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Tajikistan: ‘Halloween is not for Patriots’ · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

There are not many people in Tajikistan who know anything about Halloween, let alone mark it. Yet even rare celebrations of the holiday in the country make some people uneasy.
‘Alien’ holiday
On October 31, blogger Bachai Sako set the tone for the discussion on blogiston.tj. Disturbed by his son's willingness to celebrate the festival with friends, he wrote [tj] that the holiday had its roots in paganism and western culture. Bachai Sako then suggested:
Ба фикри ман, мо бояд аз таъриху решахои ин урфу одат хеч вакт фаромуш накунем. “Хэллоуин” асосан иди бутпарастону исавиён буда, ба арзишхову анъанахои миллии точик ва чамьияти исломи хеч тааллук надорад. Мо бояд насли наврасро омузонем, ки “хэллоуин” ба точикон ва ахли ислом бегона мебошад. Точикписарону точикдухтарони сарбаланд ва миллатдуст хеч вакт набояд идхои бегонаро чашн гиранд.
I think we should never forget about the history and origins of this tradition. Halloween is essentially a holiday of pagans and Christians, and as such it has nothing to do with the values and traditions of the Tajik nation and Islamic society. We should teach the younger generation that Halloween is alien to Tajiks and all Muslims. Proud Tajik boys and girls who love their nation should never celebrate alien holidays.
Christian Mark Bleur took this photo at a Halloween party this week in Qurghonteppa, southern Tajikistan. Used with permission.
Commenting on Bachai Sako's post, another Tajik blogger, Teocrat, agreed [tj]:
100% бо Шумо розиям! Ман низ мутмаинам, ки аз чунин “идхо” имони чавонони мо заиф мегардад […] Наход дар хамин олам дигар идхои милли ва мусалмонии худамон набошад? […] Миллат ва халке, ки арзишхои худро пос намедорад ва онхоро риоя намекунад зуд туъмаи душманон мегардад!
I [fully] agree with you! I am confident that because of such “holidays” our young people weaken in their faith. Don't we have our own national and Muslim holidays? […] A nation or a people that doesn't preserve its values and doesn't act upon them quickly falls victim to enemies!
‘Innocent prank’
Some bloggers, however, thought that Bachai Sako went too far in criticizing the holiday. Mustafo wrote [ru]:
Не нужно перегибать палку. Во-первых, те ОЧЕНЬ НЕМНОГИЕ жители Таджикистана, которые “празднуют” хэллоуин, на самом деле никаким праздником его не считают. Это просто еще один повод разнообразить свою жизнь, устроить что-нибудь весёлое и интересное. Хэллоуин, о котором большинство наших граждан даже и не слышало, это просто НЕВИННАЯ ШАЛОСТЬ, а не “чуждый” праздник.
Don't go too far. First of all, those FEW Tajikistanis who “celebrate” Halloween don't actually view it as a holiday. [For them] it is just another occasion to diversify their lives, organize something fun and interesting. Halloween, which most of our fellow-citizens have not even heard of, is just an INNOCENT PRANK, rather than an “alien” holiday.
Similarly, underneath Bachai Sako's post, Dil commented [ru]:
мне кажется что этот праздник еще один повод для людей собраться и весело провести время, какая разница чей это праздник? самое главное это ПРАЗДНИК!!!
I think that this holiday is another occasion when people can get together and have fun. Why should it matter whose holiday it is? The most important thing is that it is a HOLIDAY!!!
Christian Mark Bleur took this photo at a Halloween party this week in Qurghonteppa, southern Tajikistan. Used with permission.
These attempts to defend Halloween have been criticized. Under Mustafo's post, Parvona contended [ru]:
невинная шалость? ага, сегодня мы начнем праздновать хэллоуин вместе с днем свитого валентана, а завтра забудем свой родной язык и потеряем свою культуру.
an innocent prank? well, today we will celebrate Halloween and St. Valentine's Day and tomorrow we will forget our mother tongue and lose our culture.
A bit later Parvona added [ru]: “Halloween is not for patriots”.
‘National’ holidays
Bachai Sako's assertion that Halloween should not be celebrated because it is ‘alien’ to national and Islamic traditions has led some users on blogiston.tj to argue that many other holidays marked in Tajikistan have little to do with Islam or ‘national’ traditions.
Jahongir wrote [tj]:
In tavr boshad, idi Nawruzam idi musalmoni nest. Shoyad Nawruzro jashn kardan bas kunem? Man rozi bo on sukhanhoi ki “halloween” idi mardumi Tojik nest, lekin agar sukhan dar borai idhoi musalmoni boshad mo in chunin boyad 8 Martu digar idhoi Sovetiro qa'd kardanashro ma'n kunem, yo ne?
If this is how we look at things, Navruz [aka ‘Persian New Yer’] is also not a Muslim holiday. Should we stop celebrating Navruz as well? I agree that Halloween is not the Tajik people's holiday, but if we talk about Muslim holidays, we should also stop celebrating March 8 [Women's Day] and other Soviet holidays, or not?
And Ruslan suggested [ru] that what is considered a ‘national’ holiday changes with time.
[П]онятие “национальный” праздник меняется со временем. В начале 9-го века, например, Иди Курбон и Иди Рамазон были “чуждыми” для наших предков праздниками. А еще 100 лет назад таджики и не думали о том, чтобы справлять Новый Год, дни рожденья, 8 марта. 23 февраля и т.д. Откуда мы начинаем отсчет того, насколько какой-то праздник является “национальным” или “чуждым”?
What is considered a “national” holiday changes over time. In the early ninth century, for example, Idi Kurbon [Eid al-Adha] and Idi Ramazon [Eid al-Fitr] were ‘alien’ holidays to our ancestors. And 100 years ago, Tajiks did not celebrate the New Year, birthdays, March 8, February 23 [Army Day], etc. From when do we start counting to see which holiday is ‘national’ or ‘alien'?
In many ways, this discussion reflects wider disagreements within Tajik society about what should be considered ‘national’ and what is to be regarded as ‘foreign’. Some people in the country believe that Tajiks should return to their ‘roots’, either pre-Soviet or pre-Islamic. Other people argue that Tajiks should retain their post-Soviet culture.
Still, it appears that most people in the country find all these discussions useless. As Ismoili Yorigi put it [ru]:
что вы тут развели дискуссию? хеллоун – не хэллоуин, национальный – не национальный… мне лично никакой разницы нет. лишь бы в стране всем жилось хорошо!
What are you discussing here? Halloween or no Halloween, national or not national… I personally don't care. The most important thing is to make sure that we all live well in the country!

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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The “Black Peril” According to One Moroccan Weekly  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The cover of Moroccan Weekly “Maroc Hebdo” lists the peril of black immigration in Morocco – posted on twitter by @atourabi -Public Domain
Activist Rokhaya Diallo wonders [fr] what drove magazines to recently choose racially polarizing covers. Moroccan Weekly Maroc Hebdo writes  on its cover [fr] that black population brings instability, illegal immigration, drug trafficking and prostitution to Morocco. French magazine Le Point also came under scrutiny for several covers polarizing the Muslim community[fr].

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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India: Playwright Girish Karnad Slams Award for V.S. Naipaul · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

The audience at the Tata Literature Live! festival held in Mumbai on November 2 was surprised, when playwright, actor and director Girish Karnad spoke angrily about the presentation of an award to Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul.
Karnad was supposed to talk about his own work, but used the time instead to criticise the festival's giving of a Lifetime Achievement Award to Trinidadian-British author Naipaul, who Karnad accused of being anti-Muslim.
Deepanjana Pal was at the event, and wrote a post entitled “And Girish Karnad went Boom!”:
It was supposed to be an hour-long “masterclass” by playwright Girish Karnad and ended up being 45 minutes of fireworks at the end of which Tata Literature Live!’s festival director Anil Dharker was fuming and author Farrukh Dhondy’s red face made it clear that he was not amused. Instead of speaking about his plays, Karnad presented a lecture that attacked Nobel laureate VS Naipaul for being anti-Muslim, tone deaf and unreliable writer of non-fiction as far as India is concerned. Karnad asserted that Naipaul “has no idea of how Muslims contributed to Indian history.” He questioned the authenticity of Naipaul’s non-fiction writing in India and said Naipaul’s ideas are simplistic.
In his talk, Karnad said:
Apart from his novels, only two of which take place in India and are abysmal, Naipaul has written three books on India and the books are brilliantly written – he is certainly among the great English writers of our generation. They have been hailed as a continued exploration of India’s journey into modernity, but what strikes one from the very first book, A Wounded Civilization, is their rabid antipathy to the Indian Muslim. The “wound” in the title is the one inflicted on India by Babar’s invasion. Since then, Naipaul has never missed a chance to accuse them of having savaged India for five centuries, brought, among other dreadful things, poverty into it, and destroyed glorious Indian culture. […] To Naipaul, the Indian Muslim remains an invader forever, forever condemned to be condemned, because some of them had invaders for their ancestors.
V. S. Naipaul reading. Image by Flickr user caribbeanfreephoto (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
Deepanjana Pal commented:
The fact that Naipaul can indeed write exquisite sentences – sharp, precise and filled with images – is well-known and endlessly repeated. No one is debating that. The question that, to my mind, is worth asking is whether his “contrary” opinions are provocative or offensive. Contrary to popular usage, the two are not interchangeable. They have very different meanings. To be provocative is to provoke, which means to stimulate a strong reaction. It’s the basis of most great art (novels, films, paintings; the jing-bang lot of them) – they seek to engage the audience in a debate and leave them wondering. To offend, on the other hand, is a far blunter, cruder act. You’re simply annoying or hurting someone. If Tata Literature Live!’s powers that be believe Naipaul’s “contrary” views are provocative, then bravo, because Naipaul has (as usual) sparked a debate. Whether by design or accident, this festival deserves a big cheer for giving space to conflicting opinions. Karnad, however, is of the camp that believes that Naipaul is simply offensive.
On Twitter, feelings were mixed. Jaaved Jaaferi sided with Karnad:
@jaavedjaaferi: BRAVO Mr. Girish Karnad for being analytically vociferous about the blatantly communal V.S.Naipaul at the Lit Fest in Mumbai
Oldtimer felt Karnad had behaved badly:
@auldtimer: Ethics of Girish Karnad: At a felicitation function he was invited to, he attacks the person being felicitated to grab attention for himself
The Bad Doctor joked that Karnad spoke so poorly, he could be a politician:
@doctoratlarge: Girish Karnad was so illogical and ribald in his speech that he can make a brilliant Congress spokesperson.
Shiv Mishra pointed out that Karnad had been silent when Salman Rushdie was forced to withdraw from the Jaipur Literature Festival in January, after protests from some Muslim groups and an apparent threat to Rushdie's life:
@mishrashiv: Was Girish Karnad suffering from bad throat when Rushdie was not allowed to enter Jaipur?
But Naresh Fernandes suspected that all those on Twitter defending Naipaul had never read his work:
@tajmahalfoxtrot: Astonished to find how many twitfenders Naipaul has. I wonder how many of them have actually read him.
@tajmahalfoxtrot: They should be forced to read A Million Mutinies. They'll learn how mean-spirited he is about India.

