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Chile: Returning Historical Documents to Peru · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Chilean government recently returned some historical documents that had belonged to Peru.  The act was facilitated by the Chilean Office of Libraries, Archives and Museums of which Enzo Abbagliati of Cadaunadas [es] is a part  and of which he is proud to be associated.

author: Eduardo Avila


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China: Citizen reporter Zuola becomes a potential threat to state security?! · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Three days ago, on Nov 20th, Zuola sent out a twitter message reporting that he could not get through the Customs from Shenzhen to Hong Kong:
I can't get in Hongkong, not allow me leave from China, I don't konw why. And I call somebody for ask help. May be OK latter.fuck blacklist.
Within a few minutes, his message got re-tweetted around and he further explained his situation:
I have the HK travel card for chinese citizens and passport, the police check all of my ID card for 30 minits then say no.
Zuola is one of the most famous citizen reporter in China as he has been traveling around the country writing on issues like the Chong-qin Nail house and the Ant Farmer Protest.
Rebecca Mackinnon quickly blogs about his current status with a nice description of his controversial image:
Zola has stirred up controversy by turning himself into a commercial brand while at the same time committing citizen journalism. He has been called many things by many people: The “nailhouse blogger.” “Enfant terrible of the Chinese blogosphere.” A Chinese journalist-blogger friend of mine calls him “post-modern.”
This time Zuola planned to travel to Germany via Hong Kong for the Best of Blog Awards ceremony. He explains his trip in his twitter stream:
致阻止我离境的人：我是去的德国之声做国际博客大赛的评委，只7天，这个没什么嘛。24号到30号的往返机票都买了，不要搞得我象政治犯似的，我的国际形象会受损的。帮我说说好话。不然媒体又会乱猜，以为我犯了什么罪。
On the next day, Zuola tried to get through the immigration in Shekou, he failed again:
又被蛇口码头拒绝出境去香港，船票全额退款了。他们警察建议我回长沙找当地公安。他们给不出任何书面证明来证明我被阻止出境，也不能出示理由。我决定回长沙去索要理由。
On 22 of Nov, he arrived at Changsha and tried to figure out a way to get his name off from the black list:
到达长沙。得找谁把我从黑名单除名？我犯了什么罪？是否享受罪犯待遇？答案在今天揭晓。
He failed to find the answer again:
国保和国安都说找不到领导，无法请示。那我明天星期一早上八点去长沙市公安局国保支队找他们要个说法。他们说你去的话，个个认识你。窃喜。
Finally today, he got an explanation:
姓周的便衣在会议室接待了，承认禁我出国的手续是他们长沙国保支队作出的，他认为我”可能危害国家安全”。他拒绝出具书面文件证明我受到禁止出境的待遇。
Then he called for SOS:
[SOS]我需要律师和媒体朋友的帮助！怎么举证证明我的人身自由受到了合法或非法的对待？是不是需要公安局举证倒置？由他们证明我收到合法限制？什么情况下可得到证明？
In the end, he decided to cancel his trip and go home:
我不能去德国了，我也告诉德国之声我不能去德国了。明天回煤炭坝镇，继续打理我的店子。不游荡了，免得党和政府对我出门在外放不下心。
A new twitter account freezoula was set up quickly to retweet comments on the issue, here is a selection:
[locked] keep the internet performance art up until an end comes to this~
[locked] ..impact. Zuola isn't doing Dem. Party work, or part of the democratic movement…that something as common and small as this..
peijinc That's how black boxes operate. You can sue, but who knows if any lawyers will help you.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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Cuba: Brother to be Beatified  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Uncommon Sense reports that a 19th century Cuban Brother is being beatified by the Catholic Church: “Br. Ollalo’s beatification will take place at 8 a.m. on November 29 in the Plaza de la Caridad of Camaguey, Cuba. It will be the first beatification to ever take place on Cuban soil.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Cuba: Hurricane Aftermath  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Generation Y takes a road trip to Cuba's Pinar del Rio and is even more convinced that “we have to avoid letting our tendency to forget cover up the situation…we have to go to the affected areas, deliver aid directly, and record the testimonies there.  The hurricane-force winds are still blowing in the lives of these people and will not diminish because we cover our ears.”


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Egypt: First Human Rights Film Festival · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

The Cairo Human Rights Film Festival kicked off yesterday (November 23) and will continue until Thursday (November 27). The event is being organized by the American Islamic Congress and it's Middle East Director Dalia Ziada in partnership with the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, Ibn Khaldoun Center for Development and the New Woman Foundation and will feature seven films.
On her blog, Dalia wrote:
Fustat also wrote about the festival saying that a similar festival was held in Bahrain earlier this year:
This is the first such festival in Egypt, if i´m not totally wrong , but Human Rights Film Festivals is not a new phenomena, the Human Rights Watch has held a festival on the same theme for years, and earlier this year the Arab Gulf had it´s first in the form of the first Bahrain Human Rights International Film Festival took place in Manama.
Ibn Al Dunya also provides us with a preview of the movies being featured at the festival:
The opening film is Democracy in Dakar, on the impact of youth culture in the political context of Senegal´s Presidential election in 2007, Tomorrow follows the Egyptian film Guáwa al Shabaka (The Power of the Web) about the internet freedom, or lack there off and blogging for human rights in Egypt, feauturing Gamal Eid, Noha Atef, Abd al Moneim Mahmoud, Ahmed Maher, Muhammad Gamal and others, directed by Mahmoud Saber and created by Muhammed Gamal.
Among the other films is Stephen Johnson´s animated film from 1988, explaining the 30 articles of the UDHR (view it here, in 31 different languages, Arabic being one of them here.
The final film is the Egyptian classic al bab al Maftouh (The Open Door), based on Latifa al Zayyat´s novel, portraying Laila, played on screen by the legendary actress Faten Hamama. Laila, of course, being as important today , as when it was first published, has been an inspiration for the Egyptian blogger project , Kolena Laila.
Three other films are also part of the festival, The Elders, A force more powerful and Confronting the truth.
For those who can´t join the festival, you can view the film Guawa al Shabaka below(via Sami Ben Gharbeia).

author: Marwa Rakha


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Environment: SA Bloggers sound off on GMO foods.  · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

Genetically Modified foods have been a concern for many environment bloggers in South Africa and other parts of Africa too. On this post we check in a handful of bloggers who've recently written about genetically modified (GMO) foods and seed.
Picture by Vagawi on flickr
UrbanSprout points to a report in Mail Online article that indicates lower fertility in mice fed on GM (Genetically Modified) maize
Dr Jurgen Zentek, Professor for Veterinary Medicine at the University of Vienna and lead author of the study, said a GM diet effected the fertility of mice.
One of the studies was a reproductive assessment by continuous breeding (RACB) trial, in which the same parent generation gave birth to several litters of baby mice. The parents were fed either with a diet containing 33per cent of GM maize, a hybrid of Monsanto's MON 810 and another variety, and a normal feed mix.
The team found changes that were ‘statistically significant’ in the third and fourth litters produced by the mice given a GM diet. There were fewer offspring, while the young mice were smaller.
Prof Zentek said there was a direct link between the changes seen and the GM diet.
Regarding Monsanto (a major producer of GMO seed) UrbanSprout deadpans…
Perhaps this is the environmentally friendly benefit of using GM seed that Monsanto has been touting – they're unwittingly helping to reduce population growth!
On Relax with Dax, the blogger contemplates the topic of GM foods as a solution to world hunger. He is very careful to see all sides of the issue. He says:
We all suffer from confirmation bias to some degree, but being aware of it can help us to avoid it at least partly. I actively try to expose myself to both sides of the story, especially topics which I feel strongly about. I feel very strongly that GM foods are a danger to our future, but I try to expose myself to the other point of view. For this reason I attended a presentation at the UCT Graduate School of Business which was pro GM. It was an interesting presentation and those who attended were enthusiastic in their support (except me).
Dax gives more information about the presentation he attended, and directly challenges Prof Chassy's assertions.
Prof. Chassy himself made the point strongly that all people who are against GM foods are just uneducated rabble who have no idea what is going on and those who are pro GM foods are very intelligent scientists. Not only is this an appeal to authority, it is also completely and utterly untrue. There are more scientists than I can count who are anti GM foods. Remember, we are not talking about research into genetic modification, we are talking about allowing GM foods to be released into the environment and eaten.
Prof Chassy spent some consideral time explaining to us that we will in the future be unable to grow enough food to feed the world’s population, a fact I can agree with. However, his proposal that GM foods will allow us to grow enough food, I do not agree with. In fact this is what this post is about. I want to show that contrary to Prof. Chassy’s comment that no scientists are anti GM, it is actually scientists who are saying that GM is not a solution to the impending food crisis and that in fact, organic and sustainable farming methods are a better option.
He lists links to reports by other scientists, and concludes by saying:
If one takes the time to do some research, it becomes evident that there are many scientists which do not see GMOs as the solution to our food problems. Activists are just the people who have taken on the task of informing the public.
UrbanSprout posts an in-depth documentary review of the film ‘World According to Monsanto’
I have watched a lot of documentaries on GM foods and Monsanto and although they each have their own style and there is always some new information, they generally cover a lot of the same material. This recently released documentary is not like that. It takes a very different angle, looking at the history of Monsanto and the way it operates, rather than focusing specifically on GM foods.
The blogger asks some pertinent questions and posts a link for others to watch the film online.
So after seeing all this evidence of Monsanto's lying and test fiddling, one has to ask the question: When they say GM foods are thoroughly tested (which they are not), does that actually mean anything? Even relying on social concience would be dangerous. Surely they wouldn't let GMOs be released if they knew there were harmful effects? Well, if they can watch people dying from exposure to PCBs outside their factory, while they continue to manufacture and pollute, then they are capable of doing anything.
The very interesting thing is this, when it comes out that GM foods are responsible for environmental problems, and human health issues, guess who is going to pay to fix it? The taxpayers, that's who. Monsanto will just carry on making money while we pay to clean up their mess.
How does this make you feel?
Watch online here.

author: Juliana Rotich


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Haiti, U.S.A.: Changing Times  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

jmc strategies, on learning that Haitian-American Patrick Gaspard is pegged to become Obama's White House Political Director, says: “Congratulations are in order for a young man  who has achieved much and deserves much. Times have indeed changed in America.”


