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Armenia: Debate over campaign promise overshadows 94th anniversary of WWI killings · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Yesterday marked the 94th anniversary of the massacre and deportation of as many as 1.5 million ethnic Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. Already divided in their response to a speech delivered by US President Barack Obama in Turkey earlier this month, bloggers react to his statement marking the occasion, but which avoided directly referring to the WWI events as genocide.
Many were already resigned to the inevitable breaking of a campaign promise designed to attract the Armenian-American vote. Indeed, others had already noted Turkey's strategic importance to the West, and a potential breakthrough in efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey which would reportedly involve the latter coming to terms with its own past.
Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008, Licensed under Creative Commons
This view is echoed by Yerevan-based Armenian-American analyst Richard Giragosian in a guest post on Post Global.
[…] any narrow focus on only the genocide issue or President Obama's choice of wording obscures the point, as the burden for addressing Turkey's historical legacy now rests with Turkey itself, which has already embarked on a significant, and at times painful, reexamination of its past and redefinition of its identity.
[…]
Thus, given the unique opportunity now before us, we can only hope that Turkey and Armenia will be able to move forward together, coming to terms with the legacy of the past, but based on a shared commitment to the future. […]
Even so, some Armenian bloggers such as Sevana at Life in the Armenian Diaspora disagree and were furious even before the presidential statement.
So an announcement like this can only mean one thing. It's April 22nd, and Turkey is worried Obama will say GENOCIDE in his April 24th statement. […]
Will Obama keep his promise, or will the Turkish games win the day? I want to believe that good will prevail, that this time, the campaign promises could be believed, but… the doubt is strong in me.
In a second post after the statement was made, the blogger simply branded the U.S. president a liar, a view shared by some non-Armenians such as Cervantes who compares Obama to his predecessor.
Barack Obama was unequivocal during the campaign: As president, he would recognize the nearly century-old massacre of Armenians in Turkey as genocide.
In breaking that promise Friday, the president did the same diplomatic tiptoeing he criticized the Bush administration for doing.
Sam Lapena is even more outspoken.
Today the President – my freakin’ hero, one of the few people on the face of this planet who I could say, with a straight face, that they are an inspiration to me – dicked around with his promise, effectively turning vital acknowledgement into a game of semantics and terminology. […]
[…]
I hope that the second Turkey stops being of use, he’ll stand up on international fuckin’ television and say ‘It was a genocide.’ I’m hoping for now, but I won’t hold my tongue. I won’t say I’m not disappointed. I am very, very disappointed and I can’t even imagine what many Armenians and Armenian-Americans must be feeling. […]
Obama is not impervious to criticism. Well, here’s mine – what the HELL was that bullshit? This crap better be god-damned fixed soon […].  You cannot sit up there, tout yourself as ‘change’ and ‘different’ and ‘humane’ and ‘for the people’, making vital promises […], then reneg on those promises when it gets icky for you. If that’s the case, you’re no more ‘change’ than every other privilege-marinated President we’ve had before. […] There sure as hell has to be a good reason for this. I’m talking ‘avoid loss of life’ reason, not political fucking diplomacy.
Egalicontrarian also believes Obama should have referred to the events of 1915 as genocide.
I am pro-Presidential usage of the term “genocide” to describe the genocide against the Armenians. However, I think I am anti-Congress passing a statement declaring it a genocide. This is because I don’t think determining historical truth should the responsibility of the government. Instead, it should be done by historians. But I think congressmen should, as people who talk about things in the world, use the word genocide freely when it is accurate, just like the President should. In other words, they shouldn’t consciously avoid it as a political strategy.
Ironically, even Talk Turkey was unimpressed by Obama's efforts to appease both Armenians and Turks, but mainly because it believes the president only succeeded in alienating everybody.
[…] here's what I say to Obama. With your statement today, you've actually chickened out of taking a stand. Now, you've pissed off both the Armenians (for not using the term ‘Genocide) AND the Turks (for not using the ‘G-word’ but implying everything else by changing the definition and the application of it).
Shouldn't you have taken a stand, either way, so that we would have admired your courage, and thought of you less a politician, and more a man of conviction and integrity. OR Shouldn't you have said, enough with the tradition of these ‘non-binding’ statements. Let's move on and ‘change’ our attitude. Let's focus on things that unite us, and not divide us.
Or were those broken campaign promises as well? Shame on you!
As the blog notes, what makes the debate more problematic was Obama's choice of words for a statement that few anyway expected would include the word ‘genocide.’ Unzipped, for example, points out that Obama did refer to the genocide in Armenian.
As expected, after that ‘historic Armenia – Turkey normalisation’, Obama backed away from his campaign promise, and referred to the Armenian Genocide as “one of the greatest atrocities of the 20th century” and “Meds Yeghern”.
In Armenian, Meds Yeghern means genocide, but only in Armenian. Better than nothing, of course, but still not quite the G word. No surprises, though…
Effectively he recognised the Armenian Genocide for Armenians only (who understand the meaning of “Meds Yeghern”) but not to the outside world.
Blogian also noted the language used, but says that it fell short of what many Armenians were hoping for.
In his first statement commemorating the Armenian Genocide, President Obama didn’t say “genocide” but used the Armenian term for the genocide, Meds Yeghern (Great Catastrophe) and said that his views haven’t changed.
Perhaps a partial recognition, but not the change he promised.
Whatever you are be good one agrees.
[…] US president Barack Obama avoided using the word ‘Genocide’ during his annual speech addressed to Armenians of America, replacing it with the Armenian equivalent “Meds Yeghern”. So was it addressed only for Armenians to understand? I'm disappointed. Although, to be sincere, i didn't expect anything else […].
Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun activist burns the Turkish flag, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008, Licensed under Creative Commons
Ianyan, however, prefers to reflect on the aftermath of the genocide rather than engage in a debate over semantics.
[…] out of my own free will, I will not march down to the Turkish embassy, wave my signs, scream bloody murder and attach flags to the side of my car to parade down the streets with. In fact, when I think of the thousands of Armenians who will be participating in such displays, I suddenly become embarrassed.
Do not misunderstand me. Genocide recognition is important, but to let it define every fiber of your being, to constantly bash Turkey in our newspaper editorials, to instill hate in the minds of Armenian children and to incite blind nationalism does more harm than good.
[…] There are times when I am overwhelmed with pride in my cultural roots, that I feel that the Turks must pay deeply for virtually destroying my nation. There are other times when […] seeing Armenian newspaper articles demanding that Turkey owes us an apology or that President Obama should be ashamed because he has not yet kept good on his promise that the U.S will recognize the Genocide makes my head spin in frustration.
But I realize that what we need is dialogue.
What we need is to stop playing the victim.
What we need, is to stop using the Genocide as a crutch and focus how we can improve Turkish-Armenian relations, the political and economic standing of Armenia and the discrimination and hostility we perpetuate on other ethnic and marginal groups.
Istanbul Calling agrees and says that the fixation on terminology has taken on a life of its own.
April 24 commemorates the Armenian genocide of 1915-1918. The tragedy of the event itself has become subsumed and obscured by the politics surrounding the issue. It seems like every year more attention is paid to the “will he, or won’t he?” guessing game of whether the American president will utter the word “genocide” in his annual commemoration of the event, than is actually given to remembering what happened.
A day before the annual commemoration on 24 April, the point was not lost on an Armenian blogger at The Harvard Crimson.
So loaded is the term that it can override logic itself. In an official statement last year, President George W. Bush declared that “as many as 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives in the final years of the Ottoman Empire, many of them victims of mass killings and forced deportations.” Ironically, many Turkish activists celebrated this description for its omission of the word “genocide,” despite its overwhelming castigation of the events in all other ways. […] as long as the word “genocide” was not mentioned, they believed that they had won.
Similarly, at times Armenian activists have allowed their fixation with the word “genocide” to trump their respect for historical fact. In attempts to convince the world that genocide took place, activists rely at times on inflated death tolls and disputable sources to prove their points. […]
Those of us recognizing Martyrs’ Day tomorrow, then, should not fall into the trap of arguing over whether the events of 1915 should be classified as “genocide.” Instead, we should find people who were there or were affected and speak with these living primary and secondary sources. […] And, when we do talk to them, instead of asking, “Was it a genocide?”, we should simply ask, “What happened?” That way, instead of feeling the pressure to shape such devastating experiences to a label, we can let the content of history speak for itself.
In a guest post to mark 24 April, The Hub features one such testimony by 96-year-old Alice Shnorhokian.
Whatever their opinion on the matter, however, most bloggers agree that the events of 1915-17 were indeed genocide, a term coined by Raphael Lemkin in 1943 with the Armenian massacres partly in mind. What they disagree on is the approach taken to resolve the issue. There is no doubt that the debate will continue.


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Ecuador: The Departure of a Television Anchor  · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

In the middle of a tense election season in Ecuador and with the general elections scheduled for April 26, a popular television journalist was fired by the Ecuavisa [es] station. The decision to fire Carlos Vera has opened the debate whether journalist can indeed by partisan and favor one side over the other. The station claims that Vera did not show journalistic integrity when, according to blogger Rafael Méndez Meneses he gave more airtime to mayoral candidate [es] Ab. Jaime Nebot and did not allow his opponent Maria Duarte to provide a rebuttal.  However, now there are even speculation that the government had applied pressure on the station to fire Vera.
Ecuadorian journalist and former Ecuavisa anchor, Carlos Vera. Used under his permission
However, Vera denies this claim and says that it has to do with an alleged insult towards President Correa [es]  (see video).
Because of his visibility and the trajectories as journalist both on television and in print, Vera is well-known person in Ecuador and local bloggers have their own opinions.  However, he is not loved by all, and Autentico Ecuatoriano [es] describes him:
Carlos Vera Rodríguez es quizá el periodista más polémico del Ecuador en las últimas dos décadas. Dueño de un estilo incisivo, arrogante, en veces hasta raya en la petulancia y eso lo hace no sólo un poco antipático
Despite this, the station has to consider external pressures. Francisco Suarez of Desde mi Trinchera [es]  believes the Roca family, owners of Ecuavisa and other media entities in the country, have had to act according to how it would affect business and have had to sacrifice the journalistic work of the channel due to pressures:
Carlos Vera Rodríguez nunca fue un periodista de mi predilección. Grosero como él sólo a más no poder, estrujaba a sus entrevistados como lavandera a jeans viejos. Palo y más palo. Contrapuntos fuertes y en vivo transmitidos en Ecuavisa ni bien el gallo dejaba de cantar. Sin embargo (y lo digo con la convicción de haberlo vivido como entrevistado suyo que fui por dos ocasiones) cada palabra o argumento que soltaba su boca venía cargada de datos soportados por documentos oficiales obtenidos de fuentes confiables.
Ecuador Sin Censura [es] also agrees that the owners were receiving pressure from the government to silent dissident voices, such as the journalist who was fired.  The government provides a lot of business to Ecuavisa and there were some hints dropped in order to remind the station about this.
With the departure of a figure of the likes of Vera, many doubt the credibility and independence of television media channels like Ecuavisa. Auténtico Ecuatoriano [es]  refers to another of the journalists, Jorge Ortiz, who has a program on the same TV channel:
Ortiz hizo lo correcto, callar hasta encontrar el momento acertado para dar una estocada final: la seriedad de los Noticieros y Programas de Opinión de Ecuavisa estarán ya no en entredicho de aqui en adelante, sino que su credibilidad tocaría asintóticamente el CERO.
While Diaro Relativo [es]  applauds the decision of the directors of the channel and criticizes Mr. Vera:
Ecuavisa se puso las pilas al cancelar el programa de Carlos Vera “Cero Tolerancia”, es una medida muy justa, los televidentes estábamos ya hasta el copete de la arrogancia y parcialización de dicho mediocre periodista ( aunque en este país no hay periodistas excelentes).
During his time off the air, fans of Vera can voice support for him on a Facebook group.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Milton Ramirez


