text:
Tribute to Malaysian Activist Irene Fernandez · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The global human rights community is mourning the death of legendary Malaysian activist Irene Fernandez. Irene died of heart failure on March 31, 2014.
Irene is the founder of Tenaganita, a group which advocates the protection of migrants and refugees. Irene is a veteran activist who has consistently and valiantly asserted the rights of women, workers, and other marginalized sectors of society. She was a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award in 2005, an alternative Nobel prize.
Irene was arrested in 1996 and charged with “maliciously publishing false news” in relation to her work exposing the abuse of migrants in detention centers. Her trial which lasted 13 years became the longest in Malaysian history.
The Aliran human rights group recognized the bravery of Irene who was viciously persecuted by the government:
The cause of human rights has lost a staunch fighter who courageously stood up in defence of fairness and the just treatment of unfortunate migrant workers who are often exploited and mistreated by unscrupulous employers and agencies.
She was dedicated and determined in pursuing her cause for the welfare of the downtrodden. And like all human rights advocates everywhere, she was persecuted by a government that does not brook any defiance by anyone in the pursuit of justice.
Steve Oh described Irene as Malaysia’s ‘Joan of Arc’ of maltreated migrants:
The political tyrants made life unfairly difficult for this intrepid, irrepressible and humble Malaysian ‘Joan of Arc’ of maltreated migrants and repressed refugees in her country.
It is hard to speak of Irene without recalling the hostile environment where the authorities are unwilling to be scrutinised and held accountable for their deeds. She overcame the untold hardships she suffered at the hands of the overbearing authorities that had harassed her.
As I write, I recall the strength of this remarkable woman in whose stoic countenance were etched the sufferings of a saintly woman, sufferings not the fruit of personal making but from helping the helpless in their pitiful plight.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim also paid tribute to Irene:
…a champion of the weak, the poor and the marginalized, and a fighter of true grit in the face of persecution and constant harassment by the authorities.
Indeed, also a sad personal loss as she had been a close family friend and my colleague since our Malaysian Youth Council days.
Klang MP Charles Santiago summed up the legacy of Irene:
None of the persecution and harassment she faced doused her spirit to fight on. She, in fact, waged wars that were truly inspirational for the younger generation. Her commitment to human rights and justice is legendary.
We all aim to leave an imprint as we end our journey on earth. Irene leaves behind a legacy which will continue to not just fight for the rights of the oppressed and underprivileged, but also continue to inspire others to be courageous in the face of adversity and to soldier on to fight for what they believe in.
Irene is a friend and partner of various Asian human rights groups. One of them is the Philippine-based Center for Women's Resources:
Center for Women’s Resources is one with the people who deeply mourn Dr. Irene Fernandez's death. We give honor to a great woman who was so supportive of our struggle and advocacy. She was a citizen of the world, an activist without borders, a real internationalist.
On Facebook, Victor Sang Khambil remembered Irene as a fighter in behalf of the Chin people in Malaysia:
I can only say that death ends a life but not a relationship. Irene Fernandez is not only in the history book of Malaysia as a great human rights defender but she is living forever with the Chin people too. Goodbye my friend, here is my last word to you, ” you will never die because you are a living symbol of a woman's courage.”
The Asian Peasant Coalition mentioned Irene’s agrarian reform advocacy:
Irene’s sudden death shocked us and we are very saddened. However, our beloved Irene will always inspire us. We call on the people who were inspired by her sincere work to translate their sympathy into a more painstaking work to serve the oppressed people. We will continue her legacy. We will continue our struggle for genuine agrarian reform and food sovereignty!
A few years ago, the United States recognized Irene as one of the leading activists in the world who fought hard to end modern-day slavery. Ambassador Joseph Y. Yun expressed sadness over the passing of Irene:
People throughout Malaysia and around the world had great respect for her long record of fighting on behalf of the poor and marginalized. A few years earlier, the State Department acknowledged Irene as one of ten leading activists around the world working to end modern-day slavery.  The United States Government could not have found a better person to honor.  We were all moved by her conviction and her contribution to promoting respect for human rights in Malaysia.  We will all truly miss Irene’s passion, dedication and, above all, her friendship.


text:
Vybz Kartel Gets Life in Prison, Fans Question the Future of Jamaican Dancehall · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Breaking news out of Jamaica this afternoon is that reggae dancehall artist Vybz Kartel, convicted along with three other accomplices for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, has been sentenced to life in prison.
Twitter was very active, with users trying to predict the severity of the sentence. Dre1alliance Jamaica suggested that, at the very least, the convicted men would have to spend at least 15 years behind bars before being eligible for parole:
#VybzKartel, Shawn Storm and co-accused sentencing today, how long will the #worlboss spend behind bars? At the… http://t.co/9kXINGzUiS
— Dre1alliance Jamaica (@Dre1allianceEnt) April 3, 2014
As it turned out, the sentence would only allow for a chance of parole after a much longer time:
BREAKING NEWS: Vybz Kartel sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour. Not eligible for parole before 35 years #VybzKartel
— Samuel Thom (@SamuelThom5) April 3, 2014
#VybzKartel will be eligible for parole at age 73 http://t.co/sU6E6s2jbf
— Dre1alliance Jamaica (@Dre1allianceEnt) April 3, 2014
Once the length of the sentence had been confirmed, netizens started commenting:
Well that's it for #VybzKartel
— Is She Gon' Pop™ (@LisaPreity) April 3, 2014
On Nationwide News’ Facebook page, readers were asked “What's your reaction to news that #VybzKartel has been sentenced to life in imprisonment at hard labour. Not eligible for parole before 35yrs?” Responses varied. Dave Brown said:
Happy because justice was served
Garfield Reid agreed, but also made the point that criminals do not come from only one strata of society:
I hope this send[s] a strong statement to youths, please refrain from the gangster life style because you will be next, but please my people there many more criminals out especially in the walls of the government who need to be brought to justice just like the WORLD BOSS
Damion Williams echoed this sentiment:
There is no justice in Jamaica if u can take a person phone August and have it in evidence, and September and October it still a use, and then material from it use in evidence – that is showing that Jamaica is for [the] rich and politician[s]. Peter Bunting come on National TV and say Vbyz Kartel [is] 1 of the 4 reason[s] [the] crime rate [is] high in Jamaica. Kartel got lock up 2 yrs and a couple months now, and the crime still high…
Keisha Hutchinson disagreed:
Everybody is living on the use of the cell phone in custody, that piece of evidence alone could never be the only thing that was used to convict Kartel! Seriously??????
Also referring to the acquittal of former minister Kern Spenser, one Twitter user quipped:
RT @RebelSteve: Meanwhile Kern Spencer is picking out the drapes for his office in a new ministry #KartelMurderTrial #VybzKartel
— Jeepers Queefers (@Chunchi) April 3, 2014
Others still couldn't believe the verdict, far less the sentence…
#VybzKartel sentenced to life in prison? I thought they had no body and no evidence? On what basis did they come up with this decision?
— Lynette John (@LynetteJohn) April 3, 2014
…while some still believed if you do the crime, you do the time:
So vybz cut up some man into pieces? He deserves life in my opinion #VybzKartel #justsaying
— ☯тяιχιє вєℓℓє☯ (@trixie_belle) April 3, 2014
At WorldBossTeam.com, a website in support of Kartel, there were details of the sentencing:
Dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, is to serve 35 years before he becomes eligible for parole.
He and the three other men convicted for Lizard’s murder were each given life sentences a short while ago by Justice Lennox Campbell.
Adidja Palmer – LIFE IN PRISON (35 years before eligible for parole)
Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell – LIFE IN PRISON (25 years before eligible for parole)
Kahira Jones – LIFE IN PRISON (25 years before eligible for parole)
Andre St John – LIFE IN PRISON (30 years before eligible for parole)
Justice Campbell handed down the sentences after hearing impassioned pleas for leniency from lawyers representing the men.
The post republished some elements of the trial and explored what the defence's current options were, considering that it “cited discrepancies, inconsistencies, missing data, and mismanagement in the collection of evidence as well as the integrity of the evidence”, specifically “the decision of the trial judge to permit certain phone evidence, given the admission by the police that the instruments were being used after they were taken into their custody.”
Kartel's legal team has already stated that it will be appealing the verdict.
Back on Twitter, some users were concerned about the effect that the sentence would have on dancehall music:
#VybzKartel given Life sentence in Jamaica – it's now left to be seen what impact this will have on dancehall.
— Shiloh PR (@shilohpr) April 3, 2014
I keep seeing posts of who's gonna replace #VybzKartel.. Uhm no ones gonna replace him , no one can
— ✨ Cam ✨ (@JamCamaria) April 3, 2014
Guensie G. asked:
When did it become cool to say "free (insert celebrity here)" just cuz u like them as an entertainer? Murder is murder #vybzkartel
— Guensie G. (@guensie) April 3, 2014
Others were not convinced:
I mourn the sentencing of my favorite artist #vybzkartel. If you powerfully speak out against big politicians they'll fix you.
— MuneneKinyuah (@MuneneKinyuah) April 3, 2014
Okayplayer.com also questioned the legality of the judicial process in Jamaica and juxtaposed that concept with what it considered the strength of Kartel's music:
#VybzKartel gets life sentence in JA. Justice? The legality is debatable. His catalog is undeniable: http://t.co/tWQR7oUJbz @largeupdotcom
— Okayplayer.com (@okayplayer) April 3, 2014
Interestingly, Kartel supporters were already touting Vybz Kartel, the next generation, since the performer's two sons are following in their father's musical footsteps:
#VybzKartel's sons doing music >> NEW MUSIC: PG13 (Little Vybz x Little Addi) – Gimmi Di Money http://t.co/6UU4mCQ5VW #Gaza
— Wade Haye (@SwadeDaVillain) April 3, 2014
#NEWMUSIC! PG 13 (LITTLE VYBZ & LITTLE ADDI) – GIMMI DI MONEY [SHORT BOSS] -APRIL 2014 @iam_djlen #VYBZKartel Son… http://t.co/MljDqRrUsd
— Alicia//Free W-Boss (@Gazafansonly) April 3, 2014
That may just have to be the future of dancehall where Vybz Kartel is concerned – at least for the moment. As one Twitter user put it:
Time to unfollow #VybzKartel. No music or updates of worth coming from him for awhile.
— LJE Model Agency (@LJEModelAgency) April 3, 2014

