to the suggested withdrawal has come from many sides. Intellectuals from the Brazilian Academy of Letters have protested [pt] the move. Jarbas, from the blog Boteco Escola (Pub School) [pt] described the case as “pedagogical censorship”.
The blog Música Pura (Pure Music) [pt] stated that literature is a heritage that cannot be proofread according to conceptual innovations. Aldo Rebelo from the Communist Party posted [pt] a harsh criticism comparing the veto applied to Caçadas de Pedrinho to the installation of “a literary court in Brazil”.
Valdeci, from the blog Mais de 140 caracteres (More than 140 characters) [pt], made an appeal not only in support of Lobato but also to all writers who dared to challenge political correctness:
Agora o Conselho Nacional de Educação vai tomar para si o  direito de invadir editoras mundo a fora, com se donos da verdade  absoluta fossem, para recolher os livros de Monteiro Lobato, Machado de  Assis, Castro Alves e tantos outros escritores que “ousaram” escrever  suas histórias longe da hipocrisia do politicamente correto (termo e  conceito estes que nem existiam na época)…
Picture of Monteiro Lobato, circa 1920. Image in public domain.
Monteiro Lobato is the mastermind responsible for books that have entertained  generations of Brazil's children. Viewed as a national hero, he has made a significant contribution to the country's cultural heritage.
Brazilian author Maurício de Souza, the creator of children's comic book Turma da Mônica (Monica's Gang) [pt], was quoted by Silvana Nunes in Meu caderno de poesias (My poetry notebook) [pt], making a heartfelt defense of Lobato's work:
(…) durante essa guerra que travava contra o atraso, semeava ideias e livros para as crianças. Os melhores de todos os tempos.
However, César Baldi cited by BloQ [pt], sees limiting the idea of racism to the moment the book was written (an argument used in Lobato's defense) as denying the permanent nature of the discrimination of black people.
The cast of Yellow Woodpecker Ranch in the Globo television series based on Monteiro Lobato's children's books. Image courtesy of Obvious magazine.
Terezinha Pereira from the blog Alma Carioca (Carioca Soul) [pt], questioned the criteria adopted by the NCE and the Special Secretariat in the analysis of the complaint:
Nem devem imaginar que personagens da ficção “tem voz própria” que, necessariamente, não é a mesma do autor. E se fosse? Não seria um bom motivo para discussão na escola?
Idelber Avelar, from the blog O biscoito fino e a massa (The cracker and the mass) [pt], gave an educational perspective to the matter:
a contextualização [é] necessária para que epítetos, comportamentos discriminatórios, racismo explicito, ódio a povos ou a orientações sexuais etc., sancionadas e apresentadas como normais no contexto em que a obra foi escrita ou no interior dela (…) sejam lidos criticamente e não replicados como modelo pelos alunos. Não é tão fácil como parece. No caso de Monteiro Lobato, é imensamente difícil.
To  Sergio Leo [pt] the greater share of critics of the NCE's report never read Lobato's  novels, getting to know his work only through television adaptations which were  freed from “racism and other stuff”.
Alberto Mussa, cited by Rafael Rodrigues in Entretantos (Meanwhiles) [pt], believes it is time to get over the idea that in Brazil neither racism nor prejudice exist. In his original post in a literature journal, Mussa asked to be convinced:
Me convençam que uma criança negra lendo uma passagem racista de um dos livros do genial Lobato não vá se sentir vexada, discriminada, constrangida. Me convençam que livros como esses não violam a integridade psíquica e moral da criança – que somos, por lei, obrigados a proteger.
The debate over the Monteiro Lobato case showed clear differences between  mainstream media coverage of the issue and that of the blogosphere. The former was  comfortable with the censorship approach, setting an agenda that fueled in some cases the wrong discussions.
The blogosphere meanwhile went deeper into the subject and presented a variety of points of view, for  and against, ones that were not available to the average media reader or viewer.

author: Luis Henrique


text:
Colombia: Coffee Farmers Face Challenges After Heavy Rains · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Locavore del Mundo reports on the challenges coffee farmers are facing in Colombia and what they are doing to overcome them.


text:
Cuba: Entertainer Dies At 96 · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“She was an absolute delight, a class act, and she will be missed by many”: Along the Malecon is saddened by the passing of “a legendary Cuban singer and actress.”


text:
Cuba: “Operation Cyber-Mambí” · Global Voices
Susannah Vila

There has been much speculation of late as to whether the spirit of protest will find its way from Egypt and Tunisia to the Caribbean. Havana Times notes:
“The Cuban government fears the emergence of an opposition movement on the Internet, which uses social networks like Facebook to organize actions against it similar to those that occurred in Ukraine, Iran and most recently in Egypt and Tunisia.”
El Pequeno Hermano writes:
I've heard all the arguments of the Egyptians. And do not think there is one, I repeat one, which does not apply to my country. The same hunger and hopelessness, the same distaste for an inept government, the very low wages that do not cover even to survive, corruption, underground, to warn, just look out the living standards of the ruling class, and now, ironically, Cuba also adds to the list of countries with high unemployment.
And then there is, inevitably, a pointed question: Why not Cuba?
If I had to answer, I'd begin by pointing out a subtle reality: the control of information…[in Cuba] is aberrantly fiercer than in countries like those that have seen protests [recently].
If the lock on the marketplace of information maintained by Castro's government is what's standing between discontented Cuban citizens and protest, then recent moves have come as no surprise to bloggers. A video available on Vimeo or YouTube betrays the government's fear of a flare-up on the island and its attempts to use “counterrevolutionary” bloggers’ tactics against them. It's part of an effort called “Operation Cyber-Mambí” which, El Pequeno Hermano writes, marks the Cuban government's “desperate struggle against the Alternative Platform blogs.”
Commenting on the video, Yoani Sanchez says that the strategies recommended “will barely hurt the Cuban blogosphere” and that:
“the distribution of [the video] is proof positive that our government has lost the monopoly on information, including its classified materials. Viva Cubaleaks!”
Blogging is now beginning to be complemented in Cuba by Facebook activism, or at least that is what is suggested by a new group and event, “Protestas mundiales por Levantamiento popular en Cuba” and page, “por el levantamiento popular en Cuba” (for popular uprisings in Cuba), for which group membership has jumped from 600 to nearly 2200 people in five days.  Granted, the Facebook pages were created by Cuban exiles in Spain, but the hope is that they will ignite protest both abroad and on the island in response to the upcoming one-year anniversary of the death of hunger striker Orlando Zapato Tamayo.

author: Susannah Vila


text:
Cuba: The Reality of Revolution  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

1Click2Cuba wonders whether Cuba will be the next Egypt, but Iván's File Cabinet reminds us that the Cuban reality is different.


