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Russia: Towns and Villages on Fire · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hundreds of forest and peat fires are raging across central Russia; thousands of people are being evacuated from the affected areas, and, sadly, there are reports of human casualties (at least 28, as of now).
In the video below, shot on July 26 in the village of Ulyishchi, 5 km away from the town of Kulebaki in Nizhny Novgorod region, a woman is asking: “Is this really the end of the world? Or is it just a fire?”
The organization of the firefighting effort has been inadequate in many cases, and local residents often choose to self-mobilize and defend nearby towns and villages with whatever means they happen have at their disposal.
LJ user vollove writes about and posts photos (RUS) from one such impromptu firefighting expedition, desperate, futile and dangerous, that took place on July 29 in the village of Verkhnyaya Vereya, close to the town of Vyksa, also in Nizhny Novgorod region:
Decided to cooperate with the guys from the Vyksa [internet forum], to participate in the firefighting effort. Left a message on the forum, people responded, I picked them up after work, one guy and two young women. We stopped by at a store, bought spades. Decided to go to Verkhnyaya Vereya. […] Arrived. Walked to the forest, waited. Lots of people around, a fire truck, everyone with bottles of water and with spades. Everyone's waiting. Thick smoke is coming from behind the forest. This goes on for 20-30 minutes.
[photos]
Then the smoke grows blacker and more intense. […] Gradually, everything turns really dark around, as if during some solar eclipse. Red light appears over the forest, like dawn. The noise grows and is approaching. Then the flames can already be seen over the forest above the trees. The wind grows stronger, gradually turning into something of a hurricane. All the dust starts to rise, blown into our eyes, and it's hard to see well in general. Then somehow the fire enters from everywhere … from above. It looks like the flames the height of a 10-story building. And even though we are standing some 50 meters in front of the forest, we feel the heat from this flame. […] All these little spades, hydrants and firehoses in front of the flames that are 20 meters high are like a toothpick next to an elephant. People understand it all and start running, and the firefighters are yelling to us, Run! We run down the street to the car […]. The girls are there, they guy isn't. I call him and yell for him to get back to the car. Through the howling of the wind, he yells something about extinguishing the lower fire. What lower fire when so many burning branches […] are falling down onto the houses because of the crazy fire up above. In general, it feels like hell all around. We understand that we might die ourselves if we wait for the guy and decide to ride further away from [the village]. We drive off, call him again – he has managed to jump onto a bus. There was a bus in the village and there were calls for everyone to evacuate. When we leave, a field and fences on our left are already on fire, right by the road. We understand that this is the end of [Verkhnyaya Vereya]. […]
[photos]
LJ user vollove‘s post continues with an account of a similarly horrifying experience in another village, Borkovka:
[…] We run towards the cars. Incredibly difficult to breathe. I feel like lying down. Total dumbness comes over me, from the lack of oxygen. I make myself run to the car. It's strange around. Can't see a thing. Gray darkness and crazy wind that blows you off your feet. Burning branches and cinders are falling from above. […] There's more oxygen inside the car than outside, and I manage to catch my breath. […]
In another post, LJ user vollove re-posts somebody else's video shot from inside a car in the village of Tamboles, also near Vyksa in Nizhny Novgorod region. The video has had over 170,650 views so far. People in the car are swearing profusely as they try to escape from the fire, and LJ user vollove comments (RUS) that he had a similar experience on his way out of Borkovka – and was using the same language then:
Photos, video footage and written reports from the burning and burned down villages make one think about wartime chaos and destruction. LJ user vollove posted photos and wrote this (RUS) about his visit to Tamboles, the village featured in the video above, and about an encounter with one of the volunteers there:
The man is a former officer, says that he saw nothing like this [during the war in Nagorno-Karabakh], only in [Chechnya]. But, he says, there was aimed bombing there, while here… They were rushing back and forth down the streets, extinguishing lower fires here and there […]. […] The fire was jumping over houses and streets, hitting somewhat selectively. That is, we saw a burned down stone home, and next to it an undamaged wooden barn. He was praising those few firefighting crews that were there. Told us how he called the [local] administration, asking them to bring some food for the firefighters, and they were cursing him, told him to manage on their own. He asked us to drive around, take photos and post them on the web. […] The scene looks surreal, as if there had been bombing there indeed.
This is how LJ user igorpodgorny explains (RUS) the poor emergency response to the fire catastrophe:
[…] In the recent years [regional, not federal, authorities] are responsible for fighting the fires, and that's why prompt exchange of resources and tools [between regions] is no longer possible (even though the fires do not recognize any administrative borders). Because of the organizational chaos and minuscule financing, the areas affected by the fires continue to grow. In the recent years, the state has been spending only about 1 ruble [$0.03] a year per one hectare of forest. For the same purpose, the United States is spending 100 times as much – over $4 a year.
Here's a short video of what's left of the aforementioned Borkovka village, posted by YouTube user bellyiup:
And here's some footage of the burned down barracks in the village of Mirnyi, by the same YouTube user bellyiup:
LJ user doctor-joy writes that his boss has just returned from the village of Kriusha in Ryazan region, where his relatives used to live, and told him this about the firefighting fiasco there:
[…] According to eyewitnesses, the firefighters arrived without water, asked where they could find water, took it once from there, then the place where there was water was cut off by the fire, and then everything was burning like gunpowder. Only a few buildings remained intact, the fire passed them by via the forest.
LJ user doctor-joy also posted this YouTube video (as YouTube user Pojarnet) of a car ride through the fires in the village of Kriusha, commenting: “On TV and internet they say that the fire has been extinguished, while this is what it looks like in reality!!! People aren't getting help!”
LJ user igorkomarov posted a photo report (RUS) of the joint firefighting efforts in the villages of Belgorod region. Here's some of what he wrote (RUS):
[…] A negative factor in this situation was that on the same day a column of modern firetrucks moved out of [Belgorod, the region's capital] to extinguish fires in Moscow region. […]
[…]
We ran out of water and rushed to the river. But at this point a local woman brought out a herd of cows into the middle of the road. In general, it was hard to ignore the [selfish] position of the villagers – my house is on the edge, let the neighbor's house burn down [I don't care what happens to anyone but myself].
Local internet forums are bursting with discussions of the fires and information on how to help those who have lost their homes and other property. On LiveJournal, at least two communities (RUS) have been set up recently: pozar_ru and emercommunity.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Taiwan: Dolphin surviving after entanglement · Global Voices
David Reid

The Taiwan pink dolphin known as TW-36 was entangled in a rope in September 2008. Save the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins reports the dolphin has recently been sighted again and is free of the entangling rope.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: David Reid


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Taiwan: Problems for bicycle commuters · Global Voices
David Reid

OzSoapBox gives seven reasons why bicycle commuting doesn't work in Taiwan.


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Thailand: Comment on Thailand politics · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Tony Hedges comments on Thai political crisis. He compares Thailand to an “Isaan house, on stilts, with a huge hole in the floor. Everyone knows there is a hole in the floor, but they generally walk around it giving it a wide berth.”

author: Mong Palatino


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Uganda: The Glorious Rwenzori Mountains · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kabozi writes about the Rwenzoris mountains in Uganda: “They are also often referred to as the mountains of the moon…I hope I kindle more interest in this mountin range, one I have promised myself to climb….before global warming wipes out the ice cap.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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USA: Debating Essence Magazine Hire of Ellianna Placas, First White Director  · Global Voices
Anna Gueye

On Jul 19, Essence,  America’s premiere black women’s magazine (a Time Inc. publication) and a media institution,  announced that it has named Ellianna Placas as its new Fashion Director. Placas is a renown fashion editor,  she is also the first white woman  to be hired at this position. In the post announcing the news,  Alex Alvarez writes:
… She began her career in publishing styling cover shoots for 0: The Oprah Magazine … has also worked for Us Weekly, Real Simple, New York, More and Life & Style.
Upon hearing of the new hire, the community blogosphere went abuzz.
The Black Snob’s Danielle C. Belton writes in a blog post entitled “Essence Hires White Fashion Editor; Gets Raised Eyebrows, Tempers” that:
In a fashion industry where there is a lack of women of color, both as models and as people behind the scenes, some folks are not happy. They are not happy at all.
Belton also adds:
Online fashion and lifestyle site Clutch Magazine has one of the best articles about Placas being hired.
In the aforementioned article, Geneva S. Thomas conveys the disappointment of  many black women and offers an explanation:
Cultural critic and writer Michaela Angela Davis, a former fashion editor for Essence, and a current writer for the print, tweeted: “It is with a heavy heavy heart I have learned that Essence magazine has engaged a white fashion director, this hurts, literally, spiritually.” …. Responses ranged from shock, disappointment to utter confusion. Michaela Angela Davis says her feelings on the news have much to do with Black women’s hostile history with the fashion industry.
Further explaining her concerns around the issue, Michaela wrote on Facebook: “It is personal and it’s also professional. If there were balance in the industry; if we didn’t have a history of being ignored and disrespected; if more mainstream fashion media included people of color before the ONE magazine dedicated to Black women ‘diversified’, it would feel different.”
Michaela also asks, “How many qualified Black fashion professionals did they [Essence] call?”
Screen Shot of Michaela Angela Davis and Roland Martin Discussing the Ellianna Placas Hire on CNN Anderson Cooper 360
Fashion media personality Najwa Moses has her own set of qualified Black women who should have received a call. “I can think of a few qualified Black women, and men too.” Najwa says …  “I mean, how could such a prestigious title who is deeply rooted in its target audience let someone who is not even apart of the African Diaspora detonate our image?” Najwa questions, “How can a White woman dictate and decide what style and beauty is for the Black woman?”
The Editor-in-Chief of Essence magazine Angela Burt-Murray responded by writing the article: “ Essence: White editor won't diminish our love of black women“:
… the hot-button topic of race always has the ability to set people off and illustrate just how far we haven't come. It's something I see quite a bit in my own work. [..] Whether it's a profile on P. Diddy and longtime girlfriend Kim Porter discussing their controversial relationship (“You're promoting having children out of wedlock and a negative image of black couples!” wrote one disgruntled reader) or assigning a guest column to singer Jill Scott to voice her opinion about black men who date outside their race, “The Wince” (“Reverse racism!” was a common critique).
Screen shot of Angela Burt Murray, editor in chief of Essence
She pursues:
But interestingly enough, the things I think should most upset people and inspire boycotts and Facebook protests, often seem to go relatively unnoticed. Like when Essence conducted a three-part education series this year on the plight of black children falling through the cracks in under-performing schools. Crickets. When we reported on the increase in sex trafficking of young black girls in urban communities? Silence. When our writers investigated the inequities in the health care services black women receive? Deadly silence. When our editors highlighted data from the Closing the Gap Initiative report “Lifting as We Climb: Women of Color, Wealth and America's Future” that showed that the median net worth of single black women was $5? There went those darn crickets again. When we run pieces on how unemployment is devastating black men? Nada. When we run story after story on how HIV is the leading cause of death for black women age 18-34? Zilch. The things that really are the end of our world apparently aren't.  [… ] And the way that I'm able to do that effectively is by valuing and listening to the direct and passionate dialogue I have with our 8.3 million readers and finding constructive ways that we can work together to continue to support and uplift black women. Thankfully, these sisters never steer me wrong!
At Black Voices,  Claire Sulmers weighs in on the topic  and posts  a poll asking: “Is it wrong for Essence to hire a white fashion director?”  Out of a total of 2,972 votes, 54% said “Yes, it's a black women’s magazine” and 46% “No, whoever is best for the job deserves it”.
in  Special to CNN article, Sophia Nelson, editor-in-chief of Political Intersection blog writes that “Essence magazine offers lesson on race by putting ability over color”
I understand that passion, and to be honest, my initial reaction to the story was shock — until I really thought about it and realized that Essence was teaching us all something very important [..]  Essence is setting a very positive example in the magazine industry and at one of the world's largest corporations, Time Warner, that talent not race matters.
Sadly, what seems to be lost in this debate over race, gender and victims of racism in America is that a human being named Elliana Placas … (who, by the way, is Australian). Her world view must be vastly different from the racial obsessions that we play out here in America on a grand scale at least once per year…
My sisters, I ask all of us to reconsider the Biblical command “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
… The sisters at Essence have taught us all to put qualifications over comfort zones, vision over tradition, and character over color. Thank you Essence once again for leading the way.
in the Clutch Magazine article, many readers also opined on the issue.  In a ‘post-racial’ world, some people believed that Michaela and Najwa’s point of views on the hiring are “reverse racism”. One reader states in the comment section:
What’s makes her not qualified? I hope that beauty can be found in every woman.
Joan Morgan, an award-winning journalist, author and long-time writer for Essence also adds:
This is about the fact that the publishing industry, particularly when it comes to mainstream women’s magazines remains just about as segregated in its hiring practices as it did in 1988.

