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The Ferguson Protests are Actually About Russia (According to the RuNet) · Global Voices
Tanya Lokot

Image by hans peter meyer on Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Late on Monday, a St. Louis County grand jury made the decision not to indict Darren Wilson, a Ferguson, Missouri police officer in the August killing of teenager Michael Brown. The controversial decision and the unfolding situation in Ferguson generated much discussion on social media in the US—and, as it turns out, Russians had some opinions as well.
The grand jury's decision meant no charges would be currently brought against Wilson, although the investigation into the case was still ongoing. Although the decision was not unexpected, it caused widespread consternation and outrage, with Americans staging peaceful protests in cities across the country and many voicing their discontent on hashtags #blacklivesmatter, #FergusonDecision and #JusticeforMikeBrown.
When they woke up to the news, the RuNet users also had some things to say about how events around Ferguson unfolded.
I just checked and #Ferguson and its Cyrillic equivalent, Фергюсон, are trending in Russian Twitter. The world is watching.
— Maya Ivanovna (@OtterHouse_5) November 25, 2014
Вся лента в пожарах, мародерах и демонстрациях. Это Большое Жюри признало полицейского из Фергюсона невиновным.
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) November 25, 2014
My whole feed is fires, looters, and protest marches. The Grand Jury has decided the police officer from Ferguson is not guilty.
Russians on social media mostly didn't care for the details of the grand jury decision. Many, like opposition figure Alexey Navalny above, said the police officer, Wilson, was found not guilty, when in reality the jury decided not to indict him, so he would not even be charged or stand trial at this time.
Instead, the RuNet users seized on the topic of continuing unrest, and were quick to draw comparisons between the Ferguson protests and police violence and the continuing Ukraine-Russia conflict. Retweets of news stories and most serious commentary were drowned in a flood of posts where Russians exercised their wits, borrowing heavily from the existing memes and stereotypes.
As before, Russians did not pass up the opportunity to criticize the US for its lack of commitment to democracy, justice and human rights. There were quite a lot of attempts at levity about racial issues, which is how the #Афромайдан (#Afromaidan) hashtag came to be used by many Russian Twitter users to engage in the discussion of what many saw as the African American echo of the Maidan protests and the “separatist” uprisings in Ukraine.
RuNet provocateur and media personality Anton Korobkov-Zemlyansky rushed to point out parallels with the Ukrainian crisis and some of the decisions that the US had supported in Ukraine.
Обама уже объявил АТО? Или это сделает Хилари, после того, как его скинут и отправят в Ростов-на-Дону?
— Коробков-Землянский (@korobkov) November 25, 2014
Has Obama already announced an ATO [anti-terrorist operation]? Or will this be left to Hillary after he is deposed and sent to Rostov-on-the-Don?
Korobkov-Zemlyansky also poked fun at the popular “Russian humanitarian convoy” meme.
Первая гуманитарная колонна по пути в Фергюсон pic.twitter.com/bLxw5azNwn
— Коробков-Землянский (@korobkov) November 25, 2014
The first humanitarian convoy is en route to Ferguson.
Drawing more comparisons between Ferguson protesters and pro-Russian rebels and their separatist aims in Ukraine, one user built on the long-running meme about the former rebel leader Igor Strelkov and his uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time (albeit not without the help of some photoshop skills).
МНР (Мисурийская Народная Республика). Стрелков уже на месте! #афромайдан #ялта pic.twitter.com/F7G19qf0Ji
— Фото из Ялты (@InstaYalta) August 20, 2014
MPR (The People's Republic of Missouri). Strelkov is already in place!
The issue of sanctions also came up, of course.
В связи с событиями в Фергюсоне считаем необходимым наложить на политическую элиту США санкции.
— Кровавая Гэбня (@KGBkrovava) November 25, 2014
In connection with the events in Ferguson we believe it necessary to impose sanctions on the US political elite.
Commenting on the excessive police response, other users compared the Ferguson unrest to the Bolotnaya protests in Russia. Pro-Kremlin blogger Stanislav Apetyan thought there were glaring differences in how the police behaved.
Показательно, что 6 мая на болотке у полиции были только дубинки и щиты, а в Фергюсоне сходу резиновые пули и слезоточивый газ. Нормально.
— Stanislav Apetyan (@politrash) November 25, 2014
It's telling that on Bolotnaya on May 6 the police only had shields and batons, and in Ferguson they immediately deployed rubber bullets and teargas. No big deal.
Another Twitter user noted that the troubles of those documenting the protests were also not in Ferguson's favor.
Чем Фергюсон отличается от Болотной: у стримера во время трансляции отняли смартфон https://t.co/8acnJghSZD
— HigherCause (@highercause) November 25, 2014
How Ferguson differs from Bolotnaya: a streamer has his smartphone stolen from him during the live stream.
At the same time, there were plenty of ironic comparisons from the other side of the Russian political spectrum, with users applying the same cliches and stereotypes typically used by Russian propaganda and officials to comment on Ukraine.
Надеюсь, Сурков и скучающий в фейсбуке Павловский уж вылетели в Фергюсон поддержать свободный народ Америки? pic.twitter.com/kZAhrMge41
— Андрей Максимов (@maximus2575) November 25, 2014
I hope [advisor to the president] Surkov and [political analyst, ex-adviser to the president] Pavlovsky, who has been so bored on Facebook, are already on a flight to Ferguson to support the free people of America?
Лавров срочно вылетает в США, чтобы поддержать мирных протестующих гречкой.. #Фергюсон pic.twitter.com/6LCh93cxHb
— Русская Тишина (@sovprezidenta) November 25, 2014
[PM] Lavrov is urgently flying to the US, in order to support the peaceful protesters with buckwheat…
Russian state media often accuse the US of secretly funding dissent in Ukraine and Russia, so Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova brought up the funding question as well.
Интересно, на чьи гранты организованы протесты в Нью-Йорке, Фергюсоне и Чикаго?
— Надя Толоконникова (@tolokno) November 25, 2014
I wonder, whose grants funded the organizing of the protests in New York, Ferguson, and Chicago?
Pussy Riot, who are currently in New York, joined the rally against police violence there last night:
Since we're in NY right now just became part of a huge rally against police violence! pic.twitter.com/dIbGVnwfYP
— Pussy Riot (@pussyrrriot) November 25, 2014
#JusticeForMikeBrown #NewYork pic.twitter.com/l1Lw7ii55o
— Надя Толоконникова (@tolokno) November 25, 2014
The rather lively barrage of cracks and jokes about Ferguson on Russian social media was too much for some users, who apparently thought them in bad taste.
Хочу опцию “отключить русскоязычные твиты про Фергюсон”.
— ИГИЛ, Эбола и Россия (@ReggaeMortis1) November 25, 2014
I want an option to mute all of the Russian-language tweets about Ferguson.
However crude the jokes or ridiculous the parallels drawn, it's interesting how Russians online seem convinced the events in Ferguson are but a mirror image of the situation in Russia and in Ukraine, where Russia plays a prominent part. Whether events are local or oceans away, the lens for news consumption in Russia is as solipsistic as ever.

author: Tanya Lokot


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Fighting for Climate Justice From the Front Lines of Disaster  · Global Voices
350.org

Aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). Photo by Flickr user joemeth robles. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
This article by Antonia Bruno was produced by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and Other Worlds and posted by 350.org, an organization building a global climate movement. It is republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.
It’s been a year since Super Typhoon Yolanda (often called Typhoon Haiyan in other countries) swept through the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying the homes of many more. As UN negotiator for the Philippines Yeb Sano explained in his 2013 address to the United Nations, for many people, this is what climate change looks like:
To anyone who continues to deny the reality that is climate change…. I dare you to go to the islands of the Pacific, the islands of the Caribbean and the islands of the Indian Ocean and see the impacts of rising sea levels; to the mountainous regions of the Himalayas and the Andes to see communities confronting glacial floods, to the Arctic where communities grapple with the fast dwindling polar ice caps, to the large deltas of the Mekong, the Ganges, the Amazon, and the Nile where lives and livelihoods are drowned… And if that is not enough, you may want to pay a visit to the Philippines right now.
Following the typhoon, survivors in affected communities in the Philippines came together in a deep expression of solidarity to help each other rebuild their homes and lives. Using only reclaimed materials—remains of their homes and other disaster debris—residents of the municipalities of Bantayan and Madridejos worked together to reconstruct their neighbourhoods, one house at a time. Salvacion Fulmenar, a resident of Bantayan Island, explained that 50 of her neighbours built her house with her.
The residents also worked together to increase resiliency against future disasters, particularly around the issue of waste management. Shalimar Vitan, Asia-Pacific Coordinator for the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), explained the connection. “Yolanda made us realise how much waste, more than anything else, is relevant to disasters, because the aftermath of a disaster is garbage and waste, equivalent to a year’s supply. A sustainable treatment of waste builds our preparedness for disasters and it builds the resiliency of communities.” Residents worked with local and international non-profit organisations to conduct waste audits and seminars in the impacted communities.
A sustainable treatment of waste does more than build preparedness for disasters—it also helps to combat climate change. Waste disposal through dumping or burning is a major contributor to climate change.  On the flip side, waste reduction and recycling significantly decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Given that climate change is causing increasing extreme weather, better waste management actually helps to prevent events like Super Typhoon Yolanda.
But reducing waste in the Philippines is not enough to stop climate change or to protect vulnerable communities living there. What’s needed is for the issues of waste and climate crises to be solved collaboratively across borders. And in an inspiring Asia Pacific grassroots partnership, that is exactly what’s happening.
Solidarity for clean air, good jobs, and justice
One of the greatest injustices of climate change is that those who have done the least to cause it—like the residents of the Philippines hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda—feel the impacts first and worst through rising sea levels and extreme weather. Meanwhile, areas that are responsible for the largest greenhouse gas emissions often feel little pressure to reduce their emissions. They tend to be wealthier with more powerful governments, thus they are less susceptible to international pressure and often have infrastructure that is  better able to withstand extreme weather. For example, while Super Typhoon Yolanda was ripping through the Philippines, just across the sea, Prime Minister Abott of Australia continued to deny the existence of climate change.
Yet underneath the political divides of the Asia Pacific region, at the level of the citizenry, strong international bonds have formed. Grassroots communities of the Philippines and Australia have been supporting each other in a common fight against incineration.
In addition to being a major contributor to climate change, incineration releases cancer-causing toxins, kills jobs, and violates the principles of environmental justice. The Philippines stands out as the only country to have banned incineration, setting this important precedent 15 years ago. However, this ban is currently under attack by companies, elected officials, and government agencies. Meanwhile, Western Australia is facing an unprecedented onslaught of incinerator proposals from polluting corporations trying to pass the dirty practice of waste burning as “green.”
People from both countries have been meeting to share information about incinerators, reports, and strategies. Just after Super Typhoon Yolanda struck, Australian toxics expert Lee Bell traveled to the Philippines to visit with communities threatened with incinerators. Lee spoke to members of Congress, the media, and the general public.  He also conducted small meetings and workshops to update the local network on trends in the incineration industry, and shared a community handbook on questions to ask your government about an incinerator proposal. Shortly after, residents of the Philippines mobilised support and gathered signatures for an Australian petition against the export of hazardous waste.
These are just a couple examples of what is a rich and ongoing partnership. Jane Bremmer, a resident of Western Australia who works with the Alliance for a Clean Environment and the National Toxics Network explained, “The connection between the Philippines and Australia is really important. Our massive contribution to air pollution and climate change directly affects the Philippines and contributes to natural disasters. Collaborating with them has also strengthened our own work fighting incinerators, teaching us how to work more effectively and communicate across different cultures.”
Froilan Grate, president of the Mother Earth Foundation in the Philippines, said, “The number one argument for incineration in the Philippines is that it’s being done successfully in First World countries, and that it’s modern and high tech. So we need a lot of foreign groups giving their voice and opposition to shatter this lie.”
The governments of the world are not working effectively together on the connections between climate change and waste, issues that affect us all. They may spend years passing the buck, avoiding blame and responsibility for rising sea levels and extreme weather. But as the cross-border collaboration between Australia and the Philippines demonstrates, what governments are failing to do, people are already doing. Across political differences, geographic divides, and cultural differences, global citizens are joining together in a unified fight that is cultivating a new world of climate justice.