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India: The Next Prime Minister · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sandeep Bansal at Desicritics takes a look at the possible candidates of the next Prime Minister of India.

author: Rezwan


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Israel: Straw and Mud Mosque to be Demolished  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

International and local activists spent the night waiting for demolition crew to come and destroy a new straw and mud mosque built in an unrecognised village of Wadi el-Naam, Israel.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Interior Ministry officials say the structure, built by an Israeli Bedoiun and other volunteers, is illegal since it was built without permission and in a place not designated for construction.
Bustan, an NGO that works in the Bedouin and Jewish communities of the Negev, called upon activists to sit in in the mosque, in a bid to stop the demolition – and document it, should the structure be torn down.
The NGO's website says:
The first mud and straw-bale built mosque in Israel received demolition orders late last week in the unrecognized Bedouin village of Wadi al Na’‘am, come help stop the demolition!
Volunteers are urgently needed starting this evening (Monday November 17th) to stay in the mosque through Thursday (November 20th) to protest and document any attempt to carry out the demolition.
The site further explains:
There are 80,000 Bedouin Arabs currently living in 45 unrecognized villages in Israel that lack basic infrastructure, health care, electricity, and water access. Local Bedouins as well as Christian, Muslim, and Jewish volunteers from Israel, the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Africa have contributed to building the mosque over the last four months.
Blogger Josh was on site, with a camera in tow, to document what happened. He gives us a detailed first hand account and writes:
on Monday night I went out to the mosque in Wadi Naam and spent the night there with some other international people as a sit-in, in case they came in the morning. We were under strict instructions, both from Mahmoud and Ye’ela, that should they come we were not to chain ourselves to the doors, or lay in front of the bulldozers, or throw rocks, or hit the soldiers back when they hit us. We were simply to photograph and record the demolition, should it occur. Jewish Israelis, on the other hand, could sit in the mosque and refuse to leave, or lay in front of the bulldozers because they would just be arrested and released later that day, but we as foreigners would be deported for interfering with army operations.
Although the demolition team never showed up Josh notes:
This doesn’t mean we won. It means they didn’t want to destroy it in front of everyone, so they’ll probably come back next week and destroy it when no one’s there to document it. It won’t be a story because we’ve played our card and the press showed up, but they’re not going to schlep out there twice.
Another blogger, Jerusalem Gypsy adds:
We Jews have this tremendous yoke to carry. I try to take this “light unto the nations” bit quite seriously. And it depresses me when I read in the papers about the “thanks” certain people are getting for helping our country. For example, most recently I read that the State of Israel is about to raze a mosque that a Beduin IDF reservist built in an unrecognized Beduin village of Wadi el-Naam. It is build out of mud and straw and is an environmentally friendly structure. Could you imagine the outcry if a synagogue was about to be razed? The guy who built it served in the IDF from the age of 18 – 27. Now he says he wouldn't allow his son to serve in the army, and I don't blame him.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Israel: Why isn’t Twinning Week held in Saudi Arabia? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Israel, Yisrael Medad writes about the Week of Twinning, in which mosques and synagogues across the US joined forces to confront Islamophobia and anti-Semitism and asks: “Well, why can't all of this interfaith coziness take place in…Saudi Arabia?”


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Jamaica: Political Will · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“There has been a lot of talk recently of the Government's inabilty to curb the massive escalation of murders, kidnappings and other crimes in Jamaica”: Abeng News Magazine‘s John Fagan says that “the whole system is in chaos” and “it will take political will to fix it.”


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Japan: Bloggers debate prohibition of cannabis · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Starting with the case of two sumo wrestlers who tested positive for marijuana at the beginning of September and continuing with the announcement last week by Waseda University that three students were arrested over suspicions of growing cannabis, scandals related to the use of cannabis have topped the headlines in the media over the last few weeks. While the issue may seem to be very current, however, many bloggers, examining from historical and sociological perspectives the question of cannabis use, the circumstances under which it was banned, and its dangerousness to society, point out that it is really not.
One of the first bloggers was Nobuo Ikeda, who wrote a provocative entry titled: “If you're going to arrest [people] over marijuana, then also prohibit tobacco” (大麻で逮捕するならタバコを禁止せよ), commented on and quoted by several other bloggers:
このところ「大麻汚染」についてのニュースが多いが、大麻の種を10粒もっていたぐらいで逮捕する国は、先進国にはない。アメリカの大統領選挙と一緒に行なわれた住民投票では、多くの州で大麻は合法化されるかきわめて軽微な罰則になった。
もちろん大麻に問題がないわけではない。しかし、その毒性も依存性も、アルコールやタバコより低い。大麻にこれほど大騒ぎするなら、日本も禁酒法をつくり、喫煙者を逮捕しなければ論理的におかしい。
[…]
タバコの社会的コストは5兆6000億円という推定もあり、大麻とは比較にならない。タバコのリスクを「自己責任」で認めるなら、同じ理由で大麻も合法化すべきだ。フリードマン以来、指摘されてきたように、コカインのような麻薬でも、その健康被害より（非合法化による）麻薬取引にからむ犯罪被害のほうが多い。麻薬ですらない大麻で逮捕するのはナンセンスだ。
id: inumash provides his interpretation of the reasons why cannabis is prohibited in Japan, introducing some of the historical facts that brought about its ban. At the end of his entry, he responds to Ikeda's provocative post:
日本で大麻が禁止されている本当の理由
一言で言うと『アメリカに言われたから』です。
ちょっと調べればわかると思いますが、日本で大麻が法的に規制されることとなった大元は敗戦直後の「ポツダム省令」です。これにより、大麻が麻薬と定義され栽培や所持が全面的に禁止されます。
しかし、日本では大麻は繊維素材や薬として日常生活に取り入れられており、ごく普通に栽培されていました。そこで、当時の農林省が中心となってアメリカと交渉し、大麻をその他の麻薬規制から独立させた「大麻取締規則法」を制定、栽培に関する免許制などが採用されたわけです。
じゃあ、何でアメリカは大麻を禁止させたかったのでしょう？
これも理由は単純で、一言で言うと『合成繊維＆化学薬品産業を成長させたかったから』です。
[…]
最後に池田先生へのちょっとした皮肉。
上に書いたように、日本で大麻が禁止されたのはアメリカの要請によるものです。で、それを解禁するにあたって「アメリカがこうしているから」というのはまたずいぶんと間抜けなお話だとは思わないのでしょうか。
この問題にしろあるいは金融の問題にしろ“アメリカのやり方が正しい”なんてことは全然ないわけですし、そろそろアメリカ様から自立して“自分達のやり方”を考えてみてもいいんじゃないかなー、なんて事を思いました。
id:NOV1975 explains the reasons why he doesn't believe cannabis should be legalized in Japan, not because of the harmful effects of marijuana itself but because of modern Japanese society:
最近大麻が世間を騒がせすぎなのに対して「大して害もないのに。タバコや酒のほうが危ないじゃん」という形で異を唱える人がそれなりにいるようです。
僕は、大麻の害は今のところそれほどないという研究が正しいのではと思っているし、他の麻薬への入り口にはならないことが認められて解禁されたらどんなものなのか試してみたいとは思います。
でも、今の日本で大麻を吸うことが正しいとは思いません、という立場です。「害がないならいーじゃん」とは考えたくないということね。
そういったベースの上で、度を越えないことを各人が実質義務付けられている状態と、「ばれなきゃわかんねーよ」的な文化な日本では自ずから事情が異なってきます。20歳前の大学生を一気飲みで殺したり、どう考えても車で来ている客に酒を提供する居酒屋が跳梁跋扈する状態で「自己責任だから」という理由で大麻を解禁するのはちょっとイヤ。
Finally, blogger Tap at Inaka no Ie (田園の家) raises questions about media's unfair coverage of cannabis-related issues in their November 17 post:
タバコと大麻、どちらが有害
はっきり言って、正しい方法で国民に対して
大麻の有害性が証明された事はない。
御用学者が「中毒、妄想、幻覚」などと言うだけだ。
マスメディアはこちらの意見しか放送しない。
報道の公平性など微塵もない。
こういうのを「プロパガンダ」と言います。
[…]
On the 18th, the same blogger wrote an entry on the matter expressing his opinion about the often discussed comparison between cannabis and tobacco:
その形状からタバコと比較されがちな大麻。
その効能を考えるなら
酒と比べるのがより良いです。
酒は少量なら健康の為になる場合もあるでしょう。
砂糖が豊富な現代においては、全くの嗜好品の感があるが・・・
酒は飲み過ぎると健康を害するし、
ひどい場合は「急性アルコール中毒」で死亡なんて事に。
飲酒運転による悲惨な事故も減るどころかますます複雑な状態に。
「酒は大人のたしなみ」等と言って野放しにしてきたからでは？
大麻より先に酒を何とかしたら。。

author: Scilla Alecci


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Jordan: How Not to Cook Tongue · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Hareega lists 10 ways in which you shouldn't cook beef tongue.


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Jordan: Spotlight on Atlantis Opening in Dubai  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Jazarah posts photographs and videos from the opening of the world's most expensive hotel ($1.5bn), Atlantis Resort, in Dubai, UAE.


