text:
Japan: Mob collusion soils the sumo ring · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Salt throwing, leg-stomping to scare the evil spirits away from the ring and power water rinsing…none of these ceremonies that traditionally inaugurate the opening of a Grand Sumo match, have been or will be broadcast live this year on the occasion of the July Nagoya Tournament.
The connection between the world of sumo and the yakuza crime syndicates [en] have been finally highlighted  [en] and the scandals involving gambling and tickets sold to the crime ‘godfathers’ have aroused public ire.
So it was inevitable that the public TV NHK decided, for the first time in its history, to dedicate to the tournament only a few minutes in its evening digest after hundreds of viewers called to urge them to take such drastic measures.
Nagoya Tournament 2008. By hitthatswitch. CC License
While millions of soccer lovers were waiting anxiously for the last match of the World Cup, on the 11th of this month, those in Japan who wanted to follow the sumo bouts, usually broadcast  live by the public TV, had to content themselves with following the first day of the tournament through a brief recap of the day.
Sumo fan MCBenZai-Kei was disappointed and complained that the NHK digest didn't do justice to the spirit of the sport.
相撲ファンとして、生中継がないのは残念です。[…]
大相撲中継を楽しみにしているお年寄りなどには気の毒な措置だと思います。
私も残念です。[…]
大相撲というのは、生放送で見てこそ魅力があるのです。幕ノ内の取り組みなどは、関取が土俵の下に入ってから仕切り立ち会いまで見てこそ大相撲の魅力があります。
勝敗だけわかればいいという性質の競技ではないんですよね。
Drug abuse [en]  and violent behaviour [en] by sumo wrestlers have made it onto the front pages of tabloids and newspapers in past years, but this is the first time that the National Police have decided to crack down on those shadowy ties.
The last straw was the discovery that some wrestlers were involved in betting on baseball matches [en] which is illegal in Japan. But already last year, police officers reacted swiftly when they noticed some members of a recognized crime syndicate being filmed while sitting in the front row at a sumo match.
According to their investigations, it was not the first time yakuza bosses had been given special tickets to watch a bout and the aim of them sitting in front of the cameras was to be seen by gang members in jail where the prisoners are allowed to watch sumo on TV.
Former Yomiuri Shimbun reporter Jake Adelstein, who specializes in crime reporting and is considered an expert of yakuza issues, explained the details and the background of the matter in an exhaustive post, where he also revealed some previously hidden facts.
One part of the sumo-yakuza-gambling scandal that may never come to light is that, not only were sumo wrestlers were participating in the gambling, so were some executives from the Japanese companies sponsoring the sumo tournaments. For those reasons, the investigation is likely to be cut off at a predetermined point before it becomes an international embarrassment. Established connections between gambling, yakuza, sumo and major Japanese corporations wouldn’t reflect well on the business image of Japan. There is already a proposal to “pin the crime” on low-level yakuza boss who died of natural causes last year, designating him the “puppet master” who ran the show. Dead men make the perfect fall guys and don’t say things they shouldn’t. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is doing their job and doing it in the way they’ve probably always wanted to do it. Except now they are acting with the approval of the National Police Agency from the top down.
Ready for Yokozuna. By Sprengben: CC License
According to the list [ja] compiled by k_myoren, the first scandals involving wrestlers date back to the ‘60s and many in Japan seem convinced that the ties between the underworld and the sumo world are deeply intertwined  [en] and will prove difficult to eradicate.
Tetsuwan Taro said that after such dark happenings, there shouldn't be any obligation to continue to financially support the Sumo Association, which is a public-interest corporation, with public money.
ヤクザと暴力団は違うのかもしれないけど、暴力団がヤクザの仕事の継承として相撲と深く係わってきた長～～～い歴史があるはずで、何百年も続いてきた関係を切れと言われても、簡単にはいかないでしょ。
恩とか義理とかプレッシャーとか脅しとかお金とか・・・・ドロドロドロドロ
The tournament will go on until July 25 but the only choice left to dedicated sumo fans is to visit the venue in Nagoya (central Japan) to watch it.
Sumo journalist Oozumou  has been keeping a journal with a commentary on the bouts and the match results.
According to this sumo expert, compared to the previous year, there was a 10% decrease in the number of viewers and many sponsors decided to withdraw their support causing the amount of prize money to be reduced [en] to one quarter.
Young wrestlers during a training session. By bass_nroll; CC License.
Sumo has been long considered as a sacred sport which has its roots in Shinto ritual and has a 2000 year history [en]. But, according to some [ja], the recent scandals have contributed to destroying this image and reducing it to a mere money-related entertainment like any other wrestling bout which deals more with entertainment than any religious aspect.
Nonetheless young athletes, who put all their efforts and dreams into treading the sacred ring as champions some day, ask the fans to hang in there and keep loving the sport!
Former sumo wrestler and writer Yoshinori Tashiro says.
数年前から、何度も何度もいろんな事件が表面化し世間から見たら、もう相撲は見たくない、相撲なんて無くなれと思われていると思います。
ただ、中にはというか大半の力士たちは上の写真の様にまじめに毎日、がむしゃらに稽古しています。
一般の方で、相撲の稽古を実際に体験したことのある人は少ないと思いますが、本当にきついんです。本気で当たってきて押してくる相手を押し返し、何度も何度も土俵にたたきつけられて。
でも強くなるために、出世するために辛抱して、稽古してるのです。
ただ今回の事件は、一部の力士の責任だけではなく相撲界全体で真剣に考えなくてはいけない事態になっています。[…]
再び、国民に愛され、慕われ、応援される大相撲が復活する日を、願っております。
どうぞ今後とも大相撲を宜しくお願い致します。

author: Scilla Alecci


text:
Malawi: An eye on charcoal trade · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

An eye on the charcoal trade in Malawi: “Like the rest of the world, forests in Malawi play a vital role. They are the engine of survival to millions of poor Malawians, but at the rate with which forests are being cleared, mainly through illegal logging and burn agriculture, the poor are likely to face hard times for generations to come.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Niger: Offering choices to unheard voices · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Niall Tierney writes Concern Worldwide and hunger in Niger: “Concern launched an early, groundbreaking response using “short-harvest” seed varieties, mobile phone technology and cash, and emergency nutrition programs to reach the most vulnerable before the food ran out…”


text:
Pakistan: The Perils Of Travelling Alone · Global Voices
Rezwan

Tazeen at A Reluctant Mind talks about the perils of a single Pakistani woman traveling alone.

author: Rezwan


text:
Russia: Ask a Search Engine About the Weather · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

“When the heat will pass away?” is this week's most popular search enquiry in the Russian Google. Another most popular search requests include: “How to survive heat wave?”, “How to cool down the room without an air conditioner?” and “Where people swim in the Moscow region?”, RIA Novosti reports [RUS].

author: Gregory Asmolov


text:
Russia: First Cyrillic Word Tops Twitter Trends · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

Russian heatwave makes history not only in the streets of Moscow but also in the virtual space. The Russian word “дождь” (rain) turned to be the first Cyrillic word in Twitter's worldwide trending topics, RIA Novosti [RUS] reports. It happened after Moscow bloggers witnessed a minor rain, that followed several weeks of unusually hot temperature.


text:
Turkey: Armenians and Turks show Gay Pride · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Despite a long history of animosity between Armenia and Turkey, Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts photographs of Armenians and Turks side by side at this year's Gay Pride rally in Istanbul. The blog says that the pictures are incredible.

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
· Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

South Korea has started collecting and storing the DNA profiles of criminals. The Ministry of Justice’s decision to take DNA samples of 20 thousand criminals who involved in serious crimes takes into effect starting from today, South Korea’s Chosun reported.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


