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Bogotá Mayor Dismissed, Barred from Politics Over Imperfect Trash Collection · Global Voices
Julián Ortega Martínez

Bogotá's Mayor Gustavo Petro on a waste collector truck from his ‘Basura Cero’ (Zero Trash) programme. Photo shared by Bogotá Humana on Flickr under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Colombia's Inspector General Alejandro Ordóñez Maldonado announced through a press release [es] that his office dismissed Bogota's Mayor Gustavo Petro and banned him from public office for 15 years.
Though the decision did not come as a surprise for most Colombians, the reaction on social networks divided the country on these two controversial public figures: Ordóñez, 58, a staunch Catholic opposed to gay rights, abortion, and the current peace talks with FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) in Havana; and Petro, 53, a former guerrilla fighter of the M-19 group, praised for his combativeness as a Congressman and his social policies, but criticized for being populist and authoritarian as mayor of the country's capital.
The Inspector General's official YouTube account shared a video [es] of the announcement:
The incident for which Petro has been dismissed happened a year ago, when he decided not to renew the licences granted to private companies for rubbish collection, wishing to take back the service and promote recycling [es]. But garbage compacting trucks rented in the United States for the mayor's “Basura Cero” (zero trash) programme were still in customs and did not arrive on time. Over the course of three days, trash bags were all over the streets of the city. Eventually, Petro had to silently extend the licenses for three of the four private companies formerly responsible for waste collection, while at the same time contracting the public water company (Empresa de Acueducto y Alcantarillado de Bogotá, in Spanish) for some of the trash collection.
The inspector general believed that Petro “consciously” ordered “two companies without any experience, knowledge, and capacity” (the public water company and the spun-off entity “Aguas de Bogotá”) to pick up the rubbish, implemented an “unlawful” new model for trash collection breaking “the constitutional principles of free enterprise and competition,” decisions which Petro knew were “irregular,” and that he dealt with the emergency by using dumper trucks for trash collection, which is not allowed. The complete ruling has not been published yet.
Despite all this, many see the decision as political, given the opposite sides in which Ordóñez and Petro fall in the political spectrum. The severity of the ban contrasts with the mild sanction handed down to Petro's predecessor, Samuel Moreno Rojas, who was only suspended by Ordóñez for a corruption scandal (he would later be sent to prison).
On Twitter, user Daniel Arango praised Inspector General Ordóñez:
Lo he dicho y lo repetiré siempre; Alejandro Ordóñez es el mejor funcionario público que tiene Colombia. Ovación de pie. #ChaoPetro
— Daniel Arango (@stultaviro) diciembre 9, 2013
I've already said it and will always repeat it; Alejandro Ordóñez is the best public servant in Colombia. Standing ovation. #byePetro
But Juan Camilo Dávila regretted the decision:
En Colombia ser de izquierda, ganar una elección y gobernar como izquierda, acaba de ser declarado falta disciplinaria…
— Juan Camilo Dávila. (@elcachaco) diciembre 9, 2013
In Colombia, being left-wing, winning an election and ruling as a left-wing politician has just been declared a disciplinary offence.
In 2010-2011 alone, the Office of the Inspector General disciplined [es] 302 mayors and 29 governors. The following year, it punished [es] 258 mayors, 177 town and city councillors, nine governors, five senators, two department deputies, and one legislator from the House of Representatives. As of November 2012, Ordóñez (in office since 2009 and re-elected through 2017) has imposed sanctions [es] on 22 congresspeople from political parties across the spectrum.
María Isabel Ángel questioned:
El Procurador hace rato ha destituido a varios que han sido elegidos por voto popular. ¿Por qué con Petro si les molesta que lo haga?
— María Isabel Ángel V (@MaisAngel) diciembre 9, 2013
The Inspector General has for a long time dismissed many people elected by popular vote. Why does it bother you that he does that with Petro?
The discussion over the powers granted in the Constitution to the Inspector General has just begun [es]. Juan Manuel Reyes (@machecor) stated [es]:
La Procuraduría en las manos de Alejandro Ordóñez se ha convertido en una inquisición que busca a cual más imponer las visiones de su jefe, en vez de convertirse en el supuesto vigilante de la función pública.
The Inspector General's Office in the hands of Alejandro Ordóñez has become an inquisition eagerly seeking to impose the views of its boss, instead of becoming the supposed guardian of public service.
Andrés Segura made several points (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6):
1. Si un funcionario viola la ley, y toma decisiones que perjudican a la sociedad dolosamente, los órganos de control SI deben actuar.
2. El voto popular NO es un comodín que garantiza impunidad cuando se viola la ley.
3. Lo feo de lo de hoy es como los órganos de control se ensañan para beneficiarse políticamente y no ejercen su labor con todos.
4. “Mal de muchos consuelo de tontos”: Que haya muchos funcionarios que la embarren no quita que alguno deba ser castigado.
5. El uso político de los órganos de control es un pésimo antecedente para la democracia.
6. 15 años me parece desproporcionado. Y eso no es justificación para llamar a la “movilización social” así sea “pacífica”
1. If a public employee breaks the law, and intentionally makes decisions harmful to society, the regulatory bodies MUST act.
2. Popular vote IS NOT a wild card guaranteeing impunity when breaking the law.
3. The ugly thing about today is how regulatory bodies take advantage in order to profit politically and they don't do their job with everyone.
4. “Two in distress make sorrow less”: just because there are many public employees screwing up doesn't mean that someone shouldn't be punished.
5. The political use of regulatory bodies is a lousy precedent for democracy.
6. 15 years is disproportionate to me. And that's not a justification for calling for a “social mobilisation” even if it's “peaceful”
After claiming [es] that the decision was a “coup d'état”, Mayor Petro called people to support him by going to the Plaza de Bolívar in downtown Bogotá. Meanwhile, the building of the Inspector General's Office was closed and surrounded by the anti-riot police. Around 19:00, Petro made a speech [es] stating that his dismissal was arbitrary, relating it to the political participation of the left, and making allusions to Cairo's Tahrir Square.
User Rodolfo Otero uploaded Petro's speech [es] to YouTube:
Some users criticized the speech:
Cuando Petro invita a que Plaza de Bolívar se convierta en Tahrir, ignora la misma democracia que eligió tres alcalde de izquierda seguidos
— Francisco Miranda (@pachomiranda) diciembre 10, 2013
When Petro invites [people to turn] Plaza de Bolívar into Tahrir [Square], he's ignoring the same democracy which elected three consecutive left-wing mayors.
Does @petrogustavo want martyrs in his #Bogotá Tahrir Square? Comparing Egypt's drama to Colombia is ludicrous.
— The City Paper (@citypaperbogota) diciembre 10, 2013
Si a Petro lo destituyen por su pasado guerrillero,¿por qué Antonio Navarro ha podido completar sin problemas sus mandatos por voto popular?
— Fernanda Díaz (@ferdiaze) diciembre 10, 2013
If Petro is dismissed by his guerrilla past, why has Antonio Navarro [former commandant and leader of guerilla group turned political party M-19] been able to complete his terms by popular vote?
But others supported it:
Fuerte discurso de Petro. Necesario.
— Verdugo (@SrtaVerdugo) diciembre 10, 2013
Strong speech by Petro. Necessary.
Petro called [es] for another mobilisation on 10 December, the day after his dismissal. He may remain in office while the ruling is appealed (before the same Inspector General), but he could also decide to defend himself out of office. It is not quite clear [es] if elections should be called, though it is the most likely scenario [es]. Petro's term was due to end 31 December 2015.

author: Julián Ortega Martínez


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Bolivian Feminist Organization is the ‘Little Rock in the Government’s Shoe’ · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

This is a very conservative government as far as gay rights and abortion or anything having to do with women or women’s rights. […] This government doesn’t really see us as an enemy, but rather we’re like a little rock in the shoe, a constant irritation.
Benjamin Dangl and April Howard interviewed Julieta Ojeda of Mujeres Creando (Women Creating), “an anarchist/feminist organization in Bolivia that has been a radical voice for women’s rights before and throughout Evo Morales’ time in office.” Read the full interview on Upside Down World.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Silvia Viñas


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Brazil: Do You Admire Mandela? Then Support Human Rights · Global Voices
Mariana Parra

A banner paying homage to Nelson Mandela takes on the unanimous popularity of the South-African leader in Brazil to call those who admire his legacy to support human rights. The message was spread by the non-governmental organization Conectas Human Rights in the International Human Rights Day, 10 December 2013.
Banner publicized by Conectas Human Rights on Facebook
Translation: “Do you also feel moved by his legacy? Thousands of people around the world suffer with daily violations of human rights. They need you to do more than to be moved. Follow his example. Embrace the cause. Support human rights. Here. Now.” December 10, International Human Rights Day. Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)
“Do more than being moved” is the appeal of the organization in a country where conservatism and a negative vision about human rights seems to be growing. As some recent opinion polls show, 90% of Brazilians support the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility, and 61% believe that criminality is caused by people's bad character.

author: Mariana Parra


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Cuba Temporarily Reestablishes Consular Services in the United States  · Global Voices
Elaine Díaz

The Cuban Interest Section, the country's diplomatic mission in Washington, has temporarily reestablished its consular services until 17 February 2014. The decision comes after M&T Bank Corporation indicated they would postpone closing the Cuban diplomatic mission's accounts in the United States.
The official announcement by the Cuban Interest Section is an indication that the country “will continue efforts to identify a new bank to take over the operation of its accounts and, to the extent that this is achieved, will be capable of permanently normalizing consular services.”
According to the website Café Fuerte, “it is estimated that some 80,000 people travel to Cuba from the United States during the December holiday period.”
Last July 12, M&T Bank Corporation informed the Cuban Interest Section in Washington that it would no longer offer banking services to foreign diplomatic misions. As a result, the Cuban Interest Section and the Cuban Permanent Mission to the United Nations found themselves, in short order, having to terminate the relationship and initiate the search for a new financial institution with which to conduct their banking activities.
This situation had prompted the Cuban Interest Section to suspend its consular services until further notice.

author: Elaine Díaz


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“Digital Hooligans” from Iran Attack Messi’s Facebook · Global Voices
Farid

