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Morocco: Stop Internet Censorship! · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

In March of 2006, Livejournal, the popular blogging site, was blocked by the state-controlled telecommunications provider Maroc Telecom (a subsidiary of Vivendi International), depriving Moroccan citizens of access to the roughly 2 million blogs the service hosts. On May 25, 2007, Maroc Telecom blocked access to YouTube for few days. It has been speculated for some time that the ban followed the broadcasting of videos critical of the country's king and in favour of Western Sahara. A spokesman for Maroc Telecom, however, blamed the blocking on a glitch, though he couldn’t explain why it affected only this popular video-sharing website. In August 2006, Google Earth was added to the list of major websites being blocked. And as expected, Maroc Telecom didn’t give any justification for this instance of censorship.
Moroccan Internet users launched several online petitions and other initiatives to protest this violation of their right to free access to information. I spoke with professor and researcher Mohamed Drissi Bakhkhat, the leading Moroccan blogger who is running MoTIC blog and EcoMaroc. Mohamed is doing an amazing job of documenting the Internet filtering situation in Morocco and raising awareness about the Moroccan Media and the impact of new information and communication technologies (NTIC).
: Mohamed, how do you explain the censorship that is targeting top websites such as like Google Earth, Google Maps, Youtube and Livejournal?
Mohamed : Your guess would be as good as mine… Unlike what is happening under the worst authoritarian regimes, where Internet censorship is most of the time official and censored content is generally publicly known, Internet censorship in Morocco is meant to be hidden. This clearly serves one main purpose, that of allowing this censorship to be arbitrary and to remain at the discretion of the Makhzen. Otherwise, banning any website or service would have to be justified and follow a judicial procedure. Websites would not be blocked for absurd reasons as it is the case today. The Makhzen tries to avoid being held accountable for these decisions. It has its own laws that have nothing to do Moroccan law.
As you said, the blocking of Live Journal in Morocco dates back to early 2006. It is one of the main and first blocking decisions taken in the ADSL era. Live Journal is surely not banned because of its innocuous blogging feature. Its combination with other social networking features is probably what embarrasses more the Makhzen, or, should I say, embarrassed. I am sure that this decision is outdated. With the current development of social networking services, Morocco can not afford to block them all. I think that Live Journal's ban has not been lifted because nobody questions the Makhzen‘s decisions, particularly when these seem to be motivated by the defense of Morocco's interests, since Live Journal hosts some separatists blogs. No one can tell if this is really what motivated the ban, or if the Makhzen targeted social networking. As for Google Earth, I am almost certain that its ban in Morocco is not a security issue. Again, it is the community feature of Google Earth that is clearly being targeted. Google Earth's satellite images remain easily accessible to anyone who wants to get them. But Google Earth community can be used to easily and efficiently share or coordinate information, for example, about some places that are meant to remain secret. The Makhzen is apparently playing «hide and (don't) seek». And finally, nothing indicates that YouTube's four-day ban was the Makhzen‘s decision. That is why Maroc Telecom backed down so quickly. Interestingly, Youtube‘s IPs remained unblocked during that period. Someone in Maroc Telecom just messed up with DNS servers for an unknown reason. It might well be a personal reason. It becomes a possibility when censorship is arbitrary and when it violates the law. Officially, no one recognizes Net censorship in Morocco!
Sami: The ONI report on Morocco concluded that “relative to the region, Moroccan Internet access is relatively free”. However, compared with other North African countries like Tunisia and Libya where the censors are targeting the websites of political opposition groups, anti-government news and views, Morocco seems to be more interested in blocking access to major websites. How would you describe that? And how do you assess the general filtering and censorship situation in your country? : The least one can say is that Morocco's Internet censorship decisions are awkward. They are spectacular and target viciously some great services that are not banned in the worst Internet black holes! Besides Morocco, how many countries block access to Google Earth or Google Maps? This is indescribable and a shame for a country that is claiming to be implementing democratic reforms.
This being said, Internet censorship in Morocco seems to be nonetheless generally lighter than that in Tunisia because of the rather big difference in political freedom or when one compares freedom of speech situations in the two countries. I do not hear or read a lot about Net censorship in Libya or Algeria, probably because Internet access (mainly broadband) penetration rates there are lower.
Sami: What was the reaction of the Moroccan Internet users in general and the blogosphere in particular vis-à-vis the censorship? Is there any kind of cyberactivism providing circumvention tools to the Internet users?
: Moroccan Internet users or bloggers are mainly and clearly against Net censorship, if we judge by the number of posts and comments. MoTIC access stats showed that the number of visitors nearly doubled in the wake of the news about YouTube's ban in late May 2007. This demonstrates that Moroccans care a lot about censorship. They reacted very quickly and started discussing ways to heighten the pressure on Maroc Telecom and on the Moroccan government, or whoever is behind these decisions. Many looked to be convinced that previous censorship decisions were, or at least looked to be, security related. This was obviously not the case for YouTube. That was what triggered the reaction of Internet users and most of the bloggers, even those who were rather lenient toward other unjustifiable censorship decisions. YouTube's ban generated a large wave of protests against Net censorship in Morocco, not only that of YouTube, but also that of Google Earth, Live Journal, and other sites. Some bloggers provided some easy ways to bypass censorship. Given the current situation, I personally prefer denouncing censorship and showing that it can easily be bypassed. I let Internet users look for ways to achieve that.
We are just at the beginning. The best is yet to come for cyberactivism in Morocco, when Internet will be more widespread and people more aware of what is really being censored and for what reasons.
Sami: On the MoTIC blog you document the Internet filtering situation in the country, raising awareness of its consequences on the development of Morocco among Internet users. Does the information disseminated on your blog and elsewhere somehow help in attracting the attention of mainstream and/or citizen media inside and outside the country?
Mohamed: Absolutely. The discussions and the coordination of the actions on MoTIC, maghrebism.com, and other blogs resulted in the creation of petitions, two of them continue to raise awareness and get new signatures almost every day since five months now.
The unprecedented reaction throughout the Moroccan blogosphere inspired many articles in almost all of the Moroccan independent press: Al Massae, Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, Al Ayyam, Le Journal Hebdo (see also here ), Telquel… to name a few. Many of MoTIC's posts inspired articles by Al Massae or Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, the two most popular Moroccan newspapers.
AMDH (Association Marocaine des Droits de l'Homme) wrote officially to Maroc Telecom asking for clarifications about YouTube's inaccessibility for its subscribers. magharebia.com, the US European Command portal, wrote about YouTube's ban.
Internationally, the mobilization against Net censorship in Morocco was covered in Associated Press newswires that were published in the most famous and prestigious US and British newspapers or media (The Washington Post, The New York Times, USAToday, CBS News, BusinessWeek, Forbes, The International Herald Tribune, …). There were also articles by The Guardian, The Times (London, England), and the BBC. John Oates of The Register wrote about YoutTube's ban in Morocco. Ogle Earth, one of the most popular blogs about Google Earth also wrote about Google Earth's ban in Morocco, once citing MoTIC.
For mysterious reasons, the French press remained and remains almost unanimously silent when it comes to Net censorship in Morocco, except for Marianne and Le Petit Journal. Maroc Telecom, the first actor of this censorship, is controlled by French media group Vivendi. Draw your own conclusions… Merci la France!
I would like to recognize here the great role played by Global Voices Online in helping us make this censorship known worldwide. Jillian York posted several times about Net censorship in Morocco which helped a lot in publicizing internationally this censorship and how Moroccan bloggers and Internet users are denouncing it.
Sami: Are you collaborating with other cyber activists and blogger from neighboring countries facing similar situations?
Mohamed: I do sometimes contact privately other bloggers, but collaboration is generally achieved publicly through blog posting and commenting. I would certainly encourage any collaboration with bloggers from other Arab countries. Our governments are not able to achieve strong Maghreb and Arab relations. I see no reason why this would not be possible to achieve among bloggers, who generally are open minded and willing to collaborate.
Sami: We've seen three (and maybe more) different petitions contesting the online censorship in Morocco (censureinternetaumaroc.com, stop-censure.org and petitiononline.com/morocco). Why the apparent lack of collaboration among those different initiatives?
: We are talking about events that took place in just four days and without prior notice! YouTube's ban began a Friday afternoon, a viciously chosen timing that is generally privileged by the Moroccan administration when it wants to take actions that are meant to take effect silently. But this did not work with such a popular site. The news about the ban spread very rapidly the same afternoon. Some popular bloggers started a strike the next day. Take a look at this post and the subsequent ones to have an idea of the scope of the reactions to YouTube's ban.
As for the petitions, there was a lack of collaboration at the beginning. www.petitiononline.com/morocco was specifically against YouTube's ban. It was Youssef's (maghrebism.com) initiative. The other two petitions are against Net censorship in general and are spontaneous initiatives by MoTIC readers who coordinated their actions through comments posted on the blog. I gave them some advice and let them do all the work by themselves.
Sami: Have any bloggers or online writers in Morocco been jailed for their online activities? Are you witnessing a crackdown on online freedom of speech?
Mohamed: None that I am aware of. Compared with most Arab, African or Asian countries, we do have a great deal of free speech in Morocco, online and offline (despite some paper press cases). Bloggers probably enjoy free speech even more than paper press who generally censors itself.
There might be blogs or websites against the Moroccan regime that are censored for political reasons. I do not have a list of them, but there were reports in the press about continuous and dynamic blocking of separatist or extremist sites.
I won't use the word “crackdown”, but we did notice since 2006 an important increase in the number of blocked websites and in the scope of Net censorship. Since 2006, Morocco started censoring important websites or services: Live Journal (since March 2006), Google Earth (since August 2006), Google Maps (since Summer 2007), and YouTube (May 25-29, 2007). Anonymization or DNS services like anonymizer.com, Multiproxy, and OpenDNS are also blocked. The question now is: what's next?: Let's talk a little bit about Morocco's new hero, “Targuist Sniper“, who is using his video camera to shoot images of the daily corruption in the country, filming police officers, one after another, accepting baksheesh from drivers? What more can you tell us about this new phenomenon and what is the impact of such cyberactivism on the battle against corruption in the country?
Mohamed: It is sad to realize that it is probably a short-lived phenomenon. Moroccan police (Gendarmerie royale) conducted what the media described as a brutal search for the people behind Targuist Sniper videos. Four young Moroccans will appear in court as witnesses in the trials of the corrupt police officers. But they might well face charges of humiliation of the police institution because of the bad publicity it got from these videos. Nonsense! What is certain is that those truly responsible for the corruption will never have to worry about any consequences. Therefore, I don't really think that Youtube snipers can significantly help in curbing corruption.

author: sami ben gharbia


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Nepal: On Democracy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Bahas on the issue of morale in Democracy.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Pakistan: Weeping for the Fatherland · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A moving post at Truth Spring on the lives that are lost in Pakistan as violence strikes frequently.