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Fiji: Diplomatic maneuverings  · Global Voices
Michael Hartsell

StartFragment
On Monday, April 20, members of United Nations Security Council called the abrogation of Fiji’s constitution and the firing of its judiciary a “step backwards” and declared the country should hold elections as soon as possible.
Two UN human rights experts testified before the Security Council, appealing to Frank Bainimarama’s regime to restore the judiciary and human rights, especially the return of freedom of expression to the country’s media. They also called on Fiji’s government to cease deporting foreign journalists.
A few of Fiji’s bloggers blasted the UN for issuing statements that produced no concrete results such as trade sanctions.
A post at Stuck in Fiji M.U.D. compares media coverage with the UN’s dealing with Fiji coverage and that of the UN Global Conference on Racism.
Soon as the UN Security Council issued their non-binding statement on Fiji, some segments in the Australian media, namely ABC were quick to pounce on the statement and wove in the story line, some unverified reports of shredding of legal documents and the article speculates at best that, the UN Security Council statement, was solely based on this shredding allegation, attributed to a posting on Intelligentsiya blog.
…
What was relative stark omission from the Trans-Tasman media was the coverage of the UN Global Conference on Racism, currently being held in Geneva. Apparently, the conference got off to a shaky start amid the walk out of several diplomats due to comments of Iran's President on Israel. The US boycotted the conference because it could not agree to the language of the joint communique by the Conference of Racism, that was severely critical of Israel.
Perhaps the UN Security Council statement on Fiji, may not reflect the total consensus of the UN, judging from the Geneva walkout. This walkout in Geneva also a reminder of the political horse trading within the institution, by some member nations who will send smaller nations to the ‘Head master's office’ vis a vis Fiji; yet turn a bling eye to more egregious crimes against humanity.
Shortly after the Security Council's statement on Fiji’s military government, New Zealand’s foreign minister called the body “utterly hypocritical” for continuing to employ soldiers from Fiji in different peacekeeping missions around the world.
Calling the United Nations “an unethical bloated fat cat,” a post at Raw Fiji News agrees with the foreign minister’s assessment.
We fully support New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister McCully in calling the UN “hypocritical” in their continued hiring of Fijian soldiers to some of their UN peacekeeping missions.
In our view, the UN is simply a bloated fat lazy cat, full of hierarchies and filled with over-schooled impractical paper pushing people who think they can solve the problems of the world from their armchair, armed with their voluminous out-of-touch reports.
Basic moral values of disciplining oppressive dictators like Frank & Co. by simply returning his military henchmen back to their coconut trees in Fiji is soo simple, yet too hard for these wannabe experts at UN to figure out.
So what’s the problem UN?
If UN can’t lead by example, then by golly keep your friggin mouths shut, you bunch of hypocritical paper shufflers!!!
Tui Savu writes a post at the Solivakasama Worldwide Movement calling for the creation of a coalition of the willing against Fiji’s regime.
I challenge the US, UN, EU, UK, Australia and NZ Governments to act justly, responsibly and condemn Fiji’s illegal junta not only with words, but reinforced with smart sanctions.
For example, it could impose smart sanctions such as refusing Josefa Iloilo to come to Australia for his regular Medical Treatment, withdrawing of Aid, withdrawal of Military troops seconded by the illegal Fiji Military to the UN and US led Forces; criminalise all its citizens who have sworn illegal oaths to the illegal Fijian junta, travel bans on everyone connected with this illegal junta, etc. This is the only language a rouge government knows, which is a well known fact, so why pretend otherwise?
The innocent victims in Fiji are already being disadvantaged whether sanctions are imposed or not, so it makes very little difference to them, however if smart sanctions are not taken against the illegal Fijian junta now, then their miseries and woes will only turn into despair. The innocent victims can accept short term suffering if it sees hope at the end of the tunnel, but will wallow in despair, if they see no hope, as in the current situation.
I urge the US, UN, EU, UK, Australia and NZ on behalf of the Solivakasama Worldwide Movement to be part of its Coalition of the willing and act together to topple the illegal junta in Fiji, restore democracy and the rule of law in Fiji now and not wait until it is too late to intervene.
In related news, Real FIJI News supports Australia's decision to take a “soft approach” to Fiji's regime and rules out imposing sanctions.
Vinaka Australia, did China get you a bit worried? This is definitely a step in the right direction.
During the weekend of April 10, Fiji’s president nullified the constitution, fired the judiciary and appointed the government of Frank Bainimarama to a five-year term. This came in response to appeals court decision that Bainimarama came to power illegally in December 2006.
EndFragment

author: Michael Hartsell


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Hungary: The Parliament · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes about history of the Hungarian parliament building – and the politics taking place inside it.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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World Book Day: Women’s lives in the mirror of their men · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

There are so many men in a woman's life, from the first to the last one: «father, grandfather, son, brother, lover, husband, boss, colleague»…Some are present, others are forgotten, some are gone, others are still mysteriously there, captivating or suffered, changing, staying, transforming; and, pieced together, their portraits and contributions will depict better than she could herself, the woman crossing their road, in intimate and intricate stories,  heartbreaking and inspiring, funny and modest, introspective and shedding light on historical and social backgrounds.
First on my discovery list was Denise Bombardier, a journalist, novelist, essayist and media personality from Quebec, well known for her outstanding reporting and often scathing sense of humour. In «Nos hommes» (1995) she writes, as quoted in Nicole Savard‘s literary blog [Fr]:
Les hommes sont, dit-elle, des êtres qui nous inspirent sur chacun d'eux, chacun d'eux étant la facette de ce qu'est un autre. De plus, l'homme est cette personne qui nous révèle à nous-mêmes, nous les femmes. Ils sont un peu ce que nous voulons qu'ils soient: amoureux, amants, fougueux, touchants, amicaux, professionnels, séducteurs, parfois cruels, et souvent terrifiés par le pouvoir qu'exerce la femme sur eux. Enfin, ces hommes sont à l'image de ce que la femme veut, croit ou “désespère d'être”.
Camille Laurens [Fr] represents a controversial trend in French literature, called «autofiction», combining autobiography and fiction. In 2000, she published «Dans ces bras-là» («In those arms»), which earned her the Femina prize, a book ballerines ou converses loved [Fr]:
Les hommes. Quel sujet ! Passionnant. Je regrette d’avoir été une femme en lisant ces lignes. J’aurais aimé être masculin pour mieux comprendre ce qui se passe dans le ventre des femmes face à nous, mais je suis fille, je ne fais qu’aquièscer au chemin chaotique et amoureux de l’héroïne. Car il y a toujours une histoire d’amour avec un homme : qu’il soit père, grand-père, fils, frère, ami, amant, mari, patron, collègue.
But my favorite is no doubt My Men by Malika Mokkedem, an Algerian writer established in France, where she studied medicine and long practised as a nephrologist, before deciding to dedicate her time to literature.
The daughter of an illiterate, formely nomadic family of South Algeria, she succeeded in wrestling her independent life against the heavy traditions of the time and her family, and through the sheer power of her determination, became what she irrepressibly craved to be. She writes [Fr]:
I left my father to learn how to love men, a continent still hostile, because it is a foreign one…. I made myself with and against them. They embody everything I needed to conquer, in order to attain freedom.
La muse agitée, the blogger of the Vallauris bookshop, is enthusiastic [Fr]:
Voici le « carnet de bal » de Malika Mokkedem, qui déroule le fil de sa vie comme on ouvre un tiroir aux souvenirs. Y sont rangés son enfance de petite fille algérienne qui compte moins que ses frères et à qui on demande d’être la plus transparente possible, son adolescence de jeune fille qui trouve dans les livres et l’instruction une porte ouverte à la liberté, une jeune femme avide d’amour, indépendante et déterminée, une femme construite avec ses blessures, sa culture, sa rage et son besoin viscéral de reconnaissance.
Les hommes de sa vie sont ceux qui ont compté et l’on soutenue, ceux avec qui elle a bataillé, contre qui elle a dormi, pour qui elle a fait l'amour. Leurs traces intimes imprègnent de forces conjuguées et de déceptions cuisantes la vie de l’auteur. […]
Le livre se lit comme un récit de vie, un témoignage, une confidence, une sorte de gifle à l’ordre établi, l’ignorance et la servitude, une vérité toute crue qui n’accuse pas mais enveloppe l’avenir d’un espoir encourageant pour les femmes algériennes. […]
This obstacle race facing women leads us to great Algerian novelist Assia Djebar, who is also a translator, filmmaker and a professor of Francophone literature at New York University, one of the few women ever accepted into the Académie Française. Among her most famous works and memorable reads are L'Amour, la Fantasia (1985), and Femmes d'Alger dans leur appartement (2002). On his blog Le bateau libre, literary critic Frédéric Ferney points, about her latest book Nulle part dans la maison de mon père («Nowhere in my father's house», 2007) [Fr]:
Le titre sonne comme une dénégation et un aveu, il tient sa promesse.
[…]
Grandir, est-ce apprendre à désobéir? Et comment grandir sans (se) trahir? Comment être fidèle à soi sans renier les siens? Assia Djebar a cette phrase: “Se dire à soi-même adieu” que chacun est libre d'interpréter comme il veut.
What brings together most of French-language Algerian writers is their style, their rich and vivid, energetic and never starchy handling of language, as well as the audacity of their subjects. So, finally somehow drifting from women's destinies, I feel compelled to end this short round-up with the entrancing books of Yasmina Khadra (a pen name for a man, to avoid military censorship during the Agerian civil war), whose  Wolf Dreams (1999), The Swallows of Kaboul (2002) The Attack and The Sirens of Baghdad (both 2006), among others, aim to «give the readers in the West a chance to understand the core a problem that he usually only touches on the surface [that is, fanaticism].
More about this fascinating writer on these blogs : Un oeil sur la planète, and Cocola's [Fr].