Argentinian footballer Leo Messi's Facebook page
“Digital hooligans” from Iran bombarded thousands of insulting and threatening comments in Persian on the Facebook page of Argentinian football player Lionel Messi as the World Cup groups were determined on Saturday. Argentina, Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Nigeria were polled together.
Many of the comments use very foul language.
Many Iranians published comments and tweets calling the cyberattack shameful.
Kargadan tweeted [fa]:
به نظر من دولت ایران و مارک زاکربرگ باید دست به دست هم بدن و فیسبوک رو از هموطنان عزیز پاکسازی کنن که این وسط آبروی بقیه ملت نره! #مسی
— ـكرگـ ـدنـ (@Rhino_x) December 7, 2013
Zuckerberg [Facebook's founder] and the Iranian government, should hand in hand clean out Facebook's page of Iranians to save our honor.
Sooskak tweeted [fa]:
همون بهتر فیسبوک فیلتره#مسی
— سوسکِ قاچاقچی (@Sooskak) December 7, 2013
It's good that Facebook is filtered [in Iran].
Baridya tweeted [fa]:
اگر همین فردا هم جمهوری اسلامی سقوط کنه خیلی سریع یه حکومت عالی جایگزین بشه باز هم 15-20سال طول میکشه تا فرهنگ این مردم درست بشه!#مسی
— Bardiya (@1Bardiya) December 7, 2013
If the Islamic Republic collapsed today, it would take 15-20 years for this people's culture to improve.
Blogger 5Char published [fa] a screen shot of insulting comments and says it is typical of a generation that grew up under Islamic Republic.
Another blogger, Andarbab says [fa]:
These people try to make up for their inadequacy with slogans and insults. They are the same people who chant “Down with the USA” yet wish to get a US Green Card. They insult Messi, yet wish to get a souvenir fan photo taken with him.

author: Farid


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Introducing the Blogosphere of Russia’s North Caucasus · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

The Caucasus Network, 10 June 2013, photo by Sergey Ponomarev.
This is the introduction to an extensive RuNet Echo study of the North Caucasus blogosphere. Explore the complete report and personal stories on The Caucasus Network page.
Mari Bastashevski and Sergey Ponomarev have produced a series of texts and videos to describe the blogosphere of the Russian North Caucasus. While there are existing studies that address the use of social virtual space across all Russia (notably, Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society has done valuable work in this field), virtually no information is available about the blogging world of the Russian North Caucasus. How similar are that region’s online dynamics to what exists in other parts of Russia and the world? To what degree does the North Caucasus’ blogosphere really belong to the “RuNet”?
Methodology
The uniqueness and novelty of this study is that it reflects on differences within the Russian blogosphere between ethnic Russian bloggers and bloggers of North Caucasus. The conditions, themes, and approaches to Internet use and netizen activism vary significantly in comparisons of Russians and North Caucasian bloggers, and among North Caucasian bloggers themselves.
In this study, our researchers have focused on the region’s five key Russian republics: Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Ossetia. The study also addresses the North Caucasus’ most popular blogging mediums: image sharing, micro-blogging, status-updates, journaling, group organization, and independent domain blogging. The methods employed by Bastashevski and Ponomarev are both interactive, including interviews with individual bloggers, and observational, focusing on interpretative text analysis. Ponomarev traveled to the region and met directly with different popular bloggers.
Interactive Research
Bastashevski and Ponomarev identified and interviewed influential and representative bloggers from across the region’s social spectrum, gathering data for storytelling that captures narratives both individual and collective. The interviews consisted of semi-structured, open-ended questions.
Observational Research
The project also includes in-depth content analysis of the North Caucasus’ most popular blogs, studying multiple popular platforms, with particular focus on data collected from LiveJournal. In this section of the research, Bastashevski also spoke to ICT professionals, in order to grasp the industry-insider’s perspective.
While the study in not based in scientific arguments, the project’s focus on individual agency as revealed in personal storytelling gives the work a different kind of merit. Like quantitative work on the RuNet, this project does map the blogosphere of the Russian North Caucasus, but its methodology is qualitative and interpretive.
Overview
The blogosphere of the Russian North Caucasus is a hyperactive and rapidly developing community that has changed and expanded dramatically, particularly in the last two years.
Becoming a widespread form of self-expression at the turn of the century (with the arrival of mass Internet culture), blogging entered the North Caucasus’ mainstream shortly after its biggest cities “came online.” Gaining visibility with the earliest Internet cafes, the region’s first netizens were predominantly young men, using the Web for multiplayer computer gaming, text-based chat, and the exchange of multimedia. This trend, while still extremely popular, has shifted largely to 2G and 3G mobile devices. Developing largely by word of mouth, this early Internet-user culture appears to be an import from the Russian heartland.
The linkages between Russian and North Caucasian Internet cultures make sense, given national boundaries and the practicalities of telecommunications, but the blogospheres remain quite distinct. Both communities, of course, share a common language, just as the spread of English has promulgated particular blogging conventions prevalent in Europe and the United States. Indeed, as bloggers in the North Caucasus build their English language skills, it is possible that Anglophone netizen customs could spread to the region.
Bloggers in the North Caucasus regularly note the hostility and racism of the Russian online community (directed at North Caucasians) and make no secret that they would distance themselves from the Russian language blogosphere, if they could write in a different widely read language.
For now, bloggers in the Russian North Caucasus write mainly in Russian—a language they utilize (largely instrumentally) to expand their reach. This choice of language does not mean that the region’s bloggers write in an attempt to dialogue with ethnic Russians. The Russian tongue is simply the best lingua franca available to most bloggers in the North Caucasus, as that area’s native languages are rare indeed outside the region.
One unsurprising consequence of the strained relationship between Russians and the North Caucasian republics’ titular nationalities is a Russian comment culture that is often racist and aggressive towards those who are “dark-skinned.” Russian bloggers commonly resort to chauvinist tropes, and many are now dabbling in English language commentary, just as North Caucasians draw on Russian as a means to access broader audiences.
An overwhelming majority of bloggers in the North Caucasus uses LiveJournal as its main platform. While the region enjoys a thriving (and indeed growing) “echo chamber” of reposted and retweeted material, much of the community’s content is self-authored and original. Most of this material consists of text, but photo-blogging is increasingly popular.
Censorship and self-censorship are prevalent. Typically, the agents of surveillance and censorship are an intermediary set of individuals responsible for managing the region’s blogging platforms—people with vested business interests in the blogosphere’s continued stability. Police and other officials meddle indirectly with netizen content by manipulating these ICT professionals, who in turn intervene against bloggers. Bastashevski has interviewed individuals involved in this process.
General Findings
In terms of size and influence, Dagestan dominates the region’s blogosphere, followed closely by Ingushetia and Chechnya, with Ossetia and Kabardino-Balkaria trailing behind. Bloggers of the region’s online community author most of their own written content, complemented by photographs and various types of syndicated materials.
The blogosphere of the North Caucasus is a tight-knit community. Most of its active members are interested in issues local to the region and lack any real national or global reach. That said, the substance of their concerns and the subjects they address—along with the blogging methods they employ—are not all that different from what one finds in blogospheres worldwide.
Interviews suggest that the North Caucasus’ bloggers would happily interact with other netizens from within the region or around the country, but they assume their activity holds no interest for outsiders.
This study explores how blogging—a medium tailored to borderless exchange—led to such isolation and localization in the North Caucasus. As a survey of the region’s online communities, this material should appeal to anyone who wants to learn something about the North Caucasus. This research engages the region’s bloggers directly, separating it from the analyses of many foreign experts, who often write about the area’s culture and politics without interacting with the individuals there or ever visiting the place.
The study challenges many of the most common and often erroneous stereotypes about the North Caucasus, revealing and unpacking the normality obscured behind the exoticism and imagined differences popular in mainstream work about the region’s culture and netizens.
This is the introduction to an extensive RuNet Echo study of the North Caucasus blogosphere. Explore the complete report and personal stories on The Caucasus Network page.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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Italian Newspapers Mistakenly Call Nelson Mandela ‘Father of Apartheid’ · Global Voices
Annalisa Merelli

A screenshot of Italian newspaper Il Gionale's headline calling Nelson Mandela “the father of apartheid”.
As the news of beloved former South African President Nelson Mandela's death reached the far corners of the web on December 5, 2013, online publications of all kinds rushed to update their headlines, publish obituaries, and share images, stories and tributes to a man who indeed left the world a better place.
Some did better than others. In Italy, where newsrooms are facing cuts and the quality of journalism is often criticized, several national newspapers published on their websites headlines calling Mandela “the father of apartheid”. Mandela was, in fact, instrumental in the dismantling of apartheid, South Africa's system of racial discrimination.
The headlines appeared on the country's main right-wing newspaper Il Giornale as well as newspapers il Mattino and Il Messaggero, generating a wave of criticism online.
A screenshot of Italian newspaper Il Messaggero's headline calling Nelson Mandela “the father of apartheid”.
A screenshot of Italian newspaper Il Mattino's headline calling Nelson Mandela “the father of apartheid”
Although the mistake was corrected shortly after its appearance, the headline was copied in a number of publications, such as news portal Il Post.
On Twitter, representatives of Il Giornale, including Andrea Cortellari, who wrote the headline, apologized profusely:
@milofra @PIERPARDO Errore imperdonabile. Il senso, avrete immaginato, era “padre della lotta a…”. Non posso che porgere le mie scuse
— Andrea Cortellari (@ACortellari) December 5, 2013
An unforgivable mistake. The intention, as you may imagine, was “the father of the fight against…” I can't apologize enough.
Many attacked him and the newspaper—which is often criticized for its biased support of ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Italy's left. Twitter user iceheartp, for example, replied to the apology:
.@ACortellari tranquillo, ci sono cose più umilianti nella vita. Tipo scrivere per Il Giornale.
— iceheartp (@IceHeartP) December 5, 2013
@ACortellari No worries, there are more humiliating things in life. Like writing for Il Giornale.
Others appreciated the apology, deeming it an unusual gesture amongst Italian journalists. Meanwhile, referencing the paper's editor Alessandro Sallusti, prominent journalist Gad Lerner asked:
“Il Giornale” di Sallusti prima definisce Mandela “padre dell'apartheid”, poi chiede scusa. Ma è perdonabile l'ignoranza dei benestanti?
— Gad Lerner (@gadlernertweet) December 6, 2013
Sallusti's Il Giornale calls Mandela “the father of apartheid”, then apologizes. But is the ignorance of the well-off forgivable?
The incident also generated a broader conversation about the difficulty of maintaining the quality in journalism amidst a lack of resources—budget cuts and shrinking editorial staff make it harder to maintain high standards while publishing in real-time, some argued.
Italian journalist Gianni Riotta pointed to the headline error as evidence of the poor state of affairs for the Italian press:
I giornali che celebrano Nelson Mandela come “il Padre dell'Apartheid” sono prova tragica di come le cose vadano male nel vecchio mestiere
— Gianni Riotta (@riotta) December 5, 2013
Newspapers celebrating Nelson Mandela as “the father of apartheid” are the tragic proof of how bad things are going for the profession