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Peru: Continuing Investigation into Allegations Against Toledo · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

El Blog de Morsa [ES] is not sure who to believe in regards to the ongoing investigation into allegations that former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo raped  a young woman.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Peru: Help for a Sick Nephew · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Tan sólo unas burbujas [ES] asks blog readers for help and asks for doctor recommendations to help her very sick nephew in Lima, Peru.


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Philippines: Bribery scandal  · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo surprised everybody when she pardoned her predecessor Joseph Estrada who was sentenced to life imprisonment for plunder charges. Senator Antonio Trillanes insists the deadly explosion in a shopping mall last week was meant to create a diversionary tactic in favor of the administration.
Why the haste in granting pardon for Estrada? If government is really behind the explosion in a mall, why create such widespread panic or terror? Political analysts believe the government is desperately trying to cover-up an alleged bribery incident which happened inside the Malacañang presidential palace last October 11.
Some local politicians confessed that they received a bagful of cash after attending a meeting at the palace where they also met the president. More than 200 lawmakers and provincial governors were present in the meeting.
After this revelation, allies of the president said the money was cash gifts from the government to finance community projects. Some said it was part of the regular allowance received by members of Congress. But many believed the “cash gifts” were in fact bribe money to retain the loyalty of local politicians to President Arroyo who is facing another impeachment case.
Other local officials denied that money was distributed in the palace. Blog @ AWBHoldings.com uploaded the paid advertisement of governors published in major newspapers:
“We reiterate what our officers have said when news about this Malacañang incident first broke out last week: we did not, as a whole, receive cash gifts from any Palace functionary during or after that Oct. 11 meeting, let alone get any instruction from anybody to oppose a third attempt in the House of Representatives to impeach President Arroyo.”
A day after this advertisement was published, the League of Provinces admitted that they indeed gave out money to neophyte governors as part of the capacity building program of the group. Some of the governors reacted negatively to this confession and wondered why they did not receive money.
Blog @ AWBHoldings.com is asking why it took the group two weeks to admit that they were behind the distribution of money in the Palace.
The Palawan Report believes the governor who heads the League of Provinces is “taking a calculated risk that could land him in the list of the most ignominious local leaders under the present administration.”
Carlos Conde reports that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered an investigation of the incident. Tinig uploads the signed manifesto of multisectoral groups noting “that corruption is endemic in the transactional politics being practiced by many of the country’s public officials.” They also have an advice to the president:
“If President Arroyo wants public perception to turn positive, she should appoint an Independent Commission composed of people whose reputation for integrity and independence are unquestioned, to ascertain where the money actually came from, and why such a thing can occur.”
On my way home is supporting the priest-turned governor who first disclosed that he received money inside the palace. Tongue in, anew writes that if he was the governor, he would not return the money since the government can use it to buy another “willing official.”
Bikoy is incensed over the bribe incident:
“The controversy over the millions of pesos Malacanang apparently doled out to hundreds of local executives and congressmen is sickening. How brazen can they get? While our government’s social services sector is suffering from insufficient budget allocations, here are the powers-that-be doling out millions of pesos as Christmas gifts. And they dare admit it to be a normal course of habit?”
Ka-Blog shares the same sentiments:
“The people in government must think we are a nation of fools. For one, we have our governors telling us the money-giving event in Malacañang wasn’t a massive bribery event.  It does not matter that they put the monies in paper bags, led the ‘beneficiaries’ in empty rooms to hand over the ‘gifts’, did not ask for vouchers, and initially denied the monies came from the League of Governors only to swallow their spit 10 days later.”
Manila Bay Watch reacts to the issue:
“I don't want to categorically accuse Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of trying to bribe some neophyte or non-neophyte governors in an attempt to get their support in the looming crisis facing her both in the Lower House and in the Upper Chamber involving herself, her cabinet officials, her husband, her dog and her cat or whatever. However, I do find it odd that Mrs Arroyo should continue to deny that she knew what was going on under her very own roof when bags of cash were being distributed like bags of candies.”
Out of my mind blames the prevailing political patronage in the country:
“It appears now that the cash bonanza that happened last week was not unusual after all. At least not when our legislators and local executives are concerned. A number of our congressmen and even some Cabinet secretaries practically admitted that the practice of distributing cash gifts has been going on for quite sometime now.”
Nightshift has similar thoughts:
“But you cannot blame these officials for taking money. They may defend that since its the people’s money, then they should be used for public projects. The question of course is, will they really be used for projects. Or will the money just stay in the politician’s pockets? Will they give the money to the birthday celebrator who happens to be one of their village leaders? If their constituents keep on asking money from the politicians, we cannot blame these crocs if they accept grace coming from the heaven.”
Bodega ni Adarna writes that “this government is clearly being run by an administration of bribes, betrayal and blatant corruption.” Gifts from heaven points to the “sorry state of Philippine politics.”
The Chair Wrecker compares corruption then and now:
“Forty years ago, corruption was largely regarded as evil, ugly and disgraceful. But today, bribes are openly given out. Bribe givers do not show any sign of remorse or shame when they are exposed. Those who receive the bribes are of course happy and grateful enough to want to repay the favor in any which way. Meantime, Philippine society thrives as though these shenanigans were a fact of everyday life.”
Cenpeg on how the money could have been used for other productive purposes:
“Yet the money that is lost to graft and corruption would have sent millions of poor children to school or increased the wages of government employees, including rank-and-file military and police forces. The funds squandered because an allegedly plunderous president must stay in office could have saved the lives of millions of sick people who have never seen any doctor in their entire lives.”
Lonely dreamboy’s space 2k7 explains why the president should resign now:
“This administration’s wrongdoings just continue to pile up and have reached a tipping point. People can no longer tolerate it. To insist on ruling the people is futile since the mistrust is irreparable. People are now convinced the present administration is beyond reform and have nothing much to offer except more scandals and controversies. Resignation. The best thing to do it is now.”
Tony Abaya wants the Intelligence Fund of the President to be abolished:
“The office of the Philippine president is probably the most corrupting and corruptible political position in this part of the world. When an utterly immoral and manipulative person occupies that position, even the angels in Heaven and the demons in Hell can be bought. The Intelligence Fund of the President should be abolished from the National Budget. Now!”
Only in the Philippines expects that within a couple of weeks, public attention will again be diverted by other scandals. Virtual Insanity notes that “issues like this become the talk of the town today and it spreads through tongues like wildfire, but the next thing you know, it has long died out naturally, without even a single firefighter’s effort.”
Bunsuran Caravan writes that “a crime of monumental proportion has been committed inside the very bowels of what is supposed to be a bastion of the fight against crime.”
Related articles: Philippine president convicted of plunder, Corruption scandal involving the president, Interesting Philippine election results.

author: Mong Palatino


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Poland: Islamic Cultural Center in Krakow? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes about plans to build an Islamic cultural center in Krakow.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Poland: Roman Giertych’s Out of Politics · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot is wondering who he is going to “write about for the next two years,” now that Roman Giertych has been forced out of politics, along with his party, the League of Polish Families, which “got a miserable 1.3 percent in Sunday’s election.”


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Russia: Artists for Khodorkovsky, Against Putin · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Robert Amsterdam reports on a classical music concert in Paris in support of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and other political prisoners, and on the anti-Putin part of the Russian community of “cultural figures.”


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Russia: Campaign Singing · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Elections in Russia reports on the singing dimension of this year's campaign.


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Russia: Litvinenko With MI6? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog writes on the newly revealed “spy vs. spy” dimension of the Aleksandr Litvinenko case.


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Russia, Ukraine: Corrupt Traffic Police · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Mark MacKinnon writes about a recent encounter with corrupt traffic cops in Moscow and links to a New York Times story on one man's attempt to stand up to the law enforcement's unlawful behavior. English Russia reposts a Ukrainian blogger's cell phone pictures of how Ukrainian drivers “express their disagreement with road police.”


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Singapore: 377A Debate · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Kevin Lim takes a look at the online debate in Singapore on keeping or repealing a law that makes homosexual sex an offence.

author: Preetam Rai


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: How Do I Love Thee?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Abeni lists 28 reasons to love St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Touring Libyan Blogs: October 26 -The Black Day and the Security Council · Global Voices
Fozia Mohamed

The Eid and  its aftermath are over and the Libyan blogs are picking up speed again.
Several bloggers brought up  the  “Day of Mourning” or ‘black day’ as we call it in Libya. October 26 commemorates the day when a large number of Libyans were collectively deported to Italian islands to punish them for fighting for their freedom against colonialist forces.
Gheriani reminds us that “Grazziani, the Italian well-known General of the time, said that he had only three options for Libyans not accepting Rome’s supremacy, and these are; the gallows, the concentration camps or the boat for the islands. Thousands were deported and most of them perished away from home in a hostile land, the remainders who came back bore scars of sufferance for the rest of their lives.[sic]”
Happymoi notes a message she received from the US Embassy in Libya stating that ” In commemoration of the Libyan Day of Mourning, the Goverment of Libya has decreed that on Friday, October 26, internet and international phone calls will be cut off nationwide form 6am to 6pm. All Libyan Airline flights are cancelled,although other international airline travel may be permitted. International and national ground and marine travel operated by Goverment of Libya-owned companies are also cancelled”.
Tarek Siala posted the  LTT annoucement in this regard:”Dear Clients,
As on 26 of October of each year a day of grief for the Libyans […]
we inform you that the Internet service will be suspended on Friday, 26 October, starting from 6:00am until 06:00pm. ”
Khadijateri further explains that if “it's a school day the children are asked to wear black. Usually the Libyan television channel is switched from colour to black and white.”
On the other hand we must thank Anglo Libyan for letting us know about the good news that Ghazi has been nominated for the best of blogs award.
I will leave the concluding remark to  Benghazi Citizen who was one of the few who noticed  that Libya has won a seat at the UN Security Council recently. He says “times change, and the enemies of yesterday are the (Council Buddies) today.”

author: Fozia Mohamed


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Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados: Song for Burma · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Bajan Reporter discovers a wonderful new song recorded by Trinidad and Tobago calypsonian David Rudder in support of the people of Burma.


