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Mexico: Anti-Kidnapping Expert is Kidnapped · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Mexico is facing a crime wave, in which both national and foreign citizens are being targeted for kidnappings.  A recent case took place in Saltillo, Coahuila, when U.S. anti-kidnapping expert Félix Batista was abducted by masked gunmen.  Batista was in the country providing seminars as a consultant for the Texas-based security firm ASI Global LLC.  His experience throughout Latin America dealing with this crime is sought after for groups wanting to learn how to avoid this crime. However, his kidnapping proves that anyone is risk.
The Mex Files has a few questions about the kidnapping case:
If Batista was an expert, how did he get himself kidnapped?
Batista was an employee of a Houston Texas “security consulting” firm called ASI Global.  He reportedly was in Saltillo on personal business, but who
was he working for?
Is ASI Global one of the U.S. companies receiving funding for “Plan Merida”… and what does this say about the competence of the trainers?
Some statistics place kidnappings as occurring approximately 2 per day and especially prevalant in the northern border states.  Mexico has the highest number of kidnappings per capita of any country in the world. These cases affect friends and family of the abducted, such as blogger Tony Scotti, who is a friend of Batista:
I know Felix, and he is a highly competent individual. Felix has more than 20 years of experience in the K&R business. Felix is a high profile guy, often quoted in the newspapers and in fact quoted in this month’s issue of Security Management Magazine. His high profile might have been the catalyst for the abduction. After reading the newspaper accounts it would be my guess that Felix was set up, and set up by someone he trusted.
El Nahual of México Para Los Mexicanos [es] is worried about what this act may mean for the rest of the country:
Mi primera reacción es de risa, por lo irónico. Mi segunda reacción es de miedo… si un experto ex militar con 24 años en el campo de la seguridad es secuestrado ¿Qué oportunidades le quedan al resto de los mortales de que no seamos secuestrados?
My first reaction is laughter, but in the ironic sense. My second reaction is fear… if an ex-military expert with 24 years of experience in the field of security is kidnapped, then that chance do the rest of us of that we won't be kidnapped?


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Mexico: The Passing of Amalia Solórzano, Former First Lady · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Mex Files writes about the passing of Doña Amalia Solórzano, who was considered the “matriarch of the Mexican left” and former First Lady.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Eduardo Avila


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Nepal: The Famous Mountain Flight · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sirensongs describes her experience of being on the Mountain Flight in Nepal, which goes parallel to the Himalayan giants.

author: Rezwan


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Nicaragua: Old Photos of Managua · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Nicaraguenses [es] a blog by Dr. Erwin J. Jiménez Morales has been publishing old photos depicting the capital city of Managua from the 1950s and 1960s.


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Paraguay: Boom in Beauty Salons · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

There is a boom in hair and beauty salons in Paraguay notes Muna Annahas. In the neighborhood of Herrera, she counted 6 salons in one block alone.


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Paraguay: Possibe New Press Law · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Edgar Ruiz Diaz of Las Preguntas de Venerando [es] is a little worried about the a possible proposal for a new Press Law in Paraguay.


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Puerto Rico: Taino Elder Passes On  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Voice of the Taino People Online respectfully bids farewell to the late Boriken Taino community elder and spiritual leader, Ángel Manuel Galagarza.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Russia: Ethnicity, Labor Migration, Human Rights · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A roundup on ethnicity, labor migration and human rights in Russia: IZO cites death statistics for Tajik labor migrants in Moscow. Moscow Through Brown Eyes writes about an attack on Stanley Robinson, an 18-year-old African-American student in Volgograd – here and here. Window on Eurasia writes about a strike by Tajik migrant workers in Yekaterinburg; labor emigration of “highly trained Russians” out of Russia; and statements by Russian human rights activists on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Eternal Remont wonders if a Chechen fugitive accused of killing Anna Politkovskaya can “get a fair trial in Russia.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Russia: Miss World and the Wrong Flag · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Eternal Remont and English Russia note that the newest Miss World – Ksenia Sukhinova from Russia – is holding the wrong flag during an event at Moscow's Red Square; Belgraded notes that the flag is actually Serbian.


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Russia: Police Raid on St. Pete’s Memorial · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog wrote on the police raid of the human rights organization “Memorial” in St. Petersburg earlier this month – here and here. At OpenDemocracy.net, Tatiana Kosinova “itemises the material” confiscated during the raid.


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Sri lanka: Devaluation of Sri Lankan Currency · Global Voices
Rezwan

Serendipity argues that an immediate devaluation of Sri Lankan Currency is required.


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Subscribe to Global Voices · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

Global Voices now sends daily, weekly, and special announcement emails (in color) to readers who would like an easy and attractive way to keep up to speed with international events according to bloggers.
As a Global Voices reader, you know we're serious about building bridges between people. Please subscribe to our mailing list! You can chose yourself how often you want to hear from us.
Want to help more? Please encourage your family, friends, and colleagues to subscribe to Global Voices too. The more people are part of this global conversation, the better.
Thank you!
For everyone else, there are still RSS feeds.

author: Solana Larsen


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Trinidad & Tobago: Christmas Drinks  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In preparation for the Christmas season, TriniGourmet.com posts a recipe for Punch de Creme, “another of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks”, while Simply Trini Cooking does the same for Sorrel: “To me Sorrel is synonymous with Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago.”


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Trinidad & Tobago, Cuba: National Shame  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The Prime Minister's gone to Cuba to get a tumor removed. He surveyed the length and breadth of our islands and decided there was neither a well equipped hospital nor one single suitably trained Trinbagonian surgeon in our entire country that could perform the procedure”: Trin calls the move “a defining low on the part of our Prime Minister; indeed it is a National Shame.”


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Turks & Caicos, Bermuda, Anguilla: No Confidence  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The current administration of the Turks & Caicos Islands has been faced with corruption allegations, sparking an independent inquiry by the United Kingdom.  Bermudian blogger Vexed Bermoothes has been following the situation closely and posts an interesting update, while Corruption-free Anguilla adds: “The breaking news is that it may be curtains for Premier Michael Misick. His parliamentary colleagues are abandoning him en masse.”


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Ukraine: Coalition-Building Saga · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A roundup of posts on yet another Ukrainian coalition-building saga: In-depth political analysis from Tetyana Vysotska of What's up, Ukraine?, including the latest item on the newly-formed coalition, which, despite having a name – “National Development, Stability, and Order” – appears to be “not constitutional.” LEvko of Foreign Notes wrote earlier this month about the possibility of the Party of Regions/BYuT coalition, the president's alarmist response to these speculations – and the Party of Regions’ indignant response issued after a different coalition was formed. Leopolis wrote that “politicians have reached a coalition deal only when the crisis has started to bite harder.” Chernobyl and Eastern Europe wrote that “[e]ven if the new coalition has a parliamentary majority, don’t expect much to change.”


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Ukraine: “Judge Who ‘Borrowed/Harvested’ $2M+Hr. 2M Gets Away”  · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about a Ukrainian judge “who claims to have borrowed — and harvested — the nearly $2M plus Hr. 2M” – and is now at large.


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Ukraine: Update on Hryvnia’s Fall · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Abdymok reports on the sorry state of the Ukrainian currency and president Victor Yushchenko's inadequate response to the crisis.


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Ukraine: Yanukovych and Lytvyn in the Russian Media · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Victor Yanukovych and the new speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn talk to the Russian media: translation and summary at Foreign Notes.


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U.S.: Rod Blagojevich’s Serbian Roots · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Gray Falcon comments on the media mentions of Rod Blagojevich's Serbian roots: “In this era of political correctness and mandatory ‘diversity,’ there are still groups (entire nations, really) one is allowed, supposed, or even required to hate. Serbs are one of those groups.”


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Abu Hadeed: Egypt’s first Computer Game · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Abu Hadeed is Egypt's first original computer game. Zeinobia writes about the copyrights issues and the concept saying:”It is the first game to be based upon an Egyptian cinematic character. Originally it was based on Boha, the hero of comedian Mohamed Saad’s film “Boha”. It is an odd choice to me because Boha was more like an idiot butcher in the end.”

author: Marwa Rakha


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Adapting To Climate Change In Malawi · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

Oneworld blog reports, “In response to increased flooding and food insecurity, women in Salima, Malawi are boosting agricultural productivity by sharing resources and knowledge through local farmers’ clubs.”

author: Juliana Rotich


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Barbados: Assets & Orientation  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Barbados government minister Patrick Todd is in hot water with the nation's bloggers.  Barbados Free Press calls his statement about members of Parliament declaring assets an “outright lie”, while Gallimaufry and The Bajan Dream Project are appalled by his call for all Barbadian MPs to publicly declare their sexual orientation, calling the move “an incomprehensible detour from logic.”


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Bermuda: Leader of the Pack  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bermudian blogger Vexed Bermoothes shares some musings on leadership.


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Bhutan: Assaults On Wives · Global Voices
Rezwan

Tse at Kuzu Bhutan Weblog writes about the battered wives in the Bhutanese societies.


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Eman Hashim blogs against Berlitz Egypt  · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Has corruption tarnished Berlitz Egypt's reputation? Egyptian blogger Eman Hashim wrote on facebook and on her blog wondering how come her students received their grades and certificates when she never submitted neither their grades nor their final exam papers.
Eman tells us the story saying
Back in July 2008, I was assigned by Berlitz Egypt to teach in a project called “Edu Egypt” which stands for educating Egypt. A project held by the ministry of communication aiming to serve graduates of both faculty of commerce and computer science in both Ain Shams and Cairo Universities. Giving them soft skills and English Courses. Berlitz was responsible for the English courses and I was there to teach three English levels for three classes with 12-15 students for each class, in faculty of commerce, Ain Shams University.
I will not talk about the kind of “working environment” we as Berlitz employees faced through this project – this is a totally different, yet not by far less amusing story – Now that the course is over.
A couple of weeks ago, my 40 something students received their certificates from Berlitz that they attended three levels at Berlitz Egypt and passed the three level with score …
How?
I have the examination papers for all my students for level 2 and 3
I have the evaluation sheets for the same students for level 2 and 3
I have their answer sheets with their handwriting, also for level 2 and 3
One of my students called me because he was puzzled by the score and I told him that his score was wrong and that they lied, and then I told him that we had to expose them for what they did because it was wrong.
The student replied:
So what! Nothing will happen ya doctor. Do you think anyone can get his rights in this country? Why should I get mine?
Eman Hashim is asking now
Is this what I should teach my students? Is this what “EDUCATING EGYPT” is all about? What should I tell this student? and How can I face my students afterwards when I go and teach them about “Identity”, “Human Rights” and the rest all these fine words?
I was once told by one of my students that these were cliches of no real values and I told him it all depended on him and what he believes in!
I know it's a matter of time before the people at Berlitz learn of this “first but not last” article and I have no idea how they will react – but it's not that hard to imagine – andfrankly, I don't care!


