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China: Children Protection · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Wang Xiaofeng criticized mainstream media practice in interviewing the children earthquake victims as such interviews may have negative impacts on children's psychology [zh].


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China: Chinese Red Cross on corruption watch · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Bloggers continue to monitor earthquake corruption, as they wait for the truth to come out as to why so many school buildings collapsed so easily in this month's massive earthquake.
The parents of children who died, though, aren't waiting. On Sunday a group from Mianzhu city took photos of their children and marched to the larger Deyang city to seek justice [zh] from Party officials there.
The problem goes back to criticism that many schools which completely crumbled in the earthquake were cut short and built to stand as sturdy as though made from tofu suds. Sohu blogger Crisker offers photos from Mianzhu which us a better sense of what the childless parents there are feeling now:
“The children didn't die as a result of natural disaster, they died of dangerous buildings.”
The red scarf Chinese schoolchildren wear, representing a corner of the flag that so many died for in the CCP revolution:
叔叔,为什么只有我们的学校会倒塌?为什么???
倒塌的墙壁仿佛是直接放在地面上的,看不出有地基结构
Volunteers and others at the front line of the relief efforts continue [zh] to voice concerns about what they see there.
As for Chinese Red Cross, which is handling the vast majority of domestic donations for the earthquake relief fund, several journalist-bloggers early this week came across a thread on the heavily patriotic Strong Nation Forum which strongly suggests something shady is going on at Chinese Red Cross in how it purchases many of its tents.
It looks like Bullog blogger and ‘smoking gun’ tip-off man the ProState In Flames blogger was one of the first to give this story [zh] some prominence.
王平和最牛帐篷公司到底什么关系？
来源：强国论坛
红十字会王平同志，网友们很好奇，你和这家帐篷供货单位，存在什么样的关系？红十字会，请站出来大胆地解释！
声明：
1、本人是强国论他老网友，说话是负责的，但老马甲被封，故刚注册了这么一个。
2、所有资料来自于人民网官方以及其他官方网站，文责自负，请版主放行，本人愿意坐牢，网友们也不要为我担心。
今天，强国论坛邀请红十字会工作人员王平等人进行访谈，人民网上传了王平等人出示的红十字会采购合同和发票，请看合同签字的相关图片，令人生疑的是，作为红十字会工作人员，竟有代表“北京裕龙诺亚帐篷有限公司”签字的嫌疑，
1. Being an old netizen here on the Strong Nation Forum, my words come responsibly. But my alias has been locked down, so I've just registered another. One takes responsibility for what they write, so would the webmaster please let this one go? I'm willing to go to prison, so netizens need not worry about me.
2. All information comes from the official People'sNet websites and other official websites.
Today, the Strong Nation Forum invited Red Cross employees Wang Ping and others to come in for an interview, and uploaded to People'sNet the Red Cross purchasing contract and receipts that Wang Ping and others presented, so please see the text of the contract and the accompanying photos. What makes one most suspicious is that as Red Cross employees, they are being suspected of having given signatures representing a “Beijing Yulong Noah Tents Co.“
注意，供货方“北京裕龙诺亚帐篷有限公司”代表签名为“王平”，假如你质疑是否是王平的签名，请看王平给人民网题词时的签名，看笔迹是否一致，
我们好奇于，王平代表北京裕龙诺亚帐篷有限公司（总经理叫王翠），和红十字会签订采购合同，但王平又在红十字会上班，怎么回事？？？
另据网络搜索，“北京裕龙诺亚帐篷有限公司”，法人是王翠，员工不足10人，
请看网络搜索图片地址：
http://www.sxdxs.com/HuangYe/BeiJing/46859.htm
Also, following an internet search, Beijing Yulong Noah Tents Co. was incorporated by Wang Cui, and there are fewer than ten employees.
Please refer to this address from the internet search:
http://www.sxdxs.com/HuangYe/BeiJing/46859.htm
该公司可谓历史上最牛的小公司，员工不到10个，但却是15年以来，连续成为红十字会的唯一中标单位：
请看网络地址：
http://www.sooq.cn/companyportal/link.jsp?ckey=402880f701c7020c0101c72856f32b55
这是王平做客强国论坛的记录：
回答网友tea3000：再次再次请王平嘉宾回答：北京裕龙诺亚帐篷有限公司的总经理王翠和你是什么关系？如果没有，请直说没有。
王平：我不认识“王翠”这个人，我和这个人没有任何关系。我也已讲过我们的招标采购是由机关服务中心负责的，我本人从未参与过采购招标采购工作。
——我们好奇于，王平说不认识王翠这个人，但是，王翠给红十字供货都超过15年了，而且都是唯一中标单位，可能不认识吗？
我们好奇于，一家营业额只有百把万的小公司，怎么会连续15年成为唯一中标单位？？而且中标价比浙江公司高得多？
我们好奇于，这家公司，年耗电量仅为千度，哪来的生产能力，足以支撑“15年来，唯一中标单位”这一特殊待遇？
（请看网络搜索地址：http://www.shyqy.net/uploadfile/20077385110409.xls）
Wang Ping: I do not know this person “Wang Ping”, and I have no relationship with this person. I've also stated that our open tenders are handled by a state service center. I myself have never taken part in purchasing or open tender work.
So we are very curious, Wang Ping says he does not know Wang Cui, but, Wang Cui has been supplying the Red Cross for over 15 years, and it is its only successful tendering company, so is it possible that that don't know each other?
We're very curious, as to how this company, whose annual power consumption consists of only just one megawatt hour, gets its production capacity from, enough to support the special treatment of being “the only bid winner for the Red Cross for the past 15 years”?
(Please see this internet search result: http://www.shyqy.net/uploadfile/20077385110409.xls)
Would you risk going to prison to make an accusation like that? As a preface to his reposting of the story from ProState In Flame's blog, Bullog blogger and former journalist Wen Yunchao writes with uncharacteristically strong language in his post ‘Time for a life-or-death fight in defence of of news freedom’:
全面和谐的丧钟已经敲响，我们必须打一场殊死的咨讯自由的保卫战，为我们的公民权利，为我们的良心。欢迎大家将下文无限度转发至你所有可以发布信息的博客及论坛，并转发任何有助于维护我们的公民权利与良心的信息。我们誓将所有和谐的指令淹没在人民群众的汪洋大海之中。
After the Strong China Forum and then the highly-regarded ProState In Flames, the news quickly hit Tianya and nearly all major forum sites, so the human flesh search engines have been able to dig up every trace mention of Beijing Yulong Noah Tents Co. that exists online, including a whole series of bids the company had won with the Ministry of Civil Affairs going as far back as 1998. ProState In Flames himself has since posted detailed info on companies that Wang Cui himself has incorporated, as well as more on related tenders for Chinese Red Cross tent purchases.
Since it's been put like that, what have you seen that you can pass on?

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: John Kennedy


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China: No Corruption in Building Schools · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The education ministry has denied corruption in the construction of school buildings in the Sichuan earthquake zone. The comments in Zhaomu's blog showed that no one believed in the official statement [zh].

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Quake Lake · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Michael from the Opposite End of China points out that the Sichuan earthquake has added a new lexicon “Quake lake” to the English speaking world.


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China: Sunglasses Gate and Others · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated an article from my1510.cn on some strange reactions from local government, media and angry youths towards the Sichuan earthquake.


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Colombia: FARC Laptops Reveal Ties to Politicians and Foreign Governments · Global Voices
Carlos Raúl van der Weyden Velásquez

In the events following the attack on the FARC guerrilla camp in Ecuador, it was revealed that Toshiba laptops were found among the remains.  The Colombian government sent the computer equipment to INTERPOL for independent analysis.  Its findings recently were released and it was found that the laptops had not been “manipulated” by Colombian authorities. The documents, some of them leaked to domestic and foreign press, involve Venezuelan and Ecuadorian officials. On May 22, the so-called “FARC-politics scandal” officially started, when the Attorney General announced the names of the first politicians and personalities investigated for their ties with the Marxist guerrilla, based on the laptops’ files.
Jaime Restrepo praises INTERPOL and the Colombian government, and states that the chain of custody was not broken as the opposition claims:
INTERPOL has confirmed it: the files and contents of the three laptops seized in FARC strongman Raúl Reyes’s camp were not modified, nor adultered or deleted by the Colombian authorities. This is the second blow against FARC and its allies in a little more than two months, because INTERPOL’s certification implies an independent warranty that the proofs found at the Ecuadorian camp were not contaminated. If the Colombian government had not taken the decision to ask an audit on the devices and their content, the opposition -specially the people mentioned in the Reyes dossier- would be screaming that Uribe and his “thugs” manipulated the information to start a persecution on his political opponents, for sure.
Marsares claims the press conference was a show and that Colombian president Álvaro Uribe was seeking domestic support so that the people would ignore the scandals involving his government, just as Chávez and Correa do in their own countries:
What are [they] looking for? It is not to show the collusion of FARC with Venezuelan and Ecuadorian governments. If it were so, the evidence should be treated as such, holding back them, following the clues which can be deduced from them, until reaching the criminals, destroying all their infrastructure, giving rise to a victory they would only recover from after several years.
But it was not done that way. Since the beginning they preferred to make a fuss of it and telling, little by little, “pieces” of truths, with a clear purpose, to put [Hugo] Chávez and Rafael Correa against the ropes in order to alleviate the continental condemnation to Colombia for its violation to international law. But now, when the relations could be patched, why this new show, seeking to create a serious controversy and a political and economic catastrophe?
Domestic support, without a doubt. What a wicked way to escape from the questioning to the legitimacy of his second term.
(…)
The same way Chávez practices that within his stronghold and Correa within his, Uribe does the same thing in this frayed Colombia, seeking foreign enemies in order to armour his domestic power. Shameful show. A period on history where our peoples needed statesmen to ensure their future, was only able to give simple rulers who, as it is known, are so small as the limited horizon of their hatreds and ambitions.
Adam Isacson provides the names of the probed personalities, including controversial senator Piedad Córdoba, as expected, and American development consultant Jim Jones. He carefully analyses the charges they may face (I encourage you to read the full post), and he ends the article this way:
But again, we don’t know enough. We really have no idea what is in those files, and the rumored allegations surfacing in Colombia’s press include some troubling possibilities, such as that of would-be facilitators having visited guerrilla camps where hostages were held. Those who have talked to the press so far – Borja, Córdoba, Lozano – insist that they have done nothing wrong and that they are willing to cooperate with authorities at the first opportunity. These investigations should proceed quickly, and the accused should promptly be able to confront the evidence against them.
Ricardo Buitrago calls the Congresspeople involved “traitors” [es] and compares the two scandals [es]:
No puede haber tampoco, presunciones o parámetros dispares, que condenen a priori la actuación de unos y justifiquen la de otros. Con la parapolitica, el país, la oposición, los medios y hasta la justicia, trazaron una rasante de medición, prejuzgamiento, juzgamiento y condena, que ahora nadie entendería, pudiera ser cambiada.
There cannot be presumptions or different standards which condemn a priori the acts of some people and justify the acts of others. With the parapolitics, the nation, the opposition, the media, and even the judiciary have traced a medition, pre-judgment, judgment and condemnation slope which now no one would understand if it is changed.

author: Carlos Raúl van der Weyden Velásquez


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Costa Rica: Local Film on YouTube · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Cristian Cambronero of Fusil de Chispas [es] writes about the short film called Rápido y Engañado (Fast and Fooled) which has been posted on YouTube and has been one of the most widely viewed videos produced in Costa Rica.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Cuba: Free Speech?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Child of the Revolution sees the irony of the editor of Granma calling for a further restriction on freedom of speech laws in Cuba: “Instead of demanding greater freedom of speech – as any half-decent editor would – Barredo is demanding that the existing laws be tightened further so the regime can properly and more efficiently ‘punish’ those he describes as ‘mercenaries’.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Ecuador: Tungurahua Volcano Increases Activity · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador has been more active in the past few weeks writes La Voz de Guamote [es].