text:
Egypt: A Star Shines on Tahrir Square · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Ongoing protests in Tahrir Square in Cairo by Nour El Refai © Copyright Demotix (8/2/2011)
Tahrir Square, the epicentre of massive protests in downtown Cairo calling for an end to the Mubarak regime, saw the largest number of protesters today since the beginning of pro-democracy demonstrations 15 days ago.
Among the protesters was Wael Ghonim, a blogger and cyber activist, who was arrested on January 27, and released last night.
Ghomin, who was named as the demonstrators’ spokesman to pressure the government to release him, addressed the crowds at the square earlier today:
Ghomin vowed to avenge the martyrs, an estimated 300 people who were killed in the protests. He urged protesters not to forget them, adding that those who allow their blood to go in vain are traitors.
“I have been saying for a long time, that this country is ours. Everyone has a right here. You have a right. This is the time for us to reclaim our rights,” he told the cheering crowds.
“Your demands are my demands. And essential to them is that the president steps down,” he added as the gathering chanted “Leave! Leave!”
Ghonim is the formerly anonymous administrator of the We Are All Khaled Said group, which sparked the calls for nation-wide protests to call for change. The group is named after Khaled Said, a young man from Alexandria murdered at the hands of police. His death, last June, caused widespread demonstrations and rage against police torture and the ‘use of Emergency Law to terrorise citizens.’
After his release, Ghomin, gave a candid interview to Egyptian channel Dream TV. Blogger Mohamed El Gohary translates Ghonim's interview here. Ghonim's tears as he mourned the victims killed by Mubarak's regime during the protests, is believed to have rallied even more people towards the cause.
Writing at Egyptian Chronicles, Zeinobia says the highlight of today's protests at Tahrir, was when Ghonim met Khaled Said's mother.
Like many others, Zeinobia says that Khaled Said is Egypt's Mohamed Bou Azizi, the young man from Tunisia's Sidi Bouzid, whose self-imolation sparked the Tunisian uprising, which ended with the escape of strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali last month.
Wael Ghonim spoke today to millions of Egyptians in the square.
Khaled Said’s movement has contributed a lot to this revolution, you can consider Said as our official Mohamed Bou Azizi. Khaled Said was the Alexandrian who made the middle class go and protest his murder silently across the country for one hour standing at the corniche whether the Nile corniche and the sea corniche. History will record the role of Khaled Said movement and group in this revolution, history will record it.
A new Facebook group entitled I Authorise Wael Ghonim to Speak on Behalf of Egyptian Revolutionaries is also getting a lot of support, with more than 183,000 fans so far. Posts on the page include updates on the protests, as well as condolence messages to those who have lost their lives so far.
On Twitter, tribute is pouring from around the world. Ghonim tweets:
Dear Egyptians, Failure is not an option #Jan25
- a tweet which is now making the rounds online.
@ghonim: Dear Egyptians, Failure is not an option #Jan25
@habibh: Wael @Ghonim with Khaled Said's mother! We are all Khaled Said! http://twitpic.com/3xrxzs
@techsoc: .@ghonim didn't just cry over the killed He talked about the rule of law, the idea that state should be subservient to the people, [+]
@JafraJenin: @ZazaFL @Ghonim Thanks so much for making us proud! You guys are amazing. I'm crying like a little girl
@edouardhervouet: I just sincerely want to tell @Ghonim : thanks. I'm not Egyptian, I'm just a friend of democracy. Thanks, thanks, thanks !
@shawkyMD: Wael @Ghonim @#Tahrir square #jan25 #Egypt http://yfrog.com/h5u9waqj
@lindsayiversen: I am completely captivated by what's happening in #Egypt right now. This is real history, in real time. http://tinyurl.com/6au5pyr
@FeetCandy: RT @UKProgressive Wael Ghonim has rekindled the fire. How can anyone not be moved by his passion and sincerity.
@jihadm: “@Ghonim: A government that is scared from #Facebook and #Twitter should govern a city in Farmville but not a country like #Egypt #Jan25″
@RohanMaitzen: If only @ghonim could inspire an epidemic of sincerity and principles in politics worldwide. It might restore everyone's faith in democracy.
@suzeeinthecity: it took Wael @Ghonim to convince certain friends of mine that #tahrir isn't controlled by the Muslim Bros but by average egyptians like them
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Egypt: Massive Protests Continue on Day 15  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Nationwide protests continue to rock Egypt for the 15th day in a row, demanding an end to the Mubarak regime.
Massive crowds, reportedly the largest so far, are now at Tahrir Square, the epicentre of protests in downtown Cairo, where many plan to spend the night. A sit-in also continues in front of the Egyptian Parliament building, where tweeps report that tents are being built. And workers have started to strike.
Also today, professors joined the protests.
Meanwhile, the harassment of the Press continues, as more Egyptian journalists find their voices.
Here's the latest buzz from Twitter:
@alaa: Protest in front of parliament few thousands, tahrir overflowing ppl should join us instead #Jan25
@ksharkawi: #Tahrir #Egypt on #Jan25 News from Tahrir Square that 2000 protesters are occupying the parliament now.
@CaireneGirl: Protesters are calling for some of those in #tahrir to move to people's assembly and help them. #jan25 #Egypt #freedom #democracy
@fustat: R @monasosh Sit in infront of the building of ppl's assembly #Jan25 http://yfrog.com/hs9ghrlj
@WilYaWil: Tahrir square today at 6pm CLT http://yfrog.com/h0plbswj [via @kalnaga] #egypt #jan25
@TripleM: On my way to Tahrir Square. Unbelievable crowd it's like the whole population of Egypt heading toward Central Cairo.
@H_Eid: If you are coming to #tahrir use the entrance beside the Auc #Jan25
@rania_hafez: Ye we will RT @HalaGorani: A woman walking out of Tahrir Sq just told me: “The govt is trying 2 wear us down but we will keep coming.”#Egypt
@nada208: Searching for food in Tahrir.. Apparently all restaurants and take-outs take the curfew too seriously!
@jimsciuttoABC: Protest in front of ibrahim mosque in Alexandria full of people & smiles #Egypt #Jan25 http://yfrog.com/h7g8izqj
And the comradeship and good feelings continue among the crowds:
@frommasr: People are going around offering sandwiches to people. The people wont leave here till mubarak does. #tahrir
Meanwhile, harassment to the Press continues:
@occupiedcairo: NBS news crew detained on the way to Suez. Interrogated then sent back to Cairo. #mediablackout #jan25
@FourCM: Heard from journalist – the press office couldn't issue the government passes yesterday because they are out of plastic. #Egypt #jan25
@CaireneGirl: 1000s protesting in front of Al-Ahram bldg demanding free press, and honesty. #jan25 #egypt #freedom #democracy
@AnasAlaoui: Some egyptian press outlets are experiencing internal revolts and/or resignations. This may be another tipping point. #Egypt #Jan25
And for many, even though they are not at Tahrir, their heart is still there:
@esl4mdiaa: still @ work. Really i care 4 my parents and that's what prevents me not to go to #Tahrir , I really wanna go :( #fb #jan25
@sheriny: I'm getting goosebumps watching the images of #tahrir today. #Egypt #jan25 #feb8
And those there never fail to remind them:
@Mohabkady: #Egypt #Jan25 Today; I’ am writing to say that our Life in Tahrir Square it is the life which should and deserve to be lived. Viva Egypt
@asamir: To all my dear freinds who did not go to Tahrir sq. Yet: you are missing alot.
Demonstrations have also been held in many other cities, such as Alexandria, Egypt's second largest city, Al Mahalla Al Kubra, Suez and Ismailia.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.


