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Belarus: Dress Censorship is Back · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's Belarus Blog writes about “Soviet retro” – which includes something quite surreal: a new regulation introduced by the Belarusian government, requiring “the Ministry of Education to create and approve a state concept for youth fashion by the New Year.”


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Belize: Garifuna Settlement Day · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Lee Vanderwalker offers some historical background to Garifuna Settlement Day, which is observed in Belize on November 19, and commemorates the 174th anniversary of the Garifuna people's arrival in Belize. Lee's post also includes a link to music samples by Belizean Garifuna musician and activist Andy Palacio.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Bolivia: Majority Vs. 2/3 Vote · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Bolivia's constituent assembly had been at a deadlock over whether votes would be decided by majority or require two-thirds. A decision was reached/imposed this past weekend, reports Miguel Centellas, Jim Shultz, and Miguel Buitrago.

author: David Sasaki


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Cambodia: The Second Leading Cause of Deaths · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Vutha in Cambodia reports that Buddhist Monks gathered in a park to commomorate victims of road accidents. Accidents are now the second leading cause of death in Cambodia after HIV/AIDS.

author: Preetam Rai


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China: apart from dog, what else? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Positive solution posts a question concerning the one dog policy in China: If you start banning dogs on the grounds that they are potentially dangerous and a public nuisance, why stop there? Here are a few things that I’d give the same treatment…

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: banking regulation · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Survived SARS comments upon the newly released banking regulations in China: at first glance, they appear to provide more leeway for foreign banks to compete than was originally expected…


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China: sex tape and corruption · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A Chinese actress, Zhang Yu, showed 20 tapes to media of her having sex with famous Chinese directors and actors. DANWEI has the details. Wang Xiao feng's judgement is that there is commercial interest behind the event, the whole issue is a show (zh).


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China: wikipedia blocked, unblocked and reblocked · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The news about Chinese wikipedia has been confusing. On Nov 13, it was widely accessible, on Nov 16, partial inaccessible, on Nov 17, a reblocked was confirmed and appeared more restrictive – Andrew Lih has the most elaborated update.


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Croatia: Animal Rights Group Targets Art · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Neretva River reports on an animal rights group targeting a Croatian contemporary arts exhibit – and, coincidentally, some artwork “commemorating the 200th anniversary of the founding of Zagreb’s Jewish community,” which is on display at the same location.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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East Timor: Coffee Industry · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Diligence in his post titled The coffee report describes the Coffee Industry in East Timor. Coffee contributes to about 90% of East Timor's export earnings.


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El Salvador: “Best National Wrestler” · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Salvadorean blogger Ethel looks through her “Google biography” and finds an entertaining article about her wrestling days.


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Estonia, Latvia: Soviet Nostalgia and Citizenship · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Itching for Eestimaa writes about nostalgia for the Soviet Union and citizenship issues in Latvia and Estonia.


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Guatemala: Firefox Party · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Notas al Margen links to the various Guatemalan bloggers [ES] who attended the recent “Firefox Party,” celebrating the launch of Firefox 2. Blissy [ES], the only female attendee has pictures.


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Haiti: Do Officials Care about Insecurity? · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Pointing to a Haitian news story about a schoolgirl who was recently kidnapped and shot despite her mother's delivery of $4,000 out of a $30,000 ransom, JoJo at Collectif Haiti de Provence writes (Fr): “Who will have the courage to ask public officials to describe in detail the nature of the steps taken so that their families remain exempt from this anarchic violence? Who will have the courage to make them understand that we have understood that they do not really care about insecurity because their belongings and families are tucked away abroad?”

author: Alice Backer


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Haiti: Reviving Tourism · Global Voices
Alice Backer

JoJo at Collectif Haiti de Provence points to a haitian news article about Haiti's collaboration with Chilean architectural consultants in view of developing tourist resorts. The blogger's reaction to the story (Fr):”Nations living under the constant threat of violence certainly maintain a touristic tradition that is valid for the region. But … the palpable presence of repressive and dissuasive forces are there to reassure the traveler … Please let the government know that they must resolve the problem of insecurity.”


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Haiti: Syto Cave Podcast · Global Voices
Alice Backer

French literary blog Topolivres posts (Fr) a podcast of an excerpt of Haitian poet and playwright Syto Cave's show Voisins Complices [Neighbors and Accomplices]. Voisins Complices has been performed in Haiti and Barcelona and is scheduled to go to New York in 2007.


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Haiti, USA: Blogging and the future of black newspapers · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Haitian-American Alice Backer reports on her experiences as participant — and lone blogger — on a panel on the future of black newspapers held last weekend in Brooklyn, New York.


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Hong Kong: cultural gap in Hong Kong journalism · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translates different mainstream reports concerning the sacking of SCMP editors to show the cultural gap between Chinese and English journalism.


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Hong Kong: from hit rates to narratives · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN has some reflections upon his blogging: but at some point, I ought to develop some opinion or the other after recording ten thousand data points…I believe that there is some room for building up narratives from the ground up.


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India: Bad Roads and Good Economy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Atanu Dey links the importance and contribution of infrastructure (in this case good roads) to economic development. “He believed that because India was an underdeveloped economy that the roads were bad. He got the causality wrong. It is because the roads are bad (among other things) that India is a poor economy.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: The war with China in 1962 · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Kamla Bhatt has a podcast with a Professor who teaches at the School of International Studies in Jawaharlal Nehru University. “Prof. Rajesh Rajagopalan talks about the events leading up to the India-China war of 1962. What were the perceptions, misperceptions that led to the war?”


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Iran:An Iranian Refugee Family in Danger · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Ardeshir Dolat talks about an Iranian refugee family living which has made its home an airport in Moscow. According to the blogger, the Russian authorities now want to deport the family to Iran – something that the family is convinced will be devastating to their lives and safety.You can watch the video of the mother describing their situation.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Japan: cultural day · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

David Weber in Japundit has a nice photo essay on the Japan cultural day.


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Kazakhstan: Exact Change · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

KZ Blog discusses the overwhelming preference for exact change in Kazakhstan.

author: Nathan Hamm


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Kazakhstan: Right Hand Rights! · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Leila reports on protests in Kazakhstan over the the government's decision to ban the import and sale of cars with steering wheels on the right side.


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Kyrgyzstan: Driving Bishkek · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Driving in Bishkek is an adventure, says Nikki.


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Laos: A Lao Picnic · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Darly at Laocuisine.net blogs about  Lao picnics and the food that would “knock one off ones feets”.


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Latin America: Milton Friedman · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Patrick of the Guatemalan Solidarity Network laments the lack of attention focused on Milton Friedman's legacy in Latin America.


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Mexico: Electronics for a Good Cause · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Beth Kanter interviews Maria Estela Godinez, a high school student from San Francisco del Rincón, México who “built a glove that allows speech-challenged people to move their fingers in a similar fashion to Braille language and have those signals recognized by software that converts them into speech.” The interview was translated to English by Ricardo Carreón.


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Moldova: Two Vivid Scenes · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Adventures in Moldova describes two situations witnessed in the capital Chisinau, both pretty vivid.


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Nepal: Anti-Indian Establishment and Prachanda · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Maoist leader Prachanda on a visit to India appears to have spoken in favour of India over Pakistan. United We Blog! on the deep anti-Indian establishment sentiment in Nepal. “Every time the trade treaty nears to expiration, we have one fear: how much will Indians exploit while renewing it. Every monsoon, we have to see our lands inundated because of Indian dams. Our boarders are encroached on a daily basis.”


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Podcast: Interview With ChilePodcast’s Carlos Toledo · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Chilean podcaster Carlos Toledo explains how he started communicating to the world, why he continues, and how he hopes to expand podcasting's educational potential throughout Chile.
With introductory music by Valdivia.


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Poland: Lego and the Shoah · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot inquires: “Is building a 400 square metre replica of the Warsaw Ghetto out of 50,000 Lego bricks ‘offensive’?”


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Puerto Rico: Going to America · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Tinta Digital examines (ES) the issue of emigration from the Puerto Rican point of view.


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Russia: Andrei Rublev · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russia Blog reviews Andrei Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev.


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Russia: More Alarming Changes · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Alex(ei) of The Russian Dilettante's Weblog writes that a “a former KGB colleague of Putin” will likely be appointed as head of “Gazprom's oil-producing arm, Gazpromneft.” Also, Russian legislators are introducing a law according to which “candidates may no longer engage in personal criticism of their opponents. Ridiculous as it sounds, the bill is awaiting Putin's approval. A nail or two more, and the coffin of political speech will be ready for a state burial.”


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Russia: New and Old Hotels · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Stop by at Snowsquare to see pictures of Hotel Rossiya (“The last of the great Soviet-era central Moscow landmark hotels will soon be no more.”) and its demolition (“All that remains of what was one of the largest hotels in the world.”), as well as Ritz-Carlton built in place of Intourist and scheduled to open in March 2007.


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Russia: Talkov and Contract Killings · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Copydude writes about contract killings and inefficiency of police investigations – and about singer Igor Talkov, who was killed in 1991 and whose case hasn't been resolved yet.


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Singapore: Community Moderated News Site · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Mr Lim and a friend in Singapore launch a community moderated news site. “YOU are the editor, you decide what’s interesting and what’s not.”


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Slovakia: Jealousy · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Lemuel of Deleted by Tomorrow agrees that “the main sport practiced by Slovaks is jealousy.”