text:
Africa’s Hunger Hardships Spur Biotech Debate · Global Voices
Juhie Bhatia

This post was commissioned as part of a Pulitzer Center/Global Voices Online series on Food Insecurity. These reports draw on multimedia reporting featured on the Pulitzer Gateway to Food Insecurity and bloggers discussing the issues worldwide. Share your own story on food insecurity here.
Sunset over farmland in South Africa by Irene2005 on Flickr
While there have been significant increases in agricultural productivity in Asia and Latin America over the last 30 years, productivity in Africa has stagnated and 1 in 3 people in sub-Saharan Africa still go chronically hungry. Many solutions have been proposed to help combat hunger in Africa, but one in particular remains controversial: biotechnology.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that 1.02 billion people do not have enough to eat in the world; more than a fourth of these people live in sub-Saharan Africa. The reasons for the region's food insecurity range from economic crisis to an expanding population. In a Penn State University blog on biotechnology, Dr. Terry Etherton in the United States elaborates on these challenges:
In sub-Saharan Africa, where more “ultrapoor” live, developing technologies to boost productivity is especially difficult because of greater threats from pests and diseases, poorer soil, and drought. In addition, Africa’s R&D [research and development] establishments are small compared to those of South Asia—half had fewer than 100 scientists in 2000. Compared to Latin America, Africa has less than half the rural roads per hectare, 1/40th the capital per farmer, and 1/50th the rural electricity supply per worker. Despite some success with maize [corn], cassava, and some horticultural crops, few African countries have experienced a Green Revolution.
On a global scale, Africa uses the least fertilizers, pesticides and hybrid or genetically modified (GM) seeds of any continent, although many experts suggest that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) could help ensure food security by increasing crop yields, producing hardier crop varieties, enhancing a crop's nutritional value, and improving storability. Others claim there are numerous risks associated with adopting GMOs in Africa.
Bloggers following the debate alternately wonder whether Africa is being bullied into accepting biotechnology, or whether Africans are being needlessly scared off by anti-GMO activists.
Journalist Gregory Simpkins in Washington D.C outlines the debate in his personal blog Africa Rising 2010:
Those who don’t trust what they see as Big Science and capitalists, believe GM agricultural products are “Frankenfood.” Those alarmed by the rise in both malnutrition and food prices see a crisis that may be alleviated by using science to jump-start the Green Revolution in Africa. The problem is that there is not enough evidence that these products are either unjustifiably dangerous or completely safe. Africa’s brain drain doesn’t make this situation any easier since many of the scientists who could ensure that their homelands don’t use unsafe agricultural products or take advantage of existing technology to prevent starvation live and work in other countries.
Resistance to GMOs is high. Currently South Africa is the only country on the continent to have approved GM seeds for planting.
Reporter Philip Brasher traveled to South Africa and Kenya to chronicle the role of biotechnology in an article series for the DesMoines Register sponsored by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. He says more than 70 percent of South Africa’s latest corn crop, the country’s largest in decades, is biotech. While some African countries have allowed imports of this GM corn as food aid, others, such as Zimbabwe have rejected these products despite the need.
The U.S. government and American biotech companies say Africans should drop their opposition to GM crops in order to help feed the continent. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has also jumped on board, by helping to set up the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in 2006, and more recently by funding research to engineer more drought-resistant corn. Some agriculture experts in Africa are also calling on Africans to embrace agricultural technologies to boost food production. The blog GMO Africa also believes Africans should be able to take advantage of biotech:
“An open-door policy to new technologies, especially in the field of agriculture, is what Africa needs. When activists intimidate Africa, through fear, into not exploring potential benefits of GM foods, the continent suffers. They stymie a rational debate about whether GM foods have any relevance to Africa.”
However, many bloggers are weary of widely introducing GMOs in a continent comprised mostly of small farms. An article on the progressive pan-African website Pambazuka News by Nidhi Tandon outlines the concerns:
The risks to Africa of fully adopting industrial agriculture in general and GM seeds in particular include:
- transferring its food and farming decisions to global corporations
- losing ecological and agricultural diversity as genetically modified crop varieties spread, and driving small- and medium-scale family farmers off their land because they cannot afford the expensive inputs, including genetically modified seeds, that industrial agriculture demands.”
In South Africa itself, reactions to GMOs also remain mixed. On the blog of a South African family that cultivates “heirloom” and open pollinated seeds, called Livingseeds, Sean Freeman says there isn't enough evidence to support GMOs even though they were “forced onto the South African public”:
‘All the evidence’ shows that GMO is the best thing since sliced bread, however the problem we have is that all of the evidence is slanted and prepared by a) GMO houses b) Scientists that have their research grants supplied by GMO houses or c) Universities that are sponsored by GMO houses. All impartial evidence is wiped sorry forced sorry explained away and serious anecdotal evidence is discredited as not having any scientifically credible weight, as it’s not…… scientific. However here is some anecdotal evidence that is pretty indisputable.
Freeman links to a news story about widespread crop failures in South Africa in 2008/9 due to “a breeding error” in genetically engineered seeds sold by the global corporation Monsanto. An online petition initiated by the African Center for Biosafety says Monsanto compensated commercial farmers who lost their yield but banned them from speaking to the media, and made no mention of whether they compensated resource poor farmers who were given the seed and lost their yield as well.
Most agricultural experts do agree that GMOs alone won't solve Africa's hunger issues. Other solutions suggested by bloggers include organic farming, growing your own food, and promoting social change. Whatever the solutions, on Africa Rising 2010 Simpkins argues we need to openly consider all options, including biotechology:
The behind-the-scenes debate over GM foods needs to be brought into the open and examined carefully. Promoting products that may be dangerous is unacceptable. However, in the face of growing hunger in Africa, we owe it to the hungry to explore every possibility for meeting their needs while they still live.

author: Juhie Bhatia


text:
Azerbaijan: Youth activism and social media · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Ali Resh uses online video tools to interview Baku-based Ruslan Asadov, along with now imprisoned video blogger Adnan Hajizade also a co-founder and member of the OL! Azerbaijani youth movement, live from Tbilisi, Georgia. Resh and Asadov speak about the use of new and social media in youth activism in Azerbaijan.


text:
Brazil: Collaborative Website on Street Dwellers · Global Voices
Debora Baldelli

author: Debora Baldelli


text:
Brunei: Reducing plastic use · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Through a cartoon that he made, Cuboiart from Brunei tries to raise awareness about the need to reduce use of plastic.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
India: A Future For Kolkata · Global Voices
Rezwan

Supriyo Chaudhuri has some ideas about a bright future for Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.


text:
Iran:”The Persian Wikipedia got filtered” · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several bloggers including Sabz21baltarin reported[fa] that the Persian Wikipedia got filtered by Iranian authorities.

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Jordan: Jailed for MSN Messages  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A Jordanian computer science student has been sentenced to two years in prison by the State Security court for supposedly insulting HM King Abdullah during a chat with a friend on MSN Messenger. Naseem Tarawnah reacts.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Lebanon: Sex and the City  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Lebanon, Guy Meets World reviews Sex and the City, the movie.


text:
Malaysia: Corruption in the bureaucracy · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Gutter Malaysia is shocked to discover from a report that 418,200 or 41% of Malaysia's civil servants are suspected to be involved in corruption


text:
Mali, Mauritania: Hostage Michel Germaneau Killed in Failed Raid as Tension Rises  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

A French-Mauritanian raid to free French aid worker Michel Germaneau inside Malian territory has raised tension [Fr] between the two nations, Diaspora Sahauri blog reports. The 78-year-old engineer  Germaneau was killed after the failed attempt to free him.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


text:
Philippines: Dayo and the Filipino Migration · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

The Marocharim Experiment designates the Filipino word “dayo” as descriptive of the Filipino experience of migration: “Diaspora assumes exile, deportation, the removal of identification.  ‘Dayo,’ like ‘pakikipagsapalaran,’ represents the hope for return; of when, they can only tell.”

author: Karlo Mongaya


text:
Philippines: Oplan Bantay Laya and Counterinsurgency · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

Kapirasong Kritika writes a book review of Oplan Bantay Laya: The US-Arroyo Campaign of Terror and Counterinsurgency in the Philippines. Oplan Bantay Laya is a counterinsurgency program alleged by critics and human rights groups as the blueprint behind more than 1,000 extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations committed between 2001-2010 in the Philippines


text:
São Tomé & Principe: Political Background for a Voting Day · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

The 25th of July 2010 is a voting day for local and regional government in São Tomé & Príncipe. Blog OPLOP posts a report about the political system and the current electoral situation in a country that celebrates its 35th anniversary this month [pt].

author: Sara Moreira


text:
Saudi Arabia: Dear Moron · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

In Saudi Arabia, all businesses shut down during prayer times. Ahmed Al-Omran sends out the following tweet: “Dear moron at post office who refused to serve me b/c “it's prayer time,” 1) u r a disgrace to this religion, & 2) I paid for this service.”


text:
Serbia: ICJ Rules Kosovo’s Independence Legal  · Global Voices
Sinisa Boljanovic