text:
India: What Is Wrong In Being A Homemaker? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Jaya brings on a debate in her blog, which was aired in an Indian TV show recently: “What is wrong in being a homemaker?”


text:
Iran: Protesting in the name of Egypt and Tunisia · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.
Iranian opposition leaders, Mir Hussein Mousavi and Mehdi Karubi, have applied for permission to stage a rally in support of revolts in Egypt and Tunisia, on February 14 (25 Bahman) their websites said.
This poses a dilemma for the Iranian government who themselves stamped mass protests one year ago. The news motivated several cyber activists to add their ‘green touch’ to the internet, sharing their ideas and hopes for a new era for the Iranian protest movement.
A 25 Bahman (14 February) Facebook page was recently launched, and already more than 18,000 people have joined. On this page there is information for protesters to print and distribute, and videos including newscasts about the Egyptian protest movement.
The poster below invites people to demonstrate in Tehran on February 14 and also mention Article 27 of the Iranian Constitution which provides for freedom of assembly without arms, and as long as the assemblies “are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam.”
Several people have written comments and shared their opinion on the upcoming demonstration such as suggesting slogans about the economic corruption of the Iranian regime, similar to those for protests in Tunisia and Egypt.
Cyber activists have also gone to work in several other big cities such as Shiraz, Isfahan and Tabriz local Facebook pages.
Khodnevis reports that protesters have begun to write “25 Bahman, our Anger Day” on bank notes.
Sokhanesabz writes  [fa]:
… three days before 14 February (25 Bahman) on the anniversary of the revolution, we should go to the rooftops and chant “Down with the dictator”. We should start inform people several days before the demonstration not just the night before.
This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Jamaica: Bob, Our Hero · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As Jamaica considers making Bob Marley a national hero, Repeating Islands comments: “And I had always (wrongly) assumed that Bob Marley was already a national hero. I do hope that he will soon receive this honor.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Latest Developments in Bolivia’s Demands for Access to Sea · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“For the first time since 1950, Chile’s Foreign Minster met with his Bolivian counterpart in La Paz,” Erwin reports at The Latinamericanist. “Bolivia’s David Choquehuanca is expected to bring up the contentious issue of Bolivian access to the Pacific Ocean during his meeting with the visiting Chilean diplomatic chief, Alfredo Moreno.”

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Mauritius: Press freedom slipping away · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mauritius is no longer a shinning light for press freedom in Africa: “Mauritius is cited today as one of the few havens of press freedom in Africa, but for Raj Meetarbhan, left, editor-in-chief of the island's largest newspaper L'Express, the country is fast losing its glow.”


text:
Nigeria: Endless Chatter in Nigeria’s Political Space · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nwachukwu Egbunike discusses endless chatter in Nigeria's political space: “Nobody can belittle the political sway of Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria. Nonetheless, no Nigerian politician is yet to surpass his endless pilgrimage to the courts to adjudicate on power issues.”


text:
Pakistan: For A Free And Fair Judiciary · Global Voices
Rezwan

Fateema Saleem opines on the protection of minorities in Pakistan: “had the lawyers and the human rights activists in Pakistan really toiled for a free and fair judiciary all these decades – minorities today would have been in a much better situation.”


text:
Pakistan: Karachi Literature Festival 2011 · Global Voices
Rezwan

“The second Karachi literature festival 2011 took place on 5th and 6th February at Carlton hotel in Karachi”, reports Rabia Sheikh at Chowrangi.


text:
Puerto Rico: In Defense of the Hispanic Studies Department · Global Voices
César Santiago

On January 14th Diálogo Digital [es] revealed that the administration of the University of Puerto Rico was putting “on pause” 10 academic programs, including the program of Hispanic Studies, citing low student enrollment. Diálogo Digital reports on the announcement of the decision by the interim director of the program, María Luisa Lugo:
Recesar o poner en “pausa” implica, según el correo de Lugo (emitido el 14 de enero de 2010), que “nuestro programa subgraduado no podrá admitir estudiantes el próximo agosto 2011 hasta que hagamos una propuesta en la que expliquemos qué podemos hacer para incrementar el número de estudiantes en nuestro programa”.
In the midst of protests and a severe crisis, various academic programs have been put on pause at the University of Puerto Rico. Photo by Ricardo Alcaraz of Diálogo. Republished under a CC License.*
In a column for Revista Latitudes [es], Geraldine Márquez-Santiago gives a first hand account of how the faculty members of the English Department found out that the English Linguistics and Communication program would suffer the same fate. She also criticizes the decision:
Eliminating and putting on pause these programs only creates a paradox.  They eliminate them  because “no one” wants to take them, but  simultaneously close the door for the new freshman students who want to join the programs. The truth of the matter is that the administration wants to cut back on the spending, and, instead of focusing on the things that do not bring anything to the table, they have merely decided to do budget cuts, fire professors and eliminate what they perceive to be useless.
The pause was quickly condemned by faculty and students of the department. Diálogo Digital reported that a group of students and faculty members called for a press conference[es] and stated that the program was not on pause:
Por su parte, Desireé López, estudiante de maestría, cuestionó la legitimidad del proceso arguyendo que el reglamento de la  UPR no contempla la acción de “pausar programas académicos”. “Es un invento irresponsable e ilegal.  La Universidad tiene el compromiso legal y moral de ofrecer esta oferta académica al que así lo solicite”, añadió la estudiante.
Ana María Fuster Lavín argues in her blog Bocetos de una Ciudad Silente[es] that it is a duty to preserve the Hispanic Studies department and that the administration is taking the wrong approach if indeed there are too few students to justify its existence:
En lugar de dar la excusa de que la matrícula no es muy amplia y la oferta no convoca a suficientes estudiantes, en la administración central de la UPR deberían preguntarse qué pueden hacer para atraer a las nuevas generaciones a Estudios Hispánicos, y de ese modo revitalizar y mantener activo un Departamento emblemático, necesario y productivo.
Hispanic Studies professor Mercedes López Baralt[es] expressed her dismay on a written communication published in its entirety by the online publication 80 Grados[es]:
Por su indiscutible utilidad, que no se cuenta en dólares. Porque si la lengua es la patria, la literatura es el umbral de la belleza, la llave de la memoria histórica y la puerta hacia la trascendencia. Nos permite conocernos y nos abre ventanas al universo. Funda el diálogo que tiende puentes hacia otros mundos, sentando los cimientos de una cultura de paz y de respeto a la diversidad. Por eso hoy el Departamento de Estudios Hispánicos es más necesario que nunca.
The complete list of “paused” programs has been published by Diálogo Digital[es] and can be found here.
*This post is part of our special coverage of the student strike at the University of Puerto Rico.
*Photo by Ricardo Alcaraz of Diálogo republished under CC License NC-ND 3.0.