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South Asia: Politics, Happiness, Religion and The Birds · Global Voices
Rezwan

The latest from different blogs about the following South Asian Countries:
Bangladesh:
Bangladesh is facing a political crisis. Unheard Voices: Drishtipat group blog informs about a citizens movement in Bangladesh in which people are urged to wear a black badge demanding a free and fair election and to bring an end to the ongoing political violence and people's sufferings.
All the major religions in Bangladesh enjoy their equal share of religious holidays. Andrew Morris of Morris the Pen describes a baptism ceremony in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has some talented photographers. Shahidul Alam of ShahidulNews has details  about the Chobi Mela IV, the international festival of Photography in Bangladesh with lots of links, pictures and background information.
Bhutan:
Bruno Giussani of Lunch Over Ip informs that the Bhutanese officials make decisions based on whether they will contribute to the nation's collective happiness, not on economists point of view. No wonder Bhutan is the 8th happiest nation in the world.
However Bhutan is still a developing country. Murray Angus Gunn of One People, Many Cultures comments about the Bhutanese education system that it is still a rote learning system.
The trade bond between Bhutan and bordering India is very strong. Kuensel online reports that one in every 10 Indian national entering Bhutan via border town of Phuentsholing state ‘collection of dues’ as the reason for the visit.
India:
Bollywood has created many famous pairs of actor-actresses. Sakshi Juneja of To Each Its Own hosted a poll to find out which is Bollywood's hottest pair. The results are pretty interesting.
The duel between religion and science is eternal. Selva of the Scientific Indian opines that religious faith is hopeless and science pertains to hope.
Nepal:
Amidst political instability life still goes on in Nepal. Dinesh Wagle of United we blog has the pictures and details of the Music, Dance and Street Festival in Thamel.
Women do not need sympathy, they need opportunity to gain economic independence. Alex and Heather of Our Six Months tells the story how learning to be a trek guide can empower women in Nepal.
Pakistan:
Suroor of Achelois regrets the Pakistani army's rape and mutilation of approximately 400000 Bangladeshi women during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971. She is battered by the fact that how can own people (undivided Pakistan) can inflict such a shame and pain saying “incest is more painful than rape by strangers”.
Adil Najam of Pakistaniat writes that ‘Pillion’ Riding (multiple passengers in a motorbike) is now banned in Karachi for good reasons.
The Glasshouse informs that a Sindh TV station is banned by the central government for bad reasons.
Why do they like Pakistan? Shirazi of Light Within has details about the migratory birds visiting Pakistan to keep away from the winter.
Sri Lanka:
Mahisha thinks that freedom of speech should not be used to hurt people un-necessarily.
Indi.ca protests the physical violence in light of the Budhdha's teachings.

author: Rezwan


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South Korea: A Day in the Life of an OhmyNews Editor · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Claire George in Ohmynews writes a personal account of her editor's life and how the job has changed her persception of the world.


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South Korea: anti Korean websites · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Robert Koehler at Marmot's Hole lists out some anti-Korean websites. However, he disagrees with local newspapers’ opinion that government should step in and intervene.


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South Korea: Gender empowerment measure · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Michael Hurt reports that South Korea has a 10-stop increase in gender empowerment measure (GEM) since 2002.


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Venezuela: Eight Polls · Global Voices
Iria Puyosa

Eight recent polls on Venezuela’s elections are summarized by Reste@dos [ES]. The post includes the numbers from the Welsch / Observatorio Hannah Arendt released yesterday, as well as poll numbers from Datanálisis, Hinterlaces, Evans & McDonough, Consultores 21, IVAD, CECA, Keller, and Penn, Schoen & Berland. Main points from the analyses of this collection of polls are: 1) Chávez is ahead, 2) Chávez is losing support, 3) Rosales is gaining support, 4) Chávez is more likely to win but for a very small margin.

author: Iria Puyosa


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt's Culture Minister Farooq Hosni is being investigated, following comments he has made on the Hijab or head scarf, reports The Big Pharoah.
The Big Pharoah himself is however unruffled and goes on a rampage, berating the religious symbol  and saying the religion was “in dire need of reform.”

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel was killed in a terrorist attack in Jdeideh in Beirut, Abu Kais reports minutes after the attack.
Follow the link for more updates as more details about the assassination emerge.


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian-Jordanian blogger Haitham Sabbah tells us about the plight of a Palestinian refugee who is looking for a lawyer/s to help her “present a case, or cases, against the State of Israel and private individuals and organizations, for damages, because of human rights abuses and many other crimes perpetrated against me by persons of Israeli and American citizenship under the protection and with the encouragement of the State of Israel.”
He appeals to his readers to spread the word.


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahrain has banned demonstrations, gatherings and rallies in ‘sensitive’ locations, but Chanad Bahraini thinks that the list is too long.
He says the ban may be because workers are holding strikes in their work places, calling for pay rises and better working conditions.


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Africa: blogging and activism · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Grandiose Parlor writes about blogging and activism, “This is a indication that various African citizen-oriented media (blogs, independent community and advocacy websites) can work together for the common good of the continent and its people. This is one important effort the mainstream media have failed to address.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Africa: new scramble for Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Who will emerge the winner in the new scramble for Africa? Kameelah asks.


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Africa: protecting your slippers · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

How do you protect your slippers from being stolen? Maisha posts a photo with an answer.


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Arabisc: One Blogger Arrested..1000s More to Go! · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

There doesn't seem to be a week passing by without Egyptians and its bloggers rocking the boat and taking the virtual limelight in our part of the world.
This week the huge ripples in the Nile are being caused by no other than Egyptian Culture Minister Farooq Hosni, who has allegedly criticised the veil or Hijab (Muslim head scarf) in a newspaper interview.
Justice For All doesn't take the minister's comments lightly and accuses him of being a failure.
In another development, a second Egyptian blogger has been arrested in Egypt.
“Police in Cairo have detained a blogger whose posts have been critical of the Egyptian government.
Rami Siyam, who blogs under the name of Ayyoub, was detained along with three friends after leaving the house of a fellow blogger late at night.
No reasons have been given for Mr Siyam's detention. The other friends were released after being questioned,” said the BBC.
Meanwhile, Kareem Sulaiman is still in detention
 for articles he wrote in his blog.
Still in Egypt, Mostafa Hussein admits that he is blogging from his office to break important news.
وقع تحت يدي أحصاء بعدد الحالات المترددة على كل العيادات التابعة لمستشفى الباطنة و الجراحة التابعين لجامعة عين شمس. و المذهل أن عدد الحالات في شهر أكتوبر لمركز الطب النفسي 1445 حالة و أجمالي عدد الحالات لجميع تخصصات الباطنة و الجراحة 804 في شهر سبتمبر.
Meanwhile, London-based Somali blogger Mohammed Al Amin Al Hadi, who writes in Arabic, tells us how he has become addicted to the Internet, which takes up two-thirds of his day.
Al Hadi, who has stopped blogging for a while, thanks his readers from around the Arab world for inquiring about him during his absence.
Al Hadi says he tried to keep away from the www during the month of Ramadhan but had failed.
Sounds familiar?
This is not all. Our last stop today is at Bahraini Tawfeeq Al Rayyash's blog who wonders when men lie.
He said the question popped to his mind while visiting some campaigning centres for the Parliamentary and municipal council elections planned in Bahrain on November 25.


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Argentina: 2007 Book Fair · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Former librarian Jeff Barry takes an early look at the 2007 Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires, noting that “the average print run for a book in Argentina was 3,520 in 2005,” however, only “4% of the titles were translated into Spanish from another language.”


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Armenia: Democracy Ranking · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Onnik Krikorian says that the Economist Intelligence Unit's democracy rankings come at an important time for Armenia.


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Asia-Pacific: Asia society blog · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Asia society's young leaders’ summit came to a full end on Nov 19; however, the conversation goes on in the summit blog.


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Bahamas: Police brutalise woman · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Lynn Sweeting writes a powerful appeal to the Bahamian public to register their outrage at the treatment of a woman who was brutally taken from her home — wearing only a towel — by the police. Sweeting's appeal takes the form of a letter to the woman in question.


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Bangladesh: The Constitution · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Salam Dhaka on the tense political situation in Bangladesh and a brief look at the constitution. ” Yesterday, out of sheer frustration, I read our constitution. I stopped half-way because of all the contradictions there were in it and its confusing demands. You can tell politicians manipulated it with bad intentions. “


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Barbados: Thinking about music · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Introducing American part-time teacher-turned-soca artist Walker Hornung — who also happens to be white — Ian asks the question: “what colour is Soca?” And Titlayo is pleased to hear Barbadian music in an array of genres playing on the radio. “it remains to be seen whether the trend continues past the end of November,” she says. “I’ve got my hopes up that it will.”


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Brunei: Malay Wedding · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The ever resourceful blogger at The Daily Brunei resources ushers in the peak of wedding season in Brunei by describing the wedding attire worn by Malay males.


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Cayman Islands: What’s become of Pirates’ Week? · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Mighty Afroditee is disillusioned with the current state of Pirates’ Week, the Cayman Islands’ annual festival which originated as a celebration of the islands’ culture.


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China: CCTV’s political culture · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Media project reports that the resignation of popular sports commentator, Huang Jianxiang, has stirred up audiences’ frustration to CCTV's political culture.


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China: year of spoof · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zhao Mu suggests in his blog that 2006 should be the year of spoof in China, spoofs come not only from internet, but also from the government (zh).


