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Forensic Experts Identify Remains of One of Mexico’s Missing Ayotzinapa Students · Global Voices
Elizabeth Rivera

Portrait of Alexander Mora Venancio by Kathia Recio from the movement Ilustrators with Ayotzinapa #IlustradoresConAyotzinapa.
Remains found in a garbage dump in the Mexican town of Cocula are those of 21-year-old Alexander Mora Venancio, one of the 43 trainee teachers abducted on September 26 in Iguala, southwestern Mexico, after being ambushed by local police.
The Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, working on behalf of the families of the 43 missing students from the rural teachers college “Raúl Isidro Burgos” in Ayotzinapa, made the identification.
A post on the Facebook page of the college the students attended, written in the voice of Alexander Mora Venancio, confirmed the worst:
Compañeros a todos los que nos han apoyado soy ALEXANDER MORA VENANCIO.
A través de esta voz les hablo soy uno de los 43 caídos del día 26 de Septiembre en manos del narcogobierno. Hoy 6 de diciembre le confirmaron los peritos Argentinos a mi padre que uno de los fragmentos de mis huesos encontrados me corresponden. Me siento orgulloso de ustedes que han levantado mi voz, el coraje y mi espíritu libertario. No dejen a mi padre sólo con mi pesar, para él significo prácticamente todo, la esperanza, el orgullo, su esfuerzo, su trabajo y su dignidad. Te invito que redobles tu lucha. Que mi muerte no sea en vano. Toma la mejor decisión pero no me olvides. Rectifica si es posible pero no perdones. Este es mi mensaje.
Hermanos hasta la victoria.
SOY ALEXANDER MORA VENANCIO DE EL
PERICÓN, MPIO., DE TECOANAPA, GRO
Friends, to all who have been supporting us, I am ALEXANDER MORA VENANCIO.
Through this voice I speak I am one of the 43 fallen on September 26 at the hands of the narco-government. Today Argentine specialists confirmed to my father that the remains were me. I feel proud of you who raised my voice, my courage and my libertarian spirit. Don't let my father be alone with his sadness for him I am everything, his hope, his pride, his effort, his job, his dignity. I invite you to intensify the fight. That my death not be in vain. Take the best decision but don't forget me. Rectify if it is possible but don't forgive. This is my message.
Brothers, until victory.
I AM ALEXANDER MORA VENANCIO FROM EL PERICON, TECOANAPA MUNICIPALITY, GUERRERO STATE.
The news broke while a massive protest led by some of the parents of the missing students were heading from the monument of El Angel de la Independencia to the monument of the Revolution in Mexico City.
Felipe de la Cruz, spokesman for the families, explained that the families received the information late Friday from the Argentinian team of forensic experts in the Escuela Normal de Ayotzinapa. De la Cruz added:
No le lloremos a Alexander. Que sepa que no vamos a descansar hasta que haya justicia. Faltan 42 y los queremos con vida.
Don't cry over Alexander. We will not rest until justice is done. We are missing 42 and we want them alive.
And here are some reactions:
QEPD Alexander Mora Venancio, uno de los 43 que sí movió y seguirá moviendo a #México Justicia y verdad. #nosfaltan42pic.twitter.com/Glj5ti1Vt2
— Salvador San Vicente (@SSVphotographer) December 7, 2014
RIP Alexandre Mora Venancio, one of the 43 who moved and will keep shaking Mexico. Justice and truth.
Alexander Mora Venancio. Enciende mi luz con tu luz. #AyotizinapaSomosTodospic.twitter.com/fwz9FE7nce
— Ursula Pruneda (@ursulapruneda) December 7, 2014
Spark my flame with yours.
Fue el estado quien lo asesinó, fue el estado quien lo desapareció, estado mexicano asesino. Alexander Mora Venancio #AyotzinapaFueElEstado
— Miss partes (@misspartes) December 7, 2014
It was the State who murdered him, it was the State who kidnapped him, Murder Mexican State.
“No lloramos a Alexander Mora Venancio. Su caída florecerá en la revolución”: Felipe de la Cruz #6DMX#Ayotzinapapic.twitter.com/IGh41iQ66j
— Compi Majhadera (@Majhadera) December 7, 2014
“We don't cry over Alexander Mora Venancio. His downfall will bloom in revolution”: Felipe de la Cruz
#Ayotzinapa Tu lucha es mi lucha, Tu dolor, es mi dolor Alexander Mora Venancio no debió morir, exigimos justicia pic.twitter.com/BW7KytYQzA
— Emmanuel Lion Zion (@FlorezLion) December 7, 2014
Your fight is my fight. Your pain is my pain. Alexander Mora Venancio shouldn't have died, we demand justice
Alexander Mora Venancio pasa de la lista de los 22mil desaparecidos a la de los 125mil muertos; No dejaremos d demandar JUSTICIA #YaMeCanse2
— UnDíaComoLeón (@UnDiaComoLeon) December 7, 2014
Alexander Mora Venancio passed from the list of the 22,000 missing to the 125,000 deaths. We are not going to stop demanding justice
The students went missing September 26 after they and others traveled in buses to Iguala to a protest. They were captured by Iguala police and were allegedly turned over to a gang in cartel territory and executed in Cocula. According to authorities, the gang burned the bodies and dumped some of them in a river.
The case has exposed the corruption and inefficiency of the Mexican government to control the violence that has racked the country and led to protests demanding justice and the resignation of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

author: Elizabeth Rivera


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Lawmakers Watching Porn, Playing Games, and Sleeping on the Job Is a Thing in Southeast Asia · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Politicians watching porn, sleeping, or playing games on mobile devices—in parliament, when the parliament is in session—is a thing in Southeast Asia. In recent years, several lawmakers across the region have been caught in the act.
Last month, for instance, members of Vietnam's National Assembly were filmed sleeping while the legislature was in session. Millions of TV viewers tuned in to watch their now-infamous “sleeping performance.”
The thrill of Vietnam National Assembly's session is just too much #vietnampolitics pic.twitter.com/Dzuz2vqHDK
— Nga Pham (@ngahpham) November 19, 2014
Eager to remain awake and avoid the shame of Vietnam's sleepers, lawmakers in Thailand have turned to looking at pornography during parliamentary debate. A senator and two members of parliament have been spotted browsing certain X-rated images on three separate occasions already.
Democrat Party MP Nat Bantadtan from Thailand admitted that he accidentally clicked a pornographic picture during a Parliament debate in April 2012. Photo widely shared on Facebook.
Several of Thailand's major newspapers have taken turns castigating and psychoanalyzing the men caught surfing porn on their iPhones.
One of the most common criticisms is that it is enormously hypocritical for these politicians—men who often pose as moral barometers in public—to look at pornography at work. In 2011 in Indonesia, for instance, an anti-pornography crusader from the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party was filmed watching pornography on a tablet device, forcing him to resign. (Afterwards, he vowed to change his ways and study the Koran.)
An Indonesian legislator caught watching porn in Congress. Photo widely shared on social media.
Less scandalous but possibly just as unprofessional, Southeast Asian lawmakers have also been caught at work playing games on mobile devices.
90-year-old Philippine Senator Juan Ponce Enrile claims playing Bejeweled helps him stay alert and improve his memory. In 2013, Enrile was famously caught playing the video game, while another senator denounced him in a fiery speech.
CAPTION THIS | JPE plays Bejeweled as Miriam calls him a murderer, plunderer, & womanizer http://t.co/v6ZilhGXta pic.twitter.com/OsJFz7vaUK
— InterAksyon (@interaksyon) December 4, 2013
Naglalaro si Enrile ng Bejeweled habang nagsasalita si Miriam? @lourddv @shawnyao @paolobediones @junsabayton pic.twitter.com/bj4BIRSQdP
— Lean Bacalzo (@LeanBacalzo) December 4, 2013
Enrile is playing Bejeweled while Miriam is speaking?
Some members of the Philippine Congress were also caught using their phones during another important speech, when the country's president delivered the State of the Nation address, earlier this year.
In today's era of easy surveillance and social media, where anyone has a camera and a mass media outlet in their pocket, lawmakers will have to learn some self-restraint, if they want to put an end to these scandals.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Mong Palatino


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GV Face: Celebrating 10 Years of Global Voices With Our Co-founders Rebecca and Ethan · Global Voices
Sahar Habib Ghazi

We started as a simple blog and a manifesto statement, which resulted from an inspiring international bloggers’ meeting put together by two Berkman fellows at Harvard University in December 2004.
Fast forward ten years, and our community has grown to over 1200 writers, translators, activists and online media experts from more than 160 countries, publishing content in 30 languages.
We have come a long way since that meeting our co-founders former CNN Beijing and Tokyo Bureau Chief Rebecca MacKinnon and technologist and Africa expert, Ethan Zuckerman, put together.
We've reported and translated tens of thousands of compelling stories from the web. We continue to defend online rights, fight against censorship and empower marginalized communities. Our community members have been catalysts of change in their home countries, some have become leaders, creating and using the latest tools for collaboration, and some have even faced imprisonment and persecution.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we talk to Rebecca (@RMack) and Ethan (@EthanZ) about their dreams for Global Voices and all the victories, challenges and surprises they've faced in this organic, inspiring and beautiful 10-year journey.
This interview was primarily conducted through crowdsourced questions from the Global Voices community and questions from our friends through Hangout's Q and A app. You can check out some of the conversation on the Google + event page for the Hangout and on Twitter below.
GVFace w/ @RMack @EthanZ

author: Sahar Habib Ghazi


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How Social Media Helped an Independent Candidate Beat the Odds in Taiwan’s Elections · Global Voices
Sophie Hsu