author: César Santiago


text:
Russia: Citizen Bloggers of 2010 · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

A co-publication with Oliver Carroll, co-editor of openDemocracy Russia.
Over the course of 2010, the Russian Internet confirmed itself as a semi-free and vibrant political environment, possible to manipulate but impossible to control. Overall Internet penetration in Russia continued to grow: June’s figures reported 42% of Russians now have access to the web, which translates into near-total coverage of certain sectors (e.g. the metropolitan youth). More crucially, a series of high-profile web successes transformed how the web was perceived. Long before the events in Egypt, online Russians understood the potential of cyberspace as a tool for social and democratic advancement; though few, of course, harboured any illusions about the threat of censorship or the web's ability to transform the political system completely.
There were several voices that stood out from the growing digital crowd. Political without necessarily being affiliated to political parties, they included photographer diarists reporting on the ebbs and flows of Russian political reality, internet veterans looking to contextualize new developments, citizen activists using new tools to assemble crowds of the willing, and investigative journalists combining a new language of cyber-democracy with older tricks such as sliv (“leaks”). The profiles that follow cover some of the most influential players.
Alexey Navalny, photo by Sergey Yushenko
Alexey Navalny (LJ user navalny [RUS])
Moscow lawyer, former Yabloko party activist, journalist and self-styled “protector of minority shareholder rights”, 33-year old Navalny was a star of the 2010 online. Throughout the year Navalny’s blog published a number of  brave and unusually informed investigations of government corruption. Undoubtedly, however, his most significant work was the one that focused on Transneft, the state company responsible for managing the country’s oil pipelines. In this one investigation alone, Navalny’s blog highlighted $4 billion worth of alleged theft, fixed tenders and dubious accounting. Not without reason, Time magazine referred to him as “Russia's Erin Brockovich”.
While opponents pointed to an alleged nationalist past, and his own admission that he would accept money from businessmen to investigate rival companies, Navalny’s stock has never been higher. In October, he was elected “virtual mayor of Moscow” by readers of the influential news sites gazeta.ru and Kommersant Daily. The e-zine OpenSpace.ru declared him their “Hero of 2010.” [RUS] As the year turned, Navalny opened his own anti-corruption portal rospil.info [RUS], designed, in Wikileaks fashion, to highlight suspicious civil service tenders.
“Government has lost the moral and intellectual competition on the Internet. There’s no online platform where it is trusted.”
Read GV interview with Alexey Navalny here.
Marina Litvinovich, photo by Gregory Asmolov
Marina Litvinovich (LJ user abstract2001 [RUS])
36-year old political spin-doctor and online activist, Marina Litvinovich is a veteran of the blogosphere, having written her own journal for some ten years. Such experience no doubt explains Litvinovich’s unusual ability to spot the big story, able to turn an obscure posting from a little-known blogger into the story everyone is talking about.
Last year saw Litvinovich launch BestToday.ru, a web aggregator monitoring the Russian blogosphere. The site has since popularised and supported a number of successful online campaigns: turning a car accident on Leningradsky Prospect into a trial of oligarch impunity; forcing a second trial in the outrageous case of Anna Shavenkova, who caused another car accident yet escaped punishment because of political ties; and exposing the scandal of police who used people as a “live barrier” to catch a speeding motorist. In the short time of its existence, BestToday.ru has become a popular resource among Russian internet users.
Litvinovich was also one of the leading figures behind “Help Map”, a crowdsourcing platform developed during last summer’s wildfires. This resource, based on Ushahidi, connected volunteers with villages and regions that needed urgent assistance. Help Map demonstrated the growing power and solidarity of the Russian online community, in stark contrast with the bankruptcy and passivity of large parts of the state.
“If people see something as threatening enough to them personally, and the government also demonstrates ineffectiveness, the next step is for people to self-organize”
Read GV interview with Marina Litvinovich here.
Ilya Varlamov, LiveJournal userpic
Ilya Varlamov (LJ user zyalt [RUS])
The youngest blogger in our selection, 26-year old photojournalist Ilya Varlamov has become a cult figure of the Russian online. Varlamov’s distinctive offer is to combine news quality with aesthetic illustration, and to deliver it in the fastest and most accessible way via his blog. His ability to deliver such complete visual histories in superquick time and easily multipliable format have earned him the informal title “Eye of the RuNet”.
While his photo-reportages have often carried an intensely political feel, Varlamov has himself never actually expressed a civic position, nor made an overt political stand on any issue. Indeed, he has even been invited onto the government press pool and granted access to the Kremlin office of Putin’s controversial lieutenant Vladislav Surkov.
Despite the absence of an obvious civic position, Varlamov has shown that the blogosphere can easily rival conventional media in its illustrativity and credibility. Varlamov not alone in this trend: other leading photobloggers worth taking a look at include drugoi, ottenki_serogo, and igorpodgorny.
Anton Nossik (LJ user dolboeb [RUS])
Anton Nossik, photo by Dmitry Rozhkov
Anton Nossik, 44, is a founding father, activist and scholar of the Russian Internet. His early work pioneered the editorial and executive foundations for RuNet news giants such as lenta.ru, gazeta.ru and rambler.ru. Since then, he has remained involved at the cutting edge of the industry, most notably as ambassador for the SUP publishing company, which manages LiveJournal.com, the leading and almost monopolistic hosting service for Russian blogs.
Nossik has always been a fierce advocate of internet freedoms, and last year made a number of important interventions drawing awareness to threats and realities of online censorship. His blog rallied against the suspicious suspensions of LiveJournal user accounts [RUS], the gradual turning of the censor screws [RUS] in the former Soviet Union generally, and the dubious deals that accompanied the launch of cyrillic domain addresses [RUS].
Nossik made a particularly successful intervention in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, which turned out to be instrumental in preventing a ban on the YouTube. Regional prosecutors had used alleged extremist content in an attempt to justify the ban.
Valeriy Nazarov (Blogspot-user piligrim67 [RUS])
Valeriy Nazarov, Blogger.com userpic
Few had heard of 42-year old Chelyabinsk businessman Valeriy Nazarov before a summer of courageous posts turned his piligrim67 blog into one of the most visited of the RuNet. His coup de grace was the expose of Ruslan Gattarov, senator and leading light of Molodaya Gvardiya, United Russia’s youth wing. At a time that Russia was facing an ecological nightmare of uncontrollable forest fires, this young apparatchik released several pictures of him supposedly putting his life fighting some of these fires. Nazarov showed Gattarov had, in fact, deliberately set some trees on fire to make for a flattering photo-shoot. The embarassing revelation brought about Gattarov’s removal from Molodaya Gvardiya’s top table.
In another example of smart digital journalism, Nazarov helped identify a gang of hooligans who were targeting lone drivers in the neighbouring city of Yekaterinburg. The attitude of the police varied from ignorance to incompetence, but Nazarov led a brilliant investigation, using photos and data collected from victims to lead him back to the criminals’ odnoklassniki social networking accounts. The evidence he uncovered was sensational, and led back to members of the United Russia party in the Tyumen region. After Nazarov’s investigation, police were forced into action and arrested one of the offenders. The blogger is also one of the founders of the mejdurechensk LiveJournal community, a space for free discussion of the hottest political topics.
In November 2010, Valeriy Nazarov’s LiveJournal account was controversially suspended. The hosting site have yet to come up with a satisfactory explanation why it closed one of the most read blogs on the RuNet; and Nazarov’s case has since been taken up by a number of fellow bloggers. That is not to say that the suspension in any way silenced him. Following the LiveJournal decision, Nazarov multiplied his presence, duplicating the blog on Twitter [RUS], Facebook [RUS], Blogspot.com [RUS] and lj.rossia.org [RUS].
“Effective and fast justice is possible only on the Internet”
Valeriy Nazarov [RUS]
Oleg Kozyrev, photo by Sergey Yushenkov
Oleg Kozyrev (LJ user oleg-kozyrev [RUS])
Oleg Kozyrev, 38, is a professional blogger, writer and journalist. With over twelve thousand entries over the past six years, Kozyrev is one of RuNet’s most prolific contributors. He blogs with broadly civic intent, covering protests and pro-democracy campaigns, exposing fraud and arbitrary rule (see his video-channels here, here and here). Kozyrev was also a founder of online volunteer resources Dobrovolno.ru [RUS] and ru_volunteers [RUS].
Kozyrev combines such civil positions with more unequivocal political activism. He is a member of “Solidarity”, the unified opposition movement co-founded by Gary Kasparov and Boris Nemtsov in 2008; and is also part of the online and offline editorial team of the oppositionist “The New Times” magazine.
Kozyrev has enjoyed some success as a writer, with his “Diaries of a Freezing Muscovite” being recognized as a national bestseller in 2007. Naturally enough, this satirical work was first published on his blog.
Vadim Bulatov, LiveJournal userpic
Vadim Bulatov (LJ user vadimb)
Vadim Bulatov is the most controversial blogger we cover here. Based in Nizhni Tagil (Urals), Bulatov represents so-called “civilized nationalists”, a new group of online chauvinists increasing in influence following the December 11 race riots. While it is difficult to justify the content of much of Bulatov’s blog, it is also hard to ignore the influence the blogger has gained over last several months.