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Jordan: The Queen’s Vlog, Internet Socio-Economics and More · Global Voices
Mohammad Azraq

HM Queen Rania of Jordan, who has been vlogging for about a year, was recently awarded the YouTube's first-ever Visionary Award for launching an interactive online channel to combat stereotypes and misconceptions associated with Arabs and Muslims. She just released a humorous video spelling out the 10 reasons the made her start a vlog.
Blogger Roba Assi linked to the video on her blog, and commented:
When I started streaming this video, the last thing I expected was to find myself cracking-up a few seconds later. What I even expected less was having my colleagues scramming around my screen laughing too. But what do I know. The internet always has a lot of surprises up its sleeves.
Kudos to the Queen for such a good vlog; funny, short, and surprising. Plus, it the backdrop of the vlog is what I see out of our office window, Wadi Saqra, so that makes it even better, as far as I’m concerned.
And hey, she definitely beats Letterman
Here's the video:
Internet accessibility and penetration in Jordan is low when compared to the other countries. Recently, one of the main service providers, Orange, introduced a new internet connection at a speed much higher than what was already available in Jordan.Naseem Tarawaneh discusses what he sees as the socio-economic implications such a leap in speed might have on Jordanians:
A bit of news has been spreading like wildfire these past few days in Amman: the new 8mb ADSL Internet connection from Orange. The advertisements have been popping up all over town and it naturally got me thinking about what such a leap in speed might mean for Jordan. Yes, it is not the most significant event, but in a country this small the ripple effects of such a move can be pretty interesting.
Internet is not a commodity that is, as of yet, wide spread in the Kingdom. While many people do have access to the Internet through their workplace, through Internet cafes, through schools, universities and various other places, Internet penetration, as defined by the number of subscribers, remains relatively low. So for those who do have, say, Internet access at home, the pool is some what small.
My argument here is not against having faster Internet connections in the country, but rather suggesting that the direction this technology is advancing should be more towards making the Internet more affordable and therefore, more widespread, as opposed to more expensive and therefore more refined demographically.
Why can’t policymakers find a way to allow for free and/or very affordable Internet to various neighborhoods around the country? I’m not saying that all of Jordan should become a hot-spot (although that would be my ideal dream in the absence of private sector control) but, for right now, I think there are ways to turn specific areas in to “Internet Zones”. I would not mind my tax money paying for it. I’d admire more private sector companies picking up the tab with a little advertisement in it for them. Heck, how about a group of companies teaming up with a single Internet service provider?
More on that, here.
The Arab Observer talks about a new idea for social networking on the web that he helped devise at a workshop in Sweden that revolves around debates and values:
Our biggest assignment for the young leadership program in Sweden was to come up with ideas for a social media networking solution for 2010. My group, The Frozen 5, contained a Palestinian human rights activist, a Swedish journalist, a Syrian architect, am Egyptian media teacher, and me – Jordanian web developer/blogger.
It was a challenging question. We started thinking of what draws us to the internet, and what is the common trait of us – the young leaders participants of the program -. The answer was simple and clear: It is OUR PASSION to defend our VALUES. Isn't it the same thing that we all share? Isn't it what made blogging popular?
That is how the Debate Arena emerged! A place where two people (for now) can go head to head in debating a certain issue/value (see climate change scenario image below). I have always wished to go head to head against Qwaider (:P). Two people challenging each other while having all the resources that they can gather to support their views, and they can invite their friends to support them right below their debate. Supporters (like in blogs) can add comments, they can add videos/images/audio that would help the argument of each contender. And finally, they can vote! A voting that would decide the winner of the debate (if they want a win/lose debate). The winner gets a small icon indicating his win in a debate of a certain issue along with the number of votes he got. Eventually active people in different issues would be collecting many winning icons that would distinguish them as leaders in that area.
And finally, the Great Amman Municipality is proposing a set of logos for the Jordanian capital, which attempt to reflect the city's cultural, social, and demographic scenes.  Ahmad Humaid talks about the new idea, and how the municipality is encouraging Jordanians to vote for their favourite logo to be selected:
Amman is getting a new logo in 2009. And all citizens are invited to take part in choosing their favorite design.
The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is publishing the above advert in today’s newspapers, inviting everyone to head down to Al Hussein Cultural Center to have a look at an exhibition of a number of options for Amman’s new logo.
So what’s all of this about?
Well, it definitely about more than a “new logo”..
This project will result in a new brand for Amman: a new communication identity and a new attitude which is hoped to be embraced by the city and its citizens, first and foremost, but which also will play a role in creating a stronger impression and better communication with the city’s visitors, potential tourism markets and the business sector.
Hundreds of citizens from all walks of life have been interviewed for this project, as we set on a journey that took us through Amman’s hills and history as well as its contemporary reality and its future aspirations. We had the most interesting talks with so many insightful Ammani characters: people who love Amman, but who also are able to critically dissect its identity. We talked to the young and old. We met people from the four corners of Amman. We read the writings of poets, novelists, historians, architects, anthropologists and bloggers.
That’s why GAM (and we at SYNTAX) urge you to come down to Al Hussein Cultural Center in Ras al Ain this week and be a part of choosing the new logo for Amman.

author: Mohammad Azraq


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Kenya: Save The Mau Forest!  · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

Kenya's Mau Forest is one of the largest indigenous forests in East Africa, and it is under threat from slashing, burning (for charcoal) and illegal settlement. Some background on the issues at play is available on this link from Africa Science News. Bloggers are making note of the deteriorating situation and are examining the reasons for the destruction and possible solutions.
Omar Basawad of Safari Notes says: Save The Mau Forest! He asks pointed questions about the future, and includes pertinent statistics given in reports from United Nations Environment Programme.
Will the Mau Forest be saved? Kenyan leaders and politicians, in a bid for votes, have always failed in reaching an agreement on the Forest; most have always put their political interests first, than the Forests. And that's what they continue to do now.
They do this, while an environmental disaster lies in waiting. ‘Effort should be made to save the forest because it is the source of lakes and rivers. Scientific reports say Lake Nakuru will be the first to dry,’ recently said the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga. Most Kenyan leaders and politicians know the dangers of not protecting the Mau Forest; but fearing in losing votes, they have always failed to act to save the Forest.
He concludes his post by saying
Isn't it about time for real action? It could be already too late; but better late, than wait for the disaster that would be.
The KenyaImagine blog provides an update of the political back and forth between members of parliament regarding the Mau Forest.
This one is heating up again. Over the weekend, a section of Rift Valley MPs endorsed the burning of questionnaires sent in from the Prime Minister's office, a task force that has been set up, and which sent the questionnaires (which questionnaires MPs declared illegal for not bearing the government's coat of arms). Today, the Minister for Culture and Heritage William ole Ntimama was at it, against his Agriculture counterpart and namesake and in support of the Prime Minister. He asked the Eldoret North MP not to think the Kalenjin of greater significance than other Kenyan communities and insisted that there ought to be no compensation for the evictions from the Mau, which evictions he heartily supported.
On the Kenya Environmental and Political news blog, Phil posts an article by Jenny Curtain that looks at forest management (and reclamation as is needed in Mau forest) as an investment opportunity. He writes,
News on Kenya’s forests were recently dominated by the eviction of squatters from the Mau forest. This may change as the country moves towards sustainable forestry. Jenny Curtain analyses the investment potential created by changes in Kenya’s forestry management and developments in the international carbon credit markets.
Part of Jenny Curtain's analysis makes the point that the key to sustainable forestry would be creating linkages between the carbon credit market and forest management. She writes that this can be accomplished by the tendering system of the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), which can take advantage of the carbon trading schemes as provided by the Kyoto protocol
If through the protection of existing forests via the new tender initiatives KFS can corner even a small piece of the voluntary carbon market, the financial and environmental rewards could potentially be enormous. This money would sustain Kenya’s forests into the future. With sensible management, the flow on benefits would be untold for both the protection of the forests and the surrounding communities. Income generated could then be used to upgrade infrastructure, replant degraded areas, fund clean energy schemes within the forests e.g. hydro electric, solar power etc. that in turn would generate more credits. Funds could also be used to resettle illegal forest dwellers within areas such as Kakamega and the Maasai Mau forests and to provide them with sustainable employment on the reforestation and other initiatives.
In another post that is marginally related to the Mau Forest, Kenvironews posts about Balancing Environmental Protection and the Community’s Socio-Economic Needs. The writer Donald Anthony Mwiturubani sees a disconnect between environmental policy makers and local communities. He advocates involving local communities in the decision making process.
Traditionally, policy and legislation formulation have been carried out at the national level without necessarily involving or holding consultations with key stakeholders including the local communities. Policy makers perceive local communities as lacking expertise to make informed decisions. This top-down approach leaves some key stakeholders unrepresented in the development agendas.
He proposes a solution to this disconnect:
There is, therefore, a need to strike a balance between the socio-economic needs of the local people and environmental protective objectives. To achieve this, full and active participation of key environmental related stakeholders, including local people at different levels of decision-making is one of the essential steps. This could be achieved through community awareness and outreach programmes in relation to environmental policies, laws and environmental protection and management in general. Thus, environmental protection and management issues need to be translated into understandable concepts for an ordinary person who often views environmental resources as gifts from God and hence her or she has the “birthright” to use them. Some crimes the local people commit against the environment may be due to lack of awareness.