author: Suzanne Lehn


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Japan: 50 Japanese Twitter Bots to Follow · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

From the weather in Tokyo to updates on what manga was published that day, Ascii.jp has posted a list of 50 Japanese Twitter bots to follow.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


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Kyrgyzstan: Disputes on .kg domain continue  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elena tells about the disputes around the regulation of the domain names and Internet in Kyrgyzstan.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kyrgyzstan: Lame Ad Design Spurred Nationalist Debates · Global Voices
Elena Skochilo

On April, 22, a deputy Askarbek Shadiev criticized the advertisement billboard of the Swiss Office for Cooperation [en] during the session of the faction “Ak Zhol” party. Deputy was outraged by the placing the white cross image on the flag of Kyrgyzstan by unknown designer.
There is a big poster in the honor of the 15th anniversary of the Swiss Cooperation Office where the flag of Kyrgyzstan is drawn with a huge cross at the intersection of Mira Avenue and Gorky Street. None of you are probably didn't pay attention. I believe that the government should control such things. Is this a humiliation?,  he said  [ru].
In an interview Kloop.kg  [ru] Askarbek Shadiev also commented his speech.
There is a big cross on our Kyrgyz flag. I think it is unethical and a violation of the law about the Flag of the Kyrgyz Republic. We need to take the matter to court and we will win, Shadiev said.
They could place both flags together, but they shouldn't have drawn the cross on our flag. Our people don't understand, and I think that is offensive, Shadiev added.
In response to the attack of Shadiev Swiss Cooperation Office  explained  [ru], that the organization received an official permission to use such banner from the National Commission of National Language under the President.
Logo printed on billboards and other promotional materials, expresses the 15th anniversary of the Kyrgyz-Swiss cooperation/ Logo shows combined flags of two friendly countries – the Kyrgyz Republic and Switzerland, Swiss bureau explained.
Internet users immediately criticized an unknown designer and posted a photo of the deputy with the flags of both countries as a sign of friendship Kyrgyzstan, Switzerland and Shadiev. However, the opinion of the users was common:
We can see again that the MPs have nothing to do. It would be better to think about our poor retirees and veterans …,  expressed  [ru ] the general idea Diesel forum user SpaceWalker.

author: Elena Skochilo


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Madagascar : Transitional government is trampling on freedom of speech · Global Voices
Mialy Andriamananjara

A series of unfortunate decisions taken by the Andry TGV Rajoelina, High Authority for the Transition (HAT) government, is seriously threatening freedom of speech in Madagascar.
First, there was the arrest of three demonstrators, most famously, “Razily“, the young man seen bearing a flag in this amateur video, before being thrown into a pick up truck and callously beaten by soldiers.
As a reader comments on Madagascar Tribune online  :
“Mais quel symbole !!!. Un homme seul qui brandi fièrement le drapeau de son pays arrêté sans ménagement par des militaires sensés justement défendre les couleurs de ce drapeau. Lui même jeté dans le fourgon !!!.”
We still do not know for sure what happened to Razily, but he is hailed a hero by Malagasy internet users. Malagasy mainstream media seem not to have followed up with his fate. Malagasy social media users, like Solofo Rafeno, on his twitter account and his blog are orchestrating a campaign to demand that the HAT government free Razily and the other two men who were with him. Solofo also demands to know the whereabouts of a pro-Ravalomanana journalist who has been reported missing since the grab of power.
A petition now circulates on Facebook for those demanding Razily's freedom.
Then, last sunday, Andry TGV Rajoelina's government seized equipment from two radio broadcasting stations, Radio Fahazavana and Radio Mada, which both support the ousted President Marc Ravalomanana.
Mydago.com reports the closure of the two stations :
“Pendant le jour du Seigneur du 19 avril, la Radio Chrétienne Fahazavana (Lumière) ainsi que Radio Mada et TV Mada ont été détruits par les militaires mutins du Capsat. Il faut reconnaître que ces organes d’informations ont depuis quelques jours gêné, voire irrité le nouveau régime issu du coup d’état de Madagascar. Nous pouvons nous souvenir que déjà depuis quelques jours, par exemple nous avions eu vent de plaintes de brouillage sur Radio Mada. Par ailleurs, d’autres informations ont confirmé que des pressions s’exercent sur les journalistes de la Radio et la télévision nationales (Radio et TVM).”
It is ironic to recall that back in December 2008, it was Andry TGV Rajoelina's VIVA TV station which was forced to close by Marc Ravalomanana, for broadcasting a speech by former President Ratsiraka where the latter harshly criticized Ravalomanana and incited the Malagasy people to revolt.
Fijery notices the similarity :
“Dimanche dernier, au milieu de toute la splendeur de leur clairvoyance, Andry Rajoelina et Gilbert Raharizatovo ont fait un copier-coller de la décision ridicule de réduire Viva TV au silence, et ont tenté de fermer Radio-Mada et Radio Fahazavana.”
After his nemesis, Ravalomanana, closed down VIVA TV,  Andry TGV organized protests in the streets to demand the reopening of the television station, touted his outrage at this blatant disrespect of freedom of speech and democracy, and branded Ravalomanana a “dictator”. Global Voices has a special section on the crisis.
Yet not even six months later, after Andry TGV successfully grabbed power with the help of mutineers, and proclaimed that freedom is won and dictatorship vanquished, Andry TGV's sbires are now the ones threatening radio and TV stations with closures, intimidating journalists and bloggers, forbidding public protests and shooting at protesters, all under the pretext of preserving law and order and public safety, a surprising concern for a government that not even two months ago, has itself used street protests, intimidation and general thuggery to rise to power.
Due to the violence and the threats, shops and factories were forced to permanently shut down, their employees were dismissed, the $350 million a year once promising touristic industry tanked, hotels are now staying empty. The HAT government has proposed that entry visas, which once cost 60 euros to obtain, are now to be offered for free in a desperate measure to revive tourism.
The HAT government, which professed last month that elections were not needed because the people had already spoken through the streets, then proceeded to forbid all public rallies. As reports The Cyber Observer:
“Today (Tuesday April 21st, 2009), the HAT prime minister Monja Roindefo led a special council at the state palace of Iavoloha.
It has been decided that, starting from tomorrow (Wednesday April 22nd, 2009), all political rallies throughout Madagascar, are forbidden until further notice.
In order to maintain the public order (bear in mind that when Andry Rajoelina came to power, he proclaimed state of emergency throughout Madagascar), the state has the right to make such decision. But in the other hand, due to the fact that there is a daily and massive growing wave of public contestation throughout Madagascar, is it really wise to impose such a ban?”
On Monday April 20 and again on Thursday April 23, there were massive crowds in Antananarivo, protesting the shut down of the pro-Ravalomanana radio stations. Unfortunately the Rajoelina government copied Ravalomanana's methods and ruthlessly repressed the protests, showing in the process that Ravalomanana the “dictator” may be gone, but his replacement, Andry TGV Rajoelina is not fulfilling his promise to bring freedom and democracy to Madagascar. One of the reproaches Andry TGV Rajoelina's supporters made to Ravalomanana was the use of armed civilians mingled with soldiers during protests repressions. Yet again, civilians were seen carrying weapons alongside soldiers, and some were even seen giving soldiers orders, when together they shot at protesters without warning, and according to some accounts, used deadly bullets.
According to witnesses, the Associated Press and the BBC, two people died and more than 15 were wounded on Monday.
“The BBC's Jonny Hogg in the city saw at least one person shot in the back at close range, and said cars were set on fire close to government buildings. “
“Radio Madagascar said numerous casualties were being taken to the Antananarivo's main hospital. There was no immediate confirmation of the report nor official word about injuries or deaths.”
“An AP reporter saw roaming gangs erecting barricades and burning cars in the capital, with the worst unrest concentrated near a downtown square that has become the focal point for protests.
Supporters of ousted President Marc Ravalomanana had defied a ban on demonstrations issued by Madagascar's military-backed leader Andry Rajeolina following repeated clashes.”
Soldiers then wanted to invade HJRA, Hopital Ravoahangy Andrianavalona, the hospital where the wounded were taken -to what end one cannot help but wonder- but the protesters managed to stop them.
The Cyber Observer offers a suggestion as to why the soldiers wanted to storm the hospital:
“According to some eye-witnesses, 02 people were killed by security forces in Anosy. This information has been confirmed later by Fahazavana radio (this radio is back on air since today at 01.30pm Madagascar time – we do not know yet where its current location is and if it has been allowed by the ministry of telecommunication to broadcast again). The bodies of these 02 people are now at the HJRA hospital in Andrefan’Ambohijanahary.
According to another eye-witness, there were militaries who came to HJRA hospital to take the bodies of these 02 people. They were heavily armed. People around the premises of HJRA hospital did not allow them to do so. Now at the time I am typing this post, Fahazavana radio is calling people to go to Andrefan’Ambohijanahary to protect HJRA hospital”
Back in February, on Red saturday, Ando Ratovonirina, one cameraman of the television station RTA was killed in the line of action by the soldiers of the then embattled Marc Ravalomanana. Two months later, this time again, a professional journalist of the same television station, Razafindraibe, was killed by Andry TGV Rajoelina's government, also in the line of action.
Freedom of speech still evades Madagascar. Fijery writes a sober analysis of the lack of impact of journalism on Malagasy life :
“…qu’est-ce qu’une vie de journaliste dans un pays ou même la sacro-sainte Constitution n’est pas respectée ? La presse a déja payé un lourd tribut dans cette crise, avec deux décès et plusieurs agressions. Et vu le faible niveau de respectabilité de la pratique politique et des politiciens dans notre pays, il est inutile pour les journalistes Malgaches d’adopter littéralement la devise de Jean-Jacques Rousseau : Vitam impendere vero.”