author: Anna Gueye


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Zambia: Comments on Draft Constitution 2010 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The zambian National Constitution Conference is consulting the public on the Draft Constitution 2010. Zambian Economist blog has a special page of public comments on the document.


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Afghanistan: Taliban beyong the Pashtuns · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nick Fielding reviews the article, which argues that the Taliban has started making significant inroads among other ethnic groups, including Uzbeks, Tajiks and Turkmens from the north of Afghanistan.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Armenia-Azerbaijan: Peace on Facebook  · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Global Voices co-founder Ethan Zuckerman comments on the potential for social networking site Facebook to serve as a tool for cross-border communication, especially in the area of international conflict. Although skeptical in general, Zuckerman says that it might be showing some albeit limited potential in the area of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bolivia: Questions About Internet Use in 2011 Census · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Pablo Andrés Rivero of the blog Purple Fire [es] believes that the upcoming Census in Bolivia in 2011 is the perfect opportunity to find out information about the use of internet in Bolivian society.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Cambodia: Mixed views on Duch Verdict · Global Voices
Sopheap Chak

More than 30 years after the fall of the Khmer Rouge Regime in Cambodia, the first guilty verdict was handed out last 26 July 2010 by the Trial Chamber of The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)-popularly known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. It was the conviction of Kaing Guek Eav aka Duch, one of four people including Nuon Chea aka Brother Number Two, Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith (aka Khmer Rouge First Lady) and Khieu Samphan who have been brought to court for genocide, crime against humanity and other war crimes.
Duch, Tuol Sleng prison chief, was sentenced to 35 years in prison; however, it was reduced to 19 years since he has been in detention in the past 16 years including the illegal detention for five years ordered by the military court in 1999. This verdict sparked mixed reactions from various institutions and individuals particularly those who suffered during the Khmer Rouge period. These reactions can be categorized into three groups.
First, a group of people who are looking forward to the outcome of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal welcomes this verdict by highlighting the event as a historical moment for Cambodia especially to human rights victims. Sovachana Pou, a volunteer teacher and blogger who attended the trial session, immediately wrote a post sharing his feelings:
In the court chamber, I personally witnessed the hybrid justice proceeding live with more than 500 people, most of them are victims. It was a moving experience and historic event for all the victims to wait more than 30 years to finally having some sort of justice.
On one hand, Sophal Ear, a survivor of the genocide and who once gave a remarkable talk for TED on ‘escaping the Khmer Rouge,‘ in February 2009 in Long Beach, California, remembered the words of his mother when the Duch Verdict was announced:
On this momentous occasion, I'd like to step back by reflecting upon and give voice to one victim of the Khmer Rouge: my late mother, Cam Youk Lim […] She didn't live to see this day, but no matter, for her justice would inevitably be rendered the Buddhist way. She decided long ago the Khmer Rouge were Karmic pestilence who would pay the price for their crimes, if not in this lifetime, then in their next life.
Another group of reaction refers to those who are disappointed with the verdict claiming that the sentence is too light for a criminal who supervised the execution of more than 14,000 people. In a letter titled “ECCC brought no fairness to the people of Cambodia” to editor of Phnom Penh Post, Jeffrey Serey Hola highlighted the a press statement of Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR). While CCHR welcomes the reduction of Duch's prison sentence as a good model for domestic courts whose detention practices remain a serious concern, Jeffrey questioned the “light” sentence if the intent is to provide justice to victims. The demand is at least a life sentence for Duch while the death penalty is not legalized in Cambodia.
It is understandable that many wanted him to face the death penalty,  even though capital punishment is illegal in Cambodia. The reduced  sentence of 19 years for Duch is too lenient for such a vicious mass  murder. Duch should at least serve a life sentence […] For those who have  lived and experienced such horrors, how could this sentence ever be  considered justice? For them, it is just a slap on the wrist. Justice  was not served for the people of Cambodia.
This sentiment is similarly shared by Bernard Krisher, chairman of American Assistance for Cambodia and publisher of a local foreign newspaper named Cambodia Daily. Writing from Tokyo, he said that the tribunal sentence is too light and demanded that Duch should be hanged.
As a survivor of the Nazi Holocaust against the Jewish people in the 1930s where many of my relatives, including a number of my father's siblings, perished in Hitler's gas chambers, I followed the Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunals and was disappointed at the relatively light sentence given to the German and Japanese war criminals at their war crime trials, I feel that Duch should have been hanged[…]
On the other hand, there is another group which neither supports the Khmer Rouge Tribunal nor the Duch verdict. In an interview with BBC, two Cambodian survivors pointed out the credibility problem of the UN-backed tribunal given the fact that it was established only to make good impression in the international  community.
Both want to see the top leaders sentenced, they don't care  much about punishment for minions like Duch, who would have been killed  himself had he not followed orders from above.
Interestingly, even government ministers shared contrasting views on the Duch verdict. While Cambodia's Information Minister Khieu Kanharith is pleased with the verdict, the Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong is disappointed with the light sentence on Duch.
Khieu Kanharith, in an interview by Radio VOA Khmer Service, said:
┬τάηεάη╢έΑΜάηΦάη╢άηΥέΑΜάηΦάηΕάθΤάηιάη╢άηΚέΑΜάηΡάη╢έΑΜ  άηΣάη╕άηαάη╜άηβέΑΜάηΓάη║άηΑάη╢άηγέΑΜάηΦάθΤάηΠάθΒάηΘάθΤάηΚάη╢έΑΜάηΖάη╖άηΠάθΤάηΠέΑΜάηγάηΦάηθάθΜέΑΜάηγάη╢άηΘέΑΜάηγάηΛάθΤάηΜάη╢άηΩάη╖άηΦάη╢άηδέΑΜάηΑάηαάθΤάηΨάη╗άηΘάη╢  άηΑάθΤάηΥάη╗άηΕέΑΜάηΑάη╢άηγέΑΜάηθάθΤάηεάθΓάηΕάηγάηΑέΑΜάηβάη╗άηΠάθΤάηΠάη╖άηΤάηαάθΝέΑΜάηΘάη╝άηΥέΑΜάηΦάθΤάηγάηΘάη╢έΑΜάηΨάηδάηγάηΛάθΤάηΜέΑΜάηΒάθΤάηαάθΓάηγ έΑΜάηΥάη╖άηΕέΑΜάηΣάη╕άηΨάη╕άηγέΑΜ  έΑΜάηεάη╢άηΦάη╢άηΥέΑΜάηΦάηΕάθΤάηιάη╢άηΚέΑΜάηλάθΗάηΨάη╕έΑΜάηΑάηαάθΤάηγάη╖άηΠέΑΜάηΧάθΤάηΥάθΓάηΑέΑΜάηεάη╖άηΘάθΤάηΘάη╢άηΘάη╕άηεάθΙέΑΜάηγάηΦάηθάθΜέΑΜάηλάηΕάθΤάηΓέΑΜάηΖάθΖάηΑάθΤάηγάηαέΑΜάηγάηΦάηθάθΜέΑΜάηβάη╛άηΕέΑΜ άηΑάθΤάηΥάη╗άηΕάηΑάη╢άηγέΑΜάηθάθΤάηεάθΓάηΕάηγάηΑέΑΜάηβάη╗άηΠάθΤάηΠάη╖άηΤάηαάθΝέΑΜάηΘάη╝άηΥέΑΜάηΦάθΤάηγάηΘάη╢άηΨάηδέΑΜάηγάηΛάθΤάηΜάηΒάθΤάηαάθΓάηγ┬╗άθΦ
On the other hand, Hor Nam Hong interviewed by Radio Free Asia, expressed his personal statement:
┬τάηΛάθΕάηβάηθάη╢άηγέΑΜάηΥάθΒάθΘέΑΜάηΘάη╢έΑΜάηΩάη╢άηγάηΑάη╖άηΖάθΤάηΖέΑΜάηγάηΦάηθάθΜέΑΜάηΠάη╗άηδάη╢άηΑάη╢άηγέΑΜάηΒάθΤάηαάθΓάηγέΑΜάηΑάθΤάηγάηιάηα  άηγάη╢άηΘέΑΜάηγάηΛάθΤάηΜάη╢άηΩάη╖άηΦάη╢άηδέΑΜάηαάη╖άηΥέΑΜάηαάη╢άηΥέΑΜάηΘάθΗάηιάηγέΑΜάηλάη╕έΑΜάηΣάθΒάθΦ άηβάθΕάηΦάηδάθΜέΑΜάηΧάθΤάηΣάη╢άηδάθΜέΑΜάηγάηΦάηθάθΜέΑΜάηΒάθΤάηΚάη╗άθΗ άηΒάθΤάηΚάη╗άθΗέΑΜάηΔάη╛άηΚέΑΜάηΡάη╢  άηεάη╢έΑΜάηαάη╖άηΥέΑΜάηθάηαάηγάηαάθΤάηβ άηΦάη╛έΑΜάηΦάθΤάηγάθΑάηΦάηΤάθΑάηΦέΑΜάηΣάθΖέΑΜάηΥάη╣άηΕέΑΜάηΦάθΤάηγάηΘάη╢άηΘάηΥέΑΜάηΑάηαάθΤάηΨάη╗άηΘάη╢έΑΜάηθάθΤάηδάη╢άηΦάθΜέΑΜάηΘάη╖άηΠ άθμέΑΜάηδάη╢άηΥέΑΜάηΥάη╢άηΑάθΜάθΦ  άηΦάθΤάηγάηΘάη╢άηΘάηΥέΑΜάηΑάηαάθΤάηΨάη╗άηΘάη╢έΑΜάηΛάθΓάηδέΑΜάηΓάθΒέΑΜάηβάηΑέΑΜάηΣάθΖέΑΜάηΤάθΤάηεάη╛έΑΜάηΣάη╢άηγάη╗άηΟάηΑάηαάθΤάηαέΑΜάηΥάθΖέΑΜάηΣάη╜άηδάηθάθΤάηδάθΓάηΕ  άηιάη╛άηβέΑΜάηθάηαάθΤάηδάη╢άηΦάθΜέΑΜάηΥάθΖέΑΜάηΘάη╛άηΕάηψάηΑέΑΜάηγάη╢άηΦάθΜέΑΜάηθάθΓάηΥέΑΜάηΥάη╢άηΑάθΜέΑΜάηΥάθΒάθΘάθΦ άηΑάη╢άηΠάθΜέΑΜάηΣάθΕάηθέΑΜάηΥάθΒάθΘέΑΜάηιάη╢άηΑάθΜέΑΜάηΛάη╝άηΖέΑΜάηΘάη╢έΑΜάηθάθΤάηγάη╢άηδ  άηαάη╖άηΥέΑΜάηθάηαέΑΜάηΥάη╣άηΕέΑΜάηΖάθΗάηΥάη╜άηΥέΑΜάηΦάθΤάηγάηΘάη╢άηΘάηΥέΑΜάηΑάηαάθΤάηΨάη╗άηΘάη╢έΑΜάηΛάθΓάηδέΑΜάηΦάη╢άηΥέΑΜάηθάθΤάηδάη╢άηΦάθΜ┬╗

