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Mauritania: Anger at Foreign Minister’s Support for Assad  · Global Voices
أحمد جدو

A speech that the Mauritanian foreign minister Hamadi Ould Hamadi [fr] made at the latest Friends of Syria conference has angered Mauritanian activists. In his speech at the conference, which took place in Paris on July 6, the minister said that what was happening in Syria was “violence and counterviolence”.
This was considered by many to express support for Bashar Al Assad's regime, and tweets as well as angry, satirical videos circulated, criticising the minister and apologising to the Syrian people and the Syrian revolution.
It should be noted that this stance of the Mauritanian regime, in support of other regimes facing demands for their fall, is not new. The Mauritanian regime has previously supported the regime of Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo and the deposed Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi, in addition to the regimes of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak.
A number of rallies have already taken place in Mauritania demanding that the regime expel the Syrian ambassador from Nouakchott and cut diplomatic relations with Bashar Al Assad's regime.
“I am Mauritanian and this person does not represent me.” Photoshopped image of Mauritanian foreign minister, posted by Twitter user @moctarmm.
The page Mauritanie Demain made a satirical video using the minister's speech, altering the original footage and distorting the minister's words. In it the minister says that the reason for Mauritania's support for the Syrian regime is that Iran paid Mauritanian president Brigadier General Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz to support Bashar Al Assad.
The Mauritanian activist Tah Ould Habib criticised the foreign minister's speech:
Activist Ahmed Abdallah commented in the same vein:
And Elghoutoub Ould Mohammed Moloud wrote:
In his turn, the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi commented:

author: أحمد جدو


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Panama: ‘Songo’, a Cultural ‘Cyber-Promoter’  · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

‘Songo’ is the pseudonym used by the Panamanian Edilberto González Trejos to navigate through the blogosphere and the world of social networks. His work as cultural promoter is known by all those who are involved in one way or another with blogs and social networks. Even though his love for words and culture came much earlier, he found the Internet to be a powerful catalyst, as he tells us on his blog Internatural [es]:
Entré al mundo cibernético a trompicones, sin formación tecnológica alguna, desde el año 1998, cuando abrí mi primera cuenta de correo y entre las primeras cosas a las que me dedico en  el ciber-mundo – además de “chatear” – es entrar a los Grupos de Poesía.
In this interview Edilberto tells us about his love for culture, his multiple blogs, how he sees the Panamanian blogosphere and his long term objectives.
Global Voices: Who is Songo and where did the interest and love for culture come from?
Edilberto González: Songo es el apodo de Edilberto González Trejos, un apodo que viene desde la niñez. Amor por la vida, la belleza, diría que ese amor viene desde que tengo uso de conciencia y que, de manera afortunada, fue atizado por tutores y mentores adecuados.
GV: When did you discover that technology and culture went hand in hand? What led you to start your first blog?
Edilberto González Trejos. Photograph used with permission.
EG: En 1996 escuché en una tertulia algo que nunca olvidé, de parte de uno de mis mentores. Él dijo “quien no se acople al internet en 3 años estará desfasado”. Lo asumí y mucho antes de publicar o “irrumpir” en la escena local culturosa-literaria, empecé a difundir mis pasiones (poesía, música) a través del internet. Primero en inglés (1998), luego en español (2001).
Antes de los blogs, fueron los foros, casi salas de chat, luego los grupos de MSN y Yahoo! Finalmente los blogs. Mi primer blog lo inicié en formato Yahoo! 360° (ya desaparecido) en abril de 2005. Luego, en agosto de ese año inicié “internatural”, blog que aun mantengo. Inicié el blog después de varias conversaciones con Carlos Wynter y finalmente me decidí a dar el paso como el próximo y lógico en esto de la difusión cultural. Al respecto te remito a 2 notas que he elaborado a través de los años: Promoción cultural en la red (de julio de 2006) y Sobre los Blogs o Bitácoras Virtuales (de agosto de 2007).
EG: In 1996 I heard in a literary gathering something that I never forgot, from one of my mentors. He said, “he who does not adapt himself to the internet in 3 years will be outdated”. I took it on and much before publishing or “bursting in” to the local cultural-literary scene, I started to disseminate my passions (poetry, music) through the internet. First in English (1998), later in Spanish (2001).
Before the blogs, there were forums, almost chat rooms, then the groups on MSN and Yahoo! Finally the blogs. I started my first blog in the Yahoo! 360° format (now disappeared) in April 2005. Later, in August of that year I started “internatural”, the blog that I still maintain. I started the blog after several conversations with Carlos Wynter and finally I decided to take it as the next logical step in cultural dissemination. Regarding this I am sending you two notes that I have written throughout the years: Promoción cultural en la red (de julio de 2006)  (“Cultural promotion on the web,” July 2006) [es] and Sobre los Blogs o Bitácoras Virtuales (de agosto de 2007) (“About blogs or virtual weblogs,” August 2007) [es].
GV: How many blogs do you have currently and what are they about?
EG: Tengo 7 blogs activos, a saber:
internatural: literatura
Recomendaciones musicales del Songo: música.
Café de las Especias: pensamiento y cultura
The Melting Pot: en inglés
Utopistmo: política
De El Limón a San Francisco: a manera de curriculum vitae
El Diario de Ricky García (1988): ficción
Y tengo 2 blogs no activos:
Todo el año con Emmet Fox: espiritualidad
Leer es una Fiesta: fue un taller de poesía con niños
EG: I have 7 active blogs:
internatural [es]: literature
Recomendaciones musicales del Songo (“Musical recommendations from the Songo”) [es]: music
Café de las Especias (“The Spice Cafe”) [es]: ideas and culture
The Melting Pot: in English
Utopistmo [es]: politics
De El Limón a San Francisco (“From El Limon to San Francisco”) [es]: in the style of a curriculum vitae
El Diario de Ricky García (1988) (“Ricky Garcia's Diary, 1988″) [es]: fiction
And I have 2 blogs that are not active:
Todo el año con Emmet Fox (“All year with Emmet Fox”) [es]: spirituality
Leer es una Fiesta (“Reading is a Party”) [es]: it was a poetry workshop with children
GV: How do you see the Panamanian blogosphere?
EG: La veo bien, evolucionando de manera positiva, adaptándose a los cambios y retos de la web 2.0. No obstante, creo que podemos hacer mucho más aún y que en general, el grueso de los comunicadores, creadores, pensadores, emprendedores, activistas, no hemos descubierto el potencial pleno de los Blogs y Redes Sociales.
GV: What advice would you give to a novice blogger?
EG: Que se enfoque en contenido y qué desea transmitir, que sea constante. Lo demás viene por añadidura.
GV: A jump from blogs to books?
EG: Tengo 2 libros publicados, ambos de poesía: “Balanceo” (2003) y “dioses de bolsillo” (2011). Asimismo, tengo varios cuadernos en proyecto, al igual que en los blogs, lo importante es lo que deseo transmitir, debo velar por el contenido y nunca me apuro en publicar.
GV: How do you see your blogs in five years? What are your goals?
EG: No sé qué pasará de aquí a cinco años. Todo evoluciona y como lo accesorio corre la suerte de lo principal, los blogs corren la suerte del contenido y lo que deseo trasmitir. Ya tengo 2 blogs inactivos, igualmente he creado “en la marcha” 2 blogs más. Pueden pasar muchas cosas, crear nuevos blogs, irme a nuevas plataformas. Es lo lindo de abrazar lo desconocido con una sonrisa. Como dicen los angloparlantes, “Bring it on!”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Ariel Moreno


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Slovakia: Catholics Protest the Sacking of Popular Archbishop · Global Voices
Tibor Blazko

A concert in support of Róbert Bezák, the popular archbishop of Trnava who was sacked for unknown reasons, took place on Tuesday and was the next step in various protests, including this online petition [sk] as well as worshipping in front of the church [sk] instead of inside it. Three years ago, Bezák replaced Ján Sokol, who, allegedly, had been on the payroll [en] of the Communist-era secret police. Upon entering office, Bezák ordered a financial audit, which – just a few days after his removal – ended with a criminal complaint.

author: Tibor Blazko


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Spain: Supporting the Miners: “Yes, Yes, They Do Represent Us!”  · Global Voices
Elena Arrontes

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.
Thousands of people took to the streets to show their support for the Spanish miners, and joined them when they arrived in Madrid after walking 400 kilometres from the north of Spain. The protest began at 10pm on Tuesday 10 June, 2012, in La Moncloa, the seat of the government, and finished in Madrid's puerta del Sol plaza around 2am. The coal miners are protesting against the austerity measures and subsidy cuts imposed by Mariano Rajoy's government.
The gathering to welcome the so-called “Black March” took place in an emotional atmosphere charged with solidarity. The citizens gathered there welcomed the miners with applause, words of admiration, sympathetic slogans and with their own anthem, which was sung during the whole march through the centre of the capital. The miners showed their surprise at the scale of the mobilisation, which added to the intensity of what is known in social networks as the #nocheminera (mining night) [es].
The Black March passes through the centre of Madrid. Photo by Ismael Naranjo
Among the most common slogans were “Yes we can!”, “Yes, yes they do represent us!” and “This is our lineup!”, in reference to Spain's recent victory in the UEFA European Football Championship. This much was clear: those supporting the workers feel prouder and identify more with the working class than with politicians or football players.
The coal miners not only lit up the streets with their headlamps: they also represented a light for the protesters in a broader sense. Many other sectors identified with their cause, including anarchists, indignados from the 15-M movement, and people of all ages and from various regions throughout Spain. Because it is a strongly rebellious protest, more so than other protests carried out in Spain, the miners’ struggle has become the heart of the workers’ protest movement and the most radical rejection of the government's cutbacks.
The video below shows protesters expressing their solidarity with the striking miners [es] (video by Juan Luis Sánchez):
http://youtu.be/6FeZXoupDIo
Through social networks, many people encouraged the miners to continue fighting against the cutbacks that could lead to the disappearance of their sector. A large number of tweeters stated that they felt proud of the Spanish miners through their messages and the hashtag #yosoyminero (I am a miner). As was the case with previous protests, it was the social networks that spread most information, confronted with what users denounced as #silenciomediático (media silence).
The historic miners’ protest started up again on the morning of Wednesday 11th of July. However, it turned out to be a much more terrible day than the previous one, due to violent confrontations between riot police and protesters. More than 76 people were injured in the conflicts [es] and about ten were arrested.
This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

author: Elena Arrontes


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St. Lucia: The Global Voices Summit from a Caribbean Perspective  · Global Voices
Matthew Hunte