On Serbia’s official request from September 2008, the UN General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice for Advisory Opinion on Kosovo’s declaration of independence, which was adopted by members of Kosovo’s Parliament on February 17, 2008.
The question that was posed by Serbia, and sent to the ICJ by the General Assembly, was clear:
”Is the unilateral declaration of independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo in accordance with international law?”
For almost two years, president of the Republic of Serbia, minister of foreign affairs and other officials have been spreading diplomatic propaganda around the world, claiming that the act of Kosovo’s Parliament was illegal according to the international law.
Although Serbia’s officials were optimistic, expecting that the Court’s Advisory Opinion would be positive for Serbia, the majority of the public, including some bloggers, believed that the Court would give an ambiguous response that would live up to the expectations of both sides, Serbia and Kosovo.
On July 20, two days before the official announcement of the decision, Jelica Greganovic, a Slovenia-based Serbian blogger, wrote:
The decision of the International Court of Justice in The Hague about the issue of legality of the declaration of Kosovo’s independence is, allegedly, unofficially already known. The independence of Kosovo is in opposition with the international law, but is legitimate because of the genocide against Albanians from Kosovo.
[…] The Slovenian media are already broadcasting the aforementioned unofficial decision by the Court, and the Montenegrin portal “Analytics” asserts that it has already been delivered to Belgrade. Colleague Misa Brkic, in his article on the portal, writes that he found out from one of the insiders that the decision would have two key items: the ICJ will give its advisory opinion, first, that Kosovo’s independence is not in accordance with the International law, and, second, that Serbia, under the former regime of Slobodan Milosevic, committed genocide against Kosovo’s Albanians in 1999, and so, because of that, their reaction is that the declaration of independence is legitimate. […]
At the end of her post, Greganovic notes:
[…] Kosovo declared its independence in February 2008. Since then, 69 countries, 22 of them members of the European Union, have recognized it as an independent country. According to the Slovenian media, only five countries have recognized Kosovo this year.
And she concludes:
It remains to wait for the official statement of ICJ’s decision. Honestly, the aforementioned, alleged and, for now, unofficial decision sounds… predictable to me.
Despite the legitimate diplomatic fight on the international arena to spread its own version of the truth, and a positive, or at least neutral, expectations by its citizen, Serbia had to face the official Advisory Opinion (a .pdf file) of the International Court of Justice, issued on July 22:
Accordingly, [the court] concludes that the declaration of independence on 17 February 2008 did not violate general international law.
The first reaction came to Serbia from Vuk Jeremic, minister of foreign affairs, who was attending the session of the ICJ in The Hague. After the president of the ICJ, a Japanese judge Hisashi Owada, had read the decision of the Court, Jeremic said to the Serbian media that, regardless of the ruling, Serbia would never recognize Kosovo’s independence. He added:
[…] Serbia will continue with a peaceful diplomatic fight for Kosovo. […]
In his appeal to the public, President Boris Tadic said this, among other things:
It is clear that the court was not ruling on the right to secession, but that it decided to debate only the technical content of the declaration of independence. The court avoided to rule on the essential issue and decided to let the top UN organ debate that, and all the political implications. […]
…
Serbia will never recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, since we believe that unilateral and ethnically motivated secession is not in line with UN principles […]
Blogger Drago Kovacevic, in his B92 blog, reacted to these statements:
[…] After the announcement of the decision, Vuk Jeremic spoke and promptly announced the extension of the struggle…
President Tadic was more reasonable, and today he was talking with Biden, and said this day was difficult for Serbia and he would consult with the general public. […]
He also criticized Serbia’s diplomacy efforts and concluded:
[…] But, no matter how it was, it’s time that the wrong policy towards Kosovo is changed. […] Tadic was zealously trying to lose Kosovo for the second time and he has succeeded in it. […]
While the parties of Serbia's ruling coalition consider that, nonetheless, the definition of the final status of Kosovo is not finished, announcing intensive diplomatic activity by September, when the session of the UN General Assembly should be held, some opposition parties, such as the Democratic party of Serbia, whose leader is Vojislav Kostunica, who was the Prime Minister at the time when Kosovo declared its independence, asked Boris Tadic to resign because of the catastrophic foreign policy in regard to the southern Serbia’s province – Kosovo:
Now, when it’s certain that ICJ’s Advisory Opinion is absolutely negative for Serbia’s national interest, it is opening the question of responsibility of authors and perpetrators of this defeated policy. Because of their political selfishness and inadequacy, they [and] the President of the Republic, have to resign as soon as possible.
Blogger Sasa Radulovic believes that the International Court of Justice didn’t say anything in its Advisory Opinion:
The question was:
“'Is the unilateral declaration of independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo in accordance with international law?”
The response by the Court: not… because the Declaration was not adopted by temporary institutions of Kosovo’s self-management, but by Djura and Pera [Serbian names which mark some people who are not credible], and the two of them were not acting out of the UN legal frame established with the Resolution 1244.
The International Court of Justice established that the international law does generally not ban unilateral declarations about independence, not discussing the issue whether such declarations then cause independence.
According to the advisory opinion of the Court, the Declaration about Kosovo’s independence was not contrary to the Resolution 1244, nor to the temporary law order which has been established by the Resolution because the authors of the Declaration were not the temporary institutions of self-management in Kosovo, but a group of people who defined themselves as democratically elected leaders of Kosovo’s people.
According to the Court, authors of the Declaration, as well as the Declaration itself, were acting out of a UN legal frame established by the Resolution 1244, which did not explicitly refer to the final status of Kosovo.
Djura and Pera = a group that defined itself as democratically elected leaders of Kosovo’s people
Why the Court defined the question in such an absurd way, I’ll leave to numerous analysts. So it has caused damage to itself the most. And to all of us. And in this way the Court said to the world that it was not ready to assume its role in the world order as a legal authority. And it withdrew into a shell.
The fact is:
The Court didn’t say that the independence had been declared in accordance with the international law, as well the actions that followed after that.
The Court said that what the mentioned group of citizens had declared did not have any legal importance from the International law’s point of view, and it couldn’t be in conflict with the law.
The Court said nothing.
That Serbia is really far away from reality in regard to Kosovo in every sense is highlighted by the fact that the priests and believers of the Serbian Orthodox Church, whose most famous monasteries are located in Kosovo, started to pray in all churches all over Serbia for a positive decision of the ICJ at 5pm, when the Court already said that the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence was legal.

author: Sinisa Boljanovic


text:
South Korea: Addiction Mutates and Permeates Korean Society · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

A revolting incident caused by the internet addiction has recently shocked South Korea, and the government and non-profit organizations are rushing for solutions. Korean bloggers share their analysis on the uphill battle against addiction.
Last week, a couple who starved their baby to death were sentenced to a year and six months in prison. The couple committed a negligent homicide by spending hours playing an online game where they raised a virtual child, while abandoning their real kid. Bloggers and mainstream media have expressed their disgust over the news and poured out worries about internet addiction.
One of the IT power bloggers from Computernlife shared his story of internet addition, hoping to help some of his audience who may have same issue. The blogger pointed to the enormous stress Korean society imposes on the individual that has driven people to addiction and that the Korean society’s intoxication with alcohol has turned into internet addition in case of younger generation.
일반 사회에서는 엄청난 스트레스가 존재합니다. 학생에게는 맨날 학교를 가서, 어른과 선생님과 존대를 해야되고, 친구들 사이에서 묻히지 않게 노력해야 하고, 성적을 잘 받아야 합니다. 직장에 다니는 경우에는 상사에게 안 찍히게 조심해야 되고, 압박을 견뎌내야하고, 가족을 걱정해야 하며, 동료들과의 경쟁에서 이겨내야합니다. 이런 것들 말고도 각자의 나이나 상황에 따라 너무나도 견뎌내야할 것들이 많습니다. 하지만 온라인에서는 책임감이 필요없고, 자신이 어떤 직책이나 의무를 가진 것이 아니기 때문에, 마음껏 활동을 할 수가 있습니다.
술이 인터넷으로 대체된 것 뿐… 사회에서 주는 스트레스 해소의 수단 변화. 한 국은 다른 나라와 달리 상상도 못할 술 문화가 존재합니다. 이미 술 소비량이 다른 나라보다 훨씬 높다는 사실은 알고 계실 것이라 생각됩니다. 결국 사회에서 요구하는 압박이 엄청 심하고, 많은 사람들이 스트레스를 술로 해결 한다는 소리죠. 근데 요즘 세대는 그 술 문화가 인터넷 문화로 변화된 것이 아닌가 생각해 봅니다. 1990년대 인터넷이 보급되기 전 까지만 해도 한국은 부탄가스, 본드 등 청소년들의 약물 남용으로 문제가 심했습니다. 하지만 요즘은 완전히 싹 사라지게 되었습니다. 그 이유는? 인터넷의 등장 시기와 일치한 다는 점에서 판단하시길 바랍니다.
A blogger Ccwwgg copy-and-pasted a news report from the Munhwa newspaper defining the mutation of addiction in Korean society.
사이버, 쇼핑, 주식, 성형,성(性) 등 신종 중독현상이 빠른 속도로 확산되고 있다. 이들 신종 중독은 마약 등 기존의 ‘약물형’ 중독과 달리 실생활에서 쉽게 빠져드는 ‘생활형’ 중독 형태를 띠고 있다. 경쟁과 스트레스에서 벗어나기 위한 과거의 수동적 중독과 달리 즐기기 위해 적극적으로 찾아나서는 능동적 중독 현상을 보이는 것도 주요한 특징중 하나다. 특히 기존의 중독층인 40, 50대만이 아니라 20, 30대는 물론 10 대까지 중독에 빠져들고 있다는…
The destructive power of internet addiction is magnified by its’ alliance with gambling. While only one percent of the world population are believed to be gambling addicts, gambling addiction reached over four percent in Korea. Last week, the Korea Prevention and Cure Center for Gambling Problems told reporters that counseling requests for gambling addictions have doubled in recent months.
A blogger Hoo629 who is involved in the center’s work gave a disturbing picture of an internet gambling addict whose life got wretched by the online game.
Client: 35세, K씨…1남 1녀를 구고 있는 가장이며 인터넷 블랙잭 게임에 대하여 문제를 느끼고 전화상담을 요청한 사례이다. 내담자는 2달 동안 하루에 2-3회 정도 게임을 하였으며, 잃은 금액이 8천만원 이라고 하며, 8천 만원은 본인이 가지고 있던 돈과 대출받은 돈이라고 함.
Many bloggers are offering explanations on why Korean people are prone to addictions. A blogger Bminl commented that addiction fills voids created by Korea's ‘saving face’ culture and collectivism. Korea, like some other Asian countries, is believed to be a society where people tend to give too much consideration to the judgments of their families and acquaintances.
글로벌컨설팅기업 타워스 왓슨은 `2010 글로벌 인적자원 보고서(Global Workforce Study)`를 통해 한국 직장인중 `자신의 업무에 완전히 몰입하고 있다`는 응답은 6%에 불과했다. 전세계 수준인 21%에 크게 못 미치는 수준이었으며, 자신의 업무에 몰입하지 않거나(38%), 마지못해 회사에 다니는 직원(10%)은 48%로 전세계 수준인 38%를 넘어섰다…우리 사회는 실은 자기가 원하는 삶을 살 수가 없다. 누가 정해서, 누구의 강요에 의해서, 어쩔 수 없어서, 그래서 살고 선택하고 그 일을 하는 경우가 많다. 어린 시절부터 어디 공부가 좋아서 공부를 했는가? 학교에 갈 때는 그 전공이 좋아서 선택을 했는가? 그냥 외부적인 요인들 (성적이나 부모의 강요나 사회적 명성 등)에 의해서 실은 전공을 선택한 경우가 많다. 직장도 마찬가지다. 그 이후의 삶도 실은 이 눈치보고 저 눈치보고 이 사람 생각하고 저 사람 생각하다가 정작 본인이 무엇을 좋아하고 무엇을 원하고 무엇을 중요한 가치로 생각하는지 자신이 원하는 삶이 무엇인지 모르고 선택하고 살아간다. 그러다 보니 대부분 만족할 수가 없고, 다른 곳에 다른 무엇이 있는 것 같고, 그래서 현재 자기가 하고 있는 것에 눈을 두지 못하고, 자꾸 다른 곳을 기웃거린다… 그래서 모두 재미없게 살고 있는 것이다.
The government and NGOs are working to help addicts. But in the Korean life situation where people are so focused on ‘saving face’, even the first stage of admitting problems with addiction is not an easy step.