source: news-globalvoices

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


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Kazakh Authorities Censor Videos of Children in ISIS Training Camps · Global Voices
Zukhra Iakupbaeva

Widely shared on Youtube.
Viral video footage purporting to show Kazakh minors training to fight for ISIS, the Al-Qaeda splinter group that has proclaimed itself a ‘caliphate’ in parts of the Middle East, is all over the Internet. Kazakhstan, however, is doing its best to block out the noise and pretend the problem will go away.
In an extraordinary step, Kazakh officials, whose restrictive domestic legislation prevents the spreading of any “extremist propaganda” within the country's own Internet space, have even written to a media outlet in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan to request that its report on the ISIS footage be “deleted”.
ISIS — who have styled themselves as the “Islamic State” to the disapproval of many Muslims — released a clip showing children from Kazakhstan learning Arabic and handling weapons in a training camp November 22. The videos were initially aired by news outlets in the Middle East, before reports featuring the clip subsequently appeared in media across the world, including Kyrgyzstan's Kloop.kg.
On November 24, the same day the outlet published an article titled “Video of the Islamic State: Children from Kazakhstan Threaten to Kill the Unfaithful,” Kazakhstan's State Prosecutor wrote to Kloop and asked the site to remove the article, citing Kazakh domestic legislation and a UN Security Council resolution 1373 that stipulates “all States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the commission of terrorist acts, including provision of early warning to other States with the help of information exchange.”
As the Prosecutor's request became big news in Kyrgyzstan, however, Kazakh media has remained almost completely silent on the video.
Screenshot from footage that aired on Al Hayat media. Widely shared.
The disturbing clip shows Kazakh children assembling and taking aim with a Kalashnikov rifle.
Asked in Kazakh how he sees himself in the future, one of the boys, who refers to himself as Abdullah, says:
I will be the one who slaughters you, O kuffar [non-believer]. I will be a mujahid, insha'allah.
After Abdullah speaks, another boy, also talking in Kazakh, explains life in the training camp:
In this training camp, we learn the Noble Qur'an, the Arabic language, Tajwid [rules for proper proninciation and recital of the Qur'an], and Fiqh [Islamic law]. We learn all this for the pleasure of Allah. We are going to kill you, O kuffar. Insha'allah we'll slaughter you.
With the State Prosecutor issuing a warning to .kz websites not to cover the video, Kloop.kg was an obvious place for Kazakh Internet users to flock. But not long after the outlet refused to adhere to a foreign government's removal request, some Kazakhstan-based readers began reporting difficulties accessing the article in a discussion on Kloop chief Bektour Iskender's public Facebook page.
Sergei from Kazakhstan responded:
Открывайте любой заблокированный глупой властью сайт черед Puffin browser  на все мобильные устройства качается с гугл плей/эпп стор  и абсолютно ВСЕ открывает! Всем удачи  ничего не скрыть уже в 21 веке!
Open any website blocked by the stupid authorities via a Puffin browser. On all mobile technology it can be downloaded via Google play/App Store and absolutely everything opens. Best of luck, you can't hide anything in the 21st century!
Zhenya expressed sorrow at the fate of the ISIS children, who she assumed were from disadvantaged backgrounds:
Следовало ожидать в стране, где дети из неблагополучных семей никому не нужны. Очень горькая правда, но показывает в тоже время как важно заботиться о благе всего общества, особенно, если это касается детей.
This was to be expected in a country where no one needs children from disadvantaged families. This is the bitter truth, but at the same time it shows how important it is to take of the welfare of the whole society, especially children.
Limited coverage of the video was provided by Time.kz, which interviewed Russian political scientist Aleksander Knyazev about the footage. Knyazev called on the Kazakh government not to bury its head in the sand:
Вполне возможно, что это постановочный ролик. Но нужно его изучать, и делать это должны специалисты. Хорошо, если бы это прокомментировали спецслужбы [Казахстана], сказали, какой информацией они владеют, насколько это может быть правдой и какие угрозы может нести для Казахстана.
It is possible that video is a fake. But specialists have to prove it. It would be better if the state representatives of Kazakhstan would share information about whether this video is true or not, and what threats [recruited children] can pose for Kazakhstan.
At least one member of the political establishment has raised his voice on the footage. Speaking on his Youtube channel November 23, a religious conservative MP in the Kazakh parliament,  Bekbolat Tleukhan, said the threat the child soldiers posed to the republic was “huge”:
Дети в ИГИЛ – это огромная опасность для нашей страны. Показывать ненависть путем ислама есть самое худшее. Они вовлекают в свою деятельность маленьких безвинных детей, дают им оружия, заставляют говорить “Мы вас зарежем, мы вас зарежем” – хуже этого ничего нет, еще никогда такого не было. Теперь я даже сомневаюсь люди ли они, не говоря о том, что мусульмане. Нам нужно оберегать каждого ребенка в Казахстане.
Children in ISIS are a huge threat to our country. [ISIS] involve in their activity small, innocent children, give them weapons and force them to say: “We'll slaughter, slaughter you “. There can be nothing worse. Now I even doubt whether they are people, let alone Muslims. We need to protect every child in Kazakhstan.
Tleukhan concluded that ISIS is now Kazakhstan's no.1 enemy:
Если сравнивать с временами Советского Союза, то враг всегда был снаружи, а сейчас враг выходит изнутри нашего народа. ИГИЛ – это враг номер один для Казахстана.
If we contrast with Soviet times, the enemy was always outside. Now the enemy comes from within our own people. ISIS is the enemy #1 in Kazakhstan.
According to the head of the State Committee of National Security of Kazakhstan, Nurtai Abykaev, about 300 Kazakhstanis are among the members of ISIS, half of whom are women.

author: Zukhra Iakupbaeva


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Lovers of Myanmar’s Architecture, Feast Your Eyes on These Photos From Yangon · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Yangon’s most famous landmark, Shwedagon Pagoda. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon) was Myanmar’s capital before the military government transferred the government center to Naypyidaw in 2006. Although it is no longer the capital, it is still the country’s premier commercial center and largest city. It is also known for its numerous historic buildings and religious monuments.
Yangon’s “rich architectural heritage” is featured in a forthcoming book by Manuel Oka, Ben Bansal, and Elliott Fox. While preparing the book, they created pages on Facebook and Tumblr, where visitors can find photos of both popular and lesser-known buildings in Yangon. They also asked Burmese netizens to submit photos and provide descriptions of the buildings featured on the website.
Global Voices recently spoke to Ben Bansal about the project:
Mong Palatino (MP): What inspired you to start this project?
Ben Bansal (BB): We're three authors: me, Manuel and Elliott. Each of us has a different perspective. I'm a development economist and I'm fascinated by the history of cities and how they evolve. Manu, our photographer, is an architect as well. We owe him the book's amazing photos, but also his technical knowledge. Elliott works in the humanitarian and human rights sector. He's had a greater exposure to the politics of modern Myanmar. Yangon speaks to each of us. We hope the book will convey all this.
MP: What has been the response of Burmese netizens and authorities?
BB: Burmese netizens have been wonderful! We started a Facebook page, posting one building and a teaser description each day. In a few months we've reached more than 6000 followers, most of them Burmese obviously. With every building, somebody will chime in with an extra piece of information we can use. In that sense, this is also a crowdsourcing experiment! We haven't heard from the Burmese authorities.
MP: What do you think are the measures needed to preserve and popularize these historic buildings in Yangon?
BB: The Yangon Heritage Trust is doing vital and inspiring work to create a conservation roadmap. They're also doing a great job of lobbying the government. Now we hope the government will listen to them consistently. Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, for example, have lost some of their historical depth. But it's also important to point out that, often, people fixate on colonial heritage. We hope the book will highlight a broader story: the post 1948 architecture is also fascinating in its own way. And there's the city’s amazing religious heritage: Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim. If Yangon can keep that story intact, it will be an example to the world.
Below are some of the Yangon buildings that showcase the city's diverse and unique architecture:
“The Holy Trinity Cathedral is the main Anglican church in Yangon.” Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
The former headquarters of Burmah Oil. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
Surti Sunni Jamah Mosque on Shwebontha Street. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
Built in 1920, the former residence of the Kayah (Karenni) State governor. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
The folklore palace and restaurant Karaweik Hall. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
Yangon City Hall. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
Independence monument near the former high court. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
Aerial view of Yangon. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)
Ngadatgyi Pagoda. Designed with “Buddha’s hand gesture when he achieved enlightenment. Photo by Manuel Oka for Yangon Architectural Guide (DOM Publishers, 2015)

author: Mong Palatino


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Meet Global Voices Contributor and Free Spirit María Angélica Marín · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