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Campaign to Unfollow “Occupied” Opposition Twitter · Global Voices
Andrey Tselikov

@lentaofficial's new logo.
After RuNet's mainstay news portal Lenta.ru lost almost its entire staff [Global Voices report] to a shift in editorial policy, its official Twitter account @lentaruofficial stopped updating. Then, several weeks later, on April 1, 2014 it activated again, with the following tweet:
Вежливые люди, занявшие редакцию, попросили написать что-нибудь сюда. Но нам лениво.
— ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ редакция (@lentaruofficial) April 1, 2014
The polite people occupying the office asked us to write something here. But we are lazy.
The tone of the tweet as well as the frivolous emoticon appeared to copy @lentaruofficial's original humorous style (it famously started each day with the Russian equivalent of “what's up doodz”). The “polite people” phrase is a reference to the commonly used euphemism for anonymous Russian soldiers so ubiquitously present in Crimea over the past weeks. Later, another tweet commented on the fact that @lentaruoffical regained its verified status:
Дбрнч! Вернули твиттеру @lentaruofficial статус официального аккаунта Лента.ру #вежливаяредакция
— ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ редакция (@lentaruofficial) April 2, 2014
Goodnight! We've returned the official Lenta.ru account status to @lentaruofficial. #politeeditorialstaff
Former Lenta.ru correspondent Ilya Azar tweeted [ru] that the new @lentaruofficial was “occupied” and is trying to mimic the old Lenta. He also said that he and his compatriots are not currently running any Lenta.ru affiliated Twitter accounts. Many @lentaruofficial fans were incensed at the perceived usurpation, and started a mini-campaign to get people to unfollow the “zombie” impostor. One ex-Lenta employee tweeted:
отфолловьте lentaruofficial, это не мы, это стремные чуваки, которые умеют только ломать то, что прекрасно работает.
— Pavel Borisov (@3insy) April 1, 2014
unfollow lentaruofficial, it's not us, it's some strange dudes that only break things which work great.
Some users reported [ru] that the new account was being run by a team of social media marketers who came to Lenta.ru together with the new editor-in-chief. Alexey Navalny's compatriot Leonid Volkov went further, saying that the account needs be actively banned from Twitter:
Не забудьте отфолловить @lentaruofficial и зарепортить их как спам. Это оккупанты.
— Leonid Volkov (@leonidvolkov) April 1, 2014
Don't forget to unfollow @lentaruofficial and report them as spam. They are occupants.
The official account of Rain TV also chimed in:
Сегодня первое число нового месяца. Не забудьте купить проездной, оплатить интернет, покормить кота и отписаться от @lentaruofficial
— Телеканал ДОЖДЬ (@tvrain) April 1, 2014
Today is the first of the month. Don't forget to get your bus pass, pay for internet, feed the cat and unfollow @lentaruofficial.
The campaign to unfollow @lentaruofficial did produce results, but nothing to write home about. Over the period of 4 days around 10,000 people unfollowed the account. As of April 4, the account's follower count stopped dropping, and stabilized at 230,000 followers. The 10,000 users that took action could perhaps be viewed as a kind of proxy for the active core of politically engaged Russian microbloggers.
@lentaruofficial follower count over the last few days. From twittercounter.com, screenshot.

author: Andrey Tselikov


text:
Coming Soon! Rising Voices Microgrants for Amazon Communities · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

Amazon Peru, photo by Pearl Vas  (CC BY 2.0)
Rising Voices will be launching a microgrant competition next month for digital citizen media projects in the Amazon region which is home to many indigenous communities. Thanks to Avina Americas, Fundación Avina, and the Skoll Foundation, we'll be offering this support with ongoing mentorship from the Global Voices community.
Read more about the project on Rising Voices and register your interest here.
Citizen media has played an important part in many cultural, political, social and environmental struggles in the region. See some of our past coverage of Amazon communities on the special coverage page: Forest Focus: Amazon.

author: Solana Larsen


text:
Donations Prolong Life of Opposition TV Station · Global Voices
Valentina Lukin

Images remixed by Andrey Tselikov.
TV Rain, Russia's only fully independent TV station, continues the struggle for existence with the help of its viewers. The week-long telethon [Global Voices report] that started at the end of March has collected enough funds to maintain broadcasting for just over 53 days [ru].
TV Rain was founded in April, 2010 as an online broadcaster, and hit one million monthly viewers per month a year later. During the 2012 presidential election, it attracted even more eyeballs, since it was the only TV station that gave air-time to opposition leaders. Before it was recently dropped by 90% of Russia's cable providers, its audience reached 17,5 million households. Since then this number has decreased to 2.5 million.
Since about 70% of TV Rain's revenue came from TV advertisement, the drop necessitated a change in the business model. The management decided to ask viewers for subscription fees and donations — funding methods used by some western TV and radio stations, like America's National Public Broadcasting.
The fundraising effort was supported by RuNet users both in Russia and abroad. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, tweeted:
Check out the telethon that TVRain (http://t.co/EbDEKnLFJG) is running. TVRain is quality , independent journalism that Russia & world need.
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) March 24, 2014
Russian poet Andrei Lozhkin asked [ru] on a self-publishing website for writers (Proza.ru):
не лучше ли слышать, хоть иногда, альтернативное мнение? Если мнение будет только у государства, то с чем его сравнить будет можно?
is it not better to hear an alternative opinion, at least sometimes? If only the state will have opinions, what could you compare them to?
According to TV Rain owner [ru], Aleksandr Vinokurov, right now the channel needs 20.6 million rubles (0.5 million dollars) per month to survive. This number is half of what was initially budgeted for 2014. In comparison, state owned Russia Today spent 933 million rubles (26 million dollars) per month in 2013. Vinokurov said that the channel is cutting costs where possible — currently the CEO is getting paid only 14,000 rubles (or $400) per month.
Some of TV Rain's support also comes from Ukranians, who see it as one of few friendly Russian media resources. According to Alexa, 68.2% of TV Rain internet viewers come from Russia and 11% from Ukraine. However, the number of Ukrainian viewers is growing. Between March 16 and March 29 TV Rain moved from 174th to 132nd spot in Ukraine. The website's rank is also growing in Russia, moving from 101st to 76th place.
Although right now TV Rain has funds enough for two more months of broadcasting and its internet reach is increasing, nobody can protect it if Russia's censorship juggernaut turns in its direction. As the recent blockages of opposition websites show [Global Voices report], the Kremlin can shut down any RuNet website with impunity.

author: Valentina Lukin


text:
GV Face: The USA’s Secret “Cuban Twitter” · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

A secret US plan to support regime change in Cuba with a Twitter-like messaging service called ZunZuneo has now come under the spotlight with news reports that thousands of Cubans were duped into signing up for the service under false pretenses.
Will there be consequences for digital activists worldwide? Some worry it will lead to even more distrust and censorship of the internet and social media in their countries.
A spirited discussion with: Sana Saleem, Ivan Sigal and Solana Larsen.


text:
Jamaicans React to Vybz Kartel Sentencing  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Active Voice compiles a selection of choice tweets about the sentencing of Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel, which “will give you a feel of what the mood was like today at the Supreme Court and outside it.”


text:
Jamaica: Vybz Kartel to Face Additional Charge  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Even though he has already been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, Jamaican dancehall performer Vybz Kartel is to face the courts on a charge of perversion of justice related to the case. Jamaican View reports.


text:
Online Protest as Trinidad Muslims Detained in Venezuela · Global Voices
Jason Nathu