author: Sopheap Chak


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Caribbean: On Freedom · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Yesterday, August 1, marked the 172nd commemoration of Emancipation Day in many English-speaking Caribbean territories, when African slaves were freed from their British colonists.  Today is a public holiday in many countries throughout the region and a few bloggers are taking the opportunity to reflect on what the occasion means to these developing islands, while asking the question: “How close are we in the Caribbean to truly being ‘free'?”
Jamaican diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp offers a quick history of Emancipation, noting that:
In many Caribbean countries the Emancipation Day celebration is a part of Carnival, as the Caribbean Carnival takes place at this time.
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog , meanwhile, republishes the Prime Minister's Emancipation Day message and covers the local celebrations via a comprehensive list of related mainstream media stories.
From the Bahamas, Rick Lowe says:
It is a day worthy of a public holiday.
He goes on to provide links “of interest on the subject of slavery and the resolve of a few people to see that despicable policy come to an end.”
Fellow Bahamian Womanish Words, in one of the most thoughtful posts about the occasion, ruminates on the meaning of the day and the stark reality of modern day slavery:
This holiday weekend we celebrate the end of slavery, remember those who did not survive, and those that did, because they are our sacred ancestors. We pause to consider the many huge and small freedoms we enjoy today and raise our glasses and voices to them with gratitude.
And if we are brave, today we will think and speak of the people in the world who are still not free, maybe speak out for them, because they are us, and none of us are really free until all are free. I’m thinking about the estimated two million human beings, most of them women and girls, who will be trafficked around the world this year. Some say it will be as many as four million…the struggle isn't over for so many women and girls of our generation. If we are free enough to celebrate today, sisters, lets do it in the name of those of us who are not.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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China and the U.S: CCP’s Soft Power and The Internet · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tom Legg comments on the interaction between Chinese Communist Party and western Internet companies in claiming and framing the online public sphere by means of soft power vs. discourse on citizen's rights to access.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Baidu to sue US domain register for “Gross Negligence” · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Angry Chinese Blogger blogs about Baidu.com's legal action against US domain register for gross negligence, which resulted in a cyber attack by the Iranian Cyber Army back in January 2010.


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China: Rural migrant workers need love too! · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

As if rural migrant workers did not need love before, the state own T.V recently discovered that the post 80s rural migrant workers need love and therefore organized a special episode of If You Are the One for this specific social group. More from DANWEI.


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Cuba: He’s Ba-ack?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“In Cuba, information must be read between the lines”: Iván's File Cabinet speculates about what the differing approaches of the Castro brothers might mean.


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Dominican Republic: President Fernández Visits Haiti · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Dominican President Leonel Fernández was recently in Haiti where he was honored for his country's support to the neighbors. Blogger José Méndez of Monaco [es] recalls a time in 2005 when many Haitians protested Fernández’ visit and how times have changed.


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Ethiopia/Eritrea: Blogging from Hagerawi waa’la (the National Conference) · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Daniel Tewelde is blogging the hagerawi waa'la (the National Conference) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: “Yesterday was the grand opening of the hagerawi waa'la (the National Conference), and without exaggeration it was great and inspiring.”


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Global: Mozilla Drumbeat Seeks to Expand the Open Web · Global Voices
Diego Casaes

The Mozilla Foundation, creator of the internet browser Firefox, has launched Drumbeat, a project that seeks to gather people with the most diverse backgrounds and from many parts of the world to think up projects that promote the openness of the web. Teachers, technologists, designers, developers, lawyers, translators: everyone who uses and loves the web is invited to help make the web a better place, and keep it open and free.
Drumbeat is all about keeping the web open, and guarding its open nature:
We want to spark a movement. We want to keep the web open for the next 100 years. The first step: inviting you to do and make things that help the web. That's what Drumbeat is — practical projects and local events that gather smart, creative people around big ideas, solving problems and building the open web.
Among the featured projects, Universal Subtitles, a software project and global community to subtitle, caption and translate every video on the web. WebMadeMovies by Brett Gaylor (producer of RIP: The Remix Manifesto), an innovation lab transforming the way we create and experience video on the web, and the P2PU School of Webcraft, a powerful new way to teach and learn web developer skills.
Mozilla Drumbeat in São Paulo, June 2010. Photo by Diego Casaes.
A handful of other interesting projects are also listed on the Drumbeat website. Help me Investigate, a project for crowd-sourcing investigative journalism, breaks the investigation process in small pieces so volunteers can help investigate and verify news information. Check out the current projects page.
Mozilla Drumbeat was officially launched in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in March 2010. In addition to gathering people on the web to work on these projects, Mozilla encourages groups to meet in their local neighborhoods and cities to discuss the open web.
Up to now, there were four Drumbeat events in Brazil; the lastest  took place in São Paulo [pt] and gathered individuals from 13 different parts of the country: from the far south to the heart of the Amazon forest. There were also Drumbeat events in Paris, Toronto and Bulgaria. Information on past and upcoming events can be found on this page.
A closed internet slows down innovation and commerce, and stifles collaboration. The open web is threatened by walled gardens, roadblocks, gatekeepers, centralization and lack of privacy control. For this reason, Drumbeat is reaching out for ideas and individuals to make sure the web will be forever open and free. Start a project, or join one that's already rolling!

author: Diego Casaes


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India: Curfew In Jammu & Kashmir · Global Voices
Rezwan

“Curfew has been imposed in nine districts in Jammu & Kashmir,” reports Pragmatic Euphony. The blogger advocates for bold political initiatives from the Indian government once the ongoing violence is subdued.

author: Rezwan


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Indonesia: Veteran actor stages parliament protest · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

“Jujur, Adil, Tegas.” In the English language it means “Honest, Fair, Firm.” These were the words written in red paint by veteran movie actor Pong Harjatmo on the roof of the parliament building of Indonesia as a sign of protest against what he described as inefficient democratic and legislative system of the country.
Indonesia's Parliament building. This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons
A few days before the 68-year old actor climbed the 100-meter-tall parliament building, a report was published which exposed the declining attendance record of members of the House of Representatives. This explains why many netizens are somewhat sympathetic to the intentions and actions of Pong.
Multibrand hopes the lazy members of Congress would realize that many people in Indonesia are already “sick and tired” about their poor performance
I have not heard about him for more than a decade, and today I was surprised about the protest he made against the members of the House of Representatives by climbing the roof of the House building.
I hope that what Pong did today would make members of the House aware that people are sick and tired about their performances many of whom are very lazy to attend meetings, love to sleep during meetings, involve in crimes, etc
Here are some comments on Facebook
Rice Guy D this man should be commended not condemned..saya pikir
Mico Roy Siswanto This is just an example of kind vandalism…
Andre Purvance Pong for President!
Agus Jemat Don't say you are contemporary & street art artist if you never do what mr. Pong Harjatmo do today
Eton Sahertia Good job, wake them up Mr. Pong :)
sounds of gibberish notes that Pong showed the young people how to effectively protest instead of ranting on Twitter and Facebook
Pong slap youth of the nation in da face and showed us how to make a point (rather than stupid protest or meaningless rant in twitter or facebook account). This old timer really know how to strike (even when the iron is not hot) and really stands in what he believe (he even said that he will repeat his action in other government building
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not I totally agree to Pong action (OK, I support it 10000000000%, U go old timer! Though I think other method could be implemented before we go anarchy on the street). What I think most people missed from this controversy is the message, the substance, and the very reason of the action.
Jakarta Journo's Armando Siahaan praises Pong
Thanks to the oh-so-divine power of the digital world, the news spread like an airborne virus. My immediate reaction upon hearing the news ran something along the lines of: “How did a 68-year-old man manage to get up there in the first place?”
If we examine the gutsy and witty act further, Pong’s decision to spray paint the green dome that bears a resemblance to a turtle’s shell turned out to be a brilliant stunt.
Intentionally or not, it was an eye-opening, symbolic criticism that shouted: “You lawmakers work as slow as turtles!”
Some members of Congress and security officers recognize the right of Pong to air his opinion but reminded the actor to express it “politely” and not through acts of vandalism. Pong was not charged in the courts but he was advised not to repeat the protest stunt.


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Kazakhstan: Second grader sues Ministry of Education  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog reports that a boy in second grade is suing the Ministry of Education of Kazakhstan for psychological damage because his textbook on road safety contains many grammatical and spelling mistakes as well as useless or confusing information.


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Kenya: Kenya’s Referendum: A Ugandan’s Dilemma · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenya's referendum for a new constitution poses a dilemma for a Ugandan living in Kenya: “Hence my dilemma, the referendum is 3 days away, should I pack it in and catch a plane to kampala and sit it out for a week. And if so, should I leave now or on the voting day or just before the results are announced.”