text:
Syria: Facebook and YouTube Unblocked, Among Others · Global Voices
Anas Qtiesh

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.
Internet in Syria has been heavily censored for years. Seemingly harmless sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Wikipedia Arabic have only been accessible through proxies and various circumvention software. Syrian users even set up Facebook groups and mailing lists to share info on the latest working proxies, and they have generally succeeded in staying one step ahead of government censors.
Today, Forward Magazine broke exciting news that thousands of Syrian were waiting to hear; “Syria lifts Facebook ban.” Syrian tweeps were ecstatic with the news and raced to announce–as well as verify–their new-found freedom. Their pleas “Mr. President, tear down this wall” have finally been heard; the wealth of information, networking opportunities, and funny cat videos provided by the previously blocked sites is now one step easier to reach.
Image by Flickr user Azraiman
Abdulsalam Haykal, a Syrian entrepreneur and influential media figure, announced some insider info about a directive to lift the ban:
To be made public soon. #Facebook will be officially unblocked in #Syria as of today.
Basel Hamadeh confirms:
#Facebook, #youtube and #Blogspot has confirmed to be open in #Syria ISP's is processing the request right now ! :)
Adnan Homsi adds another discovery to the unblocked list:
Some users however were unable to see the changes, but tweeps were quick to ease their frustration. Wael Orabi tweeted:
@Seleucid it's a matter of time, ISP needs to update their systems. by tomorrow it's gonna be applied to everyone
Similarly, Bashar Kokash explains the process:
@MazenMS maybe not all ISPs unblocked it yet, I'm using STE connection now and it's really unblocked
Seleucid is overjoyed with the news, and he thinks lifting the ban is a largely influenced by the pro-democracy protests in Egypt:
I can't believe I'm witnessing something this beautiful :’). Thank you #Jan25, thank you. #Syria
He adds:
لك الله حيو شعب مصر! فكوا حجب سوريا!!!!
Eventually he continues to welcome an open Youtube, and asks the US government to match the move by removing the sanctions that block Syrians from accessing any and all software developed by US companies no matter how harmless it is, and he concludes by analyzing the significance of the latest developments in the country:
Open youtube changes your world… I'm not joking.
Syria has freed us of all restrictions. Now it's time for the US to follow suit.
What we're witnessing in Syria right now is the death of the old guard. Might have bigger implications than a simple unblock.
Photo by Flickr user Azrainman made available by Creative Commons 2.0 Generic (CC by 2.0) license.
This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.

author: Anas Qtiesh


text:
Thailand, Cambodia: Border conflict intensifies · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The border row between Thailand and Cambodia has intensified in the past week as both countries exchanged fires killing several soldiers on both fronts and forcing the evacuation of nearby villages near the border. The two Southeast Asian nations are claiming ownership of the historic Preah Vihear Temple.
Map from the blog of Life in Rural Thailand
thaicam tweets about the “idiocy of the situation”
RT @thaitvnews: 2 Buddhist countries fight for ruined Hindu civilization temple / which highlights the idiocy of the situation
Michael insists the border conflict is not really about the temple
Of course it’s not really about the temple. There are plenty of temples that could be taken care of before this one.
Such a convenient way to control what people are thinking about. And of course, such a convenient way to drum up support for a strong and well-equipped military, because in times where there is a threat of war, those who defend the motherland need all the support they can get.
Tharum Bun gathers blog and tweet reactions from Cambodia. Here’s one from Albeiro Rodas
As Khmer is oldest in the Indochina Peninsula than Thailand, at least as a political state, it is like Cambodia is Greece and Thailand is Italy. Cambodia is first and it is impossible to deny it. Thailand has been built over the Cambodian territory, history and culture. It does not mean that Thailand is not authentic or it is an invader, but Thai people should recognize it not in humilitation, but in brotherly afection.
Cambodia comes from suffering and got a strong spirit. The Thai leaders should wake to lucidity, suspend any agression and sit down with their Khmer brothers, as they are, to build peace and common development for their peoples.
Life in Rural Thailand hopes the conflict will end soon
It’s very disappointing as it is a magnificent place to visit. I am not a temple tourist at all but this place is something else due to it’s location on a cliff that is 525 metres high offering an amazing view over the plains of Cambodia
The actual temple is 45kms away from our village and the conflict has never caused any concern in the pat. This time however shells appear to be falling a long way away from the temple which is quite worrying.
Khon Kaen criticizes tourism officials in Thailand who seem to be not a bit worried about the impact of the border fighting on the tourism industry
The border fighting was not some little story buried on page 32 of local newspapers.  It was on the front page of Fox news yesterday.  And, if the TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) Governor thinks that no one saw this or that no one will react negatively, he needs to have his head examined.
Many readers believe that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN should have done something to mediate and settle the issue. This was illustrated by Sacrava through a cartoon sketch that he posted on his website
Thai twitter users are using the hashtags #thaiborder and #thaikhmer to monitor the situation in the border. The Thai & Khmer People who Want Peace Facebook page was created by citizens who reject war. Here is one message from Topza Aung
Shame on cambodian and thai governments who are corrupted by greed, money, and power and trying to start over the war.
We the people of these two countries do not have any idea. We are so innocent but unconciously are just tools to create hatred toward each other because our governments lie and manipulate us through fake and made-up news/media.
Guys, keep in mind that, it's cambodian politics vs thai politics, not the two people of these two countries.
The Son of the Khmer Empire accuses Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of using the issue to improve his political image
This border war between Cambodia and Thailand has nothing to do with protecting Thai sovereignty but the political interests for a group of selfish and nationalism elite persons esp. the Democrats and its alliance. This war is motivated because Abhishit hopes:
- to make himself  looks like a strongman and  gains popularity for this war against Cambodia.
– to unite Thai people to continue to support his weak government and win the next election in April as he has already made an appeal to Thai people to unite for the war against Cambodian border recently.
The same blogger also accuses Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen of manipulating the issue to strengthen his leadership
- His popularity may gain
– People will forget about their economic hardship caused by his incompetent leadership,
– He will have the reason to buy more weapon and ask for more money for his personal soldiers,
– He hope to gain more vote and cling on to power for years to come.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: R.I.P., Mighty Striker · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad & Tobago bloggers acknowledge the passing of calypsonian The Mighty Striker.