María Angélica Marín at the GV Summit 2012 in Nairobi. Photo by Laura Schneider for Global Voices, used under Creative Commons licence Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0).
María Angélica Marín has collaborated with Global Voices since 2009, contributing more than 1,300 translations of content to the community. She is a dedicated traveller and a lover of technology. Enthusiastic to discover new things and with a fresh and free spirit, she agreed to share her experiences with us.
Global Voices (GV): Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What career path did you follow? What are you doing at the moment?
María Angélica (MA): Soy una ciudadana chilena que ha estudiado, trabajado y andado en más de un lugar. Parte de mis estudios universitarios los hice en Chile (Bio-estadística, Demografía y Mediación Familiar), parte en Francia (Maestría y Doctorado en Demografía) y otra parte en Canadá (Salud Comunitaria). Como profesional he trabajado también en varios países: Chile, Suiza, Italia, Honduras, Perú, Francia, Canadá, El Salvador, Brasil, Gabón, EE. UU., Argentina (uf! ya es suficiente), esto en organismos nacionales, internacionales, ONG y como obrera en la empresa privada.
Fuera de GV actualmente hago poco y nada relacionado con mi profesión aunque tengo una debilidad por los temas de derechos humanos y sobre todo los de salud. Corrijo textos traducidos al español para una escuela en Estados Unidos, en cierta época del año colaboro en la reunión de cosas útiles para familias de bajos recursos, en la confección de prendas abrigadoras para personas de la tercera edad y no hay duda que hago vida social y me encanta salir “a descubrir mundo”, es decir a descubrir barrios en Santiago y parajes fuera de Santiago. Mantengo contacto con mis amistades fuera de Chile ya sea visitándolos o recibiéndolos y por cierto gracias a la nueva tecnología (a la que soy bastante aficionada) dialogando con ellos frente a frente.
Ya que mencioné nueva tecnología la verdad es que, hace años, comencé rechazándola y luego la necesidad de tratar datos hizo que tuviera que estudiar para poder dialogar con el programador. Así, me hice poco a poco usuaria y en cierta medida adicta y eso ha hecho que entre mi entorno poco aficionado a ella me haya convertido en una especia de asesora lo que constituye otra de mis ocupaciones fuera de GV.
María Angélica (MA): I am a Chilean citizen who has studied, worked and travelled in more than one place. I completed part of my university studies in Chile (bio-statistics, demography and family mediation), another part in France (master's and doctorate in demography) and another part in Canada (community health). As a professional, I have also worked in various countries: Chile, Switzerland, Italy, Honduras, Peru, France, Canada, El Salvador, Brazil, Gabon, USA, Argentina (oof! that's enough), in national and international organisations, NGOs and as an employee of private companies.
Besides GV, I currently do rather little and nothing to do with my profession, although I have a weakness for human rights issues, especially those related to health. I correct texts translated into Spanish for a school in the USA, during certain periods of the year I participate in gathering useful items for low-income families and in the production of warm clothing for elderly people, and there is no doubt that I maintain a social life and I love to go out and “discover the world”, that is to discover districts of Santiago and landscapes outside Santiago. I stay in touch with my friends from outside Chile by visiting them or having them stay and talking to them face to face thanks to new technologies (of which I'm quite a fan).
Now that I've mentioned new technologies, the truth is that years ago I started off rejecting them, but then it was necessary to process data and I had to study so that I could communicate with the programmer. That way, I gradually became an Internet user, and to a certain extent an addict, and that's meant that I've become a sort of adviser to those people in my social circle who aren't so keen, and that is another of my occupations outside GV.
GV: How did you come across GV? What keeps you collaborating?
MA: Pregunta algo difícil de responder pues yo misma me la he hecho y la verdad es que ignoro la respuesta. Seguramente buscaba alguna información y caí en GV. Al ver que se podía colaborar traduciendo decidí probar (¡en probar no hay engaño!), resultó y aquí estoy feliz de hacerlo. Tenía alguna experiencia en traducción desde mis primeros tiempos como estudiante en Francia y en un cierto momento en Suiza.
Colaboro con gusto con GV pues creo en la utilidad de conocer no solo información de grandes medios si no también de blogs y otros. Me atrajo y sigue atrayendo la variedad de temas que se tratan, el espíritu de grupo y de colaboración de cada uno, la libertad que tenemos no solo de elegir lo que queremos hacer, también de cuándo lo hacemos. Nos comprometemos por que queremos y por el tiempo que queremos, nosotros somos responsables de nuestro compromiso.
En fín, me permito subrayar que no solo traduzco, no hace mucho osé escribir algunas cosillas tanto en español como en francés que han aparecido en GV y espero seguir haciéndolo.
MA: That's quite a difficult question to answer, as I've asked myself and to tell the truth, I don't know the answer. I was probably looking for some piece of information and I came across GV. When I saw that you could collaborate as a translator I decided to try (there's no harm in trying!), it worked out and here I am happy to do it. I had some experience in translation from my time as a student in France and during a period in Switzerland.
I really enjoy collaborating with GV as I believe in the importance of finding out information not only from mainstream media but also from blogs and other sites. I was, and continue to be, drawn by the variety of topics addressed, the team spirit and desire to collaborate of each individual, the freedom we have not only to choose what we want to do, but also when we do it. We get involved because we want to and for as long as we want to, we're each responsible for our own commitment.
Finally, I'd like to emphasise that I don't just translate, recently I also took the step of writing a few things in Spanish and French which have appeared on GV and I hope to carry on doing so.
GV: You were able to attend the GV Summit in 2012. What did you think of the experience?
MA: Si, pude asistir pues tuve la SUERTE y PRIVILEGIO (así, con mayúscula) de haber sido invitada. Me hice miles de preguntas sobre qué podría hacer allí, cuál sería mi aporte, con quien me iba a encontrar, cuáles serían las semejanzas y diferencias con los Congresos, Reuniones, Seminarios y muchos otros eventos de ese tipo a los que he asistido o participado.
En fín, fue toda una experiencia que califico de LINDA, ENRIQUECEDORA y muy diferente a las que he tenido en mi vida profesional. Me encantó ser una más entre muchas personas de todo horizonte, poder conversar con quien quisiera sin el rito de hacer “courbettes” (inclinación de cabeza en demostración de respeto) frente a un gran sabio o a un profesor de gran fama, o al autor del libro x o de la teoría a, b, c, d, … No cabe duda que me sentí “en mi salsa” al encontrar personas de diferente importancia profesional así como de países, culturas, colores, … esto último a veces me hace falta en Chile.
En cuanto al contenido de las sesiones de trabajo aprendí mucho sobre GV, su historia, su evolución, métodos de trabajo así como de los planes futuros (en constante evolución). Me permitió considerarme parte de GV y no solo una colaboradora. Valoro muchísimo el que toda la comunidad GV sea consultada y tenga voz y voto.
MA: Yes, I was able to attend as I had the LUCK and the PRIVILEGE (like that, in capital letters) to have been invited. I asked myself thousands of questions as to what I could do there, what my contribution would be, who I would meet, what the differences with the conferences, meetings, seminars and many other events of that type which I have attended or participated in would be.
In the end, it was quite an experience, one which I would describe as BEAUTIFUL, ENRICHING and very different from those I'd had in my professional life. I loved being one of many people from all over the world, being able to speak to whoever I wanted without the ritual of “courbettes” (nodding your head to show respect) when meeting a great thinker or famous professor, or the author of X book or of theory A, B, C, D… There's no doubt that I was in my element meeting people at different professional levels as well as from different countries, cultures, colours… I sometimes miss the latter in Chile.
As for the content of the working sessions, I learnt a lot about GV, its history, its evolution and working methods as well as its future plans (in constant development). It allowed me to consider myself part of GV, not just a collaborator. I really value the fact that the whole GV community is consulted and has a voice and a vote.
MA: Uf! estas son dos preguntas disfrazadas en una. Mis respuestas van por separado.
Respecto a aventurarse en el mundo de la traducción sin ser traductor(a) solo diría que quien quiera hacerlo necesita primero que nada hacerlo a su lengua materna o eventualmente en un idioma que conozca muy pero muy bien, agrego que es importantísimo que lo hagan en un tema que les guste y que ojalá conozcan, que deseen saber mas de él, que estén dispuestos a hacerlo lo mejor que puedan aunque ello signifique mucho trabajo. Y lo último, querer superarse y hacerlo bien.
Respecto a quienes tengan ganas de recorrer el mundo les diría que deben o tienen que ser curiosos, respetuosos, sacrificados (especialmente cuando el dinero escasea), fáciles para adaptarse a todo o casi todo, tener una cierta propensión a hacer amistades y cuando sea posible devolver (en el sentido de hacer algo semejante o mas de lo recibido si fuere necesario) los apoyos y favores recibidos, no olvidar las amistades hechas.
En fin, para mi no hay nada mejor que hacer lo que a uno le guste pues lo hará a fondo, con gusto y alegría y lo disfrutará plenamente. No hay duda que es bueno o muy bueno experimentar en un área desconocida pues ello enriquece, sin embargo si no nos gusta debemos ser sinceros y decir hasta aquí llego, sin esconder las razones por las que se toma la decisión. En pocas palabras: SINCERIDAD ante todo.
MA: Oof! That's two questions disguised as one. I'll answer each separately.
With regard to starting out in the world of translation without being a translator, I'll just say that anyone who wants to needs to do it first of all in their native language or, at a push, in a language they know very, very well. I would add that it is very important that they do it in a subject area which they like and know about, that they want to find out more about, that they're willing to do it as well as they can even if that implies a lot of work. And the last thing, to want to improve themselves and do it well.
Regarding those who want to travel the world, I would say that they should be curious, respectful, self-sacrificing (especially when money is scarce), adapt easily to every or almost every situation, have a certain propensity to make friends and when possible to return (that is, to do something similar or to exceed the favour received if necessary) the support and favours they receive, not forget the friendships made.
Finally, for me there is nothing better than doing what you like as you'll do it thoroughly, with pleasure and happiness and you'll enjoy it fully. There's no doubt that it is good, or very good, to experiment in an unknown area as that enriches you, however if we don't like something we must be honest and say ‘that's enough’, without hiding the reasons leading us to make that decision. To sum up: HONESTY above all.
Thanks, María Angélica!