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Love China or Leave Former Beijing Officials Tell Hong Kong · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently two former Beijing officials who previously handled Hong Kong and Beijing relations warned against the spread of pro-Hong Kong independence forces in Hong Kong. The comments were made after Beijing government's failed attempt to push through the national education curriculum and the appearance of the British colonial flag of Hong Kong in several protests to defend the city's autonomy.
To love China or leave
In a letter on 12 October 2012 to the South China Morning Post, Lu Ping, the former director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Office claimed that:
Lu Ping: Love China or Leave. Image from the House News. Non-commercial use.
These guys who advocate for Hong Kong independence are sheer moron. Deprived of support from the mainland, Hong Kong would be a dead city.  Do they know where the water they are daily drinking comes from?
He went further in an exchange of email:
Those who do not recognize they are Chinese should look at what is written on their passports or they should renounce their Chinese nationality. …Our country, which has a population of 1.3 billion, would not be bothered losing this handful of people.
In other words, Love China or Leave. Lu Ping's former deputy, Chen Zuoer, resonated with his comment and said separatism has been spreading like a virus in Hong Kong.
The officials’ blunt comment, in particular the implication that Beijing could shut down water supply and turn Hong Kong into a dead city, has outraged the locals. Financial news commentator, Yau Yickseng, pointed out [zh] that China has been taking advantage of Hong Kong's water contract – a 30-year water supply agreement that is 6 times more expensive when compared with local arrangements in order to help a big state-owned company, GITIC, restructure its debt during the Asian financial crisis back in 1998:
GITIC是如何重組債務呢？…東江水正是在這樣的背景下被注入粵投，作為拯救方案的核心部份，令粵投可以繼續生存，債權人接納重組方案。而當時港府與粵投簽訂的30年供水協議，是負責經營輸港東江水的公司粵港供水（控股），估值可以高達22億美元的關鍵，債權人最終收貨。
…香港今年花在東江水的成本，約為每立方米4.32元，數倍於供給東莞的東江水價格0.5元，亦高於供給深圳的價格0.96元。
How did GITIC manage to restructure its debt?… The Dongjiang water supply project was injected into GITIC's core business in such context as to persuade the loan creditor to accept the debt restructuring proposal. The 30-year water supply agreement signed between Hong Kong government and GITIC was up to USD2.2 billions, that's why the loan creditor accepted the proposal.
… This year the money spent on Dongjiang water in Hong Kong is HKD4.32 per cubic meter, many times more than when compared with the water supply cost in Dongguan (HKD0.5) and in Shenzhen (HKD0.96).
To create a straw man for cracking down on local social movement
The House News, a new citizen news portal in Hong Kong, ran an editorial [zh] explaining why the former Beijing officials wanted to pinpoint the so-called independence movement in Hong Kong:
A few colonial flags appeared in a rally against the development of Northeast New Territories in September 2012. Photo from Hong Kong City-State Autonomy Movement's Facebook Page.
1）嚇窒本土社運：七一有近四十萬人上街反梁振英，七●廿九有七萬上街反國教，九月初十二萬人包圍政府總部，社運抬頭已成勢。一旦將社運與港獨拉上關係，自然會令一般中產群眾有戒心，因港獨並非香港主流。
2）為日後廿三條立法造勢：港獨蔓延、嚴正對付，究竟所指為何？要禁止煽動分裂國家行為，自然要靠廿三條立法，一旦指鹿為馬成功，將城邦自治運動及網民舉龍獅旗行為紥成「稻草人」來攻擊，製造港獨已實際存在並蔓延全社會的假象，順理成章，自然為立法禁止煽動分裂國家行為鳴鑼開道。
3）壓止政制公投：上次五區公投運動，已被標籤為搞港獨，估計今屆關於2016立法會及2017普選行政長官安排，勢必再次觸發政制公投運動，而規模可能比上次更大，必須及早防範。
1. To intimidate local social movement: In the last July 1 rally, there were around 400 thousand people who took to the street against C.Y Leung (the current city major). On July 29, there were around 70 thousand people who rallied against the implementation of national education. In early September, around 120 people surrounded the government headquarters [against national education]. Social movement has become a popular resistance force. To connect social movement with Hong Kong independence movement, will set a barrier between the middle class and the social movement as the mainstream never believes in Hong Kong independence.
2. To create a context for the legislation of Basic Law article 23 [anti-state sedition law]: to say that there is a spread of Hong Kong Independence movement and that the government has to guard against such force. What does it imply? To prohibit separatist behaviour in order to push through the article 23 legislation. Once they have succeeded in turning the autonomous movement and colonial flag into a “straw man” [enemy] and the illusion that the independence movement is spreading like a virus, it sets the green light for the anti-state sedition legislation.
3. To suppress the referendum movement for political reform: the last referendum movement has been labelled as an independence movement. Concerning the arrangement of 2016 legislative council and 2017 chief executive elections, it is likely that there will be another referendum movement and the scale will be much bigger. They are taking precautions.
inmediahk.net also ran an editorial [zh] commenting on the pro-independence “straw man”:
港澳辦與中聯辦，繼以「去中國化」來描繪香港的本土運動後，又以「港獨」來概括中港矛盾。「稻草人」果然好打，一些網友點出，若不製造出「港獨」巨獸，如何合理化香港的維穩費用，包括搞一批武鬥式「愛港」組織？如何把目前香港社會分化的亂局找來代罪羔羊，以免中央降罪？
Both the Hong Kong and Macau Office and Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong has been using the terms “De-China movement” to describe the local social movement and “Hong Kong Independence movement” to label the conflict between Hong Kong and China. The “Straw Man” is really an easy target. Some friends have already pointed out that the giant monster of “Hong Kong Independence” has been manufactured for justifying the “stability maintenance cost” in Hong Kong, including the militant system “Love Hong Kong” organization, as well as to look for a scapegoat for the chaotic situation and social division that they have brought to Hong Kong, to avoid the Central government from pinpointing their wrong doings.
Mainland Chinese netizens: Can Lu Ping disclose his family members’ nationality?
Not only Hong Kong people feel intimidated by Lu's comment, mainland Chinese netizens are also questioning Lu's moral ground as his daughter has been migrated to the U.S.A, while his son is now the advisor of Hong Kong Airport Authority. In a news thread in Kdnet forum [zh]:
@rubykwan: 原來魯某身體力行, 令其兩女不要做中國人! 要大家向其家人學習!
此人入洋教, 家人都入洋籍, 正一”口中說不, 身體卻老實”的模範, 也很合符強國人人格.
@rubykwan: Lu is practicing what he preached. His daughters are no longer Chinese nationals and he wants others to follow his path. He believes in western religion, his family members are westerners. He did not disclose that but he is a typical example of a certain character of this strong country.
@KD阿郎：鲁平，能公布，敢公布你老婆儿子女儿孙子孙女的国籍？是否绿卡？ 敢公布你的个人财产状况
@KD阿郎: Lu Ping, can you disclose your wife, your son, your daughter and grand daughters’ nationalities? Are they green card carriers? Do you dare to disclose your financial details?
@知足常樂：占了你的家還要趕你走
@知足常樂: They occupy your home and now want to kick you out.
＠你可真逗：一贯的流氓习气,不反省自己哪里没做好,倒打一耙,还企图开除同胞的国籍
＠你可真逗: typical character of thugs. They don't reflect upon their doings and now want to take away our brothers’ and sisters’ Chinese nationality.
＠龔南遺孤：怎么会有这样的sb,难道嫌香港人还不够讨厌中央政府?你有什么资格赶走香港人?国家是由人民组成的,不是由政客组成的
＠龔南遺孤：Such a stupid ass. You want to make Hong Kong people hate the central government more? How dare you intend to kick Hong Kong people away like this? The country is composed of people, not politicians.
＠雲里月：现在香港人变成汉奸了！当年穷到没裤穿时，求大爷一样求别人回来投资。香港人不来投资，楼猪这货还在用树枝刷牙吧。
＠雲里月: Now they want to turn Hong Kong people into traitors. When China was so poor, to the extent that people did not even have a pair of trousers to wear, we begged them to return and invest. If Hong Kong people did not return, pigs like Lu would be brushing teeth with tree sticks.
＠dakache: 不想当中国人可以放弃中国国籍———-
【造句】：1、不想吃地沟油可以放弃进食
2、不想吸污浊空气可以放弃呼吸
3、不想接受一胎化可以放弃生育
@dakache: Those who do not recognize they are Chinese should renounce their Chinese nationality.
[sentence remixed]: 1. those who don't want to consume ditch oil should give up eating.
2. those who don't want to breath in polluted air should give up breathing.
3. those who don't accept one child policy should give up reproduction.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Peru: Police Enforce Blockade in La Parada Market · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

