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Bolivia: James Bond Visits Bolivian Territory in Chile · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

In the next James Bond film, the main character visits several real-life Chilean towns, but in the movie are said to be part of Bolivian territory causing some complaints.  With the ongoing claim for access to sea by Bolivia, Carlos Gustavo Machicado of Guccio's [es] writes about the relationship between the two neighbors.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: Sarajevo War Memorial · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

YakimaGulagLiteraryGazett comments on the plans to erect a memorial to Serbian war victims in Sarajevo: “Here is how I think the money should be spent instead of building the cross, why don't these people help Serbian war survivors? Why don't they help the injured people from their side?”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Central and Eastern Europe: Easter Roundup · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Adventures in Wheelville marks Easter in Slovenia; Polandian writes about the “ingredients” of “the nationwide ‘holiday shuffle'” in Poland, and Kinuk describes her family's Polish holiday feast; Csíkszereda Musings writes about the first Easter of the two, which are “are over a month apart” in Romania this year; Bojan's Blog posts a photo of Ukrainian-style painted eggs and introduces a “Croatian word of the day” – “Uskrs: Easter.”


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China and Tibet: Statement from Intellectuals · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Woeser posted a 12 points statement made by 29 prominent intellectuals on the Tibet issue [zh]. The English version can be found at savetibet.org.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Bloggers declare war on Western media’s Tibet coverage · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Once the news of Tibetans slicing children's ears off and burning people alive sunk in, Chinese netizens worldwide seized onto initial misreported details from the situation in Tibet and don't seem willing to let this one go. In fact, they've declared cyberwar on major western media outlets, and anti-CNN.com is campaign headquarters.
As words like Tibet and Lhasa moved to the top of the GFW keyword list following the outbreak of violence and unrest in southwestern China earlier this month, a lot of attention to root causes to the Tibet situation simply stopped at anti-CNN.com's collection of photos, screenshots, furious accusations and non-sequiturs, most of which might hold up under scrutiny, as the collection made for convenient paste-and-copy blogging.
For bloggers trapped between two sides in a ruthless propaganda battle that has seen lives lost and a large part of China placed under military lock-down, there's of course a lot of frustration being felt about how to even begin blogging the situation. Then there are facts such as that young Tibetan militants in exile fully intended to created a disturbance in Lhasa for this year's Tibetan National Uprising Day and have talked openly about doing so for the past several months.
So how does one start addressing this now unfortunately prevalent attitude among Chinese bloggers seen in the intro on anti-CNN.com?
认清西方媒体卑鄙无耻的真面目
长期以来，以CNN、BBC为代表的西方某些媒体借新闻自由之名
对广大发展中国家进行了肆无忌惮的污蔑和诋毁
为了达到他们不可告人的目的
他们栽赃陷害、颠倒黑白、混淆是非、无中生有……真是无所不用其极
在对2008年3月西藏骚乱的报道中
西方媒体的表演再一次向世人展示了他们丑恶的真实面目
本网站旨在收集、整理并发布西方主流媒体作恶的证据
如果您看到任何西方媒体作恶的证据，请千万不要轻易放过他们
把它们保存起来并寄给我们
多收集一份他们的罪证，就是为我们争取到了多一点的空间
我们关注所有西方媒体（不只是CNN），不限语言、内容（文本或图片）和国家
This website seeks to collect, organize and publish the proof of the evil of western mainstream media
If you see any proof of Western media's evil, please do not whatsoever let them get off easily
Please save it and send it to us
The more evidence of their crimes we collect, the more space we'll have fought and won for ourselves
We are concerned with all western media (not only CNN), and not limited by language, content (text or photos) or country
这将是一场反抗西方话语霸权的斗争
我们应该充分认识到这场斗争的长期性、艰巨性和复杂性
但无论怎样，我们都坚信：
西方国家妄图通过几个破媒体就一张臭嘴遮天的日子将一去不返了！
Western nations’ days of using several of their crap media in an absurd attempt to fool people with their rotten words will soon be over for good!
Please see Global Voices Online's ongoing collection of related links at our special feature Tibet Protests 2008.

author: John Kennedy


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China: Monitoring of Electronic Communication · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Chinese Human rights defenders has a very elaborated report on the monitoring system in China concerning electronic communication [zh].


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Colombia: Campus Party Rescheduled · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Cafe Gua Gua [es] is reporting that the Colombian version of Campus Party has been postponed a week due to many requests from participants.


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Czech Republic: Iraqi Mini-Protest · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Czech Daily Word posts pictures and reports on a mini-protest by Iraqis that was held in Brno.


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Dominica: 10 Reasons… · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean Man lists ten reasons to live in Dominica.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Environment: A recipe for seed bombs · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

Rory of Carbon Copy posts a recipe for   seed bombs which can be thrown into “…vacant lots, pavement cracks, long-standing rubbish piles, or anywhere that would benefit from a bit of random greenery.”

author: Juliana Rotich


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Environment: Colbert on World Water Day · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

On ecopolitology, Tim Hurst posts video clips of Colbert on World Water Day: “Stephen Colbert celebrates World Water Day – the way only he could” Colbert is a popular American comedian, satirist and actor.


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Environment: Paper magazines better on carbon than websites? · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

On the enviro blog Gristmill David Roberts takes on Wired Magazine Editor,Chris Anderson, who states that paper mags are better on carbon than websites. “The claim is mostly based on the fact that by cutting down (sustainably managed) trees and burying them in landfills, paper magazines sequester carbon. There are, however, no numbers offered to back this up. Yet Anderson seems quite defensive about it in comments.
Peculiar.”


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Environment: Pictures of a landfill in Nairobi · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

Kikuyumoja writes to Kenyans, posing the question Dear Nairobians,: “Ever wondered what happens to your *waste*? He posts pictures of a dumping site in a place called ‘Dandora’ in a bid to raise awareness about the environmental impact of improper waste management.


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Green and sustainable life · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Among the many good links Lucia Malla [pt] tips us with today in her travel blog, there is the Ecoblogs Network [pt], for selected bloggers who promote “green and sustainable life”.

author: Paula Góes


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Guyana: Commonweath Writers’ Prize · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Signifyin’ Guyana notes that among the regional winners of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize “was Guyanese-born, Nigerian-based Karen King-Aribisala for Best Book.”


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Jamaica: Beauty and Race · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“What beauty contests say about women is still an open and now tired debate, but what it says about race, particularly in a country like Jamaica is still up for grabs”: Marlon James explains.


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Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, USA: Obama’s Vision  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican Geoffrey Philp thinks that Barack Obama “has a deep understanding of America and that he offers a transcendent vision of America that we haven't had in a long time”, while Notes from Port of Spain quotes Obama's “race speech”: “‘I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas,'” Barack Obama declared last week in a speech that seemed to awe just about everyone… ‘and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.’
Excuse me? Has Barack never heard of Trinidad and Tobago, to take just one example?”


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Japan: Eyes on Tibet · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Essa at the Uncategorizable Blog proposes (in Japanese and also in English) a simple way for bloggers to focus attention on Tibet, by adding a Tibet-related link to their everyday posts. He emphasizes that: “This movement focuses on decentralized weak concerns. It suggests your readers just to see it. Not force to think or behave in any uniform way. It may be different. What people think after seeing it should be different.”

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: The New Era of Video · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

The days of traditional television are approaching an end. The monopoly on video production and editing once held by TV stations is over, and the age of YouTube — an age in which any individual with a camera and a computer can create a video and upload it onto the net — is upon us. Changes are coming that will shake the foundation of mass media.
Or so was the message of NHK, Japan's national broadcaster, who last Friday aired a special on the “New Era of Video” [ja] in celebration of “Broadcast Day“. The program painted a gloomy picture of the future of television, emphasizing a growing generation gap in media use and re-iterating the dangers posed by online file sharing.
But why would a TV station air a program that goes against its own interests? If the age of YouTube is upon us, would that not spell the end for NHK itself? One blogger who watched the show delved deeper into the motivations behind NHK's dire predictions. Kobayashi Akihito, who blogs at Shirokuma Nippo and at the Polar Bear Blog, explained in a blog entry posted on Saturday:
昨夜、NHKスペシャルで「放送記念日特集～新動画時代　メディアが変わる」という番組が放映されました。先ほど録画しておいたのを見たのですが、NHKが感じているもどかしさというか、悔しさがにじみ出ているなーというのが最大の印象。
番組はいきなり、「YouTube の方が断然面白い、もうTVなんて見ないよ！」と子供が言い放つところから始まります。これだけでも十分自虐的なのですが、ある日本の家庭（同じ部屋）でおばあさんはテレビ・お孫さんはネットを見ているシーンを写して、「テレビの前にいるのは、祖母のカツコさんだけです」というナレーションをのせるという場面まで。他にも20代の人々のテレビ視聴時間が急速に減っていることを示すなど、よっぽどNHKはテレビが嫌いなんだろうなぁというのが感じられました（笑）
その後は違法動画の問題や、暴力的な映像に潜む危険性なども言及されていたのですが、全体的には「これからはネットの時代だよね！」という空気。海外のテレビ局の取り組みがふんだんに紹介され、さらにNHK自身の計画もちゃっかりと宣伝されていたりして。しかし『テレビはインターネットがなぜ嫌いなのか』を読まれたことがある方なら、この展開は読めていたかもしれません：
He then quotes the following passage from the book “Why does television hate the Internet?” (see this review [ja] by blogger Ikeda Nobuo, and for the original quote in Japanese see Kobayashi's blog entry [ja]):
As I have written so far, television stations do not like the Internet. However, the truth is that there is one unusual television station that is lying in wait for a serious advance into the Internet. This is NHK, Japan's largest television station.
A fifteen minute jolting bus ride from JR Kawaguchi station in Saitama Prefecture, and the facility they call the “NHK Archives” comes into view. Opened in 2003, this is largest video storage institution in Asia. Stored here are tens of thousands of programs, and millions of news clips, broadcast by NHK in the past.
(…)
Nothing could be more enjoyable than having all these movies filled with emotion projected through the Internet one by one onto computers, mobile phones and TV screens. The NHK Archives were established under determined NHK president Ebisawa [Katsuji] in order to introduce people to this possibility of distribution over the Internet.
[The problem is that] NHK is systematically prohibited from having a genuine Internet enterprise. In order to get the government to change this system, users or other concerned people who say that: “NHK should distribute its older programs over the Internet” become very important. Because if these demands increase, then NHK is granted a legitimate reason to “advance toward becoming an Internet enterprise for the sake of the users”. It is for this reason that an enormous quantity of programs are presented as hoarded away in the NHK Archives, in order to fabricate a public sentiment that: “This is a waste. These should be distributed over the Internet.”
Kobayashi then continues:
番組内では、当然この「NHKアーカイブス」も紹介され、NHKが大量のコンテンツを持っていることがさりげなく触れられていました。さらに英BBCが設立時に国王から行動の自由を許されているのに対し、NHKが放送法で「がんじがらめにされている」という対比まで行われるなど、まさに「BBCウラヤマシス」じゃなくて「俺たちもネット進出してー！」という声が聞こえてくるかのよう。
恐らく NHKは、過去の映像のアーカイブ、それに自身の番組制作能力をもってすれば、ネット時代も怖くない――いや逆に大きなビジネスチャンスだと考えているのでしょう。実際、番組内ではプロアマ問わず、「おもしろいコンテンツを作った人/会社」「人々が望む形でコンテンツを配信した人/会社」が特をする/特をする可能性がある、という例も登場していました。「自分たちもチャレンジしたい」と感じてもおかしくありません。
しかしNHKが新しいことを始めれば、NHKが嫌いな人々、特に民放各局から相当な反発をくらうでしょう。それがネットへの進出ならなおさら。であれば、『テレビはインターネットがなぜ嫌いなのか』で指摘されていたように「世論を誘導する」という目的で、あるいは「死なばもろとも」でネットの可能性を宣伝する番組を作ったのではないか……という穿った見方をしてしまいました。
番組の終わり近く、こんなエピソードが紹介されていました：
He then quotes again from “Why does television hate the Internet?”:
When NHK tried to connect a radio relay to sumo wrestling, the Japan Sumo Association opposed it, saying that: “People  come to the Sumo hall and pay the entrance fee, that's the business model.” However if you look deeper, you see that Sumo took off thanks to the relay, and the number of people coming to the Sumo hall increased.
And concludes finally:
だからNHKがネットに進出するのを許してもらえば、得をする人が増えるはずだよ……とまでは言っていませんでしたが、恐らくそのメッセージを感じ取って欲しいというのが、この番組の最大の目的だったのではないかなぁと感じた次第です。
For more commentary on the NHK special, see an additional post by Kobayashi at the Polar Bear Blog [ja].