author: Mialy Andriamananjara


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Mexico: Cancellation of Important Football Matches Due to Swine Flu · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Esta Maraña de Contradicciones [es] writes that she is worried about the swine flu spread in Mexico City because two important football matches were cancelled. Considering how important the sport is to many, then the problem must be very serious.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Mexico: Concern Over Swine Flu Outbreak · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Mexican health officials have become concerned with an outbreak of swine flu, which has caused the deaths of 68 in Mexico City, and another 1,000 have fallen ill.  What makes this flu particularly worrisome is that the deaths involved young people, and not those from vulnerable demographics. On the streets of the capital, residents are taking precautions to avoid the virus and others are waiting to see if it spreads.
The outbreak prompted the closure of museums [es] and schools, as well as the cancellation of cultural events [es], and even many football matches over the weekend.
Defeña Salerosa of Esta Maraña de Contradicciones [es] summarizes the reactions of Mexicans during this outbreak:
Los que piensan que todo esto es una medida gubernamental para tapar algo “chupacabras style”-“cortina de humo”, y ese algo quien sabe qué podría ser: amenazas del narcotráfico, chanchullos bursátiles, etc. Los que creen ciertamente que estamos llegando a una pandemia. Los que consideran exageradas y extremas las medidas del sector salud y el gabinete presidencial. Los que están asustadísimos y no quieren salir de casa y de hacerlo, porta tapabocas o bufandas (sí, con este pinche calor ví a dos con ¡bufandas!). Los que ya sienten escosor y mucosidad en sus vías repiratorias. Los que se rompen la cabeza buscando el comentario/frase más sarcástico y jocoso del asunto.
Those who think that this is a governmental measure to cover up something “like the chupacabras” – “smoke screen”, and that something, who knows what it could be: narcotrafficking threats, stock market scams, etc. There are those who think that we are surely reaching a pandemic. Those who think that the measures from the health sector and presidential cabinet to be exaggerated and extreme. Those that are truly scared and don't want to leave the house, and when they do use facemasks and scarves (yes, with this heat I saw two people with scarves!) Those that already feel mucous in their respiratory tracts. Those that try really hard trying to find the most sarcastic and humorous comment/phrase about the matter.
From Mexico City, Daniel Hernandez of Intersections provides regular updates on his blog and a look at the scene on the streets of Mexico City on Friday night:
But what are things like on the street right now? People are out and about, only every other pedestrian is wearing a surgical mask. Some arty party events tonight have been canceled, but otherwise, D.F. life as normal, if just a bit more surreal than usual.
Flickr-user Victoria , a teacher in Mexico City commented on Hernandez’ post about arriving to her school on Friday morning:
As I walked in, I immediately noticed that i I didn't see any students.
Then they told me, oh, it's because of the outbreak of influenza, and then I vaguely remembered recieving at text message from UNONOTICIAS at midnight.
Then I hung out and listened to all my Mexican colleagues talk about how this is the first time this has ever happened, and speculate about how bad the situation truly might be, for these measures to be taken. Then I went home, on the metro, with my blue face mask on.
Some bloggers are providing tips about how the flu is contracted, such as Ana Maria Salazar writes that despite the name of the flu, one cannot contract it from eating pork.
The government has planned to administer the flu vaccine to health workers, but there are none available for the general public. Right now, they are recommending that people wash their hands frequently and to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, among other measures.


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Mexico: Face Masks to Prevent Spread of Swine Flu · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Face masks are being distributed in some Metro stations in Mexico City to prevent the spread of swine flu write Jessica Uribe of Vivir México [es].


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Peru: Road Blockades in San Martín Region · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

The Blog de Ideeleradio – Red Nacional informs about the road blockade protests by 7,000 members of indigenous communities in the cities of Tarapoto and Yurimaguas. They say that they are protesting against government measures that will violate their right to stay on their land.

author: Juan Arellano


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Poland: Banning “Offensive Symbols”? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes about the government's proposal “to make all images that promote dictatorship, communism or fascism illegal from public display.”


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Read Your Way Around the World: Book Challenge Roundup · Global Voices
Sylwia Presley

In order to show our loyalty to traditional forms of writing, at the end of March the Global Voices team proposed a challenge around UNESCO Word Book Day. We have asked our contributors and readers to pick and read a book representing a country whose literature they did not know before and to share their experience on their sites.
We have seen posts tagged with #gvbook09 popping out from the early days of April. Those early ones were dedicated to the preparations and process of choosing the book, the author, the country.
Rising Voices  El Oso decided to dedicate his time to Orhan Pamuk’s Istanbul: Memories and the City placing the author in the context it was written:
In 2005 a criminal case was opened against Pamuk in Turkey for statements he made in a Swiss magazine about the alleged Turkish massacres of Kurds and Armenians. Pamuk’s case was taken up by fellow writers advocating for freedom of speech and, more controversially, became a litmus test for Turkey’s entrance into the European Union.
Karlo Mikhail, a blogger from the Philippines took time picking the right title, and in the end chose something easily available:
I finally found something for the Global Voices Book Challenge: Torgny Lindgren’s The Way of a Serpent. There are so many countries whose literatures I have never been acquainted before. But this Swedish novella in translation is the only one already at hand.  Bought it very cheap late last year along with something by Heidegger (which I gave away knowing I won’t be needing it yet anytime soon).
Edi, a blogger that defines herself as “an African American school librarian in Indianapolis” describes her book choice this way:
My selection will be perfect for April: Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse is the story of native Aleutians who are relocated during WWII when the Japanese invaded the islands. The story is told in the voice of a young girl and written in poem form.
This week marks the final week of the challenge, so you still have time to join us! And just to tempt you a little bit more we present a few more of our reading adventures.
Jad posted about The Angel of Grozny by Asne Seierstad coming to an interesting conclusion:
I have always been interested in Chechnya and Albania because not having a Holy Land doesn’t mean they should be ignored and never receive support.
I’m not into novels nor literature in general but I kept gazing the book and going through its pages for some good time, I was not sure if I wanted to invest any more in a novel (it’s not a novel but the border between her journalistic facts and her novelistic style is very imperceptible) I don’t enjoy novels, I never did but my friend insisted on buying it and she did.
I borrowed the book later and starting reading it and after couple of chapters I started to believe that the best way to share a documented journalistic facts would be in a novel form.
The Book of Sand by Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges and chosen for the challenge by Malagasy blogger Lova Rakotomalala proved to be extremely relevant to current reality of Madagascar:
As Madagascar tries to find an exit to its political dead end, such assessment of the true representation of a group is hitting very close to home for me at this time. No entity can ever claim that it represents perfectly a population. However, a group has to agree on a set of rules to live by and tolerate each other. When those agreements are rendered meaningless for whatever reasons, the opus of the members (like the collection of classic books initiative) usually ends in ashes.
Even though, this particular story brought me back to the crisis back home, I welcomed the rest of the short stories as an escape to the accrued violence there for the past few days.’
Niranjana, an Indian blogger in Canada read ‘Paradise Reclaimed’ written by Halldor Laxness however results in feeling of disappointment.  This Icelandic piece of literature picked up from the shelf turned out to be a hard read:
I also think much of my inability to relate to this book stems from my ignorance of Icelandic folklore–I can tell I’m  missing all sort of references to myths and historical events that would have made this book a much richer read.  This omission is of course entirely my fault (I should  have hunted out the Cliffs Notes), but if I had read something about Iceland, I couldn’t have chosen this book for the challenge.  Anyway, the overall feeling was rather like reading Beckham’s autobiography without ever having seen the man kick a ball.  Not satisfactory.’
Fay Sheco, who chose Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong  is satisfied both with the book, as well as with the challenge itself:
In the early days of this blog I tried a few book challenges and found them constricting; this one-off book challenge suits my current way of reading and blogging, and I look forward to reading the other challenge-generated blog posts, which are to be tagged #gvbook09 for easy searching.’
For some of us the book challenge results in need of meeting the author himself. Senor Pablo for instance decided to read  The Islamist by Ed Hussain and hopes to meet the writer soon:
Come September Eleven and suddenly the world changed. Another question that cropped up was the differences in the way Muslims interpret Islam. I could not understand the need for fundamentalism, although it does exist in most religions. This book will explain it all and that is why I think it is a good read if you want to know a Muslim's experience in joining a fundamentalist group and left. It answered the many questions that I wanted answered. :)
I just heard that Ed Hussain is heading this region soon. I would love the opportunity to meet the author in person!
Bahraini blogger Bint Batutta describes the story of a book about the nuclear reactor disaster of Chernobyl (Memories of a Meltdown by Mohamed Makhzangi ) together with the circumstances of the event:
And what of the site of the nuclear reactor today? It is enclosed in a large concrete sarcophagus, and there is a thirty-kilometre Exclusion Zone around Chernobyl where officially nobody is allowed to live – but there are homeless men and women who do. See this photo essay called Chernobyl Stalkers.
There is still much more out there, so if you are interested in the results, look for posts tagged with #gvbook09.
The challenge is still on, so pick up a book, read it and let us know what you think of it! Do not forget to tag your posts or leave a comment on our site, so we can share your experience.

author: Sylwia Presley


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Russia: Baymurat (aka Jimmy) Singing Bollywood Song · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Videos of a rendition of a Bollywood song by Baymurat (aka Jimmy) – an ethnic Uzbek from Tajikistan, a gastarbeiter in a town near Moscow, and a YouTube celebrity: one of the earlier versions is here, and the performance at Asian Dub Foundation's April 4 gig in St. Petersburg, Russia – here. Roman Gruzov's profile of Baymurat/Jimmy (RUS) in Bolshoi Gorod is here.


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Russia: CTO in Chechnya’s Four Districts · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A Step At A Time reports that counter-terrorist operation restrictions have been re-introduced in four districts of Chechnya.


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Russia: New Blog · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Siberian Light reviews a new Russia blog: Viewpoint Russia.


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Russia: Union of Repressed Peoples · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia reports that “six of the more than a dozen nations Stalin deported during World War II – the Kalmyks, the Chechens, the Ingush, the Balkars, the Karachays, and the Volga Germans — have formed a Union of Repressed Peoples to demand an apology from Moscow and the return of the lands the powers that be at that time seized and have not yet returned.”