The recently concluded Global Voices Summit in Nairobi, Kenya featured many discussions which are particularly relevant to the Caribbean. As a first-time attendee of a Global Voices Summit, I've put together a quick rundown of topics that are relevant for citizen journalists and bloggers from my region. (More in-depth summaries are available by clicking on the titles.)
Inside/Outside: Diaspora Influence Online
In his recent book, “Tales from Facebook”, about Trinidadian social media usage, anthropologist Daniel Miller, examining an online discussion about “doubles” wrote:
This is the portrait that includes the greatest degree of diaspora presence, quite likely precisely because its content is the most parochial and specific to Trinidad. It is when people are living in effective exile somewhere in Toronto or Miami that they seem most moved to engage in a heated debate about which particular street corner in Trinidad is the best place to buy a Doubles.
Within this context of a shared experience of Caribbean food, the growth of social media has helped to tie the diaspora closer to center. However, as the panel on diaspora influence online showed, this connection between the diaspora and the homeland can be fraught with complications thanks to political polarization, a great divergence in living standards and information bubbles that both sides of the divide can find themselves in. According to Elaine Diaz, Global Voices contributor for the Latin America region:
It is very difficult for Cubans living on the island to accept as representative voice someone living in Diaspora. Majority thinks that we have to live, sleep, wake up in Cuba to experience its reality.
Keeping Endangered Languages Alive Online / Rising Voices: Wiring Offgrid Villages & Preserving Language Online
Given the history and location of the Caribbean, there are several languages within the region which are in danger of extinction, or in the case of some languages like Antillean Creole, in danger of extinction from some territories. The Jamaica Language Unit at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus has recorded some of these languages for posterity and posted them to YouTube: French Creole in Trinidad; Lokono (Arawak) in Guyana;Kromanti (Maroon community in Jamaica); Berbice Dutch Creole (Guyana); and Garifuna (Belize). Other languages in the region include Saramaccan , spoken by the Saramaka (‘Bush Negroes’) in Suriname.
The Rising Voices panel discussion featured two bloggers working to preserve endangered languages – Boukary Konaté  (Mali) is trying to preserve his native language, Bambara, and Victoria Tinta (Bolivia) is attempting to do the same with Aymara.
At the “Keeping Endangered Languages Alive Online” panel it was annouced that Google had launched the EndangeredLanguages.com initiative with the Alliance for Linguistic Diversity. This effort, however, is fraught with some difficulties:
The first challenge we face is counting endangered languages. The Google initiative lists over 3,000 languages, some of which may be underrepresented rather than endangered. Only 285 languages have a Wikipedia edition at all (much less a robust edition). The gap between Google's 3,054 languages and the 285 Wikipedia editions is the challenge of getting endangered languages online.
The Global Voices Caribbean Team in Nairobi, Kenya.
Are They Watching Me? Internet Surveillance
The revelations months ago that the Trinidad & Tobago government had been illegally spying on citizens for nearly decade make this a relevant issue in the Caribbean . (Fortunately, this is not quite as urgent an issue for the Caribbean as it is for citizen journalists/activists in other regions – at least not yet.)
An ongoing discussion at the panel was the necessity to find a balance between security and privacy. It was acknowledged that in many countries, the wider public may approve of intrusive surveillance by the government if it was deemed necessary to combat crime.
The Global Rise of Citizen Media
This panel spoke about the ways that citizen journalists have usurped the role of the mainstream media, particularly when it came to covering events in real time, such as natural disasters. Mong Palatino, a blogger and politician from the Philippines shared an anecdote which had many parallels to the Caribbean experience:
People in Southeast Asia also use social media to respond to disasters. In a region where there is always a disaster, netizens use social media tools to talk about these disasters. Later on, these issues become political, as in the case of #thaiflood. Thai citizens initially used this hashtag to report information and flood stories. Over time, the hashtag shifted to complaints about how the government and mainstream media handled the flood response.

author: Matthew Hunte


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Syria: Traymseh Massacre Evokes Rage and Sorrow · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

Last year, on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, Syrian forces loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, massacred around 45 civilians in the central town of Hama.
This year, the bloodshed is in a village in the vicinity of Hama, Traymseh, but the death toll is believed to be several times higher.
According to activists, around 220 civilians were murdered in the village on 12 July, including three entire families. Syrian writer and blogger Rime Allaf writes:
@rallaf: News about another massacre in #Syria, #Hama province: some 220 victims, many slaughtered with knives, children too, 3 entire families.
Reactions ranged between uncontrollable rage and sadness to absolute helplessness. Syrian activist Shakeeb Al-Jabri sums up his feelings here:
@LeShaque: I don't know whether it is sad or desperate or what when one's reaction to a massacre is “deja vu.” #Syria
While Kareem Lailah tweets:
Shakeeb al-Jabri also laments the inaction of international institutions regarding massacres of Syrians, especially that this is not the first massacre to take place on the event of a major UNSC meeting on Syria:
@LeShaque: Mood, Annan, Ban, the UNSC will all condemn the massacre but not the perpetrator, as if the people just died spontaneously. #Syria
And true to the word, shortly after the massacre, US Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, came out to condemn the massacre:
@AmbassadorRice: Reports of #TraymsehMassacre are nightmarish – dramatically illustrate the need for binding #UNSC measures on #Syria.
“The world watches, while we're slaughtered. Traymseh Massacre, we will not forget”, by the Union of Facebook Pages for the Syrian Revolution
NuffSilence, sarcastically, reminds his readers about the newly-established Ministry of National Reconciliation:
@NuffSilence: Important to note this is the 1st massacre of its kind under the new National Reconciliation ministry (which Bashar bragged to Annan about)
While Safaa Sankari reflects a common feeling among Syrians that have been discovering the small towns of their nation's country side through these tragedies:
@SafaaSankari: Over 200 people killed in #TraymsehMassacre #Syria today; cities I never knew existed in Syria I know now of because of these massacres :(
Ugariti Homsi mocks Syrian authorities’ claim that they have arrested the “perpetrators” mere hours after the massacre:
@Ugariti_Homsi: Syria state TV: “the terrorists who committed #TraymsehMasscare were arrested” OMG i'm having a heart attack right now!! #Liars
And finally, Sami al-Hamwi, shares a picture of the different protests around the country condemning the massacre:
@HamaEcho: AJM showing 5 different streams of protests in support of Treimseh tonight. #Syria
AJM showing 5 different streams of protests in support of Treimseh tonight. Uploaded by Twitter user @HamaEcho

author: Yazan Badran


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Tajikistan: Big Brother to Watch Internet Activity in the Country · Global Voices
Musharraf

If you use Internet in Tajikistan and participate in online discussions, beware the Big Brother that will be watching you soon. On July 12, 2012, the country's authorities announced [ru] that they are planning to create an organization to monitor online publications and websites for “insulting” and “slanderous” content. Beg Zukhurov, the state telecommunications chief, said the new organization will recruit a group of volunteers, including from among local journalists. These volunteers will “track down and identify” individuals who publish materials and leave comments deemed insulting to the country's leadership.
In fact, the authorities claim [ru] they have already identified a “small group of people who are engaged in this indecent behavior while hiding behind aliases and nicknames”. According to Zukhurov, these people “purposefully badmouth decent people” and they do it “for big money they receive from the enemies of the Tajik people”.
And what will happen to people caught leaving “indecent” comments that insult “decent” government officials? The Tajik telecommunications tsar said [ru] he did not know but speculated that such individuals might be “cured” and “put on the right track” by “relevant” agencies.
Tajikistan's netizens have responded to the news with a flurry of angry comments left on news websites and social media platforms. Jasur Ashurov writes on Twitter:
Here comes the Big Brother that will watch us all in Tajikistan.
In an ICT-related public group on Facebook, Parvina Ibodova asks [ru]:
что это? зачем? на каких основаниях? кто уполномочил? кто будет определять наличие/отсутствие клеветы и/или оскорблений (а суды куда денем в таком случае??) ???
Underneath a news report on Asia-Plus's website, Nora writes [ru]:
аааа куда мы, люди? Что за фигня происходит с государством??? И какие нахрен добровольцы? Кто вам тут сидеть будет и все за бесплатно проверять? Опять же деньги с и без того бедствующего народа! Объясните мне, пожалуйста, зачем нам нужна конституция, когда, казалось бы чиновники- послы народа, наплевали на нее и на народ??? Да черт возьми, где мои права???
Under the same report, Tor asks [ru]:
А как же демократия и свобода слова? Или Господин Зухуров забыл про такие пункты в Конституции страны???
Olga adds [ru]:
Это идиотизм, по другому назвать эту инициативу не могу. В этой стране все много хуже, чем я думала. Я имею право критиковать Рахмона, потому что он избранный нами президент, он не король а всего лишь чиновник. И подхалимы типа Бега Зухурова не имеют право указывать что и про кого мне думать. Банановая республика!
Some netizens began sending around links to anonymity networks and proxy sites, suggesting that the authorities do not have the technical capacity to monitor all Internet activity in the country.
As Andrew Katkenov writes [ru]:
Ну и чушь полная, У нас своего контента очень мало, а кто им даст доступ из вне, даже если заблокируют, то только для таджикистана, но кому нужно тот найдет выход. В период когда блокировали фейс, статистика по Alexa показала что посещения с Таджикистана снизилась всего лишь на 15%
Mavzuna Abdurahmanova believes [ru] that the initiative will lead the authorities to block Facebook where many Tajkistanis routinely criticize the authorities:
будем ждать, мне кажется первым закроют фейсбук, тут по высказываниям довольных граждан очень мало.
The authorities blocked local access to Facebook for a short period in early March, after materials critical of the country's president were shared on the website. Then, in June, the government shut down for several days the country's main independent news website, Asia-Plus, because of reader comments considered insulting to senior government officials under a story it had published.
Interestingly, Beg Zukhurov's comments about “subversive” and “indecent” Internet users seems to echo the rhetoric used by government officials in neighboring Uzbekistan. On July 10, Uzbekistan's state television denounced social networks like Facebook and Russian-based Odnoklassniki [Classmates] as “dangerous weapons” used by the country's “enemies” to brainwash Uzbek youth. The country's nationals were encouraged to use “domestic” social networks such as the recently launched Youface.
Alexander Sodiqov has contributed to this post.

author: Musharraf


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Tajikistan: Blogger Urges Young People to Be Politically Active · Global Voices
Musharraf

Ahead of the 2013 presidential elections in Tajikistan, Post Scriptum suggests [ru] that the country's young people should be more active in articulating their political preferences. “We should not silently nod in agreement when our future and the future of our country is decided [by older people],” writes the blogger.


