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Burkina Faso: Rites, festivals and a new book  · Global Voices
John Liebhardt

To everything, claims the Bible’s Book of Ecclesiastes (and the 1960s U.S. rock band the Byrds), there is a season. A time to be born. A time to die. It happens in Burkina Faso just like anywhere else.
Lacking any stories of birth or labor, we’ll skip straight to one of our most important rites of passage – the union of two people in the ceremony of marriage. These observations of a village wedding come from Ramblings from Rhadikha in Burkina:
Not unlike in America, weddings are good times with wild and crazy dancing and acceptable public drunkenness. Unlike American weddings, everyone is invited. Those immediately involved go to the “mayor’s” house for the exchanging of vows and signing of contracts. That is the equivalent of the ceremony. No one but the bride, the groom, and their parents are expected to be interested in that part. There are no registries with china patterns and cutlery. Your gift is showing up and getting down. The party starts at sunset and ends when the roosters start cock-a-doodle-doo-ing. The bartender is someone’s underage cousin serving up home brewed millet beer in nature’s beer mug, a dried gourd. There is drumming, dancing, and chanting of the sort that one might see on the discovery channel.
Gorom-Gorom, Burkina Faso’s most northern major city (485 kilometers north of Ouagaodugou), is home to “Festicham,” an annual festival that boasts horse and camel racing and a local craft and culture exhibition. This year, Keith from Under the Acacias made it to the festival just in time:
We arrived late, during the second heats of camel races. The whole town seemed to be there, along with a couple of government ministers, accompanying police guards, and a bunch of Italians who apparently finance the whole thing. Dust filled the air, kicked up by hundreds of hooves of various sizes, and thousands of feet.
Let’s stay with Keith a little longer. After 15 years of electing to live in Gorom-Gorom without electricity, his “woodless construction” mud hut leaped directly into the 21 century with the addition of electricity supplied from the town grid and a telephone link with an internet hook up, too.
After so many years of peace and quiet, these new additions take some time to get used to, reports Keith. After finishing his first blog post written and posted from home, he wonders whether “it might be time to leave Gorom-Gorom, and move somewhere a bit more remote…”
Stephen Davies, from Voice in the Desert, spent a little time in Ouagadougou late last year finishing up his last “tweaks” on the final installment of his children’s trilogy that takes place respectively in Oudalan Province in northern Burkina Faso (and home to Gorom-Gorom) and Niger. The first two installments include Sophie and the Yellow Cake Conspiracy and Sophie and the Locust Curse. Steven’s third book, originally titled Sophie and the Crooked General, has recently been renamed to Sophie and the Pancake Plot, he reports. The book is due out sometime in September 2008.
Because people live much closer to nature in rural Burkina Faso, death is constant companion. Charlie from Blooming Desert describes a loss from the animal world:
“He's in a bad way, I'm afraid”, said Steve, carrying the patient across the bus station. Six hours of dust, fumes and bone-rattling on the road from Ouagadougou had clearly been too much. His head was limp, his whole body flaccid. We laid him out on the ground and a crowd gathered. Instinctively I stretched out my hand, gently laid it on his chest and prayed. As I did, he shuddered and took his last breath. It was a sad moment.
She reports that “the other seven French hens were fine and have been settling in nicely to their new accommodation.”
In a decidedly more sterile environment, Valentine from My So-Called Life in Africa explains how she dissected a frog at school. She knew she was in for a long day in Biology class when her lab partner asked to work on the largest frog of the litter:
Well, we started cutting and you know how some things are suppose to be juicy like a nice steak, and some things just aren’t? Well let me tell you this was extra juicy frog. Maybe that’s a good thing if you are French and like frog legs, but not if you are an 8th grader in biology class. After a few minutes of poking around in the frog’s leg, we found a gross white thread with a few pieces of black stuff clinging to it. I don’t even know what it’s called and don’t want to know because after having met it, I don’t ever want to again!
Finally, a Peace Corps volunteer, AKIA, traveled from Burkina Faso to Taiwan to observe her grandfather’s funeral. In AKIA-BLOG, she describes the funeral rites, which she says are a mixture of Buddhist and Taiwanese traditions:
Since he passed away, my relatives have been going to the temple to pay respects to my grandfather. Each morning, they go to bai4bai4. This involves burning incense and giving thanks or offerings and general respect paying. According to Taiwanese beliefs, he is ascending to the afterlife but he has not taken anything with him. Each morning, after paying our respects by burning incense at his soul altar, we burn paper flowers (the steps for him to reach the afterlife) and sacrificial money (money for the afterlife). Basically, my grandmother's apartment is reminiscent of a paper/origami factory.

author: John Liebhardt


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China: A net campaign for the parents of slaves · Global Voices
Bob Chen

It is now approaching the Chinese New Year, the most important festival in China. However, there is still a group of people who can’t go back home for the most pleasant time of the year; they are still rushing about towns after towns in search of their beloved children, who used to be the “brick kiln” slaves and were now still lost. They are the parents, the forgotten victims in the 2007 Chinese slave scandal.
As the time passed, the media and the public are gradually losing their concern over the issue, which is one of the most inhuman events in 2007. And the heated rescue movement by the government had come to an end and was alleged to achieve greatly by saving over 300 illegal workers.
However, it doesn’t mean that all the slaves received their salvation. Cai Changqing, a blind-deaf young man, got lost after the government stroke the kilns. His parents have rambled thousands of miles to seek their son, while the kid was yet out of their reach. Miao Lisong, a father, has also lost his son’s whereabouts since 2005. He had quit his job to devote to seeking the kid, and kept circulating the boy’s pictures. Moreover, under the harsh environment, some seriously tortured workers had been mental-impaired and a few of them got lost again after being rescued. Scores of parents have been wading alone, as the government had virtually ended the investigation after a transient storm. The aftermath and more facts are likely to be covered.
Their children unfound
The pictures of the lost workers
Our of direction
According to the attorney Xu Zhiyong, the lawyers in Xi’an had all received order that they shouldn’t litigate for the kiln workers for any kind of compensation. And the many lawsuits on the process are still pending, leaving the parents like Zhang, whose son got seriously hurt and burnt in the kiln, suffering from an endless waiting.   That’s why the famous blogger IAMV in bulloger.com launched a donation project, which later evolved into a mass action in blogsphere, to aid these helpless parents.
为黑窑母亲群体及获救窑工派过年红包“网友送温暖”活动捐款方案
现实之于他们如此坚硬，我们可能没什么办法帮到他们什么忙，但至少可以让他们感受到世界还有人性的柔软的另一面。 所以，发起这次对部分黑窑母亲及获救窑工送过年红包的募捐活动。 以下是我们准备送红包的黑窑母亲及获救窑奴名单，他们只是黑窑受害者的一小部分，鉴于没有公开全面的信息来源，我们暂时只能做到这一步。
A donation project for netizens to bring warmth and give lucky money to the mothers and saved workers in the black kiln event.
The reality is so harsh to them. We might not be able to help them a lot, but at least we could let them feel that there is still a tender side of humanity. Therefore, we launched this campaign to call for donation to them, so that they may have a good new year. The list below features the names of the “black kiln” mothers and saved workers. They are just part of the victims. Since there had been no open, complete information about the issue, that’s all what we can do now.
捐赠人：所有自愿参加送温暖活动的网友 组织者：IAMV 受益人：失踪窑工袁学宇家长袁成、柴长青家长柴伟、苗全（又名苗旭鹏）家长苗立松、霍晨阳家长霍耀周、赵永民家长赵臣义、李鹏家长蒋花荣、秦明辉家长李玉亲、何建强家长何大楼；怀疑被掳为窑工的陈昌家长王小丽……等 获救窑工张文龙（化名）、李耀锴、陈小军、庞飞虎、周道明、肖文龙、刘亚飞、刘伟等
Donators: all those who wish to participate.
Organizer: IAMV
Beneficiary: Yuan Cheng; Cai Wei, parent of Cai Chang, Miao lisong, Huo Yaozhou, Zhao Chengyi, Jiang Huarong, Li Yuqin, He Dalou, Wang Xiaoli, and so forth.  (All are the parents of the kiln workers).
接收捐款的银行帐号：4060101－01880211765 开户行：中国银行北京崇外大街支行 崇文区崇外大街44号 户名：钭江明 期限：2008年1月22日至2008年２月2１日（正月十五）24时。
Bank account: 4060101－01880211765
Bank: Bank of China, sub-branch in Beijing Chong Wai Street
User name: Dou Jiangming Term: 01/22/2008 to 02/21/2008
规则： 一、捐款汇至上述银行帐户；当你向上述帐户汇款时，表示你已经阅读、理解并接受本方案，视为你已经同组织者达成捐赠协议。 二、截至2008年２月２１日（正月十五）24时，将所有捐款以现金或实物方式送给受益人。 三、分别给每个受益人的数额由组织者IAMV与辛艳华、罗永浩、王小山根据受益人的家庭经济状况及个人意愿共同商讨决定。 四、受益人包括但不限于上述所列名单，捐款活动结束后一个月内，组织者公布所有受到捐助的受益人名单。 五、受益人自由支配获捐款项。
1.	Please donate to the bank account listed above. When you make your donation, it means that you have read, understood, and accepted the project. An agreement with the organizer on donation was thought to be reached.
2.	All the donation will be delivered to the beneficiaries no later than 02/21/2008
3.	The amount allocated to each beneficiary will be decided by the organizer IAMV (a famous blogger) and Xin Yanhua ( a citizen journalist that has helped save the workers in person), Luo Yonghao (host of Bulloger, a celebrated blog fair), Wang Xiaoshan (a journalist), based on the financial situation and individual’s will.
4.	Beneficiaries are not limited to those on the list above. One month after the campaign, the organizer will publicize the list of the beneficiaries.
5.	The beneficiaries will have the complete right to make a use of the donation.
阳光保障措施： 一、罗永浩先生保管捐款帐户存折，保证不将该存折交给他人，并定期公布接收捐款的金额（公布频率不低于七天一次）。 二、王小山先生掌握捐款帐户密码，并保证不将自己掌握的折卡密码泄露给他人。 三、罗永浩先生、王小山先生、IAMV承诺仅在三人同时在场的情况下方可提款。 四、IAMV承诺捐款帐户提出的款项将仅交付给受益人。 五、取款及向受益人汇款的过程，由律师见证。 撤销捐赠的流程： 一、捐赠人在捐款后一个月内有权撤销捐赠。 二、要求撤销捐赠的，需要提交汇款凭证原件供组织者或组织者指定的人士查验。 三、核实汇款信息属实后半个月内，组织者将相应的款项退还给原汇款人（退款时，收款人、收款帐号为原汇款人、原汇款帐号）。
The open guarantee 1.	Luo Yonghao keeps the bankbook and promises not to give it to anyone else. Also, he will periodically open the sum of money received.
2.	Wang Xiaoshan keeps the account password and promises not to reveal it to anyone else.
3.	Luo, Wang, IAMV promise that the money will be withdrawn from the account only with the presence of all the 3 people.
4.	IAMV promises the money in the account will only be given to the beneficiaries.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Bob Chen