author: Juan Arellano


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Internet Trolls Use ISIS to Write About Eastern Ukraine · Global Voices
Maxim Edwards

Image from the Vkontakte community “Islamic State of Donbass and Lugant.”
A series of videos has appeared on VKontakte and YouTube featuring eastern Ukrainian militia in Donetsk and Luhansk, mixed with footage of ISIS militants in Syria and North Caucasian fighters in Russia. The montage has a soundtrack and everybody's smiling, trading Takbirs (the Arabic expression, “God is Great!”). In the corner of the frame, the videos are stamped with the flag of the Donetsk People's Republic, plus two crossed Kalashnikovs and the Shahada (an Islamic “testimony”).
These strange videos belong to a phenomenon known as the “Islamic State of the Donbas and Lugant,” a virtual entity that emerged in July, earlier this year. At first glance, the YouTube users contributing to this production seem to be strong supporters of Ukraine's separatists. Some of these individuals even claim to be involved in collecting donations for the rebels. (Often, the other videos they post are viciously anti-Kyiv.)
There's even a Vkontakte group dedicated to creating fan art and new flag designs for the Donbas’ “Islamic State.” The community is a trolls’ nest, with content designed to be ridiculous. Visitors can expect to find edited photographs of former rebel field commander Igor Strelkov, a devout Orthodox Christian, in a full beard, promising to “cleanse the holy Donbas of Kafirs.”
Some Internet users believe the videos and images are the work of pro-Kyiv activists trying to smear Ukrainian rebels with ISIS affiliations. Others are convinced the rebels’ supporters are behind the strange content, ironically intending to mock Kyiv's insistence that they're “terrorists”:
Of course it is true that Donbass fighters have shouted ‘الله أكبر’ (allahu akbar) half jokingly and half seriously, as some of our comrades are Muslim and fight against NATO for the same reasons the rest.
Not all the rebels’ supporters welcome the attempt at humor, as some YouTube comments indicate:
не выкладывайте такое,хохлы же реально поверят и побегут рассказывать о ордах чеченцев на Донбассе
Don’t upload these, the khokhly [a derogative for “Ukrainians”] might actually believe them and run around yelling about hordes of Chechens in the Donbas
This past September, RuNet Echo's Karena Avedissian looked at evidence of Chechen militants’ participation in the Donbas, concluding that there is a high likelihood that the rumors are true.
One Internet user blogging for tltpravda.ru thinks he can explain the “Islamic State of the Donbas and Lugant”:
И, наконец, уже позднее лето. Клип от «Исламского Государства Донецка и Луганта». Абсолютнейший, тончайший троллинг ополчения на тему истерик в украинских СМИ о том, что «на Донбассе воюют исламские террористы». Троллинг настолько хорош, что даже в России многие решили: это провокация Украины, направленная на создание иллюзии о присутствии чеченских дивизий под Донецком.
Finally, these videos were uploaded in late summer. A clip from the “Islamic State of Donetsk and the Lugant.” The separatists’ most incredible, subtlest trolling of the hysteria in the Ukrainian media that there are “Islamists fighting in the Donbas.” This trolling is so good, even in Russia many people decided this is a Ukrainian provocation, designed to create the illusion that Chechen divisions are outside Donetsk.
A parody account of Joseph Stalin noted on Twitter how ridiculous the involvement of Chechens was in the first place.
Чеченцы приехали на Донбасс защищать русских от украинцев. Даже Бог не знал, что такое возможно… Этот безумный, безумный, безумный мир!
— Иосиф Сталин (@StalinGulag) May 7, 2014
Chechens came to Donbas to protect Russians from Ukrainians. Even God wouldn’t have known this was possible. What a crazy, crazy world!
The “Islamic State of the Donbass and the Lugant” is a prime example of how dark humor—particularly among Internet trolls—thrives on fears, stereotypes, and misinformation. The conflict in eastern Ukraine has all three in ample supply.

author: Maxim Edwards


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The Silent Crackdown on Serbian Media · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

Popular journalists Predrag Sarapa (L), Olja Bećković (R) recently had their political shows taken off-air in Serbia. Images mixed from Vreme and Media Center Belgrade.
The current and previous government in Serbia invested years into cleaning up the image of this Eastern European country that was known for decades as a hot spot for crime and war. Figureheads from across the political spectrum have sought to demonstrate their commitment to Serbia’s accession to the European Union. Publicly, they appear to want Serbia to become a truly free, democratic, and economically successful country. The reality, however, is different.
While most of Serbia's politicians appear committed to bettering the economy and quality of life in Serbia, their practices surrounding one of the most basic and necessary human rights in the country – the right to freedom of expression – are far from conducive to developing an open and prosperous society.
Pressure on independent media from ruling politicians has been mounting in recent months. Following a wave of critical reporting on government officials’ poor management of relief and rescue operations during massive floods in the region last spring, three long-standing and popular television shows were taken off the air. Journalists and editors routinely avoid reporting on these matters in media, with most living in daily fear of losing their livelihoods, which usually amount to a monthly net salary of between EU 250 and 300.
The media landscape in Serbia mirrors that of many other countries in the region. As in Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and other countries, media houses rely chiefly on advertising revenue to stay afloat, which is often connected to political parties and figures. In Serbia, this unofficial but powerful system has been exploited by various democratic coalitions that held power between 2003 and 2012.
Almost a year ago, in February 2014, there were already signs that popular talk shows that discuss politics and economy might be taken off the air. During the pre-election campaign ahead of the March 2014 early parliamentary elections, the pressure became more evident to the public and it finally began to affect the public directly, with some social media users being brought in for police questioning and sometimes detained for tweeting critically about the government. The Serbian Progressive Party won an absolute majority in government in the March 2014 elections.
In September and October 2014, three long-running television shows, which often discussed politics, economy, and society in the country, were taken off the air.
The first to go was popular talk show “Impression of the Week” (“Utisak nedelje”) created and hosted by journalist Olja Bećković, who had led the program for over 20 years, since the Milošević era. Ms. Bećković has begun openly speaking about receiving telephone calls from Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić, pressuring her to change guests and topics on her show. In an interview with Al Jazeera Balkans, Ms. Bećković expressed regret for not speaking out about direct pressure from Vučić and his cabinet earlier and said, “Yes, he [Vučić] called me.”
The next to fall was “Sarapa's Problem”, led and hosted by popular journalist Predrag Sarapa on Belgrade's Studio B television. The description of the show on Studio B's official website describes the show as:
Emisija “Sarapin Problem” ima za cilj da aktuelizuje najuočljivije političke i društvene probleme, i to bez namere da ih rešava.[…] Cilj je upravo zbog toga da gosti različitog profila i opredeljenja ponude svoja rešenja.
The show “Sarapa's Problem” has as its goal to actualize the most obvious political and social issues, without any intention to solve them.[…] The goal is, specifically because of this, for guests of different backgrounds and [political] tendencies to offer their solutions.
Studio B and others related to the state-owned television claim that Mr. Sarapa's show, one of very few that discussed current political and social topics, was taken off the air due to poor ratings. Journalists and Belgrade residents gathered by the dozen the same day the show was taken off the air and later by the hundred to protest this decision, while social media and websites flooded with support for Mr. Sarapa's journalistic plight, which since has been ironically dubbed “Sarapa's new problem”. Sarapa has also been speaking out openly about the pressure placed on him and was quoted in a recent interview saying,
Censorship is no longer a relic of the past, it's the present that we must fight against.
The third to fall was another highly regarded investigative reporting show by the name of “Insider”. The show, hosted by prominent Serbian investigative journalist Brankica Stanković, who has seen more than her fair share of trouble over the years for reporting on organized crime and political corruption in the country, was apparently pushed into having to desist from airing the show. The independently produced show had a long-standing collaboration with one of the national networks when network executives insisted on new terms for renewal of their contract, including preparing the show's new season for airing over a month earlier than planned. As the show relies on investigative stories, the show's producers, journalists, and host said they could not meet the deadlines that the network insisted on and refused to produce a show of lesser quality.
In late October, just days after learning that her show no longer had a contract with Serbia's national B92 network, Brankica Stanković was awarded the prestigious Courage in Journalism Award by the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) in New York. B92 network commended Ms. Stanković on the award and wrote about it, but offered no new terms for renewal of their contract with her and her team.
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia and similar organizations have complained time and again against these actions, calling attention to the political pressure on Serbian journalists and demanding freedom of media and rule of law, but to no avail. Officials in Serbia seem to prefer to keep their voters entertained, rather than well informed about current political and social events.

author: Danica Radisic


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Mother Who Claims to Have Killed 10 Taliban Militants Becomes National Hero in Afghanistan · Global Voices
Sahar Hashimzada