[All links lead to Spanish language pages unless otherwise noted]
Following the violent incidences [en] that occurred on Thursday, October 25, during a street blockade operation that aimed to deactivate the wholesale market La Parada, and the tense calm experienced the following day with a new operation being aborted, finally Saturday 27 saw the execution of the programmed blockade. However, there were two more deaths [en], some 100 arrested [en] and an unconfirmed number of injured persons.
Around 11am on Saturday, the police contingencies began to arrive in masses to La Parada. Immediately this sparked a reaction from local residents and traders, amongst others, giving way to the first confrontations. The police responded with tear gas canisters and started to position the cement blocks.
At 1pm, it is reported that the police contingency in La Parada had reached approximately 5000 in number, and at 2pm the majority of the cement blocks had been positioned. Around 3pm the operation had practically been completed, but for security reasons 1000 police officers had been prepared and would remain distributed across the areas of La Parada and Gamarra until the following day.
The Mayoress Susana Villarán [en], for her part, pointed out that they are only obeying the law and bringing order to a dangerous area. She also said that the new wholesale market is something that “people from Lima deserve”, and she praised the work of the police. For his part, the Chief of the Seventh Region's Police Force declared that the operation went “impeccably”.
La Parada, Lima, Peru. Photo by fokus Lima in Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
This same day however, Lima was devastated by rumours of looting coming from different districts. Many of them were false but some confirmed, though none with huge implications.
The General of Peru's National Police Force (PNP), Raúl Salazar, declared that “There is a social-psycho in the networks that has been misinforming society.” It is not clear if it was something that was coordinated or not, but even traditional media outlets have echoed the rumours, and on Twitter for some time they appeared to be coming fromall sides. Sociologist Gonzalo Portocarrero was asked about the role of social networks in this, he said:
Parece ser que en las redes sale un poco el inconsciente social. Se revela una verdad que de otra manera, se esconde. No es decente sostener públicamente que hay que matar a todos los delincuentes, pero en las redes sí se puede circular esto entre amigos…
It seems to be that the social unconscious appears a little in these networks. It reveals a truth that in another way, is hidden. It is not respectable to declare publicly that all delinquents should be killed, but this can be circulated on these networks between friends…
Rumours are not the only thing to be circulated in social networks, the dreadful impression that the first, and failed, operation left, still remains in the minds of many people. Martín Soto writes some short reflections in his blog:
Ahora, en qué país, unos vándalos manejan mejor información y van mejor organizados [y armados] que las fuerzas del orden.
No me da la cabeza para más. Igual, la semana que viene, esos vándalos que hoy jugaron al Mortal Kombat, seguirán cargando tu fruta.
Currently, vandals manage better information and are better organised [and better armed] than police forces.
I can't stand to spend any more time thinking it over. Nevertheless, next week those vandals that played Mortal Combat today, will continue loading your fruit.
Many people, from different political pools, have much to say following the events of some days ago: their conclusions are not normally positive. The Economist, César Vásquez Bazán, ex-Minister during the first aprista [en] government, writes:
Los vergonzosos sucesos del jueves […] pintan un auténtico cuadro de lo que es el Perú de la actualidad. Una sociedad desorganizada, atrasada, desmañadamente dirigida, con un amplio sector de la población viviendo en estado de pobreza. Gente desheredada que ante la posibilidad de perder los pocos cobres que obtiene en empleos precarios en el comercio mayorista, defiende lo que considera suyo y expresa con violencia su rechazo al Estado expoliador y a sus representantes, sean éstos el Municipio de Lima o la policía.
The shameful events of Thursday […] paint an authentic picture of the current situation in Peru. A society that is unorganised, backwards, awkwardly run and with a large section of the population living in poverty. People are disinherited facing the possibility of losing the little money  that they obtain through precarious work in the wholesale business, defending what they consider their own and expressing their rejection of the State, and its representatives, violently, be it the local government of Lima or the police.
In the blog Voz liberal del Perú [The Liberal Voice of Peru], Dante Bobadilla sets out to separate the matters:
Por un lado está el tema mismo de La Parada como mercado mayorista, y por otro lado está el problema de la marginalidad social que existe en esa zona. […] No deberían mezclarlos y acabar llamando delincuentes a los comerciantes. No se trata de apoyar la delincuencia sino de reconocer los hechos con objetividad y condenar la ineptitud de nuestras autoridades. […] en el tema del mercado mayorista hemos asistido al fracaso anunciado y previsto luego de una larga lista de torpezas cometidas por la gestión de Villarán, […] es obvio que la alcaldesa Villarán no tiene un plan para La Parada ni mucho menos para toda esa zona.
On the one hand is the matter of La Parada as a wholesale market, and on the other hand is the problem of social marginalisation that exists in this area. […] The two shouldn't be mixed so as not to end up labelling traders as delinquents. It isn't about supporting delinquency but of viewing the events with objectivity and condemning the ineptitude of our authorities. […] with regards to the matter of the wholesale market, we have been witness to the failure announced and forecast following a long list of blunders committed by the management of Villarán, […] it's obvious that the Mayoress Villarán doesn't have a plan for La Parada nor for the whole area.
On the other hand, Eduardo Gonzáles mentions Fujimorism [en] and Senderism [en] as actors responsible in good measure for what happened, since “both are projects that feed upon extreme marginality”:
El fujimorismo, porque el capitalismo sin reglas de lugares como La Parada o negocios como el transporte urbano, genera riquezas extraordinarias y una burguesía lumpen con líderes y redes clientelares. El senderismo, porque lugares como La Parada generan riquezas sólo a condición de la explotación y embrutecimiento atroz de sectores populares de pobre experiencia organizativa. Ni unos ni otros buscan soluciones, sino, por el contrario, el mantenimiento de un statu quo de ilegalidad y violencia. […]
Fujirmorism- because capitalism without rules in places such as La Parada or in business such as urban transport, generates extraordinary wealth and a bourgeoisie underclass with leaders and clientelistic networks. Senderism- because places such as La Parada generate wealth only as a result of exploitation and atrocious brutalisation of popular sectors with poor organisational experience. Neither looks for solutions, instead quite the contrary, the preservation of a status quo of illegality and violence. […]
In the blog Kausa Justa (Just Cause), from the Equipo de Incidencia en Derechos de IPRODES (Rights Advocacy Team), they publish a communiqué “facing the sad facts of La Parada”, where they point out that “the responsibilities are clear” and correspond in first place to the traders in La Parada, but also to the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima and its Mayoress Susana Villarán. While the responsibility of the traders is criminal, that of the Council is in order and improving Lima.
The Peruvian Team of Forensic Anthropology details a series of lessons that outline what happened in La Parada, amongst which they state:
Consideramos que esta situación no se solucionará con políticas meramente represivas o de “profilaxis social”, sino con un enfoque integral que contemple la prestación de servicios básicos de seguridad, educación, salud y transporte, aspectos sistemáticamente negligidos por muchas administraciones del Gobierno Central.
We consider that this situation will not be resolved merely by repressive politicians or by “social prophylaxis”, but instead with an integral focus that contemplates providing basic security services, education, health and transport, aspects that are systematically neglected by many Central Government administrations.
Furthermore they reject certain versions that indicate that NGOs could have some sort of responsibility for violent events such as those in La Parada.
Finally, the journalist and writer Dante Castro offers a reflection from the Left:
La alcaldesa Susana Villarán ahora enfrenta la insurgencia de diversos sectores e intereses unidos que se resisten al ordenamiento y la reubicación. El descontento ha sido capitalizado por la derecha que pide su revocatoria. […] Queda demostrado hoy que Susana Villarán no tenía una estrategia social para la reubicación de La Parada.
La reubicación de La Parada implica la desarticulación económica de dos distritos que han vivido gracias a ella. Cerrar el paso de camiones con grandes bloques de concreto, implica que cientos de personas no trabajarán los siguientes días. Pero más allá del reordenamiento necesario, esto nos obliga a meditar acerca del caos que trae el crecimiento capitalista en Lima.
La Parada sale, victoria del municipio, pero esto deja sin ocupación a una multitud que vive en los alrededores. Los delincuentes, entre quienes se alzaron, no fueron tantos. Eran más los sub-ocupados, estibadores, ambulantes, vendedores de alimentos, recicladores, etc., que se quedan en la calle. La mafia se traslada a Santa Anita: solamente es un cambio de lugar. Los que amasan fortunas siempre ganan, aquí o allá.
The Mayoress Susana Villarán now faces the insurgency of different sectors and interests united by their resistance to management and relocation. The discontent has been capitalised on by the Right that begs for her revocation. […] It remains clear today that Susana Villarán didn't have a social strategy for the relocation of La Parada.
The relocation of La Parada involves the economic dismantling of two districts that have lived dependant on it. To close the road with big blocks of cement affects hundreds of people that will not be able to work in the days following. Beyond that of the necessary rearrangement, it forces us to meditate around the chaos that the capitalist growth brings to Lima.
La Parada's relocation is a victory for the Municipality, but this leaves a multitude of people that live in the surroundings without work. The delinquents, amongst those who rebelled, were small in number. It was those that are part-time workers, stevedors, street vendors, food vendors, recyclers etc., that are left in the street. The mafia have moved to Santa Anita: but this is only a change of location. Those that amass fortunes will always win, here or there.

author: Juan Arellano


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Top 10 Global ‘Gangnam Style’ Parodies · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

South Korean rapper Psy's catchy song and goofy dance sensation video ‘Gangnam Style‘ has got 630 million YouTube hits as of today (November 3, 2012) and broke the Guinness World record for the most “liked” video in YouTube history.
It is no surprise that this viral video has inspired countless users to create their own. Here are the 10 best parodies of Gangnam Style picked from a slew of meme videos.
First off – Gangnam Style in politics:
1. Ai Weiwei’s Gangnam Protest
One of the latest Gangnam dancers is the famous Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwei. Ai Weiwei made headlines by appearing in this video in a hot pink shirt and rocking a silly but passionate ‘horse-riding’ style dance. But he did not forget to deliver his message on censorship by wearing handcuffs and switching the title of the video into “Grass Mud Horse” (see here for an explanation).
2. U.S. Election, Mitt Romney-Style
With the United States Presidential election right around the corner, this video was featured by College Humor. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's impersonator raps and dances in the video, mocking Romney’s reputation as a out-of-touch rich guy living a posh lifestyle.
3. Bolivian-Style
Gangnam Style has even landed in the Bolivian political landscape. A Bolivian YouTube user, KwonBanYa, uploaded a video featuring representations of President Evo Morales and Vice President Alvaro García Linera, with a selection of other members of the ruling party and the opposition appearing in cameos.
+ U.N. Style
Not technically a meme video, but worth showing, this depicts United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who is a South Korean national, dancing Gangnam Style with Psy at the UN headquarters in New York.
Now for a look at some of the weirdest parodies:
4. Inmate-Style
The Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center is known for using choreographed dance routines to rehabilitate its inmates. Watch this amazing scene of numerous inmates in orange jumpsuits galloping in unison.
5. Lifeguard-Style
Having fun and goofing around seems harmless, but not in certain locations, especially your workplace. After a group of lifeguards in El Monte, California, posted this Gangnam Style parody, appearing in uniform at the city pool, 14 people were fired. Psy, the K-Pop sensation himself, pleaded for them to get their jobs back. The city recently voted to rehire those lifeguards.
Psy meanwhile often makes comments on users’ remakes of his hit song:
6. Ohio Univ. Marching Band's Gangnam Style
He said in an interview he found one marching band's tribute “touching”, referring to this vide by Ohio University's marching band.
And finally, the most unlikely tributes…
7. Noam Chomsky Style
An M.I.T. Gangnam Style parody video has gone viral by featuring one of the world's renowned linguist and activist Noam Chomsky.
8. Sports Star's Flash Mob
Among several sports stars who have galloped along to Psy's song, is a flash mob led by NBA player Roy Hibbert.
9. Brunei Style
Brunei would be one of the last places South Koreans might expect to hear Gangnam Style from. But here it is, a hilarious meme video playing from the opposite side of the world.
10. Navy Gangnam Style
A group of U.S. Naval Academy sailors sang along to Psy’s hit and galloped around in white uniforms. Unlike the lifeguards who came under fire, these Navy midshipmen reportedly have earned approval from the Navy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xhHufV9g4k4
Have we missed out your favourite Gangnam Style parody? Let us know in the comments!

