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Latin America: Vendors Aboard City Buses · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The following scene may take place in any number of large cities across Latin America. A person, of any age, man or woman, steps aboard a city bus, provides a brief introduction, thanks the driver for granting permission to board, and then begins to pitch a product to the passengers along for the ride. For both the seller and the passenger, this has become such commonplace that one hardly notices one another.  Andrés Rodríguez of Modestamente Humano [es] points out that “almost all use the same speech, and that is why many people like me are forced to memorize this speech out of repetition, which is not exactly the same, but it has the same tone,” which is often monotone in nature.
Photo by Esteban Suástegui and used under a Creative Commons license. http://suastegui.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/vendiendo-en-los-buses/
Rodríguez is from Quito, Ecuador, and observes that there are some vendors that stand out from the others [es]:
Hay casos excepcionales en esto. Hoy hablo de uno de estos casos. Se trata de un vendedor de caramelos, un poco malencarado, pero siempre que se sube al bus vende por lo menos unos 2,50 o 3 dólares, es decir logra que entre 10 y 12 personas adquieran su producto. Justamente logra esto porque hace la diferencia. Al llegar y vender sus caramelos él logra captar la atención de la gente, habla de política, de índices y estadísticas del país, habla de religión, hasta un poco de charla motivacional se manda. Al final siempre dice que aunque él sea solo un vendedor de caramelos eso no implica que no pueda darse un tiempo para leer, estar informado, navegar por internet para poder hablar de cosas interesantes a sus clientes. Luego de su discurso que resulta ser más largo que el del común de los vendedores somos muchos los que nos quedamos con 5 caramelos en el bolsillo y 25 centavos menos, que en verdad no enriquecen ni empobrecen a nadie.
In the comments section, Estertor shares his experience of another vendor who went above and beyond when selling a liquid to clean scratches off DVDs. He brought a portable DVD player aboard the bus to show how after scratching the DVD with sandpaper, all it took was an application of the liquid so that the DVD would play like new.
Even though for many passengers, the interruption may or may not be welcome, there is a segment of the population that respects the hard work that is put in by these vendors. They may not always make much on an individual trip, but the sales add up throughout the repetitive day. Esteban Suástegui, a Guatemalan blogger at Pensamientos de un Suástegui [es] looks at the labor of these individuals with an appreciative eye:
Pero a pesar de todo, con todas las artimañas que solo un religioso podría saber, y con productos de mala calidad o que vencerán en un mes, a pesar de toda esta bulla, todas las molestias y tanta desesperación que cusan, es agradable cuando uno se pone a pensar que, como ya dijero, intentan ganarse la vida trabajando, que hace todo ese esfuerzo para alimentar a su familia, para no tener que delinquir, para poder hacer de este país un país menos pior…


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Moldova: RFE/RL’s Blog on Repeat Vote · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Natalia Morari is blogging in English at RFE/RL's #moldovavotes, a blog set up to cover the July 29 repeat parliamentary election in Moldova.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Pakistan: Guinness Record For Tree Planting · Global Voices
Rezwan

All Things Pakistan informs that Pakistan has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as a team of 300 volunteers succeeded in planting 5,41,176 mangrove tree saplings in a day.

author: Rezwan


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Russia: “Leaving the Caucasus, a Taboo Subject” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Robert Amsterdam's Blog links to Kerkko Paananen's translation of an article by Igor Averkiev, “which argues that Russia would be stronger, more secure, and better off if it pulled out of the Caucasus.”


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Trinidad and Tobago: Online Art Networks · Global Voices
Nicholas Laughlin

Playful Things, an installation by Trinidadian artist Marlon Darbeau at Alice Yard. Photo by Damian Libert, courtesy Alice Yard
Over the last few decades, the art world in Trinidad — one of the Caribbean‘s key art locations — has increasingly divided into two hemispheres. The first, driven by a handful of galleries and collectors, is both commercial and conservative, with highest praise (and prices) reserved for paintings of traditional subjects like landscapes and still lifes, alongside tasteful “abstract” works. The other, centred on artist-led initiatives and embracing a range of other contemporary media — installation, video, sound, conceptual work — is characterised by experiment and improvisation, and attracts international critical attention.
For ten years, up to 2007, the leading contemporary art institution in Trinidad was the non-profit Caribbean Contemporary Arts (CCA), which offered studio and exhibition space and organised a series of influential artist residencies and exchanges. But in mid-2007, after a long struggle to secure adequate funding, CCA shut down (as it announced in its blog-format online journal, Art Papers). Many Trinidadian artists reacted initially with consternation, but the two years since then have seen a new blossoming of small but energetic art projects and collectives. And a number of younger artists are making canny use of online media like blogs and image-hosting sites like Flickr to exhibit their work online, discuss ideas and practice, and generate critical dialogue.
A recent and important contemporary art node is Alice Yard, an experimental creative space in the backyard of an old house in the Woodbrook neighbourhood of Port of Spain. The Alice Yard blog is a sort of journal of events staged there, which have included musical and theatre performances, artists’ projects, and discussions. Some artists who have shown work at Alice Yard also document their work via blogs, including Marlon Darbeau, Michelle Isava, Adam Williams, Jaime Lee Loy, and Nikolai Noel. (Lee Loy and Noel, together with a third artist, Marlon Griffith, have also worked collaboratively.)
Detail of Rack, a drawing installation by Trinidadian artist Adam Williams at Alice Yard. Photo by Nicholas Laughlin
Alice Yard was one of ten locations for the recent EroticArtTT, the first Trinidad and Tobago Erotic Art Week, which included work by several dozen artists. One organiser of the programme, artist Richard Rawlins, also produces an art and design e-magazine, Draconian Switch (published approximately monthly), downloadable in PDF format. Another, architect Terry Smith — who works with the architectural firm co-rd, one of the directors of which is Sean Leonard, the man behind Alice Yard — started a new project in 2008 called INDIgroove, a series of video interviews with Trinidadian artists, musicians, writers, and others. Other members of this creative network include Rodell Warner, who blogs at Freepaper, Brianna McCarthy (Passionfruit),  Tanya Marie Williams, and Anderson Mitchell (Bleedart).
What most of these projects and individual artists have in common is an emphasis on experimentation without the pressure to produce immediately salable artworks, and mutual collaboration to compensate for the absence of major contemporary art institutions offering funding and other support. Instead of formal galleries, they use available free spaces; instead of publishing expensive catalogues, they document their work online; and with no art press to publicise their projects and events, they depend heavily on existing social networks such as Facebook. (For example, an animated music video made by artist Wendell McShine for the band 12 spread quickly among Trinidadian Facebook network members.) The result is an energetic and often anarchic art scene with no single centre or arbiter.
Video projection by Trinidadian artist Jaime Lee Loy, part of the La Fantasie project (a collaboration with Marlon Griffith and Nikolai Noel). Photo by Nicholas Laughlin
And with the Trinidadian press providing very little serious cultural coverage, critical discussion of this work is increasingly happening online as well. The artist Adele Todd runs a blog, SexyPink, intended as “a forum that addresses elements of Caribbean Art pertaining to its history and contemporary relevancy”, with short essays and interviews — in a recent post, she spoke to young artist Alicia Milne; another post contains selections from the sketchbooks of Richard Rawlins. Todd also collaborates with artist Richard Bolai on The Bookmann, a blog offering occasional art reviews as well as Bolai's original artwork. And artist Christopher Cozier curates the SXspace blog — a site focusing on Caribbean artists — for the journal Small Axe, with frequent reviews and essays.

author: Nicholas Laughlin


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Trinidad & Tobago: Building Authenticity  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Build an authentic community and “the worship thing will come”: Trinidad and Tobago's gspottt attends a talk “about faith and sexuality, pain and healing, abuse and inclusion by the Christian church.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Trinidad & Tobago: Top Sites  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

KnowProSE.com takes a look at Trinidad and Tobago's most viewed websites, saying: “It's really interesting to see how the Internet use has changed…and will continue to change as internet penetration continues.”


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Africa: The arrival of Seacom cable sparks debate · Global Voices
Rebekah Heacock

The arrival of an undersea cable that will increase bandwidth and lower Internet access costs throughout Africa has sparked debate and interest in the African blogoshere.  Seacom, which links South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique to Europe and Asia, went live on Thursday, connecting eastern and southern Africa to the global broadband network.
Seacom connects the eastern African coastline to Europe and Asia
Johannesburg, Nairobi and Kampala received their connections on Thursday, and Addis Ababa and Kigali are expected to follow.  The cable's arrival was originally scheduled for early July, but pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia delayed operations.
The undersea link is expected to lower the cost of bandwidth by up to 90 percent and to increase access to video conferencing, high definition television and high speed Internet along the eastern African coastline.
“Mmmh…Can't wait for the downloads to start,” writes IT Blog Kenya.
In Uganda, Josh from In an African Minute is already noticing the difference:
The widely known technique for watching YouTube videos in Africa is to immediately pause the video when it starts, wait 20 minutes (or much more) until the video fully loads, and then watch. Today I’m at the ceremony launching SEACOM…. In the corner of a conference room, Peter Moreton, a procurement manager for SEACOM, beckoned me over to a display computer with YouTube queued up. We launched Kung Fu baby and for the first time in Africa, I saw a YouTube video load completely and play in 6 seconds.
Munashe at TechMasai is equally thrilled:
Seacom the undersea cable we wrote about a while back is complete and has been commissioned, today.  The initiative is revolutionary for the fact that the countries which will make use of it for now, which include Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, South Africa and Uganda.
…It is a beautiful moment for Africa, I can vouch for Kenya who until now depended on satellites for their internet needs.
Jeremy, a Nigerian blogger writing at NaijaBlog, compares Seacom to West Africa's various cable links.  West Africa comes up short:
East Africa goes broadband…while West Africa is still in the starting blocks (actually, still in the changing room wondering what to wear) with useless always-cut SAT3, a phantom Glo1 (are Alcatel's contractors stuck under a sand dune?) and the two new entrants, WACS and Main1 still way off beyond the horizon (next year if we're lucky). East Africa has embraced broadband and sprinted off with it while West Africa dithers and looks around.
Twitter is also abuzz with Seacom news.  Some users are excited, while others are more skeptical:
“Still absolutely amazed that you can practically download the whole of the Interwebz through one small yellow cable #seacom“
— ncallegari
“Seacom did launch _for real_ today. Lets see how long it takes for the ISPs to increase speeds and lower costs…”
— dnyaga
“is it just me or is the net in Nairobi slower today since #seacom launched? Maybe the bandwidth is enjoying the ocean view before coming up?”
— mentalacrobatic
Much of the Seacom skepticism surrounds the issue of pricing: though some analysts claim bandwidth costs will drop by 90 percent, others believe the actual cost cuts may be much smaller.  Kachwanya writes:
In the ideal world the cost should go down by more than 90%, currently it cost ISPs US$6500 (around KShs.487500) per MB of bandwidth. According to Seacom they will be charging US$400 (around Kshs.30,000)  per MB of bandwidth,  but hold your breath, don’t expect miracles on this front. Recently UUnet CEO Tom Omariba claimed that cables will only bring down costs by 20-30 percent.
True Kenyan is concerned about transparency:
Seacom has blatantly refused to disclose to us, the consumers of the internet, which ISP’s have bought the bandwidth from them. Hence we are still on the dark and we do not know where we can buy the cheap and reliable internet from….  So the only alternative i am left with is to continue with my ISP staring at the machine as it loads pages at its own pace wishing that one day our dream will come true.
Commenting on a post by Tanzanian blogger Issa Michuzi [SW], Mdau is also worried about costs, though he has high hopes for the future:
Asanteni sana kwa huo mkonga. Sasa kutandaza fibre-optic cables kwenye miji mbalimbali tunaanza lini? Manake kuwa na inter-country connection wakati within the country hatuna connection nzuri bado gharama zitakuwa juu na kwa maoni yangu tutakuwa tuna-under utilise capacity ya hiyo under sea cable. For the moment, well done! For the future, we have to work had!
For Jellyfish, who dismisses pricing concerns by noting that such an increase in speed and quality of service would normally be accompanied by a price hike, the arrival of Seacom is a beautiful event:
In a highly publicized and coordinated event SEACOM turned on the switch which instantenously beamed Terabytes of bandwidth at the speed of light through highly polished and engineered strands of glass.
And for South African Aki Anastasiou, “This is one small MB for my laptop, one giant TB for Africa.”

author: Rebekah Heacock


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Azerbaijan: Fighting mirrors · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Fighting windmills? Take a pill. recounts various events that have happened to Azerbaijan's youth movements in the past few months, including the detention of dozens of activists. The blog says that tomorrow a new initiative will be established to protect their rights.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bangladesh: Photos Of Solar Eclipse · Global Voices
Rezwan

Anil Advani posts some amazing photos of the total solar eclipse of last Wednesday taken from Dhaka, Bangladesh.