text:
Uganda: Online Guide to Presidential Elections 2011 · Global Voices
Mark Jordahl

This post is part of our special coverage Uganda: Walk to Work Protests.
Uganda's Presidential and Parliamentary Elections will be held on 18 February 2011. The leading candidates for the presidential race are the incumbent President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Dr. Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Norbert Mao who represents the Democratic Party (DP). An opinion poll funded by Deepening Democracy Programme, gives President Museveni 65 per cent. President Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986.
This is our Online Guide to Uganda's Presidential Elections 2011.
President Yoweri Museveni:
National Resistance Movement (NRM)
Museveni Campaign Website
NRM Website
Museveni Facebook Fan Page
Museveni Twitter Account
Museveni YouTube Channel
NRM Manifesto
Dr. Kizza Besigye:
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)
Besigye Campaign Website
Besigye Facebook Fan Page
Besigye Twitter Account
Besigye Blog
FDC Manifesto
Dr. Beti Kamya
Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA)
Kamya Campaign Website
Kamya Facebook Page
Kamya Twitter Account
Kamya Blog
UFA Manifesto
Norbert Mao
Democratic Party (DP)
Mao Campaign Website
Mao Facebook Page
Mao Twitter Account
Mao Blog
DP Manifesto
Dr. Olara Otunnu
Uganda People's Congress (UPC)
Otunnu Campaign Website
Otunnu Facebook Page
Otunnu Twitter Account
UPC Manifesto
Uganda Watch 2011:
Uganda Watch 2011 is a website created to provide Ugandans with a way to share their observations about elections and to provide comprehensive information about elections from a variety of sources. Citizens can SMS 6090 to report election abuses, ask questions, or praise individuals or groups that are contributing to a good election. Messages are reviewed and validated by a team of trained reviewers employed by the Democracy Monitoring Group (DEMGroup), the primary sponsor of Ugandawatch2011.org.
This post is part of our special coverage Uganda: Walk to Work Protests.

author: Mark Jordahl


text:
Africa: Reporting LGBTI news in East Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenne discusses shallow reporting on LGBTI topics in East Africa: “It’s about time queers started consciously nurturing their stories and those of their own so as not to be robbed of our dignity and integrity by the press, out to ‘tabloidize’ anything not directly related to politics.”


text:
Belarus: 2,600 People Vouch for Political Prisoners · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Gomel-based activist Pyotr Kuznetsov is one of 2,600 Belarusians who have publicly vouched for those who remain jailed after the Dec. 19 presidential election protests. He addresses (RUS) the Belarusian president, Aleksandr Lukashenko, among others: “[…] [Is he] prepared to accuse 2,600 people of a conspiracy to change the constitutional order? And – [is he] then prepared to have […] nearly 2 million people vouch for these 2,600 [newly] accused ones?..”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Belarus: House Arrest, with KGB Officers Stationed Inside · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

According to LJ user ng68 (RUS) and to this RFE/RL story (ENG), KGB officers are stationed inside – not outside – the homes of former presidential candidate Uladzimer Nyaklyaeu and journalist Iryna Khalip, who were released from jail on Jan. 29 but placed under house arrest.


text:
Belarus: Photos of Turau and Other Locations · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Photos from the town of Turau and other locations in Belarus – by LJ user xadnight (RUS, ENG)


text:
China: January 2011 censorship instruction from Chinese authorities · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Digital Times has translated the latest instruction issued by various authorities to media outlets. The censor machine claims that it would shut down websites which are lax in monitoring news concerning Egypt.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
China: Fight against kidnapping via microblogging · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

C. Custer from China Geeks blogs about the recent effort by micro-bloggers to help tracking down missing children by taking photo of children beggars. The blogger also translates Southern Metropolis‘s interview with Yu Jianrong, the mastermind of the citizen action.


text:
Colombia: A trip to Colombia’s gold mining region · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“We watched miners handle mercury with their bare hands, empty chemical-laced water into open drains, and reuse empty vats of cyanide. One of the rivers in the area has been used for dumping cyanide-sodden dirt for so long that everyone calls it La Cianurada,” writes Jim Wyss in Inside South America in a post about his trip to Colombia's gold mining region.


text:
Cote d’Ivoire: Manifesto for the respect of international law · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A manifesto for the respect of international law in Cote d’Ivoire: “In the name of intellectual honesty, justice, democracy, peace and the dignity of Africa and the Africans, of whom we choose to be the mouthpieces, and against any geopolitical or financial calculations and anthropological prejudice, we declare that…”


text:
Côte d’Ivoire: Did Alassane Ouatarra Really Win?  · Global Voices
Anna Gueye

On his blog, Allain Jules [fr] reacts to fakegbagbo’s analysis [en] of the results of the presidential elections in Côte d'Ivoire.

author: Anna Gueye


text:
Cuba: Church or State?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Uncommon Sense offers another example of why he thinks Havana's Cardinal Jaime Ortega “is on the wrong side” of the struggle.