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Water Pollution Threatens Lives in Inner Mongolia’s Tengger Desert · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

In the past few days, members of the Yellow River 10-Year Investigation [zh] team have begun reporting on the situation regarding water pollution in the Tengger Desert of Inner Mongolia. The team claim that black industrial water emitted by a coal chemical processing factory in the industrial district has been contaminating the desert's underground water, destroying the local herders’ homeland and endangering the lives of those in the desert.
The Investigation is a non-profit research effort jointly launched in 2012 by Green Sina [zh] and Green Earth Volunteers. Recently, the team visited Tengger Desert and reported their trip in Chinese social media. A widely disseminated  micro blog post [zh] written by Ai Ruogan, a famous podcaster and an investigation team member, on Sina Weibo from October 29, 2012, explains.
A photo collage of industrial water pollution at Tengger Desert. Uploaded by Ai Rougan.
现在，我们正在内蒙古阿拉善左旗腾格里沙漠工业园区调查，亲见沙漠化工企业用大卡车向沙漠排放污水，形成许多污水湖，有些地方用排污管插入沙漠心脏直排。当地牧民饮用水井距工厂仅几百米，不远处仅剩一处湿地湖，不知百鸟能翔几天？已有牧民患上白血病
Now we are investigating at the industrial district of Tengger Desert at Alxa Zuoqi, Inner Monglia. I see with my own eyes the corporations in the industrial district transporting polluted water with trucks and dumping it in the desert. The water turns into small lakes. In some areas, they use pipes and pump the polluted water down to the heart of the desert. The herders’ wells are just a few hundred meters away from the factories. Also, there is a natural lake for wild birds to take rest nearby. I wonder if these birds can survive for long… some herdsmen are already suffering from leukemia…
Song Fuli, another team member, provided photo evidence [zh], showing how corporations are using pipes to pump water into the desert:
排污管道直接暗渡陈仓伸到沙漠，污水渗到沙里，神不知鬼不觉，服了，有才的企业，有才的政府！记住，这里是内蒙古阿拉善左旗腾格里工业园区，最近的牧民居住点不到两公里。
The pipe secretly channels the polluted water into the desert. What a genius corporation, what a genius government! Remember this is the industrial district of Alxa Zuoqi, Inner Monglia. The herders are settling just two miles away from here.
Photo showing how industrial waste water is being pumped out into the desert. Photo taken by Song Fuli.
Wang Yongchen, the coordinator of Green Earth and also a member of the investigation team, recounted what she saw at Sina Weibo [zh]:
腾格里沙龙里倒化工废水的池了。我们每一个人捂着鼻子和嘴还呛得晕。当地牧民说要是夏天呛得眼镜也睁不开。为了现代化就这样毁牧民的家，毁金色的沙漠吗？
@Wang: This is the water treatment pool where the factories from the Tengger Industrial area store their polluted water. The smell is so bad that we felt dizzy even we covered our mouths and noses. Local herders said in the summer, they could not even open their eyes when they were near the pool. The destruction of herders homeland and golden desert, is that the price we have to pay for modernization?
The well is just a mile away from the water treatment pool. Photo by Wang Yongchen.
离往沙漠里倒化工污水只有一公里多一点的沙漠里就是牧民们的饮用水井，水深不到2米。我们问这水还能喝吗？他们说不喝这水上哪喝水去？这是牧民的家。
@Wang: The well that supplies drinking water to the herders is just a little more than a mile away from the water treatment pool. The water level is just two meters deep. We asked whether the water is safe to drink. They said they can't find water elsewhere. This is their home.
腾格里沙漠除了有人住还有大天鹅、麻鸭、骆驼，现在化工厂来了黑水倒在了沙漠里，落日中鸟们飞来飞去找着他们过夜的家。
@Wang: Tengger Desert is also home to swans, wild ducks, camels. Now that the chemical factories are dumping black water in the desert, where can the birds settle after sunset?
现在一车的人头疼、嗓子疼、胸疼.本想打了一瓶水带回北京化验，但实在是无法带着继续走了。周围喘气的生命怎么活的，不能想象。
@Wang: Now all of us in the car are suffering from headaches, soar throats and chest pains. We were intending to get a water sample to the laboratory in Beijing, but got so sick. I wonder how life can survive here. I can't imagine.
这么污染的企业占牧民的草场，只给每人2万块，和一点草场补偿就给人打发走了。我们采访的农民说这是一个镇书记就决定的事，会这样吗？明天我们会继续调查。 不知是不懂沙漠也有生态圈这回事呢，还是根本觉得无所谓
@Wang: As compensation for the herders’ loss, the corporates gave each of them RMB 20,000 (equivalent to USD 3,300) as compensation. The herders said the settlement was decided by a party secretary of the town. We will carry on our investigation tomorrow. I wonder if the authorities are ignorant of the ecology in the desert or they just simply don't care.
According to a local report [zh], the water emitted from the industrial district is from a coal chemical processing factory. Even though there is a water treatment facility in the district, it hasn't yet gone operational in order to save on costs. The result is that toxic water is being stored at the water treatment pool to await vaporization or, in some cases, being secretly dumped in the desert.
On the next day, October 30, the investigation team traveled further upstream, Ai Ruogan continued his report [zh]:
上午，我们又到腾格里沙漠深处调查，在昨天化工污染排放池上游，看到了目前仍清澈见底的鸣泉、涝坝，不知还能清流多久？牧民呼布岱手捧沙枣发问：为什么有人花钱保护自然，为什么有人为挣钱来破坏草原？我就不爱钱，我就爱家乡的草原。为留出化工企业发展空间，却要我们搬迁
In the morning, we continued investigating in the desert. Upstream of the water treatment pool, we could still see very clear stream flowing. We just don't know how long the the clean water will flow for. A old man, Hubudai, asked, “how come some people would spend money to preserve the environment, while some would destroy the grassland to make money? I don't like money, I love my homeland and grassland. The development of chemical industry has forced us out of our homeland.”


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Cuba: “Hurricane” Damage  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Notes from the Cuban Exile Quarter calls Fidel Castro “Cuba's longest and most damaging hurricane”, while Through the Eye of the Needle refers to Hurricane Sandy as “‘The Matador,’ — The Killer — who has come to give the final mortal blow to a bull already greatly injured by stabs and thrusts, received during these gray decades.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Despite Threats, Macedonian Activists Fight for Fair Energy Law · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Members of the grassroots civil initiative AMAN, who are demanding fair energy legislation and an end to state-controlled price hikes in Macedonia, are facing various forms of pressure, including increasing threats.
In the local languages, the word “aman” means ‘a cry’ or ‘a plea’ and is equivalent to “please, stop.” This grassroots movement against price hikes of state-controlled monopoly commodities (electricity, fuel, central heating) started weekly protests in August. As the price hikes resulted in the increase of food prices, affecting the most vulnerable people first, protests spread from Skopje and Bitola to several other cities – Tetovo, Shtip, Prilep, and Kumanovo.
AMAN protests in Bitola. Photo by Energetska efikasnost (Energy Efficiency) blog, used with permission.
At first, the authorities, represented by the Regulatory Commission for Energy, the mainstream media and the unions, ignored the movement. To partly address this issue, AMAN increased social media promotion (hashtag: #АМАН) and held a protest in front of the state Public Broadcasting Service, MTV [mk, sq].
As the authorities’ deliberate disregard approach failed, AMAN participants were subjected to various forms of pressure: infiltration by partisan agent provocateurs, hacking and mysterious closing down of their recurrent Facebook event, general threats by passersby [mk], labeling by the PM (which affected the participation of people whose incomes depend on the government), counter-protests by GONGOs, smearing campaigns.
One World SEE reported:
Since the start of the protests, the Government has constantly accused them of being led and working on instructions of the leading opposition party, the Social-Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM).
Also, the Government continued with its practice to respond to all civic initiatives and protests against its policies with counter-protests held by its own, loyal, organizations and initiatives. This time, we have the “Burnt by Privatization” („Изгор приватизација“) initiative, which holds parallel protests against the privatization of the power utility company by Austrian corporation EVN during the last SDSM’s term in power.
Earlier this week, on September 25, 2012, the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Macedonia accused the Regulatory Commission for Energy that its decisions for termination of the cheap daily electricity tariff and the decision to allow increase of prices of electricity and distance heating  were adopted on basis of provisions that do not, in fact, exist in the Law on Energy.
At the Oct. 30 press conference, AMAN representatives informed the public [mk: 1, 2, 3; sq: 1, 2] that one of the movement's members had received threats against him and his family by “unknown persons”: they intercepted him in the center of Skopje, tried to interrogate him about other activists, showing him their photos. Obviously, the message was to stop the protests and the current petition to change the Energy Law. The activists asked for the police and other state institutions to quickly find and sanction the perpetrators, and for the PM not to hinder the legislative process.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvUqyU9s1dg
The protests, however, continue. The activists are using institutional channels and have submitted an initiative to change the Energy Law. Pending the government's approval, they would then need to gather 10,000 signatures required to propose amendments within the Parliament.
Pressure on the activists continues, too. While the perpetrators of the reported intimidation attempt are still at large, a new incident occurred during the 12th protest on Nov. 3. Radio MOF reported [mk] that a group of counter-protesters threatened and tried to chase the AMAN protesters away, but the police prevented further escalation.
Sonja Ismail, one of the protesters, wrote [mk]:
Today at noon we traditionally gathered in front of the Energy Regulatory Commission. But we were not alone. They came spontaneously. They parked a jeep on the sidewalk [nearby]. They came out of the jeep with the spontaneously-made counter-protest props. [About 50 meters further] they were joined by around 60 more. Camera crews from Kanal 5, Sitel and MTV spontaneously appeared, too. They filmed these people who spontaneously put masks representing the face of Radmila Shekerinska [“a parody” targeting an opposition MP]. There were no more than 30 of us. A young man approached us, and when asked who he was, he said he was from the Union of Young Forces of [VMRO-DPMNE]. He told us to disappear in 20 minutes. He also shouted obscenities while returning to his group. P.S. There were many police officers present and they assumed the proper position [between the two groups]. Their commander assured us that they came to stop any violent incidents. [OSCE] representatives were also present.