text:
Sri Lanka: The Black July of 1983 · Global Voices
Rezwan

D. B. S. Jeyaraj remembers the Black July of 1983 when anti-Tamil attacks were carried out by Sinhala mobs in different cities of Sri Lanka.


text:
Taiwan: Rice fields outside the Presidential Office · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

On July 18th, Taiwanese farmers turned the grand boulevard in front of the Presidential Office into rice fields to protest against the Land Expropriation Act.
On June 9th, 20 excavators were sent to take over 28 hectares of rice field in Dapu Borough (大埔), a farming village, to make way for the expansion of Jhunan Science Park. Similar land expropriation stories were heard in other counties.
Some farmers and activists in Dapu pointed out that the land expropriation was illegal and filed an application with the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) to void permission for Miaoli County Government to take over farmland on July 17. At night, they protest in front of the Presidential Office, and residents who are facing a similar situation in Houlong Township (後龍), Miaoli County, Erlin Township (二林), Changhua County, Jhudong (竹東) Township and Jhubei (竹北) City in Hsinchu County and Tucheng City (土城), Taipei County joined in.
After the overnight sit-in, thousands of farmers and activists paved the Ketagalan Boulevard with rice shoots, turned the concrete ground into green field and presented to the public the beauty of agriculture.
The rice seedlings were shipped directly from the farm fields.
Photo courtesy of Edd Jhong.
The farmers started to pave the rice seedlings outside the Presidential building.
Photo courtesy of Edd Jhong.
The Ketagalan Boulevard was transformed into a green field.
Photo courtesy of Edd Jhong.
Ai-Wen Chen (陳藹文), a supporter who joined the overnight protest, explained why she joined the protest.
自從在網路上看到怪手開進農田強行「整地」的那一幕，我就開始擔心，會不會有一天，我家的地也這樣，可能爲了「開發」二字，我就必須獻出，不管我願不願意。這真的不是錢的問題，是我覺得我們應該被尊重。
我來到這兒參加守夜行動，夜宿凱達格蘭大道，這次的大會師才知道，原來，受害的不只是農民與農地，許多人的居住地、一些古蹟建築的所在地，都同樣被霸王硬 上弓，為了捷運、為了高鐵、為了科學園區、為了工業區…等「開發」的好理由，一個土地徵收條例，所有人都只能用抗爭來表達不願意。只能用抗爭來表達不願意，是我們尊嚴的二度喪失。
Are you curious about the fate of these rice seedlings?
這些秧苗被在場農民命名為「凱稻」已在行動結束後，被移到台灣各地農村播種，象徵農村生生不息。

author: I-fan Lin


text:
Venezuela and Colombia: Online Political Cartoons Add Humor to Current Events · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Presidential Island
Humorous political cartoons provide a steam valve for Colombians and Venezuelans who tune into the web for different perspectives on current events through animated online web shows.
In Colombia, Internautismo Crónico (Chronic Internautism) and Parodiario TV provide commentary on recent events and in Venezuela, Chigüire Bipolar has established itself with Presidential Island. While Internautism doesn't have a specific series to discuss political affairs but just puts the characters in different situations as they arise,  Parodiario.tv has made a name for itself with Little Tyrant, a webshow featuring two versions of tyranny, a Right wing and a left wing represented by a green and a left character.   Venezuela's Presidential Island takes a leaf from TV Series LOST and casts  Latin American presidents and the Spanish King as castaways all together in a deserted island. Following, a selection from the shows.
In this episode of Internautismo, the presidents of Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador all go to a popular 90's Peruvian Talk Show, Laura in America, a Jerry-Springer like show where double crossing, unfaithfulness and mystery babies made a daily appearance.  The show is called “I can't get along with my neighbors and they want to kill me” and Alvaro Uribe, Colombia's president tells Laura all about his problems with Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's President, who denies giving rocket launchers to Colombia's enemies (while admitting he has given them many other things) while later on Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa denies he's been sleeping around with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), even though there's a secret video. At the end, in typical Laura in America style, guests are given the traditional rewards in the show: a sandwich cart and computer classes.
Meanwhile  Little Tyrant, the Parodiario's cartoon, entertains with its visions of how bad leadership does not come with a specific party color. The popularity of this cartoon (released under a Creative Commons License) has resulted in the sale and promotion in Colombian book and music stores of the DVD with both seasons of the show. In this episode of Little Tyrant, based on popular Colombian children's rhyme “Rin Rin Renacuajo” , lefty tyrant and righty tyrant discover how to be an informant and learn important lessons along the way, such as how getting paid in advance can make all the difference.
On Venezuela's side, the highly entertaining Presidential Island, brought to us by Chigüire Bipolar shows us a more complex relationship between the Latin American nations. On this two part episode, the presidents are cast away in an abandoned island after leaving the Presidential Summit. They build a raft and decide to leave the island: however not all of them can fit in it as President Chavez from Venezuela suggests, so a soccer match is played between the aligned countries and the non-aligned countries and the winner gets to leave the island. The game is narrated by Spain's king. Watch Part 1 and Part 2.
And as an extra clip, here is the Illustrated Venezuelan History by RetroTV of Barinas, Venezuela:

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


text:
Vietnam: Understanding the Hanoi floods · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Neil Nguyen, writing for Vietnam Talking Points, analyzes the flooding disasters in Vietnam, particularly in Hanoi.


text:
Bahamas: Race & History  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“If…young Bahamians imagine that they can take their twenty-first century notions of black and white and translate them into what they may one day read about the history of this nation, they will never fully understand their country and its rich and difficult past”: Nicolette Bethel explains the significance of race.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Bangladesh: Five Million CFLs In A Day · Global Voices
Rezwan

Ashok Sarkar reports that last month five million high quality CFL bulbs were distributed to Bangladeshi homes under “Efficient Lighting Initiatives of Bangladesh (ELIB)” program breaking a new world record.


text:
Bermuda: Media Code  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I do believe that whether we like it or not, blogs are now part of the media. By definition we publish publicly and with that freedom comes responsibility” – which is why Breezeblog has voluntarily adopted the Media Council of Bermuda’s Code of Practice.


text:
Bhutan: Equality For Women · Global Voices
Rezwan

Cho at Writers Association Of Bhutan Blog advocates for equality for women in Bhutanese societies and comments: “sad to say but sexism in Bhutan starts from homes and parents yell at their daughters for not cooking a delicious meal till she finally perfects it.”


text:
Cambodia: The Official Launch of the First Online Human Rights Portal · Global Voices
Sopheap Chak

Sithi.org, a Cambodian human rights portal that aims to crowdsource and curate reports of human rights violations, officially launched on July 22, 2010 with participation from various institutions including embassies, international and local NGOs, media and university representatives.
Over the past year, the site has developed rapidly. A number of reports of human rights violations, relevant legal instruments and publications have been made available on the site. This expansion of information has been accompanied by an increase in the number of visitors — from 8,000 to over 33,000 in the six months since the site was documented for the Technology for Transparency Network.
Information available on Sithi has been quoted and used in critical analysis and assessment for human rights and development. “Reports prepared by other NGOs on The Rights of Indigenous People submitted to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination used two maps from Sithi.org to outline the extent of land problems facing indigenous people in Cambodia,” said Chor Chanthyda, Project Coordinator of Sithi, during her launch presentation. She adds that Economics Today also used Sithi’s development trend maps in reporting problems with land concessions.
There was much useful feedback from the participants concerning the site navigation, users’ contributions, and security for those who contribute cases.
Despite this remarkable success, there is much room for discussion and improvement if the site is to reach its goal of raising more awareness about human rights abuses through collaborative advocacy. Though Sithi originally planned to allow the public to report and submit instances of human rights violations, only trusted NGO partners are currently permitted to participate in order to ensure data verification.  Secondly, though the number of visitors is on the rise, the site is still not widely known. Finally, the site has been difficult to navigate, something the organization has attempted to address over the past year. During the launch, the team encouraged NGOs and individuals to suggest changes that would make the site even more user-friendly and to provide advice on creating a plan to train NGOs on how to contribute cases. Sithi's future plans include developing a more user-friendly platform and improving local language accessibility so that the site can maximize its potential benefit to Cambodian society.

author: Sopheap Chak


text:
Côte d’Ivoire: Journalists accused of document theft are freed · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