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Kenya: On the threshold of a new constitutional order  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Is Kenya approaching a new constitutional order?: “Judging by the images, the sounds and the spectacle at the YES rally in Nairobi on Sunday, August 1, 2010, one can deduce that a big section of Kenyans are very fired up about the Proposed Constitution.”


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Kyrgyzstan: Locals protest against OSCE police forces · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Marat Sartpaev reports that demonstrations against the OSCE advisory group’s deployment are held in Kyrgyzstan. Protesters believe “this will lead to the dissolution of Kyrgyzstan as it did in Kosovo, South Ossetia” and challenge the central government's power.


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Mexico: Sin Lugar Online Event · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Ernesto Priego is the primary organizer of the Sin Lugar event, which he describes as “a Twitter-centred online anti-conference,” where Mexican twitterers can gather to discuss topics related to internet, digital culture, citizenship, among others. In his blog Butterfly Hunt, he describes how the event works and how people can get involve using a wide variety of digital tools.


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Pakistan: Mourning Victims Of Plane Crash · Global Voices
Sana Saleem

View of #Islamabad crash site from rooftop. Image from Twitpic by Rezhasan
On the morning of July 28, 2010, Airblue flight ED 202 flying from Karachi crashed into the Margalla Hills in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Over 150 passengers were on board at the time of the crash, none of them survived. The tragic incident has left many in shocks and grieves. Investigations to determine the cause of the crash are still underway. While many continue to mourn the tragedy, others are also raising critical questions about the crash.
Kalsoom Lakhani at CHUP-Changing Up Pakistan mourned the tragic incident:
The tragedy of today of course is expressed in the images and videos of the victims’ families and friends, who swarmed the hospital and ticket counters at Islamabad’s airport this morning desperately seeking information about their loved ones. The office of PM Yousaf Raza Gilani said in a statement that the federal cabinet has declared today a “national day of mourning” for the victims of Airblue flight ED202. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives today.
As the investigation continues it is too early to suggest the possible cause of the crash. Recent reports have suggested that the black box has been recovered, which makes the investigation process easier. Kalsoom Lakhani further elaborates on the issues that might hinder investigations:
What exactly is a “black box,” you ask? According to HowStuffWorks, investigators generally turn to the airplane’s flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) for answers on how the plane crashed. Costing between $10,000 and $15,000 (not sure if Pakistani airlines get similar models), these black boxes reveal details of the events immediately preceding the accident. According to Dawn, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) told reporters that this black box has been recovered, so details surrounding the crash will presumably be released soon, (though GEO reports that Pakistan actually lacks the “facility” to decipher these gadgets).
Remembering the victims of the Crash. Maryam Piracha shares her grief:
I am torn between reason and belief, justifying and accepting, reasoning and understanding. There is no easy way to process this, except to pray for the souls of the dead and for the fortitude and patience of those they left behind.
The media coverage of the tragic incident has been heavily criticized. Ahsan Butt of Five rupees, lashed out at the irresponsible coverage of the crash:
Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I can watch most Pakistani news channels at most times even sitting in Chicago, but I must confess I turned it all off about 90 seconds after putting it on this morning. “Insensitive” doesn't even begin to cover it.Memo to media organizations: RUNNING AFTER RELATIVES OF PEOPLE JUST KILLED WITH MICROPHONES AND CAMERAS AND BADGERING THEM FOR A QUOTE IS KIND OF A DOUCHEY THING TO DO. For the love of God, stop it. You do this after terrorist attacks and bombings and you do it after natural disasters and now you're doing it after a plane crash. What's wrong with you?
During the media coverage of the crash it appeared that most TV channels were focusing more on marketing the news rather than reporting responsibly. On my own blog, I talked about media's irresponsible and insensitive coverage:
Reporters kept badgering families of the victims for quotes, following and zooming in on faces of people mourning the deaths of their loved ones. Even worse were the images being shown from the crash site, close ups of blood stains and scattered body parts along with debris, while a reporter gloatingly waved travel documents and identity cards from the site. None of these media channels for once thought of the implications of such irresponsible reporting, perhaps the only thing on their mind was to sensationalize the news and develop conspiracy theories. News anchors could not even wait for a few hours before pinning the blame, and within a span of a few hours news coverage of the event turned into aircrash investigations. To make matters worse, one private channel went even further and claimed to disclose the Pilot-to-tower recording, even before any official statement was issued. [..] There is absolutely no justifications for the unethical coverage of  one of the most tragic incidents in Pakistan. Miserable reporting only draws more attention to the need of reinforcing media ethics and to form regulatory bodies monitoring violations.
The tragic incident has drawn attention to the need for a better disaster management and relief system, responsible reporting of such incidents and dire need of specialists and facilities that could help make the investigation process faster. Talking about the aftermath of the tragedy I concluded:
Since reports from the crash are still pouring in, I must refrain from speculating on the reasons of the crash. But what I know now is that 152 people lost their lives in the tragic incident, as a nation in mourning we must stand in solidarity with those who have lost their loved ones, we must avoid speculation and  top feeding on conspiracy theories. If there is one thing that should stand out, it should be the brave impulse of ordinary people who rushed to the scene and volunteered  to help and support  the rescue teams.

author: Sana Saleem


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Puerto Rico: Lebrón Passes On  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Both Repeating Islands and The Voice of the Taino People Online mark the passing of Puerto Rican nationalist and independence activist, Lolita Lebrón.


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Russia: Ushahidi-based Project to Help Victims of Severe Fires · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

GV “RuNet Echo” team together with volunteers from different parts of Russia has launched “Russian Fires.ru” [RUS], an Ushahidi-based crisis crowd sourcing website. The project is aimed to bridge volunteers and the victims of wild fires that hit central part of Russia [EN].

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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South Korea: North Korean land mine blast, killing one. · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

A North Korean wooden box land mine that may have been washed into South Korea by heavy flooding exploded in an inter-Korean border area, killing one South Korean civilian and injuring another, South Korea’s Joongang reported. The South Korean military said there was a low chance that the North intentionally sent the mines south, but started investigating on possible land mines that may have drifted to southern part of the river.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Sri Lanka: First Ever Tweetup · Global Voices
Rezwan

Amitha Amarasinghe informs that TweetupSL, the first ever tweetup for Sri Lankan tweeps, will take place in Colombo on the 26th of August, Thursday.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Going South  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

My Chutney Garden talks to permaculture enthusiast Erle Rahaman-Noronha about his annual jaunt to Trinidad's south coast “to collect seeds and identify the flotsam that washed up daily from Venezuela's Orinoco River.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Watching Colin  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

This Beach Called Life is keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Colin: “Let's hope this system will fizzle but it’s that time of year where every possibility looks dangerous.”


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Bahamas: Something Fishy  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Weblog Bahamas says that there is a “big issue” that needs to be solved in the local commercial fishing industry “before something horrible happens.”


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Bahrain: Fools and Doctors  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini Mahmood Al Yousif feels ‘flutters’ in his chest and does the right thing when he goes through a series of tests. “only a fool becomes one’s own doctor, and I had,” he admits.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Bahrain: Shooting Bats  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini Mahmood Al Yousif shot bats in his garden. Bats are not commonly seen in Bahrain.


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Bahrain: Towards a Liberal Bahrain  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahrain is gearing up for its parliamentary elections in October. Activists have set up a Facebook page entitled: Towards a Liberal Bahrain.


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Caribbean: Notting Hill Carnival  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The Notting Hill Carnival is arguably London’s most exciting annual event”: Repeating Islands has details about the upcoming celebrations.


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Chile: Isabel Allende and the National Prize for Literature · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Isabel Allende, author of The House of Spirits and the recently published Island Beneath the Sea, among other novels, is one of the best-known and most-read Latin American writers. This year, she is a candidate for the Chilean National Prize for Literature, a prize given by the government, the Ministry of Education, and the National Council of Culture and the Arts.  Her candidacy has sparked debate among literature critics, writers, and average Chilean citizens.
Isabel Allende was born in Peru while her  father worked there as a diplomat; her father’s cousin was Salvador Allende, the president who was ousted by a coup d'état led by Augusto Pinochet in 1973. Isabel Allende now lives in California. As reported by the Latin American Herald Tribune,  “Her books have been translated into more than two-dozen languages and  51 million copies of her novels have been sold.” However, some critics,  and even some readers, think her popularity is not enough reason to give  her the prize.
Isabel Allende at TED 2007, from Flickr account advencap, under a Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license
Elizabeth Subercaseaux [es], a journalist and writer, thinks Allende deserves the prize, and she explains the arguments behind the criticism:
Dos  son los argumentos que suelen esgrimir unos pocos escritores chilenos  para negarle el Premio Nacional de Literatura a Isabel Allende: que es  una escritora de tono menor y que sus libros son best-seller, insinuando  que ella se ha entregado al mercado.
(….)
En  Chile a Isabel Allende la hemos tratado mal, hay a su alrededor una  envidia que da vergüenza. La primera vez que se presentó para este  premio la insultaron, y hace poco salió un pequeño escribidor por ahí  diciendo que premiarla sería como premiar a una hamburguesa. Vergüenza  para él.
El  Premio Nacional de Literatura es un premio que da el Estado, todos  nosotros. Y si hay alguien de quien debemos estar orgullosos es de  Isabel Allende, una escritora con sobrados méritos literarios que además  posee una estatura moral e intelectual que ningún personaje de nuestro  país tiene en la actualidad.
There  are two arguments that a few Chilean writers use to deny the National  Prize for Literature to Isabel Allende: that she is a writer of minor  [quality] and that her books are bestsellers, insinuating that she has  succumbed to the market.
(…)
In  Chile we have treated Isabel Allende poorly, and there is a shameful envy from people surrounding her. The first time she presented herself for this prize she was insulted, and recently a writer came out from somewhere saying that awarding her the prize would be like awarding a hamburger. Shame on him.
The National Prize for Literature is an award given by the State, all of  us. And if there is someone we should be proud of, it is Isabel Allende, a writer with enough literary merits who also possesses a moral and intellectual stature that no one in our country has nowadays.
The blog Alaraco Bocasuelta [es] also discusses the opinions of those who don’t want Allende to receive the prize:
Que  se discuta la calidad de los candidatos a dicho premio es perfectamente  lícito, aunque en estricto rigor ha de ser el Jurado, quien dirima el  asunto.
Pero lo que llama la atención es la odiosidad que levanta Isabel Allende en ciertos críticos
(….)
Tan  manifiesto es el tono insidioso de ciertas opiniones respecto de  nuestra escritora, que pareciera que el éxito ajeno – más aún si aquél  es internacional -, en Chile, es un pecado imperdonable.
It is perfectly appropriate to discuss the quality of the candidates for the prize, although strictly speaking, it is the Jury, who settles the matter.
But what is striking is the hatred that Isabel Allende arouses among certain circles.
(…)
This  is manifested in the insidious tone of certain opinions about our  writer, it would seem like the success of others -even more if there is international success- in Chile, is an unforgivable sin.
[Update – Readers have pointed out that the following blog is satirical in providing support to the government] The writers from the pro-government blog Los Libros Buenos [es], share a list of the reasons  describing why they don’t like Allende. Among them, there are several political reasons framed within the discussion of “reconstructing”  Chile after the 2010 earthquake under the new government of right-leaning president Sebastián  Piñera. For example, this is one of the reasons:
Su carácter “entretenido”. Se  habla mucho de que los libros de Isabel Allende son “entretenidos”.  Aunque nosotros valoramos la entretención, creemos que el delicado  momento nacional requiere seriedad. Seriedad para trabajar por un Chile  nuevo. Trabajar por una cultura reluciente y enchapada de futuro. Los  libros de Isabel Allende propenden a la evasión del lector, y no a la  difusión y el abrazo de valores, que son el tejido más sensible de una  sociedad en forma. No queremos más de eso. No necesitamos más de eso. La  patria no necesita más de eso
Chilean Twitter users also weighed in on the debate. Leonardo Zuñiga  (@Guileo) thinks she deserves the prize, but Sebastián Salazar (@sebsalazar) does not agree:
no estoy ni ahi con Isabel Allende y el premio Nacional de Literatura…ademas es como q a la JK Rowling le entregaran el simil britanico
Sebastián Gómez (@SebastianGomezA) says that he can write better than Isabel Allende, and Alejandro Torres (@alejanbarrett) doesn't like that she seems to be so preoccupied with the prize. With a similar concern about the apparent push for her candidacy, Henry Northcote (@henrynorthcote) wonders:
Cual será la agencia de comunicaciones de Isabel Allende. Su lobby para el premio nacional literatura es muy evidente.
Tania Soledad Opazo (@Cosalina) writes that she is tired of Isabel Allende complaining that she never gets the prize, but Monica (@monicasanhueza) asks why Chile has not awarded Allende the prize yet:
Por que les cuesta tanto darle el premio nacional de literatura a isabel allende? Nadie es profeta en su tierra.
Finally, citizen newspaper El Obervatodo [es] published  the opinion of Iris Aceitón, a woman who introduces herself saying, “I’m  not an artist, journalist or scholar (…) I’m that woman who reads a lot less than I wish I could. Books, because of their price, are also privileges only a few [enjoy].” She writes about identifying with Isabel  Allende's literature and says:
Soy  la heroína, valiente, luchadora e imperfecta de cada una de tus  novelas. Soy esa mujer chilena que te agradece porque has sabido  contarle al mundo los desgarros de tu patria. .
Isabel  Allende, en el nombre de las mujeres simples de este Chile nuestro, yo  te concedo inapelablemente el Premio Nacional de Literatura.
I’m the brave, fighter, and imperfect heroine from all your novels. I’m that Chilean woman who is grateful because you have been able to tell  the world about the damage [done to] your country
Isabel Allende, in the name of all the simple women of our Chile, I give you without appeal the National Prize for Literature.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Colombia: The Clear Path for President-Elect Santos · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