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Bolivia: Apartment Hunting in La Paz · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Looking for an apartment in La Paz is tough [es] writes Juan José.  In a city that is known for its low temperatures, an apartment with a lot of sunlight is highly sought after.


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Bolivia: The Business of Digital Piracy in El Alto · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Music and movie piracy in Bolivia is commonplace.  Wilfredo Jordán takes a look at the business in El Alto, Bolivia and how many vendors travel to the Peruvian border to purchase goods to resell [es].


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Cameroon: Africa’s “Liberation Theologian” Jean-Marc Ela dies · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Dibussi Tande of Scribbles from the den writes about Father Jean Marc Ela who died in Canada on the 14th of December. He was variously been described as “the nearest Africa has come to a liberation theologian in a Latin American sense “, the “Champion of a theology under the trees “, “Africa's first liberation theologian of note outside South Africa”, and as “one of the best known and most read African theologians not only in Africa but also elsewhere”.

author: Elia Varela Serra


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Cameroon: Concern for freedom · Global Voices
Norbert Bousigue

Though Cameroon is not the focus of world attention, some recent blog posts  question the reality of freedom in this African country.
On his blog [fr], Édouard Tamba worries about freedom in his country:
Le 8 novembre dernier, le sous-préfet de Yaoundé II débarque au Palais des congrès avec l’intention d’interdire la tenue de l’Assemblée générale de l’Ordre des avocats du Cameroun. […] Quelques jours plus tôt, c’est le même sous-préfet qui interdisait une réunion des syndicats de taximen […].
Le week-end dernier, ce sous-préfet interdisait la marche de l’Ong Jane and Justice, oeuvrant dans la sensibilisation contre les accidents de la route. Le même jour, celui de Yaoundé I interdit une réunion illégale de la ligue provinciale d’athlétisme du Centre. “En voilà au moins un qui a gardé sa lucidité”, commentent certains. Trop tôt ! Ledit sous-préfet, après des pressions du ministre des Sports et de l’éducation physique, autorise finalement la réunion. […]
Last week-end, he banned the march planned by the NGO Jane and Justice, whose aim is to increase public awareness about traffic accidents. The same day, the sub-prefect of Yaoundé I  banned an illegal meeting of the regional athletics league. “Here at least there is someone who is still sensible,” some say. No! This same sub-prefect, after pressure from the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, finally authorized the meeting. […]
In the comments of this post, Ti Aya is disillusioned:
Est-ce que c’est vraiment une régression ? Il me semble qu’il en a toujours été ainsi, non ?
In the same post, Édouard Tamba reports another incident, the banning of a press conference by the civic association for collective interests protection (ACDIC), along with photographs of the violent repression of a protest in Yaoundé by this association on December 10th.
In reponse to this event, François Bimogo, editor of the magazine Éclat d'Afrique, sent this message [fr]:
Après l'interdiction […] de sa conférence de presse […], l'Association Citoyenne de Défense des Intérêts Collectifs a tenu une manifestation de près de 500 personnes […] à Yaoundé […].
Face à des manifestants à mains nues qui brandissaient des pancartes pour dénoncer les détournements, la corruption et la réaction de l'État Camerounais pour éviter la crise alimentaire du maïs qui guette le Cameroun en 2009, une cinquantaine de policiers anti-émeutes lourdement armés ont fondu sur les manifestants après une tentatives d'exfiltration de force de […] Bernard NJONGA, président de l'ACDIC. A l'issue de violentes empoignades, une trentaine de manifestants ont été chargés et embarqués […].
50 riot police heavily equipped were faced unarmed protesters carrying only signs denouncing embezzlement, corruption and the government's response to the food crisis which threatens Cameroon in 2009; the police tried to arrest the ACDIC president […], Bernard NJONGA. After a violent brawl, they arrested about thirty protesters […].
In his post, Édouard Tamba comments:
La démarche de l’Acdic pourrait être contestable en ce qui concerne le cadre légal régulant les manifestations publiques. Mais de là à en arriver à de telles exactions. On se pose des questions.
The end of François Bimogo's message can explain it:
Selon une étude […], l'ACDIC a découvert que plus de 1,2 milliards de F CFA ont été détournés depuis 2006 au Ministère de l'agriculture et du développement rural […].
More information on this subject can be found on this blog [fr].
Although the 2007 annual report of the NGO Reporters Without Borders says that press freedom is beginning to become reality in Cameroon, it remains fragile and under threat.
On PrinceReport, a post written by Yemti Harry Ndienla describes human rights abuses, as reported by US State Department:
Cameroon’s human rights record remains poor and government continue to commit numerous human rights abuses year-in-year-out. Government backed security forces commit numerous unlawful killings; engaged in regular torture, beatings, and other abuses, particularly of detainees and prisoners with impunity. On the other hand, Prison conditions remain harsh and life-threatening while authorities arbitrarily arrested and detained anglophone citizens (SCNC) advocating secession, local human rights monitors and activists, other citizens and above all journalists. Furthermore, there are disturbing reports of prolonged and sometimes incommunicado pretrial detention and infringement on citizens’ privacy rights.
Annual reports on Cameroon by the US Department of State have always buttress the above including the fact that “the government restricted citizens’ freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, and harassed journalists. The government also impeded citizens’ freedom of movement. The public perceived government corruption to be a serious problem. Societal violence and discrimination against women; trafficking in persons, primarily children; discrimination against indigenous Pygmies and ethnic minorities; and discrimination against homosexuals were problems. The government restricted worker rights and the activities of independent labor organizations, and child labor, slavery, and forced labor, including forced child labor, were reported to be problems”.
This and another both mention the specific problem of the two English-speaking north-western provinces of Cameroon, where a separatist movement exists.
Narmer tells the story of Njoya Hilary Tikum, who fled Cameroon in 2006, because he was an Anglophone secessionist, and suffered repression in his country. He sought, and obtained, political asylum in the United States, and he now lives in New York City.
Cameroon is not devastated by war, but Paul Biya‘s regime remains strong, and freedom needs to progress in his country.

author: Norbert Bousigue


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Cameroon: Internet scams · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

George Esunge Fominyen lists a few internet scams that are becoming increasingly popular in Cameroon, competing with more famous ones in neighboring Nigeria.