text:
Egypt: Away from the Press, Netizens Report a Massacre in Kharga  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
With all eyes on Tahrir Square, the epicentre for pro-democracy protests now on their 16th day, a tragedy has been unfolding in Kharga, Al Wadi el Gedid, away from the prying eyes of the Press and international observers.
Reports of protests being brutally put down by the security forces using live ammunition and excessive tear gas, and government-paid thugs released from prison to terrorise people and destroy property, are making the rounds online, as information slowly seeps from Kharga, “a large urban centre in the ancient oasis south of Egypt's Western Desert – a repository of monuments of Pharaohic and Christian era.”
Different reports are being circulated on the number of those killed and injured in the two days of clashes – yesterday and today.
On Twitter, Salma Hegab collects updates a friend had posted on Facebook all day yesterday and shares them here:
المتظاهرون يضرمون النيران في مبني الحزب الوطني ويتوجهون الان الي مبني النيايبه الاداريه و الامن يقوم بالقاء القنابل المسيله للدموع …..انتظروا فيديوهات حية للنظام الفاسد بس ادعولي ارجع البيت سليم
7 hours ago
انباء عن اختناق طفله تبلغ من العمر 3 سنوات نتيجة القاء الامن العشوائي للقنابل المسيله علي المنازل المجاوره للنيابة الاداريه بداعي تخفي المتظاهرين و مئات الشباب يرددون هتافا واحدا ” الشعب يريد خلع الرئيس …..الوادي الجديد تتحول الي مدينه السويس التانيه يا رب استر
7 hours ago
سقوط اثنين من المتظاهرين امام عيني نتيجة طقات ناريه مباشره في العينين والمخ والامن يطلق الرصاص الحي بوحشيه علي المتظاهرين والمنازل بلا استثناء …انتظروا ابشع الصور والفيديوهات للمجزره التي تشهدها الوادي حاليا
6 hours ago
ثورة ثورة حتي النصر …..ثورة في كل شوارع مصر…..حسبي الله ونعم الوكيل
6 hours ago
شباب من فضلكم …..عايز رقم اي قنوات فضائيه بسررررررررررعه الامور تزداد سوءا و الامن يقوم بسحل المتظاهرين و بلطجية الامن ينتشروا في كل مكان …..عدد الشهداء يرتفع الي ثمانيه وعشرات المصابين بحالات حرجه يصارعون من الموت الان …..من فضلكم اي حد يشوف الكلام ده يقولي علي رقم اي قناه ارجوكم
4 hours ago
يا ولاد الكلب يا ولاد الكلب ……الشرطه تحاول الان فتح معتقل الوادي الجديد مما ينذر بوقوع كارثة حقيقه …… السنة الهب تتصاعد من كل ارجاء المحافظة وارتفاع عدد الضحايا بشكل مخيف و دماء الشهداء تغسل ارض الوادي ال
3 hours ago
الامن يلجأ الي قطع الكهرباء في كل شوارع المحافظه وحرب الشوارع تبلغ اشدها الان بين المتظاهرين و بلطجية الامن وتم التأكد من اضرام النيران في مبني المحافظه و اطمنوا انا دلوقتي متخفي فوق احدي العمارات و رجال الامن يقومون باعتقال العشرات من الشباب بطريقه عشوائيه و بيتم اقتيادهم بسيارات مجهوله الي اماكن غير معلومه
2 hours ago
عملوها ولاد الكلب …الشرطه تستعين الان ببلطجية معتقل الوادي وتم التحفظ علي المعتقلين السياسين فقط ….الجدير بالذكر ان معتقل الوادي هو اكبر معتقل سياسي في الشرق الاوسط وهو مبني تحت الارض وعرضت الولايات المتحدة قيما خيالية لشراء تلك المعتقل لكن السلطات المصريه رفضت ذلك …والان اشتعلت النيران في بنزينه وسط حي الثانويه مما ينذر بوقوع كارثه انسانيه بعد قليل …يارب سترك
about an hour ago
استماته غير طبيعيه لسكان و اهالي حي الثانويه لاخماد نار البنزينه المشتعلة قبل تفجيرها الان
about an hour ago
بشيئ اشبه بالمعجزه شباب ورجال واطفال حي الثانويه تمكنوا من اطفاء النيران بالبنزينه بالجرادل المليئه بالرمال فقط لان الكارثه اللي لسه عارفها ان المياه مقطوعه عن الوادي الان ……هاتروحوا من ربنا فين يا ولاد !!!!
about an hour ago
انباء مؤكده توجهه الان عدد كبير من بلطجية الامن نحو متحف الاثار استعدادا لاقتحامه واضرام النيران فيه و الان مئات الشباب يحاولون تجميع نفسهم مره اخري بميدان البساتين لمواجهه هؤلاء البلطجيه والشباب يقوم الان بصنع اعداد هائله من قنابل المولوتوف لمفاجأة البلطجيه
44 minutes ago
شباب الوادي يجدوا صعوبه بالغه في تجميع انفسهم بسبب الظلام الدامس في الشوارع نتيجة قطع الكهرباء عن الشوارع وللاسف لم استطيع حصر عدد المعتقلين حتي الان واستمرار تصاعد السنه النيران من كل ارجاء المحافظه
35 minutes ago
للاسف انا مش هاروح …انا اخترت طريق و لازم اكمله,,,بس كان نفسي اشوف امي كان نفسي….. و كمان الموبيل هيفصل شحن :(“
27 minutes ago
Al Wadi el Gedid is on fire for the first time in its history.. bloody clashes between protesters and the police…the initial toll shows serious casualties  among the protesters and two have been transferred to the Assiut Military Hospital. A police van was set on fire, and the Higher COurt was burned. The families of the victims warn of bigger protests .. wait for the exclusive videos and photographs
7 hours ago:
The protesters start a fire in the National Democratic Party building and are now moving to the Public Prosecutor's administrative building. The security forces are attacking with tear gas.. wait for the videos which show this corrupt regime. Just pray that I return home safe
7 hours ago:
News about the suffocation of a three-year-old girl because of the indiscriminate firing of tear gas on the houses next to the Public Prosecutor's building under the pretext that the protesters are hiding in them. Hundreds of young men are chanting: “The people want to oust the president” … the Wadi el Gedid has become the new Suez. May God have mercy
6 hours ago:
Two protesters killed in front of me as a result of direct gun shots in the eyes and brain. The security forces are using live ammunition in a brutal manner, on the protesters and the houses, indiscriminately.. Wait for the most horrific photographs and videos from the massacre that is witnessed by El Wadi now
6 hours ago:
Revolution… revolution until victory! Revolution in all the streets of Egypt ..
4 hours ago:
I need the number of any satellite television station quick.. the situation is getting worse, and the security forces are wiping out the protesters. The security thugs are everywhere. The number of martyrs increases to eight – and there are dozens of injured, fighting death, now. Please, whoever reads this, give me the number of any channel, please
3 hours ago:
You sons of dogs! The police are trying to open the Wadi El Gedid prison, which spells the beginning of a real catastrophe. The fires are rising all over the district and the number of victims is increasing in a scary way. The blood of martyrs is washing the streets of the Wadi
2 hours ago:
The security cuts off electricity from all the streets in the district. Street warfare is intense between the protesters and the security thugs. I can confirm that the Governorate building is on fire. Do not worry about me. I am hiding on the roof of a building and the security forces are arresting scores of youth haphazardly. They are taken in unmarked cars to unknown places
about one hour ago:
The sons of dogs did it. The police are now utilising the services of the Al Wadi prison thugs. They have kept the political prisoners behind bars. It is noteworthy that the prison is the largest political prison in the Middle East. The building is underground. The US has offered an astronomical figure to buy that prison but the Egyptian authorities refused. A fire just started in petrol station, in the centre of the Thanawiya neighbourhood, which could be the start of a human catastrophe soon. May God have mercy
about an hour ago:
The residents are working hard to put off the fire in the petrol station before it explodes
about an hour ago:
In what could only be a miracle, the youth, men and children of the Thanawiya neighbourhood have been able to extinguish the fire in the petrol station using bucketfuls of sand. The tragedy I just discovered is that they cut off the water in the Wadi. Where will you go (from the punishment) of God?
44 minutes ago:
Confirmed news that a large number of thugs are now going towards the Antiques Museum to break into it and set it on fire. Hundreds of youth are regrouping themselves to go and confront the thugs. The youth are preparing a large number of molotov bombs to surprise them
35 minutes ago:
The youth are finding it difficult to regroup because of the darkness on the streets after the electricity was cut off. Unfortunately I was not able to tally the number of those arrested. The flames of fires continue to rise across the district
27 minutes ago:
Unfortunately I will not go. I have chosen a path I must complete. I wanted to see my mother. I had hoped to see her. Also, my phone is running out of charge.
Following are reactions from Twitter, as the tragedy comes to light:
@monasosh: clashes bt ppl & police in Kharga new valley, police opened fire, 3 dead & more than 100 injured #Jan25
@evanchill: In Kharga, al-Wadi al-Gadid province, today: 3 dead, 100 wounded. Security back to killing, just not in Cairo. http://ow.ly/3T6Y6
@AzizaSami: Kharga Oasis in #Egypt now rising in political revolt-the first time in its history since z days of z Pharaohs #Jan25 #Mubarak Fallen
@AzizaSami: @JustAmira The assaults on people in #Kharga r unprecedented,&people there fear a massacre by police members there tonite. #Egypt @amnesty
@AzizaSami: @JustAmira Kharga:a large urban centre in ancient oasis south of#Egypt's Western Desert:repository of monuments of Pharaonic&Christian era
@gbabiker: @ssirgany @kalnaga #25Jan #Egypt #Jan25 #Cairo #Tahrir: They are killing people and trashing the museum in #Oasis El Kharga…
@hebalsherif: Frantic caller on AJA form Kharga calling on Hawas to protect museum of antiquities, fearing lack of security could result in easy break in
@sultanalqassemi: AFP: Three dead, 100 wounded in clashes in south Egypt town of El Kharga (400km/240miles south of Cairo, Pop ~65,000) http://bit.ly/hFY7vy
@JazzCorroboree: Is this the promised transition to democracy?#Mubarak#Kharga#Egypt#Jan25
@Jnoubiyeh: Medics in #Kharga say that many protesters have sustained severe injuries and the death toll is expected to rise. #Jan25 #Egypt #Mubarak
UPDATE: Hossam El Hamalawy uploaded a video, with a report from Press TV, dealing with the developments in Kharga. (Warning: Contains graphic images)
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.