As Juan Manuel Santos prepares to assume the presidency in Colombia on August 7, Jaime Restrepo of the blog Atrabilioso [es] writes that Santos has a clear path ahead because of the clear mandate provided by the voters and because of the almost unanimous support for fellow party member Armando Benedetti, who was elected President of the Senate. However, Restrepo states should Santos truly want to “make history,” then he should being a reform of the judicial system.


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Cuba: Ortega’s Award  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As news circulates that Cardinal Jaime Ortega (Archbishop of Havana) is to receive an award in the United States, El Cafe Cubano suggests: “In the meantime the Cardinal will be making his rounds in Washington garnering support for lifting the embargo and the release of the Cuban 5. That's the real objective of this trip!”


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Ecuador: Guayaquil Protest Against Informal Sale of Pets · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

In Ecuador, Pitonizza announces a protest in Urdesa Park in Guayaquil against the informal sale of pets [es], which often live in unhealthy conditions and if customers buy these pets from the street, then it provides an incentive for the vendors to continue this practice.


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Flood Wreaks Havoc In Pakistan · Global Voices
Salman Latif

Floods in Pakistan, Ausgust 2, 2010. Image by Flickr user Globovisión. CC BY-NC
Monsoons this year are certainly not a blessing for Pakistan. While they've mostly been considered the occasion for jubilation and joy and of the atypical summer rains, the recent spell that has procured a disastrous flood all across the nation is definitely not what Pakistanis were looking forward to.
The torrential monsoons struck earlier last month and Balochistan was among the earliest victims. With a total toll mounting to more than 100 by now, “a large number of people were rendered homeless after their homes were washed away by the torrential rains which hit most parts of Baluchistan, including Sibi, Dera Bugti, Kohlu and Barkhan” according to Dawn.
However, before soon, rivers Swat and Kabul in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were also raging. The inundations have inflicted maximum damage on the provincial capital, Peshawar, and the valley of Swat, an area trying to return to normal life after the devastation that resulted from an anti-Taliban operation last year. Reporting about Nowshehra, a chief region of the beautiful Swat valley, an Express Tribune writer tells that flash floods have washed away more than 10,000 homes in Nowshera Kalan and more than 5,000 people have migrated to the village and its surrounding areas.
Pir Sabdaq in April 17, 2010
Pir Sabdaq in August 2, 2010
According to the latest reports, some 1.5 million people are among the affected by the worst flood in the last 80 years. The total death toll has mounted to a monstrous 1100 and a huge populace stays aloof from all aid and rescue, stuck in water-locked areas. The worst is the lack of medical facilities available to the affected. The health conditions are fast deteriorating due to the virulent outbreak of a number of diseases including cholera and gastroenteritis. Medical teams were sent by helicopter  in cut-off areas and parts of Swat.
The Pakistani blogosphere is abuzz with flood-related posts. The bloggers are not only expressing their sympathy and concern towards the victims but are also asking for a more direct, effective response from the government. Nevertheless, media outlets and blogs alike have been more actively engaged in discoursing towards the recent plane crash in Islamabad than the rampaging waters, a trend Ahsan Butt has fairly criticized at his blog:
“I find the reaction to the air plane crash yesterday versus the floods in KP fascinating. When the plane crash happened, it was all over the news channels and newspapers, taking up all the space available. But the floods are as serious, if not more so, than the air crash. As many people have died, and there has been significantly more damage to property and crops and so on. But here's the thing. It hasn't really engendered the same level of reaction from our press and blogosphere/twitterverse.”
He further cites a number of news resources expounding his point that the class difference between the victims of the two calamities has directly affected the media coverage each gets:
“Getting to the point of the post, I would argue that class really matters here. The type of person who is likely to die in an Air Blue flight, socio-economically speaking, is very different from the type of person who loses their family in flooding in KP. I'm sorry, but that's just the truth, and anyone pretending otherwise is just being silly.”
Others, more concerned about doing some actual relief work, have been floating, on facebook, blogs and twitter, lists of aid agencies that could be contacted for donations to the flood-victims. Examples are the ‘Flood Relief’ page of Secular Pakistan blog and “Links to send donations, relief good” by Beena Sarwar. LUBP (Let us Build Pakistan), another eminent Pakistani blog, has moved a step forward by directly collecting the funds and carrying relief supplies to the affected areas.
Overall, the response of Pakistan's blogosphere towards flood should most appropriately be termed mild. This is because although there have been excellent initiatives by some of the bloggers on the issue, a large number of active bloggers didn't have more than a few lines to write about it. This may owe to the fact that nearly the entire blogging community in Pakistan is situated at areas still safe from floods and remote from the actual victims. While this may reflect the insensitivity of the bloggers, this also reasserts the need to revise our conception of blog-activism, if we are to save it from the tracts of usual sensational journalism, where only the selling news is showcased.

author: Salman Latif


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Haiti: Elections Without Lavalas?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“International donors have expressed disappointment at Haiti's failure to hold inclusive elections, but have continued to fund them”: Wadner Pierre says that “Fanmi Lavalas, widely seen as the most popular political party in the country”,  is being banned from participating in the upcoming elections this November.


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Honduras: Fines for Not Destroying Mosquito Breeding Grounds · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Dengue fever continues to be a serious health issue in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. David Morán of the blog El Catracho [es] criticizes the decision of the local government to places fines on individuals that do not destroy the places where the mosquitoes breed, saying the money may end being used for campaign expenses and that it unfairly targets the middle class.


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Hong Kong and China: Support Cantonese action · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Michelle from interlocals translated an article explaining how citizens from Hong Kong and Guangzhou have informed each other in their civic action, such as the most recent cross border action in supporting Cantonese.


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India: Kashmiris In Despairs · Global Voices
Rezwan

South Asia Wired posts opinions of a female activist from Sri Nagar where she comments about the recent political situation and the curfew: “We’re so tired. We’re so angry. I’m getting sick from it.”


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Israel: The Razing of Al Araqeeb · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Daniel Dukarevich posted an eyewitness account (Hebrew) of the eradication of the Bedouin Negev village of Al-Araqeeb by the Israeli police and military.  Tikun Olam posts a translation here.


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Jamaica: Would Garvey Be Blogging?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Marcus Garvey, blogger?  Geoffrey Philp posts a poll.


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Japan: Second oldest man actually not alive · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Discovery that the second oldest man in Japan, at 111 years of age, has actually been dead for around 30 years has been fodder for many  incredulous and humorous responses in the Japanese blogosphere and 2channel. Here's Mr. Salaryman's (English) contribution – “The secret of the high life expectancy in Japan revealed!“.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


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Lebanon: Colorful garbabe bins · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“For 2 weeks, we had beautiful colorful bins with the new logo… But now, we are back to the green garbage bins, only using the new logo. Does this mean that the colorful bins were just a tactic communication practice to get the new logo noticed?” Celine asks in this post with snapshots of the new colorful bins noticed in Beirut.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Lebanon: Condom for a mascot · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“When I first saw this picture of a person wearing a condom costume roaming the Beirut streets I thought to myself: Wow! The Lebanese ministry of health is finally taking serious measures to promote safe intercourse…” But the condom mascot was from PETA, writes Nia Soul in a disappointed tone, noting that this was a campaign for spaying and neutering pets since they can't use condoms.


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Lebanon: Endless traffic jams · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“Lately it's like the Gods of Traffic have unleashed their fury upon us.” With this comment, Maya Zankoul begins this cartoon strip, in which she depicts the hours wasted in traffic jams in Lebanon.


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Lebanon: Loving the army · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

Hatem Hamoui celebrates the 65th anniversary of the formation of the Lebanese Army by this cartoon showing how the Lebanese youth love their army.


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Lebanon: What got them into blogging · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“Lebanese bloggers tell us what got them into blogging in the first place” in a video prepared by Liliane  and posted  on the Lebanon Aggregator.