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Egypt: Torture Acceptable  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Mostafa  is surprised that some of his friends find torture as an acceptable form of extracting confessions from people being interrogated – after an experiment he conducted on Facebook.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Georgia: Election Dissent · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Steady State is critical of the outcome of last week’s parliamentary election in Georgia. The blog also criticizes the Western media and international observers for being more concerned with foreign rather than domestic policy issues.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Georgia: Iraq Deployment · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Social Science in the Caucasus comments on a recent survey of Georgian troops in Iraq which indicated overwhelming support of the deployment. However, the blog notes, the results of the poll are not reflected in society itself.


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Guyana: Copyright Laws · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Signifyin’ Guyana comes across an article on copyright laws in Guyana that “made (her) jaw drop.”


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Honduras: Peace Rally Followed by Riots · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Aaron Ortiz of Pensieve posts a video of a peace rally in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula, which was ironically followd by riots in the capital city of Tegucigalpa over a demand by bus drivers to increase fares due to higher fuel prices.


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India, Pakistan: Music and Conflict · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

La Dolce Vita on a Pakistani band playing in Kashmir, India and how the whole show of peace and calm in the conflict-ridden region appears to be a farce.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: Sanskrit and Hindutva · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The politics of a classical language, education and secularism in India explored at varnam.


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Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Calabash Podcast · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean Free Radio produces a podcast from Jamaica's Calabash International Literary Festival which includes perspectives on “Derek Walcott's unforgettable premiere reading of ‘The Mongoose'” and an interview with Jamaican writer Thomas Glave, who was quite vocal about the Prime Minister's recent comments about there being no place for homosexuals in his Cabinet.


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Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Maslow & Art  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp sees a connection between Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the Caribbean artist.


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Japan: Mobile Web Access Restriction for Children · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Serkan Toto from Asiajin blogs about the Japanese government proposed restriction on mobile web access for children.


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Japan: Monster Tales · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Edo from Pink Tentacle introduced 7 tales of unidentified mysterious animals in Japan.


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Kazakhstan: Medvedev Chooses Kazakhstan First · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog reflects on the visit of the newly inaugurated Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, to Kazakhstan in his first foreign visit in a capacity of the head of the state.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kazakhstan: Workshop in Kostanay and Aktobe · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Askhat reports on his workshops on blogging skills he conducted for the Kazakh-language young men and women in the Northern Kazakhstan oblasts, which are primarily Russian-speaking areas.


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Korea: Grand Canal Confession · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