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Latin American Bloggers jump into Reality Television · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Chevrolet and NatGeo have launched a reality show that mixes driving, tourism, gadgets and blogging throughout South  America. On The Road Again follows 6 bloggers in 6 different countries, driving around, taking tours and documenting their experiences through streaming video, blog posts and pictures, and it will later on be featured on a NatGeo channel show. Leo Prieto from Chile writes:
Durante las próximas 6 semanas, se irán publicando en el canal de YouTube de On The Road Again y serán transmitidos por NatGeo, los “webisodios” de cada uno de los blogueros. El programa comienza esta semana, con la transmisión de mi viaje por el norte de Chile. Luego continúa con Fabio Baccaglioni (Argentina), Inti Acevedo (Venezuela), Rafael Ziggy (Brasil), Rafael Bayona/Patton (Colombia), y un bloguero por definir en Ecuador.
The following video has Leo Prieto in the abandoned mining town of Chacabuco in the deserts of Northern Chile:
Rafael Ziggy from Brazil also explains:
Fui convidado para participar de um projeto chamado On The Road Again. Esse é o nome de um serviço que será lançado em breve pela Chevrolet para compartilhar fotos, vídeos e histórias de viagens online. É destinado a viajantes, aventureiros, enfim, pessoas que gostam de pegar o carro e botar o pé na estrada.
Bloggers are already answering to the call: they have been checking out the website, commenting and living and traveling vicariously through the 5 chosen bloggers already on the site. Matias Dutto saw one of the episodes and remembered his own experience when travelling:
El episodio de Leo Prieto en la campaña On the Road Again, me hizo recordar uno de los lugares mas espectaculares: se trata de un escenario fantástico, casi irreal: San Pedro de Atacama. Ahí me quedé sin moverme casi una semana, porque se cortó el Paso de Jama – frontera con Argentina – por mal tiempo (me tocó pasar justo el invierno Boliviano) Gracias a la buena ayuda de un camionero chileno pude regresar a Jujuy, aquí mi cara de alegría y frío al mismo tiempo:
You can view Matias Dutto's picture here.
Other bloggers excited about this are those in Colombia, as they see fellow blogger Patton's updates on qik streaming video platform in real time, notified through twitter.
On this update, he tells us how he visited the house where Colombian Soccer legend Pibe Valderrama was born and raised, and he posts the video of the meeting with the Pibe's Father:
El Gerente comments:
En fin, adivinen quen fue el blogger colombiano escogido…
noo no soy yo, ya hubiese querido, pues es Patton, mentor bloguero de este espacio, el mismo que me ha dado consejos desde el comienzo y con quien se ha forjado una buena amistad…
nooo, it wasn't me, I wish, but it is Patton, blogger mentor in this media, the same one who has given me good advice since the beginning and with whom I have become good friends.
Another blogger writing about this is, for example, Maria() expresses her healthy dose of envy:
Por eso cuando en la blogocosa colombiana se supo que el mentado Patton se iba de viaje durante una semana por cuenta de Chevrolet, la gran mayoría de nosotros no pudo hacer más que morderse un codo de la envidia y desearle lo mejor en su expedición.
Already up on the program's YouTube channel are the adventures in Chile and Argentina, by Leo Prieto and by Fabio Baccaglioni and pictures are also up on their Flickr page.
This last clip is from Argentina, where Fabio rappels down a cliff face in the Andes Mountains.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Latvia: Freedom of speech in peril? · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Latvian bloggers react to the security police incarceration of two citizens for publicly criticising the government financial policies. Free Speech Emergency in Latvia covers the story, and Marginalia provides links and comment.

author: Vilhelm Konnander


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Lithuania: Flaws of foreign media election coverage · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Lituanica criticises an article in the German Times for misrepresenting results of the recent parliamentary elections in Lithuania, in portraying parties as Eurosceptic.


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Michael Jackson ‘Converts’ to Islam  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The King of Pop Michael Jackson has done it again and stories about his alleged conversion to Islam are keeping blogs in the Middle East abuzz with snark comments. Is Jackson's conversion a part of an American conspiracy “to destroy Islam from within,” is it a media stunt or has he finally found his true calling?
The Skeptic from Egypt remarks:
London’s Sun and the slightly more reputable Telegraph report that Michael Jackson has converted to Islam. Both papers run photos of Jackson out and about in Bahrain, dressed in drag.
I think Run CMD said it best over email: “It’s obviously all part of a devious American plan to destroy Islam from within. Michael Jackson is working for Dick Cheney. It all makes sense now.”
From Kuwait, Loft965 notes:
According to this article, Michael Jackson has been converted. These rumors have been circulating for ages now, but this one seems to be true as all the news agencies are talking of it. It started with Jermaine Jackson and then the Bahrain residence and now his name is Mikaeel. I don’t understand why you have to change your name if you convert. It’s not mandatory. And he has the world’s most recognized name. I don’t know what to think of this but he sure looks good in a burqa (a veil which covers the face).
Some Contrast, another Kuwait blogger, also tackles the topic.
And Palestinian-American blog Kabobfest, writes about Jackson's alleged conversion and his court case with a Bahraini prince, Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Bahraini King's son who is suing the King of Pop for $7 million. News is just out that the case has been settled out of court.
In this post, Kalash says:
You may have heard about the latest lawsuit facing Michael Jackson – a Bahraini prince paid him millions of dollars for an album and book that were never produced. What you probably didn't know is that Jacko has an ace up his sleeve…
The King of Pop converted to Islam. I've been hearing rumors ever since he started spending so much time in the Middle East, but the detail in the most recent report leaves little room for doubt. He even changed his name to Mikaeel. I guess he wasn't feeling those Jehovah's Witnesses anymore.
Jordanian blogger Kinzi responds to the post saying:
I almost blogged about this, thought it is better not coming from me.
Mabruk (Congratulations), Ummah of Islam. What a prize. Um, good luck, whoever his handler will be. Piece of work, indeed.
But American Muslim Girl adds:
you know what… I feel sorry for him and definitely he might have some, uh, issues and stuff, but…
I don't know… I wouldnt turn anyone away, especially not someone with a huge mic and many “followers.”
Closer to the action, from Bahrain, which Jackson stayed for a year and where a member of the Royal family is at the centre of the court case which has thrust back the 50-year-old pop star to the front pages of newspapers, Esra'a from Mideast Youth runs the headline: Islam wins: Michael Jackson converts.
She further adds:
This one-gloved thriller star is being sued by a local prince here for going against some “contract” and not recording songs about peace or something. Not that anyone cares what he does. But sometimes I do, because I grew up obsessing with him. Then I wasn’t sure if he was white or black or if it was “forbidden” for me to practically worship because he turned into plastic. Or a woman.
He’s apparently now converting to Islam. I am still in the “not caring” category.
Esra'a also digs up a two-year old sarcastic letter she penned two years ago, in which a fictional Jackson addresses the world. In the letter, Esra'a writes:
I’m afraid I’m legally banned from going near any playground since this whole unfortunate misunderstanding with my trousers. That story has gotten a lot of attention from the media. Speaking of the overzealous media, I don’t know why I’m surrounded with cameras all the time. I’m sure the boys and girls of Bahrain don’t want a succession of blurry photos showing me thrashing around my bedroom with a framed picture of their King.
I started wearing an abaya (black cloak women in Bahrain wear).
Our last stop is with Israelicool, from Israel, who notes:
Islam has a new, wacky recruit […] Mikaeel? Sounds more like he has converted to Russian mob boss.
But if it turns out that Jackson did convert to Islam, I wonder if he will adapt some of his old songs to conform with his new beliefs. I am guessing Beat It may be a prime contender.
Commenting on this post, TechyNews notes:
Oh no poor Islam, I am sure they didn't want Wacko Jacko to join their ranks. Also was this just his excuse to wear a Burka instead of the hospital mask to cover his face? Silly Jacko, Burkas are for Chicks.


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Nicaragua: The Growing Blogosphere Through Collaboration · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The following is an email interview with Alvaro Berroteran, who started the blog Nicaragua Y Su Blog [es], which has been promoting new and existing blogs in the Nicaraguan blogsophere.  Berroteran lives in the city of Granada and currently works in web design, but is a painter by trade.  Recently, through other web 2.0 tools, such as Twitter, Berroteran has connected with others in the Nicaraguan blogosphere to help launch a new project called Blogs Nicaragua [es].
: It was about a year ago, when I started Nicaragua Y Su Blog with the intention of promoting Nicaraguan blogs. I searched and found that there was not a Nicaraguan blog directory, even though our neighboring countries had their own. I felt a little isolated, alone, and didn't know much about the blogosphere.  I remember the saying, “Pedestrian, there is no road, one makes a road by walking, ” and Nicaragua Y Su Blog was born.
:
: I started with 5 blogs, including one of the more successful ones by Sergio Simpson. Under the category of Nicaraguan blogs, I started to add all the blogs that were related to Nicaragua.  My attempts to create or start a Nicaraguan blog community was well received by well-known bloggers. Thanks to Byron Corrales, one can link to this blog and be a part of this community, so that we know that new bloggers exist and that they feel that they are not alone.
:
: A few months ago, I reactivated my Twitter account and little did I know that this would mean that Nicaraguan blogs would grow stronger. There I found people like Rodrigo Peñalba, Juan Ortega, Adolfo Fitoria, Elie Herrera, Igor, and others who were interested in contributing towards making my dream a reality, which is to promote and organize the Nicaraguan Blog Community.
In a year and a half, my blog has passed through some ups and downs, but also through some moments of grand satisfaction. One of these lost battles was the attempt to offer Nicaraguans a free site for blog hosting. One of these examples was blognica.com.  I hope to be able to try again one day. Another of these satisfactions was the collaboration that I have received with some of the Nicaraguan bloggers, who talk about their experiences on their blog.  The support for the initiative is shown by linking to one another in a blogring.
:
: Now we are more united than ever. We created a Facebook group for the Nicaraguan blog community and we are also present on Twitter thanks to the work of Juan Ortega. However, there is still a lot to be done, and thanks to Igor, all of the Nicaraguans and the rest of the world can find out what is happening in the Nicaraguan blogosphere by visiting Blogs Nicaragua.


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Pakistan: ISI closes political wing · Global Voices
Rezwan

Deadpan Thoughts reports that the political wing of Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI ceased its operation after three decades of spying on politicians and fixing political deals.


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Pakistan: Lahore Bloggers Meet  · Global Voices
Rezwan

Light Within posts a review of today's Lahore Bloggers’ Meet including pictures. CIO Pakistan has links to live blogs, twitters and videos covering the meet.


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Peru: Against Child Pornography and Prostitution · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Juan Arellano of Globalizado [es] is joining in the international campaign against child pornography, and links to some blogs that talk about child prostitution in Peru.


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South Asia: Desis in the White House · Global Voices
Rezwan

Taz at Sepia Mutiny discusses about the prospective South Asian (Desi) American candidates who will join the Transition Team of the US president elect Barack Obama.