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Guinea-Bissau: Citizen Frustration and Defiance in Face of Turmoil · Global Voices
Janet Gunter

On October 21, a violent incident occurred at an airbase outside Bissau, the capital of the small west African nation of Guinea-Bissau. Six people were reported killed, and gruesome images of bodies of accused assailants circulated on the internet.
The day after two politicians critical of the country's transitional government and military were kidnapped and beaten. (The transitional government came to power after a military coup d'etat earlier this year.)
The violence took place against a backdrop of simmering doubts about the transition negotiated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). (For background – see the International Crisis Group's August briefing “Beyond Turf Wars”).
The transitional government was quick to blame the incident – which it deemed a coup attempt – on an ex-military official Pansau N'Tchama and interference by Portugal. This photo supposedly of his arrest, in which he is draped in the Portuguese flag and restrained by a rope around his neck, was shared by those administrating the page of the Simão Mendes National Hospital. N'Tchama's humiliating transfer to Bissau, after arrest in the Bijagós islands, was captured on video by José Mussuaili
The situation the ground is difficult to make sense of, especially for North American mainstream media, which have used the moment to rehash the narcostate narrative about Guinea-Bissau.
Frustration and defiance
While the international institutions – the AU (African Union), the UN and ECOWAS, express “concern” and conduct meetings, the people of Guinea-Bissau have little outlet for their fears and frustrations.
Fernando Casimiro, on his website Didinho, argued that
“Symbolic burning of arms following Guinea-Bissau's civil war: Reform of the country's military remains vital for achieving political stability.”
UN Photo / Tim McKulka shared on Flickr by Africa Renewal (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
No caso da Guiné-Bissau, se não houvesse, ou se não houver Forças Armadas, haverá sempre outras “FORÇAS”, que estarão sempre armadas, com ou sem uniforme, ao serviço de quem se julga legitimado pelo poder. Não, a democracia na Guiné-Bissau, ainda não está preparada suficientemente, para “dispensar” quer seja o serviço das Forças Armadas Republicanas, quer de outras “FORÇAS” armadas que representam a salvaguarda dos interesses e do poder que políticos e governantes julgam pertencer-lhes pela legitimação através do voto popular.
In the case of Guinea Bissau, even if there weren't Armed Forces, there will always be other “FORCES”, who will always be armed, with or without uniform, serving whoever believes to be legitimized by power. No, democracy in Guinea Bissau is not yet sufficiently prepared to let go of  either the service of the Republican Armed Forces or other armed “FORCES” who represent the protection of  interests, and power that politicians and governors believe belongs to them, legitimized through popular vote.
It seems no coincidence Guineans online have been sharing a song “Nkana Medi” ([We Are] Not Afraid) by Masta Tito, a Guinean rapper [Pt] who has been outspoken in his demand for reform of the military. An article [pt] by sociologist Miguel Barros on Buala translates part of the lyrics:
No ka na medi (…) / no karmusa no kansa / gosi i pa kada kin mara si kalsa / anós tudu i guiniensi / (…) bo gosta ó bo ka gosta n ka na para kanta pa nha povu [Nós não temos medo / Cansámo-nos de nos pavonear / Agora que cada um amarre as calças / Somos todos guineenses / (…) [Gostem] ou não [gostem], não vou parar de cantar para o meu povo] (Masta Tito, Nka Na Medi, registo sonoro, Bissau, 2012)
We are not afraid / We are tired of ‘fronting’ / Now each of us tightens our belts / We are all guineans / (…) Like it or not, I won't stop singing for my people
In the weeks that followed the bloody assault, blogger and journalist Aly Silva has once again been a key source of information and opinion. The African Committee to Protect Journalists reported that Aly Silva was threatened by military and has gone into hiding, and that Portuguese state media correspondent Fernando Teixeira Gomes was forced to leave the country by official order of the transitional government.
Aly Silva continues to write [pt] defiantly on his blog, which he says has just reached the milestone of 5 million views
Olho e registo tudo. Depois escrevo, na certeza de que alguém me vai ler e comungar dos mesmos sentimentos. O meu blogue, tem sido acessado diariamente por milhares de pessoas. Ficará para a estatística. Teria preferido uma visita por dia, a ter de suportar milhares de pares de olhos tristes e enevoados: estão a matar-nos, estão a destruir as famílias, a tornar as crianças violentas.
I watch and record everything. Afterwards I write, in the certainty that someone will read and share the same feelings. My blog has been visited daily by thousands of people. That's just stats. I would prefer having one visit a day, than having to deal with thousands of sad and cloudy eyes: they are killing us, they are destroying our families, [they are] turning children violent.
On his blog “Ditadura do Consenso”, Aly Silva also published a guest post by a man who asks for anonymity [pt] out of fear – a sort of “Oscars” for best performances by politicians and military, a darkly comic analysis of the situation.
Domadora de Camalões blogger Helena Ferro de Gouveia wrote in her post “Blood spilled (again) on the streets of Bissau” [pt] [caution: shocking images]
Os guineenses são pessoas e não uma abstração, ou uns “gajos habituados à violência”, num país tropical. Os guineenses merecem qualquer coisa chamada dignidade. Correndo o risco de me repetir: o mundo devia vir com uma errata.
Guineans are people and not an abstraction, or “guys used to violence”, in a tropical country. The Guineans deserve whatever that thing called dignity is. Running the risk of repeating myself: the world should come with errata.

author: Janet Gunter


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Ink Duel: Bulgarian Artists vs Egyptian Artist in London · Global Voices
Rayna St.

Studio 75, a London-based “100% independent, not part of any school, trend, fashion or directive” artist space is hosting ‘The Orientophobia Sessions’ this weekend. In the program of the Out Of The Deep East, Bulgarian artists Krum and Desi engage into an ink duel with Egyptian artist Naz:
A screenshot of Studio75's blog
More images are available on Studio75's blog, as is the list of independent artists. For updates and timely information on a wide range of art-related events, you can follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

author: Rayna St.


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Malawi’s Economy: A Mountain Too High to Climb? · Global Voices
Victor Kaonga

Since April 2012, when Joyce Banda took over the running of the government from late Bingu wa Mutharika, Malawians have been experiencing a mix of hope and despair.
The optimistic international community has released some budgetary support for the country, which was suspended during Mutharika's presidency, following significant financial and governance changes made by Malawi's new president. Fuel and forex shortages improved almost immediately.
Some five months down the road, Malawians have been told that the 18 month Economic Recovery Plan will be the answer to the country's economic challenges; this has made a number of netizens react and respond in different ways.
Malawi's first female President Joyce Banda. Photo source: Friends of Joyce Banda Facebook page.
Watipaso Mkandawire, in a post titled ‘Mountain Too High‘, explains the realities of Malawi's economy:
Barely 5 months after occupying Plot No. 1, the economy, is struggling with voices of disgruntlement growing by the day. The noticeable challenges include; increase in prices of basic commodities, fuel price increase, re-emergence of fuel queues, runaway inflation; dissatisfied low and middle-class; poor tobacco season, 1.2 million people facing hunger; etc. Many observers argue that JB and her People’s Party have no vision for Malawi and that what we are seeing is a “Subsistence Government”. In all fairness, JB inherited an economy that was on its knees (if not on its back) and the country was almost bankrupt.
A seasoned media practitioner, Levi Manda, discusses with a visiting friend about a pro-poor budget:
However, the president knowing fully the economic realities, seems to have made an effort to address the country's financial problems by cutting her own salary. Journalist Kondwani Munthali reports:
“In support of the austerity measures, the President and the Vice President have voluntarily decided to reduce their monthly salaries by 30 percent with immediate effect. Government is also actively considering other cost cutting measures and these will be announced in due course,” said Kachali. On the Economic Recovery Plan, the Vice President said it has identified five strategic sectors that can quickly that can quickly turn around the economy for export led growth and foreign exchange generation.
This news was welcome by all sectors of Malawi. In general, Malawians are looking forward to the recovery of the economy, which has so far become hot topic in the country as next presidential election in May 2014 approaches.

author: Victor Kaonga


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Myanmar: Foreign Investment Bill Approved · Global Voices
Chan Myae Khine

Myanmar President Thein Sein signed the foreign investment law which was approved by the parliament last September. The president suggested 11 minor amendments which the parliament accepted except for one provision. The new law is expected to facilitate more foreign investments as Myanmar continues to implement economic reforms.

author: Chan Myae Khine


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The Latest LiveJournal Sensation, Courtesy of the Russian Special Forces · Global Voices
Andrey Tselikov