The Grand Canal plan, which the new Korean president dreamed of for a long time even before the election, seems to face another problem since the plan brought out so many arguments and doubts. Whether the plan is on behalf of the people or of him, some people expect economic outcome and others are concerned about environment and long term results.
While the current government is aggressively criticized due to the US-Korea beef trade, they announced the propulsion of the Grand Canal project. However, after a researcher for the project made a confession on the internet, it brings another debate on the internet at present.
Here is his post.
저는 국책연구원에서 환경을 연구하는 사람입니다.(실명은 김이태 첨단환경 연구실에 근무합니다.) 본의 아니게 국토해양부의 연구 과제를 수행하고 있는 사이비 과학자입니다. 저는 매우 소심하고, 마음이 약한 사람입니다. 한반도 물 길잇기 및 4대강 정비 계획의 실체는 운하계획입니다. 저는 본 과제를 수행하는 데에 있어서 소위“보안각서”라는 것을 써서 서약 했습니다. 제가 이 예기를 올리는 자체로서 보안각서 위반이기 때문에 많은 불이익과 법적조치, 국가연구개발사업 자격이 박탈될 것입니다. 하지만 소심한 저도 도저히 용기를 내지 않을 수 없습니다. 모둔 불이익을 감수할 준비를 하고요. 최악의 경우 실업자가 되겠지요. 그 이유의 첫째는 국토의 대재앙을 막기 위해서입니다. 제대로 된 전문가 분들이라면 운하건설로 인한 대재앙은 상식적으로 명확하게 예측되는 상황이라 생각 합니다. 저는 요즘 국토해양부 TF 팀으로부터 매일 매일 반대논리에 대한 정답을 내놓으라고 요구를 받습니다. 아무리 머리를 쥐어짜도 반대논리를 뒤집을 대안이 없습니다. 수많은 전문가가 10년을 연구 했다는 실체는 하나도 없습니다. 제대로 일을 하지 못하고 답변을 주지 못하다 보니 “능력부족”, “성의 없음” 이라고 질책을 받을 수밖에 없습니다. 도대체 이명박 정부는 영혼 없는 과학자가 되라 몰아치는 것 같습니다. 정부출연연구소 구조조정 및 기관장 사퇴도 그렇습니다. 정정당당하다면 몰래 과천의 수자원공사 수도권사무실에서 비밀집단을 꾸밀게 아니라, 당당히 국토해양부에 정식적인 조직을 두어 열린 마음으로 다양한 의견을 수렴하는 마음자세로 검토하여야 되는 것 아닙니까? 왜, 오가는 메일 및 자료가 보완을 요구할 필요가 있습니까? 국가 군사작전도 아닌 한반도 물길 잇기가 왜 특급 비밀이 되어야 합니까? 제가 소속된 조직은 살아남기 위해서 정부에 적극적 협조해야 한다는 것은 인정 합니다. 그러나 잘못된 국가 정책은 국책연구원 같은 전문가 집단이 올바른 방향을 근원적으로 제시하여야 하는 게 연구기관의 진정한 존립이유 아닙니까? 이명박 정부가 경제성장률을 6%로 설정하라 해서 KDI에서 그걸 그대로 반영하여야 제대로 가는 대한민국입니까? 이명박 정부에 참으로 실망스러워서 이 같은 글을 올립니다. 기회가 되면 촛불 집회에 나가 한마디 하고 싶습니다. 이 글 때문에 저에게 불이익이 클 것이지만 내 자식 보기 부끄러운 아빠가 되지 않기 위해서 한마디 합니다.
……………..
추신 숨어있지 않겠습니다. 떳떳하게 나아가겠습니다. 제가 국가 보안법을 위반하였다면 아이피 추적하지 마시고 아래 주소에서 찾으세요. http://www.kict.re.kr/division/advanced_environment/people.asp
그리고 불이익 감소하겠습니다. 한참 입시준비중인 고3의 딸고 고1의 아들만 아빠를 믿어주면 됩니다.
P.S. I will not hide. I will be in front. If I violated the National Security law, don’t track my IP and just check this address.
I will face disadvantages. If my daughter in the third grade of high school and my son in the first grade of high school trust me, that will be enough.
His post brings other movements on the internet.
김이태 박사님을 지키기 위한 카페지기입니다.
http://cafe.daum.net/savingkim
내부고발자들은 초기에 국민적 관심이 사라지고 난 후에 지속적이고 지능적인 불이익과 탄압에 직면합니다.
이를 지켜내기 위해서는 지속적인 관심을 가진 사람들의 모임이 필요합니다. 카페로 모여주십시오.저희 카페에 김이태 박사님 여동생분께서 지난 2월 6일 가족카페에 올린 글을 캡쳐해서 올려주셨습니다.김이태 박사님은 우리나라를 너무나 사랑하셔서, 오랜 시간동안 고민 끝에 어려운 결단을 하신 것입니다. 두 아이의 아버지로, 가장으로 받았을 고뇌가 보이십니까? 그 어려움을 이겨내고, 진실을 이야기하고자 하는 진정성이 보이십니까? 우리는 누구나 이런 결단을 요구받을 수 있습니다.당신이 김이태 박사님을 지킬 수 있습니다.
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제목 : 단순하게 사는게 제일이다.
난 80년도에 민주화를 이룬세대다. 그 당시의 탄압이란것이 무엇이었을까. 그 멀리 세월을 넘어서
내가 암묵적 탄압이라 느끼는 것은 무엇일까? 대장군들에게는 자리 싸움이지만 나 같은 소시민에 대한 생계 압박이다. 한반도 운하가 아니고 경부 운하 절대 해서는 안될 일이다. 구조, 교량, 교통, 생태, 환경, 물류 전 전문가가 동원돼서 돌아보았지만 다 해답이 없다. 그런데 이게 왜 가능한가? 다 폴리페셔다.”’ 그리고 움추리는 지성인이다. 난 움추리는 사람 중에 하나다. 알면서 총선전까지는 빨간 불이 주식시장에 판쳐야 하는 그런 입장만 만들어 주는 입장이니까. 자동차로 헬기로 아무리 다녀봐도 아직은 아름다운 우리 강산이다.
Loving us so much, Dr. Kim must have made the difficult decision after agonizing for a while. As the father of two children, how much could he be in agony as the breadwinner? Can you see the sincerity and truth that he tried to speak? Anyone can face this kind of the moment to make the decision. You can protect him.
Title: Having a simple life is best.
I was the generation that went through democratization in the 1980s. What was suppression at that time? Passing that time, what is the suppression that I feel now? To high position people, it could be whether they can occupy their positions. But to me, a good petite bourgeois, it is the suppression of livelihood. The Canal of the Korean Peninsula should not be really happening. All professionals and experts, regarding construction, bridge, ecology, environment, and physical distribution, have studied, but there is no answer. But how come it is possible? They are just poli-fessors… They are crouched intellectuals. I am also one of them. Even though I know, I have to be quiet until the completion of the General Election. Looking around with automobiles and helicopters, there are still beautiful rivers and mountains.
Others share their own experiences as well.
저도 국책연구원에 있었습니다. 연구를 바탕으로 정책을 만드는게 아니라 정책을 먼저 만들어 놓고 논리를 만들어 내는 곳이더군요. 박사님들이 왜 죽어라 공부하셨나 의문이 생기더군요(저는 그때 석사 연구원). 그러면서 그냥 연구원을 그만두어 버렸습니다. 그러나 지금 저도 박사과정에 있습니다. 솔직히 또 다시 저에게 이와같은 일이 왔을때 김이태박사님처럼 당당히 말할 수 있을 지 자신없습니다. 더구나 두 아이의 가장이십니다. 정말 계속 눈물이 납니다. 언론도 알게 모르게 막혀있더군요. 대한민국 아줌마들이 일어났으면 좋겠습니다(저두 아이 하나 있는 아줌마 입니다).최소한 불이익이라도 당하지 않게…
Internet leads prompt reactions of others. Here is a netizen’s opinion.
국토해양부의 의뢰를 받아 대운하를 연구중인 한국 기술연구원 첨단 환경연구실에서 근무하는 김이태 연구원의 용기있는 양심선언의 글을 보고 남들이 다 ‘예'라고 할때 ‘아니요’ 할수 있는 사람이 되라는 광고 카피가 생각납니다. 말이야 쉽지 상하 위계질서가 확고한  조직사회 그것도 국가기관에서 남들이 다 ‘예'라고 하는데 혼자서 ‘아니요’ 라고 자신있게 외칠 수 있는 용기 있는 사람들이 과연 얼마나 있을까요, 자신의 생각에도  이건 도저히 ‘예'라고 할 수 없는 부당한 일에도 대부분의 사람들은 그저 자신 몸 하나만을 생각하는 이기주의 마음이 앞서  ‘아니요’ 를 외치지 못하고 남들과 똑같이 ‘예’ 만을 덩달아  말하는게 우리 조직사회가 주는 엄연한 현실입니다. 특히 잘 나간다는 조직단체 일수록 이런 현상은 더욱 심하지요, 이렇게 아닌것을 ‘아니요'라고 말하지 못하고 무조건 ‘예'라고  대답하는 사회현상 때문에 그렇게 해서는 안될 부당한 일도 서슴없이 진행되여 차후에 되레 문제점이 발생되여 되돌아 오는 악순환이 되기도 합니다. 이런 악순환의 폐단을 막기 위해서라도 아닌것은 ‘아니요’ 라고 당당하게 외칠 수 있는 용기있는 사람이 그래서 꼭 필요로 하는 것입니다.
그럼점에 비추어 볼때 이번 김이태 연구원이 밝힌 한반도 물길 잇기 및 4대강 정비계획의 실체는 한반도 ‘대운하계획’ 이라고 밝힌 양심고백은 우리에게 신선한 충격으로 다가 올 수 밖에 없습니다. 더군다나 이명박정부의 ‘대운하계획'은 국가적 대사로 상황에 따라서는 국가의 흥망까지도 좌우할 수 있는 그래서 찬반 양론이 팽팽한 중차대한 국책사업 입니다.
이런 중차대한 일에 몸담고 있는 사람들이 정부로부터 대운하에 대한 반대논리를 요구받고 또 대운하 과제를 수행하는데 있어서 ‘보안각서'까지 서약 받는  부당한 일에도 자기 혼자 잘되면 그만이라는  생각으로 ‘아니요'을 못한다면 이거야 말로 국가의 세금으로 먹고사는 국책연구원들의 ‘직무유기’ 로 비난 받아야 할 일이지요,
그런데 김이태 연구원은 이런 부당한 일을 고발하는 양심선언을 했을때 오는 불이익까지도 각오하고 이명박정부가 추진하는 한반도 대운하계획은 밀실에서 섣불리 해서는 안될 일 이라고 그래서 남들 연구원들은 다 ‘예'라고 숨죽이고 있을때 이것은 ‘아니요’ 라며 큰소리로 외치는 용기있는 그에게 찬사의 박수를 아낌없이 보낼 수 밖에 없는 것입니다. 만약  정부가 이런 부당한 일에도 남들은 아무 말없이 그저 ‘예'라고 하고 있을때 자신의 몸을 던저가며 ‘아니요’ 라고 자신있게 말하는 용기있는 사람의 직책을  ‘규칙위반’ 이라는 이유 하나만으로 박탈하는 불이익을 준다면 그때는 정말로 국민적 저항을 감수해야 할 줄로 압니다.  따라서 우리는 국토해양부가 김이태 연구원을 앞으로 어떻게 처리할지 두 눈 크게 뜨고 지켜 보고자 합니다. 용기있고 소신있는  그를 이제 우리 국민들이 지켜 줄 몫으로 남아 있기 때문입니다.
Therefore, Kim Yi Tae’s confession comes to us with fresh shock. “The Project of the Grand Canal” of the Lee Myung Bak’s government is a significant national project that can influence national rise and fall.
People who work for such an important project got requests from the government to make opposite logics for the Grand Canal, but they can’t say no and have to give the signature of the ‘written promise.’ People who work as researchers at the Korea Institute of Construction Technology and make a living with national tax should be criticized as ‘dereliction of duty.’
But Kim Yi Tae decided to put up with disadvantages and said that the project should not be a secret while other researchers zipped their mouths up. I would like to applaud to him and compliment his courage. If the government gives disadvantages to the person who could say ‘no’ under the name of ‘violation against the regulations,’ they should expect the protest from all peoples. Therefore, we will look at how the Ministry of the Land, Transportation, and Maritime Affairs will treat Kim Yi Tae. To protect such a brave and sincere person is our homework.
Another reaction is spreading fast.
김이태님의 “대운하 참여하는 연구원입니다” 글을 보고 건설기술연구원의 담당연구팀장으로서 몇 가지 말씀을 드리고자 글을 남깁니다. 우선 제가 담당하는 연구과제의 팀원이 그 동안 어려운 입장에 있었다면 정말 안타깝게 생각합니다. 김이태님이 이야기한 (1) “보안각서의 의미”, (2) “반대 논리에 정답을 내놓으라고 요구받았다”는 사항, (3) “관련사업이 근거가 빈약하고 밀실에서 추진하고 있다”는 사실 등에 관한 내용입니다.
우선 보안각서에 대해서 말씀을 드리면, 보안각서는 국가에서 발주하는 모든 용역사업에 대해서 의무적으로 제출하게 되어 있습니다. 보안각서는 통상 발주처가 연구종료 이전단계에서 연구내용의 외부공개로 인한 사회적 혼란방지 등을 위해 요구됩니다. 따라서 본 사업만을  위한 보안각서를 제출한 것이 아니라, 일반적인 용역 절차입니다.
둘째, “매일 매일 반대 논리에 정답을 내놓으라고 요구받았다”는 내용은 좀 더 설명이 필요합니다. 저희는 위와 같은 요구를 받지 않았습니다. 김이태님이 담당했던 분야는 수질 분야로 타 분야에 비해 국민적 관심이 컸고, 과학기술적 자료에 입각하여 판단하는 분야이기 때문에 정책적 판단을 할 수가 없습니다. 이 점 연구팀장으로서 가슴 아프게 생각합니다.
셋째, “관련사업이 근거가 빈약하고 밀실에서 추진하고 있다”는 내용은 이미 정부출연 5개 연구기관이 공식적으로 공동연구과제를 수행하고 있고, 운하지원팀도 정부 조직 내에 공식적으로 존재하여 공개적으로 업무를 수행하고 있습니다.
저는 연구팀장의 입장에서 오해의 소지가 있는 부분의 이해를 돕고자 이글을 썼습니다. 합리적인 대안을 도출하기 위해 연구팀은 최선을 다하겠습니다.
First regarding the written promise, it is the obligation for service businesses that the government places orders. It is requested in order to prevent the social confusion by open publication before the completion of the research. Therefore, it is not just for this project. It is the common process.
Second, there should be more explanation about how he was requested to give answers for opposed logics. We didn’t get any requests regarding this. The part that Kim Yi Tae is in charge of is about the quality of water and peoples’ interest is big. It is the field based on scientific materials and therefore we can’t give political judgments. I feel hurt to him about this part.
Third, in terms that there is lack of related evidence and the project is going on secretly, there are already five national research institutes and they officially conduct research together. There is already the ‘Supporting Team for the Canal’ under the government and they do their jobs officially.
On the perspective as the team leader, I decided to write this in order to solve misunderstanding. I will try my best to derive logical alternatives.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kosovo: “Failure to Get More Recognitions” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Prishtine: Independence and Kanun writes: “[…] out of the other 192 (plus 2) countries in the world, the government of Kosovo should have been able to lobby more than just 41 countries for recognition. I mean, many of these countries would happily recognize Kosovo if for no other reason than to put their names in the world press for a couple of hours. Inefficiency, incompetency, ignorance, egotism … or whatever their reasons might be for their failure to get more recognitions, some people in the government need to start getting flogged to perform.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Kyrgyzstan: Police Fighting Crime · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report analyzes a recent news story about Kyrgyzstan's police effort to fight crime and particularly on its alleged “operation to expel” a notorious criminal leader, and says that it has plummeted his respect to police way below the imaginable level.


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Nicaragua: Chacón Wins National Poetry Prize · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Sergio Simpson congratulates Nicaraguan poet Ninozka Chacón for being awarded the 2008 National Poetry Prize, “Mariana Sansón.” [es]


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Pakistan, India: Music in Kashmir · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

CHUP! on a Pakistani band, Junoon that recently performed in Kashmir in India.


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Peru: Andean Film Conference in Arequipa · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Gabriel Quispe of Cinencuentro [es] provides information regarding the next Andean Film Conference to be held in Arequipa May 29-31.  The gathering will show examples of “the regional filmmaking, where long and short films will be shown, and there will be discussions regarding the expressive and technological aspects of film.”


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Poland, Germany, UK: Eurovision · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes at Polandian that Poland, Germany and the UK aren't getting any votes at Eurovision, and something has to be done about it.


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Poland: Songs · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“A Guide To Songs About Poland” – at Polandian.


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Russia: Ideas for Eurovision · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Megan Case 2.0 writes on Russia's Eurovision victory: “I think that Russia should have pulled out all the stops and filled the stage with famous people – they could have had Maria Sharapova hitting tennis balls into the audience, and the whole of Zenit (St. Petersburg’s football/soccer team and the UEFA Cup winners) running around the stage, and you know, Grigori Perelman scribbling equations on a blackboard […], and a famous chess player (but not Garry Kasparov because he’s become an opposition politician and we can’t have any of that during such a patriotic event) playing giant chess. Maybe then the performance would have been interesting enough to vote for.”


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Russia: Kaliningrad Region · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Raf Uzar writes about the history of Kaliningrad region.


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Saudi Arabia: Thoughts on The Prisoner · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Saudi Arabia, Hayfa [Ar] read The Prisoner by Moroccan writer Malika Oufkir and shares her thoughts about it here.


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Syria: Annoying Crows  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Syria, Allosh  [Ar] is annoyed with crows, which have decided to make a home in the tree outside his window.