Digital poster for “Free Our Brothers Now” campaign
For a second consecutive day, members of the Islamic community in Trinidad and Tobago will assemble in peaceful protest outside the Venezuelan embassy in Port of Spain, after several local Muslims were detained in Venezuela, amid charges of an alleged plot to overthrow the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
Late last month, the website Today Venezuela reported that at least nineteen Trinidadian Muslims were in the custody of the Venezuelan intelligence service SEBIN, under the suspicion of being terrorists.  On March 28, several of the detainees were released and flown home to Trinidad, but at least five Trinidad and Tobago nationals, including three Muslim leaders, remain in custody.
The arrested nationals were said to be part of a delegation traveling to Venezuela seeking visas for an Islamic pilgrimage. In an interview with Trinidad and Tobago media, the detainees insisted that there was no plot against the Maduro administration, and pleaded with the Trinidad and Tobago government to bring them home.
Netizens turned to social media to bring attention to the issue. A Facebook page entitled Free Our Brothers In Venezuela has emerged, facilitating a space for online protest about the continued detainment. The page's administrators posted a letter from the wife of one of the detained men:
I am the wife of one of the detainees held in Venezuela. I wasn’t there when this happened the evening of March 19th but I might as well been. This journey so far hasn’t been an easy one. It started of[f] with thinking this is just one big misunderstanding and it would be cleared up by the night time. Today is the 31st of March, 2014 and their situation hasn’t changed. They are still at the hands of their captives and to add to the dreaded situation, the media took this predicament and turned it into a circus, made the situation potentially worst [sic] for my husband and the rest of the brothers detained. For what??? To sell their newspapers. They don’t care for truth. They don’t care that they are destroying lives with their published lies just to make a front page or a headline. Alhamdulillah the women and children were freed. But…what is our situation?
All of the men detained are fathers, husbands, maintainers, providers and protectors of their families. They have fallen victims of this diseased world and it’s [sic] injustice. The worst part of this is feeling alone. We call ourselves muslims and we are afraid to stand up for what is right. Where are the leaders? Are the three imams who are detained the only islamic leaders in Trinidad? Out of the hundreds of thousands of muslims in Trinidad who is standing in support of the brothers in Venezuela? A non-national Venezuelan group who lives in Trinidad; imagine that! We should be ashamed of ourselves. We preach one thing but when Allah tests us what do we do? Turn a blind eye and make dua and hope for the best. All voices suddenly [go] silent while our husbands, fathers and brothers are left in this situation and at the hands of a Venezuelan ‘justice’ system.
We call ourselves Trinidadians and when our people are treated unjustly we are laid-back about it. Where are the efforts to get these people out from their captivity[?] Where is the Prime Minister? Where is the embassy? Where are the leaders of our Nation? Because I wear hijab that doesn’t make me a terrorist. I am a muslim born in Trinidad. That makes me a Trinidadian! We need help to get these men out of their present situation. THEY NEED OUR HELP!!!
Yesterday, members of the local Muslim community organized a peaceful demonstration outside of the Venezuelan embassy in Port-of-Spain in support of the detainees.
Facebook user Narisa Mohammed voiced her support for the protest:
I hope and pray both Muslims and non Muslims alike, turn out in their numbers in support of our brothers. I make dua for them and their families during this difficult time. May allah grant them relief and comfort very soon. I'm so very sorry to say; but our Muslim community need[s] to get up and stand out very hard, instead of sitting silently. I heard Zaa[‘s] voice yesterday, and it broke my heart to hear; with tears in his voice, he's begging and pleading for help…
Nikiyah Abdul Raheem also gave her perspective:
Wake up Muslims come out and support
All I hearing is about the three imams W[h]at about all the rest of brothers eh
They have wives to [sic]
They have kids to [sic]
They have family to [sic]
They have friends to [sic]
Wake up Muslims
Come out support all my Muslims [sic] brothers that's [sic] lock[ed] up in Venezuela
Another netizen had this to say:
Please say a prayer for our fellow Trinidadian muslims who are being wrongfully held captive in Venezuela under ‘suspicion’ of terrorism and are forced to spend so many days under horrible living conditions. They showed no kind of remorse for the women and children for 10 days, we can't even imagine how the men are being treated. Let us stand up and speak out for justice at this time when even our Prime Minister is silent. Join the page Free Our Brothers In Venezuela and for those who can make it, be part of the protest outside the Venezuelan embassy at 9am tomorrow. When authorities fail us we have to take a stand!
Journalist Aschah Gulston posted photographs of the protest on her Instagram account:
One digital activist started a Twitter account in support of the detainees:
Please continue to pray for the brothers who are wrongfully detained in Venezuela. Their is power in prayers. pic.twitter.com/nIrjAjHbLq
— Tahirah M (@freebrothers) April 1, 2014
Youth activist Paul-Daniel Nahous voiced his concern on the issue in a public Facebook post:
A group of Muslims from Trinidad held for weeks in Venezuela, including women and children (who were only recently released after negotiations), none with known illegal/questionable conduct/ties. Accused of plotting to overthrow the Government on less than speculation, without a shred of evidence or reason beyond their Faith in the face of a Government considered by many to be Illegitimate. Our Brothers are still being held without due process or just cause. Who is the Terrorist here?
Meanwhile, website TerrorismWatch.org is reporting that members of the local Islamic Missionaries Guild is cautioning local Muslims to desist from any form of protest, in fear for the safety of the detained men:
PLANNED action by some local Muslim groups to show their disapproval with the Venezuelan government’s decision to detain the three imams in a Venezuelan jail is being met with disapproval by members of their family. The three imams along with five other Trinidadian men, identified as Dominic Clive Pitilal, Andre Joseph Battersby, Asim Luqman, Charles Wade and Leslie Doisely, are being kept in a Venezuelan prison for alleged crimes of terrorism and criminal association.
‘We are asking all of them out there not to engage in any kind of action unless it is endorsed by the family members,’ said president of the Islamic Missionaries Guild of the Caribbean and South America, Imtiaz Mohammed. ‘We don’t want what is being done by the Trinidadian authorities with our assistance to be put in jeopardy,’ pleaded Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the family members at a news conference arranged at the Islamic Centre in Kelly Village, Caroni, yesterday afternoon.
Based on information which Mohammed said he obtained, there is one religious media organisation planning a protest outside the Venezuelan Embassy in Port of Spain [on April 4]. ‘This could potentially undo all the work that is being done by the T&T authorities with our assistance to have the imams freed.’

author: Jason Nathu


text:
Singapore Poster Campaign Wants Public To Feel Guilty About Meat Consumption · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

‘Why love one but eat the other?’, this is the theme of the poster campaign initiated by the Vegetarian Society of Singapore to promote vegetarianism. The posters feature a house pet and a farm animal to encourage the public to reflect on their meat consumption.
The two-week poster campaign will end on April 9, 2014. The group has chosen the City Hall MRT station, which is one of the busiest train platforms in Singapore. The poster campaign was originally done in Toronto.
The group explains the rationale of the campaign:
Dogs and cats are loved and adored; we think of them as our companions, our friends. We feel outraged when we hear of their abuse and call for laws to protect them. Indeed, the idea of eating them would simply be unthinkable to most.
In contrast, farm animals – who are every bit as intelligent, sensitive and emotional as dogs and cats – are just regarded as food.
Each poster contains information about farming methods to highlight animal abuse:
The posters are meant to evoke the rationale consideration of what makes one sentient being a ‘friend’ while the other is ‘food’. There will be some basic information on factory farming methods and relevant statistics included on each poster.
This YouTube video by Vegetarian Society was used by the group to raise the funds needed to mount the campaign.
Veron Lau, President of Cat Welfare Society, urges the public to rethink how we treat animals:
Loving our pets yet eating animals does often pose a dilemma for many animal lovers. We ask ourselves if we cared to save and prevent one from suffering, should we not do the same for the other. Whether we are animal lovers or not, we should make it a priority to live mindfully and that includes thinking about where our food or pets come from because we are part of a consuming chain and have the collective power to affect ethical change through our choices.
Habib Hassan, one of the train passengers interviewed by The Straits Times, does not support the campaign:
Vegetarians are only a small group in Singapore. They shouldn't be allowed to use public space to promote their cause. This advertisement is clearly biased and makes people feel guilty. I should be able to eat whatever I want.
Below are some of the posters used by the Vegetarian Society:
Selfie photo of vegetarians supporting the campaign.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement on Reddit · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

Four Taiwanese students joining the Sunflower Movement opened an Ask Me Anything on Reddit to answer questions regarding their protest against the closed-door trade deal with China.

author: I-fan Lin


text:
UNESCO Mapping World Press Freedom Day Events · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

Screen shot of UNESCO's crowd map of Press Freedom Day events
May 3 is World Press Freedom Day and UNESCO is marking the occasion with an event in Paris, France that is free and open to the public.
There are lots of resources on their site for anyone who wishes to learn more about press freedom or host an event.
Using an online crowdmapping tool UNESCO is logging World Press Freedom Day events around the world and invite you to submit your own.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.


text:
A Russian Gulag for American Social Networks’ Data? · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Could Facebook be forced to open new servers in Siberia for its Russian users? Images mixed by author.
A Moscow city councilman is trying to resuscitate a government push to expand Russia’s “digital sovereignty.” On April 3, 2014, Alexey Lisovenko published a plea to Duma deputy Sergey Zhelezniak, asking him to pass legislation that would require all online social networks to house users’ personal data on servers located on Russian soil. Lisovenko, an active member of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, cites Edward Snowden’s revelations about American spying as a reason for the move. “Snowden has confirmed,” Lisovenko explains, “that the largest intelligence-gathering corporation there is—the US National Security Agency—is monitoring our social media accounts.”
American snooping, though, is relatively old news. Last June, days before Snowden even arrived in Russia, Zhelezniak—Lisovenko’s addressee—gave a speech in parliament, advocating exactly what the city councilman asks today: relocating servers to sovereign Russian soil.
One thing that distinguishes Lisovenko’s request today is that he also proposes Siberia as the ideal location for large data centers. Indeed, the cold weather and abundant energy resources in eastern Russia potentially make it an ideal place to house millions of dollars of burning-hot computer hardware. Just last year, Facebook opened a new data center in Sweden, south of the Arctic Circle, to exploit precisely these natural advantages.
Lisovenko’s proposal complements Moscow’s long-term (some might say “eternal”) development efforts in Siberia, as well as Russia’s growing effort to halt capital flight. While the data on social networks beamed out of the country into the West isn’t often viewed as a drain on Russia, per se, tying “digital sovereignty” to economic development could make it politically salient for those unmobilized by fears about American spying.
Alexey Lisovenko, 4 June 2013, Moscow, Russia. Facebook photo.
Of course, forcing foreign networks to store users’ data in Russia would also make the information more accessible to the Russian government, which already operates a PRISM-like spying program called “SORM.” In November 2013, the online journal Expert.ru quoted an anonymous source within Russia’s SORM infrastructure, who claimed that the physical remoteness of Facebook’s servers is the only obstacle to mining the website’s archives.
According to Expert.ru’s SORM insider, the Russian government has played an active role in the evolution of Vkontakte, Russia’s most popular social network. Not only does the state monitor the website’s users, the source claims, but it has also insured Vkontakte’s popularity over Facebook by obligating Internet providers to dedicate greater bandwidth to Vkontakte traffic. The government also tolerates widespread copyright violations on Vkontakte—undeniably one of the service’s greatest appeals. (I myself know several Muscovites who maintain Vkontakte accounts solely as a means of storing music “in the cloud.”)
Digital sovereignty didn’t take off last June, but Russian efforts to expand policing of the media (both new and old) haven’t slowed. In fact, tensions in Ukraine have made matters worse. Just yesterday, April 4, 2014, the Duma passed draft legislation that, pending the approval of the upper house and President, will criminalize “Nazi rehabilitation,”* empowering the state to ban journalists from the profession (or even jail them for as many as five years), if they “falsely accuse” the USSR of Nazi-like misdeeds during World War II.
That conflict ended with over two million people inhabiting the Soviet Gulag—mostly in places throughout Siberia. Today, it’s not necessary to stuff the country’s malcontents into trains and cart them off to remote prisons. The government can accomplish far more policing virtually, thanks to the Internet. That said, if Lisovenko gets his way, Siberia might still have a part to play.

author: Kevin Rothrock


text:
Cameroonian Minister Arrested, Then Released 24 Hours Later · Global Voices
Dibussi Tande