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Syria: Damascus Real-Estate is the World’s 8th Most Expensive · Global Voices
Anas Qtiesh

Syriangavroche writes [Ar] that commercial real-estate in Damascus is the 8th most expensive in the world, topping international hubs such as New York.

author: Anas Qtiesh


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Taiwan: “Luc Besson, you find the wrong guy” · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

TEIC(Taiwan Environmental Information Center) criticize French director Luc Besson‘s decision to invite Hau Lung-pin, the Mayor of Taipei City, to dub his latest documentary film about environment while Hau is actually a tree killer and nature destroyer(zh).

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Turkmenistan: First major gas deal with a Western company · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elina Galperin reports that Turkmenistan has signed a major agreement with the German energy giant Rheinisch-Westfaelische Elektrizitaetswerk.


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Ukraine: More on Chernobyl Photo Exhibit · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

More pictures from Michael Forster Rothbart‘s Chernobyl photo exhibit in Kyiv


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Afghanistan: Bombings in Kandahar · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust reports that three suicide bombers have struck the provincial governor’s compound in Kandahar, Afghanistan.


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Azerbaijan: Back in Baku · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Scary Azeri in Suburbs returns to her native Baku. Posting photographs of the Azerbaijani capital, the blogger, now resident in the U.K., says that the city is full of contrasts and changes.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Books about Egypt · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Blogger Kim wrote a review for a series of pocket guides for Egypt, published by AUC Press, by Alberto Silioti. The books are not in depth, but can give a glimpse into the area it covers for tourists. She also mentioned another book An ABC Escapade through Egypt, a book for children in and outside Egypt to learn a little about things uniquely Egyptian.

author: Eman AbdElRahman


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Brunei: Child-safety laws · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Rogue Economist from Brunei notes that laws on child-seat and safety belts are not properly observed and implemented.

author: Mong Palatino


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Brunei: Islamic Banking · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Rogue Economist from Brunei sees no difference between Islamic Banks and conventional banks in terms of their operations.


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China: Labour net launched · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A news website, China Labour net has been launched. According to the launching statement: the aim of this website is to facilitate sharing of information, experiences and opinion of the labour movement between China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the rest of the world. We will regularly upload articles on the workers’ movement, political economy, cultural thinking and monitoring of corporations from this region and from other areas.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Diarrhea deaths in Myanmar · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Irrawaddy reports that there is a diarrhea outbreak in Rangoon City in Myanmar.


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Fiji’s expats create democratic movement · Global Voices
Michael Hartsell

StartFragment
On Saturday, April 18 a group of ethnic Fijians living in Australia pledged support for Fiji’s return to democracy and called on Australia’s and New Zealand’s governments to apply more political and economic pressure to the new order of Frank Bainimarama.
Members of the meeting also called on people of Fiji living elsewhere to help support the country’s political restoration. Soli Vakasama reports former army Chief of Staff and Land Force Commander Colonel Jone Baleidrokadroka spoke to the crowd on the reasons behind Fiji’s 2006 coup; Litia Radrekusa former Crime Prevention and Community Safety Adviser for the Australia/Fiji Community Justice Program, spoke about negative effects of military coups in Fiji. Peter Waqatairewa who was the former deputy director of the Fiji Human Rights Commission talked about “the illegality of what has been done and a call to action”.
A few anti-government bloggers covered the event. From Fiji Girl:
A highly charged meeting of the Fiji community issued what it calls the Sydney Declaration condemning the abrogration of the 1997 constitution and calling on coup leader Frank Bainimarama to respect the Court of Appeal’s recommendation that a neutral government be appointed to take Fiji to immediate elections.
Fiji’s former Land Forces Commander Jone Baledrokadroka said the Bainimarama regime is illegal.

”We tell Bainimarama your day is up,” he said to applause. “The writing is on the wall.”
The former land forces chief said non-violent action and tougher sanctions are needed to bring the Fiji government to its knees.

The Sydney meeting endorsed a plan to set up an overseas movement for democracy.

The movement plans to establish branches in other Australian cities and in New Zealand, Britain and the United States.
Organizers claimed 200 attendees signed the Sydney Declaration For The Restoration Of Democracy in Fiji, calling for the country to be governed by a “democratic government…under the terms for the 1997 Constitution.”
However, some bloggers think the declaration may have gone too far in places, arguing a “blanket economic ban” against Fiji would harm regular people. A post at the Soli Vakasama Worldwide Movement argues if countries do indeed impose blanket sanctions, Fiji’s regime must fall quickly.
SVWM wish to clarify that while the ban on Air Pacific and blanket economic ban proposed here would probably cause the common people to suffer we need to realise here that we must knock out this regime very quickly and in order to do that we must cut off the means that ensure the continued survival of this illegal dictorship and the common people should be prepared to sacrifice short term for long term gains.
Exiles will help lead to the downfall of the new order, says Tee Jay For A Free Fiji.
With the creation of an organised Fijian led movement in Sydney against Dictator Bainimarama, it is timely that the Fijian diaspora will be a mighty weapon in the fight for freedom.
What happened in Sydney last weekend, and with the intention of setting up other organised groups across Australia, is very powerful.
If this can translate to the many other countries where Fijians reside, then imagine the power of an international Fijian network, in touch with each other on a daily basis. The Dictator has no idea how this can undermine him, and that is good!
Through global technology, the power of the diaspora will rattle the Dictator. With organisation and commitment, money that flows into Fiji from the hands of Fijians living in other countries will reduce to a trickle. It can be used in so many other positive ways.
Through organised movements overseas, websites can be established where information can be shared, political awareness can be developed.
By utilising the power of the diaspora, Dictator Bainimarama and his deluded croneys will face a threat their limited intelligence weren't even aware of.
In related news, a group of Fijian Indians living in New Zealand have asked Prime Minister John Key to continue relations with Fiji’s regime in an effort to keep the doors of negotiations open.
EndFragment


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Georgia: Cell protest in Tbilisi · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

A Year in Tbilisi pays a visit to some of the mock cells erected outside government buildings in the Georgian capital. The blog posts photographs and doesn't seem convinced that the opposition movement demanding the president's resignation stand much chance of succeeding.


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India: Saying No To Parachute Journalism · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sans Serif reports: “A team of 40 BBC journalists from 12 languages began an 18-day tour of India on a special train on Saturday to cover the ongoing Indian elections.”

author: Rezwan


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Japan: The “anime” business · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Hiromichi Yasuda (増田弘道), production director of the anime production company Simple d'essai [ja] and author of Anime Bijinesu ga Wakaru  (アニメビジネスがわかる, lit. Understanding the Anime Business), constantly updates his blog  [ja] with news and reviews of books about the anime business world in Japan.

author: Scilla Alecci


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Kazakhstan: Uneven Development · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Thousand-Pa reflects on the patterns of socio-economic development in Kazakhstan and suggests that the main reason for little progress is uneven distribution of efforts and funds.


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Palestine: Blog About Palestine Day on May 15 · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Palestinian blogger Za3tar invites bloggers to the second annual “Blog About Palestine Day” on May 15, which marks the 61st anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba – the beginning of the Palestinian plight and suffering.


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Russia: A Chechen Folk Tale · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Just A Mon translates a Chechen folk tale about Beksolta who could catch three lions in one swoop and posts it at Sundry Translations and Other Tangentialia.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Russia: Sochi Mayoral Election · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

James writes this about the mayoral election in Sochi at Robert Amsterdam's blog: “It can be tough work to continue coming up with new ways to fake the democratic process … after a while, the voters seem to wonder ‘why bother?'” Russia! reports on the detention of journalist Keith Gessen by riot police in Sochi and his subsequent release : “Gessen's friend wrote in an email: ‘I just talked to him and he's fine. He was like ‘yeah I got arrested no big deal’.'” Two pre-election posts at RFE/RL's The Power Vertical – here and here.


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South Asia: Coping With The Heat And The Rolling Blackouts · Global Voices
Rezwan

Heatwaves during this time of year is not uncommon for countries in South Asia. But the recent dry weather has kept sufficient rain away from the region keeping the mercury rising. And load shedding (rolling electricity blackouts) due to power crisis in several countries have made the lives of millions of people unbearable.
Last Friday (April 24, 2009) was the hottest day of this summer (with 38.5 Celsius) for Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The Eastern parts of India is choking as mercury rises above 45 degree Celsius. Several deaths have been reported. Zoo officials in Patna took special measures to protect the animals from heat. There have been reports of forest fire in Nepal, and droughts in the typical rain prone areas.
The netizens are reacting strongly to this situation. Sukanya M writes in the post “United We Sweat” about the heat and the constant power cuts:
Phew. It's been unbearable.
Temperatures ranging around 40, 41, 41.8, and if we are lucky (like today), 39 degrees. Plus Humidity – according to Yahoo it is 84% today (felt like 100%). And of course power cuts everywhere and in a bizarre turn of affairs, Kolkata – Dumdum to Behala had 6-10 hours of power cut on Sunday..[..]
Here are some Twitter messages catching up the mood of common people:
calamur: Melting in the heat . #mumbai is seriously hot .
vitrag: afternoon heat, and boarding the Mumbai trains… damn it fells like stepping in the oven.
Amit Varma at The India Uncut jeers:
It’s so hot in Bombay… … that when I heat food in my microwave, it comes out colder.
In Bangladesh people are suffering badly because of heat wave and frequent rolling blackouts. Most people do not have air-condition at home; they use electric fans, which are useless during power cuts. Those who can afford to use power inverters do not get enough electricity to recharge the units. Worse, there is not enough electricity to run the water pumps. The water crisis has grown acute and people are protesting against the water shortage.
From Twitter:
dkhall44: Load shedding now at ridiculous levels in Dhaka. Electricity supply is cut for one hour every other hour. And its *38* degrees.
shahreaz: Working from the evening sounds more realistic in Dhaka. 6 hours of load shedding during the working hours do not make sense.
The power authorities have put up schedules of power outages online.  Bernie Allen at Life & work in Dhaka city writes about the cause of the power outages in Dhaka:
Typical demand is 2000MW and one day this week we were allocated 1200W, so the shortfall had to be managed.
In Nepal, the power crisis has become a bit better. From an average of 14-16 hour load shedding a day the duration has come down. From Twitter:
zickme: Country facing an Electricity crisis and to over come this Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has imposed a 12 hrs load shedding each day.
Geshan's blog posts the load shedding schedule of Kathmandu showing the plights of the people.
The residents of Karachi city in Pakistan are facing unannounced power outages of 8 to 10 hour everyday. Pakistan Daily Photo posts pictures of how people are tackling the unbearable heat which is increasing day by day.
South Asia has seen much worse heatwaves than this. But the power crisis has really crippled peoples ability to cope with it. Until the rains bring some respite people will continue to suffer.
From Dhaka, battered by the heat, Blogger Kowshik is sarcastic [bn]:
সরকারের এখন বিদ্যুৎ এর বদলে বৃষ্টি উৎপাদনের চেষ্টা করা উচিত
Even if it sounds imprudent, in this situation the people of South Asia cannot ignore this idea.