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Costa Rica on Arias, Sabina and CAFTA · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Costa Rican blogs these past two weeks have had a bit of CAFTA, a bit of music and some complaints on the roads and the trash. The latter two are issues that worry those out in the streets and seem to leave those in power unconcerned.
The uproar on the AntiCAFTA marches has mellowed out a bit. This weeks’ blog movement is due to a related but separate event: Oscar Arias’ appearance in a Joaquín Sabina concert. (wikipedia information on the artist here  )
These bloggers commented on the event firsthand:
Lau Fu in La fuente clandestina
La noche del 8 de noviembre un Palacio de los Deportes lleno de sabineros hasta el copete gritó para calentar las cuerdas vocales antes del concierto: ¡No, no al TLC! y ¡Fuera, fuera hp…!, furibundas exclamaciones que tuvieron como blanco al más alto representante de Costa Rica -como lo llamó Joaquín Sabina-, el presidente Oscar Arias.
During the evening of November 8th, the concert venue, completely full of “sabineros” yelled and warmed their vocal cords up before the concert: No to CAFTA! Leave!Leave! SOB…! Irate exclamations that had as their target to costa Rica's hightes representative- just like Joaquín Sabina called him-, president Oscar Arias.
Furia de mais continues the story:
Unos 4 gatos que sonábamos como miles… el malparido, el vende patrias, el viejo verde, el cabrón -que me acompañe la virgen del Carmen, esto es la Interné-… Y yo pensaba que no era posible… no era posible que este mae me cierre el año con una cagada tan jórrida: primero se roba las elecciones, me hace pasar 12 meses de mierda con su prepotencia vil y chueca, y para colmo de males, me llega a joder la vida al concierto de Juaco! ¡Misericoldia señol, misericoldia!…
We were a handful that sounded like thousands… the bastard, seller of our homeland, the skirt chaser, the motherf* -may the Virgin of El Carmen protect me, this is the Internet-… And I thought it couldn't be happening… it isn't possible that this dude shits on my year in such a despicable way: first he steals the elections, makes me spend 12 months from hell with his evil and twisted arrogance and to mess things up even more, he comes to f* my life up at Juaco's concert. Mercy lord! Mercy!
Mariela wrote about the disorganization of the event. From the gender segregated separate lines that took forever to get people inside, to the rude and violent security guards and the general ambiance.
Cristian Cambronero in Fusil de Chispas contrasts two concerts that share one character and characteristic: Oscar Arias.
Miércoles. Reunido para oir a Sabina, un puño de gente aprovecha la ocasión para abuchear al presidente Arias y gritar consignas contra todo: el tlc. Una polada risible.
Viernes. Reunido para oir a Perales, un puño de gente aprovecha la ocasión para ovacionar al presidente Arias. Una polada per se.
El escenario: el mismo. Costa Rica. La polada, bonita.
Wednesday: Gathered to hear Sabina, a handful of people takes advantage of the ocasion to boo President Arias and yell slogas against everything: CAFTA. Laughable tackyness.
Friday: Gathered to hear Perales, a handful of people takes advantage of the ocsion to give a standing ovation to President Arias. Just plain tacky.
The stage: the same. Costa Rica. Tackyness. nice.
There's even a youtube video of the Sabina Concert with Arias‘ arrival.
Pancho Varona, who came with Sabina, wrote on his blog (via por la boca)
Resumiendo, todo resulta simpáTICO en este país centroamericano regido por un presidente premio nóbel de la paz que se llevó una tremenda pitada cuando Joaquín lo nombró en el concierto, ya que el presidente Arias vino a vernos.
Summarizing, everything is simpatTICO in this Centralamerican country ruled by a nobel peace prize president who received a remarkable booing when Joaquín mentioned him in the concert, since president Arias came to see us.
Uri Riddleman in Tiquicia's Blog  writes about the huge holes in the Costa Rican streets.
Julia Ardón writes about the cruelty of the well-to-do against the quiet dignity of those who scrounge and pick throug the trash to survive.
Also in Julia Ardón's blog, she writes about the increase in the free trade zones in Nicaragua.
El otro día vi los datos del salario mínimo en las textileras de Centroamérica . Mientras el nuestro es el más alto con $ 225 aprox por mes para cada trabajadora, el de Nicaragua es el más bajo con $ 72.
¿ diay? Cómo no se van a ir para allá las compañías extranjeras?
¿Qué hacer entonces para ser “más competitivos”?
¿Bajar los salarios, limitar las garantías sociales?
O más bien….hacer inversión social en educación, salud, cultura, infraestructura , telecomunicaciones? Para qué? Pues para que las compañías de afuera que vengan aquí vengan a buscar “calidad” y no “cantidad” de mano de obra barata y desechable…
The other day I saw the statistics regarding minimum wages in the sweatshops of Central America. While ours is the highest with aproximately $225 a month for each worker, Nicaragua's is the lowest with $72.
So? How could foreign companies not go there?
Lower salaries, limit social welfare?
O rather… invest in education, health, culture, infrastructure, telecommunications? Why? So that outside companies who come here come to find quality instead of quantity in cheap and disposable labor…
Gabriela Zamora Sauma in Por la boca:
El tratado de libre comercio con Estados Unidos (Cafta, por sus siglas en inglés) no le conviene a Centroamérica; no todavía. Lo dijo la Junta de Notables meses atrás, pero ya lo había dicho la Organización de Naciones Unidas (ONU).
La ONU afirmó que el Cafta tendrá resultados poco equilibrados, otorga un acceso limitado al mercado estadounidense para los seis países de la región y compromete la salud pública y la innovación tecnológica.
The Free trade agreement with the United States of America does not benefit Central America: not yet. This was said by those selected to deliberate on the CAFTA and Costa Rica, but it had already been said by the United Nations (UN)
The UN stated that CAFTA would have unbalanced results, it grants limited acces to the US market for the six countries of the region and compromises public health and technological innovation.
SirenaCanta posts a recap of world events that sums up her perspective of the hemisphere's situation quite aptly:
Ganó Lula en Brasil (por suerte el castigo no le salió por la culata a la izquierda brasileña)
+
Seguramente ganará Chávez en Venezuela
+
Está Evo Morales en Bolivia
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Kirchner está en Argentina (que no es nada servil, no crean)
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Tabaré Vásquez en Uruguay (Como dice Sole, Tupamaro de verdad.
Yo digo que la gente espera más de él pero ¡se hace lo que se puede!)
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Ganó Ortega en Nicaragua
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Fidel no ha muerto…
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Guatemala no quedó en el Consejo de Seguridad
¡el nido de los halcones está alborotado! y como perdieron el poder se preguntan “¿y ahora quién podrá ayudarnos?”
Lula won in brazil (luckily punishment didn't ricochet to the brazilian left
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Chavez wil probably win in Venezuela
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Evo Morales is in Bolivia
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Kirchner is in Argentina ( not really that servile)
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Tabaré Vásquez in Uruguay (As Sole says, a real Tupamaro. I say that people expect a lot more from him, but you do what you can!)
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Ortega won in Nicaragua
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Fidel isn't dead
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Guatemala was not selected for the Security Council
The hawk's nest has been disturbed! and as they have lost power they ask. And now, who will help us?

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Dominica: Preachers · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Kenny Green takes Caribbean preachers to task for their lack of engagement with fundamental issues affecting local communities: “Political amoebas, glory hunters in general, and silent on every single topic except in toeing the party line from their Grand Leader somewhere else. They almost like some regional company with the head office in the US or bahamas or something. . . You'd think someone that goin to heaven no matter what would be able to speak their mind on any issue eh.”


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DRC: Bemba Contests Election Results · Global Voices
Alice Backer

In the aftermath of the announcement that Joseph Kabila has won elections, Sanaga Peregrinations wonders (Fr) whether the DRC can afford the contestation of results promised by loosing candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba: ” Only a couple of days ago, the two rivals were hand in hand and each claimed that they would accept whatever the official results were. Those were only … political statements. Even if Bemba promises to only use legal recourse, one can't help but worry for a country subject to conflict since about 5 years ago.”


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Former Yugoslavia: Album Cover · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Glory of Carniola posts the “Great Yugoslav Album Covers, Part 16.”


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Honduras, Cuba: Rafting Season · Global Voices
David Sasaki

“Is it winter? Rainy season? Hurricane season? Christmas season? Shopping season?” Yes, it's all of those things, writes “La Gringa”, who explains why November until February is also the “season of the Cuban rafters.”


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Image from Mali: Transporting Sheep · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Flickr photo blogger Johanne Veilleux posts this shot taken in Siby, Mali and writes (Fr): “Yep, these are indeed sheep attached to the bus’ roof.”


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India: Statues in Chennai · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Chennai on the politics of statues in public areas in the city. “The noise associated with the removal is directly proportional to their caste association, that is how much influence they had over their caste, it doesn't matter if they had a huge pan-caste image like Nehru or Gandhi. Or else the person should be an icon of tamil identity.”


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Japan: historical preservation activist · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Adamu reports on a speech given by author/businessman/historical preservation activist Alex Kerr.


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Japan: internet homeless · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Adamu at Mutantfrog Travelogue comments on the growing phenomenon of people living in Internet cafes.


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Kyrgyzstan: HIPC · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Kyrgyz Report discusses whether or not joining the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative will help the country.


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Kyrgyzstan: Presidential Air · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Yulia reports on why Kyrgyzstan's president may be facing danger whenever he travels abroad.


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Lebanon: Campaigns, Politics and Photos  · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

A wide variety of topics were highlighted in the Lebanese blogosphere this week. There are campaigns against sectarianism, child abuse and AIDS as well as minorities speaking out. There are attempts to define the shades of grey in internal Lebanese politics. We also have posts about the media, nice photos from Lebanon and some political cartoons. Countries around Lebanon also had their share of criticism. Anyway enough of that now and let’s check out a sample of these posts:
The Jews of Lebanon think it’s time to speak up:
Is it time to speak out? We have been seriously considering approaching the Lebanese government regarding our concerns and issues and getting an official response. Every indication suggests that the government regards the Jewish community as any other minority in Lebanon and as such, we expect a favorable response.
Lebanese Bloggers Forum has a post on the campaign against sectarianism in Lebanon:
I have recently received the images below by e-mail from a couple of friends under the heading of “Stop Sectarianism Before It Stops Us”….And given the recent rise in sectarian political tensions in Lebanon, I thought this would be as good a time as any, and this forum as good a place as any to air these fresh, smart, provocative and highly relevant images, and the ideas they raise.
Annie highlights the November 19th International Day Against Child Abuse, saying that abuse can manifest itself in different forms, from verbal abuse to GBV (Gender-based violence) and sexual abuse, school and domestic violence.
While Liliane tells us of 12 ways to join the fight against AIDS.
Moving away from campaigns to the media, Pierre Tristam has the following to say about Al Jazeera English channel not being allowed to broadcast in the US:
Al-Jazeera's English edition has been in the works for a couple of years. In the past year new cable channels for toddlers, for homosexuals (not that there's, etc…), for blacks, for shoppers and alleged Christians have been added. The spectrum widens perpetually. It's America's other obesity problem. And you want to tell me that there was no room for Al-Jazeera's channel? I'm not attacking al-Jazeera here, but pointing out the duplicity of America's cable barons.
Politically, Mustapha has a primer on the different shades of political groups making up the Lebanese opposition.
And Remarkz explains the shades of Lebanese politics in general:
Let me summarize the political reality: 1- Syria and Iran need Hizbullah 2- Washington and Israel need the 14th of March 3- Hizbullah has proven to be unbeatable, has a strong social base, is an example of strength for the world at large, has always shown to be very straight in their actions, etc. 4- The 14th of March is a collection of feudal/sectarian lords and their employers one hiding in the mountains, the other crying whenever things get out of hand or reality does not match what the chancellor has promised, another being happy to see that the country could be divided, etc. 5- I won't even go into who is corrupted and who isn't. With all this in mind do you still think Syria and Iran's influence on Hizbullah is more harmful then Washington's on 14th of March? Come on, it's basic political “mathematics”.
There is also this interesting thread of discussion/debate between Michael J. Totten and a member or supporter of Hezbollah who calls himself Al Ghaliboon.
Political cartoons are a way Marxist From Lebanon expresses his opinions on the events in the Middle East.
Sophia posts about Zionism and Islamic extremism:
Zionism is always arguing that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is to blame on Arabs and Palestinians. To that effect, Zionist narrative is always struggling with memory when it comes to pin the blame of the ongoing conflict in a precise fashion and not only on Arabs and Palestinians in general; in this case ‘Islamic’ extremism as Foxman words it. This is ironic because memory, but only Holocaust memory, is the bread and butter of Zionism. It is also ironic that when Israel conquered land in Palestine, it was mainly thanks to Jewish extremism at a time ‘Islamic’ extremism did not exist in Palestine and the Arab world! Of course, for history and news illiterates and media sheep, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict starts on September 11th! Zionism is then culpable of the most blatant revisionism of our modern history. Now, Mr. Foxman, when would you like me to start your Holocaust in order to shift the blame from Nazis to someone else, and why not Zionists? History has never been an exact science and the media have never been History luminaries. So why not take advantage?
Making amends and what Olmert should do after he apologized for the killing of civilians in Beit Hanoun is the topic of one of Leila Abu-Saba's posts.
On the lighter but interesting side Maya[at]NYC tells us about what she considers irritating traits that some people have:
The modern gent. Don’t rush (almost throwing me out of the way) to beat me to opening the door. I can do it easily on my own. Also, for your information, I can and like to pay for my food. Just don’t make me pay for yours!
The down-sizer. “My job is better that your job. My car is better than your dad’s car. My mom’s hair is better than your mom’s”…. go practice your inferiority complex somewhere else…
Any one related to Nayla Mouawad. Although that is punishment in itself, keep your miseries in your family. (cheap shot, I know: I can’t help it! Please understand.)
The liar, the ignorant, the racist, the stiff, the very religious (any religion), the stingy, the obsessive…
Sietske tells of how she got her wallet back after losing it at the “Victory Rally” of Hezbollah 60 days ago.
Finally here are some beautiful pictures from Lebanon by Blogging Beirut.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Malaysia: Fake Degrees · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Kian Ming at Educationmalaysia blog is concerned about the problem of fake university degrees in Malaysia.