The anonymous LiveJournal blog hardingush [ru] was created on September 15, 2012. Now, less than two months later, the blog, subtitled Spetsnaz Ingushetii (Ingush Special Forces), is number 425th [ru] in LJ's general user rating. Netizens have left over 4,000 comments on its various posts. Four of these posts also made it into the October top-25 list [ru] of North Caucasus bloggers (a monthly rating compiled by Moscow-based blogger timag82 [ru]).
The growing popularity is easy to understand. The man behind the blog is an irreverent, no-nonsense member of the Ingush Special Forces, working in the troubled and mountainous Russian republic that borders Chechnya and North Ossetia. His topics range from abstract discussion of terrorism and radical Islam, to detailed descriptions of anti-terrorist operations, often illustrated with photographs and videos.
Screen capture of a special forces soldier from a YouTube video posted on hardingush's LiveJournal.
For example, in an October 29 post [ru] titled “What Are the Militants Fighting For?,” hardingush tries to explain his understanding of what keeps the fundamentalists in business. His explanation is simplistic and muddled, but probably attractive to many: the Ingush are a warlike people, without war they get bored, and Islamic fundamentalists take advantage of this, indoctrinating the dregs of Ingush society:
Всегда найдутся фанатики, лентяи, обиженные, недовольные, обделенные… С ними и проводится основная работа
There will always be fanatics, slackers, resentful, angry, and deprived people… The main [propaganda] work is carried out with them
Earlier, hardingush portrayed one such “slacker” in another post titled “Hasik, hold on!” [ru]. Hasik, or Hasan Esmurziev, is a suspected militant, who in the process of being detained threatened to activate his suicide vest, presumably in order to avoid arrest. Here is how hardingush describes what happened next:
Хасик поднимает футболку а там пояс. Но сотрудники не первый день на свете живут и видят, что у пояса нет проводов и кольца. Он еще не доделан. Они ему говорят, мол, Хасик, не гони беса, как ты будешь его взрывать? А он, не долго думая, достает хатабку, прижимает ее к поясу и тянет кольцо. Выстрел в руку и хатабка падает.
Hasik lifts his t-shirt — and there’s the vest. Well, this wasn't exactly the first time for the officers, so they see that the vest lacked wires and a detonating ring. It’s not complete yet. They say to him, Hasik, quit bullshitting us, how are you going to detonate it? He, not thinking too long about it, takes out a hatabka [a handmade grenade], holds it to the belt, and pulls on the ring. A shot in the arm, and the hatabka falls.
The hapless Esmurziev hid in a shed, and was finally arrested several hours later, having been shot in both arms and one leg. Along with the tongue-in-cheek description of what happened, hardingush posted photos of Esmurziev’s suicide vest [photo link] and of spetsnaz forces providing him with first aid.
These and similar posts have led pro-Kremlin writer Eduard Bagirov to tweet [ru]:
Кстати, показываю поразительно интересный, уникальный ЖЖ ингушского спецназовца: http://hardingush.livejournal.com ; я проглотил его весь, не отрываясь.
By the way, here is the remarkably interesting, unique LJ of an Ingush spetsnazovets: http://hardingush.livejournal.com ; I devoured it in one sitting.
Others are less impressed. Some accuse hardingush of running a propaganda blog, especially when he makes provocative statements like this [ru]:
Если вы девушка и вас вербуют в смертницы, изнасиловав и сняв на камеру, то лучше вам связываться с ФСБ и требовать программу защиты свидетелей.
If you are a woman, and you are being recruited as a suicide bomber through having been raped and filmed on camera, you should contact FSB and request witness protection.
Some go even further in their propaganda accusations. Ingush blogger Magomed Tariev points to how well-spoken hardingush is to claim [ru] that he is a government sock-puppet:
Мы ведь профессиональные журналисты, а не менты. Ваша грамотность, стилистика, развеяли последние сомнения. А спецназовца, который вам помогает вести этот блог стоит отправить исполнять его прямые обязанности.
We are professional journalists, not policemen. Your literacy and your writing style have dispelled my remaining doubts. You should send the Special Forces soldier who helps you run this blog to do his actual work.
Accusations like this are common for an anonymous blog. Hardingush himself claims that he is on the level. According to the scant information [ru] he’s provided about himself, he is well spoken because he comes from an intelligentsia family and was a straight-A student in school and at the university. He has also stated [ru]:
Нет, я не ингуш, несмотря на такой ник. Да, я русский […] Нет, я не корреспондент. И не писатель. И упаси бог, не поэт.
No, I’m not an Ingush, notwithstanding this nickname. Yes, I’m Russian […] No, I’m not a journalist. And not a writer. And not a poet, thank God.
Nevertheless, some questions remain. If one looks at hardingush’s posting history [ru], an interesting picture emerges. During the first month of the blog’s existence, from September 15 to October 20, hardingush published twenty-two posts, with intermittent breaks. Since October 22 (in the last two weeks), he has published multiple posts every day — twenty-seven posts in all. That is, his posting rate has gone up by more than a factor of two. It’s curious that this has happened just as the blog began to gain traction on RuNet.
Would a special forces operative on active duty have the time to write as many as four posts per day? In Russia, who knows?

author: Andrey Tselikov


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Student Beating Raises Issue of Homophobia in Jamaica · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaica and homophobia have started to become almost synonymous, thanks in part to one now-infamous song, originally written, as blogger Annie Paul explained in this 2009 post, “to protest the rape and kiling of a male child by, presumably, homosexuals”:
From targeting one particular homosexual rapist and murderer, the song went on to become an anthem targeting all such predators. The problem is that in Jamaica (as in many other places) male homosexuals are invariably seen as predatory and the proscription against predatory homosexuals then becomes one against all homosexuals.
The song, though, may have only added fuel to an already burning flame; three years ago, when the man responsible for the song, Buju Banton, met with gay rights groups in in United States who were upset about the message it was sending, some Jamaican bloggers still felt that it was going to be impossible to stem the tide.  Jamaica Salt said at the time:
[Buju]’s too  good a target for the gay rights campaign to get attention to the very big and very real problem of homophobia in Jamaica.
If anyone wanted proof that the problem was real, they didn't have to look too hard.  Just over a year ago, there was the media block on a public service announcement aimed at encouraging Jamaicans to unconditionally accept members of their families who are homosexual.  And in 2008, the country's then-Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, went on BBC's HardTalk programme and essentially declared that there was no room for gay people in his government.
A few days ago, a gay student at Jamaica's University of Technology (UTech) who was allegedly caught in a “compromising position” with one of his peers, suffered a beating at the hands of campus security guards.  The incident was captured on video and immediately went viral.  Twitter and Facebook soon became integral to the online discussion, but a few Jamaican bloggers wrote thoughtful and measured posts that took an in-depth look at the issue.
Raw Politics Jamaica Style saw the attack as a “severe threat…to the rule of law and democracy…in Jamaica”:
By all accounts, the situation is extremely dire.  Not even Usain Bolt’s world record efforts can save us now.
On Thursday, November 1, 2012, a male student at the University of Technology was set upon and severely beaten by security guards, after being chased by a mob of his peers. The reason? He was suspected of being gay and was presumably one half of a duo caught in a ‘compromising situation’ on the campus.
Having run to the security post to escape the mob attack, the ‘gay’ student had his worse nightmare come true. His source of refuge turned into the very thing he was fleeing.
Degraded and dehumanized in the worst way by the security personnel on duty, the ‘gay’ student was mercilessly beaten while an entertained audience filmed the obscene event,  their bloodlust clear in the expletive filled chants for him to be killed. This was, undoubtedly, a surreal scene from the theatre of the macabre.
But sadly that was real life and this is relatively commonplace in Jamaica.
In a post entitled “Sticks and Stones”, Petchary's Blog opened with a nod to a fellow blogger, who said on Facebook:
Glad to hear [local journalist] Cliff Hughes describe the UTech episode as ‘homophobic’. There’s far too much denial. ‘Oh no, We’re not homophobic! Not us!’
Her post went on to address the question of the video:
The video was entitled ‘Beat di Fish 2!’ – using the latest hate-word for gays in Jamaica. The video appears to show security guards beating up a young man in an enclosed area (the guard house of the aforementioned University) while a mob of mostly young men outside jeered, laughed and encouraged the guards to give the young man a good beating. Some of these young men begged the guards to turn him over to them so they could deal with him.
Why was he being beaten? The student was accused of having sex with another young man (who escaped – I hope he is very safe, somewhere).
It was very hard to watch, and to listen to the baying of the crowd, like hounds when they have cornered a fox in a hunt. That eager yelping sound, that cry for blood. And many of the supporters of the video added their virulent, sickening comments…
There were many expressions of genuine shock and despair, locally. ‘I am ashamed to be Jamaican’ was a common refrain among those with compassion for their fellow Jamaicans. Civil society groups, notably Jamaicans for Justice and the Civil Society Coalition, have issued statements condemning the incident. Some comments in the social media were more ambivalent, saying the two young men should have been more careful, and ‘this is how gays are dealt with in Jamaica, right or wrong.’  Other comments were more vicious. I will not repeat them.
Two of the security guards were later fired.  Referring to a Facebook comment by another Jamaican broadcaster, Petchary noted:
Let us not deny this any more. Jamaica IS a homophobic society. It has been said by many outside and some inside Jamaica. And it is true. It is staring us in the face.
So, what are we to do about it? Allow the mob to take over? After all, there have been several instances of mob attacks recently, under various circumstances. This is not only yet another example of human rights abuses against gays in Jamaica. It fits into a pattern of intolerance, violence and blind ignorance that keeps repeating itself over and over. It is like a tide washing over us, threatening to sweep us all away.
Where is this leading us? Are we prepared to slip and slide down this slope? Or are we prepared to dig our heels in, right now? Are our leaders going to speak up, or remain silent?  And what about the churches? After all, the homophobic bigots frequently use a certain passage in the Bible to justify their hatred.
Annie Paul wondered whether gay bashing had become a national policy and took a look at the societal push factors:
Here’s why I say almost everyone is to blame…The Education Minister Ronald Thwaites was on air yesterday righteously denouncing the episode and calling for the mob of students to be expelled. Yet only a few days before that he was in the media talking about a ‘gay agenda’ which had apparently had a sinister hand in the reform of the health and family life education curriculum for high schools in Jamaica.
The problems with the withdrawal of the revised curriculum are succinctly stated by Maurice Tomlinson, a former UTECH lecturer, who had to flee Jamaica when he recently married his partner in Canada. In a post titled Countdown to Tolerance Tomlinson points the finger at the brands of Christianity practised in the country for this interference in school curricula.
She also referred to the blocked J-FLAG [Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, Allsexuals and Gays] public service announcement and republished a Facebook account of “an instance that actually happened in Jamaica which highlights the lethal absurdity of local hostility towards gays.”
Finally, Diana McCaulay wrote a moving and powerful post about the incident:
It seems to me a Pontius Pilate moment, if I remember my Bible correctly. An innocent man delivered up to a judge of sorts, a baying mob outside. The judge seeks to appease the crowd with a beating but it is not enough. And we know the end of that particular story.
She continued:
The day after the attack, I was utterly unproductive at work, constantly refreshing the Facebook pages and blogs I follow, to see what was being said. There were no public comments following the articles published in Jamaica’s two daily newspapers. This was highly unusual. I wondered if, at long last, the editors of our mainstream publications had decided not to give hate speech any oxygen. But the lack of comment was short lived.
It’s personal for me. My son is gay. Every hateful, bigoted, violent remark is flung directly at him. I miss my son every day of my life, but I am so glad he does not live here. The question is: Why do I?  I felt, still feel, deeply ashamed to be Jamaican. I felt complicit in this attack because of my long ago decision to remain here, to claim my Jamaican nationality, my Jamaican identity. Now, too late, I want to rescind that decision. I don’t want to be identified as part of a nation that defends and supports an anti gay stance as being cultural, as being Christian, as being an aspect of our sovereignty, our right.
As they always have been, religious beliefs are being used as justification for the abrogation of the human rights of some. Religious beliefs belong in places of worship among those who share such beliefs and nowhere else. They must not have the weight of the State behind them.
In an interview with Cliff Hughes on Nationwide News Network on Friday, I heard the Minister of Education, Hon. Ronnie Thwaites, strongly condemn the U-Tech attack. Well and good, Deacon Thwaites. But it was you who recently pandered to the mob in the withdrawing of educational materials trying, however clumsily, to deal with the issue of respect and tolerance for gay people.
I am tired of pretending that all aspects of our culture are defensible. They are not. There is much about being Jamaican to be ashamed of – our violent and bigoted speech and action towards gays and lesbians tops the list.