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Belarus: Flooded Streets of Minsk · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Heavy rain caused flooding in the streets of Minsk on Friday: LJ user toxaby (RUS) posted 45 photos and LJ user black-hg (RUS) posted two.


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Bermuda: The Race Card  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bermudian Catch a fire says that neither political party “has an exclusive monopoly on the race card”, claiming that both factions resort to using it.


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Bolivia: Attack Attempt on Potosí Prefect · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Wilfredo Jordán writes about the recent attack attempt on the home of Mario Virreira, the departmental prefect of Potosí, Bolivia.

author: Eduardo Avila


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China: Chinese Internet Memes For 2009 · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated a series of drawings that show some of the most popular terms in Chinese Internet 2009.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Cuba: Political Arrests  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense links to a report that claims “there were 130 political arrests” in Cuba in the month of June.


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Egypt: “Fifty-seven years after the coup and we still are not able cope” · Global Voices
Nermeen Edrees

On the 57th anniversary of their revolution, Egyptians are still evaluating and debating how this historic event that started with the military coup d’etat has changed the their lives, and that of many future generations. Until today,  bloggers continue to discuss and pinpoint the pros and the cons of the revolution, as well as the decisions of the Free Officers, who led the coup which turned Egypt from a constitutional monarchy to a republic.
In celebrating the day, Zeinobia  decided to jot down the pros and cons and pay due tribute to the Egypt's first President Mohamed Naguib.
In her blog, she posts rare photos for Naguib, and writes:
This is the real spirit I want to celebrate on that day , Mohamed Naguib believed in the coup and its principles for real
She then continues:
President Naguib has not yet received what he really deserves from his country , already I wonder if his family receives the same pension that the El-Sadat Family receives as the former president’s pension !!! Mubarak recognizes Mohamed Naguib as the first president of Egypt which makes him equal to Nasser and Sadat and thus his family should have all the privileges of other former first families have.
She concludes her post saying:
We must acknowledge the rights of President Naguib and his family who suffered a lot because of his decision to jeopardize himself and lead those young officers.
Ahmed El Miligy felt perplexed and wasn’t able to form an opinion on whether the revolution has effected Egypt positively or negatively.  In his post he says:
Desert Cat writes a post against Gamal Abdel Naser and the Free Officers. She address the main objective of the revolution and demonstrates how altered it got:

author: Nermeen Edrees


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Hungary, Bolivia: Update on Rózsa-Flores’ Case · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum posts an update on Eduardo Rózsa-Flores’ case.


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India: The Chakmas Of Mizoram · Global Voices
Rezwan

Paritosh Chakma at Musings of a Chakma critically examines the position of the Chakmas in the Mizoram state of India – their social, economic conditions and political status and discusses about their struggles.


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Jamaica: Mento Master Missed  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands remembers the life and career of Jamaica's Mento master, Theodore “T” Miller: “Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that draws heavily on musical traditions brought to the island by African slaves…his loss, as the Gleaner recently reported, ‘represents a great loss to Jamaica’s cultural heritage’.”


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Fatherly Advice  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp considers the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. from a father's perspective: “I want my son to be a man who has enough self confidence to think that he can overcome any obstacle and that he will not permit any kind of violence, physical or verbal, to become a part of his life.  I also want him to stay alive.”


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Japan: Mizuhiki twine art · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Adamu from Multantfrog introduces a Japanese craft, Mizuhiki, which uses twine made from Japanese-style paper to create fancy bows and other designs.


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Morocco: A Decade with Mohammed VI · Global Voices
Hisham Almiraat

When in July 1999, king Mohammed VI of Morocco – a man with a purported reputation of benevolence, empathy for his people and compassion for the poor- ascended to the throne, the expectations for change and progress were such that many international observers foresaw an albeit difficult but inexorable march that would lead the country to a prosperous, liberal and democratic future. The exemplary experience of the neighbouring kingdom of Spain was to serve as a model and case in point for the country to imitate an follow. It was the Moroccan spring and the air was discernibly filled with high expectations and, sometimes, extravagant hopes, in a country that has experienced decades of a dreadful dictatorship: namely the Years of Lead. The belief was that Morocco had an opportune moment; a historic window with the potential to become the first Arabic country to genuinely embrace a process of full democratization with a clear separation of powers, and with the aim of establishing strong and independent institutions. The painful and tumultuous past was to be confronted; people would end up reconciling with the establishment and with the monarchy. The Press was getting freer; the taboos were being smashed one after the other.
Ten years later, the dominant feeling is that of a missed opportunity, a departure from past official rhetoric and a steady backtrack as expressed by many bloggers and online news websites this week, as Moroccans commemorate the first decade of the reign of Mohammed VI.
Amidst concerns about growing restrictions imposed on independent press and citizen journalists, Moroccan Arabic-language news website Hespress [Ar] publishes an Arabic translation of the open letter sent to the king by veteran journalist, Khalid Jamaï [Fr]. Here is an excerpt:
خصومنا، أعداء أي دمقرطة حقيقية في هذا البلد، يبدو أنهم وقعوا على قرار موتنا، وقد يكونون بصدد تنفيذه.
لكن إعدامنا لن يخفي الحقائق ولن  يحل المشاكل التي تعاني منها بلادنا، بل على العكس من ذلك.
هذا الهجوم ضد حرية الصحافة والرأي ليس إلا دليلا إضافيا عن النقص في الديمقراطية التي يعاني منها البلد. بلد لم يعد شعبه يثق في شيء والذي أبان، خلال الانتخابات الأخيرة، عن رفضه لطبقة سياسية حولت المشهد السياسي المغربي إلى “سوق دلالة” مع “شانقيه”و سماسرته ووسطائه
سيدي،
أنتم تسودون وتحكمون.
ولقد اخترتم ملكية تنفيذية وصرحتم بذلك علنا.
اليوم، أنتم السلطة، وكالمالك الوحيد لهذه السلطة، نتوجه إليكم من أجل إيقاف هذا الهجوم العسفي وهذا الإضطهاد الذي يلاحق الصحافة المستقلة.
إننا لا نتسول امتيازا، بل نطالب بحق.
Our opponents, the enemies of any real democratization in this country, seem to have signed our death warrant and may be about to achieve just that. But our exclusion will not hide the facts and surely will not solve the ills of our country; quite the contrary.
This attack against freedom of Press and opinion is only further evidence of the lack of democracy in a country where people lost trust, as shown during last elections, when they rejected a political class that turned the Moroccan political scene into a mean “auction.”
Sir;
You reign and rule, and as you publicly stated, you have opted for an executive monarchy. Today, you are the sole holder of authority, and as such we ask you to stop the harassment and attacks directed against the independent press. We are not begging for a privilege but we are asking for our right.
The letter sparked a fierce debate, not least amongst supporters of the status quo, like Hassouna who commented on Hespress accusing Mr. Jamaï of opportunism. He writes:
The recent years of the reign of Mohammed VI, have seen indeed a steady decline in the freedom of the Press. Earlier this month, 20 Moroccan leading publications were released with blank editorials, as reported by The View from Fez, protesting “a court decision that was handed down against three Arabic newspapers and a monthly economic francophone magazine, convicted of defamation” against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi who was awarded damages. The court ruling provoked consternation and dismay throughout the blogosphere. Nibrass A'shabab, a collective blogging website aimed at young Moroccan writers, published this [Ar] cartoon by Saad Jalal [Ar] representing the Moroccan premier subserviently congratulating the Libyan leader saying:
– You must be pleased sir, now that we've disciplined those newspapers that dared writing on your good self.
To which Gaddafi replies:
– I spit on your Moroccan press!
Badr Al Hamri [Ar], also in protest against the court decision, linked to a video showing veteran Moroccan humorist and activist Ahmed Snoussi, mocking [Ar] the Libyan leader (and the Tunisian president as well in passing).
In a country where the judiciary is much linked to the executive and legislative powers, this ruling was considered by some observers and by the National Press Syndicate  [Ar] as a new setback and yet another extension of the so-called red lines that were so far pertaining “only” to the monarchy, the Western Sahara conflict and Islam, and which might now include criticism of foreign dictators, friendly to the Moroccan regime.
Corruption has been a constant feature during the last decade. The Snipers, as they are affectionately called by their blogging peers have gained fame by shooting videos showing traffic policemen taking bribes, and by then posting them on the web, hence exposing a problem that has plagued the country for years and, seemingly, prompting some strong governmental initiatives.
Some, like eatbees, an American visiting Morocco after a three year absence and posting on his journey's observations on the evolution of the Moroccan society under the new monarch, think that what little initiatives have been taken, were too little too late. Instead a new establishment is replacing the old one. He writes:
Despite a great yearning for change among the Moroccan people, nothing has changed, and there is no intention of bringing change. Indeed, […] it seems that a new generation of profiteers is being groomed to replace the old ones.
Larbi [Fr] came up with the idea of a platform, inviting fellow bloggers to reflect on the last decade, offering to publish selected posts on his own pages. Whilst contributions are hesitantly still pouring in, Mounir Bensalah [Fr] offered an inquisitive but rather balanced analysis explaining that the abdication of the opposition has given a free rein for an autocratic kind of governance, conceding that some progress has nevertheless been achieved. He writes:
Aujourd’hui, alors que le règne de Mohamed VI perd sa qualité de « nouveau » après dix ans, les choix du souverain semblent être décidés : Renforcer les infrastructures du pays, renforcer les pôles économiques régionaux, œuvrer dans une politique sociale, renforcer l’image moderne du Maroc à l’étranger, … quant à la démocratie, la séparation des pouvoirs, l’équité sociale, … ils sont en seconde priorité. Modernité économique,[…] … la modernité politique serait reportée sine die!
Larbi also published [Fr] a guest-post by Mostapha Arrifi who echoed a sentiment often expressed by many fellow bloggers. He explains that whatever progress has been achieved, it shouldn't be seen outside of the perspective of the natural duties of any regime that claims benevolence for its own people. He writes:
[L]es plus optimistes d’entre nous préfèrent voir du coté des réalisations à caractère économique et « social ». Des projets d’infrastructure, parfois très ambitieux, ont été ouverts et certains menés à terme pour être soigneusement exhibés aux actifs du « nouveau » règne. On s’en félicite au point de s’en satisfaire comme réponse suffisante aux attentes énormes héritées de l’ère Hassan II. Mais est-ce vraiment le cas ? un pareil sentiment n’est-il pas le résultat d’une longue absence de vraie politique de développement qui a fini par faire oublier une notion simple selon laquelle le développement n’est pas un acte d’aumône, mais plutôt un droit, une traduction simple du rôle « naturel » de l’Etat qui a le devoir de gérer équitablement les richesses du pays et l’argent du contribuable au profit de tous ? Or la résignation, fruit d’une longue tradition de pratiques antidémocratiques et antisociales, fait que le devoir s’est transformé en acte de bienfaisance dont on se vente jour et nuit comme s’il s’agissait d’une générosité qui nous impose une dette morale envers l’Etat et son sommet.
Ten years have passed since a young, promising Arab monarch succeeded his father on the Alaouite throne of Morocco. – ten years that have seen people believe that some radical change may be on its way. And as Moroccan bloggers try to review and assess the last decade of the reign of their monarch, some loathing him, others praising his “achievements,” there seems to be a common denominator: the sheer appetite for a better future.