Cameroon’s Minister of Secondary Education Louis Bapes Bapes was taken into custody on Monday, March 31, 2014 on charges of embezzlement, after he had been summoned to the country's Special Criminal Court for what was supposed to be a routine investigation into corruption in his ministry.
While the public was still trying to make sense of the unprecedented arrest of a sitting minister, the arrest warrant was withdrawn barely 24 hours later and the minister released. Initially, many assumed that news of his release was an April Fools prank until TV stations began showing images of a frail-looking Bapes back home with family and friends.
Some reports claimed that President Paul Biya was taken unawares by the arrest and that he ordered his immediate release [fr] as soon as he was informed. The Camer.be news portal put forth another theory, arguing [fr] that Bapes Bapes’ arrest was meant to be a warning to other government ministers:
De l’avis de certains analystes, M. Paul Biya a voulu lancer un message à ses ministres. De la sorte, il a créé une panique générale et un malaise entre le pouvoir judiciaire et l’exécutif. Les ministres camerounais, même en fonction, ne sont plus des intouchable.
According to some analysts, Mr. Paul Biya wanted to send a message to his ministers. In this way, he creates general panic and unease between the judicial and executive branches. Cameroonian ministers, even those in office, are no longer untouchable.
In a press briefing held later that evening, Minister of Communication Issa Tchiroma officially explained [fr] why his colleague had been jailed and then released in the span of 24 hours:
Dans la journée du 31 mars 2014, Monsieur Louis Bapès Bapès, Ministre des Enseignements Secondaires, a été placé en détention provisoire par le juge d’instruction du Tribunal criminel spécial. Dans le cadre d’une procédure suivie contre lui pour détournement de deniers publics. Le 1er avril 2014, en application du pouvoir que lui confère les dispositions de l’article 222 alinéa 1er du code de procédure pénale, ce juge a donné main levée d’office du mandat de détention provisoire décerné à l’encontre du sus nommé. En effet, d’après cet article je cite: «le juge d’instruction peut à tout moment, jusqu’à la clôture de l’information judiciaire, d’office, donner main levée de mandat de détention provisoire» fin de citation. En la matière, le juge n’obéit qu’à sa conscience et n’a de comptes à rendre à personne. Il y a lieu de rappeler que d’une part, d’après l’article 1er du code pénal, la loi pénale s’impose à tous. Et que d’autre part, la procédure d’information judiciaire suivie contre lui, suit son cours normalement. Voici la communication que je voulais porter à votre connaissance. En raison du fait que l’affaire se trouve entre les mains de la justice, un pouvoir indépendant, jaloux de son indépendance et de ses prérogatives, il ne m’est pas permis de répondre à une quelconque question qui tarauderait l’esprit des journaliste.
On March 31, 2014, Mr. Louis Bapes Bapes, Minister of Secondary Education, was remanded into custody by the examining magistrate of the Special Criminal Court. This was within the framework of a procedure initiated against him for embezzling public funds. On April 1, 2014, the magistrate withdrew the remand warrant on the basis of powers granted him by Section 222 (1) of the criminal procedure code. According to this section, “The examining magistrate may at any time before the close of the preliminary inquiry and of his own motion withdraw the remand warrant.” In such matters, the magistrate obeys only his conscience and does not have to explain himself to anyone. It is worth noting, on the one hand, that article 1 of the penal code stipulates that the law applies to everybody. On the other hand, judicial proceedings against him continue normally. This is the information that I wanted to bring to your attention. Due to the fact that the matter is in the hands of the justice system, an independent power which is protective of its independence and prerogatives, I am not allowed to respond to any question that is gnawing away at the minds of journalists.
Tchiroma’s explanations failed to sway many who instead saw the saga as proof of a government in disarray:
l'arrestation du ministre BAPES et sa libération nous montre que nous sommes dans un pays de blagues où règne du désordre
— mbelek simon pierre (@SimonMbelek) April 2, 2014
The arrest and release of Minister BAPES shows us that we are a country of jokers in which disorder reigns
In the same vein, Mantango Club blog bemoaned [fr] what it termed the desecration of the ministerial office:
A la suite de cette rocambolesque arrestation, je suis tout de même confus par cette facilité et cette manie que nous avons, dans ce pays, de la désacralisation de la fonction ministérielle, de l’autorité de l’Etat, de la banalisation institutionnelle à défaut de parler de crime… un ministre qui est soupçonné de vol ou de prévarication doit rendre sa démission ou être déposé par respect institutionnel avant son arrestation. Arrêter un ministre en fonction sans décret de destitution préalable est une barbarie d’autocrate contre les institutions de la République qu’il confond à sa cuisine et de terreur à l’égard des ministres membres du gouvernement de la République.
Following the extraordinary arrest, I am embarrassed by the ease and manner in which we desecrate the ministerial office and authority of the state, and trivialize institutions, short of talking of a crime, in this country… A minister who is suspected of theft must tender his resignation or be fired prior to his arrest, out of respect for his office. To arrest a sitting minister without first signing a dismissal decree is an act of barbarism by an autocrat against state institutions, which he confuses for his kitchen, and an act of terror against government ministers.
Many could not get past the notion that Bapes Bapes was actually sent to the notorious Kondengui prison (where other high ranking government officials such as former Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni are locked up), but successfully walked out a free man the next day. @PierreChrist_ joked:
Louis Bapes Bapes a officiellement le marabout le plus compétent du monde planétaire. Je veux la même ecorce pardon !
— Pierre Christian O. (@PierreChrist_) April 2, 2014
Louis Bapes Bapes officially has the most competent witch doctor on planet earth. Please, I want the same magic portion!
As Cameroonians pondered the bizarre events of the last few days, online news portal Cameroon Info raised an issue [fr] that is on the minds of many:
On se pose la question de savoir si la libération provisoire de Bapès Bapès ne lui offre pas une occasion en or de prendre la poudre escampette? Il faut faire vite, avant qu’il ne soit trop tard…
We wonder whether the withdrawal of Bapes Bapes’ remand warrant does not offer him a golden opportunity to go on the run. He should act fast before it is too late…
Thumbnail image is a screenshot of an Equinoxe TV report.

author: Dibussi Tande


text:
Caribbean: An ICT Wish List  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

From critical thinking to more public data, T3CHTT compiles a list of what the region is lacking when it comes to Information and Communications Technology.


text:
Chasing Bangladesh’s Extreme Weather · Global Voices
Pantha Rahman Reza

Screenshot of the Great Bangladesh Weather Expedition website
Bangladesh is among the topmost nations vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to the frequency of extreme weather events and its high population density. Floods and cyclones are often deadly and cause serious damage throughout the country. Such severe weather and rising sea levels are already a reality and will only continue to intensify.
The Great Bangladesh Weather Expedition aims to record these events. This team of storm chasers includes meteorologist Jonathan D. Finch from the United States; Dr. Ashraf M. Dewan, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and an assistant professor in the Department of Geography at Nagoya University in Nagoya, Japan; Scott Olson, a photographer for Getty Images; and Tim Vasquez, creator of Digital Atmosphere forecasting software.
Finch has spent years studying and forecasting Bangladeshi weather and keeps a comprehensive archive on his site. The following map was created with data from Finch and Dewan:
According to the website, the Bangladesh Expedition will be operating as a mobile mesonet – or a network of weather stations – from Dhaka to Fairdpur and Manikganj taking measurements of temperature, dew point, wind speed and direction as well as taking photographs and video. They will also produce a documentary, which will focus on the project as well as the culture of Bangladesh and explore the uniqueness of the country's weather.
Hail storm sweeps through Dhaka city. Image by Mehedi Rahman. Copyright Demotix (24/2/2010)
Bangladesh is home to the world's deadliest tornado and also the world's heaviest hailstone which was reported to weigh 2.2lbs (that's the weight of 7 baseballs). This same storm killed 92 people from hail alone and the nearby region of India had the world's deadliest hail storm on record with 246 fatalities. The Bangladesh expedition has equipment to measure the diameter and weight of hail on the spot.
Scott Olson describes Bangladesh as “chaotically beautiful” in one of the team's blog posts:
People were living on the street, with a simple cloth tent, while next door may be a BMW dealership. A fire burned out of control for no particular reason and yet underlying it all, there is some structure to this chaos, not a lot but just enough to sustain it. The people are friendly and helpful and are immensely proud that a foreigner would visit their country. One thing to remember is Bangladesh is a young country and it creates feelings in the soul similar to what those people who came to an early America. Imagine that time you showed your friend a favorite track of a record you wanted them to hear, that eager anticipation while they listened to it. The art, uniqueness and warmth are of the Bengali people are of a degree you can find very few places.
You can follow the project via its Facebook page.

author: Pantha Rahman Reza


text:
#CongressOccupied Protesters Reject Taiwanese President’s Proposed Solution · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

Protesters occupying Taiwan's legislature rejected a proposal put forward by President Ma Ying-jeou and his cabinet on April 3 that would “monitor” future trade agreements with China.
Members of the #CongressOccupied movement called the plan “empty, insincere and deceptive” as it gives neither room for citizen participation nor power to the Legislative Yuan to participate in the negotiation process or amend the agreement – in other words, negotiations on such agreements will remain in a “black box”. Protesters had listed a monitoring mechanism in their demands.
Opposition to the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, which opens up Taiwan to more business with China, continues to rock the island since protesters first took over the legislature on March 18, 2014. Half a million Taiwanese people rallied against the trade deal on March 30.
The president pressed the ruling party to pass the agreement as soon as possible. He also refused to  hold a citizens’ constitutional meeting [zh] and called the occupy movement criminal.
A modified Banksy artwork. “We do not have guns or bombs. All we have is anger. Is this why the government does not care about us?” Photo from GJ!!Taiwan. CC: NC.
April Chuang, a popular politics blogger, was very disappointed by the government, known as the Executive Yuan, and called their draft [zh] “Regulation for NOT-monitoring cross-strait agreements.”
我敢打賭，到時候真正通過的監督條例頂多把立法院拉進來，還是一部不折不扣的不監督條例。
I can bet that the final version of this regulation would at most include the involvement of the Legislative Yuan to some degree, but it would still be a regulation with no monitoring mechanism.
The fact that President Ma refused to give power to the legislature to review the agreement has raised doubts among many whether he has given in to mainland China's “one country” principle. According to a widely held belief in Taiwanese political circles, China does not allow Taiwan's legislature to make any changes to cross-strait agreements because they do not recognize Taiwan as a country that has its own legislature.
Netizens were furious on PTT [zh], Taiwan's largest bulletin board system. Some considered that the legislature's lack of power to monitor trade negotiations will hurt both the constitution and the sovereignty of Taiwan. For example, satyrs05 wrote:
這不是賣台約，什麼才是賣台約
If this agreement does not sell Taiwan, what kind of agreement will sell Taiwan?
Reporter Lee Chih-Te pointed out on Facebook [zh] that President Ma refused to admit that Taiwan is a country in his press conference:
對於「服貿能不能退回重談」這個問題，馬政府的標準答案是：「傷害國際信用，使得以後我們談……人家都會懷疑」。[…]在周六的記者會上，連我在內我記得三次有人提出「為什麼不能重開談判」的問題，馬英九不是刻意畫錯重點，就是背誦標準答案。但馬英九和他的團隊始終沒有發現，這是人家一直在做球，做球讓你這個政府至少在措詞上保留由台灣主動發動兩岸服貿協議重談的可能性，再不會的話，我替你們造個句：「重談在國際上不是沒有先例，例如…(這些例如請中經院李淳教授去找一些)，但這會讓兩岸關係付出重大代價。我們目前並不考慮重談。」
拜託馬政府，不管你想不想重談，求求你們改一下標準答案。不要讓自己成為中南海認證的兒皇帝。這是我的噩夢，我相信也是你的。
When asked about whether we can reject the current agreement and start negotiations anew, President Ma's standard answer is, “This action will hurt our credibility and make other people have doubts about us when they negotiate with us in the future.” […] In the press conference on Saturday, I remember there were three reporters including me who asked President Ma why we cannot restart the negotiation process. President Ma either intentionally did not understand our question or just recited his standard answer. The Ma administration never understands that we are giving them chances to make it clear that Taiwan can reserve the right to restart the agreement. If they are unable to do so, I can put the sentence in words, “There are examples of other countries restarting negotiations, for example…, but this will hurt the cross-strait relationship seriously, so we do not consider the option of restarting negotiations.”
President Ma, I beg you. No matter if you want to restart negotiations or not, I beg you to change your answer. Do not become a powerless emperor controlled by Beijing. This is my nightmare. I believe it is yours as well.