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Venezuela: The Blogosphere Discusses the Campaign · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

The wrangling between one side and the other on the internet and between the political positions in Venezuela are not a surprise, especially during an election year. Venezuelan netizens are discussing the legality of the election campaign of President Hugo Chávez and the plans proposed by opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski. Both sides are analyzing the proposals, attacking the candidates, and both have their followers. They doubt the National Electoral Council, and investigate the financial support of the candidates. Government plans are being rethought and the speeches spread.
Meanwhile, the road to the election in October intensifies by the day. In a contested election in which the opposition has finally managed to make a space for itself, the blogosphere reflects rising expectations on both sides.
Ludmilla Vinogradoff points out the advantages of the Chavez campaign [es] and quotes analysis to mark the contrast between the visibility of the candidates:
…el ventajismo chavista se pasa de la raya. Armando Briquet, jefe de campaña del opositor Henrique Capriles Radonski ha sustanciado siete denuncias específicas con documentos y pruebas ante el Consejo Nacional Electoral, que demuestran las desproporciones, los desequilibrios y las violaciones a los reglamentos que comete el comando electoral oficialista en el mismo día del arranque oficial de la campaña presidencial.
Briquet contabilizó que el canal público Venezolana de Televisión, VTV, transmitió 6 horas y media del acto de inicio de Chávez y apenas 11 minutos de Capriles. Los diarios “VEA”, “La VOZ”, “Correo del Orinoco” y “Ultimas Noticias” publicaron avisos publicitarios de Chávez de la convocatoria del domingo pasado.
Chavez’ opportunism is over the top. Henrique Capriles Radonski's campaign manager Armando Briquet has substantiated seven specific allegations with documents and evidence before the National Electoral Council, which show the disproportions, imbalances and violations of regulations committed by the [Chavez] campaign on the very day of the official start of the presidential campaign.
Briquet documented that the Venezuelan public television channel, VTV, broadcast 6-1/2 hours of Chavez’ inauguration and only 11 minutes of Capriles’. The daily newspapers “VEA”, “La VOZ”, “Correo del Orinoco” and “Ultimas Noticias” published advertisements of Chavez’ public gathering last Sunday.
Also Daniel in his blog The Devil's Excrement points out what he sees as a breakdown of the law:
Thus, while Chavez finances his campaign in full violation of the law, in a manner that is punished with jail, the Superintendent of Banks goes fishing to see if any irrelevant amount of money is flowing to Capriles’ campaign via opposition leaders. This limits campaign contributions, as donors are afraid of being harrased for contributing to Capriles’ campaign, while all of the Government’s resources are at the service of Chavez’ efforts in blatant violation of the law.
Such are the unfair and unethical ways of the revolution.
Meanwhile in the Ultimatum Hiperboreo [es] Capriles Radonski's proposals are criticized:
Hace uno o dos días escuché una parte de un discurso del candidato presidencial Capriles Radonski. […] En su discurso Capriles Radonski dijo (parafraseo de mi memoria): “Si el gobierno cree que el problema es el capitalismo, el consumismo, las películas y los medios de comunicación…” Todo candidato opositor debe estar pendiente y darse cuenta de que eso no es lo que el gobierno cree. Es lo que cree un porcentaje bastante grande de la población votante. Se podría decir, sí, que el Gobierno Bolivariano de Venezuela está en contra del capitalismo y del consumismo, y que el plan de gobierno del presidente Chávez —la revolución ideológica y cultural con contenido argumentado y sostenido por abundantes evidencias— sostiene la idea de que las películas importadas y los medios de comunicación son protagonistas centrales de ese problema. Pero también es cierto que un porcentaje de la población ha votado muchas veces apoyando esa visión revolucionaria. Y se trata de ciudadanos civiles y no civiles, no (sólo) [del] gobierno.
Similarly, the blogger responds to accusations made about the fairness of the National Electoral Council:
En otro orden de ideas, pero en el mismo tema: me comentaron que ya están diciendo algunos opositores que el Consejo Nacional Electoral no es lo suficientemente confiable para llevar a cabo la elección presidencial que se acerca. Es decir, que en Venezuela hay democracia cuando les conviene a los opositores y cuando no les conviene, dicen que no hay democracia. Las máquinas del CNE sirven para hacer las primarias pero no sirven para una elección nacional. Jugamos según las reglas del juego, pero decimos —cuando seguimos perdiendo— que el juego está trampeado y que las reglas no sirven o que los otros jugadores son unos tramposos. Hay democracia cuando los electores eligen a un alcalde o gobernador opositor, pero hay dictadura y cleptocracia cuando los electores votan por la revolución. Y luego hablamos de la defensa de la democracia y de la justicia y del pueblo, etc. etc.
Meanwhile, Carola Chávez explains what she sees as contradictions from Capriles Radonski [es]:
[…] ahora más que nunca [estamos en] la necesidad de salvar al mundo, a los pueblos, de estos vampiros que lo arrasan. [Ése es] el compromiso de mi Presi expuesto en su plan de gobierno. Y la estupidez recurrente del aspirante a adversario: “El Gobierno nacional quiere salvar el planeta, la especie humana, yo les planteó a los venezolanos solucionar los problemas del país”. Una Venezuela en medio de la nada propone el candidato capitalista de la gente decente y pensante de este país.
However, Adriana Villanueva emphasizes the most important message [es] she found in the opposition candidate's speeches:
Ayer el principal mensaje de Henrique Capriles Radonski fue que al ser Presidente lo primero [con lo] que acabará es [la división del] país en dos: quienes están con el Gobierno y quienes se le oponen, catalogados por los oficialistas como “enemigos del Pueblo”. Capriles promete gobernar para los venezolanos, punto. Vamos a ver cuántos insultos recibimos hoy del Comandante quienes nos atrevemos a dudar de más de trece años de su obra de Gobierno, siendo la más notable, la omnipresente propaganda oficial alabando su gesta revolucionaria.
Villanueva continues:
Por eso me gusta que ayer al candidato se le llamara con cariño: “El Flaco”, cientos de franelas que decían: “El Flaco Presidente”, recordando a la señora que le dijo: “Flaquito tú tienes cara de presidente”, que viene siendo la contrapartida promocional del “Primero Dios y después mi Comandante”, publicidad institucional que antes de que comience oficialmente la campaña electoral obligan a transmitir en los medios de comunicación.
At the same time, Mitchelle Vidal interprets [es] the image shared by Alberto Rojas in his blog Caracas Shots when a mural urging non-violence was hidden by political advertising:
Photo taken by Alberto Rojas of ‘Caracas Shots’, used with permission
Así quedó el mural realizado hace pocos días por un colectivo dedicado al arte urbano que cometió el pecado de clamar por la NO violencia. Uno de sus voceros era —nada menos que— Gandhi, ícono universal de la paz y tenía además textos que aludían a ser cortés y otras buenas prácticas ciudadanas.
Pero los amigos del gobierno lo taparon con una ristra de afiches de la campaña electoral del candidato oficialista.
Clarísimo el mensaje. Violencia contra la No violencia.
This is how a mural, created a few days ago by a group dedicated to urban art which committed the sin of speaking for non-violence, ended up. One of its spokesmen was no less than Ghandi, universal icon of peace, and it also had text alluding to courtesy and other ways to be a good citizen.
But friends of the government covered it with a bunch of posters of the candidate's official campaign.
Very clear message. Violence versus non-violence.
From the side of those who support the President's campaign, the blog Un Grano de Maíz [es] explains the difference the author finds between the two candidates and what he sees as the importance of Hugo Chávez's plan:
El domingo y lunes pasados se inscribieron dos opciones, dos proyectos de civilización opuestos como el agua y el aceite.
…con [Capriles] no hay otra opción que ser pieza subyugada en el soporte del despilfarro imperial, tabla de salvación de su crisis terminal.[…] La otra posibilidad que se presenta a la batalla electoral, es la que señala la vía para superar al capitalismo, busca formas de organización que potencien la fuerza social, nos integren como sociedad.
No es una mera propuesta electoral, sabe que el futuro del país, de esta generación y las siguientes, es superar al capitalismo, y sabe que es el Socialismo la única manera de hacerlo, es la continuidad de una lucha por la emancipación del humano que lleva milenios.
Last Sunday and Monday two options were places on the ballot, two civilization projects that are as opposite as water and oil.
…With [Capriles] there's no choice but to be subjugated to the support of imperialist squandering, the salvation of its terminal crisis. […] The other possibility presented in the electoral battle points the way to overcome capitalism, looks for ways to organize that enhance social strength, that integrate us as a society.
It's not just an electoral proposal, it is the future of the country, of this generation and those to follow, to overcome capitalism, and socialism is the only way to achieve this, it is the continuation of the struggle for human freedom going on for milennium.
Finally, José Roberto Duque in his blog Tracción de Sangre [es] points out what he considers crucial in this contest:
El arranque oficial de la campaña abre un nuevo ciclo político en Venezuela (el crucial, el decisivo): es la recta final del proceso electoral. En ella se definirá con cuántos venezolanos convencidos continuará el proyecto de construcción de un modelo de país y de humanidad iniciado en 1998.
Pero hay otro momento de nuestra historia que debe preverse, analizarse, pensarse y discutirse con toda responsabilidad: el momento en que debamos poner en práctica lo aprendido en materia de organización del pueblo para el pueblo, en las formas de autogobierno, en la gradual demolición del viejo Estado y el salto audaz hacia otra forma de organización popular: el sueño de Chávez y del chavismo más consciente es uno donde el Estado, tal como lo concebimos hoy, abandona sus funciones mastodónticas y le deja al pueblo la misión de construir. ¿Qué hacemos con ganar y ganar y ganar elecciones si no ensayamos el cómo continuar y continuar y continuar como pueblo y no como aplaudidores de jefes?
The official start of the campaign opens up a new political cycle in Venezuela (a crucial, decisive one): it's the final stage of the electoral process. It will define how many Venezuelans will continue with the project of building a model for the country and for humanity that began in 1998.
But there is another moment in our history to anticipate, analyze, think about and discuss responsibly: the moment in which we put into practice lessons learned in organizing the people for the people, in the form of self government, in the gradual demolition of the old state and the bold leap into another form of popular organization: the dream of Chavez, which in its most conscious state is one where, as we understand today, it abandons its mammoth duties and leaves to the people the mission of building. What do we gain with winning and winning and winning elections if we don't test ways to continue and continue and continue as a people and not just applauders of leaders?
Duque concludes:
Es una tarea larga pero debe discutirse desde ahora. Un “ahora” que pasa por el esfuerzo titánico en procura de la victoria chavista del 7 de octubre.
¿Y si perdemos? Pues habrá que continuar la tarea pero en condiciones más duras, terribles y sangrientas. Pero habrá que continuarla. Nadie dijo que la Revolución es algo que sólo puede hacerse con un aliado en Miraflores.
It's a big job but it must be discussed from now on. A “now” that continues through the titanic effort in pursuit of victory for Chavez on October 7.
And if we lose? Well, we'll have to carry on with the task but in harsher conditions, terrible and bloody. But we must carry on. Nobody said that the Revolution is something that can be done only with an ally in Miraflores.