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Kazakhstan: 6% of .kz Domain Works · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog reports that according to a media outlet's research, there are 16 431 domains that end in .kz, but of those only around 1 000 are actually functioning. Many of the idle .kz domains were bought in the hopes of selling them.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kyrgyzstan: President’s Missing · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report reviews rumors that are circulating in the Kyrgyz society about president bakiev, who had left the country for Germany three weeks ago, allegedly for medical treatment.


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Latvia: Musings on Ethnic Homogeny · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Among other things, Marginalia muses on the “basic bonds between peoples and their languages, lands, beliefs, cultures and even cuisines” and how it relates to Latvia.


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Paraguay: Candidates Using Blogs to Reach Voters · Global Voices
Muna Annahas

Photo taken by Muna Annahas
Paraguay’s Presidential elections will be held on April 20, 2008.  Many of the top presidential candidates are using blogs as a way to communicate with potential voters as they transmit their thoughts about a specific topic or explain their government plan in case they are elected. These blogs are written and published in one of Paraguay’s mains newspapers called Diario ABC.
To date, some of the candidate have more than 43,000 visits and some even 500 comments on a single post, which indicates a high degree of interest for this election. Few would have thought that there would be such a direct communication from a presidential candidate with a potential voter, who could express an opinion or a concern, debate or even scrutinize their platform.
Two of the major candidates that each have their own blogs are:
Fernando Lugo is a Roman Catholic bishop and is running for president with the Christian Democratic Party.  He writes about what he had to do in order to run for the highest office in Paraguay [es].
Después de 30 años de disciplinado sacerdocio he renunciado a mis condiciones formales de obispo sin dejar de ser cristiano y paraguayo para dedicarme a la política, trabajar por un proyecto y buscar convertirme en Presidente de la República del Paraguay para servir a mis queridos sufridos hermanos de este hermoso y bendito país.
After 30 years of being ordained, I have formally resigned my duties as bishop without resigning being a Christian and Paraguayan in order to dedicate myself to politics, work on a project and serach to become president of Paraguay to serve my dear suffering brothers of this beautiful and blessed country.
Blanca Ovelar is the candidate for the current ruling party, the Colorado Party, and she is backed by the current Paraguayan president Nicanor Duarte.  One of her major issues is fighting corruption, and she writes [es]:
Quien niegue que hay corrupción en el Paraguay, estaría cerrando los ojos a la realidad. La corrupción existe, y ha logrado instalarse en todos los sectores de la sociedad. Tanto en el sector público como en el sector privado; en el partido de gobierno como en los de oposición; en las empresas como en los sindicatos.
Whoever denies that there is corruption in Paraguay is closing their eyes to reality.  Corruption exists and it has become part of all sectors of society.  It is not only in the public sector, but also in the private sector, in the government's party, as well as the opposition party; in businesses, as well as the unions.
The presence of these blogs may be a result of the internet becoming more and more popular in Paraguay. New cyber cafes are opening around almost every corner in the capital city of Asuncion and more wireless and broadband providers are available compared to more than a few years ago. Most people see internet as a commodity, and not as a luxury, which is allowing for more access for more people.  During the last elections of 2003, this type of virtual interaction between blogger (presidential candidate) and reader (potential voter) was almost inconceivable, and it is amazing to see how things have changed in the past five years.

author: Muna Annahas


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Poland: The President’s Homophobia · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot reports that “the Polish Consulate in New York has just apologised to Brendan Fay, the gay guy who complained about use of his image in the recent anti-homo TV rant by President Lech Kaczynski.” Leopolis writes about president Kaczynski's “paranoid tirade, outlining the greatest threats to Poland (besides the European Union itself) — Germans and gays.”


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Poland, Ukraine: Euro 2012 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

20 East writes about Euro 2012, to be hosted by Poland and Ukraine: “As I live in Warsaw, I’ll worry more about the Polish side of things although one general point is that however far behind Poland might be, in Ukraine it is slightly worse.”


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Poland: Warsaw; Online Forums · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Among other things, Polandian writes about the Warsaw Ghetto in the final installment of “Inside Warsaw.” Also, there's a post on “why Polish people don’t smile” and a review of Polish-English online discussion forums.


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Some additions to the Global Voices home page · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Over the course of the four-plus years the project has been in existence, Global Voices has grown into much more than the summaries of global blog commentary which take up most of the space on our home page. In case you haven't already noticed, we recently made a few changes to the Global Voices home page which give greater prominence and allow easier access to the various components of the project.
Our Lingua translation sites, which translate Global Voices’ English-language content into over thirteen languages (and counting) are now more prominently linked from a box at the top right-hand side of the home page.
The main page for our Special Coverage sections, which attempt to aggregate the massive volume of citizen media commentary on topics like the 2007 Burmese Protests, Benazir Bhutto's assassination, Kenya's post-election crisis and, most recently, the protests in Tibet, is now linked from the navigation bar just below the Global Voices logo, and links to individual Special Coverage pages are highlighted just below the featured posts.
And last but not least, prominent links to our outreach section, Rising Voices, Global Voices Advocacy and our special US elections project Voices without Votes, are now displayed just before the short links on the right-hand side of the home page.

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Taiwan: Calling for Reflection · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

DPP candidate Frank Hsieh lost 2.21 million votes to KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou in the Taiwan in the weekend presidential election; SpinalCord voted for Ma because the blogger found DPP had failed his expectation in the past 8 years. He hope DPP can reflect upon its failure and become a better party in the future [zh].


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Taiwan: Future Report · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Micheal Turton wrote a fictional future report on Taiwan economic and political development under Ma Ying-jeou presidency from 2008-2016.


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Tunisia: relentless campaign against imprisoned blogger and journalist Slim Boukhdhir · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

In the last few weeks, Slim Boukhdhir, the 39-year old imprisoned blogger and journalist, is reported to have been subjected to an unusual level of harassment by prison authorities in the Sfax prison where he is serving the one-year sentence imposed by a Tunisian court on December 4th, 2007. Boukdhir was charged with “aggression against a public employee” and “affront to public decency”.
His wife, Dalenda Boukhdhir, told Global Voices that the prison authorities placed Slim in  “dry cell” for three days, from 20-23 March, 2008, turning off the water in his cell so he couldn't wash. These measures have further aggravated the already serious health condition of her husband, she said. Mme Boukdhir has complained to the Red Cross about prison conditions and is hoping the Red Cross staff will visit Slim at the prison.
Slim Boukhdhir has staged several hunger strikes to protest the inhumane conditions under which he is being detained. His most recent hunger strike was called off on February 22, 2008, on the urging of his wife.
“Preventing a prisoner from seeing his family or having a clean cell is a flagrant violation of human rights,” Reporters Without Borders has said, “the injustice of sentencing this journalist to a year in prison is being compounded by his conditions of detention and staging a hunger strike has become his only way of making himself heard.”
We include below an alert from Luiza Toscane, a Human right activist, posted on the forum section of the Tunisian website Nawaat. (The English translation was done by Jennifer Brea, Global Voices’ French Language editor):
Lors de la visite qu'elle a rendu jeudi 13 mars à son mari, Slim Boukhdhir, journaliste incarcéré à la prison de Sfax, Dalenda Boukhdhir a pu constater que l'acharnement des autorités pénitentiaires à l'endroit de son mari ne connaissait pas de répit : ce dernier lui a dit que non seulement il vivait toujours dans sa cellule infecte et exiguë, mais aussi que depuis trois jours, il n'avait plus accès à un point d'eau. Les autorités pénitentiaires ont fait couper l'eau, et à la différence de ses co détenus, il ne peut sortir pour se laver ailleurs.
Slim Boukhdhir a alors envisagé une nouvelle grève de la faim pour protester contre cette nouvelle atteinte à ses droits élémentaires, projet que ses proches lui ont proposé d'abandonner. Et aujourd'hui, le couffin de nourriture qui lui a été apporté par sa mère a été accepté par l'administration pénitentiaire, signe que le détenu aurait consenti à renoncer à sa grève, signe aussi que Slim Boukhdhir renvoie la balle dans le camp des défenseurs des droits de l'homme : à nous d'exiger que soit mis un terme à ses conditions infra humaines d'incarcération, à nous de tout mettre en oeuvre pour sa libération.
Slim Boukhdir was arrested on November 26 and charged with “aggression against a public employee” and “affront to public decency”. He started blogging on the Arabic Blog Service: Maktoob Blogs after losing his job as journalist at the Tunisian “Akhbar Al-Joumhurya” (News of the Republic) newspaper on August 2004. In July 2007, his blog was hacked into and deleted. Until his arrest on November 26, 2007, Slim Boukhdhir continued his work as correspondent for the Al-Arabiya TV Website, the London-based pan-Arab daily Al Quds Al Arabi and the German Qantara web portal.

author: sami ben gharbia


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Turkmenistan: Better times for businessmen · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Maciula writes about the economic reforms announced recently designed to develop the private sector and boost foreign investment in Turkmenistan.


