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Puerto Rico: Journalist Adds Volume to His Voice on Twitter · Global Voices
Alfredo Richner

One of Puerto Rico's most recognizable journalistic voices, Rafael Lenín López has made his career on local television news programming (Noticentro, WAPA TV) and radio shows (Pegaos en la Mañana, Radio Isla). At 34, he has already been elected twice as president of the Puerto Rican Journalists Association.
Although his incursion into Facebook and Twitter should not come as a surprise, what is genuinely thrilling is the way in which Rafael has been able to use social networks as a bridge between his different journalistic enterprises.
Rafael uses his @LeninPR Twitter account – with over 20,000 followers – to offer quick updates and information about the latest news, later to be covered in greater depth on television or radio. The account has also provided him an outlet to voice his opinions and establish a more direct connection with the Puerto Rican audience. In fact, it was through Twitter that we politely asked Rafael for some time away from his busy schedule in order to answer a few questions for us:
Journalist Rafael Lenín López. Photo republished with his permission.
Global Voices (GV): I would like to start by asking you – not about the beginning of your career (we’ll get to that later) – but about your introduction to social networks. Since you already had the experience of working within more traditional or established mediums such as radio and television, what motivated you to start reporting through Twitter? How did you come by this medium?
Rafael Lenín López (RLL): Hello! Thank you for your interest. After the frenzy over Facebook, I was a little skeptical about going into other social networks. However, I went into the Twittersphere and found a much more practical way to simultaneously report breaking news and create a new personality through a medium with an audience which was different from the one for traditional media. It also grants me the opportunity to slip personal comments and opinions through, which wouldn’t be allowed in traditional media. I can quickly exchange comments with the audience, people get to know me better, and I get to know them better as well.
I don’t remember how I came by Twitter, but I’m pretty sure that the events that boosted my account were [ex-Senator] Héctor Martínez’s trial [es] and the governor’s interview [es] in [local television gossip program] La Comay.
GV: You’re presently working for WAPA TV and Radio Isla, and you were also reelected president of the Puerto Rican Journalist Association. Has your exposition over social networks created any conflict with your professional work? Has it resulted in any qualms about the way you present yourself to the audience? Do you hold any considerations when you send a tweet or share something over the social networks?
RLL: For more conservative individuals perhaps this “over-exposure” would imply a conflict, but not to me. I try to complement my professional job with the content I put out in social media. Maybe it has become the outlet through which I combine the work I do in radio with the work I do on TV. My objective is to share the most urgent and immediate information through social media, and leave the details and explanations for radio and television.
I write my opinions and comments when I deem it important to express them and generate some sort of discussion or debate. People need that spark to wake them up. To date, there hasn't been any conflict generated by this.
GV: Journalism seems to be more hard-pressed than ever to adopt a greater focus towards entertainment, thanks to the economic realities of media outlets. The emergence of the so-called “crowdsourcing” also complicates the situation. Were these trends already taking shape when you started your career? What were your greatest challenges back then? How does it all compare with your experience in the present day?
RLL: When I began my career at WPAB Radio in Ponce, none of these trends were emerging just yet. I had the chance to witness a great and disorderly transition in mass media, a transition that made most people a little crazy and left many without a job. At the beginning, I was working with analog broadcast consoles and playing publicity ads from cartridges; I edited reels with razor blades and ripped the paper out of the teleprinter with a ruler. I used to break into a sprint whenever I heard the bell that announced an urgent piece of news. And be mindful that I’m only 34 years old!
The present-day experience is completely different, but what I’ve gone through previously – at risk of sounding a bit nostalgic – allows me to perfectly understand the situation confronted by communicators nowadays.
GV: What is the present state of journalism in Puerto Rico? Are journalists fulfilling their role?
RLL: I think they are. I think we have journalists that tend to be very responsible and committed to their work and, above all, to our nation. However, we should improve our investigative journalism.
GV: You recently shared an essay on Facebook [es] about the national broadcast of the picture of a decapitated head. In this essay, you say: “we have to take an investigative angle on these cases, and analyze how the lack of proper planning to confront this social problem has brought us to this point.” What hinders this kind of coverage? Is investigative coverage being done as rigorously as it should?
RLL: Our daily criminal activity does not allow us communicators – hence the rest of the nation – to take pause and thoroughly analyze the social problems we’re afflicted by. The daily time slots allowed for news are taken up by the most recent events, and very little time is left over for a more composed discussion. Alternative media, therefore, plays an important role in this.
GV: The Occupy Wall Street movement is becoming the North American version of the Arab Spring. What’s your take on this movement? What effect could it have on our island?
RLL: I think it’s appropriate for people to attempt to occupy spaces we’ve come to accept as “not ours.” However, I think we’re far from a widespread movement in Puerto Rico because of the poor sense of collectivity we have when it comes to explaining and solving our own problems.
GV: In your career, which news have most impressed you and what did you learn from them?
RLL: For its human drama, the explosion in Río Piedras in 1996 – without a doubt. Considering more frequent, everyday events, the trials over cases of corruption are evidence of how our political elite is rotting from the inside. Also, when it comes to people, both interviews to Filiberto Ojeda Ríos [es] marked me for life.
GV: Is it difficult to detach yourself emotionally from news that impassion you, be it a coverage on elections, interviews, or anything else? Do you feel detachment is a requirement?
RLL: I don’t think it’s necessary, and I usually don’t detach myself. I’m a citizen and resident of this nation and this planet. We cannot offer coverage as if we were aliens. This doesn’t mean we should take sides in a controversial case. In such situations, what’s appropriate is to present all angles justly.
GV: You’ve openly supported musical projects such as Orquesta el Macabeo and Calle 13 over Twitter. Do you follow the local musical scene? What other music do you like?
RLL: I do follow the local musical scene. I like what’s happening out there with the artists and cultural exponents that aren’t well received by the mainstream media. That’s how I realize how disconnected traditional media really is.
I listen to almost every kind of music, as long as it’s good.
GV: Lastly, could you share with our readers any advice that you understand is vital to achieve a better nation for everyone?
RLL: We need to build a nation whose ultimate goal is solidarity and collectivity.
Special thanks to Diana Campo (@dianadhevi) for her work translating this interview.
For a longer version of this interview (in Spanish) you can read Puerto Rico Indie here.

author: Alfredo Richner


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Puerto Rico: TEDx Tomorrow · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Tomorrow is a big day for Puerto Rico”: Dondequiera blogs about the much-anticipated TEDx San Juan, adding: “2011 has really been a breakthrough year for the Internet in Puerto Rico. TEDx San Juan, Wordcamp, Social Media Club, and Startup Weekend were all great steps forward.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Russia: Analyzing the Possible Scale of Saturday’s Election Protests · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

This post is part of our special coverage Russia Elections 2011.
As the situation with the Russian election results and the country's detained protesters has not yet been resolved (see Global Voices coverage 1, 2, 3), people in many cities are preparing for demonstrations on Saturday 10 December, 2011.
Early on December 8, user mitingmap created a map [ru] that summarizes the protest groups in the Russian cities. Novaya Gazeta has assembled a list [ru] of planned protest events.
Pressure on Vkontakte
Social media groups that have appeared in almost every major city are regarded as a threat. On December 8, LiveJournal user Edvvvard wrote [ru] that some strange things had started happen to his Vkontakte group Rospil (dedicated to support blogger Alexey Navalny's award-winning project rospil.info).
Protest activity map. Screenshot from Yandex.maps
Initially, he thought it might be the policy of Vkontakte users to prevent protesters to communicate. Then, however, he received a response from Pavel Durov, the founder of the social network, saying that the group had reached the daily limit of comments and that he was working on fixing it.
Later on, Durov added [ru]:
Everything's OK. Recently the FSB [Federal Security Service] asked us to close opposition groups, like yours. By principle we don't do that. we don't know yet how it will end for us, but we're standing
Edvvvard wrote that Durov had chosen sides in the post-election conflict and his side was the one of the bloggers.
A few hours later, news site lenta.ru broke [ru] the news that police had proposed to ban anonymity online, since social networks “bear a potential threat to the base of society.” Later Minister Nurgaliev denounced [ru] the proposal calling it “a nonsense.”
So far, however, none of the groups have been closed or banned.
Understanding current online mobilization
Indeed, the digital dynamics seem overwhelming so far. Television channel ‘Rain’ reported [ru] that within the last four days their audience had grown by five times. Within days too, a Moscow Facebook group organized by 24-year-old Ilya Klishin had reached [ru] more than 30,000 members.
I have analyzed data from groups on social networks Facebook and Vkontakte associated with election-related protests and was able to find some interesting results (recorded on December 8, between 11:30 and 15:00 Central Eastern European time).
This post is part of our special coverage Russia Elections 2011.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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South Korea’s Top 10 Discussed Topics in Facebook · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

In Wiki Tree site, a net user posted Facebook's top 10 most-discussed topics [ko] in South Korea for 2011. Dogani, a movie that revealed sexual assaults on disabled kids made the top 2, and the nation's most popular satirical podcast, Naggomsu ranked No. 6.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Trinidad & Tobago: The CARICOM-Cuba Summit  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad and Tobago News Blog reports on the arrival of Cuban President Raul Castro, while KILKAYTAY comments on “the hurricane in the snocone cup over the shifted location of the 2011 CARICOM-Cuba Summit”.