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China: What are landlords like? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Joel from DANWEI translated local blogger 10 years chopping of timber's post on “What are landlords like?” The post touches upon the labeling of “Landlord” for political and ideological control.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Cuba: The Church and Change?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Cuban Triangle blogs about the Catholic Church's role in Cuba.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Guatemala: Esquipulas and Rabinal, Two Symbols of Peace · Global Voices
Renata Avila

Photo by Renata Ávila of Cofradía en Rabinal
Two villages in Guatemala celebrate very important festivities in January.  These feasts are “Esquipulas” and “Rabinal”. Esquipulas has become a transnational celebration and attracts devoted pilgrims that arrive from other countries in order to venerate an image of a Black Christ.  This was also the symbol of the Peace Negotiations througout Central America. The image of Christ in Esquipulas is a special one as Hecho en Guatemala [es]  explained on his post Esquipulas, city of faith
El referido Cristo, es una imagen de Jesús Crucificado, a la cual, millones de devotos de Centroamérica, le rinden culto desde hace más de 400 años en el templo católico que lleva el nombre de este pintoresco poblado. El adjetivo de “negro”, se debe a que con el paso de los años (según muchos, al humo de las velas), el color de la madera en que fue tallado el cristo, se fue tornando oscura, hasta adquirir el color negro de la actualidad.
It is an image of a cruxified Christ, which millions of Central Americans have been devoted to for the last 400 years, and is located in the church with the name of the picturesque town. The adjective “black” is due to color of the wood of the sculpture turned dark (according to many, due to the smoke from the candles), and nowadays it is black.
Esquipulas is located in the department of Chiquimula, but the faith and devotion for the image crosses borders, according to El nuevo blog de Esquipulas [es]:
La devoción por el Señor de Esquipulas ha trascendido fronteras hasta hacer de Esquipulas la ‘Capital Centroamericana de la Fe’ y también ha sido adoptada por católicos latinoamericanos residentes en Estados Unidos. Esta tradicional celebración del ‘Señor de Esquipulas’ se viene llevando a cabo anualmente en los diferentes condados de la ciudad de Nueva York y desde hace tres años se celebra en la Catedral de San Patricio, gracias a las gestiones de la señora Rosa María Mérida de Mora, cónsul general de Guatemala en Nueva York y la Hermandad Arquidiocesana del Señor de Esquipulas NY. También se festeja en Nueva Jersey y finalmente la solemne celebración culmina en el condado de Brooklyn.
Devotion for the Christ of Esquipulas has crossed borders and has made Esquipulas the Central American Capital of Faith, and it has also been an image that has been adopted by Latin American Catholics living in US. The traditional celebration of the Christ of Esquipulas has taken place every year in the different counties of New York, and it began to be celebrated in St. Patrick's Cathedral three years ago, thanks to the actions of María Mérida de Mora, general consul of Guatemala in New York and the Archdiocese Brotherhood of the Christ of Esquipulas in NY. It is also celebrated in New Jersey and  the celebration concludes in Brooklyn.
El Zacapaneco [es] tells what an old lady of his town thinks about the festivity:
Nos Cuenta Doña Clemencia de 85 años de edad, junto a su familia, nos dice que ella tiene aproximadamente 20 años de estar viajando a este Municipio de Esquipulas en estas fechas para darle gracias a Dios por permitirle terminar un año mas, y empezar uno nuevo, a la vez deja su ofrenda en Río de los deseos, para pedirle un deseo a Dios y que se lo haga realidad.
Mrs. Clemencia, who is 85 years old, tells us that she has been visiting Esquipulas with her family for approximately 20 years to thank God for giving her another year of life and for beginning a new one.  She places her offering in the “river of wishes” to pray to God for her wish that she asks might come true.
The other town celebrating a Saint with huge expressions of folklore, with a magic mixure of indigenous, Spanish and popular expressions of faith is Rabinal. Every January, Rabinal celebrates San Pablo with a festival of “Cofradías”.  Rabinal is a place that suffered a lot during the armed conflict, and many of the traditions were not practiced during this difficult time, where many masacres took place there.
To keep the memory alive, James on his blog Mi Mundo tells the details of the conflict and the remarkable efforts of the people to keep this memory alive, as the survivors built a museum to remember:
Besides helping maintain alive the historical memory of the still recent atrocities, the museum also provides a number of other services such as a library, computer lab, and a specific exhibit dedicated to the local Maya Achi culture and its rich traditions.
But winds have changed. Now they are celebrating again. Blogger Con sabor a naranja mi dulce Rabinal [es] (with a taste of orange, my sweet Rabinal) said that thanks to donations they were able to buy the things required for the festivities.  On his post La Nación Rabinal, he describes the syncretism of the celebration:
Hoy por hoy la celebración de la feria y fiesta titular en honor a San Pablo Apóstol, se realiza el ritual en honor al AJAW, Corazón del Cielo y Corazón de la Tierra. (uk`ux kaj jay uk`ux ulew). Lo esencial de nuestra coexistencia sobre la Madre Tierra es la armonía y hermandad con el prójimo y la naturaleza misma de la cual somos parte importante para su protección y conservación…
Nowadays we celebrate the festival in honor to San Pablo, and we practice the ritual in honor to the Ajaw, the heart of the heavens and the heart of the earth. The essence of our coexistence with the Mother Earth is the harmony and brotherhood with others, and with the nature itself. We are part of such nature, an important one for its conservation and protection … “
There are several cofradías, groups of dancers, mostly indigenous, wearing masks and honoring Catholic saints. San Sebastian is one of the “Cofradías”, with its own Blog [es],  where they uploaded the program of activities, the other cofradía with a blog is San Pablo [es], where they even published a web magazine about the festivities.
The city where the cruelest violence of war and the city where peace negotiations started, both have traditions that survived with the passage of time.  They bring people together and brings paganism and Catholicism together, indigenous dances with prayers, and a dark color on a beautiful image of Christ.   Above all, they bring the feeling of hope and happiness which involves colors painting the Guatemalan sky.

author: Renata Avila


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Guyana: Persons of Influence  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Do! You! Know!!! Who Guyana-Gyal is??  You should…


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Hong Kong: Retraining 15 Years Old? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fai Mao criticizes the Employees Retraining program which exploits foreign domestic workers by imposing an unreasonable tax for local workers’ retaining. Now the program plans to retrain 15 years old youth.


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India: Dalal Street · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

India Daily on the ups and downs on the stock exchanges in India – mirroring the volatility in markets worldwide.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: For Booklovers · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Mumbai does a roundup for book lovers in the city – big shops, the shops around the corner, and hawkers near railway stations.


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Indonesia: Truth and Reconciliation for Soeharto · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Nicholas Godwin feels that a “Truth and reconciliation for Soeharto necessary to Indonesian prosperity”

author: Preetam Rai


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Iran:Bloggers Solidarity Day with jailed students · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Hundreds of bloggers support jailed students.According to Negha bi Hejab[Fa],on 31st January,the bloggers will change their blogs’ names in “January 31 (Bahman 10 in iranian agenda),Bloggers Solidarity Day with jailed students.” Many students are jailed for their ideas in Iran.Most of them were arrested 50 days ago.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:”Dutch University rejects Iranian Applicant” · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

In Kamangir blog, we read:”my M.Sc. application was rejected, not on the basis of my academic performance, but because of where I am born”, writes Amin, an Iranian reader of this (Kamangir's) blog. Attaching a snapshot of the communication he has received from University of Twente, in the Netherlands.


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Iran:Logos to support Gaza · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Muslim Bloggers Association has published a couple of logos[Fa] to support Palestinians in Gaza strip.One of logos says:”Gaza is a land of resistance in blood and fire.”


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Jamaica, St. Lucia: Hardwick’s Eulogy · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Derek Walcott's prodigious gifts, even in the face of tragedy, continue to amaze me”: Jamaican Geoffrey Philp links to the Caribbean writer's eulogy of Elizabeth Hardwick.


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Japan: False arrest, new strategy · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Shisaku despairs at the arrest of Nakatsuji Masato, allegedly for programming a virus when in fact there are no laws against virus creation in Japan. The arrest is connected to a new campaign by the Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry, who has placed ads in trains and on TV featuring Ueto Aya in a Sherlock Holmes outfit encouraging better computer security to combat copyright infringement.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Hacking for Virtual Dress · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Edo from Pink tentacle blogs about a student hacking into a game company for stealing 36 million yen worth of virtual currency for buying virtual dress.


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Japan: Matchbox Art · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ryoko from Ping mag has written a feature on Matchbox Art.