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Thailand: Anti-censorship Site Got Blocked · Global Voices
Markpeak

The website of anti-censorship movement in Thailand, Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT), got blocked by several University connections and ISPs on 25 of April. At the time of writing, it has still been blocked. The first report came from Thai Netizen mailing list. Blogger Arthit Suriyawongkul wrote in his blog that one university networks and two ISPs blocked the site. Previously, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) blocked 66 “red shirt supporting” sites shortly after the “April Uprising”. The MICT cited the State of Emergency as the legal authority for their censorship.

author: Markpeak


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U.K.: London Armenian commemorative march · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped posts photos of yesterday's commemorative march held on the occasion of the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.


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Ukraine: Chernobyl · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana‘s Chernobyl anniversary post is here: “We remember.”


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Ukraine: Saturday Cleanup in Kyiv · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana posts photos and video from this past Saturday's cleanup in Kyiv, and writes: “IMHO, the effort lacked coordination and field resources. There weren’t enough bags for everyone. Some people were promoting corporate brands, some where loafing, and some couldn’t find those bags.  I only found one bag. Bagless people would ask me where I found it.”


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Ukraine: The Ruins and the Greed · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LJ user sabeloff posts pictures of the ruined remains of a seaside young pioneer camp in Odesa and shares the recent history of the place (RUS) – which, unfortunately, is a rather common sight in today's Ukraine:
[…] This is an old summer camp near the 13th Station of the Bolshoi Fontan in Odesa. It's totally deserted, which is surprising, because all around it are elite mansions. The demand for such plots used to be VERY high.
The story of this land plot is more or less the following:
The plot together with the camp was acquired for a large amount of money (how much is not known) and it was decided to build a multi-story elite house there. A strange decision, because of the “cool” mansions around, whose owners didn't want to observe a multi-story building instead of the sea out of their windows. The construction of this elite multi-story building was canceled. The owners decided to sell the plot. They were offered $130,000 per [hundred square meters] last summer, but they wanted $150,000. In the fall, they were fine with $130,000, but the buyers lowered their offer to $100,000 and later decided not to buy it at all… In the past half a year, there hasn't been a singe offer for this plot. […]
Here is one of the comments to this post, by LJ user yelpat:
This isn't financial crisis. This the crisis of greed. Greed has become the post-perestroika morality and those who were able to grab – they've grabbed. And the country is falling apart, and people are fleeing the country exactly because greed has devoured the infrastructure that's supposed to facilitate people's lives.


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Africa: Africa’s Best Blog Design · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

What is Africa's best blog design?: Africa is online. The number of bloggers continues to grow daily, inspiring readers all over Africa and all over the world. We are looking for the best blog designs from the continent.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Armenia: Internal politics and international relations · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The pro-opposition tzitzernak2 comments on speculation that the Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) might leave the coalition government after last weeks announcement of progress made in normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations. The blog says the move is long overdue and blames the nationalist party for many of the problems the country suffers from today.


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Azerbaijan: Blog round-up · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Writing on his In Mutatione Fortitudo, Global Voices Online Azerbaijan author Ali S. Novruzov says that Radio Free Europe has started to pay attention to the local blogosphere. However, he notes, the station needs to learn a few important lessons about blogging and citizen media.


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Bangladesh: Ramakrishna Temple in Dhaka  · Global Voices
Rezwan

MysticSaint at Inspirations and Creative Thoughts visited the Ramakrishna Temple of Dhaka and wrote about Sri Sri Ramakrishna (February 18, 1836 – August 16, 1886), a remarkable mystic saint of Bengal.


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Brazil: Fly me to the moon with public money · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Once more, a scandal direct from Brazil's capital Brasília has taken the blogosphere by storm – competing side by side last week with the quarrel between judges of the Supreme Court. The issue now is the misuse of publicly subsidized air tickets by parliamentarians, all paid for with public money. Vulcão Ativo [pt] summarizes this news of what has become known as the “ticket binge”  in a few lines:
Agora apareceu mais um benefício camuflado entre as tantas despesas dos parlamentares de Brasília, são as passagens aéreas gratuitas para o deputado, para a mulher do deputado, para o filho do deputado, para a sogra do deputado e até para a amante do deputado e o melhor de tudo é que não interessa se é promoção com preço mais barato, tudo de primeira classe. (…)
O deputado ainda acumula passagens e quando vai para o exterior de férias, leva toda a parentada com passagens pagas pelo governo.
Some talk about an even bigger fraud ring. A commission of inquiry has been created to investigate the alleged fraud. Two judges of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Gilmar Mendes and Eros Grau have been linked to the case. Travel records show tickets issued for Gilmar Mendes and his wife, with money from the office of Deputy Paulo Roberto (Brazilian Labor Party, State of Rio Grande do Sul). The ‘trips’ were to Fortaleza (Northeast Brazil) and New York (USA) in July 2008. Gilmar shows his receipt for R$9,246.34 (USD 4,158 approximately), paid in five installments by credit card.
As for Eros Grau, the ticket was issued on the bill of Deputy Fernando de Fabinho (Democrats, State of Bahia). The flight from Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro on March 31, 2008 happened because the judge had been invited to a ceremony at the University of Rio de Janeiro and the institution paid for his travel expenses.
Deputies Paulo Roberto and Fernando de Fabinho have denied any personal connection with judges Mendes and Eros and said they did not authorize any tickets to be issued on their behalf. This raises the suspicion that unused parliamentary air ticket allowance is sold illegally to travel agents, who resell it to customers. Luiz Antonio Magalhães [pt] considers everyone guilty, one way or another:
Este blog realmente duvida que exista um único parlamentar que não tenha participado da farra, até porque todos achavam a prática legal (nos dois sentidos da palavra). É evidente que a regra para uso das passagens precisa ser mudada, até deputado do Distrito Federal tem direito aos bilhetes, embora a base eleitoral seja ali mesmo, em Brasília. O ideal seria cortar o mal pela raiz e acabar com a mamata. Os gabinetes já têm verba suficiente para bancar as viagens dos parlamentares aos seus estados de origem, portanto eles que se virem com o que já têm e fim de papo.
Deputy Dagoberto Nogueira Filho (Democratic Labour Party from the State of Mato Grosso do Sul), in his ‘first time in office’, is top of the fly-for-free list. He has made 40 trips with his relatives. Ironically, the new deputy is a member of the Ethics Council of the House. Lucio Machado Borges [pt] says that there is even a rank that shows who has gone abroad most often at the taxpayers’ expense
O campeão é o deputado Dagoberto Nogueira Filho (PDT-MS). Apesar de novato, o deputado é o recordista com despesas de ‘locomoção, hospedagem e alimentação’, pagas com a chamada ‘verba indenizatória’. Entre janeiro de 2007 e outubro de 2008, ele usou sua cota aérea para 40 viagens internacionais.
Dagoberto encabeça lista de deputados que fizeram mais de 20 viagens internacionais usando a cota de passagens, que na realidade é destinada para voos do parlamentar para seu estado de origem. O pedetista, mesmo integrando o Conselho de Ética, acha que não cometeu nenhuma ilegalidade. Ele realizou media de 1,8 viagem ao mês ao exterior. Em 22 de suas viagens foi acompanhado da mulher, Maria Verônica, e da filha Mariana.
On being questioned, every deputy but one said they see no problems in using their air ticket allowance to fly members of their family and even acquaintances, as they were not told this was illegal beforehand. Fernando Rizzolo [pt] comments:
Não é possível que num País pobre como o Brasil, não exista entre os membros da Câmara, um consenso e uma visão de valor que esbarre num conceito de ética e, até porque não dizer, de culpabilidade social, em saber que tal atitude com o dinheiro público – mesmo que não haja irregularidade legal – fere os princípios básicos que balizam a moralidade exigida nos homens públicos.
Precisamos reeditar os conceitos da ética e da moral nas coisas públicas, para que aqueles que jamais decolaram quer do ponto de vista aéreo ou social, não se sintam humilhados, decepcionados e traídos pela democracia, nas imensas filas dos ônibus, na espera dos hospitais, ou simplesmente nas bancas de jornais.
The Chamber of Deputies’ President, Michel Temer,  admits having used the official quota of tickets for his family trips. He argues there are no objective, clear rules regulating the subject. Silvano Corrêa [pt] contests their excuse of the absence of clear rules defining the use of the air ticket credits:
Realmente, é de deixar qualquer um abismado por tamanha falta de bom senso e esperteza. Ou seja, as limitações não estariam claramente especificadas, por isso nossos nobres (sic) parlamentares se achavam no direito de meter a mão e distribuir vantagens (criadas por eles mesmos) a familiares e amigos?! É muita cara de pau. Será que agora vamos ver um pouco mais de vergonha e critério nas decisões de nossos parlamentares? Se até o presidente da Casa achava certo favorecer os seus, qual a chance de isso vir a acontecer? Devemos ficar de olho. Transparência já e que continuemos gritando, via imprensa, para que os pesados impostos pagos sejam bem gastos… Mas em nosso favor, e não em benefício deles e de suas corriolas!
According to some deputies and senators, contrary to Temer's claim, there are actually clear rules: the tickets belong to them, for them to use the way the see it fit. Deputy Sílvio Costa, from Pernambuco, was among those most disgusted at the accusations of misuse, saying that when he became a deputy, he was told he “could use the tickets even to go to the moon”. Blogger Isaias Edson Sidney [pt] is so disgruntled that he has written an open letter to the deputy:
O senhor, ilustre deputado, declarou que (que se abram as aspas) quer dizer que agora eu venho a Brasília e minha mulher fica lá? Não é uma decisão correta. Foi uma decisão acuada da Mesa (que se fechem as aspas). Então, senhor Sílvio, o senhor quer que nós, contribuintes brasileiros, paguemos a estada de sua senhora em Brasília… porque o senhor não pode ficar alguns dias por semana sem ela… Que gracinha! Que amor de marido o senhor é, não? Não pode ficar nem um dia sem a patroa… desde que nós paguemos a conta, não é?
With or without clear rules, bloggers think that many people lacked decorum. Pedro Dória [pt] was surprised to see the name of Fernando Gabeira, a champion of ethics who has had the blogosphere's support in elections, on the list of Parliament Members who passed on tickets to family members. He examines the deputies's apology where he confesses that he fell for the “Brazilian Patrimonialism Illusion”:
“A ilusão de que o público é privado. É o deputado que se vê no direito de emitir uma passagem aérea para mulher e filhos passarem a semana em Nova York. É o carro oficial com motorista usado para assuntos não oficiais. Mas, observe aí em sua cidade: é o carro estacionado em cima da calçada. É o dono da cobertura que fez um puxadinho. É o botequim que avançou sobre o caminho do pedestre.
‘A ilusão patrimonialista brasileira.’ Grande frase. O que remete ao professor Bolívar Lamounier: No Brasil, somos todos corruptos.
Não que lhe sirva de desculpa, deputado. O senhor foi eleito, sua responsabilidade na condição de representante público é maior. Seu abuso do que é público custa mais à nação do que o abuso do cidadão comum. Custa não apenas em dinheiro: custa em exemplo, custa em esperanças, o preço que pagamos é em futuro.”
“The Brazilian Patrimonialism illusion”. Great headline. That refers us to professor Bolivar Lamounier: in Brazil, we are all corrupt.
Not that it serves as an excuse, Sir. You were elected, your responsibility is greater as a people's representative. Your abuse of the public [money] is much greater to the nation than the ordinary people's abuse. It costs not only money: it costs in examples, in costs in hopes, the price we pay is in future.
Ironically, one of the alternatives studied by parliamentarians is to give themselves a pay rise to offset a possible reduction in the ticket quota. To resolve this issue a meeting was convened, during a bank holiday, where a proposal to increase wages from R$ 16.500,00 to R$24.500,00 (approximately from USD
7,455 to USD 11,065) was made, equating their salaries to those of the ministers of the STF and thus eliminate compensation funds. For Ricardo Camargo [pt], “the problem will have no solution, it will be masked”:
Esse debate se emoldura na proposta de aumento de salários, equiparando-os aos dos Ministros do STF, acabar com verbas indenizatórias, e instituir um cartão – lembram da última farra dos cartões corporativos? – de gastos para uso da verba indenizatória e das cotas de passagens aéreas.
É o samba-do-crioulo-doido! A farra não vai acabar. Vai ganhar nova roupagem, mais eficiente na questão “esconder as maracutaias” reduzindo a exposição dos parlamentares.
Está decidido: somos todos idiotas. Eles tomaram conta de tudo. Resta-nos pagar impostos pra isso tudo…
E ainda dizem que temos ‘direito’ ao voto!
It is a huge mess! The fun will not stop. It will only get new clothing, more efficient in ‘hiding the dirty tricks’ while ‘reducing the parliamentarians’ expenses.
It is clear: we are all idiots. They have taken care of everything. Let us pay taxes for it all …
And yet they say that we have the ‘right’ to vote!
The only future solution in the long run is people stop voting on these politicians, and José Mesquita [pt] publishes the list of parliamentarians who have misused the air-tickets quota and ask the readers not to forget them:
Anotem e divulguem o nome dos caras que estão metendo a mão, desavergonhadamente, no seu, no meu, no nosso sofrido dinheirinho.
And after the scandal has swept through the chamber of deputies and the senate, Jorge Serrão [pt] believes that the President of Brazil will be the next to have to provide explanations:
Já vaza nos corredores do Congresso que a Presidência manda emitir de 40 a 65 passagens por mês para o deslocamento dos filhos de Lula pelo Brasil. Senadores ironizam que a turma do Planalto parece ter instituído uma ponte aérea subsidiada com Santa Catarina – onde moram a filha de Lula e o genro dele. Há registros de viagens emitidas para a Inglaterra, França, Grécia e Itália (país onde a primeira-dama Marisa Letícia e os filhos de Lula também têm nacionalidade reconhecida).
Although many parliamentarians speak strongly about changes to the actual system, a meeting of the main leaders of the Chamber of Deputies has been called for tomorrow, Tuesday April 28, to discuss an eventual restriction on the air ticket quota usage. Congresso em Foco [pt] website has also been following  the developments closely.