Ko Wen-je's election campaign photo. From Ko's Facebook
Independent candidate Ko Wen-je came away with a victory in the Taipei City mayor's race, and he says he has social media to thank.
Taiwan went to the polls on November 29 to vote for county governors and city and township mayors. The country's political landscape favors the two-party system, in which the ruling party is mainly a competition between Kuomintang (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). But Ko, a medical doctor by profession, managed to win with 853,983 votes or 57.16 percent of the vote, a landslide compared to the 40.82 percent garnered by his major opposing candidate, Sean Lien, who is backed up by the ruling Kuomintang.
Different from conventional political parties’ election campaigns, which tend to spend a huge amount of money on mainstream media advertisement, Ko relied mostly on social media to spread his message. He only bought TV airtime for one advertisement, and the rest were posted on social media platforms.
In addition, he vowed to implement ideas gathered by his campaign team from social media users as part of Taipei City policy if he won the election. Many have credited his outreach on social media with bringing out younger voters in droves.
In Ko’s acceptance speech, he attributed his victory to the power of social media:
我來自庶民，未來進入台北市政府會繼續傾聽庶民的聲音；鄉民力量的展現見證了網路世代的強大，無論是線上捐款、理念傳播、活動募集，這都是一場網路主導的選戰。從白衫軍到太陽花學運，公民運動造就了台灣新政治的來臨。
I am an ordinary citizen, and I will continue to listen to the voices of the common people upon starting to serve in the Taipei City government. The power of grassroots was parallel to the rise of the Internet generation. The entire election campaign was let by the Internet — online donation, the promotion of ideals, and mobilization to events. From the White T-Shirt Army to the Sunflower Movement, civic movements have created a new approach to Taiwan politics.
The White T-shirt Army is a popular movement calling for a military investigation of the death of Hung Chung-chiu, a young soldier who died suddenly on July 4, 2013 while detained during his conscription service. The Sunflower Movement is a mobilization against the non-transparent negotiations of a cross-strait free trade agreement with China. Both movements rely heavily on social media.
Ko's campaign was geared toward Internet culture and guided by principles and values such as crowdsourcing wisdom, transparency and openness. For example, his campaign website put up an announcement on November 11, two weeks before the election, that they would stop receiving campaign donations once it reached enough to pay off all necessary campaign expenses.
A few days after the election, his campaign team published, in its entirety, spreadsheets of every single cent spent on the campaign. One of the items started a slew of online commentary — NT$80 (approximately US$3) spent on garlic purchased on September 5.
Facebook user Chang Shiu-hwen joked about the garlic expense item:
大蒜應該是菜市場阿嬤送的，最終買下？是這樣嗎？
The garlic must have been given by some old lady from the farmer’s market, and in the end, [they] ended up paying for it? Is this the case?
Another example involves Ko's wife. Pegger Ko was very active supporting her husband on her public Facebook page, which has more than 200,000 followers.
In last week's local election, which was coined the 9-in-1 election, the public voted for county governors, city and township mayors, city councilors, aboriginal village leaders and heads of smaller towns, providing a preview of what the next presidential election to be held in 2016 might look like. The ruling Kuomingtang, which previously held 14 of 22 municipalities and counties, lost more than half of its territories and only managed to keep six municipalities and counties, while the opposition Democratic Progressive Party gained executive control of 13 municipalities and counties.
Ko's success in winning the capital city's election as an independent candidate will have a significant impact in shaping voter behavior and the country's political culture, some analysts have suggested.

author: Sophie Hsu


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Peru: A Tour Around Casa de Aliaga · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

Image by Wenceslao Bottaro, used with permission.
On his blog Blucasendel, Argentinian journalist Wenceslao Bottaro explores new ways of linking with tourism and other ways for communication and promotion of touristic attractions. This time, he graphically shows what you can find in front of the Main Square of the colonial Ciudad de los Reyes (City of Kings), as Peruvian capital city Lima was originally known.
At the Casa de Aliaga, you will be able to appreciate history and architectural trends from XVI century:
Apenas entrar, la primera impresión es deslumbrante. Hay mucho para ver y asombrarse: los muebles, las colecciones de objetos, las escaleras, las lámparas, el patio. Todo lo que es madera está trabajado obsesivamente en los detalles.
De las paredes cuelgan pinturas, en las vitrinas se exhiben piezas de vajilla, documentos genealógicos y de la época de la Independencia. Lámparas de todo tipo se combinan con la luz del sol generando una extraña atmósfera en las habitaciones.
The minute you get in, the first impression is dazzling. There is a lot to see and to be astonished: the furniture, the collections, the stairways, the lamps, the courtyard. Every wooden article is obsessively carved in every single detail.
Paintings hang from the walls, glass cabinets showcase dishes, genealogic documents and from Independence period. All kinds of lamps are combined with sunlight, generating a rare atmospohere in the rooms.
Bottaro has also written about other place that's worth to visit in Lima's historic downtown. For instance, “the guard change at Presidential Palace; the Inquisition Museum; the historic Bar Cordano, and, especially if you are with children, to have fun with the Magic Circuit of Water“.
More about travels with Wenceslao Bottaro on social networks: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

author: Milton Ramirez


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Rebuilding Timbuktu’s Cultural Diversity, One eReader at a Time  · Global Voices
Fatouma Harber

Workshop participants in Tombouctou, Mali. Photo by author.
Mali's Timbuktu region has long been a commercial and cultural crossroad. Songhai, Peul, Sorko, Tuareg, Bellah, Kunta, and Bérabich are longtime neighbors along the Niger River. The relationship between these cities has been under pressure since Mali's 2012-2013 civil war unleashed ethnic and religious tensions between the country's minorities. Several local NGOs are now hard at work, launching projects to help rebuild Mali's social cohesion and restore peace. This is the story of one of these projects, Living Together (“Vivre ensemble”), and its efforts in Timbuktu.
Living Together is a book club by PAT-MALI (the Program to Support the Transition in Mali), which promotes a culture of tolerance and freedom at Timbuktu's secondary schools. In late November, Living Together gathered 32 teachers from various disciplines for a training workshop about how to set up book clubs in high schools. The project hopes to procure 320 eReaders for teachers and book-club members.
What follows is a photo report by the author of these words, with images from one of the workshops described above.
The moderators of the workshop on tolerance in Timbuktu.
Considerable time and effort went into this project. There are about 4,000 ebooks dowloaded onto every donated e-reader.
An ongoing workshop with teachers.
Zineb Benalla was the team leader for most of the training workshops in Timbuktu. She is a research associate at the Arab Institute for Scientific Research and Human Sciences in Rabat, Morocco.
One participant shares his experience with members of the project.
Teachers were delighted to receive the eReaders, especially after al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb demolished all the city's libraries between April 2012 and January 2013. (The French army eventually helped remove al-Qaeda from the region.)
Participants during a teachers’ workshop in Timbuktu, Mali.
Using eReaders could lead to curious reforms in local education, possibly curbing teachers’ notorious “red pen” methods of covering text in criticism and revisions. With eReaders, some expect teachers to do more “facilitating” and “thematic leading” than before, hopefully promoting more discussion among students.
Explaining the project “Living Together” in Mali.
eReaders showcased at the workshop.
Zineb Benalla leads a workshop.
Given the city's rich cultural history and the oppressive regime it endured from 2012 to 2013, these workshops could prove to be a catharsis for many residents, still living with the trauma of Timbuktu under al-Qaeda.

author: Fatouma Harber


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Tokyo Marches in Solidarity With US Protesters #TOKYO4FERGUSON · Global Voices
Nevin Thompson

The whole world is watching. Your move, America. #icantbreathe #EricGarner #tokyo #paris #delhi #Ferguson #handsup pic.twitter.com/sXFi9rVPRG
— Kendra Desrosiers (@KD) December 6, 2014
Two recent court decisions in the US exonerating police officers who killed two black men — 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and 43-year-old Eric Garner in New York — has sparked demonstrations across the country. The African American Youth Travel Program (AAYTP) organised a protest against police brutality, racism and injustice on December 6 in solidarity with the protests in the US and around the world.
One protest occurred in Tokyo.

author: Nevin Thompson


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U.S.A.: Migratory Reform, An Incomplete Solution · Global Voices
Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez

President Barack Obama's announcement regarding migratory reform, introduced via executive action, generates, on one hand, relief within the Latino community. On the other hand, however, there are voices expressing discontent. Sonia Tejada explains that, although the measure grants undocumented migrants three-year working permits, that will benefiit five million people, it doesn't guarantees legalizing status nor citizneship. According to Tejada, the measure has created two types of undocumented migrants: those with conditions to be benefited and those who are still at the mercy of the immigration agency. To be benefited by the regulation:
[…] los inmigrantes deben haber residido en el país por cinco años, tener niños, sean ciudadanos estadounidenses o residentes legales, y, por supuesto, no haber delinquido.
[…] migrants should have been living in the country for five years, having children, be American citizens or legal residents and, of course, not having a criminal record.
Sonia also expresses her criticisms to Obama's speech, that she considers penalizes migration:
Obama habló incesantemente de que los EE. UU. es una nación de leyes, y de que los inmigrantes por haber cometido “el crimen” de entrar al país sin documentos ni autorización, deben expurgar su culpa.
Obama talked incessantly that U.S. is a nation of laws, and that migrants, having committed the “crime” of entering the country without documents nor authorization, must make amends.
The measure would be just an incomplete solution, as to be benefited by it, migrants will continue being undocumented, even though with a limited working permit now. Meanwhile, for six million undocumented migrants, uncertainty about their migratory status hasn't changed at all.
You can follow Sonia Tejada on Twitter

author: Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez


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Ugandan Singer Faces Possible Arrest Under Anti-Pornography Law After Boyfriend Leaks Nude Photos · Global Voices
James Propa