The three journalists of Le Nouveau Courrier d'Abidjan arrested for refusing to reveal their sources have been finally released [Fr] this evening after a two-week ordeal. On July 13th, Le Nouveau Courrier published an investigative report on the coffee and cocoa export trade in Côte d'Ivoire, which provoked a police raid in the newspaper offices. Since they didn't find the base documents used for the article, and the editorial team refused to give them up, publisher Stéphane Guédé, managing editor Théophile Kouamouo [who is also a Rising Voices grantee] and editor Saint Clavier Oula were taken into police custody. Two days later they were taken to jail, where they have been waiting for their sentence since then. As quoted by Rue89 [Fr], they were accused of:
* « vol de document administratif »,
* « diffusion d'information sur un dossier judiciaire non encore évoqué à l'audience publique »,
* « révélation d'un document couvert par le secret ».
Théophile Kouamouo and Saint-Clavier Oula
The judge was supposed to issue a verdict last Friday, July 23rd, and numerous friends, colleagues and bloggers showed up at the court with t-shirts supporting the journalists that had been sold via Facebook and word of mouth during the previous days. The t-shirts read:
Front:
Liberté Fragile
Pour le journalisme d'investigation
Back
Pour tous ceux qui:
-n'abandonnent jamais!
-oeuvrent pour la verité!
-croient en une liberté d'expression!
On Friday, the verdict was postponed until today for no apparent reason. The Ivorian Committee to Protect Journalists (who also issued a statement [Fr] about the case) organized a demonstration for their release in front of the court in Abidjan. According to witnesses from Avenue225 [Fr], the demonstrating journalists moved to the nearby cathedral under physical threats by the police. A bit later, Jean-Patrick Ehouman reported on Twitter:
à Abidjan, la police vient d'entrée dans la cathédrale pour s'en prendre aux journalistes manifestants.violation des franchises religieuses
Journalists demonstrating on July 23rd
The blog of Le Nouveau Courrier [Fr] reported violent police behavior:
Les hommes en tenue ont arraché, au vu et au su de tous les témoins, des portables de certains confrères. L’appareil photo d’un confrère de Nord-Sud quotidien – qui a essuyé des coups de matraque et bottes des agents de police – a été confisqué par les éléments du commissaire Oré. Il a dû se battre contre la horde de policiers pour retrouver son matériel de travail.
Théophile Kouamouo in court
Today the stakes were high and the expectation was high at the court. The proceedings, which lasted several hours as the case was reviewed from the start, was live-tweeted by local open-source advocate Nnenna Nwakanma, using the hashtag #kouamouo. She reported the final verdict at around 8pm, local time:
Non coupable. Not guilty. That is the verdict. Thanks for all your support.
Verdict 2. Resell of stolen document: Not guilty
Verdict 3: Prosecutor's Comms officer stealing doc: not guilty
Verdict 4: Publishing information that is under legal process: guilty. Pay 10K USD and suspend journal for 15 days
However, the journalists won't be freed after tomorrow morning. After celebrating the good news, local entrepreneur and blogger Christian Roland asked [fr]
pourquoi un homme libre doit il dormir encore une nuit en prison a cause de la procédure????
And he added:
C'est décidé dans 15 jours je m'abonne au nouveau courrier
On Facebook, photos of messages of celebration were pouring in. Manasse Dehe, the creator of the group “POUR LA LIBERATION DE THEOPHILE KOUAMOUO ET SES COLLABORATEURS” wrote the following message:
Vive la liberté de la Presse. Merci, merci, merci, nous n'oublierons jamais tous ceux qui ont signé les pétitions en ligne, qui ont mis à jour leurs statuts par rapport à la libération des journalistes du nouveau courrier, et qui sont allés les voir en prison. Maintenant on parlera de tout ceci au passé. Nous avons obtenu la victoire et c'est en partie grâce à vous !!!!!
Préparons nous à accueillir les héros du journalisme d'investigation, ceux qui mettent leurs vies en péril pour offrir aux ivoiriens l'information de qualité. Que du Bonheur ce soir au sein de la rédaction du Nouveau Courrier ce soir
Let's get ready to receive these heros of investigative journalism, those who have put their lives in danger to offer quality information to Ivorians. There's a lot of joy in Le Nouveau Courrier tonight

author: Elia Varela Serra


text:
Cuba: July 26 · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Cuban bloggers have their say about the observance of the July 26th anniversary of the military action that began the Cuban Revolution.


text:
Dominica: Literary Festival  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean Book Blog is excited about Dominica's upcoming Literary Festival and Book Fair.


text:
Ecuador: Youth in Ambato Get Their Own Venue for Art, Culture and Education · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

Close to the celebration of International Youth Day, Ecuadorian youth from Ambato  are happy they can express their own thoughts in a space of tolerance and mutual respect, after three long years of hard work, writes Gabo of Ambato Loco [es]. With the creation of a “Casa de la Juventud” (House of/for Youth), these young people will have a place for entertainment and education: the venue includes a playroom, a film library, a practice room for bands, a room dedicated to research and two audiovisual recording studios.

author: Milton Ramirez


text:
El Salvador: San Salvador Named Ibero American Culture Capital of 2011 · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, was named the Ibero American Culture Capital of 2011 [es] by the Union of Ibero American Capital Cities (UCCI) [es]. Roxana Ellerbrock shared the news through one of her social networks and received mixed feelings: some were happy and others criticized the decision; she writes [es] more about those reactions and her own opinion in Conversaciones con NetoRivas y Amig@s.

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Ghanaian beaches worth exploring · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Maameous recommends a few Ghanaian beaches worth exploring.


text:
Guatemala: Engineers Work on Green Technology · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

A blogger for Interactiva Web writes [es] about a group of Guatemalan and North American engineers who are working on technology to help the environment. The group is called Xela Teco [es].


text:
Honduras: Criminal Rule · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Aaron Ortiz is critical of the government's approach to fighting crime, and shares his sister's experience: “Just last night, armed robbers broke into my sister’s house and pointed a gun at my nephew and niece. My brother in law, and his mother arrived minutes later and were also robbed.”


text:
Hungary: Constitutionalism under threat? · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Eva Balogh of Hungarian Spectrum draws attention to a number of laws that may threaten Hungarian constitutionalism.

author: Vilhelm Konnander


text:
India: Should Prostitution be legalized? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Delhizen raises an old debate: should prostitution be legalized in India?

author: Rezwan


text:
Iraq: Ban on topless women?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

After France imposed a ban on the veil, Iraqi Layla Anwar tweeted: “I am looking forward to see a ban on topless Western tourists on Muslim countries beaches…”


text:
Iraq: Going Back to America · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Ice Cold, from the Kirkuk Air Base in Iraq, tweets: “It's official… we're here in Irq another 4 more weeks… Nothing cam be finer than gettin’ back to Carolina!!!”


text:
Jamaica: Living Vicariously · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Annie Paul wasn't at this year's Reggae Sumfest, but thanks to Twitter, she's able to share all the details, here and here.


text:
Japan: Agriculture and Entrepreneurship · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Barnali and Anirvan (who traveled from the U.S. to Japan by ship!) blog about interesting Agriculture 2.0 projects that they encountered at green drinks Tokyo. “About sixty young people crowded into an event space to hear speakers talk about “Agriculture 2.0,” projects connecting urban dwellers with healthy local food, while supporting farmers and educating consumers. […] Our favorite project? A for-profit startup that brings displays full of fresh local produce into office buildings, letting workers easily buy healthy snacks.”

author: Tomomi Sasaki


text:
Japan: Eating unagi eel to battle the heat · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

It's Doyo No Ushi in Japan today – the day to eat grilled eel to bolster your energy for battling the summer heat. TsukuBlog gives a comprehensive explanation of the tradition and A Radiused Corner has some beautiful pictures of the dish.


text:
Lebanon: Tweet Up Date Set  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A tweet up (a meeting for Twitter users) will be held in Hamra, Beirut, on July 28, from 7pm to 10pm local time. Here are the details.


text:
Liveblog of global reactions to Wikileaks Afghanistan war logs · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

More than 90,000 classified U.S. military documents about the war in Afghanistan have been leaked. As an experiment, we are using Google Wave to live blog global blog and citizen media reactions to the “war logs” (#warlogs) made public today by Wikileaks, Der Spiegel, New York Times and The Guardian.
All Global Voices contributors have access to the live blog if they wish to share links. We recommend you use Google Chrome or a recent version of Firefox or Safari to view this page.
Simple instructions for how to use Google Wave as a live blog were found on ReadWriteWeb.

author: Solana Larsen


text:
Moldova: Solving the Transnistria problem · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Morning in Moldova comments on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's proposal to solve Moldova's Transnistria problem.


text:
Morocco: Horse Riding in Morocco  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The View from Fez introduces us to horse riding in Morocco.


text:
Nepal: An Indigenous Leader As Prime Minister? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Narahang at KitaitiSaathi opines that the Nepali politicians should be bold enough to consider a native leader while electing the next Prime Minister of Nepal.


text:
Panama: Slang and Colloquialism Dictionary · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

The blog Así es mi país: Panamá shares [es] a list of Panamanian slang and colloquialisms with their corresponding definitions.


text:
Russia: Blackout of the Social Network Triggers Twitter Panic · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

The word “vkontakte“, standing for the name of the Russian social network, found itself among top Twitter trends. It happened after millions of Russian users were not able to access [RUS] the social network because of a failure [RUS] of a local power station. Some bloggers started the online panic [RUS], explaining the blackout by the police actions, however, soon the functionality of the website had been restored.

author: Gregory Asmolov


text:
Russia: Interpreting the FSB-law · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

A Good Treaty discusses the new Russian FSB-law, extending the powers of the country's security service.


text:
Russia: Privatization revisited · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