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Japan: Videotape from 1995 Monju reactor leak · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

The infamous  Monju fast-breeder reactor leak of 1995, an accident that long ago earned itself a place in the history of nuclear power in Japan, has returned one more time to haunt government and industry officials with images they had hoped they would never see again.
Named after the Buddhist divinity of wisdom, Monju, located in Japan's Fukui prefecture,  is Japan's only fast-breeder reactor. Unlike conventional reactors, fast-breeder reactors, which “breed” plutonium,  use sodium rather than water as a coolant. This type of coolant creates a potentially hazardous situation as sodium is highly corrosive and reacts violently with both water and air.
On December 8th, 1995, 700 kg of molten sodium leaked from the secondary cooling circuit of the Monju reactor, resulting in a fire that made headlines across the country. Although the accident itself did not result in a radiation leak, many argue that the sodium spill itself came very close to detonating Monju, a catastrophe which would have spilled plutonium into the environment.
Following the fire, officials at the government-owned Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC), operators of Monju, first played down the extent of damage at the reactor and denied the existence of a videotape showing the sodium spill. Later, they released still shots only, showing things like intact pipes and clean floors and claiming that there had only been “a minor leakage in the secondary sodium loop [that had] caused some fumes”. While short videos were released, these were edited to hide the full extent of the damage. Further complicating the story, the deputy general manager of the general affairs department at the PNC, Shigeo Nishimura, 49, jumped to his death the day after a news conference where he and other officials revealed the extent of the cover-up.
Starting from September of last year, Nishimura's family brought the story back to light in a trial against the PNC at Japan's High Court. It is in this context that a never-before-seen video (the so-called “2 o'clock video”), described in a 1996  New York Times article as “show[ing] men in silver space suits exploring the room in which sodium compounds hung from the air ducts like icicles”, has finally come out, released on YouTube by a group called News for the People in Japan (NPJ) and also posted by blogger tokyodo-2005 at his blog. Japanese subtitles have been translated to English and posted at dotSUB, as well as embedded in this article below.
The opening lines in the video provide some background:
「動燃が隠したもんじゅナトリウム漏れ事故直後の映像　いわゆる2時ビデオ」
もんじゅナトリウム漏れ事故の直後動燃は職員を現場に入れナトリウム漏れの映像を撮影していた。
しかし、そのあまりの生々しさに動燃はこれを隠した。
動燃は隠した理由は「価値がないから」と説明した。
あなたの目でなぜ動燃がこのビデオを隠したのか、判断して欲しい。
このビデオがもんじゅ（福井県）に隠されただけでなく、本社にもコピーが持ち込まれて隠されていたことが後に発覚した。
その釈明会見で嘘を発表することになった職員は会見直後自殺した。
彼を自殺に追いやったのは何だったのか…。そのことも考えてほしい。
In his blog entry, tokyodo-2005 goes into more detail about the video:
先日、この訴訟の口頭弁論が行われたが、西村さん側から大きな事実二つが主張された。
[…]
一つは、旧動燃が嘘をつき続けなければならなくなった２時ビデオの実態だ。
[…]
ナトリウムが漏れて小さな山のようにたまっている様子もはっきり撮影されており、これでは、旧動燃が隠したいと思うのも仕方ないと思えた。これが隠されたことによって、次から次へと嘘をつかざるを得なくなり、その嘘が外側から剥がれることによって、もんじゅ廃炉の声が高まった。先日の法廷での上映はその嘘の核となったビデオ、動燃が隠さざるを得なかったビデオの実態を伝えた。
事故が起きたのは、平成７年１２月８日、ビデオが撮影されたのはそれから６時間後の９日午前２時、ダビングされたビデオが本 社に持ち込まれたのがその日の午後９時半。居合わせた社員はこれを視聴している。
[…]
ここで、西村さんは２時ビデオが本社に持ち込まれていたことが分かったのは、１２月２５日だと答える予定だったが、なぜか、１月１０日だと答えてしまった。
[…]
そこで、西村さんは、自分で自分の口をふさぐしかなくなったのだろう。冒頭の遺書のようにすべてを自分のミスという形にして自殺した。
もんじゅはまもなく再開されようとしている。果たして西村さんを死に追いやった隠蔽体質は改善されているのか。少なくとも西村さんの裁判ですべてを明らかにして反省しようとする姿勢はまったく感じられない…。西村さんは命をかけて、ある意味、もんじゅを救ったが、西村さんは自分のような犠牲者が続くことは望んでいないはずだ。
More information about the re-opening of Monju can be found in this article at World Nuclear News.
[This article was co-written by Hanako Tokita.]
[Update (Jan. 28): More background to the trial mentioned in the article in this 2004 Japan Times article.]


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Kuwait: 42pc Women in Labour Force · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Kuwait, Fonzy sheds light on labour statistics in the oil-rich country – where women make up 42 per cent of the work force.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Kuwait: Get Children off the Streets · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Fonzy from Kuwait calls upon parents to get children off the streets – where accidents are waiting to happen.


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Kyrgyzstan: Seamstresses come out of the shadows · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Genderstan sheds light on women in Kyrgyzstan working as seamstresses in very harsh conditions — in small rooms stuffed with sewing machines and people, sewing day and night for prices like a couple of dollars for a piece of easy-made clothes.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Lebanese Contestant in Italy’s Big Brother · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Beirut-born Ali Ayach, 28, is one of the nineteen contestants in the eighth edition of Grande Fratello, Italy's version of Big Brother, reports Lebanese blogger Skylark.


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Lebanon: Car Bomb Targets Counter-Terrorism Captain · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

Yet another terrorist attack targeted Lebanon leaving behind deaths and destruction. Today, at 10am local time, a car bomb killed Lebanon’s active counter–terrorism police officer, Captain Wissam Eid and three others. The explosion along the Hazmieh highway, just on the outskirts of Beirut, also wounded 38 other persons. Following are some of Lebanese bloggers’ reactions to the incident:
These bloggers posted photos from the site of the explosion:
Friday Lunch Club, who also has links to new sources. Bilad ash-Sham has two posts with photos here and here.
These bloggers have updates and reflections on the explosion:
Eliedh and Independence 05 both posted updates.
Harryzzz was at the scene 40 minutes after the explosion and reported what he saw:
I've just come back from the place where a bomb exploded, on Friday morning. Pretty messy. According to officials 6 dead, although I only arrived at the scene around 40 minutes after the attack took place and all victims were already taken away by ambulances. Due to an enormous traffic mess, I could not reach the place quicker.
Blacksmiths of Lebanon posted a video showing live footage of the explosion broadcast by a local TV station.
The Human Province reacted to those who consider the explosions to be messages:
Everyone always speaks of a “message” that's being relayed by this bomb or that. Perhaps I'm just daft, but I don't know what these messages are, to whom they're addressed or from whom they're postmarked. It's like playing the telephone game (téléphone cassé, if you're from Lebanon) where a message gets sent down a chain of whispering kids until it's unintelligible at the end. The only difference is that instead of whispers and kids, it's car bombs and mangled corpses.
Beirut Spring wrote a post asking: “Who killed captain Wissam Eid?”

author: Moussa Bashir


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Lusosphere: Child survival · Global Voices
Paula Góes

UNICEF has just published its annual analysis of the mortality rate of children under 5 years. Among the conclusions, Angola, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, East Timor and Cape Verde have rates far above the admissible, considering Brazil as the standard intermediate and Portugal as the only one who moves to a typical position of  a “developed country”. See a comprehensive report at Timor Lososae Nação [pt].

author: Paula Góes


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Malaysia: Is Macbook Air Worth Buying · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Jibone at Mymacbuzz analyses the features and shortcomings in the latest Apple notebook computer and says he would not buy one unless the price includes some of the accessories that is needed to make the machine more complete.


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Malaysia: Would You Buy a Tata Nano · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Paul Tan illustrates how TATA managed to lower the cost of its recently launched car and asks Malaysian readers if they will buy the car if it was available in Malaysia.


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Morocco: Obama and Religion · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Thanks to Barack Obama, Islam may have to redefine “believer” in Islamic terms as well as who is considered a Muslim, or the world community may have to start working on a new definition for “ethnic Muslim” to accommodate complicated individuals such as Mr. Obama,” writes Myrtus from Morocco.


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Nari Jibon: Bloggers discussing education, emancipation and poverty · Global Voices
Rezwan