text:
Controversy and Outrage in Spain Over the Presence of Teodoro Obiang  · Global Voices
Lourdes Sada

Protests against Obiang at Suárez's funeral. Photo from Juan Moreno Romero on Twitter
The president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, is at the center of controversy in Spain once again, this time for having been invited to the country during the same week as the state funeral for former prime minister Adolfo Suárez, and for giving several lectures at the Instituto Cervantes [es] and the partner institution at the National Distance Education University (UNED) of Brussels.
A few months have passed since the controversy was sparked in November of last year when the Spanish national football team agreed to play a friendly game in Equatorial Guinea against the national team. The Guinean government promoted the game and practically treated it like a victory for Equatorial Guinea's diplomacy. Ángel Engonga Obama wrote the following on the website for the Equatorial Guinea Office of Information and Press [es]:
Guinea Ecuatorial, un pequeño gran país en vías de desarrollo, próspero, pujante y seguro, será reconocido en todo el globo. (…) ¿El resultado? ¡Guinea ya ha ganado este partido! ¡¡Y por goleada!!
Equatorial Guinea, a small, grand country that is developing, prosperous, strong, and secure, will be recognized around the globe. (…) The result? Guinea has won this game! And by a landslide!!
In contrast to this triumphalist tone, in a letter to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) [es] the Association for Human Rights asked to “immediately suspend the celebration of the game” to not legitimize “a corrupt and murderous dictatorial regime” that “practices torture and arbitrary detention (…) and imposing a harsh repression upon all of its citizens, civil society organizations, and political parties that are not related to it.”
The Guinean opposition, political parties, and citizens of all stripes also disagreed with the RFEF's decision. Physicist and blogger Principia Marsupia tweeted:
La selección jugará gratis en Guinea Equatorial. ¿Por qué? Para agradar a un dictador con petróleo: http://t.co/39rJUhSeXH (vía @rojas1977)
— Principia Marsupia (@pmarsupia) November 9, 2013
The national team will play for free in Equatorial Guinea. Why? To please a dictator with oil.
Other Twitter users criticized the attitude of the national team's players and coaches [es], who did not want to position themselves against the regime, but refused to be photographed with dictator Obiang:
La infanta no sabía que su marido Robaba y los jugadores De la selección no saben que dos Portales más allá del estadio se Tortura en Guinea
— No Soy Del PP (@elpadrecorajede) November 15, 2013
The princess did not know that her husband stole, and the players on the national team do not know that two doors down from the stadium, people are being tortured in Guinea
As if this scandal was not enough, this week Obiang has become almost ubiquitous in the Spanish press and social media for being the only head of state that attended the state funeral for former president Adolfo Suárez, and for having been invited to several events at the delegations of the Instituto Cervantes and the National Distance Education University (UNED) in Brussels.
A few weeks ago, it was revealed that Obiang took advantage of his stay in Brussels to attend the EU-Africa summit and had planned to give two lectures at the Instituto Cervantes and UNED on “Spanish in Africa”, since Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish-speaking African country. Moreover, Obiang himself studied law at UNED.
These invitations outraged human rights organizations once again, along with political parties and citizens who flooded social networks with comments and protests. Dr. Juan Ramón Aranzadi Martínez, Professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology at UNED, wrote an open letter to the chancellor of UNED [es] to ask that Obiang's invitation be revoked:
Obiang se ha convertido en uno de los hombres más ricos del mundo al apropiarse personalmente de la inmensa riqueza “nacional” derivada de la explotación del petróleo, el país que domina y la población a la que somete ofrecen en todas las estadísticas internacionales los más altos índices de corrupción y los más bajos índices de educación, sanidad y nivel de vida de la población (…) no se debe pagar cualquier precio por [mantener la UNED en Guinea]: no se debe, por ejemplo, contribuir al maquillaje democrático y la legitimación internacional de un dictador corrupto
Obiang has become one of the world's richest people by personally appropriating the vast “national” wealth derived from the exploitation of oil, the country that dominates and the population that he suppresses offer all of the international statistics with the highest levels of corruption and the lowest levels of education, health, and living standards for the population (…) no price should be paid to [maintain UNED in Guinea]: no contribution should be made, for example, to the democratic makeup and international legitimization of a corrupt dictator
Various petitions were also started to suspend the events [es], with one of them getting over 42,000 signatures. Blogger RGAlmazán wrote:
Así, de forma desvergonzada pero ingenua piensan que tratando bien a este asesino –así lo reconocen desde Amnistía Internacional o Human Rights Watch— pueden conseguir contratos comerciales. En busca de petróleo, madera y pesca nuestro rey y nuestros gobiernos (éste y anteriores) pierden el culo ante este sátrapa sin importarles nada los derechos humanos.
This way, shamelessly but naively, people think that by treating this murderer – as he is viewed by International Amnesty or Human Rights Watch – well, they can get commercial contracts. In search of oil, timber, and fishing, our king and our governments (past and present) lose their heads over this satrap with no regard for human rights.
Luspagnolu left the following comment on menéame [es]:
A ver si se ha autoinvitado y no les consta. Vale, acabo de leer que la visita se produce por “petición del propio mandatario”: surrealista. Pero, vamos, alguien con dos dedos de frente le podía haber dicho no.
Let's see if he has invited himself and does not make them aware. Alright, I just read that the visit comes at the “request of the president himself”: surreal. But come on, someone with half a brain could have told him no.
Obiang's lecture at the Instituto Cervantes. Photo from CULTURAL BLOG on Twitter
On Twitter, the MP for Union, Progress and Democracy (UpyD), Toni Cantó, and journalist Antonio Naranjo shared their opinions on the issues that Obiang discussed at the conference:
Obiang podrá explicar en el Cervantes y en la UNED el significado d las palabras:dictador,preso político,asesinatos,robo,torturas #vergüenza
— Toni Cantó (@Tonicanto1) March 21, 2014
At Cervantes and UNED, Obiang will be able to explain the meaning of these words: dictator, political prisoner, murders, thefts, tortures #shame
El Cervantes invita a dar charlas a Obiang: – Gastronomía y antropofagia. – Represión creativa. – Igualdad en Guinea: torturamos a todos.
— Antonio Naranjo (@AntonioRNaranjo) March 20, 2014
Cervantes invites Obiang to give talks: – Gastronomy and cannibalism. – Creative repression. – Equality in Guinea: we torture everyone.
Meanwhile, the dictator added more fuel to the fire when, at the end of his lecture at the IC, he was surprised [es] by “the attitude of some nostalgic individuals who reject this meeting for reasons that have nothing to do with the development of the Spanish language in Equatorial Guinea.” And he immediately thereafter had no qualms about putting the king of Spain in a rather compromising position:
Quisiera agradecer a Su Majestad el Rey (de España), porque yo sé (que) ha influido para que yo también pueda participar en este encuentro cultural.
I wanted to thank His Royal Highness the King (of Spain), because I know (that) he has had an influence on me also being able to participate in this cultural event.
The royal family was quick to deny the monarch's involvement [es], which earned this tweet from Yefri Bomon:
Cómo serán las cosas para que me quede tan claro que Obiang dice la verdad y Casa Borbónica miente! #Subborbonia #FraudeEstructural
— Yefri Bomon (@yefribomon) April 2, 2014
How are things so that it is so clear to me that Obiang is telling the truth and the House of Bourbon is lying! #Suborbonation #StructuralFraud
Obiang and his wife at the funeral for former president Suárez. Photo from Información Sensible on Twitter
Obiang's attendance at the state funeral for Adolfo Suárez caused his lecture at UNED to be suspended. His presence at the funeral provoked a new barrage of criticism, compounded by the fact that television networks omitted the dictator's salute to the king and President Rajoy [es], which has been considered an act of censorship. Eloy paterna gila summed up the feelings of many Spaniards with this tweet to end a week of absurdities and inconsistencies:
Al dictador Obiang lo traen para el Cervantes y lo esconden para el funeral. Que bochorno y q papelón hacemos en el mundo
— eloy paterna gila (@italyforever66) April 1, 2014
Dictator Obiang was brought for Cervantes and hidden for the funeral. What a disgrace and spectacle we make for the world.

author: Lourdes Sada


text:
Shanghai Eclipses Beijing as Top Destination for Chinese University Graduates · Global Voices
Owen Guo