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Turkey: An Armenian in Istanbul · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Despite warnings from fellow Armenians, Lara Aha at Life in Armenia visited Istanbul in Turkey last week to attend a seminar on women in conflict zones. The Diasporan blogger now resident in Armenia says not only did she feel more at home in Istanbul than Yerevan, but that she also spent a night to remember dancing alongside Turks, Kurds, Georgians, Greeks, Azerbaijanis and others at a popular local club.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Afghanistan: NATO Leases Out? · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Afghanistan Watch reports on the NAYO decision to lease cargo helicopters (perhaps, from Russia and Ukraine) because members of the alliance again refused to provide airlift out of their own military assets.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Algeria: There’s Water Everywhere · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Read Algerian blogger Nouri‘s post to learn why his father's friend told him: “There's water everywhere, but not a drop to drink!”

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Armenia: Homophobic Advert · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogian posts a photograph of an advertisement for a rap party in Yerevan named after a historical Armenian site in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhichevan. Hrag Vartanian says that the advert depicting an American girl in a Stars & Stripes bikini with the words “Homosexuals and Animals Not Welcome” would be funny if it weren't so disturbing and hateful. Unzipped: Gay Armenia recounts various online discussions about how to respond to such open displays of homophobia in Armenia. However, the blogger notes, there is no legislation to prohibit such discrimination.


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Armenia: Trade with Russia · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Oneworld Multimedia looks at two conflicting opinions on trade between Armenia and Russia. On the one hand, the Jamestown Foundation says that increasing trade between the two countries is political whereas an Armenian economist blogger believes that it is far from its full potential and cites the example of neighboring countries to back up his claims.


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Azerbaijan: Economic Growth · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Steady State examines Azerbaijan's record growth and says that it looks as though the country will register the strongest economic growth worldwide for the fourth year in succession. However, a note of caution is also sounded. Economic growth recorded in just a few sectors also has its problems.


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Azerbaijan: Presidential Preferences · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

TOL's Steady State reports that a possible candidate for the 2008 presidential election in Azerbaijan is accusing the current authorities of “selling out” territory currently under the control of ethnic Armenians. The blog also notes that Eldar Namazov has attacked the Azerbaijani government for apparently not favoring the nomination of Levon Ter Petrosian in neighboring Armenia for the presidential election also to be held there early next year. Under a Ter Petrosian presidency, Namazov and Steady State argue, a concessionary peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan which benefits the latter is more likely.


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Azerbaijan: Terrorist Attack Foiled · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

As the international media reports that the Azerbaijani authorities foiled a planned terrorist plot to attack government offices and diplomatic missions in Baku, Carpetblogger says that the U.S. and U.K Embassies were yesterday closed as a precaution. However, the blogger doesn't sound too impressed or convinced by official reports that a first lieutenant in the Azerbaijani military has been arrested in connection with the planned terrorist attack.


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Bahamas: That Special Time of Year · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Find out why Rick Lowe at WeblogBahamas.com isn't so much into the Christmas spirit.


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Bahrain: No to Bullfighting · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger emoodz says no to animal cruelty after watching a bull fight in Spain.


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Bahrain: Wanna be Famous? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Wanna be famous? Bash Islam, writes Bahraini blogger Esra'a. Note the comments on this post.


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Barbados, Puerto Rico: Global Warming  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

My Barbados Blog refers to reports from the recent Caribbean Tourism Organization meeting in Puerto Rico to emphasize that the Caribbean would do well to anticipate the effects of global warming.


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Burkina Faso: Blogs Help Burkinabe Skirt Censorship · Global Voices
Ramata Sore

In Burkina Faso, blogging is more than a pastime. It is the eyes and ears of thousands of net users.
That's why from October 11th to the 17th, during the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Thomas Sankara, Burkina Faso's internet connection was cut in order to prevent those commemorating the assassination from making their voices heard.
In a country where there is still so much secrecy, blogs free minds. In a country where censorship reigns and traditional media live in the shadow of power, bloggers are often the only real journalists. They are the only ones who can publish information offensive to the government.
Although blogs have yet to catch on with most Burkinabe, some citizens and journalists are blogging. Some publish news that has already come out in print, radio, or television. Others analyze news and give account of what they have seen and heard.
But they also publish banned articles. The blog becomes a place of controversy, an opportunity to spark debate on how politics is made and unmade in Burkina.
And so a state that deprives its people their right to this form of expression should be considered a dictatorship. An obliging authoritarianism eats away at the country's democratic space. Censorship and self-censorship sap freedom of the press and freedom of expression.
Journalists feel muzzled, but so do the public. They have the impression that things are being hidden from then. The underground press plays an important role, but the blog gives everyone the right to express themselves without fear and a forum for seeing their personal experiences appreciated by others.
Amétépée Koffi, one of those rare Burkinabejournalists to have a blog, hopes that blogging will have a positive impact on mainstream media in Burkina Faso.
“I have the hope I will see my compatriots and public opinion follow the movement. I hope Burkina media will join the debate. They
will have the capability to give new path of analysis, expression and democracy…hopefully be without limits or censorship.
The dissident blogger
Dissident blogger Felix Amétépée Koffi says he created his blog, le10sident two years ago to promote free expression and citizen journalism on the internet.
Most of the posts on le10sident are already published in the paper version of the satirical weekly, Le Journal du Jeudi, where he works. Koffi also puts on his blog stories or critiques written by his colleagues.
Lefaso.net, the portal on Burkina
Lefaso.net is a news portal which publishes articles written by various newspapers in Burkina Faso. Readers can leave comments, and so it is also a space to debate about many subjects.
Lefaso.net has also gained notoriety and the numbers show it. The newsletter has nearly 6,000 subscribers and the site, 2,500 visitors per day mainly from France, Burkina Faso, the United States, and Canada.
Four years after its launch, Lefaso.net has become the main source of information for the diaspora.
A small thing opened on the world
“Welcome to all those who want to share joys and sorrows, hopes, struggles for justice, signs of love: another world is possible!” writes Priest Lacour on his blog.
Lacour has been a missionary in Burkina for 30 years. He created his blog to share his passions: Africa, Christian life, justice and peace, philately and genealogy.
He wrote his first post in April 2006, a letter that he wrote for Nicolas Sarkozy other European interior ministers.
Many of his posts are articles written for the daily Le Pays or abcburkina.
Show Burkina and promote its culture
The web portal monburkina wants to promote the traditional culture of Burkina Faso by creating opportunities for artists, artisans and tourist guides. It is also a forum for the exchange for anyone interested in Burkina Faso. Monburkina has videos on masks and traditional dance, and educational films about AIDS as well as poems and stories.
“News is a right, demand it! ”
“News is a right, demand it! Frederic Ilboudo, a journalist at the weekly L'Opinion, also writes a news blog.

author: Ramata Sore


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China and Hong Kong: External Power’s Video on Olympic · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Moluiology links to a youtube cartoon on China and Olympic. The blogger said (zh): it is pretty clear that the video reflects foreigners’ impression on China. Of course it is a bit exaggerating, but history did happen (footnote: some still deny such history)…

author: Oiwan Lam


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China and Hong Kong: Netizens Criticize Arrogant CCTV Reporter · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A CCTV reporter, Zhou Tao, had the company van scratched in a minor car accident in the Hong Kong airport. He called the police and the investigation took 4 hours. He then wrote a blog post (zh) to criticize Hong Kong police for being slow and ineffective; he claimed that the same case would only take 30mins in Beijing. The post has stirred up great reaction from BBS and blogsphere. Lu Guoping criticized that Zhou is too used to the privileged position in China and in lack of respect for standard procedure in investigation (zh). GZX1975 also said that Zhou was too arrogant and had little understanding about rule of law (zh). Eventually Zhou has deleted two of his posts concerning the incident.


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China: Graffiti Found · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Meckleychina found some graffiti in Shanghai Yangpu district. (via shanghaiist)


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China: Province scraps Hukou system · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Jeremy Goldkorn at Danwei with breaking news of southwestern Yunnan province's plans to abandon the hukou system, implemented in the 1950s, making it the first province in China to do so: “This is significant news. The hukou system is one of the biggest problems migrant workers face in getting urban jobs, urban money, and urban schooling for their children.”

author: John Kennedy


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China: Reconstruction of Yuan Ming Yuan · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Wei yingjie from my1510 opposes the reconstruction of Yuan Ming Yuan, a royal garden built in Ching Dynasty and burned down by French and British colonial army in 1860. The blogger pointed out that the reconstruction of the ruin would kill its historical significance (zh).


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Colombia: Campaign Proposals for Internet Access in Bogota · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Victor Solano asks candidates for mayor in Bogota about their proposals for internet access in the city [ES], and publishes their responses.


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Costa Rica: Arias in China · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Cristian Cambronero of Fusil de Chispas [ES] writes about Costa Rica president Óscar Arias’ welcome during his recent visit to China.


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Cuba: The Power of Imagery  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Child of the Revolution blogs about “a new exhibition…looking at the ‘use and abuse’ of that now-ubiquitous Alberto Korda photograph of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara.”


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Dominica: Dengue Fever  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Living Dominica reports that the incidence of Dengue Fever is still high in certain Caribbean islands.


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Egypt: Darfur Letter to Arab League · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Elijah Zarwan from Egypt posts a letter sent out by a coalition of Arab human rights organisation to the Arab League on Darfur.


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Egypt: Free Women · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt Guy from Egypt posts this video by Egyptian Ahmed Sharif which calls for the freedom of women from religious associations.


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Egypt: Jail for Journalists · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Eleven Egyptian journalists have received jail sentences since September, writes The Skeptic from Egypt.


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Egypt: Roukana Hamour’s Plight · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Zeinobia sheds light on the plight of Syrian blogger Roukana Hamour, who is being harassed by authorities.