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Mexico, Portugal, Germany, Spain: Global Sounds · Global Voices
David Sasaki

iCommons has put together a list of global netlabels that publish their music with various Creative Commons licenses. Examples include Thinner from Germany/Finland, Discoskonfort from Mexico, and You Are Not Stealing Records [ES] based in Portugal.


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Nepal: A little love for Gmail · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Gmail catches on as Wagle Street Journal writes about why the author prefers Gmail to other email services, and the trend of emailing in Nepal. “Even if we are one of the poorest countries in the world, emailing has become a very necessary part of Nepali life; that is to say in the city area. I can’t imagine working without Email though we went through that horrible experience for a week following Feb 1, 2005 when King Gyanendra dismissed democracy, imposed autocracy and emergency, cut off telephone liens and switched off Internet connections.”


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Nepal: The King and Prachanda · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepali Netbook has some observations on the current state of affairs in Nepal. How is it that the Maoist leader Prachanda is more easily absolved than the King? “He is being asked to take responsibility for the deaths of 22 protesters (hadn’t the toll reached 24 at one point?), while the man responsible for 13,000 deaths gets to rub shoulders with former prime ministers in the world’s largest democracy where his organization is still considered a terrorist group.”


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Nicaragua: Tranquility or False Peace? · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Pamela gives a taste of the atmosphere in Managua in the wake of Daniel Ortega's presidential victory.


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Pakistan: Blog-o-success · Global Voices
Omer Alvie

As part of my extremely philanthropic nature, (which not only parallels but also surpasses the likes of  George Soros, Warran Buffet and Bill Gates some say) I have decided to share with you a colossal secret, hidden for years by the high order of the Cyber Templar. Risking life and several much treasured bodily appendages, I reveal the secret of ‘How to write a decent blog post’.
But before I get into that, let me first address the main purpose of this post, which is to highlight the interesting articles from the Pakistani blogs. Fountainhead pens another brilliant piece teaching President Bush to say please.
Now that a thumping smack has been delivered by American voters to the backside of the Empire building hallucinations of your sponsors, leaving you presidential future effectively bowdlerized, you are well advised to start learning to say ‘please’ to lessen the pain of the remaining two years.
In order to write a decent blog post, an initial prerequisite must be met. Get yourself a blog as this is absolutely essential for writing a successful blog post. You can procure an economical (free) blog at any corner cyber grocery story. Having procured a blog, you now need to write something worth reading. This isn't easy let me tell you. I've tried for ages but it hasn't worked for me yet, but maybe you'll get lucky.
Windmill presents an enlightened view on the passing of the recent Women's Protection Bill. Sabizak also addresses the same topic but with a very logical and positive take.
That this has been passed by people who in their personal and ideological lives could not care less for the suffering of women, (would in fact and do perpetuate their subjugation in their own influence spheres in its worst possible forms), is ironic, but to some Machiavellian corner of my heart, quite satisfying.
Finally, in order to write a successful blog post, one must be astute enough to recognize a topical issue to write about. In order to test your perception for the appropriate subject matter, choose the most appropriate topic from the following list of recent headlines:
1- Nancy Pelosi – First Woman Speaker of House-Elect
2- Al Jazeera Launches English All News Channel
3- Armani Dresses Katie Holmes For Wedding
If you selected number 3 as your choice for blog dissertation, the success of your post is guaranteed. For those of you who are still unsure of your accuracy in selecting the right topic, do what I did in my latest post, write about every thing that pops into your head.

author: Omer Alvie


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Peru: Anatomy of a Blog Workshop · Global Voices
David Sasaki

From now until Friday, Spanish journalist Nacho Fernández will be giving a workshop titled “Anatomy of a Blog” [ES] at the Center for Culture in Lima, Peru.


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Puerto Rico: Candela Festival · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

The Caribbean Beat weblog posts an entertaining and opinionated report on the 2006 Candela Art and Music Festival, which took place recently in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.


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Russia: Article Translated · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

La Russophobe‘s reader translates an article by Yulia Latynina on “Russian paranoia.”


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Russia: Litvinenko Poisoning · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog writes about the investigation of Anna Politkovskaya murder and the alleged poisoning of former FSB officer Aleksandr Litvinenko.


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Russia: Moscow Traffic Management · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ruminations on Russia criticizes Moscow's mayor: “Moscow's traffic is becoming legendary.  Yury Mikhailovich who has clearly never read a single traffic management article in his life has determined that the best way to deal with this is not to invest in more communal transport but to widen the road.”


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Russia: Russo-Turkish Wars · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Turkish Invasion lists 11 Russo-Turkish wars.


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Samoa: No Peace in Pacific · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Fagogo in Samoa lists the latest happenings across the Pacific islands and remarks that the Pacific ocean is anything but pacified.


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Senegal: Garbage Handlers’ Working Conditions · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Appalled at the working conditions of the employees of a local garbage collection company, Blog Politique du Senegal writes (Fr): “Quick to denounce slavery … we refuse to see the quasi-slavery endured by many in our society and in our families. These quasi-slaves whose masters we are.”


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Serbia: Hiding From the Rain · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Dictionary of the Serbian Mess posts a hilarious entry on how sometimes it is safer to get soaked than try to hide from the rain next to those old, crumbling buildings.


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Serbia: Political Parties · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

On the eve of an election, Dictionary of the Serbian Mess reviews Serbian political parties.


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Slovenia: ‘Angie’ and an NHL Player · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Rolling Stones’ Angie is remade to honor an NHL player from Slovenia, writes The Glory of Carniola.


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South Korea: too young · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Andy Jackson in Marmot's hole worries that the national human rights commission's criticism against the Asiana and Korean Air’s policy of hiring women crewmembers that are no older than 25 years will affect the service.


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Trinidad & Tobago: A new political order? · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Jeremy Taylor wonders whether a multi-party system may be detrimental to the development of a small nation like Trinidad and Tobago — and suggests a framework for a restructured — and more rational? — system of governance.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Member of parliament misbehaves · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

“We're in much deeper trouble than we previously thought,” writes Manicou, discussing the disdainful treatment meted out to people at a public meeting by Trinidad and Tobago member of parliament Larry Achong, and Achong's subsequent denial of wrongdoing. The Rights Action Group T&T blog, meanwhile, reports that residents of Chatham, the community in which the meeting took place, are demanding a public apology from Achong.


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Ukraine: News Roundup · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A Ukrainian news roundup over at Orange Ukraine.


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Ukraine: “Unknown Holocaust” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Cyber Cossack writes about the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33 – an “unknown Holocaust” – and links to the “800 pages of documented details on the Holocaust still denied by Russia.”


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Uzbekistan: Gulnara Antoinette  · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Sean Roberts reports on Uzbekistan's imaginary middle class and compares the daughter of the country's president to Marie Antoinette.


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Venezuela: Conference on Digital Journalism · Global Voices
David Sasaki

The Third Congress on International Digital Journalism is currently underway in Maracay, Venezuela and Patricia Noriega is dutifully taking notes [ES].


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Venezuela: Electoral Musings · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Miguel Octavio pens his “Electoral Musings from Caracas, concluding that, “with two weeks left, we have a very nervous Government, with changing campaign strategies almost daily and a war of words and polls between the two sides, as well as changes in those running Chavez’ campaign. On the other side we have some cool maracuchos, either overconfident because of the size of the crowds they see daily or simply happy that they will not have to take over this really screwed up economy right before it blows up on their faces.”


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi Ihath, who lives in Canada, posts an insightful link to a master's dissertation which focuses on “how the reporting of the American-led war on Iraq in 2003 was effecting Iraqis living in Canada.”
Ihath admits the study left her crying on several occasions.


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Freedom for Egyptians reports that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak rejected a request to ban the Niqab (full face cover for women) in his country.


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mustafa from Beirut Spring has posted some banners on his site for people to print and wave at a huge rally planned in Lebanon tomorrow as part of assassinated Christian government minister Pierre Gemayel's funeral.


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Leila Al Haddad in Raising Yousuf, who is making her long trek home from the US to Palestine, and is now stuck in Egypt, waiting for the border to her country to reopen.
The experience makes her feel “very alone; no one cares, no one knows, no one bothers to know. This is how Palestinian refugees must feel every day of their lives.”


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Afghanistan:Father of Afghan Modern History · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Jafar Rezai  in his blog, From West, introduces Fayz Muhammad Katib,a 19 century Afghan historian, to us. The blogger adds Robert D. McChesney, a well-respected professor at New York University fell in love with the books of Fayz Mohammad Katib, a historian from Afghanistan. Robert D. McChesney not only translates Katib’s book, Kabul Under Siege: Fayz Muhammad’s Account of the 1929 Uprising, but as director of The Afghanistan Digital Library, digitizes Katib’s 900 000 words.


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African Diaspora: color or appearance? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

An anonymous reader responds to Black Looks’ post, “You are a blackman, you have to leave”: “Service was refused to this man based on his appearance not his race. If anyone has strong enough evidence than I to contest this statement I would like to know. We are a tolerant community and a diversely employed restaurant, how dare you try to bring down our good name for an issue that has been dead for years.”


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Armenia: Big Brother’s Fall · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Blogrel reports on the death of Big Brother, a large advertising screen in Yerevan's Republic Square.


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Armenia, Tajikistan: Roundups · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Onnik Krikorian rounds up the Armenian blogosphere while Vadim does the same for the Tajikistani one.


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Bangladesh: In Pictures · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Bangladesh is going through a difficult time. Elections around the corner, discussions on authority and the state. Drishtipat puts together a series of photographs that quite well encapsulate the current state of affairs. “While we try to make sense of what is happening to our beloved country, here is a glimpse of some surreal images from the past few days looking at the broader picture.”