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What Ever Happened to Russian Nationalism? · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Just two years ago, Russians’ capacity for street protests seemed limited to soccer hooligans and race riots. On December 11, 2010, a few thousand sports fans gathered outside the Kremlin to mourn the murder of one of their own by a man from Kabardino-Balkaria, a Muslim Republic of the North Caucasus. The assembly soon degenerated into a melee with Moscow police, and poured into a nearby metro station, before ultimately claiming the life of a bystander.
This, it appeared at the time, was the most the world could expect from Russia's struggling civil society, a ramshackle patchwork of decidedly unpopular liberals and apparently bloodthirsty nationalists. In November 2011, the “Russian March” took place, and Alexey Navalny scandalously participated for the fourth time in the parade's seven-year history. Navalny, a self-professed “nationalist democrat,” said that ethnic nationalists and liberal oppositionists had common ground and should unite against the Kremlin.
A month later, massive fraud allegations in Russia's parliamentary elections sparked the largest street demonstrations in over a decade, kicking to the curb most of the quibbling about who between the liberals and the nationalists better embodied the nation's future. The number of Russians willing to attend protest rallies jumped from a measly two thousand to perhaps over 100 thousand. There was enough to go around, and oppositionist infighting — even if it never stopped — was certainly overshadowed by a surge of mass harmony.
A Russian nationalist demonstrator dressed in a Nazi uniform. This year's Russian March organizers have banned such costumes. 12 June 2012, photo by Evgeniy Isaev, CC 2.0.
The Russian March
In a few hours, the first Russian March in Moscow since last winter's protests will begin. Konstantin Krylov, one of the movement's biggest figures and an organizer of the parade, has indicated [ru] on his blog that he seeks a more inclusive tone this year:
В этом году 4 ноября будет отличаться от всех предыдущих. Если раньше это был день, когда русские националистические силы объединялись, чтобы напомнить о себе, то сейчас 4 ноября свидетельствует о том, что русское национальное движение стало неотъемлемым фактом общероссийского протестного движения. Мы не против видеть там и Навального, и других оппозиционных политиков.
This year, November Fourth [the Russian March] will be different from all those before it. If it before was a day when Russian nationalist forces united to remember themselves, November Fourth today testifies that the Russian nationalist movement has become an essential fact of the all-Russian protest movement. We're not opposed to seeing Navalny there, or other oppositionist politicians.
Like many Russian liberals, Echo of Moscow's Anton Orekh remains skeptical about the need to recognize such “essential facts.” In a blog post [ru] on October 31, he pointed out that Moscow officials reversed recent policy by granting the nationalists a marching permit inside the city's center this year. Orekh predicts that the police will facilitate rather than harass the parade, raising suspicions that the government is inflating the nationalists’ clout:
Хотите в центре? Нет проблем.
Уверен, что Марш пройдет великолепно. И у полиции не будет никаких претензий. И никакого экстремизма там не найдут, никакого призыва к беспорядкам. Никого не накажут, не посадят и не оштрафуют.
You want [to march] in the center? No problem.
I'm sure the March will turn out wonderful. And the police won't have any complaints. And they'll find no extremism there, or calls for riots. No one will be punished, jailed, or fined.
Writing [ru] in the liberal online portal Ezhednevnyi Zhurnal, Dmitri Ermoltsev let fly even greater unease about a possible alliance with the nationalists:
И прежде чем сесть с ними в одну лодку, например в грядущий Координационный  совет, твердо бы заучили литовскую поговорку: с чертом даже яблоки опасно собирать — не только яблок не получишь, но и мешка лишишься.
And before you sit down with them in one boat (like the future Coordinating Council), you ought to commit to memory this Lithuanian proverb: it's dangerous even to pick apples with the Devil — not only won't you get the apples, but you'll also lose your basket.
Writing on LiveJournal, nationalist blogger nazpat took issue with Ermoltsev's article, particularly the description of political marginals, which read:
Дело в том, что протест создает для националистов возможности, которыми они прежде не располагали. Доселе они были маргиналами в публичном пространстве.
The thing is: the protest movement creates opportunities for the nationalists that they didn't have before. Up until now, they've been marginal in the public space.
Nazpat responds [ru] by arguing that nationalists are the only social force that has ever prompted the direct intervention of Vladimir Putin:
[Н]е зря повторюсь Путин лично улаживал конфликт Манежка-2010. Повторюсь – единственный раз он полез разруливать выступление массовое людей, встречаясь, уговаривая, обещая.
There's a reason I repeat that Putin personally settled the Manezh 2010 conflict. I'll say again: it's the only time he has bothered to sort out a mass demonstration, conducting meetings, persuading sides, and making promises.
Navalny's Unending Nationalism
At the moment, it's unclear whether or not Navalny will attend this year's Russian March, though, on October 30, he tweeted [ru] an announcement from Krylov's group that the city had approved a permit for the parade. The next day, Navalny posted [ru] on his LiveJournal a link to a new music video by the band Rabfak, which stormed the RuNet last October with its viral hit, “Nash Durdom Golosuet Za Putina” (Our Madhouse Votes for Putin). That video currently has over 550 thousand views on YouTube — just 30 thousand more than “Khavtit Kormit Kanzas!” (Enough Feeding Kansas!), the song Navalny shared.
Alexey Navalny in Moscow, 24 May 2012, photo by Denis Mironov, CC 2.0.
Rabfak's new song is a wordplay on the nationalist slogan “Khvatit Kormit Kavkaz!,” which targets federal subsidies to the local governments of Russia's North Caucasus. (Navalny is a member of this campaign.) The music video features a montage of amateur footage of ethnic Caucasians committing criminal acts and performing traditional dances, with the implication that their culture is saturated in violence. (Just days prior, nationalist Vladimir Tor posted a similar video [ru] to his LJ.)
Writing on Facebook, journalist Andrey Loshak criticized Navalny for reposting the song, writing [ru]:
Меня смущает четкое понимание, что если бы РМ собрал вдруг больше, чем митинг белых ленточек, Навальный бы несомненно принял сторону тех, кого больше.
I'm troubled by the distinct realization that — if the Russian March suddenly attracted more than the White Ribbon rallies — Navalny would undoubtedly join the side with more people.
Such accusations of expedience are not new. In fact, more than a year ago, in October 2011, journalist Yulia Latynina went so far as to defend Navalny's “nationalism as an instrument.” She wrote at the time:
Я хорошо понимаю Навального. Он политик, для него национализм — инструмент. Это очень опасный инструмент. Но других инструментов у тех, кто попытается реально реформировать Россию, нет. Потому что если рассказывать, что Россию мы реформируем с помощью всеобщего избирательного права и обещаний всеобщего благосостояния, то, ребят, это немножко нереально.
I understand Navalny well. He's a politician and, for him, nationalism is an instrument. It's a very dangerous instrument, but there are no other instruments available to try and reform Russia. Because, if you want to say that we're going to reform Russia with the help of universal voter rights and promises of universal prosperity, then, guys, you're being a bit unrealistic.
While Russia today is far from a “reformed nation,” it ironically was the rhetoric of universal voter rights and other fairness abstractions that in the end did mobilize the protests to catapult Navalny to the movement's center stage. Last year's winter is old news, however, and the descending cold of 2012's final months has reintroduced the specter of scarcity. While the recent Coordinating Council elections did mobilize nearly 100 thousand voters, the opposition's ranks don't any longer appear to be growing. As a result, the opposition's internal competition for support is less obscured.
This week, the chief editor of Nezavisimaia Gazeta, Konstantin Remchukov, told [ru] Echo of Moscow that one of the biggest changes in the last year has been Navalny's transformation from blogger and netizen to real world politician. He embraces the Coordinating Council as an unqualified success and a bridge that connects Navalny to the formal world of power brokering.
If Remchukov is correct, tomorrow's Russian March will be an interesting test of how (or whether) Navalny sees his new role affecting the nationalist-democrat brotherhood he's worked to foster.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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A Girl Child Worker from Yemen · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Yemeni Noon Arabia shares this photograph taken by Ameen Alghaberi of a child worker in Yemen on Twitter.
Yemeni Noon Arabia shares this photograph taken by Ameen Alghaberi of a child worker in Yemen on Twitter.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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A Mauritanian Blogging Week Against Foreign Mining  · Global Voices
أحمد جدو