author: Hisham Almiraat


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Pakistan: Rain In Karachi · Global Voices
Rezwan

The recent record breaking rainfall in Karachi has made the lives of Karachites miserable and Kashif Aziz at Chowrangi questions “why Karachi suffers when it rains?”


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Palestine: A Gazan Haircut · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

From Gaza, Erin Cunningham writes on Twitter: “just had my hair cut by a wonderfully gay Gazan stylist whose salon has been firebombed several times by extremists. resilience = good hair.”

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Palestine: Back Home In Gaza · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Dr. Mona El-Farra is back home in Gaza after a prolonged absence: “I now see a different Gaza, and it is not the Gaza I have known, it is like a city after an earthquake.”


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Palestine: Indigenous Solidarity · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

In the West Bank, Marcy Newman has been teaching young Palestinians about indigenous Americans, as preparation for a solidarity visit by a group of Native Americans next month.


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Palestine: No Security · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

In the West Bank, activist Hannah Mermelstein writes: “A friend of mine here once told me that she never feels safe, so safety is not a consideration for her in making decisions. As much as I may try, I cannot truly imagine this lack of control.”


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Palestine: Photos Of Gaza · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Antony Loewenstein is visiting Gaza, and is posting photos on his blog.


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Russia: Markets Shut Down · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scraps of Moscow writes about Moscow authorities’ recent decision to shut down Cherkizovsky and Izmailovsky markets: “It is a shame that Luzhkov and others favoring the reconfiguring of Moscow markets to exclude for'ners have failed to understand that such pockets of other-ness always added to Moscow's richness. And even operating from their xenophobic logic, it makes little sense to shut down the Vernissage, since nearly all of the vendors there were Russian, many of them artists and craftspeople selling their own work.”


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Russia: One Day in the Life of Doctor Liza · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LJ user drugoi documents (text in Russian+photos, some of them graphic) one day in the life of Elizaveta Glinka (LJ user doctor_liza), who heads a volunteer effort to help Moscow's homeless, poor and drug addicts by providing them with food, clothing and medical aid, and who is also the founder of the first hospice in Kyiv, Ukraine (more about it – in this 2006 GV translation.)


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South Korea: White Guys Blogging About Korean Women · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

An interesting conversation about a Korean woman questioning a white guy, in this case the blogger, on why he blogs about Korean women at the Grand Narrative.


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Colombia: Senator Scolded For Using Twitter · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Colombian Senator Armando Benedetti may be admonished by his political party for using Twitter to inform followers of declarations [es] made during a press conference. He wrote that there are bad feelings because he published the information before letting the media know [es].

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Israel: Cellular firm ad stirs occupation debate  · Global Voices
Carmel L. Vaisman

A television ad for Cellcom, the largest Israeli cellular provider, sprung an unprecedented debate on the face of the Israeli occupation over the past two weeks. The advert, which can be watched here shows Israeli soldiers playing soccer with unseen Palestinians over the wall separating Israel and the West Bank, to the sound of popular music, using adjectives like sababa and achla, representing ‘fun’ and ‘swell’ in both Arabic and Hebrew slang and the narration asks: “After all, what do we all really want? Just to have a little fun.”
The advertisement produced by McCann Erickson advertising agency, was accepted as insensitive at best by many Israelis, becoming an icon of blindness to the occupation in the Israeli society. The Facebook group titled “I too get nausea from watching Cellcom's new ad” has 2,355 members to date and is growing daily.
Here is a sample of the main arguments voiced by many bloggers:
“After all, what do we all really want? Not to see beyond the separation fence. And then everything is indeed ‘sababa': army service is fun and war is really a game in which the unseen Palestinians are little pawns one can move without paying a price in the real world. This ad is a perfect reflection of our reality: we see only the things that affect our side. The soldiers in the ad are not interested in meeting the people who live on the other side…..finally the ad exposes what the army generals tried to hide from us: on the other side of the fence there are no human beings at all. Looking above the fence (min 0:47) we see there's nothing on the other side – everything is empty and green!”
(Romi Izhaki)
“What where the guys in McCann Erickson thinking when they chose the separation wall to star in the new Cellcom ad? If they wanted to represent the vision of a new middle east, why hide the Palestinians behind a concrete wall and present the soldiers as ball snatchers who only care about their fun? The result is an ad with the sensitivity of sandpaper and what stings most is the fact it makes the situation we live in seem not only bearable but even fun.
(Lior Zalmanson)
“The new Cellcom ad may seem like a bad taste provocation, similar to the Benetton ads with the hungry children, but it's actually an attempt to associate the firm with mainstream Israeliness, hence, involving the army. .. In an academic paper following the peace meter by Herman and Yaar from 2001, the authors found Israel is torn in half between the people who support and object the Oslo agreement. However, both sides agree on one thing: weather there'll be a Palestinian state or not, the Palestinians should be totally separated from us. We are here and they are there. And maybe one day it'll be ‘achla” or at least fast internet connection between these sides.
The separation wall allows us to push the Palestinians beyond the horizon, beyond visibility. It allows us to shrink their existence and reduce our friction to occasional ball swapping, replacing the occupation goal with a goal conquest. Cellcom's ad is infuriating because for some audiences it creates the impression of a peace gesture, coexistence and acknowledgment of the other side's humanity, when in fact it isn't. Because there's no other side there and we don't really care about it. In fact the message of this ad is that the separation wall allows us to keep playing and have fun, and we all know who the party poopers are”.
(Mouli Bentman)
The criticism united both sides of the political spectrum as demonstrated on Yuval Adam‘s blog. Yuval writes:
“when I watched this ad I shivered. I've been there at the separation wall, I visited the other side. Even right wing voters admit the other side wants more than just a little fun. Regardless of political affinity, you cannot deny people on the other side are suffering. …this ad demonstrates cultural blindness and reality blindness. The heartless people who produced it are blind to the real meaning of this wall and to the people behind it. It seems the ones who built that wall succeeded in making us forget what's behind it, if we ever remembered.”
Miriam, comments on the same post:
“I belong to the opposite political spectrum but when I saw this ad I was shocked as well. First, it makes our soldiers look stupid, willing to throw everything away for a stupid ball. Second, I live not far away from the wall and can see it from my garden. I know Palestinian people in this area and I know how much they suffer. This wall is a matter of survival for both sides and it's not about entertainment. Our soldiers play free and on the other side they're trapped, invisible, meaning not human. Just a force that throws balls so we can enjoy, on their expense. I recommend the makers of this ad to get out of their air conditioned offices for one day and visit the wall so they will have a better understanding of reality”.
Others chose to voice their criticism through viral distribution of spoofs: the first spoof replaces the soccer game with the actual war the metaphor stands for, showing Israeli soldiers bombing Palestinians instead of throwing a ball and the Palestinians reacting in cries of mourning to the laughter of the soldiers.
The second spoof attempts to insert the missing face of the Palestinian side, representing the Palestinian as a gagged man that regardless of the fact his hands and legs are tied, he kicks back the ball as if he's being forced to.
Such visuals would be considered anti-Israeli if they weren't edited and distributed by Israelis. Cellcom has asked both YouTube and Flix, a Hebrew video sharing website, to take off the videos on account of copyright infringement, but many Israelis re uploaded and shared them on Facebook over the last week. The videos were also re uploaded to YouTube and currently can be watched via the provided links.
Other people fail to see what’s so wrong about this ad, as Moti Shushan writes on the wall of the Facebook protest group:
“I actually like the ad. The only thing sad about it is that it was made by a commercial company and not the ministry of education. The ad is so wonderful and innocent, it shows you there can be a ball instead a bullet between the two sides and it's an attempt to dream beyond our reality. The only thing that makes me noxious is that this beautiful situation is so surreal we can only imagine it in an advert”.
Yariv Oppenheimer writes in defense of the Ad on Ynet opinion section:
“The immediate message of this ad is that behind the fence there are people who also want to live a normal life, thus breaking the stereotype of the Palestinian people as filled with hate and violence and want to destroy us. It is rare to present them as partners for a ball game, as good neighbors. Their invisibility only reminds us that behind the fence children families and dreams were forgotten. In addition, IDF soldiers are portrayed as normative people who might enjoy a human  encounter with “the enemy”. The ad portrays an ideal of humanism and respect expected from our soldiers in their daily engagements with Palestinians. The ad might change a bit the perception so rooted in us that every Palestinian is a potential enemy….it's a brave attempt to represent on screen the longing we have for peace, on prime time and by a commercial firm no less”.
Indeed, Cellcom may have had good intentions by creating this ad, since as Walla!news discovered, the football game idea was inspired by an older Israeli ad made for OneVoice‘s peace campaign visioning to host the 2018 world cup in Israel-Palestine. In addition, blogger Yoav Einhar pointed out that the graffiti on the separation wall in the ad, was drawn by graffiti artist Banksy, who sympathized with Palestinian suffering. The real graffiti was drawn on the Palestinian side of the fence in Abu Dis and can be seen in Einhar's post.
Many angry customers got formal responses from Cellcom that were posted on blog comments and on the Facebook group protesting against the ad:
“Our intention was to show that we are all human beings that want to enjoy life in every situation and that fun connects between people….The message of this campaign was that human communication exists in every situation. We got many positive and supportive feedbacks too. There was no intention to be cynical, to hurt anybody or to take any political stand”.
Ideal or not, Palestinians from Bil'iin demonstrated this week that we’re still far from the fun atmosphere of the ad. Their attempt to play football with real Israeli soldiers by the fence, resulted in  a small uprising and some tear gas, as documented in this raw footage, using Cellcom's ad music, which can be watched here.

author: Carmel L. Vaisman


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Japan: Possible Twitter Novel Publication · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Netafull [ja] reports that writer/essayist Mica Naitoh tweeted [ja] that she has received an offer to publish her Twitter novel, just a few days after she started tweeting with the hashtag #twnovel.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