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Turkmenistan: The Country’s Greatest Secret · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Maciula reports on the announcement of the company chosen by President Berdymukhammedov to audit Turkmen gas reserves and wonders if the outcome of the audit will be made public.


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Ukraine: Construction in Kyiv · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about undesirable construction that is changing Kyiv – here and here (with photos and video).


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Uruguay: File Sharing Site Closed · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Martin Balao reports that the popular file-sharing site Fotos de Uruguay has been shut down [es], and speculates that it may have been due to legal complaints from record companies.


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Uzbekistan: Islam in Fergana Valley · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Libertad writes about Islamic trends in Fergana valley and new religious group emerged in Kokand city.


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World Water Day Ripples Across Videos. · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Every year since the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, on March 22nd has been the World Water Day. In addition, this year it is the United Nation´s International Year of Sanitation and people from all over have started taking action through their video cameras, raising awareness at the importance of this finite resource.
First, the issue of providing clean water: we have the Amman Imman: Water is Life program which strives to bring permanent sources of water to one of the most impoverished regions in the world. Their work is focused on the Azawak Valley in West Africa, where water is unavailable 9 months out of the year, and with people dying of thirst, unable to find enough water to drink. In the next video in English, Amman Imman founder Ariane Kirtley talks about her experience in the Azawak region of Niger, of why she founded the program and how she has gotten students to join her cause.
Then, from Witnesses´The HUB special segment on World Water Day: VideoVolunteers in Mumbai show a segment on a water privatization project in the slums and which after being screened to the community had an important impact on the viewers, who then flocked to the government´s meetings of water to demand transparency in the process of privatization and costs, and which resulted in an improvement of the water distribution. The following video is in Hindi with English subtitles.
Last, from Mexico, many users from Jalisco have taken to posting videos denouncing the contamination of the Lerma Santiago river in El Salto and Juanacatlan  in Jalisco, Mexico.  The audio which accompanies the Buitron2611 video [es] of foamy waters and dead greenery is of people speaking out publicly about the government selling plots of land right beside the polluted river which has been connected to cancer cases, even though the government denies the health hazards. Imdecagua´s video [es] has interviews with cancer patients and family members of those diseased, and they all blame the polluted river for the cancer cases and other systemic diseases. It is known that factories and the city of Guadalajara dump their unprocessed wastes on this river, yet nothing has been done to regulate this. The foam that is churned at the waterfall that is right in the middle of the city is impressive, flying up in clumps that cover cars and illustrate how just living near the river can be hazardous to health. Even high school students [es] have ventured to produce their own example, where they show how people are using this foul smelling and oily water to irrigate crops and for consumption in spite of it´s polluted state.  Following, the short video uploaded by aletapatio[es] where you can see the thick layer of foam that covers the river.
If you want to read more about water issues and see more videos on possible solutions to this issue, at 1h2o.org you can see the aquaduct, a human powered vehicle which doubles as a water container and purifier and the lifestraw, a product which filters water as it is sucked, solutions that reminded me of the inventiveness that I had previously seen on the Playpump, a children´s toy which pumps up water to a reservoir as children play.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Afghanistan: Why Grow Poppy · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust analyzes approaches to the problem of opium production in Afghanistan, and says that addressing opium requires a vast, multi-dimensional approach, combining anti-corruption efforts, a massive influx of money, subsidization of food or other cash crops.


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Albania: Leeches · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Living in Shkoder writes about the medicinal use of leeches in Albania.


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Arabeyes: Bloggers Indifferent to Magdi Allam’s Conversion to Catholicism  · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

During Easter weekend, Pope Benedict XVI baptized several adults into Catholicism.  Among them was Magdi Allam, an Egyptian-born Muslim who has lived in Italy for more than half his life and is known as a critic of Islamic extremism.  Although several news reports have referred to Allam as a “prominent Muslim,” he has referred to himself as non-practicing.
Bloggers around the globe have reacted to Allam's conversion.  Egyptian chronicles is indifferent:
Seriously this man was not that famous or important to us.
I do not care if he converted to Christianity or any other religion he believes in , he is an adult who can take his decisions by himself , but I do not consider him as a Prominent Muslim either , it seems to me that Mr. Allam before baptizing was a very secular person ,he did not pray , he did not fast,going to Mecca for Pilgrimage with his deeply religious mom “I do not know what she will think about him now but as an Egyptian I know that this can create a shock for her”
Of course now some so-called Islamic extremists will appear and say let's kill him just to add more fuel on the fire of So-called Islamic danger in Europe .
I think the media should ignore this , as I said he is a free man to do what ever he wants , we got other important issues to cover and discuss than this.
Also from Egypt, Sandmonkey is pretty sure that Allam's safety is in jeopardy:
The Egyptian-italian man who was heavily  critical of Islam and an unequivocal Israel Supporter in Italy has decided to convert to catholicism on Easter, by the Pope himself. Yeah. Hmm..well, if there any catholics reading this blog, this might be the time to pray for that guy. He will need it!
The blogger's post garnered many responses.  K-2 said:
I hope his police escort is among the best: in the past Italian police escorts have failed miserably in protecting high profile personalities from terrorists or mafia attacks.
On the other hand, this will be used by anti-muslim, anti-immigration as propaganda against the muslim world by La Lega del Nord (the Northern League, a separatist, racist party).
Sewage Soup commented:
wow they interuppted the Italian TV to broadcast the news of his baptism… if Muslims did that for every almost-famous washed-up celebrity who converts to Islam… they wouldn’t have anymore air-time left to broadcast bin laden videos.
A third Egyptian poster, My Egypt, was a bit skeptical of the Pope's intentions:
If indeed it is a private matter why then would an individual be baptized by the Pope on the eve of his Easter Mass? Why not at his local church? Why did the Vatican give this conversion such a high profile status? The answer seems to be that the Papal propaganda machine saw the benefit of publicizing the conversion in an attempt to extol the virtues of Catholicism as opposed to Islam. If this was indeed the desired attempt why would they then talk of the privacy of conversion and faith?
The simple fact is that they are misleading those who know nothing about Islam. Islam is not something you are born into alone. Islam is a way of life that one has to openly accept, and if it is not accepted then you are not truly a Muslim.
Finally, from Morocco, A Moro in America was also indifferent:
I have never heard of Italian Magdy Allam , whom Reuters described as a famous Muslim. Reuters said “famous Muslim convert” received a high profile baptism in the Vatican. Magdy, an Egyptian born, is said to be a strong critic of Islamic extremism and a strong supporter of Israel.
One comment on the post reads:
The way the Pope is provoking our muslim friends and countrymen is totally unacceptable. This is not the first time he has done this. I can't understand or tolerate his position.
Creative Commons-licensed photo by giando

author: Jillian C. York


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Argentina: Web Entrepreneurs in Palermo Valley · Global Voices
Jorge Gobbi

Photo by Santi Boy and used under a Creative Commons license.
Twitter has been one of the most talked about tools in 2007, and communites have been created around short messages or microblogging.  Many were quick to realize its usefulness or its “fashionable” status.  In spite of all of this, Twitter remains in use, with more users each day and with hundreds of thousands of messages per day. In that community, the idea to create a network of Argentine web entrepreneurs was born.  Santiago Siri commented that it would be interesting to get together because many web 2.0 iniatives in Argentina appear to be based out of Palermo, one of the more traditional neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.
Mariano Amartino of Weblogs Sobre Weblogs [es] summarizes what happened :
A Vanesa Kolodziej, inversora de capital de riesgo, la idea le pareció interesante: junto a otras personas de Twitter tomó la URL, subió un blog y organizó en menos de 3 días la primer Palermo Valley Night: un happy hour para inaugurar el barrio y conocer a las demás personas interesadas en web 2.0. Calcularon que vendrían 20 a 30 personas, pero asistieron más de 70, todas relacionadas con proyectos de Internet locales.
For Vanesa Kolodziej, an investor of risk capital, the idea seemed interesting: along with others from Twitter, the domain name was reserved, a blog was uploaded [es] and in less then 3 days, the first Palermo Valley Night took place: a happy hour to inaugurate the neighborhood and to get to know others interested in web 2.0.  They estimated that 20-30 people would attend, but more than 70 showed up, all of whom were involved with local internet projects.
Palermo Valley became a regular gathering of local entrepreneurs due to the excellent response to the invitation on February 21.  They opened their blog very quickly, where the event was recapped and a list of blogs that mentioned the gathering [es].  Psicogeek [es] summarized it this way:
Hoy estuve un rato en el primer encuentro de Palermo Valley, fue impresionante ver la cantidad de gente que se acerco en una convocatoria por medio de Blogs y Twitter. El bar donde nos juntamos quedo completamente desbordado ya que como mucho entraban 25 personas sentadas y fueron más de 70!!!!
Today I was at the first gathering of Palermo Valley. It was impressive to see the amount of people that attended due to the invitation through blogs and twitter.  The bar where we gathered was overflowing because it can easily set 25 people, but there were more than 70!!!!
The event's objective was to create a space for networking among local entrepreneurs that launch projects, which do not have many resources to promote them.  In addition, these entrepreneurs gather with another objective: network with potential investors. Due to the success of the event, some of the organizers launched a parallel event called StartMeUp Argentina [es], which they define in this manner:
Start Me Up Argentina es un punto de encuentro real para que quienes están creando startups online se conozcan y creen la próxima generación de empresas web 2.0. Argentinas, a través de eventos a lo largo del año.
Start Me Up Argentina is a real-life gathering place for those who are creating online start-up companies, so that they can get to know one another and creat the next generation of web 2.0 companies from Argentina through these events this year.
On March 13, the second gathering of Palermo Valley took place. The first gathered 70 people, this time more than 300 were in attendance and the listing of web projects grew rapidly. The blog of Uptuu [es] summarized that night:
Godoy (el bar seleccionado para el evento) alojó a unas 300 personas y si bien en un momento la barra fue un poco sobrepasada, en líneas generales fue un muy buen lugar el elegido. Mucha más gente que el anterior muestra dos cosas; una, que hay mucha gente trabajando en la Web; y la segunda, es que muchos “curiosos” que quieren empezar en el mundo de los negocios Web usan estos eventos para hacer algunas consultas, las cuales -a pesar de no ser los mas experimentados- respondimos y esperamos haber ayudado.
Godoy (the bar selected for the event) attracted some 300 people and the bar was a little too full, but in general it was a good choice.  The fact that there were more people than the last time showed two things: one, there are a lot of people working with the Web; and the second, that there are many other “curious” who want to start with these online businesses that use these events to ask questions, of which – even though we are not the most experienced – we respond and hope that our answers helped.
The third edition of Palermo Valley is currently in the works [es] where some of the projects will be presented for this gathering.  The Argentine example has motivated other Latin American countries to hold their own “Valley gatherings.” [es]  As detailed on the blog of Palermo Valley, there are already Costa Rica Valley [es] and in Chile, Santiago Valley [es] and Salmon Valei [es].
If you want to see the complete list of the startups and the sites that participate in Palermo Valley, visit the entrepreneur blog.  There are also photos on Flickr and on an account at Linkedin.
Translation by Eduardo Ávila

author: Jorge Gobbi


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Armenia: Peaceful Protest · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Halfway down the Danube gives reasons for not attending last Friday’s demonstration held the day after the state of emergency was lifted in Yerevan. The post also looks at the use of the Internet in what some have called an attempt at a “colored revolution” in Armenia. However, the blog disagrees and doesn’t consider that such hopes were realistic anyway.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: Political Chess · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Khirimian’s Thought comments on news reports that an opposition politician accuses the present and former authorities of dealing with demonstrations in the same manner. Earlier this month the government declared a state of emergency and used the military to enforce prohibitions on rallies by supporters of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian. Ironically, Ter-Petrossian also used the military to prevent protests against his disputed 1996 re-election.