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Syria: A Blogosphere Divided · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

The Syrian blogosphere has been embroiled in a heated debate over the weekend. It is a debate that is quite reflective of some of our modern disagreements as Syrians, over a wide range of basic issues: identity, religion, state and personal freedom.
The casus belli came in the form of a post, by Syrian blogger Ahmad Edilbi, that called for professional hackers to destroy Syrian blogs he deems are “immoral” [Ar]:
The post itself caused outrage, and many of the commenters were highly opposed to such means.
The incident, until yesterday, was mostly unknown in the English part of the blogosphere – as language is one of the many lines of divide in the Syrian blogosphere.
The real debate exploded when Razan Ghazzawi quoted the post, and used it in a comparison between Syrian Expatriate, and Local bloggers [Ar]:
ما معنى ان تكون اول مدونة سورية تدعو الى الغاء زملائها في التدوين السوري مدونة محلية باللغة العربية وذات خطاب ديني؟
The post was picked up by a number of bloggers, and each discussed the incident from a different perspective.
Dania, of My Chaos, discussed what she feels as a religious fever sweeping the society, and in turn, the blogpshere:
I don’t mind it, after all it is freedom of expression, but some of them are sending messages of not respecting the “other” freedom of expression, and more dangerously to attacking other's freedom of expression. Can any one help me out in here to figure this thing out? Is our society heading toward the religious mentality to hypnotize itself out of a miserable reality? Is it systematic? Chaotic? A normal result of giving the freedom of religious organization to move after decades of firm controlling? is it a type of defense system against the global media hostility against Islam?What is it?!
Abu Fares, expressed his own observations on the state of the Syrian blogosphere:
The Syrian blogging movement had started as a secular/liberal outcry in the face of political totalitarianism. The early writings addressed individual freedom and liberty, attacked the unilateral decision making process of the political establishment in Syria and advanced pluralism. Generally speaking, they were mostly written in English. The recent trend, mostly expressed in Arabic, is best characterized as a sweeping current of religious zealotry. These newcomers may or may not openly oppose the political establishment but they share the common vision/dream of Islamic Revival to right what is presently wrong in this country and the rest of the world.
His post attracted a large debate, and around 37 comments, so far.
The debate was further expanded by different perspectives on the matter shared by Dubai Jazz, Abu Kareem, and Ayman Haykal [Ar].
The heated exchange clearly highlights some of the most pressing, and controversial issues that divide the Syrian society. The internet and the implications of such open mediums like blogs, the definitions of personal freedoms, and the concepts of Law and State, between the different ideological currents roughly representing a Secular and Religious outlook for the future.
The exchange also highlights how divided the Syrian blogosphere is, and how isolated each group is. This debate was almost exclusive to the bloggers who are associated with the English-language Syrian blogosphere (except for some comments on Ayman’s post [Ar]), just like the debate that took place around the first post [Ar], was almost exclusive to the Arabic-language bloggers.
While the bloggers may not represent a true quantitative image of the dynamics of the Syrian society, they do represent many of the colors and currents that are flowing, and clashing in that society.

author: Yazan Badran


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The Yellow Humvee Saga – A conclusion.  · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

Nick Wadhams was able to categorically identify the owner of the yellow hummer mentioned by GV in the post on yellow humvees and the UN procurement scandal.  He posts  a conclusion to the BYH saga on his blog.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Carnival Sins · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad Carnival Diary blogs about the 7 deadly sins of Carnival bands.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Belt-Tightening · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

About seven months after the global food crisis was showing up on people's radar and two months after the global financial crisis made headlines, Trinidad and Tobago‘s Prime Minister decided that the time was right to address the nation regarding the state of the economy.  The money quote of the speech was “Tighten your belts” – and bloggers have had a lot to say about the subject.
Coffeewallah, in a post aptly titled Corset Diaries, says that she has “been belt tightening for months, trying to be prudent, only buy what was necessary…”:
Of late that belt has begun to feel like more a Victorian whalebone corset, cutting off circulation, making it difficult to breathe, harder to move freely, constricting. You know what I mean, you're doing the same.
Like most women I live by budget, it's carefully constructed in an excel spreadsheet, after all, technology is there to be used. At a glance I can see what bills are outstanding, how much leverage I have in between the sum that hits my bank account and what goes right back out. Lately that number is getting smaller and smaller until a couple of months ago I noticed something quite alarming. There wasn't any difference. You heard me. Now you might wonder, has my lifestyle become more extravagant, have I taken to throwing the old dollar around? The sad reality is that it's quite the reverse. Whereas I used to be able to go out for the odd meal or drinks with friends, maybe a pedicure, that's been cut back to the point of non-existence.
Meanwhile, Trinidad Carnival Diary is concerned about how the economic crisis will affect her traditional Carnival activities:
The main Carnival cost cutting measure for me will come in scaling back on the fetes. I am waiting patiently for fete prices to be released and have made the decision that if needs be I will not go to any fetes in January.
The goal is to spend less, save more, even for those of us who can afford to splurge on something as superfluous as a Carnival costume while others cannot even pay their bills or put food on the table. While I do appreciate the fact that being able to enjoy and participate in Carnival is somewhat of a luxury , it cannot be denied that the financial crisis is hitting too close to home to enjoy the season of bacchanalia without some concern.
But Trin is still irritated about the Prime Minister's response to the question of whether he would be tightening his own belt:
The ignorance of our Prime Minister enrages me. Extravagance, as defined by our erudite Prime Minister entails the consumption of alcohol, and solely the consumption of alcohol. Upon stern reflection, when asked by reporters, to ascertain if our Man-in-Charge would be leading by example, a self-righteous Manning said that he found nothing about his lifestyle to be extravagant and there was nothing he was willing to give up, as a matter of sacrificial symbolism, to show solidarity with his financially-strained citizens. I am so angry at his excessive arrogant self righteousness. He will continue to feed off of our sweat while we adjust our consumption accordingly. Absolutely unforgivably sickening.
What's even worse, according to Trin, is that the government ignored the writing on the wall:
Another sickening incident was that like Sleeping Beauty awakening after years of slumber the Prime Minister has finally clued in to the vicious financial crisis that has been engulfing North America and the rest of the world since 2007. Considering the barrage of advice being thrown at his cabinet since last year warning him that he needs to cut Government spending, ask yourself, is his  response too little too late? Our recent National Budget was based on crude at $70 per barrel. Today it is trading at $51 per barrel.
Trinidad is not immune to the global recession as the Prime Minister and his Finance Minister imagined. All either had to do was pick up a financial newspaper anytime since early 2007 when the mortgage crisis ballooned, to have an inkling of what the economy might be like in 2008. But no; in Trinidad ignorance and self righteousness prevail in leadership…
Paolo's Blog, which dubbed the Prime Minister's address his “‘distress’ to the nation”, adds:
Manning…suggested that the government could not have divined the cataclysmic events that led to the global economic meltdown.  Well I put to you…that his disability lies not with his eyes, but with his ears.  There have been stories in the media about the government’s greedy pursuit of the very same path that led us from Boom to Bust in the 70s since 2006.  Inflation has been a pressing concern in the media for at least a year.
Everyone in the country admonished the government to pull on the reins, instead Manning was whipping the jackass hide furiously. So now that workers monthly salary will last as long as a one dollar snow cone in the desert, they expect to be paid more to keep abreast of inflation.
Trin, like other local bloggers, is full of questions:
Did the Prime Minister wait too long to make cutbacks? What measures are in place to help our citizens deal with the impending financial fallout? Given the wealth of expertise and advice given to the Prime Minister over the last year regarding our economic future, it is an outrage that he waited this long to take action. Our time, our stress and our livelihoods are of no importance to the Prime Minister.  I am seething with proletarian despair.
Paolo echoes his thoughts, albeit in a more descriptive way:
The time for the government to pump the brakes has passed. Kiss your loved ones, rest the pillow on you lap, and place your head between you knees, because this…will be like passing a kidney stone.


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US: Mosque and Synagogue Twinning Week  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Richard Silverstein, a Jewish blogger in the US, writes about how 40 mosques and synagogues in the US conducted a joint programme on Islamophobia and anti-Semitism this weekend. “The goal of this national project sponsored by the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding is to combat ethnic tension between Muslims and Jews,” he writes.


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Argentina: Created By Immigrants? · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Juan Pablo Meneses starts his latest series of blogs posts at Crónicas Argentinas [es] by asking the question, “Was Argentina Created by Immigrants? [es]” and receiving dozens of responses, many from those who share their stories of being children and grandchildren of immigrants.


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Azerbaijan: Eurovision Concerns · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

IN MUTATIONE FORTITUDO expresses it concern with recent local media reports speculating who might represent Azerbaijan in next year's Eurovision international song contest. The blog says that public money should not be wasted on such a competition, especially if the name of a late famous singer is being used to promote one act in particular and to discredit others.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bahrain: A Day at the Dog Walk  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Umm Naief in Bahrain takes a dog, Henry, to the Bahrain Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals annual Dog Walk and tells us all about her adventure here.


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Bahrain: Blast from the Past  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bint Batutta in Bahrain links to photographs from Bahrain in the 50s from LIFE magazine's photo archive.


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Bahrain: ‘Censoring Free Speech is Like Blocking the Sun’ · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Boundaries and censorship cannot stop written words from spreading, says a Bahraini blogger. Those attempting to block the free flow of information are only trying to block out the sun, he says in this post written in Arabic.
Writing about censorship, Khalid  says:
He continues:
Those critical of the government, says Khalid, needed not be opposition figures, but normal people who seek reform. He explains:
It is strange that those who criticise the actions of the government are considered as opposition, or in the modern American concept – terrorists!!! Why can't those who criticise the authorities be viewed as people aspiring for reform? This blog, for instance, is just a small window in a world full of unlimited spaces. There was hope for a breeze, and a ray of light to show those lost the way. Today, this is possible and to a large extent. Those living in a dark damp room, are now living in the heart of the sun.
And with or without a code of conduct for writers and bloggers, people will continue to push the boundaries and write what they fancy – and nothing will stop them:


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Bangladesh: The rich and powerful are back  · Global Voices
Rezwan

D in Dhaka notices that the rich and powerful of Bangladesh are back in business as the election approaches. They kept a low profile during the interim government’s crackdown on corruption.


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Bolivia: Elderly Not Collecting Their Government Pension · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Willy Jordan writes that many elderly Bolivians are not collecting their “Dignity Pension,” which is a government plan that provides a small stipend to Bolivians 60 years and older. [es]  It is primarily because they simply do not know about the benefit or are lacking the proper identification.