author: Laura Vidal


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Zambia: Police Thwart Xenophobic Attacks Against Congolese Traders · Global Voices
Gershom Ndhlovu

The Zambian law enforcement agencies between 7-10 July, prevented what could have been deadly retaliatory and xenophobic attacks on neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo citizens living in Zambia following the burning to death of a Zambian driver in the bordering Congolese town of Kasumbalesa where he was involved in an accident in which two people were killed.
Although details of the traffic accident and the subsequent events are sketchy, the hapless Zambian driver was pounced upon soon after and was torched in the cabin of his truck which was reduced to ashes. When the story filtered back south of the border, some Zambians in parts of Zambia, notably the capital Lusaka and on the Copperbelt, launched isolated cases of looting and attacks on Congolese traders.
The burnt remains of the Zambian truck at the border town of Kasumbalesa. Photo courtesy of ukzambians.co.uk
Tumfweko, a citizen media website, opined:
What happened to Derrick Chanda, that humble Zambian truck driver who was burnt to death by some lawless Congolese nationals, is very sad. But this is what happens when lawlessness is allowed to reign over a country. We understand the history of our neighbours in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a history of lawlessness, of impunity. But everything has got a time.
Netizens on various social network and citizen websites reacted differently to the events with some calling for tougher action against the Congolese who rely a lot on goods from Zambia while others called for tolerance.
Writing on Lusaka Times, Kams in Kitwe, stated:
Have known Congolese to be like that since I was born. They are just too bad to be our neighbours. Anyway god stopped creating countries so we just have teach them a lesson too so that it does not continue in the future. I see a lot of truck causing accidents here in Zambia both foreign and local but have never heard of such barbaric acts, the least you could hear is that the vehicle was burnt. Was wondering if this border could just be closed and lets see who will suffer more. Congolese needs Zambia more than we need them thats a fact people. Just three days of closure they are complaining of hunger what of if it was 2 weeks. Lets punish these unprincipled people.
Under the same story, Musonda wrote:
Guys let’s not over reacting, I believe if it was a Congolese truck driver who had killed 2 Zambians mourners heading to the cemetery to bury their loved ones, Zambians would have killed the Congolese truck driver. We have to understand the circumstances that this thing happened. Killing someone is not an excuse and must be condemned. Let’s not forget that there was death on both sides. Zambians and Congolese have traded peacefully for many years and never had any problem despite the installibity in Congo. It is immoral to call someone animal. A civilised person would refrain from making uncivilised comment and allow the law to take it course. The comments made above are no different to the attitude of those who killed our Zambian brother in Congo.
To show that the Zambian Police were on top of the situation, Mwebantu Media reported on the situation in the mining city of Kitwe:
Police in Kitwe on Monday morning fired tear-gas canisters to disperse traders at Chisokone Market who protested against the presence of Congolese traders following the burning to death of a Zambian truck driver at the Kasumbalesa Border Post last week.
The protesting traders destroyed stalls belonging to Congolese nationals in the market
It was hard for a ZNBC News crew to get a clear picture of the situation because of the tear-gas.
Business came to a standstill as stalls were forced to close as the situation became tense.
Traders shouted that they did not want their Congolese counterparts to conduct business at the Market.
Most of the Congolese traders did not show up at the market today.
At the burial of the Zambian victim in the city of Ndola which shares part of its boundary with DRC, the neighboring country’s consular-general, Maloba Kanji announced the arrest of 12 of her nationals who were allegedly involved in the killing:
On behalf of the Congolese government, we would like to convey our condolences to the bereaved family, as well as the Zambian people. We are deeply sorry for what happened as our Constitution does not allow it and we will ensure that justice prevails.
A Southern African Development Community Drivers Association representative said at the same event:
Government must ensure that justice really prevails because even as we are speaking, we are scared of going into the DRC because we are always harassed.
On Twitter, one tweep berated the BBC for not reporting the incident:
@RainbowGirl_C: @BBCAfrica how does a Zambian truck driver being burnt to death for hitting 2people in congo close to the border NOT make your news???

author: Gershom Ndhlovu


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Afghanistan: Adultery Execution Video Sparks Outrage · Global Voices
Omid Bidar

In early July, an Afghan woman was executed publicly in a small village in the Parwan province, about an hour's drive from the capital Kabul. The 22-year-old woman was reportedly killed after two local Taliban strongmen – both claiming that they had had some kind of relationship with her – accused her of adultery. An amateur video [Warning: Graphic] of the execution, obtained by Reuters, shows an old turban-clad man reciting verses from the Koran and declaring: “We cannot forgive her, God tells us to finish her. Juma Khan, her husband, has the right to kill her.” The burqa-clad woman is then shot dead at a point-blank range, while some 150 bearded men present at the execution cheer her death and shout, “God is great,” “Long live mujahideen” [a term the Taliban call themselves].
Najiba, a 22-year-old Afghan woman, is executed by her husband. Screenshot from video, ‘Afghanistan execution sparks outrage’, uploaded July 9, 2012, by Youtube user CNN.
About 150 men were present at the execution, cheering the woman's death. Screenshot from video, ‘Afghanistan execution sparks outrage’, uploaded July 9, 2012, by Youtube user CNN.
Afghan government officials have blamed the Taliban for the execution. When the fundamentalist movement was in power from 1996-2001, public executions of adulterers were common in the country. The Taliban, however, has denied its involvement in the killing.
The woman's execution has sparked an international outcry. In Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai has condemned the killing as “un-Islamic and inhuman,” and ordered police to find the culprits and bring them to justice. Fawzia Koofi, an Afghan female parliamentarian, said after watching the video:
After 10 years (of foreign intervention), and only a few kilometres from Kabul… how could this happen in front of all these people? It is really very much a sharp turn, and a huge backward (step).
Frogh Wazhma, an Afghan gender and development specialist and human rights activist, tweeted [fa] on July 9:
وقت اینست که ما زنان نیز به تهدیدی مسلحانه تبدیل شویم.حادثه پروان نشانه دیگر از منافقت اجتماعی ماست -کسی در آن جمع در مقابل ظلم ایستاده نشد
The outrage caused by the execution has put spotlight on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. On Daily Outlook Afghanistan, Dilawar Sherzai explains:
The Afghan social structure has been vehemently dominated by religious extremism and tribal nepotism. Though these factors have affected almost everyone, women have been intensely influenced as they belong to the weaker strata of the society. Most of the self-designed religious doctrines and tribal norms are against the women and discriminate their basic rights. Unfortunately, these norms and doctrines have even gone to the extent of violence and have tortured women physically – mostly in the public. They, in the name of dignity of women, have in fact degraded them. The concept of so-called tribal honor and dignity has not been able to provide safety and respect to Afghan women.
Outside Afghanistan, the video angered many people. Laurent Joncas, a Canadian, wrote in a letter to the National Post on July 10:
I am a 65-year-old man and I cried like a baby when I read about the execution of a young woman in Afghanistan. The thought of her lonely and fearful death will haunt me forever. I am sad that the world could do nothing for her. I’m not sure that giving $250-million dollars in aid to Afghanistan will stop this. My wish is that Muslims from around the world cry out for justice against the Taliban. What is just is that this young women is in now in Heaven and that her murderers will suffer eternity in Hell, along with the 150 or so who men who cheered this on. How is it possible that this was the will of Allah, as he is all merciful, and loving?
The video of the killing has also led dozens of Afghan women and some men to take to the streets of Kabul on July 11. Condemning the execution and calling on the government to do more to protect women's rights in the country, the protesters also chanted “Death to the men who killed our sister!”
Afghan women protest in Kabul after the execution. Image by Frogh Wazhma, used with permission.
The protest was led by Mumtaz Bibi, a 16-year-old Afghan woman who had survived a callous acid attack. She marched alongside Sahar Gul, a 15-year-old woman whose case caused worldwide outrage after had been rescued from her husband and his relatives who starved and tortured the girl to force her to enter into prostitution. Sima Samar, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and head of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, has also joined the protest in Kabul.
Sahar Gul and Mumtaz Bibi among the protesters in Kabul. Image by Courtney Body, used with permission.
Some people have used the execution as an opportunity to criticize Western nations for their inability to solve Afghanistan's many problems despite intervening in the country in 2001. Euronews correspondent Mustafa Bag tweeted on July 12:
Public execution of an Afghan woman shows how little the civilized Europe has achieved during 10 years of the occupation of Afghanistan.

author: Omid Bidar


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Laos: Prison or Drug Detention Center? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Human Rights Watch is asking the United States to stop the funding of the Somsanga Drug Detention Centre in Vientiane, Laos until the Laos government has investigated the reported human rights abuses in the facility

author: Mong Palatino


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South Korea: False Letter Case Closed, Cover-up for President? · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Political allegations and looming suspicions have taken over South Korea yet again, after the Prosecutor's office acquitted every one involved in the controversial ‘false letter case’ this week, igniting accusations that they are covering up for the President.
Multiple allegations have been made against South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, from the start of his presidential race in 2007. One of the most notorious cases involved in the allegations, has been the BBK Stock Price Manipulation scandal [note: BBK is the name of a paper company] which has gotten extremely complex and hazy beyond explanations, especially for outsiders to grasp. President Lee has denied all connections with the company or its controversial stock fraud scandal which gobbled up money from thousands of investors.  One devastated investor even committed suicide. [ko]
Suspicions, however, have grown stronger ever since a video clip Lee saying that he founded the company was revealed and an official company registration document was found with Lee's signature on it.
Most recently, a letter supporting Lee's claim that the BBK allegation is merely political attacks by the opposition, was proven to be a fabricated one. An investigation result on this false letter came out on July 12, 2012 and surprisingly, everyone involved in the scandal, was cleared of all charges. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office ruled that there was no ‘behind-the-scenes political influence’ that ‘masterminded the writing of the letter’.
South Koreans expressed frustration over the unclear explanation of the case, alluding that the Prosecutor's Office is once again siding with the President. @Ish4u tweeted [ko]:
Bbk수사, 가짜편진데 내용은 가짜가 아니라네요.은진수씨는가짜편지를 mb특보한테 받아서 홍준표씨에 주었다는데 검찰은 배후가 없다고.기획자라는 양씨는펄쩍뛰고.수사인지 소설인지 당최
Many net users, such as @wiselect, questioned how they can conclude that there is no one behind the scene:
검찰, ‘BBK 가짜편지’ 전원 무혐의, ‘배후는 없다”라고 발표. […] MB의 당선을 위해 MB캠프의 핵심인물이 줄줄이 관여되어 있는데 배후가 없다? 이걸 믿어라고 내놓은 건가.
User @b9ud added [ko]:
[…] 소설 구성의 3요소는 인물/사건/배경이다. […] 그런데 BBK 가짜 편지는 배후가 없다한다. 인물과 사건은 있는데 배경이 없다. 즉, 말이 안되는거다.
One of Twitter influencer in South Korea, @dogsul, made a snarky comment [ko]:
BBK 가짜편지 수사한 검사가 누구누구죠??? 이분들은 내년 신춘문예에 꼭 응모하셨으면 좋겠네요. 소설을 조낸 잘 쓰시니까.
Twitter user @hangulo quoted a famous line [ko] from a Korean soap opera:
사건을 복잡하게 만들면 국민은 잊을 겁니다 […] BBK 사건이 바로 좋은 예.
[note: Thumbnail image was created by Flickr User Ashley Rose, but not related with the case mentioned in the post. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)]