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Korea: Why Did Korean Politicians Fight? · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

The National Assembly passed a bill to revise media regulations after a brutal fight. The obsession with passing the bills from the ruling party, the GNP (Grand National Party), and suspicion of voting by proxy are leading to complaints from all kinds of people and organizations. The GNP denies the voting by proxy, but many netizens are analyzing the video clip and still photos, and share information about what really happened at the moment in the place closed to the public.
Photo from newsway
Here are netizens’ opinions and worries about this chaos.
1:
전 사실 보면서 많은 생각을 했습니다. 미디어 법안을 자세히 알지는 못합니다. 법을 공부한 것도 아니고 미디어관련 수업을 이제 처음으로 듣는 대학생 1학년이기 때문입니다. 하지만 전 한가지는 압니다. 아니 모두들 다들 아시는 것을 압니다.바로 미디어 법이 통과된다면 우리들의 생활에 많은 부분이 통제된다는 걸 압니다. 대충 제대로 안에 까지 속속히 다 알지는 못합니다. 하지만 만약에 ‘미디어 법안'이 통과가 된다면 대략 방송국 자체에 많은 자유을 침해 당한다는 것을 압니다.
사실 우리나라의 사람들이 이제 신문을 잘 구독하지 않습니다. 하지만 그 구독하는 사람들 속에서 우리나라 사람들은 조.중.동 이 보수적 성향의 신문이 구독률이 높다는 것도 압니다. 한겨례 등등 좌파적 성향이 강한 신문들의 구독률도 높지만
하지만 조.중.동이 우리나라의 신문 역사에서 오래된 만큼 많은 사람들이 구독을 하고 자본을 유치하고 있습니다. 신문기업이 만약에 방송국에 힘을 가진다면 2012년 동안 아무런 경영권에 힘을 못 가진다고 하더라도 10프로 라는 큰 자본을 가지고 방송국을 노린다면 그 누가 그 방송국에서 하는 뉴스을 믿냐는 것입니다. 이름을 까먹었지만 100분 토론을 보면서 6프로의 지분을 가진 이건희 전 회장도 엄청난 힘을 가졌는데 10프로라면 얼마나 강한 힘이겠느냐 그리고 2012년까지 경영권이 없다고 하더라도 누가 그 힘을 무시하겠느냐 라는 말에 전 생각했습니다. 만약에 이 법안이 정식으로 통과되어 힘을 가진다면 우리의 다음세대 지금의 10대 초반의 초등학교 저학년들 유치원생들 그 얘들은 제대로 된 가치관이 없습니다. 우리 20대 초반에도 제대로 된 가치관 가지고 자신의 생각을 피력하는 사람들도 사실 적은 수에 불과합니다. 그런 상태에서 받아들이는 지식을 소화하고 이해하는 능력을 가져야하는 지금의 어린 애들에게 하나의 한 쪽으로 치중된 뉴스가 보도될 가능성이 높은 이 법안을 통과 시키는게 합당하지 못 하다는 걸 말씀 드리고 싶습니다.
2:
정확하게 규명하자…아직 가능성이 있다. 양심을 걸고 안했다는 그런 말은 믿지 말자.. 그들의 양심을 믿기에는 딴나라당은 너무 긴 강을 건넜다. 그리고 이 문제는 양심을 믿기에는 너무나 큰 문제이다. 동영상 촬영을 했으니 분명 영상에 찍힌 시간이 있을 것이다. 그리고 대리투표로 의심되는 의원이 터치스크린을 터치하는 순간 분염 시스템으로 되어 있는 전자투표시스템의 데이터베이스에 시간이 기록되어 있을 것이다. 그 두개의 시간을 비교하면 대리투표를 했는지 안했는지 비교할수 있을 것이다.
3:
대리 투표가 사실이라면 무효화 된다에 100% 겁니다.^^ 사실 누가봐도 투표 진행 자체가 너무 초딩적 이었어요.그나마 국민들이 헤프닝 으로 봐주면 다행이지만 만약 심각하게 받아 들인다면 그 여파가 내년 지방 선거때 고스란히 투표로 심판할테고…
4:
대리투표….참 기막혀서 ….우리는 학교다니면서….성인이 되서도 많은 투표를 한다. 모든 투표는 본인이 해야 한다는 것을 투표의 기본중의 기본으로 배웠고 알고있다. 그런데….법을 만드는 국회에서는 아닌가보다….대리투표를 한다……그래도 괜챦다고 한다..이런 젠장.. 이것이 괜챦다면 한나라당의 기준대로 해보자 그럼…이 세상은 어떻게 될까????
-.음주운전하고 옆자리 운전자하고 자리 바꾸자.
-.대통령,국회의원선거는 집에서 가장이 대표로 가서…할머니,할아버지,엄마,아들,딸을 대신하자.
-.시험도 대신보고….
-.학교도 대리 출석하자.
5:
말도많고 탈도 많았던 미디어법 개정안이 어제 국회의장의 직권상정으로 처리되었다. 처리 과정에서 다소 아쉬운 점이 있긴 하나 어제 국회 본회의를 통과한 새 미디어법의 핵심은 경제협력개발기구(OECD) 30개국 중 한국에만 있는 신문과 방송의 겸영금지 조항을 없애 매체간 장벽을 허문 것이다. 1980년 신군부의 언론통폐합 조치 이후 지상파 방송사가 지배해온 국내 방송시장에 새로운 사업자들이 진입할 수 있게 돼 시청자의 선택권을 넓히고 다양한 프로그램을 제공하는 기반이 마련되었다. 권위주의 정권이 언론 통제를 위해 만들어 놓은 방송체계가 29년만에 실질적으로 막을 내리고 진정한 방송 민주화가 가능해 졌으며, 산업발전의 토대형성과 특정이념에 편향된 방송의 여론독점 부작용을 정상화할 수 있는 기회가 생겼다.[…] 이번 법안 처리를 보면서 국민들은 또다시 해외 토픽감인 국회의 모습을 보면서 실망을 하였을 것이다.[…]

author: Hyejin Kim


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Peru: An Exhibition of Art and Video Games · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Juan Carlos Luján of Sin Papel [es] reports on an exhibition in Lima, Peru of art and video games.

author: Juan Arellano


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Russia: Making (Some) Sense of LiveJournal · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A number of studies of the Russian blogosphere and internet use have been produced in the past by various entities. Russian-Cyberspace.org, an LJ blog (ENG) of the Russian Cyberspace Project, is a good place to learn about some of the work being done in this field; also, here's a report (ENG, .pdf file, 5.4 MB) titled Not Quite Samizdat: a Look at the Russian Blogosphere, which was published by Mmd, a PR consultancy, in April 2007.
Russian bloggers, too, are trying to make sense of the space they operate in. Recently, LJ user fritzmorgen has drawn a list of issues that, in his opinion, tend to cause controversy among LiveJournal bloggers, and assessed his own views on them – “so that anyone could look into my profile and in half a minute learn my opinion on the ‘fundamental’ questions.” In the process, LJ user fritzmorgen has also sketched explanations of some of the Russian realities. Below are excerpts from his classification (RUS):
Some classic themes divide the population of LJ into two imaginary camps. Just a couple days ago, for example, one could observe an argument between “drivers” and “pedestrians” about the BMW damaged by “grassroots avengers.” The former suggested [punishing] the vandals who damaged cars by tearing off their hands, while the latter [favored] scratching cars with nails whenever the chance presented itself.
Such topics as legalization of drugs or, for example, the categorical refusal to have children, provoke an equally emotional response.
[…]
1. [Dog People] vs. [People People]
This old and complex conflict of interest between people and dogs. Dog owners are fighting for their right to own a dog and to waste too much effort on taking care of it. People are fighting for their right to walk the streets [without fear] […]. […]
2. Pedestrians vs. Drivers
I'm deeply convinced that the reasons for this conflict are rooted in […] simple ignorance and the “iron fist” mentality.
Firstly, most pedestrians, alas, don't understand drivers because they don't have enough driving experience. On the other hand, many drivers obtained their licenses not a long time ago (or, conversely, too long ago), and cannot drive properly because of that. Fortunately, the ruthless Soviet time is history now, and the numbers of people with driving licenses are growing fast. When some sort of a critical mass is reached, the conflict will lose its severity.
Secondly, [Russians] traditionally think that Czar is worthy of special privileges – for a big country, it is natural. That's why [president] Medvedev's motorcade gets whole avenues blocked, and a large segment of drivers thinks it reasonable […]. This position – “I'm the boss, I'm more important” – goes further down the vertical of power, all the way to small bureaucrats driving black Fords, who, in many cases, are the ones creating the atmosphere of hatred on the roads. […]
3. The Chinese vs. the Dutch
There are two ways to solve the drug problem. The Chinese one – to jail and to shoot, and the Dutch one – to educate and to cure. “The Chinese” [those who support the first option] think that legalization of drugs will lead to the increase in drug abuse, while “the Dutch” are positive that drug abuse is so widespread because drugs are banned. […]
4. Pacifists vs. Militarists
Pacifists (those who demand complete ban on the sales of firearms) point at the Finnish school kid who shot half of his classmates. Militarists respond by arguing that carrying firearms in schools is actually banned completely. Both sides have [good] arguments. As far as I know however, the statistics says that legalization of firearms in no way affects the number of crimes committed […]. […]
5. [People with kids] vs. Childfree
In and outside LJ, there is a ChildFree movement, [which unites] people of both sexes who “have chosen not to have children.” The source of the conflict here is the same as the one in dog arguments: children cause problems. […]
6. Communists vs. Liberals
On a routine level, “communists” and “liberals” have nothing really to fight about. But this doesn't ease the tensions: both sides blame each other for their problems. Communists think that they have little money because liberals are stealing from them. And liberals think that they have little money because communists are loafing around. […]
7. Khokhly [a somewhat derogatory term for Ukrainians] vs. Moskali [a somewhat derogatory term for Russians]
This issue is, I guess, purely political. If a small country is on friendly terms with the big neighbor, it risks being swallowed sooner or later. Ukraine isn't willing to [re-unite with Russia] yet, and that's why it simply has to maintain tense relations with us. […]
8. Slavophiles vs. Westernizers
[…] [Most people] don't know much about life in the West and do not understand that [life isn't easy everywhere there]. Emigrants, who are well-represented online, are making things worse, as they are ready to put the “Russian pigs” to shame.
I guess that in some 20 years things will calm down here, and it will be more or less as in the United States, where the person you're talking to agrees with the statement that “the American health care system sucks” – but will smash you in the face if you say that “America is a lousy country.” […]
9. Fascists vs. Jews
It think it's a big mistake to ignore the ethnicity issue. Russians, Jews, Ukrainians, Georgians – each ethnicity has its own peculiarities, and these peculiarities should in no way be considered “cosmetic.” […]
10. Pedagogues vs. Children
Here, just as in the case of drugs, the main reason for arguments is the lack of information. People just have no idea how it is possible to study without school. […]


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Bangladesh: Exchanging Business Cards · Global Voices
Rezwan

Shehzaad Shams at Bangladesh Corporate Blog comments that: “from my work experience I have realized that we like exchanging business cards in pretty much every business situations in Bangladesh.”