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USA: Uncertain Future of Student Occupy Movement in California · Global Voices
Soraya Sacaan

This post is part of the special coverage of the #Worldwide Occupy Movement.
During the last few months, under the slogan: “Who's University? OUR University!”, the students of the University of California participating in the Occupy Movement have managed to carry out huge demonstrations on the Berkeley campus in Irvine, Los Angeles and Santa Cruz without much media coverage. However, this revolution has recently been brought to light following a pepper-spraying incident on November 18th, on the Davis campus of the University of California. The level of police brutality against peaceful students has now called the attention of the media, as well as brought to the table the discussion of authorities abusing of power. As a result, the movement has become stronger on all campuses, especially the Davis campus where students have continued to protest in order to force the resignation of Chancellor Linda Katehi.
The Pepper Spray Incident
On November 18th, a group of 50 students from the University of California, Davis, gathered with tents in the central park of the campus in order to protest the 40% increase in enrollment fees of the University of California (a total of $31,000 per year in Registration and Tuition), the high interest rates in university loans, and the reduction in state economy support.
At 12pm on Friday,  after receiving notice that they should evacuate the area, some demonstrators began leaving the campground. However, others stayed seated on the ground, forming a human chain by interlocking arms in order to protect their demonstration. At 3pm in the afternoon, Linda Katehi, University Chancellor, requested for the police to remove the encampment. One hour later, approximately 20 officials faced the demonstrators who were now receiving support from almost 200 by-standers.Two of the uniformed policemen then threw pepper spray over the students who were seated on the ground. The following video shows the provoked outrage of the by-standers who began surrounding the policemen and shouting for the police to remove themselves from the demonstration.
Ten people were detained from the subsequent riot. Some of the injured students were attended to by medical personnel and others were taken to the health clinic. In a few cases, some students were even forced to hold oxygen masks over their mouths.The actions of the policemen were recorded by those who were present at the event and have been circulated on the Internet through various social networks. The videos have been commented in several different languages and the image of the pepper-spraying policemen has now become an Internet meme.
The Consequences and the Anger of the Students
On the same day as the demonstrations, one of the campus professors wrote a public letter to Katehi requesting her resignation as well as describing the emotions of many university students. The letter has now been shared via many different mediums of press, calling attention to the incident last Friday. Katehi gave a press conference on Saturday November 19th during whic, hundreds of students surrounded the campus building where the Dean was and awaited her exit in order to accompany her in silence to her vehicle. The following video shows one of the students who had been injured by the pepper spray, giving instructions regarding Katehi's exit from the building.
More than 100  thousand students and supporters of the Occupy UC Movement have signed a petition for Katehi to resign from her position owing to the pepper spray incident.
The Occupation
Photo by author, Soraya Sacaan.
From the day of the assembly to date, 120 tents have been put up in the Central Quad, including a dome structure for the professors who support the cause to carry out classes within the movement.
As such, student organization has been exemplary. The students have a list of daily activities that is publicized on Aggie News (the UC Davis students’ newspaper), they have made a list that allows the donation of tents through amazon.com, an online donations website, a Facebook page, an #OccupyUCDavis tag as well as a Twitter user account @OccupyUCDavis. A huge portion of the activities are also being transmitted through streaming on the Internet. In addition, they have also created a text message alert system that keeps them informed in the case of police acts that are geared against the occupation.
On November 28th, the students organized a strike on the basis of a proposal that was approved by 99.6% of the movement. The demonstrators entered the administrative building of UCD known as Dutton Hall and took up an entire area, putting up almost 15 tents in and around the building. The occupation of the building has been extended until mid-December.
Photo by Arturo Calderón O. Republished with his permission.
Katehi, Penn State and the FBI
Chancellor Linda Kathei, a Greece native, mentioned in the General Assembly that she had participated as a student during the 1973 Athens Polytechnic uprising, and she did not want something so similar to be repeated in Davis. She has admitted that she does indeed need to gain the trust of the students. On the other hand, the press has bet against the Chancellor in obtaining the confidence of the public.
Various different media sources have linked Katehi with Graham Spanier, former Chancellor of Penn State University, who was accused of abusing his authority in order to cover up cases of child sexual abuse. Since 2005, both individuals have been members of the National Security Higher Education Advisory Board, which works towards “fostering outreach and promoting understanding between higher education and the FBI”. The intention of the board is to compile information regarding whatever professor or student activity of the participating universities is considered subversive.
The Future
During the next few weeks, a series of meetings will be held in order to decide the future of the movement. As such, the local media, especially the university channel AggieTV, will be following the Occupy UC Davis Movement. However, a permanent unease still remains over the change of opinion of the university officials, in spite of the order from Katehi not to remove the students from the Quad as it was “a peaceful activity”.
You can follow the movement as well as the media coverage through the hash tag #OccupyUCDavis , Aggie Tv, The Aggie Newspaper and the website UC Davisweb.
This post is part of the special coverage of the #Worldwide Occupy Movement.

author: Soraya Sacaan


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Angola: Police Represses Peaceful March in Cazenga · Global Voices
Clara Onofre

In 2011 Angolan people has been persistent in demonstrating discontent against the reality lived in the country. In the beginning of December, in Cazenga‘s neighborhood in Luanda, protestors were peacefully marching and chanting [video], when police forces decided to violently break the demonstration.

author: Clara Onofre


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Bahamas: Postcolonialism Issues   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A recent “one-day symposium in honour of Frantz Fanon, the Martinican psychiatrist whose field of study was the psyche of the colonized” gets Blogworld “thinking about the value of democracy, of statehood, of the wretchedness of postcolonialism.”


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Bhutan: What Caused The Rupee Crisis? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Tshering Tobgay writes about the recent rupee crisis in Bhutan and how the government could prevent it.

author: Rezwan


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Brazil: Anti-Homophobia Bill Suffers a “Death Blow” · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Brazilian lawyer Thiago Fiago comments on [pt] the recent changes to the bill PLC122, which originally intended to criminalize homophobia. Fiago says the proposed bill has suffered a “death blow” and criticizes the role of religion, and particularly evangelical representatives, in the parliament.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


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Brazil: Referendum on the Separation of Pará State · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Brazilian blogger João Villaverde writes [pt] about the coming referendum in the Amazonian state of Pará, that could divide the state into three new separate entities. This first-time people's ballot on a matter that had only been decided by politicians, will take place on Sunday, December 11.


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Brazil: Student Sued by the City Councilor of Natal · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

In the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte, the city councilor of Natal, Julio Protásio, is suing the student and social activist Leonardo Miranda for comments made on Twitter on a criminal case against Protásio and other city councilors linked to misuse of public funds, informs us [pt] the blog Primavera Sem Borboleta.


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Colombia: Interactive Musical Map · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

David Pescovitz of Boing Boing points us to Soundway's Musical Map of Colombia, an interactive map with videos, sound samples, pictures and details of their latest release of obscure Colombian music.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Confusing information for NGOs at COP 17 in Durban · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

Addressing the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) in Durban on climate change, René Audet complained on the website blogueaqlpa.com: “Since the arrival of Ministers in Durban, negotiations have been taken to another level, so to speak. Now, this level is inaccessible to observers like us. Information circulates well within NGO networks, but they are confusing.”

author: Abdoulaye Bah


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Cuba: Human Rights Day  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Uncommon Sense says that tomorrow, International Human Rights Day, “is for all to celebrate the basic rights we share and to remember those in Cuba and elsewhere whose rights are trampled by their rulers.”


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Cuba: Same Old Story  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Laritza's Laws compares the content of a 1989 edition of “Granma…the official mouthpiece of the Central Committee of the Party” to a current one, and says: “The failure is evident.  The housing situation is precarious…public services in decline; and don’t even talk about the protection of the workers…”


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D.R. of Congo: Congolese Diaspora Erupts Against Kabila · Global Voices
Julie Owono

Although the community of Congolese (DRC) nationals based abroad was not granted the right to vote [fr] during the November 28, 2011, presidential and parliamentary elections, it has shown its commitment to being involved in the political debate.
Using various online channels, the Congolese diaspora have organised several initiatives to raise awareness amongst fellow citizens and members of the international community. Indeed, the diaspora have succeeded in making themselves heard.
On December 7, the ambassadors of France, the United Kingdom and Belgium in Kinshasa pressed [fr] the long-time opposition leader and candidate in the presidential election Etienne Tshisekedi to ask his partisans to stop violence in foreign capitals. Tshisekedi came in second in the polls according to the temporary results announced by the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI).
According to Nicolas-Patience Basabose, Director of Publication of Le Congo Hebdo [fr] (Congo Weekly), who is based in South Africa, the diaspora is still strongly connected to their homeland [fr]:
Les Congolais de l’étranger ont un rôle très politique à jouer car la plupart ne sont pas partis pour découvrir le monde en soit mais poussés par des conditions sociopolitiques pas très favorable. Les expats sont très connectés avec le pays surtout durant les 10 ans meurtrières de Kabila. Manifester et faire du bruit était sûrement la seule et unique chose que la diaspora pouvait faire pour faire peser leurs voix dans le processus électoral en court.
In France, the DR of Congo Embassy in Paris was scaled by anti-Kabila protesters who said they were taking  back their territory, and asserted that Tshisekedi was the real winner of the election. The demonstrators adopted a strategy to divert the attention of French public security forces who guard the official building, and arrived hidden in a truck.
RPBIjou posted on YouTube the following images on December 5:
Violent demonstrations took place near the European Union headquarters in Brussels, Belgium (the country that is the former colonial power in the DR of Congo). On December 7, YouTube user The voice of Congo posted a video of Congolese citizens demonstrating on December 5, in the streets of Brussels, while heading to the DR Congo embassy.
Belgian francophone news site Lesoir.be [fr], reported that the protests turned violent and a few protesters were arrested after throwing stones at law enforcement officers and causing damage to shops and public infrastructure.
Other demonstrations were organised in London, (BBC report) and in Italy.
The Congolese diaspora also have an important economic role to play in the future of the country. According to an academic study [fr], funded by the European Commission and the Belgian Ministry of Development, the 40,300 legal Congolese residents in Belgium send approximatively USD $ 130,000,000,00 to their relatives back in the DR of Congo. It is therefore highly probable that in this country, whose GDP equals USD $ 11 billion, migrant remittances make up an important part of the national wealth.
Congolese Protest in London by new chap on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
By demonstrating in foreign capitals, Congolese of the diaspora also want to denounce certain Western powers and their mineral companies. Here is a video posted on YouTube in which a member of the Congolese diaspora in Alberta, Canada accuses Canadian companies of operating illegally in Congo:
We denounce, accuse and complain against these officials for their support and involvement in the Joseph Kabila government that the Congolese have rejected during the November 28, 2011 elections. They are criminals in Congo and they are also criminals in Canada and criminals according to international laws. (…) We have information from reliable sources about all the names of all the Canadian public figures whose companies are involved in the illicit exploitation of mines in Congo.
The day after this statement was made public, a demonstration took place in Ottawa, capital of Canada. According to PeterPW who posted the video on YouTube, “What started off as a peaceful protest…turned violent as protesters began hurling rocks and spraying graffiti on the Congolese embassy.”
Johannesburg also witnessed the march of hundreds of Congolese nationals. Among them was a naked man, who shouted “Kabila must go”, and asked President Zuma, who allegedly supports the outgoing president, to leave Congo. The voice of Congo posted this video:
Other protests occured in Africa, particularly in Morocco.

author: Julie Owono


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India: Parliamentary Committee Opposes UID Bill · Global Voices
Rezwan

Vickram reports that an Indian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance has recommended recasting of the NIAI bill, which deals with the implementation of the Unique ID (UID) scheme. The blogger discusses what implications it has for India.