The Pipeline discusses the announcement of Russia's biggest privatization drive since the 1990s, departing from an article [RUS] in Vedomosti.


text:
Russia-Ukraine: Putin the biker · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Siberian Light sums up some reactions to Russian Premier Vladimir Putin's participation in a biker meetup in Ukrainian city of Sevastopol.


text:
Saudi Arabia: Muttawa in Action   · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi Woman shows a visitor the Muttawa (religious policemen) in action in one of the malls.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Serbia: A Journalist Is Attacked on a Public Bus · Global Voices
Sinisa Boljanovic

Teofil Pancic, a well-known journalist of the weekly magazine Vreme (“Time”), was beaten up on a public bus (route #83) in Zemun, one of Belgrade’s municipalities, on Saturday, July 24.
According to Vreme, Pancic was attacked by two men who beat him up with metal bars. He was admitted to a hospital where doctors treated him for injuries of his head and right arm. Fortunately, the injuries are not life-threatening. Vreme claims the attack had been planned:
This is one more attack on Vreme’s journalists, from kidnapping of Dusan Reljic to the planting of bombs in Dejan Anastasijevic’s flat, and the perpetrators have never been arrested and convicted.
Editorial staff of Vreme asks officials, the police and the prosecutor’s office to identify, arrest and bring criminal charges against the perpetrators of the attack on journalist Teofil Pancic.
On Pescanik, a web portal with a focus on Serbian and Balkan politics, human rights and other important issues, whose authors are often highly critical of the authorities, Pancic described how the assault happened and concluded:
Since I am not engaged in any illegal activities in my life, nor do I owe anyone anything, nor do I have any contacts with the underworld, I can only guess what the reason and the motive could be. It could be found in my public work and engagement. I can’t find any other possible reasons.
Blogger Loader believes that the reason for the assault is the same one as Pancic said. He wrote:
Attacks on journalists… that is not the only recent case. Can we say anything new about the topic? A punch at Pancic is a punch at all of us. Through Pancic’s case, the message was sent to us, telling us to be silent and to calmly accept the reality […]. Of course, we will not be silent.
Below are some of more than 200 commentaries on Loader’s post:
Man ray loves me:
This [incident] exceeded all bounds. I admire Teofil. I feel bad.
Libkonz:
It’s ghastly. We cannot allow that fascists win in this country.
Jelica Greganovic:
I don’t have any words. And the passengers, eyewitnesses… they are only watching? Did someone try to help him?
AlexDunja:
I understand the fear. But everyone has mobile phones… someone should have called the police and an ambulance…
Drago Kovacevic alluded to the violence in Belgrade’s streets in 2008, when Kosovo declared its independence:
This time they [the nationalists] don’t have a permission to attack embassies or mosques, but no one has forbidden them to attack Teofil. This is terrible. I think the police could find perpetrators if they wanted to.
masovna_keva replied to those commentators who think that Pancic would not be silent in the future:
Of course, he won’t be silent but it’s obvious that Serbia is returning to the 1990s, with just one difference that [Ivica Dacic, minister of the interior and president of the Socialist Party, once headed by Slobodan Milosevic] has to substantiate his own metamorphosis and maybe something will happen in regard to arresting [the attackers].
Human rights lawyer of the Civil Rights Defenders (former Swedish Helsinki Committee), NGO activist and blogger Goran Miletic published an article on Pescanik in which he analyzed possible scenarios after the newest case of violence in Belgrade:
Journalist and citizen Teofil Pancic has been beaten in a typically Serbian way. Two men boarded a bus in the center of free Zemun, walked up to the victim, who they had been following, and then moved to action in front of other passengers. […]
[…] I might bet that one of these three scenarios will happen:
1. the police will not find the attackers […]
2. the police will find the attackers very quickly, but the prosecutor’s office and (or) the court will be working unnecessarily slowly. […] In this case, we will be waiting too long for either the indictment or the start of the trial, and maybe for both. The cases of a female journalist [Brankica Stankovic], TV B92’s cameraman [Bosko Brankovic] and many others are a good illustration of how everything can appear and how long it can last, and without any reason.
3. the Police will arrest the attackers, the prosecutor’s office will indict them relatively quickly and then the “beating up” of Teofil will begin for the second time. For those who don’t know how this scenario works, let them to check the trial case of  [Bris Taton’s death]. The formula is absolutely simple – decreasing the importance of each segment of the assault, which then leads to the conclusion that the version of the events described at indictment is contradictory. […]
Further, Miletic analyzes possible behavior of the attackers’ lawyers, their relatives as well as the public on the whole. He also guesses that the reaction of the majority of the media will not be adequate and professional. He concludes:
[…] A small number of the media outlets that will be reporting on everything in a professional manner will not be enough in order to send a clear message to the public, as there is no such message now, when the trial in the case of Bris Taton’s death is in progress. In the best intention, some media will start one more campaign for journalists to finally be treated as “official persons,” but this action will neither help to punish the perpetrators adequately, nor to avoid similar assaults be in the future.
Journalists’ associations, some state officials, political parties and citizens have also condemned the violent act and asked the authorities to react in a proper manner.


text:
South Africa: What would you ask God if you had the chance? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Sun hides behind clouds, by Dan A'Vard
Last week, South African blogger Khaya Dhlanga asked people on the “Internets” what they would ask God if he said they could ask him anything.
He has posted some of the questions sent by his readers:
The questions were poignant, funny, moving and some just plain silly, all appreciated of course. The questions, responses/comments were interesting. Here is a list of these fascinating questions:
Paul Walsh:
What KFC’s secret recipe is.
Thabiso Ramolefe:
WHERE IS MY BILLION RAND HIDING?
Bathabile Dlula:
when is my last day on earth dear Lord?
Odwa Dumisani Dandala:
i would just walk up to him and just stare at him and ask him. why? *i think that basically covers all the questions that i want answers to* WHY?
Brendah Nyakudya:
Why he gave black people such a strong self-destructive streak
Thulani Mbandezelo:
How come you dont have a 24hr hotline like Zuma [The President of South Africa]
Waheeda Safi:
Why does he bring people into our lives makes up feel all these emotions and then takes them away.. And why make life so hard.
Ncumisa Ngcaweni:
I would ask him to turn back time & cause Eve not to be deceived by the serpent or Adam to stand up to her & not allow her to disobey God’s instructions & not to disobey with her.
Cruella Shirley Snook:
WHERE EXACTLY DO YOU LIVE AND WHATS YOUR PHONE NUMBER
Sarah Judge:
who is god?
Yolande Jordaan:
Why did you make humans in the first place, if you new we would mess up? After all ain’t we responsible for most of the hardship in this world? We created pollution, weapons & bombs, racism, xenophobia, etc…. and yet we are not willing to take responsibility for our action, instead we rather blame one another.
And a list of questions from Twitter users:
@Cynicalgrinch:
God, you joker, why did you make creationists? Was there a quota of stupid you needed to fill?
@ItsSinga:
Why is the right thing always the most difficult thing to do..
@swampcottage:
“Who made you?”
@TigerThebe:
Why did you make Julius Malema? [South Africa's controversial politician and the President of the African National Congress Youth League.]
@missltzama:
y do u hate blk ppl? [Black people]
@BrigidL:
what He does in His spare time… He seems to be very busy!
@Busi31:
can you also make me turn water into wine?
Khaya Dlanga won Africa's top Digital Citizen Journalist in 2008 for innovative use of the internet, at the Highway Africa conference and the Annual – Advertising, Media & Marketing 2008 listed him as one of the 100 most influential people in Advertising, Media & Marketing.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
South Korea: Expectations for New Micro-Finance Loans Rise Among Skeptics · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