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Guatemala: Missing Home  · Global Voices
Renata Avila

Migration either internally or to countries abroad is a usual phenomenon in Guatemala. During the armed conflict and the years of extreme poverty and violence several Guatemalans decided that there was a lack of real opportunities.  As a result many left their homelands  to go to the capital city or to go North to find other ways to survive and improve their quality of life. Indeed, life radically changed for many, when they were forced to leave their homes, their daily lives, and their friends and families.
Diario Meridiano [ES] tells the story of a girl who made the decision to leave home:
Erika Carolina Hernández dejó su poblado, Soloma, en los Altos de Guatemala, para aventurarse llegar a Los Ángeles, pero no lo consiguió. Fue detenida por agentes del Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM), 90 kilómetros de la línea fronteriza de su país. “Esta es la primera vez que salgo. Salí por necesidad porque donde vivo no tengo trabajo”, cuenta la mujer, madre de un niño que dejó a cargo de sus padres… “
Ericka Carolina Hernández left her village, Soloma, in the highlands of Guatemala, to take the risk and arrive to Los Angeles, but she didn't make it. She was arrested by agents of the INM (National Immigration Service), 90 kilometers away of the border. “This is the first time that I have left. I took the risk because I needed to do so. Where I live there is no job opportunities” tells the woman, who is a single mother of a small child that she left in the village, with her parents.
But for those Guatemalans that can make it, blogs are a piece of home on the web, a place to see what is going on on their villages and to stay in touch:
As a blogger who is in US, but born in San Pedro Soloma said:
Llegó un momento en mi vida que sentía alejado de la cultura de mi pueblo, me sentía desconectado de mi gente. Me puse a navegar la red para ver si podía encontrar algo acerca de Solóma, encontré algunos sitios.
There was a time in my life when I felt so far from the culture of my village, I felt disconnected from my people. Then, I was surfing the net to see If I was able to find something about Soloma. And I found some blogs.
However, blogs are not only ways to allow communities to stay in touch but also to ask for support from those abroad as Santa Eulalia Village Blog [ES] said:
Solicitamos el apoyo solidario de nuestros hermanos Q’anjob’ales que se encuentran laborando en los Estados Unidos, pues es necesario fortalecer los movimientos sociales para rechazar cualquier maniobra e intento de explotación de las riquezas naturales de la población indígena y campesina en Huehuetenango.
We ask for the solidarity and support of our brothers Q´anjob´ales that are working in US, because it is necessary to give strength to the social movements and reject any attempt to exploit the natural resources of indigenous people and peasants of Huehuetenango.
And the connection is a mirror blog of Santa Eulalians in US, Ewulene in US:
The Association Q’anjobal Ewulense was created in response to the need for rebuilding the Roman Catholic Church of Santa Eulalia, which for unknown reasons suffered a devastating fire in the early 1990’s.In an effort to rebuild the church building, a group of conscientious people from Santa Eulalia, who reside in Los Angeles, got together and started collecting donations from among the Q’anjobales who wanted to be part of this effort.
Such communities that have been connecting villages through the use of blogs also practice the same cultural practices they used to have in Guatemala, for example the Q´anjob´al Association even has their own queen, and indigenous ceremonies, as San Pedro Soloma Blog [ES] shows:
Victoria González nació en Los Ángeles sus padres son de Soloma y Santa Eulalia. El 23 de Junio del 2007 ella fue coronada como Princesa Solomera en Estados Unidos.
Victoria González was born in Los Angeles, but her parents are from Soloma and Santa Eulalia. On June 23, 2007 she was crowned as Solomeran Princess in US.
Nostalgic  thoughts about their village are always there for bloggers abroad,  as Cuilco Blogdiario [ES] writes:
Por la noches leo todos los mensajes y poemas que escriben los buenos cuilquenses, y me siento estar en esos momentos en ese pueblito que fue la cuna de nuesta juventud, cuando parrandeabamos los sábados y después salíamos a darle serenata a la novia y echarnos las copitas donde el tío Cundino Ruiz, tiempos felices e inolvidables.
At night I read all the messages and poems that good cuilquenses (residents of Culico) write, and I feel that I am there in the small village that was the nest of our youth, where we used to party on Saturdays and drink some spirits at Tio Cundino Ruiz, and which were happy and unforgettable times.
It is amazing to analyze the unexpected results of migration, and how blogs allow not only people but whole communities to stay connected.

author: Renata Avila


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India: Being a Muslim · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Known Turf on a brief history of the self, exploring Islam, perceptions and identity.


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India: Child Labour  · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Atanu Dey raises some questions about banning child labour, especially relevant in the context of recent media reports about GAP sourcing its clothes from vendors who use child labour.


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Iran:Student Protest · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to[Fa] Salam Democrat blog, students demonstrated today in Alameh University in Tehran.The students asked that jailed students get freed.The blogger says seven other students were arrested today.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iraq: Breathing Slowly · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi Aunt Najma  sums up her sentiments about life in Iraq as follows: “Breathing slowly.. In and out..that's what I have to do to keep myself from crying, and stay alive. I'm more depressed than I've ever been in the last year I think.” She also describes the daily difficulties of getting to and from university.


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Iraq: Think Peace Interview · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Raed Jarrar posts a video of an interview conducted with him by Think Peace.


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Israel: An Encounter with a Telemarketer · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jerusalemgypsy from Israel shares with us an encounter with a telemarketer in this post.


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Israel: Junior Academic Staff Join Strike · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The Junior academic staff have joined in with the Senior staff to have a one-day solidarity strike today. Many thanks for the support!” reports Israeli blogger Yael.


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Israel: New Design Blog · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A new blog on design and aesthetics has been launched by Israeli blogger Ziva. Husband Harry makes the announcement here.


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Jamaica: A Case for Justice?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Coming from where I come from, I know a thing or two about injustice”: Jamaican Marlon James weighs in on the case of the Memphis Three.


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Japan: Design Week 2007 · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Pingmag shows how the design week exhibition (Oct 31 to Nov 4) would look like.


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Japan: Fingerprinting to Prevent al-Qaida’s Friend of Friend · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Justice Minister Kunio Hatoyama explained the need of getting foreigners’ fingerprint was to prevent al-Qaida's “friend of friend” from sneaking into the country with false passports and disguises. However, from what he said, he is also al-Qaida's “friend of friend” as he cited the information from ‘an unidentified “friend of a friend” who was involved in a bomb attack on the Indonesian island of Bali’ – more from Debito.


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Jordan: First Wifi Street · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Al Wakalat Street, Jordan first pedestrian zone, is now also Jordan’s first municipal WiFi zone, announced Jordanian blogger Ahmad Humeid.


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Kazakhstan: Olympiad, Central Asian Style · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Xxrock reports on the Kazakh government’s barely explainable step to modify the conditions of Asian Olympics-2011, which are to be held in Almaty. Now the officials want it to take place in Astana, the president Nazarbayev's “pet capital”, too.


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Korea: School Field Trips and Income Gap · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