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Trinidad & Tobago: My City  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Coffeewallah takes a walk along the streets of her city, Port of Spain.


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Ukraine: Opposition and Alliances · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Notes writes on the relationship between PM Tymoshenko, president Yushchenko, and the Party of the Regions.


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Nicaragua: A Closer Look at a Government Program for Microloans · Global Voices
GV Contributor

Last Sunday on “Esta Semana”, a 60 Minutes-style TV news program in Nicaragua, a report took and in-depth look at  Usura Cero (Zero Usury), a goverment-financed program that gives soft loans to women-led microbusinesses.
But Naren Mayorga from ¿Y ahora de que vamos a hablar? [es]  summarizes the scope of the program:
Lo poco que se sabe del mismo es que se ofrecen crédito por el rango de C$1,000 a C$5,000 a comerciantes mujeres urbanos bajo la metodología de Grupos solidarios y con tasas de interés subsidiadas que ronda el 4% anual con un périodo de gracia de varia de 2 a 6 meses según el monto prestado y que en su administración participan distintas organizaciones e instituciones del estado.
The little that is known is that loans of C$1,000-C$5,000 Cordobas are given to urban women vendors under the methodology of solidarity groups and with low, subsidized interests rate of about 4% annual with a grace period between 2-6 months according to the amount lent.  Different organizations and state institutions are involved in the administration.
This  help does not cover the financial needs of the beneficiaries. One beneficiary told Esta Semana she uses around C$10,000-C$15,000 Cordobas in loans, so the goverment help does just cover a part of the a third part of the money.
In addition, the blog signals and points not just the errors made by the TV journalistic crew, but by the goverment and directors of the program.
…En una entrevista que le hicieron a la encargada del Usura Cero en uno de los medios de comunicación afines al gobierno mencionó que el programa era todo un éxito por que se estaba logrando la recuperación de más del 70% de los montos prestados. Para que un programa de este tipo sea viable debe de tener una tasa de recuperación mayor al 90% menos que eso está condenado al fracaso o subsistir mediante la inyección de fondos del erario público o bien mediante préstamos o donaciones de otros países (como es el caso del usura cero).
…In a inverview of the manager of Zero Usury on one of the official government-run media, she said that the program was a complete success because they were making 70% debt recovery. For a program of this kind they must have a debt recovery rate of at least  90% or they will be condemned to failure or have to survive with goverment money or foreign countries donations.
Continue reading here the other 6 arguments of Naren here…

author: GV Contributor


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Afghanistan: Insurgent Attacks Still Up on the East · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Barnett R. Rubin analyzes the debate about counter-insurgency success in Afghanistan's Regional Command/East (RC/E).


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Argentina: Commemoration of the Cordobazo · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Argenautas [es] commemorates 39 years since the “Cordobazo” in the Aregentine city of Córdoba which featured, “the largest mobilization of workers and students and marked the beginning of the end of the dictatorship of Juan Carlos Onganía.”


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Armenia: Bigoted Journalism · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogian comments on the misrepresentation of the words of a journalist partly of Turkish descent speaking in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, by the local pro-opposition A1 Plus news agency. The blog says that a combination of factors such as anti-Turkish sentiment and sexism might have something to do with what it considers to be the twisting of words by The Economist's Amberin Zaman who coincidently also happens to be the wife of the acting U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.


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Armenia: Youth Activist Beaten · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer reports that a pro-opposition youth activist was yesterday beaten in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. Arsen Kharatyan was called for an interview, but when he arrived at the location for the meeting he was instead attacked from behind. Unzipped comments on speculationthat the beating was probably connected to Kharatyan's political activities and provides a more comprehensive account of the incident.


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Azerbaijan: Baku Metro · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Baku Fragments pays homage to the city's metro system. Unfortunately known for the worst subway disaster in the world when hundreds died, the blog says Baku's metro stations house some of the best if blatantly propagandist public art in the city. The blog is also impressed by the cheerful melodies which sound when trains arrive at each stop.


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Bahamas: Social Breakdown?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Larry Smith at Bahama Pundit believes that the country's escalating violence, especially among youth, “is not crime. It is impending social breakdown.”


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Balkans: Travel Articles · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Balkanology Blog reviews recent English-language travel articles about the Balkans.


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Bermuda: Freedom or Manipulation?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bermudian bloggers are incensed about the Premier's statement that making certain information public is “akin to asking a neural surgeon to come out of the operating room in the middle of an operation to answer about costs and procedures”: IMHO.bm: “This is not progressive, this is regressive”; Vexed Bermoothes: “The manipulation is transparent and artless.”


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Bolivia: Blog for Camiri · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Camiri Digital [es] is a new blog for residents of Camiri, a Bolivian town in the southeastern part of the country.  It also helps unite those residents who now live in different parts of Bolivia, as well as those living abroad.


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Bulgaria: Stoev’s Murder and Anonymous Blogging · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Maya's Corner quotes a passage on Georgi Stoev's murder and the dangers of writing under one's real name in Bulgaria.


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China: Earthquake Cursing Video · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A video with a woman (from Liaoning) cursing Earthquake victims in Sichuan has been circulated widely in China. More Videos curse back.


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Czech Republic: Cabs and Buses · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Czech Daily Word writes about cab drivers and public transportation system in the Czech Republic.


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Czech Republic: “How I Fought Over A Supermodel” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Petr Bokuvka of The Czech Daily Word shares a childhood memory of the Czech supermodel Veronika Varekova.


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East Timor: New blog about economics of development · Global Voices
Paula Góes

“A blog about economics of development, in particular about the East Timor economy, and about what can then be helpful to economic development of this country”, A.M. de Almeida Serra [pt] introduces a new blog about East Timor.

author: Paula Góes


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Europe: More on Eurovision · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belatedly, a link to a Eurovision report by BBC's Mark Mardell – and over 150 comments to his post.


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From the Diary of a Sinister Egyptian Spinster · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Back in March 2008, Eman Hashim wrote a post [Ar] questioning why do Muslim Egyptian women need a “wakeel” – a man who has to sign her off to her husband. Let me give you a bit more insight here: unlike western cultures where the father gives away the bride as a jest of his approval and blessing, in Islam the marriage is “flawed” if the father, or the uncle if the father is deceased, has to speak on the bride's behalf through out all the paperwork and marriage procedures. Many sheikhs frown upon the thought of a girl – especially one who has never been married before and who is supposedly a virgin – marrying herself away.
In her not-so-conventional post, Eman wonders:
“Why does a woman in Egypt need to assign a man to give her away? Why do women have to go from one man's to another man's custody? I want to face my future husband as we exchange vows … I need to look into his eyes and listen to him … I want him to listen to me promise to care for him like a good Muslim wife … why do I need anyone on my behalf?
In May 2008, another daring post hit another deeply rooted tradition:
“I want to – God willing – move out … yes I want to leave my parents and live on my own … alone.”
Eman lists the contradictory – mainly opposing and discouraging responses – from people saying:
“What do you mean? Why leave your mom? How could a girl live alone? How could a girl live without a man? One day you will regret leaving your family; you would want to turn back time to spend just one day with them. Yeah .. this is what we learnt from the West! Why don't you become independent in your room? What about suitors and potential husbands?”
Of course, most people failed to understand Eman's logic about maturity, independence, and leaving the nest.
On May 24, 2008 Eman wrote about a bundle of female ailments in Egypt:
“Do you remember the issues of assigning a man to marry you away? Do you remember the living independently issue? Ok .. have you heard of a woman's right to have the power of divorcing herself? Her right to end her marriage in court by giving her husband back anything he gave her and waiving her right for alimony? Does anyone know that there is a law that allows the woman to get a divorce and retain all her financial rights in case her husband gets a second wife? There is also another law that allows the wife to travel without getting the consent of he husband. Do you recall women demanding for their right to key and effective positions as ministers, judges, and other key positions in the state?”
Eman wished to live to see the day when women understood those rights, used them, and made the rest of their rights a reality.
“Of course such demands and the likes infuriate many men and women; those who see them against the nature of women or the nature of the relationship between men and women. Others denied them on the account of religion and healthy family ties. They all say that those are not the real issues of women in Egypt but when you ask them to phrase “the real issues”, they tell you that a woman's challenging role lies in raising a generation of good Muslim boys and girls – as though it does not need a free mature mind and spirit to fulfill that role.”
Eman calls their bluff :
“They object only because of the strength and determination behind my words. The thought of a woman who has a choice and who knows it drives them crazy …. what really matters to me as a person and what I will defend ferociously is “my belief in the right to choose” and the ability to “examine your choices”. I do not care whether you give yourself away, move out, divorce a miserable man, stay in a miserable marriage, travel against your husband's will, stay at home, or get a life … as long as you thought about your options and made your choice … I besiege you … think and choose what you truly want … you do not owe anyone anything.”
Eman then quoted some of proverbs and legacy of quotes and sayings to support how unfair our mothers and our society has been to us:
“Do not open the girls’ eyes” – This is a saying the denotes preserving a girl's innocence as if knowledge and experience will corrupt her!
“Men and women were made for one another … you are a sinister spinster” – Meaning get married to any man as long as he could provide for you or else you will bear the stigma of being a spinster.
“All men are kids” – This particular line is the ideal hanger for any mistake or offense.
“You will not change them” – Referring to men as though your only option is accepting your fate as an Egyptian girl in a backward society.
“Divorce is not an option” – Says who?
“Court divorce is for those women … you know who!” – Bad girls!
“Better a man's shadow than that of a wall.” – Just grab any man!
“Those are just a few examples of how girls are mentally oppressed and denied their basic right to choose,” concluded Eman.

author: Marwa Rakha


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Greece: Macedonian Party · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Say: Macedonia writes about the first congress of the Macedonian “Rainbow Party” in Greece.


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Guyana: Identity Crisis?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Signifying Guyana blogs about her “personal struggle with a hyphenated identity”.


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Guyana: We the Bloggers · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“You know that feeling you get when somebody compliment you but they slip in a few digs, so you end up puzzled?”  A newspaper editorial compares news-blogs and traditional media, leaving Guyana-Gyal to comment: “Go on, you bloggahs you…give yourself a pat…for sharing your stories, histories, thoughts…and for bringing world-citizens a teeny-eeny bit closer in a way only we the people can.”


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Hong Kong: Police Information in Foxy · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently the Hong Kong police department has leaked out some confidential information through Foxy. Jansen pointed out that similar incident had happened in Taiwan.


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Hong Kong: School Girl Punished for Mean Earthquake Comment · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A school girl wrote down her lack of feelings on the Sichuan earthquake in her blog. Netizens found out her identity and she was force to make public apology. Her school also decided give her a demerit. The incident is recorded at evchk [zh]. Yeung Sir (a teacher) wrote at inmediahk.net that people shouldn't blame the children for their lack of feelings, but should ask why the adult world has created such environment for our kids.