Screenshot of Desire Luzinda's newly released music video for “Ekitone.”
When Uganda passed an anti-pornography law in 2013, questions were raised about how it would be applied. The law criminalises people who produce, transmit and promote pornography, and also bans sexually explicit clothing such as miniskirts.
A high-profile case of revenge porn has reignited the debate about the law. Desire Luzinda, a popular Ugandan musician, has been the talk of Ugandan social media after eight nude photos of her were published online without her permission allegedly by her Nigerian ex-boyfriend, Franklin Emuobor, who claims she was cheating on him.
Following the leak, Uganda's Minister of Ethics and Integrity Rev. Father Simon Lokodo called for an investigation and possibly her arrest, saying the musician might have committed an offence under the anti-pornography law:
Luzinda was then questioned for over eight hours by the police about the photos. She addressed the incident on her Facebook page:
To all my fans in Uganda and all over the world, as you might be aware, there has been a lot of fanfare and discussion in the media and social media about my photos taken in private that were leaked to the public by a jilted lover.
The facts about this matter are that these were photos taken in privacy with someone I loved. In our private moments, we all have our “moments of madness”. The bottom line is that I trusted this person and never hoped that something done in private would find its way to the public domain irrespective of our differences.
Ugandan Luga-Latino star Daxx Kartel took the “Desire pose” challenge. This photo was widely shared on messaging apps.
The photos have circulated widely on social media and social messaging apps. Sharing nude photos is a crime under article 13 of the anti-pornography act, which states that “A person shall not produce, traffic in, broadcast, procure, import, export, sell or abet any form of pornography.” No one has been arrested.
The Ugandan Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating her ex-boyfriend following reports that he is using a Ugandan passport obtained with forged documents. The police are not looking for him in connection with the photos, although it is a crime under the Computer Misuse Act to use electronic communication to disturb the peace or right of privacy of any person.
Despite the private photos being leaked without Luzinda's permission, some on social media nevertheless criticized her for them. Writing about Luzinda's plight in a column titled “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”, Paul Busharizi argued that the reactions to the episode revealed more about Uganda as a society than Luzinda — that many people are petty and self-righteous who derive pleasure from other people's pain.
Reacting to Busharizi's observation, reader Elir Apugan wondered what would the reaction have been if Luzinda were a man:
To me, the most appalling thing about the Luzinda “affair” is that many people are criticising her because she is female.
Would there have been such uproar if she were a man? I doubt it.
Kato pointed out that the photos were taken in private:
One's “values” cannot be judged on nude photos taken in their bedroom. I think you need to rein in your rigid conservative interpretation of Grace and the law a bit.
Paul is right. Ugandans must learn to mind their own business. I've repeated it elsewhere, I'll do so now, Desire can do anything she wants with her lover. It is overbearing of anyone to question how she conducts herself in private. She is an adult, for heaven's sake!
Photos of users striking a “Desire pose” began to flood some websites, though it is not clear whether these photos are meant to mock her or show support.
Others sympathised with Luzinda. Some of her supporters such as Arnold Scot asked Ugandan police to leave Luzinda alone after they summoned her to give a statement:
#teamdesire…… Wabula police why can't you guys get other businesses and investigations and leave desire in peace […]
The Ebonies’ actresses showing off their “Desire pose” skills. This photo was widely shared on messaging apps.
Ugandan media personality Bryan Mckenzie added:
Luzinda desired for forgiveness,its time we help her get back to her feet,if you love somebody because of their good deeds it would be unfair for you not to love them and forgive them when they do wrong.
#Teamdesire.
Enock Audrice Nsubuga advised Luzinda to stage a concert to see the support she has from many Ugandans:
#TeamDesire let's look at the brighter side of this crisis, like they say; Never waste a criss or that, there is no bad publicity in show show business…
DL [Desire Luzinda] throw a show any day, any time and watch how much support we shall shower u.
Ugandan video producer Frank Jah was one of the first people to publicly meet Desire Luzinda after the incident. He took a picture with her in a “Desire pose”.
Frank Jah in a “Desire pose” with Desire Luzinda. This photo was widely shared on messaging apps.
During a football match between Ghana and Uganda, some fans wore Team Desire jerseys:
A man shows off a Team Desire Jersey. This photo was widely shared on messaging apps.
Last month, Ugandan music producer commonly known as Producer Didi and a female up-and-coming musician Panadol Wabasajja became the first high-profile victims of the anti-pornography law after they were both imprisoned for producing pornographic videos. It has also been speculated that Ugandan top comedian Amooti Omubalanguzi might be arrested after photos were circulated online showing him dancing with a scantly dressed woman at one of Kampala's night clubs.
The incident did not stop Luzinda from releasing her new music video “Ekitone,” which went viral. She posted photos on Facebook of her first performance since the incident, thanking her fans for support:
Yesterday I tested the waters in such a long time. I could not believe the overwhelming support. The crowd's favorite songs were EBYAMA AND EKITONE, How can I thank you for sticking with me!!! Kisses…

author: James Propa


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Video: Amazon Indigenous Tribe Protests Hydroelectric Dam Construction · Global Voices
Taisa Sganzerla

Indigenous people from the Munduruku ethnic group are fighting against the construction of the São Luiz do Tapajós dam in the state of Pará, Brazil. The dam will mean the flooding of 700,000 km2 in their homeland.
The Brazilian Federal Government plans to build up to five dams in the Tapajós River, where dozens of indigenous communities live. Together with São Luiz do Tapajós, the Jatobá dam was due to begin construction in 2015, but socio-environmental difficulties may have postponed that deadline to at least 2020. The two dams will cost together US$7 billion.
The Munduruku claim they have not been consulted about the project. For years, the Munduruku people from the Sawré Maybu community, which will be directly affected by the construction of São Luiz do Tapajós dam, have pressured the federal government to demarcate their lands. The demarcation would create a legal obstacle for the continuation of the dam's project.
A documentary about the issue was produced by videomaker Nayana Fernandez.
UPDATE 09/12/2014: Together with other organizations, Nayana Fernandez has launched a crowfunding campaign to help the Munduruku pressure the government to demarcate their territory, officialize two associations, build a website and translate and dub the documentary into their native language (most Mundurku people do not speak Portuguese). Supporters can contribute with a minimum of US$10.

author: Taisa Sganzerla


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Drones Flying Over Nuclear Power Stations in France Raise Concerns  · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

Map of France's Nuclear Plants. Greenpeace.
[Most links are to French-language articles]
At least 19 drones have been spotted in the past two months flying over nuclear power stations in France. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for conducting these flights. French electric utility company EDF says the drones pose no risk whatsoever to the plants’ equipment or operations, but many nationwide are still uneasy.
With 58 nuclear reactors spread out over 19 plants, France is the highest user of nuclear energy in Europe, and the second highest in the world, after the United States.
In a blog post published on the website Géneration NT,  Jérôme G. gives some insight into the matter:
Les drones de loisir permettent de prendre des images saisissantes à basse altitude. C'est un spectacle de nature bien différente lorsque des drones survolent des centrales nucléaires, d'autant qu'il pose la question de la sécurité. Avec la peur ambiante du terrorisme, la crainte que des drones porteurs de charges explosives survolent de tels sites sensibles n'est pas loin.
Depuis le début du mois d'octobre, les équipes de surveillance de EDF ont repéré les survols de sept centrales nucléaires par des engins dits assimilables à des drones. La France compte 58 réacteurs nucléaires répartis sur 19 centrales.
Parfois le même jour, les centrales survolées ont été celles du Blayais (Gironde), Bugey (Ain), Cattenom (Moselle), Chooz (Ardennes), Gravelines (Nord), Nogent-sur-Seine (Aube), ainsi que la centrale en déconstruction de Creys-Malville (Isère).
Recreational drones allow users to take arresting images from a low height. It is another story altogether, however, when drones fly over nuclear power plants, especially since it raises questions about security. With concerns about terrorism ever-present, the fear that drones carrying explosive devices could potentially fly over such sites looms large.
Since the beginning of October, surveillance teams from EDF have noted seven that devices that look like drones have flown over seven nuclear plants. France has 58 nuclear reactors distributed throughout 19 power plants.
The plants that were flown over are Blayais (in the department of Gironde), Bugey (in Ain), Cattenom (in Moselle), Chooz (in Ardennes), Gravelines (in Nord), and Nogent-sur-Seine (in Aube), as well as the plant currently being dismantled in Creys-Malville (in Isère). Sometimes, the incidents occur on the same day.
Drones have successfully evaded all the power stations’ defenses. EDF also reports a number of drone overflights that differs from Greenpeace's count. Pascal Riché, co-founder of rue89.nouvelobs.com, notes:
EDF cite sept centrales survolées:
Selon Greenpeace, trois autres sites sont impliqués :
EDF lists seven power plants that have been flown over :
Greenpeace reports that these three have also been involved:
Fessenheim nuclear plant in France – via Wikipedia – CC BY 20
Greenpeace has protested in Europe many times before. In 2012, the organization flew a drone aircraft over a nuclear power plant in the Hague and piloted a manned paramotor over France's Bugey Nuclear Power Station, intending to discredit public claims by EDF and the French authorities that the stations pose no threat to human beings.
Greenpeace denies any role in the more recent drone sighting, however, reminding the public in several press releases that it always acts openly and claims responsibility for its acts.
On November 24, 2014, Greenpeace commissioned a confidential report by a British firm about the vulnerabilities of France's nuclear power stations—vulnerabilities to attacks and incursions by drone aircraft. Greenpeace says it sent copies of the report to state authorities in Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
Audrey Oeillet, a journalist who describes herself a “geekette” first and foremost, wrote about the report for clubic.com, where readers left several heated comments. One reader, “ManuKey,” applauded Greenpeace:
Greenpeace une bande de cons qui grace au nucleaire peuvent se rechauffer et avoir de la lumiere et qui peuvent dire merci aux sociétés petroliere pour mettre de l'essence dans les bateaux et zodiac… me feront toujours rigoler les ecolos par l'hypocrisie qu'ils possedent
Greenpeace a gang of fools that—thanks to nuclear energy—can stay warm and have light. They have oil companies to thank for fueling their boats and zodiac [sic]… these eco-freaks will always make me laugh with their hypocrisy.
Cela étonne qu’avec nos moyens actuels les forces militaires ne puissent détecter ces drones ? Moi pas, les budgets de ces corps de métier sont en baisses et pas qu’un peu, chaque peloton exécute des ordres et même si l’ordre de tirer à été donné cela reste à vérifier.
Pas sûr non plus qu’il y ait beaucoup de détecteurs de drônes. Alors des gendarmes qui patrouillent quotidiennement pour la surveillance de ces sites nucléaires, oui, mais maintenant je ne vois pas trop en quoi cela va permettre de partir à leur chasse que ce soit de ces objets volants ou des propriétaires.
Isn't it surprising that, with all our modern capabilities, our military forces cannot track down these drones? Funding for these lines of defense are declining—and not just a little. There's also an excess of red tape with even routine maneuvers.
It is also unclear if many drone detectors exist. Sure, we have police that patrol each day as part of surveillance measures at these nuclear sites, but I can't really see how that is going to help them hunt down these objects—whoever owns them.
HARFANG Drone in France via Calips on wikipmedia commons – CC-BY-3.0
On November 5, Rémi Barroux and Audrey Garric co-authored an article in Le Monde, “What Threats Do Drones Pose to Nuclear Power Plants?”
Readers left many interesting comments, some of which were quite alarming. One commenter writes:
Je travail dans la sécurité informatique. Un drone peu très bien avoir été envoyé dans l'unique but de déposer au sol une clé usb dans laquelle se trouve un virus. Quiconque trouvera la clé peut la prendre et potentiellement infecter la central.
I work in IT security. A drone could very well have been sent with the sole purpose of dropping a USB key containing a virus. Whoever finds that key could take it and possibly infect the plant.
Another reader, Pierre Guillemot, describes a personal experience that is far less amusing:
Témoignage personnel: je suis entré en voiture dans la centrale de Saint-Laurent-des Eaux près d'Orléans, au mois de juin vers 20h (de jour). J'ai franchi 3 postes de garde déserts, barrière relevée. Arrivé près des réacteurs, j'ai garé ma voiture. Un agent en uniforme m'a demandé de la déplacer car elle était sur un emplacement réservé. Je me suis promené à pied. Comme l'heure s'avançait, je suis ressorti. Personne ne m'a posé de questions. Certes, c'était l'été 2001. Sécurité ?
Personal account: one day in June at around 8 pm I drove into the plant compound at Saint-Laurent-des Eaux near Orleans. I passed 3 deserted guard booths with the barriers raised. I got near to the reactors and parked my car. A uniformed agent asked me to move it because it was in a reserved parking spot. I walked a few rounds on foot. It got late, so I left. No one asked me any questions. This was the summer of 2001… what security?
In a press release, dated November 3, the General Secretariat for Defense and National Security, a service that reports directly to the Prime Minister, announced that the government will not issue any detailed statements about surveillance, detection, or protection measures now in place at nuclear power facilities. Whatever the state's defense measures, a Greenpeace activist was recently able to photograph a high-tech military radar stationed near two nuclear power plants in France. This device, experts say, is the only kind of equipment capable of detecting drones.