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Jamaica: Feeling the “Vybz” · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Under the Saltire Flag posts a must-read analysis about “the rise and fall” of dancehall artist Vybz Kartel.


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Macedonia: Ajvar, Glorified  · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Jovana Tozija wrote lovingly about making ajvar, a traditional favorite winter provision in Macedonia and some other post-Ottoman countries.

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Macedonia, China: Comparing Air Pollution in the Capitals · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Anastas Vangeli, а Macedonian studying in Beijing, compared the levels of air pollution and policy measures between that city and his hometown Skopje.


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Nepal: Blog Aggregation And Monetizing Free Content  · Global Voices
Rezwan

“At this stage, more than opportunities to monetize, Nepali blogosphere needs exposure and stable readership,” Comments Bhumika while discussing on blog aggregation and monetizing of free content like Huffington Post.


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Russia: Anglophone Bloggers Comment on Election and Protests · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Kevin Rothrock of A Good Treaty asks eleven Anglophone Russia bloggers to comment on the Dec. 4 parliamentary electionand its aftermath: “The result, I hope readers will agree, is a fruitful diversity of informed opinion from some of the Web’s most prominent and colorful Russia-watchers.” Kevin's own take on the current situation in Russia, published on Dec. 6, is here.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Rwanda: Murder of Rwandan Online Journalist Lights up the Internet · Global Voices
Etienne Mashuli

Charles Ingabire, an online Rwandan journalist and genocide survivor, is the latest victim in a series of bloody attacks targeting Rwandan journalists. Ingabire was killed in apparent execution style outside a Kampala bar on Sunday, November 30, 2011.
The attackers who were  reportedly traveling in a Pajero  immediately slipped away. A Ugandan police official at the crime scene stated that  the victim's body had two bullet wounds (shot through his neck) and that  five cartridges of a sub-machine gun were found at the crime scene.
Charles Ingabire was the editor of the Kinyarwanda-language news website Inyenyeri News.
Another journalist, Charles Rugambgage, was murdered in June 2010 in Rwanda. The car he was traveling in got sprayed with bullets as he approached his home in Kigali. According to Umuvugizi, arguably the most critical newspaper in Rwanda (now operating online after being banned), the gunman who was sentenced to ten years in jail has since been released, having served less than a year.
Rwandan online journalist Charles Ingabire. Photo courtesy of umuvugizi.com.
While the motive of Ingabire's murder is yet to be determined, it is well established that he had been a fierce critic of the Rwandan President Paul Kagame's regime. On its part, Rwanda has denied any responsibility stating that the journalist was not a well-known critic. However, several pieces published published by Ingabire were highly critical of the government.
Just before his murder, he had released an article implicating the First Lady, Janet Kagame, of corruption. In particular, the report accused the government of unfairly issuing tenders to companies linked to the First Lady. Some of the companies mentioned are Fair Construction, which reportedly gave kickbacks to Mrs. Kagame and a British company (name not mentioned) associated with former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
In the report, published a few days before his murder, he stated:
Ubutegetsi bwa Kagame bukunze kwigaragaza nk’ubutegetsi burwanya ruswa mu Rwanda, ndetse bukabyamamaza mu rwego rwo kwivuga ibigwi, ariko ibi byose ababyemera n’uko baba batazi ukuri ku isahurwa ry’umutungo wa leta ukorwa na perezida Kagame afatanyije n’umuryango we cyane umufasha we Jeanette Kagame.
Several organizations and exiled political parties have issued  statements condemning the murder and calling for proper investigations. FDU Inkingi, the party of exiled politician Victoire Ingabire, released a statement saying:
The circumstances of his death show that he lost his precious life because of his opinions. It’s not the first time that a critic of the Rwandan government is assassinated in neighboring countries.
Rwanda National Congress (RNC), a party whose leader, Kayumba Nymawasa, survived an assassination attempt in South Africa last year also denounced the killing in a message released via the Facebook page of its coordinator, Theogene Rudasingwa:
Rwanda National Congress (RNC) condemns in the strongest terms possible, the heinous and cowardly policy of political assassination employed by President Paul Kagame to terrorize and silence all his critics and Rwandan in general. Over the years, President Paul Kagame has used assassinations, forced disappearances and imprisonment as a policy of sustaining himself in power. The Rwandan people both at home and abroad are living under a state of terror. Rwanda has become an Army with a state. It is an understatement to describe Rwanda as a police state in view of the fact that state agents arbitrary arrest, imprison and kill political opponents with impunity.
His murder has been widely discussed on Twitter, however, Paul Kagame, an avid Twitter user remained curiously quiet.
Below are a few of Twitter reactions:
@Rwandankunda: Charles Ingabire, gunned down by #Kagame's thugs yesterday had just published a report accusing Kagame's wife of corruption. #Rwanda
@jckato: no assassin will succeed in muzzling freedom of speech, RIP Charles Ingabire
@Nosa35: Mr. President, you previously told us that you respect the rule of law, but what is this murdered Rwandan journalist Charles Ingabire
@andybk82: Why are East African journalist's silent over the assassination of Charles Ingabire? Hypocrisy.
@Uburenganzira1: Government failed to protect the life of Charles Ingabire but it should now quickly investigate
@batinda123: @kagabo Hullo Frank, any reason why your paper has decided not to cover the death of Charles Ingabire? Are u the poodles of Kagame? Phew! [@Kagabo is a journalist with the New Times, a newspaper linked to the ruling party].
@mugumya: Guys thats all I had about Charles Ingabire. A journalist who attended funeral said most mourners were avoiding looking into his camera
@mugumya: Murdered #Rwanda Journo Charles Ingabire had the most weird funeral service. No Rwandan Embassy officials attended. more Spies than mourners
@Jendinda: RIP Charles Ingabire(Rwandan journalist critical to President Kagame) they have succeeded in silencing you but your work will be remembered
While most of the tweeps seemed to point the finger at the Rwandan government, a few took the official government's position:
His murder was also widely covered by bloggers. Writing for Modern Ghana, Abbey Semuwemba, reflected on the murder of her own father, who was also journalist:
I have always admired Kagame's leadership compared to other African  dictators but I think this is one of his weakest points, i.e. killing  his political opponents abroad instead of calming things down. This is  where Uganda's Museveni is better than him, i.e. at least, he kills some  and bribes some. Killing is allegedly a last resort for Museveni, at  least.
Cry for Freedom in Rwanda took issue with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, for denying the victim's request for relocation to much safer country:
I have to say that UNHCR has a history of betraying Rwandan refugees.  During my visit to Uganda in 2009, I was told that Rwandan dissidents  were often denied refugee status by the agency. Some of them while  bearing physical signs of torture, had been denied treatment. It seems  the UNHCR still operates under the old-fashioned prism that views Kagame  as the good guy. This is unfortunate since the UNHCR is mandated to  protect refugees without discrimination. It defeats purpose that they  would turn away a refugee faced with the threat of murder.
Liam pointed out that Kagame's reputation is increasingly being tarnished by his poor treatment of journalists:
This ambiguity and apprehension revolves around the possible –or as some  would argue the likely – role of Rwandan President Paul Kagame; the  one-time liberator who now rules Rwanda through tyranny and brutality,  in a manner described as worse than Robert Mugabe’s.
Lastly, Alex Gakuru analyzed Ingabire's shooting through the frame-work of internet freedom. He argued that the Internet is proving to be a big threat to dictators all over the world. However, he added, dictators would do better by accepting criticism:
It would be far much easier, for everyone, if these rulers frightened by  increasingly sophisticated social media platforms providing powerful  new mass action avenues learned to accept their misgovernance criticisms  and did something to fix it rather than resorting to murdering rights  champions. Fomenting rebellions that likely lead to their forceful  overthrows through people power. They need to realise that every  assassination breeds grounds for multitudes of new online revolts which  once crystallized consolidated will ungraciously hound them out of power  that had got into their heads and veins.
Charles Ingabire is survived by his wife and a five month old baby.

author: Etienne Mashuli


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Sri Lanka: First 3D Cineplex · Global Voices
Rezwan

Murshid is delighted to go to the newly launched 3D cineplex, first of its kind in Sri Lanka, and blogs about it.