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Hungary: Ferenc Szálasi · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes about Ferenc Szálasi and Hungarian nationalist politics – here and here: “Perhaps no one will be surprised to discover that the man who came up with “Hungarism” wasn’t an ethnic  Hungarian. His original name was Szalosján. His fraternal ancestors came from Armenia and settled in Transylvania […]. On his mother's side he was of Slovak origin.”


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India: Information and Terrorism · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A former head of India’s external intelligence agency on strengthening institutions fighting terrorism. More at Vikram Sood's Perspectives.


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Iran: Hackers attacked several Arab language sites · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Ashyaneh, a group of Iranian hackers, says[Fa] that they attacked several Arab language sites that renamed Persian Gulf and call it Arabic Gulf.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:”Propaganda against Shi’ites in Saudi Arabia · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Ghaghnoos, an Iranian blogger, says[Fa] that in Saudi Arabia some preachers publicly talk against Shi'ites. He has published several photos from his trip in Saudi Arabia.


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Jamaica: Spinning · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Among its many atrocities, the single worst crime of the CD was that it made albums longer”: Jamaican Marlon James rediscovers the allure of vinyl.


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Japan and U.S: Jurisdiction Agreement · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Niphonese wrote a post on the recent exposure of a secret agreement between Japan and U.S government in 1953 that Japan should abandon jurisdiction over crimes of Japan-based US soldiers, except serious cases.


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Japan: NHK on Youtube · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Serkan Toto from Asiajin reported that Japan’s public broadcaster NHK started putting contents online on a NHK channel on Youtube.


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Kyrgyzstan: Posner in Bishkek · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report says that famous Russian TV host Vladimir Posner was in Bishkek, capital of Kazakhstan, to deliver lectures and master-classes for the Kyrgyz journalists.


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Lithuania: Russian Pop Music · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Viola in Vilnius notes the popularity of Russian pop music in Lithuania.


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Nepal: The monarchy’s gone · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The monarchy has been dismantled and Nepal has been declared a republic. More at Nepal Monitor.


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Pakistan: A decade after · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Islamabad Metblogs on a decade after Pakistan‘s nuclear tests.


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Pakistan: Nuclear tests · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Lahore Nama on the 10th anniversary of Pakistan's nuclear tests.


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Paraguay: The Creation of a People’s Union · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Edgar Ruiz Díaz of Las Preguntas de Venerando [es] writes about the change in power in Paraguay, and how many public workers will now try to convince the new administration that they belong.  He also suggests the creation of a “People's Union,” which will help control the public administration.


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Peru: Rate of Poverty Reduction Difficult to Believe · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Juan Sheput of Mate Pastor [es] and other analysts are doubting the Peruvian National Statistic and Information Institute's announcement that poverty has decreased 5.2% over the course of the past year. Among some of the reasons why this figure seems too high is the “inequality, poor administration of social programs, inflation and the high rates of rural unemployment.”


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Romania: Corruption · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Transatlantic Politics writes about corruption in Eastern and Central Europe: “A survey made amongst Romanian judges showed that most of them don’t consider corruption as being a serious crime.”


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Russia: “Medialogia” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scraps of Moscow writes about Russian politics and the media: “Sometimes, though, mediologists, not meteorologists, are the best way of trying to figure out which way the political winds are blowing on a given week.”


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Taiwan: Oil Free, Bike Smiling Day · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

David on Formosa reported on the Bike Smiling Day event in Taipei on May 25 with photo. The oil price is skyrocketing all over the world as well as in Taiwan, and the carbon emission produced by transportation is also causing serious environmental problems in Taiwan, especially in crowded cities, so a group of city bicyclers, environmentalists, and bloggers get together to host the Bike Smiling Day in order to encourage more Taiwanese people to try bicycling.

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Tajikistan: Kulob Gunfight · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ian reports on a frightening-sounding gunfight in the southern city of Kulob, Tajikistan, which has put everyone there on edge.


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Trinidad and Tobago: Shame · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As an eight-year-old girl is found dead in a canefield in Trinidad, Coffeewallah says: “They're killing the children…casually, as though they are no more than sand through our fingers”, while Now is Wow Too quotes the anonymous subject of one of her photographs: “We have failed our children. What's going on in this place?”


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Uzbekistan: Tashkent blogged · Global Voices
Tolkun

It is very interesting to notice that during the recent days the Uzbek blogosphere was mainly discussing Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan.
Today, Tashkent is at a stand of its beauty, as it is too early for summer heat and it is green and clean also. For a long time Tashkent has been the heartland of Central Asia – unlike other Stans – having closer ties with Kremlin and being the capital of the only Central Asian country that has borders with all other four countries of the region plus Afghanistan.
Today, Tashkent still plays a significant role in the region's political and economic life. However, the blogosphere was neglecting the Tashkent's position in the region and was mainly discussing the antique historical sites and beautiful infrastructure of the city that has been under constant reconstruction after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Lilianitta writes in her blog that she had been looking for a chance to go out and see the historical Tashkent for a long time, and she has finally got this chance. She describes historical facts of the city and posts many interesting photos of ancient mosques, medereses and tombs of Muslim clerics.
In 2009, we will celebrate Tashkent’s 2200 anniversary. The downtown is now full of very tall modern buildings – hotels, banks, business centers. A friend of mine says they make the city lose its individuality. He may be right, though I personally like everything in Tashkent. But in the Old Town everything is very special – eastern markets, communities and old narrow streets. Everything is surprisingly original.[ru]
Another great collection of fresh photos of Tashkent one can find in Alexander’s blog. Alexander writes a post about his travel to Tashkent from Novosibirsk, Russia.
Tashkent is very warm, green, and a pleasant city in all respects. Uzbeks are very hospitable and positive people. It is snowing in Novosibirsk, but in Uzbekistan it is +32 C… Right after we landed and passed all custom controls, we found ourselves in an old Soviet taxi, and went to a house of a person with whom we got acquainted in the airport… The Uzbek cuisine, I must say, is not only specific, but also very delicious.[ru]
Alexander continues writing counting the advantages of the city and attaching the photo to it as a proof.
Tashkent is very clean. You don't see garbage, especially in the center. The air is so fresh and there is no dust… Uzbek girls are very beautiful… It may be very surprising, but there is almost no traffic jams in the city… Many historical sites, especially old mosques… The prices are surprisingly low.[ru]
Another interesting post about Tashkent one can find in Narishka’s blog, where she writes about her memories of Tashkent. According to her, Tashkent is one the greatest places she has ever been to and that one must travel there in order to understand her. Narishka makes a list of her memories writing every detail of life in Tashkent:
1. In Tashkent, you never pay more than 2 cents for a bundle of fennel.
6. You are at least once in a while are waken up early in the morning by the crazy sounds of national musical instruments from the wedding ceremony in your neighborhood.
15. You know that Broadway exists not only in the States.
32. Tea is served in pialas [round cups], and you know that it is not polite to serve a full piala, just on the bottom.[ru]
There is also a thematic blog dedicated to Tashkent, hosting fresh photos, interesting facts and news about Tashkent. One of the peculiarities of this blog is that it gives many links to other sources, where you can find lots of useful information about the city.
Also posted on neweurasia.

author: Tolkun


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Haiti: In memory of a murdered teenager · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

La Dous Ki Vyen Pwezi posts in memory of Kareem Gaspard [Fr], a 16 year-old boy who was murdered in Port-au-Prince last Friday.  “I've spoken to, smiled at, or shook the hand of so many people who have disappeared this way.  Killed.  Like dogs.”

author: Jennifer Brea


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Haitian Literary Fair in Washington, D.C. · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

La Dous Ki Vyen Pwezi writes about a Haitian literary fair [Fr] held at Howard University in Washington, D.C. earlier this week.


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· Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Cédric Kalonji blogs the arrest of Jean-Pierre Bemba [Fr], Congolese president Joseph Kabila's main rival, in Belgium last weekend.  The Central African Republic brought charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Bemba, who will be tried by the International Criminal Court.


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Georgia: Opposition Protests · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Following the recent parliamentary election in the country, Resistance Georgia has posted photographs of the protest demonstrations which followed the landslide win for the ruling government party. The pro-opposition blog also posts some updates on the situation.


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Armenia: Diaspora Fatigue · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Life in Armenia, a blog run by ethnic Armenians from the Diaspora resident in the country, says that the number of tourists and volunteers visiting Armenia might be dropping following the recent post-election unrest as well as for other reasons. However, the blog says that Armenia is still worth visiting and that the situation in the country is generally calm.


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Armenia: Last Bell · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Kyle's Journey in Armenia, a Peace Corps Blog, reports on the end of the school year in Armenia. The Last Bell is quite an occasion for graduates of 11th form students and the blog posts photographs and an account from the north-east of the country.


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Bahamas: Education Consequences · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Christopher Lowe at WeblogBahamas.com blogs about the consequences of an ineffective education system, saying: “We are reaping that which we have sown.”


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Bahrain: Car Respect  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Bahrain, Flymenian writes about superficial people judge people based on the value of cars they drive.


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Bahrain: Exams and Luck  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini Silverooo is gearing up for an exam – and asks readers to wish her luck.


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Bangladesh: Agriculture and Technology · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

End Poverty In South Asia asks if investments in agricultural technology by themselves be sufficient to ensure rural poverty reduction.