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Bahamas, Cuba: The Cuban Five · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Blogging at Weblogbahamas.com, Rick Lowe shares his perspective on The Cuban Five.


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Bermuda: Tourist Trap?   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

After a tourist dies in a road accident, Bermudan blogger IMHO.bm asks: “Are we doing the right thing by continuing to rent auxiliary cycles to tourists?”


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Bhutan: Elections! · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Visit Bhutan on the first National Elections in Bhutan – with pictures from the author's polling station.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Bolivia: Air Quality in Santa Cruz · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

During the periods of slash and burn landclearings in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, the air quality in that city lowered to the levels of some of the world's most contaminated cities such as Mexico City and Santiago, Chile writes Bolivida [es].

author: Eduardo Avila


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Bolivia: Easter Week in Santiago de Huata · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Ruben Lipe of Rubensistem [es] writes about how the Bolivian Altiplano town of Santiago de Huata celebrates Easter, including a football tournament. He writes that it is surprising to see that some teams hire professional players from La Paz to play and compete for the $1,500 prize.


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: “Graffiti Street” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Bosnia Blog writes about a documentary on the “meeting of [Sarajevo] musicians after a separation caused by war.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: Writing a Book on Sarajevo · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Pure Intent is working on a book on Sarajevo – and is asking his readers to share ideas: “It's your city too. What we're lookin’ for is nothing ordinary….quite the opposite actually. I want to tell stories of the water fountains, of the zanatlija, of tucano kahva, how we hid the Haggadah from the Nazi's, of the Ilegalci, of our forgotten poets, of Mak Dizdar writing Kameni Spavac in Male Daire, of Teta serving food to the poor on Bistrik….about what makes the heart of this city beat.”


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Brazil: Haiti, Rio de Janeiro and the UN peacekeeping mission · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Aloisio Milani [pt] is promoting an in-depth analysis of “the possibility and feasibility of the blue-helmets’ performance to become a doctrine of intervention by the Army in public safety in violent Brazilian cities, where organized crime is part of the population's routine”. He has heard Army sources, the Ministry of Defence, NGO, human rights movements and public safety experts, and his findings are to made available in a series of posts and interviews throughout this week.


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Brazil: Mobile Filmmaking · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Sérgio Amadeu [pt] is helping to spread the news about the next Filmobile festival happening simultaneously in April 5th in São Paulo and for the first time in London. Participants will talk about Mobile  Filmmaking,  Mobile  Participation and  Mobile  Stories.


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Brazil: Mutantes, 1968 to 1973 · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Alexandre Carvalho dos Santos [pt] has a quite detailed post about the discography by Os Mutantes (portuguese for The Mutants), one of the most influential Brazilian psychedelic rock band.


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China: Country Life in Spring · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zoula blogs photos of peasants’ life in rural China[zh] in spring time.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Colombia: Reyes, the New Che Guevara? · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Carlos of Liberal Colombiano [es] writes a poster being displayed in Venezuela that shows fallen guerrilla leader Raúl Reyes as a symbol of peace and he writes whether Reyes in the “new Che Guevara”?


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Cuba: Blog Access  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Child of the Revolution reports that “the Castro regime has restricted (and in some cases, blocked) access to semi-critical blogs written from inside Cuba.”


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Cuba: Blogs Blocked From the Inside · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

From Cuba, Generación Y [es] indicates that her blog and others on the Desde Cuba portal have been blocked within the island.


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Czech Republic: Havel Supports Anti-Missile Radar Base · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Dr. Sean's Diary reports that ex-president Vaclav Havel supports stationing of the U.S. anti-missile radar base in the Czech Republic.


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El Salvador: Sand Carpets During Easter Week · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

On Holy Friday in El Salvador, many faithful continue the tradition of creating sand carpets on the streets of the cities. Hunnapuh [es] collects images of these colorful creations.


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Europe: Recognition of Kosovo · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Balkan Baby and readers discuss Kosovo's independence.


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Guyana: Learning to Live  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The confusion I come to is this – something new growing in we the people”:  Guyana-Gyal says that her fellow Guyanese are “learning to live despite the threats of badness, despite the thought that any minute, Fine Man and he pack can savage again.”


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Honduras: Cantaloupe Contamination · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

La Gringa's Blogocito reports on the current problems with contamination with Honduran cantaloupes and how the U.S. and Canada have already issued warnings.


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Iran:Protest against filtering · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Key1one says[Fa] that Cloob.com,a Persian-language social networking website, mainly popular in Iran, has been filtered for about one month.About 2000 people signed a petition and protested against this filtering.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Japan: Nobody Outpolls Asō · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Global Talk 21 highlighted a poll on “Who among the current Diet members do you think is most appropriate as the next Prime Minister?” The choice on “nobody” has outpolled all other candidates.


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Kazkahstan: China’s Territorial Claims · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam Kesher reviews posts from the Kazakh blogosphere about China’s rumoured territorial claims towards neighboring countries, including Kazakhstan.


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Lebanon: Desperate People · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“This country is a factory that produces and exports desperate people,” says Tantalus about Lebanon.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Macedonia: The Government’s “Un-Collapse” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Douglas Muir of A Fistful of Euros reports that Macedonia's government has “un-collapsed.” Also, he feels that “the Macedonia name issue is so stupid that it’s almost physically painful to write about it.”


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Maldives: Youth and Drugs · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Power to the People from Maldives asks why youth in the country turns to drugs, and an interesting discussion follows in the comments space.


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March Madness in Kuwait · Global Voices
Abdullatif AlOmar

Just as there is March Madness in the US, the phenomena seems to have spread to Kuwait – not for basketball but elections.
For starters, the Government has resigned, writes Forzaq8, who further explains:
if the news that are flying by are right , that the government have resign then the government have raised the white flag
It has thrown the Towel
We can declare the clinical death of ” respect to the law ” which was in a coma for the past years
They may dissolve the parliament which would suck , because that mean voting will be on June ( when the parliament is dissolved , the election is set up to be 2 month after day of dissolving ) and June is hot as hell and I’m planning to travel in June
The Emir, who was away, returned to Kuwait and accepted the Government's resignation – and then dissolved Parliament.
Zaydoun has more in this post (Ar):
Khaled Al-Otaibi, over at Enter-q8, posts a short sentence in which he describes what needs to be fixed in Kuwait (Ar), using computer terminology.
و لا نفع
Turn Off
و ما ينفع نخلي البلد
Stand By
شنو باقي غير
Restart does not work
neither does Turn off
and we can't leave the country on stand by
what's left other than format
Moving on to other matters, Intlxpatr notices the designs of the pedestrian overpass in a newly constructed road and compliments the highway planners.
Yesterday on 5th ring, we saw the beginnings of the new pedestrian overpasses, which are anything but pedestrian in their design.
Look at that! Not only do they honor the architectural element of the wind tower tradition in Kuwait, but they will also allow pedestrians to cross safely to the other side. For all the derision we heap on highway planners here, they deserve a big pat on the back for these.
Rampurple, meanwhile, talks about her mini tour of old Kuwait and asks a question:
How would a Kuwaiti feel about a non-Kuwaiti activist? Is it “proper” for me to get involved and start acting or will I be told “if you don’t like it go back home” or “keyfna! deyretna!” (It is up to us! It is our country!)
OutlawQ8 snaps a few pictures of “The Fifth International Cultural Festival” being held at the university he is currently attending in Egypt.
We had “The Fifth International Cultural Festival” in our university and today was the last day of the festival, it was great watching all other countries culture and to see all the good stuff about other countries
Radiantguy goes the extra mile, and gives us the whole translation of “Al Dhameer Al Arabi” (The Arab Conscience) operetta.
On 27th of February 2008, I watched “Al Dhameer Al Arabi” (The Arab Conscience) operetta premiere on Zoom TV, which is considered part two of “Al Hilm Al Arabi” (The Arab Dream) operetta which was produced in 1998.
It's extends for more than 40 minutes, I according to the director, it's might get into the Guinness book for longest non stop song in the world.
It features more than 100 Arab artist, singers, actors, hosts…Etc, and talks about war using real archival videos of events took place in the whole world between 1998 to 2008.
The song is very touching I translated it to English but some parts made non sense because as I always says translating an Arab poem will make it loses the power of it.
And last but not least,
The Criticizer over at Macaholiq8 attended a Conference on education in Kuwait and this is what he had to say about it:
I was assigned to attend Kuwait Teachers Society conference held in Ramada Hotel the past few days. They were discussing the outcome of our educational system and how to improve it.
Thumbnail Photo Credit Rampurple

author: Abdullatif AlOmar


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Nepal: Beating up a monk · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Feringhee witnesses the beating up of pro-Tibet protesters in Nepal.


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Pakistan: Change! · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Pakistan Policy Blog notes the hectic pace of developmets in Pakistan – a new Prime Minister and the reshuffling of Pakistan Army top Brass.


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Pakistan: Mush and Clinton · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Five Rupees draws parallels between the careers of Musharraf in Pakistan and Clinton in the US – and says it's time for them to bid their farewells.


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Pakistan: To Delhi · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Jahane Rumi writes a wonderful piece – reflecting on Delhi, its history and people.


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Poland: The Abortion Issue · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes about the Council of Europe and the issue of “legal access to abortion” in Poland.