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Barbados: Caribbean on the move? · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Barbadian blogger eemanee quotes the lyrics of two songs in which people from one Caribbean island make fun of people from another, and wonders: “i wonder if i'll live to see free movement of Caribbean people through out the Caribbean? What would/will the Caribbean look like when its people are allowed to move around as they like? Or have Caribbean people been moving already, imagining new communities beyond their country of birth? Are we just waiting for the treaties and laws that would codify and regularise what is already reality?“


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China: India · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Been a busy week for Chinese President Hu Jintao, first in Vietnam and now in India, and just what for? asks Hexun blogumnist Liu Dingcai:
胡哥访印度可以学什么
中国国家主席胡锦涛11月20日抵达印度首都新德里，开始对印度进行国事访问；２１日胡锦涛在新德里海德拉巴宫同印度总理曼莫汉&S226;辛格举行会谈，双方就发展中印战略合作伙伴关系达成重要共识。（据《人民日报》)
时不我待，不进则退。学习使人进步。中国有越来越迫切的理由向印度学习。学什么呢？
学习经济体制改革的经验，学习教育体制改革的成功，学习医疗体制改革的做法……不少专家在这方面有论述。
我认为，中国同时要向印度学习政治体制改革的经验。因为只有深化政治体制改革，推进民主法治，才能解除政治专制对经济、文化、教育等方面的束缚和羁绊，才能使经济体制改革能以及金融、教育、文化体制改革的成果得到巩固和进一步发展。
印度是目前世界上人口最多的民主国家，印度大选的选民人数高达六亿七千万之多。在印度这样一个第三世界国家，民主制度能够得到保留本身就是值得庆祝的事。印度的民主尽管还不够完善，进步慢了一点，也走了一些弯路，但这些弯路属于技术问题，是可以纠正的，事实上也正在有效纠正中。这正说明民主具有的内在纠错能力以及不二过的能力。印度的民主政治一直在推动着经济的飞速发展、科学技术的不断创新、服务产业的蓬勃壮大、人民生活的日益改善。
MSN Spaces blogger LCY Northboy starts off expanding on a Reuters news report of Hu's visit—
路透社：胡锦涛不会在国土问题上向印度退让
胡锦涛这次对印度的访问是十年来中国国家元首对印度进行的第一次正式访问。上一次访问是1996年11月，前中国国家主席江泽民在中印建交后以中国国家元首身份首次访印。
路透社在报导中说，胡锦涛这次访问不可能像上次江泽民访问印度时那样取得引人注目的成果。江泽民和印度政府正式签署了一个缓解中国和印度之间沿喜马拉雅边境的紧张局势的协议–《关于在中印边境实际控制线地区军事领域建立信任措施的协定》。
中国和印度曾在1962年因边界争端爆发了一场边界战争，战后遗留下来的边界争端问题至今未能取得突破性进展。
—then breaks down the issues they'll be facing down over, along with brief background. Just how does China plan to deal with the border issue?
西藏问题
西藏问题是中印之间另一个潜在的不安定因素。
星期一，一千多名藏人在印度首都新德里举行示威活动，高喊反对中国的口号，要求结束汉人对西藏的统治。西藏青年大会的一位领导人说，他们强烈抗议胡锦涛访问印度是因为当时担任西藏自治区党委书记的胡锦涛对1989年当局武力镇压西藏和平示威负有责任。
领土争端
中印边界争端在胡锦涛访问前夕重新升温。中国驻印度大使孙玉玺上星期在回答有关阿鲁纳恰尔邦的归属问题时说，中国认为，那一地区完全属于中国。针对孙玉玺的说法，印度国防部长慕克吉宣称，印度东北部的阿鲁纳恰尔邦为印度领土。他说，那个地区是印度不可分割的一部份。此外，印度还说，中国仍然控制着印度克什米尔邦沿山区边境的大片印度领土。阿鲁纳恰尔邦的归属问题也反映在两国分别印制的地图上。在中国印制的地图上，西藏南部有一大片地区只标志寥寥无几的城镇地名，然而，这块面积上相当于三个台湾的土地只在中国的地图上属于中国。换一张印度地图，那片地区就是印度的阿鲁纳恰尔邦。在1962年中印的边界战争中，中国军队实际上已经夺回了这片土地。然而，正当中国军队取得重大胜利的时候，中国政府突然宣布单方面无条件撤军。历史学家至今仍然对当时中国领导人毛泽东和周恩来为何突然宣布撤军的意图讨论不休。据中国媒体报导，当时中国军队接到的命令不仅是放弃全部收复的失地，撤回到麦克马洪线，还要从麦克马洪线再后撤20公里，与印军脱离接触，结果，战败的印军不但轻易返回原来控制的地区，又趁虚而入，继续向北推进，建哨所，修工事，反而多占了上千平方公里的土地。 1987年2月，印度政府将实际占据的9万平方公里的在中印传统边界线中国一侧的土地全部划为印度领土，并不顾中国政府的抗议成立了阿鲁纳恰尔邦。中国政府始终没有予以承认。这就是中国驻印度大使和印度外长发生口水战的由来。
学者：敏感话题
中国实行市场化改革以来，共产主义价值观念正逐渐被爱国主义和民族主义所取代。很多海外学者指出，极端民族主义是一把双刃剑，这把火处理不好也会烧到自己身上。领土问题就是一个非常敏感的话题。
1999年12月9日和10日，前中国国家主席江泽民在北京与来访的俄罗斯总统叶利钦签定了《中华人民共和国政府和俄罗斯联邦政府关于中俄国界线东西两段的叙述议定书》。然而，中国媒体没有对这项很多中国人关心的关于领土的条约进行详细的报导。1999年12月11日，《人民日报》第一版中关于这个条约只有一个一百字的短讯，其原因就是为了防止激起中国民众在领土问题上的民族主义情绪。然而，这一条约却在有新闻自由的海外激起强烈的反响。海外中文媒体报导说，这一条约签订之后，海参崴、伯力、尼布楚、庙街、外兴安岭、库页岛、江东六十四屯等这些地名已经成为每一个中国人心中永远的伤痛和屈辱。
观察家：访问不会解决领土问题
观察家认为，这次胡锦涛访印显然无法通过谈判解决关于阿鲁纳恰尔邦的归属问题。印度想要胡锦涛像江泽民那样在国土问题上做出重大让步、让这块土地永远划归印度、同时还要中国交出在克什米尔地区控制的所谓印度领土，这些只不过是一厢情愿的想法。
分析人士说，实际上，两国政治家都已经做出过沙盘推演。在领土问题上，中印两国都无法小看对方的军事实力和政治实力，靠武力解决领土争端对双方政府来说都是不可取的，而通过外交谈判解决更是一个旷日持久的过程，不可能经过一两轮磋商就能够达成。
不过，印度国防部长慕克吉表示，印度和中国在领土问题上有不同的观点，并不妨碍两国之间进行贸易和经济方面的合作。一些中国问题专家认为，中方目前强调的也是和印度发展经贸关系，进行务实合作。
And an interesting look at how MSN Spaces blogger Qtwwtzyy's personal experiences have shaped her political views:
昨天的FT头条新闻就是关于胡锦涛访问印度的，报道说虽然中国和印度的经济关系不断增长，中印仍然是疑虑难消。两国领导人的联合声明中称”中印是正在形成的多极化世界秩序中的两个重要国家，两国有足够的空间实现共同发展”。
这样的文字，看上去特别熟悉，大概又是外交部的同仁们努力奋斗的成果。虽然话讲的很好听，但在边境问题和贸易问题上，这次也没有实现实质性的突破。印度和我们之间的关系，就像其他很多相邻国家的关系一样，属于肯定有矛盾不能不打但又不能大打的类型。
个人对印度以及印度人的印象并不是很好，这里面完全没有种族歧视的影子，100％的个人直接体验。
第一次接触印度人是在留学的时候。同班就有两个印度同学，都很漂亮，就像宝莱坞的电影明星。本来对她们并没有什么特别的看法，和其他同学一样友善，还常常在一起讨论功课，做做项目什么的。有一次学校有个关于亚洲的演讲，我们都去了。按惯例，主讲人做完报告，有一段时间的 Q&A。让我吃惊的是，一直被我以为很友善的印度同学提出了一个针对中国的问题，大意就是中国目前是世界的焦点，大家都在谈论这个经济稳定高速发展的人口大国。印度目前的发展和中国类似，人口还很有可能超过中国。作为邻国，两者的竞争将是赤裸裸的。对于印度而言，应付中国的最好方法是什么？在专家看来，印度对于中国的优势是什么？
专家是如何回答的，已经不记得了。但她的问题给我带来的震惊至今记忆犹新。后来想想，也是自己太天真。本来我们就是对手，国家和国家之间只存在利益关系，从来就没有永恒的敌人或朋友，何必大惊小怪？
Backing up to China late last month, students at one technical college in East China's Jiangxi province found out from a television show that they wouldn't be getting the four-year university diplomas they had been promised, and some started rioting. There was bloggage here, here and camera footage posted here, but the story didn't hit youtube until a few days later. Video clips of the two thousand-strong team of police and soldiers arriving at the school, moving in, inspecting dorms, chasing students and attacking them here: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.

author: John Kennedy


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D.R. of Congo: post-election violence · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Light in the Heart of Darkness writes about post-election violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, “Protests outside the Supreme Court erupted in violence when several hundred Bemba supporters turned to arson. Several vehicles, including a police car, and the court building itself were caught in the path. Police fired into the air and gassed the crowd; amazingly, there were no casualties.”


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DRC: Supreme Court in Flames  · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Le Blog du Congolais posted a declaration by Union pour la Nation (UPN) stating (Fr) that partisans of defeated candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba who had gathered at the Supreme Court to hear an official report on part of the results had nothing to do with the fire or gunshots that set the court ablaze. The declaration claims that elite troops of the  army of Angola brought in by victor and acting President Joseph Kabila as well as the national police force were present and attempted to disperse the crowd with tear gas. The declaration says partisans of UPN saw rockets land on the building, causing the fire.


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Esperantoland through Pictures / Esperantujo tra Bildoj · Global Voices
Steven BREWER

author: Steven BREWER


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Guyana: Melancholy and migration · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

After her brother returns to England, Guyana-Gyal muses on personal melancholy and the more general issue of migration: “I don’t think people here recover yet from the splintering of families, from massive migration. We tear away from old lands to here, from here to new lands, and them tears still burning.”

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Jamaica: Respect the currency · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Jamaican Mummy Mel appeals to her compatriots to show their patriotism by respecting the local currency: “All too often I see people screwing up their faces and bitchin about the state of the economy and how the dollar depreciating every day. Well how the hell you expect the economy to get any better if you don't do your little part. Support your Jamaican products, and support your own damn currency!“


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Kyrgyzstan: Public Opinion · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Kyrgyz Report discusses the findings of a new public opinion poll.


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Kyrgyzstan: Youth and Nasvai · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Yulia translates an article on the heavy use of nasvay, a mixture of tobacco and lime that is chewed, among young Kyrgyz.


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Latin America: Blogómana · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Blogómana [ES] is a new directory of Spanish-language blogs by women.

author: David Sasaki


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Mexico: Felipe Calderon presents its Economic Cabinet · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Ricardo Carreón lists Felipe Calderon's newly appointed Economic Cabinet. Ana Maria Salazar says there are some surprises among the choices.