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Tanzania: Blogging and Tweeting Tanzania@50 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The 9 December, 2011, is a big day for Tanzanians as the mainland part of the United Republic of Tanzania, Tanganyika, turns 50. Online, bloggers and tweeps are celebrating and reflecting on the future of Tanzania.
The Dar es Salaam Bloggers’ Circle urged bloggers to mark this event by a blog post on December 9:
The rules are simple:
Write a blog post based on the topic.
Hashtag it on Twitter #DarBlogCircle and ##Tanzania50.
Share it here: http://www.facebook.com/DarBlogCircle
Misternv shares excerpts taken from a letter written by Mwalimu Nyerere to his ministers and party officials in 1964:
Official logo for Tanzania at 50. Image source: the government of Tanzania.
Do they [ordinary citizens] really love being shouted at to get off the road because the President, a minister or a regional commissioner is taking an afternoon drive? (…) Do they really feel a surge of pride and patriotism every time they are expected to stop what they are doing and stand at attention just become some newly-appointed official whom they many not even have seen before is being serenaded with the national anthem? (…) Dignity does not need pomposity to uphold it: and pomposity in all its forms is wrong. Even if it were proved that the people really enjoyed it – which I very much doubt- it would still be a wrong; and it would still be our duty to put a stop to it and to tell the people that what they had learned to enjoy was wrong. (…)
After pointing out a few things that Tanzania could do better, David Mugo who lived in Tanzania for 18 months, finishes his post by saying:
In conclusion, I still think Tanzania is still one of the greatest countries I have been to in Africa. The people are definitely the best. Happy independence day, reflect on what independence you have, what it means to you, to this generation and future generations. I challenge young people to view things beyond the eyes of our aging leaders. Congratulations again. Long live Tanzania and its people.
Tanzanian activist and blogger, Ashura, wonders, “Where are we at 50?”:
In the Arusha Declaration of 1967 by Mwalimu Nyerere he stated ‘Independence means self-reliance. Independence cannot be real if a nation depends on gifts and loans from another for its development…’ lets ask ourselves today does Tanganyika not depend on gifts and loans for her development? The answer is yes that is why most of the land is sold to foreign company while leaving Tanzanians with neither land nor compensation. Our government thinks our development will be brought by foreigners in exclusion of Tanzanians, according to Mwalimu Nyerere we cannot depend on foreign company and act as we please!  Its fifty years since Tanganyika got its independence on the 09th of December 1961 the country is almost regress and not progressing at all. In 1967, £ 1 was worth Tsh. 16.6 today £1 is worth 2650+ this has bad meaning as far as the economy is concerned.
Mwalimu Nyerere celebrating independence. Photo shared on Tanzania-Have-Your-Say Facebook page.
In celebrating 50 years of independence, The Wayward Press writes:
Right now, our country finds itself at a moment of transition and great uncertainty. Our politics lacks a sense of direction or grand ideological vision anchoring us forward. Our leaders seem to be making it up as they go along. Our knowledge of our history is fragmented and rooted in skewed nostalgic visions of the past. Our cultural identity is confused, informed more by foreign forms than any sense of a local aesthetic. To be a contemporary Tanzanian at the moment is to be a person of great potential unclear about what the future holds for him.
The Creatively Maladjusted looks at blogging and social media in Tanzania at 50:
In a country such as Tanzania where media coverage is likely censored or at the very least is inconsistent / unreliable, blogging (and social media generally) open up a whole new world of opportunities. “Social media can give Tanzanians their own public voices. That’s the most powerful opportunity I can think of to be frank”- Elsie from The Mikocheni Report blog.  A common (often intended at ending any further conversation) response that I hear in discussions about social media in Tanzania is that most people don’t have access to the internet. In rural areas where 75% of the population lives, access is without doubt the major challenge (related to poor electricity coverage as well as few and expensive internet cafes), but this situation is rapidly changing from both supply and demand vantage points, with increasingly cheaper internet access on mobile phones and younger generations attracted to the connectivity that social media offers.  In towns I would argue that a large proportion of the population are at least on Facebook, and via links on Facebook probably have much more direct access to blogs / citizen journalism than people living in the West…
Ahmed at VijanaFM asks, “Tanzania at 50 what do we have to show for it?”:
I think there is a challenge right now of galvanizing the people to reflect on the past fifty years. We do remember the good times but are constantly reminded about the bad. We have immense challenges and, as the saying goes, do Tanzanians feel they are better off today than they were ten years ago, let alone 50 years ago? The answer is probably no. I think instead of being nostalgic about the good old days we should really look inside ourselves, both the mwananchi and the leadership and interrogate how we can build a better tomorrow. This is because I think the majority of us are concerned about what the next 50 years will look like.
Karim Hirji, a professor of biostatics at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, discusses the education system in Tanzania after 50 years of independence:
At the time of Uhuru, not a single doctor was being trained in Tanzania. Now, my research methods class at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences has 150 students.  My dilemma reflects the situation in most of the subjects taught at my university and, in fact, at all universities across the nation. Student numbers have expanded sharply, but the number of lecturers and teaching resources have not.  Some universities have a department with 20 or so academic staff, yet none has a doctoral degree  We have just gone through a multimillion-dollar curriculum review exercise. Yet, hardly any department has changed the substance of what it teaches.
On Twitter, tweeps celebrate Tanzania@50 with the hashtag Tanzania50:
dgtlUbun2: I am remembering ALL those lives UNNECESSARALIY lost in ZanzibarBoatTragedy & many more lives LOST due to a corrupt system. #Tanzania50
@BabatundeJnr: Happy birthday to D nation of a great African Julius Nyerere #Tanzania50. Wish the people freedom from corruption & bad governance. #Africa
@ChickAboutTown: Happy 50th, Tanganyika! (Dar is ablaze with fireworks.) #Tanzania50
@SalimHatib: Never forget the heroes who sacrified their life's to bring up this glorious day. Happy Independence day #Tanzania50
@dgtlUbun2: Only in Tanzania,whr over 80% population lives in poverty, BUT Mp's get 185% raise on sitting allowances.This is #Tanzania50 gvt. in action.
@SwahiliStreet: sorry, but the independence celebrations include a display by the police of how to stop a public demonstration?
@KateBomz: My finale goes to —> #Tanzania at 50 what do we have to show for it? by @asalim86 http://vijana.fm/2011/12/07/ni-hamsini-ni-hamsini-tanzania-at-50-what-do-we-have-to-show-for-it/ I saved best write up 4 last!
@tweetingchaga: The British departure from tanganyika in 1961 was premature. Yes, i said it #Tanzania50 @atititu @dizainatweets @jmkikwete
@Dunia_Duara: Blogs about #Tanzania50. Read and/or join @DarBlogCircle: facebook.com/DarBlogCircle
Tanganyika gained independence from the United Kingdom on 9 December, 1961, and later Tanganyika formed a union with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Trinidad & Tobago: Traffic Tips · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“After crime the number one negative social issue that affects most of us on a daily basis is traffic”: Plain Talk has some suggestions for easing the congestion.


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Bangladesh: How To promote Your Music · Global Voices
Rezwan

Bangladeshi blogger Tamal Anwar lists twenty one ways to promote your music.


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Brazil: Constraining Identities Through “Aesthetic Standards” · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Brazilian journalist and blogger André Forestieri writes [pt] about the rights of an employer to constrain a black employee if he or she does not fit the “aesthetic standards” imposed by society. He illustrates with the case of a student whose teacher in a school she worked wanted her to have straight hair.


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China: Beijing Winter Air · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Pekinglogy shows the air pollution in Beijing with photos and data.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Cloud Computing Turned into Real Estate Business  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Bubble Watch alerts the readers that a number of cloud computing centers in China are turning into real estate development projects.


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France, Syria: Syrian Cartoonist Ali Ferzat Receives Reporters Without Borders Award · Global Voices
Claire Ulrich

Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat has been awarded the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom award for 2011.  François Forcadell on  Iconovox [fr] gives the link to a video interview [fr] of Le Monde's political cartoonist Plantu, paying hommage to his Syrian colleague.

author: Claire Ulrich


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India: Kapil Sibal vs. the Netizens on Filtering Social Media · Global Voices
Sanjukta