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Central & Eastern Europe: Trademark on ;-) and Other Internet News · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Below is a selection of recent posts by bloggers from around Central and Eastern Europe on social networking, participatory media, online activism and other related issues.
Eternal Remont writes about Russian businessman Oleg Teterin, who claims to have trademarked the ;-) emoticon:
[…] Seeing that the Russian patent agency will grant a trademark for just about anything these days, Eternal Remont is attempting to trademark “Oleg Teterin,” (trademark pending) and will expect payment whenever anyone speaks, writes, prints, or otherwise uses this phrase in all media known to humanity, existing or future. […]
Streetwise Professor has chosen a different approach:
[…] To Mr. Teterin, I say: ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)
So sue me.
Russian Blog writes about the Russian Facebook look-alike, vkontakte.ru – which, among other things, appears to be a good language learning tool:
When learning a foreign language communication is crucial. […] I tell my Russian students of Swedish to join Swedish online communities, and the same advice goes for you who are studying Russian – join a Russian online community! Not only will you find lots of interesting (or uninteresting) clubs as well as people, or be able write to strangers from one sixth of the Earth’s ground (that’s just how big a country this is), but for those of you who are only beginning to study Russian joining in itself will be a challenge. After all – one must join in Russian. […] There’s a Russian version of Facebook, though it’s completely independent, and in no way connected to Facebook, except for one thing – it is an almost exact copy of the way Facebook used to look before (the old Facebook), translated into Russian. […]
Siberian Light interviews Dmitry, the owner and manager of Expatriates.ru, a new social networking site with fast-growing membership:
[…] What inspired you to develop expatriates.ru?
During my studies abroad many people asked me a lot of questions about Russia. I decided to create a community where all people will find the answers to their questions about Russia and where they can talk and discuss issues related to Russia. […]
Siberian Light also discusses some of the challenges that a blogger writing on sensitive geopolitical issues – in this case, Russia – often has to deal with:
[…] Over the past few months, I’ve written posts that have both criticised and praised Russia. I write them because I think that Russia is often right, although it’s also far too often wrong.
And, far too often, I take crap from people. Usually because of what they think I have said, in the context of their tiny little world views, rather than what I have actually said, in the context of an entire blog post, or a series of posts. […]
Gray Falcon, a blogger focusing on the Balkans, seems to share Siberian Light‘s frustration:
It has been almost ten years since I started publishing commentary on-line, and it never ceases to amaze me that people seem to possess a remarkable capacity of completely missing the point of entire articles to zero in on one particular sentence or phrase and make a huge deal of it.
[…]
Look, I'm routinely attacked by Albanians because I'm a Serb (it doesn't matter what I say, really – unless I endorse the KLA somehow; then I'm a poster child for what needs to be done). I get grief from Greeks, because I dare say “Macedonia” instead of FYROM or what have you (look, Alexander was a barbarian, OK? Just because he embraced the culture of Hellas and spread it around the known world doesn't make him any more Greek than my Orthodox faith makes me one).
And now I'm marked for malice by Macedonians for daring to point out that hey, today's Macedonia exists within the boundaries of the territory liberated from the Ottoman Empire by the Kingdom of Serbia. […]
Belgraded writes about the Facebook group celebrating the 1995 Srebrenica massacre (the group is now closed; an earlier GV text on it by Sinisa Boljanovic is here):
[…] What struck me as interesting is that the vast majority of members were not even born when the Yugoslavia breakup wars started and were still in pre-school when it all ended. So where do they get their ‘knowledge’ and information about the past from? Who makes the biggest influence on how they see the past – their parents, media, their friends, the whole society?
[…]
There are no similar hate groups in English, presumably because the facebook admins can react swiftly if they can understand what some group is all about without waiting for numerous people to hit the ‘report’ button and translate ‘Ubij [insert nationality here]’ for them. I know also some would like to blame facebook and other social media for making hate speech so available, but remember – it’s not guns that kill people.
I guess that facebook is still not considered to be so influential or important by mainstream media, at least not in the Balkans. All this despite the fact that both Serbia and Croatia have around 170.ooo members on facebook each, a respectable number which is only going to grow in the future, with Bosnia lagging behind with about 50.000 members. Despite the fact that it’s mostly teenagers. Despite the fact that members post things under their full names with their photos attached – without having any fear or feeling no responsibility that the things they are posting could be dangerous and are wrong. […]
In another post, Belgraded welcomes a new arrival on Serbia's online magazine scene:
White City magazine is “Belgrade’s first English-language domestic urban magazine.  It is written entirely in English, entirely by local Serbian writers for a Serbian readership.” Check it out – it looks good, the articles are very well written, hopefully it will survive in this tough competition.
Scraps of Moscow reviews some of the new arrivals in “Moldovasphere”:
Moldovaphiles should check out this new website, Moldovarious, which has been set up by a couple of Austrians. Curiously, the guys behind another interesting project related to Moldova (well, related to the PMR) profiled here are also Austrian.
[…]
And, via barabanch, I learned of another newly launched project, this one initiated by Moldovans and called ThinkMoldova (also available in English) […].
One of the people involved in the project is Barabanov's wife and fellow New Times journalist Natalia Morari. […]
Hungarian Spectrum writes about the blog of the Hungarian PM Ferenc Gyurcsány:
[…] Quite a few Hungarian politicians decided at one time or another to write a blog but after a few days, or at most after a few weeks, they gave up the ghost. Ferenc Gyurcsány is an exception. He began writing a blog about two and a half years ago, just before the 2006 elections. […] Even in the midst of a grueling campaign the Hungarian prime minister wrote his blog practically every weekday. Moreover, he didn't stop after the election that he managed to win practically single-handedly. […] I think one reason that he didn't stop is that the readers of the blog were so enthusiastic and so supportive that he felt it his duty not to disappoint the team that supported him with words and deeds. Eventually Gyurcsány and his readers organized personal meetings where people revealed their pseudonyms, where they met each other as well as the prime minister. The fact is that he is a good blog writer. His notes are interesting. Very often he reveals government plans that the readers of the blog are the first to know. By now the members of the media visit the blog every morning to see what's going on in Gyurcsány's head. […]
Meglena Kuneva – a Bulgarian politician, the European consumer affairs commissioner, and a blogger – writes this about “the realities of cross-border e-commerce for consumers in Europe”:
Some of you have complained through this blog that you cannot buy over the internet from certain stores located in other EU countries. I share your frustration. The Internet has the potential to bring the single European market to a whole new level, and to provide consumers with the chance to buy the very best that is on offer within the EU in terms of choice, price and quality.
But the fact is that although a third of EU citizens already shop on the internet, only 7% shop online from other Member States than their own. […]
Cyrus Farivar writes this about Estonia's advanced voting practices:
The Estonian parliament […] has just approved a bill to let Estonian citizens vote via their mobile phone. This makes the country the first country in the world to do so, and comes about 20 months after Estonia held its first nation-wide election where the electorate could cast their ballots online.
[…]
Update (Dec 17.): I spoke with Silver Meikar, an Estonian MP, who told me that this actually isn’t quite mobile phone voting. In fact, this is using Estonia’s digital ID card infrastructure to use your phone as an ID tool instead of your ID card and reader. You still need a computer and an Internet connection to vote online, but you now can just have your phone instead of your ID card. So, not as sexy. […]
Window on Eurasia reports on what appears to be a move in the opposite direction for Russia:
In the name of fighting extremism, a group of United Russia Duma deputies has proposed new legislation that would allow the government to impose sanctions on those who distribute what Moscow believes are “extremist” materials via the Internet and to close down the sites they post them on.
[…]
And even though the nature of the world wide web is such that Russian government efforts in this area are unlikely to be fully effective, such moves against what many consider to be the last free media space in Russia represent a further act of intimidation by Vladimir Putin and his associates against the embattled members of civil society in that country. […]
In Latvia, too, the state seems to be taking a proactive approach in its dealings with the online world. Free Speech Emergency in Latvia wrote this last week:
According to unconfirmed reports, the Latvian Security Police have detained Valdis Rošāns, a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi who has been writing his views extensively on the internet (in Latvian) using the nickname FENIKSS.
[…]
By harassing a young neo-Nazi crackpot, the Security Police may be trying to restore their image after their detention of economist Dmitrijs Smirnovs and questioning of musician Valters Frīdenbergs. This caused an international uproar.
I don't think too many people will rally around Valdis Rošāns, but his case should be put on the record. […]
Earlier this month, Aleks Tapinsh of All About Latvia wrote on GV about Dmitrijs Smirnovs’ case and the economic crisis dimension of the freedom of speech situation in Latvia. On his blog, he posted a picture of a t-shirt featuring a mock message to the Latvian security police:
Notice to the security police: I admit that yesterday I withdrew money from my bank. Please don’t arrest me. I did it to buy milk and bread, and not to destabilize Latvia’s financial system.


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China: Commissioner scrutinized by netizen detectives · Global Voices
Bob Chen

Zhou-jiugeng, Commissioner of Nanjing Housing Administration Bureau, is now a celebrity on the internet.
He first led a campaign against the price cut of real estate developers, which tried to break even by  attractive discounts during a frustrating economic environment. In years, the price of Chinese real estate has been criticized as overly high, with complaints that the hope to buy affordable houses can never come true. However, due to the recent dismay performance of market, two developers in Nanjing, Van-ke and Heng-da, can no longer hold out and so lowered down their newly developed estates.  One of Van-ko's properties, sold at about $1000/sq.m, is relatively 50% lower than the neighboring housing.
Except for the house holders bought in shortly before the price cut, most people acclaimed for the action. However, the Nanjing government is more than depressed.
Zhou-jiugeng decided to fight back. He pointed out that, the price cut is “to put the selling price under the actual cost price so that it means nothing but an unfair competition.” Also, he fears that the lower price would undermine developers’ capital flow so that once their capital chain break up, the many estate projects under construction would become unfinished and therefore a burden of the entire city.
He employed a straightforward way to stop the developers- the Nanjing Administration issued a fine notice to the two developers to warn them away from any further price cut. Upon this, Zhou concluded, “Developers are not charitarians; I fined them not for their actions, but for the consequence of the action. I am doing this for people.” The implication is that a losing proposition will hurt the whole industry and no houses might be built in the future. (U.S auto-maker bail-out?)
But people didn't buy his reasons when hearing that the cut they have been looking forward to for years is now spoiled.
莫之许, a well-known blogger rebuked:
首先，亏本卖房合理合法，没有什么见不得人的。任何商品的销售价都取决且仅取决于消费者的主观价值认定，而不取决于商品的制造成本。
He further points out why the government is trying to defend the high price.
所周知，这些年来，土地财政撑起了地方政府收入的半边天，土地价格也因此成为了地方政府的高度关切所在，进入到2008年，各地土地流拍、退地事件层出不穷，直接影响到了地方政府的土地收入，且未来预期也不容乐观，在此情形下，各地政府纷纷出台措施保房价，
But the argument on the real motivation of the policy is just the prelude.  The focus, as soon as the issue is put upon internet and thought to be ridiculous, shifted to the policy maker, Zhou-Jiugeng.
A post by All-for-public-08 appeared on Tianya, a public online bulletin board. The following pictures were posted:
The picture is from the past news reports excavated by netizens.
The box of cigarettes is the real protagonist that is scrutinized. Netizens found that such a premium luxury is almost unaffordable to common people that one box of the cigarettes costs 150 Yuan, and one package contains 10 such boxes，equal to 1500. This is what a jobless worker can get from government for 3 months.
The brand, named 9-5 Cigarettes, is among the most expensive sold in Nanjing.
The author commented
周局长
您自个招了吧！
您的收入一个月够抽这个烟吗？
Netizens are speculating that Zhou must have obtained greatly from the developers. “Take money and speak for the donor” is what Zhou is doing.
yangnan1603 moaned:
我们的好官啊，吸的都是老百姓的血汗啊
Find-autumn-back 找回秋天 said:
这一定是腐败分子．．．．．他要不是，可以枪毙我。
Netizens made a calculation:
以周的烟瘾看，一天要两包，那么就是360元，一个月就过万，显然不是一个月薪只有4000多元，即使年终奖算上也不过年薪10万元的人能消费起的。”
Moreover, netizen cheyou007 posted his discovery on Kdnet in the article “Commissioner Zhou smokes branded cigarettes, wears branded watches.”
据网友搜索结果，这应该是名表“江诗丹顿”， 一只10万。
Finally, the most explosive news was exposed, again by netizens, that Commissioner Zhou has a brother, Zhou-jiuzhong (周久忠) who is exactly a real estate developer.
昨日，记者登录天元吉第的网页，在其主页的“天创建设”一栏中找到了关于周久忠的个人简介，与网友所述其职务基本一致。而其与周久耕的关系，经过多方打听，记者从一熟悉周久耕的人士处获悉，周久耕和周久忠确系兄弟。

author: Bob Chen


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China: Mapping the hurt feelings of the Chinese people · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Joel Martinsen from DANWEI creates a map for showing which are the countries involving in “hurting the feelings of the Chinese people”, a rhetoric frequently used by Chinese government.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Community Maps For Pakistan · Global Voices
Rezwan

Dinakar writes on the community map making efforts in Pakistan: “Surprisingly Pakistan cities are being rapidly updated by the community, how on earth can we imagine that we have an accurate digital map of a Pakistan city; this was only possible through the community initiative.”


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Congo: A new aggregator and a Barcamp · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Africa 2.0 [Fr] reports on the launch last week of Akouaba, a news aggregator created by 22 year old Congolese blogger from Verone Mankou from Brazzaville, including an interview with him. Mankou is also the organizer of Barcamp Congo, the first Barcamp in Central Africa that will take place in Brazzaville on December 23rd, and the Barcamp Africa blog has another interview with him about it.


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Cuba: The Crowing Rooster · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In response to Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez's question, Mariela Castro calls her the equivalent of a “cocky hen”, prompting Sanchez to ask: “Does she believe that I do the work of a man because I demand rights and claim respect for political preferences?  If to be a very delicate hen I must accept that a group of septuagenarians—all men—decide every aspect of my life, then I…will cock-a-doodle-doo like the rooster with the most hormones in the barnyard.”


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Dominica: The Buggery Law · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As HIV infection rates continue to climb, Dominica Weekly says: “The point is our politicians, religious leaders and community health experts must learn how to bury their differences and find multi-divided solutions to the HIV/AIDS problem.”


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Dominican Republic: Census to Determine Number of Haitians · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The number of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic is not currently known.  However, according to Joan Guerrero of Duarte 101 [es], the Autonmous Universities of Santo Domingo and Haiti will conduct a census to determine the number.


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DR Congo: Aid Worker killed in North Kivu · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Stop the war in North Kivu reports that an aid worker has been killed in North Kivu: “This time, it has been Boduin Ntamena, 52 years old, a worker of AVSI (Voluntary Association for International Service), an Italian NGO very active in North Kivu. He was killed in an ambush to a convoy of INGO vehicles”.