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Russia, Ukraine: The Nose; Andropov vs Khrushchev · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis, in the March 25 entry, pays tribute to “The Nose” by Nikolai Gogol and quotes from Yuri Andropov's 1970 proposal to suppress Nikita Khrushchev's memoir.


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Serbia, Kosovo: Milorad Cavic’s Protest · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Balkan Baby writes about Serbian swimming champion Milorad Cavic: “Many of us who firmly support Kosovo’s independence will have paradoxically supported Cavic’s protest though, seeing in it an expression of the democratic right of the individual to speak his mind. When so many athletes concern themselves solely with wearing branded sportswear advertising their latest commercial endorsement, Cavic has shown that some athletes are still proud to represent their people and that sport, along with other mediums such as theatre and art, remains one of the most vital bastions of the defense of public interest when we become disillusioned with politics.”


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South Korea: Women’s Expectation of their President · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Korea Beat translated a local report on Korean women's expectation of their president regarding “protection and childcare assistance”.


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Taiwan: Racial Commercials Everywhere · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

On Taiwan's TV screens there is a commercial about drawing lots of cars. In this commercial, a woman with south-east Asia look is driving a car, and the subtitle says:”How can she own a car?”
Is this a question? How cannot a south-east Asia woman own a car in Taiwan? When you see more and more women with south east Asia look playing roles of servants in each commercial or advertisement on cleansers and brooms, the question seems quite easy to answer. Their roles that Taiwanese media represents are always servants and poor people–even though there are at least 200 thousand south east Asia women bearing the identities as spouses or mothers of Taiwanese people.
Business commercials produced by private sectors discriminates against them, while the government-made advertisements are full of repression. Since the law stipulate foreign spouses to provide proof of super high financial capability if they want to obtain permanent citizenship in Taiwan. Last year, spouses from South East Asia countries and Mainland China composed the Coalition Against Financial Requirement for Immigrants. The Alliance protested the commercials carried out by Ministry of the Interior distorted the facts and repressed their struggles for basic human rights.
Ministry of the Interior publish a advertisement on newspaper saying that setting such a financial threshold is for the purpose of “ensuring lowest basic living conditions for foreign spouses”.
Bruce Liao, a law scholar dedicated to new immigrants issues indicates that
實質上，稍微有一點兒邏輯觀念，就知道「歸化財力門檻」根本與「確保外籍配偶最低生活保障」沒有關係。如果真有新移民家庭 難以生活，那是社會給付與防止歧視的問題，干財力門檻底事？
In essence, with a little bit of logic you will see that there is no meaningful connection between “financial threshold to naturalization” and “ensuring lowest basic living conditions for foreign spouses”. If there is any immigrant's family falling below basic criteria of survival, that should be the problem of social welfare and discrimination prevention–nothing to do with financial threshold.
[…]
照這種說法，我們是否應該每隔數年，就普查全體台灣人的財力狀況，不及格者吊銷身分證？
According to these sayings, we should carry out census on financial capability every a few years and suspend ID cards of those who don't pass the threshold, shouldn't we?
Things like this never happen just once. The advertisements carried out by Taiwanese Government not only repress foreign spouses but also Taiwan aborigines. In the end of last year, the government of Taipei County wanted to force a group of aborigines to move away who had lived by the Hsin Dian River for generations (see GV's report here). The government claimed that the high land is vulnerable to floods and published a advertisement with a big title saying “don't regret after your village is under water!”
Even though their are numerous discrimination commercials and ads in Taiwan, there isn't much reflection among public opinions. Very often, only the minorities who are directly affected by the ads would come out to protest. Among alternative media, Taiwan Lihpao and BaoBonPhuong monthly, a newspaper for Vietnamese migrant, have made a public statement for boycotting discriminative ads.
基於對弱勢處境的認識與提升媒體素質的要務，在台新移民報紙《四方報》主編張正曾經誠懇地公開表示：「作為一個以服務新移民為宗 旨、關心外籍勞工權益的媒體，儘管目前仍需有關單位補助，財務上也不寬裕，但《四方報》絕對拒絕刊登歧視弱勢族群的廣告，如污名新移民、否定同志存在或扭 曲原住民形象的廣告等等。」
Since it is crucial for us to understand social minorities and improve media standard, Chang Zhen, the chief editor of BaoBonPhuong monthly – a newspapers for new immigrants, stated sincerely that: “as a media serving new immigrant and concerning about migrant workers’ rights, even though we still rely on subsidy for our publication work and our finance is tide, BaoBonPhuong monthly won't accept any advertisements that are discriminative towards migrants, homosexuals or indigeneous people.”
Another newspapers, Taiwan Lipao, which is also affiliated with Shu university, also made a public statement boycotting discriminative ads. Apart from the POTS section, Taiwan Lipao's principle in advertisement would follow BaoBonPhuong monthly in prohibiting discriminative ads. Moreover, Lihpao would follow up published articles and reports, if there are debates concerning discriminative languages by the newspapers’ writers, the editors would balance the voice with articles speaking from the perspective of the minorities.
However, POTS, a most well-known and widely circulated alternative printed media seems to be indifferent to the discriminative advertisement issue. Last year, the magazine has an anti-homosexual film advertisement. Many readers are astonished by the ad as POTS likes to translate left wing media articles, such as Guardian and it is widely believed that the magazine has a leftist orientation. Homosexual groups protested against the ads, but according to a report by Lihpao, POTS’ editor in chief Huang Sun-Quan tried to explain off the issue by “different standard between advertisement and news content”, “business need” and “different management principle between media and social movement group”, etc.
Another serious example happened right before the voting day of Presidential Election which just finished 3 days ago, when the campaign of DPP's candidate, Frank Chang-ting Hsieh, published several newspaper advertisements on March 20 in order to fight against the “cross-strait common market” political idea brought out of Ma Ying-jeou, the candidate of KMT. One of the advertisement from DPP enraged many bloggers.
In the  advertisement it says:
馬英九主張一中共同市場，人員，貨物自由流通，生活習慣不同的中國人員大量流入，成群結隊大聲喧嘩、隨便插隊、猛搶座位、隨地吐痰便溺的情景，將出現在我們日常生活之中，生活品質一落千丈…..台灣人，您準備好了嗎？
Ma Ying-jeou advocates one Chinese common market, which allows free flow of people and goods. A huge amount of mainland Chinese, with very different lifestyle would flow into Taiwan. These people are noisy, they would jump the queue, compete for seat in the buses, split and shit in the street. And this would become part of our daily life, just imagine how it would affect our living? Taiwanese, are you ready for this?
When all these discriminative advertisements are popping up, there are more and more inappropriate act against minorities in Taiwan society. Homosexuals are subjected to violent threat and attack; government officials are speaking in discriminative language;  middle school youths and university students have fun by bullying migrant workers; teachers carry out physical punishment on aboriginal kids. From time to time, there are news about physical abuse towards Southeast Asia workers and wives by employers and husbands respectively. Apart from violent incidents, family conflicts occur quite frequently. Putting aside issue concerning the coming out of homosexuals, there are cases when children cannot accept their Vietnamese mother, or even verbally abuse their mother. A Vietnamese wife wrote to sisterhood.org and said that:
我要離婚！…我想回去越南！他的兩個小孩看不起我，我是越南人又怎麼樣？…我是他們爸爸的老婆…也是他們的後母呀！
I want to divorce!… I want to go back to Vietnam! His two kids look down on me, I am Vietnamese, so what?… I am their father's wife… I am their stepmother!
In order to improve the deteriorating media ethics in term of discrimination, the National Communications Commission (NCC), when drafting the “Telecommunications Act” in last September, explicitly wrote down that television broadcast is “prohibited to instigate ethnic hatred or gender discrimination”. Offender would be subjected to 30 thousand to 1 million fine.
However, communication study professor Benla Kuang pointed out that:
仇恨與歧視性語言並不應僅侷限在傳統的「族群」定義，法國「新聞自由法」就將「種族、國籍、宗教、性別、性取傾向、身心障礙者」列為禁止歧視範疇，部分國家的反仇恨條例還擴及移民、年齡、職業、語言、外貌等面向。相較之下，（台灣）「通傳法草案」保障顯得較為狹隘。
Hateful and discriminative language shouldn't restrict by the traditional definition of “ethnic group”, in France, the “Freedom of Press Act” includes “ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability” as areas for prohibition against discrimination. Some countries’ anti-hate act has extended to migrant, age-group, occupation, language, people's outlook, etc. The areas covered by the (Taiwan) Telecommunications Act draft is much narrower.
At present, the Telecommunications Act hasn't been passed in the Legislative Yuan, the anti-discrimination regulation hasn't been enacted. Even if the Act has been passed, it won't be easily to carry out. Such kind of discriminative advertisement would still appear as the media lack self-regulating practice and regulative law isn't ready yet.
(Original written in Chinese by Edison Li, Translated into English by Portnoy and Oiwan)

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Taiwan: Support for Tibet · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