The last time we featured Nari Jibon, the women bloggers, among other things, discussed the problems of dowry of Bangladesh. David informed earlier this month about Nari Jibon's video training.
More from the Nari Jibon Blog Bangladesh from our view:
Trainer Shawn of The Uncultured Project trained the students/staff (bloggers) how to take good picture and video. He showed the rules of taking good picture and video. He trained the staff on podcast interview.
“In the same ceremony four students were selected and awarded as best bloggers (Two from English and two from Bangla blog). They are Zannat Ara Amzad (The street beggar), Sherin Sultana (An anecdote of my friend, Mitu), Sufia Khatun (Protivar Bilupti- Abolished talent) and Nafisa Mobassara (Mayer dadur biye—Marriage of mother’s grand father).”
Nurunnahar Islam Munni writes about the importance of education for women in order to change their lives for the better:
“Educated girls can lead her life with a good planning. She knows how to enjoy life and keep a happy family. If girls become educated they will be conscious about their rights.
An educated mother can maintain her family and teach her children properly & give proper guidance. She can be very conscious about her children’s health and nutrition. An educated girl can do job and can help her family financially, better than an uneducated girl.
Therefore it is told that ‘Give me an educated mother, I will give you an educated nation’.”
Sherin Sultana lives in the capital, Dhaka, for livelihood but she misses her village. She describes a recent holiday she spent in her village home:
I passed my time by gossiping and making fun with my pet dog Tuktuki, my pet cat Monti and Ponti (Monti’s child). The water, winds, trees even every bit of dust, every thing of my native place seem very close to me.
I also passed my time by singing songs, gossiping with my family members & with my friends and in every evening we went for a walk at the riverside.
She faces the reality:
In the busy Dhaka city now I also became a very busy person like city’s people. I lost all of my wants, joys and laughs for being busy and having pressure of real life.
Narijibon staff Golam Rabbany Sujon compiles some of the bloggers experiences about the problems women face in Bangladesh. Some excerpts:
I am Afroza, age 16, when I used to study in the school my mummy used to give me company to go and return from my school everyday. Now I study in a girls’ college but still now my mummy gives me company almost everyday when I go outside of our house. My elder brother is only three years senior than me but he went to the school and college alone. How independent my brother is!
Read the rest here.
Mahfuza Parul describes her day out to her friend's village in Boalkandi.
Helen Sarkar posts [bn] a touching story on the Bangla-language blog Amader Kotha about the thoughts she had when her favorite jacket was stolen by flood refugees:
আমার এত পছন্দের একটা জিনিস চুরি হয়ে গেল—এই দুঃখে আমার পাথর হওয়ার উচিৎ ছিল। কিন্তু আমি একবার চিৎকারও দেইনি তার বদলে যে নিয়েছে তার জন্য সহানভুতি এলো। মনেমনে ভাবলাম যে নিয়েছে সেতো আসোলেই চোর না, ওকে চুরি করতে হয়েছে একমুঠো ভাতের জন্য।
আমার কেন যেন মনে হয়- আসলে না আমরা যারা ভালো আছি তারাই সমাজের এক শ্রেণীর মানুষকে চোর হবার শিক্ষা দেই, ওদেরকে পরোক্ষভাবে বোঝানোর চেষ্টাকরি, সুন্দর ভাবে বেঁচে থাকার কোন অধিকার তোমাদের নেই। তোমরা নষ্টহয়ে যাবে, চুরি করবে, ছন্নছাড়া জীবন তোমাদের জন্য।
It occurs to me sometimes that we who are well off  let a class of people be thieves. We try to tell them indirectly that they have no right to live a decent life. You go astray, be thieves and this turbulent life is for yours only.
আমরা নাকি সভ্য জগতের মানুষ- আমরা ছোট সাহায্যের প্যাকেট দিয়ে কিনতে চাই অসহায় ক্ষুধার্ত কোন শিশুর কান্নাকে, বৃদ্ধের আর্তনাদকে সহায়, সম্বলহীন মানুষগুলোকে। কিন্তু প্রতিকার করতে চাই না- আর যেন বন্যা না এসে দুকুল ভাসিয়ে যেন আমাদের সম্পদকে নষ্ট না করে দেয়, না-ভাসিয়ে দেয় আমাদের অশ্রুর সাগরে।
Farjana Akter shares a story about her first time visit to the Cox's Bazar beach. She says:
The scenery of the sun set in the Bay-of-Bengal is unforgettable.
Shanta Islam shares with us an interesting story of her school final exam. Nina Sultana Mim portrays one Pitha (cake) seller. Nilufa Akter shares [bn] a fairy tale she heard in her child hood.
Nafisa Mubassir tells of [bn] the story of the marriage of her mother's grandfather. About a century ago child marriage was prevalent and the bride was only 5 while the groom was 15. At that age they did not know what marriage was all about and it was more like the marriage of the dolls.
In contrast Salma Siddiqa Mumu writes that the mentality of women of Bangladesh has changed. More and more women are coming out of the home where they were merely housewives and are participating in various activities to be financially independent now.
More blogger profiles were posted on the Nari Jibon blog. The bloggers portrayed were Asma Akter, Linda Pandey, Sharmin Chowdhury Shikha, Jannatul Fardouse Nargis, Kamrun Nahar, Farjana Huque, Shifat Binte Quaium &  Bushrat Binte Quaium [bn], Laili Jahan Meghla, Ayesha Parvin [bn].
We hope to show you some videos and podcasts of the participants in our next roundup on Nari Jibon. If you would like to help support Nari Jibon, you can download a PDF of the 2008 Nari Jibon Calendar and make a donation (suggested $10) via Give2Asia.

author: Rezwan


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Nepal: Smile! · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepal Smiles aspires to get together three hundred photographs of smiling Nepali children by the end of 2008. :)


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Pakistan: State of the economy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Green Views on the state of the economy in Pakistan – a rather positive picture.


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Russia: Ukok Princess · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about plans to re-bury the mummy of a Scythian princess in the capital of Russia's Altai Republic.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Serbia: Australian Open Finalists · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belgrade 2.0 writes poignantly and at length about “a fairytale ending; two Serbian tennis players in the finals of the Australian Open.”


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Singapore: Not in China · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Arzhou is shocked to find that according to one of the US state tax department Singapore is a part of China.


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Thailand: Steam Train Engines in Bangkok · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Richard Barrow points steam train enthusiasts to a train shed in Bangkok that houses some old steam engines.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Dame Lorraine  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Thebookmann attends a traditional “Old ‘Mas” performance in Trinidad and Tobago and posts video of the well-loved Carnival character of the Dame Lorraine.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Stolen Generation?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A schoolyard incident in Trinidad and Tobago makes Jumbie's Watch wonder: “How and when did society ‘tief’ our children, and their innocence? And how did we let them get away with it, without even a murmur of protest?”


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Tunisia: An Introduction · Global Voices
Naruto

The “Tunisphere” is a group a passionate Internet users and bloggers even if their number is not as high as in neighbouring countries like Morocco.  In this post, I will introduce you to some of them.
One of the pioneers of the Tunisphere is Hou-Hou, who is based in Canada and writes posts either in French or in English. His topics are general and focus on technology or social issues in Tunisia and Canada. He is also the brain behind the first and most famous  Tunisian aggregator – tn-blogs.
Another leading blogger is Adibs, who is a veterinarian. His blog though tackles different social issues and  he belongs to the first wave of Tunisian bloggers. He writes in French.
Subzero Blue is the former GVO author from Tunisia and he only posts in English and Arabic. He initiated the idea of Tunisian Blogger meetup and now he advocates micro-blogging via twitter too.
Tarek Cheniti, who is a PhD student in Oxford, UK, writes a lot of his posts in English, French and Arabic. In the latter, he uses the Tunisian dialect instead Standard Arabic. He also advocates the use of the Tunisian dialect as an official language instead of Standard Arabic. He covers a lot of political (Governance aspect), economical and social issues in his posts.
One of the good examples of the Tunisian blogosphere's diversity is Diana Magazine, which is the blog of a law student, who writes in Arabic, English and French. He is really interested in the political situation in Lebanon and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales!
Yosra, is another active blogger, specialising in writing about marketing and online media. She also contributes to the first newspaper supplement about Tunisian blogs every week and was responsible for the Tunisia Blog Award 2007. Another blogger interested in online media and web2.0 is Mehdi Lemloum, whose has a personal blog with emphasis on marketing, public relations and Tunisian soccer.
Since last year, the number of blogs  in the Tunisian dialect and Arabic have been increasing. BTB is a famous blogger who writes a lot in the Tunisian dialect in an ironic way, while Khil we lil, who posts in French and the Tunisian dialect, writes a lot about cultural aspects and the southern region of Tunisia.
Meanwhile, Boudourou is a common initiative led by some bloggers who criticize Tunisia's traditional media and how media process the information in their Arabic posts.
But it is not always quiet on the Tunisphere. Some blogs raise a lot of controversy when they first appear. Among those, is Kifi, whose addition to the Tunisian aggregator created a stir, because of the clear sexual orientation of its author. Kifi means “similar to me” in the Tunisian dialect. Having said this, it isn't the first blog administered by a gay blogger. The first is Mon enfer. Both bloggers post in French.

author: Naruto


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Ukraine: NATO Problems · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Notes writes about the bad timing of the current NATO-related initiatives undertaken by Ukraine's leaders.


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Ukraine: Tymoshenko and Bohatyryova · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Dan McMinn returns to Ukraine and resumes blogging at Orange Ukraine; one of his first posts is on two Ukrainian women politicians: Yulia Tymoshenko and Raisa Bohatyryova.


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Uzbekistan: Nadira’s Story · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ben links to a few stories discussing Nadira Alieva’s new London theatre show, in which she recounts her life before and after she met ex-ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray.


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Yemen blocks independent news websites · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