author: Abdoulaye Bah


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Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2015: Countdown to the Philippines! · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Cebu City, Philippines, location of the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2015.
Photo by restymail and used under a CC BY 2.0 license.
Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Principe, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela.
Those, in case you were wondering, are the 60-plus countries—and counting—that will be represented at the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2015.
In seven weeks’ time, on January 24, hundreds from the four corners of planet Earth will gather at the venerable Cebu Provincial Capitol in Cebu City, Philippines, to spend two days together exploring the connections between the open Internet, freedom of expression and online civic movements around the world.
Since 2006, Global Voices Summits have brought together the most innovative and inspiring digital activist and citizen media communities from around the world. These meetings have proven a rich breeding ground for ideas and collaborations across borders. At the 2015 Summit we also look forward to continuing that tradition—as well as celebrations for our 10th anniversary.
This year's program will feature panels, short project showcases, open “unconference”-style sessions and hands-on training workshops with some of the leading voices in digital rights and international citizen media. And as part of the process we'll be facilitating real-time online participation as well as capturing, translating and publishing the knowledge and conversations coming out of the meeting.
If you'd like to join us in Cebu City, please register through the Summit web site. The registration fee is PHP 2,000 for residents of the Philippines, US$50 for residents of South East Asia outside of the Philippines, and US$75 for international participants.
If you can't join us, we'll be streaming portions of the program live on January 24-25, 2015. And keep an eye on the Summit web site, Twitter and Facebook.
The Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2015 is made possible thank to the generous support of MacArthur Foundation, Google, Open Society Institute, Knight Foundation, Hivos,Yahoo!, Making All Voices Count, SunStar Publishing, the Province of Cebu, PRWorks and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

author: Georgia Popplewell


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GV Face: Four Years After the Uprising, Where is Yemen Going? · Global Voices
Sahar Habib Ghazi

Yemen's popular uprising in 2011 helped oust President Saleh after 33 years in power. How much have things really changed for the country's 25 million people?
The uprising was supposed to bring more democracy and justice to the people, but activists say its goals were never accomplished. Inflation and unemployment is still high, and the government is still pouring resources to fight Al Qaeda, while attempting and failing to crush Houthi fighters in the country.
As the military and Houthi fighters grab the limelight, Yemen's people have no voice in the decision-making process.
This is despite the fact that the uprising led to a unique and controversial transition process, known as the the National Dialogue Conference (NDC). For 10 months at the NDC, Yemen's youth, women, civil society, marginalized social segments along with the country's political elites had the opportunity to sit side by side and work on building the new state of Yemen.
The Conference ended almost a year ago, and the people of Yemen are still waiting for the outcomes of the NDC to be realized.
In this episode of GV Face, we'll be talking to activists about the NDC outcomes and whether they think they meet Yemen's current urgent needs.  We'll also ask them about the current activism scene in Yemen and what hopes and dreams Yemen's youth have for their future.
Our speakers:
Hisham Al-Omeisy: Yemeni active Twitter user and Information Analyst and Communications Consultant, based in Sana'a.
Afrah Nasser: Yemeni human rights activist, blogger and freelance journalist, living in Sweden since 2011.
#GVFace #Yemen


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Jaywalking Just Got Even Riskier in Bangladesh · Global Voices
পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha)

Citizens risk their lives to cross roads at Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue in the capital, just yards away there is a crosswalk on the other side. Image by Firoz Ahmed. Copyright Demotix (30/8/2012)
Bangladesh police completed a three-day campaign in late November to stop pedestrians from crossing busy roads without using footbridges or underpasses. The authorities have also established mobile courts to punish the hundreds of pedestrians who jaywalk with fines and sometimes even imprisonment.
According to police, this is an awareness campaign. People in Bangladesh often cross busy roads by stepping into traffic, stopping oncoming vehicles with a wave of the hand, rather than using the footbridges built for pedestrians. The behavior is both a public safety hazard and a problem for managing traffic.
The crackdown on jaywalking is not without its critics.
Commenting on a news story online, one Internet user says the pedestrian bridges are far from accommodating:
ফুটওভার ব্রিজগুলোতে ওঠানামা করতে খুব কষ্ট হয়। সুস্থ লোকও হাপিয়ে যায়। আন্ডারপাসে ওঠানামাও কষ্টকর। তাই জরিমানা করার আগে এসব প্রতিবন্ধকতা দূর করা দরকার। বিজ্ঞাপন, ব্যানার, ফকির, হকার, বখাটে, টিজার, অন্ধকার, নোংরা- এসব ব্রিজ থেকে অপসারণ করে পরিষ্কার ঝকঝকে রাখা দরকার। সিসিটিভি দিয়ে মনিটর করা দরকার। ওঠানামার জন্য ভাল এস্কেলেটর বা লিফট থাকতে হবে।
It is so cumbersome to walk up these foot over-bridges. Even healthy people get tired crossing these things. The underpasses also have too many stairs (and no escalators). Before imposing fines, these walkways should be improved. These overpasses/underpasses are often crowded by beggars, hawkers, and teasers, and are covered with dirt, posters, darkness, and bad smells. So proper maintenance of these installations is a must. They should get closed-circuit TV monitoring to stop vandals. The use of escalators and lifts in some places is also essential.
Writing on Facebook, Journalist Probhash Amin says:
পথচারীদের ফুটওভারব্রিজ আর আন্ডারপাস ব্যবহারে আপনি উদ্বুদ্ধ করতে পারেন, বাধ্য করতে পারেন না। পুলিশ যেভাবে অফিসগামী ব্যস্ত মানুষদের ছিনতাইকারীর মত দৌড়ে বেল্টে ধরে, কলারে ধরে ভ্রাম্যমান আদালতের সামনে আনছে তা অবশ্যই মানবাধিকার লঙ্ঘন।
You can encourage people to use overpasses and underpass, but you cannot force them. The way police are now apprehending pedestrians en route to the office like criminals, handling them disrespectfully, is of course a violation of human rights.
Blogger Kung Thang takes a more extreme position, saying the street should belong to pedestrians:
পথচারিরাই পথের মালিক ৷ গাড়ি হল গতকালকের সৃস্টি ৷ এই পথে তোমার ইঞ্জিন লাগানো গাড়ি চলতে পারে, তবে সেটা কোনক্রমেই পথচারিদের হাঁটাচলা বন্ধ করে বা চলাচলে বাধা সৃস্টি করে নয় ৷
The pedestrians are the rightful users of the street. Vehicles are recent inventions. They can use the streets, but not at the expense of denying the rights of the pedestrians to cross the street.
Citizens risk their lives in traffic to cross the road at Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue in the capital Dhaka. Image by Firoz Ahmed. Copyright Demotix (30/8/2012)
It's worth noting that traffic lights for pedestrians at crosswalks are extremely rare in Bangladesh.
Blogger Rasel Parvez says the police's actions are uncivilized:
পথচারী ট্রাফিক আইন মেনে অন্য সকল সভ্য দেশের মতো রাস্তা পার হবে নিরাপদে, শুধুমাত্র গাড়ীচালকদের নির্বিঘ্নে গাড়ী চালানোর সুযোগ দিতে গিয়ে লোকজনকে আকাশ-পাতালে উঠা নামা করতে হবে- এটা অসভ্য একটা রীতি।
Pedestrians will cross the street if there are traffic lights; this is a common phenomenon in every civilized nation. Giving preference to cars by diverting foot traffic to cumbersome overpasses and underpasses; this is time-consuming and uncivilized.
According to the statistics from the Bangladesh Road and Transport Corporation, each day 185 cars are added to Dhaka's already overcrowded roads. Only about 2-5 percent of the city's population (about 210,000 people) is thought to own an automobile. Lawyer Syed Mahbubur Alam says giving traffic preference to such a small part of the city is illogical:
[…] ঢাকা শহরের প্রায় পঁচানব্বই শতাংশ মানুষ হাঁটা, পাবলিক বাস, সাইকেল এবং রিকশাসহ অন্যান্য গণপরিবহনে যাতায়াত করছে। যার অধিকাংশ পায়ে হেটে চলাচল করে থাকে। নগরে মাত্র ২% মানুষের যাতায়াতের বাহনকে সুবিধা প্রদানের জন্য ৯৫% মানুষের যাতায়াতকে উপেক্ষা করা যুক্তিসংগত নয়।
Approximately 95 percent people in Dhaka are pedestrians, cyclists, and public-transport users. Most of these people walk in the streets. It is not fair to ignore the plight of 95 percent for the comfort of just 2 percent.
Blogger and leftwing activist Kallol Mustafa campaigns for “majority pedestrian rights over individual drivers’ rights.” According to Facebook user Marufa Rahman, police have in some cases resorted to physical abuse, when arresting jaywalkers.
In fact, Dhaka's roads are extremely dangerous for pedestrians. In 2014 alone, as many as 134 people were killed crossing the street, reports Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo. In an editorial, the same paper recently argued, somewhat vaguely, that Bangladesh needs to take three steps to create safer traffic for both cars and pedestrians: (1) design a pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, (2) launch a campaign to education the public about the new infrastructure and traffic rules, and (3) implement sensible laws to stop violations.

author: পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha)


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A New Filtering System Could Slow Down RuNet. And Then There’s the Censorship · Global Voices
Tanya Lokot