School excursions are memorable experiences. Being in unfamiliar circumstances and spending several nights with friends give the chance to build stronger friendships and to better understand teachers and other friends.
But recently school excursions have become a source of dispute, as wealthier students can afford trips to places that poorer ones cannot afford.
Here is a news article on the issue.
…특히 S고의 경우 여행 대상 1학년생 350명을 중국, 일본, 서울, 제주도 등 4개 코스별로 나눠 이른바 ‘분리 수학여행'을 추진, 위화감 논란을 낳고 있다.
한 학생은 “해외여행을 가고 싶은 마음이 굴뚝 같았지만 어려운 가정형편 때문에 국내팀을 택했다”며 “친구들에게 알려질까봐 말은 안했지만, 자존심이 많이 상했고 슬퍼서 몰래 울기도 했다”고 말했다.
또 다른 학생은 “남들은 몇십만원이 ‘단돈'일지 모르지만 우리 가족에게는 한 달 생활비”라며 “‘따로따로 수학여행'은 자제했으면 좋겠다”고 하소연했다.
S고 교감은 “위화감과 외화 낭비 등 곱잖은 시선을 모르는 바 아니나 학부모들의 요구가 많은 데다 국제적인 견문을 넓힐 수도 있어 긍정적 효과가 적잖다”며 “수행여행 후 만족도 조사결과 80% 가량이 (분리 수학여행을)선호하는 것으로 나타나 앞으로도 계속 추진할 계획”이라고 밝혔다.
시 교육청 관계자는 “국외, 분리 수학여행은 형편이 여의찮은 일부 학생과 학부모에게 경제적, 심리적 부담을 줄 수 있고, 위화감도 생길 수 있어 되도록 자제를 당부하고 있으나, 학교장 재량행위라 강제로 규제할 수는 없어 고민”이라고 말했다.
A student said, “I longed for joining the trip abroad, but due to money, I could not help but to choose the trip within Korea. I didn’t say anything to friends, but I was sad and cried alone.”
Another student said, “To others, several hundrend thousand won (US several hundrend dollars) would be nothing, but it is major living expenses to our family,” and appealed “I wish these kinds of separated trips were not happening.”
Vice-principal of S high school said “I know that there are cricitisms, such as waste of money and a sense of incongruity. But there are positive effects such as widening international perspectives” and continued “80 percent of students were satisfied with the trip and therefore we will continue to drive forward.”
An officer in a provincial office of education said, “Weknow that separated school excursions will bring economic and psychological burdens to some students and parents, and so we ask schools to catch themselves, but we can’t force the schools not to do them.”
Netizens like naratalk say that the school should consider students who can’t go to the trip abroad and asks why it is necessary to go abroad even though there are a lot of places they can go in the country.
네이버를 보다 보니 이런 뉴스가 있네요.
“가난도 서러운데”-‘분리.해외 수학 여행’ 논란
이야기인 즉슨, 수학 여행을 전체 학년이 단체로 가는 게 아니라 팀을 선택하도록 한 것이랍니다. S 고의 경우 해외와 국내에 각각 2개, 모두 네 개의 서로 다른 일정으로 수학 여행을 분리, 운영하였다고 합니다.
이 경우, 서로 다른 시각에서 이 문제를 바라볼 수 있으나, 문제는 이로 인해 상처받는 아이들이 분명 생길 수 있다는 것입니다. 국내팀을 선택한 학생들이 모두 경제적인 이유 때문만은 아닐 수 있지만, 아무래도 주요 원인일 가능성이 큽니다. 해외로 수학 여행을 가자면 비용이 많이 드는 건 사실일테니까요.
요즘 주변을 둘러보면 해외로 수학여행을 가는 것을 심심찮게 볼 수 있습니다. 그런데 해외 수학 여행이 꼭 필요할까요? 학교에 계시는 선생님들은 여행사 관계자의 말만 들을 것이 아니라, 이러한 수학 여행 때문에 상처 받을 아이들도 생각해주셨으면 합니다.
우리 나라도 둘러볼 곳이 얼마나 많습니까…
In this case, you can look at this problem with different perspectives. The problem is that some students will be hurt. Even though students who choose trips inside Korea due to economic reasons, it would be one of the main reasons. In order to go abroad, one needs to cover more expenses.
Looking around, it’s not difficult to see that some schools organize school excursions abroad. But is it necessary to have the trip abroad? School teachers not only listen to travel agencies, but also should consider students who will be hurt because of the school excursions.
There are so many places where students can travel in Korea…
Here is another one.
희망하는 학생 수십명을 위해서 굳이 해외 수학여행을 가는 이유가 뭔지 모르겠습니다. 가려면 모두 가고 말려면 말아야지요. 어린 학생들이 해외에 가고싶을텐데 50만원이라는 돈은 수학여행을 위한 비용으로는 과도하다고 생각됩니다.
게다가 실제 가정형편상 못가는 어린학생들의 마음의 상처는 어쩝니까. 별 필요도 없고 부작용만 있는 이런 행사를 왜 하는지도 모르겠고요. 빨리 없어졌으면 좋겠습니다.
In addition, how will they console students’ pain who can’t go due to family circumstances? I don’t understand why they drive forward this unnecessary event which will bring side-effects. I hope that they cancel this event soon.
On the other hand, it wasn’t a few who suggest another opinion.
왜 한소리 안하나 했더니 슬슬 일어나기 시작했군요.
수학여행 분리 이야기던가…음
전 개인적으로 긍정적입니다. 왠지 말 꺼내기가 쉽지 않군요.
알민님께서는 “상대적으로 돈이 부족한 집안의 학생들 때문에 돈 좀 가진 집안의 학생들이 기회를 잃는 게 과연 평등인가 생각을 해보는데 말이죠..” 라고 말씀하셨는데, 확실히 그런 관점으로 생각해 볼 수도 있겠군요.
‘가난'해서 못 간다구요? 솔직히 그렇게 생각하진 않습니다. 저희 집도 잘 사는 편 절대로 아닙니다. 그보다 잘 사는 축에 속하는 사람들이 많은 것도 아니구요. 그런 사람만 해외로 수학여행 보내느냐? 그건 또 아닐겁니다.
제주도 가나, 설악산 가나, 어쨌건 국내 수학여행도 20만원 대체로 다 넘습니다. 저같으면 솔직히 몇백만원 들여서 개인적으로 가느니 단체로 한번 보내는게 자식도 좋아할 것이고 이럴 때 아니면 해외여행 가기가 쉽지도 않지요….
그 다음으로 학생들의 열등감…이란 말이 꽤 나오는데요. 그거에 대해서는 ‘기우'라는게 제 입장입니다.
학생들은 그런 걸로 열등감 쉽게 느끼지 않습니다. 게다가 ‘부유해서’ 다른 나라에 여행갈수 있는 입장의 학생들이라면 ‘이미’ 갔다 왔을 가능성도 농후합니다. 부모의 능력 때문에 열등감을 느낄 자식이라면 자식 집어치우라고 할 겁니다. ‘부럽다'는 말할 수 있지만 그것 때문에 부모를 원망하느냐..그건 아니라고 생각합니다. 솔직히 요즘 고등학생들 대부분이 용돈 받는거 조금씩만 아껴도 여행비 반은 마련할수 있습니다. 저도 그렇게 계획 잡고 일본 갈거라고 부모님한테 말씀드리고 반은 제가 돈 모아서 어떻게든 부담해 볼테니까 반만 마련해 달라고 부탁했습니다. 흔쾌히 허락하시더군요. 이럴 때 아니면 해외여행 언제 가 보겠냐고.
이건 빈부격차의 관점만으로 바라볼 시각이 아닌 듯 합니다. 정말로 극빈층이라면 20만원 주고 가는 수학여행도 가기 힘든건 매한가지구요. 중산서민층이라도 당장 먹고사는게 막히지 않는 이상은 가기 무지막지하게 어려운 것도 아니죠. 가정 구성원들의 마인드랄까, 해외여행을 ‘돈 많이 드는 여행'으로 생각하느냐 아니냐의 문제도 있다고 생각합니다.
그리고 평등교육이라, 애시당초 우리 나라에 평등교육이 존재했는지는 의심스럽습니다. 같은 학교에서도 등수따라 반 나누고 심화반 만들어서 높은 대학 보내려 하는데다가, 수학 영어도 단계별 교육하는 학교도 많으니까요. 평등교육은 ‘모두에게 같은 걸 가르친다'여야지 ‘모든 학생들을 똑같이 대한다'가 아니라고 생각합니다.
어떻게 보면 이기적인 생각일 수도 있습니다만, ‘있는 사람은 있는 만큼 누릴 권리가 있다'가 무조건 이기적인 것만은 아니라고 생각합니다.
A netizen said, “due to students who are short of money, students who are not short of money have to lose their opportunity. Is it a truthful equality?” we could think in that way…
They can’t go because of ‘poverty’? I don’t think that is the only reason. My house is economically so so. Wealthy families send their children to the trip abroad? I don’t think so either.
Going to Jeju Island, Mt. Seol-ak in Korea also requires more than 200 US dollars. I think going on the trip in a group would be much cheaper and better than going to the trip as an individual.
And students will feel a sense of inferiority… I think it’s an unnecessary worry.
Students don’t feel a sense of inferiority so easily. In addition, students who can afford to the trip abroad because they’re wealthy must have been traveling abroad before. If children feel a sense of inferiority due to parents’ capability, they don’t have the qualification to be children. They can say ‘jealous,’ but ‘angry at parents’ is not the right way to think. Honestly, high school students can prepare half of travel expenses with their allowance. I also planned like that in order to go to Japan. I saved half and my parents agreed to pay half.
I don’t think we should look at this as the gap between poverty and wealth. If they’re really poor, a school excursion with 200 US dollars is still impossible. To the middle class, it’s not that difficult to consider this amount of money. It depends on how family members think whether school excursions abroad mean ‘a trip to spend so much.’
And equal education… I doubt that there has been equal education in our country. In a school, classrooms are divided by grades. Schools make intensive classes in order to send as many students as possible to university and different level classes for mathmatics and English. Equal education means that the ‘school should teach the same thing to everyone,’ not the ‘school should treat all students equally.’
Maybe it sounds selfish, but ‘people have rights to enjoy as much as they have.’

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kuwait: Fifa Suspends Kuwait · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The Kuwait Football Association has been suspended with immediate effect from all international football activities until further notice on account of government interference,” writes Kuwaiti blogger Forza.


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Laos: Farmers Might Need Help · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Lao Voices has images from Laos where farmers are trying to save their harvest from flooding earlier this month.


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Malaysia: Kolo Mee · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Clare Eng in Eastern Malaysia has taken a liking to Kolo Mee


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Malaysia: Sex Education Lessons From Malaysia · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin is happy that Malaysia beats its southern neighbor in at least one area.


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Mexico: Vicente Fox’s Interview with Bill O’Reilly · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

ALT 1040 [ES]  links to videos of former Mexican President Vicente Fox's appearance on Bill O'Reilly and writes, “it is fun to see each of them mutually self-destruct.”


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Pakistan: Blast in Rawalpindi · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Pakistani Spectator on a blast in Rawalpindi.


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Pakistan: Oh! The politics! · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

KO reflects on the politics in Pakistan, commenting “American movie goers will be familiar with the feeling many Pakistan’s are going through. “


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Lebanon: Polemic and nature · Global Voices
Francois Bacha

Moustafa from Beirut Spring's blog noted in one of his latest posts that Lebanon is “dropping French.”
Somehow that claim is true; Lebanese francophone blogs are few and different from those in English, and are also less popular.  However, they present a face of Lebanon that we would like to show to the world.
Garden of Eden
Casadei's blog illustrates that Lebanon by showing that forgotten image of this country, through its culture, its mountains, and its archaeological sites.
Her latest description of Ehden's forest evokes Paradise:
Une forêt où nous pouvons respirer le calme. Une forêt où on peut dormir dans la nature…Une forêt vivante, habitée d’oiseaux, de sangliers, de blaireaux, d’écureuils, de serpents, de porc-épics…
A forest where we can breathe in tranquility. A forest where we can sleep in Nature…A living forest inhabited by birds, wild boar, badgers, squirrels, snakes, hedgehogs…
Her blog has won several prizes, including one sponsored by the AUF.
A broadcast by the French TV channel France2 concerning maids employed in Lebanon ignited a debate in the local blogosphere.
Without denying the gravity of the problem of foreign domestics in Lebanon, two French journalists living in Lebanon who blog at “Chroniques Beyrouthines living in Lebanon argue the documentary was on the air more to create an audience then to achieve any results.
“The approach to the topic very superficial” comparing it to Tintin in the Congo, without explaining for example that the salaries of theses employees is set by their embassies
“Why this situation? She is aggrieved by the level of wages, but never says, for example, that the embassies of the countries concerned that secure these salaries, according to nationalities so.”
Chroniques Beyrouthines states as well that a side of the subject is missing: Torres is not talking about the mafia’s or prostitutions’ network, she is not stating the sources of her statistics and moreover without talking about the right examples.
“Many information are missing, and also incorrect. One example on the Passports's confiscation , she said that a decree on the matter could be easily passed. This is already the case: officially, employers have no right to do so, but it is the agencies that are pushing the employers to take the passport in order to prevent the employees to escape (…) ”
Chroniques Beyrouthines’s authors that already worked on the issue are not denying that reality but they are feeling that this documentary is reduced to the negative arguments:
“But there are examples where it goes well, there are also at a couple of friends franco-libanais whose husband is a (restaurant) chef, they taugh him, (…) and he expects to open a restaurant upon his return to Manila with the knowledge he acquired.”
Nathalie and David conclude by wondering why the French TV is not broadcasting a positive story on Lebanon, for example on the young artists before appealing Torres to produce to produce a real video documentary about the modern slavery, by going for example to Saudi Arabia.
On the issue of the local politics, Lettres du Liban wrote that :
“Since the dawn of its independence, Lebanon owes everything to his people and almost nothing to governments that have been here. It is only through his personal initiative that the Lebanese managed to get before the outbreak of the dirty war in 1975”
Lettres du Liban blames the Lebanese System and the different authorities to prevent and suppress all hope that the Lebanese get one day in a better place in order to keep the power of the ruling classes before taking the example on one of the latest interview of the Prime Minister:
Today, SE. Fouad Sanioura was seen on television for spreading (modestly) adequacy of its white collar and give to the Lebanese average (increasingly illiterate) a speech (…) concerning the World Bank, International conference to help Lebanon, the balance of payments, the interest rate and the growth rate.
(…)
Go therefore explain this to a poor who can not understand why olive oil, lemon, tomatoes, cucumbers, the bunch of fresh mint and other ingredients necessary for making a modest flat ”Fattouche”are now unaffordable.
Taking his own example, the author states how with his neighbours he was obliged to dig an artesian shaft for the building and then …
And to receive the ultimate blue bill of the company Lebanese waters, claiming he candidly to pay your dues.
By consequence, Lettres du Liban is arguing that the tax system is used to rançon the population:
And if they do not understand all the functioning of the tax system and the vital role it plays in the economic and social structure of a modern state, it is not necessary to be a point of Adam Smith to guess that taxes , taxes and other government levies, in Lebanon constitute a kind of RANÇON that citizens (or more correctly said, the national) pay to the authorities, such a maître-chanteur or a mafia, never to have them on the back and they can thus go about their own occupations IN PEACE