Numerous Yemeni websites have been blocked recently by government-controlled ISPs. Among them is the popular YemenPortal  (English version of the site here), Yemen’s first multi-source news crawler and search engine, which extracts headlines from news sites that are being blocked by the authorities. YemenPortal is inviting  Yemeni internet users to access the website through a mirror they build at yemen.arabiaportal.net.
According to Reporters Without Borders access to at least seven other Yemeni websites have been blocked since October:
Access to YemenPortal from within Yemen was blocked two days after Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Mujawar and other government officials accused the press on 17 January of “jeopardising the country’s national interest” and “promoting incitement to secession.”
In May of the last year, Yemen’s Ministry of Telecommunications blocked access to two opposition news websites (www.al-shoura.net and www.aleshteraki.net) because they reported on the humanitarian situation and the fighting between the army and Shia rebels in the northern province of Sa’ada.
In this interview I speak with YemenPortal.net administrator Walid Al-Saqaf, who talks about the threats to the freedom of online expression in his country:
: what kind of websites that are being blocked in Yemen and how do you explain the recent move by Yemeni government-controlled ISP's to ban your website and others?
: I believe RSF made an excellent and thoughtful assessment in their release  when they said the regime is suffering from a number of setbacks and challenges and decided to target the media instead of resolving them. Indeed, news websites have started to gain popularity and influence public opinion more than any other time in the past. YouTube videos of the ruthless attacks by security forces against protesters in Aden were posted online in YemenPortal.net and news, views and discussions on the separatist movement in the south along with the rebel war in the north have all had strong influences on the local press, which are increasingly picking up and rerunning stories and news from online media sources.
In other words, the government is fearful of new media's influence on public opinion and would like to suppress it, just as it did for broadcast and print media through monopoly and licensing restrictions.
: Who is responsible for the block? Was it a governmental decision to bar access to YemenPortal?
: It is definitely the government, but it is not clear to me which part of it. I heard from reliable sources that it is the national security apparatus that prompted this ban. This also came after harsh comments by the Minister of Information (as reported in the above RSF release). But it is 100% clear that the government was the one behind the ban.
: How would you assess the general filtering situation in Yemen?
: One word: ‘alarming’. This is because we are supposed to be in a democratic country where freedom of the press and expression are guaranteed in the constitution. This is a serious blow to all the pledges the regime gave to the public and the world. It is particularly alarming to see that the government is careless about complaints from international advocacy groups and organizations in the face of such oppression. The more the world criticizes the regime, the more it insists on it, noting that it is a ‘domestic’ issue that other nations or organizations should not interfere in. The censorship of pornographic websites has been tolerated by the society, but the government's resorting to censorship of websites merely for news and opinion marks a dangerous tendency towards dictatorship.
: What has been the response of Yemeni Internet users to the the ban?
: The response was positive to a very large extent. I received solidarity messages and hundreds of requests for membership. Readers are expecting the alternative domain (yemen.arabiaportal.net) to be blocked any time, so they would like to stay in touch and learn the second alternative domain that we will use if/when the first alternative domain is blocked.
There are however certain elements on the net that seem to support blocking websites. This is a minority and in my own opinion, they are either misguided or actually elements paid for by the authorities to give the impression that readers want this ban to ‘protect national interests’ and other rubbish.
What I would like to point out here is that the nature of YemenPortal.net as an umbrella and source of information on thousand+ sources makes banning it equivalent to banning information coming from all those sources. The search engine had already tracked more than 200,000 items and is growing rapidly. It has an English section as well and strives to cover the widest array of sources on Yemen as possible. It started in Yemen but was planned to extend to the Arab world through the arabiaportal.net project. But this ban held us back.
The aim is to liberate people from restrictions on what they can see and read. In a solidarity meeting with more than a couple dozen news website managers and workers in Sana'a on Jan 23, a decision was taken to fight this ban by applying new technologies and techniques to allow blocked websites to have a prominent location on the front page of YemenPortal.net and renew the website's DNS whenever one is blocked. This way we hope to neutralize the impact of censorship because it is virtually impossible for the government to keep on blocking each and every website that has a link to the dynamic DNS that will be created.

author: sami ben gharbia


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Bahamas: Freedom of Information  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As the Bahamian Prime Minister makes his report to the nation, Rick Lowe at WeblogBahamas.com admits to “feeling like someone was now in charge of The Bahamas”, but adds: “If there was one disappointment for me it is that Mr. Ingraham did not mention when a Freedom of Information Act would be presented to Parliament.”


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Barbados: Impact of CSME · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

While Bajan Free Press believes “the future of Barbados is inextricably linked to the future of the Caribbean region of which we are a part”, Barbados Underground says: “We will probably import many of the social ills of T&T, Guyana and several of the other islands.”


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Davos: peeking in and participating through videos · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

IMG_0092 by aymlis
The World Economic Forum´s annual meeting of political and business leaders is taking place between January 23rd and January 27th in Davos, Switzerland. This year, common people can participate in this forum by giving their ideas to make the world a better place and posting it on the YouTube video sharing site.
This year, people from around the world will  not only be able to view the forum sessions through webcasts, but they can also voice their opinion and be seen and heard by world leaders by uploading videos online. Through videos and through text on their YouTube channel, the World Economic Forum Davos Conversation organizers made their invitation:
The Annual Meeting has begun, and world leaders have been gathering at the YouTube corner in the Congress Centre to view and respond to the videos many of you have submitted.
And its not too late to join The Davos Conversation. You can still submit a video answering The Davos Question:
“What one thing do you think that countries, companies or individuals must do to make the world a better place in 2008?”
Some of your videos will be screened at select plenary sessions (January 23-27). World leaders will continue to watch your videos and make responses of their own.
Already, there are over 600 videos tagged with “davos question” uploaded on Youtube, 115 videos of world leaders and Davos participants answering the question,and 183 user added videos on their channel.
Answers are coming in from individuals as well as NGOs, and videos range from just text and a voice-over, to faces in front of a camera, to edited video-clips with subtitles. They all have provided at least an idea to help the world become a better place, and I´ve selected a few of the videos uploaded by users coming from developing countries.
For example, one uploaded by overseasdevelopment1:
Fletcher Tembo, of the Overseas Development Institute, offers his answer to the Davos Question, discussing the importance of supporting the voice of citizens around the world.
Others, like Iranian cyberpejman, speak about improving education, using online tools:
This Bangladeshi girl, Noor Akhter, through brac.net, a Bangladeshi effort to alleviate poverty,  speaks about gender equality and how it is important for girls like her around the world to have the same rights as boys for work, education and opportunities:
And from Argentina, Tomás Alejandro gives his opinion on two steps we can take to make the world a better place: Help Africa more and stop war:
These are only some of the examples, there are many other videos uploaded by hundreds of others with many awesome ideas on the Youtube thedavosquestion channel. These videos are being shown at Davos in a special room where participants in Switzerland can leave their own replies, and bloggers are already reporting video responses from global leaders to their ideas.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Iran:Bahai Students are out of universities · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Shahrahsolh (means highway of peace), a Bahai blogger,writes[Fa] that government does not allow Bahai students go to universities in Iran.The blogger adds that government wants to marginalise Bahais, more and more, in society.


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Iran:Photos for Peace · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Photos for Peace calls itself a photo-sharing network of activists dedicated to stopping the United States from starting a war with Iran.


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Iran:USA does business with Iran and Syria · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Ali Mostofi in Iranian.com blog gives a link to an article about USA business with Iran and Syria.The blogger adds If the US looked at home, instead of anywhere else, the situation with the Seyyeds[clerics] would have been sorted out a long time ago.


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Korea, an English-speaking Country?  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