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Mauritania, Algeria: Analyses of the Fallout from the Raid to Free Germaneau · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

On July 25, A French-Mauritanian raid on Al Qaeda Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) inside Malian territory failed to free French aid worker Michel Germaneau who was killed by his detainers.  The raid has raised diplomatic tensions as France reaffirmed their plan to reinforce their fight against terrorism and AQIM in particular. Bloggers from the Sahel region  are weary of the trends that the latest events have highlighted:  the rise of radicalization amongst the youth of the region and the complex diplomatic dynamics between the nations involved.
Azawagh Region via Wikimedia Commons-CC license under Public Domain
The radicalization of youth is symbolized  by the path of  Abdelkader Ould Ahmednah, Mauritanian AQIM fighter who was killed during the raid.  Mauritanian activist and blogger Nasser Weddady explains why one should play close attention as to how Abdelkader Ould Ahmednah came about getting involved with AQIM:
Ould Ahmednah had a guarenteed path to become, like many of his young tribesmen, a wealthy prosperous businessman. He chose otherwise. Ould Ahmednah and his siblings, are part of the country’s privileged elite. They were not driven into violent Jihadism by poverty. If anything, they were seduced by this ideology because Mauritania’s crumbling educational system fed them a belief that Islam is the core of their societies and that they are citizens of theIslamic Republic of Mauritania. Yet, they cannot reconcile that ideal with the realities of a society crumbling before their eyes. The next simplistic leap of faith for them is that if society is straying, then it must be that it needs to return to its core values
Weddady adds:
I feel that as long as Mauritania’s national narrative emphasizes Islam-a vague Islam at that- as the center of our national identity, we will be creating more Ould Ahmednahs. All it would take for someone (as the Muslim Brotherhood is doing right now) is to claim the mantle of Islam to disguise any ideological message to recruit a generation adrift and in search for bearings.
Blogger Kal at The Moor Next Door emphasizes the point that AQIM ideology resonates with affluent young Mauritanians and adds:
This is important in the context of de-tribalization (as the urban population expands, international Arabic newspapers and satellite media and internet access grows people replace more limited tribal or family loyalties with more abstract internationalized ones be they nationalist, Arabist, Islamist or whatever) which has been proceeding rapidly in Mauritania since the late 1970s. This does not mean that young, “modern” men disconnect from tribalism, it simply means that they enter a new level of political consciousness that connects them to broader grievances (i.e., AQIM is able to use family/tribal linkages in recruiting, as in this case, but only by penetrating the parochial boundaries that otherwise insulate tribal people from internationalism).
Kal also makes the point in the post that Algerian authorities felt that they could have been consulted for more information before undertaking the raid:
The raid went on without Algerian support, foreknowledge and went outside of the Tamanrasset command set up after the regional anti-terrorism conference earlier this year. As they see it, the raid ignored the regional security structures set up expressly to deal with AQIM. The French reportedly provided logistical and technical support while the Mauritanians did the heavy-lifting. An Algerian source told this blogger that France’s association with the raid will only create the perception that “France attacked an African camp and killed Muslims. They will make more enemies for themselves this way. They put African efforts in danger if they associate themselves too publicly with these kinds of things because it can make [us] look like stooges, like the French are really the ones fighting these terrorists when it is us.”[..] Other Algerian sources say Algerian involvement might discredit anti-AQIM activity as much as France’s (for reasons of doctrine/mentality and Malian attitudes towards the Algerians). Others believe that Algerian involvement may initiate needless blood feuds with the local population. Malian and Mauritanian sources report that in the last six months Malian Arab smugglers have taken fire from Algerian helicopters near the Algerian border.
On twitter, Kal posts that a second Algerian raid took place the same week as the Franco-Mauritanian one and that: ” Algerians denied participation bc they wanted to use the French raid as cover”.
AQIM Area via Orthuberra on Wikimedia –  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Jeune Afrique reports that contrary to AQIM's allegations,  French authorities deny having negotiated with AQIM before the raid [fr]:
L’Élysée le martèle depuis le début : les ravisseurs de Michel Germaneau, l’otage français dont l’exécution a été annoncée le 25 juillet dernier, ont toujours refusé de négocier. Lundi 2 août encore, Paris n’a pas dévié de cette version.
Jeune Afrique also indicates that Algerian authorities might have been informed of the raid to liberate Germeneau after all [fr]:
D’habitude prompt à dénoncer « ce type d’ingérence », Alger s’est cette fois abstenu. Il faut dire que le Quai d’Orsay lui a coupé l’herbe sous le pied en annonçant que les autorités algériennes avaient été informées au préalable.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Morocco: A Benevolent Capitalist?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Is there any such a thing as a benevolent capitalist?” asks Moroccan blogger Hisham.


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Morocco: Petitioning for the decriminalisation of homosexuality · Global Voices
Katharine Ganly

Moroccans are petitioning for the decriminalisation of homosexuality by the repeal of article 489 of the Moroccan Penal Code, which criminalises “lewd or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex.” See more at GayMaroc [AR], or visit the Facebook group here.

author: Katharine Ganly


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Nepal, Bhutan: Different Perspectives On Refugee Issue · Global Voices
Rezwan

Pelden Drukpa at The Story of Bhutanese Refugees blog highlights the perspectives of Bhutan and Nepal on the Bhutanese refugees issue and comments: “until these fundamental differences in the perspectives are not settled, the refugee issue may be difficult to solve.”


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Pakistan: Karachi Burns Again · Global Voices
Rezwan

Beena Sarwar at Journeys To Democracy reports about the recent assassination of MQM leader and member of provincial assembly Haidar Raza which triggered fear and panic in Karachi.


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Pakistan: Lessons From bangladesh · Global Voices
Rezwan

Yasser Latif Hamdani  at Pak Tea House lauds Bangladesh's efforts in banning the religious politics in the country and thinks that Pakistan can win the battle against Taliban by learning from Bangladesh.


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Pakistan: Stigma Against The Girl Child  · Global Voices
Rezwan

R Zaib at The Rant Sessions names the stigma against the girl child and preference of boys in Pakistani societies – ‘a moronic desire’.


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Palestine/Israel: Paul and Peace  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

After the success of Paul the Octopus in correctly guessing the outcome of all of Germany's matches in the World Cup, bloggerheads tweets: “I think we've seen enough to trust Paul the Octopus with two boxes marked ‘Israel’ and ‘Palestine’.”


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Russia: Crowdsourcing assistance for victims of wildfires · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

[This post was originally published on Ushahidi's blog. Ushahidi is an open-source mapping tool that was developed in Kenya at a time of crisis in 2008 and has since been used for crowdsourcing worldwide .]
Since last week, following an unprecedented heat wave, wildfires continue to threaten much of the western part of Russia, including the Moscow region. At least 40 people were killed, and 77 towns or villages were damaged, thousands of people were left without homes and have lost everything they had. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev declared an emergency situation in 7 regions, however it looks like the authorities have significant problems coordinating information, assistance and providing prompt help to the victims.
The Russian online community, including bloggers from the Livejournal.com blogosphere, are very active not only in covering tragic events, but also in self-organizing in order to provide help to those who need it. A special community called “Pozar_Ru” has been launched for those interested in helping. However, unlike in earthquakes when most of the damage is caused at once, new epicenters of the wildfires emerge almost every hour and it happens in a very wide territory. As a consequence, it creates information overload and makes coordination of help by an online community more difficult. What's missing is a platform that would assist in coordinating information flow and help efforts.
On July 31, I wrote in my blog a post titled “Wildfires require using ‘Ushahidi’ in Russia”. I wrote of the role of Ushahidi, an online platform for collecting and visualizing information,  in Haiti and Chile and argued that using this tool is even more appropriate for the current situation in Russia. Within a few hours, the post was re-posted by a well known Russian oppositional blogger Marina Litvinovich and circulated within the Pozar_Ru community. It attracted a lot of attention to the platform and created a dynamic discussion. The next day, Alexey Sidorenko, a blogger on Altz-gamer and an editor of Global Voices Runet Echo project launched Ushahidi.
Russian-fires.ru
The website is Russian-fires.ru and is titled “Russian fires 2010″. Sidorenko used the Russian version previously translated for the use in Kyrgyzstan. Alexey also called for Russian programmers to join him in further development of the platform through a popular Russian IT blog, Habrahabr. Marina Litvinovich also called for volunteers to join to the team that will manage and contribute information to the new platform.
The main purpose of the platform, is not mapping the wildfires, but primarily building the bridge between those citizens who need help and those who wish to help. It is reflected by categories of the map that includes “What is needed” (subcategories: need home, need clothes, need food, need evacuation etc.) and “I wish to help” (subcategories: “I have clothes”; “I have transport”; “I have food”; etc.). The map also shows “centers of assistance” and places where people who lost their homes can spend the night.
“Russian Fires 2010″ is the first time Ushahidi is being used in Russia for this particular purpose, and probably the first time that Russians online have turned to an independent crowdsourcing platform. The project has been live for only one day, but it already has a strong core team and dozens of reports. Please note that there might be some bugs on the site (character encoding issues to be sorted out) and other early stage problems, but the team hopes to solve the problems, study the platform and look for additional assistance.
We can't be sure if the first Russian Ushahidi will be a story of success, but it is already clear that Russia is a unique place for using “Ushahidi” due to high degree of activism and mutual assistance among the online community. The speed that “Ushahidi” was launched proves it. “Let the technology let us to help each other” says the “Russian Fires 2010″ website. Let's hope this slogan comes true.
For any assistance, advice or any type of input you can write to Gregory Asmolov, gregory [dot] asmolov [at] gmail dot com or Alexey Sidorenko, sidorenko [dot] a [at] gmail [dot] com.
Thank you, and please let others in Russia know about the site.

author: Gregory Asmolov


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Russia: Pictures of Village Destroyed by Wild Fires · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

LJ user photomans posts [RUS] compelling pictures of Verkhnyaya Vereya, one of the villages destroyed by fires in Russia.


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South Korea: New move of Ohmynews International · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ohmynews! has closed down its international citizen news section and turned into a blog for on the development of citizen journalism. The official launch of the blog will be in September.