Earlier this week, the Indian Union Communications and IT Minister Kapil  Sibal asked Internet giants such as Facebook, Google and Yahoo to pre-screen derogatory,  defamatory and inflammatory content about political leaders and religion. Mr.  Sibal suggested that the content uploaded by over 100 million Internet users in  India be pre-screened and stopped from going live if found objectionable.
And by ‘screening’ the minister meant manual screening and not screening by  technology.
First it was bad enough that the government should even try to control  people’s voices on the Internet, then to suggest that content uploaded every second  by over 100 million users could be screened by humans and not technology –  Mr Sibal should have known that he was going to face a huge backlash over his  move.
Indian Union Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal. Image from Flickr by World Economic Forum (CC BY-SA).
The mob needed a slogan to run with and political blog Kafila gave them  exactly that. Blogger Shivam Vij on Kafila urged people to raise the slogan “Kapil Sibal is an  Idiot”:
I urge you to write KAPIL SIBAL IS AN IDIOT as your Facebook status  message, use the hashtag #IdiotKapilSibal on Twitter, and write a blog post with  the above title, because there may soon be a day when he may prevent you from  doing so.
What followed was a wave of insult, ridicule and sarcasm thrown at  Mr Sibal  by hundreds and thousands of Internet users in India,  including celebrity  politicians, film personalities, popular bloggers,  authors and millions of  ordinary users. Initially Indian social  media users on Facebook, Twitter and  Google Plus were angry at the  government’s attempt to control their freedom of  expression but they  soon channelized that anger into humour and sarcasm.
Meme's like this was created. Within a day, a Facebook page with that slogan got over 400 likes. Hundreds of blog posts and thousands of tweets have been floated. Creative  social media users have gone a step ahead and created many humorous images,  videos and jokes.
The Delhi Technological University’s students community blog Indian Fusion wrote that its technically  impossible to pre-screen every content and moreover we don’t need regulations:
The point is that you don’t need to police the Indian Youth. Self-policing or  self-regulation is already working well. For eg on facebook, when someone posts  a abusive content related to some god, then people immediately starts reporting  it as abuse and if facebook finds it offensive it removes it as soon as  possible. So this self-regulation is already existing which is  enough.
A right to ‘self regulation’ and the freedom to chose our own definition of  ‘objectionable content’ and then decide when and how to respond to what we think  is objectionable, whether to complaint or ignore – has been a  common opinion amongst all the reactions that have come from various net  users.
Harsht  writes:
As ordinary users, what do we do when we find something objectionable on  Facebook, Twitter or anywhere on the Internet! We report it to the platform  provider. Most popular platform providers have such mechanisms.
Indian  Liberals blogged:
People have all the freedom to feel offended but they don’t have the right to  regulate others from saying what they want to say. Their freedom to get offended  ends where others’ freedom of expression begins.  Period.
Another common reaction is to compare this incident to the level of freedom  of speech and expressions or the lack of it in our neighbouring countries like  Pakistan and China. People are angry and ashamed that an Indian politician  attempted to tarnish the image of the democratic India that the youth is  presumably so proud of.
Blogger Vidyut wrote on  AamJanata:
Politicians have no shame, they say, but people do. To me it is shameful that  a leader of my country made such a mockery of free speech and attempted to bully  organizations into censorship, so the name of my country has that tarnish  associated with it.
In light humor, blogger Giribala Joshi paid  a satirical: “tribute to the upholder of communal harmony and  decency in the Indian society, respected Shri Shri Kapil Sibal Ji.” Also a poem parodied one of Kapil Sibal’s poem:
Unknown Content
Unknown content
It beckons us
We must  just
Censor it.
Blogger  Bharat C Jain like many others points towards the political undertone to a  matter that otherwise appears an information technology subject, and says that  such pre-screening would have been acceptable had it only been for national  security.
Sibal's directive would have been alright if it were directed in the context  of our national interest and the country's security – like anything  anti-national and spreading of hate content.
Lakshmi  Chaudhry writes on First Post:
Kapil Sibal may be an idiot — or not — but more importantly, he represents  the feudal mentality of the broader political class, which is in turn enabled by  the multinational companies — all in the guise of protecting our cultural  sensibilities.
Amidst all the anger and humor some very serious concerns regarding  ‘private censorship regime’ have been raised by the Centre for Internet Society.  Legally  India reports:
CIS has carried out an undercover investigation into the “chilling effects”  of new information technology laws on freedom of expression online, with six out  of seven major websites removing innocent content online without proper  investigation, creating a “private censorship regime”.
This is not the first time that the Indian Government has tried to control  free speech on Internet, back in 2006 a number of BlogSpot sites were  blocked by a Government order leading to a fury  amongst the bloggers. The present move by Mr Sibal has put the focus back on  several such attempts by the Government on a regular basis.
The Times of India reported:
Google has received government requests for removal of 358 items from its  services, including YouTube and Orkut,  during the January-June period, according to a report by the internet search  giant. As many as 255 item removal requests cited the government criticism as  the reason, said the Google Transparency Report. The government had asked Google  to remove 236 items from Orkut and 19 items  from YouTube for the same reason, it added.
Lawyer and researcher Pranesh Prakash has written an extensively researched  piece on why “Online  Pre-Censorship is Harmful and Impractical.”
While nobody can possibly deny that any attempt to censor innocent free  speech is unacceptable, some citizens have objected, and rightly so, to the way  social media users reacted.
I wrote on  Samyukta media’s blog:
If a certain move by the Government is unacceptable the citizens must raise  their voices against it, but the voices should be civilized, ethical, logical  and rational even when the medium is internet. If social media voices and  citizen journalism is to be taken seriously the users must show the same  maturity and responsibility as traditional media players and professional  journalists.
On the same lines Navin Kabra wrote:
Do I agree with Kapil Sibal? Of course not. Pre-screen is neither possible,  nor desirable. But I’m willing to bet that Kapil Sibal already knew both those  things. My point is, saying we should oppose this is not the same as saying  Kapil Sibal is an idiot.
As the matter would eventually subside what would remain a valid concern is  in this largest democracy of the world, how do we create a balance between what  is ‘our offence versus what is their offence’, the rights of minorities versus  might of majority, the rights versus the responsibilities and the  last but not  the least, the unapologetic mob mentality of the online citizen journalists  versus the controlled mainstream media reporting.

author: Sanjukta


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Malaysia: Airport Tax Increase · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

There is opposition to the increase in airport taxes collected from tavellers in Malaysian airports.

author: Mong Palatino


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Mozambique: Epic, tweeted land journeys from up north · Global Voices
Janet Gunter

Járcia Muando (@JarciaMuando), a young communications professional, is currently tweeting her long land journey by bus, minibus and truck from Niassa province to Zambezia province in northern Mozambique. On November 1, journalist Hélder Shirangano (@Shirangano) tweeted his train journey between Nampula and Niassa provinces.

author: Janet Gunter


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Philippines: “Occupy” Protests Overcome Police Brutality · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

This post is part of our special coverage #Occupy Worldwide.
Protesters in the Philippines have attempted to ‘occupy’ the historic Mendiola Bridge near the Presidential Palace by staging a campout protest against budget cuts and poverty. Police used batons and water from fire trucks to violently disperse the assembly yet thousands continue to gather around Mendiola day after day to make a strong statement in front of President Noynoy Aquino's own doorsteps.
Six students were arrested but subsequently released after the flimsy charges filed against them by the police were dismissed by the prosecutor's office. Scores of other protesters have been critically injured by the brutal dispersals.
Prevented by the police from camping near the Palace, protesters put up tents in Plaza Miranda in Quiapo the first night, subsequently in Bustillos Church a block away from Mendiola, and most recently in the Liwasang Bonifacio shrine. Today, December 10, International Human Rights Day, is the last day of the campout protest.
The call for those who are “fed up with the status quo and united in a common hope for a better present and future” to “take action” and occupy Mendiola by more than 100 groups was first posted online on www.campoutph.com:
We can no longer stand a twisted social set-up that robs the majority of our people of a decent life and basic social services. We can no longer stand a social system that produces immense wealth for foreign interests and a few as the people, who toil all their lives, are increasingly pushed deeper into hunger, poverty and injustice.
Highlighting the theme “sawang-sawa na tayo (we are fed up),” the campout protest tackled a broad range of issues from the Aquino administration's budget cuts for education and social services, nonstop oil and basic commodities price hikes, land reform, migrant issues, urban poor demolitions, and persistent human rights violations.
'Campout' march blocked by police. Photo from @androzarate
Videos by student and youth leaders, academics, artists, activists, and other campout supporters expressing their disenchantment with the system and enjoining others to join the protest have also circulated online:
The people are fed up with poverty. All sectors of society have a responsibility to end this. I am Axel Pinpin as an activist of the peasant movement and a poet. Each one of us has a responsibility to continue to awaken the people about their real conditions. Everyone is invited to the people's campout which will start on December 6.
Hundreds of students from various state universities held various protest actions in the islands of Panay and Guimaras while almost a thousand students in Iloilo City braved the rain for a march-rally in solidarity with the Occupy Mendiola protests.
Iloilo City students brave the rain in solidarity with Occupy Mendiola. Image by author.
The Occupy Mendiola campout protest is inspired by the “Arab Spring” popular uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, the General Strikes in Europe, and the now global “Occupy” protest movement.
Updates on the continuing ‘occupations’ can also be checked on Facebook or through the hashtags #sawangsawa and #campoutph on Twitter.
Fed up with the system
Student Regent Krissy Conti of the country's national university, the University of the Philippines, explains the historic significance of Mendiola as the campout site:
Mendiola, at the foot of the seat of political and economic power in the Philippines, has historically been a protest area. A campout in Mendiola against the prevailing system of government, like the Occupy movement in Wall Street against corporate greed, has the “power of place”.  We were there last September, last May and the year before, in December. Why has President Aquino closed down the area to activists this time, permit or no permit?
Politika2013 pointed out the irony of the brutal dispersals a few days before human rights day:
But the police, in the name of security of the present Palace occupant, do not want protesters to exercise their democratic rights in Mendiola. So they blocked the marchers before they could even approach this symbol of the Filipino people‘s struggle for democracy.
This scene evoked memories of the dispersal of protest actions participated by the colleagues and supporters of Noynoy’s parents during the dark Marcos years from the early 70s to the 80s.
New Philippine Revolution criticized the violent dispersal as an expression of the Aquino administration's paranoia and total disregard of democratic precepts:
I don't see anything wrong with allowing students to encamp at Mendiola, spend their Christmas there or just literally make the entire bridge their home. Malacanang is several meters away. An encampment at Mendiola will not even affect security at the palace.
IN the UNited States, hundreds of thousand of people have been allowed to express themselves, hence, this creeping movement called Occupy Wall Street. In times like these, where people are hungry and millions more are jobless, suppressing these democratically protected actions are downright stupid.
Blogger Terry Ridon cites “5 reasons why you should join #campoutph”:
5. Your school budget has been cut. AGAIN. AND AGAIN… 4. You love riding the MRT and LRT… 3. Your father was a farmer. And your lolo was a farmer… 2. You/Mom/Dad/Bro/Sis/Everyone is an OFW… and 1. You feel that there is truly something wrong with the system.
A Radical's Nut counters the dismissals by the Aquino administration of the growing “Occupy” movement in the country:
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in October that there is no basis for a similar movement as the administration is “siding with the poorest of the poor”. Government, he said, strives for “inclusive growth”.
Nothing can be farther from the truth. In its December 6 editorial, the Philippine Daily Inquirer noted that the combined income of the richest 1% of the families (185,000) is equivalent to the poorest 30% (5.5 million). Aquino, like Arroyo, belongs to this 1% that monopolizes the country’s wealth.
Economic policies favor the ruling elite to which both Aquino and Arroyo belong. They use political power to prevent the redistribution of social wealth and accumulate more. The most glaring example is the Hacienda Luisita, which has been controlled by the family of the landlord President for more than half a century through deception and violence. Today, Aquino wants compensation from farmers his family has exploited to the hilt for decades before they can get the lands they have always owned.
This post is part of our special coverage #Occupy Worldwide.

author: Karlo Mongaya


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Puerto Rico: Mayor Makes Wild Holiday Decision · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

The official holiday card of San Juan's Mayor, Jorge Santini, and his family has been widely commented on social media networks. In the portrait, Santini and his family pose behind a violent wildlife scene, where a feline is mauling an antelope. Parodies of the image have sprung up [es] all over the Internet. The portrait also made it to the well known site Awkward Family Photos.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


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Racism in Malaysia · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Human Rights Foundation has drafted a report about the extent of institutional racism in Malaysia.