author: Annalisa Merelli


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Mandela: Friend of Timor Leste and Indonesian Batik Fashion Icon · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Nelson Mandela in Batik…love this man #RIP #Mandelashirt pic.twitter.com/tR641Vb09H
— Asept Surachman (@a53pt) December 5, 2013
Southeast Asian nations joined the world in mourning the death of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s anti-apartheid hero and first black president. Mandela is also remembered in the region as a leader who supported the independence struggle of Timor Leste and the most popular endorser of batik, a traditional Indonesian shirt.
Following his release from jail in 1990, Mandela visited Jakarta and received a souvenir batik shirt from then President Suharto. He eventually made the batik shirt his trademark suit in international gatherings which impressed Indonesian leaders including former Vice President Jusuf Kalla:
He had the courage to wear batik during a United Nations’ session. Even I might have had doubts wearing a batik shirt and speaking before the audience at a UN meeting.
Some of Mandela’s batik shirts were designed by Indonesian batik maestro Iwan Tirta. In South Africa, the batik came to be known as the Madiba shirt.  Iwan believes that the batik has enhanced Mandela’s charisma as a fighter:
Mandela is a strong prominent figure who suits my batik collection. He does not only look appealing, but his fighter’s charisma is enhanced even more when he wears batik.
Jakarta Globe’s editorial urges Indonesian leaders to emulate the leadership of Mandela:
His passing is a moment for all of us to reflect on our own lives. Too many politicians today, including those in Indonesia, are too self-centered and concerned with immediate gain rather than working for a long-term goal.
On Twitter, Indonesians praised Mandela for wearing the batik:
Most will remember Nelson Mandela as a nation changing hero. We'll remember him as a big fan of batik. pic.twitter.com/1Wn5HIgEgk
— Wall Street English (@WSE_Indonesia) December 6, 2013
RT @SubhanAksa: Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela. The only non Indonesian who got more batik collection than Indonesian i think.
— Anak Makassar (@SupirPete2) December 5, 2013
The Batik owner is Indonesia, but the loyal user of Batik until the end of his life only Nelson Mandela. I am proud of you Nelson Mandela!
— Rizky A. ADIWILAGA (@SiAbahKIKI) December 5, 2013
RIP Nelson Mandela,thank for being our inspiration and taught us the meaning of equality,and ur loyalty to us Batik.
— sandra prasetyo (@sanprasetyo) December 5, 2013
#RIPNelsonMandela we are proud when Nelson Mandela to wear batik. typical Indonesian clothing => pic.twitter.com/hZvh2TciSU
— Alfian_Muse (@alfian_muse) December 6, 2013
Indonesia proud with you Mr. Nelson Mandela. Thank you for promo Batik to the world. RIP Nelson Mandela
— Reivo Wasrika Kim (@realreivo) December 5, 2013
Meanwhile, journalist Aboeprijadi Santoso recognized Mandela’s role in raising the prestige of the liberation movement in East Timor. When Mandela met Suharto in November 1997, he insisted to have a talk with Timorese leader Xanana Gusmao who was imprisoned for leading the independence struggle against Indonesia. Aboeprijadi Santoso wrote:
Mandela’s intervention and encounter with Xanana became public relation’s greatest victory for the Timorese. The 1997 momentum had, therefore contributed to the changing circumstances and awareness among both the Timorese resistance and in the international community.
Nelson #Mandela was a friend of #Timor. He took on Suharto in Jakarta to meet with then jailed Xanana outside the prison.
— ETAN (@etan009) December 5, 2013
Xanana Gusmão recalled the circumstances of that historic meeting:
He had told Suharto that it wasn’t possible for him to avoid bringing up the problem of East Timor since prior to his departure from Africa various human rights organisations had demanded that he do just this. And he had requested a meeting with me. At first, Suharto didn’t accept the request. However, Mandela explained to the dictator that when he himself was in prison he had received visits from various foreign entities (he named them all one by one, but I don’t remember now who they were) and also South African government officials. And apparently this had the effect of changing Suharto’s mind. He told me that his intervention was in the context of achieving peace, and he spoke of the need for peace …. and we began our meal.

author: Mong Palatino


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Prison for Homeless Man Carrying Cleaning Products During Protests in Brazil · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

[All links lead to Portuguese-language webpages unless otherwise noted.]
Rafael Braga Vieira, a homeless man from Rio de Janeiro, was sentenced to five years in prison for carrying a bottle of “Pinho Sol” disinfectant and bleach while a demonstration was taking place on June 20, 2013.
The Rio de Janeiro court's decision on December 3 was based on the statute of disarmament which prohibits the carrying or use of an “explosive or incendiary device, without authorization or in breach of legal or regulatory determination” (Item III, Article 16 of that statute of the federal law in force since 2003).
According to the page of the Institute of Human Rights Defenders on Facebook, Braga Vieira only found out that he had been sentenced to five years in prison through the organization Institute of Human Rights Defenders, not through the court that sentenced him. The institute informed Braga Vieira during a visit on December 7 to the prison in which he has been incarcerated throughout the trial, and stated on Facebook that from then on that they would represent him.
In June this year, Brazil was shaken by a wave of protests [en] that became known as the Vinegar Revolt [en], in reference to the liquid widely used by journalists and protesters to curb the effects of tear gas used in abundance by police. Amid hundreds of arbitrary arrests both in June and in the subsequent months, Braga Vieira was the first to be convicted by a court and forced to serve time.
Two days after the conviction, award-winning journalist Ana Aranha wrote on the blog 3 por 4:
[Rafael] foi preso quando saia da loja abandonada [em junho] onde morava há um mês e onde pegara os dois frascos de limpeza. No laudo do esquadrão antibomba, a Polícia Civil apontou que os produtos tinham “ínfima possibilidade de funcionar como coquetel molotov”. Quando o caso chegou ao Ministério Público, as garrafas foram descritas pelo promotor responsável pela acusação como “material incendiário”. Até que o juiz Guilherem Schilling Pollo Duarte determinou que “uma das garrafas tinha mínima aptidão para funcionar como coquetel molotov” e condenou Rafael a quase seis anos de prisão.
[Rafael] was arrested when he left the abandoned store [in June] where he lived for a month and from where he picked up the two bottles of cleaning product. In the report of the bomb squad, Civil Police have found that the products had “tiny possibility to work as a cocktail molotov.” When the case came to prosecutors, the bottles were described by the prosecutor responsible for the case as “incendiary material”. Judge Guilherem Schilling Pollo Duarte determined that “one of the bottles had minimal ability to function as a molotov cocktail” and condemned Rafael to nearly six years in prison.
Aranha also commented on the absurdity of the situation – that we only know Braga Vieira through “fragments of official records”, not forgetting that “abuses and illegalities committed by military police during the protests were repeatedly caught, recorded and published”:
A repressão violenta a manifestações deveria ser, em si, algo inaceitável em um país democrático, mas o caso de Rafael tem um elemento ainda mais surreal: nós sequer sabemos se ele fazia parte do protesto.
The violent repression of demonstrations should be, in itself, unacceptable in a democratic country, but the case of Rafael has an even more surreal element: we don't even know if he was part of the protest.
The same violent police who used brutal tactics against protesters that day that Braga Vieira was arrested (Global Voices reported [en] on June 20) have not had their testimony questioned by the judge who sentenced Braga Vieira, according to collective Rio na Rua (Rio on the street):”
O juiz argumentou que “as testemunhas são pessoas idôneas, isentas e não têm qualquer interesse pessoal em incriminar o réu”, contrastando com a defesa de Rafael, que, segundo Duarte, “declarou uma versão pueril e inverosímil, no sentido de que teria encontrado as duas garrafas lacradas, ambas em uma loja abandonada, e resolveu tirá-las dali”.
The judge argued that “witnesses are people with a reputation, unbiased and with no personal interest in incriminating the defendant,” contrasting with the defense of Rafael, who, according to Duarte, “gave a puerile and implausible version, in which he would have found the two sealed bottles, both in an abandoned store, and decided to take them away.”
Marcos Romão wrote on the blog Mamapress about the charges hanging over Braga Vieira in early November:
O MP afirma que o preso “se prevaleceu de um momento de comoção nacional, de protestos legítimos da sociedade brasileira no exercício de sua cidadania, para de forma covarde espalhar o terror na cidade, visando incendiar prédios comerciais, cenas estas que presenciamos de forma exaustiva nos noticiários”
The MP [prosecutors office] said that the prisoner “has prevailed in a time of national upheaval, of the legitimate protests of Brazilian society in exercising their citizenship, in order to spread terror in the city in a cowardly way, aiming to set fire to commercial buildings, scenes we have exhaustively witnessed in the news”
Journalist Piero Locatelli, also arrested on June 13 just before a demonstration in Sao Paulo accused of “carrying vinegar”, was the first to slam the sentencing, which occurred on December 3, in an article in Carta Capital magazine.
In the same article, Locatelli pointed out contradictions in the report, such as the fact that there was no cloth in the mouth of the bottle and that plastic containers couldn't serve as firebombs “since they don't shatter when breaking on the ground”:
Negro, morador de rua e catador de latinhas, Vieira é o primeiro condenado dos protestos de junho no Estado. Com 26 anos de idade, Vieira já havia sido preso duas vezes por roubo, em 2006 e 2008, e cumpriu as penas completas. Ainda cabem recursos a instâncias superiores, e a defesa não se pronunciou sobre o caso. O morador de rua deverá continuar preso no complexo presidiário de Japeri, município na região metropolitana do Rio, devido ao pedido de prisão cautelar feito pelo mesmo juiz.
Black, homeless and a can collector, Vieira is the first to be sentenced after the June protests in the state. 26-year-old Vieira had already been arrested twice for theft in 2006 and 2008, and served the full sentences. There will still be an appeal in the higher courts, Braga Vieira's defense attorneys have not commented on the sentencing. The homeless man should remain a prisoner in the Japeri prison complex, in the metropolitan region of Rio, due to the request for protective arrest made by the same judge.
Anonymous Rio, which had demanded Braga Vieira's release since the first day of November for being imprisoned without trial since June, also reacted to the sentence pointing to social inequality in Brazil, a country with the fourth largest prison population [en] in the world:
Essa é a cara da desigualdade social e da (in)justiça brasileira. É essa a cara do sistema carcerário brasileiro, a cara da intensificação da desigualdade social, da falta de critério. […]
A população carcerária no Brasil é formada basicamente por jovens, pobres, negros, homens e com baixo nível de escolaridade. Os dados estatísticas de 2008 do Departamento penitenciário nacional indicam que mais da metade dos presos tem menos de trinta anos; 95% são pobres, 93,88% são do sexo masculino, dois terços não completaram o ensino fundamental e também dois terços são negros.
This is the face of social inequality and the Brazilian (in)justice. This is the face of the Brazilian prison system, the face of intensifying social inequality, of the lack of criteria. […]
The prison population in Brazil is basically made up of young, poor, black men with low levels of schooling. The 2008 statistics data from the National Penitentiary Department indicate that more than half of the inmates are under 30, 95 percent are poor, 93.88 percent are male, two-thirds had not completed elementary school and also two-thirds are black.
The collective Ocupa Câmara Rio (Occupy Rio Chamber) repudiated the sentence on Facebook:
Rafael não representa ameaça a segurança pública, como quiseram supor. Ele é, junto com tantos outros seres precarizados e excluídos, a imagem de um sistema que não dá certo, que faz com que pessoas vivam nas ruas, nômades marginalizados do submundo, do sub-urbano, do sub-humano. Rafael buscava sua dignidade catando latinhas e procurando um local limpo e seguro para passar as noites.
Poster calling for freedom for Baiano and Rafael shared on the blog of Coletivo das Lutas. The caption in the blog reads: “This is Jair, and his unseparable megaphone. Unfortunately we don't have any photos of Rafael.”
Rafael poses no threat to public safety, as they wanted to assume. He is, along with many other precarious and marginalized beings, the image of a system that does not work, that causes people to live on the streets, marginalized nomads of the underworld, sub-urban, sub-human. Rafael sought dignity picking up cans and looking for a clean and safe place to spend his nights.
The collective Das Lutas (Of the Struggle) recalled in a post prior to the sentencing of Rafael that he was not the only prisoner from the protests. Others, like Jair Seixas Rodrigues, better known as “Baiano”, who is a member of the International Front of Homeless People (FIST), also had their liberty arbitrarily suppressed during the demonstrations. Baiano is awaiting trial and could face the same fate as Braga Vieira, prison (Update: Baiano was released from prision on December 19):
[Baiano] foi preso no dia 15 de outubro (…) enquanto estava acompanhando a manifestação ao lado de advogados do DDH. Chamaram Jair pelo nome e lhe deram voz de prisão, sem flagrantes, sem motivos. Foi acusado de associação criminosa armada, sem que nada houvesse para configurar a acusação.
[Baiano] was arrested on October 15 (…) while watching the demonstration alongside lawyers from [the Institute of Human Rights Defenders]. Jair was called by his name and was arrested without a crime, without reasons. He was charged with armed criminal association, with nothing there to set the charge.
A video from Marcio Kenobi shows the moment in which “Baiano” was arrested in Rio de Janeiro:
Twitter reactions
Many Twitter users expressed their disbelief at the sentence. Others turned to dark humor to criticize the decision – “Brazilian justice is so dirty that it's threatened by a bottle of Pinho Sol detergent,” tweeted Andre Vallias (@andrevallias) – and Brazilian police – “Pinho Sol, bleach, vinegar…the police are clearly receiving bribes from the bacteria lobby” quipped journalist Felipe Corazza (@fcorazza).
Professor Idelber Avelar also responded wryly:
E o MP, q ainda não foi atrás das polícias q matam 5 pessoas por dia, enquadra catador com Pinho Sol no estatuto do desarmamento. Parabéns!
— Idelber Avelar (@iavelar) 4 dezembro 2013
And the MP [public prosecutor], who has not gone after the police who kill 5 people a day, has now framed the can collector with Pinho Sol in the statute of disarmament. Congratulations!
“Rafael Braga, can collector, street dweller, worker. He has been detained for almost five months for carrying two bottles of desinfectant on June 20, 2013. The desinfectant became “molotov”, the military police testified. The public prosecutor indicted. The court accepted. And Rafael in is prison. Rafael is a political prisoner. Free Rafael.” Mashup made by Anonymous Rio profile on Facebook
Suzana Dornelles, in turn, appealed [pt] to Minister of Human Rights Maria do Rosario:
Senhora ministra de DH @_mariadorosario , seria pedir muito que desse uma OLHADELA no caso do mendigo preso por portar PINHO SOL? Grata. — suzana Guaranikaiowá (@sudornelles) 4 dezembro 2013
Madam Minister of Human Rights @_mariadorosario, would it be too much to ask you to take a look at the case of the beggar arrested for possessing PINHO SOL? Thanks.
Roberto Pereira suspected [pt] that the conviction is a message:
RIO: Catador de latas é o 1.º condenado após onda de protestos. Ficará 5 anos preso // RECADO pro povo ano que vem: DEIXA A COPA EM PAZ
— Roberto Pereira (@_robbr) 4 dezembro 2013
RIO: A can collector is the first sentenced after the wave of protests. He will remain prisoner for five years / / MESSAGE for the people next year: LEAVE THE WORLD CUP ALONE
The Facebook profile of the social collective Rio na Rua reported that the Institute of Human Rights Defenders will appeal the decision, and journalist Eliane Brum wrote [pt] that the case “was reported to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the UN High Commissioner for Human rights.”