Rezagul, pictured here with her daughter Fatima, has become a symbol of the struggle against the Taliban. Video uploaded onto Youtube by the user Afghanistan Wish.
When a woman in Afghanistan's western province of Farah lost her son to a Taliban attack on a police checkpoint earlier this week, she took matters — and an AK-47 — into her own hands. Having all but destroyed the Taliban detachment with round upon round of machine gun fire, the woman is now being hailed as a “symbol of courage” on Afghan social networks
On Monday 24 November, Afghanistan's Tolo News reported that an Afghan mother, aided by her family members, had killed a slew of militants and injured several others after watching her policeman son die  when the Taliban launched a surprise assault on the police checkpoint near where she lives.
The woman, identified by her first name, Rezagul, said:
ساعت پنج صبح درگیری بالای پاسگاه امنیتی پسرم آغاز شد و هرلحظه جنگ شدت می‌یافت، سرانجام جنگ افزارها را برداشتم و خود را به .پاسگاه امنیتی پسرم رساندم و شلیک گلوله را بالای طالبان آغاز کردم
It was around 5 a.m. when my son's check point came under attack by the Taliban. When the fighting intensified, I couldn't stop myself and picked up a weapon. I went to the checkpoint and began shooting back.
According to Afghan local news agency, Khaama Press:
[Rezagul] was supported by her daughter and daughter-in-law during the gun battle which lasted for almost 7 hours and left at least 25 Taliban militants dead and five others injured.
Fatima, Rezagul's daughter said :
.ما جنگ را خانواده‌گی برضد طالبان آغاز کردیم، گلوله‌ها را آماده می‌ساختیم تا مادر و پدرم بسوی طالبان شلیک کنند
We started a kind of family war against the Taliban, and I was personally preparing bullets for my father [Abdul Satar, also a policeman] and mother to fight off the enemies.
There is some confusion over how many Taliban Rezagul personally shot dead. RFER/L's Afghan Service reported the figure as ten, also citing Rezagul. It is probable the larger number credited to her in Afghan outlets and the Daily Mail refers to the total number of militants that died in the shootout as a whole. Farah's police chief Abdul Razzaq Yaqoobi verified the death of 25 militants in the checkpoint battle and added:
.شجاعت و پایمردی این خانواده مایه‌ی افتخار ماست و این یک حماسه‌ی بیاد ماندنی برای پولیس و باشنده‌گان ولایت فراه می‌باشد
We are proud of the bravery of this family and this is a tale that will be remembered for long by police and residents of Farah province.
Ever since the news was reported, Afghan social media networks have been flooded with praise for Rezagul.
Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior tweeted:
مبارزه زنان در برابر طالبان تروريست در ولايت فرآه نماد از موج بزرگ انقلاب و خيزش مردمي عليه اين گروه است. اين زنان تاريخ نوشتند. بسيج شويم.
— Sediq Sediqqi (@moispokesman) November 24, 2014
The armed campaign by women against the Taliban militants is a symbol of a major revolution and public uprising against the group.
Lina Rozbih Haidari, an anchor at Voice of America's Afghan service, wrote in her Facebook:
اگر دختران کوبانی از سرزمین خود دفاع میکنند، امروز در سرزمین من نیز، ریزه گل ها، غیرت پامال شده ما را دوباره به ما پس میدهند.
If Kurdish girls can defend their nation [from ISIS], then today i can proudly say that we have Rezaguls in my homeland who can give us back the honour that has been violated for many years.
Mariam Aman petitioned Afghanistan's new president, Ashraf Ghani, to grant Rezagul a state award:
@ashrafghani Dont you think Rezagul deserves G.A medal for her courage & her loss probably more than all those useless politicians #RezaGul
— Mariam Aman (@MariamAmanS) November 25, 2014
One tweep even joked that Rezagul should become the country's Minister of Defence.
Gender relations are highly politicised in Afghanistan, but Rezagul's assault on the Taliban appears to have pleased both conservatives that conceive of women mainly as bearers of family honour, and advocates of gender equality, who see her actions as a powerful disproof of the traditional notion that women are weaker than men.
As one tweet surmised:
The video of #Rezagul #Afghanmother who killed 25 Taliban fighters is going viral. Refered to as #hero. A mothers patience put in to test.
— Zarghuna Kargar (@DearZari) November 24, 2014

author: Sahar Hashimzada


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Authorities Take Healthy Milk Activist to Court in Serbia · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

Street art in Novi Sad, Serbia. Photo by molimonster69 on Flickr.
Another Twitter user from Serbia has been called in by police to appear in court for his activism on social networks and “in real life”. Marko Živković from Belgrade was involved in March 2013 protests against a government decision to increase the allowed quantity of aflatoxins in milk and dairy products manufactured and imported into the country.
Jutros su mi iz policije javili da imaju nalog da me privedu u sud zbog #MlekoUp. Vise od 20 meseci kasnije to je epilog afere Aflatoksin.
— dr Marko Zivkovic (@MarkoZvkvc) November 21, 2014
This morning the police called me to tell me that they have a warrant to bring me in to court because of #MlekoUp (#MilkUp). More than 20 months later this is the epilogue of the Aflatoxin Affair.
— dr Marko Zivkovic (@MarkoZvkvc) November 21, 2014
Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites that are produced from certain types of fungi and can be found in milk and other foods. Up to certain levels these are safe for consumption. But in 2013, the government of Serbia decided to increase the legal limits on what is deemed to be safe levels of aflatoxin in milk from 0.05 to 0.5 micrograms per kilogram. This overnight increase of ten times the previously allowed amount led both citizens and some manufacturers to demand comprehensive explanations of the change from the government and for some, a protest of the decision.
A small group protests peacefully against the decision to raise permitted aflatoxin levels in milk in Belgrade in March 2013. Photo from Istinomer.
After being pressured in the early months of 2013 by citizens, local organizations, and the European Union, which warned Serbia that its dairy products would no longer be welcome in most of Europe as the allowed quantity of aflatoxins in milk is 0.05 micrograms per kilogram in the EU, the government reverted its decision.
Živković, an IT developer from Belgrade, was involved in social media activities against the government's decision, and was incidentally chosen by other individuals protesting in front of the headquarters of the Government of the Republic of Serbia to speak to journalists on behalf of the protesters on March 1, 2013. At the time, Živković told press:
“Okupili smo se spontano na Twitteru i već danima razgovoramo o ovome što se dešava (sa mlekom), a kada smo juče na televiziji čuli odluku vlade da za 10 puta uveća dozvoljenu koncentraciju toksičnog aflatoksina, odlučili smo izrazimo protest.”
“We gathered spontaneously on Twitter and have been discussing what has been happening (with milk) for days. When we heard of the government decision to increase the allowed concentration of toxic aflatoxin by 10 times on television yesterday, we decided to express our protest.”
Over a year and a half later, Živković received an unpleasant call from police, informing him that he was wanted not only for questioning, but to appear in court. In other tweets, Živković said that the police official on the other end of the line would not tell him exactly what the charges against him were, but that he was to appear in court for failing to respond to a request to come in for questioning regarding what has been popularly dubbed the “Aflatoxin Affair”. The Twitter user claims never to have received any such request to report to authorities prior to the telephone call.
Živković has received tremendous support from other Belgrade residents and Twitter users from throughout Serbia and the Balkans. He has also said that he will let his supporters know when he will be reporting to the police regarding this matter in the days to come.


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National Conference on Internet Governance in Ecuador · Global Voices
Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez

The International Center of Research in Communication for Latin America (CIESPAL, by its name in Spanish), the Association for Progressive Communication (APC), Association of Free Software of Ecuador (ASLE), Infodesarrollo Network, the organization Free Libre Open Knowledge Society (FLOK) and the Latinoamerican Agency of Information (ALAI) are hosting the National Conference on Internet Governance with the purpose of discussing the situation of Internet governance in Ecuador, regionally as well as globally. A number of national and international experts are part of the meeting:
“Encuentro Nacional de Gobernanza de Internet – Ecuador” > 27 de noviembre de 2014 >#CIESPAL ->http://t.co/EndPcqlU4b pic.twitter.com/q6HUD1om3g
— CIESPAL (@ciespal) noviembre 19, 2014
National Conference on Internet Governance – Ecuador > November 27, 2014.
According to the schedule, during the event there will be discussions about Internet access, infrastructure and content with the participation of experts such as Pilar Sáenz (Fundación Karisma) and Carlos Correa (Creative Commons Ecuador and Technical Private University of Loja), among others. The moderator will be Pablo Escandón (CIESPAL). The second session, moderated by Valeria Betancourt (APC), will be about surveillance, privacy and security on the Internet, with experts such as Renata Ávila (Web We Want) and Pilar Sáenz. Marcelo Branco (Free Software Association, Brazil) opening the event. Julián Assange will close it with a reflection about the implications of governance on the Internet for Latin America.
The event is free and will take place on November 27, 2014 at Av. Diego de Almagro N32-133 Andrade Marín, Quito. You can sign up here.

author: Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez


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From Apathetic Software Programmer to Award-Winning Hong Kong Citizen Journalist · Global Voices
inmediahk.net