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Russia: Anglophone Bloggers’ In-Depth Analyses of Dec. 4 Elections · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

In-depth Anglophone blog commentary on the results of the Dec. 4 parliamentary elections in Russia: OpenDemocracy.net – here and here; Sean Guillory of Sean's Russia Blog on Al Jazeera – here; Siberian Light – here, here, and here; Sublime Oblivion – here; The Kremlin Stooge – here; Mark Adomanis – here and here; The Ivanov Report – here and here; Joera Mulders of RussiaWatchers – here; ClubOrlov – here.


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Russia: English-Language Tweets From the Moscow Rally · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

@MiriamElder, @ioffeinmoscow, @shaunwalker7, @A_Osborn, @oflynnkevin, @agent_Alka, @courtneymoscow, @PeterGOliver_RT, @mschwirtz, @markmackinnon, @tonyhalpin, @Amiefr_Reuters, @RolandOliphant, @niktwick are tweeting live in English from the big protest rally that is taking place at Bolotnaya Square in Moscow right now; @agoodtreaty is monitoring Russian-language Twitter coverage of the protests in Moscow and elsewhere in Russia.


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Russia: Protests (and Security Forces) in Moscow · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Siberian Light, Leopolis, and Mark Adomanis comment on the past week's post-election protests in Moscow. In Moscow's Shadows provides “a quick update as to the security forces available in the capital, not least as a counter to some of the more fanciful suggestions about the imminent victory of people power.”


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Russia: Ukrainian Blogger’s Photos From the Moscow Rally · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Kyiv-based blogger Oleksandr Arhat (LJ user olarhat) posts a photo report [uk] from the Dec. 10 post-election rally in Moscow, which reminded him of the 2004 post-election protests in Kyiv: “Unbought people, protesting [not in order to get a piece of bread in return]. Doesn't happen every day, especially in the Russian Federation. […] people who, very likely, thought in 2004 that our [Orange] Revolution was sponsored by the [U.S. Department of State].”


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Taiwan: Announcing Best Blog Award 2011 · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

The 4th annual Taiwan Best Blog Awards was announced on Dec. 1st which aims to promote English-language blogs about Taiwan. David on Formosa piles up his list of best blogs 2011 candidates for you to visit.

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Zambia: President Sata Accuses Central Bank of Printing Fake Money · Global Voices
Gershom Ndhlovu

When the website Tumfweko first broke the news last October about the Zambian Central Bank using alternative currency printers other than the traditional supplier De LaRue, it took a long time for the Central Bank to own up to the new arrangement.
However, a few days later, President Michael Sata disclosed that actually the Bank of Zambia under the direction of the then ruling MMD, printed “fake money” which is said to be in circulation. However, the MMD through its former Finance Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, has denied the allegation saying the Central Bank is at is at liberty to print extra money without consulting the Finance Minister or the President because it has the mandate to do so.
After President Sata was sworn in after the September 20, 2011, elections, the Central Bank Governor, Dr Caleb Fundanga was one of the first, if not the first, government official or parastatal chief associated with the former ruling party to have been relieved of his duties. Strangely, the position has not been filled more than two months later.
President Sata and his PF government have exposed a number of illegal dealings that went on during his predecessor, Rupiah Banda’s reign such as the purchase of expensive Lexus cars, the unearthing of billions of Kwacha from a former’s minister’s farm and other scandals most of which are yet to be proved.
The recent disclosures have been met with mixed reactions with some netizens supporting the government's actions while others expressly disagreeing with the president in the manner he was handling national affairs.
One contributor, KGB, on Lusaka Times suggested that Zambia should change its currency:
20,000 Kwacha note. Image courtesy of Zambian Watchdog.
Country Men and Women, if what our combined security and law enforcement Officers uncovered at Dishonourable Austin Liato’s farm (ie K2.1 Billion burried under concrete slab) is anything to go by, then the Government must change the currency immediately to avoid uncontrolled inflation in our beloved nation.
There must be more money burried away in different parts of the country.
Therefore we musn’t allow those selfish” ma [POLITICIANS]” to ruin our economy by injecting fake Kwacha – printed out of selfish motives – into our economy. Please President SATA change the currency NOW so that they can get stuck with their Billlions of fake Kwacha. Mr President we are behind you.
Another contributor calling him/herself ‘Zambia A Cursed Nation: Another 5 years wasted’, advised Sata to quietly deal with the Central Bank:
This man is a liar. Honestly if there is fake money circulating in the economy we would have seen inflation tripling. And what have the Cabinet Secretary Joshua Kanganja and Chibiliti at the Ministry of Finance got to do with the printing of money? Sata please direct your querries to BOZ. At you age and your so called experience you do not even know how govt works. Sata you are a very irresponsible person. This is a very serious matter. In the most unlikely event that this was true, an intelligent president would have quietly instructed BOZ to mop out the fake currency. What you have done with this irresponsible accusation is to raise unnecesary alarm in the economy. Please next time you swear in your tribesmates stick to the task. We are tired of your endless litany of complaints…eish!
Lundazi Dweller wrote:
It is sad when the president starts to reduce himself to bar talk. Now that he is president there is no need for him to talk cheap like he used to when he was not president because then he would comment based on rumours. BOZ changed printers does that make the money fake? Can he explain to the nation the excess amount of money printed? Surely I expect more professionalism in the presidency than this
Kasapato, in defence of President Sata, wrote:
All those denying what my presdo revealed are simply showing their hate on the fact that PF won & they are disgruntled (Most likely these are from a party that will never rule Zambia (UPND).Well for your own information the boat has crossed the sea this time and you have remained with your powerless magical hand shake(Hajanza).Learn to live with this fact that sata`s name is in books and even god had a hand in his appointment.It is evident that money was printed and if you are that clever check the currencies and you will see different printer you disgruntled minority!
On Twitter, one tweep was concerned at the rapid rate at which the Kwacha was falling against the US Dollar.
@mosesmafwenko: Today we trade K5210 to $1. It might be the fake money!BOZ zambia @sandaykc missbwalya @GNdhlovu
After the Zambian Watchdog website reproduced a speech by Bank of Zambia deputy governor, Bwalya Ng’andu, at a money supply seminar at which he disclosed that one of the companies said to have printed money illegally was actually engaged under the late Levy Mwanawasa’s administration, one member of a Facebook group, Issues Concerning Us, had this to say [the comment is currently unavailable]:
As usual we have shouted wolf and what do we end up with? Something like this
Giesecke and Devrient started printing Kwacha notes in Mwanawasa regime | Zambian Watchdog
www.zambianwatchdog.com
Giesecke and Devrient GmbH of Germany started printing the Zambian Kwacha notes during the Levy Mwanawasa administration.
One response under the post by Himalambo Swedish Sianyaka, read:
If this is the experience that Sata claimed he had to run govt then he needs brain check? The whole issue is so embarasing for a head of state to stand on an ant hill and make noise on issues he has little understand. Someone needs to tell him to think and analyse issues before opening his mouth.
Another netizen calling him/herself Zambia Iya New on Zambian Peoples Pact Facebook group was not very kind with the conduct of the PF government:
The PF seem to thrive on rumour mongering -first GBM is scared of his own shadow, the Gold scam, the NW chiefs,the ex-Generals and now (fake) or illegal money printing .What is this govt ,let them focus on the fast approaching 90 Day deadline and stop this kachepa business. We shall not be hoodwinked by focusing on petty issues.Any way this is typical kaponya tactics they grab byour aattention as you look away ,bang they have searched your pocket.Watch out my countrymen eyes on the ball or is it our pockets. Ba kaponya kwena (these hooligans)!
Chita Matt Nonde responded to Zambia Iya New's comment with a question:
Are [you] saying we were in paradise in the last 20 years of MMD?

author: Gershom Ndhlovu


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Arab World to Gingrich: “If Palestinians Are Invented People, Americans Are …”  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinians are “invented” people, who want to destroy Israel, says United States Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. His comments, in an interview with a Jewish television channel, have drawn the anger and ridicule of netizens across the Arab world.
On Twitter, Saudi Mohsen Al Mohsen reacts:
@MolMoHsen: Newt Gingrich: Palestinians Are An ‘Invented’ People [and white Americans are the original settlers of the US sure]
Egyptian Zeinobia, in her blog Egyptian Chronicles, shares a similar point of view. She writes:
By Gingerish’s standards and definition of “Invented people” the Americans are also, after all they are in the end a group of immigrants who came from all over the globe to live in land that from 200 years ago was lived and owned by native Indians !!
Evan Hill, an online producer for Al Jazeera English, who is based in Doha, Qatar, notes:
@evanchill: I wonder if Gingrich would argue that Iraqis, Jordanians, Syrians and Lebanese are similarly just “invented” people
And Anthony Permal, who lives in Dubai, UAE, responds:
@anthonypermal:  Dear Gingrich, you say #Palestine is an invented people. Well, Israel didn't exist before 1948 either. #justsaying
Meanwhile, Marc Lynch, who is visiting Kuwait, shares a question from the Kuwaiti Press, which is likely to be asked in the corridors of powers across the Arab world:
@abuaardvark: First question from Kuwaiti press: how can we trust US when Gingrich denies Palestinian identity?
And Selin, a Palestinian, jokes:
@Selintellect: Does Newt Gingrich actually exist? I mean according to him, Palestinians are invented. His name sounds like an invention from Harry Potter..
Nasser Ali Khasawneh, who lives in Dubai, UAE, had earlier predicted:
@Nasserak: If Newt Gingrich is the best GOP has to offer, then Obama will win election in a landslide without campaigning!
The 57th quadrennial United States Presidential Election will be held on November 6, 2012.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Bangladesh: A Crowdsourced Platform To Report Violence Against Women · Global Voices
Rezwan

Bijoya Crowdmap, an Ushahidi based citizen journalism platform, is going to be launched on the 16th of December, 2011. It will enable Bangladeshis to report violence against women via sms and web.

author: Rezwan


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Brazil: Life of Blogger Ricardo Gama Back Under Threat · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Controversial Brazilian blogger Ricardo Gama, who was shot on a politically motivated attack back in April, now informs [pt] he has received new death threats in the last few days on his video-blog. Gama, a prolific blogger from Rio de Janeiro, often criticizes and denounces the government of the state.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