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


text:
The Caucasus Network: Grozny Blogger, Ali Suleymanov · Global Voices
Mari Bst

Ali Suleymanov, 1 July 2013, photo by Sergey Ponomarev.
This article is part of an extensive RuNet Echo study of the North Caucasus blogosphere. Explore the complete report and personal stories on The Caucasus Network page.
A 28-year-old Chechnya native, Ali Suleymanov, “Archidesigner,” spent most of his adulthood in the Moscow region, where he studied and later worked as exterior designer. In Moscow, he led a fast-paced city life, attending exhibitions, cultural events, and wandering the city on foot and aboard mass transit. When he returned to Grozny, Suleymanov discovered a very different pace that offered little of the diversity to which he’d grown accustomed in Moscow. Life in Grozny was provincial by comparison, and Suleymanov lived on the city’s outskirts, making even his daily commute a gamble with buses that would have carted him around Moscow on excursions. On his second attempt to resettle in Chechnya (he returned to Moscow a year after the first try), he started a blog to keep track of his Grozny discoveries and catalog the things he hoped to find one day in the city. His blog, written in Russian, has a casual but informative tone.
In Suleymanov’s own words, his blog is primarily about the city from a designer’s viewpoint:
В первую очередь, мой блог о Грозном. О том что с ним происходит в наши дни. Причем я рассматриваю именно те стороны, которые интересны мне с профессиональной или любительской точек зрения — архитектура, дизайн, урбанистика, история. Мне интересно находить и показывать то, что многие не видят, на что не обращают внимание. Особенно интересно находить следы довоенного города или какие-нибудь «закулисы».
More than anything else, my blog is about Grozny. It’s about what is happening with the city today. Except that I’m looking at the city specifically from a professional perspective. I’m interested in the architecture, the design, the urban life style, and the history. I’m especially interested in finding and showing that which most people don’t see—the things they don’t notice. It’s especially interesting to find remnants of the city from before the war or discover something “back stage.”
Like other bloggers in the region, such as Hard Ingush and Svetlana Anokhina, Suleymanov’s decision to make LiveJournal his blogging platform was not a choice that required much thought. Since most of the bloggers who interest him are already on LJ, he naturally wanted to be part of that environment. Suleymanov does not know most of his readers personally, but he believes they are mostly culture professionals, like him. He says the main benefit of blogging (which he describes, over all, as a positive experience) was discovering that likeminded individuals in Grozny do exist. For Suleymanov, blogging has helped fill the void left by his Moscow experiences, and his engagement with the Web has led to new ideas professionally:
Деятельность в интернете определенно помогла. Иногда даже не прямо, а косвенно. Я стал озвучивать свои интересы, стремиться найти что-то новое (за пределами интернета) и начал встречать очень интересных людей. Причем я знакомлюсь не с читателями, а наоборот — с новыми людьми, которые уже после знакомства узнают о моем блоге и многим это становится интересно.
My online activity has definitely helped—sometimes not directly, but indirectly. I began to voice my interests and attempted to find something new (outside of the Internet), and I started to meet very interesting people. Only, I’m not meeting my readers—it’s the opposite: I meet new people, who only learn afterwards about my blog, and many of them take an interest.
When asked about censorship, Suleymanov denied having encountered any, explaining that his online work avoids any “problematic” issues. When asked about the threat of censorship, he said:
На личном опыте я с подобным не сталкивался. Стараюсь не выходить за рамки, после которых могут начаться проблемы.
In my personal experience, I‘ve had no such encounters. I try not to go beyond what might cause problems.
Suleymanov also explained that he avoids certain topics for fear of agitating sensitive and powerful local interests:
Меня интересуют различные темы, связанные с благоустройством города, системой общественного транспорта, работой коммунальных служб и другие. Я понимаю, что любая серьезная критика этих направлений будет так или иначе направлена против конкретных служб, организаций или должностных лиц. Как правило, это связано с нецелевым расходованием средств или ресурсов. Подобных тем я избегаю.
I’m interested in various subjects related to city planning and maintenance, public transportation, public utilities work, and so on. I understand that any serious critique of these areas will someway or other be directed against concrete institutions, organizations, or officials. Usually, this concerns the misappropriation of funds or resources. I avoid such topics.
This article is part of an extensive RuNet Echo study of the North Caucasus blogosphere. Explore the complete report and personal stories on The Caucasus Network page.

author: Mari Bst


text:
The Caucasus Network: Special Forces Blogger, Hard Ingush · Global Voices
Mari Bst

Photo of from LJ user Hard Ingush's profile page on LiveJournal. Screenshot.
This article is part of an extensive RuNet Echo study of the North Caucasus blogosphere. Explore the complete report and personal stories on The Caucasus Network page.
Based in Ingushetia, Hard Ingush (who wished to remain anonymous) claims to be a law enforcement officer in the Special Forces. In the last couple of years, he has been a leader of the North Caucasus’ blogosphere.
His LiveJournal blog enjoys traffic averaging ten times higher than anything once hosted in the “top regional blogs” section of the now defunct website, PublicPost. Timur Agirov’s Caucasian LJ blogosphere database also ranks him as one of the community’s most popular bloggers.
Hard Ingush’s blogging generally features detailed insights about recent police special operations, usually dealing with counter-terrorism. He uses direct and often confrontational language, writing in a vocabulary that is a mix of formal legal terms and Russian police slang.
He frequently addresses the insurgency movement in derogatory terms, portraying its members as a group of lazy individuals with only themselves to blame for the failures of their campaign. In his blogging, Hard Ingush takes what we might call an “informational approach,” sharing allegedly real life examples of police work.
Hard Ingush agreed to an interview conducted over email, and answered questions with as little detail as possible (in stark contrast to the other bloggers interviewed for this project, who clearly invested significant amounts of time into their responses). Hard Ingush simply answered “yes” or “no,” whenever possible.
While he says that his blogging has not affected his life outside of the Internet, he does acknowledge that his online activity has introduced him to a number of other law enforcement agents.
Hard Ingush states he has never encountered any type of censorship and insists he does not censor his own writing, except to conceal the identities of the individuals about whom he writes. (This includes both colleagues and criminal suspects, though he sometimes reveals the true names of police officers killed in the line of duty.) Hard Ingush amassed a loyal following almost instantly, and he continues to receive anywhere between 200-3000 comments for every blog post. His audience consists of both supporters and critics, making the comments section on his blog a space for heated debates.
Hard Ingush writes exclusively in Russian. Indeed, his command of the language indicates a high level of education. He occasionally links to other bloggers’ content for images and videos, which he does not produce himself.
Hard Ingush is also one of the more outspoken and interesting bloggers of the region. Per post, he typically receives and produces more than ten times as many comments as his Moscow-based counterpart, Omon Moscow (another anonymous blogger, allegedly managed by a police officer, albeit with very different tone and delivery style). It remains unclear whether or not the two are connected.
In comments on Hard Ingush’s blog, critics routinely accuse him of being a public relations project by the government—something Hard Ingush mocks openly in the introductory post on his LiveJournal blog.
(The theory, of course, is conspiratorial, and while it is most likely incorrect, such suspicions are not uncommon on the RuNet—and for good reason. Of Russia’s many PR agencies, several manage sophisticated, long-term projects aimed at influencing public opinion in favor of the state. For example, one of such agency, “Agency1 Ru,” is responsible for creating groups in support of Putin.)
Whether or not Hard Ingush’s blogging is state-managed or independent (“astroturf” or “grassroots”), he is undeniably controversial and popular online, regionally in the North Caucasus, and in Russia nationally.
This article is part of an extensive RuNet Echo study of the North Caucasus blogosphere. Explore the complete report and personal stories on The Caucasus Network page.