author: Francois Bacha


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Russia: Bukovsky on Putin’s Prison Slang · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Former dissident Vladimir Bukovsky says president Vladimir Putin doesn't understand the prison camp slang he sometimes uses, Window on Eurasia reports.


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Russia: Chessbase on Kasparov · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Siberian Light notes the reaction of Chessbase to the angry readers protesting coverage of Garry Kasparov's political involvement.


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Russia: Dmitry Kozak’s Replacement · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes about “Putin’s new man in the North Caucasus” and his methods.


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Russia: Mikhalkov’s “12” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ntalia Anonova reviews Nikita Mikhalkov's “12”: “The movie isn’t some exotic, tourist-y, BBC “country profile”-y jaunt through an ethnic conflict. It crushes you, resuscitates you, crushes you some more.”


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Russia: Miss Russia 2007 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Turkish Invasion blogs about Miss Russia 2007 contest.


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Russia: Murals at Babushkinskaya · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Moscow Through Brown Eyes posts pictures of the new murals at one of Moscow's residential neighborhoods, created by Russian and Dutch graffiti artists.


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Russia: Remembering Victims of 1937; Podcasting Their Names · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Seventy years since Stalin's Great Terror of 1937, many Russians are ignorant of their country's horrible past, Windows on Eurasia reports. Nevertheless, hundreds of people came to Lubyanka yesterday to read out the names of thousands of victims – and PODstantsiya, a podcasting project of the Moscow-based Foundation for Independent Radio Broadcasting, has recorded the 12-hour-long event and posted it in installments here (RUS).


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Russia: Serial Killer Alexander Pichushkin · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Siberian Light writes about the Guardian's coverage of a Moscow serial killer.


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South Korea: Street Vendor Suicide · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

CINA explains how the brutal policy of street vendors crackdown leaded to the death of Lee Geunjae, who had been a street vendor for 13 years in the City of Goyang.


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South Korea: Worker’s Public Suicide · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

CINA blogs on two workers’ demonstration on 27 October in Seoul, one organized by construction workers, one by irregular workers. In the former protest, a worker committed public suicide by burning himself.


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Sri Lanka: Media and Emergencies · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Moving Images, Moving People reflects on Media reports in emergency situations after attending the Global Symposium +5 in Geneva.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Tunisia: Best Arab Film Award · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A Tunisian film won the Best Arab Film Award at the 11th San Francisco Film Festival, writes  Subzero Blue, from Tunisia.


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Turkmenistan: Monetary Reform · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Abdulgamid reflects on the announced plans of the Turkmen government to carry out a monetary reform with denomination of the national currency. Increased liquidity will inevitably be marred by increase in prices for all types of commodities and services, he concludes.


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Uzbekistan: Requiem to Slain Journalist · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Bboyd's post in memoriam to Alisher Saipov, an Uzbek journalist brutally murdered in Osh (Kyrgyzstan), says that Saipov was a strong critic of Uzbek regime and published an independent newspaper in the Uzbek language, which was printed in Kyrgyzstan and smuggled over the border.


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Afghanistan: Karzai Wants U.S. to End Airstrikes · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Afghanistan Watch quotes reports on the President Karzai’s primetime appearance on CBS last Sunday, where he repeatedly called for a rollback of airstrikes in Afghanistan.


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Afghanistan: Private Military Contractors  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Afghanistan Watch quotes an online foreign policy daily World Politics Review, which has published a piece devoted to the private security contractors in Afghanistan. As reported, the media has generally interpreted the authorities’ actions to shut down the contractors as a “crackdown”, but apparently the truth is more complicated.


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Argentina: Kirchner Wins Apathetic Election · Global Voices
Jorge Gobbi

The recent elections in Argentina are over. Some say that these elections have probably been received with the most amount of apathy since the return to democracy in 1983. A couple of days before the elections, there was almost no sign of them in the streets, except a few posters. Most citizens did not take active part in the process, but that doesn't mean there were no repercussions afterwards. In fact, the topic was tackled by many local blogs.
Controversy was not absent. Many blogs posted strong criticism against Nestor Kirchner's government and against his successor, Cristina Kirchner. If you take into consideration that the officialism's victory was quite solid, with almost 45% of the votes, such critics attract attention. If one take into account that the places where Cristina got less votes were the big urban areas, where most of these bloggers are located, one may understand this particular dissociation between the results of the election and these bloggers’ opinions.
Just by checking Twitter while the results of the poll were being released, one could find that most of the reactions, in general, were a condemnation of the victory of the current government party. Even blogs that promoted not to vote Cristina, such as No voto a Cristina [ES] (I don't vote for Cristina), were created. Of course, from the side of the officialism, there was also a use of Web tools as you can see in Sumate a Cristina [ES] (Join Cristina), with pictures in Flickr, Twitter news updates and even supporter assistance through MSN Messenger.
And if before the elections nothing much happened, the day of the poll was quite rocky. There were reports that the polling places opened late due to the lack of election officials. There were long waits to be able to vote, many parties’ ballots were missing, none of the government's though. Many political parties weren't even able to place observers at many polling places. After the election, it becomes clear that voting methods will have to be revised for the next time.
To see some of the critics and the level of aggressiveness of some opinions, check the comments at this entry: “El show de Cristina” at eBlog [ES]. There were opinions, from those against the government, that talked about fraud,  government employees that stole, and being God's will at the results of the polls.
On the other side, there were the people who accused bloggers and participants of not understanding what was going on, and said that “Cristina's voters don't use Nokia n73 or have blogs”. This level of division is something to be concerned about in regards of the future of Argentina, but at the same it's a characteristic of any debate in Argentina where representations of Peronism and it's meaning for the local political life takes place.
Some interesting entries to see the local debate about the elections:
Al final son todos iguales (At the end, they're all the same): at Fresco y Batata [ES]. Italo Daffra criticizes the ideas of the future president:
la electa presidenta de la Argentina dijo la semana pasada que el periodismo no debe publicar temas que perjudiquen la imagen del país. Lo que sorprende de esa frase es la similitud con lo que propugnaba la última dictadura, que ejercía la censura basado en que se quería dañar la imagen de la Argentina. Tan diferentes, tan parecidos.
The President-elect of Argentina said last week that journalism should not publish topics that hurt the country's image.  What surprises me is the similarity with what the last dictatorship said, that practiced censorship based on what wanted to hurt Argentina's image.  So different, so similar.
La gran revelación de Morales Solá (The great revelation of Morales Sola): Darío Gallo, from Bloc de Periodista [ES], and a very ironic and controverted post about the state of Cristina Kirchner's neck, which had been noticed to be Photo-shopped in pictures.
El error de Carrió (The mistake of Carrio): Juan Tapiola points out what he believes are the mistakes in the political positioning of Elisa Carrio, the candidate of the Coalicion Civica, who got the second place in the elections.
Creo que Carrió ha cometido un error estratégico básico. Elisa se ha posicionado en el ciudadano argentino como la opción de la ética y la honestidad. Muchos años de denuncias públicas y una conducta impecable le han capitalizado en Carrió este posicionamiento tan fuerte en Argentina…Sin embargo el posicionamiento de Elisa es el de una idealista y no necesariamente el de una gestora. Y aquí es donde creo que ha cometido el error… Pero la gestión y el día a día la debería haber delegado a un personaje con una fuerte imagen de liderazgo en el ámbito de la administración
I think Carrió committed a basic strategic error.  Elisa positioned herself to the Argentine people as the choice for ethics and honesty.  After many years of public complaints and impeccable conduct, placed Carrió in a strong position in Argentina.  However, Elisa's place is as an idealist and not necessarily as an administrator.  This is where I think she made her mistake… The administration and daily management should have been delegated with a person with an image of a strong leader in regards to administration.
Jodete: about the lack of ballots in the elections, a topic of much institutional seriousness, and one that raised all kinds of comments.
El gobierno que elegimos (The government we chose): provides criticism of the results, where many of the legal scandals this government had been noticed.
La Nueva 2º Fuerza, la CC (The New 2° Force, the CC): a blog of Elisa Carrio supporters analyzes the results.
Preguntas sin respuesta (Questions without answer): at Uno más del montón [ES] they wonder about the legitimacy of the results, since there were so many complaints about problems at the time to vote.
At Sumate a Cristina [ES] (Join Cristina) there's a list of blogs that support the candidacy of Cristina Kirchner, although unfortunately many of them have not updated after the elections.

author: Jorge Gobbi


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Bangladesh: 1971 and War Criminals · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Voice of Bangladeshi Bloggers on why it's high time the war criminals of 1971 were dealt with.


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Barbados: Answering the Call · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Living in Barbados hears the call of ancestral voices…


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China: Online Discussion Control · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Josie Liu from China in Transition reports on the tightening up of online discussion control.


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China: Facebook · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Kenneth Tan from Shanghaiist reports on facebook's plan to enter China and sums up bloggers’ comments on the move.