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Britain Brunei Running Festival · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Gavin G from Brunei posted pictures of the 2009 Britain Brunei Running Festival.

author: Mong Palatino


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Brunei: Worldwide Photowalk · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Anakbrunei posted pictures of the Worldwide Photowalk event in Brunei.


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China: Suspension of Electroshock for “Net Addiction” · Global Voices
George Sun

The Chinese Ministry of Health recently announced that electroshock treatment for “internet addiction” should be suspended. The controversial electroshock therapies have recently been used by some Chinese clinics to cure symptoms of “addiction” to the internet in young people. These methods, invented by Yang Yongxin have ultimately been proved unscientific and torturous. Many bloggers applaud the news.
A user on Neteasy comments:
电击治疗 可以在主观上让患者进行自我修正，但是 对于神经的伤害是不确定的，准确的说，对于不同的人，承受力相差很大，不太可能制定一个统一的安全范围。
A commenter on Sina feels it is very weird for some parents to trust the words of unauthorised “experts”:
都什么年代了，每天上个几个小时网很正常好不好！这所谓网瘾,在国外更多不过被当作笑话而已。那些家长太愚昧了，竟然相信这些借网瘾赚钱的伪专家。
Fang Zhouzi, a well-known scholar and blogger, says it is against our common sense and ethic:
国内一度采用电击疗法治疗青少年网瘾，便违反了医学伦理。电击疗法被用来治疗心理疾病，虽然已有几十年的历史，但是也是最有争议的疗法，并有显著的副作用。目前电击只被用以治疗少数几种严重的心理疾病，主要是用以治疗严重的忧郁症，有临床试验研究认为有一定的效果。通过对脑部施加电击诱发抽搐并改变大脑功能，其机理至今不明，但已知能损害记忆和认知功能。
A lawyer named Liu Xiaoyuan writes in his blog that:
强迫孩子们接受残酷电击疗法前，估计医疗机构也不会将治疗的安全性、有效性，特别是痛苦性告诉家长和孩子们，这就严重侵犯了家长和孩子们的知情权。
制造出这种世界上绝无仅有治疗“网瘾”技术的专家们，你们是否考虑过电击疗法对孩子的残酷与无人道呢？如果“网瘾”真是一种病态，除了残酷的“电击”疗法，难道你们就研究不出药物疗法吗？
将安全性和有效性不确切的治疗技术用于孩子身上，简直是太不人道了，等于是在拿孩子做医疗实验品。
Blogger Hu Yong thinks electroshock therapy shows lack of professional authenticity and official credibility:
如果连专家都不能确定一个有关网瘾的确切定义和标准，如果连国际上都在对此小心翼翼地求证，我们的网瘾治疗机构的诸多做法依据何在？根据什么把青少年收治入院？
A boy receiving the ‘electroshock therapeutics’ describes his feelings when he was in hospital.
我记不得他们给我多少次（电击），但一定有几十次。在两次电击之间，他们会让我休息一会儿。每次治疗持续半小时左右。
我挣扎并设法站起来，他们就说我还是不肯留下来，于是接下来的半小时里又给了我好几次电击。我最终同意留下，因为我真的再也受不了啦。

author: George Sun


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Citizens of the World rally for Iran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

On Saturday 25 July, 2009, Iranians and non-Iranians alike responded to the initiative United4Iran  by taking part in an event to support the Iranian struggle for freedom and human rights.
Coverage of these events included numerous citizen videos and photos.
Hamburg/Germany:
Washington/U.S.
London/UK
A protest outside the Islamic Republic's embassy in London
Saharlar writes [fa] that the police dispersed a rally in Dubai after 30 minutes and even confiscated their green ballons. The blogger also published the photos of this event.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Featured Author: Sara Moreira · Global Voices
David Sasaki

This past week I was able to catch up with Global Voices author Sara Moreira at the International School for Digital Transformation in Porto, Portugal. Sara arrived to the program after spending several weeks in Dili, East Timor, the country whose blogosphere she dutifully covers on Global Voices.
Sara teaching young women computer engineering at East Timor National University.
She has worked as a professor at East Timor National University and was awarded computer equipment from Hewlett Packard to help introduce more Timorese women to the fields of computer engineering and web design.
Make sure not to miss Sara's three-part series commemorating the 9th anniversary of internet access in East Timor.

author: David Sasaki


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Iran: Solidarity with Green Movement in Dubai · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several Iranians took part in a demonstration in Dubai on Saturday July 25, to support Iranians in their struggle for democracy. According to Saharlar, the police dispersed the rally after 30 minutes and confiscated even green ballons. Watch the photos here.


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Japan: Fireworks in Tokyo · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Auberginefleur at Japan Now & Then has compiled a handy list of Tokyo's firework events for 2009. suzurzan.ranran, cadm2, chris.jan have uploaded their photos of yesterday's Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival, one of Tokyo's biggest summer events.


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Laos: Owls vs rats · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Barn owls could be used in north Laos to reduce the number of rodents which are damaging the crops planted by farmers.


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Malaysia: “Where is democracy?” · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of Malaysia celebrated his 100th day in office two weeks ago. But many of his constituents chose to mark the event by asking “Where is democracy?” in Malaysia. Critics believe the Prime Minister has undermined the country’s democratic system of government.
The 711whereisdemocracy blog was set-up encouraging Malaysian citizens to support the protest campaign:
How do we do it? By asking the simple question – “where is democracy?”. After 100 days, we are still searching for it, we are still yearning for it, we are still fighting for it.
How do you ‘ask’ the question? Print it or write it on a piece of paper. Hold it up in front of a place of significance – police station, court complex, government department office, parliament building, state assembly building, local council office etc, and take a picture.
Supporters can also post their pictures in Facebook. The campaign was spearheaded by 1BlackMalaysia movement (an allusion to Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan):
It will be a peaceful but powerful message of civil disobedience that we the people are politicians’ bosses and no politicians defiant of public opinion can escape punishment at the next poll. Civil disobedience is a peaceful act that every citizen can participate and make a difference.
Even Lepak who was in Japan participated in the virtual protest
Apparently we can't find any Democracy in Malaysia so have to look for it in other countries! hahahaha in Japan… maybe there is democracy…maybe not….
Huichun is also seeking democracy in Malaysia
How I wish Democracy In Malaysia Was As Convenient And As Accessible As The Ubiquitous 7-Eleven!
Shakuntala comments:
You are also asking a leading question, “Where is Democracy?” pity,but it is nowhere to be found. Too careless a reply? no, it seems that our leaders have been fooling about telling the world that we are a true Democracy.Or does it exist only for the rich and the famous.


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Malaysia: Life after divorce · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Mahaguru58 from Malaysia shares his life experience after being legally separated from his wife and kids.


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Maldives: Journalists at Risk · Global Voices
Saffah Faroog

At least three journalists in the Maldives have been subjected to either physical or verbal abuse and psychological intimidation within a span of the last 10 days.
The first case involved Ahmed Zahir (Hiriga), the Executive Editor of Haveeru Daily, and the President of Maldives Journalists Association, who was attacked by a mob outside the parliament building while he was covering a protest there. Interestingly the protest outside the parliament was sparked by a scuffle inside the parliament between some members of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party and opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
The second case involved an article written by Maryam Omidi, the Editor of the online English language newspaper Minivan News. In the article Omidi reported on Amnesty International’s recent call to impose a moratorium on flogging in the Maldives and highlighted the fact that women are disproportionately flogged in the Maldives for extramarital sex while in most cases men are able to evade the punishment for apparent lack of evidence. Even though the author of the article did not express any personal opinions on the issue, some groups in the Maldives declared the article as anti-Islamic and organized a protest against Minivan News. The protesters also called for Omidi, a foreign national, to be deported from the Maldives.
Maldives Dissent debates this issue and points out that in several cases the victims of flogging are also victims of child sexual abuse:
The public flogging at the centre of the controversy involves an 18-year-old girl, but a disturbing aspect of the case appears to have gone unnoticed. It has emerged that the girl, who reportedly “confessed” to having had extra-marital sex with two adult males, committed the “crime” when she was under-18. If so, this would have grave implications for the Maldivian state.  Not only has the state failed to protect a child from sexual abuse but has, in fact, been party to subjecting her to further physical abuse.
Sadly, this is not an isolated case. At least 22 girls under 18 years of age were sentenced to public flogging, in 2006, for fornication or giving birth out of wedlock.
Under Maldivian law child sexual abuse requires a confession by the alleged abuser, or testimony by four eye-witnesses, for a successful conviction to take place. This means that if a victim reports sexual abuse but the perpetrator denies it and there are no eye-witnesses, the court can find the child guilty of having consented to the sex. The state would then wait for the girl to turn 18 and then carry out the sentence of public flogging, in effect, punishing her for reporting the crime.
By continuing with the practice, the Maldives is violating no less than four UN conventions it has signed: the convention on the rights of children; the convention on civil and political rights; the convention against torture; and the convention against all forms of discrimination against women.
The third case of an attack against journalists involved Ibrahim Rasheed, newscaster for state-owned Television Maldives (TVM), who was assaulted while he was covering a gathering outside the residence of the former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. A crowd had gathered outside the former ruler’s residence because the police were trying to escort the ex-president to the police station for an investigation of allegations of corruption.
South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) Maldives has condemned the attacks on journalists on their blog:
SAFMA Maldives expresses concern over the recent attacks on media personnel, and calls on all concerned parties to respect the ideals of freedom of expression and media enshrined in the Maldives Constitution.
SAFMA Maldives also reiterates that it is not necessary that all media organizations share the same opinions and editorial policies, and believe that the public should be able to formulate its own opinion based on the different viewpoints and information accessible from the various media, and call on the Government, political parties and the general public to respect journalists working to acquire true information in order to carry out a public service.
Till a few years ago, the Maldives used to be a repressive state, with freedom of expression severely restricted by the government and journalists arrested or intimidated by the government for criticism. With a democratic government coming to power in November 2008, the government is no longer regarded as a barrier to press freedom. However, the recent cases of intimidation and abuse against journalists by various groups in the society indicate that journalists are still at risk, especially in the politically-charged atmosphere and the deeply partisan politics the Maldives is experiencing right now.

author: Saffah Faroog


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Myanmar: Importing athletes · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

New Mandala observes that football teams in Myanmar have been recruiting players from other countries.


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Uruguay: CIP, Showcasing National Films and Shorts · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

They call it an alternative to online video channels so that their videos don't have to compete for attention with short home-videos of birthdays, cats and lip synching to music.  Two young Uruguayans decided to change the situation and created Cip, a website dedicated to showcasing the works of  independent film-makers, so they can take their films out of their desk drawers and share them with a wider community, much in the same way that it works in theaters, with premieres, seasons and different viewing rooms.
Thanks to @damianemanuel1 on twitter we discovered this video site, when he posted:
Cine virtual desde Uruguay para combatir la chatarra de YouTube  http://bit.ly/V39pT
puede ser vista en http://www.cip.com.uy/
In the words of the creators of the site, Andrés Nicolón and José Luis Elizalde, their website answers to the needs of film-makers who want their work to get known:
¿Dónde puedo exhibir seriamente mis obras en un medio tan masivo, económico y accesible como Internet? ¿Cómo puede ser reconocida mi labor (actriz, actor, guionista, director, camarógrafo, productor, músico, etc.) en cine? ¿No tengo alternativa y debo publicar mi trabajo junto con los top 10 de mejores bloopers de gente montando a caballo? ¿Siempre los más conocidos son los que ocupan el lugar más importante?
Cip not only provides the possibility to showcase short films on their site, they also provide other services: they can help film-makers with post-production and editing, effects and presentation. They can also make all the promotional and marketing material for films such as posters, trailers and advertising in general, or promote a film as a starred movie for more exposure.
Currently they have 7 films in their site, 4 of them from Spain, one a collaborative effort, and 2 Uruguayan shorts, one fiction and one a documentary. All of the films can be downloaded in an iPod compatible format. Sadly, the site doesn't allow for embedding, but you can view their movies by heading over to their site,http://www.cip.com.uy/.