text:
Ukrainian TV Show Angers Tajiks · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

On November 24, a popular Ukrainian travel series aired an episode about Tajikistan. After watching the episode, many Tajikistanis turned to social media to curse the video.
“Eagle and Tail” in Tajikistan
“Oryol i Reshka” [Eagle and Tail] [ru] is a Russian-language travel series produced in Ukraine and broadcast on three popular television channels in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. The series follows two presenters, a man and a woman, as they travel the world, spending two days at each destination. In the beginning of each episode, they flip a coin to decide who will get a credit card with an unlimited budget to spend during the two days. The second presenter gets 100 US dollars for all expenses at the same destination. The series then shows how the two spend their time, which places they visit, where they stay and dine. The current season of the series takes viewers to the different countries that were once part of the Soviet Union.
The travel series is quite popular in Tajikistan where many people watch it via satellite TV. Therefore, after the “Oryol i Reshka” crew did the video shooting in the country in October 2013, many Tajikistanis were waiting eagerly for the episode.
“Oryol i Reshka” presenters at the Dushanbe Airport. Screen capture from the controversial episode about Tajikistan.
Disappointment
But the episode [ru], aired on November 24, angered many people in the country. In the video, the male presenter spent two days in Dushanbe and a Soviet-era resort near the capital, having a budget of 100 dollars. The female presenter took a tour to Gorno-Badakhshan, the isolated mountainous province in Tajikistan's east, famous for its breathtaking scenery.
Some of the comments accompanying footage in the episode left Tajikistanis bitter and angry. Blogger Alexey Somin explains [ru] which comments raised eyebrows in the country:
Да, парня, который остался в Душанбе и прожил там два дня на 100 долларов, конечно можно обвинить в предрассудках о Таджикистане. Сама передача начинается со слов о Душанбе: “Здесь женщины ходят в шароварах, а мужчины на улицах режут баранов”, причем на глазах у детей. Потом он говорит: “Необычно осознавать, что еще 20 лет назад мы с этими людьми жили в одной стране”. Дальше хуже: парень говорит о том, что вилка и ложка не проникли в нашу страну и что курутоб является “национальным блюдом” и готовят его из “объедков лепешек”. Больше вроде ничего отрицательного о нашей стране он не сказал.
One can certainly accuse the guy [presenter] who stayed in Dushanbe and spent two days there with 100 dollars in his pocket of being biased about Tajikistan. The episode begins with the following words about Dushanbe: “This is a city where women wear bloomers and men cut sheep on the streets,” with children seeing this. Then he says, “It feels unusual to realize that only 20 years ago we shared a country with this people”. The worse parts follow: the guys says that [people in] our country do not know what a spoon and a fork are; he also says that qurutob is our “national dish” and that it is prepared from the “leftovers of lepyoshka” [flatbread]. It seems he didn't say any other negative things about our country.
After the episode was aired, Tajikistani social media users left hundreds of angry comments on the series’ website and its Facebook page. Many of these comments contain strong language and blame the presenters for being “ungrateful for the Tajik hospitality” and for deliberately showing the most negative things about the country.
One Facebook user, Maks Maks, commented [ru] the day the episode was aired:
Очень много наврали
Андрей скажите пожалуйста с какой целю вы проезжали в Душанбе, случайно не с антирекламной целью!?
There are so many lies [in the episode].
Andrey [the male presenters], could you please tell us what your purpose for coming to Dushanbe was? Was it to create an anti-advertisement [for Tajikistan]?
Responding to criticism
There were so many comments criticizing the episode and cursing its authors that “Oryol i Reshka” posted [ru] an official response to these comments on Facebook:
Уважаемые обиженные зрители. Так много негатива в комментариях на нашей странице, много оскорблений и унижений в адрес команды в целом и ведущих в частности, что мы не вытерпели и решили написать.
Мы хотим подчеркнуть, что мы не снимаем рекламные, красивые, агитационные фильмы о стране. Мы показываем колорит и то, что отличает нашу культуру от других показываемых в программе культур – именно это интереснее всего. Именно за это нас смотрят. Поэтому не стоит писать о том, что мы не сняли в вашем городе очередной крутой отель или очередной крутой ресторан, или как много крутых машин ездят по улицам. Нам все равно, какое впечатление вы хотите произвести на соседей. Потому что нашим зрителям интереснее смотреть, как живут люди, какие у них обычаи и традиции, и чем мы друг от друга отличаемся.
Dear offended viewers! The comments you are leaving on our page are so negative and full of offensive and humiliating content targeted at our production crew in general and the presenters in particular that we could not take it any more and made a decision to write back.
We would like to emphasize that we are not producing advertisement-type, beautiful, propaganda movies about countries. We show the local flavor and how the local culture is different from our own culture – this is the most interesting part. This is why people watch us. Therefore, you should not blame us for not filming a luxury hotel or a luxury restaurant in your city, or for not showing how many luxury cars can be seen on its streets. We do not care about what kind of impression you are trying to make on your neighbors. Our audience is more interested in seeing how people live, what kind of customs and traditions they have, and how we differ from each other.
The statement continues:
А сейчас хотелось бы обратиться к душанбинцам. Нас обвиняют в том, что нас гостеприимно приняли, а мы негативно показали страну. Так вот мы категорически не согласны с этим мнением. Мы с уважением показали Ваши традиции, рассказали о гостеприимстве, показали колорит кишлаков, красоту гор и праздник жертвоприношения. Сказали, что уикенд в Таджикистане – это РОСКОШНЫЙ вариант для любознательных путешественников…
P.S. Программа о Таджикистане получилась очень красочной, очень колоритной, интересной и доброй…
And now we would like to address the residents of Dushanbe. They blame us for showing the country [Tajikistan] from a negative side, despite being treated with a lot of hospitality there. We strongly disagree with such accusations. We have shown your traditions, hospitality, the flavor of villages, the beauty of mountains, and the holiday of sacrifice with much respect. We also said [in the episode] that a weekend in Tajikistan is a GREAT option for curious travelers…
P.S. The episode about Tajikistan turned out to be very colorful, full of flavor, interesting, and kind…
The statement did little to calm down the “offended viewers”. Comments to the statement are heavy in strong language and criticism of the episode.
“They showed what they saw”
Not all social media users in Tajikistan felt bitter about the “Oryol in Reshka” episode. Many netizens felt the episode was mostly fair. Alexey Somin suggested [ru] that the Ukraining filming crew could have produced a much less favorable episode about Tajikistan, while the excessively critical feedback from the country was damaging to its image abroad:
А ведь могли и хуже передачу снять. Могли показать всю “прелесть” душанбинского аэропорта. Могли показать полную антисанитарию в наших забегаловках, где тараканы и немытая нормально посуда. Могли показать засранный город, где на миллион жителей не больше 20 урн, а мусорки напоминают свалки где-нибудь в Индии…
А весь тот мусор, который полился из уст наших соотечесвенников после того как показали передачу – он только поможет авторам этой передачи и всем остальным, кто это наблюдал, понять, что мы на самом деле за страна.
They could have made a [more negative] episode. They could have shown the “beauty” of the Dushanbe airport [which is often heavily criticized by foreigners]. They could have shown the complete lack of basic sanitary conditions in our [cheap restaurants], with their cockroaches and semi-washed dishes. They could have shown the [dirty] city, where there are less than 20 trash cans for a million residents, and where rubbish heaps look like dumps somewhere in India…
And all the garbage that has been coming from our compatriots since the episode was aired will just help the authors of the episode and everyone else watching this to understand what kind of a country we actually are.
Mehmon agreed [ru]:
Конечно неприятно когда о твоей стране говорят такие вещи, но нужно признать, что все что было сказано и показано, по большому счету правда. Что они увидели, то и показали. А в том что они увидели, виноваты мы сами.
It is certainly unpleasant when they say things like that about your country, but we have to admit that all they said and showed was mostly true. They showed what they saw. We are the only ones to blame for what they saw [in Tajikistan].
Some netizens say that the episode was quite accurate, but find it insulting that it was aired abroad. Isfandiyor Zarafshoni wrote [ru]:
Я так думаю. Показали все правильно, не обманули. Мы сами видим все эти проблемы и постоянно о них говорим. Но обидно когда иностранцы это тоже видят и показывают в других странах. Это позорит нацию и остается пятном на нашей репутации.
This is what I think. They have shown everything accurately, without lying. We see all these problems ourselves, and we talk about them all the time. But it is annoying when foreigners see this, too, and show this in other countries. This dishonors the nation and stays as a stain on our reputation.
The episode has also led some netizens to suggest that there is a shortage of home-made video material about Tajikistan. Many Facebook users now discuss the idea of producing films about the country's main historic and natural sites. It remains to be seen whether these ideas will outlast the now vanishing buzz triggered by the episode.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