New filtering system for the RuNet could slow down Internet traffic. Images mixed by Tetyana Lokot.
Russian lawmakers want Internet service providers to install automated content filtering systems on their networks, and say the necessary legal amendments to push this forward may be introduced by the end of 2014. Telecom companies fear such filtering would be costly, lead to slower Internet speeds, and introduce new opportunities for surveillance and censorship in the RuNet.
RuNet Echo has reported on previous efforts to lobby for a real-time filtering system that would block websites containing “harmful content” in the interest of protecting minors. It now appears that the system might become a reality, as numerous state officials, including President Putin's aide Igor Schegolev, have thrown their weight behind the filtering initiative. While users over 18 could apply to have filters removed, it's unclear how this would work.
Initially proposed by the Safe Internet League, a Kremlin-loyal NGO partnering with major Russian ISPs, these measures would bring an additional layer of censorship to Russia's already-pervasive website blacklist system, under which ISPs are required to block all websites containing “extremist materials.” The system would effectively allow for semantic analysis of all Internet traffic passing through Russian ISPs.
The Safe Internet League’s original goal was to make the RuNet “safe for children.” According to Russian media reports, the draft of the legal amendments stipulates the filtering should be installed for all websites by default, and users would then have to prove they are over 18 in order to view content that would be considered “adult.” Users over 18 wanting to access content that would be filtered out as “adult” would have to submit a separate application, although the new provisions do not specify what the application looks like or where it should be sent. In theory, this means RuNet users can eventually access filtered content, but can’t opt out of the filtering altogether.
Experts polled by Gazeta.ru believe the real-time filtering mechanism would dramatically increase operations costs for ISPs, who would have to install the tools at their own expense. The system could also severely reduce Internet speeds.
Gazeta.ru's source indicated that this approach would require comprehensive pre-moderation of all Internet traffic passing through the ISP's network.
Те, кто не смогут делать это на своих ресурсах, обязаны будут покупать уже очищенный контент у более крупных операторов. Тем самым будет создан механизм определения доверенных и не доверенных провайдеров.
Those who won't be able to afford it [the installation] on their resources, will have to buy “prefiltered” content from larger ISPs. This will help create a mechanism for determining trustworthy and non-trustworthy providers.
It seems the Kremlin has deliberately tried to avoid public discussion of the legal amendments enabling the filtering, as the wave of dissatisfaction from ISPs, telecom operators, and online businesses has been unanimous.
The Russian Association of Electronic Communications (RAEC) has also spoken out against the filtering legislation. RAEC, an industry association that includes the RuNet's largest companies, such as VKontakte, Rambler, Google, Microsoft, Mail.Ru Group, and others, agreed the software and hardware needed to make the new filtering system work would cost ISPs millions of roubles. Given that Internet users over 18 could apply to bypass the filters (and RAEC believes over three quarters of them eventually will), the filtering mechanism would become a huge waste of money for the Russian telecom operators.
RAEC experts also said real-time filtering would make the quality of Internet connections in Russia significantly worse, placing a particular strain on users who stream music and video online. In addition, RAEC claimed that only public textual content would be open to semantic analysis by the system, as it wasn't able to filter video, music, images or encrypted content. The Russian news agency RBK, though, notes that the draft text of the proposed amendments says the system “should” be able to analyze videos and photos as well.
Because the technology for the filtering mechanism itself still hasn’t been finalized, the media can only speculate as to what its capabilities will be. But the Kremlin's intent is clearly to filter all kinds of media, not just text. At the same time, telecom experts say it is virtually impossible to filter non-text content well, so in the end it will only slow down the traffic, but won't help weed out “adult” or “dangerous” content.
Although the state usually has to hold an open tender to solicit bids for any technical solutions or software creation, rumor has it that the technical backbone for the real-time filtering system is already in the hands of Ashmanov and partners, a well-known RuNet Internet marketing and development company headed by one of Rambler's founders, Igor Ashmanov. When quizzed by Gazeta.ru about his company's role, Ashmanov said he believed there should still be an open competition. He admitted his company had developed a filtering mechanism, but said they had only sold it to “private clients.”
[…] «правительственных заказов» у нас пока нет. Будут – продадим, если условия будут выгодными. […] Наш фильтр, конечно, лучший в России – он семантический и очень быстрый, позволяет точно детектировать и фильтровать динамический контент по запрещенным тематикам, но решает не всегда качествo.
[…] We've not had any “government orders” so far. If they appear, we will sell it, if the conditions are attractive. […] Our filter is, of course, the best in Russia—it is semantic and it's very fast, it allows to precisely detect and filter dynamic content based on forbidden topics, but quality is not always the deciding factor.
If the filtering system is indeed instituted by the end of 2014, and if its reach is widespread enough, the Kremlin might manage to anger not only the activists combatting surveillance and the online businesses struggling to make a profit. If the filters really slow down traffic speeds, Russian social network users venturing online for their daily fix of cat pics and Putin music videos might find themselves joining the ranks of net freedom fighters—even if only to defend their right to watch and listen to whatever they want at a decent speed.

author: Tanya Lokot


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Russian Prosecutors Say Man’s Reaction to Ethnic Riot Was Hate Speech · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Riot police and demonstrators clash in Biryulyovo, October 13, 2013. YouTube.
It's been more than a year since Konstantin Sankov left a supposedly racist comment on Vkontakte, Russia's most popular social network. This week, he may have to pay for it.
In October of 2013, riots broke out in the Moscow suburb of Biryuluovo following the murder of an ethnic Russian man, allegedly at the hands of an Azerbaijani attacker. Konstantin Sankov, an ethnic Russian man residing in St. Petersburg, commented on the incident online, using language that authorities found to be hateful. Now, over a year since he posted his comment, he is finally headed to trial.
The original text of Sankov's comment has not been reported by media or authorities commenting on the issue, and is no longer accessible on Vkontakte.
St. Petersburg's District Attorney says Sankov's language was hate speech, banned under the controversial Article 282. Russians from across the political spectrum, human rights activists and neo-Nazis alike, accuse police of arbitrarily enforcing Article 282 to stifle free speech, especially on the Internet. Sankov stands accused of “calling for hostile acts against a group defined in terms of national identity, language, origin, or territory.” If convicted, he could go to prison for as long as five years.
State prosecutors say Sankov's comment appeared alongside a video link he published on Vkontakte. The video excerpts a segment from a television program focusing on the murder that sparked the Biryulyovo riot. The District Attorney's press release on the case even goes so far as to say Sankov was “guided by a false sense of justice” when he uploaded the video.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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The Fall of the Georgian Currency in Photoshopped Images: From 50 Cent to ‘Saving Private Lari’ · Global Voices
Joseph A. Smith

The Georgian lari has seen better days. Wikimedia.
A dramatic depreciation in the value of Georgia’s national currency – the lari – has sparked concerns about the health of Georgia’s economy, with consumers facing the possibility of rising commodity prices. The lari suffered a 2.86% fall against the United States Dollar on December 5, dipping to around two lari to the dollar – the lowest exchange rate in more than a decade.
Georgian citizens, while concerned at the lari's slide, have been exhibiting their trademark dark humour online, drawing on American rappers, an iconic national painting and a Hollywood blockbuster to highlight their currency's plight.
The head of Georgia’s central bank, Giorgi Kadagidze, made a televised address on December 5, saying the fall in the lari’s value was due to both “external and internal” factors. In the first half of 2014, Foreign Direct Investment in Georgia was down by 9.6% compared to the same period last year.
At the same time, remittances from abroad – one of the key sources of external financing in – have been decreasing in recent months compared to last year. The largest decrease was in remittances from Russia, where the ruble is also depreciating rapidly.
The World Bank’s regional director for the South Caucasus, Henry Kerali, posited that the depreciation is partly attributable to heightened seasonal demand for the US dollar, as well as events in Ukraine. Georgian exports to Ukraine have recently been sliding, although the number of tourists has increased.
A similar depreciation last year caused a rise in food prices in Georgia, which is a net importer for food products. In addition to this, the dollar is frequently preferred for such transactions as rent payments and the sale of second-hand cars.
As the lari began its descent on Friday, users of social media posted a doctored-image of the now obsolete 1 lari note, replacing the image of Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani with the face of Finance Minister, Nodar Khaduri. The inscription ‘one lari’ was also changed to read ‘choilari’ – a local insult which roughly translates as ‘sucker’ or ‘doormat’.
Khaduri and the lari. Viral image shared on Facebook.
Once news broke that the price of the dollar had risen to two lari,  Khaduri’s face was replaced by American rapper 50 cent, reflecting the new value of the Georgian currency.
Curtis Jackson, otherwise known as 50 Cent, has become a poster boy for the Georgian lari's slide. Widely shared.
In an image of the two hundred lari note, the face of Georgian anti-Bolshevik commander, Kakutsa Cholokashvili, was altered to show him weeping over the currency depreciation.
Cholokashvili sheds a tear. Viral image shared on Facebook.
Another image of the 10 lari note, featuring the iconic Mother of Imereti figure from the painting by Davit Kakabadze, shows the figure removed from the note along with the inscription: ‘The lari no longer has a mother’, which can also be rendered as ‘the lari is in a terrible state’.
Kakabadze's painting is a focal point of Georgian heritage. Viral image shared on Facebook.
Other images have emerged which make light of the lari crisis. This one is based on a famous Hollywood film poster and advertises ‘Nodar Khaduri’s film: Saving Private Lari’.
Who will save the lari? Viral image shared on Facebook.
Another one parodying a scene from Once Upon a Time in America shows a one lari coin falling over, saying ‘Forgive me Nodar [Khaduri] …. I slipped’.
The lari ‘Slips’ in this Famous Scene from ‘Once Upon a Time in America’. Viral image shared on Facebook.
Meanwhile, the dram in neighbouring Armenia has also fallen in value against the dollar, mirroring the recent depreciation of the Russian ruble. In Georgia, the central bank has urged calm, reassuring concerned citizens that the country’s economic foundations are strong enough to survive the currency crash without a dramatic increase in inflation. The lari is expected to stabilize in the next week, while annual inflation is expected to be around 3.5%.

author: Joseph A. Smith


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Why Going Viral Was a Source of Fear for One Hong Kong Citizen Journalist · Global Voices
inmediahk.net