A group of Mauritanian bloggers launched a blogging campaign under the theme “Against foreign mining companies” at the beginning of October.
For the bloggers, this campaign was intended to share their opinions about the issue of foreign companies, accused of looting Mauritania's mineral wealth. This campaign was inaugurated by publishing a series of posts at the same time, and continued for a week.
The Mauritanian bloggers interacted very well with this campaign, and until the moment of writing this article, many bloggers wrote many entries that monitored violations committed by those companies. In addition to blog posts, bloggers engaged on Twitter, under the hashtag #Against looting our minerals. The campaign's news, postings and logos were widely circulated among Mauritanian users of Facebook and Twitter.
The participating posts in the campaign focused on the detection of the foreign companies’ violations of environmental laws, and destruction of the surrounding areas.
Moreover, they unveiled the low percentage of profit given by these companies to Mauritania, that reach at the best 4 per cent of the price of mined gold and copper. They also highlighted the discrimination policies pursued by the foreign companies against their Mauritanian employees.
Many writers and journalists interacted with the idea of the bloggers, and in turn wrote many articles to support the campaign.
Mauritanian blogger Sidi Weld Mohamed Lamine participated in this campaign publishing a post he entitled “I want my friend alive”, in which he talked about the death of his friend because of the toxins used by these companies. He writes:
In any self-respecting government that sanctifies the lives of its citizens, does give up playing its natural role in protecting the country, her sons, animals, trees and wealth. And if it has to waive our wealth let it be. But it has to protect the human lives that work amid an inert volcano that can explode at anytime to reap lives without mercy – just as what had happened with my deceased friend.
Prohibiting cyanide so that the only child of my deceased friend grows up, and who was born after his death, and that he will be threatened while playing or if he touches or inhales this damned material and dies immediately does not console me.
Revealing the truth behind the death of my friend by the company does not console me.
And Mauritania's taking of greater revenues of copper and gold does not console me.
Also the Mauritanian author Abed Arhman Widadi participated in the campaign launched by the bloggers, talking in his blog “Raja Elsada” (Echo) about the proportion given by the foreign companies to Mauritania:
The mines of Taziazat and Akjojet are a blatant testimony to the gravity of the catastrophe as only 4% of copper and 3% of gold revenues are given by these foreign companies [to Mauritania]. Yet those two firms deny the employees’ rights and shamefully use toxins.
It is shameful that all this happening after nearly four decades of the nationalization of Miverma company that was providing the best ratio. The decision of nationalizing this company was taken by Mokhtar Weld Dadah, God's mercy on him, despite the harsh conditions that Mauritania went through during the seventies and the absence of national competencies, and the impact of French domination that was angered to the extent of threatening of military intervention.
The blog “Alrai El Hor” [Arabic for Free Opinion] discussed the danger poised by these foreign mining companies on the Mauritanian environment, and the discriminatory policies against Mauritanian employees working there:
Voices are rising day after day to demand the reduction of the environmental pollution caused by these companies, whether by workers found on site – one of whom one told me about the segregation practiced there. He said some Western employees isolate themselves in well-protected areas while they distribute local workers in cantons that lack the lowest level of protection – or by some experts in this field such as the former engineer and director of environmental supervision Mr.Khalil Weld Ahmed Khlaifa who was sacked from his job as result of unveiling the tremendous risks that effect the Mauritanian environment.
Sidi Al Tayeb Weld Almujtaba adds:
Can our minds believe that 500 Mauritanian citizens died in the northern region in the last five years as a result of radiological activities carried out by these mining companies…However these companies continue to kill and assault without any supervision or punishment.
Any arrogant person today cannot ignore the spread of these malicious diseases and fatal cancers in the northern cities as result to the spread of toxins that move through natural elements (wind, air, sediment, and even reach down to the groundwater table).
The Mauritanian state recognizes this tragedy very well, which is acknowledged by all the names of the victims, living and dead, and the details of their injury circumstances, and even the beds they died on. Despite all this, it turns a blind eye and abides to silence.
Below are some reactions from Twitter.
Blogger Abdallah Weld Jeilany accused some politicians of receiving bribes from these foreign companies:
@AbdallahJeilany: Some politicians reacted with the crime of looting Mauritania's wealth and defended it. They legitimized it through laws, which they passed for a handful of bribes.
And Saifuddin Alchankity criticized the complicity of media with these companies:
@Saifuddin: Our Media solicit the looting of our wealth by (our partners in development) who are in fact (devils residing in development).
Blogger Taha Alhafedh warned from the exhaustion of the country's mineral wealth:
@TahaAlhafedh: The problem in Mauritania is that when the people wake up, our wealth will be exhausted due to the systematic looting, and till the people wake up, I hope we have a homeland left.
And Alhoussain Weld Amor as well talked about the lack of benefits to the Mauritanian people from its mineral wealth:
@houmar83: From the very beginning we understood what is said in the radio, and we heard about the validation of projects to extract minerals and licenses, but our luck from all this is death.
Activist Sheikh Sharif accused the Mauritanian president of taking commissions from these companies:
@cheikhchrif: Of course these companies are not able to loot our mineral wealth without permission from the general, and for sure, this deal is not for free.
Blogger Badereddine Eldari wrote:
@baderdine1: Mauritania: a country that has the second biggest gold mine in the world. However, its people live in dire poverty where only the corrupt have rights.
And activist Nasser El Hashem interacted with the campaign saying:
@n_nasser56: What's happening is theft. You might buy the silence of some pens, but the crime's traces condemn you. The hills out there are nearly talking about your crimes.
A full report on what Mauritanian bloggers wrote about foreign mining companies appears on Paparazzi blog.

author: أحمد جدو


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Bahamas: Banking or Learning?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

If a school in no way challenges its students to synthesize, analyze, interrogate, I fail to see how that school can produce critical thinkers, educated citizens or nation builders.
Blogworld sees the value of displacing the banking concept in education.


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Bahrain: Who Heard the Bomb Blasts and Who are the Victims?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011/12.
Bahrain officials announced today that two foreign workers have been killed and a third was seriously injured in five separate bomb blasts in the areas Gudaibiya and Adliya, in the capital Manama.
On Twitter, the news was received with doubt, skepticism and a call for a political solution to end the unrest in the country, following widespread anti-government protests which started on February 14, 2011.
Journalist Adel Marzooq tweets from exile [ar]:
٥ تفجيرات وهمية واعلان مقتل الاسيويين ليس عبثيا، يريدون امتصاص الادانات الدولية لقرار منع التظاهر والمسيرات وتحويلها لادانة الارهاب
@adelmarzooq: Five imaginary explosions and an announcement that Asians have been killed is not haphazard. They want to dilute the international condemnations for the decision to ban protests and rallies and turn them into a condemnation for terrorism
Ahmed Habib asks:
اذا كانت الانفجارات استهدافا للأجانب فهم بكثرة في القرى ولم يتعرض لم أحد فما الداعي للذهاب للعدلية وام الحصم؟!
@ahmdhabib: If the explosions were targeting foreigners, they are aplenty in the villages and no one has attacked them there. So what is the point of going to Adliya and Umm Al Hassam [areas of the capital Manama]?
And Mansour Al Jamri, editor-in-chief of Al Wasat newspaper, writes:
نأمل من وزارة الداخلية ان تنشر في مؤتمرها الصحفي اسماء وجنسيات القتلى والجرحى، اذ من حق وسائل الاعلام معرفة التفاصيل. وشكرا.
@MANSOOR_ALJAMRi: We hope the Ministry of Interior announces in its Press conference the names and nationalities of those killed and injured. It is the right of media to know the details. Thank you
Abu Omar Al Shafiee asks:
هل هناك أخبار عن الاسيويين الذين تعرضوا لحادث دس من قبل احد الدوريات الامنية قبل أيام ؟ هناك روائح كريهه تختق الاجواء هذة الايام ؟
@ALSHAF3EE: Is there news about the Asians who were run over by police patrols a few days ago? There is a bad stench suffocating us these days
Hussain Yousif, a political dissident in exile, adds:
من حق الشعب ان يتسائل عن مصير التحقيق في دهس مركبة تابعة للداخلية آسيويين بين العكر والمعامير في #البحرين، حيث القاتل معروف
@hussain_info: People have the right to know what happened to the investigation of the Interior Ministry vehicle which ran over Asians between Eker and Maameer as the murderer in known
And Sayed Ahmed Al Alawi casts more doubt:
الشخص الذي عرض على أنه قتيل الانفجار إذا كان موته بسبب ركله للقنبلة محلية الصنع كيف سيصل التفجير لرقبته دون رجله وبطنه وصدره عجيبه هالقنبلة
@SAalalawi: The person who was shown as the one killed in the explosion died because he kicked a locally-made bomb. How come the explosion effected his neck but not his legs, stomach and chest. This is one extraordinary bomb
Sabeeka Al Shamlan hits back, tongue in cheek:
@Sabeeka_A: Back to square zero. Oh wait, who said we even moved from there?
And then she asks [ar]:
في أحد سمع التفجيرات؟ بأذونه؟ لاترد على هالسؤال إذا ماسمعت/سمعتي بأذونك/ج
@Sabeeka_A: Has anyone heard the explosions? With their own ears? Don't respond to this question if you have not heard the explosions, with your own ears
Noor Bahman takes a step further:
@noorbahman: A bomb does kill a victim on the spot but also destroys quite a proportion of the surrounding area the victim was in.
And Salma asks:
@salmasays: Eh.. Where is free and independent media when you need it..
This exasperation has deeper roots. Eyad Ebrahim notes [ar]:
الكل يجذب و أنا صرت ما اصدق أي أحد، لا حكومة ولا جمعيات ولا بطيخ.
@eyade: Everyone lies and I don't really believe anyone – not the government, not the opposition, no one.
Murad Alhayki pleas for a political solution. He says:
كل ما تأخر الحل السياسي تعقدت الأمور أكثر وصعب حلها … دماء الناس تقوض العقل
@muradalhaiki: The more a political solution is delayed, the more complicated matters get and more difficult it is to solve them. People's blood calls for wisdom
This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011/12.


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Chinese Political Joke on Beijing Weather · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

As the 18th Chinese Party Congress is approaching, censorship measure has been tightened. Below is a translation of a funny short story circulated [zh] in Chinese social media:
Recently the imperial capital's weather suddenly changed. In the evening, a security old man said: “look! suddenly the sky has changed!” A old lady replied in haze, “don't say sky changed, say the temperature has fallen”. The old man pondered and replied: “We can't even say the temperature fallen”.
The term “Sky Changed” （變天）implies the change of dynasty or emperor in China, while the first word of the term “temperature” (溫度) is the same with the current Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao‘s surname and Wen has been caught up in corruption scandal recently.


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Curacao: Feeling the Tension  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The recent parliamentary elections in Curacao have brought a lot of racial and cultural tension to the surface.
Karen Attiah thinks it is a real problem.


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Haiti: Hurricanes Hardest on the Poor  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Haiti Chery laments the fact that the poor always seem to suffer the most when it comes to natural disasters.


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Jamaica: Talking about the Gay Issue · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Take a look at another perspective on the beating of a gay university student in Jamaica.


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Nasty China Style Hits One Million · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Screen capture from “Nasty China Style”.
The most popular satire of Korean K-pop “Gangnam Style” in Hong Kong goes to “Nasty China Style”, which has reached more than 1 million views in about two weeks. The remix does not have fancy dancing steps, but the Chinese red army performance and its highly satirical lyrics (some may find discriminative) has attracted a lot of attention as the conflict between Hong Kong and China has intensified. Here is the English subtitled version.