Young people in Shanghai in 2013. Photo by Flickr user Richard Schneider. CC BY-NC 2.0
With graduation season fast approaching, an estimated 7.2 million soon-to-be-graduates in China will have to battle it out for jobs this year.
But where? A recent report says Shanghai has become the most attractive place of employment for Chinese university graduates, and many are increasingly eyeing Chinese companies for jobs.
China Top 100 Ideal Employer, a report by career consulting company Universum, revealed that the top three cities graduates aspire to work in are Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, a trio commonly referred to by the Chinese as “Beishangguang”, the country's most known cities that are economic engines for China.
The report, released on April 3, 2014 after surveying 51,000 students from universities across China, also suggested that many Chinese companies have stepped up their hires and are becoming more popular with would-be university graduates.
Leading the charts of the most sought-after companies are mostly home-grown ones, ranging from telecommunications giant Huawei to China's second largest oil producer Sinopec.
While the report didn't give reasons for why Shanghai has topped the list of preferred cities to work, many Chinese media outlets have weighed in to offer their explanations. China National Radio, for instance, said:
以前大学生首先选择北京是看中北京的首都的地位，看中这里的发展机遇；现在很多人放弃北京是因为这里的生活成本实在是太高了，很难落户也是其中的一个障碍。相比而言，上海是一个非常开放的城市，这几年上海开始引进人才政策，实行居住证制度，不论国籍、不论文凭、不论职称、不论身份，只要你是真才实学，无论是境内还是境外的人来上海都会有很好的创业和发展的渠道。也就是说只要有能力，就会有发展的空间，甚至在企业中还可以做到很高的地位，这就是非常吸引大学生的一个原因。
In the past, many university graduates chose Beijing because they valued its status as the capital and the development opportunities there. Now, many have given up on Beijing because living costs are too high and how difficult it is to get Hukou also ends up being an obstacle. Comparatively speaking, Shanghai is a very open city. It has introduced policies regarding the residential pass mechanism and to draw talent. Regardless of your education, nationality, titles, as long as you have talent, anyone will have good opportunities to develop and do business no matter where you come from. It means as long as you are a capable person, you will enjoy room to progress and will rise through the ranks in a company. This is why [the city] attracts students.
This week, a Beijing newspaper ran a story profiling three young working professionals who have chosen to leave Beijing for good. With the title “Leaving Beijing to work elsewhere has many benefits, the capital is no longer the first option for employment”, the piece zoomed in on the interviewees’ complaints on Beijing's worsening pollution and a nepotism system that trades work for money.
Chinese media have seized upon the Universum report and churned out articles with headlines such as “Beijing has replaced Shanghai as the first option for university graduates”. It has also generated discussion on popular Chinese microblogging service Sina Weibo.
Many Weibo users were sceptical, a media editor from Shanghai wrote:
前段时间么说毕业生逃离北上广，现在又说“上海取代北京成为毕业生工作的最‘理想’城市”。各种机构各种数据互相在抽脸么？
A while ago many said graduates were abandoning Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, now they say Shanghai has replaced Beijing as the most ideal place to work for graduates. Is it that many research organisations are slapping each other in the face?
Weibo user “Please call me A Ben” from Shanghai complained:
嫌地铁不够挤？物价不够高
The subway in [Shanghai] is not crowded enough? The prices not high enough?
Chuhui, who resides in Shanghai, wrote:
欢迎来到这个老人跌倒没人敢扶，钱包被偷满街人都不会告知你，收入水平高，生活成本更高的城市。在这里你会颠覆自己的人生观、价值观。只有真正灵敏、不怕吃苦的人，才能经受住魔都的考验。
Welcome to this city where no one dares to hold up a falling old person and a witness won't tell when your wallet gets stolen, the incomes in the city are high, but the cost of living is even higher. Here your views on life and your values will be distorted. Only those who are not afraid of bitterness and witty can stand the test of Shanghai.

author: Owen Guo


text:
How Sore will Afghanistan’s Presidential Losers Prove? · Global Voices
Salima Ahmadi

The vast majority of voters have now cast their votes and the hard-headed front-runners in the presidential race are in no mood to consider defeat. The victor of Afghanistan's hotly-contested election will probably need a second round and might never get to hear his opponents’ concession speeches: this is winner takes all.
Two arguments support the notion that the result of the April 5 vote election may not be widely accepted. Firstly, these presidential and vice-presidential hopefuls have been waiting a long time to take their place in the epicenter of the Afghan political establishment, with Hamid Karzai and his family having dominated Kabul's politics since shortly after the US invasion of the country in 2001. Secondly, the expectations of entire groups voting along ethnic and clan lines rest on the victory of specific candidates: any new president will have to move quickly to convince a diverse electorate that he can be the face of the nation.
The candidates have been nothing but bullish in the run up to the vote, leading many to fear post-vote fallout. Ethnic Uzbek strongman Abdul Rashid Dostum, first vice presidential candidate for Ashraf Ghani announced boldly:
In two days everything will be clear that who is the national hero… [اینه دو روز بعد معلوم میشه گپ. که کیها شخصیت ملی استند…]
Presumably Dostum was not referring to Abdullah Abdullah who believed he was unfairly defeated in the 2009 ballot by then-incumbent Hamid Karzai and now says that “he has no rival” with only vote-rigging standing between him and the presidency. The charismatic former foreign minister is identified by most voters as a Tajik and is popular among non-Pashtun groups.
Loftullah Najafizada, who heads the popular media outlet TOLONewsTV tweeted April 2:
Abdullah Abdullah warns that he would not accept the results of the elections if it was fraudulent.
— Lotfullah Najafizada (@LNajafizada) April 2, 2014
To which @Waheed36427179 responded:
@LNajafizada @FazilRafi He already knows that he will not win that's why.
— Waheed (@Waheed36427179) April 2, 2014
@Waheed36427179's comment reflects the belief that Abdullah, despite having a good shot at receiving a plurality will not have enough votes to claim an overall majority in a first round of voting, and will likely be defeated by one of the two major Pashtun candidates, Ashraf Ghani and Zalmai Rassoul in any second round.
@yasa_reza worried:
“I have no rival: my rival is election fraud!”, this emphatic assertion by Abdullah draws my attention to possible post-election shocks.
— Ali Reza Yasa (@yasa_reza) April 4, 2014
A truck states its support for Abdullah Abdullah (picture tweeted by @alibomaye. Abdullah Abdullah is  the figure in the centre)
Afghanistan's ethnic electoral politics is usually driven by a ‘patron-client’ system, wherein political leaders (patrons) claim to represent their ethnic groups’ interests and focus on concerns traditional to those groups in their campaigns. In this election tri-ethnic presidential tickets like the Pashtun-Uzbek-Hazara (Ghani-Dostum-Danish) ticket have given candidates the ability to appeal to voters beyond their usual base. But many observers view these alliances as cynical and fleeting:
@vali_nasr Ashraf Ghani is Smart & Seasoned politician. That's why he chose Abdul Rashid Dostum for junior role. No chance of coup unless ..
— IndoPacificInstitute (@IPacInstitute) April 5, 2014
Tajiks are uncertain, however, whether Abdullah Abdullah winning would be a good thing for them. Despite being a favorite among a number of the country's smaller ethnic groups, his victory could nevertheless risk a backlash from the more populous and politically privileged Pashtuns. A win for Zalmai Rassoul could be the most appealing outcome for Tajiks voting along ethnic lines since one of Rassoul's running mates is the ethnic Tajik Ahmad Zia Massoud, brother of the late Ahmad Shah Massoud, the “Lion of the Panjshir” who gained legendary status as a guerrilla leader during the Soviet Union's invasion of the country over three decades ago.
The view from the Neighbors
Afghans are not the only ones interested in the outcome of the vote, of course. Pakistan has long faced accusations from its neighbor of massive political interference. Writing on the Pashtun Women Viewpoint blog N. Yousufzai-Mona Naseer notes:
Given the tenuous Pak-Afghan relations and the Pakistani interference in Afghanistan, no presidential candidates gauging the mood of Afghans risk voter’s support by showing a soft corner towards Pakistan in their campaign, regardless of how they would deal with Pakistan after elected as president.
The candidates tough talks against Pakistan, makes it harder for Pakistani establishment too to endorse the suitable candidate in the election. The disputed Durand Line border between the two countries remains top of the Pakistani agenda when devising any sort of bilateral relations.
But despite a long-running political rivalry, many ordinary Pakistanis have shown their support for the Afghan vote on twitter:
Salute to brave Afghans who came out in large numbers for a democratic #Afghanistan defying the threats by #Pakistan‘s strategic depth.
— Ali Salman Alvi (@alisalmanalvi) April 5, 2014
Over at the Bug Pit blog meanwhile, Joshua Kucera reports that members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (particularly Russia and Uzbekistan) are making positive noises about the creation of “buffer states” in northern Afghanistan, to shield the broader Central Asian region from instability in the country. That might suit Dostum if his running partner Ghani falls flat in the popular vote – the warlord's former stronghold was the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif and as Global Voices reported in 2012 he has previously spoken in favour of a more de-centralized Afghanistan.
But in the end the outcome of the vote will be decided in Afghanistan, not Pakistan, Russia or Uzbekistan. While all votes are expected to be cast before midnight, high turnout has forced electoral officials to allow voters to continue casting their votes after the official closure of polling stations at 4pm.

author: Salima Ahmadi


text:
The Wind Energy Sector’s Race Against the Clock in France · Global Voices
Theo Vallon