For Tibetan independence movement, most Taiwanese support and sympathize Tibetans, and many people changed their twitter profile figure to the flag of Tibet which represents Tibetan independence movement.
‘Free Tibet’ (Photo courtesy of skydaughter.)
Many artists, writers, musicians, and social movement participants held ‘Bringing love to Tibet’ to pray for Tibetans:
多年來，台灣年輕志工的身影，經常出現在全球各地需要協助的所在。如今，與台灣只隔著中國的西藏，受到暴力鎮壓，台灣年輕人感同身受，決心挺身聲援，用音樂、詩歌聲援西藏。
Compared to other countries, Tibetan independence movement has a very special meaning for Taiwan.  Most of the discussions are based on empathy, because Taiwan and Tibet are both threatened and manipulated by China.  Terry said,
我個人很畏懼這個國家（中國）過往的殘酷紀錄，我高中時爆發的天安門事件，根據現在許多的證據顯示，當年天安門事件的確出動了軍隊鎮壓，並且開槍殺死了許多人民，對於這樣一個雙手沾滿血腥的鄰居，我只用戒慎恐懼來形容。
我身邊有許多人說：我們有中文語言的優勢，我們不應該自絕跟這個鄰居做生意，讓自己經濟繁榮的機會。但如果這樣的經濟繁榮機會，最後卻讓自己陷入被鎮壓、同時無法擁有民主自由的現在，我會寧可選擇保守一點，日子苦一點無所謂，但我想要高興談論、自由呼吸自由存在。
Some people reflected Taiwan's history and compared its own oppressed past with Tibetan independence movement.  Judie said, Tibetans are in their 228 Massacre.
圖博人正在經歷他們的二二八，與外來統治者展開艱難的鬥爭。[…]他們的行動被統治者誤解、汙衊，無辜者的血繼續流，傷痕正在加深…….
Many people criticized the mass media in Taiwan.  Jas took blocking the news about Tibet for example and said, because the sources and gatekeepers are different, this independence movement is reported differently.
（中國）過去稱六四天安門為一小撮人，稱台獨為一小撮人，如今又同樣以一小撮人來指涉被迫害的西藏人。
Tucci in Germany compared the news about Tibet in Taiwan and Germany, and said the news is obviously less in Taiwan than in Germany.
一個國家動用軍警武力殺害抗議的人民，是對人權最赤裸的摧殘與蔑視；[…]我想這件事的歷史重要性不會在六四天安門之下，但很遺憾的是，國內的主要媒體的新聞處理淡很多，跟德國所有全國性的媒體統統頭版處理差別實在很大。
Sindia in Beijing talked about the information blockage in China.
有人問我北京人對西藏事件的看法，在這種情形下，北京人連西藏發生了什麼事恐怕都不知道，知道的也就是一面倒的聲音，若干藏民暴徒挑起暴亂，傷害無辜漢族百姓，達賴在背後策動，目的是要搗亂奧運，爭取獨立。這就是所有來自中國媒體的新聞角度，在這種情形下，北京一般民眾，還能有什麼看法？
Although China government blocks the information, due to the advance of technology, some people in China tries to use instant messanger and twitter to see people's comment about the protest in Tibet, even though they are confused or unhappy.  A message in zola may show some people's opinions:
西藏現在需要的，是健康的發展和對藏文化的保護，以及西藏問題的和平解決，罈子裡這些喊打喊殺的兄弟，如果你們有一個真正的藏族朋友，也許你們就不會說那些話了。
Annpo asked Chinese friends through twitter, and one of them who worked in Tibet said:
藏区的生活的确改善很大，起码比周边的国家都不错，这是应该看到的。但[…]生活好了，就会满足吗？[…]政府免费让他们读书，却用的是汉族课本。[…]藏族人对青藏铁路并不完全是支持的。而在拉萨日益繁华的时候，我那些老藏族的邻居却一个个都搬走了，这些难道还不够说明问题？
There are other people caring about Tibet.  Reiw in Hong Kong made a detail analysis and zola shared the summary of the news.  Chao-Chen Lin, a reporter interviewing Dalai Lama and many Tibetans before, explained the problem of Tibet is due to the failure of conversation between Dalai Lama and Chinese government, and the development brought by China government that destroys their culture.
Acknowledgment: Annpo wrote this article, and I-Fan edited and translated it into English.

author: I-fan Lin


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The Balkans: John McCain · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Greater Surbiton has “no doubt that the interests of South East Europe would be better served by John McCain as president than by either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.”


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The Balkans: NATO · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Balkan Baby writes about George W. Bush's upcoming Central and Eastern European tour, the NATO Summit, and the Balkan states’ “quest to join NATO.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Robbed!   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidadian blogger Shivonne Du Barry‘s cell phone is stolen – recounting the incident, she says: “This country has me more emotionally conflicted than a cheating man. I love it so much but things keep happening to make me feel I have to get out. Still, I know it will pass and I will stay committed because, well, it’s so nice most of the time.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Turkmenistan: Deadly Highway · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Abdulgamid writes about deadly condition of the longest and busiest motorway in Turkmenistan, Ashgabat-Mary-Turkmenabat. The road was built a few decades ago, and currently it’s not complying with any minimum technical and safety standards.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Ukraine: “Imported Ideology” and Hate Crime · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana blames “imported ideology” for hate crime in Ukraine.


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Uruguay: Pan de Azucar · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

From Uruguay writes about a tourist attraction in Maldonado called Pan de Azucar (Sugar Loaf), which boasts a national park, zoo, and picnic areas.


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Venezuela: Chavez on Tibet Protests · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Kira Kariakan of Anotaciones al Borde [es] comments on Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez’ suggestion that the U.S. was behind the Tibetan protests in order to destablize China.


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26th March – Bangladesh celebrates the Declaration of Independence · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

As Bangladesh celebrates its Independence Day on 26th March, the Bangla blogosphere is inundated with posts reliving the horrific Operation Searchlight that was launched by the Pakistan Army on 25th March 1971, in a desperate attempt to stamp out the Bengali Nationalist movement.
Abul Bahar brings to life that fateful the fateful night of 25 March, 1971 with the following words:
Suddenly Dhaka came to a standstill. There was complete silence all around. The country was shivering under the heavy tread of the evil forces. The earth was soaked red and the fragrant smell of the hasnahana flower was overpowered with the stench of blood.
Bloggers today are vociferous about the estimated 3million people that had been exterminated during 1971. The Bangladesh Genocide Archive has been painstakingly put together by some of the leading Bangla bloggers, to make netizens aware of the extent of atrocities committed on the Bengali population by the Pakistan Army with help from the Razakars. Another new website to be launched by bloggers is Bangladesh  1971, which aims at connecting today’s generation of Bangladeshis with the life and times of the people who fought for the country’s Independence, while simultaneously keeping up the pressure on the Nation’s conscience to bring the perpetrators to book.
Why is it necessary today to relive the freedom struggle? Perhaps to avoid the ‘Hollywoodization of the liberation war’ as Rasel puts it. Also, Shamim clarifies why after so many years, it still remains imperative to bring the war criminals to trial. He says it is not out of a feeling of retribution but rather as a future deterrent that this ‘bringing to book’ is necessary. It is also a necessary step towards ensuring justice and a closure for the victims and their surviving families.
Rabab writes that on this day of Independence, he feels no inspiration but only a sense of hurt and dejection when he sees all around him the corruption and victory of the separatist forces, the dreams of a united and economically strong Bangladesh fading into despair. Blogger Shobjanta seems to share in this hurt. However, the feeling evaporates once he listens closely to the National Anthem “Amar Shonar Bangla, ami tomay bhalobashi” (my precious Bengal, I love you).

author: Aparna Ray


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India: Tata, Jaguar and Rover.  · Global Voices
Kamla Bhatt

Earlier today it was announced that Tata Motors of India is acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motors, which was once one of three automotive giants of Michigan. Tata’s acquisition of these two high-end automobile brands is one of the central topics of conversation in global mainstream media and blogs.
Within a short span of three months Tata Motors has creates quite a bit of ripple in the global automotive industry. In early January Ratan Tata unveiled its people car “Nano” aptly dubbed as the “people’s car” in New Delhi. What caught many people by surprise, especially from the automotive world, is the price point of the Nano: $2500. That makes Nano the cheapest car in the world. Earlier today Tata Motors created yet another major ripple when it announced that it is acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover, two well-known auto brands from the struggling US auto giant Ford Motors. Tata Motors will pay $2.3 billion to acquire Jaguar and Land Rover. Mark Silva captures the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover by tracing back the British roots of these two automobile companies and in a way points out the irony of the sale.He writes:
The empire was turned on its head today: With Ford Motor Co.'s announced sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India's Tata Motors, the ownership of two of Great Britain's legendary motor marques will pass this year from one former British colony to another.
This isn't so much a story of globalization as it is a tale of the globe turned on its axis…Today, in the history of an upended world economy, India's Tata bought two of the proud motor marques of England, Jaguar and Land Rover.
John Elliot of Riding the Elephant wonders if Ratan Tata can break a cycle of decline of these two high-end automobile brands? Elliot thinks that Ratan Tata has a chance of pulling it off, but wonders about who will step into Tata’s (70 years old) shoes once he retires:
It is Tata who has provided the personal drive and leadership to turn Tata Motors into a business that can produce the Nano and buy two world famous brands – in the same year. There’s a big job waiting for someone – and Tata is not yet saying who.”
Truemors, a Silicon Valley blog takes a friendly and humorous dig at Tata's acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover. Jaguar is expected to become affectionately known as the “left Tata”, while the slightly larger Land Rover will take the role of “right Tata”.
Krishna Raj of My Capital Market Weblog sums up the key points of the deal in his blog post.
Ford will also supply power trains, stamping, and other components. Along with that, it will provide engineering support, including research and development. Ford Motor Credit will provide financing to JLR dealers for 12 months. There will be no change in the terms of employment for JLR employees. Ford added that the deal comprises of brands, manufacturing plants, and IPR. The deal will be closed by the end of the next quarter.”
Gaurav Shukla of brandfaqs writes that the Tata Group has almost 98 companies in its fold and provides a nice overview of some of the major companies.
AutoPandit points out that Tata Motors is now the maker of low-end as well as high-end luxury cars. Nishant Kaushik points out that 10 years ago such a thing as an Indian company buying a well-known company was unheard of. His blog post underscores how far India has changes since then.

author: Kamla Bhatt


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Afghanistan: Intermission in Afghanistan · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Hadi1121 analyzes the current state of affairs in Afghanistan, noting that increase in violence and lawlessness is widespread anywhere outside Kabul and the credibility of the Afghan government has gone down dramatically.


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Afghanistan: UK Judges to Learn Sharia? · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Sanjar reports that recently the Anglican Church's Archbishop Dr. Rowan Williams expressed that there was nothing wrong with the British legal system adopting some laws from Islamic shari'a and implementing them for British citizens of the Islamic faith.


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Algeria: Kosovo and the Islamic Ummah  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Algerian Nouri Luhemiya writes about Kosovo and the Islamic Ummah.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Armenia: More Opposition Activists Detained · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer reports that more than a dozen pro-opposition activists, including at least one from the Sksela youth movement have been detained after staging demonstrations on Yerevan's Northern Avenue.


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Armenia: New Parliamentary Election · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped comments on suggestions to hold new parliamentary elections in Armenia. The proposal comes from an MP hoping to end the deadlock between the authorities and radical opposition following last month's disputed presidential election.


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Armenia: Opposition Diaries · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped posts videos produced by the radical opposition on the post-election turmoil in Armenia. Although both government and opposition continue to disseminate propaganda, The blog says that until an independent and objective inquiry is held, a plurality of opinion should be heard.


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Armenia: Prominent Opposition Leader Charged · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Nazarian comments on news that prominent radical opposition figure Aram Sargsyan has been charged by police for his role in what the authorities consider to be an attempt at a coup d'etat following the 19 February presidential election in Armenia.


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Bahamas: Hot Hot Hot!   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Are Ya Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot?” asks Larry Smith at Bahama Pundit, as he blogs about the impact of climate change on Caribbean tourism.


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Bahrain: Frustrated Hitch Hiker · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger emoodz discusses a talk he had with a frustrated hitch hiker in this post.


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Barbados,  USA: Black President?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Many Barbadians are in awe that a Black man in the year 2008 could be challenging for the presidency,” says Barbados Underground.