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Egyptian President Mubarak is not among the world’s top 10 dictators · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Turns out that there is a list for the world's worst dictators and this year President Mubarak is not in the top ten. Zeinobia wrote: “For 2 successive years president Mubarak of Egypt was among the infamous top dictators of the world according to Parade Magazine. But this year 2008, he is no longer in the top ten. In fact he is no.17 from the worst dictators in the world. To be honest there are much worse dictators in the world than him”.


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El Salvador: Armed Groups as Electoral Campaign Issue · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

JJ Mar of Hunnapuh [es] writes that the possibility of armed groups in El Salvador is a current electoral issue.


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Gambia: Tribute to slain journalist Deyda Hydara · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Sofa Jawaro of The sword of truth pays a tribute to slain Gambian journalist Deyda Hydara on the 4th anniversary of his murder.


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Gifts With a Light Carbon Footprint · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

The Capetown Oracle posts gift ideas for a green christmas “Buying green gifts at Xmas time is just another small way to make a difference to your carbon footprint, so why not?”


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Guatemala: Christmas Decorations in Antigua · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

As Christmas fast approaches in Guatemala, Rudy Girón posts a series of photographs of typical decorations in Antigua.


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Guatemala: Farewell to Chepe Zarco · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

José Eduardo Zarco aka Chepe, director of the Guatemalan newspaper Prensa Libre recently passed away.  Luis Figueroa of Carpe Diem [es] fondly remembers the man, who published Figueroa's first column in the newspaper.


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Haiti: UN Occupation  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Haitianalysis.com examines why an extended UN presence in Haiti is probably not best for the country.


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India: Media to Self Censor · Global Voices
Rezwan

Über Desi  comments on the news that a conglomeration of India’s leading news agencies agreed on a guideline to prevent media debacles in the future. The Indian TV media were much criticized for their role during the 60 hour Mumbai siege by terrorists.


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Iran: A Long and Painful Story of Jailed Bloggers · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iranian blogger and journalist, Omid Reza Mirsyafi, was sentenced  [fa] to two and a half years of prison this week. He stands accused of insulting religious leaders, and engaging in propaganda against the Islamic Republic. Over the past 5 years, several bloggers in Iran have faced jail and persecution because of their blogs. Some were detained for a few days while others were condemned to several years.
Simon Columbus, a researcher studying the cases of jailed bloggers around the world (article forthcoming), estimates, in an email to me, that the number of Iranian bloggers who have been arrested solely for their blogging activities comes to about 20. He has counted a total of 30 Iranian bloggers who have been jailed for political activity, which may not be directly linked to their blogs.
Individual and collective arrests
Sina Motalebi was the first Iranian blogger ever jailed. In April 2003, he was arrested by the intelligence division of law enforcement because of writings on on his weblog and elsewhere and interviews with foreign media. He spent 23 days in solitary confinement in a secret detention centre before he was released on bail. In December 2003, Sina left Iran for the Netherlands, where he sought asylum.
Between August and November 2004, judiciary agents operating on behalf of Tehran's chief prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, detained more than 20 bloggers and internet journalists. After their release some of the detainees testified before a presidential commission, detailing their mistreatment while in detention. Hanif Mazroi, Massoud Ghoreishi, Fereshteh Ghazi, Arash Naderpour and Mahbobeh Abasgholizadeh appeared in front of the commission on December 25, 2004. On January 1, 2005, Omid Memarian and Ruzbeh Mir Ebrahimi also provided accounts of their ill-treatment.
About his interrogators in prison, Memarian says, “they were people who only had the appearance of human beings” [Fa]. The blogger adds: “When I came out of prison, I said to myself, ‘Let's forget these people and not let them hurt my optimism,’ but the experience is still stuck in my memory. I still remember the guards’ whispers and the keys turning in my cell's doors.”
“All this for dogs!”
Reza Valizadeh, a journalist and blogger, was the object of a complaint from the Iranian president's office and was detained on November 2007. Several Iranian blogs and websites argue the main reason he was arrested was because he revealed that Ahmadinejad's security staff bought four dogs from Germany for about $150,000 each. He was released after a few weeks of detention.
No insults, please
Mojtaba Saminejad was initially arrested in November 2004. He was released on bail on January 27, 2005 but arrested again on February 12, 2005 because his bail fee was doubled and he was unable to pay it.
According to Saminejad's supporters, the reason for his arrest was that he blogged about the arrests of three other bloggers. According to official charges, Saminejad was suspected of having insulted the head of state of Iran (the Supreme Leader), of “endangering national security,” and of having “insulted the prophets.” He was found guilty and sentenced to two years and ten months’ imprisonment.
On June 28, 2005, Saminejad was found ‘not guilty’ of the charge of “insulting the prophets” (punishable by the death penalty). He was released a few months ago but still is under pressure today.
Detained for over a month
More than 40 days ago, reports surfaced that Hossein Derakhshan (also known as Hoder), a famed Iranian blogger, was arrested in Tehran. The reasons for his arrest are unclear, but some speculate that his two (highly publicised) trips to Israel were the main reason.
Blogger Z8tun says other Iranians have been caught visiting Israel, but were released after a few hours of interrogation. Some speculate that Derakhshan who in recent years became a supporter of President Ahmadinejad's government, was arrested because he insulted some religious leaders in the country. He has himself  argued in Western media, despite multiple testimonies of jailed bloggers, that nobody goes to jail in Iran because of the content of their blog. There is a Free Hoder facebook page campaigning for his release.
Please read more in “Iranian Bloggers Talk About Their Prison Experience“.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Jamaica, Grenada: “Reggae Boyz” Win  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

YardFlex.com reports that the Jamaican football team (affectionately referred to as The Reggae Boyz) has won the Digicel Caribbean Championship, defeating Grenada 2-0 in the finals.


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Jordanian Bloggers React To Bush’s Shoegate · Global Voices
Naseem Tarawnah

While a week has yet to pass since US President Bush faced a shoe flying in his direction from an Iraqi journalist during a press conference, the Jordanian blogosphere is already aflutter with varying reactions. Here’s a look at how Jordanian bloggers have been reacting thus far:
In response to a self-posed question of “why do we throw shoes?”, blogger Hareega says:
Because we cannot protest injustice without being afraid of suffering some consequences. Because one of the worst leaders in history flew to the country he had destroyed as if that land was his own, expecting people to greet him as the liberator who brought them the same beautiful democracy that elected him as president twice despite his single-digit IQ.
SimSim, whose students couldn’t stop talking about the incident despite their final exams, notes:
maybe we don't have weapons of destruction to throw them with but God this shoes is way much better ….. good for u bush despite all the grief u caused at least there is something funny for the people to remember u with…
These sentiments seem to generally be shared by most Jordanian bloggers, with some, like Yazan, labeling the journalist as a “legend”. Like many, Haitham Sabbah was also overcome with laughter upon seeing the footage prompting him to join in on the fun:
…even my kids enjoyed the show when they saw what happened to Bush and each of them wished that he could send the same “gift” to Bush. They asked me how can they send their shoes and I told them that we can send it over air. Since then they were not sure which pair of shoes each of them will send, so I suggested to take a picture of all the shows. So here we go: “A goodbye kiss, you dog!” from me and all my family.
Photo Courtesy of Haitham Sabbah
While footage of the incident can widely be found throughout the Jordanian blogosphere, the Web’s quick production of various multimedia content making light of Bush’s unfortunate encounter, can also be seen scattered around the local blogosphere. Nadine offers a great collections of caricatures, videos and articles. Samer, of Jazarah also offers a few cartoons and online games.
Meanwhile, blogger Issam disagrees with general sentiment of the public, stating:
Personally, I have never been a fan of President Bush. I actually criticized his administration continuously on this blog; however I think that the incident is childish and regretable to say the least. I wish the “Journalist” used his words as an adult instead of his hands especially as a “Journalist” which chidren do. Unfortunately, I also believe that the incident will continue to reinforce the “angry Arab” image around the globe.
Despite many online positive reactions to the show-throwing incident, Jad is wondering whether the journalist will be released unharmed, and if that will be a testament of whether America has in fact brought democracy to Iraq. In response to Jad's post, fellow blogger Secratea leaves a comment noting her concern that the incident may reinforce negative stereotypes regarding Arabs and tarnish their image.
But one thing I am sure of: who cares about our image in the West concerning this particular incident when we all know that Bush has caused ultimate barbarous destruction in Iraq, while never caring about his image nor the image of his great country to us, the Arab and Muslim world…?
Meanwhile, The Observer is busy grappling with the concept of honor, unable to make sense of why some Americans felt offended by the shoe-throwing incident in the same manner that Arabs were offended by Saddam Hussein’s execution, emphasizing the fact that neither leader represents a country for people to feel any offense. He notes:
People around the world restored their hope in the American people when Obama got elected. We believe in the American people and America as a nation. I will repeat Queen Rania's words here: Our fight is not between East and West, Muslims and Christians, it is between extremists and moderates at both sides. George Bush have managed to help extremists gain ground all over the world. It is time to put the world back on track.
When J’s husband received an SMS on his phone asking for people to celebrate December 14th as “Kundara Day” (Arabic for “shoe”), her thoughts caused her to wonder beyond the humor of the incident and in to more serious reflections:
I could hear the howls of laughter tinged with satisfaction reverberate around the Arab world as we eventually caught up with the news …. Iraqi journalist throws shoes at President Bush … such a simple, symbolic act, but oh so loaded, and the Arab street got the message loud and clear, did the leaders though, I wonder?
In a post titled “shoegate”, 7iber, the Jordanian citizen media site, has posted an interesting video montage (Arabic) where various Jordanians on the streets of the capital, Amman, were asked what they thought about the whole incident:
Elsewhere, as Jordanian parliament observed a moment of silence out of respect for the Iraqi shoe-tosser, Naseem wonders if, when it comes to being concerned about things being thrown around, parliament's focus should be directed a little closer to home.

author: Naseem Tarawnah


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Kenya: Media protests communication bill · Global Voices
Rebecca Wanjiku