Chan Chak To sets up his camp in Admiralty, a major sit-in site of the Occupy Central movement and continues to record what he has witnessed online. Photo from inmediahk.net.
Citizen journalism platform Hong Kong In-Media has organized the E-Citizen Awards to promote original reporting, political cartoons, photography and commentary online. Below is an interview with Chan Chak To, the winner of the Best Journalism award, who wrote a first-person account of the rehearsal for Occupy Central's massive sit-in on July 1, 2014. The interview was originally written in Chinese by Marco Mak, a contributing reporter for inmediahk.net. This edited English version below is translated by Cheung Choi Wan.
He is a post-80s computer engineer who loves computer games, football and dating girls. However, his ideas and his life have changed tremendously in 2014. Enter 511 in any search engine and you find his name—Chan Chak To. He is one of the 511 people arrested on July 2 for taking part in an action of civil disobedience.
On the evening of the arrest, Chan recorded in detail his frontline experience—from the moment he was arrested and taken onto a tourist bus, to what he encountered at the Hong Kong Police College in Wong Chuk Han where he was detained, up until the moment of his release. His article is full of humor, but sincere. The readers are transported to the very scene of the protest and are able to comprehend, from a closer distance and from a more realistic angle, how it all started. Chan’s article has won Best Journalism in Hong Kong In-Media’s E-Citizens Award. The day the article was published, it went viral online. It was a surprise for Chan.
What is even more unexpected is that Chan says that his future path was changed by that night. What made him come out the evening of July 1? According to Chan, it all began in June. He admits frankly that he got a two-week leave in June only to stay home to watch the World Cup. It was a coincidence that during this period of time, Hong Kong's Legislative Council deliberated the government’s preliminary funding request for the development plan of the northeast New Territories. Chan says that he witnessed the parliamentary abuse, especially when Ng Leung Sing, the chairperson of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council, forced through the funding request. Chan decided that he should do something for Hong Kong.
Chan emphasizes that he was not ready to “storm the metal fence” and confront police when he was outside the Legislative Council on June 13. “I was really ashamed of myself when I saw the students, who were younger than I, fighting. They were not at all afraid of arrest. I found myself ‘useless’. Compared with them, I probably had less to worry about. I should have stepped forward a bit more.” At that very moment he had only one thought: “No matter what, I must do something to protect them.” Tears flowed from his eyes when this thought came to his mind, and he kept asking himself why he was such a coward.
Chan felt guilty and regretted his behavior on June 13. When the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) announced that they would rehearse Occupy Central's massive sit-in, planned for later in the year, after the pro-democracy march on July 1, Chan made up his mind that he would not be a deserter again and set off for the march.
Coincidentally, his ATM card was damaged that day and he asked his girlfriend to loan him $500 as possible bail money. “This time I was prepared for the arrest.”
Chan was a Form 7 student when the July 1 march against legislation of a set of laws on national security took place in 2003. He did not join the march. Instead, he stayed home to play computer games. He was also not interested in nor concerned about social issues or politics. He has never taken up any leadership position in student organizations in the university and turned a deaf ear to student union’s affairs. “I have always felt disengaged and was not enthusiastic about taking part in the social movement.”
Chan says he is a very independent person. He had his own room in the dorm. […] Four years ago Chan left his job as a computer engineer and went to Australia where he met his girlfriend. For a while he worked on a farm picking strawberries all day long. He then worked as a hotel attendant cleaning one bathroom after another. He enjoyed what he did and kept asking himself, “Why is life in Hong Kong so oppressive? The working hours are long and there are only a few holidays.” Chan wished that he could find his true “place” during the working holiday.
Before going to Australia, he was a telecommunication software programmer. The programs sent automatic mobile messages to client, “for example, when you arrive in Macau, you would receive a welcome message, etc. After a while you would feel that it is utterly meaningless.” Before he returned, he had thought of becoming a reporter when he came back to Hong Kong because there was a sense of mission in the profession, which was to report truth, and he loved to write too. He once told himself, “Don’t return to your old job because it had only brought unhappiness.” However, life is often disappointing. When he came home, he found that writing software programme appeared to be his only skills. He could not find a reporting job and had to return to his old profession. However, he started to write what he saw and heard on social media.
Chan has a blog for sharing his thought among friends. “A few years ago I suffered from pneumothorax and was hospitalized. I wrote down my experience and feelings.” His article, “One in 511”, which won the In-Media’s E-Citizen Award recorded the details of the many scenes he witnessed from the evening of July 1 into the next day, such as the feelings of his fellow demonstrators, sketches of the police and his heartfelt appreciation of a middle-aged man who travelled to Hong Kong from Shenzhen just to participate in the protest. “Apart from sharing my own feelings through reporting and recording what happened, I wish to tell people around me by practicing what I believe in and demonstrate that social action and even civil disobedience are not something very remote from our lives.”
“I never imagined that there are so many people in Hong Kong who are concerned with social issues. Take [Occupy Central], for example. Every day there are people dressed in suits who come to Admiralty to see what is happening here.” If we want to motivate people who are politically apathetic, Chan believes that the political messages have to be written in plain language. “People refuse to read writing with too much academic jargon. I want to write soft stories that people find touching. I like Wong Tze Wah [a famous comedian in Hong Kong who comments on political news with humor]. Perhaps I have adopted his approach unconsciously.”
Chan was arrested three months ago. He has returned to the street again and has set up his tent on Connaught Road Central [one of the sit-in sites], all because he wants to be persistent in fighting for what he believes in. His family does not agree with what he is doing because they are worried that if he has a criminal record, his opportunities for promotion and career prospects will be affected. “I have used up all my paid leave for this year. I am taking unpaid leave now.” However, if his company called him, he would immediately return to his position. Chan explains with a smile that his girlfriend has also taken part in the protests and stayed overnight on the street. She supports and understands him completely. “She understands what I am doing and even told me: you can fight and I would work hard to earn us a living!”
What touches him most is that he finally managed to win his family's support with his actions; they visited him at Admiralty. Chan says he rarely talks about social issues with his friends, but he posts his thoughts and what he hears and sees on social media. “Most of my colleagues are post-70s. They always wonder why people do not simply focus on their jobs, instead of stirring up trouble.” Chan wants to use his writings and his actions to tell them that in this society money is not the only thing that matters. He wants to tell them that there are other values that are worth fighting for. People take part in social movements because they want to bring progress to our society.


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In Cricket-Crazy India, Basketball Is Quietly Empowering Girls’ Lives · Global Voices
Rezwan

The champions – girls basketball team of Gangyap's Ekalavya Model Residential School, Sikkim, with their coach. Image used with permission.
They hail from one of India's many mountain villages, and chances are that their lives would have been spent in quiet anonymity had it not been for an enthusiastic and persevering coach and their own grit. But now these girls have transformed themselves into national level champions in a sport that they had not even heard of earlier — basketball. Theirs is a truly inspiring story. They are the girls of Gangyap.
Gangyap is a remote mountainous village, located at an altitude of 6,500 feet in the Himalayan mountains of Western Sikkim. Over the last few years, the village has come out of the shadows, thanks to a group of its teenage girls who, under the guidance of their school principal-cum-coach, has become an unlikely powerhouse in the Indian under-19 CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) Basketball league.
Siddharth Yonzone, 37, was appointed the first principal of the Eklavya Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) for Scheduled Tribes that opened in Gangyap around 2009 and he recalls that at the time, the school wasn't connected by proper roads and there were no proper school building or playground. Yonzone introduced basketball to the small number of students (52 enrolled in the first year, and 33 passed) as an extra-curricular student activity and became their coach and mentor.
At Gangyap, few had heard of basketball before, but that did not deter Yonzone, himself a basketball fan. There were many challenges, but the fledgeling team and their coach persevered. This video by documentary filmmaker Mandira Chhetri explains how the girls had to build their own basketball court from scratch, through manual labour:
Despite the challenges, however, the girls basketball team of Gangyap started playing in the championships in 2010 and surprised everyone when they stole the headlines in 2011 by winning the under-19 CBSE Basketball national level championship, the first team from north-east India to do so. The girls team has lifted the East Zone trophy for the fifth time this year and are currently preparing to take part in the 2014 under-19 national championships, to be held in December.
The girls of Gangyap in action. Image used with permission.
Global Voices conducted an interview with Siddarth Yonzone over email to learn more about the team and how the game has had an impact on the lives of the girls and their community.
Global Voices (GV): What made you think of creating this basketball team with the girls, who are from the remote, tribal areas of Sikkim?
Siddarth Yonzone (SY): I'm a basketball fan, a basketball lover. When I was working in a government school as an English teacher, I had taught the game to a group of boys. This was around 2001-2004. In 2007 I was offered the post of a principal in a new school called ‘Eklavya Model Residential School’ where we had to begin with just one class, that was class VI. Seeing the very sad condition of the new school, the ignorance of the children and so much more, I wanted to catch their interest through basketball, music and some other literary stuff (of course all of which I am interested in)  I brought two girls with me to the new school (who I had started coaching in the previous school) named Rinchen abd Nim Lhamu, aged 10 and 12, respectively. With them I tried to build a team. Of course there was no court to play on. So I put up basketball rings on a wooden post. Though the other girls had never heard or seen the game, I thought of instilling confidence in them of some kind and had to start from somewhere … I felt it could be done through basketball and music.
GV: What made you choose basketball as a sport for these girls, when it is not really a very well-known or popular game even in some of India's top schools?
SY: For me, taking the road less travelled has always been my way. Moreover since I was such a fan of the game, I wanted to make it popular in places hidden from the rest of the world. I had also seen the standard of the game played by the girls in Sikkim and other places and I was not happy about it. I wanted to train a team from scratch. I also made them watch NBA and WNBA. Apart from the game, this also helped the girls learn about different places, etc.
GV: Did you have to face any challenges in creating this team and teaching them the game? Can you share one or two incidents to illustrate?
SY: Yes! There were so many challenges, but with the grace of God, (and of course, we were training very hard) the girls started winning immediately. The captain, Nima Doma, naturally learned the game and became a star player. The girls started defeating opponents who were double their age and physically bigger, stronger, older. One of the biggest challenges we faced was that by class VII, they had won their first state championship (all aged 11-14) but they were not allowed to represent the state, which they wanted to very badly. Some people tried to discourage me and the girls by saying so many things. It was only in 2010 when they were in class VIII and IX that they went out of the state to play and won so many championships . But then even today, there are many tournaments to which this team is not invited; organisers give the excuse that there is no competition when our team is called … (basically there are many who have still not acknowledged this team despite the many championships they have won all over India, in Bhutan and in Nepal too. Another challenge is that some people started to grow very jealous of the girls … It was so difficult (and still is). These people criticize behind the girls’ backs, say this is not their game, they mock and try to put down the girls. Sometimes the girls tell me of how difficult it is to belong to the team. I really don't know the reason why but since these girls were from the remote tribal areas, they were first generation learners coming from economically weak backgrounds, they were not looked after well. Scholarships/incentives for winning the CBSE under-19 national championship twice were not offered or even talked about. The girls finally got a basketball court in their seventh and final year of their schooling after learning for six years on muddy, stony, unbalanced courts. There were even some people who wanted to go out of their way to deny them a basketball court! They are so many other challenges, but the girls were interested and I got the support from their families and the biggest thing was, we met several well wishers, friends and family who helped us ..
The EMRS girls basketball team, in their school jerseys. Image used with permission
GV: What keeps the team motivated? Has it changed their day-to-day life or even their dreams in any way? Can you give an example?
SY: I guess it's the love of the game. They have set for themselves a very high target. Nima Doma, for example, dreams of playing in the WNBA. I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen but I’m certain if lady luck does smile on her, she will not disappoint the selectors. She’ll never let that opportunity go to waste. Even the support given by friends, family and well wishers have ensured that they continue to improve in the game. I try as a coach to give them targets; we have several meetings even when there aren't any tournaments coming up. Their day-to-day life has changed tremendously. They have become athletic in nature, health conscious, more confident, they started to perform very well in their academics. They have travelled to so many places within India and also Bhutan, Nepal … they have seen more of the country because of basketball. They have higher dreams now. They've met various kinds of people on their journeys, some kind and generous, others spiteful and envious … they've even been invited for tea by her majesty, the queen of Bhutan, who spoke to and advised the girls and gave them presents. Recently, five of the outgoing (school leaving) seniors have appeared for an entrance test for physical education in Gwalior. If it not been for basketball, their options or dreams would be very little.
GV: The girls team has performed fantastically in so many competitions now. Has their story had any impact on the local communities from where they come — in their villages or in their families?
SY: Yes, they have been welcomed grandly on their return after winning championships by the school and local communities. They are many people in and around Sikkim who look up to the girls as role models. We hear that in many schools, certain principals, head masters and teachers narrate stories of these players, motivating other students to try and achieve what these girls have; their families and villages are proud of them. Reports of their victories in newspapers, magazines, etc., have also inspired many other people. I sometimes meet people for the first time, but they seem to know pretty well about the team and their victories. They thank me and the team … they have said that the girls have inspired them in so many ways. On the other hand, I also feel that they should have been given a little support by the people in important positions, to enable them to get into the colleges they desired, but that has not been given …It makes me want to wonder why? Is it because they are girls? Is it because they are tribals? Is it because they are first generation learners from weak economical backgrounds? I could be totally wrong here but these things do make me think. It could also be because basketball is not a very popular game … especially with too much cricket in India, and too much fuss about contact and indoor sports in Sikkim. But one very important point I want to make is no matter the number of critics and obstacles in our path, certain well wishers have made a difference to the lives of the players.
We wish the girls of Gangyap many more successes in the days to come and hope that Siddharth Yonzone's vision will bring greater empowerment to many more such girls. We look forward to seeing them win — in basketball, and in life.