text:
#52ThingsAboutTanzania to Celebrate 52 Years of Independence · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tanzania mainland celebrated 52 years of independence from Britain on December 9, 2013. Formerly known as Tanganyika, the mainland united with the island of Zanzibar on April 26, 1964 to form Tanzania.
In celebrating 52 years of independence, some users on Twitter started the hashtag #52ThingsAboutTanzania to share interesting facts and figures about the country:
Julius Nyerere the “Father of Tanzania” translated Shakespeare's “The Merchant of Venice & Julius Ceaser” to Swahili. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— t a n z a n i t e. (@CecyBellaKnows) December 9, 2013
Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, and the highest free-standing mountain in the world, in Moshi, Tanzania. Photo released by Muhammad Mahdi Karim (www.micro2macro.net) under GNU Free Documentation License.
The world tallest free standing mountain is Mount Kilimanjaro #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— Romario Siwila (@deveraux1995) December 9, 2013
Disney's Global hit “The Lion King” was inspired by Tanzania's Serengeti national park. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— Uncle Fafi (@Tanganyikan) December 9, 2013
Tanzanite [a rare gemstone found in Tanzania] is named after the East African state Tanzania where it originates. The name was coined by Tiffany's. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— t a n z a n i t e. (@CecyBellaKnows) December 9, 2013
Coconut crab, the largest land-living terrestial crab in the world,
Photo released under Creative Commons by Flickr user Drew Avery.
Zanzibar, Tanzania is the home of the coconut crab. Z largest crab in z world (& reportedly 1 of z most delicious) #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— KijanaMokiwa (@stevpm) December 9, 2013
KiSwahili originated in Tanzania & is now spoken in 10 different countries including the Comoros Islands. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— t a n z a n i t e. (@CecyBellaKnows) December 9, 2013
Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven natural wonders of Africa, located in Arusha, Tanzania. Photo released by Thomas Huston under GNU Free Documentation License.
The extinct Ngorongoro Crater, in Tanzania, is the largest complete crater in the world. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— Tanzania's OWN (@AbelavsAK) December 9, 2013
Tanzania has the second Largest Mountain in the world(kilimanjaro) #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— SwAg-HilI (@Daresalaam101) December 9, 2013
The currency of Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— Tanzania's OWN (@AbelavsAK) December 9, 2013
Lake Manyara National Park, in Tanzania, is home to the world’s only tree-climbing lions. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— Tanzania's OWN (@AbelavsAK) December 9, 2013
Tree climbing lion in Tanzania. Photo released under Creative Commons by Flickr user Tracey Spencer.
“@AbelavsAK: The oldest human skull that has EVER been found on earth was discovered in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania #52ThingsAboutTanzania“
— Grace Cherry (@Cherry_fab) December 9, 2013
The Amani Nature Reserve (East TZ) is the only place on the entire planet where African Violets grow in the wild. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— Tanzania's OWN (@AbelavsAK) December 9, 2013
One of Africa’s most respected figures, Julius Nyerere (1922 — 1999) was a politician of principle and intelligence. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— KijanaMokiwa (@stevpm) December 9, 2013
Mpingo trees a.k.a. Africa blackwood trees, commonly seen in Tanzania, are z most expensive hardwood tree in z world. #52ThingsAboutTanzania
— KijanaMokiwa (@stevpm) December 9, 2013

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Appeal to Free Spanish Journalist and Photographer Kidnapped in Syria  · Global Voices
Nour Al Ali

Monica Preito, wife of Spanish El Mundo journalist Javier Espinosa, appealed and campaigned for her husband's release as well as that of another Spanish freelance photographer Ricardo Garcia Vilanova in a standing-room-only press conference held in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday [December 11].
(Photo source: Free Javier and Ricardo campaign Facebook page)
According to El Mundo, Espinosa and Vilanova disappeared on September 16 while en route to Syria's Raqqa region, and were subsequently kidnapped by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS], along with four Free Syrian Army fighters. The fighters were released 12 days later. However, the journalists remain in captivity to date as the ISIS believes they are spies, added the Spanish publication in its report.
Preito, who is also a journalist, stated that they only sought the public's help after reaching an “impasse” with his captors. Vilanova's family are also appealing for help, as Daily Telegraph Middle East Correspondent Richard Spencer tweeted:
Families of Javier Espinosa and Ricardo Garcia Vilanova endorse public campaign for his release from ISIS jail in Syria. #FreeJavier_Ricardo
— Richard Spencer (@RichardJSpencer) December 10, 2013
Solidarity with the kidnapped journalist and photographer is expressed by Syrians, the international community and journalists alike as BBC Madrid Correspondent Tom Burridge stated in a tweet:
Packed room full of journalistic solidarity for 2 Spanish journalists kidnapped in Syria. #FreeJavier_Ricardo pic.twitter.com/JEaH1iI4qo
— Tom Burridge (@TomBurridgebbc) December 10, 2013
This was not Espinosa's first time in Syria since the unrest. He survived the Baba Amro blast that killed Sunday Times journalist Maria Colvin in February 2012. Twitter user, The 47th, said that while the world neglected Assad's first massacre, Espinosa did not hesitate to stand alongside the truth:
Javier Espinosa was almost killed along with Marie Colvin in Baba Amr, he was one of the FEW voices that reported on Assad's 1st massacres.
— The 47th (@THE_47th) December 10, 2013
He also implied that the enemies of ISIS and Assad are one:
ISIS hate Javier Espinosa as much as Assad did. They hate what he stands for..freedom, liberty and accountability.
— The 47th (@THE_47th) December 10, 2013
Twitter user Yalla Souria also remarked that the likes of Father Paolo, Espinosa and Vilanova are captured by both ISIS and the Assad regime:
#AbunaPaolo, @javierespinosa2 and all prisoner of conscience held in Assad's and ISIS's slum jails. One more day is too much
— yalla souriya (@YallaSouriya) December 10, 2013
Another user demanded his release:
Courageous Spanish reporter @javierespinosa2 has been kidnapped in #Syria by ISIS. Make noise. Bring him back to his family and loved ones.
— Aubergine أوبرجين (@oh_bergine) December 9, 2013
Vilanova is also known for his remarkable documentation of Libya, Egypt, and Syria throughout Arab-Spring.
The official campaign for their release issued the following statement, adding in later updates that kidnapping journalists is against the revolution's principles:
#FreeJavier_Ricardo #FreePressFreeSyria
Javier and Ricardo have been kidnapped for 11 weeks. They, like scores of Syrian activists and journalists, are missing in the hands of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Javier was in Baba Amr, Homs, during the regime's last offensive in February 2012. He saw his two colleagues, Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik, killed right before his eyes. He still refused to leave Baba Amr until the last civilians were evacuated.
Ricardo has also worked in Syria many times since the start of the revolution, and he has helped organise medicines for doctors trying to help the civilian victims of the war.
Join the online campaign for their release here.

author: Nour Al Ali


text:
Australia: Vagina Knitting Not Everyone’s Taste in Art · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

[WARNING: This post contains content and images that may offend.]
Casting Off My Womb
Image courtesy: Casey Jenkins. Photographer Tarz McDonald.
Based on some reactions in Australia and overseas, it is a fair bet that some readers will be offended, even outraged, by this story. The national broadcaster, the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), aired a radio item Is Vaginal knitting art? on 9 December 2013. It concerned a performance art work by Australian Casey Jenkins entitled Casting Off My Womb. She is spending four weeks knitting wool from inside her vagina. SBS2 (Special Broadcasting Service), a TV station that is also government owned, had shown a video a couple of weeks earlier.
Online reaction was swift. Comments on the ABC program website Books & Arts Daily were strongly divided about whether it was art and its suitability. Lux Dentata was very positive:
Of course this is art.
It is creation with a message. If that is not art, what is?
I don't understand people's disgust about inserting wool into your vagina. What do you think a tampon is? Cotton, wool, tomato, tomata…
Well done Casey, It's awesome.
Stan Osmelak’s message was brief but multi-pronged:
1st World self-indulgent twaddle
After suggesting the need for “psychological or psychiatric intervention”, Sue took aim at the messenger:
This sort of topic is also providing fantastic ammunition to the Federal Government that the ABC is not relevant and to cut funding or close it down. For goodness sake ABC – get real.
‘Casting Off’ Wool
Image courtesy: Casey Jenkins. Photographer Leanne Waterhouse
Meanwhile, twitter had numerous reactions in Australia including:
Vaginal Knitting (The Feed) I'm not sure anyone needs to see this but my jaw is still on the floor. #Vagina http://t.co/HmFgxLunZp
— Cori (@Cori_Cori_Cori) December 4, 2013
Wow some people are seriously disturbed @TheFeedSBS2 #VaginaKnitting http://t.co/BW0d8F1Bwa
— Craig Tranter (@craigtranter) December 4, 2013
As the hashtag #vaginaknitting clearly shows, there was a global eruption on twitter as well.
In fact, it was too viral for some. ‘American-Australian geek’ Kris Howard sought relief:
The only thing worse than 15 people sending me graffiti knitting links is 15 people sending me vagina knitting links. STOP IT I BEG YOU.
— Kris Howard (@web_goddess) December 3, 2013

author: Kevin Rennie


text:
Bolivians Protest Against Cochabamba Public Transport Price Hike · Global Voices
Mijhail F. Calle Ruiz

A bus in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Photograph: Mijhail F. Calle Ruiz.
[All links lead to Spanish language web pages].
Public transport drivers in Cochabamba provoked widespread indignation after announcing that the price of a single journey would rise from 1.70 to 2 bolivianos (US $0.25 to US $0.29).
A few hours after the morning newscasts published the news, officials from the Unidad de Tránsito de Cochabamba (Cochabamba Transit Unit), in charge of public transport in Bolivia's fourth largest city, were on the streets making sure that drivers were charging the original price of 1.70 bolivianos. However, immediately after drivers announced the fare increase, locals were expressing their displeasure on social networks. On Facebook, for example, a campaign has been set up in opposition to transport drivers.
Image downloaded from the magazine Lamalapalabra (shared 83 times)
The material that has been circulating shows the general discontent towards the public transport service in the city, indicating that locals would be willing to pay more if the service were of a higher standard. Among the demands made by supporters of the campaign are for drivers to:
The images and messages that locals have been sharing on social networks also allude to the fact that bus drivers do not give the correct change, a problem that has dragged on since the last price increase in 2011. For example, after handing over 2 bolivianos (US $0.29), the drivers ought to give 30 cents (US $0.04) change. However, the lack of 10 cent coins means that the drivers regularly only hand over 20 cents.
Screenshot from the profile page of Ming Rojas, a Facebook user that has been sharing protest material (shared 145 times).
The above chart explains how officials are able, in approximately 10 months, to “steal (…) 8,000 bolivianos or 1,149 dollars by not giving change”. Furthermore, it encourages people to photocopy and distribute the information so that more people join the campaign.
The response to this material has already had repercussions. In addition to commenting on and sharing material, locals have been protesting on their Facebook pages. Jessica Gilda Morales Bellot wrote that:
Como van a exigir si hace poco aumentaron los pasajes y el servicio q dan es pesimo en todo,aumentan asientos improvisados con tal de tener mas pasajeros para cobrar…
How can they demand this when only recently they increased the fares, the service they provide is terrible, they increase the number of make-shift seats so there are more passengers to charge…
Elsequiel Leonardo Martinez wrote:
Pero cuando a alguien le falta 10 cts. esos pelotudos le dicen bajate no?
But when you’re 10 cents short they tell you to get off, eh?
Some on the internet have taken the issue on with a lot of energy, others with responsibility yet still identifying with the protests, whereas others, in different cities around the country, have taken a more humourous approach.
Image taken from the Facebook page of the magazine Lamalapalabra. It has the title: Meanwhile, on a street in La Paz… The above image, which has had 172 likes and been shared 74 times, says: “Push, the traffic light is green, push!!!”
Since the announcement by public transport drivers, Cochabamba residents have thus far been more active protesting on social media than on the streets. Nevertheless, drivers decided to halt services for an indefinite period after they were unable to reach an agreement about the price hike with the authorities.
When considering social network movements it is appropriate to remember the response given by the sociologist Manuel Castells in an interview with the journalist Horacio Bilbao for the Argentine magazine Ñ:
¿Internet puede volver a crear ciudadanos político sociales?
La prueba está en que los movimientos sociales nacen en Internet. Se crean ciudadanos en todo lugar de agregación libre. Y como el único lugar de agregación libre que nos queda es Internet, pues allí están. Pero en cuanto pueden salir a la calle y crear espacios físicos urbanos en los que se tocan los unos a los otros lo hacen, porque somos humanos y el tocarnos es fundamental.
Can the internet create politically and socially minded citizens?
The proof is that social movements are born on the internet. Citizens are made wherever there is free association. And as the only place for free association left to us is the internet, well, that’s where they are. But as soon as they are able to get out onto the street and create urban, physical spaces in which they can touch one another, they do it, because we are human and physical contact is fundamental.
Avenida Blanco Galindo de Cochabamba in Bolivia. Photograph: Mijhail F. Calle Ruiz

author: Mijhail F. Calle Ruiz


text:
Chinese Web Giants Alibaba, Baidu Launch Online Investment Funds for the Everyman · Global Voices
Jack Hu