During Kenya’s 45th independence celebrations on December 12th, the media engaged the government in confrontations and street protests over the Kenya Communication Amendment bill, a law that if passed will give the government rights to regulate electronic media in terms of content. While this kind of regulations exist in other countries, the Kenyan media has protested against the bill and the government has accused the media of following capitalistic interests and not using the available consultation avenues.
There have been accusations and counteraccusations for days, and Kenyan blogs have brought out the alternative view, which has not exactly been represented in the mainstream media.
Sukuma Kenya wrote about the arrest of journalists and members of the public who participated in the protests or were caught up in the mayhem:
Caroline Mutoko of Kiss FM and Mwalimu Mati of Mars Group Kenya are among those who have this morning been arrested at the Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi. The two have been taken to the Langata police station. 60 other Kenyans are also being bundled into waiting police vehicles and it appears that it is planned to distribute those arrested in various police stations across the city.
The 62 are part of a larger group of Kenyans that had gone to attend the national event at the Nyayo National Stadium as we mark Jamhuri Day today and use the forum to address our leaders, making the Kenyan citizen’s grievances heard.
They were all wearing black T Shirts with the message “No Tax for MPs, No Tax for Us” which is part of the campaign being run in conjunction with Kenyans who care and university students to protest against MPs refusal to pay tax.
Kenyan Pundit, who also quoted Sukuma Kenya, offered several updates on the demonstration arrests such as this one:
Four colleagues in Garissa remain in detention for simply trying to present the Provincial Commissioner with a memorandum.
Kumekucha feels that the legislators are “teaching” the media a lesson for exposing the MP’s decision to vote against a motion seeking to tax MPs:
Tenth Parliament served the media sweet cold revenge marinated in the Kenya Communication (Amendment) Bill. And the Kenyan media must have seen it coming after their spirited exposure of the MPs’ lust and opposition to have their salaries taxed. Welcome to Kenyan politics and way of life where national good only stretches as far as personal aggrandizement.
The-xposer wonders why the bill was rushed through Parliament before consultations were over:
Now it is clear why the Kenyan legislators rushed to pass the Media Bill, without proper analysis…….If revenge would be the code of operation in this nation, what will happen to morallity? How many Bills have been passed out of revenge???
Kenyan Entrepreneur labels the current problem as a symptom of poor leadership from the coalition government that came to power after the post election violence at the beginning of this year:
I’ve said before that Kibaki should rule like a dictator, but that does not mean curtailing the freedoms of the press, which the public has come to rely on.  I meant, that he should force through the fundamental changes that the country needs (without trying to look for consensus from parliament)–but changes that will have a POSITIVE effect on the country in the long-term.  Things like, forcing the KRA to withdraw taxes from Mp’s salaries & daring the MP’s to go againt you or arresting people who pee on the streets or litter or spit, etc, etc…..So, it would be dictatorial yes, but in the long run, it would be good for the country.  That’s the Lee Kuan Yew model: forced, positive, change.
Kumekucha sheds more light on what the bill intends to achieve:
Legalizing police raids on media house is akin to watering the seed of political incest where the Government would pretend to police itself in Parliament. Well, the politicians have selfishly made the bed and must accept to lie of it with all the thorns sprouting underneath. Self-regulation with independent arbiters is the practice the world over to have media remain responsible but not in Kenya.
After all is said and done, Capt. Collins Wanderi Munyiri  at Kenya Imagine blames the media for failing to take the necessary steps:
But is the media entirely blameless? It celebrated in September 2007 when Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, then Minister for Information and Communications, withdrew the same bill from Parliament citing the need for further consultations, and the need to introduce clauses to deal with cyber crime as well as to protect the optical-fibre cable. My commentary on this Bill was published in the Business Daily on 4th September, 2007.  Instead of using the window created by the withdrawal of the bill to highlight its weaknesses and lobby for the removal of the offending clauses, the media concentrated on political sideshows.
Over the years, journalists in East Africa have failed to establish an effective mechanism of self regulation. The results have been catastrophic. In Kenya, wayward journalists have elevated politicians to the level of demigods through slanted coverage. Indeed, political content takes up most of the editorial space in the electronic and print media. My friends in the media openly admit that prominent politicians always have the press in tow because they generously tip (read bribe) reporters for favourable coverage. Any wonder, then, that all media houses in East Africa routinely ignore the professionals and businesses who sustain them through advertisement?
The post further accuses the media of cultivating the characters that the legislators currently demonstrate:
It is the prominence accorded to politics by the media in East Africa which has cultivated unparalleled arrogance in MPs, giving them a sense of invincibility. MPs, who often bribe reporters, believe they can ride roughshod over them and everyone else. I know that politicians bankroll journalists for favourable coverage and I have names of several reporters across all the media houses in Kenya; some do not even hide, they brag about it.

author: Rebecca Wanjiku


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Kazakhstan: National Search Engine Debated by the Bloggers · Global Voices
Yelena Jetpyspayeva

On December 11, 2008, Kazakhstani blogger Nurlan wrote in his blog, dedicated to IT development issues, about a possibility that so-called KazNet (a Kazakhstani segment of the world wide web) soon may have its own search engine and quotes an advertisement placed on the official website of  the Governmental Agency on Informatization and Communications (AIC) [ru]:
Dear users,
The department of information technologies at the Governmental Agency on Informatization and Communications is pleased to inform you that we plan to create a National Search System within the framework of KazNet development. The search system will be society-oriented. In this regard, we ask the Internet community to help us in choosing a name for the search engine.
In the below-the-post discussion threads bloggers have been debating not only possible names for the search engine, but rather the overall necessity of the whole innovation.
Thus, Zhomart thinks [ru], that this is “just another way of money laundering”. Valentin doubts the AIC's technical ability to make it good [ru]:
“It's fishy. The best they can do is to create a websites catalog. Actually, what is the reason of making something that already exists? They will not have enough capacity to create something better than the existing search engines. It's going to be some fake at the expense of taxpayers’ money”.
Assasin  believes that the agency should solve internal problems first [ru]:
“What are you talking about, a search engine? They cannot even do a dns server properly. Look – aic.gov.kz doesn’t return the page, only http://www.aic.gov.kz works. There was  an online conference with Kuanyshbek Esekeev, the AIC chairman on “e-government”. He was not able to respond to concrete questions! A search engine… It would probably take 50 years for them to make one”.
There is a lot of skepticism, and that's quite understandable. What is the need to invent a bicycle? What is the need to create a new search engine (irrespectively of who is helping to do it – Yandex, Google or Microsoft), if the already existing search engines provide correct indexing and perfectly find all Kazakhstani websites. They do not require any additional time or financial investments, especially in harsh times of economic crisis.
Besides, the new resource is being publicly positioned in a quite strange way. In particular, it remains unclear what stands behind the “society-oriented” nature of a search engine. Besides, if the Internet is meant to unite countries and to remove borders, why Kazakhstan needs a localized search engine, however functional it may be? What is it: a self-affirmation complex, a reason to spend the agency's budget or a real technical necessity?
While bloggers are passionately discussing the issue, organizer of the Annual Kazakhstani Internet Award and one of the first and most respected bloggers in KazNet, Alexandr Lyakhov quotes some figures [ru]:
According to the paragraph 8.1.1 of “the Program of fighting Internet inequality in Kazakhstan for 2007-09″ (it is being implemented by AIC), KZT 28,8 million (nearly $242,000) was to be spent in 2007 and 2008 from the budget for the development of an “intellectual search system”.
Blogger Valentin bitterly jokes that it could be cheaper to hire people that would receive requests, google for them and send back results to the users.
But the matter has already gone beyond jokes: several days ago blogger Zhomart published in his blog a draft open letter to Mr. Esekeev, the AIC chairman, describing the problem and demanding to stop the project. He also asks bloggers to sign it and send the letter to Astana.

author: Yelena Jetpyspayeva


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Media Re:public report released · Global Voices
Ivan Sigal

Media Re:public, a project of the The Berkman Center for Internet and Society, today released their long-awaited report on the state of networked digital media.
The report, “Media Re:public, News and Information as Digital Media Come of Age,” analyzes the challenges and opportunities of networked digital media. While United States media is the primary focus, the report addresses structural, economic, and news and information-gathering trends that are relevant to the entire world. As such, it's relevant for anyone interested in the effects of digital media technologies on news media, on citizen participation in media, and on the future shape of our collective media experience.
Multimedia intro to the project: Media Re:public: News and Information as Digital Media Come of Age
The key message of the report is:
A myriad of innovative new media organizations have sprung up to take advantage of the opportunities that stem from low-cost distribution networks. Meanwhile the economic base of many of the large media companies continues to erode. Despite the demonstrated success of many new media enterprises, the euphoria over the rise of participatory media has been tempered by concerns over the quality and credibility of online media, the possible fragmentation of audiences, a decline in editorial standards and the persistent challenge of effectively reporting the news.
In addition to the main report, the Media Re:public includes a dozen supplementary papers and case studies, on subjects such as digital media literacy, democracy and media, and the role of editors in a networked media environment. Global Voices’ co-founder Ethan Zuckerman also  contributes an article on international news in the digital age. Ethan's key point:
Given the decreasing coverage of international stories in commercial media, it's a poor idea to wait for research to begin exploring new strategies for presenting international news to American audiences. Media outlets – commercial and otherwise – concerned with delivering international news need to experiment with new strategies in storytelling, connecting personal stories to international events, and presenting international stories in conjunction with stories more likely to catch the viewer's eye.
Media Re:public blog and comments on the project can be found here

author: Ivan Sigal


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New film on Philippine revolution · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

FeudArt posts trailers and a backgrounder of Baler, a new film based on events during the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonizers at the end of the 19th Century.

author: Karlo Mongaya


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North Korea: A New Mobile Network · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The big news coming out North Korea this week is the launch of a new 3G mobile network by Egyptian Telecom giant Orascom. Pyongyang will be the first city to have the network followed by other larger cities. Orascom is reportedly investing $400 million in license fee and the infrastructure. Many analysts are questioning economic viability of such a venture in North Korea with its struggling economy. Mark Sutton at itp.net blog feels that Orascom might be looking at this project as a very long term investment.
Of course, it might be possible that Orascom is playing this as a very long term investment, waiting for a time when North Korea begins to open up. There has been a lot of speculation about the health of the totalitarian leader Kim Jong-il, and the Orascom group has other investments in the country, including a 50% stake in a cement company, and redevelopment work on the Ryugyong Hotel (the capital’s only prestige hotel project, which has remained unfinished for twenty years).
Wikipedia Link to Orascom Group
Riskwatchdog cautions readers and reminds them of how an earlier mobile network fared in North Korea
However, don’t get too excited. It seems to me that growth of Korea’s mobile phone network will be stunted for several reasons. In fact, this is the second time in the 2000s that North Korea has set up a mobile network. A fledgling network was launched in 2002, but this was reversed two years later, apparently because the authorities suspected that a mobile phone had been used to trigger a massive railway explosion in the northern city of Ryongchon. The blast was interpreted by some as an attempt to assassinate the ‘Dear Leader’, Kim Jong Il, whose personal train had passed through the area a few hours earlier.
The Ryongchon Train Disaster
Further down the post riskwatchdog lists three reasons why Pyongyang Fears Mobile phones. One of which is
They can make it easier for citizens to communicate with one another (that’s the whole point!). This would increase their ability to organise anti-government activities – such as protests or sabotage. For example, the popular uprising that led to the overthrow of Philippine president Joseph Estrada in 2001 was dubbed the ‘text message revolution’, because that is how the marches were announced and coordinated. Mobile phones would also allow organised crime to proliferate, and black marketeers to dodge the police by tipping each other off.
Chances are that the mobile network may only be open to the elites, the military and maybe to the foreign diplomats and business people. Even if the network is open, most North Koreans will find the fee handset price beyond their purchasing power.  In any event, the launch of yet another communication network is a welcome sign.

author: Preetam Rai


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Philippines: Kumusta or How Are You · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

Don’t English Me, I’m not School muses on the usage of the word kumusta, a Filipino greeting which means “How are you?”