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South Korea: Personal Information Requirement Halted For the Moment · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

In South Korea, a deal that could trigger mass personal information leakage was blocked at the last minute by public opposition. As one Korean portal giant’s attempt to gather private information was thwarted, a public notion has formed that we have let things go too far.
What is different between for instance Google and the Korean blogging and social networking web sites is that you need to fill in all the basic, crucial personal information when registering. In the case of Naver, Daum and numerous other major sites, it is mandatory to write down your real full name and your social security number as a first step. After you write down these two, the security software matches them and confirms your identification. Next, you need write down your information in several must-fill blanks which include your home address, home phone numbers, cell phone number and sometimes your occupation.
Nate.com, is a South Korean major web portal, developed by SK Telecom, and owner Cyworld, a Korean version of Facebook. Last week, it took one bold step further into collecting its members’ MAC addresses and computer names. This move faced a huge public backlash and within a day Nate backed off.
An email from Nate, noticing it will collect MAC address.
MAC number, or Mac address is a unique identifier assigned to network adapters or network interface cards (NICs) usually by the manufacturer. Unlike IP address that can sometimes be changed, with the MAC you can identify the computer’s information more accurately. For ordinary people, the once-given MAC address works as the PC’s social security number.
Nate explained its’ move to collect the information was purely for security purpose, as to wrote in the notice ‘to prevent inappropriate use of the web site by ill-intentioned members and to block unauthorized usage of the site‘. If the member disagrees with the new policy, the only option he can take is to delete his Nate account. When this emails were sent to members, internet users erupted with criticisms that it is a de facto leakage of private information, or at least it paves the way into the mass leakage. Many have even threatened the corporate that they will delete their Nate and Cyworld accounts.
A blogger Kotone commented this kind of move freaks people out and voiced out worries that the information might be used in government’s crackdown on its’ people. The blogger also pointed out a disastrous mistake done by another SK owned web-site in the first week of July. Egloos site accidentally opened the access to every blogs to everyone for 21 minutes, giving powers to anyone to write, edit and delete other’s blog contents without even logging into.
SK커뮤니케이션즈가 네이트의 개인정보취급방침을 변경하면서 MAC 주소와 컴퓨터 이름도 수집한다는군요. 어쩌면 정부를 …(비판하는) 베플을 올린 사람의 신원과 거주지를 특정할 수 있는 정보를 요구받을 때에 쓴다거나…참고로 같은 SK 소속의 이글루스는 최근에 이용자 권한을 30분간 무한개방(?)하는 사고를 낸 적도 있기 때문에 불안감이 급증하는군요. 후덜덜.
There is a fine line between requesting more information for security and allowing less information for privacy. A blogger DLSH 1601 called this dilemma as a double-edged sword and listed the pros and cons of the move. Later the blogger mentioned that if Nate were doing this purely for prevention of crime, it is understandable, but it needs to be aware of the high risk it brings.
MAC 주소와 컴퓨터 이름을 갖고 있으면, 해당 PC 위치를 정확히 잡아낼 수 있다. 이는 양날의 칼이다. 좋게 보면, 이같은 정책은 사이버 범죄를 예방하고 사후 검거율도 높일 수 있다. 메신저 피싱 범죄를 모의하는 사람이 미리 겁먹고 사전 시도를 못하는 효과를 주게 된다. 은행이나 으슥한 골목에 CCTV를 달아두는 것과 비슷한 이치다.
반대로, MAC 주소가 든 서버를 누군가 해킹할 경우 위험도 그만큼 커진다. MAC 주소를 알면 해당 PC 이용자 온라인 행적을 시간대별로 파악할 수 있기 때문이다. 이런 식으로 MAC 주소를 빼가는 프로그램이 인터넷으로 은밀히 떠도는 것도 공공연한 비밀이다. 실제로 2008년께 금융권이 MAC 주소를 수집한다는 사실이 알려지며 개인정보 유출 위험에 대한 논란이 벌어지기도 했다.
The blogger later went on commenting that this is not the issue only applies to one Korean company.
이번 논란으로 네이트온은 숙제를 떠안았다. 정보보호 강화와 이용자 사생활 침해 위협 사이에서 어떡하면 지혜로운 해법을 내놓을 수 있을까. 이는 비단 네이트온에 국한된 문제만은 아니다. 인스턴트 메신저를 제공하는 마이크로소프트, 야후 등도 현명한 줄다리기를 해야 할 시점이다. 해묵고도 어려운 문제지만, 한 가지는 확실하다. 칼은 결국 쓰는 자 의지에 따라 용도가 달라진다는.
A blogger Darkel commented that this single incident speaks to a broader tendency of the Korean companies who treat private information so lightly.
적잖은 커뮤니티들이 가입시 이름, 주민등록번호, 집 주소와 휴대폰 번호에 직업 등을 아무렇지도 않게 요구한다는 것을 생각하면 정말 그야 말로 넷상에서 가져갈 수 있는 모든 개인정보를 공짜로 아무렇지도 않게 쪽쪽 빨아드시겠다는 심보다…대체 인터넷으로 메일을 이용하고, 메신저를 이용하며, 카페-혹은 클럽-에 가입하는데 집주소와 직업이 필요한 이유는 무엇일까?…이전부터 자주 이야기했지만 최근 넷상에서는 개인정보를 너무도 아무렇지 않게 취급하는 경향이 높아지고 있다. ID와 비밀번호만이 지켜야 할 정보는 아니다… 사실 대부분의 사이트에서 개인정보를 수집하는 목적은 ‘본인확인'보다는 광고메일과 스팸문자를 보내기 위한 것일 가능성이 높다. 광고를 의뢰한 개인이나 단체에는 제공되지 않는다 하더라도 소위 말하는 ‘스팸'들은 이것 때문에 발생하는 경향이 높다. 모 사이트에 가입한 이후 스팸이 늘었어요. 라는 경험을 해본 사람이 많다.
The blogger later added that the Korean society is becoming more like a Truman show’s reality with constant information leaks and the omnipresent CCTVs.
개인정보는 자의 반 타의반으로 공중에 떠돈다. 아동, 청소년 대상 성범죄자의 신상정보’ 사이트는 개장 하루만에 다운 됐다. 조금만 시간이 지나면 넷상에는 인증받지 않아도 볼 수 있도록 떠돌 것이다. 범죄자의 인권에 대해 논할 생각은 없지만 한번 오픈된 정보는 숨길 수 없다. 범죄의 증거로서 각광받고 있는 CCTV는 점차 설치 장소가 늘어나고 있다. 심지어 충북도는 도내 초,중고,특수학교 등 483곳 모든 학교에 CCTV 감시체제를 구축한 뒤 실시간 모니터링이 가능하도록 책임자를 지정,운영할 계획이다. 이미 우리가 하루에 만나는 CCTV는 트루먼 쇼를 연상시킬 만큼 많다.
Whether or not it is Truman reality, many Koreans are still wondering where all the spam they are getting everyday via email and cell phone are coming from. You can’t blame them for suspecting big corporate in leaking personal information.


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South Korea: Samsung, patriots and the iPhone · Global Voices
The Economist

[Global Voices authors occasionally submit articles to The Economist's Babbage blog about technology. This story was originally published on August 2, 2010. Read more about our partnership here.]
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS, the world's largest technology company, is based in a country sometimes called “The Samsung Republic”, but known to most as the Republic of Korea. South Koreans glow with pride when they introduce the company’s products to foreigners. The country teaches its schoolchildren that a local-brand purchase is an act of patriotism, and often criticisms to Samsung are understood as an insult to its creator, the South Korean government.
Enter the iPhone of Cupertino, California. Samsung is like a national technological language; Apple products often crash when connected to Korean laptops. iPhone users, as elsewhere in the world, are seen as smug. In an online forum sponsored by LG, another South Korean electronics firm, commenters describe iPhone users as “superior” and having “infinite pride”.
And in June of this year, Samsung launched its Galaxy S on the same day Apple launched its iPhone 4. The South Korean media set off a volley of criticism of the iPhone. The country’s biggest news agency, Yonhap, misquoted a Financial Times article to produce the headline “FT reported Galaxy S as the iPhone killer”. Other papers followed Yonhap's lead. The FT's headline reads, in fact, “Hopeful Samsung wheels out a would-be iPhone killer“, and concludes
Analysts say Samsung will be able to gain market share with the GalaxyS, especially as the delivery and teething problems of the iPhone 4 could prompt consumers to consider alternatives. However, they doubt the GalaxyS can become the iPhone killer, despite its strong hardware. They say Samsung should differentiate its phones in content and applications so as to steal share from rivals.
Other papers followed Yonhap’s lead. From Djhan, a blogger (KR),
Newspaper, magazines and power-bloggers are making hectic efforts to praise the Galaxy S as the ultimate iPhone killer. Galaxy S is a good product, but I am so sick of those ‘iPhone killer phones’ comments.
Maroniever, another tech blogger, was also pleasantly surprised by the Galaxy S and annoyed by the media’s biased reports (KR). He suspected that Samsung may have been behind them.
The older generation is quite loyal to local brands. The current generation, however, grew up exposed to global brands, and they came to develop a clear preference. This means that the patriotism card no longer works… Smart-phones and new technology require a different approach from the strategies used to sell other products.
Pity then poor Chung Yong-Jin, vice-chairman of Shinsegae Group and grandson of the founder of Samsung. In the week after the double launch Mr Chung told his nearly 30 thousand Twitter followers that his Galaxy S had crashed and left him, like a child, defenseless in a foreign land. A row followed. Samsung Electronics apologised publicly for the inconvenience and offered instructions for a fix, which included cleaning contacts with a cotton swab. Mr Chung explained, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, that his message had been between him and the country’s iPhone users, and that he had intended no aggression toward Samsung's phone.
On July 17th Apple decided to leave South Korea out of the iPhone 4’s second release, explaining that it had faced a delay in receiving government approval. And so the new iPhone, a “next-month phone”, became a “next-next-month phone” (KR). South Koreans are rational consumers. They don’t deny the quality of the Galaxy S, and are well aware of iPhone 4’s reception problems; they are just not thrilled at being pushed into buying Samsung. Patriotic guilt is more likely to drive them to the imperfect iPhone 4 like a teenager with daddy issues; after the next-next-month release, it won’t take long for young South Koreans to leave Samsung at the altar.

author: The Economist


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Taiwan: KMT undermines media independence · Global Voices
David Reid

The Far-Eastern Sweet Potato details how media organisations in Taiwan have increasingly been manipulated by the KMT since 2008.

author: David Reid


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Uruguay: “Your Ideas Matter” Blog Competion for Schoolchildren · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The 2010 version of the blog competition “Your Ideas Matter” is now open [es] and Uruguayan schoolchildren are eligible for the contest. There are special categories for blogs created by schoolchildren with the XO laptops that have been distributed to the country's children as part of the Ceibal Plan project.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Video Contest: Internet for Peace · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The Internet has been nominated for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. As part of the  ongoing debate on the contribution of Internet to our society, Condé Nast and Google Ireland have joined to organize this video contest and the winner will have the opportunity to travel and get their video featured on Italian MTV.
The contest guidelines are quite simple, for full terms and conditions follow the link:
Length of the Video must be no longer than      five (5) minutes in total;
The Video, in any languages, must be      subtitled in English; the subtitles must be legible and an accurate      translation of the dialogue;
The Video must focus on a creative      representation on how the Internet is an effective vehicle for peace as      stated in the Internet for Peace manifesto (I4P Manifesto) published on      the www.youtube.com/internetforpeace channel.
The submission deadline is September 1st, but votes and popularity of the uploaded videos will be taken into account for judging the winner, so if you haven't uploaded your video, better do it soon! You can also view the gallery of submissions and vote for your favorites.
Judges Gilberto Gil, Yoani Sanchez, Gabriele Salvatores, Ory Okolloh, Ai Wei Wei, Nobuyuki Hayashi (Nobi), Nadine Toukan  will select one Video to win the contest, taking into account creativity, technical execution, ranking in user voting, originality and how well it represents and interprets the I4P manifesto.
Here are a couple of videos from the contest entries:
A group of Palestinian and Israeli teens who have been working together for 3 years sing and make a music video about Peace.
Yuri from Russia makes a video about national stereotypes and how the internet helps to bring them down and show what actual people are about.
So watch the Internet for Peace Manifesto Video and get inspired to participate, send in your entry and vote for your favorites!