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An Indian View On India-Pakistan Relations · Global Voices
Rezwan

Supriyo Chaudhuri at The Sunday Posts comments on the relations between India and Pakistan: “we should indeed try to create a new Pakistan based on democracy and tolerance rather than pakistanizing the whole region based on violence and chauvinism.”

author: Rezwan


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An Indian’s Perspective On Tipaimukh Dam · Global Voices
Rezwan

A Minority Of One  comments on the controversial Tipaimukh Dam from an Indian's perspective: “I feel that the responsible course of action is to re-consider the project, or at least its scale.” The blog reminds Indians to look for options, “if not for the sake of humanity and neighbourliness, then to uphold the spirit of the constitution that enjoins upon us to maintain just and honourable relations between nations.”


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Armenia: Political graffiti  · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Hima! [AM] youth movement blog posts a photograph of graffiti appearing in Yerevan. The blog posts a photograph of one example remembering 1 March 2008 when 10 people died in clashes between opposition supporters and police in the Armenian capital.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Azerbaijan: Smashing idealism · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Thoughts on the Road comments on the English translation of an interview with the official investigator on the case of recently detained video bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli posted on the OL! blog. The blogger says that he still considers the case against the two youth activists to be a political one which serves as a warning to those who might follow in their footsteps.


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Barbados, Guyana: Immigration Debate  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As reactions to the government's clampdown on illegal immigrants goes “off the boil”, Barbados Underground “condemns…the holier than thou attitude which President Jagdeo of Guyana and his cronies have directed at Barbados.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bhutan: Misconceptions of Democracy · Global Voices
Rezwan

Freedom in Bhutan comments that: “there seems to be serious flaws on concept and thought about Bhutanese political leadership regarding the democracy and its values.”


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Caribbean: On Henry Gates Jr. · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean bloggers are still abuzz about the Henry Gates arrest: Jamaican diaspora blogger Pamela Mordecai, 21 Square and Catch a fire from Bermuda and Weblog Bahamas.


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China: How Buildings Are Built In Shenzhen · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated a short piece (with photo) from Voice of China BBS featuring Lao Liu, who used pole to carry bricks off the boats for 21 years at the Xixiang pier.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Missing iPhone pressured mainland worker to suicide · Global Voices
Bob Chen

Sun Dangyang, 25, was born in a small village. He earned his college degree in Harbin University and was then employed by Foxconn, a Taiwanese company and one of Apple’s largest contractors. His parents were proud of their son however they never expected that the job and an iPhone would finally lead to Sun’s death.
On the morning of 16, July, Sun’s body was found at the foot of his apartment block. He left his last words to his girlfriend and some of his friends. Though the exact cause of his death is as yet unknown, judging from his messages, he committed suicide because he was suspected by Foxconn of stealing an iPhone G4 prototype.
The missing iPhone was deadly to Mr Sun. The security chief of Foxconn, in fear of Steve Jobs’ wrath, was said to have harshly interrogated Sun and searched through his home. The reason that Sun was so heavily pressured was that losing an iPhone prototype could mean losing the contracts from Apple which are worth millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.
Sun’s last message to his girlfriend reads:
“My dear, I’m sorry, go back home tomorrow, something has happened to me, please don’t tell my family, don’t contact me, this is the first time that I have ever begged you, please agree to that! I am so sorry!”
After that, he apparently committed suicide.
It could have been a normal if regrettable piece of news since suicide because of intense commercial pressure is not so surprising in China, where the industries are highly competitive. But a sensational post widely circulated on the internet changed everything. The post allegedly recorded an online chat of Sun with one of his friends studying in France. In the online chat which happened right at the night of his death, Sun implied that he was beaten up and humiliated by Foxconn staff.
Sun, as the person responsible for mailing the iPhone prototype back to Apple in US, was the major suspect according to his boss. Sun’s 3-day delay of reporting the loss to his manager further added to suspicion of him. But in the chat Sun explained to his friend:
好友100:12:16
勇哥，你还是先冷静下来把整个事情再回想一下
好友100:12:33
看看什么地方出了问题
孙丹勇00:13:03
我仔细想了一下,机台少只有两个可能性
一是我装箱之前确实就被人无心拿走了,
另外一个可能就是确实有人有意在当晚或第二天拿走了
好友100:13:05
我知道你不是那种人，但是害人之心不可有，防人之心不可无啊
好友100:13:29
这件事情后果严重不 ？
好友2 00:13:42
那没有回旋或者查找的可能性吗？
好友2 00:14:12
富士康应该有监管措施吧
孙丹勇00:14:23
虽然纸箱有贴保密封条,但是我在那也放有保密封条,而且大的纸箱有人动过,
好友100:15:43
对你有什么影响？
孙丹勇00:17:17
我之所以脱了3天才告诉主管,是因为我一直在找,我当时只是以为机台应该还在产线,想自己把问题处理掉,后来实在找不到了,也知道如果机台泄密会对公司有很严重的后果,就给JEFF 打电话告诉他了
孙丹勇00:26:55
我今天被环安课做的那么记录,从良心上说,都是真的,没有半句假话,虽然看起来有些地方值得怀疑,我能理解你们,换了我我也会这么想的
孙丹勇00:27:35
但我不能接受环安课对我的人格污辱,
Sun then said:
孙丹勇00:30:02
就是去公安局,法律也明文规定不可以用武力,何况这只是公司而已
孙丹勇00:32:03
我只是有嫌疑而已,亲爱的环安课@#课长,你们有什么理由和资格扣留我在你那,对我动手
好友100:36:58
你千万不要气馁，更不要做什么过激的反应
孙丹勇00:37:58
少机台是我的责任,我能接受,也很愧疚,但他妈的不是我拿的,
好友100:41:47
这样才更应该好好活，以后给那帮狗东西看
孙丹勇00:43:14
只是这次,估计严重的后果还在后面吧,随便再打我一顿,然后又随便找个理由把我丢公安局去?真不知道
好友100:44:47
勇哥，从现在开始，你一定要张个心眼，然后能留证据就留证据。而且适当的时候一定要服软
孙丹勇00:45:36
那个关人的房间居然没有摄像头,太他妈强了,去过C02 1.5F 这么多次,这次才发现那里还有这么个@#的世外桃园,不知有多少人被在那负过
孙丹勇00:57:41
在部门快一年了,真的,很感激部门的各们同仁,和你们相处真的很愉快,特别是我亲爱的JEFF主管,真的很感激你,我之前在工作中出了这么的问题,一直都是你在前面替我挡客户,把事情都处理了,
孙丹勇01:11:51
各位部门同仁,最后说一遍实话:少的那台N90机台不是我拿的
孙丹勇01:19:18
我真的是被你欺负得没话说了,亲爱的@#课长,希望你会很快得到应有的报应,虽然你们有能力打我,虽然能很快再造出一台机子来,但那是FOXCONN 强,不是你强
孙丹勇01:21:28
对了,还有一件事情,欠学校的助学贷款现在只是在还利息,期望不会对学弟学妹的贷款有影响,这件事情的很不好意思了
孙丹勇01:26:27
走了,高歌,好好休息噢,想想明天不用被人欺蓐,不用当替罪养,心里好受多了,
Two hours later, Sun apparently jumped from the top of the building.
The record was verified and thought to be authentic. Journalists soon found the security chief, Gu Qinming mentioned by Sun. Gu Qinming replied:
顾钦明说，7月15日13时30分许，在获悉苹果公司一部手机样机丢失后，他去了孙丹勇说的包装现场，孙丹勇模拟了当时交接手机的现场，并说交接时他中间离开了一会儿。
第一次调查结束后，从当时与孙丹勇交接产品的女同事处了解到，产品交接时孙丹勇一直在场，这与此前孙丹勇说他曾中途离开不一致，所以要跟他对一下细节。
He also denied that he searched Sun’s home by force.
顾钦明说，搜家是孙丹勇提出的。我们让孙丹勇回忆细节时，他突然提出，为表清白，到他家看看。“我当时觉得不很妥当，但孙丹勇挺坚持的，我就说要是去的话，就写个同意书签个字。”
Not many people trust the apology of Foxconn.
gaofei8292 said,
我也是FOXCONN的，对楼主说的深有同感，只要在FSK干过的都一定是深有体会并对楼主说的事情感同身受。
是的，FSK就是这样一个企业。
牵着蜗牛过马路 echoed the complaint:
兄弟走好，我也是在FSK的，不能不顶了，这里干活没有什么尊严，下面的狗一样的所谓陆干，和那些鸟台干一个鼻孔出气，溜须拍马，克扣我们这些基层的，
82926303 said Foxconn is too powerful a company to beat:
没有哪个电视台愿意曝光一些富士康的东西，即使你给他钱也不愿 意，因为不想惹祸上身，多一事不如少一事，富士康太厉害了，因为根源有政府的支持，因为有钱，因为有专业的有名的法律团队……
On the internal forum of Foxconn, there are also posts regretting Sun’s death and complaining about Foxconn’s suppressing atmosphere. Taiwan businessmen are thought to be just like foreign suppressors. sgqlove520 said
哎…台湾，日本的外商从来对我国劳动人民都不当人看。
但是这又能如何呢？不管出了什麽事.主流媒體也不敢報導.
地方政府我想沒什麽好說的了.為虎作倀.草菅人命.
已經屢見不鮮了.到底我國勞動人民的生命及尊嚴
何時才有人出來捍衛呢…
(Bob Guy also contributes to the post.)

author: Bob Chen


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China: The New York Times Enrages Netizens · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

C. Custer from China Geeks reported on anti-CNN's criticism on the New York Times’ misleading photo captions concerning the Urumqi riot.


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Cuba: Light & Shadow  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“This was the speech of the ‘shadow’ because light is something the authoritarians cannot tame…Raúl Castro is right: we can no longer see him, because the twilight he represents lacks…any kind of luminosity”: Cuba's Generation Y blogs about her impressions of this year's July 26th speech.


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Czech Republic: New Mosque in Brno? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Czech Daily Word reports that “Christian Democrats oppose plans to build a new mosque in Brno.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Czech Republic: Significant Czech Woman Abroad Award · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

CzechFolks.com writes about the 2009 winners of the award for Significant Czech Woman Abroad.


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Europe: “EU Terminology for Dummies” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“EU Terminology for Dummies” – at Kosmopolito.


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Europe: “When East Becomes West” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Raf Uzar is wondering whether “the definition of Western Europe [is] the same now as it was in 1945.”