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Bangladesh: Compromised Media · Global Voices
Rezwan

Ever since Bangladesh was put under a state of emergency by an interim government supported by the military it was a testing time for Bangladesh media. An exclusive report in the Himal South Asian magazine in June 2007 pointed out that Bangladesh’s Bangla and English-language press has lost its credibility:
Bangladeshis have been looking to the press for leadership in a time of military rule, but the journalists have allowed themselves to be bullied by populism and cowed by fear of authority.
Things have not been changed after a year; in fact the situation is getting worse.
Unheard Voices Blog lists the events that have unsettled Bangladeshi media which includes some recent shockers:
May 2nd, 08: Jai Jai Din (news daily) editor Shafiq Rehman resigns without citing reason and replaced by a relatively unknown Shahidul Huq Khan. His first editorial favours govt which is a radical shift for the paper.
May 12th: All the major (newspaper) editors issue a joint statement:
“It has been noticed that different agencies—military and civilian—have been intervening in the work of the media,” the statement says.
“Media do not have freedom in a state of emergency. Regular interference in day-to-day work of the media is not acceptable,” the statement says.
Rumi Ahmed of In the Middle of Nowhere provides more insights:
This Jai Jai Din editorial [bn] ..quotes Ataus Samad/ Nurul Kabir on how JJD owner was forced by DGFI (Defense Forces Intelligence) to have Shafik rehman fired. From this editorial we also know that some electronic media directors were asked by DGFI not to show up in this (editors) meeting.
He asks:
Have we gone back to gestapo era?
Another such transformation is evident in the Daily Star, the widely read English Daily. One of editorials published in last February boasted that it completed 17 years of ‘journalism without fear or favor’. In contrast only days after when the Human Rights Watch published an exclusive report on tortures in Bangladesh highlighting the testimony of Tasneem Khalil, a journalist of Daily Star (and the representative of CNN and Human Rights Watch in Bangladesh), this newspaper failed to report or comment on it. A journalist of the Daily Star commented in reaction of the report in E-Bangladesh:
The press is still gagged tightly. We still cannot write about anything negative regarding the military in our articles. This has been going on for more than a year. Tasneem Khalil and Arifur Rahman incident have happened for a reason.
It may be noted here that the condemned cartoonist Arifur Rahman, who was charged by the government for hurting religious sentiments because of a harmless cartoon (which quoted prophet Muhammad) published in the Daily Star's sister concern, the Bangla Prothom Alo's supplement. He was also indicted with a sedition charge and was recently freed by court from a six month long detention. While none from the large media fraternity of Bangladesh ever bothered to listen to Arif's side of the story and publish it, a blogger cum journalist Omi Rahman Pial was the first person to track him down after months of his release and publish his interview in his Bangla blog (obviously mainstream media was not going to publish it). The post got hundreds of comments and there were some strong words for the media for their role in this issue. You can read the English version of the interview in E-Bangladesh.
And last but not the least a rebuttal of the Daily Star's recent role by Dhaka Shohor Blog got interesting when an editor from the Daily Star started commenting on the blog to defend its actions. The post dissects one op-ed published in the newspaper which among other appeasements say that there is no curb on press freedom in Bangladesh and:
“It is for the first time in Bangladesh that there has not been a single instance of victimization, persecution or harassment of journalists. It is unprecedented in a country under emergency rule.”
Dhaka Shohor points out:
But surely the editors at this newspaper know what happened to their own colleague (Tasneem Khalil) last May!
A heated debate ensued in the comment section when the op-ed editor from the Daily Star cited excuses that it was a mistake to publish it and due to the shortage of manpower they could not verify the fact of the op-ed.
An anonymous commenter said:
In case of the op-ed in question – the theme was blatant denials, and any person involved in journalism in Bangladesh has to be extremely incompetent to not have got that.
So what is the motive behind these actions of the media – restrictions and pressures on them or the owners’ economic interest not to be over troubled waters? Now the million dollar question is how can the media get out of this abyss of self censorship and appeasement and be bold to tell the truth?

author: Rezwan


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Bangladesh: Coping with price rise · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices has a series of posts on how communities in poverty-struck areas are coping with increasing prices and government apathy.


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Bolivia: Bloguivianos 2008 Website · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The organizers of the 2008 version of the Bloguivianos bloggers conference recently launched their website [es].  The 2nd annual Bolivian bloggers conference will take place over two days in El Alto and La Paz on August 29-30.


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Bomb blast in southern Philippines · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Aspiring citizen journalist All about the filth went immediately to the scene of a bomb blast outside a military base in southern Philippines

author: Mong Palatino


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Brazil: Struggling to deliver the deeper messages · Global Voices
Paula Góes

“It's incredibly interesting to see how differently the same event can be reported. That was certainly the case last week when the Indians gathered to protest the building of dams along the Xingu River in the Amazon basin”. Lou Gold takes a look at the Brazilian mainstream media and compares it with the same issue as reported by blogs and NGOs, which “have been struggling to deliver the deeper messages.”


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China: After the quake, hoping for aid · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

From inside and outside  China, concerned citizens are helping, and putting their hands out to help the victims of the devastating 7.9 in the Richter scale earthquake that leveled out industrial cities, transforming them into refugee camps where people are living under plastic bags, trying to find out their relatives and remake their lives. Four different videos bring us perspectives on how people are dealing with their losses all around the world, and how reaching out to help others could help help ease the pain.
From Current TV, Clemwilson brings us an overview of the Earthquake for anyone wishing to catch up with the with the statistics and images of what has been going on since the May 12th earthquake.
Selen Hsu in Beijing records the situation at the Jiuzhou Stadium in Mianyang, Sichuan Province, where hundreds of children and teens are being sheltered along with teachers while they manage to get back together with their parents. As she states “everyone is looking for someone”, and many are willing to give a hand even in dire circumstances, such as adopting any of the approximately 4000 orphans that could result from this crisis.
On YouTube, California High School sophmore Calvin Tong has uploaded a video and explained his intentions to form an organization to receive donations and that he himself will travel to China this coming 25th of June to hand over the proceeds to help out orphan kids get back on their feet and into a normal life:
I am Calvin Tong, a 10th grader attending high school. I am organizing a organization called China Relief Fund. The main objective of this group is collect donations to help the victims of this quake. Our main goal is towards the young children who lost their parents and have no one to take care of them. On June 25th 2008 I will depart to China to personally go to the students that survived this disaster. The profit will be going to the children so they can attend school again and organize their lives. Part of the donations will be cash, the other part will be for their basic necessity. It ranges from food and water to sleeping bags and shelter. Please open your hearts and donate to the children who need a future. With your help they can go back to school and continue on with their lives.
And finally, a memorial event organized by the North American Guqin Association to honor the victims of the earthquake took place in Union City California, with a representation of a melancholic 200 year old song, aptly named Memories of Old Friends by Yi Guren. Here, footage of a 2005 concert of master Li Xiangting playing this moving song:

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Colombia: FARC Leader “Sureshot” is Confirmed Dead · Global Voices
Carlos Raúl van der Weyden Velásquez