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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United States Eases Sanctions on Myanmar · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The United States Treasury and State Department have issued a joint fact sheet about the government's decision to ease financial and investment sanctions on Myanmar in response to the recent political and economic reforms implemented by the Myanmar government


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Brazil: Navy Denies Entrance to Quilombo Rio dos Macacos · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

Tai Oliver reported on Quartoamarelo Ateliê studio Facebook page [pt] about recent abuses involving the Navy and Rio dos Macacos quilombo community in Bahia, Brazil, which struggles against eviction threats since February. She says the Navy, in control of the quilombo's entrance, denied access to four residents (woman, three children) on July 7, and to black movements and a theater group on July 8.

author: João Miguel Lima


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Ethiopia: Muslim Protest Gaining Momentum  · Global Voices
Endalkachew Chala

Signs of Ethiopian Muslims activism against government’s meddling in their religious affairs became evident when they took their campaign online in May. As their online activism grows offline, members of Ethiopian Federal Police have started using force against the protesters.
Ethiopian Muslim women. Photo source: Boyznberry Flickr page (CC BY-NC 2.0)
According to local activists Facebook page Dimtsachin Yisema (Let Our Voice Be Heard) physical violence, which includes transgressing sacred places in their mosques, was used against them. An Ethiopian Muslim campaigner and writer Merim Bint Islam posts on her Facebook page with a note:
This is how brutal beatings were done on our brother, yesterday in Awuliya.
Addis News Updates @AddisFocus #Ethiopia'n regime's forces unshamefully confiscated over a hundred animals (oxen) from a Mesjid in Addis which was ready for sadaqa.#Islam
The YouTube video below shows Ethiopian Muslim protestors in April 2012:
Though the actions of the police were reportedly brutal, activists on Facebook page are incessantly advising their fellow Muslims to keep their calm. Ethiopian Muslims Facebook page shared Ahmedin Jebel’s note which reads [amh]:
ሕዝበ ሙስሊም ሆይ! ሰላማዊና ሕገ መንግሥታዊ መብት የማስከበር እንቅስቃሴያችን ከተጀመረበት ጊዜያት ጀምሮ ላለፉት ስድስት ወራት በሚቻለን ሁሉ ሁከት እንዳይነሳ ጥረናል፡፡ ምክንያቱም ሁከት መነሳቱ መቼም ቢሆን ለኛ አይጠቅመንምና፡፡ የተለያዩ አካላት ሁከት ዉስጥ አስገብተውን ሂደታችንን ለማደናቀፍ የሚቻላቸውን ሁሉ ሞክረዋል፡፡ እየሞከሩም ነው፡፡ መንግሥትም ይሁን የትኛውም ወገን ቢተናኮሰን፣ ቢተኩስ፣ ቢያስር፣ መስጂዶች ቢደፈሩም ምላሻችን የችኮላና ህጋዊ ካልሆነ፣ ይበልጥ አላማቸውን የሚያሳካና ሕዝበ ሙስሊሙን ለአደጋ የሚያጋልጥ ከሆነ ለኛ ዉድቀት እንጂ ድል አይደለም፡፡
Meanwhile, Abiye Teklemariam wrote on Facebook:
Activists claim gov't underlings may deliberately stage a fake violent demo. near the AU headquarters to blame it on Muslim protesters.
Political and religious situation in Ethiopia look uncertain as rumors about whereabouts and health of the Prime Minster Meles Zenawi circulate and Muslim protests gain momentum.
Islam is the second-most widely practiced religion in Ethiopia after Christianity.

author: Endalkachew Chala


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Ethiopia: Online Reactions to Prison Sentence for Dissident Blogger · Global Voices
Markos Lemma

Five days before his arrest in September last year, a prominent Ethiopian dissident blogger, Eskinder Nega, wrote, “Freedom is partial to no race. Freedom has no religion. Freedom favors no ethnicity. Freedom discriminates not between rich and poor countries. Inevitably freedom will overwhelm Ethiopia.”
Eskinder Nega. Picture source: arefe.files.wordpress.com
On 13 July, 2012 Ethiopia's federal court sentenced Eskinder and 23 other opposition activists to long prison terms for “participating in a terrorist organization”.
In a 20-minute presentation, Eskinder challenged the prosecution’s case. He admitted writing and speaking about whether an Arab Spring-like movement might take root in Ethiopia and calling for peaceful protests, but denied advocating violence or unconstitutional change. He warned the court that history would judge its verdict.
Immediately after the court's judgement, netizens used different social media platforms to share their reactions.
Tsedi Lemma posted on her Facebook:
Andualem Aragei – life in prison. Eskindir Nega – 18 years Mesfin Negash and Abiye Teklemariam 8 years each……What a day! Don't even know what I am feeling right now. May be pain and despair…
Tessema S. Belay reacted to Tsedi's post:
The distinction between legal and illegal activities is getting blurred from time to time. When you write or talk, you can't know whether you are exercising your right or committing a crime of “high treason”. Isn't it a shame for the Ethiopian criminal justice system that prosecutors can secure criminal conviction of people like Abiye and Mesfin, people who left the country in fear of persecution, for supporting or encouraging “terrorism”? I found it so funny to see a court telling me that Eskinder, Mesfin and Abiye are criminals from whom the society should be protected from and they should stay in prison(to be corrected) while I can lead my life freely. Sorry, am I showing sympathy for convicted “terrorists”? I think I remember that all human rights are included in our constitution and should be interpreted based on international standards. Is the copy of the Constitution our courts have the same as the one we know? Come on the Ethiopian Government, the whole world is watching! You are embarrassing us.
Abiye Teklemariam (@abiyetk), who is also sentenced for 8 years in absence, tweeted,
@abiyetk: Ethiopian court just sentenced me to 8 years in prison. It is the least of my worries. #Ethiopia is on a cusp of something big politically.
Endalkachew HaileMichael, Ethiopian blogger and GlobalVoices author, believes 13 June was a dramatic day in Ethiopia:
What an eventful day in Ethiopia with journalists & dissents getting heavy sentences while PM Meles Zenawi rumored to be seriously sick .Is this an episode of a series of dramatic events to be happening in our beloved Ethiopia?
Ian Moore tweeted;
@IanMoore3000: 18 years for Ethiopian blogger, as Ethiopia tries to take title of most repressive African country from Eritrea
UDJ Leader Andualem Aragie (with his wife and children), jailed for life in prison . Picture source: De Birhan blog
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) confirms that since 2011 the Ethiopian government has convicted 11 independent journalists and bloggers under a sweeping anti-terrorism law. Among those jailed are two Swedish journalists who are serving an 11 year prison term for allegedly supporting an ethnic Somali rebel group.
Eskinder Nega is the winner of Pen America's PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award for his endeavor for freedom of expression in an extremely inhospitable media landscape.

author: Markos Lemma


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India: Video of Sexual Assault Goes Viral, Media Ethics Questioned · Global Voices
Rezwan

Recently a video of a 16-year-old Indian girl being molested outside a pub in Guwahati by a group of nearly 20 men went viral after it was put on YouTube on July 10, 2012. It was also aired by a local television channel and netizens have questioned media ethics especially the way this news spread. Simantik Dowerah thinks that the media and police could have acted more responsibly  and failed to perform their duties. Sharmila Ravinder calls this a national shame. This news gathered a great deal of reaction on Twitter as well.
The Life and Times of an Indian Homemaker writes:
Too shocked and shaken to say much, please watch this video (On NDTV) – you may feel that this video should not have been made public – or should have been edited before it was made available on You Tube, but now that it has gone viral, it should be watched so we can take a look at the faces of these molesters or rapists – these men should be recognized, found and arrested and given exemplary punishments.
The blogger also posts some screenshots of the perpetrators.
What bothers many is that bystanders witnessed the incident but no one came to the rescue. Some commentators questioned whether India is becoming a nation of bystanders.
Vidyut asks some pertinent questions:
Image courtesy Blanknoise. CC BY-NC-SA
* Why was the cameraman filming instead of helping?
* What was the cameraman doing on the street, prepared to shoot with a broadcast quality camera and journalist partner when the incident happened? Just “happened” to be there?
* Why is there early footage of the girls getting into an argument? Do off-duty journos shoot random people arguing?
Reports suggest that the victim is from an indigenous community and racial violence against them is not new. Much outcry among the public forced the police to act, and subsequently some arrests were made. The reporter who was accused of inciting the crime has resigned.
Ritu Lalit calls the women of India to be aware of their rights and they should stop tolerating abuse to prevent incidents like this.
Vidyut at AamJanata argues that the mob mentality in people whether online or offline, is a sort of mental violence that is disrupting the society. The blogger says:
All in all, it is high time we accept that we are living in a world we create. We are the victim, we are the molesters, we are the popcorn gallery.
Greatbong at Random Thoughts Of A Demented Mind says:
What should be done is that the perpetrators should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and swiftly (just as how it happened in the London riots) and that and only that can be a strong disincentive for such incidents in the future. Nothing else.

author: Rezwan


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Lebanon: Interview with the “Brofessional Review” · Global Voices
Layal Al Khatib