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Fiji: Tension rises between government and Methodist Church  · Global Voices
Michael Hartsell

The months-long standoff between Fiji’s government and the country’s largest Christian denomination became more heated last week when police arrested, held and later charged seven Methodist Church officials and a high-ranking chief for “incitement” and infringing on emergency rules regarding meetings.
The government alleges that Rewa High Chief Ro Teimumu Kepa broke meeting rules when she met with Methodist church leaders to plan its annual two-week conference that the government has refused to issue a permit. The conference was scheduled to take place near the end of August in her province of Rewa, a poor, mostly rural area not far from the capital Suva. It brings in tens of thousands of members, includes choir competitions and provides a substantial amount of fundraising for the church.
The government denied a permit for this year’s conference because leaders refused to not include two of its former presidents, Manasa Lasaro and Tomasi Kanailagi, and remove any political discussions from its agenda.
Detractors of both men accuse them of mixing ethno-nationalist politics and religion.
Both men also attended the alleged planning meeting and were arrested. Judges released all eight people on $500 bail and (for some) forfeiture of travel documents. They will reappear in court August 13.
The predominately indigenous Fijian Methodist church, which nearly one-third of the country's population belongs, was closely aligned with the government of Laisenia Qarase, which ruled from 2001 until it was overthrown in December 2006 by Commodore Frank Bainimarama for what he called corrupt and racist rule that benefited indigenous Fijians at the expense of other ethnic groups. It was Fiji’s fourth military coup since 1987.
After a court ruled in April the 2006 takeover was illegal, Fiji’s president annulled the country’s constitution, fired the entire judiciary and appointed Frank Bainimarama to a five-year term before elections will be held. The government then passed a series of Public Emergency Regulations, controlling the media and limiting assembly.
Insaafi, writing in Raw Fiji News, says the arrests are a a case against religious freedom.
The issue is not so much that a high chief has been apprehended at midnight and taken for questioning without any justfication.
It is more about the moral repugnance and abomination of denial of very basic tenets of natural justice to a decent citizen of fiji whose rights to human freedom , dignity and freedom of speech are enshrined in not only the abbrogated constitution but also in the preamble to the Charter tha the regime has adopted as its mantra.
It is also about the traditional respect that we have for all the mothers, sisters and citisens of our country.
Religious freedoms form the cornestone of all civilised societies and the suppression of the Methodists in Fiji cannot and should not be condoned by those who have any respect for their own rights and religions.
It is time for all the religious groups to show total solidarity with the Methodists.
Intelligentsiya argues by picking a fight with the powerful Methodist church, the military government may soon meet its match.
The Methodist Church remains steadfast and refuses to budge on their intent to hold their conference.
There could be wave after wave of believers willing to face persecution and oppression for the Lord's work (as is foretold in the good book). This time Bainimarama has picked a fight with the wrong foe – God.
Let's see how many methodists the military can round up and charge with incitement, before they collapse in exhaustion or run out of holding capacity.
However, an anonymous comment in the above post criticizes Church leadership.
As a Christian, I am sick and tired of publicity hungry chiefs seeking political notoriety, without dealing with what's important, standing amongst distracting homosexual looking Kanailagi crying out as victims of what they created.

Impure intentions of the embittered and the desperate, missing what once was which many did not favor, feeling rebuffed by a government who professed to represent us, the common average hardworking invisible people of Fiji.
Real Fiji News contends this is issue is political and not religious.
We should be reminded that only a hand full of Methodists have a political agenda, which consequently is destroying the religious values for the remainder of the 300,000 followers.
This is not about religion its about POLITICS.  The Government is NOT against the Methodists, its against the POLITICS, lets be constantly reminded of that.  The SDL party has freely admitted it has a clear strategy with regards to the Methodist church and the current government.
For a few bloggers, however, the arrests and charges do not represent a fight between the government and the Methodist church; rather, it is a battle against Rewa High Chief Ro Teimumu Kepa, a practicing Catholic who was Minister of Education in the SDL-led Qarase government.
During her two-day captivity, her family released a video on You Tube hoping to sidestep Fiji’s media censorship. In the video, family members claim Ro Teimumu’s “human rights and indigineous rights has been grossly violated by this illegal government currently running the country.”
What makes this issue so complicated – and potentially destabilizing – is it intersects so many fault lines within indigenous Fijian society: Namely, the role religion plays in the public sphere and the power indigenous chiefs have in politics. Some in Fiji are more than willing for chiefs and church leaders to entertain political aspirations.
Others point out that there is no place for either in modern society. They argue Fiji is a multi-ethnic and poly-religious nation – with other ethnic groups, especially ethnic Indians, making up nearly 40 percent of the country’s population and non-Christian worshippers accounting for more than 30 percent of those who live in Fiji.
Jenny Hayward-Jones, blogging at the Lowy Interpreter, argues the arrests were a desperate move by the government.
Yesterday's arrests in Fiji of the leadership of the Methodist Church and a female paramount chief are a dramatic development in Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama’s quest to increase his control over the country. Whether they will be the trigger for the ultimate demise of his leadership, or civil unrest, or whether they are a sign of the permanent entrenchment of a military dictatorship remains to be seen.
The arrests are a clear threat to two key pillars of Fiji society – the Methodist Church and the Chiefly System – and represent the most significant provocation from Bainimarama to civil society in Fiji since the 2006 coup. It’s a risky and desperate move from a leader who claims to understand the ‘Pacific Way’.
Laminar Flow, writing in Stuck in Fiji M.U.D., asserts the so-called pillars no longer have a pull on anyone in the country.
The proverbial pillars of Fiji's society, which Jones raised in her latest blog posting, was an emotional appeal for incitement. It may have escaped the mind of Jones, that those dual pillars she had highlighted; are so out of touch of reality that their influence on Fiji's populace has dwindled to a such a pathetic degree that, their appeal is actually anachronistic-oblivious to the changing demographics of Fiji's modern society.
Both pillars are no longer load bearing entities in politics, as they once were. Currently both bedfellows flaunt their roles in public, but the actual process of reducing their Chiefly/Religious footprint in Fiji politics would neither dent nor damage, the structural integrity of the progressing nation.
Nasima, writing in the Soli Vakasama blogsite, salutes a “true chief” like Ro Teimumu for defending her people.
A true chief will acknowledge that without his/her people, they are nothing. Therefore his/her service will always be to the people first and self later. A chief who respect his people will get respect in return and a true chief will readily acknowledge that people’s respect should never be taken for granted to justify discontinuing his respect for his people. A true chief will always have the welfare of his people close to his heart.
The above is rarely witnessed nowadays because true Fijians chiefs are an endangered species. Sadly, there are not many of them around and the Fijian people, as a unique race on the face of this earth, are being led to a slow death. Wannabe chiefs are more concerned with the figure in their bank account than with the livelihood of their people.
Many will highlight the fact that a woman is standing up in the face of danger to fight for what she believe in because of the Christian faith gifted to her and her people by her forefathers. What many will fail to realise is that regardless of whether it is a man or a woman, it takes a true blue blood to flow in your veins to be able counter head-on the dangers, the likes of which is descending upon the Fijian people.
Fiji: The Way It Was, Is and Can Be points out “Ro Teimumu is a chief but she is also a politician.”
My interpretation is that her primary purpose is to use the Conference as a means to create unrest and rally mass Fijian support for a political cause she shares with extreme Fijian nationalists. That is, to overthrow the Bainimarama government and see the return of a government that puts chiefly, and Fijian elite rights and privileges, ahead of those of other citizens, including those of ordinary Fijians. This is not because she is an unfeeling person but rather, I suspect, because she believes chiefs are born to rule, and that Fiji, first and foremost, must be for Fijians.
But Some traction, some gain, must come from the past three years. I say this with no disrespect for Ro Teimumu or the Fijian chiefly system. But in the modern, multi-ethnic, multi-religious state of Fiji, Fijian chiefs and national politics — and religion and politics — should be kept apart, and the concepts of vanua, lotu and matanitu [Fijian culture, Christian church and government], as they apply to the 21st century, need to be re-thought. The prostrate bodies of slaves should no longer be used as rollers to launch Ro Teimumu's or anyone else's waqa drua. Over the next few weeks ordinary Fijians should be particularly wary of such manipulation by chiefs, church and the SDL.
From the Blog: Waqa Drua = Large double-hulled canoes, some as long as 30 metres, capable of carrying up to 200 people, and faster than contemporary European ships.

author: Michael Hartsell


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Israel: Interesting Talk on Sovereignty · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Muse and her husband, from Israel, attended a day at the Knesset and shares her impressions as well as photographs she took in this post. “We attended a very interesting series of talks about Har HaBayit, The Temple Mount and Israel's sovereignty,” she writes.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Jamaica: Gladys Bustamante Passes On  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands acknowledges the passing of 97-year-old Gladys Bustamante, “the widow of Jamaica’s first prime minister and a fierce supporter of women’s and workers’ rights.”


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Tributes to Michael  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“This year’s Reggae Sumfest was all about Tributes to Michael”:  From Jamaica, The Phoenix in a Gas House reports.


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Lebanon: Saudi Spills Beans on Show · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A Lebanese television show is in danger of being taken off the air “after a Saudi man participated in the show and spilled out all his romantic escapades, which are all out of wedlock,” reports Waleg. The Saudi man is also being threatened with jail.


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Maldives: Celebrating Independence · Global Voices
Rezwan

Maldives celebrates today 44 years of independence. Mohamed Nasheed opines that there is no need for dress rehearsals of the independence day celebrations, rather the people should be reminded of the Maldives story – “Who are we? How are we? Where are we? Where did we start from? Where do we want to arrive in? “.


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Mexico: The Subway Economy · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Lesley Téllez of the Mija Chronicles [es] takes a look at the “subway economy” and those vendors who ride the trains with the hope of selling products to passengers.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Morocco: Looking for Food in Fez  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan blog The View from Fez catches up with Gail Leonard whose culinary adventure in the medina (city) leaves you hungry.


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Morocco: Summer Flower · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Morocco, Hassi Milli posts those photographs which he captions as “Summer Flower.”


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Peru: The “Sport” of Dog Poisoning · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Barbara Drake, an ex-pat from the United States, who writes at the blog An American in Lima posts about the risks a dog faces by simply the fact of living in the Peruvian capital city. Her post is titled The Sport of Dog Poisoning in Peru and there she tells us about her own experience with her pet being poisoned after playing in a public garden.


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Poland: Forests · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Polandian writes about Poland's forests.


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Russia: Mourning Natalya Estemirova · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A Step At A Time translates LJ user kutuzov‘s comment “on the political background to Natalya Estemirova’s murder” and links to Prague Watchdog's photo report on “the vigil-cum-rally that was held in Moscow on July 23 to remember the murdered human rights activist.” Oleg Kozlovsky writes about and posts a video of the detention of the event's organizer by police.


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Russia: Notes From Samara · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sergei Khazov's Notes from Samara – at OpenDemocracy.net.


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Russia: Stalin · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog writes about “the protest against Stalin haters worldwide,” launched by some of Russia's communists.


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Sri Lanka: New LTTE Blog · Global Voices
Rezwan

ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace) takes a look at the blog site of S. Pathmanathan of the department of International Relations of LTTE.


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Syria: Bits of US-imposed Sanctions Lifted  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

At KABOBfest, Jillian discusses the US lifting of “two bits of its sanctions on Syria.” “The lifting of the IT ban seems, to me, to be low-hanging fruit, the simplest way to please (or appease) the public while getting rid of a relatively useless rule that wasn’t doing much good anyway, given the ease and proliferation of people downloading software while out of the country, or sharing it with one another on USB keys and CDs,” she notes.