author: Paula Góes


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China: Brutal film on brutal history · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Lu Chuan‘s retelling of the Nanking Massacre, City of Life and Death, is in theaters now; according to the people at China Film Journal, “it's a hard, brutal film to watch.” Bullogger blogger Garbled Text won't be [zh] going to see it, lacking trust in Lu following mistreatment of animals in his previous film, Kekexili: Mountain Patrol.

author: John Kennedy


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China: Peking University Humiliated · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Veteran Party member and man of letters Ren Yanfang has spoken out [zh] online about the fate of an anthology set to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the founding of Peking University, in the spirit of the May Fourth Movement. Involving 188 high-profile academics and administrators, preparations began in 2004; a third of the book was censored prior to publishing in early 2008, and what remains of the manuscript lies unpublished and unexplained at Peking University Press.


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China: Who is Siemen’s Man in China? · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Tword last week that a ban had been sent down on any reporting of the Siemens bribery case led netizens to realize that the case involves someone in China, and the growing [zh] consensus seems to rest on Jiang Zemin's son, Jiang Mianheng. ProPublica is still looking to name names.


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Cuba: Strike of the Period? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Cuba's ration market for feminine hygiene products is not always reliable, prompting Generation Y to envision “a ‘Strike of the Period,’ a massive protest marked by the ovulation cycle.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Global Health: Swine Flu Threat Spreads Worldwide · Global Voices
Juhie Bhatia

Confirmed or suspected cases of swine flu, which was detected in Mexico earlier this month, have now been found in at least seven other countries around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that this outbreak constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern.”
Also known as swine influenza A or H1N1, swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs that can be passed between humans mainly through coughing and sneezing. In Mexico, there are over 100 deaths possibly linked to swine flu and more than 1,600 people have been sickened with suspected or confirmed cases of the virus. Confirmed cases of swine flu have now also been found in the U.S. and Canada, while New Zealand, Spain, France, Israel and Brazil all have suspected cases. Liz Borkowski, blogging on The Pump Handle, elaborates on why there is concern about the spread of swine flu:
“Swine flu is fairly common, but it’s usually only transmitted from pigs to humans. This new strain appears to be capable of human-to-human transmission, and it’s also sickening young, otherwise-healthy adults. This means the virus has the serious potential to cause a pandemic, so it’s appropriate that Mexico has closed schools until May 6 and barred large public gatherings, including church services.”
American health officials declared a public health emergency on April 26 after confirming 20 cases of swine flu in the states of California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas. Most of these cases were mild, though, and no deaths have been reported. Canada also confirmed six mild cases of swine flu in the provinces of Nova Scotia and British Columbia.
News of swine flu has spread quickly on the Internet, as people search for answers and share their thoughts on the disease. Swine Flu and  #swineflu are the top trending topics on Twitter at the moment, and various Google maps have been created to track the outbreak. Bloggers around the world are also talking about swine flu.
Daniel Hernandez, blogging on Intersections, describes this scene in Mexico City:
“On Saturday, while the top brass at the WHO convened an emergency meeting in Geneva, soldiers in Mexico City were passing out face-masks at traffic stops, metro stations, and plazas. A militar in fatigues handed me a mask upon entering metro Bellas Artes, but it fell apart before I could even get on a train. On board, passengers eyed one another suspiciously and made every effort to avoid contact with strangers.”
Matthew Yglesias, blogging for the Center for American Progress Action Fund, expresses concern over how those without health insurance in the U.S. will deal with this disease:
“I have no opinions on this subject beyond the observation that it would be nice to live in a country where, if fell seriously ill due to viral infection, your access to effective medical remedies was not determined by your wealth, income, or employment status.”
Jim McVeagh, blogging from New Zealand on MacDoctor, thinks that more needs to be done in his country and worldwide to contain the virus. In New Zeland, 13 students who recently visited Mexico are suspected of having the disease. McVeagh says:
“Considering the massive over-reaction that occurred with bird flu, one would have hoped for a somewhat more vigorous response to this one than simple monitoring. I would have thought isolation of cases and restriction of travel to Mexico would have been a minimum response until we have more data. Since the CDC [the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] is now waking up probably about a week too late and the WHO insists on sitting on its hands, New Zealand’s lackadaisical response looks almost brisk in comparison.
While this might indeed be another non-event, it would be nice if health authorities made that call in hindsight rather than apparently up-front with incomplete information.”
Many countries are implementing safety measures to prevent the spread of swine flu. For example, some airports are screening travelers from Mexico for flu symptoms, and China and Russia plan to put anyone with symptoms under quarantine. Vijay Sadasivam, blogging on scan man, says that no preventative initiatives are being taken in India, though, while boinky, blogging on Finestkind Clinic and fish market, describes one measure happening in the Philippines:
“The Philippines will stop importation of pork from the US and Mexico to stop the spread…this is funny, since the flu is being spread human to human, and our own pigs have Ebola Reston…
but of course it's fiesta time, and so far no talk of a human quarantine such as they did with SARS…”
Many bloggers point out that while we should take this threat seriously and be prepared, there's no need to panic just yet. For instance, a post on Utah Preppers says:
“Some quick anti-panic notes…
The WHO isn't currently recommending any travel or trade restrictions, and says they need more information on the virus before deciding whether to raise the global pandemic alert level, which is currently at level three of the six levels.
Photo of Swine Flu Protection by Sarihuella on Flickr.

author: Juhie Bhatia


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Guyana: Taking Root · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

‘If you can have a tree growing in you, what kind of tree you would want?” Guyana-Gyal poses an interesting question.


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Haiti, U.S.A.: TPS for Haitians · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

jmc strategies reports that ” the New York City Council adopted…a resolution urging Congress to pass legislation granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitian nationals in the United States.”


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India: Why Vote For Congress? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Harini Calamur at the Point Of View  gives logic why she is voting for the Congress Party in the Indian Elections 2009.