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Cuba: UN Motion · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Both Child of the Revolution and The Cuban Triangle blog about the outcome of the UN motion for the United States to lift its long-standing embargo against Cuba.


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East Timor: Miracle · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

TimorSunshine thinks every child born in East Timor is a miracle.


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Guyana, Jamaica: The Power of Money  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyana-Gyal knows that money isn’t everything, while Moving Back to Jamaica wonders: “How much would it take to buy my happiness for a day?”


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Hong Kong: City of Sorrow · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Yesterday the Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung visited Tin Shui Wai, a new town with the highest frequency of family tragedy. Erynnyes criticized Cheung did not give any hope(zh) for the new town as the government did not provide any solution to the structural problem in the district.


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India: All for a passport · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

30 in 2005 on applying for a passport at the Indian High Commission in London – the long queue, clueless people and the general bureaucracy.


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Japan: Chinese spectators boo Japanese team, arouse national debate · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Ampontan discusses the booing of the Japanese national team by a crowd of Chinese spectators at the Women's World Cup. After losing the game, the Japanese team displayed a banner that read: “Thank you China” in three languages, a gesture which Ampontan describes as “the gold standard for behavior in NE Asia”.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Kameda hits below the belt · Global Voices
Hanako Tokita

(In)famous for their big mouths and bad behaviour, coupled with showy performances such as singing karaoke after their victories in the ring, the Kamedas have become the Japanese media's favourite boxing family. On October 11, the World Boxing Council flyweight title match between world champion Daisuke Naito and challenger Daiki Kameda, the second son of the family, was broadcast across the nation, with its viewing rate reaching 40%.
This match, much hyped particularly by TV network TBS, however, turned out to be a rather embarrassing one for the Kamedas as Daiki was penalized for punching Naito while they were on the floor, and later for lifting and throwing the counter down. Naito also accused Kameda of thumbing and literally hitting him below the belt. There was also a speculation that his father and his brother, Koki, both of whom served as his cornermen, might have instructed him in the dirty play. Daiki along with his brother Koki and his father Shiro found themselves in a great deal of critical fuss, which lasted for weeks after the match. This resulted in the Japan Boxing Commission suspending Daiki's boxing license for a year as well as his father's license indefinitely.
While the mainstream media focused heavily on Daiki's foul play and the responsibility of his family for instructing him his behaviour, many bloggers criticize the media's hyporisy and double standard.
One blogger points out that the media coverage is off the point:
マスコミは見た目で「投げたレスリング行為」を特に強く扱っていたが内藤選手自身は「ヘッドロックしてのサミング（目潰し）」と「足へのパンチ」の2つを特に強調していた。
でもマスコミの扱いはレスリング行為が主体になっていた。
内藤選手は「自分のボクシングが通用しないと、ああいうこと（持ち上げて投げる）はありえる。経験したこともある。でもヘッドロックでサミングや足を叩くというのは無い」と言っていた。
より卑怯で滅多にないのがサミングと足叩きで、そっちを何故扱わないんだという感じであった。
より選手生命に著しい被害があるかという内藤選手の実感だと思う。
マスコミの悪いところは自分達が写真や映像を見せやすいところに日を当てる傾向にある。
Blogger hana23th describes his reaction to the press conference held this week, where only the eldest son of the family attended and became a target of criticisms from the reporters who were present.
次に、記者からの質問の中で「パフォーマンス」という質問にも疑問を感じます。
親父からの命令だとか、自分で考えてやったのだとか、作戦だとか。
でも、その前にそのパフォーマンスを望んだのはだれか？
メディアではないのか？
大きく取り上げられれば増長するのは分かるはず！
それでも、多くの人が彼らのパフォーマンスを望んだのも否定できない現実。
確かに、ビッグパフォーマンスをしたのは亀田家であるが、言ったか言わないかは知らないが、それをさせた人間もいるって。
Another blogger shares a similar view:
今朝、亀田兄弟の兄貴の興毅が記者会見で
ボカスカに記者に叩かれていたがありゃなんじゃ。
腹が立つのは記者の質問だ。今まで散々持ち上げといて
こうゆうきっかけがあった途端手の平を返してこれでもかと。
今回の弟の反則と関係のないことまでほじくり返して
責めまくり、挙句は「どうして会見が５分遅れたのか」と
責め立てた。元々亀田一家の言動は好きじゃないがそれを
ここぞとばかりに責めてイジメるのはどうなんでしょか。
興毅なんてネクタイにスーツで来ていたが泣いちゃいそうだったぞ（笑）
現代の日本のマスコミは弱いやつを見つけると徹底的に叩いて
いるように見えるがそれでいいのか？

author: Hanako Tokita


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Japan: Life of a Homosexual Foreign Male · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

David Markle from Japan Probe interviewed Scott, a homosexual foreign male, about his life in Japan.


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Jordan: Blogging in English Back · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordan Watch is back in English, writes Jordanian blogger Batir Wardam.


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Jordan: Plea to Help Family · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Ola Eliwat from Jordan appeals to readers to dig deep into their pockets to help a family whose house in Baqa'a Camp was destroyed in a fire.


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Jordan: Political Money and the Elections  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian blogger Batir Wardam discusses his skepticism with Jordan's democratic political progress in this post (Ar). Is there political money fueling his country's campaigning for seats in the Parliament .. or it is just money?
Wardam explains:
لم أعرف بعد من أنتخب في دائرتي، ولا أعتقد بأنني سوف أقرر سريعا، وربما أبقى في بيتي وأغيب عن ممارسة حقي الإنتخابي ولكن أشعر بأنني شخص غريب عن كل هذا الذي يحصل وأن كل الدائرة المعرفية التي كونتها في هذا البلد ليست ممثلة في الإنتخابات، وبما أنني أدعي أنني استطيع تمييز الكثير من الشخصيات القادرة على المساهمة إيجابيا في بناء الأردن اشعر بإحباط شديد بأننا نسير نحو مجلس نواب فريد من نوعه يسوده المال فقط وليس الكفاءة.
I don't know who to vote for in my constituency and I don't think I will be able to make a hasty decision. Perhaps, I may stay at home and make myself absent from practicing my democratic right to vote. I feel as if I am a stranger to all what is happening and that all the knowledge that I have amassed about this country is not being represented in the elections. As I declare that I am able to distinguish many of the people who are able to contribute positively towards the development of Jordan, I feel depressed that we are moving towards a unique parliament, composed of money but not competence.
هل وصلنا بالفعل إلى هذا الوضع الذي بات فيه المال سيد الموقف؟ أمضينا كثيرا من الوقت ونحن نناقش القانون الإنتخابي والظلم في نظام الصوت الواحد وتعطيل التنمية السياسية وناقشنا وبكثير من التحفظ عدم عدالة توزيع الأصوات بين المدن والمحافظات، ولكن حتى في المدن فإن السيادة هي للمال كما في المحافظات للعشيرة فأين الوعي السياسي الذي نتوهم وجوده في المدن؟
Have we reached a situation where money is the controlling factor? We have spent a long time discussing the electoral law and the injustice of having a system with one voice and the dismantling of the political process. We also discussed with a lot of reservations the unjust manner in which votes are distributed among cities and governorates. But even in cities, sovereignty is for money just as allegiances is towards the tribes in governorates. Where is the political awareness we were imagining was found in the cities?


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Korea: Denuclearization · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Jae Young Lee from Ohmynews reports on the North Korea path to de-nuclearization.


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Kyrgyzstan: Modern Horse Games · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

CXW  takes a look  at the new type of sports entertainment in Kyrgyzstan, a horseball, which is a modern version of the local traditional sport of kok boru.


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Kyrgyzstan: One-Party System Looming? · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report reviews recent developments on the eve of parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, saying that the authorities are seemingly trying to establish a one-party system, similar to Kazakhstan with Nur-Otan and Russia with United Russia today.


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Kyrgyzstan: Police Stopped a Car with Oppositionists · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Bboyd  informs about an incident that followed the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry’s roadblock to catch armed criminals, in which police stopped a car with three opposition party officials instead.


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Malaysia: Forum For Malaysian Unity · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Lucia Lai is inviting Malaysians for a solidarity get together in Penang this weekend.

author: Preetam Rai


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Myanmar: Burmese Ghosts · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Start worrying if you are in Myanmar and the dogs start howling near your house at night.


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Nepal: The blogosphere and bloggers · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Kathmandu Speaks reflects on why a Bloggers Association in Nepal – BlogBan didn't quite take off, and on the Nepali Blogosphere.


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Oman: Fifth Radio Station · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

With four radio stations competing for the airwaves in Oman, Sleepless in Muscat wonders whether a fifth station would be ‘too much.’


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Palestine: People Starving · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Can i just say i m sick and tired of sitting here studying while knowing that people in Gaza don't have anything to eat?” asks Palestinian blogger Al Falasteenyia.


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Philippines: Spanish Contribution · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Jerome Herrera feels history books do not give enough credit to the Spanish contribution to the Philippines.


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Russia, Serbia, Georgia: Kosovo Implications · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's Steady State writes that “if the application of the ‘Kosovo formula’ to the post-Soviet frozen conflicts takes place, then it will be cooked up in Moscow – that is certain.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Russia: Sochi Land Conflicts · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Perspectives on the New Russia writes about the brewing conflict between the Russian state and individual property owners in Sochi, the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics.


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Saudi Arabia: Featuring Artists · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi blogger Dua'a promises to feature artists from Arabia in her new blog United Bloggers of Arabia.


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Singapore: Blog Advertising · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Pricilla Tan does not want to place ads on her blog and discusses blog ads with fellow Singaporean bloggers.


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St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago: The True Caribbean · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Being born a West Indian means that I am less likely to succumb to the palm trees, blue sea, white sand, standard tourist pitch. The Caribbean islands are so much more complicated…” My Chutney Garden reveals what she loves about Nevis.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Syria: Patriotism or Stupidity? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Some people in the Middle East have a problem, they mistake patriotism for stupidity and end up justifying the worst and most obscene injustice,” writes Syrian blogger Wassim.


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Tajikistan: Cultural Starvation · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

C  opines on the cultural environment in Tajikistan after visiting a concert of the new pop-band and says that cultural life in this country is stewing in it own juice and lacks diversity.


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Trinidad & Tobago: In Search of Lessing  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jeremy Taylor can’t find copies of Doris Lessing’s work – in fact, “no one had even heard of her…what's going on here? Has the Nobel Prize become irrelevant, even to today's frenetic marketeers?”