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Bermuda: Retribution?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As the government pulls its advertising dollars from local newspapers, supposedly for reasons of retribution, Vexed Bermoothes asks: “Is this about governing or controlling Bermuda?”


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Bhutan: A new government · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Whatever Matters!! on the recently conducted elections in Bhutan, the results and the huge voter turnout.


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Bhutan: More on elections! · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Freedom in Bhutan on the outcome of the elections, and a quick look at the winners.


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Brazil: It’s All True · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Márcio Claesen [pt] has the highlights of the É Tudo Verdade [It's All True] festival, devoted to the culture of documentary in South America. The 13th edition starts today and takes pleace until April 6th. The 2008 program will screen 138 non-fictional productions.

author: Paula Góes


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Brazil: Let us be courteous in the blogosphere · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Pedro Dória [pt] is aghast with the increasingly aggressive comments in his blog and with no time to moderate them, he proposes the readers help him keeping courteous. “We're not barbarians, we are civilized. This is a democracy. Everyone is welcome no matter their creed, colour, belief, age, sex. In a democracy, those who we don't agree with have full right to express their ideas. We can disagree, we can even strongly disagree, but we can never make assumptions about their character.”


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Brazil: LoveLive podcast · Global Voices
Paula Góes

André and Luciana present their first podcast, LoveLive [pt]. The name is self explaining, but Luciana explains: “We do not want to be relationship gurus, no way. We are just people who prefer speaking up to silence”.  “To start with, we debated the act of sharing among couples: sharing problems and multiplying solutions, for example”, adds André [pt].


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Cambodia: A Snack Called Nem · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Vutha introduces a Cambodian snack consisting of fish meat wrapped in banana leaf.

author: Preetam Rai


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China and Tibet: Information War · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated the anti-CNN website and commented on the debate between the Chinese Netizen and western media.


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China: Forbidden City  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Lianyue refered to a suggestion made by a property developer on turning the “Forbidden City” into a residential development project in order to bring down the property price in Beijing [zh].


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Cuba: Blocking Bloggers · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Want to get the Cuban blogosphere talking?  Block access to a popular blog.  Ever since Cuban authorities did just that to several less-than-supportive Havana-based blogs earlier this week, the blogging diaspora have come out in full support of Cuban bloggers – especially Yoani Sanchez and her popular Generacion Y blog, which, according to this post, seems to be the principal target.
El Diario de la Resistencia II and Cuba File quote from the Reuters story:
Sanchez, whose critical Generacion Y blog received 1.2 million hits in February, said Cubans can no longer visit her Web page (http://www.desdecuba.com/generaciony/) and two other home-grown bloggers on the Web site on a server in Germany.
All they can see is a “error downloading” message.
The Cuban Triangle, however, in touch with friends in Cuba, reports that “the site was blocked, then ‘a slow access’ was permitted.”  But this “slow access” does nothing to change the opinion of El Cafe Cubano, who compares Raul Castro's regime to apartheid:
While the media and some bloggers are praising raulita like he's some sort of saint or the catalyst for FREEDOM. He's using the Chinese model FOLKS! Wow computers are available now, but no one can afford them and as you can see the internet is restricted.
Blog for Cuba adds:
What will Cubans do with all those new computers?  One thing for sure, they won't be reading Cuban blogs that voice dissent.  Raul the reformer, remains Raul the Oppressor.
Blue Star Chronicles is not at all surprised, but admits to being a little confused:
Don’t the progressives (aka communist) of our country just love the current Cuban form of government. I keep hearing how superior it is to ours. I keep hearing how they have a better medical care system, etc. Of course, the people who say that are almost exclusively well-to-do latte liberals who don’t have to live under the confines of a petty dictator. I’ve not seen a one of them actually move there.
Tim Worstall echoes his sentiment in this post, while TonyTeri.com acknowledges that “it takes extreme guts for her (Sanchez) to write about what she does. She actually has to roam about Cuba blogging from hotels and other areas with Internet access usually reserved for foreigners.”  Underscoring this point is 1Click2Cuba:
Blogging in Cuba can get you in a heap of trouble (translation: jail), but that threat hasn't stopped hundreds of bloggers on the island determined to get their messages out.  Lately, Cuban bloggers have taken to dressing like tourists, feigning accents and secretly using hotel internet lines (native Cubans aren't allowed inside tourist hotels).  Once inside the hotel, Yoani Sanchez has to write fast. Not only because she fears getting caught, but because online access is prohibitively expensive. An hour online costs about $6, the equivalent of half of what the average Cuban make in a month.  Independent bloggers like Sanchez have to build their sites on servers outside Cuba, and they have more readers outside Cuba than inside.
Readership in fact extends to other Caribbean territories and Child of the Revolution notices that “the attempt to effectively shut down the sometimes critical blog has received wide coverage in the international media, in outlets as diverse as The Sun Sentinel and the Left-leaning London daily, The Guardian.”
Jefferson Lives posts a thoughtful perspective on the situation, saying:
I have always found it fascinating that each country can have its own laws regarding something that is supposed to be the World Wide Web.  Understandably it is tough to regulate something on a global scale.  However, valuable information and potential freedoms are being violated repeatedly by restricting freedom of the press and freedom to post on a global scale.  This begs this question, in an arena without borders, is Cuba violating essential rights for citizens in the US by restricting this website for all to see, or just their citizens?
…while Uncommon Sense asks:
Looking for an easy way to stick it to the Cuban dictatorship?
Visit Generación Y, the most popular Cuba-based blog.


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Czech Republic: “A Scary Masterpiece” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Czechmatediary.com writes about the Bone Church of the town of Kutna Hora.


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Ecuador: The Aftermath of the Border Crisis · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

The decision taken at the Rio Summit benefits the people living in the three countries involved: Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, but the governments are only slowly returning their relations back to how they were before the incident.  The Organization of American States (OAS) has already handed out its resolution and it seems Ecuadorean government is happy with this decision, and even though President Correa has personally said that crisis between these two brother countries has ended, diplomatic relationships are still on hold. Why? Because the Ecuadorean government thinks that Colombia is still untrustworthy. While President Uribe says he wants peace in the region while shaking hands with Correa, the Colombian media is not backing what Uribe says. The newspaper El Tiempo showed a picture with the supposed Ecuadorean Defense Minister and FARC's late leader Raúl Reyes.  However, it was later revealed that the other person was not the Ecuadorean official, rather a leader from an Argentine leader from the Communist Party.  This event has been widely discussed in Ecuador and the newspaper wrote an editorial apologizing for the mistake that  damaged the international image of Ecuador.
Nelson Piedra the author of  a blog in Southern Ecuador [es] writes about this huge mistake:
Es más rápido caer por mentiroso que por delincuente, la estrategia de Bogotá se cayó, ya que desde Buenos Aires el secretario del partido comunista de Argentina, Patricio Echegaray, salió a decir que la persona de la foto es él y no Larrea. Probado el error deliberado y mala intención de la foto, el Tiempo de Bogotá debió pedir disculpas a través de un editorial titulado “La foto que no era”. Su explicación “un error lamentable” y reconoce que “falló en sus procedimientos de verificación”.
It is easier to get caught for being a liar, than for being a deliquent.  Bogotá's strategy failed, when the secretary of the Communist Party in Argentina, Patricio Echegaray, came out to say that he was the one in the photo and not Larrea (the Ecuador official).  With the deliberate error and malicious intent of the photo proven wrong, El Tiempo of Bogota had to apologize through an editorial title “The photo that never was.” His explanation was that it was “an unfortunate error” and recognizes that “it failed in its verification procedures.”
Based in the capital city of Quito is  Libertad Ecuador [es] which is maintained by Libertario and whose self-professed purpose is to pursue freedom in Ecuador from all angles. He explains who's responsible for all this crisis:
La única y gran culpable de la existencia de las FARC, paramilitares y bandas de narcotraficantes asesinos es la famosa “Guerra” contra las drogas, que da mas incentivos a los narcoterroristas para continuar con el tráfico. Los precios suben pero el consumo no; las ganancias se disparan y los escrúpulos de las traficantes desaparecen.
The only and great culprit of the existence of the FARC, the paramilitaries and gangs of assassain drug dealers is the famous “War” against drugs, which gives more incentives to the narcoterrorists to continue with the traffic. The prices are raised, but the consumption does not; the profits go up and the scruples of the dealers disappear
Another multi-authored blog is Cambiemos Ecuador [es] and one of its reporters Andres, says that after the conflict and his travels around Latin America, President Correa just opened up a Pandora's Box:
Hemos abierto la caja de pandora, el cuidar la frontera con Colombia es peligroso y cuesta a nuestro estado mucho dinero.  Así como Colombia estableció un plan concreto, Plan Colombia y lo vendió a otras naciones, así nuestro gobierno debe, en lugar de extender la mano y esperar limosnas, preparar un plan con compromisos, que busque comprometer a otros gobiernos con apoyo diplomático, económico y de entrenamiento.  Esto es, si realmente queremos sacar a las FARC de Ecuador.  Ahora si queremos que se muden para acá, entonces sigamos actuando como hasta ahora.
We have opened a Pandora's box, taking care of the border with Colombia is dangerous and it costs a lot of money for our state. As Colombia established a concrete plan, Plan Colombia and sold it to other nations, so should our government, instead of extending the hand and expecting handouts, we should prepare a plan with commitments, which seeks to engage other governments with diplomatic, economic and training support. That is, if we really want to get to the FARC out of Ecuador.  Now, if we want them to relocate here, then let's continue acting like we have been doing up to now.
And everyone thought the relations with Colombia were back to normal, some government officials are not ready to lower the tone.  The Ecuadoran ambassador in Colombia had some harsh words saying that their citizens have been “kidnapped and assasinated by the (Colombian) army or paramilitary, then later given back disguised as guerrillas, making them believe the opposite.”  And the first line in a story in El Comercio, one of the Ecuador's leading newspaper printed this headline after the OAS and meeting in the Dominican Republic, indicating: “The verbal exchanges between the governments of Ecuador and Colombia have risen in tone,”  indicating that this is far from over.

author: Milton Ramirez


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Egypt: Call for General Strike  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“A coalition of opposition groups—including the suspended Labor Party, Kifaya, the banned Muslim Brotherhood, the unlicensed Karama (Dignity) Party, the unlicensed Centrist Party, the workers of Mahalla, the Lawyers’ Syndicate, the Movement of University Professors, and others—is calling for a general strike on April 6, two days before the local council elections,” writes Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt.


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Egypt: Journalist Sentenced for Six Months  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Ibrahim Eissa received a prison sentence of six months for having spread false information about President Mubarak´s health in August 2007. The sentence was given by Judge Sherif Kamel Mustapha at Bulaq Court of misdeamenours this morning. He was found guilty of having harmed Egypt´s economy,”  announced Ibn Al Dunya from Egypt.