Screen capture from Yu'E Bao's homepage. It's banner showing a happy man growing money from the tree.
For the first time, China's Internet powerhouses are challenging the country's financial sector, dominated by state banks that traditionally focus on larger companies over the needs of smaller firms and individuals, with a popular push into online investment products.
The recent forays of companies like Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent into the financial market by offering products similar to investment funds have been wildly successful with Chinese investors.
China’s largest e-commerce business Alibaba paved the way with its affiliate Alipay's launch in June 2013 of its money-market fund-like investment product called Yu’E Bao, which translates into “leftover treasure”. Alipay, a third-party transaction site similar to PayPal, offers its 800 million registered users the options to invest any money they have on the site directly into the fund, with an annual earnings rate of 3 or 4 percent and the option to withdraw the money at any time. As of November 14, Yu’E Bao has drawn 16.4 billion US dollars and become the biggest fund in China.
With the huge success of Yu'E Bao, other Chinese companies have entered the scene. Baidu, the biggest Internet search engine and online content hosting company in China, launched its Baidu finance center on October 28 and hit the maximum allowed one billion yuan (164.3 million US dollars) according to Chinese Law in less than five hours on the first day.
WeChat is already a success story in China as the country’s most popular mobile messaging app, and the Tencent-owned service will soon expand its reach beyond the realm of smartphone communication to become a financial service platform. A savings investment system will be implemented into WeChat in mid-December. This system will allow users to link their bank cards to their WeChat accounts, enabling them to deposit money through TenPay, Tencent’s payment system.
Web users on popular Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo applauded the new trend, such as “Senior financial little wicked girl” (@资深金融小邪女), who works in the finance sector:
资深金融小邪女：小邪女为啥支持余额宝？因为这是草根阶层的福祉之一。一些金融机构，开始怂恿监管机构研究如何‘收拾’余额宝了。当然，监管机构也不是傻瓜。这些金融机构，甚至开始动用舆论、大V等等，展开对余额宝的攻击。尼玛，羡慕嫉妒恨，要靠真本领啊！让那些抱残守缺者，靠打压和垄断获得生存者，去死吧！
Why do I support Yu’E Bao? Because it benefits the grassroots. Some financial agencies have begun persuading the regulator to punish Yu’E Bao and using public opinion and Weibo celebrity accounts to attack it. They are envious, jealous and hateful for the success of Yu’E Bao. Down with those who are conservative and whose existence is based on monopoly and cracking down on competitors!
Sun Siyuan, a financial news reporter, believed that China will take lead in the online finance investment sector:
前几天和几个华尔街资深从业者聊当下在国内很火的互联网金融，但遗憾大家都未听说这个概念。华尔街大型金融机构的”高富帅”早已分配好利益格局，怎肯让搞互联网的”屌丝”动这块蛋糕？美国对于金融的严厉监管也很难让天马行空的互联网有什么大作为，但国内监管的刻意滞后让中国有机会弯道超车美国，期待！
I talked with several Wall Street financial veterans a few days ago about the hot developments in Internet finance in China, but regretfully they had not yet heard of this concept. America’s strict oversight over finance markets makes it hard for Internet companies to do something big in this area. The strict regulation on investment activities in the States also makes it hard for the Internet to develop the [online investment] sector. While in China, because of the lag in regulation, China may overtake America [in the online investment sector].
“Flying high 1985″ (@展翅高飞1985), an ordinary Weibo user, described his daily online activities related to Alibaba's service:
呃。。。每天必做的事情之三：到@淘宝网 首页领淘金币，到@支付宝 查看余额宝收益，到@百度理财 看百赚收益！我是一个感恩和知足的人！
Three musts every day: go to Taobao.com to receive ‘gold coins’; go to Alipay to check benefits of Yu’E Bao; go to Baidu Finance to check benefits.
But some were more hesitant. Weibo user “Internet watcher and researcher” (@互联网观察与研究员) said:
余额宝的‘暴富’只能说明中国的金融市场有多么初级和原始。
Yu’E Bao's sudden surge of wealth just reflects the primitive nature of China’s financial markets.

author: Jack Hu


text:
Gay Sex is Once Again Illegal, India’s Supreme Court Rules · Global Voices
Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman

Hundreds gathered in central Delhi to protest against the Supreme Court decision to overturn a 2009 High Court ruling, and instead rule in favour of ‘Section 377,’ a colonial era law which renders same sex relationships in India an illegal offense. Image by Louise Dowse. Copyright Demotix (11/12/2013)
In a shocking ruling, the Supreme Court of India reversed a Delhi High Court judgment and reinstated a British-era draconian law that not only criminalizes consensual gay sex, but also equates homosexuals with zoophiles and pedophiles. This verdict is seen as a major blow to gay rights in the country and also deprives Indians their rights of equality, no discrimination and personal liberty enshrined in the constitution.
However, religious parities and organizations welcomed the decision taken by the highest court of India. In 2009, Delhi High Court decriminalised homosexuality. But this new verdict by the Supreme Court says that it is up to the parliament to legislate on this issue.
Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code is a 153-year old colonial-era law. According to this law, same-sex relationships are an “unnatural offense” and punishable by a ten-year prison sentence. Aam Janata blog satirically listed what exactly is allowed and what not according to the Supreme Court guidelines for natural sex.
Writer Kamayani Bali Mahabal at Krativist criticized the decision:
Today, by criminalising homosexuality, the Supreme Court has taken India back, not to 2008, but way back to the 19th century. It has betrayed the trust of the millions who came out and proudly shared their sexual orientation with friends, families, employers and the society. It has whitewashed the efforts of thousands of activists who, in the four years after the 2009 verdict, strived to make public spaces like hospitals LGBT-friendly. It has whitewashed the efforts of all those who have worked with MSM groups with full support of the government and international agencies to bring down HIV cases. It has given the likes of Baba Ramdev the audacity to call 30 million people of the LGBT community “addicts” and invite them to his yoga ashram to get cured.
Blogger and activist Rita Banerji questioned whether the verdict has more of a political tone rather than ethical. Shuvajit at First Post mentioned that the ruling 377 turns an office environment into a nightmare for members of the LGBT community in a country where homosexuality is seen as a sin:
After this Supreme Court verdict, I know that personally, I would think ten times before being ‘out’ in my work place where I have to lead a team. In a professional role which demands leadership qualities and command over a team, admitting that you're gay has always been a huge drawback, irrespective of your talents or professional expertise. The Supreme Court verdict just legitimized the cause of that agony.
Aditya Nigam at Kafila blog posted a protest announcement against the SC ruling.
Shocking! Shameful!! Disgusting!!!
The Supreme Court has struck down the Delhi High Court decision decriminalizing gay sex in what might go down as the most retrograde judgement in India’s history. While the details of the Court’s reasoning are still not available, we can perhaps easily imagine what they might be. This is time of civil disobedience. Time for protest.
Assemble at Jantar Mantar at 4.30 pm, today 11 December to announce to the world that ‘We Are All Queer’. To announce that this is not a struggle of just the ‘gay-lesbian community’ but a struggle for our most fundamental rights and cherished values.
Blank Noise blog shared the press conference of gay rights advocate Gautam Bhan, who commented that “the social relevance has not been decided, its legal relevance has”:
Visvak Sen at News Laundry explained the government's position on this:
They haven’t entirely made up their minds yet. The Home Ministry thinks gay sex is immoral and a reflection of a perverse mind and that its decriminalisation would lead to moral degradation. The Health Ministry disagrees and considers Section 377 a major barrier to their efforts to prevent the spread of AIDS.
There were strong reactions on Twitter to the Supreme Court decision.
Milind Deora, the country's Minister of State, Communications, IT and Shipping, tweeted:
The same SC that was so wise yesterday on lal battis has disappointed us today with its verdict on Sec 377?. It is about personal choice, SC
— Milind Deora (@milinddeora) December 11, 2013
Karan Johar, a film director and host of Koffee with Karan, wrote:
#Sec377 is not just a violation of human rights but also makes democracy seem like a mirage in our country….
— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) December 11, 2013
Shabana Azmi, an activist and film actress, called it undemocratic and against human rights:
Shocking judgement! Upholding 377 is violative of human rights n anti democratic. SC says Parliament shud scrap 377- it MUST. Criminal? How?
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) December 11, 2013
Image from the fifth annual Delhi Queer Pride Parade 2012 in central New Delhi, India. The future of this parade is uncertain after this Supreme Court Verdict. Image by Jiti Chadha. Copyright demotix (25/11/2012)
Journalist Bukrha Dutt tweeted her conversation with leading author Vikram Seth:
Vikram Seth to me :” I was not a criminal yesterday, today I'm one. I intend to remain one. Wont ask for lordships permission before loving”
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) December 11, 2013
Shivam Vij, Indian correspondent for CSM and co-editor of Kafila, mentioned:
The Supreme Court judgement is homophobia masquerading as judicial restraint. #Sec377 #LGBT #India
— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) December 11, 2013
Prasant Naidu at Lighthouse Insights has more reactions on Twitter.

author: Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman


text:
India Loves Gold. So Why Did Actress Rima Kallingal Get Married Without It? · Global Voices
Inji Pennu