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Pakistan: A Cricket Match in 1989 · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Light Within shares the memories of a cricket match played between two colleges in 1989. “While both colleges boast of great talent in academics and sports, DJ college gets the best of two in cricket. However, for at-least one year in 1989, Adamjee College was able to beat DJ College comprehensively. This writer had the honors of playing for Adamjee College that year.”


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Pakistan: Women from Islamabad · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Islamabad profiles women from the city who have featured prominently in the public arena. “Here are five of the top movers and shakers based out of Islamabad who can be a beacon and role models for the rest. They come from diverse backgrounds ranging from government, entrepreneurship, and technology”


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Panama: Beers & Blogs Decmeber · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Bloggers visiting Panama City in the month of December, take note: the next “Beers & Blogs Panama” will take place at Taberna Steinbock on December 22 [ES].


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Russia: Hairdressers · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Turkish Invasion compares Russian and Turkish hairdressers.


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Russia: Litvinenko Poisoning · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog writes about the Litvinenko Affair.


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Serbia: Karadzic · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Slobodan Milosevic could have known where Karadzic was, writes Finding Karadzic. And Jean-Marie Le Pen, a French presidential candidate, has a t-shirt with the images of Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, reports Neretva River.


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South Africa: design your own World Cup logo · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A new website enables South Africans to design their own 2010 World Cup logo, “If you're bummed that you didn't crack the nod to assist with the design of our country's most important logo ever – then here's you opportunity to set that record straight.”


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South Africa: podcast round-up · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Vincent Maher writes a round-up of South African news podcast, “Both the Sunday Times and the Mail & Guardian Online have begun podcasting in the recent weeks so I figure it’s a good time to do a little test and compare the available products.


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Sudan: we blog for Darfur · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Grandiose Parlor writes about a new blogging initiative, We Blog for Darfur.


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Tajikistan: Presidential Symbols · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Vadim reports on Tajikstan's presidential symbols.


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The Week that Was – Bolivian Blogs · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Bolivian blog community webpage, Blogs de Bolivia [ES], has been at the center of discussion regarding the growing phenomenon of Bolivian blogs.  Recently, it sought to find out the demographics of those visitors that frequent the page.  Its survey found that by far, the two two categories were Bolivians living abroad (46%) and Bolivians living in the country (35%).  The other categories included foreigners living in Bolivia and elsewhere.
Perhaps what is most encouraging was the number of responses in the survey, where 282 individuals took the survey.  The blogroll of Bolivian blogs, written by Bolivians and by others in Bolivia, continues to rise.  Part can be attributed to the amount of attention given to this new form of media, as articles continue to be published in Bolivia’s mainstream press.  Gustavo Siles, one of the founders of the Blogs de Bolivia site and blogger at Almada de Noche [ES], was recently published in Los Tiempos, Cochabamba’s major newspaper, where he talked about “Blogs, More Than Just a New Word“.
Several of the country’s bloggers also participated in a forum held in Santa Cruz, which was sponsored by the Centro Simon Patiño in late October.  The event titled, “Iberoamerican Gathering of Writers – Blogs: Language and Setting,” which also counted on its own event blog.  Sebastian Molina of Plan B [ES] and Juan Carlos Ramiro Quiroga of Ciudadano K [ES] wrote extensively about their experiences at the event.  Approximately 15 bloggers attended the event and many also were featured speakers, such as Molina and other Bolivian writers, who also maintain blogs.
As the number of blogs increase every week, it is often difficult to keep track of them all.  A list of sorts recently made the rounds and in the spirit of the recently awarded Best of the Blogs award, a top-ten list of Bolivian blogs were released.  This raised plenty of discussion on the Blogs de Bolivia site, where many of the commenters were perplexed by the unclear criteria and the manner of voting.  Some noticed that they hadn’t even heard of many of the blogs, but were grateful for exposure to new sites.  This has also led others to talk about the possibility of launching a more complete and participatory attempt to recognize some of the best Bolivian blogs.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Trinidad & Tobago: Carnival venue off limits · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Saucydiva reprints an article on her blog announcing that the Queen's Park Savannah, one of the traditional venues for Trinidad's Carnival parade, will be off limits for next year's festival, and attracts (at the time of writing) 39 comments largely protesting the move.


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Trinidad & Tobago: The extent of the race problem · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Are the comparisons being made by former Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition Basdeo Panday between the state of race relations situation in Trinidad and Tobago and that in 1950s America and apartheid-era South Africa fair? The Manicou wants to know.


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Ukraine: Maidan’s Second Anniversary · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv, Ukraine: two years since the beginning of the Orange Revolution – by Veronica Khokhlova
Nov. 22 marks the second anniversary of the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, but little orange has been visible on the streets of Kyiv today. A crowd gathered at Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti), but it was nowhere near as numerous as last year.
Victor Yushchenko, who became Ukraine's president largely thanks to the peaceful protests of 2004, celebrated this day away from Maidan. He invited Ukraine's current prime minister Victor Yanukovych to the reception at Mariyinsky Palace; Yanukovych, who might have stolen the 2004 election if it hadn't been for the mass protests, didn't show up.
Below is what one Ukrainian blogger – LJ user didaio of Dnipropetrovsk – has been thinking (UKR) today:
Freedom Day
I opened the closet today and hesitated for a very long time as to whether to put on an orange ribbon or not. I ended up wearing it.
Spent the whole day in doubts over whether I should send greetings via SMS.
And only in the evening, as I turned on the music of THOSE days […] and turned off the lights in the room, did I realize how important this day was for me. I began sending instant messages to friends, and each name in my address book brought about memories from THOSE days. Many of my today's friends appeared only thanks to THOSE days. And nearly half of these contacts oppose those events.
Sending instant messages helped me understand one important thing – Ukraine is indeed one. People with different worldviews live in it, with different views on their own future and the future of their country, but this shouldn't disunite them to the point when they become enemies.
[…] Supporters of Yanukovych, among my dear ones and my friends, were not supporting falsifications, they were for another path for Ukraine. Same as we were at Maidan not because of Yushchenko, but because we wanted changes for Ukraine.
I don't know how long this confrontation between Ukrainians is going to last. I wish each of us gave others the right to have their own opinion. I'd like Ukrainian politicians not to ruin my country. But all this, unfortunately, is more like fantasy, dreams, not something that's possible, reality.
One thing I know for sure – this day is the dearest of all the rest for me. And no politician will manage to ruin my memories of the Orange revolution! I hold these days dear because they united millions of people. Nothing like this had ever happened in Ukraine's history.
P.S. Yesterday, in his TV interview, Yushchenko said that Maidan's main achievement, Freedom, cannot be stopped. Unfortunately, it can be stopped. Ukraine still can go back, and slowly is moving back, to the pre-Maidan times. Today, it's not just the old faces that have come to power – they have brought the old politics with them.
Today, head of President Yushchenko's press service has refused to accredit [Ukrainska Pravda], explaining that an Internet publication is [not considered legitimate]. Yushchenko invited Victor Yanukovych to the celebration of Freedom Day – and [Yanukovych] didn't come.
All this is taking us back to yesterday. And we keep silent and once again get disappointed in our leaders. ENOUGH!
[…]

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Ukraine: Orange Camp Troubles · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Notes writes about the lack of unity and other troubles in Ukraine's Orange camp.


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Ukraine: Orange Revolution 2 Years On · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Leopolis writes about the meaning and the second anniversary of the Orange Revolution.


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· Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese Abu Kais links videos showing the thousdands of people who attended assassinated Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel's funeral in Beirut today.


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Egyptian blogger released · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Rantings of a Sandmonkey reports the release of Egyptian blogger Rami Siam, who was in jail for four days “for no crime and without justifiable cause.”
Meanwhile, blogger Abdul Karim Nabeel is still in jail for articles he posted on his blog.


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Arabisc: Plagiarism, Arrests, Bans and Democracy! · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Arabs are as usual busy this week debating anything and everything, from plagiarism to the arrest of bloggers, and from banning public meetings to embarrising George Bush Senior at a conference held in the UAE.
Ahmed from Egypt had always wanted to become a journalist. But because not all dreams come true, he had to settle for writing online when he stumbled upon the enchanting world of blogging. His love affair for the Press, however, was cut short, after discovering that an Egyptian newspaper was lifting articles from his blog (needless to say without his permission) and posting them as letters to the editor, under different names.
In support of Ahmed, Masri, is concerned about pressures put on bloggers by both the State and others who think it is fine to ‘steal’ articles from blogs.
بالنسبة للقيود في العالم الإتراضي في التصنيف الأخير لمنظمة صحفيون بال حدود تم تصنيف مصر من أسوأ 13 دولة في الرقابة على الإنترنت و التعامل مع المدونات
الدول ال13 المصنفة في القائمة السوداء
روسيا البيضاء و بورما و الصين و كوبا و مصر و إيران و كوريا الشمالية و المملكة العربية السعودية و سوريا و تونس و تركمانستان أوزباكستان و فييتنام
و يمكن أن يسوء التصنيف بعد خامس حالة إعتقال خلال سنة في صفوف المدونين حيث تم إعتقال المدون رامي صيام الناشط بحركة كفاية و المدون ( مدونة أبو أيوب المصري ) و سبقه خلال السنة علاء و محمد الشرقاوي و مالك مصطفى و عبد الكريم نبيل
The Moroccans too have their issues with blogs as Hjiouij points out.
Let the fireworks begin!!
From threats to blogs and bloggers, we move on to the banning conferences and public gatherings in Amman, Jordan where Batir Wardam  is not pleased that the Jordanian authorities have banned a conference  being held on the sidelines of one of the activities held as part of the Forum for the Future ,which is being hosted by his country.
مثال واضح على ذلك هو قرار محافظ العاصمة بمنع إنعقاد الملتقى المناهض لمنتدى المستقبل والذي تقوم بتنظيمه مجموعة من النقابات والأحزاب ومؤسسات المجتمع المدني وهو عبارة عن مؤتمر أكاديمي ثقافي يحمل فكرا مناهضا ومختلفا عن فكر منتدى المستقبل والمؤتمر الموازي له الذي تنظمه بعض مؤسسات المجتمع المدني. هذا المنع غير مبرر وحتى لو كان مستندا إلى صلاحيات المحافظ الممنوحة بموجب قانون الاجتماعات العامة فهو يشكل إساءة إلى سمعة الديمقراطية والمشاركة الشعبية في الأر
And last but not least, Omar Al Azbi from Jordan tells us about how George Bush Senior was bombarded with questions during a conference held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.


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Bahamas: Better living through travel · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

“. . . until we understand why people travel, unless we can step into
their shoes, we are going to stay right where we are, and other people
are going to catch us up and grow taller,” writes Nicolette Bethel, making the case for Bahamians to become different kinds of travellers.