Modern wind energy plant via Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA-2.5
[All links lead to French-language pages.]
France's wind energy sector has set ambitious goals: the country plans to install 19,000 MW of energy in onshore wind farms and 6,000 MW in offshore farms by 2020. The allotted time periods are short and the obstacles are many, but where there's a will, there's a way. In fact, France has many advantages that will help its wind sector excel and meet its commitments.
Observ'ER, an observatory of renewable energies, has published a barometer of renewable electrical energy in France. The report reveals that since 2011, there has been a steady decline in the annual amount of onshore wind power added to the grid. Less than 350 MW were installed in the first trimester of 2013, representing a 38 percent decline from 2012 and yielding a total power of 7,971 MW.
At this rate, the country has a slim chance of reaching the goal of 19,000 MW installed by the end of 2020. But should the enthusiasm that dominated in the early 2000s, when wind power represented the future of renewable energy in France, be abandoned? Not by a long shot.
Environmental blog Ma Terre (My land) explains what is at stake with renewable energy in France:
Dans les périodes où nos besoins en électricité sont les plus importants (par exemple, les soirs d’hiver en période de grand froid quand il faut beaucoup chauffer les bâtiments), le nucléaire ne peut pas tous les satisfaire. Ce sont alors d’autres énergies qui prennent le relais […] L’avantage de diversifier les sources de production électrique est de ne pas dépendre d’une seule énergie, et donc de réguler au mieux la production.
During times when our electricity needs are greater (i.e, during cold nights in winter when it takes a lot of energy to heat up buildings), nuclear energy cannot satisfy them all. Other types of energy sources are called upon to also contribute to energy production […] The advantage of diversifying the sources of electricity production is not being dependent on a single energy source, and thus better regulatating the overall national production.
Eliminating the uncertainty around purchase prices
Besides the increase of installation costs and the decline in funding sources, an important cause of the wind sector's slackening is the uncertainty surrounding the purchase prices of electricity produced by wind energy in France:
La législation française prévoit que les producteurs d'électricité d'origine éolienne bénéficient d'une obligation d'achat de l'électricité à un prix supérieur à celui du marché. Ce mode de financement engendre donc des surcoûts pour les distributeurs d'électricité, EDF en tête. Or, ces surcoûts font l'objet d'une compensation intégrale financée par des contributions dues par les consommateurs finals d'électricité.
French legislation has planned for wind energy producers to benefit from an obligatory purchase price that is higher than the market rate. This method of financing thus creates increased costs for electricity distributors, mainly the EDF [Electricity of France]. But these increased costs are the object of a full compensation financed by the final consumers of electricity.
Stakeholders in wind energy are trying to offer solutions to these known complications, as the onshore sector already possesses the equipment and knowledge necessary for its development.
However, legal delays must also be taken into account. The Council of State, a body of the French government that acts as a legal adviser of the executive branch, is due to come to a resolution on eventually doing away with a tariff order that could create a period of uncertainty detrimental to the wind sector's recovery from the economic deficit it created during the 2000's.
Wind turbine via Wikipedia – CC-BY-2.0
Reinforcing plans for offshore wind farms
Regarding offshore wind farms, the first industrial bearings have already been installed in a more than favorable location: a vast expanse of sea (11 square kilometers spanning four coastlines) and harbor areas that are conducive to accommodating the necessary infrastructure. In 2011, four sites were awarded to the consortium distributor EDF EN (a branch of EDF dedicated to renewable energy) : Fécamp (498 MW), Courseulles-sur-Mer (450 MW) and Saint-Nazaire (480 MW). The Saint-Brieuc site was awarded to Ailes Marines SAS.
The second round of offshore tender, launched in 2013, dealt with two zones: one off the coast of Tréport, and the second on the Plateau des Bœufs, off the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier. The power at stake is 1,000 MW. Two consortiums submitted proposals for the zones: EDF-EN and WPD (Wind Power Development) in partnership with Alstom, and GDF (Gaz de France) Suez and EDP (Energias de Portugal), associated with Areva. The two wind farms are slated to become operational between 2021 and 2023.
The call for offers was welcomed in 2013 by Jacques Auxiette, president of the Pays de la Loire region:
Avec celui du banc de Guérande, la construction de ce deuxième parc éolien en mer permettra d’atteindre la taille critique nécessaire à l’émergence d’une filière qui devrait générer à terme plus d’un millier d’emplois et plusieurs milliards d’euros de retombées économiques.
Combined with the Banc de Guérande, the construction of this second offshore wind farm will permit the wind energy sector to reach the size necessary for it to emerge as an eventual source of a thousand jobs and several billion euros in economic yield.
But energy deadlines are looming here as well. Environmental summits set the goal of installing 6,000 MW of offshore energy by 2020. But between 2017 and 2019, France will have barely installed the 2,000 MW from the first round of offshore tender.
Therefore, the contenders for the projects at Tréport and the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier will have to propose projects that meet the demands of the energy deadlines. This implies that they will have to minimize the margin of error between theory and practice in order to avoid the risk of unpleasant surprises when the engineers’ plans meet the reality of the terrain.
On the part of Alstom/EDF EN/WPD, there is no doubt that their project conforms with the demands of the environment. The consortium has already conducted studies (on ornithology, geotechnology, currents, and more) that are assets to their proposal. Their 6 MW Haliade turbines have been tested at the onshore site Carnet en Loire-Atlantique since 2012. About the specifics of the proposed turbines, the blog Mer et Marine ( Marine and Sea) signals that it could be the adequate solution if the conditions are right:
La question est alors de savoir si, dans les zones visées, il y a suffisamment de vent dans l’année pour produire le maximum d’énergie
The key question is whether, in the targeted areas, enough wind will blow during the year to produce the maximum energy
They are also currently installed at the Belwind site in Belgium to test their performance in an offshore setting. These are the results of the AOF (Alstom Offshore France), which, eager to stay at the forefront of the wind energy sector, joined the government's 2011 Grand Wind project. These turbines have the advantage of using permanent magnet alternators, which are more reliable and thus incur lower maintenance costs.
The proposal by GDF-Suez/Areva/EDP includes an 8 MW turbine. At this time, the turbine is still at the beginning of its development process, and the consortium has not yet obtained authorization to test it. In the unlikely event that Areva manages to develop the turbine in time, will it be adapted to the terrain it is intended for? In the absence of technical and environmental impact studies by the consortium, this is a necessary question to consider.
Because they are early in the development process, the consortium has not rectified the technical problems revealed by a close examination of the turbine. Its full power cannot be exploited off the coast of the Vendée region, where the winds seem too weak to turn the turbines at full speed. The installation of jacket foundations may present problems as well. This type of foundation requires boring into the sea floor, which is particularly hard in the planned development zone. EDF EN, on the other hand, has conducted a comprehensive soil study via drilling test holes, and has chosen to prioritize gravity foundations, which do not require boreholes.
On paper, the GDF project would occupy less space, as it includes fewer turbines (62, compared to the 83 machines proposed by EDF EN). But it appears that the GDF wind farm would actually be larger than that of the EDF and would thus have greater impact on the maritime public domain. The Regional Committee of Marine Fisheries and Marine Farming (COREPEM) has decided in favor of the EDF EN project.
France now faces a race against the clock to meet the deadlines that it has imposed for the wind sector. While the timeline is pressing, the task is not impossible. It would require a rapid resolution on a new tariff order to restore visibility and confidence to the sector. Regarding the still-young offshore sector, the industrial projects seriously prepared in advance must take priority in order to have the best chance of meeting the sector's goals.

author: Theo Vallon


text:
Top 10 Russian-Language Tweets, Week 14 of 2014 · Global Voices
Andrey Tselikov

Top tweets in the Russian twittersphere. Images mixed by Kevin Rothrock.
RuNet Echo continues its new series on trends in the RuNet Twittersphere. At the end of each week, RuNet Echo will be collecting top ten Russian-language tweets and curating them for Global Voices readers. Our selections are based on Tjournal.ru's “best tweets” algorithm, available and updated in realtime here.
#10 — A slam against McDonald's, which closed shop in Crimea.
Вместо Макдональдса, мы откроем на ж/д вокзале в Симферополе другую сеть бесплатных туалетов. #Аксенов
— Сергей Аксенов (@sergyaksenov) April 4, 2014
Instead of McDonald's, we will open a different chain of free bathrooms near the Simpheropol train station. #Aksenov
#9 — Social networks help search for missing person.
Помогите ретвитом! pic.twitter.com/oP47YM9vAE
— Игорь Борисов (+/-) (@IgorBorissov) April 3, 2014
Please retweet!
#8 — Overheard.
То чувство, когда тебя рожали для уборки дома.
— Подслушано (@Podslyshano) April 3, 2014
That feeling when your parents gave birth to you to clean the house.
#7 — TV personality speaks against “information warfare.”
Вернулся из КИЕВА объятый восторгом.Включил тв:то же в тоску вгоняющее вранье.Этот беспардонный ужас называется ИНФОРМАЦИОННАЯ ВОЙНА.
— Отар Кушанашвили (@Kushanashvili_O) March 31, 2014
Came back from KIEV, full of delight. Turned on the TV: the same depressing lies. This unapologetic horror is called INFORMATION WARFARE.
#6 — VKontakte founder Pavel Durov gloating over his successful April Fools’ prank [Global Voices report].
Поздравляю с прошедшим праздником всех, кто решил, что я действительно добровольно уйду в отставку. http://t.co/cTWlLtW2K7 — Pavel Durov (@durov) April 3, 2014
Everyone who thought that I would voluntarily resign [as CEO -ed.], happy belated April Fools’ Day.
#5 — Alexey Navalny isn't happy that Gasprom spends more money paying CEO Alexey Miller than on operations in Voronezh Region.
Вот бы ВЦИОМ спросил дорогих россиян, что они думают об этом. “99% за немедленный расстрел” совсем не удивили бы pic.twitter.com/0AEm56LWYN — Alexey Navalny (@navalny) April 3, 2014
I wish [polling organization] VTsIOM asked our dear countrymen what they think of this. “99% for immediate execution by firing squad” wouldn't surprise me
#4 — Alexey Navalny posts instructions for circumventing Internet censorship.
Перепостите пож-та эти инструкции. Каждый репост причиняет РосКомЦензуре страдания. http://t.co/DXuuGzEHPC Зеркало: http://t.co/TIAGC7E9Hk — Alexey Navalny (@navalny) April 3, 2014
Repost these instructions please. Every repost pains RosComCensorship. http://t.co/DXuuGzEHPC Mirror: http://t.co/TIAGC7E9Hk
#3 — Actor speaks about plight of ethnic Armenians in Kessab, Syria.
Не прошло и 40 дней с трагедии на Майдане в Украине, а в мире снова горе… Трагедия в Кесабе… Мы скорбим вместе с армянским народом!
— Сергей Безруков (@s_bezrukov) March 31, 2014
It hasn't even been 40 days since the tragedy on Ukraine's Maidan Square, and the world faces more sorrow… Tragedy in Kessab… We mourn with the Armenian people!
#2 — Alexey Navalny links to his blog post explaining how US sanctions work. Illustrated with photo of Alexey Miller and Igor Sechin.
Понять как устроены американские санкции против России. Блог: http://t.co/O9laDEsOF0 Зеркало: http://t.co/Up3d3JfZBH pic.twitter.com/7cdvPFVObA
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) April 2, 2014
To understand how US sanctions against Russia work. Blog: http://t.co/O9laDEsOF0 Mirror: http://t.co/Up3d3JfZBH
#1. Overheard.
Хотелось бы функцию ”очистить кэш в голове” перед сном.
— Подслушано (@Podslyshano) April 1, 2014
I'd like to be able to “clear the brain cache” before going to sleep.