All Koreans will speak English soon. Will stress about whether you can speak English or not increase or decrease? The new government, Lee Myung Bak’s transition team, announced that all schools in Korea will teach subjects in English. Since one week passed after the announcement of their plan, portal sites and opinion sections are full of this plan.
Kim Hyung Seok criticizes the reasons why English is more important than fundamental education.
[…]영어는 일종의 커뮤니케이션 수단이다. (영어는 영어지 영문학이 아니라는 뜻) […]지금 인수위 하는짓은 비용적으로도 대단히 비효율적이다. 아이들이 영어수업을 따라가려면 엄청난 영어교육이 필수적이다. 웬만한 영어 훈련으로는 도저히 불가능하다. 그렇다면 결국 막대한 비용과 시간을 투자해서 영어훈련을 선행해야 한다는 말이 된다. […] 거듭 거듭 말하지만 영어는 보조수단에 불과한거다. 우리 아이들이 앞단에서 지식과 학문의 인식과 논리체계를 잘 잡아놓으면 뒷단의 문제해결과정에 추가 옵션으로 영어를 장착하면된다. 게다가 문제 해결방식에 영어가 필요 없는 사람은 궂이 영어를 배울 이유도 없다. 스트레스 받지 않고 그냥 생존영어만으로도 충분 한거다. 이명박 인수위는 아무래도 무슨 무슨 영어유치원 프랜차이즈나 대형 영어학원과 커넥션이 있는게 아닐까라는 생각마저 든다.
The change will lead to a decrease in private tuition and an increase in globalization, the Lee administration emphasized. But many netizens don’t agree.
[…]명분은 좋다. 세계화 시대에 영어 필요한 거 누가 모르고 영어로 인한 사교육비 줄여야 하는 거 누가 모르나? 문제는 인수위가 내놓은 영어 몰입교육안은 현실성도 없을 뿐더러 사교육비는 더 늘릴 공산이 크고 심지어 그네들이 그렇게 마르고 닳도록 좋아하는 세계화에도 별 도움이 안 되는 한심한 방안이라는 거다[…]영어 몰입교육의 기본전제는 영어를 가르칠 수 있는 숙련된 전문인력의 공급이다. 그러나 불행하게도 그런 전문인력은 없다. 현재의 공교육 수준으로는 영어수업을 영어로 진행하는 것조차 무리이다. […] 사교육비 절감? 말도 안되는 궤변이다. 인수위 논리대로라면 우리나라에 사교육은 있을 이유가 없다. 고등학교 과정까지 공교육에서 가르치고 수능도 원칙적으로 교과서와 EBS에서 나오는데 뭣하러 사교육을 받겠는가. 사교육이 난무하는 이유는 첫째로 다른 사람과의 경쟁에서 이기고 싶은 욕망이 있기 때문이고, 둘째로는 공교육이 부실하기 때문이다. 당연히 영어 수업을 아무리 충실히 한들 첫째 원인은 사라지지 않는다. 대학이 서열화되어있는 한은 말이다. 그리고 둘째인 공교육 부실은 더욱 심각해진다. 앞서 언급한 것처럼 영어 수업을 할 인력이 사실상 전무하다. 안그래도 공교육에 불만이 많은 학생들이다. 그 수업마저 어설픈 영어로 더듬더듬 진행한다면 그런 수업을 열심히 듣겠는가? 차라리 그 시간에 자고 학교 끝나자마자 학원으로 달려갈 것이다. […] 고등학교에 영어수업을 도입하면 중딩들이 열심히 영어회화학원에 다닐 것이고 초등학교에 영어수업을 도입하면 불쌍한 아이들은 영어 유치원에 다녀야 할 것이다. 물론 이게 다 부모들 돈이다. 돈이 없으면? 억울하면 성공하세요! […] Konglish하는 선생님들에게 배워서 느는 건 Konglish뿐이다.(교사들을 비하하려는 게 아니다. 영어 수업 같은걸 해본적도 없고 영어교사가 아니고서야 영어를 쓸 일도 거의 없는 교사들이 영어를 능숙하게 못하는 건 너무나 당연하다.) 전 세계인들은 English를 쓰는데 Konglish쓰는 인재(?)를 열심히 키워서 뭐할 셈인가? 이건 세계화에도 역행하는 바보짓이다. […] 공교육도 죽이고, 서민 경제도 파탄내니 원샷 투킬이다.
Deulpul made up a funny news article, based on the new plan of the Lee Administration.
(서울=연압뉴스) 앞으로 대통령직 인수위원회의 모든 회의가 영어로 진행되는 방안이 추진된다.
이경숙 대통령직 인수위원장은 23일 기자들과 만나 “금일 이후 대통령직 인수위원회에서 진행되는 모든 회의와 토론이 영어로 이루어질 것”이라고 밝혔다.
이 위원장은 ‘영어를 인수위 내의 공용어로 쓴다는 말이냐'라는 기자들의 질문에 “그렇게 보면 된다”라고 대답했다.이에 앞서 이 위원장은 “인수위에서 일하시는 분들이 모두 적어도 대학 졸업자인데 일상 언어를 영어로 말하지 않는다는 것은 어불성설이다”라고 강조했다.또 회의나 토론 같은 공식 자리에서뿐 아니라 개인간의 대화나 전화 통화에서도 모두 영어를 쓰도록 할 방침이다. 이 방침을 위반한 인수위원은 과거사위원회로 좌천시킬 예정이다.
이같은 방침은 영어 공교육을 획기적으로 강화하겠다는 이명박 당선자의 공약을 인수위 내부로부터 실현하겠다는 뜻을 분명히 한 것이어서 상당한 파장이 일 전망이다.이에 따라 이 위원장을 비롯한 모든 인수위원들의 업무 시간은 오전 9시~12시로 조정될 예정이다. 나머지 시간은 영어를 배우는 시간으로 활용된다. 벌써 강남의 유명 영어 학원들이 인수위 주변으로 옮기는 움직임이 나타나고 있다. K학원의 최모 원장은 “이제 인수위 위에 영어강사위가 있다”라고 말했다.
인수위에서는 이같은 부작용을 방지하기 위해, 미국 최대의 소매점 체인인 월마트와 영어 원어민 강사 수입 계약을 추진중인 것으로 알려졌다. 이 체인을 통해 국졸 이상의 우수한 원어민 강사를 인수위에 직수입해올 수 있기 때문이다.이러한 계약이 성사되면 대통령 인수위의 주요 정책은 미국에서 긴급 수입된 월마트 직원에 의해 결정될 공산이 크다. 또 월마트 직원과 외국인 신분의 한국 공무원 사이에 치열한 권력 다툼이 벌어질 전망이다. 이 위원장은 “이것은 한국이 세계 시장에 진출하기 위해 겪어야 하는 비용이다”라고 말했다.일각에서는 이같은 조처가 인수위에 불필요한 회의가 지나치게 많고 인수위 위원들이 말이 너무 많은 데 대한 충격적 대책이라고 진단한다. 영어 사용을 의무화하면 모두 말을 극단적으로 아낄 것이라는 예측 때문이다.
한편 지난 주부터 인수위가 사용하는 모든 유선 전화기가 영어로만 사용할 수 있는 기기로 교체된 것으로 밝혀졌다. 이 전화기는 영어 이외의 잡언어로 통화를 시도하면 자동으로 연결이 차단된다. 인수위의 전화 라인 서비스 제공 업체인 한국통신은 이 조처로 전화료 수입이 크게 줄어들 것으로 예상하고 있다. 실제로 영어 전용 전화기로 교체된 뒤 일주일 동안 인수위 전체에서 이루어진 유선 통화는 단 두 건에 불과한 것으로 나타났다. 그 중 하나는 잘못 온 전화였다.
한편 이 날 기자들과의 간담회에서, 한 기자가 왜 이 위원장의 발표는 영어로 하지 않느냐고 질문하자 이 위원장은 “그 때는 다 그랬다”라는 알쏭달쏭한 말을 남기고 황급히 자리를 떴다.
She also emphasized “People who work here are all college graduates. So it doesn’t make sense that they don’t speak English as an everyday language.” In addition to official meetings, individual and phone conversations will be also all in English. Team members against this regulation will be downgraded to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea (The Lee administration announced the closure of this commission: author). Therefore, working hours for team members will be re-arranged from 9-12 am. The rest of the time will be used for learning Enlgish. Famous English institutes in Kangnam already started moving near the Lee administration office. A chairman of K institute said, “English teachers will be higher than those team members in terms of status.”
In order to prevent this side-effect, they are considering having a contract with employees from WalMart, one of the biggest retail stores in the U.S. From this store, they will import native speaking teachers who have from primary school graduating certificates. If the negotiation ends smoothly, the major policies of the Lee administration will be decided by employees from WalMart. Conflict between Korean government officials and WalMart employees over authority can be predicted. Lee Kyung Sook said, “It is the expense that we have to put up with in order to step in international markets.” Some people analyze that this is the counterplan because the Lee administration has way too many meetings and the transition team members are way too talkative. If English speaking is compulsory, everyone will speak much less.
In addition, telephones used by the Lee administration are changed to English speaking equipments. If they speak other languages, the phones will be automatically off. Korea Communication, which serves phone lines for transition team members, predicts that phone fees will decrease fast. In fact, since the phones were changed a week ago, two calls were made. One of them was the wrong number.
During the press conference, a reporter asked why Lee Kyung Sook doesn’t have her presentation in English. She ambigiously answered “All did at that time” and left hastily.
Korean teachers are one of the groups most concerned about this new plan.
요즘 4학년 이제 졸업시즌이 오면서 임용준비한다고 노량진 고시학원을 다니고있습니다. 사범대에 들어오면서 제가 생각하는 선생님이 이렇게 힘들고 또 엄격한 과정을 통해 배출되고 아이들을 가르치고 계시는구나 하는 생각에 절로 숙연해 지는 마음은 어쩔수 없더군요…
신문기사를 읽었습니다.영어로 모든과목을 가르치겠다…인수위, 이명박씨께선 무슨생각으로 이런정책을 펴시는건지…언어는 한나라의 혼과 얼이 담겨져있는 문화유산입니다.
기러기아빠를 위해서라구요? 서민층을 위한다는 후보님의 말은 어디로 가셨나요?기러기아빠들은 애초부터 서민들과는 거리가 먼 분들이 대부분이지 않나요?먹고살기도 힘든 서민들이 몇천씩 들여가며 기러기아빠노릇을 합니까?
사교육경감이라구요?
영어로 수업을 하면 사교육이 경감된다는 논리는 어디서 나온건지 머릿속에 들어가보고싶습니다.
영어를 못알아듣는 아이들은 그럼 꼴지를 하라는 말씀이신가요?
그아이들도 학생인데 수업을 따라가기 위해서는 학원을 다닐수밖에 없습니다.[…]
사교육 경감대책이 오히려 사교육을 더 늘린다는 생각은 왜 못하시는지…
For geese fathers? [http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=1585a9d19045a34b8d1de6b0794735fb] Didn’t Lee say he will work for common people? Aren’t geese fathers distant from common people? How many common people who have difficulty making a living are geese fathers?
For decrease of private tuition? I would like to look into his mind to know why he thinks English classes will decrease private tuition. Then, should children who don’t understand English be losers? In order to catch up with classes, they should go to private institutes.[…]
Don’t they think that their policy to decrease private tuition will increase private tuition? […]
English-speaking nations are wealthy nations? Not a few netizens question this linkage, making reference to the development of the Philippines.
미국의 독립지원으로 독립한 필리핀… 경제조달로 FTA는 예전부터 …70년당시 한국보다 무지무지 잘 사는 나라중 하나…[…]
근데… 필리핀을 따라가자는 한국…필리핀의 사립중고교의 한해 교육비는 2000만원가량… 대부분 미국이나 상류층 자제들…우리나라 곧 사립중고교의 300개 만든다는데… 잘 따라간다… […]

author: Hyejin Kim


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Morocco: Sacred Music Festival · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The View From Fez announces the programme for this year's Festival of World Sacred Music.


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Nigeria: Internet landscape changing fast · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Yomi writes about Internet access in Nigeria: “The internet landscape in Nigeria is fast changing. Ten years ago, we did not have the kind of access to internet services that we have today. Neither did we have the diversity that is on ground today.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Russia: Vladimir Vysotsky · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog writes on what would have been Vladimir Vysotsky's 70th birthday. Windows to Russia! provides links to translations of Vysotsky's songs. YouTube user filatovv posts a special anniversary tribute playlist of videos of Vysotsky performing in Montenegro in 1974. A 1981 video of people lining up at Vagankovskoye Cemetery in Moscow to lay flowers on Vysotsky's grave one year after his death – here. More Vysotsky playlists by filatovv – here.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Fancy Sailors · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Every year it seems, the few individuals who have kept the traditions of Old Mas alive are becoming less visible”: Thebookmann features Trinidad and Tobago Carnival's Fancy Sailors.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Trinidad & Tobago: The Bottom Line · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Trinidad is no longer the Land of the Hummingbird but the Land of the Cash Cow…in the new Trinidad Carnival, the only thing that need be considered is not the bottom in the road but the bottom line in the road”: Nicholas Laughlin quotes Trinidad and Tobago journalist B.C. Pires.


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Zimbabwe: Expiration date for currency · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Aaron in Sudan writes about financial crisis in Zimbabwe: “I can't say that I've ever seen this before. Government issued currency with a “best before” date on it. This is further indication of just how desperate things are in Zimbabwe.”


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Armenia: Black Propaganda Blogs · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer says he is noticing a large number of blogs that have suddenly spring up ahead of next month's presidential election in Armenia. The blog laments the way in which supporters of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian and prime minister Serge Sargsyan are using the Internet to disseminate black propaganda and wonders if they shouldn't be blacklisted.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: Dictator of the Month · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenia Blog comments on the discovery of a website, Dictator of the Month, that includes the former Armenian president and candidate for next month's election, Levon Ter-Petrossian, in its notorious list of undemocratic leaders.