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Trinidad & Tobago: New Politics? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Coffeewallah has some advice for Trinidad and Tobago politicians: “Here’s a novel idea guys, why don’t you assume we all have brains, focus on the issues and tell us exactly how you’re going to deal with them.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Political Agenda? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jumbie's Watch is not impressed by the Trinidad and Tobago opposition's latest maneuver, while KnowProSE.com thinks that the political parties “seem to be catering to the lowest common denominators – and those denominators are appallingly low.”


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Ukraine, Belarus: Helping Chernobyl Children · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

In a comment to MoldovAnn‘s recent post about Chernobyl aid organizations, executive director of one such charity mentions new approaches to rehabilitation of children affected by the 1986 catastrophe. The charity – Chernobyl Children's Project International – has a blog, too, and one of the stories there is about a 64-year-old U.S. woman whose donation has helped acquire medical equipment that “will save as many as 175 young lives a year” in Belarus.


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Ukraine: Construction in Kyiv; Catherine II in Odesa · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about “sardine-packed construction” in Kyiv and the dedication of the monument to Catherine II in Odesa – and posts videos of the related violence.


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Ukraine: History of Music · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainian Musical Matters posts a concise but comprehensive review of Ukrainian music – from 20,000 years ago to the present.


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Ukraine: Political Urine · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about “a duel of urine samples” between one of the leaders of the pro-presidential bloc and Kyiv's mayor.


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Ukraine: Sean Carr · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainian Musical Matters writes about Sean Carr, lead singer of Death Valley Screamers and Yulia Tymoshenko's son-in-law.


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Ukraine: “Strokes Against Hopelessness” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scenes from the Sidewalk posts some pictures and writes about a charity tennis tournament that took place in Kyiv last weekend.


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Ukraine: Svyatoslav Vakarchuk · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainian Musical Matters writes about Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, lead singer of Okean Elzy band, his political views and political involvement.


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Afghanistan: Taliban occupies district · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Afghanistan Watch reports that Taliban militants have occupied a strategic area north of Kandahar city for the first time since 2001 after the death two weeks of Mullah Naqibullah — a powerful anti-Taliban leader in Afghanistan.


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Armenia: Mafia Wedding · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Libertarian-Socialist Movement offers its readers a rare glimpse of life inside the estate of Armenia's richest and most powerful oligarch. Posting a video recorded during the wedding of Gagik Tsarukian's daughter, the blog makes a comparison of the situation in Armenia with pre-revolution Cuba.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Asia: Master of Arts in Inter-Asia NGO Studies · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Interlocals.net puts up an announcement  from Inter-Asia Graduate School of NGO Studies (based in Seoul) inviting application for master of Arts in Inter-Asia NGO Studies. Some scholarship are available for developing country students and activists.


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Azerbaijan: Transport  · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Newly arrived in Azerbaijan, Carolyn and Jesse describe the situation with transport and money in the oil-rich former Soviet republic. In an extended post accompanied by many photographs, Carolyn & Jesse's Azerbaijan Peace Corps Blog is a welcomed addition to the blogosphere in the South Caucasus.


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Bahrain: The Silent Killer – Carbon Monoxide  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A couple in a car in the garage. The air-conditioner is on. One of them dies. This is the story Bahraini blogger Dr Haitham Salman has in store for us (Ar) – plus an explanation of how it happened and precautions to avoid such tragedies.
Dr Salman, who lives in Michigan, the US, writes:
Dr Salman's solution for such tragedies is more awareness.
As a doctor, Dr Salman shares with us information about this poisonous gas. He explains:


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Bangladesh: Cartoons and a Nation · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices on the cartoonist – Arif who is still in jail, and the principles of justice and tolerance that Bangladesh was founded on.


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Barbados: Chattel House · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Cheese-on-bread takes us on “a stroll down memory lane with a photo of the traditional Bajan chattel house” in honour of the island's upcoming Independence celebrations on November 30th.


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Barbados: Food Prices  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Barbados Central Bank's Governor has warned against high wage demands, but Barbados Free Press would have “much rather seen her talk about the monopoly that controls the importing of food and other necessities into Barbados, kills competition and contributes to out of this world food prices.”


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Bermuda: All The Way To China? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Is it me or does this seem like another shot in the dark?” asks IMHO.bm, on learning that the Bermudan government has plans to open a Tourism Office in China.


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Bolivia: Heavy Rains in El Alto · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Cristina Quisbert of Bolivia Indigena [ES] writes about some of the sights and sounds overheard during heavy rainfall in the city of El Alto.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Central Asia: Media Watch · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Bboyd provides an overview of developments in Central Asian mass media environment, pointing out the continuing loss of a precariously-positioned free press in Central Asia.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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China: Youtube is back · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Several bloggers report that youtube is back in China after two weeks blocking. More from William Long, Andrew Lih and Graham Webster.


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Does Lebanon Deserve to Die?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Does Lebanon deserve to die?” asks Louis-Noel Harfouche. “The answer is yes! At least that part of Lebanon that doesn't seem able–or willing–to let go of its silly paranoias and superstitions,” he writes.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Ecuador: New Bus Terminal in Guayaquil · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Cronica Cero [ES] has the latest photos of the new bus terminal in Guayaquil, Ecuador.


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Georgia: Clash with Russian Peacekeepers · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

TOL's Steady State reports that a confrontation between Georgian and Russian security forces in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone was just what Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili needed ahead of an opposition rally scheduled for 2 November in Tbilisi.


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Guatemala: Pseudo-Podcast 1 · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Desde Guate [ES] writes, “early in the morning I asked via Twitter if anyone was connected…seeing the response of some, I invited them to record via Skype, and there the first Pseudo Podcast of Chapin (Guatemalan) bloggers was born”


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Haiti, Dominican Republic: Tropical Storm Noel  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“During the last few days, Tropical Storm Noel…caused severe damage in Haiti and the Dominican Republic”: Dying in Haiti reports.


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Hong Kong: Lost in Lynching · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Enka comments on the hot debate about Martin Lee's article in wall street journal: Voltaire said, “I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

author: Oiwan Lam


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India: Gujarat, Media and Neutrality · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

GreatBong has a thought provoking post, asking what exactly it was that a recent sting operation carried out by a media organisation has achieved.


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India: The “But” People · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

South Ways reacts to the “but” people – like the ones who say “I am not against gay rights, but…”. All prompted by the reaction to Rowling's statement about Dumbledore being gay.


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Japan: Adopt a Nova Teacher · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

David Markle from Japan Probe reports on the government attempt to provide workstay program for teachers who have been affected by the collapse of the largest English Chain (Nova). The government expects the project to help rural area to get internationalized by non-Japanese.


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Kazakhstan: Review on “Nomad” movie · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nathan reviews the Kazakhstan's “Nomad” epic movie that was regarded by Western observers as a response to “Borat” and finds that most unintentionally entertaining were the political messages of the movie.


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Kyrgyzstan: Investigation into murder of a journalist · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Beaudi reports on the ongoing investigation into the violent murder of Alisher Saipov, an Uzbek journalist who worked in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. As the authorities started claiming that Saipov had close links to “extremist” islamic groups, as well as Uzbek opposition groups, journalists and activists fear the Ministry will use this murder investigation as an excuse to trump up unrelated charges against them and opposition groups.


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Mexico: Day of the Dead or Halloween? · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Vivir México [ES] asks Day of the Dead or Halloween?


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Nepal: United Nations and Peace · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepal Monitor on the role of UN Mission in Nepal in the peace process.


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Oman: Web Awards a ‘Scam’ · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Omani blogger Blue-Chi describes the 2007 Omani  Web Awards as a scam. He further appeals to the Omani blogging community to uncover the ‘scam’ here.


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Oman: Child Exploitation  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Omani blogger Sleepless in Muscat joins the crusade against child exploitation here.


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Peru: The Fate of Inca Kola · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Juan Arellano of Globalizado [ES] recently received a chain letter email that speculates on the fate of this popular soft drink Inca Kola in Peru, in which it is one of the few drinks in the world that outsells Coca-Cola.


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Rising Voices Seeks Micro-Grant Proposals for Blog Outreach · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Application Deadline: November 30, 2007
Rising Voices, the outreach arm of Global Voices, is now accepting project proposals for the second round of microgrant funding of up to $5,000 for citizen media outreach projects. Ideal applicants will present innovative and detailed proposals to teach citizen media techniques to communities that are poorly positioned to discover and take advantage of tools like blogging, video-blogging, and podcasting on their own.
In July we funded five projects out of the 142 applications we received from over 60 different countries. The first five Rising Voices grantees are based in Bangladesh, Colombia, Bolivia, India, and Sierra Leone. You can view their applications by clicking on the relevant links underneath the sub-heading “Grantees” in the sidebar of the Rising Voices wiki.
Rising Voices aims to help bring new voices from new communities and speaking new languages to the conversational web, by providing resources and funding to local groups reaching out to underrepresented communities. Examples of potential projects include:
This second round of funding differs from the first in one important aspect. You have the choice to submit your application via email as before or you can publicly post your proposal on our wiki and receive feedback on how it can be improved. Public applications can be posted on the wiki at any time and can be reworked as often as the applicant sees fit, but all applications must be finalized by the November 30 deadline.
Rising Voices outreach grants will range from $1,000 to $5,000. Please be as thoughtful, specific, and realistic as possible when drafting your budgets. Successful projects will be prominently featured on Global Voices.
To learn how to apply using the wiki you can view the screencast below or visit the instruction page on the wiki. If you would like to submit your proposal privately via email you may do so by downloading the application and emailing it to outreach@globalvoicesonline.org by November 30. No late applications will be accepted.
Download grant application in .DOC format
Download grant application in .RTF format

author: David Sasaki


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Saudi Arabia: Temporary Marriages  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Fayyad from Kabobfest sheds light on temporary marriages contracted by Saudi men, when they travel on summer holidays.


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Sri Lanka: Mobile phones and human rights · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

ICT4Peace on a difficult question posed to a CEO of a telecom company.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname: Who Goes To Suriname? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Antilles features a travel essay by Daniel Titinger about “Suriname's unlikely role in the world of football.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: The Politics of Pizza · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

KnowProSE.com is all for what he calls “pizza politics”.