text:
Egypt: Hunt Continues for Blogger Kareem Amer  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
The hunt continues for Egyptian blogger Abdulkareem Nabeel Sulaiman, known as Kareem Amer, who went missing after leaving Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo on February 7.
Kareem Amer
Kareem, who had spent four years in prison for an article he published on his blog, was released  last November 15. His previous arrest and trial, for insulting Islam and president Hosni Mubarak, as well as his abuse in prison, drew international condemnation and supporters now fear he may have been arrested again.
Netizens report that he was arrested, along with film maker Samir Eshra on Kasr El Nil bridge, and attempts to reach both men have failed.
Reporters without Borders has reported the arrests and called for their release:
Kareem Amer, together with the film-maker Samir Eshra on Cairo’s Kasr El-Nil bridge yesterday evening as they were leaving Tahrir Square. Reporters Without Borders calls for their immediate release.
“Kareem Amer owes his prominence to his virulent criticism of the regime,” Reporters Without Borders said. “We fear the authorities will use this opportunity to send him back to prison for a long time.”
Reporters Without Borders is also concerned about the possibility of reprisals against local journalists, bloggers and fixers as the international media gradually leave Egypt. It appeals for the utmost vigilance and reminds the authorities that they have a duty to guarantee the safety of all the media personnel trying to cover events in Egypt.
BikyaMasr has more:
Colleagues reported seeing him at the demonstrations in central Cairo’s Tahrir Square, but as he was returning home from the day’s protests, he was allegedly detained by police and has not been heard from since.
Dalia Ziada, a leading blogger and writer on Egyptian politics, told Bikya Masr that Amer was “on his way back home at night. He was accompanied by another friend, Samir. Both of them have now disappeared.”
She said that people close to the blogger claim he was ambushed at the Kasr el-Nil exit from the square and kidnapped, although Bikya Masr has yet to confirm details of the alleged kidnapping.
Following are some reactions from Twitter, from the time he has gone missing until now:
@Elazul: Blogger Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman Amer Is STILL missing. Please spread the word like we did about @Ghonim #Jan25 Jan25
@Elazul: @jmayton @SadekHM @cvirus @Ghonim his full name is Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman Amer not Kareem Amer only.
@waelabbas: blogger Karim Amer and independent film maker Samir Eshra arrested
@TarikSalama: @JustAmira Kareem Amer disappeared yesterday around 11h30 PM on Kasr El Nil Bridge with independent film maker Samir Eshra #Jan25 #Egypt
@saraboctor: @SamirEshra Samir is missing since last night @ 11:30 pm, taking kasr el nil bridge with kareem amer, on his way home
@Salamander: If anyone sees kareem amer in #tahrir sq plz let us know #jan25 #tahrir #egypt
@Salamander: Kareem Amer's phone is now switch off, he might have been arrested #jan25 #tahrir
@alnitak250: @Ghonim is free again, but others are still missing. Among them Blogger Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman Amer #jan25 #egypt
Kareem Amer's arrest is part of a targeted strategy by the Egyptian regime to muzzle people and stop them from reporting on the on going protests, now on Day 16.
According to Reporters without Borders, “almost every journalist in Cairo seems to have been the victim of an incident.”
Here‘s a tally of abuses against the Press:
Reporters Without Borders is posting a provisional tally of cases of abuses against journalists and media since the start of the violence on 2 February, above all in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. The tally is far from final or definitive. Additional cases keep on being reported and it is very difficult to compile a comprehensive inventory of the situation. It will be updated as information is received.
Nonetheless, the tally already gives a picture of the incredible scope of the campaign of hate and violence unleashed against the international media. Few news organizations have been spared. Almost every journalist in Cairo seems to have been the victim of an incident.
And here are some of the staggering numbers it provides:
1 journalist dead: Ahmed Mohammed Mahmoud from Al-Ahram
Journalists attacked but not detained : 79
Journalists detained for at least 2 hours : 76
Journalists we don’t have any news about : 1
Case of material harmed and media offices closed : 25
Media the most targeted : Al Jazeera with 3 reporters attacked and 4 detained (all released) + office trashed.
Countries with the most harassed journalists in Egypt :  US (29 + a VOA team) France (18) Poland (9) Qatar (7 – all Al Jazeera)
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.