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China: Why Didn’t Putin Come Pick Up His Confucius Peace Prize? · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Nationalist Chinese leftists seem to have been left out in the cold with their annual Confucius Peace Prize, the second of which was awarded to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last month. China's Ministry of Culture has publicly distanced itself from the Prize and even tried to shut it down.
As with last year's recipient, Putin didn't turn up to accept the award at a ceremony held in Beijing this past weekend; Phoenix blogger Cai Shenkun tells us why [zh]:
颁奖仪式上，孔子和平奖评委会主席谯达摩详细介绍了第二届孔子和平奖得主俄罗斯总理普京，并由来自白俄罗斯的女留学生莎莎、玛莎用俄语宣读了关于普京的介绍。
接着北京大学教授、孔子和平奖评委会评委孔庆东宣读第二届孔子和平奖授予普京的获奖理由：“鉴于弗拉基米尔·普京先生在担任俄罗斯总统和总理期间，政绩斐然，在内政外交方面均取得了卓越成就，给伟大的俄罗斯人民带来了福祉；以及他于2011年春夏之交，坚决反对北约轰炸利比亚，为维护世界和平做出了杰出贡献，从而为当代人类和平史提供了经典范例，特此颁发2011年第二届孔子和平奖。”
Kong Qingdong (bottom), image from Shanghaiist.com
有趣的是，俄罗斯官方无一人到场参会领奖。此前，文化部发文下令停办了该项未经批准的评选活动。有评论认为，孔子和平奖这个为对抗诺贝尔和平奖而设的奖项，不但没有为国际社会认可，就连中国官方也极力与其撇清关系。
去年的首届孔子和平奖授予台湾国民党荣誉主席连战，不过，连战并没有接受这个奖项，而是由主办者找了一位小女孩代替连战领奖。
Last year's CPP went to Kuomintang honorary chairman Lien Chan, but even Lien didn't accept the award and instead a young woman was selected by its organizers to accept Lien's prize on his behalf.
第二届孔子和平奖评选是在今年11月13号揭晓的，评委会由十六名国内学者组成，包括北京大学教授孔庆东、清华大学教授邱拙、清华大学博士费毕刚以及第一届孔子和平奖候选人谯达摩。对这个奖项，俄罗斯官方没有作出任何表态，一些俄罗斯媒体认为，普京获此奖让他感到“非常尴尬”。
事实上，官方也与“孔子和平奖”保持距离。文化部网站郑重刊登声明，表示下属“中国乡土艺术协会”从未授权任何分支机构举办孔子和平奖颁奖活动，任何机构以该协会名义举办活动，将被追究法律责任。外交部发言人也拒绝回答这届孔子和平奖的问题。
In fact, even China has tried to distance itself from the CPP. The Ministry of Culture even issued a formal statement on its website saying that the “Chinese Folk Art Association” has never received authorization from any branch of the Ministry to hold the CPP award ceremony, and that any group which organizes an activity under that name will be held legally responsible. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson, when asked about the CPP, refused to answer the question.
一个号称中国级的大奖让孔庆东这样的玩家来把玩，实在让官方难堪。去年第一届孔子和平奖，评选组织者是文化部所属的中国乡土艺术协会。今年第二届孔子和平奖活动一波三折，主办单位中国乡土艺术协会被文化部撤销，主办单位随后换成中华社会文化发展基金会，很快又被官方叫停。最后去年孔子和平奖候选人谯达摩在香港新注册的了一个新的机构：“中国国际和平研究中心”。
号称是孔子后代的孔庆东在颁奖仪式上除了赞扬俄罗斯总理普京之外，还对美国进行了猛烈抨击。他认为“美国是强盗国家、流氓国家，美国破坏了这个世界上所有人的和平”。
按照孔庆东的逻辑，只要反对美国，就可以获得孔子和平奖。
具有讽刺意味的是，就在北京授予普京“孔子和平奖”时，普京正被俄罗斯50多个城市反普京的抗议示威活动搞得头疼不已，来自北京的这个大奖似乎对他没有多少帮助。
So according to Kong's logic, anyone who opposes the USA can win themselves a Confucius Peace Prize.
The most ironic part is that right while Beijing was awarding Putin his “Confucius Peace Prize,” Putin himself was facing down anti-Putin demonstrations in more than 50 cities across Russia, and receiving this prestigious award from Beijing couldn't have helped him much.

author: John Kennedy


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Egypt: A Baha’i Blogger’s Take on the Elections · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Elections 2011.
The Baha’is of Egypt number perhaps only 2,000 people, but over the years the community has faced discrimination and sometimes hostility.
The Baha’i faith was recognised as an independent religion in Egypt in 1925, but in 1960 it was banned by President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and all Baha'i properties and assets confiscated, although individuals remained free to practise their religion. Egyptian Baha’is have had to fight for their civil status, such as the right to have ID cards on which they are not forced to choose their religion as either Muslim, Christian or Jewish. They also campaigned unsuccessfully for the recognition of Baha’i marriages.
Baha’i symbol known as The Greatest Name. (Wikimedia Commons)
Baha’i homes have been set on fire on more than one occasion, and in 2001 some Baha’is were arrested for “insulting religion”. Recently a Salafist leader stated that if Salafists took power they would not allow Egypt’s Baha’is to hold religious festivals or mark their religion on national ID cards.
Baha’i teachings emphasise unity and the healing of divisions, and prohibit Baha’is from engaging in partisan politics. Therefore, Baha’is may not join political parties or campaign for candidates in elections.
Global Voices Online has spoken to Wael, who blogs at Living in Egypt without ID, about the current situation of the Baha’is in Egypt and the changes that the current elections (stage two of which starts on December 14) might bring.
Global Voices (GV): What is the current situation for the Baha’is in Egypt? What are the main problems the community faces?
Wael (W): As you know, identification documents, especially identity cards and birth certificates, are mandatory for all Egyptians and necessary to obtain access to education, employment, family life, registration and immunization of children, as well as most basic daily activities such as opening a bank account, obtaining a driver’s license, receiving pension or inheritance, or engaging in business transactions.
Most of the Egyptian Baha’is do not have official IDs to allow them to attain any of the above. In addition, they have been barred from holding government jobs, and that situation has not changed as yet.  Baha’i marriages are still not recognized in Egypt, and that results in difficulties in obtaining birth certificates for Baha’i children.
While the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that Baha’is should be able to obtain official Egyptian identification cards, the implementation of this ruling has moved very slowly.  A few Baha’is were successful in obtaining their IDs with a dash “—“ in the space designated for religion instead of adding the word Baha’i. However, the majority of Baha’is, including myself, have not been successful in obtaining official IDs. The major issue is providing required evidence that their parents were listed as Baha’is or have dashes in the space designated for religion in their IDs, same thing for their birth certificates. On the other hand, married couples can’t obtain official IDs since the Egyptian government does not recognize Baha’i marriage. Therefore so many Baha’is find themselves in a Catch-22 situation. Married or divorced Baha’is are unable to obtain their IDs. The Baha’is in Egypt are determined to obtain their citizenship rights and overcome the bureaucratic hurdles in implementing the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision.
Baha’i centers, properties, libraries, land for a House of Worship, and cemeteries that were confiscated by the Egyptian government in 1960 have not been returned to the Baha’is in Egypt.  Baha’is are still banned from forming spiritual assemblies in Egypt. Naturally, the Baha’is in Egypt will continue to practice their religion inside their own homes.
ID card issued to Baha’i Emad Raouf Hindi with a dash in the field for religious affiliation. (Baha’i World News Service)
GV: What do you think the result of the current elections will be? Do you feel there will be any changes for the Baha’i community?
W: Baha’is are quite optimistic about the future of their country in the long-term. However, Egypt is currently facing problems of corruption and divisions that have been perpetuated and exacerbated by the “divide and rule” mentality. Baha’is call their fellow citizens to unite in their pursuit of freedom, democracy, and development. All Egyptians need to live in dignity. They need a decent education for their children and youth; all expect to be treated equal regardless of their religion or beliefs. Egyptians uphold the rights of women to participate fully in all aspects of human endeavor. Finally, Egyptians have the responsibility to make these goals happen.
Baha’is believe that all people should be treated with respect, dignity and equality, regardless of their social and economic status and of their gender or religion. They will continue to demand their human and civil rights. Baha’is will contribute their part of promoting unity, dignity, and freedom. To quote Baha’u’llah, the prophet founder of the Baha’i faith, “So Powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” Egyptians are in a unique position to determine their country’s own unique model of democracy and not blindly follow existing models founded on consumerism and rampant greed. Such a system can reflect the ideals of our youth: good moral character, respect, responsibility, and humility to uphold this generation’s ideals of justice, fairness, freedom, and compassion for all. Egyptian society possesses the potential to evolve a new unique system that is based on personal responsibility, compassion, and serving the common good, and not on greed, fear, and division.
GV: Baha’i teachings prohibit Baha’is from getting involved in partisan politics; does this mean they can't vote in the elections?
W: While Baha’is refrain from getting involved in partisan politics, they nonetheless participate in the political process by casting their votes for candidates who in their opinion combine the qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and mature experience. Baha’is prefer to focus on the politics of unity rather than division. They do not vote in blocs nor do they endorse a specific candidate or party. Baha’is who are in possession of their IDs can participate in the elections. However, most Baha’is are unable to vote in the elections, as they do not have the official IDs.
GV: Are there other ways Baha’is can get involved in movements for progress in society?
W: Baha’is are involved through their jobs, schools, universities, homes, and neighborhoods of promoting unity, as they believe in the oneness of God, the oneness of His Religion, and the oneness of humanity.  In their work and day-to-day living, they are committed to serve their neighborhoods and society, as in the Baha’i teachings work performed with the intent to serve humanity is equated with worship.
This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Elections 2011.