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Indian Elections ’09: On the Black Money trail · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

Black money stashed away in overseas tax havens/secret Swiss bank accounts – is not a new topic in India. Dr. Munish tells us:
Black money in Swiss accounts: this is a phrase which I remember hearing from my childhood. People believe that Indian politicians, civil servants (bureaucrats or babus), rich people have their Swiss accounts and they deposit black money there!
However, the very same topic is generating quite a bit of heat in this Election ever since the BJP brought it to the forefront of public attention by stating some figure estimates in their manifesto:
Firm action will be initiated to minimise the presence of black money in the national economy. We will take determined steps to bring back the money (estimated at Rs 25,00,000 crore [$500billion] and Rs 75,00,000 crore [$1400billion]) illegally stashed in Swiss bank accounts and tax havens, and use it for infrastructure development, housing, health and social welfare schemes.
Though other political parties like the CPI(M) also spoke of launching a drive to unearth black money in their manifesto, the amounts stated by the BJP seemed so fantastic that it soon caught the public's fancy, and became a topic of debate.
Some people, like Shakthi, were impressed:
One of the biggest things that I liked about the [BJP] manifesto is the promise to get the 25 Lakh Crore Rupees of black money in Swiss banks back into the market in India. I can imagine what a heave that will give to our economy.
Others, like b50, were sceptical:
Will the BJP Fan Club please explain to me how the Swiss Bank billions can be bought to India and spent on infra within 100 days?
No one could however ignore the issue. Soon, various political parties were hotly debating, not only about the actual amount of black money stashed abroad, but also about who was doing what to get the money back.
The CPI(M) called the BJP's stated figures a ‘hoax’ and tried to re-claim the black money issue as their poll promise by pointing out that they had raised the issue ‘much before it appeared on the BJP's radar’. However, the CPI(M) also flayed the Congress for not doing enough to crack down on illicit funds.
The Congress, stung by competition's accusation that their government had not done enough to, stated that the BJP's claim of the aforementioned amounts was based on ‘bogus’ sources and hence lacked credibility. Furthermore, the Congress also raised questions as to why the BJP itself had not done the needful when they were in power earlier. At the same time, the party also claimed that they were on top of things and that ‘the government was already monitoring suspicious financial transactions’.
While the political parties thrust and parry on the issue in question, a PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court by eminent citizens seeking urgent remedial measures w.r.t the black money stashed abroad and its repatriation. The Court will the hear the case (including the government's response) on May 4th.
Yes, the knowledge of the existence of black money is not new news. Then why has it become a raging debate in this election? According to Dr. Munish:
[…]in today's global economic recession, the powerful countries like USA are making efforts to recover their lost money. That makes sense! Consider a situation: when in a home, we are out of money, what we do: we look around if some money is lying around (in piggy banks, in form of deposits). Same concept lies behind the desperation that the developed countries are showing: they have  fixed their eyes on black money that their countrymen had stashed out of country!
Rising above our own political preferences, there is no denying that a lot, a lot of money is stashed by Indian elite in Swiss banks: and I am of the firm opinion that these political leaders –if exposed- will be belonging to all major and many regional parties. It may be a safe guess if you believe that each and every famous leader might have some money stocked there! Thus it is amply clear that if this money is recovered and used in India: India can overnight become a major country!
In the midst of this debate, the Swiss Bankers Association has said that this topic has become “good election fodder”. However, with the OECD pressing for a crackdown on black money stashed overseas  as well as cross-border tax evasions, it looks like this time round, this is an issue that is sure to remain the focus of attention for now at least.

author: Aparna Ray


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Iran: Armenians remembered 1915 Genocide · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Zohere Sadrinejad has published several photos of Armenians marched in Iran in memory of  the 1915 Armenian Genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Israel: No Swine Flu  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Times Online religion correspondent Ruth Gledhill calls for help from Jewish readers on why the swine flu cannot be named after the non-kosher meat in Israel here.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Jamaica: Gas Tax · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I've come to the conclusion that there is some irrational link between the price of gas in Jamaica and public tolerance levels”: Annie Paul thinks that the imposition of the gas tax is “long overdue”.


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Japan: The Trouble with ‘Free’ Money · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

As part of an economic stimulus package, the Japanese government is spending two trillion JPY for cash handouts to boost consumer spending. To put it simply,  all Japanese citizens in the Basic Resident Register and those registered in the Foreign Resident Register will receive 12,000 JPY, or 20,000 JPY for those under 18 or over 65, once they've lodged their application forms.
Local municipalities are in charge of the administration, an unwelcome increase in workload that coincides with the change of the fiscal year. As of mid-April, around half of the municipalities have sent out application forms to their residents. Soka City in Saitama Prefecture and Obu City in Aichi Prefecture offer English translations of the program overview.
by flickr user alleN, used with permission
Bringing to mind a similar program conducted in 1999 that is now commonly regarded as a failure, the program is highly unpopular with the public, mainly because the actual economic effect is unclear. The government expects an increase in real consumption expenditure by 0.2%, but there seems to be no clear consensus on how much of the two trillion yen will actually go to new spending. Predictions range from 20% to 60% and everything in between.
For the past couple of months, polls have shown that many Japanese view the program as a clumsy and condescending ploy to gain ratings by the Aso Cabinet.
At Yaruo's blog — whose post on the subprime problem was recognized at 2008 Alpha Blogger Awards– the two ASCII characters Yaruo and Yaranaio, talking about the government's initiative, say:
そんなの決まってるお！選挙のために大した効果もないのに2兆円もバラまいて支持率を上げようとしてるんだお！
なるほど。予想通りの解答だな… じゃあ聞くが、国民の半分以上が評価していない定額給付金を実施して 本当に支持率は上がると思うか
Yaruo: That's what I thought you'd say. Let me ask this, do you really think that his approval ratings will increase with the execution of a program which more than half of the Japanese are against?
Coupled with other factors however, including highway toll discounts, it just might be working. Recently, Asahi Shimbun has reported that Prime Minister Aso's approval ratings have risen 4% to 26% since March.
Blogger tetsu makes a pun on Teigaku kyufu kin(定額給付金), which literally translates as ‘handouts of a fixed amount’.
本来なら「低額還付金」とか命名するべき。最も正確には「無駄に取り過ぎてた税金を、支持率が２割切った与党が苦し紛れに現金をばら撒こうって思いついた稀代の愚策金」だな。
くれぐれも間違えないように。定額給付金は“もらう”んじゃないよ～。“ちょっぴり返してもらう”だけだよ～。
Make no mistake! We're not ‘receiving’ handouts. We're simply ‘getting some of it back’.
At the end of the day, money is money. This comment by Kentaro Takekuma illustrates the general feeling of ambivalence surrounding this policy:
得したような、でも考えてみれば原資は税金なのだから、単に取られたものの一部が還付されるだけであり、どこまでも微妙な気分です。とりあえず、くれるものはもらってしまえという、庶民としてはしごく当たり前の行動に出てしまいましたが。

author: Tomomi Sasaki


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Japan: Tunisians in Japan · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Blogger kuskusu, whose husband is Tunisian, makes some observations about the Tunisian people living in Japan.
Dividing them into two categories, she observes that, since 9/11, immigration laws in Japan have become more severe and illegal Tunisian residents are very few nowadays. While many of them come to Japan as students specialized in I.T. and other scientific fields thanks to the exchange programmes between the Japanese and the Tunisian universities, others come to find a job and not few are those who have opened their own restaurant in the recent years.


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Kenya: Biggest ivory seizure in recent times · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Paul writes about the biggest ivory seizure in recent times in Kenya. The seizure was made possible by game scouts.


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Kenya: If only we had free and fair election like South Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenyan blogger writes about South Africa's elections: First I must say Congratulations! to our brothers and sisters in South Africa for electing their new President Mr. Jacob Zuma in a free and fair elections. This is a lesson to Kenya and other African countries but unfortunately most African leaders do not emulate such and that is why many African countries lag behind in development.


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Kenya: Kenyan award winning poet found dead · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenyan performing artist, director, playwright, storyteller, poet and university lecturer, Bantu Mwaura, was found dead outside his gate at the  Sunlight estate in Nairobi’s Lang’ata area, on Monday (today) morning., KenyanPoet reports.


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Lebanon: Billboard Marriage Proposal  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lilane, from Lebanon, draws our attention to a billboard which contains a marriage proposal: ‘While driving on the highway towards Antelias from Jal el Dib, just near Antelias bridge on the left, this huge billboard (a bit blurry) caught my eyes (and the eyes of all Lebanese who drove by there).
The billboard says: “Sara… will you marry me?” signed “Cédric.”‘


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Macedonia: Celebrating Sakura Becomes a Tradition · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Sakura, the annual celebration of cherry blossoms through display of elements of Japanese culture, took place in Skopje, Macedonia, on April 25. The time slot was somewhat later in comparison to last year because the organizers did not want it to overlap with the Catholic and Orthodox Easter celebrations during the previous two weekends.
Origami workshop during the celebration of Sakura in Skopje, Macedonia. Photo: Irena Efremovska.
Following the tradition established last year, Bi announced [MKD] the event on her blog using a visually pleasing graphic, and several other bloggers, such as Volan and Razvigor, spread the word [MKD]. The editor of the front page of Blogeraj, Macedonia's top blogging platform, announced [MKD] the festivities also, re-using one of Volan's old photos. In addition to that, Agnes provided subtle introduction in her own way by publishing a poem entitled Sakura [MKD] several days earlier.
Kids performing karate kata during Sakura celebration in Skopje, Macedonia. Photo: Irena Efremovska.
The program, organized by the Kendo-Iaidō Federation of Macedonia in cooperation with Samurai Dojo and supported by the City of Skopje, included performing martial arts katas and an origami workshop.
Bloggers who attended the festival mostly published photo-galleries or photo-essays. Volan, who uses his blogs to serve the public as unofficial chronicler, even apologized [MKD] for providing fewer photos than usual because he arrived a bit late at the scene.
Zoriv, another elderly blogger, published his Sakura photos as part of his report [MKD] on walkabout through Skopje center on a lazy Saturday, comparing local architectural and cultural features with foreign counterparts.
As announced on the Japan@Mk blog [MKD], Sakura celebrations will continue in the evening of April 30, with indoor activities in the CK Cultural Center, including Japanese music, haiku recitations, manga art exhibition, and anime movies projections.
Sakura participants leaving the scene. Photo: Irena Efremovska

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Mapping the Arab Blogopshere · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Meedan announces that data expert Will Ward is “heading to Copenhagen’s New Islamic Public Sphere programme for a couple of weeks as a Meedan representative. The idea is to share ideas about our attempts to map the Arab blogosphere and get input on our growing Arab Media Index, which will soon be featured on http://meedan.net.”


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Mexico: Trying to Lighten the Mood About Swine Flu · Global Voices
Issa Villarreal

Even with the international concern over the health emergency of the swine flu, a Mexican band called Agrupación Cariño is trying to lighten the mood with a song called “The Flu Cumbia” as mentioned by Panamérika Blog [es].

author: Issa Villarreal