Screen capture of Hung Lai Fong's article on inmediahk.net, which she says makes her feel panicked.
Since the beginning of the protests demanding an open nomination system of candidates for Hong Kong's top leaders, a large number of anti-government protesters and netizens have been prosecuted. The Chinese government has blocked hundreds of them from entering China for fear that they would bring the protests to mainland. “White terror” is sweeping the city, so much so that critical voices are worried that they will be prosecuted like others under the computer crimes law or banned from going to mainland China.
Hung Lai Fong, a newly registered writer at citizen media platform inmediahk.net, recounts her panic at seeing her article go viral on social media in a follow-up post for inmediahk.net. The Chinese-language post was published on November 24, 2014, and translated into English by Cheung Choi Wan.
This was how it started. I assumed that when you post an article on inmediahk.net, you must use your real name because when I read the articles written by Ho Kit Wang, Tang Man Lam and Ip Iam Chong, their names always appeared in full, and other articles published also had names of organizations and groups. That was why when I registered on the platform I used my real name, which is a very ordinary and old fashioned Chinese name.
I shared the link of my article on Facebook because I wanted to share with my friends the progress, however small, I had made in my dream of writing. My friends were all very kind. They expressed their support and told me to keep it up. Once, inmediahk.net quoted a line I wrote about myself when they distributed my article on Facebook. People forwarded the articles with the quote and their own comments. The article then went viral and I started receiving comments through WhatsApp.
The first thing people talked about when I met them was that quote of mine introducing myself: “I came to Hong Kong when I was 8 and I am now 23.” Up until this point, I was still rather elated because as a writer, you are glad that people are actually reading your work. Then a friend commented, “You are courageous. You disclosed your name in full and even circulated it on Facebook. Don’t forget, don't try going to the mainland in the near future. XD” The smile on my face stiffened immediately. A second later, I smiled and said nonchalantly, “I’ve only written an article. It’s no big deal.”
But then countless headlines crossed my mind: recently, a low-profile volunteer for student activist group Scholarism and a flight attendant who were among the arrested on July 2 at a sit-in protest were not allowed to enter the mainland; the cabinet running for CityU Student Union’s election was threatened [for their critical political stance]; a number of people had been arrested for dishonest use of computers… Okay, I know you think I’m exaggerating but from that moment on, my fleeting happiness was overshadowed by a sense of uneasiness. I woke up all of a sudden and wondered whether this was what people called “white terror.”
“White terror” is frightening not because what you fear has come true. Its terror lies in its power to instill fear and to intimidate you, and then… and then you stop right in your tracks. You start to self-censor and hold back and end up not doing anything anymore. To tell the truth, I actually looked at inmediahk.net’s webpage immediately and, lo and behold, many people posted their articles without giving their real name! There was no rule that you must publish your FULL NAME! In that instance, I cowardly wanted to change my name but found that I didn’t have the user permissions to amend the information!
Now the article is still on inmediahk.net and nothing has changed. I did not listen to pro-Beijing civic group leader Chow Yung’s advice to try crossing the border and see if I were able to enter. I was actually thinking, should I continue to write or not? When you read this, you may think, “Is she stupid? It’s such a minor thing and she worries so much. Who would know about her, anyway…” or “Why are you such a coward?!” I remember someone defending themselves after breaking into the Hong Kong Legislative Council building, saying, we are not student leader Joshua Wong, nor are we Alex Chow or Lester Shum or the three spokesmen of the Occupy Central protests. No one would pay attention if we were arrested. We must protect ourselves and that’s why we wear masks, and we won’t sit there waiting to be arrested.
Actually I don’t quite agree with this argument. Before now, few people knew Wong, Chow, Shum and the three Occupy Central spokesmen, but when they fought against the National Education Curriculum, called for a strike or organized Occupy Central, they never wore masks (except when they were sick.) They won their fame with their actions and courage. For me, breaking into the building of the Legislative Council was not a problem. What was unacceptable was stealing away while telling people to go into the building after you broke into it. Now what I want to say is that most people are timid (if you are not, you have my true admiration.)
Apart from a small number of people who have a strong sense of mission, most people do not want to make sacrifices and do not want their life disturbed. They do not want to lose all they have for an unknown future. Fear can be infinite — never mind how irrational it might be. This is the reality. We must acknowledge that this may be the reason why some Hong Kong people do not support the movement. Please do not reprimand them for being selfish. Every person has his or her own way of thinking and his or her own concerns. There’s no point in criticizing others from a higher moral ground. What we must do is to help them realize the significance of the Umbrella Movement.
By the time you are reading this sentence here, you must be wondering, “Why are you writing when you are so afraid?” I would have to talk about my other identity. Apart from the fact that “I came to Hong Kong when I was 8 and I am now 23 years old,” I have gone to church for the last nine years. […] As a Christian, I am very moved by the Umbrella Movement. I would talk about this whenever there is the opportunity. However, I must say that had I not been a Christian, I think I would have chosen to close my eyes and stay in my comfort zone.
With so many people in this world, why the hell should I stand up? In psychology, there is a very professional term for this phenomenon or way of thinking — “the bystander effect.” To put it simply, the more people there are, the less responsibility one feels. One is therefore least motivated to act. However, I believe in Jesus and the Bible tells us that we must act justly and love mercy. Jesus taught us to store up treasures for ourselves in heaven and not hold onto our possessions on earth. He was always on the side of the poor and the weak… […]
I have no choice. Either I leave the church or I grit my teeth and walk with Him. It is time to put on the helmet again. I don’t mean that everyone has to fight on the front line, but you cannot turn your face away from injustice and do nothing. […]
Because of all the reasons mentioned above, you will still see me posting articles under my real name, which is absolutely old-fashioned. It is not that I do not have fear, but I have to do what I must do. And please give up the idea of “one more is not many, one less is not noticeable.”
If you could, please do something for the Umbrella Movement in any way you can. For example, I don’t have the hardiness, the sacrifice or the means to go to the occupy sites every day. I have started to go to class again. However, I can study the Umbrella Movement in school projects and bring the movement into the campus. I can also write. Some people choose to write songs, paint, take photos, go into the community, spread the messages. There are innumerable things that can be done, so please do not lose heart and do not give up. You have many fellow travelers. I will always remember the night in the Citizen Square. It was a long night and I was very afraid, but after daybreak, more and more people arrived at the square to show their support. We no longer felt that we were alone and our hearts were warmed.
Let us pray for the dawn.


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Azerbaijan’s Image Cracks with Arrest of Watchdog Journalist · Global Voices
Arzu Geybullayeva

Section of an infographic detailing Khadija Ismayil's investigative journalism work and the charges she has faced for it. Originally published on Meydan TV. Republished with permission.
There is no such thing as failure in Azerbaijan. The country's upward trajectory is eternal and unstoppable.
Never mind that the country's president wins a Corruption Watchdog's ironic “Person of the Year” award. Or that the number of internationally-recognized political prisoners in the country's badly-kept jails is approaching one hundred.
Azerbaijan, an energy-rich Caspian state dominated by the ruling Aliev family since before the collapse of the Soviet Union, likes to burnish its international image. Puff articles selling the government's successes routinely appear in some of the world's biggest news outlets. It reveled in hosting the Eurovision song contest in 2012. It is set to host Formula One and the first edition of the European games next year.
The Dec. 5 arrest of 38-year-old investigative journalist Khadija Ismayil, on trumped up charges, will test the limits of this bright facade.
Azerbaijan's best-known political prisoner?
Ismayil, whose family name can also be rendered Ismayilova, is a smart and talented woman from Azerbaijan. Among her friends and colleagues she is known for her outspokenness, honesty and fearlessness. Outside Azerbaijan she is known for her outstanding work in exposing things the Azerbaijani government would prefer to stay a secret. Her expertise? The ruling family’s illicit — and very international — business empire.
News of her arrest, ordered by the Sabail District Court, was reported by outlets around the world on December 5. The #FreeKhadija hashtag soon trended on Twitter.
If Ismayil is incarcerated, she will be Azerbaijan's most globally famous political prisoner. She has received numerous international journalism awards and recognition for her investigations into corruption in the country. This is not the government's first attempt to silence Ismayil.
A thorn in Baku's side
When she first began exposing the Alievs’ financial dealings in 2010, she knew what her work would cost her. During a trip abroad in July 2011, someone — the case is still supposedly under investigation in Azerbaijan — entered her apartment and installed a number of security cameras. The installation occurred shortly after the publication of one of Ismayil's stories about the Aliyev family's business interests.
On March 7, 2012, Ismayil received an anonymous piece of mail by post containing intimate pictures of her and a letter warning that video footage of her having sex would be released on the Internet if she did not stop reporting. The note read: “Whore, behave. Or you will be defamed.” Ismayil did not stop. The video went online and was widely disseminated.
Her subsequent stories exposed more murky deals about the Alievs, shedding light on offshore and local companies owned by President Ilham Aliev's two daughters, as well as shady construction agreements.
By June 2012, due in no small part to Ismayil's reporting it became illegal to obtain company and ownership information in Azerbaijan. The parliamentary bill referred to “commercial secrets” but for the government’s critics this was a worrying sign: if obtaining information was difficult before, it was now a crime against the state, a fact that almost guarantees impunity for officials engaged in illicit business ventures.
Both Ismayil's lawyer and her accuser have been forced to sign gag orders pledging not to speak publicly on the case. Thus the current charges against her are not fully clear.
In October, the journalist was accused of libel and slander by Elman Hasanov, a former member of the opposition Popular Front Party. An ex-security official informed Ismayil that Hasanov had been compromised by the government and used to infiltrate opposition circles.
Ismayil wrote on her Facebook page (currently deactivated as per her own request) that she had not revealed Hasanov's identity in the information she published:
This is a private prosecution complaint by Elman Hasanov […] He claims I published in Facebook page two documents which is libelous and slander against Elman Hasanov […] I didn’t publish any document which named Elman Hasanov. In October 2011 (five months before the sex tape blackmail against me) former investigator of the Ministry of National Security Ramin Nagiyev sent me a file [allegedly claiming] recruitment of Elman Hasanov [by the Ministry of National Security] as an agent inside the opposition […] I was unable to check the authenticity of the document […] In February 2014 following a TV show where I was accused of being a spy and when the former MNS official said they knew everything about me, I decided to publish the alleged document. But I erased name and any information which would help identify Elman Hasanov […] Later [I learned that] someone whose Facebook nickname was Mustafa Kozlu already published the full document without erasing the name. I urged people to respect people’s dignity and privacy and not share the name of the person.
Ismayil was summoned to the Prosecutor's  Office the following day and accused of “revealing a state secret.”
Also in October, Ismayil was detained for several hours by government officials at Baku airport after she discussed Azerbaijan's human rights record with officials from the Council of Europe.
The most recent charge against Ismayil — incitement to suicide (Article 125 of Azerbaijan's Criminal Code) — was brought by Tural Mustafayev, a journalist who briefly collaborated with the Azerbaijan service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, where  Ismayil worked previously. He was later hired by a different media outlet, Meydan TV and fired 3 months later for unprofessional behaviour.
Full disclosure: The author of this article is currently a journalism fellow at RFE/RL and English language editor at Meydan TV.
Mustafayev has stated that he attempted suicide on October 20 (by drinking rat poison) after Ismayil interfered with his professional development and threatened him on Facebook. According to sources close to the case, he has not provided evidence of these allegations.
The ongoing crackdown on free speech and human rights in Azerbaijan negates the millions the country's leadership has paid western PR firms to improve its international reputation.
The first set of charges against Ismayil were initiated in October while Azerbaijan was still holding its controversial chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers at the Council of Europe. Despite a few presidential pardons for political activists, its chairmanship, which began on May 13 and concluded November 13, proceeded amid flagrant violations of its international commitments.
While the Council of Europe reprimanded Azerbaijan for its rights record at the end of the chairmanship, tougher action must be taken as the country's governance and rule-of-law record reaches new lows.
The lavish caviar-laced dinners and impromptu galas and exhibitions Baku holds for western delegates should not obscure the fact that Azerbaijan's repression of domestic dissent is reaching new heights. Oil and gas should not be reasons to coddle an odious regime.