Colombians woke up last Saturday morning with news of a big story. In an interview with Semana‘s María Isabel Rueda, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos stated (or rather, told Rueda as if it was a “gossip”) that Pedro Antonio Marín, aka Manuel Marulanda Vélez or “Tirofijo” (Sureshot, as dubbed by most English-language media), “must be in hell”. The interview was posted on Semana's website, a day before the print magazine hit the stores. Nevertheless, there was some initial skepticism, because Sureshot's death had been anounced several times since the 1960s.
On Sunday morning, teleSUR broadcast a video [es] sent by FARC where Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri, aka “Timoleón Jiménez” or “Timochenko”, in a 12-minute speech, celebrated FARC's 44th anniversary and confirmed Sureshot's death on March 26 “of a heart attack, in the arms of his companion.” There are several doubts about where this video, using 3 cameras and editing facilities, was recorded. Some claim, because of the vegetation [es] and the uniform Londoño was wearing [es], it was shot in Venezuela.
Boz provides some context by telling us who's who in FARC's Secretariat, Adam Isacson from Plan Colombia and Beyond sees 3 likely post-Marulanda “scenarios”:
1. Disintegration (25% probability). Call this the “Shining Path” scenario: after the group loses its founder, it disintegrates. Discipline, command and ideological direction largely disappear with the maximum leader.
(…)
2. Greater cohesion and increased military action (35% probability). For the FARC, Marulanda’s latter years have resembled Cuba during Fidel Castro’s last years in office, or China awaiting Mao’s death in the mid-1970s. While a new generation awaited its turn to lead, the aging founder continued to hold ultimate decision-making power, refusing to change course – and perhaps losing touch with reality – while his creation stagnated. If Marulanda’s chosen successor, Alfonso Cano, is actually able to command the remaining top FARC leaders – a big “if” – the FARC could become more dangerous.
(…)
3. Partial fragmentation (40% probability). With Marulanda gone, a power struggle could begin within the next tier of the FARC’s leadership. There may be purges and schisms as moderates and hard-liners vie for control of the group. (…) Like bandits and drug cartels that came before, this rump would be easier for Colombia’s military to defeat within the next five to ten years.
Isacson later published a post on the questions arising  from news of Marulanda's death, regarding Minister Juan Manuel Santos’ presidential aspirations, FARC troop morale, and the supposed “ascension” of FARC's “political” faction.
Ricardo Buitrago Consuegra [es] seems to agree with Isacson in the third “scenario”:
[El] haber mantenido en secreto la muerte de su máximo comandante, confirma el temor, sobre las reacciones de militantes rasos y mandos medios al conocer la noticia. El anciano militante, era el factor de cohesión y aglutinamiento en las filas subversivas, por lo que se prevén deserciones, pugnas y divisiones al interior del organismo delictivo. Las FARC, están en su peor momento y virtualmente derrotadas. Muy seguramente, como en el paramilitarismo, quedaran reductos de narcotraficantes disfrazados de militantes subversivos.
The fact they kept the death of their top commander a secret confirms the fear of the reactions of low-ranking fighters and middle-ranks after learning the news. The militant old man was the cohesion and gathering factor in the subversive ranks, therefore desertions, internal struggles, and divisions in the criminal organization are expected. The FARC is going through their worst moments and is virtually defeated. Surely, as it happened with the paramilitaries, some drug-traffickers strongholds disguised as subversive guerrillas will remain.
Italian blogger Doppiafila [it] thinks that Minister Santos has “launched” his presidential campaign for 2010:
L'annuncio (e le modalitá con cui viene dato) segna il lancio “ufficioso” della candidatura di Juan Manuel Santos alla presidenza nel 2010. Resta da vedere se il tutto avviene d'accordo o alle spalle di Uribe. Di certo, il Ministro della Difesa va bene agli USA: antichavista, politico ed oligarca tradizionale, il fatto che venga ora associato alla “sconfittta delle FARC” non puó che far comodo.
The announcement (and the way it was announced) marks the “off-the-record” launch of Juan Manuel Santos's candidacy for the presidency in 2010. We'll have to see if everything that happened with Uribe's agreement is on his back. If true, the Defense Minister is a good fit for the USA: an anti-Chávez, traditional politician and oligarch, the fact he's now associated to the “FARC's defeat” can't be a comfortable one.
According to some media outlets [es], President Álvaro Uribe was somewhat upset because he likely was going to announce Sureshot's death himself later the same day to “all the media, not just one”.
Journalist Jaime Restrepo [es], from Atrabilioso, criticizes presidential adviser José Obdulio Gaviria's statements on the death of the FARC leader, who claimed “they no longer exist”:
Que ‘Tirofijo’ esté muerto no significa que las FARC hayan descendido con él al sepulcro, pues las estructuras terroristas, aunque deterioradas, siguen vivas y con capacidad de cometer crímenes contra los colombianos: además de las estructuras en el exterior (sorprendente la parafernalia que armó Telesur en menos de 24 horas para difundir la noticia del mediocre terrorista muerto) las milicias urbanas continúan activas y dos o tres terroristas pueden detonar carros-bomba, comprar secuestrados o seguir practicando el plan pistola (sicarios que disparan contra miembros de las fuerzas de seguridad).
The fact that Tirofijo is dead does not mean that FARC have descended with him to the sepulchre, because the terrorist structures, though deteriorated, are still alive and hold the capacity to perpetuate crimes against Colombians: besides their structures abroad (it's surprising all the show teleSUR put together in less than 24 hours to spread the news of the the mediocre dead terrorist), the urban militias are still active, and two or three terrorists can detonate car bombs, buy hostages or continue to practice the “pistol plan” (hit men who shoot members of the security forces).
equinoXio‘s Marsares comments on the “last death of Tirofijo” [es]:
Gracias a Marulanda y su degradada organización, la mayoría del pueblo colombiano cerró filas en torno a uno de los gobiernos más corruptos de la historia, comprador de conciencias, protector de paramilitares, cuidandero de las grandes fortunas. Gracias a las FARC la izquierda democrática es satanizada y nos preparamos para la segunda reelección de un régimen excluyente que a cada paso destruye la legitimidad del Estado. Dicen que Marulanda murió de un infarto. También debió ayudar la soledad y la derrota. Su castillo de 44 años derrumbado, su enemigo más fuerte que nunca, con millones en las calles gritando “no más FARC”, con sus hombres robándose la plata, matándose para cobrar recompensas, entregándose o simplemente soñando con dinosaurios. ¿Estará en el infierno, como lo desea el ministro Santos? No lo creo. El infierno lo dejó aquí. Y como siempre, Marulanda volvió a escaparse.
Thanks to Marulanda and his degraded organization, the majority of the Colombian people rallied around one of the most corrupt administrations in history, buyer of consciences, protector of paramilitaries, protector of the big fortunes. Thanks to the FARC the democratic left is demonized and we're preparing for the second re-election of an exclusionary regime which with every step destroys the legitimacy of the State. They say Marulanda died by a stroke. Loneliness and defeat must also have helped. His 44-year castle collapsed, his enemy stronger than ever, with millions on the streets shouting “no more FARC”, with his men stealing their money, killing each other to claim rewards, surrendering or simply dreaming about dinosaurs  Will he be in hell, as Minister Santos wishes? I don't think so. Hell left him here. And, as usual, Marulanda escaped again.
The blog Colombia Hoy [es] analyzes the implications of Marulanda's death on the guerrilla command succession and a political negotiation with the government:
Sin la muerte de Reyes, la transición del mando se hubiera producido de una manera natural, pero en las actuales circunstancias no parece muy viable que Cano consiga mantener la unidad de  unos frentes cada vez más debilitados, aislados y asediados.
(…)
Aprovechará el gobierno la coyuntura para ofrecerle a las FARC una salida política que no puedan rechazar? Entenderá el gobierno que es preferible ofrecer una salida negociada a unas FARC  débiles y ad portas de una posible implosión, que buscar su destrucción definitiva al costo de su atomización en grupos aislados y la prolongación indefinida del conflicto armado?  Es posible que el triunfalismo dentro del gobierno y el odio contra las FARC sea un obstáculo para encontrar salidas que sean menos costosas en términos de vidas humanas e inclusive económicos.
Without [Raúl] Reyes's death, the command transition would have taken place naturally, but with the current circumstances it is not quite feasible that [Alfonso] Cano [new FARC top commander] manages to maintain the unity of fronts that have been increasingly weakened, isolated, and besieged.
(…)
Will the government take advantage of the current situation to offer the FARC a political solution they can't reject? Will the government understand that it is better to offer a negotiated solution to a weakened and soon-to-be imploded FARC guerrilla group than seeking their definitive destruction at the price of its atomization in isolated groups and the indefinite continuation of the armed conflict? It is possible that the triumph inside the government and hatred towards the FARC had become an obstacle to find less expensive solutions in terms of human lives and even economic costs.
Álvaro Ramírez Ospina, besides being distrustful on FARC's confirmation of Sureshot's death, remembers how the way one referred to the guerrilla leader  had changed with the times [es]:
Tirofijo es tan viejo como la guerra de guerrillas en Colombia. Fue campesino, y por efecto de su incorporación a la política y las armas, pasó a ser bandolero (en la época de la llamada “Violencia”, años 50 y 60); luego se convirtió en guerrillero, bandido, criminal y recientemente alcanzó la “diploma” de terrorista, por obra y gracia de la clasificación establecida por el gobierno de Bush.
Tirofijo is as old as the guerrilla war in Colombia. He was a peasant and, because of his incorporation to politics and arms, he went on to become a gangster (at the time of La Violencia, 1950s and 1960s); then he became a guerrilla, a bandit, a criminal, and recently achieved the terrorist “diploma” by the power of the classification established by Bush government.
Utopian chronicler Daniel Ramos refers to the passionate speech by Timochenko [es]:
[C]uando escuchaba a Timochenko diciendo que la humanidad no conocía a otro líder de la magnitud de Tirofijo, primero pensé en los grandes líderes (Jesucristo, Buda, Gandhi, Lincoln, Bolívar, etc.) y luego en que Timo estaba hablando evidentemente en otro contexto, estaba lanzando un nuevo tag a la nube de las FARC. La crónica utópica de las FARC es triste, dolorosa, de reseñar. Creo que la declaración de Timo es una clave para comprender por qué salió tan mal: la pérdida total de las proporciones. Imaginémonos una guerrilla de 10.000 hombres que se quiere tomar el poder en un país donde 12 millones de habitantes salen a manifestarse para decirles “No más”. Ningún presidente colombiano ha obtenido tal cantidad de votos. La maquinaria del Estado, los medios de comunicación, la publicidad desbordada de las campañas electorales nunca han sido capaces de convocar a tantos colombianos alrededor de un mismo propósito. Un genio político como Marulanda –al decir de Timo— jamás debió desestimar este indicador de legitimidad.
When I was listening to Timochenko say that humanity had not known a leader of the magnitude of Tirofijo, I first thought about the great leaders (Jesus Christ, Buddha, Gandhi, Lincoln, Bolívar, etc.) and then on the fact that Timo was evidently speaking in another context, he was releasing a new tag to the FARC's tag cloud. FARC's utopian chronicle is sad and painful to review. I think Timo's statement is a key to understanding why it went wrong: the total loss of proportions. Let's imagine a 10,000 men guerrilla army, who wants to seize power in a country where 12 million people go out into the streets to demonstrate to say to them “No more.” No Colombian president has obtained such amount of votes. The State machinery, the mass media, the burst of the electoral campaigns advertising have never been able to gather so many Colombians around a common purpose. A political genius such as Marulanda -as Timo claims- should have never dismissed such an indicator of legitimacy.

author: Carlos Raúl van der Weyden Velásquez


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Connecting Cambodian bloggers · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Clogger Corner attracts Cambodia bloggers, or preferably known as Cloggers.


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D.R. Congo: European film festival and rising food prices · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Du Cabiau a Kinshasa writes about the Kinshasa European Film Festival [Fr] and has more reflections on the effects of rising food prices on the Congolese capital.


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Egypt: On Caramel  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian Arima has just watched Caramel – and has good things to say about the movie about five friends in Beirut, Lebanon.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Egypt: On the Hijab  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian Arima shares her ideas on a controversial post on the Islamic headscarf worn by women.


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Egypt: Strike Number Three  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt is gearing up for its third strike in a row on June 5, writes Zeinobia.
“People in Egypt are extremely angry from the Government's latest economic decisions to escalate prices in oil and taxes,” she adds.


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Egypt: Styill Building Pyramids  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Tom Gara says the Egyptians are continuing to build pyramids – in this sarcastic post.


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Guatemala: Animal Del Monte Festival in Xela · Global Voices
Renata Avila

International meetings often take place in Guatemala to discuss a variety of diverse problems, from violence to pollution, from illegal adoptions to difficulties in governance. But two weeks ago it was different type of gathering, a real celebration, where all were invited to celebrate culture. The gathering did not take place in  Guatemala City, as usual, but in Quetzaltenango , located in the southwestern part of the country.  "Xela" is a different type of place and the venue is described by Blogger/Writer Fellinada in his post Four Dresses for a Party [es] :
Quetzaltenango es la ciudad más importante de Guatemala luego de la capital del país, algunos la recuerdan por su particular historia (fue un estado independiente durante año y medio en el siglo XIX), por llamarse también Xelajú (como aquella famosa canción que terminara de inmortalizar Ray Conniff) o por haber sido mencionada en una ocasión por Homero Simpson (quien se intoxicara con unos chiles cosechados por enfermos de un hospital psiquiátrico de las montañas de Quetzazaltenango), sin embargo a algunos escritores les recuerda unos juegos florales que tienen casi 70 años de existir, a los turistas le recuerda edificios neoclásicos de piedra y a los quetzaltecos un epíteto extraño de cuna de la cultura.
Quetzaltenango is the most important city in Guatemala, after Guatemala City, some remember the city because its peculiar history. It was an independent territory for one year and a half during the 19th Century. It is called also Xelajú, as mentioned in the song immortalized by Ray Connif, and it is also famous ever since Homer Simpson mentioned it once (in that episode where he was intoxicated by some peppers harvested by patients from a psychiatric hospital in the mountains of Quetzaltenango). However, some writers remember the city because it is the venue of a Literary Contest for more than 70 years, tourists like the neo-classic buildings made of stone and "quetzaltecos" as a cultural center".
Poet Alejandro Marré reading to a group of schoolchildren. Photo by CREA Guatemala and used with permission.
Many poets attended Animal del Monte , a Latin American poetry festival during the rainy month of May.  The 40 Guatemalan and Latin American poets departed from the capital city and took part in a tour of six surrounding cities, such as Antigua and San Marcos in order to read their works simultaenously in the various sites to attentive audiences, before arriving to Quetzaltenango for the arts and cultural celebration. Ordinaria Locura [es] on her post "Animal del Monte" [es] described the festival:
Fue una fiesta, que se vive aún allá, que se vivió acá en la capital, en Antigua, en San Marcos, Totonicapán y Coatepeque y que debería de apuntarse en el calendario, para que este derecho tan negado, que es la cultura, se viva y se goce, y en este caso, a la salud del caldo de frutas. No cabe duda de que en medio de las tristezas y esos temblores que sufre el alma, siempre estas cosas alegran, repellan y dan esperanza.
It was a real celebration, a celebration that is still going on there in the capital city, in Antigua, in San Marcos, in Totonicapán and in Coatepeque, and should be marked on a calendar, especially in this place where the right to enjoy cultural events is often denied.  The right to enjoy the liquor made of fruits should be a right as well. There are no doubts that in the middle of sadness and troubles of the soul there are always those things that expel the bad feelings and bring us hope.
Luna Park [es]   blogger described the experience:
Siete días de poesía ambulante. De la calle a las escuelas; de los salones universitarios a las cafeterías. Disuelta la línea invisible entre vida y literatura. Sin libros de por medio. Solo el autor y su voz, el espectador y el poema: una conexión directa que propició el encuentro, la reacción palpable, inmediata: una sonrisa, una mirada de asombro, unos ojos cerrados, un aplauso, un acercamiento, una pregunta, una petición.
Seven days of pure poetry. From streets to schools; from classrooms to coffee shops. Diluted the line between life and literature, Without books as messengers. Just the author and his/her voice, the audience, the poem: a direct connection, an immediate reaction: a smile, a look of amazement , closed eyes, an ovation, an approach, a question, a request.
Children's reading by Rosa Chávez, Gabriela Padilla, Alma Karla Sandoval and Carmen Lucía Alvarado. Photo by CREA Guatemala and used with permission.
All around it became a party taking place in the capital city, in Antigua, in San Marcos, Totonicapan and Coatepeque. Indeed being a writer is not easy, especially there are other priorities, such as to bring tortillas to the table. However,  poverty or the fact of being from a developing country never had stopped creative minds before. Creative expressions and bringing beauty out of nothing were some of the highlights of the festival. As stated by Maurice Echeverría, one of the finest writers in the region on his blog Buscando a Syd [es]  :
Ser escritor viene a ser lo mismo que exiliado polaco en Ecuador en los años cincuenta por decir algo. Y como ya dije: bufar se vale, incluso perder la fe, pero lloriquear, eso jamás. Hay tantos escritores que, miserablemente, le echan la culpa a Guatemala, porque nunca levantó vuelo su carrera. Tan congestionados, tan sobradamente frustrados están que necesitan imputar culpas a una abstracción. Frustrados estamos todos, pero nos ahorramos las bajezas. La literatura es una mujer por quien bien vale perder la cabeza. Y las manos.
Being a writer is like being a Polish expatriate in Ecuador during the 1950s, for example. Indeed, you are allowed to snort, to lose hope, but one must never weep. There are a lot of writers who miserabily blame Guatemala because they never succeed. They are so dense, so frustrated  that they need to blame their failures on an abstraction.We are all frustrated, but we save low blows. Literature is a lady worth to lose our minds for. And our hands.
And I agree, considering that 41 years ago Miguel Angel Asturias , a Guatemalan poet,  won the Nobel Prize, Rodrigo Rey Rosa has written amazing books in several languages and Augusto Monterroso wrote the world's shortest story "The Dinosaur" ("When [s]he awoke, the dinosaur was still there.")
These three Guatemalans and the young poets at the Animal del Monte Poetry Festival are showing the world that much good works come from this country.