author: Rezwan


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Iranian Facebook User Sentenced to Death · Global Voices
Farid

Soheil Arabi was sentenced to death for insulting the Prophet Mohammad on the Facebook.The Revolutionary Guards arrested Soheil Arabi on November 2013. Iranian Twitter user Velgard tweeted below about this, explaining that Arabi is only a 30 year old Iranian who is not a political activist, but merely “one of us.” Several bloggers and Facebook users were arrested in last twelve months.
#سهیل_عربی تو فیسبوک مینوشت… سهیل عربی یکی از ماهاست نه فعال سیاسیه نه خیری میبره از تحولات سیاسی, فقط حرف داشت pic.twitter.com/NhPz9LPJSu
— ولگرد (@_velGard) November 26, 2014

author: Farid


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A March in Solidarity with Migrants Who Perished Trying to Reach Europe · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

Signs at the March in defense of migrants in Strasbourg (Photo Suzanne Lehn)
“Europe is fighting its own make-believe enemy”: This is the message that a dozen of associations in defense of migrants wanted to convey when they organized a human chain between the tramway station “Droits de l'Homme (Human Rights)” and the EU Parliament station in Strasbourg on November 26. In order to put Human Rights back at the core of Europe” and oppose the policy adopted by the European Agency of Border Control Frontex, protesters held signs that narrate the tragic plight of migrants trying to reach Europe. For the past 20 years, more than 20,000 migrants have died or disappeared trying to make the journey from their hometowns into Europe.
Here are a few photos of the event :
The Human chain in front of the EU Parliament in Strasbourg (photo Suzanne Lehn)
Protesters are taking turn speaking up as they move toward the parliament (photo Suzanne Lehn)
In the background, the European Court of Human Rights (photo Suzanne Lehn)

author: Suzanne Lehn


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The Internet of Things and Smart Crops · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

Today, it's not enough to just talk about the Internet. This concept has broadened and it's a good challenge for those who want to become electronic engineers. César Viloria Núñez, a professor at the Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia, explains what the Internet of things is:
Consiste en que las cosas en general estén conectadas y que no solo las personas ingresemos información a la red, sino que las cosas mismas generen información, la compartan entre ellas y tomen decisiones con el fin de automatizar distintos procesos.
It's about things in general being connected, and it's not only people feeding data to the web, but the things themselves generate information that they share it amongst themselves and make decisions with the aim of automating different processes.
Viloria Núñez tries to explain the concept with the example of a ‘smart refrigerator’, but he also mentions smart crops. He wonders:
¿Qué tal una red de sensores en el terreno cultivado que identifique qué tan húmedo o seco está el suelo para activar automáticamente el sistema de riego? Tal vez dependiendo de qué tan maduro esté el producto cultivado se requiera más o menos agua, o más o menos fertilizantes, o los sensores pueden identificar si el cultivo está siendo atacado por alguna plaga para activar el suministro automático de insecticida.
What about a network of sensors in a cultivated piece of land that identifies how irrigated or dry the soil is to automatically activate the irrigation system? Maybe relying on how mature the cultivated product is, it will need more or less water, or more or less fertilizer, or the sensors might be able to identify if the crop has been attacked by some plague to activate an automatic supply of insecticide.
Welcome to the Internet of things.
If you are interested in science, don't forget to follow César Viloria Núñez on his accounts on LinkedIn or Twitter.

author: Milton Ramirez


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The Story Behind Iran’s Censorship Redirect Page · Global Voices
Mahsa Alimardani

Written by Mahsa Alimardani and Auke Rick Akkerman for the Masters in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam's Digital Method Initiative.
The Internet environment is like a raging river full of water, and the water keeps on brimming and roaring. If we devise a plan for this river, and can direct it as we wish to a dam, we can create opportunities out of it. But if we leave it, and do not devise plans for it, then it will become a threat. (Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Fars News, 2012)
Imagine you are in Iran and trying to access www.bbc.co.uk, a website blocked by Iranian authorities. You open up your browser and then search for the URL. But instead of being taken to the BBC's website, you'll arrive at a screen that looks something like this:
The first page Iranians will encounter when they try to access blocked pages.
This page, known as “M5-8”, informs the user that “access to the requested website is not possible. For complaints click here.” M5-8, which is hosted on the country's national network and is thus inaccessible outside Iran, offers a list of links to categories listed under “culture and religion”, “society”, “Internet services”, “science and education”, “news and media” and “electronic government”.
After about 30 seconds, the website redirects to www.peyvandha.ir, a government-administered website full of alternative links for browsing the net, as well as literature related to Iran’s Internet policy (“peyvandha” means “links” in Persian).
peyvandha.ir, the second censorship re-direct page Iranians view.
Peyvandha.ir harkens back to the era of the web directory. The directory was a popular tool in the early '90s, used by Yahoo! and the Open Directory Project, before the rise of search engines lead to a reliance on algorithmic page ranking for websites.
In the Islamic Republic of Iran, the directory still exists in the form of peyvandha.ir — a place where Iranian Internet users are given a pre-selected set of options for sites to visit. But despite the technical limitations it represents, peyvandha.ir can be a useful tool for researchers — it provides a window into the thinking behind state information control and the broader political goals that this seeks to accomplish.
After the contested 2009 presidential elections and subsequent social unrest, Internet controls were heightened inside Iran. Iran’s Cyber Crime Law was developed and implemented, giving rise to the CCDOC, the centralized censorship body affiliated with the Ministry of Justice. Peyvandha.ir came into existence the following year.
Peyvandha.ir has undergone six major updates since it was first created. These updates are not merely technical — they reflect the evolution of web design from the Iranian state, illustrating how Iran represents itself through online interfaces. They can also help us better understand censorship within Iran on the whole. Using screen captures from the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, we were able to trace and reflect on the evolution of peyvandha.ir over time.
Each version of peyvandha.ir has included literature related to Iran's Cyber Laws — these have evolved as norms on what constitutes filtered content have become more entrenched within Iran.
The first version of  peyvandha.ir redirected users to a new page and then told them, “In the Name of God, according to the Computer Crimes Act, access to this website requested is not possible.”
While earlier versions of the page prominently featured nationalistic and religious elements, more recent designs are sleek and more subtle about the censorship they represent.
The first version of peyvandha.ir as captured by the Wayback Machine from April 24, 2010.
In the second version, users were simply told that the links they were viewing were “some of the registered links.” Within version 2 we also saw the peyvandha.ir website creating pages related to Internet policy, now located at the bottom of the page (in element 4 below):
The second version of peyvandha.ir as captured by the Wayback Machine from August 12, 2010.
Version 3 continued with the theme of religious references, with a poem featured that states, “If you listen to the words of the poet Saadi, he says he consents to require the consent of Him” (element 2). Immediately to the right of this, users see the text “in the name of God the merciful” (element 1), as if to imply that these pages are being censored at the will of God.
The third version of peyvandha.ir as captured by the Wayback Machine from April 23, 2011.
These religious references continued in version 4, whereby the main feature of the page was a changing image that made reference to national holidays and events, maintaining the theme of allusions to Shia Islam and National Imams. The first image (seen below) depicts a mosque, marking the festival of Imam Reza, asking users to click on a link to submit ideas for the festival. Instead of the categories and the subcategories that are featured in previous versions, there are links featured as “suggestions” and “accidental” links.
The fourth version of peyvandha.ir as captured by the Wayback Machine from May 15, 2011.
Version 5 brought attention to the “Islamic nature” of censorship and the theological regime behind it. The links featured on this page are much more in keeping with state propaganda than other versions. The page features many links to websites about the martyred soldiers of the Iran-Iraq war, as well as websites that feature reviews of American video games, entitled “Reviews of Satan’s Games.”
While version 4 did not display any links, all previous versions of peyvandha.ir featured the popular Persian language blogging platform Blogfa. But version 5 omits the platform altogether. Sources responsible for the design of this page tell us this is because founder Alireza Shirazi asked for the website to be removed from the list. The six links related to Internet policy and contact information for site administrators are still located at the bottom.
The fifth version of peyvandha.ir from the After the Green Movement Report, captured on November 28, 2012.
The last two iterations of the website in version 6 and 7 are very similar in design. According to an anonymous source involved in the site's development, the sudden change was intended “to make filtering more pleasant,” or rather to appear as a subtle part of the Iranian Internet experience, rather than one presented with indoctrinating aspects of the government.
The significant change that comes in version 7 is the prominent feature of the Internet policy links in element 2:
The sixth version of peyvandha.ir from the Wayback Machine captured on April 2, 2013.
The current version of peyvandha.ir from the Wayback Machine captured on December 18, 2013.
The following is a video narration of how peyvandha.ir has morphed throughout the years.
The changes in the page demonstrate the evolution of how the Iranian state has represented its censorship policies. This page serves as one reflection of state policies regarding online expression in the age of President Hassan Rouhani. Rhetoric, words, and the actions of Iran's leaders now often seem liberal — Rouhani's support of a free Internet, and the active presence of his cabinet on the blocked platforms of Facebook and Twitter — but bloggers still face arrest and platforms continue to be blocked.