author: Arzu Geybullayeva


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Contestants in This French Beauty Pageant Strike a Pose—With Their Cows · Global Voices
Claire Ulrich

Miss France Agricole with her prize via Facebook (with permission)
On December 6, the beauty pageant to select Miss France 2015 took place on the national stage in all its glittering glory. But a more self-deprecating pageant won the hearts and minds of Internet users.
Christophe Teyssere calls it “the French feel-good story of the day” in his weekend news digest: the wildfire unexpected buzz created by a new beauty contest in France, Miss France Agricole, launched on Facebook by Patricia, a cattle farmer in Cantal, Central France.
Exasperated by all the excess displayed during the official Miss France pageant (“her dress could feed one hundred homeless for a year” she rages), Patricia opened a Facebook page on the spot to launch a new competition, for “farmers only”:
l'élection d'une vraie MISS France, celle qui représente vraiment notre France, avec des femmes de terrain.
The election of a real MISS France, one who really represents our France, with women in the field
Surprise! Two hundred and sixty-seven candidates rushed to mail in their picture on the farm with assorted cows, hens, goats, sheeps, pumpkins and tractors. The jury was composed of three men and one woman friend, none of them linked to agriculture. Media partnerships consisted of a Wiki for connected French farmers, wikiagri. And the winner was promised a grand prize: a bunch of flowers:
Below, the homemade video of the candidates’ pictures, a refreshing tour of rural France and of French country girls, all proud to participate without make-up or special grooming.
And the winner is...Milie Marin Fournier, 34, owner alongside her husband of a grape and fruit farm near Marseilles, in Southern France (her interview in French on Wikiagri).
Milie, Miss France Agricole, and her t-shirt “Proud to be a farmer”, very much in demand since her election  (image from her Facebook page)
200 participantes et il a fallut que ca tombe sur moi!!!  mais toutes les agricultrices sont des gagnantes!!!sans strass ni paillette!!!! Vive les paysannes et vive les femmes!!!!!
200 participants and it had to be me!!!! But all farmers are winners!!!!! with no rhinestones nor glitter !!!! Long live the farmers, long live all women !!!!
What about the runner-ups ? Here is the first runner-up, Laurène, and the second, Katia (picture below):
Katia, runner-up in the Miss France Agricole beauty pageant (image from the Miss France Agricole Facebook page)
Moreover, the competition was very inclusive. Among the 10,000 likes on Facebook given by readers to the different participants, Madeleine received a standing cyber-ovation:
Madeleine and a friend (Image from the  Miss France Agricole 2015 Facebook page )

author: Claire Ulrich


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Film: A Ugandan Transgender Girl Fights for Her Right to Love · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Rough Studios, a small Swedish production company, has released the first episode of a documentary series about being transgender in Uganda:
We enter the life of Cleopatra Kambugu, a Ugandan transgender girl who was forced to flee to Kenya after being “outed” as homosexual in one of Uganda's major tabloids. It is a story about love, hate and being transgender, in one of the worlds most homophobic places.
Our goal with this film has always been to make a difference. Whether it is to change peoples hearts, their perception of a transgender person or the prejudice people have towards the LGBT community.
Uganda is a country which for long have been criticized for the discriminations against the LGBTI community.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Mexico: What’s Next? “Our Beloved Departed Deserve Respect” · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

Image by Realidad Expuesta on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
From Merida, Andres Mayorquín reflects on the sentimients of Mexicans once they have been part of the marches for the disappearance of student teachers. Some ot them are already tired and they  wonder if ti's worth it to take the streets. The mistrustful ones want Mexicans stop protesting and use their time “to work harder, to stop giving bribes, to respect others’ liberty or be more productive, to stop the whining”.
The opposite is no longer enough in Mexico, concludes Marroquín. Three proposals to this question: “What shall we expect or do with all this movement unleashed after the disappearance of the teacher students that ended up representing all the disappeared, murdered, kidnapped and attacked of the country?”:
Primero que nada, negarnos radicalmente a la violencia… La mayoría no queremos más agresión, queremos paz, queremos encontrar mejores formas de relacionarnos unos con otros en nuestra sociedad diversa y queremos justicia, que respete la dignidad de cada uno de nosotros.
[…]
Tercero, desarrollar una propuesta concreta…una legislación sobre la revocación de mandato, la formación de una Comisión de la Verdad, hacer obligatorias y públicas las declaraciones patrimoniales de los servidores públicos y sus familiares, facilitar los requisitos de las candidaturas independientes, una regulación sobre los legisladores plurinominales.
First of all, we radically reject violence… Most of us don't want more aggression, we want peace, we want to look for better ways of relating with each other in our diverse society and we want justice, they the dignity each of use deserves might be respected.
[…]
Third, elaborate a concrete proposal… a legislation about power revocation, the formation of a Truth Commission, make wealth declarations mandatory and public for pubilc servants and their family members, make easier for independent candidates to run for office, a regulation about multi-member legislators.
Visit Se hace camino al andar, Andrés Mayorquín's blog. You can also interact with him on Facebook, Twitter and G+


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Russia’s ‘Anonymous International’ Promises New Wave of Leaks · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Shaltai Boltai targets Kristina Potupchik. Who's next? Images edited by Kevin Rothrock.
Russia's mysterious Internet group “Shaltai Boltai” (also known as “Anonymous International”) has signaled it will soon leak a treasure trove of compromising information about prominent figures responsible for the Kremlin's ideological policies.
Earlier today, December 10, the group released a candid photograph of a woman resembling Kristina Potupchik, the former spokesperson for the pro-Putin youth organization “Nashi,” now a member of Russia's Civic Chamber, a Kremlin-friendly government oversight committee. (In a tweet today, Potupchik seemed to confirm that it is indeed her in the picture.) Potupchik appears to be sitting at a desk beside a purse packed with cash.
Kristina Potupchik and her bag of cash.
According to the independent news website The Insider, which says it spoke to a Shaltai Boltai representative, the photograph was taken in the office of Timur Prokopenko, former head of the pro-Putin youth group “Molodaya Gvardiya” (Young Guard), now an official in the Kremlin.
Shaltai Boltai isn’t able to say exactly how much money was in the purse, but it told The Insider it was at least 15 million rubles (roughly $300,000). “The money was given to her to finance her various activities,” the group told The Insider. “[Potupchik] worked full-time for the Presidential Administration, creating social media, paying bloggers and commenters, and organizing events.”
Two hours after leaking the image of Potupchik and the bag of money, Shaltai Boltai tweeted another photo of her, this time showing her wearing the Medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland.” The group explained the image with a crude sexual innuendo:
Медаль @KrisPotupchik повесили за Крым, но она скажет, что еще за какую-то открытую дыру )) pic.twitter.com/iqDCHtYR2s
— Shaltay Boltay (@b0ltai2) December 10, 2014
They hung this medal on Kristina Potupchik for Crimea, but she says they really gave it to her for opening a different hole. :)
Potupchik allegedly received the medal for her role in helping manage Russia’s reabsorption of Crimea. Indeed, earlier this year in April, President Putin secreted bestowed this award on 300 pro-Kremlin journalists for their “objective coverage” of the events leading up to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. (Presumably, this is the photograph a Shaltai Boltai representative showed BuzzFeed reporter Max Seddon in June, when Seddon scored a rare face-to-face interview with one of the group’s members.)
The group told The Insider these photos are at once a “greeting card and a sneak peek at what’s to come.”
Reporting for the website Znak.com, Ekaterina Vinokurova speculates that the attack on Potupchik and the promise to leak similar information fits Shaltai Boltai’s track record for pursuing officials tied to Russia’s policies in Crimea and Ukraine. In the past, Vinokurova says, Shaltai Boltai’s information leaks (sometimes referred to ask “hacks,” though the group says it’s handed the information it publishes) have targeted the Kremlin’s chief ideologists. The photograph incriminating Potupchik and Prokopenko, Vinokurova says, seems to be part of a wider campaign against Putin’s first deputy chief of staff, Vyacheslav Volodin.
There are several theories about Shaltai Boltai’s identity, based mainly on estimations of whom they've spared, and who stands to gain from their attacks. Who is truly behind the group, however, remains a mystery.