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Egypt: University Faculty Staff Strike · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“For the first time ever in Egyptian history, most Egyptian university faculty members went on strike as a first step towards forcing the government to improve their living conditions and the conditions of higher education in the country,” writes Eman from Egypt.


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Egypt: University Strike Update · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Zeinobia from Egypt updates us about the university professors strike.


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South Africa: We’ll argue with our parents and play video games! · Global Voices
Muhammad Karim

Earlier this week, President Thabo Mbeki proposed that an oath be recited by school children every day in a nation-building effort.  Breaking News says that the Opposition Democratic Alliance Leader, Jack Bloom, had welcomed the effort saying…
“I welcome the invitation to dialogue made by President Thabo Mbeki that we should develop an oath to be recited by children in their morning school assemblies,” said Bloom.
Bloom. who called the matter for debate last year, suggested that the pledge contained phrases based on the preamble of the constitution: “We, the people of South Africa … heal the divisions of the past … united in our diversity … establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights … improve the quality of life of all citizens.”
“It would be a powerful way to imprint the inspirational values of our constitution on the minds of young people,” he said.
The oath, pointed out by In The News…, reads as follows…
“We the youth of South Africa, recognising the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered and sacrificed for justice and freedom.”
“We will respect and protect the dignity of each person, and stand up for justice.”
“We sincerely declare that we shall uphold the rights and values of our Constitution and promise to act in accordance with the duties and responsibilities that flow from these rights.”
However, South African bloggers have another idea entirely. The renowned South African cartoonist, Zapiro, portrays the issue with a light touch.
Bloggers have expressed their resentment in other ways such as arbitrary user with his post “THE WHOLE F-ING POINT OF THE STRUGGLE WAS THAT OUR KIDS COULD GROW UP WATCHING DSTV (cable TV network) INSTEAD OF GETTING SHOT IN THE FACE IN SHARPVILLE!”
His post reads…
You have to say it and try and sound like a 13 year old:
“It’s a democratic country and you can’t make me to do it!”
I imagine that would have been my response to my teachers if I was being forced to say an oath every day in school.
And ironically I would have been right… I would have been zit faced and snot nosed, but I would have been absolutely, categorically, right! In a democratic state you can not force anyone to recite a statement of beliefs, especially in the form of a promise to that state, against their will.
Synaptoman feels the same way with this post “The oaf of allegiance”:
Now this is all very dandy, but I have some major issues with the whole concept of hundreds of thousands of children standing up every day, hands on heart, reciting some meaningless (to them) mumbo-jumbo. A little bit too much like something our friend Mao would have liked.
And then, I also have a major problem with the wording of this oath. Children (PLEASE don’t call them learners, for f*ck sake) at school at the moment are aged between 5 and 18 (or 25 depending on the school). This means that they were born between 1990 and 2003. They had absolutely nothing to do with the so-called “injustices” of the past, and I see no reason why they should “recognise the injustices of the past”.
I am 1/8 German. Does this mean that I am somehow (even remotely) responsible for the so-called (hang, I couldn’t resist that) Holocaust? Of course not, and so too are our children completely innocent in respect of South Africa’s past.
Alternative versions of the oath have also been proposed by bloggers such as one by TABANSI-OKICIYAPI:
“We, the CHILDREN THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA believes in freedom and justice without corruption from our leaders.  We want to believe that we have a FARE Democratic Government free of crime and violence . We want to believe that there are homes and employment for each and every family. We want to believe that Education IS FREE so we can be the AMBASSADORS OF SOUTH AFRICA.  We want to believe that we as CHILDREN OF SOUTH AFRICA  are respected by our parents and teachers and not abused.
We want to believe that we can uphold the rights and values of our constitution as long as those in authority remember what is written in the constitution. Uphold to respect my place in society, MY SAFETY, MY  EDUCATION, MY HEALTH AND WELFARE as a CHILD AND YOUTH in this country South Africa.
“We sincerely declare that we shall uphold the rights and values of our constitution, and promise to act in accordance with the duties and responsibilities that flow from these rights AS LONG AS OUR GOVERNEMENT, COUNCIL, TEACHERS AND OTHER ADULTS show us the respect and DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN corruption,voilance and abuse, then we as children pleadge to learn from example which we are doing at present.
…and a more humorous version was put forward by arbitrary user…
“We the youth of South Africa, recognising the hotness of Jessica Biel, honour those heroes who shape our porous minds like Tony Hawk, Steve Jobs and Natalie Portman”
“We promise to argue with our parents about music, play video games and score chicks”
“We sincerely declare that we shall eat Nandos, Bunk School, Watch too much TV, Sneak our dad’s alcohol out of the house on a Friday night, Spend way too much time on facebook, Tell our dad’s we love them occasionally, Try our best not to be fat asses and most of all, always be kief (means “cool”) to other people.”
Now that’s an oath… These are kids. The injustices of their past is that yesterday the DSTV wasn’t working.
The merits of instilling an oath in schools is very debatable, however if the intention really is nation-building, should not many other “real” aspects of service delivery and and nation-building be implemented along with this “oath”?  Or is the South African government grasping at straws in order to sort out a very big structural mess of its education system as seen in Zapiro's cartoon?
The debate carries on in the blogosphere and elsewhere.

author: Muhammad Karim


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Haiti: The Terror of Globalisation?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“All the fake, elegant-suited blather about bringing democracy and prosperity to Haiti has boiled down to murderous military occupation…while starving people survive by eating cakes made of dirt”: Toni Solo writes a detailed editorial of the situation at HaitiAnalysis.com.


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India: Tibet and the Media · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Acorn rips apart an editorial in a major Indian newspaper on the issue of Tibet.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Malawi: Blogging about marriage, language, lifestyle and health  · Global Voices
Victor Kaonga

The Malawian blogging community is gradually growing in terms of size and topics. In this roundup, I introduce four blogs dedicated to marriage and children issues, Tumbuka language, health and lifestyle issues.
Marriage and Child care
Sunganani Manjolo has a passion for family and children care. His blog is full of ramblings on marriage, family and all the in between. Based in Lilongwe, Malawi, Manjolo blogs from experience as a married man and having been associated with Christian ministries, he shares practical tips for a modern young professional. He started blogging February 2007.
One of his earlier posts was on Praying With Your Spouse raised and listed some benefits to him after he had practised what he blogged about:
I am beginning to be more open to her (I think she likes it)
I am praying and thinking about her more often. (I think she must like it)
There is a sense of growing intimacy about the entire practice.
New Language Blog
The Internet is a place where the dominant language is English and this poses a challenge to seekers of information in other languages or of their own. A blog called Manyani Choyowoyero cha Chitumbuka is dedicated to teaching the Tumbuka language dominantly spoken and used in Northern Malawi. It was introduced March 2007 by Tobias Kumwenda who claims to be a proud Malawian and always striving to beat the odds in ICT sector.
Here is a taste of the lessons from his blog:
Mphatata = Sweet Potatoes), (Mpunga = Rice)
The Eye Specialist blogging
Dr Khumbo Kalua who blogs under his name is currently a Lecturer and Researcher at University of Malawi's College of Medicine and Senior Eye Specialist in Blantyre, Malawi. He prides himself in having studied at several Universities in 3 continents. Being a medical specialist, his blog mostly focusses on health and medical issues affecting Malawi's health system.
His latest post titled “Primary Health Workers: Is Quantity better than Quality in Malawi” takes the reader to the challenges Malawi's primary health system has but also highlights the role of its players:
HSA’s (Health Surveillance Assistants) are the first level of contact with the patients in the community and they are supposed to give health promotion (HSA were first recruited in Malawi for Cholera prevention programmes), but unfortunately currently they do a lot; give immunisations to children, treat fever in children, treat pneumonia, malaria, supervise patients on TB and ARV, give support to home based care, implement NGO’s programmes and many other duties.
Career Woman
Fingani Mphande started blogging late 2007. She has so far written about the International Women's Day and Being a Career African Woman. Her latest post on “Being a Housewife” takes her to her home in Malawi away from Sweden where she is researching on malaria. She reflects on the importance of respecting women who spend most of their days at home:
There are several men who would prefer a house wife because they will manage the home full time and may also respect their husbands more because that is their only source of income. As for me I would say a house wife is a woman whom we have to respect in society even though she is not a career woman (like lawyer, secretary, doctor, scientist, you name it), being a house wife is a career on its own.

author: Victor Kaonga


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Jamaica: Air Strike  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Abeng News Magazine reports that “Air Jamaica's flight attendants returned to work late Tuesday after a sickout that caused the airline to cancel several flights”, while Jamaican Lifestyle looks at the issue from the underdog's perspective.


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Japan and Korea: Comfort Woman · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Michael Solis from Ohmynews! reported on Korean comfort women who live in the house of sharing.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Japan: Ikeda Nobuo’s Spectrum Japan Blog · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Blogger and economics professor Ikeda Nobuo has started [ja] an English-language blog entitled “Spectrum Japan” focused on spectrum policy in Japan. In the first post, he explains that the Japanese government is planning to stop analogue broadcasting by 2011, and writes about closed meetings held to allocate the spectrum, a range of frequencies amounting to more than 180 MHz, which he refers to as a “command and control” approach.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Kazakhstan: Stock Exchange As a Game · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Lena B-va tells that a new educational game simulating Kazakhstani real stock exchange will go online in May-June this year.


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Kosovo, Serbia: Frontline Club Debate Video · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

From the Frontline posts a video of the recent Frontline Club debate on Kosovo independence.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Kosovo, Serbia: Reactions to Del Ponte’s Organ Smuggling Story · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Douglas Muir at A Fistful of Euros examines former Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte's story on organ smuggling in Kosovo and links to the readers’ reactions at B92 site.


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Kyrgyzstan: Rumors Around President · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report says that Rumors about Kyrgyzstani president's death spread yesterday around Kyrgyzstan, becoming a #1 story on the Kyrgyz blogosphere. It is alleged also that he is undergoing medical treatment abroad, as he has not been in the country for nearly 4 weeks.


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Macao: Do politicians believe in the future of the country? · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Leocardo [pt] about the future of Macao and its present day politicians: “Can we believe in these “part-time” politicians who use an electoral system which is not even democratic to be elected, and then go to the Assembly to get on with their pet lives and business? Whose children study (and in many cases live) abroad? Do they believe in the future of Macao or do they just see it as a business opportunity, a money making achine?”


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Malaysia: Bloggers As Friends · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Malaysia's ruling party now wants to befriend bloggers.


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Poland: Krakow Ghetto Memorial March · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Kasia in Kazimierz writes about the March of Remembrance dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the liquidation of Krakow Ghetto.