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Serbia: “Mother Courage” · Global Voices
Sinisa Boljanovic

A few months ago, Serbian blogger Krugolina Borup published (SRP) a series of posts titled “Why should Serbs die out of “white plague?” on B92 blog. They were about her own very bad experience of giving birth, about unfriendly behavior and inhuman treatment of medical staff, about corruption in maternity hospital. Hundreds of readers from Serbia and the diaspora commented on her posts and many of them shared their own experiences.
Soon after publishing of these texts, Krugolina Borup started a civil initiative named “Mother Courage” and created a website with the same name. Its primary idea is to encourage all women (mothers) to describe their experiences, regardless of when they gave birth.
Dozens of personal stories (as well as a few photos) have been published so far. The women are posting anonymously: their joint nickname is “Kengurica” (‘female kangaroo’ in Serbian) and just figures after it are different.
In the biography section of the “Mother Courage” web site, Krugolina Borup wrote:
My name is Branka Stamenkovic. I gave birth in 2004 in the hospital in Zvezdara [Belgrade], and today, four and a half years later, I am still upset and begin to cry when I remember what I experienced […]
Reactions of readers […] inspired me to do something more, that is, to start to gather stories by women who gave birth and to publish them on this website. I don't know whether my effort succeeds in changing anything […]
Today, it is a very serious and massive initiative.
According to Branka's confession, her story was entered as Kengurica 001. She wrote this about the terrible experience of her delivery:
[…] While I was giving birth, air-condition device fell to the floor. Luckily, I didn't lie nearby. I ask myself, if I did, what would happen? […]
[…] When I was moved to intensive care unit after c-section, I was raving. I couldn't rise and recover normal breathing. Because of that, I forgot to put an intrauterine device and I bled over bed linen. Later, a nurse was shouting at me and refused to change it. […]
Only on the fourth day I nursed my baby for the first time because they didn't allow me to do it before since I had to be in intensive care unit. […] Of course, there were problems on occasion of breastfeeding but no one came to demonstrate me how I should milk myself and I got breast inflammation […].
[…] During the intubation, the anesthesiologist knocked my tooth out. Maybe it was a regular procedure, I didn't know, but I would like to know why there was nothing about it in my discharge papers. Also, why didn't anyone inform me whether I had the right to compensation for damage? If I had no right to that, why I didn't?
About corruption, Branka Stamenkovic said:
Epidural anesthesia's official cost is 10,000 RSD. Nevertheless, I had to give illegal 200 EUR  to anesthesiologist in order for him to give me anesthesia at all. […]
Kengurica 268 wrote:
I gave birth in 1977 and I still remember every detail. Memories and fear returned in 2007, immediately before my daughter's delivery. I gave birth in Novi Sad and I expected that something would change after 30 years and also that giving birth in Belgrade's maternity hospital “Narodni front” would be something more beautiful than I had experienced. Unfortunately, when I came into “Narodni front,” I had an impression that time has stopped […].
She added:
[…] Shortly, getting out of my baby lasted from 14.00 to 17.30. Doctors, nurses and students stood around me. I felt as an unseen wonder. When the baby was born, her lower part of the body was as blue as ink and the upper part was as white as a sheet. They showed me my baby and walked out. I was cut up and left to lie there. They went to bring coffee. After half an hour, the doctor came to sew up my wound. Afterwards, a nurse ordered me to get out of bed and told me to go downstairs to the lower floor. […]
[…] I am sorry because my daughter's delivery stirred up these memories after 30 years. It is very well that today's mothers will not allow to happen something like my experience. This initiative gives me a hope that I will absolutely forget my memories when my granddaughter should be giving birth.
Kengurica 057, who gave birth in 2004 in Backa Topola, a small town in Northern Serbia, comments on a midwife's behavior:
[…] After a medical checkup, I asked the nurse whether I advanced with opening, since I had been connected to induction for six hours. She asked me very insolently: “Why do you hurry? Will you go to the hairdresser? I have a whole night for you!” The situation was unpleasant and you can guess how I felt […]
[…] In this story I wish to praise my doctor. He was professional, at the same time very close to us, common people. For two days, while I couldn't get up, he was bringing me meals into bed and visiting me past regular visits. […]
Kengurica 047 (2008, Maternity hospital Narodni front, Belgrade):
[…] I completed formalities which were related to entering the hospital from 6.30am to 1.30pm. I was told I was lucky because some women were waiting for a bed for 17 hours. […]
[…] Despite my requests to examine me some of doctors, nurses behaved as if they were higher beings, sent me to CTG, were shouting at me, told me that I was spoiled and that I'll never give birth. […]
Kengurica 070 (Narodni front, Belgrade, 2008):
[…] Both the doctor and the anesthesiologist acted very well toward me because I slipped money into their pockets. Since there is only one nurse in lacteal unit per 30 women, I also slipped money into her pocket. Maybe you will have very interesting experience if you take a wallet. […]
But, all the mentioned things are related to the gynecology clinic “Narodni front” in Belgrade, I don't know how it is in other clinics. […] Otherwise, do you know that you will not get epidural anesthesia, whose regular cost is 10,000 RSD, if you don't slip money into anesthesiologists’ “hands” – regardless of the fact that you've already paid for epidural anesthesia to the hospital's account? […]
Kengurica 123 (Narodni front, Belgrade, 2008):
[…] Pains were stronger and stronger. […] I was panting, I couldn't call anyone. All the time I was looking in the direction of the small room where they were all sitting and smoking. I hoped that I'd see if someone came out from that room in order to call him. I called, shouted but they ignored me. Pains were stronger and stronger. I admit, I started to scream at the top of my lungs. My phone vibrated. I couldn't grab it. Some nurse came across and told me: “Why are you screaming? What do you want? We told you to call when you finish with birth, stupid bitch. I was screaming loudly and loudly, above all for someone to come, but also in order to get on their nerves. Pains were stronger and stronger. I turned sideways. I threw up. I was so dizzy I wanted to shoot myself in the head. I started to scream again. I heard a man's voice: “Tell this cow to stop roaring!” “Motherfucker to all,” I returned in kind. I was throwing up. I thought I would die. I started to cry due to pains. No one came to help me. I was beginning to lose consciousness. I tried to slap myself. Suddenly, a doctor came and said: “Hi, how are you? Has the labor started? Let's see… Oh, why didn't you call us? […]
Kengurica 163 (Narodni front, Belgrade, 2008):
[…] Listening to different stories which related to the birth, I conceived of it as not desirable to go to maternity hospital if I didn't know someone there. Anesthesiologist's tariff is between 100 and 150 EUR (if you don't pay, he will not come). No one knew how much doctors cost. Finally, a midwife is the most important and she also has her tariff, because, oh my God, they all come into maternity hospital for your sake outside their working hours. […]
Kengurica 193 (Pancevo, 2003):
[…] They bore my amnion, and afterwards they started jumping on me. Guys, although 5 years have passed, I still can't understand what happened then. I thought that was a nightmare. A doctor was jumping on me, others were climbing on my belly and breast, I was losing consciousness. I thought I would choke. […]
Kengurica 026 (Narodni front, Belgrade, 1997):
[…] Hospital staff is unfriendly, you can't get any information, you don't know where you should go, you don't know what is a next step. You only can stand at a hallway and pray to God that someone will examine you before the baby falls out on the floor. I have contractions every 5 minutes, I am standing in the hallway without panties and I am smeared by different fluids. I have no information on where I should go, what I should do. After half an hour, a doctor comes and says: “Let's go to the induction, I have a flight to catch this afternoon.” […]
[…] Water was overflowing from the washstand. Next day I acquired a chemical and uncorked the washstand. There is one toilet per 70 women. It looks terrible. Later, when I came home and showed my photographes, no one believed me that I had been in a maternity hospital. […]
[…] When the nurse brought my baby on the second day, he was totally dressed although it was 40 degrees. When I took a diaper off him, a cockroach fell out of it. Yes, I screamed, I admit. I announced it to the nurse and she answered me that they had problems with cockroaches […]
Kengurica 269 has had five births. She gave birth four times in Novi Sad (1979, 1985, 1990, 1996 ), and once in Bonn, Germany, in 1994.
[…] The stay in Novi Sad's maternity hospital was painful, especially almost 30 years ago. Nothing has changed so far. […]
[…] Bed sheets were dirty and worn out. Bed linen was not changed for all days of my stay there. […]
[…] During one of my four births in Novi Sad, I was panting and I was very thirsty. It was August and over 30 degrees. I asked for a glass of water. The answer was: “This is not a pastry shop.” […]
[…] Protocols are medieval. If you mention attendance of father during a delivery, every time you'll hear that Serbian parents aren't interested in that. […] Mainly, fathers are brought into maternity hospital secretly. Why secretly? The baby is mine and his, not the hospital's inventory. […]
And here's how it was in the maternity hospital in Bonn:
[…] I have a personal preparation hall, a personal operation hall, a personal midwife at the Bonn maternity hospital. All the time my husband was next to me. And every ten minutes a very cordial midwife asked me whether I had pains and whether I would want analgesic. I mentioned that I didn't want epidural anesthesia, although it was free of cost. That (and everything what I mentioned above) is something that is provided by social and health insurance. I remember that in the operation hall the bed linen was light yellow, there were a lot of flowers on the window sill, red storks hung from the ceiling […] rooms were double-bedded. There were TV, bathroom, telephones next to beds, alarm buttons. By the bed stood a transparent baby box. If I would like to go out of room and sleep, for example, I could ring and a nurse would come and take the baby away to watch after it. The staff was very cordial so that I felt to shy to ring them up. […]

author: Sinisa Boljanovic


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Shaping the Future of World Indigenous Education · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