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Burkina Faso: Fertility and Underdevelopment · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

According to new official statistics, Burkina Faso's population is growing [Fr] at an annual rate of 3.1%.  Quophybloguer writes [Fr]: “Will the government have the courage to officially limit births in this country, where wrongly or rightly it is believed that children are also a ‘wealth'?”

author: Jennifer Brea


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Chile: Construction of a Zoo in Curicó · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Marcelo Aliaga of Bloggeando la Vida [es] opposes the construction of a zoo on the Condel Hill located in Curicó, Chile.  He believes that the construction would not be a creative alternative to help promote tourism.


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China and Japan: Paper Schools at Earthquake Zone · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ayana from Pingmag reports on a Japanese student project for building temporary school buildings out of cardboard papers at Chengdu.


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China: Photos of Longnan Mass Incident · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN collected a series of photos showing the Longnan Mass Incident happened last week.


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Cuba: To Choose  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“First there were the elections in the United States and now the issue has been revived with what happened on Sunday in Venezuela.  It’s as if at the end of the year everything conspires to remind us of our condition as non-electors, our limited experience in deciding who leads us”: Cuba's Generation Y yearns for the right to choose.


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DRC: Didace Namujimbo Radio Okapi Journalist Murdered · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Cedric Kalonji writes about the tragic shooting death of Didace Namujimbo [Fr], the second Radio Okapi journalist to be murdered in Bukavu: “After learning this news, I was torn between pain, sadness and anger.  I asked myself how a democracy can last in a country so visibly allergic to independent, professional journalists.  Must we leave Congo only in the hands of the strong men, those who are armed?”


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East Timor: Air quality · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Reacting to a report about the worsening pollution in Asia, Dili-gence notes that air quality in Dili, East Timor is better than in the whole region.

author: Mong Palatino


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Ecuador: High Monthly Salary for Assembly Members · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Libertad Ecuador [es] does not agree with the monthly salary of Assembly members, which is many more times higher than the average monthly salary of ordinary Ecuadorans.


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France Antilles news website launched · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

le blog de [moi] writes about the launch of a new, daily news website for the French Antilles[fr],  featuring the latest from Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyane: “What joy!  Yes, pure and simple joy, because it was really ridiculous not to use [the internet] at a time when everything is going digital, if only for the Antilles Diaspora spread all over the planet.  A big “AT LAST!'”


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Guatemala: 3,000 XO Computers to Be Donated · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Three thousand XO computers will be donated to the Guatemalan government for distribution to schoolchildren through the offices of the Ministry of Education and the Secetariat of Social Works of the First Lady, writes Interactiva Web [es].


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Guatemala: The 5th Annual Jilotepeque Festival · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The 5th Annual Jilotepeque Festival will take place on November 29-30 in the Guatemalan municipality of San Martín Jilotepeque.  The Casa de la Cultura Sanmartineca is coordinating the event and more information can be found on its blog [es].


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Jamaica: Austism Speaks · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“In Jamaica, the word ‘Autism’ is just now becoming a familar word. Years ago, having a child that was ‘different’ can warrant just titles as, ‘baffon’ or ‘Lagga Head'”: A Fe Me Page Dis Iyah is pleased that autistic children are finally beginning to get the help they need.


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Jamaica, Barbados, T&T: Bolt is Athlete of the Year  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt has been chosen as the International Athletic Foundation's ‘Athlete of the Year'; regional bloggers congratulate him.


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Jamaica: Don’t Worry, Be Happy  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Active Voice wants to let you know “that despite the global financial meltdown and the downfall of another wall–Wall Street–WE ARE NOT IN PANIC MODE in Jamaica.”


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Jamaica: The Real Story  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp weighs in on the discussion about literary authenticity and the Caribbean writer: “Storytellers come and go, but the story of the Caribbean continues to evolve–waiting for storytellers to respond to the relationship between a people and a place through time.”


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Japan: Employment promised and then revoked · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Using the excuse of financial instability, new graduates in Japan, after being hired initially, are finding that unofficial promises of employment are then being revoked, a trend that blogger Akinori Nakamura [中村昭典] uses as a starting point for making observations on recent changes in the Japanese employment system. Nakamura-san compares today's employment situation with the system after the collapse of the bubble economy [en] about two decades ago, and makes some remarks about the new categories of irregular and temporary workers that are emerging in Japan.


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Laos: Street lighting · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Samakomlao uploads an article about the street lighting project in Vientiane, Laos.


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Latvia: Images of an abandoned past · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Arnis Balcus’ Photo Blog posts pictures of the abandoned Soviet secret town of Skrunda with the military radar station once scanning space against presumed western missiles.


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Malaysia: The Plight of Penan · Global Voices
Daniel Chandranayagam

The Penan tribe, indigenous people of East Malaysia, have taken quite some press and blog space this year. Kopi Sejuk [cold coffee] writes:
On[e] a sunny Sunday morning last year, 16-year-old Cynthia (not her real name) boarded a four-wheel drive dispatched by logging company Samling to ferry students to SMK Long Lama from her longhouse in Long Kawi, middle Baram, Sarawak.
However, the driver did not send the passengers – two boys and three girls – to the school directly. He dropped by a logging camp and told the students that they had to spend the night there.
“It was around 4pm. Although the school is not far from the camp, the driver didn’t want to continue the journey. The boys and girls were separated into two rooms. I was with my younger sister and another girl.
When night fell, the men in the camp were drinking. In the middle of the night, several men came into our room. One of them dragged me from the room and took me to the bushes behind the camp,” Cynthia recalls her ordeal. The other two girls were not harmed.
Photo courtesy of the Borneo Project
These allegations were initially reported by the Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF), a wildlife and environmental NGO. Following this, Malaysian dailies highlighted the allegations of rape of the Penan womenfolk by employees of two logging companies. BMF reported,
Penan women from the Middle Baram area of Sarawak are launching a cry of alarm to the international community over cases of sexual abuse by logging company workers in the East Malaysian state’s rainforests.
Malaysian blogger and activist, Joseph Tawie, writes on his blog, the Broken Shield:
On the rape cases of the Penan girls, the government had to deny that there was no such a thing, as it did not want the story to be blown up because of international implications. First, they did not want the world to know that the Penans had been deprived of their livelihood when their “pemakai menua” territorial domains and their ancestral lands were seized for oil palm and acacia plantations as well as destroying their forests, the sources of their foods. If the Penans’ plight is to be highlighted, then the possibility of our tropical forest timber and palm oil exports may be banned by the European Union, USA and Japan.
Photo courtesy of the Trade Environment Database
Taib Mahmud reveals even more on his blog, the Sarawak Headhunter:
When Chee How [Taib Mahumd's personal assistent] returned to Kuching, he confirmed that the local Penan communities did tell him the story of a 15-year-old girl raped by some security personnel, and a six-year-old boy had also died from a tear gas attack upon a blockade put up to resist logging operations.
Apparently, the Penans had made the long-trip downriver to Marudi and even Miri, trying to make police reports against the crimes committed on their children. But the policemen on duty in these places simply refused to accept their police report. (It is against the law to refuse to take a police report, but if you are meek, shy, and respectful Penans, what can you do?)
We then decided that perhaps it would be better to bring the Penans to Kuching to lodge the police report. I was a serving MP, and had a little clout with the police, the media, and government departments and agencies in the capital city of Sarawak…
I tell this tale not for the self-serving purpose of showing how heroic I was in trying to bring justice for the Penans. I merely want to show how hard it is for the Penans just to make a police report if a Penan girl is raped, and a Penan boy, killed.
That is the sort of injustice that cries out for the total overhaul of our political culture. Surely, the greatness or meanness of our Malaysian society is judged by how the weakest members of our Malaysian body politics are treated by the institutions of power?
Since then, I have thought about that poor Penan girl often.
Photo courtesy of Survival International
The  McCarthy family explain:
The Penan are one of the few remaining nomadic tribes of the rainforest and I think the only nomadic hunter gatherer people of Borneo. Most of the communities are within the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Very sadly the Sarawak rainforest in the last 20 years has diminished through intensive state backed logging. The majority of the Penan communities have lost their traditional way of lives and have been forced into settlements. I don't know enough about the communities but I can only assume that some are better off than others.
Jeffery Jim writes about his own encounters with the Penan:
I sat down close to them. It is true that they are timid and very reserved. I give them a warm smile and say hello. It is not easy to talk to them since they are victims of much aggression and discrimination.
…
These Penans that I have encountered are no more nomads. They have settled down just like the others, only that they are substantially lack of prime necessities such as clothings and food. Their daily activities still maintain the same. They still survive by the jungle. They hunt for food and at most time, their kills is the only source of income. They trade their kills. Sometime they sell it for a really low price in comparison to their effort. Beside hunting, occasionally they generate their income by doing hard labor. They carry jerry cans of fuel and stove tank for hours for the use of the local Kelabit [another indigenous tribe]. They actually contribute to the Kelabit by giving them the option for cheaper goods compare to the flown in goods which are highly priced.
Photo courtesy of Virtual Malaysia
Staindlee reacts:
Recently, i'm angered by the article i'd read inside the newspapers.. it is regarding the issues of the Penan community… now, their teen girls are being targeted as an easy pray for the loggers to fulfills their sexual desires… fxxk those stupid, inhuman, moron rapers… how can do such an act to such innocent people… those young teenage girls whose life are shine with the bright hope of the future, suddenly ruined in one single incident that may changes their life path forever…
…
i'm mr. nobody… my voice won't even reach out to them.. i'm glad there are some responsible NGOs who are looking into this matter such as Suhakam.. please save them and bring the culprits into the face of justice… doesn't mean that the Penan lives in the rural areas their lives, their plights are taken easily… they are the people have the same equal right as you and me and also deserves a better and secure life.. away from fear of the evil society…
Photo courtesy of DayLife
It is reactions like these which caused the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to form a special task force to look into the alleged rape and abuse by loggers against Penan women and girls (to be ready in December). Furthermore, Malaysian Human Rights Commission, SUHAKAM also set out its own investigations into the matter.
NGOs responded with a press conference, calling for police in the Malaysian headquarters in the capital to look into the matter, rather than the police in the state of Sarawak. A blog with the NGOs press release states:
We further urge that proper police investigation commences as soon as possible with the Bukit Aman Police heading the investigation as the communities affected have expressed a serious loss of confidence against the Sarawak police due to their long standing dealings with them including in disputes with logging companies and the inaction and perpetuation of impunity in the aforesaid abuse cases.
The press release also states:
We also wish to add that in November 1994, the Penans lodged a police report listing 10 instances of abuses committed against their persons, property and lands, including the rape of a 12-year-old girl by Police Field Force personnel  (PFF, now known as General Operation Force). These were quickly dismissed by the police even before an investigation was begun, causing a serious loss of confidence in the ability of the Sarawak police to act professionally.
In 2000, a report was also made to Suhakam but similarly there was no action.
Due to the vulnerability of these girls and women and the communities as a whole, we strongly and urgently call upon the Government and Suhakam to take these allegations seriously and set up a fact finding mission comprising of respected and qualified members who will be able to conduct the fact finding independently, fairly and competently.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak, Alfred Jabu Numpang, ticked off Tawie for highlighting the Penan's plight in his Broken Shield blog (click Global Voices Advocacy report here). Furthermore, the police investigation, conducted by the police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur as called for, found little or no evidence of rape.
Aside from the news that the the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry's special task force will have its report ready in December on the Penan rape issue, no new developments have occurred on this matter.
Photo courtesy of the Bruno Manser Fond
Sadly, the Penans have more than just the (alleged) rapes to contend with. The Sarawak Headhunter blog published a news report, which states:
The Penan’s protracted resistance to deforestation and the international attention the tribe continues to receive must have irked the Sarawak government.
The state government continues to dismiss their concerns over the loss of forest resources brought on by industrial logging that degrades the forest and pollutes the rivers.
At the height of the international anti-tropical timber campaign in the late 1980s, the state set up a Penan Affairs Committee to help the nomadic tribe to lead a settled life with promises of socio-economic development. The state announced allocations worth millions of ringgit.
Two decades later, the benefits remain elusive for many Penans. The rapid expansion of acacia and oil palm plantations eats into their ancestral land. To top it off, the natives are becoming illegals with many not having official documents.
Photo courtesy of Photongo's Flickr Account
ConservationBytes.com also adds:
The Malaysian government is attempting to quell indigenous opposition to logging in the rainforests of Borneo by deposing community leaders and replacing them with timber company stakeholders, reports an environmental group.
The Bruno Manser Fund, a Swiss NGO that works on behalf of the forest people of Sarawak, Malaysia, says that the headmen of at least three Penan communities that have opposed logging have lost official recognition from Malaysian authorities over the past year. The government is working to install representatives who support logging.
Photo Courtesy of the Rainforest Information Centre, Australia
Politics and rapes aside, Sharwin Arujunan blogs:
Over the next decade there is about 12 dam project in Sarawak alone. I am very sure that alot of native people's home has to be sacrificed but why so many dam's ? Most of the Sarawak is still covered by forest the power which is to be created is for who? Raymond Abin of the Borneo Resource Institute (Brimas) said , for energy needs in Sarawak, we don't need the Murum, because Bakun is more than enough to supply the state's needs.
Penan people are likely to be effected and I really think that building quite a number of dam's means that the will be a major loss of flora and fauna and loads more. I do understand we have to sacrifice something in order to get something better but, we can avoid making unnecessary sacrifice which will in the short term lower down the cost of spending, save the native people's culture and give them a life and in the long run there will be still flora and fauna where the new generation can experience so that they too can have a chance.
Photo courtesy of the Forest Monitor
All images were researched through Creative Commons.