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Armenia: Rock association or control? · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped comments on a new “Rock Association” established by Armenia's blogging prime minister, Tigran Sargsyan. Although not doubting the genuine intentions of the senior official known for his love of the musical genre, the blog still concludes that the less than casual meeting didn't fit in with the spirit it should have been held in.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bangladesh: Bengali And Bangladeshi Nationalism · Global Voices
Rezwan

Dr Afsar Ali at Unheard Voices comments that “there is no contradiction between the Bengali and Bangladeshi nationalism as opposed to the pundits and the politicians wanted us to believe in.”

author: Rezwan


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Bangladesh: The Future Of Religion Based Politics · Global Voices
Rezwan

An Ordinary Citizen discusses the future of religion based politics in Bangladesh in light of the Supreme Court verdict on the fifth amendment of the constitution, which reverted the country back to the 1972 secular constitution.


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Bolivia: Hacked Website of the Office of the Attorney General  · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The blogger from La Mala Palabra [es] notes that the website for the Bolivian Attorney General was hacked by a well-known Peruvian hacker, and regrets that the web security for government websites is still lacking.


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China: Aftershock – history or political allegory? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

While the 2008 Sichuan earthquake has become a taboo in mainstream media because of the bean dregs school building construction scandal and the arrest of citizen investigator Tan Zhouren, the Tangshan Earthquake has been put on big screen on July 22, six days before the 34th anniversary of the biggest disaster in China. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Tangshan in Hebei Province at 3:42am on July 28, 1976, claiming more than 242,000 lives and rendering 164,000 people disabled.
The movie, Aftershock, is a state-sponsored productions directed by Feng Xiaogang, who is famous in satirical comedies. It has been praised as an epic and it's box office will reach 500 million yuan smashing the local cinema record.
The story line of the movie is about a mother's difficult choice between saving her son and her daughter during the earthquake. She chooses her son and her daughter manages to survive, after 32 years, when the daughter becomes a mother, she finally comes to realize her mother difficulties and forgive her.
It is generally agreed that the film is well-made and very touching. However, there are many embedded  commercial advertisements and some netizens take it a capitalization of human suffering. Micro-blogger Ye san's message has been widely quoted:
唐山大地震这电影总结起来就是：准备哭。你哭了吗？你怎么还没哭？请买剑南春。你怎么能不哭呢？只有你没哭！快哭！请买中国人寿。你快哭！你必须哭！你居然敢不哭！请买宝马。你哭了吗？
Catharsis
Tianya writer 吾非羊 compares the tear shedding effect of the movie with the funeral ceremony in rural China:
最后，大伙哭累了，精疲力竭了，丧家为表示对来吊唁的亲戚、朋友、宗亲、高邻、和尚、道士、撒纸钱的感谢，便在自家打谷场上摆下数十桌酒席。此时大伙的欢庆可以说达到了高潮，先前因为大哭丧而萎靡的精神与体力也迅速的恢复了。…
我国的这种丧礼习惯很容易将悲伤化为快乐，丧事变为喜庆，死了人变成大喜事儿。最近，冯小刚先生新作《唐山大地震》上映，笔者也有幸观摩了一遍。在黑乎乎的影院里，大伙涕泪声声。…冯导 的影片，在讲的故事，很容易让我想起小时候江苏农村大出丧的那种悲伤化为快乐，丧事变为喜庆，死了人变成大喜事儿的神奇感觉。
The funeral custom can transform sadness into happiness, funeral into ceremony. Someone's death becomes a great happiness. I had the opportunity to view Feng's new movie “Tang Shan Earthquake” recently. The dark cinema was filled with people's sobbing sound… Feng's story reminded me of the funeral in rural Jiangxu, a catharsis that transforms tragedy into happiness, funeral into ceremony…
History or political allegory?
Granite Studio quoted James Palmer's comments who pointed out that the movie is very ahistorical:
As a historian of the Tangshan Earthquake, I was a little disappointed; it was like going to see Titanic and watching the boat sink in the first half hour.
It is probably through the ahistorical approach, a political allegory between family and nation is made possible. Seanpatrick:
唐山大地震，微觀家，宏觀國!~～～馮導進步了, 這部是政治意味相當濃烈的電影，暗藏了對國家未來良好發展的願景
Earlier this year, a documentary on Tang Shan earthquake, Buried, has won the Chinese documentary film festival. The director Wang Libo's claim that “truth cannot be buried” has been quoted widely online and turned into a critical footnote of Feng's Aftershock. You can find some of the clips at youtube:

author: Oiwan Lam


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Côte d’Ivoire: Former Olympique de Marseille Great Didier Wacouboué Passed Away · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Twitter users les3points and Menilmuche are sadden by the passing of Ivorian football player and former great Olympique de Marseille defender Didier Wacouboué [Fr]. His rising career was  interrupted when doctors detected a malfunction in his brain.


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Cuba: No Smoking  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Despite the fact that Generation Y is a non-smoker, she has been diagnosed with emphysema, prompting her to comment: “The resolution to protect those who don’t smoke is strict and very modern, but in practice it only worked for a couple of weeks…I feel like buying myself a dozen of the strongest cigars, taking long drags, and blowing the smoke on the damp paper of a law that is not complied with…”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Haiti: Preparing for Hurricanes  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Wadner Pierre reports that “Gonaives, the third largest city in Haiti, is rushing to prepare for an expected highly active hurricane season.”


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Haiti: “President”? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Hip-hop…is something of a pulpit…so it’s little wonder that…Haitian-American superstar Wyclef Jean, as a child of the Haitian diaspora [is] destined to return and lead his people out of bondage”: Dessalines’ Children and Repeating Islands blog about the singer's intention to run for the Haitian presidency.


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Japan: Update on sumo scandal · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Jake Adelstein reports  [en] on the arrest of three yakuza members involved in the recent sumo scandal [en].

author: Scilla Alecci


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Kenya’s Referendum Live Updates · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenyan citizens are voting today in a referendum on a new constitution. You can follow live updates on Kenyan websites and also get reports of incidents related to the referendum on Uchaguzi map.
Uchaguzi (“decision” in Kiswahili) is a customized version of the Ushahidi platform to monitor incidences of electoral offences, violence and even peace activities during the August 4th Constitutional Referendum vote.
Ushahidi, which means testimony in Swahili, was created to document post election that claimed more than 1,000 lives after the 2007 presidential election.
Uchaguzi has set up a Situation Room to provides live updates of the referendum as well as save as a realtime coordination point.
Here are a few reports from the Situation Room. At 1:33 am on August 4, 2010 Jessica reported:
Ahmed Maawy, super volunteer, is logging in from Mombasa to test run SWIFT RIVER on Uchaguzi!
At 1:08 am on August 4, 2010 Erik Hersman reported:
Total Reports: 413, Avg Reports Per Day: 34.42, Verified: 79.66%
Yesterday at 11:53 am on August 3, 2010 Jessica reported:
Off to a good start…
REPORTS
* 1651 unique visitors
* 59 reports (a few hundred more cued up tonight for processing first thing)
* Top categories: (1) Hate Speech, (2) Tensions, (3) Peace Efforts
* Verified 34%
At 10:38 pm on August 3, 2010 pthigo reported:
Kenya media online
Jess, Kenyan media with livestreams
http://www.surfmusic.de/country/kenya.html
Phil
Other media sites with live updates are Kassfm and the Standard's Live-Text.
Live-Text reports:
Updated 8 min(s) ago
11:51 Prime Minister Raila Odinga is at Holy Family Basilica just to see how the voting process is proceeding….
11:45 IIEC chairman Isaack Hassan says heavy rains caused delay of some polling stations. He affirms over 90 per cent polling stations opened in time and has called on poll officers to assist voters having difficulties with the register.
11:35
IIEC loses a  Presiding Officer in Marakwet West. He died last night after a short illness.  The commission is holding a press briefing now
11:26 Raila predicts a 70 per cent YES win and calls on Kenyans to vote peacefully. He voted earlier at Kibera Primary School in his  Langata constituency.
This is waht he said: “Today is a defining moment in the history of our country. The most significant  after Independence day.”
Our reporter, Peter Opiyo  says voting is going on peacefully at al polling stations in the area
11:10 Kibaki has voted
11:09 President Kibaki is voting now in Othaya at Munaini Primary school
(11:05)'I want to retire leaving behind a good legacy…I will leave after 12 months,’ says Attormey General, Amos Wako. Wako voted at 9:55 in Nang'oma Primary School. Hesaid implementaion will begin immediately.
Kassfm live updates:
Wednesday August 4th:
10:45 AM: Former President Daniel Arap Moi Casts his vote at Kabarak Primary Polling Station
10:30 AM: Prime Minister Raila Odinga Casts his vote at Kibera Primary Polling Station
10:15 AM: The IIEC Chairman Issack Hassan address the public at the Tally centre in Bomas of Kenya
10:00 AM:  Minister for Higher Education William Ruto Casts his vote at his Eldoret North Constituency
10:00 AM:  Boat used by IIEC to carry voters materials capsizes in tana river. IIEC officials safe but voting materials lost
09:20 AM:  The Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta cast his vote at his Gatundu constituency.
09:20 AM:  The Poor road network continues to hit the Mount Elgon region.
09:00 AM: Voters at Kaptama, Cheptais and other stations still waiting for ballot materials
08:18 AM:  It is expected that most registered Kenyans will be in the different voting stations in different times of the day to vote.
08:00 AM:  Voting started early as early as 6 am in many polling stations in the country where many Kenyans have come out in numbers to ensure they exercise their democratic right by voting either for or against the proposed constitution.
07:00 AM:  The former President Daniel Arap Moi Cast his vote at Kabarak Primary
07:00 AM: Kenyans woke up early in the morning to brace the cold weather and cast their votes.
06:00 AM: Voting stations opened across the country.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Morocco: Fez Resident Wins UN Youth Award · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

A young man from Fez, Ilyas Bakouch, is the runner-up in the United Nations’ Millenium Development Goals’ World Summit Youth Awards, for his website, donativa.com, writes The View from Fez.

author: Jillian C. York