author: Renata Avila


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Iran:Louise Firouz the reviver of the Caspian horse  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Homeyra, an Iranian blogger, informs us that American born Louise Firouz is known as the reviver of the Caspian horse passed away in Iran.See her photos here.


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Everglades Litany · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“In anticipation of Caribbean American Heritage Month“, Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp is running video series, which begins with one of his own, entitled Everglades Litany.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Japan: Grumpy Jiisan on Nico Nico Douga · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

The latest hit at Nico Nico Douga, Japan's hugely popular video sharing service, is a retired man from Arizona calling himself “Grumpy Jiisan” [Grumpy Old Man], who shoots videos in which he comments on his favorite Japanese anime against a backdrop of sand dunes and caves. Grumpy Jiisan's videos at Nico Nico Douga are so popular that they have drawn thousands of comments [ja], users having added subtitles to many of them [ja]. Many users remarked on how well he knows his stuff, expressing amazement [ja] that an American man of his age would be so interested in Japanese anime.
(Note: to see Nico Nico Douga movies, you need to log in to the site first. Getting a login is free but you have to register through a Japanese-language interface. See this post at Tokyotronic on how to do this.)
Blogger Takekuma writes about the popularity of Grumpy Jiisan:
ネットで話題の「アリゾナの老人」を早速見てきました。YOUTUBEにディープなアニメ批評をアップしているアリゾナ在住の「グランピーじいさん」というのがその人で、日本アニメの大ファンらしく、YOUTUBEにもう５０本くらいのアニメDVDの感想をアップしているのです。
見ると、毎回アリゾナの荒れ果てた砂漠にビデオカメラが設置されていて、向こうから白髪にヒゲモジャのじいさんがやってきて、「今日は涼宮ハルヒだ」とつぶやきながらDVDデッキにソフトを入れる。そして映像を眺めながら淡々とアニメのストーリーや、見所、自分の感想を語り出すのです。
たとえばハルヒのことは「バカげた内容のアニメだが、私は笑った。星４つだ」とニコリともしないで評価を下すのです。ニコニコ動画のほうに日本語字幕つきがアップされていました。そっちを見ても本当に最後まで作品を見て評価しているようで、技術的な解説を含めたコメントが的確なので、ネットには「アメリカの氷川竜介だ」「このおじいさん、萌える」と大人気になってます。
ラインナップも「ハルヒ」だけではなくて「時をかける少女」や「パプリカ」、「ジパング」「秒速５センチメートル」など手当たり次第。そして最後に星５つで採点するのですが、今タイトル出した作品は軒並み高評価で、ネットを見た日米のオタクからも「cool！」「なかなかわかってらっしゃる」とかなりの好評。まるで大学で鉱物学を教えているかのようなファッションと、やはり学者然とした冷静な語り口には、俺も萌えました。
Thanks to Taku Nakajima  for the suggestion to translate this blog post.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Kazakhstan: Politics and Tractors · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

These weeks the bloggers have been chewing upon traditionally prominent topics on the Kazakhstani blogosphere — politics and economy.
Megakhuimyak says [ru] – “without aspiration to make a global-scale conclusion” – that
80 percent of the political public officials at the age older than 50 have obtained their current position autonomously. While 80 percent of the political public officials that are younger than 40 have succeeded because they are children or relatives of those who are in the first category.
Although ironic, it might be true to some extent. Probably this fact causes dissatisfaction of some people with the level of expertise in the state apparatus.
I wonder, how low should the economic indices fall further, so that somebody started thinking about the ways to stop the current “unprofessionalism and negligence festival” and began to deal with improvement of effectiveness of the economy,
says ehot [ru]. The foreign politics is also in focus of the bloggers’ attention. Presiden-elect of Russia D.Medvedev has been on his first foreign official trip after assuming the functions of the head of the state, paying the visit to Kazakhstan. Epolet shares some notes on the occasion, trying to cool down heated delight over this fact [ru]:
In Kazakhstan it is believed that the first foreign trip of Medvedev to Kazakhstan is a sign of special relations between the two countries. But Astana is on the way to China – so it's a kind of a courtesy sign to Beijing.  Besides, meeting with Nazarbayev is not the first top-level meeting for Medvedev – shortly before the trip to Astana the president-elect met with the Mongolian president in Kremlin.
Meanwhile, scandals of various kinds are never in deficit in Kazakhstan. Alim-atenbek opines on the most recent fuss over the British royal family, as Prince Andrew stroke a deal with a little-known Kazakh businessman on sale of the his residence in England at a price that was considerably higher, than the market estimates [ru]:
I must remind that this is not the first such deal with the participation of Kazakh capital – there were nearly three big deals of a kind earlier. Perhaps, Prince Andrew had to sell his house due to his unemployed position. Although he patronize Kazakh-British Society in London. Kenes Rakishev (a person, who bought the house) heads SAT Holding and is a nephew of Imangali Tasmagambetov (a key politician, currently the mayor of Astana).
But not everything is about politics and money in the Kazakh blogosphere. Lili-blond is distressed with the destruction of apple gardens around Almaty as the lands are given away to construction firms for commercial housing projects [ru]:
Our dacha (cottage in the suburb) was cradled in the hills, covered by apple gardens. Somebody bought this land. Today the tractor came to destroy the green trees. It was just running over the trees; it was a horrible sound. What we had there – cukoos, cicadas and pheasants and owls – will be gone soon. Soon there will be an urbanistic landscape. We won't have chipmunks on the attic any more. I know, the city's growing, but why it should be done so wildly? The city is unacceptable for living, and the suburbs will soon become the same.
Marlengo shares some thoughts about ecology in Astana [ru]:
It seems like steppe winds and dust storms are not enough for the city hall, which has a special plan to dust all lawns, houses and residents of Astana. That's why they bought those little spry tractors that have revolving brushes so that they could raise the dust from pavements and “decorate” the people.
Also posted on neweurasia.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Mozambique: The rice and our independende · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Elísio Macamo [pt] reacts to the Japanese pledge to help Africa double rice production within 10 years, during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) held in Yokohama. “After 10 years the rice production in Africa is twice as much. Will the population remain the same? Will our tastes be the same? Our lifestyle, will it be the same?”.


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Myanmar: Inadequate aid · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Penguin Blog uploads an article by American journalist Emma Larkin who has a first-hand account of the cyclone disaster in Myanmar. Larkin notes the small aid reaching the Burmese: ” It is like throwing sesame seeds into the mouth of an elephant.”


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Nepal: Improving the economy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepal Monitor on the possible strategies to revive Nepal's economy.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Peru: Café Tacuba in Lima · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Laslo Rojas of Sintonizando [es] posts videos and photos of the recent concert by the Mexican band Café Tacuba in Lima, Peru.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Puerto Rico, U.S.A.: Imagine That Conversation · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Puerto Rican blogger Liza asks: “Can you imagine having to talk to your kids about the potential assassination of their father?”, adding: “What people don't get is how deep the wounds of political and social violence run in this country. To have people like Hillary Clinton dismiss political assassination as part of the game of power…it just goes to show how profoundly different Barack and his whole campaign is from the rest of the Democratic party.”


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Singapore blogger dares Lee Kuan Yew to sue him · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Blogger Gopalan Nair dares Singapore leader Lee Kuan Yew to sue him. IZ Reloaded thinks it could be “the most daring or foolish act ever in the history of the blogosphere.”


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Thailand: Websites closed for “talking” about monarchy · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Absolutely Thailand writes that the Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that two websites were illegally blocked while 29 sites face closure in Thailand for allowing an open-forum discussion about the Thai monarchy.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Indian Arrival Day  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Today is Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago and Coffeewallah reminisces on her former mother-in-law's legacy and the first time she taught her to wrap a sari: “It is an elegant garment…every woman looks beautiful in a sari.”


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Urbanisation in Southeast Asia · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Scholar and blogger Alvin Lim tackles the phenomenon of “urbanisation without industrialisation” in Southeast Asia.


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Brasil: Introducing the Bloguecast · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Technology that brings people and generations together and censorship were among the themes of the first edition of Bloguecast, a podcast promoted by BlogueIsso [pt]. “The idea is to make a episode per week, perhaps not as long, with an improved edition by the experience. Listen, join the fun and send suggestions over”.

author: Paula Góes


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Brazil: PeBodyCount joins Brazilian Disarmament Network · Global Voices
Paula Góes

PEBodyCount blog [pt] is now officially a member of the “Brazilian Disarmament Network”, which brings together more than 40 entities. “The network will stimulate and strengthen the idea that carrying guns is risky and, hence, handing them over is better than registering them.” Also check out these t-shirts, that have been on sale to help to support the blog.