Last week 3000 delegates from around the world shared their experiences at The World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference: Education  at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. There has been little coverage by the mainstream media and surprisingly little activity in the global blogosphere that I’m aware of.
Carbon Media produced excellent video for National Indigenous TV (NITV) that is available at Black Tracks.  Their 5 episodes include interviews with leading keynote speakers and conference delegates. A sample of the video interviews:
Black Tracks Melbourne Vodcast Episode 2 from Carbon Media on Vimeo.
I was fortunate enough to visit the traditional welcome, helping out on the ICV  (Indigenous Community Volunteers) stall. ICV “is a not for profit organisation providing Indigenous Australians with new skills. Communities, organisations or individuals identify their skill needs then ICV matches the projects with volunteers to address those needs. Volunteering with ICV is about sharing skills and knowledge and learning together. Skills transfer projects can lead to employment, self employment and community development.”
There was considerable interest from conference delegates from around the globe in how this program could be adapted to their local needs.
A week after WIPCE closed, internet searches reveal little so far. An exception was in the Melbourne daily newspaper, The Age (13 December 2008) that profiled:
Graham Hingangaroa Smith, chairman of Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi — a Maori tertiary institution with students from certificate to PhD level.
A proponent of a self-described “education revolution”, Professor Smith was the first teacher of a Maori school. The system has grown from a single school in 1988 to a network of more than 80 government-funded schools.
His leadership also sparked the emergence of Maori studies at universities.
“We needed more Maori choices in the educational smorgasbord. It was both a reactive and proactive move,” he said. “We cannot talk as indigenous people about our socio-economic redevelopment without a prior education revolution.”
Dr. Chris Sarra, of Indigenous Education Leadership Institute of Australia and former principal of Cherbourg School in Queensland had addressed the conference about how we can have both stronger and smarter education that values both strong culture and smarter schools.
According to The Age:
Chris Sarra told the conference that educators had to adopt a “whatever-it-takes” approach to improving indigenous education.
Young indigenous people often mistakenly thought that being smarter made them less aboriginal, he said.
“How many of you have seen and heard of young indigenous children aspiring to do well in school, only to be pulled down by their indigenous peers with comments like ‘You think you're too flash for us now’ or ‘You're a coconut’,” he said to delegates.
He urged educators to embrace a student's indigenous identity as part of the pursuit of improved outcomes.
Maori educator still seeks the right answers
“The importance of keeping language alive” is one of the themes picked up in the Black Tracks interviews. “The issue of bilingualism in Northern Territory schools is a current hot topic” that they explore. A new government policy has seen a curtailment of classroom time for schools with bi-lingual programs.
This issue has been canvassed in Crikey, an independent Australian online media service. Their regular blogger, Bob Gosford,The Northern Myth, works in Yuendumu, 300 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs. He has pursued this controversy:
Marion Scrymgour is Australia’s most powerful Aboriginal politician. As Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister, along with several other minor Ministries, she has one of the toughest jobs in Paul Henderson’s single-seat majority NT Labor government.
In the last 6 weeks she has summarily sacked her department’s CEO, announced a rushed and unpopular policy and faced relentless and sustained attacks from the media and in the parliament over her administration of education in the NT – particularly on what would be expected to be her particular strength — remote Aboriginal community-based education.
Marion Scrymgour – picks ‘big stoush’- gets bloody nose
The Minister replied at length. In summary:
I believe that schools have an important role to play in teaching regional Aboriginal languages and thereby ensuring their survival. I am simply saying that that teaching should take place in the afternoons.
Scrymgour: I support teaching regional Aboriginal languages
It is refreshing to see a politician engaging in a controversial debate through the new online media.
Finally, the NITV blog summed up the importance of the conference:
Many issues were addressed by other first nation people which our own mob here in Australia have encountered, are enduring, and will continue to battle with, such as native title, deaths in custody, Indigenous Youth Suicide, Stolen Generation, Assimilation and much more.
Whilst networking with other Indigenous delegates, there was a gold mine of information readily available to those willing to listen. We obviously share many battles as Indigenous people, we all aim to learn and be educated in one another's path's to victory, and finding the particular medium to educate the future generation, and preserve our culture, our heritage, our language, without compromise, without mediocrity, but with high levels of service and raising the bar.
WIPCE 2008 – Mitchell Stanley
It is a pity that the good news stories that were shared at WIPCE have not received greater media attention so far.

author: Kevin Rennie


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Southeast Asia: The shoe, the shoe · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi will be known for a long time as the shoe thrower. He who succeeded in throwing a pair of shoes at U.S. President George Bush last Sunday in Baghdad.
The shoes are now priceless. A Saudi entrepreneur has offered $10 million for one of the pair of shoes.
The shoe throwing incident has been hailed as heroic by many people around the world, especially those who opposed the foreign policies of the outgoing US president. What are the reactions of Southeast Asian bloggers and residents?
Hafriz from Singapore thinks al-Zaidi should become president of the world:
“is anyone still not in the shoe-throwing craze yet? this Muntazer al-Zaidi guy is a worldwide hero. he's a legend. he should be president of the world.”
Katak, also from Singapore, notes that the incident reflects the failure of US foreign policies:
“Being infamous in a foreign country is generally not a good farewell party for someone who is often regarded as the President of the ‘World’.
“The (incident) shows the build up of hatred and violence that the local citizens had to endure due largely to his failure in assessment of foreign policy, in particular, the 2003 invasion of Iraq.”
Another Singaporean blogger, mrbrown.com, wonders why the Secret Service agents were unable to catch the shoes:
“It makes you wonder though, that if the Secret Service could not stop a flying shoe or two, how were they planning to protect President Bush from more lethal weapons?
“Or did they deliberately let that one through? Hmmm…”
Filipino journalist Carlos Conde analyzes the shoe-throwing incident from the perspective of a media person:
“What he did was to show that he is a citizen before anything else; that he, too, feels the pain of his fellow Iraqis.
“Al-Zaidi is a journalist. He knows the story of Iraq perhaps more than anybody else. But more than anything else, he’s an Iraqi citizen. He feels the pain of his people perhaps more than any journalist in Baghdad does. Did we really expect him to just sit there and watch Bush lie through his teeth again and insult the memory of those who suffered in Iraq because of America’s act of aggression?”
Ka-Blog from the Philippines understands the motives of Al-Zaidi:
“Was Al-Zeidi justified in doing it?  Let me put it this way—if your country were ravaged by a war justified on totally baseless claims (WMD); if millions of your countrymen were dead because of it; if foreign aggressors are still occupying your country; and if the brains (now, this is a misnomer) behind all these comes to your country still saying he was right, won’t you feel the same degree of rage that this journalist felt?
“I was shocked by what I saw on TV and I was still shocked when I reviewed it on YouTube.  I asked myself how a United States President could be treated in such a manner.
“But when I put myself in Al-Zeidi’s shoes (pun intended), I can’t bring myself to denounce him. In fact, my only problem with the Iraqi journalist was his aim.”
Arif from Indonesia writes that US President-elect Barack Obama has to redeem the image of America which was destroyed by his predecessor:
“Hates are left in worlds heart. Thrown shoes was only an expression of world hatred. Think that Barrack Obama has to recover Americas’ image destroyed by George Walker Bush.
“Thrown by shoes was nothing. But, Bush should think that he has created bad image and hatred. Bush also has destroyed ancient heritages in Iraq. He destroyed economic achievement. He lied to us. Iraq has had no weapons of mass destruction.”
Perhaps anticipating a negative reaction from authorities, Salak from Malaysia is fearful that “one day when we have to get a license for our shoes.”
Many Southeast Asian bloggers are amused over the Flash-based games which were created after the shoe throwing incident. Video samples of the games are shown below:

author: Mong Palatino


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Sri Lanka: Troubles At School Final · Global Voices
Rezwan

Chitrangi reports that in some areas of Sri Lanka the state school final (G.C.E/O Level) examinations ran into trouble because of errors in question papers and insufficient question papers.

author: Rezwan


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Translation and Literature in the Philippines · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

Cebuano poet Adonis Durado posts an article on the importance of translation for literary development in the Philippines. Durado recently launched his book of Cebuano poems, Dili Tanang Matagak Mahagbong [fil] (trans. Not All That Drop Falls).


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Trinidad & Tobago: Where is the Love?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad and Tobago girls, politics, sports, technology, carnival, and lifestyle is “totally shocked by the lack of support from regional leaders” with regard to the Prime Minister's recent cancer surgery.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bahamas: Silver Lining  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Our lazy stream, meandering through the softest rock, is now faced with turbulence, restriction and stagnation that have caught most completely unawares”: Christopher Lowe at Weblog Bahamas says that the silver lining of the global financial crisis – at least for Bahamians – is that “we are being forced to think, to question, to reason for ourselves…”


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Bangladesh: After The Election · Global Voices
Rezwan

In the Middle of Nowhere draws up two scenarios of the possible events after the impending general election in Bangladesh.


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Barbados: Nature Sanctuary Closes  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Bajan Reporter calls the closing of Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary a “sad day for [the] Government of Barbados and Bajan tourism.”


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Bhutan: Teaching History in Dzongkha  · Global Voices
Rezwan

Tshering Tobgay writes about the problems of teaching history in Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan.


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Burkina Faso: Fulani Christian Convention · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Keith blogs about Fulani Christian Convention in Burkina Faso: “Tonight was the start of the conference for Fulani believers of Oudalan, our province, in the north-east of Burkina

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Cambodia: Situation of restaurant workers · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Nguon Serath writes about the grim situation of restaurant workers in Cambodia.