author: Daniel Chandranayagam


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Malaysia: Yoga is OK for Muslims but… · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The National Fatwa Council of Malaysia has ruled that the physical aspect of yoga without the mantras and other spiritual elements is not wrong. Blogger Nuraina thinks the edict is unnecessary.


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Afghanistan: Meeting Sayed Pervez Kambakhsh · Global Voices
Joshua Foust

Nasim Fekrat, an independent Afghan journalist, met with imprisoned journalism student Sayed Pervez Kambakhsh in Pul-e Charkhi prison.
He seemed disappointed and desperately waved at me. Only for a few seconds I got closer to him, closer to hear him, which was difficult because of the noise. Suddenly my left shoulder was pulled back roughly and I saw two policemen who asked me what I was telling to Kambakhsh.
The police men didn't allow me to get closer to him anymore. But I had a chance to tell Mr.Kambakhsh about the prize, that he become a winner by the Information Safety and Freedom award (ISF) in Italy. He expressed his feeling to be happy to hear that, but the final words I heard from him were: “I need help to get out of the prison.”
The police men didn't give me another chance to talk with him anymore, so I waved to him and promised to spread his message outside.
Global Voices has covered Kambakhsh's continuing legal troubles here, here, and here.

author: Joshua Foust


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Nagorno Karabakh: Compromise Necessary For Peace · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogian provides background information and analysis on the latest developments in efforts to resolve the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. The blog says that peace would be beneficial for both sides, but notes that compromise will be necessary.


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Nepal: What is happening to the country? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Shristi notices that there is unnecessary tension in the daily life of the Nepalis: “In former times the country used to be lively and full of tourists but now you can hardly see a tourist walking in the streets as you pass by. The people are living in fear.”


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Oman: Flying Cigarette Butts  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Oman, Kay writes: “Things I have seen in the last few days: sharks in a mall – Dubai mall Aquarium, a chihuahua in a lady’s tote bag in Muscat City Center), a dvd of my friend’s knee surgery, the most beautiful sunset, half a dozen lighted cigarette butts flying towards me on the highway.”


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Pakistan: A Dancer’s Perspective on Pakistan · Global Voices
Rezwan

CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan posts an interview of Sheema Kermani, a classical dancer, teacher, drama artist and women’s rights activist. Sheema describes how art and music have traditionally been viewed in Pakistan and what obstacles women face in Pakistan.


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Philippines: Hunger and poverty · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Filipino journalist Joe Torres writes about hunger and poverty in the Philippines and Asia.


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Russia: Fast Track Constitutional Changes · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Robert Amsterdam discusses the quick changes to the Russian Constitution in favour of prolonging the presidential term to seven years.


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Russia: The Plight of Journalism · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

As the West continues to turn attention to the Politkovskaya case, Foreign Policy Association's Russia Blog gives focus to the plight of Mikhail Beketov, editor of the obscure Khimki Pravda.


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Russia-Ukraine: Denying the Great Famine · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Finrosforum accounts for President Medvedev's view of Holodomor – the great famine in Ukraine 1932-33 – accusing those who speak about the “so-called Holodomor” of creating a rift between the two Slavic nations.


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Senegal: Billionaire hopes auto rickshaws can create thousands of jobs · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Standing in the presidential palace next to President Wade himself, Serigne Mboup, Senegalese businessman and CEO of Consortium commercial Bara Mboup (CCbm), announced yesterday a 34 billion Cfa (US$ 666 million) plan to bring Senegal 60,000 new jobs by importing tens of thousands of auto rickshaws.
An article from Le Quotidien posted on Seneweb describes the plan:
Il s’agit de remplacer notamment les motos-taxis qui circulent à Kaolack et Fatick, par des tricycles dans lesquels les passagers sont installés de manière un peu plus confortable. L’ambition de la Ccbm et de l’Etat est que ces nouveaux moyens de transport remplacent progressivement les pousse-pousse traditionnels, tractés par la force d’homme ou tirés par la traction animale. Pour Serigne Mboup, il y a là, rien que pour Dakar, l’opportunité de «générer ou consolider 3000 emplois plus valorisants».
Although vague on details, the article also mentioned Mboup's company would be setting up a micro-finance system, presumably to make it easier for small businesses and individual owners to purchase the rickshaws.
Not everyone is convinced blanketing the country with thousands of new, polluting vehicles is the soundest development strategy.
Le Blog politique au Senegal explains:
Ces petites cylindrées sont extrèmement polluantes, surtout celles venant d'Asie où aucune règle ne s'impose en matière de pollution. Rajouter ces engins dans le bordel des rues de dakar me parait hautement suicidaire.
La circulation de Dakar va empirer, les bronches de nos gamins se goudronner un peu plus pour que la géniale idée de Mr Mboup lui rapporte 4 ou 5 milliards.
Naomed thinks if the government were really serious about improving transportation in Dakar, it would be a much better idea to invest in a modern mass transit system.
When Senegalese newspaper, Le Quotidien, covered the story yesterday [FR], the site Seneweb was deluged with over a hundred impassioned comments.  Many were skeptical.
Dioh:
Les motos-taxis, il n'y a rien de pire dans une ville comme Dakar. Ce genre de système de transport doit être interdit. Aggravation du trafic, accidents, incivisme, pollution…
Laye:
…Ce projet est à saluer et à soutenir mais plus important nous devons veiller à ce qu'il ne tombe pas dans les travers de la pratique politicienne et, ce faisant, être la chasse-gardée des autorités politiques (comme il en a déjà été le cas dans un passé très récent avec REVA) au détriment des vrais demandeurs d'emploi…
BOUKI
DU N'IMPORTE QUOI. C'EST UN RETOUR EN ARRIERE. QUI VA MONTER SUR CES TROTINETTES POUR ALLER SE SUICIDER? WHAT A F…K IS GOING ON? C'EST CE QUI SE PASSE QUAND DES INCOMPETANTS ET IDIOTS DIRIGENT UN PAYS.
Anonymous:
Bara veut tout simplement transposer la Chine au Sénégal. Il n'a pas l'esprit creatif, il ne fait que du copié collé. Mais ce qui est valable en Chine ne l'est pas forcémént au Sénégal.
Still others applauded Mboup's plan as a rare expression of patriotism in a country in dire need of more investment.
boy Dakar:
Le malheure c'est que les sénégalais sont commlexés. C'est comme ça que beaucoup de secteurs de notre économie nous ont échappé. C'est le cas du commerce controlé par les libano syriens, les mauritaniens et les guinéens… ce que le jeune Mboup propose c'est ce que tout patriote doit faire. Son projet ne s'adresse pas à tous les séngégalais mais peut régler en parte le problème du chômage. Il ya des jeunes qui restent du matin au soir sans rien faire, avec ces motos ils peuvent au moins assurer les besoins courants et on verra la suite.
izz:
si tous les Sénégalais riches pensaient comme le jeune Mboup,on serait loin de la souffrance.Des centaines de milliardaires Sénégalais n'investissent que sur l'immobilier ou thésaurisent leur argent dans les banques occidentales jusqu'à mourir.C'est vraiment égoiste de leur part.”pensons à s'entraider entre fréres Sénégalais” au lieu d'en faire profiter les toubabs…


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Sri Lanka: Extra Judicial Killing By Police · Global Voices
Rezwan

Chitrangi describes a case of extra judicial killing by Police in Bandaragama, Sri Lanka and posts the testimony of the victim's wife.