Nine months ago, a group of three designers and two advertising graduates teamed up to start a blog tackling everything related to design: advertising, fashion and media; they called it the “Brofessional Review”. Now, with more than 100 reviews in their archive, readers look forward to their posts/opinions whenever a new brand, advertising campaign or promo hits the market. Global Voices Online  interviewed them to know more about what they do.
The “Brofessional Review” Team
Global Voices Online: First of all, who are the Brofessional Review team members?
Brofessional Review: We are a team of 3 aspiring Graphic Designers and 2 Advertising
graduates, relatively contributing to the blog. Some members are more active than others but the whole team shares a set of principles regarding design related subject matters, and how to interact with the field. We agreed to be  transparent and fun, a mix between cynicism and criticism, the ‘Brofessional’ way.
GVO: What inspired you to start the blog?
BR: Admin I : Nothing in particular; Being very active as a designer and very opinionated as a person, I somehow reached a phase where I had so much to say but lacked the right platform. It was a random intuitive moment when the idea came up and got reformulated to reach its present stage.
GVO: Have you ever received an official or unofficial response from an
agency/brand you talked about?
BR: We receive responses almost constantly. It only took few weeks that the blog started getting a good amount of exposure. Agencies started knowing about us and we got in contact with many brands’ marketing
managers. Responses varied between hate, hate and a reasonable amount of objective interaction. After almost 8 months we’ve held meetings with many agencies discussing their work and we’re still exchanging emails regarding such matters without affecting our tone or credibility.
GVO: Based on the ads/campaigns you see and review, how do you describe the advertising business in Lebanon?
BR: The advertising scene in Lebanon is in desperate need for design. Design is not a technical medium; it’s not a tool, but a thinking process. The majority of our agencies tend to disregard process and go for the fast commercial work that lacks creativity and innovation. To be fair, advertising in Lebanon is hypocrisy blended with clichés except the very few daring individuals trying to break through.
GVO: What's the next step for Brofessional Review?
BR: We are aiming to add more daring insights regarding design, featuring well-known design thinkers expressing their minds informally – The ‘Brofessional’ way. Design is our main concern, whether talking
advertising or fashion. The next step will focus on interactivity with a higher dose of guts!
Thank you!
You can follow the Brofessional Review on Twitter @BrofessionalR and on their Facebook page too.

author: Layal Al Khatib


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Lebanon: Segregation against Migrant Workers at Beaches · Global Voices
Layal Al Khatib

Following the first video released by the Anti Racism Movement showing blatant segregation at one of the Lebanese beaches, another video is published and this time is featuring 10 more resorts clearly discriminating against migrant workers.


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Mali: Media Workers to Strike in Protest of Journalist Kidnapping  · Global Voices
Philippe Léveillée

On the night of Thursday July 12, 2012, Saouti Haidara, the 62 year old director of the Malian newspaper L’Indépendant and a veteran of the Bamako press, was kidnapped by masked men, beaten, then abandoned on a road.
MDD has more to say about the circumstances of this kidnapping in Malian news website Journal du Mali  [fr]:
Ils sont venus le chercher au bureau. Ils ont tiré en l'air pour intimider le personnel et brutalisé notre patron”, raconte un journaliste. C'était vers 21h30. Ils ont ensuite emmené Saouti Haidara sur la route Sénou vers l'aéroport. Après avoir été battu par ces individus mal intentionnés, l'homme qui a pu être suivi par ses collaborateurs, a été relâché 4h après et transporté à la clinique mère-enfant du Luxembourg. ” Nous y avons passé toute la nuit et ils lui ont cassé une main
Malian television broadcast images of the man after his attack. [fr]
One week previously, Abderahmane Keita of Malian newspaper L’Aurore had suffered a similar fate.
Following the coup on March 22, 2012, there has also been an big increase in arrests , including those of Birama Fall of newspaper Le Prétoire and Abdoulaye Barry of television channel Africable.
Newspapers and private radio channels have declared a strike for next Tuesday, July 17, to protest against these assaults on their peers.
MDD, of Malian news website Journal du Mali added [fr]:
Aujourd'hui, c'est l'indignation générale après l'agression du doyen de la presse. Saouti Haidara souffre de plusieurs contusions et d'une fracture de la main. Le président de l’Union nationale des journalistes du Mali (UNAJOM), Ibrahim Famakan Coulibaly et celui de la maison de la presse de ce pays, Makan Koné, ont “condamné” cet acte. M. Koné a annoncé “la tenue d’une Assemblée générale dès ce vendredi matin à 8 heures (heure locale) à la Maison de la presse, qui sera suivie d’une marche de protestation contre cet enlèvement et les précédents”. M. Koné a aussi annoncé “la suspension de toutes les publications au Mali à partir de lundi prochain, toujours dans le cadre de la protestation” [..] L'organisation de défense des journalistes Reporters sans frontières (RSF) s'était inquiétée en mai des violations de la liberté de la presse au Mali depuis le coup d'Etat militaire du 22 mars,

author: Philippe Léveillée


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Russia: Computer Security Tips for Russian Opposition · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Following the recent hacking [en] of activist Alexey Navalny's email, LJ user vishka shares some basic tips [ru] on “computer security for the Russian opposition”: “Having set it all up once, you'll never notice the difference in usability. I've armed you, and if they continue to hack you, it means you are fools.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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South Korea: Net Neutrality Debate Re-emerges · Global Voices
Jae Yeon Kim

Net neutrality is an Internet network principle that blocks Internet service providers or governments from restricting consumers’ access to networks and discriminating against traffic from different contents and sites. However, by the advance of mobile broadband networks, this principle has been challenged in many parts of the world and demand for new traffic management rules have grown ever stronger. One of the most wired countries in the world, South Korea, is in the midst of a heated debate on net neutrality– an issue which will greatly affect the future of the Internet.
On June 4, 2012, ‘Voice Talk’, a new Korean mVoIP (mobile VoIP) was released in the Korean domestic mobile market. This service was developed by Korean start-up KaKao which operates the nation's most popular mobile messenger application named ‘Kakao Talk’. Subsequently, Korean telecommunication companies, including Korea Telecom (KT) and SK Telecom, launched attacks on Voice Talk, claiming that it will substantially degrade the quality of their data network services. They even said that this new innovation will not only threaten their telecommunication infrastructure but the public interest. Conflict between these telecommunication companies and internet companies led to government intervention.
Image of Kakao Talk application. Image by Flickr user xabeldiz (CC BY 2.0)
The Korea Communications Commission(KCC) announced on July 13, 2012 that the authorities have come up with a basic guideline for reasonable network management. However, this new rule would allow Korean telcos to discriminate against not only mVoIP, such as Voice Talk, but also Peer to Peer (P2P) technology that has been widely used in South Korea for online broadcasting and downloading software patches. The government's decision started an uproar in South Korean online space. Especially in some communities where people shared their distaste for the government imposing a set of guidelines to quell the conflicts, it was easy to find people holding grudges.
For example, Twitterer @goodhyun who is a former MS employee and a tech writer, lamented [ko] that the government decision would narrow future debates on the Internet governance in a wrong way.
망중립성 논의는 거시경제학적 함의가 풍성해 이 사회가 더 튼튼한 제도 설계를 할 수 있게 만드는 좋은 소재입니다. 그러나 방통위께서 저렇게 스스로 전지전능한 듯 종결자 노릇을 해 주시니 논의는 이제 아마 감정적으로 치닫겠지요.
Others are concerned about the decision's impact on innovation and basic civic rights in South Korea. Twitter user @rushtenm criticized [ko] the government for lack of concern about the decision's ramifications for the prospect of innovation.
망중립성을 지켜줘야할 정부가 나서서 통신사 편을 들어주는 한쿡. 이러면서 또 3년 후에 우리나라에는 외국의 혁신적인 서비스가 없다고 징징거리겠지…. ㅉㅉ
Another Twitter @soventure, a social entrepreneur, writes [ko] that the decision should have been made more carefully as it would reshape free expression online:
농담처럼 이야기하고 있지만..하도 기막혀서 그런것이구요. 망중립성은 정말 중요합니다. 앞으로 컨텐츠벤처의 경쟁력을 다 깎아먹을 수 있는 문제도 있고.. 더 크게는 표현의 자유가 제한되는 문제도 있죠..
@woohyung, a South Korean Internet expert residing in the U.S., blames [ko] the Korean government for its incompetence in terms of making Information Communication Technology (ICT) policy:
미국규제에선 21C 보편적서비스 개편방향이 최대 관건 중 하나 망중립성포함해 유무선망통합/IP서비스통합/신기술혁신/커뮤니티브로드밴드등이 관련된 주요정책요소들. 한국규제기관은 전문성/역량 다 부족하면서 인터넷강국 마케팅에 스스로 빠져 매우 오만하다 생각
In order to raise public concerns about this policy debate and represent citizens’ voices in the decision-making process, Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice, Open Web, The Internet is ours,  Jinbo.net, People Power, Womenlink Media Activism Center, Citizens’ Action Network, and the other civic-minded organizations formed the Network Neutrality Forum on May 2, 2012. So far, they have hosted two open seminars on net neutrality for journalists on June 13 and  July 3.

author: Jae Yeon Kim


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Spain: Parliamentarian Insults Millions of Unemployed People  · Global Voices
Chris Moya

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.
During a meeting of congressional representatives on Wednesday, July 12, Spanish President Mariano Rajoy announced some of the harshest social cuts in the history of the Spanish democracy.  Aiming to comply with the demands of the European Union, the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the BCE (Central European Bank), and the deficit, Rajoy's government has adopted measures that will neither resolve the country's largest problem — unemployment — nor the economic crisis.
Once the Prime Minister finished his speech, the members of his political party (Partido Popular-PP) began applauding the measures, this being a clear symptom of breaking the social pact between the political caste and the rest of the population.  After, Rajoy finished his speech suggesting cuts to unemployment benefits for Spanish citizens with the following phrase:
Se va a proceder a una revisión del modelo de prestaciones por desempleo garantizando que estas no generen efectos desincentivadores en la búsqueda de empleo siguiendo el ejemplo de algunos países de la Unión Europea
Amidst the applause, the Parliamentarian Andrea Fabra, yelled “Fuck them” [es], insulting millions of unemployed individuals in Spain as well as the rest of the political members attending the meeting, such as citizen representatives, with a gesture that crossed the line.
Image comparing the Italian minister (left) and the representatives of the Spanish government (right) upon hearing the announcement on cuts to unemployment benefits.
In a blog entitled Moe and Triana's “blo” [es], the author commented:
Andrea Fabra es militante del PP (Partido Popular) desde 1990, cuando entró a formar parte de Nuevas Generaciones. En el año 2000 con su progenitor (Carlos Fabra) a la cabeza pasa a ocupar una silla en la ejecutiva provincial del PP de Castellón. Se encuentra imputada en uno de los procesos judiciales abierto a su padre.
@iescolar: Don't think that Andrea Fabra will resign.  They tolerated much worse things while her father was in the PP.  http://kcy.me/6az9 [es]
@hablandorepubli: We're joining team #AndreaFabraIsABitch [es].  Upon hearing the announcement about cuts to unemployment benefits, she yelled “Yes, fuck them!”
This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

author: Chris Moya


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Sudan: Women Targeted as #SudanRevolts Enters Second Month · Global Voices
Maha El-Sanosi