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Egypt: Celebrating Naguib Mahfouz’s Centenary  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Today marks the centenary of Egyptian Nobel laureate and leading novelist Naguib Mahfouz. The occasion is being remembered on Twitter.
Born on December 11, 1911, Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988. The prolific writer published more than 50 novels and 350 short stories, as well as five plays and scores of movie scripts in his career, which spanned 70 years.
On Twitter, Ibrahim Abdelmeguid notes [ar]:
Celebrating Naguib Mahfouz. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons used under (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Nermeen Edrees wonders:
@NermeenEdrees: And I wonder if TV channels are broadcasting #Mahfouz works all day!
Layla El Tahawy wishes Mahfouz, who died in 2006, was present to witness the ongoing Egyptian revolution. She tweets:
@Laylatahawy: RIP nageeb ma7fouz, one of few ppl I wish were here to witness our revolution #mahfouz #egypt
Muhammad Adel explains [ar]:
And Matthew concludes:
@harafish1: Naguib #Mahfouz is 100 today! Although no longer with us, his books continue to inspire and they will live on until the end of time. #Egypt
Naguib Mahfouz's Facebook page features links to news about events lined up to mark the occasion.


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India: Photos Of West Bengal Handicraft Fair · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sukanya C posts photos of the West Bengal Hasta Shilpa Mela (Handicraft Fair) which features artists and their art from all over West Bengal (India).


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India: The Legal Aspects Of Bollywood Plagiarism · Global Voices
Rezwan

Law And Other Things discusses about music or story-line plagiarism in Bollywood and how this can be prevented by a simple correction of the existing laws.


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Iran: A famous pilot talks against sanctions · Global Voices
Hadi Nili

Captain Hooshang Shahbazi, Iranian pilot who got famous after he successfully landed his Boeing 727 without the nose gear in mid October 2011, has launched a campaign [Fa] in his website against “civil aviation sanctions” on Iran.

author: Hadi Nili


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Kuwait: Christmas in Kuwait  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mark, from Kuwait, lists the places which have put up Christmas decorations in the Arab Sheikhdom. Tune into the comments for reactions.


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Pakistan: English Should Be One Of The National Languages · Global Voices
Rezwan

Habib R. Sulemani introduces us to some of the new faces of Pakistan excelling English literature and thinks that English should be declared a national language along with other Pakistani languages.


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Pakistan: Protest against murder of Zarteef Khan Afridi · Global Voices
Rezwan

Beena Sarwar writes about the activities of the civic society in Hyderabad protesting the murder of Pakistani human rights activist Zarteef Khan Afridi.


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Russia: 13 Protest Tweets, 6 Photos “Storified” (Updated) · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“Tens of thousands protest Russian election” – 13 tweets, 6 photos from the Dec. 10 rally in Moscow, “storified” on Storify.com by Colleen Kelly. (Update: A Storify compilation by GV's Asteris Masouras – “Russia: Post-election protests against Putin” – is here.)

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Russia: An “Ethical Revolution” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Photographer Oleg Klimov posts photos from the Dec. 10 rally in Moscow and describes it [ru] as an “ethical revolution”: “The issue at stake wasn't that of social justice, but of ethics. The regime has violated the universal laws of human ethics with its political technologies, and this is what outraged all social strata and encouraged citizens to consolidate.”


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Russia: Interview With an “Overseas Filipino Worker” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

English Dad in Moscow interviews a woman from the Philippines who works as a cleaner and babysitter in Moscow: “I wanted to know how hard is to move here as an economic migrant, also known as a “OFW” (Overseas Filipino Worker) as I find it amazing that they move to a place like Moscow, to be so far away from home, in a country that has a climate and culture so alien to their own.”


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Russia: “Why Are Russians Protesting Now?” · Global Voices
Donna Welles

This post is part of our special coverage Russia Elections 2011.
On Saturday December 10, 2011, the world watched the biggest protests Russia has seen since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. It has been almost exactly 20 years since Christmas Day in 1991 when power passed from Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to Russian President Boris Yeltsin. It is believed that Yeltsin did not even make a personal appearance to accept from Gorbachev the suitcase filled with the means to activate Russia's nuclear arsenal. Such an uneventful day contrasts greatly with today's demonstrations directed toward alleged election fraud committed by Prime Minister Putin's United Russia Party.
Signs of public discontent started weeks ago, however, when Putin was met with a hostile crowd at a Mixed Martial Arts competition in Moscow on Sunday, November 20. Global Voices covered the incident and cited Alexey Navalny's blog:
Blogger and anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny posted in his LiveJournal [ru] two videos of Putin's speech at the Olimpiysky Sports Complex in a post entitled, “The End of an Era.” In the videos, Putin stepped on stage after Mr. Emelianenko defeated American Jeff Monson and did not say anything provocative. Speaking Russian, Putin simply referred to Mr. Emelianenko as a “genuine Russian hero,” he congratulated him on his victory, and thanked him graciously.
It appears from the video that the crowd was not reacting to Putin's words but rather they were reacting negatively to his presence. Navalny's post has generated nearly 3,000 comments.
Daniel Bennett, a Ph.D. student based at the BBC and the War Studies Department at Kings College, London, announced on December 7 in the Frontline Club Blog that Navalny had been arrested:
Russian blogger and anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny has been arrested after participating in post-election protests in Moscow against the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
In March this year, the Russian business daily Kommersant was forced to retract an article which attempted to discredit Navalny's exposure of large scale fraud at Transneft, the state-owned pipeline company in 2010. […]
Police officers detain a protester during a rally at Triumphal Square on Dec. 7. Photo by Maria Pleshkova, copyright © Demotix (07/12/2011)
The following day, on December 8, a blog associated with the American-based CNN wrote that Putin accused the United States of instigating the protests:
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin blamed the United States Thursday for encouraging opposition protests that have broken out since parliamentary elections Sunday.
His accusation followed comments by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this week on Russia's election in which she called for a “full investigation” of apparent irregularities. […]
Speaking on state TV, Putin said Clinton had criticized the elections as “neither fair not free – even before receiving reports from international observers.”
This had sent a signal to opposition figures, Putin said, who “with the support of the U.S. State Department” then began “active work.”
The main event, however, came on Saturday, December 10. A blog associated with the British publication The Guardian posted a timeline of the day's events, which included a bulleted summary and a reminder of the upcoming presidential election:
5.12pm: We are wrapping up the blog now, at the end of an historic, but peaceful day of mass protests across Russia.
The protests come three months before Putin, who was president in 2000-2008 and effectively remained the country's leader while prime minister, is to seek a third term in office.
[…]
• Russia saw the largest political event of its kind in nearly 20 years with tens of thousands of furious protestors rallying across the country against alleged electoral fraud.
• An estimated 50,000 people gathered in Moscow and 10,000 in St Petersburg. There were around 1,000 arrests on a day that passed off largely peacefully
• Protestors pledge to take to the streets again on December 24
• Protestors demand annulment of Sunday's election results; the resignation of the head of the election commission and an official investigation into vote fraud.
• They also want new democratic and open elections and registration of opposition parties
Alexander Kolyandr quoted several protesters as well as a spokesman for the Moscow Police in a blog associated with the Wall Street Journal on Saturday:
Rustam Kerimov, 33, architect: “I have concerns that if new voting is announced, leftist parties and populists may get greater support. I’m a democrat, and I don’t see a real alternative to Putin now, as there are no real opposition candidates. But those in power must respect us, our votes, our will.” Mr. Kerimov says he never goes to rallies and was very surprised by the number of people.
[…]
Ksenia Korneyeva, magazine editor: “We just want to show that we exist.” Ms. Korneyeva defaced her ballot in the recent election with a large X. She carried a white chrysanthemum as a sign of peace at a peaceful protest.
[…]
Dmitry, 18, student: “I think the elections were falsified. Not completely, but in part. We want the results to be re-examined.”
[…]
Viktor Biryukov, spokesman for the Moscow police: “Everything is calm, and there are no extremists here, unlike at the previous gatherings. See for yourself.”
Sean Guillory of Sean's Russia Blog included a link to a Russian-language article, which announced the results of Sunday's Duma elections, in a December 9 post entitled, “Why are Russians Protesting Now?” After all, United Russia lost its super majority which is necessary in order to alter the Russian constitution at will: the final count shows United Russia with about 238 seats, the Communist Party – 92, Fair Russia – 64, and LDPR -56.
As a day of protests against Sunday’s Duma election begins in Russia’s Far East, the big question is why are people protesting now? After all, it’s not like this is the first Russian election with shenanigans, fraud, etc, etc.
In an effort to answer the question, Sean referred to an article found in Svobodnaya Pressa, which included a report by Leontii Byzov, a senior sociologist from the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences:
Byzov: There are several overlapping factors. First, the rise of a new generation of young people who don’t remember the “trauma of the 1990s”. They are not afraid of change, it is more attractive to them than the “gilded cage” of Putinist stability. Young members of the middle class want social mobility and dream about meteoric careers.
Another factor is the swelling internal opposition within the Russian elite. In the 2000s, Putin served as a certain guarantor of balance between elite groups with completely opposite interests. Such as, for example, the siloviki and liberals in the government. Under President Medvedev this process became unbalanced. One was for Putin, the other for Medvedev. Those who stood with Medvedev felt the taste of power and property. They urged the President to remove Putin from the Premiership and run for a second term. For them, this was a chance that would have called for a struggle against the financial flows Putin’s people control. For control of Gazprom and other state corporations. Therefore, it was hard to presume that these groups would submit to defeat and quietly leave and put aside their plans for the next several years and, perhaps, forever. […]
This post is part of our special coverage Russia Elections 2011.

author: Donna Welles


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South Asia: Challenges to Railway Connections Between South Asian Countries · Global Voices
Rezwan

Chandan Sapkota from Kathmandu analyses the obstacles hampering the implementations of railways connection between neighboring South Asian countries.


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Sri Lanka: Full Moon In Jaffna · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sayanthan, a student of IT and Business Strategy captured the recent full moon in Jaffna with a nice photo and shares it.


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Belarus-Poland: Ex Presidential Candidate Arrested in Warzaw · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

According to LJ user artem_ablozhei [ru], former Belarus presidential candidate Ales Michalevic earlier today was arrested at Warzaw airport by Polish police acting on an extradition request by Belarus authorities.

author: Vilhelm Konnander