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Armenia: Election Time · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

A Flying Kiwi in Armenia reports that campaigning for next month's presidential election has begun and the atmosphere is getting “a little frantic.” The blogger says that while former president Levon Ter-Petrossian has some support in society, the favorite remains the prime minister who has the “entire public service throwing themselves at his election campaign.”


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Armenia: Gays in the Diaspora · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on how being homosexual or lesbian is still considered a taboo subject to talk about in the Armenian Diaspora. The blogger also links to and discusses an academic paper on the LGBT Armenians at UCLA.


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Armenia: Language Problem · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Armenia continues its reports on life as a volunteer from the Armenian Diaspora living and working in the country. In particular, the blogger says, knowing Russian can be a disadvantage for ethnic Armenians hoping to learn or improve their local language skills.


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Armenia: On The Campaign Trail · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

My Armenia Election Monitor 2008 has accounts and photographs of meetings with voters now that the official pre-election campaign period in Armenia is finally underway. In the first three, rallies by former president Levon Ter Petrosian and prime minister Serge Sargsyan are covered while there is also a brief look at the general pre-election atmosphere in the north-eastern Tavoush region. A fourth post takes a look at the related issue of pre-election campaign finances and advertising.


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Armenia: Pensioners’ Election Opinions · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

My Armenia Election Monitor 2008 continues to cover next month's presidential election in Armenia with a post on the concerns and voting preferences of the country's 530,000 pensioners. Citing special coverage in the local media, it looks like senior citizens in Armenia are as divided, confused and cynical towards the democratic process in the country as the rest of the country.


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Armenia: World Bank Corruption Fallout · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Expat worker Bruce Tasker continues to update his readers on the latest developments on his blog, Blowing The World Bank Whistle. In particular, he details how coverage in the local media is finally beginning to pay dividends in his attempt to reveal alleged World Bank corruption in Armenia.


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Azerbaijan: Children’s Show · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

An American in Azerbaijan says that he is becoming increasingly frustrated by working with a local television station on a show for children. Exasperated by a tight deadline, the blogger says that his work is frustrated by a “lack of vision” from ANS TV.


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Azerbaijan: Ethnic Novelist · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Window on Eurasia says that a book by ethnic Azerbaijani author Eduard Bagirov is causing a stir as a best seller throughout the Russian Federation. In particular, notes the blog, Bagirov's books generally examines the “extraordinary difficulties Azerbaijanis and other non-Russians living in the Russian capital now face in trying to cope with the rising level of xenophobic attitudes among Russians.”


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Azerbaijan: Fashion Trends · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Leigh’s new adventure in Azerbaijan takes a look at trends in fashion in the former Soviet republic. In particular, the blog notes, women are significantly more stylish and less conservative than men.


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Blogger of the Week: Salam Adil  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

After 90 regular posts for Global Voices Online, we have all become familiar with Salam Adil‘s pleads: If you read no other post this week, read this. A blogger since May 2005, Salam joined GVO at the beginning of 2006 with a mission. Despite living in London, UK, Salam says GVO has given him a chance to reconnect a generation of Iraqis he has grown apart from.
Here's our quick interview with Salam:
* How long have you been blogging for GVO and why?
Longer than I care to remember  … sorry, I could not resist…  since January 2006
As to why …  it's simple. We are doing our part to change the world. What we are doing is politics in the real sense. Politics is not about parties and making speeches and getting votes. It is all about changing the way people view and act towards the world around them so that the wars and the horrors of this world become things of the past.
*What have you given GVO and what has it given back to you?
Ninety posts and over 400 hours of my life (not that I am counting). GVO has given me a global network of friends and a chance to make a difference. It has also given me a source to get an impression of the world any time I need. Also, having lived outside of my home country,  GVO has given me a chance to reconnect with a generation of Iraqis that have I have grown apart from and a generation that has grown up apart from the world.
* Please sum up your experience covering the Iraqi blogosphere at such a difficult time. How different is what you are reading on blogs from what is being reported on mainstream media?
It has been a true pleasure covering the Iraqi blogs. One cannot do justice to the wealth of experiences talked about in the Iraqi blogs and the hardest part is always choosing what to leave out. My best experience is being part of the community of Iraqi bloggers and the wider blogging community. No matter how much we disagree I am always sure to get a friendly response and a blogger ready to go out of his way to help when I need. When Ali Shafiya of the video blog Alive in Baghdad died, even A-list bloggers like Robert Scoble wrote posts to express their condolences and many people, from all over the world, contributed to help his family with the funeral. It is very hard when I have to report deaths as I have grown to know the bloggers as well as my best friends but I feel we are all strengthened by sharing these experiences.
I will not say that blogs are better or worse than the mainstream media but they are an essential alternative channel. Many times the mainstream media, by sheer virtue of being a foreign organisation, completely misses what is important. Blogs can fill in these gaps or provide insight into what is happening that you just cannot find anywhere else. In my next post I will be writing about a conversation between one blogger and people claiming to be part of the Iraqi resistance. Chance conversations like this just do not happen in the media.
* Are Iraqi citizen journalists being heard? How is that happening?
Yes. Well, the obvious answer is that Global Voices Online is a great part of why they are being heard.  And bit by bit the media is realising that bloggers have something relevant to say. Already BBC television news has invited me to describe blogger reactions to current events. The BBC news web site already has an occasional column rounding up the writings of Iraqi bloggers and I think that without GVO, none of this would have happened.
* What are your hopes for the Iraqi blogosphere?
To grow and grow. I want to get more people writing who would would not normally consider writing a blog.
* What are your hopes for GVO?
Already GVO has greatly exceeded my hopes – so I can only hope that it continues to exceed my hopes.


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Brazil: Countdown to Carnival · Global Voices
Paula Góes