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Syria: What About the Palestinian Human Rights?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Majd Syria (Ar) writes: “Western countries show off their support for human rights.. at the time they turn a blind eye to the most basic rights of Palestinians – their right to live in an independent free state, with sovereignty, an army, a currency, language, identity and capital.


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Thailand: Protesters surround Parliament building · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Anti-government protesters have surrounded the Parliament building of Thailand. They are demanding the removal of the Prime Minister.


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Thailand: Rallies and Twitter updates · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Thailand’s anti-government protesters have surrounded the Parliament building Monday morning. Led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the protesters want to oust the ruling government. The country’s seat of power has been temporarily moved to Don Mueang Airport.
PAD and its supporters have been protesting in the streets for several months already. They accuse the present Prime Minister of being a puppet of ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra. PAD is accused of having close ties with some sections of the elite and military. Its members are mostly from the middle class and residents of Bangkok City. Last October it gained public sympathy when the police forces used excessive force to disperse the rallyists.
The Parliament siege is part of a plan by PAD to paralyze government operations. PAD’s campaign, described by many as its “Final Battle”, is to surround the Parliament, the temporary government seat at the airport, the Finance Ministry, the Stock Exchange of Thailand, the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the National Police Office, and the residences of key cabinet members.
Photos courtesy of PAD’s Facts Info
So far, PAD is unable to gather a substantial number of people in the streets. Its target is to mobilize 100,000 people but this figure has not yet been reached. There are reports that PAD has been transporting protesters from the provinces.
Many Thais are already aware of PAD’s plans last weekend. There are even rumors of coups and arming of civilians.
The country as a whole remains peaceful. The protests are not violent; although it was reported that some PAD members have hijacked buses to block streets.
Thailand’s Twitter users are also sending updates about the protests. They are also expressing their opinions about this political controversy.
Twitter user Kofty writes:
“Tension is high in Bangkok today. Thousands of people effectively blocked off parliament. They want the government gone by Wednesday.”
“Excitement builds as protester seize public buses to get to the old Don Mueang Airport, the temporary government headquarters. Shots fired.”
“So far, the demonstration is peaceful. The Joint Session of parliament and Senate has been cancelled. Electricity to parliament gas been cut.”
AsianSweetheart adds:
“Save the country: You probably read the news about the big march on parliament today by the PAD. ..”
Moui underscores PAD’s financial problems:
“now the PAD is begging for meal.”
Smartbrain provides updates:
“mob: Chamlong announced big push at 4 am tomorrow. Anyone who has cars should take them. Hmm… where? Airport?”
“mob: Sources claim 700 riot police are being sent in to take care of the protesters at Don Muang.”
“Mob: Phase 2 begins at 6 am. Bring as many cars as you have.”
Pittaya observes:
“taxi driver talks to me. it's battle between thaksin-sondhi. i don't think so.”
“will there be some tanks today?”
Sugree reacts:
“well, it's easier to bomb parliament and gov house to restart everything from the beginning”
“oops! migrate to don mueng? god damn PAD is moving to somewhere near my office. Arghhh”
Photo courtesy of adaptorplug
Moui.net seems disappointed to what is happening to Thailand:
“Thailand is my home country, she used to be the place where i loved so much.  after my graduation, i decided living in Thailand permanently.  but after many political incidents in this decade, i am deeply upset.  it is very hurt to see the other Thais have been ruining the country from time to time.
“i can’t see the future of Thailand.  i do not know where the land of smile has gone.  i do not know when every fighting will stop.  i do not know how the broken society will be melted into one society again.  what i really know is that i am no longer want to live here at this time.  probably, it is time to leave.”
For more background information about PAD and the political crisis in Thailand, read Conflict of elites and People’s coup or putsch.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Gender Gap  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2008 not only listed Trinidad & Tobago as the regional leader in both the Caribbean and Latin America in closing the gender gap, but placed #19 of countries around the world making that kind of progress”: Discover TnT Blog‘s Caroline Neisha comments: “I suppose any improvement in the rankings just means things aren't as bad as they used to be. And countries where women had fewer opportunities actually have greater scope for improvement, and so can climb the ranks with greater impact.”


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Trinidad & Tobago, U.K.: McDonald Signs Off  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Discover TnT Blog pays tribute to Trinidad-born journalism icon Sir Trevor McDonald, who “has stepped down from ITN's main nightly news programme.”


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Egypt: 89% of Youth Support Internet Censorship Law · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Eighty-nine per cent of Egyptian young men and women surveyed recently stated that they are in favour of an Internet censorship law. Bloggers Times shares the most recent statistics on Egyptian internet users in this post (Ar):


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Afghanistan: Afghan Justice · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Patrick Frost reports that the Afghan government has arrested 10 suspects in the Nov. 12 female student and teacher acid attack.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Afghanistan: Rocket Attack in Kabul · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust says that reported roadside bomb and a rocket attack in Kabul didn't seem to be burning up the international agencies’ wires.


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Angola: Children as young as 6 face accusations of witchcraft · Global Voices
Clara Onofre

Angola was recently shaken by terrible news of abandoned, ill-treated, tortured and killed children accused of witchcraft. One of the recent cases was in the municipality of Sambizanga in Luanda. According to local newspapers, the National Police rescued dozens of children who were locked inside a room where a bonfire was lit burning jindungo (a type of chilli). One of them faces the danger of losing an arm due to gangrene caused by blade cuts. The abusers believe that through this method the evil living in the children's bodies can be released.
This evil practice is usually promoted by members of certain “churches”, which in most cases are illegally open to the public. Driven by a mystical, malicious, ignorant spirit or simply by the desire to get rid of one more mouth to feed, family members are primarily responsible for such attitudes. By believing in witchcraft, they condemn their sons, nephews or stepchildren to appalling suffering when something goes wrong in their homes.
Blog Angola Saudades brings one of these sad cases to light:
“Makiesse é sobrevivente de um fenómeno perturbante que surge em Angola nos ultimos anos: acusações de feitiçaria contra crianças acompanhadas de maus tratos, abandono e nalguns casos, a morte. A madrasta acusou Makiesse de ser feiticeiro e ter provocado a doença que matou o seu pai. Não podia comer com a família, dormia na latrina, levava porrada diariamente e era forçado a rituais de purificação que mais parecem tortura – jejum, golpes e reclusão. Makiesse tinha seis anos. “Eu dizia que eu não sou feiticeiro, que talvez o feiticeiro usa a minha cara à noite. Mas ninguém acreditava”, conta Makiesse ao PlusNews. Um dia os familiares deitaram-lhe petróleo. O tio impediu que o queimassem vivo. Cedo, tirou-o sorrateiramente do Uíge para a capital Luanda a 345 quilómetros. Deixou-o num centro da igreja católica que abriga crianças de rua. Isso foi há três anos. Makiesse apenas foi visitado duas vezes pelo irmão mais velho”.
A few years ago, a study on the impact of such practices against children from the perspective of human rights’ protection, carried out by the National Institute of Children (INAC), was released. The study reported that such charges against children became common at the end of the 90's, with no relation to local peoples’ historical traditions. According to the study, the appearance for this type of attitude is due to the changes in family structure and in the meaning of kinship relationships, such as maternal ties and their respective connection with taking care of children.
In Angola, accusations of witchcraft and abuse against children are deemed valid, which minimizes the seriousness of cruel acts carried out by families in the eyes of society. After being charged, children rarely reintegrate themselves within their families because of stigma and discrimination. This brings us to another issue: the increase of street children. Feeling uncomfortable under accusing glances from relatives and neighbors, they opt to live on their own on the streets of this country.
Noticias Cristãs [pt] blog echoes another case:
“Doze crianças acusadas de feitiçaria e abandonadas pelos seus familiares foram retiradas das ruas de Luanda pelas Irmãs da Congregação do Bom Pastor. As histórias contadas pelas crianças que fizeram das ruas da capital a sua morada durante algum tempo, comoveram as freiras que decidiram começar um processo de nova vida para os menores. O caso mais recente é de uma menina de 11 anos acusada de ter morto a própria mãe usando feitiço. A superiora da congregação conta a história: “O pai abandonou a criança na rua e na altura foi interceptado pela polícia porque batia nela e ele disse que a filha tem 11 anos e é feiticeira. Disse que comeu a mãe e que recebeu o feitiço do Congo e que ele poderia ter a mesma sorte e então decidiu abandonar a menina. A criança foi levada para casa das irmãs no Palanca, por alguém que a encontrou a chorar na rua. Fui ter à casa onde eles moravam e encontrei alguns familiares, mas todos eles confirmaram que a menina é feiticeira. Conversei com eles, tentei convencê-los mas não houve maneira e disseram que era melhor não deixar a menina com eles porque estava reconhecida como feiticeira”.
The government and civil organizations have launched campaigns to raise awareness and alerts to prevent abuse against children. Other projects such as sheltering centers and legal accountability for such abuse are two other important developments being carried out by authorities.
Hopefully, the situation will change completely. We hope children will be able to enjoy  their childhood peacefully in Angola without losing hope of a better life. Hopefully, Angolan society will stand up with determination in this fight that has already crossed national boundaries. We hope parents and relatives of victims of abuse are held accountable and brought to court as a sign of warning to others.

author: Clara Onofre


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