author: Mahsa Alimardani


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Updates on the 18th SAARC Summit On Social Media · Global Voices
Rezwan

The ongoing summit of the The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was covered by international media with different perspectives. However non-official initiatives such as 18th SAARC Summit blog, Facebook account, Twitter and Google+ account are aggregating updates on the summit for easy archiving.
Here are some examples:
This is How Modi Was Welcomed in Kathmandu for 18th SAARC Summit [Video] http://t.co/cQWr6vJ4Jo #SAARC2014 pic.twitter.com/nmyuj6Asaq
— 18th SAARC Summit (@18thsaarc) November 27, 2014
7 MustKnow Facts About SAARC http://t.co/57sZyhlJkY #SAARC2014 #saarcsummit2014 #Nepal https://t.co/QPIq3jBC5W pic.twitter.com/LZeqaJfi2S
— 18th SAARC Summit (@18thsaarc) November 27, 2014
Why Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina skipped the SAARC retreat session in Dhulikehel – See more at: http://t.co/YmbDzFXmO8 #SAARC2014
— 18th SAARC Summit (@18thsaarc) November 27, 2014
Ranipokhari Decorated like Bride for 18th SAARC http://t.co/gNna9r7g3w #Nepal #Kathmandu #SAARC2014 pic.twitter.com/eCYaogISxk
— 18th SAARC Summit (@18thsaarc) November 27, 2014


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Mexico’s Missing Ayotzinapa Students Are More Than Just a Number · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

For many Mexican artists, the disappearance of 43 students who attended a rural teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa has represented an inescapable theme in their work. As such, several portraits by illustrators and graphic artists have been widely shared on the Latin American blogosphere under the hashtag #Illustrators with Ayotzinapa.
The artist who started the initiative is Valeria Gallo, and many other artists joined the project soon after to create portraits of the missing students, with the goal of getting closer to them. In an interview with Muesógrafo.com, Gallo spoke about how it started:
Se me ocurrió que dibujar a los estudiantes nos acercaría un poco más a ellos, y le conté mi idea a algunos colegas. Empezamos a retratarlos y a subir las ilustraciones a Facebook y a Twitter con el hashtag #IlustradoresConAyotzinapa. El mismo día mi pareja, Alfonso Ochoa, creó el blog en Tumblr.
It occurred to me that drawing the students would bring us a bit closer to them, and I told a few of my colleagues about my idea. We began drawing them and uploading the illustrations to Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #IllustratorsWithAyotzinapa. The same day, my boyfriend, Alfonso Ochoa, created the blog on Tumblr.
Students from the National School of Dramatic Arts (ENAT) and from the Sonora University of Performing Arts (UNISON) also dedicated performances to the students, even before the investigation released a report that presumed the students to be dead, something that still remains unconfirmed. The common theme among the works, along with the illustrators’ initiative, is the desire to humanize the students and go beyond the number 43, which has been at the center of campaigns throughout Mexico expressing outrage over the tragedy.
In one performance, UNISON actors called out the names of each student:
Similarly, in a performance by ENAT, actors evoke the names and ages of the students:
More recently, ENAT gave another performance that has been widely shared on social media in Mexico and around the world:
The original video was posted on Facebook and attracted many comments from users interpreting and reflecting on the performance. Juan García:
El mensaje que yo me llevo es que: los zapatos representan a personas que han muerto por alzar la voz a la opresión y los chicos, representan a la población general que intentan hacer cambios pero son ejecutados o intimidados con la sangre de otros por un gobierno que utiliza el terrorismo para someter a la población. Hablando de México, debemos despertar y dejar atrás esa estúpida idea de que “Peña [Nieto, el presidente de la República] es el culpable de todo” y de que “estaríamos mejor con obrador” por que déjenme decirles, señores, que los dos son seres viles, indecentes, e inadecuados para gobernar un país. México, despierta y date cuenta que, como este video muestra, la población es la mayoría y si dejáramos atrás el miedo y si nos pudiéramos organizar, podríamos lograr un cambio verdadero. […] La culpa no es del gobierno sino del pueblo que sigue ciegamente [al primero] que les regale una torta, una tarjeta de regalo, o que les hable de su adorada “morena”. Que lástima me da por todas la víctimas hasta ahora, pero me da más lastima aún ver cómo el pueblo desesperado y poco educado se une a las filas de otro […] partidista que solo ha trabajado incansablemente para llegar al poder y que garantiza perpetuar el ciclo de opresión.
The message I carry in me is that: shoes represent people who have died for raising their voices to oppression and the kids represent the general population that tries to make changes but is executed or intimidated with the blood of others by a government that utilizes terrorism to suppress the population. Speaking of Mexico, we must wake up and leave behind this stupid idea that “Peña [Nieto, the President of the Republic] is to blame for everything” and that “we would be better off with [2012 presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López] Obrador” because let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that both are vile, indecent human beings who are not adequate enough to govern a country. Mexico, wake up and realize that, as this video shows, the population is the majority and if we leave fear behind and could organize ourselves, we could make a real difference. […] The government is not to blame, but rather the people who blindly follow [the first] to give them a treat, a gift card, or the one who talks to them about their worshipped “Dark Virgin”. I feel such sadness for all of the victims up until now, but I am more sad to still see how the desperate and uneducated join the ranks of the other […] party member who has only worked tirelessly to rise to power and guarantees to perpetuate the cycle of oppression.
Follow Global Voices Online's special coverage on the disappearance of the students.

author: Laura Vidal


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Adorably Ugly Cats Take Over Tokyo Train · Global Voices
Nevin Thompson

“Ultimate Relaxation,” the grand prize winner of Japan's recent busukawa neko “adorably ugly cat” contest. Image source: Canon Japan
The winners of a popular contest to find Japan's most “adorably ugly” cats (busukawa neko) have taken over select trains on Tokyo's Yamanote Line.
【ニャー】山手線がブサかわ猫ちゃんだらけ！ #スマフォトレイン 期間限定運行 http://t.co/FHiN5TQ5e5 pic.twitter.com/CdPVwK81Zm
— 鉄道新聞 公式アカウント (@tetsudoshimbun) November 13, 2014
The Yamanote Line is full of “adorably ugly” (busukawa) cats!
Many train lines in Japan are already plastered with print advertising. Now, for two weeks in November and early December, the Yamonote Line, the loop line that travels around central Tokyo, is decked out in photos of the winning cats. A YouTube video titled “Canon's Adorably Ugly Cat Campaign Hijacks Tokyo Trains to Promote New PIXUS Printer” offers a glimpse:
The campaign is sponsored by PIXUS, a line of Canon desktop printers, and offers a grand prize of 100,000 yen (US$10,000). Out of nearly 6,000 submissions, 288 finalists and prizewinners ended up displayed on the train.
One lucky cat won the top prize:
栄えあるグランプリントはこちら！タイトルは「究極の癒し」癒し癒され、生きていくのニャ〜。 pic.twitter.com/wkx8dCZ9uT
— ブサかわ猫ちゃん レオンくん (@busakawaleon) November 12, 2014
And here is the grand prize winner! The photo's title: “Ultimate Relaxation.”
There were a variety of runners-up. This cat won second place in the contest:
レオンくん特別賞はこちら。タイトル「あっかんべ〜〜っ」ブサかわバランスの黄金比だニャ。 pic.twitter.com/Zn2weBwoC5
— ブサかわ猫ちゃん レオンくん (@busakawaleon) November 12, 2014
And here is the second-place prize. The title: “No f-ing way, man.” The golden color of this cat's coat perfectly balances the fine silver fur of our grand prize winner.
As the purpose of the contest was to promote Canon's new printer, many of the cats were awarded prizes according to how well their ugly mugs might accessorize a variety of personal belongings.
バッグにして持ち歩きたくなるで賞はこちら。タイトル「おまんじゅう」食べていいですか？ pic.twitter.com/dfvwlVsEpV
— ブサかわ猫ちゃん レオンくん (@busakawaleon) November 12, 2014
And the winner for “would look best printed on a handbag” is “May I eat a sticky bun?”
Tシャツにプリントしたくなるで賞「！！！」デザイナー心をくすぐる表情を捉えてるんだニャ。 pic.twitter.com/gAq3UvjAp2
— ブサかわ猫ちゃん レオンくん (@busakawaleon) November 12, 2014
Here is the winner of “would look best printed on a T-shirt”!!! This cat has tickled the fancy of T-shirt designers everywhere!
The cacophony of ugly cat images has become quite popular with Japanese commuters, who have posted photos of the decked-out trains on social media.
これはかわいい！ #スマフォトレイン #山手線 #ブサかわ猫ちゃんグランプリ pic.twitter.com/8qohj2PMYn
— ブサかわ猫ちゃん レオンくん (@busakawaleon) November 18, 2014
This is so cute!  #スマフォトレイン (smartphone photo train) #山手線 (Yamanote Line) #ブサかわ猫ちゃんグランプリ (Adorably Ugly Grand Prix)
山手線がやばーい。PIXUSの宣伝電車になってる！ わたしが乗った車両ははブサかわ猫ちゃんグランプリって書いてあって、ブサ猫ちゃんの写真で埋め尽くされてる！ カレンダーにしたくなるで賞だって＼(^o^)／ pic.twitter.com/s2AeVUfahj
— エイミー@19戦13勝6敗 (@kiyota1ban) November 21, 2014
The Yamonote Line is CRAZY! It's turned into a total advertisement for PIXUS. The carriage is absolutely plastered with adorably ugly cat pictures. Now I totally want to make a calendar! ＼(^o^)／
The full list of adorably ugly cat contest finalists can be seen here. To keep on top of Japan's adorably ugly cats, follow @busakawaleon.

author: Nevin Thompson