There is a popular belief that in Brazil the year only starts after Carnival.  Be this an exaggeration or not, there is not much else being talked about on the country's blogosphere: everyone is dusting off their costumes, getting into the mood and counting down the days for the biggest street party on Earth. If you don't believe this, just check the Technorati's stats for the Portuguese word carnaval.
The good news is that carnival starts earlier than usual this year, going on (officially) from 2 through 5 February. In other words everyone must be ready to party next weekend. Not that it makes any difference: in many places there have already been lots of pre-carnival events, warm up parties and rehearsals, while the year doesn't start properly until the close of carnival. Being such a huge and multicultural country, every state in Brazil has its own type of celebrations. Here's a round up of bloggers expectations in Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco, and the lesser known carnival in Minas Gerais.
Rio de Janeiro
Starting with the most famous worldwide, Rio de Janeiro Carnival, with its semi-naked bouncing girls and its colourful Samba Schools parades, is part of the popular imagination of Brazil. It is considered the largest open air spectacle on Earth, entertaining 65,000 people per night. Watch a video here. However, inflated prices to watch the sumptuous parades mean that it can mostly only be enjoyed by tourists, while the majority of the population is resigned to watching it on TV. What's worth knowing is, the best parties happen outside the Sambodrome, where blocos and street carnival are cheaper and fun.
Putsgrilo [pt], who has a collection of videos from this year's samba schools’ themes, explains what Carnival is like in the marvelous city:
No Rio de Janeiro é assim. O Carnaval começa antes, ainda em janeiro, e vai aquecendo, criando clima até o ápice da festa e da alegria na sapucaí. O Brasil inteiro entra em festa para comemorar esse que é o período mais animado do ano, o maior feriado, o carnaval. Quem pode, vai à sapucaí. Quem não pode, se sacode por aí. Para já ir entrando no clima, veja os sambas de enredo das escolas de samba do Rio de Janeiro.
In Rio de Janeiro it is like this. Carnival starts earlier, even in January, and warms up, creating an atmosphere until the apex of the celebration and joy in Sapucaí. The whole of Brazil parties hard to celebrate this time, which is the most lively period of the year, the biggest holiday, the carnival. The ones who can [afford to] go to Sapucaí. Those who can't enjoy it elsewhere. To get into the right frame of mind, check out the  samba schools’ plots and songs in Rio de Janeiro.
Rio de Janeiro's Carnival by Video Vik and used under a Creative Commons License. See more in his South America Travel Gallery.
Bahia
Differently from the spectator-oriented Carnival in Rio, in Salvador, capital of Bahia, the revelers are right in the thick of action, dancing  day and night  to the rhythms of energetic bands with a rich African influence – think of Olodum and Timbalada on a larger scale. It was in Salvador that the trio elétrico – a big float loaded with giant speakers – was invented. There are more than 2 million people spread along a 25 km circuit, watch a video. The Guinness Book of Records recognizes it as the biggest street party on the planet, but some also swear it is the wildest one on Earth. It too can be  very expensive for those who want to be part of blocos and get very close to the best musicians’ trios, but people can still enjoy it from far and there are free trios and events to make up for it.
From Rome, Bahian journalist Carrozzo [pt], who will not be in Salvador for the first time in 11 years, publishes some pictures and laments on missing it this time:
Falem o que quiserem, mas nao tem jeito: carnaval eh foda. Vai chegando perto, Salvador vai ficando mais iluminada, os turistas chegam e dao novo ar à cidade. Eh uma festa injusta? Sim. Mas na semana de carnaval deixo de lado todo o discurso sociologico e me junto aos milhoes de baianos e turistas insandecidos.  Quer dizer, deixava…
Say whatever you want, but it's got to be like this: carnival is fucking good. As it draws close, Salvador becomes more lively, tourists arrive and give a new air to the city. Is it an unfair party? Indeed, but in the week of carnival I leave the entire sociological discourse aside and get together with millions of maddened Bahians and tourists. I mean, I used to…
Timbalada parade at Salvador's Carnival by SteveMcN and used under a Creative Commons License. See more in his Carnival Gallery.
Pernambuco
If Salvador has the largest street party, Pernambuco has, also according to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest carnival parade in the world. Galo da Madrugada brings together around 1,500,000 costumed people on Saturday morning, to usher in the festivities in Recife.  Watch a video here. In the nearby city of Olinda the party has a very similar flavour to traditional Portuguese carnivals, but with the addition of African influenced rhythms such as maracatu and frevo. It is definitely the funniest (think of humorous masquerades, giant puppets and brass bands up and down the hilly streets)  and the most democratic carnival in Brazil – unlike Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, all events are free for all.
Daniel Nunes makes some CDs available for download and explains [pt] why Carnival in Pernambuco is labeled the most multicultural:
Pois bem, o Rio de janeiro pode ter suas glamurosas Escolas de Samba, Salvador pode ter os melhores blocos com trios elétricos do mundo, mas carnaval mesmo é aqui. Se você quer encontrar Escolas de Samba ou deseja sambar apenas, você encontra em Pernambuco. Se você quer correr atrás de um trio elétrico, aqui tem. O que você desejar curtir no carnaval, Pernambuco tem. Não recordo de estado nenhum do Brasil onde você dança frevo, se cansou? tem maracatu. Se cansou? tem caboclinho. Se cansou? tem coco, ciranda, cavalo marinho, afoxé e por ai vai. Não gosta de coisas tão cultural assim? tem rock, pop, instrumental, é só procurar que vai encontrar fácil. Gosta mesmo é de uma “fuzaka”? tem samba, pagode e axé, é só querer, Pernambuco é o lugar que você curti tudo de tudo.
Well, Rio de Janeiro may have its glamorous samba schools, Salvador may have the best trio elétrico blocos in the world, but real carnival is here. If you want to find samba schools, or just want to dance to samba, you'll find it in Pernambuco. If you want to go after  trios elétricos, we have them here. Name what you want to enjoy, Pernambuco is the place. I don't recall any other Brazilian state where you can dance to frevo. Got tired? There is maracatu. Tired? Go for caboclinho. Tired? There are coco, ciranda, cavalo marinho, and there is afoxé. Don't you like such cultural things? There is rock, pop, instrumental, whatever you look for you find it easily. Do you really like “fuzaka“? There is samba, pagode and axé, you just need to wish, Pernambuco is the place for you to enjoy it all.”
Revelers in Alto da Sé, Olinda's Carnival by Luiza Leite and used under a Creative Commons License. See more in her 2007 Carnival set.
Minas Gerais
Lesser known than the above, the best carnival in Minas Gerais is in Ouro Preto, a baroque city which used to be very rich due to its gold mines. This is the place for those who want to have fun but are not prepared to face millions of other revelers. In a way, this is where carnival still belongs to the ordinary Brazilians, mostly students who hire out their student halls and promote free beer parties (and barbecues). Watch a video here. Besides carnival, the town, which was the first Brazilian city to be awarded Unesco's Cultural Heritage of Humanity title, is truly a beautiful gem.
Geraldo Félix [pt], who says that those who don't like carnival have ‘feet disease’, explains how it all started:
Já em Minas Gerais teve origem em Ouro Preto, quando os lacaios do Palácio dos Governadores da Província criaram o famoso “Zé Pereira” em 1867 (grupos de foliões de rua munidos de tambores e bumbos). Há também, os blocos caricatos. Com destaque para a “Banda Mole” em Belo Horizonte. O interior mineiro tem uma característica bem diferente, por ser uma manifestação do povo nas ruas.
In Minas Gerais [the carnival] started in Ouro Preto, when the lackeys from the province's Palace of the Governor created the famous “Zé Pereira” in 1867 (these are street groups of revelers fitted out with different types of drums). There are also the caricatured blocos, most noteworthy is “Banda Mole” in Belo Horizonte. In the provinces of Minas there is a very different characteristic to carnival, because here it is a manifestation of the people on the streets.
Along Ouro Preto's streets by Andrea Fregnani and used under a Creative Commons License. See more in her Carnival tags.
Every good thing in life always comes to an end, and Ash Wednesday, aka ungrateful Wednesday, always comes too soon (at least that is the unanimous opinion of Brazilians), and after the hangover the year in Brazil slowly, finally starts – as does the countdown to next year's carnival.


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Brazil: The Army calls for a revolution · Global Voices
Paula Góes

According to Jorge Serrão [pt] the Brazilian Army has issued an open letter to the population calling for a revolution. which he publishes in his blog: “The nation expects us to be ready when needed. Our sovereignty can not ever be  questioned. The Brazilian Armed Forces, united in brotherhood and respectful, call for the civil society to resolve immediately this situation. Again, rely on your Army, because here we are, and always will”. They are dissatisfied with low salaries.


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Flagging at the Iraqi Blogodrome · Global Voices
Salam Adil

Collage of the new versus the old Iraqi flag by Konfused Kid
Iraq has a new national flag. Some people may say that flags are really not important, but for Iraq it is big deal. Every new regime has sought to cement its presence through the national symbol. And this government is no exception. So what do Iraqi's really think and were the media right? And, if you read to the end, find out what design the Iraqi bloggers collectively agreed upon.
But first, if you watch no other video blog this week, see this one:
Alive in Baghdad continues its essential role, bringing the story of an Iraqi family that had to deal with the kidnapping of their child. With the total breakdown of security in Iraq, kidnapping is a problem that faces all Iraqi families – we hear so much in the news yet nothing can bring home the devastation of kidnapping more than hearing directly from the families that were directly affected.
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AIB writes:
In 2006 Baghdad became a nightmare, more then 200 being kidnapped every day in Baghdad by gangs and militias. … Some families travel every morning to the morgue, looking for their fathers, brothers, or other relatives, because in many cases though the family pays a ransom to the kidnapper they never received their loved one, so they go desperately searching for a corpse, and there are many kidnapped people who, to this moment, have never been found.
Well, this time the media has got it so wrong
Bloggers from all sides of the political spectrum were incensed by the way the media reported the new flag. Nibras Kazimi's blood boiled:
I'm happy about the flag change … but reading the papers this morning still managed to get my blood to boil….
It’s funny how the western media is so ignorant about the history of the flag that had just been changed. The three stars do not refer to the tenets of Baathism, rather they represent a proposed union between Egypt, Syria and Iraq….
The western media is also neglecting to mention that choosing a new flag and national anthem is mandated in Iraq’s new constitution
And Baghdad Treasure was really irritated:
The American news outlets changed the facts about the former flag. They attributed the flag to Saddam Hussein… the flag was basically chosen before Saddam came to power. …
The other thing is that all American newspapers and websites insisted that the three stars symbolized the three Baath Party goal … they did not.  … Unsurprisingly, the US media did not have the guts to mention that fact. Instead, they insisted on misinforming their audience by saying these three [stars] represented Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party goals.
One blogger is happy
Nibras Kazimi likes the new flag but not without reservations. He writes:
I am happy about the temporary change to the flag: it opens up the possibility of future, more dramatic changes. I don’t like the Allahu Akbar (‘God is Great’) slogan on it and what its colors represent, but parliament ruled that the change would be temporary and would last a year.
The rest… hate it
Layla Anwar expresses her anger in poetry:
Look what they’ve done to our flag, ma.
They turned it upside down, ma.
Tied it up and threw it to the grounds, ma…
Look what they’ve done, ma…
They have invaded us, occupied us, killed us, destroyed our country, our history, our heritage, our people, humiliated us, pillaged us, plundered us, impoverished us, divided us, tortured us, raped us, imprisoned us, exiled us and now they changed our flag.
Look what they’ve done to us, our country and flag, ma…
And Zappy is in denial He changed his blog banner and sidebar and wrote:
See the Flag … on the right? This the flag I was raised under, and thats the only flag I know about.
Nadia n writes:
It's somehow incredibly fitting to me that, contrary to what the articles said, the part that was kept is the only part that actually was Saddam's doing… [the adding of the words “Allahu Akbar”]. What else stopped in 2003: not corruption, persecution, poverty, or killing, so why not keep that little bit consistent too if this really is the flag of Iraq 2008. Is there any better statement of absurdity than to put God's name on all of this bullshit they expect them to swallow? Any better summary of the audacity of the last five years? As if God needs to be associated for these sociopaths and apologists, like he doesn't already have enough working in his name. No wonder he left us.
Baghdad Treasure simply hates the new design:
So the Iraqi people woke up today to find out their flag has been changed! But what a horrible change! The new flag is dull. Just red, white, black and dark green. They should have either changed the whole thing, or kept the original. They removed the stars and left what Saddam has already put! The “Allahu Akbar” inscription. The only thing they did is they changed the handwriting of Saddam into the Kufi calligraphy. The main idea of having “Allahu Akbar” is still there! And who put it? Saddam!! So have they really removed Saddam’s imprint from it?
The legitimacy of the vote was also questioned.Konfused Kid writes, “the Iraqi parliament today approved a new interim design to be approved for one year with a majority of 110 out of 275, 100 MPs were absent from the session.” While Salam Adil (that's me) wonders about the politics behind the new design:
This flag represents a humilliating defeat for Kurdish chauvinism – with Turkey breathing down their necks the Kurds have realised they only have two choices. Be a part of a united Iraq or a poor suburb of greater Turkey. They desperately needed a standard that they could hoist to warn off the Turkish army that is massed on the Northern border. Hence the compromise on the new flag. But what a compromise. Gone is any sign of the Kurdish symbol, the yellow sun, but instead they agreed to a flag that bore the Arab and Islamic colours. Oh dear.
And Finally…
Iraqi bloggers had their own fiery discussion on the design of the new flag. Konfused Kid was pleased to report that the discussion ended in a consensus:
we all came to the conclusion that the best Iraqi flag is this:
After all, Good old Greendizer is really loved by all Iraqis, even the fake ones, mu baba?

author: Salam Adil