This post is part of our special coverage Sudan Revolts.
As the Sudanese people's anti-regime mass demonstrations enter their second month, the Sudanese government and its notorious National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) continue their heavy clampdown on protests amid growing dissent.
Thousands of Sudanese activists remain in detention, including prominent Twitter activist Usamah M. Ali (@simsimt), who was kidnapped by the NISS over three weeks ago.
On Friday, July 13, 2012, the women of Sudan were at the forefront of the protests, where they chanted for the fall of the regime and demanded the release of all political detainees. This Friday was inaugurated the “Kandaka Friday”, in a reference to the brave and revolutionary women of Sudan. Kandake (Candace) in the Kushitic language is a title for strong women. The term was used by the Kushites to refer to their queens.
In the wake of the “Kandaka Friday”, more women were arrested in a blatant attempt by the NISS to mock the day dedicated to the women of Sudan: the Kandaka's.
Upon her release, Aliah Khaled, who was detained along with her mother and sister on Kandaka Friday, tweeted that police fired excessive teargas on protesters.
@AliahKhaled: I can't even count the bombs fired at us this time. Ridiculous amounts & they were fired far off into & by the mosque. #SudanRevolts
She added:
@AliahKhaled: I was holding my mom's hand & by the mosque's gate there was a tear gas bomb that no one could've escaped. #SudanRevolts
And:
@AliahKhaled: It was my first time seeing a lot of people scream of pain at once & throw up from the effect of tear gas. #SudanRevolts
She said regarding her arrest:
@AliahKhaled: When we got to the #NISS offices in Omdurman, I will never forget the sight of MANY arrested young men, sitting facing the wall
Noting that the NISS was openly mocking the Kandaka-themed Friday:
@AliahKhaled: #NISS officers congratulate each other upon the arrests & upon the arrival of new detainees to their HQ. They mocked the name Al Kandaka.
Zeinab Badreldine, whose son has been in detention for the past three weeks, was also arrested by the NISS on Kandaka Friday, along with her daughter. They were later on released, but her son remains incarcerated. She is one of the hundreds of women, wives, daughters, sisters and respectable members of the Sudanese community to be harassed, detained and emotionally abused by the NISS.
In addition to mass arrests and the targeting of female activists and protesters, incidents of rape have been reported as well as serious injuries sustained by female victims, such as Halima Hussein Omar, a junior at the University of Khartoum, who lost her eye as she was making her way out of campus during a protest.
In the backdrop of #SudanRevolts, around 2,000 remain in the custody of the NISS without facing any charges and denied access to lawyers. However, despite the government's intense crackdown on protests and president Omar Al-Bashir's insistence that the Sudanese revolution is neither a continuation of the Arab Spring nor a succession to the Sudanese people's two previous uprisings, netizens remain optimistic that the tidal wave of protests will subsequently bring an end to the reign of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).
Mighty Mo note that every Sudanese must play their part in the revolution, which he predicts will be a success:
@mighty_mo_1: Years from now, you will be asked… where were you during the revolution? What role did you play? #sudanrevolts
Adding that:
@mighty_mo_1: We are (and will remain) “detained” until we remove the NCP #sudanrevolts
Ahmad Mohamed tweeted his aspirations of a better economy once the ruling NCP is overthrown, saying:
@AhmadMohamed10: Instantly available (no lead time) with the NCP gone: lifting of sanctions, oil revenues from SS, foreign investment #SudanRevolts #Sudan
Support for #SudanRevolts from netizens from neighboring countries never ceases, where Aguil Lual Blunt tweeted on #KandakaFriday:
@AguilB: Women of the Sudans have always played a proud role in history. In honor of Abuk, Ajoba, & the Kandake – SALUTE to women of #SudanRevolts
And from Egypt, the new @SudanRevoltsOrg is run by Egyptian activists who think the Sudanese revolution is just as important as the Egyptian one.
This post is part of our special coverage Sudan Revolts.

author: Maha El-Sanosi


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Syria: Palestinians and the Syrian Revolution · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011/12.
On 13-14 July, 2012  mass demonstrations erupted in the Palestinian Refugee Camp Yarmouk and Tadamon in Damascus. The Syrian regime's brutal response led to seven deaths on July 13. The next day their funeral processions brought an even larger protest out, where four more people were killed.
Palestine has been the single most influential player in Syria's political history since independence. Playing host to more than 500,000 Palestinian refugees who have almost exactly the same rights and privileges as Syrian citizens, Syria has both influenced and been influenced by their cause and their plight. In fact, Syria and the Arab World's first coup d'état in 1949 was a direct result of the catastrophic 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Syria's Baathist regime has based its entire legitimacy on its unwavering support to the Palestinians. But that role has always been more complex and divisive on the Palestinian side. The Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat saw the late president, Hafez Assad, as co-opting their cause rather than supporting it. Those divisions sometimes turned very bloody like in the massacre of Tel al-Zaatar, or the Syrian-sponsored attacks on the Palestinian camps during the Lebanese Civil War, known as War of the Camps.
“There's a Palestinian soul in every revolutionary”, by @sha3eb3aref
The Syrian revolution has brought these divisions to the surface again, but with the added immediate concern about their own well being inside Syria itself. Prominent Palestinian writer and activist Ali Abunimah reflects that concern:
@AliAbinimah: I think Palestinians in Syria are vulnerable and I don't like the way “both sides” trying to use and recruit them.
Anaheed al-Hardan of Electronic Intifada, compiles an extensive report on Palestinians in Syria and their relationship with the revolution and the concerns that come with that. She concludes that:
What these latest rounds of events tell us is that the fictive boundaries between Palestinians in Syria and the unrest are just that, becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain.
As the situation on the ground continues to change, the fate of the Palestinians in the country, like the fate of Syrians and the country as a whole, remains uncertain. However, unlike their Syrian counterparts, Palestinians are refugees with nowhere to go in the event of the further deterioration of the turmoil in Syria.
The breakthrough in Palestinian involvement in Syria's revolution came in the aftermath of the Traymseh Massacre, when  mass demonstrations erupted in the Yarmouk and Tadamon refugee camps in Damascus on 13-14 July.
Palestinian demonstrations in the Yarmouk Camp in Damascus (Source)
But long before the Palestinians actually entered the fray on the ground, their support of the revolution was already being voiced. Palestinian activist Budour Hassan writes about the “Syrian Uprising Through Palestinian Eyes“:
Palestinians chanted “Yallah Irhal Ya Bashar” [Bashar, leave!] in Nazareth, Haifa, Jaffa, Baqa, Jerusalem, Bil’in and Nabi Saleh. Many of us will continue to do so since it’s our duty to stand on the side of those who sing for freedom, dance, and even make jokes through the horror visited by bullets and mortar shells. A victory for the brave Syrian people over Assad’s tyranny will be a triumph for every oppressed community in the world.
But other Palestinian writers have been less than pleased with the course taken by Syria's revolution and have seen it as a failure at best. Prominent Palestinian academic Joseph Massad writes:
Those who see the Syrian popular struggle for democracy as having already been hijacked by these imperial and pro-imperial forces inside and outside Syria understand that a continuation of the revolt will only bring about one outcome, and it is not a democratic one – namely, a US-imposed pliant and repressive regime à la Iraq and Libya. If this is what the Syrian demonstrators are struggling for, then they should continue their uprising; if this is not their goal, then they must face up to the very difficult conclusion that they have been effectively defeated, not by the horrifying repression of their own dictatorial regime which they have valiantly resisted, but rather by the international forces that are as committed as the Syrian regime itself to deny Syrians the democracy they so deserve.
While these debates rage between the Palestinians themselves, they will necessarily be influenced by the latest developments on the ground. Syria-Palestinians choice to enter the fray on the side of the revolution will yet again change the nature of Syria's relationship with the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people.
This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011/12.

author: Yazan Badran


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Arab World: Detect Dialect Search Tool for Twitter · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

On Twitter, @Detect_Dialect is pushing for Detect Dialect – a dialect-specific search tool for Arabic content on Twitter. In addition to Classic Arabic, Arabs speak their local dialects, which sometimes differ even between neighbouring villages. This new tool claims to detect the dialects of Gulf, Iraqi, Levant, Egyptian and Maghreb Arabs.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Bahrain: Making of a Century · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mideast Youth has launched an iPad-exclusive application that showcases revolutionary leaders and movements in the past 100 years and allows people to learn about how these revolutionaries and leaders are connected to each other. Check Making of a Century out here.


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Brazil: Video of Tribute to Murdered Forest Heroes · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

Watch the footage [en/pt] of Laísa Sampaio's speech at the UN on February, as she received a posthumous tribute to her sister Maria do Espírito Santo and brother-in-law José Cláudio, closing the International Year of Forests. Because of their efforts to protect the forest, they were killed. Laísa says “the Amazon is stained in blood” and demanded policies to support sustainable livelihoods.


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Bulgaria: “When You Sack the Person of the Year…” · Global Voices
Rayna St.