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Balkan Blog Roundup: Focus on the Positive · Global Voices
Ljubisa Bojic

The Balkans need reconciliation, confidence and positivism to change and become the winning region of Europe with happier citizens. You can see that in the inspirational words from the Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian blogospheres. Toshiba posts some thoughts of the late Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic during his motivational meetings with the people (SRP):
I came in this morning at the gate of the Jagodina cable factory. I saw a nice clock at the entrance. It didn't work. I wanted to get back. I said – OK. You have problem with resources and cash flow but why doesn’t this clock work? What is the issue? That is the point. Let’s do what we can do and then look for excuses. You say – world conspiracy. Maybe there is a world conspiracy against us. But, first of all, let’s see what we can do in our own yard, our city, and our country. If we do our homework, then we can see if the teacher hates us or not.
I plea with each one you. When you wake up tomorrow, just say – there is another day, I have got a chance to do something. When the day finishes up, don't say – thank God another day has ended. Life is a miracle given to us! I will tell you something which is not for television. One human being is just one of 40,000 spermatozoa. Only that one succeeded. The other 39,999 didn't make it. It means – you are all champs! Everybody who has been born is already a winner. And then you say – life is nothing, I will take drugs, I will get drunk. Stop, man! Your responsibility to yourself and God is enormous. You won one of the most important games of them all. You are alive. You got born. Do something positive with your life. We need that atmosphere with our people! We need to crash that feeling which stayed since the Ottoman Empire rule in Serbia. We say – it's easy, I'll do it tomorrow, I can't do that, they are all against us. Of course, the world is a cruel market. People don't like each other. Everybody likes himself. Why don't we like ourselves like Americans like themselves and then we can see who is more successful. Because we don't like ourselves so much and they like themselves, they are always better than us. Are we guilty for not loving ourselves or is somebody else to blame? We are guilty!
There is no sleeping! We can't be a world champion and sleep all the time. You can sleep five or six hours. Why do you need more to sleep? You will sleep when you get old. Old people can sleep. If you are not old, don't sleep. […] There is no Saturdays or Sundays. If you want to achieve something big, there are no holidays. There are 170 religious festivities annually in Serbia. We are going to celebrate when we win. We can't win if we celebrate during the training. You have to motivate yourself, your neighbors and all members of the team in order to achieve the great goal. Our goal is to bring Serbia into the family of developed countries. It is such an enormous cause, it makes every sacrifice too small. We are ready to work even more, but we need your help. You have got to wash your face with cold water. If it doesn't help, get a cold shower. You need to clean up your house, both literally and figuratively; to arrange your living environment; to establish measures and standards of quality, good results and responsibility. Thus, with the help of the policies you implement locally and the ones we implement globally, we can become champions. There are no obstacles within the system for positive selection of the people, there are no obstacles for the right things to happen. […] The state policy was to give a good position to the stupid person so he or she could never overthrow you. That's not the state policy now. I appointed [Bozidar Djelic] to be the finance minister and he is smarter than me. Why would I need him if I knew economics better than he did? Mirko Marjanovic wanted everybody else in the government to know less than he did. As he knew very little, the others didn't know anything.
We are destroying the greatest of all potentials – people and knowledge. There are many poor countries plentiful with resources like diamonds, gold and energy. That's because the people aren't able to use them wisely. There are rich countries without of any resources because people are able to organize themselves. It means that everything depends on the people!
I read in a newspaper once – Prime minister has got a problem, he is hyperactive. From the slug’s point of view a turtle is hyperactive!
I respect the saying of one old Indian wise man from the nineteenth century. He said – if you got to swallow a frog, do that at once. If you got to swallow a few frogs, swallow the biggest first. It means – if you have to solve some problem, access it right now. Don’t wait till it comes to you.
When I say to people – let’s do something! – they ask me – against whom? I tell them – there is no enemy. We have got partners only. They tell me – we don’t understand that. We can understand if you tell us who is against us and then we can see what we can do. That is our problem. We can easily unite against someone else. It is difficult for us to unite for our own sake. Why don’t we do everything for ourselves and then do something against someone else. That moment won’t come because we will always have something to do for ourselves. You are young people. I want to tell you something. Look towards the future. Look towards the future and there we shall meet. […]
It appears we are the people with a strong intuition to start the right things but we don’t have the persistence to finish it up. The Saint Sava temple was a symbol of our national low self-reliance. From now on, we are the people who finish up all the projects!
It is considered a wise thing in Serbia if you say – I will lose before the game starts. And then, you are wise because you got the score right. If you do that, then don’t play the game at all. Before every match I say – We shall win. It doesn’t mean we are going to win every time. But if I didn’t believe this country could triumph, I would hand my position to another person.
There is no way to change Serbia if we all stay unchanged. In order to alter Serbia, each and every one of us got to change.
Armin Cengic is determined to destroy walls in order to contribute to the well-being of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He states (BOS):
Open letter to my Orthodox neighbor!
Dear neighbor,
Words to be written are intended to crush the walls of suspicion and disbelief between us established a long time ago. I experienced the last [civil war in Bosnia] like you, just like our fathers and grandfathers experienced the other wars in the past! I experienced it both financially and emotionally… Thank God, nobody got killed in my family. It is a pity my and your neighbors can’t say that. […] The reason why we don’t accept our blame is that complex and that [brainwash]… luckily, I hope you will see it; we all don’t have so many complexes. […] I want to write about events I was involved in. They took place in Sarajevo [during the war]. […] “War will start in a few months; those heads we lose in the areas where we are minority, we got to “make up” here where we are majority! It means we got to eliminate (!) as much Serbs as possible! I will take care to provide you with two trucks of Hungarian Kalashnikovs, and you will collect about 60000 of German marks to pay goods and transport. I talk to you, Amir, because you know many people and you are able to do that. It has been decided [100%]. War will [rage soon]!”
Those were the words of Namik Bukvica. At the moment, he was a high-ranked official in the Bosnian government ministry of social issues!
It is true I consulted with my friends about this terrible news […]. First of all, every member of the Bjelavica community didn’t like this gentleman’s idea! Should I say that such orders don’t fit into teaching of any well known religion […]?
I specially didn’t love the idea to go to the door of my elementary school teacher Nada Despotovic and her son Djordje, with Hungarian Kalashnikov in my hands and kill them just because of the demography of Bukvica. Thus, after a few more meetings, we thanked him for his services and severed any contact! That probably contributed to attaching to Bejelavica the label of a pacific [part of the city]. It was the only one in Sarajevo which didn’t have its brigade during the whole war.
[…]
Dear neighbor, as you know, I made the first step toward crushing mistrust [between us] and you can, if you want to, do the other one, inform all the [relevant] organizations from country and abroad that I am ready to testify in front all the victims of the war, and specially, in our case, Sarajevo Serbs.
If we don’t determine responsibility for what happened before and during the war, Serbia, Republic of Srpska and Serbs will bear all the moral and economic responsibility! My sick mother and blind brother won’t have any use because of this responsibility; again Mr. Bukvic and many other [initiators of the war] will prosper as members of our as well as your institutions.
I am available to talk to all the people who respect justice as well as to all the victims of war, their families, invalids, etc…
Please receive my sincere neighbor greetings,
Let us celebrate God, and may God help us all.
Ivan from Croatia speaks up about psychological walls that prevent him from communicating of his feelings (HRV):
How do we break the walls?
Of course, concrete walls aren’t in question, it is easy to crush those no matter how tall and thick they are.
The answer to this question isn’t communication, because people who can and know how to communicate don’t build the walls between themselves. It is the easiest task to tell people – “Well, talk…” Often, discussion results in adding bricks to the wall instead of crushing it.  People even stop talking in order not to continue with the further construction of the wall.
Instead, one needs to go the other way, to turn to himself. Build yourself in order to become a happy and independent person […]. We have to take responsibility for our own actions and feelings. […] He or she can invite us to some feeling, but the final decision lies with us. We have to build a skill to deny the call, if we don’t like it or if it is against our own interests.
[…]
It's empowering to know our own feelings are our own responsibility, it enables us to break walls because we would not judge the other person because we feel bad. Only when we liberate ourselves of accusations towards the others, we can start to crush those walls gradually by exploring them and knocking those walls down slowly. When we both realize, we are on the same task, we will see the walls that appeared thick and concrete are thin like carton now.
On the other hand, we may realize, we are not on the same task. Many are scared of that notion. That is the reason why they don’t want to begin with the change. It is good to find that out and determine to position ourselves the best way in dealing with the problem. In any case, bare notion that we are only guilty of our emotions (and can control them) is healing.

author: Ljubisa Bojic


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Barbados: Biodegrdable plastic? · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Considering the volume of plastic trash on Barbados’ beaches and elsewhere, Barbados Free Press wonders whether it's time Barbados mandated the use of biodegradable plastics.


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Belarus: Nasha Niva Ordeal · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's Belarus Blog writes about one Belarusian newspaper's ordeal.


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Brunei: Malay Wedding Part 2 · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The Daily Brunei resources follows up his post on wedding attire worn by Malay males with a post on wedding attire worn by Malay women .

author: Preetam Rai


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Bush and Indonesia Islam · Global Voices
A. Fatih Syuhud

If you watched CNN or BBC before and during Bush's visit to Indonesia, you would see a sea of protersters in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta with slogan of anti-Bush and to some extent, anti-American foreign policy. But with most female protesters were wearing Islamic clothes i.e. jilbab (Indonesian term for Islamic veil), it is easy for people on other parts of the world to think that's it's only those Muslim fundamentalists who were against Bush. As a matter of fact, it's not.
Barring a few–mostly conservative Christian minority, Indonesians are united in condemning Bush/US foreign policy, especially its post-9/11 pre-emptive policy that led to US wars in Afghanistan and especially Iraq which is regarded as sheer breach of a nation sovereignty and blatant show of arrogance.
Both conservative and moderate or even the so-called liberal Muslims intellectuals wrote critically against the US invasion in Iraq. Ulil Abshar-Abdalla, the founder of Jaringan Islam Liberal (JIL) (Liberal Islam Network), for example, wrote at that time (the archive link is no longer available, unfortunately) that the invasion was sheer barbarity and telling example of US double-standard. Important to note here, that  JIL, an organisation that focuses on Islamic issues from liberal/moderate Muslim point of view,  is funded mostly by US money. Mr Ulil himself now is studying a PhD at Boston.
Andreas H Pareira, a Christian and MP from former president Megawati's PDIP party reported by Indonesia News Agency Antara as saying: “Do not behave softly to the US, so as to not create an impression that we are a US puppet country.”
Berita Sore daily, an evening newspaper from Medan, North Sumatra, quoting an east Indonesia political analyst Professor Muin Salim who said that Bush visit “in no way benefitting Indonesia.”
Yet, Bush PR officers should not be too disappointed as Indonesia Ulama Council or MUI (Majelis Ulama Indonesia), infamous for its conservative opinions, is welcoming Bush with bear hug and regard his visit as “positive and beneficial.”
So, from that background in mind, it's no wonder if Bush visit to Indonesia is facing many unflattered responses from various corners including from the Indonesian blogosphere.
For starter, Senopati Wirang at Intelijen Indonesia (Indonesian Intelligence) makes a lengthy posting on Bush's visit from different angles, particularly from intelligence perspective and intransparency of security officials statement, especially on the justifications behind the excessive use of security guards which he thinks too much exaggerated.
Tata Danamihardja at Buka Mulut does not seem to care of Bush visit and controversies surrounding his visit. Yet he's got something to complain to Indonesian security official as to why a US president visit has to make people sacrifice many imporartant things including six billion rupiah (around USD six million), the temporary ban of street retailer and the temporary closure of many schools in the surrounding areas the US president wants to visit.
MicoKelana, however, thinks in more positive and prudent way. Indonesian economy is worsening, he said. Bush visit, therefore, would make a positive signal: if head of the only superpower comes to Indonesia, so will the other countries. Hence, more investors.