South Korea is launching a new micro-finance loan initiative after a grim portrait of the economy was unexpectedly disclosed before Korean president Lee Myung-bak during a meeting with struggling low income earners. A few days later, the Finance Service Commission came up with a micro-finance system, called ‘Sunshine loans’, aimed at brightening the dark financial situation for low income households by offering micro-loans with decent 10-13 percent interest. The response to the news is positive so far, but with a trace of apprehension.
When you turn on prime time Korean television, it feels like you cannot get to one single regular program without watching a bunch of commercials with catchy songs that repetitively remind people of quick and easy loans. The unending cascades of loan commercials are competitively luring the crumbling and financially vulnerable class with the promise of safe money. People fall into a vicious cobweb once they make the first phone call. The harmless-looking number which people naively call to find out at what interest rates they can get loans, slash their credits down. When people visit banks to get loans, they find out the only available money are loans with extremely high interests. Disappointed and increasingly desperate, they turn to non-bank financial institutions whose interest rates are just as high and end up finally sending distress signals to the loan lenders or loan sharks.
This omnipresent but neglected truth came to light during one incident. As South Korean newspaper  DongA Ilbo retells the story, it was a casual conversation between President Lee Myung-bak and a local shoe vendor. The 42-year old vendor, whose last name is Chung, said that a capital company owned by a big corporation gave her loans with 40-50 percent interest rates due to her low credit level (later it is discovered to be 35 percent).
Dong-soo Chin, the chairman of the Financial Services Commission was there when the conversation took place.
“이자 많이 받는 것 아닙니까, 금융위원장. 사채(私債) 하고 똑같잖아요.”(이 대통령) “(대출자의) 신용이 좀 안 좋아서 그런 것 같습니다.”(진 위원장) “신용이 좋으면 여기서 돈 빌리나요. (시장 상인들이) 구두 팔아서 40% 넘는 이자를 어떻게 갚을까. (사채업자들의) 일수(日收) 이자보다 더 비싸게 받아서 어떻게 하지요?”(이 대통령) “(캐피털사가 돈을 마련하는) 조달 금리가 높습니다. 채권 이자로 하니까요.”(진 위원장)” “(정 씨의 대출 서류를 계속 읽어보면서) 사회 정의상 안 맞아. 상상도 못했어요. 내가 현장을 몰랐다는 것과 똑같은 거예요.”(이 대통령)”
The uncomfortable conversation was followed by the President’s rebuke on the capital companies. The Sunshine Loans start from today. Financial institutions will lend a total of 10 trillion won (USD $8.3 billion) to those with an annual income of less than 20 million won and whose credit ratings is below the level 6.
One blogger, Greennb commented that as encouraging as the President’s response to the reality has been, market manipulation should be done very discreetly and with solid strategies. The blogger warns that when the finance ministry rushed into forcing them capital companies to lower their interest rates, it may end up making an even larger mess than now, since the risk created by giving loans to people with low credits is still there.
서민들이 은행에서 대출을 받기란 참으로 어렵습니다. 그렇다면 고금리를 물더라도 제2금융권 즉 제도권 내에서 대출을 받을 수 있도록 해야 하지 결코 금리를 낮추라는 강요에 의해 캐피탈 사가 서민금융을 외면하도록 해서는 안 된다는 것입니다. 캐피탈 사가 서민금융을 외면하기 시작하면 결국 이들은 사금융, 대부업체로 몰리게 될 것이고 이러한 대부업체들의 불법적인 채권추심관행에 노출되도록 방치될 수 있습니다. 사회 안전망의 구축을 유지할 예산이 부족하다보니 서민들은 금융기관에 어려운시기를 버티기 위해 기대지 않을 수 없게 됩니다. 그러나 금융기관들은 서민대출의 리스크를 감내하지 않을 수 없는 것입니다.
The Sunshine loan is not the only government loan designed to help ordinary people. The Miso credit loan (Miso in Korean means “smile”) which began last year is another micro-finance loan aimed at helping poor entrepreneurs.
The blogger Shs781115 said that Sunshine loans can cover the blind spots of the Smile loans and stressed how the policy actually operates is what matters the most.
이와 비슷한 것이 미소 금융인데..이것은 햇살론과 엄연히 다르다..미소 금융운 미소 금융재단에 의한 비영리 상품이며 저소득층의 창업 자금 대출에 초점을 맞춘 반면에..햇살론은 기존 금융기관에 의해 시행되는 상품이라는 점이고 대출의 성격도 긴급 생계자금을 위주로 한다.
그래서 미소금융의 지원을 받지 못하는 계층까지 확대된 결과 그 혜택을 받는 사람이 1700만명에 해당할거라는 통계도 있다…문제는 정책이 아니라. 운영의 유연성과 미학을 발휘하는 것이다.
이명박 정부는 과거 그 어떤 정부들보다 훨씬 많은 서민 대출 상품을 쏟아내고 있다. 이번 햇살론이 미소금융의 혜택을 받지 못하는 또 다른 계층을 위한 것이라는 점에서 기존 미소 금융의 한계를 반증하는 셈이 된다. 이번에 새롭게 시행되는 햇살론에 대해서도 유연적으로 적용하고, 그 취급기관을 확대하면서 정책의 방향과 실제 대출 수혜자간의 괴리가 없는 가를 면밀히 살펴봐야 할 것이다. 햇살이 진짜 서민을 위해 따듯하게 비칠지, 아니면 오히려 그 햇살이 서민을 더 따갑게 할지는 그 운영의 미학을 어떻게 보여주느냐…바로 그것에 달려 있는 것이다.
Only 24 hours have passed since the new loan system was launched and there are numerous questions from Koreans on the internet asking the same thing: whether they are eligible for the loans. The questions are rapidly pushed away to next pages and replaced by the exact same questions, all desperately searching for a way to survive in this sweltering heat.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


text:
Syria: A Sample of Syrian Proverbs  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Arabic language is rich with proverbs. A sample of Syrian proverbs can be found here.


text:
USA: Interview with Mary Joyce, Editor of Digital Activism Decoded · Global Voices
Claire Sale

This interview was originally published on Netsquared.org. I wrote this post about a new book called Digital Activism Decoded and followed up with editor Mary Joyce to learn more.
About the book:
Citizens around the world are using digital technologies to push for social and political change. Yet, while stories have been published, discussed, extolled, and derided, the underlying mechanics of digital activism are little understood. This new field, its dynamics, practices, misconceptions, and possible futures are presented together for the first time in Digital Activism Decoded.
About Mary Joyce:
Mary is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer, writer, consultant and commentator on the field of digital activism. She is also the founder of two nonprofit organizations: the Meta-Activism Project, which seeks to find better ways of developing digital activism knowledge, and DigiActive which publishes best practices in digital activism from around the world. She was also New Media Operations Manager for President Obama's national campaign in 2008.
——
Q. How did you get interested in digital activism?
I started off being interested in grassroots political activism in developing countries and everything kind of jelled when I was a Fulbright scholar researching the topic in Morocco in 2005. I was seeing this kind of activism for the first time and was very inspired by it. That same year I went to the first Global Voices Summit in London. There I learned about the rise of the blog, of social tagging, of citizen journalism, and at the same time I was aware of these political activists with limited financial resources who needed to organize and get the message out. I saw a natural connection between these two field and the deeper I dug and the more I learned, the more important and interesting those connections became.
Q. Tell us more about Digital Activism Decoded and what makes it so unique!
This is not the first book to discuss digital activism, but it is the first to attempt to map the field in its entirety. There have already been guides that instruct activists in the use of popular applications like blogs and social networks. There have also been scholarly works that analyze the effect of the Internet or mobile phones on political dynamics, both in rich democracies where politicians “tweet” and under repressive regimes. Best sellers have tried to explain the digitally changing world, including the impact on activism.
This book attempts to bring all those themes together in one place. The book starts with a chapter on Contexts (infrastructure, social, political, economic), then looks at digital activism practices (both constructive and destructive) and finally balances the Effects of digital activism, weighing the opinions of optimists and pessimists.
Q. Digital Activism Decoded is an anthology of works by several authors. How did you choose the contributors and topics?
Many of the authors are young scholars from around the world, while others are activists, private sector consultants, and even futurists. They hail from Brazil and the US, to Greece and Denmark. The goal in assembling the author pool was to bring together a group of innovative minds that reflect the full diversity of digital activism, which encompasses theory and practice, political science and computer science, passionate opinion and meticulous statistical analysis. The topics were decided by the field of expertise of the author and what content I felt the book needed. Many of the authors are colleagues I have worked with on different projects, but a few I have never met to this day…wonders of the network.
Q. What advice can you give to people who are just getting started with online political activism?
Start with activism strategy and layer digital technology on top of it. Many digital activists start with the tools without ever having mastered the campaigning basics like goal, message, audience, and action. Digital media is the last question an activist needs to answer and you won't get it right unless you have answered the other strategic questions first.
Q. Are there any networks or resources available for digital activists to connect or learn?
DigiActive has over 200 case studies of digital activism around the world which present tools in campaign context. The Alliance for Youth Movements will have similar resources, split into how-tos and posts, when it launches later this year. Blogs like Beth's Blog have more granular advice about how to use specific digital tools for activism and I recommend Beth's new book, “The Networked Nonprofit” for a more macro perspective on how nonprofits should engage with the digital.
Q. Is there a particularly interesting anecdote or example from the book that you'd like to share?
It's interesting that you use that term, because one of the arguments in the book is that we need to stop understanding digital activism through anecdote. The wealth of anecdote only fragments our understanding and gives ammunition to both optimists and pessimists who fight unwinnable debates over the value of digital activism, each armed with their own pile of anecdotes. We need to start testing these assumptions and theories with rigorous analysis and data.
Q. What have you learned from editing Digital Activism Decoded?
Actually, it was the single best digital activism learning experience of my life! I learned so much, not only from the authors, who shared their expertise in the chapters they wrote, but from the process. When I was forced to define the field of digital activism on paper I suddenly felt pressure to be much more rigorous, even-handed, and skeptical. It helped me to see not only what we know about digital activism, but the great deal we do not. It was a great experience.
Q. How can people get their hands on Digital Activism Decoded and follow your work?
People can download the book for free at Meta-Activism.org/book or buy a paper copy on Amazon. I blog at Meta-Activism.org/ideas, tweet at @mary_joyce, and my personal site is MaryJoyce.com

author: Claire Sale


text:
Venezuela: Foundation for Urban Culture Shut Down · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