In the summer heat, when Bulgarians are joking that not having air-conditioning on public transportation is genocide, in between earthquakes and the end of university exams, a huge scandal burst on July 12 when the Supreme Judicial Council dismissed Judge Miroslava Todorova [bg], the head of the biggest and most powerful magistrate union, the Union of the Judges, and a harsh critic of the Supreme Judicial Council.
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC, Висш съдебен съвет) found Judge Todorova guilty of delayed reaction: the 20-page document justifying her dismissal alleged significant delays in prosecution in three distinct trials. She, however, is not the only judge to delay motives: one of the SJC's members has done so in 43 distinct trials without undergoing any punishment.
Over the past months, the Union of the Judges (Съюз на съдиите) has been developing sustained criticism against the SJC: last year, for example, it called [bg] all members of the SJC to leave in order to solve the unprecedented crisis in confidence that Bulgarians vow to their judiciary. During her speech after being awarded [bg] the “Person of the Year” prize, Judge Todorova also made it clear the SJC threatened the integrity of the whole judicial system.
After the announcement of Judge Todorova's dismissal, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, a human rights watchdog and organizer of the “Person of the Year” competition, issued a press release [bg] condemning what it refers to as “a state behaving as a mafia punishment team.” A wide range of mainstream and independent news outlets have echoed [bg] the opinion that Judge Todorova's dismissal is entirely political [bg].
The reactions following the news of Judge Todorova's dismissal were of furor and outrage. On her blog “Печатни грешки” (“Typos”), Polina Paunova wrote a post [bg] titled “When you sack the Person of the Year…”:
Когато уволниш Човека на годината казваш, че искаш само свои хора. Когато уволниш Човека на годината всичките ти клетви в демократичност са само вкисналата гарнитура към милиционерската подметка, която сервираш като основно ястие в празната чиния на малоумния народ.
[…]
Когато уволниш Човека на годината уволняваш човека. Това е.
More or less at the same time and entitled nearly the same way, blogger Ivan Bedrov — who was also a member of the jury that requited judge Todorova — wrote [bg]:
А иначе Мирослава Тодорова била уволнена, защото забавила написването на мотивите по едно дело и заради това то било прекратено. Ако има нарушения, те трябва да бъдат санкционирани според правилата –- справедливо и по еднакъв начин за всички. Не сте чули обаче други съдии или прокурори да са уволнени с подобни мотиви. Не сте чули да има уволнения и за връзки с мафията, и за съмнителни сделки, и за необяснимо богатство. Няма и да има. За разлика от уличните мутри, мутрите с имунитет отстраняват противниците си процедурно.
In her post “Something just happened…”, Antoaneta Tsoneva writes [bg] about the implications such a disciplinary measure against a magistrate has on the political scene:
Правителството си направи самоатентат. […]
Властта атакува фронтално демократичните принципи вече три години и няма как да произведе правов ред – произвежда произвол и диктатура. […]
Ако политическите сили не осъзнават, че участват в заговор срещу гражданите, значи стават предатели на интереса на гражданите.
A Facebook group [bg] calling for a protest on Friday, July 13, kicked off immediately. The mobilization reached unprecedented proportions when the majority of the judges in the capital city of Sofia postponed their trials for July 13 to join the protest against Judge Todorova's dismissal. Alongside with the protest, many unions and NGOs oppose [bg] the Council's arbitrary decision.
In a statement [bg], the Union of the Lawyers in Sofia not only condemned the SJC's action but also reminded how much it goes against the Council's fundamentals:
Висшият съдебен съвет е призван да създава условия за проява на професионализма, безпристрастието и необременената правна мисъл на българския съдия. Наместо това с акта на налагането на най-тежкото наказание – уволнение към съдия Мирослава Тодорова, дръзнала да споделя и да се бори за своята независимост – ВСС не само създава предпоставки за никому непомагащите хаос и безпринципност в системата, но и предава – за пореден път – доверието на обществото, което му е възложило мисията да създава условия за предотвратяване на подобни нарушения, а не да налага показни наказания на работещите и мислещи хора от съдебната система.
Such a surprisingly strong backlash didn't leave the government silent. The Prime Minister Boyko Borisov declared Judge Todorova's firing is “a provocation against the huge effort we put into improving the image of Bulgaria” before the European Commission report on Bulgaria's progress in the independence of judiciary comes out. In an attempt to clear the government from involvement in the case, the Minister of the Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov stated that he had never had any personal conflict with Judge Todorova. This is a blatant lie [bg], though: a few months ago, Minister Tsvetanov claimed that Todorova served the mafia, which led her to sue him for defamation.
Themis gets kicked out of the courthouse. Cartoon by Trayko Popov (http://trayko.eu/), published in various news outlets and on the Facebook group Occupy Bulgaria.
The scandal continued with the reaction of the the Minister of Justice Diana Kovatcheva. She is a non-voting member of the Supreme Judicial Council and reacted positively to Judge Todorova's dismissal. The general uproar seems to have made her change her mind. In a 180°-degree toss, Minister Kovatcheva declared [bg] that the SJC had to review its decision.
Such a declaration didn't improve the situation: the Minister was presiding the Council's meeting where the disciplinary measure against Judge Todorova was taken. Interestingly, the Minister's turnaround was announced live during an interview with Judge Todorova, who responded by expressing her disturbance that the Minister, a representative of the executive power, was trying to make the SJC change a sovereignly adopted decision.
This weekend, finally, witnessed [bg] the last (for now) imbroglio. On Saturday, July 14, the SJC issued a press release announcing its agreement to review its decision (as asked by the judges during their protest) during its plenary session next week. The announcement was removed on Saturday evening. In a sudden justicentric zeal, the Minister of Justice said on Sunday morning on National Radio that she would call an extraordinary session of the SJC on Monday morning to discuss the rules of imposing disciplinary measures in cases similar to Judge Todorova's. This announcement had a different sound [bg] for the independent outlet “Legal World”: “the Minister is organizing a public prosecution for Judge Todorova […] without an opponent since the format is a Council's meeting.”
In a letter [bg, .doc] to the Minister of Justice, judge Todorova wrote that the debate about disciplinary measures to be taken by the SJC cannot be initiated by a member of the executive power since it is in striking contrast with the very legal basis of the country. Judge Todorova announced she would file a complaint against the Council's decision against her, qualifying it as the “unlawful, issued in material breach of the administrative rules in a process of misuse of the authority, and contrary to the intent of the law”.

author: Rayna St.


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China: Rage over Chengguan Again · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Another bloody conflict involving Chengguan has spread around in Weibo last week. This time a woman peddler was hit by a glass bottle by the city management officers at Fuzhou city. To show their support, netizens fought with the web-censor to get the message out. Tea Leave nation has the full story.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Croatia: 2.8 Million “Inappropriate” Books “Purged” During the 1990s · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

In “Libricide,” Ante Lešaja has documented the process of “purging” of “unsuitable” books from Croatian schools and public libraries by the right-wing HDZ government in the 1990s. According to a Jutarnji List interview [hr] with Lešaja, the “purging” was based on ideological and ethnic criteria and affected books “written in Cyrillic [script], [Ekavian dialect], books by Serbian authors and publishers, by ‘suspicious’ Croats, by leftists…” As a result, 2.8 million books (13% of all the library material) and 3,000 monuments of the anti-fascist struggle were obliterated. Comments on the link by Macedonian Facebook users suggest that similar processes are taking place in other ex-Yugoslav states, with janitors throwing “obsolete” books into trash.

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Egypt: The Big Pharaoh Grabs His Popcorn · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Elections 2011/12.
During the recent presidential elections many Egyptians were not really pleased with the options they had in the final round; some decided to boycott the elections and many others voted for one of the two candidates out of fear of the other.
Now Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, has become president, and though Ahmed Shafiq, who was backed by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) lost the elections, the military is still holding a lot of the cards in their hands.
This has resulted in what the Big Pharaoh blog has called “The Clash Of The Thugs“, a struggle between SCAF and the Brotherhood over who will have the upper hand in Egypt.
@NPSusa: SCAF & MB, 2 autocratic organizations are in battle, “each side trying to frame the debate as a contest for ideals, legitimacy and democracy”.
Meanwhile, judiciary authority is the weapon the two opponents are now fighting each other with:
@ZaouguiChams: Egyptian politics are not a 2 party game (MB vs Scaf): the judiciary plays a vital part in Post-Mubarak Egypt.
@Cairo67Unedited: Situation best described as ‘Warm’ war between #SCAF #HCC on 1 hand and #Mursi #MB on other.
And the question being asked now by a lot of Egyptians, “Shall We Take Sides?”
The Pharaoh answered:
While some revolutionaries chose to side with the elected MB against SCAF, I made up my mind to grab the pop corn and watch the dogfight. As far as I am concerned, SCAF and the MB are exactly like two thugs fighting each other and the revolution is caught in the middle. Neither thug gives a hoot about the revolution. Why would I support a side while I know beyond a shadow of doubt that the winner will evetually turn against me.
But he also added what revolutionaries should do besides watching the unfolding power struggle:
Egypt needs an alternative to the MB and the army generals. There must be a third option provided to the people in the upcoming elections. If that third option did not arise, we’ll remain enslaved to the outcome of the MB and SCAF dogfight.
This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Elections 2011/12.

author: Tarek Amr


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Hong Kong: Former SCMP Journalists’ Open Letter to the Paper’s CEO · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

23 former South China Morning Post journalists and editors issued an open letter to the paper’s group executive director, Hui Kuok, expressing their concern that critical coverage of China is being abandoned in order to please the Communist authorities in Beijing. (via Asia Sentinel)


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Iran: Is the State Afraid of a 13-Year Old Girl? · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Banning people from traveling abroad has been an old practice used by the Iranian state to raise pressure on political and civil society activists for years. However, a security court created a stir recently by banning foreign travel for jailed human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband and their 13-year-old daughter, Mehraveh Khandan. Nasrin Stoudeh has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Ensiloos writes [fa]:
Mehraveh's father says in his Facebook that even if his daughter, Mehraveh, had committed a crime, she should have been summoned to a court for minors, not to Evin [prison].
Haghemoslamema says [fa]:
We should activate a “campaign for innocent children” to let the whole world know about the Islamic regime [Iranian regime].The blogger asks with irony what is Mehraveh's crime: Being Nasrin Stoudeh's daughter, being a 13-year old kid, loving her parents, taking care of her younger brother… in reality only Ali Khamenei knows what crime this girl committed… we should not give up on Mehraveh's case, if not, all political prisoners’ will be sent to Evin prison.
The blogger also published a photo of Mehraveh with her brother:
Mehraveh Khandan and her brother. Image from haghmosalamma.blogspot.ca.
GreenCity wrote [fa] only on July 8, 2012, that the Head of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights, Javad Larijani, publicly denied the existence of political prisoners in Iran. Today, Monday 16 July, Mehraveh's case came to light.
Jomhouriat writes [fa], “my country is proud of this innocent girl whose travel ban shows the [Iranian] Islamic Republic is collapsing.”
It is not the first time Nasrin's children have highlighted the pain of political prisoners’ families. About a month ago, Iranian social networking site users shared the following video footage of Nasrin Sotoudeh trying to play with her four year old son through a window in a prison visit.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: Who Can Catch a Chicken? · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

The hot topic in Iranian media nowadays is not Israel or the US. It is chicken. Chicken and its soaring price.
The price of chicken has jumped  by more than 80 per cent in the last few months and it seems chicken prices will continue to soar out of people's reach. Shoppers have had to dish out 70,000 rials (US $5.60) for a kilogram of chicken, around three times last year's price.
Against a backdrop of lengthening food queues, Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, the head of Iran's law enforcement forces, has warned that films depicting scenes of chicken dinners could provoke the underprivileged classes to attack the rich.
Mana Neyestani, Mardomak
As a reaction to Ahmadi-Moghaddam's words,Mana Neyestani, a leading Iranian cartoonist,  published a cartoon on “chicken story” (above). She writes:
“How many times have I told you not to watch a film with chicken in it.”
People have to wait for hours in long queues to get a chicken. Here is a video, from YouTube, claiming a rush to get chicken:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zXcTsg8tvvs
Iran Azad has also published the photos of Iranian crowds in front of shops to buy chicken. The blogger says this way of distributing chicken to people who have waited for hours in long queues is a way to humiliate Iranian people.
Osta Morad writes
I went to buy a chicken on Thursday. I was asked by seller to register my name to get it on Saturday. I was told come early because it will be gone fast.