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Syria: Computer and Internet Sanctions Lifted · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The US is removing some of its sanctions on Syria, just months after the embargo was controversially renewed. Syria’s Ambassador to Washington, Imad Moustapha, says the block on computer equipment and internet downloads is being lifted,” reports Syria News Wire.


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Syria: How to Make Mutabal  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Kano, of Syrian Foodie in London, shares with us the recipe of how to make Mutabal – an appetizer made of grilled aubergine, tahini and yogurt, and found “on every table in every Syrian restaurant.”


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The Balkans: EU Visa-Free Travel Controversy · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

AriRusila of Blogactiv.eu‘s BalkanPerspective writes that the EU's intention to introduce visa-free travel for some Balkan entities but not others is dividing the region.


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The Balkans: Language Issue · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Gray Falcon writes about the language issue in the former Yugoslavia – here and here.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Anti-People?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The Prime Minister is on record for saying that despite what the people think he will proceed with the [aluminium smelter]. Despite what people think. And the environmentalists, those crazy people who want to sustain the environment longer so that we can sustain ourselves…are ‘anti-people'?” Trinidadian blogger Taran Rampersad takes issue with a mainstream media editorial.


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Trinidad & Tobago: LGBT Rights  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As Emancipation Day approaches, Trinidad and Tobago blog gspottt focuses on human rights, observing that “in the Anglophone Caribbean, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender often intersect with other socio-economic conditions.”


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Ukraine: MP’s Son Killed in Car Crash · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana comments on the death of another MP's son, caused by reckless driving: “Had he killed somebody else with his car, he would’ve most likely gotten away with it.”


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Armenia-Azerbaijan: Musical collaboration · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Despite the unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh which has left many citizens of both countries intolerant and bitterly opposed to the other, a Baku-based newspaper has discovered a video on YouTube of an Azeri girl singing traditional mugham backed by Armenian musicians. Remy_G tweets that the singer and musicians gave an outstanding performance.


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Bangladesh: A Concrete Island · Global Voices
Rezwan

When it rains it pours in Bangladesh. Sabih Uddin Omar woke up today and found himself in a concrete island: “It's water! Water everywhere! Water clogging the streets, water in the gardens, water in the backyard.”


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Bhutan: Expensive Chilies · Global Voices
Rezwan

Penstar is irked by the skyrocketed price of chilies in Bhutan. The blogger puns: “What is so special about that? The answer is so simple because they are coated with gold!”


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China: “Internet addiction disorder” is a joke · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Alice Liu from DANWEI translated an article written by Chang Ping, who pointed out that the government's stopping of electro-shock treatment does not mean that they won't reissue Internet addiction as a disease － they are just changing the standards for treatment.


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China: One-Child Policy Heading for a Revision · Global Voices
George Sun

According to Time magazine, the one-child policy, a cornerstone of contemporary China, will be changed when word got out late last week that Shanghai was encouraging couples to have additional offspring.
For three decades, millions of Chinese parents have raised their only children under the strict prescriptions of China’s family planning rules. Now, faced with an aging crisis, authorities in Shanghai have for the first time begun to encourage young couples to have two children, a move that marks the Chinese government’s first official step away from this intervening policy.
It is said that Beijing is now rethinking the controversial one-child policy that has helped spur economic growth since the economic reform and opening-up— but exacted a heavy social cost as well.
When the news got widely discussed by Chinese newspapers and magazines, it also stirred the netizens’ interest and raised lots of argument. An English blogger thinks that a more major change will take place in Chinese big cities:
Bringing this initiative to one of China's biggest cities will be a major step, and it will be interesting to see how much more China relaxes the (still-popular) policy.
Under the one-child policy, there's an imbalance of population in Shanghai. Blogger Brendan Malone says the burden of young people is quite heavy:
Yet the fewer numbers are exactly what has Shanghai worried, because the city is faced with not enough young men and women to sustain its aging population.
Another blogger says the change of one-child policy has a deeper sense, not only about the development but also related to the necessity of the policy itself:
计划生育政策是我们的国策，但不是永远的办法。在上个世纪70年代推行计划生育政策时，中央和国务院的许诺是30年，现在30年已经到了，就应该承诺。
Because of this, some argue that why only people in Shanghai has this privilege to have more children.  A reader complains that this is quite unfair:
凭什么上海想生二胎就可以生，难道上海不属于中国，上海经济有特权，难道人也有特权吗？老龄化可以放开户口限制，坚决抗议。
A woman in Sichuan who is the only child of her parents complains it's difficult for her and her husband  to have more children only because they are not in Shanghai:
如果准许生二胎 那么任何夫妇都应该可以生 为什么要有那么多条条框框呀？不成了特殊群体的特殊权利了吗？我老公有个哥哥 我是独生子女 我们都在外地工作 家也安在外地 有个儿子 我还想着生个女儿呢！
But, if all the Chinese can have their second children, the result can be terrible. A blogger comments:
中国这个世界人口大国，难道还嫌人口不够多？事实上，鼓励二胎的努力，主要目的是为了平衡劳动力的变少和老龄人口的增多。多年来，中国的计划生育政策一方面取得了巨大的成功，另一方面似乎又非常失败。它有效控制了人口，但却又导致了强制堕胎现象出现。
Chen Jibing, a journalist in Shanghai, writes in his blog that the abandoning of one-child policy reflects a cultural anxiety of natives in Shanghai:
我个人认为，这里还有更深层次的心理原因——“你想不想生二胎”这个问题背后，隐含的其实是上海乃至整个中国东南沿海发达地区的一种文化焦虑。
在上海，我相信每个像我这样年龄的中青年父母都会有一个不大不小的烦恼——孩子不愿也不会说上海话。按照目前的这种趋势，恐怕不需要再过30年，曾一度被全国人民拿来作为讽刺小品素材的上海方言将会基本消失。


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Cuba, U.S.A.: Cabot Journalism Prize · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Generation Y has been awarded the Cabot Prize by Columbia University and pledges to use its “prestige and protection…to continue to grow the Cuban blogosphere.”


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Ecuador: Woman Attempts to Auction Virginity Online in Spain · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

The decision by an Ecuadorian immigrant living in Valencia, Spain to put her virginity up for auction to help pay for medical care for her mother living back in Ecuador has caused a lot of controversy back in Ecuador.  On May 10, Evelyn Dueñas placed the ad on two online auction sites, Quebarato.com and Milanuncios.com citing the need to raise money to help pay for the medical care for her mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease in her hometown of Bahía de Caraquez in the Manabí Province. The ads were subsequently removed from the auction sites [es], but Dueñas has maintained that the auction will continue because of the family's need to care for their ailing mother.
The Ecuadorian National Secretariat for Migrants SENAMI [es], for its initials in Spanish has posted a bulletin saying that the Secretary is not ready to be part of this “media circus.” It also states that Ecuadorian State has no responsibility in this personal matter and it has let Dueñas know about what services are available to all emigrants.
These events have attracted strong reactions in blogs and in mainstream media from those criticizing Dueñas’ actions and also brought focus on the plight of immigrants in Spain. There are others that have looked to the role that the Ecuadorian government should play in this matter.
A Sunset at Bahía de Caraquez – Manabí/Ecuador – Photo used under Creative Commons license by http://www.flickr.com/photos/jorgeloor/
There is speculation on some blogs that the Ecuadorian government will eventually step in and provide the funds needed for the medical care so that Dueñas does not have to resort to such tactics.  Some bloggers believe that Dueñas should not receive special attention, and is being harshly criticized by commenter Kojudo Mayor on the blog post by Guayaquil Insumiso [es] written by Yitux.
In addition to the criticism about the possible use of public funds to “save” the woman, Yitux is troubled by those who are judging Dueñas’ decision what to do with her own body:
De nuevo el ridículo moralismo interviene. Esa mujer optó por vender algo que es suyo, su cuerpo, su virginidad. ¿Dónde está lo malo? Es una noticia llamativa, es verdad, las miles de prostitutas que venden sus cuerpos día tras día ya no nos llaman la atención; en cambio esta chica vende a sus 28 años, su virginidad, y lo hace en subasta por Internet. ¡Claro que llama la atención! Pero es su cuerpo, es su desición, es su vida.
Lastimosamente como vivimos en la sociedad del qué dirán, ahora todo el mundo opina, piensa, juzga, analiza, etc.
Once again the ridiculous morality intervenes. This woman chose to sell something that is her own, her body, her virginity. What is wrong with that? It is news that grabs one's attention, honestly, news of the thousands of prostitutes that sell their bodies on a daily basis does not grab our attention, instead this woman who sells her virginity at 28 and does so on the internet. Of course it grabs one's attention! But, it is her body, her decision, it is her life.
Unfortunately, we live in a society of ‘what will they say?’ and now the entire country expresses its opinion, thinks, judges, analyzes, etc.
This story reminds many of the plight of some immigrants living in foreign lands. Rafael Mendez [es] says that meanwhile an immigrant woman has to auction her virginity in Spain, the Ecuadorian media makes money publishing those types of stories, than other information about emigrants abroad. He writes, “Can't the media, at least the national media, write about positive emigrant stories once in a while?”
He also posts an extract of his book ‘Que mi alma se la lleve el diablo’ (May the Devil Take my Soul Away) and transcribes one paragraph of his ‘Sudacas‘ a poem about Ecuadorians leaving their country:
Nada bueno hacen por allá/salvo morir trágicamente/andar en pandillas/puterías/conciertos de tecnocumbia/y ya que estamos hablando del asunto/aportar con el nosecuánto por ciento del PIB
This is not the first time that Ecuadorians have had to resort to such actions.  There have been other incidents where Ecuadorians have sold organs such as kidneys, lungs, and bone marrow because they were experiencing serious economic problems in Spain.

author: Milton Ramirez


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Get Your New Global Voices T-Shirt · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

If you love Global Voices, there's no easier way to show it than to wear a beautiful new shirt. Are you having a meeting with Barack Obama or the Queen of Jordan? Wear the t-shirt! Appearing on television? Don't forget your shirt! We've chosen a supplier that offers good international shipping prices and quality printing.
Buy the shirt on RedBubble.com
We're not making any money on these sales, so there's no pressure to buy them. Of course, if you would like to make a donation to support the work we do at Global Voices, we'll happily accept.
Global Voices is a community of bloggers and translators, who work mostly on a volunteer basis to report on citizen media conversations around the world. We rely on your support to get by.
Shirts are available in a variety of different shapes, sizes, and five colors. Every blogger in the world should have one.

author: Solana Larsen


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Guyana: The Nose Knows  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyana-Gyal takes her nose for a walk.


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India: Best Interior Design Blogs · Global Voices
Rezwan

BlogAdda showcases nine best Indian interior design blogs.


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Iran: Kahrizak, a prison from Hell · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iranian authorities shut down Kahrizak, a prison in Tehran where the election protestors were held. Kodan Ba Estedad shares one ‘victim's story of torture in Kahrizak.


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Jamaica: Dancehall & Child Abuse  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As the Jamaican government introduces a child pornography bill, Jamaica Salt makes it clear that the blame for the rise in child abuse on the island cannot be laid squarely at the door of dancehall music.


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Japan: Election manifesto · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Paolo Soldano at Japanblues sums up (it) the main points of the election campaigns of LDP and DPJ.

author: Scilla Alecci