author: A. Fatih Syuhud


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Caribbean: Local Telecom Digicel to be Traded on the NY Stock Exchange? · Global Voices
Alice Backer

InternetRapide.com writes (Fr): “According to last weekend's edition of Irish newspaper Sunday Times, Denis O'Brien, owner of Caribbean mobile telephone operator Digicel, allegedly consulted investment banks JP Morgan and Citibank on the trading on the New York Stock Exchange of his company. The introduction on the New York Stock Exchange, which O'Brien has denied in the media in past weeks, is therefore still in the headlines … It is allegedly planned for January of February 2007.”

author: Alice Backer


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China and Africa: African, our brothers · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Little bridge has a translation of a blogpost “African, our brothers”, written by a Chinese diaspora Zhai Hua, on his encounter with Africans.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China and U.S: homeland insecurity · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

One Man Bandwidth blogs about the difficulties in visa application for going to study in U.S from China: We are sending China huge amounts of cash, keeping them out of our country and then demonizing them for the deficit.


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China: dog eats dog tourism · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Joel Martinsen in DANWEI blogs about the notorious tourism industry featured in a magazine, Oriental Outlook: the conclusion the articles seem to make is that change in the industry really depends on the tourists themselves…


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China: modern peasants · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Lyn Jeffery in virtual China introduces two peasant websites in China. Both sites are rather visible on net.


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Cuba: Cold wave · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

“Today at daybreak I look down on the city and saw a parade of North Pole-style raincoats, hooded overcoats, people wearing gloves. What a bunch of exaggerators we are: the first wind hasn't blown and already we believe it's going to snow,” writes [ES] Cuban journalist Zenia in a brief meditation on unseasonably cool temperatures experienced this week in parts of Cuba.


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Egypt: Cairo’s women speak out against violence · Global Voices
Sameer Padania

In the run-up to the annual global campaign for 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, Egypt's First Lady, Suzanne Mubarak, addressing a meeting of the Arab Women's Organisation, issued a heartfelt plea:
What shall we do to face challenges of discrimination, extremism and religious fanaticism?
It's a vexing question – and one to which women back home in Egypt would have a very specific answer: stop ignoring violence against women even when it's become an international scandal thanks to citizen video and the internet.
In her speech, Mrs Mubarak failed to make even a passing reference to what had happened to tens of women in her home city of Cairo just a couple of weeks before.  A wave of attacks on women in downtown Cairo erupted on the Muslim feast day of Eid Al Fitr, October 24th 2006, when large groups of men attacked several women in the street, as Manal and Alaa's bit bucket relates.  But this wasn't a one-off – in January 2006, on Eid al Adha, film-maker Sherif Sadek was back in Cairo, when he heard a commotion on the street outside his downtown apartment.  Sherif grabbed his camera and leaned out the window to film the video presented below.
Synopsis
Initially it's a little difficult to tell what is going on in the video – there are crowds in the middle of the street, which looks unusual – but after about 25 seconds, you will see two or three men leading four or five girls down the street past the building from which Sherif is filming.  The crowd behind them is extremely large, a couple of hundred strong, and soon surrounds the girls (around 1'20).  They then pass down a side-street, partially out of view, which gives Sherif time to spot a man in uniform – a police officer? – looking down the street at the commotion, who then gets back in his vehicle (1'50).  Sections of the crowd then come running back round the corner, although it's not clear whether they have the girls with them or not.
The October attacks took a similar form.  GV's Amira al Hussaini rounds up the best blog coverage of the October attacks, including Forsoothsayer's translation of blogger Wael Abbas‘s eye-witness account, and Mechanical Crowds’ attempt to pull together the key facts.
Most strikingly, one of the victims of the Eid al Fitr attacks seems to have found a voice through the medium of blogging.  Wounded Girl From Cairo appears to be by one of the women attacked on Eid al Fitr, and her description of her ordeal is required reading.
Official media remain silent in “Black Hole of the Internet”
In most countries this would dominate the national media for days, but much of Egypt's official and semi-official media remained conspicuously silent for many days after the events of Eid al Fitr.  These stories would probably have died but for Egyptian bloggers such as Wael Abbas, Arabist, 3arabawy and Sandmonkey, who wrote both in Arabic and in English, publicising the video of the incident.  Even as international attention grew, Egyptian media maintained their silence, only broken by government-aligned magazine Rose al Yousef, which attacked Wael Abbas for besmirching Egypt's name.  The government eventually responded, saying that these events could not have occurred, since there had been no reports of crimes of that kind.  In a society where, activists say, women are forced to take the blame for attacks on them, and where police do not take such reports of sexual harassment seriously, is it so surprising that there were no reports of harassment crimes on those nights?
Egypt is listed by Reporters Sans Frontieres as one of the 13 Enemies of the Internet, a Black Hole of information, yet, since the Eid al Fitr attacks, discussion and debate has erupted online about what could have caused this outburst of violence against women.   On Al-Ahram Weekly, one commentator see this as part of a larger pattern of frustration at economic and social divisions in Egypt, while another speculates that young men see “women's bodies as the only battleground between Islam and the West.”  Bloggers female and male have speculated on whether it's down to sexual frustration among young men.  Sandmonkey even points to a TV interview with a man he says is a convicted rapist on Egypt's Death Row, in an attempt to “make some sense of the Eid attacks”.
Women face widespread sexual harassment
Whatever the complex causes of this violence, public sexual harassment is a human rights problem that, according to some female Egyptian bloggers, every woman in Egypt has experienced, but about which there is apparently little public debate.
The Egyptian Center for Women's Rights runs a campaign (Arabic here) to collect and document testimonies about sexual harassment of women and plans to take the evidence of widespread harassment to the government to get them to take the problem seriously.  The ECWR campaign aims to raise awareness and debate in the media about harassment, which, if the blogs are anything to go by, affects thousands of women on the streets of Cairo and Egypt's other cities every single day.
How successful the ECWR's campaign has been or could be is unclear, but since the Eid al Fitr attacks, female bloggers such as Mademoiselle HH, Ghawayesh, Zeinobia, and MaryInEgypt, and many commenters on their blogs, have related their own experiences of sexual harassment, and even sexual abuse, to a wider world.
If blogs and citizen video are finally breaking the official and semi-official media's silence on this issue, that is to be welcomed, but the government's attitude may have some distance to travel.
Shutting down women's rights demonstrations at home…
Two demonstrations against sexual harassment in the street have been held in Cairo near the site of the October attacks, on 9th and 14th November.  Blogger Mademoiselle HH attended the demonstration on 9th November, and “got home in one piece and did not have to use either my pepper spray or my telescope baton which was a relief”.  Her trepidation was understandable, given how women activists and journalists were treated during a protest against a referendum in May 2006  – sexually assaulted by supporters of the ruling party as police looked on, without intervening.  Two excellent photo slideshows of the 9th November protest are on Flickr, by Nora Younis and by Nasser Nouri, a Reuters photographer.
On 14th November Magda Ally, Director of the Nadim Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture, led a demonstration, at which speakers called for the government to take action against sexual harassment in public spaces.  The 50 protestors from The Street Is Ours were surrounded by hundreds of police and security services personnel, and were pushed away from the Metro Cinema, where the Eid al Fitr attacks began, into the Excelsior Cafe, where they remained for an hour.  Foreign journalists complained to Reporters Sans Frontieres that they were being prevented from reporting on the protest, in the course of which eight activists were detained.
Mohamed Gamal, a blogger who witnessed the Eid al Fitr attacks and attended the 14th November protest, sums up in The Daily Star what many Egyptians are thinking:
“It is the duty of our government to provide security to all Egyptian citizens,” he says. “The security forces are only protecting the regime instead of the Egyptian people.”
Attempts to foster the public debate continue in the face of intimidation.  There's a meeting planned for 4th December at the American University in Cairo, AUC, at which speakers will debate a range of key issues emerging out of the Eid al Fitr attacks.
… while championing women's rights abroad
Recommendations for protecting and respecting the rights of Egypt's women have come regularly from many quarters – the Egypt Human Development Report (PDF), the National Council of Women, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.  President Hosni Mubarak‘s government was cracking down on protests by its female citizens at the same time as the President's wife, Suzanne Mubarak, leading the Egyptian delegation at the Bahrain meeting of the Arab Women's Organisation, issued a challenge to Arab states and societies:
“The development of women cannot be separated from the development of Arab society as a whole. Development requires social, political and economic reform.  The Arab world faces globalisation challenges and must be able to partner with developed countries.  In order to meet these challenges, the role of women must be activated.”
But to Egypt's women, appealing in vain to Hosni Mubarak's government to tackle the problem of public sexual harassment and humiliation, his wife's challenge must seem like a distant dream.

author: Sameer Padania


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Guadeloupe: Pictures of Route du Rhum Transatlantic Race · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Bienvenue en Guadeloupe posts (Fr) pictures of the Route du Rhum transatlantic sailing race and writes (Fr): “This race starts in Saint-Malo and ends in Pointe-a-Pitre [Gaudeloupean capital]. It was created by Michel Etevenon, in 1978 … This transatlantic race from continental France to overseas France happens every 4 years to the joy of our tourism professionals.”


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Guyana: New magazine · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Guyana 360 has good things to say about a new Guyanese publication called E-Buzz.


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Hong Kong: unity via gambling rather than democracy · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Simon world blogs about how the pro-Beijingers voted down against universal sufferage for 2012. However, the liberal sector managed a unity for a casino project in Lantau.


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India: Karva Chauth, women and their husbands · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Mad Momma reflects on the ritual of Karva Chauth – a fast kept by married women to pray for their husbands to live long. “Does your husband not love you then? Doesn't he want to fast and pray to God to give you a long life?”

author: Neha Viswanathan