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China: Nationwide Teachers’ Strike · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Since this October, teachers in Sichuan, Chongqing, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong went on strike, demanding a salary raise.
According to local media report, the strike started from Sichuan Pi Region (陴縣) in Sep 23, teachers demanded local government to follow national law (such as Teachers Law) and raise the salary of teacher to the level of local civil servant. After 3 days of strike, local government gave in and promised to increase the teachers’ salary level. With this successful story, teachers from nearby provinces started similar action, but got repressed. By mid October, the collective action was spread to Chongqing with hundreds of teachers joining in. In Nov 5, the Sichuan strike was harmonized, however, it spreads quickly to other province.
A long strike list
Zol maps out this wave of teacher strikes across the country:
2008.12.09湖南省邵阳市大祥区教师罢课
2008.12.09湖南省涟源市2000多教师罢课
2008.12.09河南省洛阳市吉利区中小学教师自发请病假一天
2008.12.09湖南省永州市双牌县教师集体到政府提交请愿书及抗议书
2008.12.09湖北省枝江教师罢课
2008.12.08陕西省汉中市城固县教师罢课
2008.12.05湖南省新邵教师罢课
2008.12.01湖南省邵东县3000教师大罢课
2008.12.01-3湖南省隆回县教师教师大罢课
2008.11.27内蒙古赤峰市宁城县教师罢课
2008.11.26湖北省武汉市汉南区教师罢课
2008.11.24陕西省宁强县数百教师上访
2008.11.24湖北省鄂州市梁子湖区教师罢课
2008.11.20江苏泰州泰兴部分学校罢课。
2008.11.18号四川省泸州市合江县先市中学、大桥学校、佛宝学校等罢课
2008.11.17湖南省娄底市新化县教师大罢课
2008.11.17广西自治区钦州市某幼儿园教师罢课
2008.11.13重庆市永川区退休教师上访
2008.11.13辽宁省葫芦岛市连山区教师罢课
2008.11.12湖南省娄底市娄星区500余名教师上访
2008.11.12湖北省潜江教师大罢课
2008.11.11湖北省潜江周矶中学罢课
2008.11.10重庆市永川区退休教师上访
2008.11.10四川省凉山州会理县罢课
2008.11.10陕西省安塞县教师罢课
2008.11.06湖南省永州市新田县教师大罢课
2008.11.04四川省宜宾市宜宾县教师大罢课
2008.11.03陕西省汉中市西乡县教师大罢课
2008.11.03黑龙江省齐齐哈尔市铁锋区数百教师上访
2008.11.03广东省湛江市东海岛教师罢课
2008.11.01重庆市永川区退休教师上访
2008.11.01重庆市綦江县教师千人签名
2008.10月 四川省成都市武侯区机投中学罢课
2008.10.月份成都市武侯区也有学校罢课
2008.10.XX山东省新泰市青云办事处教师罢课
2008.10.28重庆市江津区部分学校罢课
2008.10.28四川省马边彝族自治县的老师罢课
2008.10.27左右重庆市荣昌县小规模罢课
2008.10.27重庆市万州区部分学校罢课
2008.10.27福建省南平市政和县部分乡镇中学老师罢课
2008.10.24重庆市江津区退休教师上书请愿
2008.10.23重庆市綦江县教师大罢课
2008.10.23重庆市大足县小规模罢课
2008.10.23重庆市璧山县小规模罢课
2008.10.23四川省泸州市江阳区部分学校罢课
2008.10.22重庆市长寿区教师大罢课
2008.10.21旬四川省遂宁市大英县教师罢课
2008.10.21四川省遂宁市安居区决山初中全校罢课
2008.10.17重庆市永川区教师全体大罢课
2008.10.15四川省绵竹大规模教师罢课
2008.10.13四川省什邡大规模教师罢课
2008.10.13四川省华蓥大规模老师罢课
2008.10.09四川省资中县大规模老师罢课
2008.10.09四川省广安区老师罢课
2008.10.08重庆市铜梁县教师“非正常上访事件”
2008.10.07辽宁省大连长兴岛教师罢课
2008.10.06邛崃大规模老师罢课
2008.09.23四川省郫县大规模老师罢课
Forum and chatroom closed down, connection reset
With so many on-going strikes, there are so few information in the mainstream media and on the Internet. According to the report of New Tang Dynasty, since December 15, internet forums and QQ groups of the schools and teachers involved were forced to closed down. hwq917 noticed that teachers’ strike has become a sensitive words back in Nov:
这几天，只要在百度里输入“教师罢·课”或者“四川教师罢·课”等关键词进行搜索，你会发现找到的相关网页有十几万条，可是除了在快照里能够窥见部分对教师的不理解、指责甚至漫骂的文字之外，其余的都已鲜见踪迹
In writing this post, search engines from major forums and blog hosting platform would reset my connection whenever I key in “teachers’ strike” (罢课)!
A case study: independent teacher union please
Greatsunrise's semi academic post luckily remains online and re-posted in other blogs. The blogger picks up a teachers’ strike in Hedong district, Baotou City Inner Mongolia in order to look into the problems teachers are facing. It seems that the poorer the district, teachers are in a more vulnerable position:
現在的社會發展壓力，導致了教師階層普遍成為一個弱勢群體，尤其是在落後地區，不但因為本身財政上無法增加為教育上的撥款，而且還要挪用教育上的撥款來填 補其他方面財政上的漏洞。東河區的GDP是包頭市區最低的，財政收入最少的。
According to the writer, back in 1996, the Hedong government has allocated the education funding to fill up the deficits and result in late payment and a big cut in teachers’ salary. As for the latest round of strike:
包頭市東河區因拖欠教師工資，不執行國家對教師的工資制度以及強制捐款等問題引發所有學校教師罷課，已從2008年12月10日至11日兩日，但問題仍然沒有得到有效解決。教師罷課仍在持續擴散中。
該思考的是，如何保障教師本身的權益問題。在國外很多國家都有教師協會和工會類似的組織來謀求教師本身的福利，而在中國大陸，特別是老少邊窮地區，受到各方法制限制，無法形成獨立的組織，而且還要面對政府、學生、家長和社會的壓力。維護教師權益的關鍵，絕非來自於政府的施捨與恩給，而是取決於法律的保障與會員的團結…
而教師普遍憤怒的是，區委、政府和教育局官員們經常會去以下崗、不續聘、、、諸多方式來威脅教師。面對教師們要求生存權利的呼聲，官員以一種居高臨下的姿態，以蔑視和冷漠示人，這確實是一種讓外界憂心的危險信號。而很多教師也迫於被秋後算賬的問題而不敢尋求福利。
Netizens’ opinions
Since I failed to get information from the local search engines, I can only look into comment session of local mainstream report to get a sense of people's reaction towards the teachers’ strike. Below are two most popular opinions In the comment session of an investigation report on the Sichuan teachers's strike at 163.com:
河北石家庄网友 2008-11-26 09:07:44
校长贵族化，领导多员化，教师奴隶化，学生祖宗化，人际复杂化，加班日夜化，上班无偿化，检查严厉化，待遇民工化，翻身是神话。
School principals become aristocrat, too many leaders, teachers are slaves, students become your ancestors (or bosses), complicated interpersonal relation, working overtime days and nights, without compensation, tough evaluation and checking while salary is like that of a migrant workers, change is a myth.
上海卢湾网友  2008-11-26 09:30:59
公务员工资太高,老师不乐意了,这样吧,把公务员工资减少2/3,和老师们接轨,这样老师们就可以工作了,同意的点支持
The salary of civil servant is too high and teachers are not happy, why not cut the salary of civil servant by 2/3, so it becomes the same with the teachers. Then teachers can be back to work. Please click support.


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Cuba, U.S.A.: Lat Am & Caribbean Leaders Meet · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“You could call it the independence summit”: The Cuban Triangle takes a look at the meeting of Latin American and Caribbean leaders in Brazil, adding that it “seems to have been about independence from Washington and a big way of expressing that independence was opposition to U.S. policy toward Cuba.”


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Estonia: Deportations, Artificial Hills, Gray Passports, and Layoffs · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Below is a selection of some recent posts from the Estonian blogosphere.
Itching for Eestimaa writes about Estonian women who survived the deportations of the 1940s, but whose tragic stories never found a reflection in the Soviet-time Estonian women's magazine, Nõukogude Naine:
[…] These women are no different than the young women of today, except life dealt them unfortunate circumstances that they ultimately had to digest and live with.
Why did they get the booty end of the stick? Why did they, of all people, have to travel to Siberia via cattle car, their families broken, their property confiscated, their health imperiled, only to come home to a fresh issue of Nõukogude Naine that made no mention of their very immediate history? […]
In another post, Itching for Eestimaa writes about the town of Kohtla-Järve:
[…] In the Estonian psyche, […] Kohtla-Järve is one of these Soviet labyrinths of apartment blocks, poverty, and Russophones, where if you ask for milk in the store in Estonian, you might get carbonated water or eggs. Since there are no water parks or medieval buildings, it is undeserving of a visit, and so nobody goes. […]
Blue, Black and White Alert examines whether it's possible to turn artificial hills that are “the byproduct of oil shale mining” into ski resorts:
[…] Of course, if you consider that oil shale mining has been going on for more than 50 years, and then you consider how the ash is currently deposited — scattered in a number of 100m hills, including one “mountain range” — and that in turn that ash has ceased to be deposited at the top of the hill but only at the base — it seems inexcusable, doesn't it? If we had focused on one hill, Estonia could already have a ski resort, not to a mention a landmark. One more bone to pick with the Russians at the reparations summit.
BabelTallinn writes about Estonia's ethnic Russians, many of whom hold “gray” passports of the stateless persons and seem happy about it:
[…] At Molly Malone’s pub in Tallinn’s old town, Ruslana doesn’t want her picture taken. ‘I still have a grey passport because it’s comfortable,’ begins the 24-year-old Russian flamenco dancer, who has a white complexion and pink-varnished nails. 116,000 people currently have a ‘grey’ passport, meaning they are stateless. They cannot receive a ‘blue’ passport unless they pass a language exam and another testing their knowledge on the constitution. ‘The Schengen zone has been open to stateless people for a year, so I can travel to EU countries and Russia without a visa,’ says Ruslana. With neither bank nor life insurance troubles, she feels ‘good with grey. I’ve spent my whole my life in Estonia, and speak Estonian when I have to.’ […]
In another post, BabelTallinn writes about Estonian Air's plans to lay off 63 of its 467 employees.
AnTyx reports that “[a]fter months of infighting and mutual accusations, the parliament has finally passed the new labour bill”:
[…] The upshot is that companies will have an easier time getting rid of unproductive or unnecessary workers, while employees will generally have more financial stability after getting canned.
[…]
Unlike the controversial French laws, this one isn't so much intended to give companies the confidence to hire new staff, as allow them to restructure and increase the efficiency of their process. This has been the principal complaint about the Estonian workforce – that its salary expectations had been growing out of sync with rises in productivity. The other problem was the sheer lack of manpower in key areas; so in the context of the financial crisis, this legislation does at least seem like a step in the right direction. It places additional demands on the budget, but it actually gives both employers and employees more confidence in the areas that count, while encouraging people to improve their skills and efficiency. […]

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Ghana: Time for decentralisation? · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Omanba at Ghanaconscious gives a few reasons why handing back power to local governments would be good in Ghana, as a new government approaches after the December 7th elections.

author: Elia Varela Serra


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Haiti: Media Intimindation · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

HaitiAnalysis.com and The Haitian Blogger republish a statement from Amnesty International which voices their concern over death threats against journalist Joseph Guyler Delva that are possibly related to “both his involvement in an investigation into the murder of Haitian journalist Jean Dominique and his reporting on the controversial election of a former Haitian senator.”


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Indonesia: Solving cybercrime · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Police authorities in Jakarta have a proposal on how to eliminate cybercrime: Internet cafes would be requested to record their customers’ IDs in a guest book to prevent cyber crime.