Earlier this year, the price of gold fell considerably in India, prompting people in large numbers to rush to shops to buy the precious metal. Image by Sanjoy Karmakar. Copyright Demotix (18/4/2013)
The southwestern Indian state of Kerala has an unparalleled hunger for gold. Nicknamed “gold's own country” by the New York Times last year, the state counts for only 3 percent of the population in India, but consumes 20 percent of the country's gold every year. Some of the largest gold showrooms in Asia are found in Kerala. Newborn babies here are fed gold dust and honey as a tradition. Brides are commonly draped from head to toe in gold.
That's why Indian movie actress Rima Kallingal, who is from Kerala, recently made waves when she married in a simple ceremony sans the precious metal. At a time when many of her fellow film stars often appear as brand ambassadors to jewelry shops, her decision made a statement.
She explained her reasoning on Facebook:
പ്രിയരെ, നവംബർ ഒന്നാം തിയതി, കേരളപിറവി ദിനത്തിൽ ഞങ്ങൾ വിവാഹിതരാവുന്ന വിവരം സസന്തോഷം അറിയിക്കട്ടെ. ഞങളുടെ മാതാപിതാക്കളുടെയും സുഹൃത്തുക്കളുടെയും സാനിദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ എറണകുളം കാക്കനാട് രെജിസ്ട്രാർ ഓഫീസിൽ ഒരു രജിസ്റ്റർ വിവാഹത്തിൽ ഒതുങ്ങും ചടങ്ങുകൾ. ബന്ധുക്കളേയും, സഹപ്രവർത്തകരെയും, സുഹൃത്തുക്കളേയും, മാധ്യമപ്രവർത്തകരേയും ക്ഷണിച്ച് വിരുന്ന് നൽകേണ്ട നാട്ടുനടപ്പുണ്ട് എങ്കിലും, തല്ക്കാലം ആ ചിലവുകൾ ഒഴിവാക്കി നിങ്ങളുടെ എല്ലാവരുടെയും പേരിൽ വിവാഹ ചിലവുകൾകായുള്ള പണം എറണകുളം സർകാർ ആശുപത്രിയിൽ അർബുദ രോഗത്തോടു മല്ലിടുന്ന സാധാരണക്കാരായ രോഗികളുടെ ചികിത്സക് വേണ്ടി കൊടുക്കുകയാണ്. ഈ തുക ഞങളുടെ രണ്ടുപേരുടെയും സിനിമയിൽ നിന്നുള്ള വരുമാനമാണ്. എല്ലാവരുടെയും സ്നേഹത്തിനും പിന്തുണക്കും നന്ദി പറയന്നു. എം പി. പി രാജീവിനോടും, എറണകുളം ജനറൽ ആശുപത്രിയിലെ ഡോക്റെര്മാരോടും, അതോടൊപ്പം ഞങളുടെ മനസറിഞ്ഞ് കൂടെ നിന്ന മാതാപിതാക്കളോടും സുഹൃത്തുക്കളോടും പ്രത്യേകം നന്ദി അറിയിക്കുന്നു.
സ്നേഹത്തോടെ -
റിമ കല്ലിങ്കൽ, ആഷിഖ് അബു
Actress Rima Kallingal. Image via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA
Today, if my grandmother were alive, she would have been ecstatic to see me as a bride, but at the same time heartbroken to see me not dressed in gold from head to toe! From a very young age, I knew that I didn't want to wear so much gold for my marriage… For aesthetic reasons…
But as I grew up, the feeling grew stronger on many other levels, and today when I am getting married, I want to use this beautiful life that I have and this amazing platform that cinema has given me to send out my strong vote of protest against the dowry system that we still shamelessly and silently follow and dedicate my decision to the millions of parents who have spent their life earnings on their children's weddings!
Today, I won't be wearing a single gram of gold :)
Kerala's long history of gold
History has well documented the gold craze of many civilizations and cultures. Pharaohs, kings, emperors, and the so-called 49s of the American West all had a taste for the precious metal.
India's love for gold is much more than just investment. It has an emotional, cultural, religious and socio-political angle to it. India's love for this yellow metal dates back over 4,000 years when people of the Indus Valley first incorporated gold into jewelry. It also has a history of survival; gold was something one could keep as a reserve and could be passed on easily without any bureaucratic interference. Millions of people in India have invested in businesses or securities by pledging their gold jewelry.
People's attachment to the precious metal runs deep. Were it not for gold, the average Indian’s lot through history could have been a lot worse. That's why the story of Nirupama, a 9-year-old girl who gave up all her gold jewelry to benefit the struggle for freedom against the British in 1934 when India was still under colonial rule is still powerful.
Kerala's history with gold began when Romans traded the metal for spices. Today, more than 200,000 people in Kerala work in the gold industry, and the state is said to have more than 5,000 retailers.
Some of the more visible evidence of this gold obsession can be seen at weddings, where brides wearing so much of the precious metal that the weight of it all can make it harder to move about gracefully are a common sight.
‘Dowry is not just about gold’
Even though it is illegal, dowry (wealth transferred from bride's family to groom and groom's family) is not an uncommon feature of life in Kerala, though the fashion of brides wearing gold ornaments on their wedding day isn't necessarily part of the dowry custom. With the rise of dowry-related violence and deaths in India over the last decade, the tradition is a cause for concern.
Many social media users were elated at actress Rima Kallingal's decision not to wear gold during her wedding as a statement against the dowry system.
Siya Siyaa, a woman who lives in Dubai, said she would try to pass on Kallingal's same values to her children:
Lv u reema… if it was now (my marriage) i wuld hav takn same stand.. nw i can try to instill these views in my offsprings… :)
Blogan pondered on his blog why media didn't give the actress much attention on the issue:
ഒരു ജനതയുടെ സ്വര്‍ണ്ണ ഭ്രമത്തെ ഒരു പെണ്ണ് സ്വന്തം വിവാഹം കൊണ്ട് വെല്ലുവിളിച്ചപ്പോള് അത് ചര്‍ച്ച ചെയ്യാന്, ഇരുണ്ട ‘സ്വര്‍ണ്ണ മനസ്സുകളിലേക്ക്’ ഒരു നുറുങ്ങുവെട്ടമെങ്കിലും പകരാന് അവസരം വന്നപ്പോള് ‘സാമൂഹ്യ പ്രതിബദ്ധത’ മുഖ മുദ്രയാക്കി എഴുതിച്ചേര്‍ത്ത മാധ്യമ പന്നന്‍മാരൊന്നും മുന്നോട്ട് വന്നില്ല ,
അരക്ക് താഴേക്ക് അഭിരമിക്കാന് ഒന്നുമില്ലാത്ത സ്ത്രീവിഷയങ്ങള് ആര്‍ക്കുവേണം?
സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന ജ്വല്ലറികളായിക്കൊണ്ട് കല്യാണ മണ്ഡപത്തിലേക്ക് കയറിയ ചില നടിമാരുടെ വിവാഹങ്ങള് ഇതേ മാധ്യമങ്ങള് ആര്‍ഭാടമാക്കിയിരുന്നു എന്നുകൂടി ഓര്‍ക്കുക.
A culture that's gold crazy should be ashamed that we didn't give much attention to Rima's stance, and the media never cared to discuss it given they salivate over every pompous wedding of the rich and famous. When every sexually exploited case is discussed to death, such a great gesture by a woman was not given any air time
A blogger only known as  Film Critic wrote:
കല്യാണ ദിവസം തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുന്ന കാര്യം തൊട്ട് ആഷിക് – റീമ ജോടികള് മലയാളിത്തവും , ലാളിത്യവും ഒരുപോലെ കാത്തുസൂക്ഷിച്ചു . എല്ലാ മതസ്ഥരും രഹസ്യമായി നാളും , മുഹൂര്‍ത്തവും നോക്കുന്ന ഇക്കാലത്ത് , മലയാളിത്തവും , കേരളീയതയും വാചകക്കസര്‍ത്തുകള് മാത്രമാകുന്ന ഇക്കാലത്ത് , കേരളപ്പിറവി ദിനത്തില് മുഹൂര്‍ത്തത്തിന്‍റെ തീട്ടൂരങ്ങളില്ലാതെ രണ്ടു റോസാപുഷ്പാലംകൃതമായ മാലകള് പരസ്പരം അണിയിച്ച് ലളിതമായി അവര് വിവാഹിതരായപ്പോള് കാലാകാലങ്ങളായി നിലനില്‍ക്കുന്ന പല മാമൂലുകളും തകര്‍ന്നു വീണു .
I have many reservations about Rima and [husband] Ashiq, however they really walked the talk. With just simple rose garlands, they held a simple ceremony, which is a tremendously positive thing.
Indian Bride's typical Jewellery. Image by Flickr user Lokendra Nath Roy-Chowdhury. CC BY-NC-SA
However, not all users were as delighted by the actress’ comments.
Resmi Vava, a research student at IISER-P, wrote on her Google Plus account:
സ്ത്രീധനമെന്നാല് സ്വര്‍ണ്ണമെന്നു നിസ്സാര‌വത്കരിക്കുന്നതിനോടു യോജിപ്പില്ല എങ്കിലും..
Dowry is not just about gold, that's an oversimplification of the issue and I have reservations towards it. Yet, the views are interesting.
Sreebitha P. V., an assistant professor at the Central Univeristy of Karnataka, took an interesting position on the website Round Table India:
So it was not aesthetic reasons which prevented me from wearing gold. It was just that I was born in such socio-economic circumstances.
In fact, it is very easy for upper caste and upper class women like Rima to take a decision of not wearing gold for their marriage and to contribute lakhs for other causes. What about the OBCs and Dalits who cannot manage to wear gold even when they wish to do so, especially in the socio-cultural context of Kerala where gold symbolises social status! What about OBCs and Dalits who think that it is their right to gain this status by wearing gold? What about OBCs and Dalits who hopelessly believe that they can confront the casteist patriarchy by wearing gold?
Sreebitha also references the “Kallumala samaram” (stone necklace revolt) that took place in Kanjaveli, near Kollam in Kerala, where women of the lower (Pulaya caste)  had to fight against the upper caste to wear gold and stones.
When Indians still struggle with poor governance and a lacking social security net, and when rural areas still lack a good banking system, an investment they can even wear that brings with it the possibility of upward social mobility will remain the precious metal of choice.

author: Inji Pennu


text:
No Electricity in Gaza  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Gaza, Palestine, Mohammed Al-Agha tweets:
Without electricity for 14 hrs, and still waiting for ! everything here gonna be worst !gazans have no life. #Gaza #palestine
— Mohammed Al- Agha (@MZa_94) December 11, 2013
He continues [ar]:
الزلمة اللي بطلع يجيب الكهربا شكله ماخد إجازة ؟ حنطبق ال24 ساعة كمان شوية .#الحكومة_تخاف_على_صحة_موظفيها
— Mohammed Al- Agha (@MZa_94) December 11, 2013
It seems that the person responsible for providing electricity is on leave. We will soon complete 24 hours without electricity. The government is concerned with the welfare of its employees

author: Amira Al Hussaini