text:
What Now for Jamaica’s Vybz Kartel?   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The trial is over; Jamaican dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel has been convicted and sentenced. One blogger, who has been following the entire affair with great interest, today posted an in-depth analysis of the courtroom drama, the enigma of Vybz Kartel and his music and the interesting ways in which his conviction provides an insight into Jamaican society, its judicial system and its politics.
Active Voice began by admitting that the whole thing at times seemed larger than life:
Often in the course of his prolonged trial I found myself wondering if the rollercoaster life of Adidja Palmer aka Vybz Kartel was scripted by someone inspired by Breaking Bad, the wildly popular American TV series about the rise and fall of a chemistry teacher turned meth dealer.  By the time the trial ended I knew it was nothing of the sort, just another wildly original Jamaican libretto.
For those not familiar with Kartel or his meteoric rise in the music world, she explained:
Described by some as the country’s pre-eminent lyricist, for more than a decade Kartel ruled the roost in Jamaica as its reigning dancehall deejay (‘a genre that is to the roots reggae of Bob Marley as hip-hop is to R&B’), his street cred extending far beyond Kingston, into the nooks and crannies of ghettoes all over the Caribbean, into urban America and as far away as Africa where his Gaza Empire has spawned copycats.
Like most compelling stories, though, after the rise came the fall:
By late 2013 Vybz Kartel, 38, was being portrayed by the police and the justice system as Public Enemy No. 1. His fame and fortune notwithstanding, on April 3, 2014, Adidja Palmer was sentenced to life in prison with no parole possible before 35 years, after the court gave itself an extra week to determine whether the embattled DJ should be allowed to make music while incarcerated.  He had been found guilty almost 3 weeks earlier, along with three others, of the murder of one Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams, a dancer and foot soldier in the small army of roughly 30 men that constituted Vybz Kartel’s entourage. These men ensured that Kartel’’s interests were looked after and his bidding done at all times.
The post also explored the nuances of Kartel's “dramatic” trial, which she said were full of “twists and turns that kept the nation in suspense till the very end”:
As the Prosecution laid it out, Lizard [the victim, whose real name is Clive Williams] ran afoul of the popular deejay because he and Chow, another member of the entourage, were given two of Kartel’s (illegal) guns, then failed to produce them when asked for their return.  After several futile attempts to get the guns back, Lizard and Chow were summoned to Kartel’s house where there was a confrontation between them and Kartel’s cronies. Chow managed to get away, later becoming the Prosecution’s star witness, but Lizard was bludgeoned to death.
Although Williams’ body has not yet been found, Vybz Kartel has been in police custody since September 2011 and was never granted bail on the argument that he would attempt to skip the country. The post continued:
Rumours were rife that the reason for this unprecedented incarceration was that the police had incontrovertible evidence, including video footage taken from the deejay’s phone, that incriminated Adidja Palmer and his co-accused.
The swirling rumours proved to be true. The trial was prosecuted largely on circumstantial evidence— involving sensational  Blackberry messages, video footage and voice notes downloaded from the deejay’s cellphone in which Kartel’s voice could be heard making threats about what he would do if the guns, coded as ‘shoes’ weren’t returned.
Active Voice went on to explain the approach of Kartel's defence team:
The Defence…did not dispute that the voice heard in the notes was Kartel’s. Instead their strategy was to prove that the cellphones in question had not been properly secured by the police, who were careless about maintaining the chain of custody, making it possible for the notes to have been tampered with or manipulated.
The blogger, Annie Paul, revisited how the trial ended, with one juror being charged for attempted bribery of the foreman, which put the entire court process dangerously close to a mistrial. Instead, the jury delivered a ten to one guilty verdict. Paul also offered insight into “the legal doctrine to be used in deciding Vybz Kartel’s guilt — that of common design”:
There was no direct evidence to prove that the deejay himself had participated in the murder. As Judge Campbell explained ‘…The scope was to kill Clive Lloyd Williams for the loss of a firearm. The law of Common Design is – as long as you participate knowing that was the ultimate end it doesn’t matter that you didn’t pull the trigger; it doesn’t matter that you didn’t wield the knife; it doesn’t matter that you didn’t administer the poison. Common Design can encompass a person at a gate as look out man for the police. As long as he’s there to look out, he can be charged for murder.’
The post noted that the high-security response from the authorities surrounding the case was indicative of its importance, but in an interesting juxtaposition, local support – from both fellow musicians and fans – dwindled when the reality of the situation became apparent:
During the final days of the trial American rapper Busta Rhymes attended court in a show of support for Vybz Kartel. Notably absent was anyone from the local music fraternity among whose ranks there did not appear to be much sympathy for the embattled DJ or sorrow over his fate. Although a large crowd had appeared outside the courtroom shouting ‘No Teacha, No school’ on the day of the verdict (a reference to Kartel ‘s nickname–‘The Teacher’) …on sentencing day there was only a modest crowd in attendance outside. The elaborate preparations made by the Police seemed like overkill.
So was Vybz Kartel DJ or Don? The post attempted to answer that burning question:
Opinions about Vybz Kartel vary depending on the demographic of the person you’re speaking to. Nicknamed World Boss and Addi the Teacher or ‘Teacha’ by his adoring fans his phenomenal popularity made him the envy of politicians though he didn’t kowtow to their demands. On the other hand Kartel was known to hobnob with top dons or gang leaders like…Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke whose sensational arrest and extradition to the United States occupied international news for weeks in 2010. [Read more about Global Voices’ coverage of that story, here.]
According to ethnomusicologist Dennis Howard the nexus between political dons and musicians in Jamaica goes back to the very roots of Reggae and Dancehall. It was a symbiotic relationship, the musician needed the support of the don who often demanded a ‘big up’ while the don fed off the popularity of the singer. The globally celebrated singer Bob Marley himself was friends with a number of dons/gang leaders across the political divide so Kartel’s association with gang leaders and the underworld was by no means unprecedented. The problem was that with Kartel there no longer appeared to be a distinction between the two.
Paul rehashed the infamous feud between Kartel's “Gaza” crew and rival DJ Movado's “Gully” supporters, explaining that while the latter appeared to reform himself, Kartel “thumb[ed] his nose at the police and Jamaican society while continuing to parlay his carefully cultivated notoriety into profits”:
He now diversified into other products such as a line of clothing, bleaching soap and his own rum. Perhaps the last straw for the police was the much hyped launch of Kartel’s own show, Teacha’s Pet, ‘a reality TV dating show surrounding the love life and career of the Artiste Vybz Kartel.’ Within a few weeks of the airing of the show Kartel was arrested and the show discontinued.
Then came one of the questions that has been hotly debated in the blogosphere; the post offered an interesting perspective:
Why were the Jamaican police so single-minded in their determination to put Vybz Kartel behind bars? Stories abound. The Minister of Justice…had been touring Montego Bay, center of the vicious Lotto Scam conglomerate, which preys on elderly American citizens, scamming them out of thousands of dollars of their savings each year. The Minister was under pressure from the Americans to smash the criminal enterprise [but] was told by residents that he should go easy on the scammers because what they were doing was, after all, merely a form of reparation – collecting monies due the citizens of Jamaica for the years of free labour provided during the era of plantation slavery.
When the astonished Minister enquired further into the source of such unorthodox views he was referred to a song by Kartel called ‘Reparation’ with the catchy refrain ‘Dem call it scam,
Mi call it reparation’.
Although Kartel’s lyrics were never explicitly used against him in the trial, they would have been on virtually constant rotation in the minds of the Judge, Jury and Prosecution. In addition to the song about Reparations there were any number of gangster lyrics issuing from the prolific hit machine known as Vybz Kartel.
Paul suggested that the performer's appearance – and notorious skin bleaching – may have got under some people's skin:
Perhaps the thing that most cemented Kartel’s image as a demonic creature who had to be contained for the safety of the public was his unconventional appearance, aided by the increasingly visible tattoos embellishing his bleached skin. This more than anything literally marked Kartel as a devil-worshipper in the eyes of fundamentalist Christian Jamaica.
In interviews Kartel would often refer to himself in the third person, drawing a distinction between himself, Adidja Palmer, the responsible father and citizen and his more reckless deejay persona, Vybz Kartel.
She also referred to Kartel's recent book, titled “The Voice of the Jamaican Ghetto”:
Some think the book was published because Palmer knew he had to lay the groundwork to shift public perception of himself as a common criminal. That may be so but in the process he managed to harness a cynicism about the system — coded as Babylon in Jamaican parlance — that has great currency. Though his music is viewed as having no explicit political message his concept of ‘Gaza’ has the resonance that rival DJ Mavado’s ‘Gully’ never had though both are metaphors for the underclass that spawned both musicians.
Perhaps the best way to understand Gaza is to see it as a new identity – underpinned by a Ghetto pride ideology. Although Kartel intended Gaza as a response to the lopsided landscape of opportunity in Jamaica that renders the poor socially invisible, the concept rapidly grew legs and migrated all over the world, an indication both of his talent and the globalization of inequality that disproportionately affects ghetto-dwellers worldwide.
Another point Paul made – which many netizens expressed via social media – is the widespread perception of a double standard of justice for different classes in Jamaica. She referred to the recent acquittal of politician Kern Spenser on corruption charges and suggested that the continued imbalance could eventually lead to public unrest:
The Director of Public Prosecutions herself expressed shock at the verdict saying that the evidence against him had been overwhelming. But for most people the Kern Spencer verdict was par for the course. You can count on the fingers of one hand the number of politicians, police and big businessmen who have ever been convicted of any crime in Jamaica.
Jamaican Police and the country’s legal system now have to prove to cynical Jamaicans that they not only have the will and drive to successfully bring rogue DJs to book but also the numerous rogue policemen, politicians and businessmen still at large. If not, as Kartel’s song ’Sup’m a go happen’ warns Jamaica could be on the brink, like Egypt, like Tunisia before it, of ‘something happening’.
Does all of this mean that Vybz Kartel has been left with no options? Apparently not. His legal team is already prepared to appeal both the verdict and the sentence:
For them what was unique about this trial was the unprecedented use of digital evidence by the Prosecution. The irony of course is that had Kartel simply used a code to lock his phone the Police could never have got into it to find the incriminating evidence they did. The deejay’s lead attorney Tom Tavares-Finson told me days before the sentencing that he expected Kartel to be sentenced to 35 years. Tavares-Finson is hopeful that since he has been requesting and receiving transcripts of the court’s proceedings on a daily basis, he has about 80% of what will be needed to mount the appeal in hand already. He thinks Adidja Palmer stands a good chance of having the guilty verdict overturned by the higher court and his client is of the same mind.
His Twitter account echoed that confidence with this tweet:
GazaArmy. we nuh deh pon nuh mourning ting .Addi said "Justice how ever long it takes will prevail,a so Haile Selassie sey."so we a move fwd
— Adidja A. Palmer (@iamthekartel) April 3, 2014
The rest of the “Jamaican libretto” remains to be written.