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Slain Photojournalist Luke Somers’ Deep Connection to Jamaica · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Luke Somers in Yemen, wearing a TrenchTown Reading Centre T-shirt, shortly before being captured. Photo courtesy the TrenchTown Reading Centre, used with permission.
As friends and colleagues mourn the late Luke Somers, the American photojournalist killed by al-Qaida in Yemen last week during a failed hostage rescue attempt by the United States, one tribute has come in from an unlikely region — the Caribbean.
Jamaica-based Petchary's Blog posted a warm and sensitive tribute to the man they knew, while acknowledging that South-African teacher Pierre Korkie was also killed by al-Qaida operatives during the raid.
The blogger remembered Somers fondly:
We in Jamaica knew Luke Somers. He was a volunteer at the Trench Town Reading Centre in the summer of 2010. He took over the Grade Three class at the Centre and focused on teaching them creative writing. The children loved him (especially the boys, who thought he was cool). The community loved him; he embraced them and they embraced him back.
Luke Somers with a class at Jamaica's TremchTown Reading Centre. Photo courtesy the centre, used with permission.
Somers, much like he did in Yemen, connected deeply with the people he met in Jamaica. He kept in touch with the Trench Town Reading Centre’s director, Roslyn Ellison, but despite his best intentions, did not return to Jamaica before his posting to Yemen.
The post continued:
Needless to say, the community of First Street is grieving […] Luke was kind and generous. Everyone loved him. What more is there to say?
Somers taking a lunch break with some of the kids from the TrenchTown Reading Centre. Photo courtesy the centre, used with permission.
Condolences and tributes also poured in on the Trench Town Reading Centre's Facebook page. The centre's director, Roslyn Ellison, in remembering Somers, said via email:
[His] death was a very sad loss for us all [in] Jamaica. He was a wonderful, caring young man of action. Luke visited several times and volunteered at the TrenchTown Reading Centre, on First Street, during the summer of 2010. He helped bring our Summer School to life. Luke chose to live in the community, on the same street as the centre, rather than coming and going from this challenged inner city area. [He] quickly became an integral part of life in the area and was fully engaged with the children and people.
Everyone is terribly upset and shocked. Trench Town has a global perception of being an incredibly violent place. Yet the people there are very distressed that such a thing could happen to someone they know. We were looking forward to seeing him again as he planned to return. Sadly this is not to be. Luke’s life was short but he lived to the fullest and contributed much.
Owen Blakka Ellis, who also knew Somers, posted:
Rest in Peace and Rise in Power Luke! Your spirit and your good works live on.
Luke Somers will be remembered as a “wonderfully kind young man” whose work touched people in ways that cannot be measured.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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South Korea: Game Mocking the Airplane Nuts Fiasco · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Korean Air Lines vice president has made numerous headlines, both locally and internationally, for her arrogant behavior on a recent flight out. She randomly accused a crew member of serving macadamia nuts ‘incorrectly’ and even she ordered a plane back to the gate to remove the crew member out of the plane. No wonder this sensational story has become one of the trending topics in social media. Among numerous internet jokes, parody photos and even a cartoon by Japanese users, one stood out most would be a game mocking the Airplane nuts fiasco. A Korean web developer, Tai-hwan Hah (@duecorda) made a simple game entitlted ‘Crew Members’ Tycoon’ [ko]. However you play, you get the same result of the crew member being yelled at and hearing the sentence ‘You! Get out of the plane!’ — the very word the vice president allegedly said to the crew.
Image the ‘Crew Members’ Tycoon’, Image tweeted by the maker of the game

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Southeast Asia’s Tigers Are in Desperate Need of Saving · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Malayan tiger. Photo from the Facebook of MYCAT
Southeast Asia is home to several tiger species that are considered endangered because of habitat loss and poaching.
In Malaysia, only 250 to 340 wild Malayan tigers are left. Cambodia’s wild tiger population is estimated to be no more than 30. Vietnam and Laos also have 30 wild tigers each. About 350 endangered Indochinese tigers are left in the Greater Mekong Region. Around 400 Sumatran tigers are left in Indonesia.
To increase the number of wild Malayan tigers, the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers or MYCAT has proposed the deployment of more tiger patrol units and the review of the implementation of the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan and Central Forest Spine Master Plan. The group also urged the government to conduct another National Tiger Survey, and aims to increase the number of wild tigers to 1,000 in the next five years.
Tiger locations in the Greater Mekong Region. Image from WWF
Meanwhile, the World Wildlife Fund or WWF has expressed alarm over the substantial decline of wild tigers in the Greater Mekong Region, which it considers as the largest combined wild tiger habitat on Earth. In 1998 there were 1,200 Indochinese tigers in the forests of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam but now they are down to 350.
According to WWF, poachers have targeted tigers “to meet increasing demand for tiger body parts used in traditional medicine.” Tigers also suffered from “habitat fragmentation” caused by “unsustainable infrastructure development.” The commercial demand for tiger meat in restaurants is also another reason why tigers continue to be hunted and killed in the wild. Meanwhile, the rapid destruction of forest lands in the island of Sumatra is the main threat to the endangered Sumatran tigers.
This video of a camera trap in Sumatra was able to document Sumatran tiger cubs in the wild:
Southeast Asian governments should work with environmentalists to protect the remaining wild tigers in the region. It's important that they remind the public that tigers are more valuable alive than dead.

author: Mong Palatino


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The A to Z of Kenyan Twitter · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mark Kaigwa, who declared “Twitter is going to change Kenya” in February 2010, describes the A to Z of Kenyan Twitter:
Kenyans on Twitter are the ones to be rallying behind a hashtag, making light work of creating a global trending topic. Be it to bringing CNN to apologise for a story, correcting misperceptions of the country with #SomeoneTellCNN or to celebrate the humour behind the national education and final examination system with examples such as #KCPE2010, #KCPE2012 and others.
In another fleeting moment they will wage virtual war on another African nation (be the reason sparked by football (Nigeria), politics (South Africa) or foreign policy (Botswana). Again the war cry of #SomeoneTell beckoning them. And #KOT won’t stop with just trading barbs and insults, they’ll take any misperception and stereotype they can find and using what seems to be a growing lexicon of African-made memes as when attacking Nigeria.


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What Does Japan’s State Secrecy Act Mean for Free Expression? · Global Voices
Nevin Thompson

Screenshot courtesy Shingetsu News
Japan’s controversial State Secrecy Act became law on Wednesday, December 10. The State Secrecy Act increases criminal penalties for leakers of “state secrets”.
Under the new law, government workers who divulge information that has been classified as state secrets can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, abetters up to five. Critics fear the policy will threaten journalists and watchdog organizations, carrying a chilling effect that could deter them from doing their jobs. In Tokyo last year, mass demonstrations erupted with civic society organizations and journalist groups expressing broad opposition to the law.
In an interview with SNA Japan, Professor Lawrence Repeta of Japan's Meiji University explains some of the human rights implications of the new legislation:
The new law imposes stiff penalties against government officials and anyone who leaks information that has been designated a secret, says Repeta in the interview with SNA Japan. He predicts this will “obviously [have] an effect on any government official when deciding what information can be talked about when discussing government actions or policy.”
Repeta also explains that the law does not make an exception for whistleblowers. In other words, if an official exposes improper activities or an abuse of power by government actors with the goal of protecting the public interest, she will be afforded no special protection.
A noted legal scholar who has written extensively on the Japanese legal system in the context of access to information, state secrets, and freedom of speech, Lawrence Repeta's analysis of Japan’s 2013 State Secrecy Act can be read in English here.


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3 Videos Turn the Tables on Street Harassment of Women in Latin America · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón Orbe

Screenshot of video on YouTube.
This is a version of a post originally published on Global Voices in Spanish
November 25 marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, a grave issue in many countries around the world. Street harassment, experienced by countless women as they walk through their cities, is one of the forms of violence.
In Latin America, several videos have addressed the issue. In Peru, street harassment is a reality that many women have to deal with, even on public transportation. Natalia Málaga, a former volleyball player who now coaches the Peruvian national women's team, is the face of the “Sílbale a tu madre” (Catcall your mother) campaign against street harassment, sponsored by the organization Paremos el acoso callejero (Let's stop street harassment) and fitness and sporting goods company Everlast.
In the staged video, men make sexual comments at women who pass them on the street (these guys are known as faltosos in Spanish, meaning disrespectful). But the men are rendered speechless when they find out that the women are their mothers in disguise, who then give their sons a verbal lashing for the behavior.
The video has gone viral, with more than 3.4 million hits on YouTube so far:
Last year, Málaga participated in another campaign from Everlast called “El guantazo de Natalia” (Natalia's smacking).
In Chile, entertainment YouTube channel Woki Toki released a “social experiment” it called “La revancha de los agarrones” (Revenge of the touchers) several months ago, which has more than 4.2 million views. In the video, a woman gives men she passes an agarroncito (little touch) on the hand or bum, an unwelcome action that some men in the country inflict on women in the street.
At the end, the host says she is surprised that none of the guys who experienced the “little touch” felt uncomfortable (some even asked her out on a date). She tells male viewers not to give women agarroncitos because it makes them uncomfortable and isn't funny.
In another video produced in Venezuela by entertainment YouTube channel Canilla titled “La venganza de la obrera” (The revenge of the woman laborer) last year, a woman gives the stereotype of catcalling construction workers a twist by donning a yellow safety helmet and uttering flirtatious remarks at men that walk by her, such as “did it hurt you when you fell from heaven, my angel?” Her behavior is met with many confused glances and some embarrassed smiles.
The video has more than 1.1. million views on YouTube:
Also see Global Voices’ special coverage: 16 Days to End Violence at Home and Around the World

author: Gabriela García Calderón Orbe


text:
Architects in Finland Battle Over the Helsinki Guggenheim and the “Next Helsinki”  · Global Voices
Natalia Safonova

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. Photo by Miguel A. Blanco on Flickr.
In early December 2014, the shortlist for a competition of the desing of the new Guggenheim museum in Helsinki was announced. The bulk of the building of the new Finnish venue of the famed museum of modern and contemporary art will be financed by the government of Finland and the project is already causing controversy and disagreements in public opinion.
The main sponsor of this promising project will be Finnish taxpayers, with the government willing to spend as much as 130 million Euro on the museum, which will carry the world-renowned Guggenheim name. In fact, the Finnish government will spend 30 million euros of this budget specifically on paying for the use of the Guggenheim brand. These expenses are already the cause of open outrage among local residents. For many locals, it seems particularly unfair to invest taxpayers’ money in a non-Finnish museum and brand. Many see it as sponsoring “someone else's trademark”.
Local and national media have been critical of the entire contest for the design of the museum and have called the entire project “a vanity project”.
The number of participants in the contest for the design of the new Helsinki Guggenheim was incredibly high, with more then 1700 proposals received from professional architects from more then 77 countries.
Authorities in the city have taken this and other elements as good signs and have explained that they expect the new museum to become the main tourist attraction in Helsinki, boosting tourism and the city's economy in general. Some representatives of the municipality have referenced the so-called “Bilbao effect”, describing the effect that the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain had on bringing in almost 4 million tourists to Bilbao in the first 3 years and boosting the local economy. Locals in Helsinki, however, fail to see the parallel between the two cities, as the Bilbao Guggenheim was part of a larger economic and cultural revitalization in the Spanish city.
In Finland, in response to the government's decision to collaborate with Guggenheim, an alternative competition was created for another project dubbed “The Next Helsinki”, where Finnish architects will be offering their own urban design solution for the city. On the project's official website the organizers of this effort call participants to:
“Help us seize this opportunity to highlight the city's singularity, and its residents’ appetite for social, environmental and cultural justice.”
Submissions for the “New Helsinki” contest will be open until March 2, 2015.

author: Natalia Safonova