The space dedicated to culture and identity is going through another crisis in the central part of Venezuela, with the closing of Fundación para la Cultura Urbana [es] (Foundation for Urban Culture). This foundation gathered collective works, visions and pieces that told the story of daily life in Caracas. The contests, publications, exhibitions and other activities meant the reconciliation and exaltation of beauty in a dynamic and chaotic city with very creative people.
However, the brokerage firm Econoinvest, a founding investor in the Foundation for Urban Culture, was raided by the government in May. This was enough excuse for the National Exchange Commission to shut down [es] the Foundation permanently.
Bloggers who follow cultural activities in Caracas have expressed a strong opposition to the close down, which they accuse of being illegal and unrelated to the intervention of the brokerage firm.
In the blog Círculo de Escritores de Venezuela [es] (Writers Circle of Venezuela), Magaly Salazar, says:
La creación de una Fundación para la Cultura Urbana tiene como objetivo contribuir a la humanización y armonía de la ciudad. Al frente de ella han estado distinguidas personalidades, entre ellas el escritor Rafael Arráiz Lucca. Esta Institución se ha constituido en un espacio de discusión, expresión del pensamiento contemporáneo, creadora de la Cátedra Permanente de Imágenes Urbanas, de Concursos literarios, de numerosas publicaciones.
Gabriel Payares, in his blog Kariba [es] reflects on the closing of the brokerage firm and on the empty spaces that will be left behind with the closing of the Foundation:
Cuando anunciaron la intervención de Econoinvest Casa de Bolsa, C. A., no pegué el grito en el cielo, como muchos compañeros y amigos, sino que esperé a ver. (…) Tal vez el problema esté en nuestra desconfianza por las instituciones de todo tipo, y que con el chavismo ha alcanzado sus niveles más elevados en la historia (…) pero ahora se le allana e interviene directamente (…) y se detiene la marcha de una institución que desde el inicio de sus labores en 2001 se supo integrar al panorama cultural y literario del país, convirtiéndose rápidamente en una alternativa para canalizar muchísimas propuestas que no hallaban espacio.
He goes on to say:
Ahora que cierra sus puertas y no sabemos si para siempre, la incertidumbre y el pesimismo a los que cada vez nos acostumbramos más nos hacen preguntarnos qué carajos se gana cerrando uno de los pocos, poquísimos espacios para la edición y la producción cultural de los que dispone nuestro país (…) Agotar nuestros pocos espacios de generación de objetos culturales al mismo tiempo que se planifica una Gran Explosión Cultural Bicentenaria es no solo una cruel ironía, sino una estupidez mayúscula, que apunta hacia una nauseabunda monopolización del rótulo “cultura” por parte del Estado.
In the post La cultura y Econoinvest [es] (Culture and Econoinvest) Petrusco points out:
No conozco a los directivos de Econoinvest. Es más, no conozco a nadie de los que trabajan allí. De ninguno de ellos puedo decir si es buena o mala persona, si es honesto o no (…) Pero sí conozco a mis amigos músicos, artistas y productores, particularmente de la Movida Acústica Urbana, quienes se han visto apoyados en forma firme y desinteresada por Econoinvest y por la Fundación para la Cultura Urbana
Fedosy Santaella, in his blog Caja Virtual [es], presents the reasons for the ideological rage which he thinks is the engine behind the closing of the Foundation, and reflects on what the government’s ideological base is looking for and avoiding. This is his final thought:
…una cosa sí es cierta, la Fundación para la Cultura Urbana, seguirá existiendo. Fundó en el espacio valores intangibles que por más zarpazos que les den, permanecerán como evidencias de lo verdaderamente bueno,y revolucionario incluso.
Kira Kariakin in her blog Anotiaciones al Borde [es] writes:
La cultura venezolana repudia lo que se le hace a esta Fundación pero en general creo que repudia todo abuso, todo vilipendio producto del investíguese, exprópiese, encarcélese o un simple no me gusta del presidente. Su dedo que apunta a capricho comandado por alguna epifanía momentánea causa desgracia y temor, porque ha significado la ruina de empresas y familias, pérdida del sustento de mucha gente. Las razones siempre caen en lo mismo: eran unos capitalistas o unos burgueses, o era un jueza/funcionario desobediente, una finca de un oligarca, un canal de un oligarca, una radio de un oligarca, una casa de bolsa especuladora de un oligarca.
Quizás desaparezca la Fundación para la Cultura Urbana, pero quedará la leyenda (…) Bajo esa aura de mito posible surgirán otras iniciativas. Dependerá de nosotros.
Venezuelan culture repudiates what is being done to the Foundation but in general I think it repudiates all abuse, all vilification that is a product of investigation, expropriations, incarcerations or a simple “I don’t like it” from president [Chávez]. His finger that points to a commanded whim from a momentary epiphany causes misfortune and fear, because it has caused the ruin of businesses and families, the loss of livelihood for many people. The reasons are always the same: they were capitalists or from the bourgeoisie, or it was a disobedient judge/official, an oligarch’s farm, an oligarch’s channel, an oligarch’s radio, or an oligarch’s speculative brokerage house. (…)
The Foundation for Urban Culture might disappear [es], but the legend will remain (…) Under its myth other initiatives will emerge. That depends on us.
In social networks, the initiative to support the Foundation has been intense. Many Facebook [es] and Twitter [es] users show this support through the Foundation’s profiles and discussions. A blog called Solidaridad Ciudadana con la Fundación para la Cultura Urbana [es] (Citizen Solidarity with the Foundation for Urban Culture) was created to collect signatures against the closing of the Foundation. In the blog, numerous national artists and writers have participated with their signature and with letters showing their support. In its main text, the blog points out that the closing of the Foundation is illegal, because it is independent from Econoinvest; this is what it says:
Convocamos a reflexionar detenidamente sobre el significado y las implicaciones de esta acción contra la Fundación para la Cultura Urbana, porque más que afectar a una institución, constituye un agravio a esa Venezuela pensante y democrática que ha hallado en la Fundación para la Cultura Urbana un espacio de encuentro, discusión crítica y expresión de las más diversas ideas.

author: Laura Vidal


text:
Algeria: The Origins of the Berbers · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Where did the Berbers originate from? Algerian linguist Lameen Souag attempts an answer here. Please read the comments too.


text:
Azerbaijan: Presidential tweets · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

A Twitter account for the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has been set up at @AzPresident [AZ] and @PresidentAz [EN]. The account will tweet links to presidential speeches, events attended, and video material.

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
Brazil: Limits on Food Ads Shake Market Forces · Global Voices
Luis Henrique

"I'm Condimenting Myself". CC By Steve Snodgrass
The Brazilian federal agency regulating health, Anvisa, recently ruled [pt] that the advertising of soft drinks and food rich in saturated or transfats, sugar and sodium will change. By the end of 2010, the industry will have to adapt.
Particularly one point from the new set of rules generated controversy in the media:
-  whether in tv, radio or in print, food advertising should include warnings [pt], similar to those presented in anti-smoking campaigns. Sugar-rich products would show, printed on the packaging, warnings that the product contains too much sugar and increases the risk of obesity and cavities if consumed in large amounts.
The industry's reaction was strong: editorials in newspapers questioned the agency's mandate to change a federal rule that regulates advertising. Many issues are involved, from the rights of governments to interfere in the private lives of citizens, to the cultural traits of people who are used to consume tastier, albeit unhealthy food. Also part of this debate is the role of government to promote nutritional education and, as argues the government, the citizen's need for clearer information about food ingredients and how food affects the human body in order to freely choose what to consume.
Reactions in the blogosphere were diverse.
Libertatum [pt] speaks of an attack on freedom of expression and  freedom of property.
Matrice [pt] presents some background information:
A publicidade desse grupo de alimentos contribui para a atual epidemia de sobrepeso e obesidade em crianças, que vem ocorrendo no Brasil e no mundo, o que fez com que a Organização Mundial de Saúde aprovasse, em maio deste ano, uma recomendação [en] orientando os países membros das Nações Unidas a restringirem a publicidade de alimentos direcionada a crianças.
Blog do Ronaldo [pt] questions the effectiveness of such a campaign against the products that are the target of Anvisa's new rule.
arinelli [pt] comments on the industry's early moves:
Quando a Anvisa começou a levantar o assunto diversos fabricantes de alimentos – como a Nestlé, por exemplo – começaram a manifestar, publicamente, uma nova postura acerca da publicidade infantil. Algumas empresas assinaram acordos de não-veiculação de propaganda de alimentos que fosse direcionada diretamente às crianças e prometeram uma maior cautela na divulgação de itens do universo infantil.
Leonardo Sakamoto [pt] presents the industry's point of view and tries to catch what lies underneath:
"People shouldn't be afraid of their governments…" CC by Carlo Nicora/Flickr.
Parte das empresas de publicidade e da indústria reclamam que toda essa movimentação é um atentado à liberdade de expressão. Mas, ao usar essa justificativa, o que elas acabam defendendo é o direito de ficar em silêncio para não se expor diante à sociedade. O problema é que essa omissão de informações acaba sendo um atentado contra a liberdade de escolha. Como é possível decidir se não há informação suficiente para isso nos rótulos dos produtos?
Some of the advertising agencies and the industry complain that this whole move poses an attack on freedom of expression. But by making this point, what they end up defending is their “right” to remain silent and avoid exposing themselves before society. The problem is that omitting information leads to an attack on the consumers’ freedom of choice. How can one decide if there is not enough information for [freedom of choice] in the products’ labels?
Radiomargarida [pt] makes a counterpoint to the industry's legal arguments:
Contudo, é importante que se diga que o setor regulado não está preocupado em garantir preceitos constitucionais ou defender a Carta Magna. Quer sim impedir a Anvisa de atuar no âmbito da regulamentação da atividade publicitária, seja ela relativa a qualquer produto ou serviço. Cervejas, remédios, alimentos.  Não importa. O setor regulado não quer o Poder Executivo ousando imiscuir-se nesse assunto.
The Union's Advocate-General (AGU), legal defender of the Brazilian government's interests, manifested his opinion against Anvisa's resolution and recommended the suspension of its effects until it is further analyzed, in response to a consultation made by CONAR, the National Council for Advertising Self-Regulation. As a result, IDEC, a consumer rights advocacy institute, called on civil society groups to protest saying yes to the food advertising rule [pt]. These are the facts so far and the industry, the government and civil society are preparing their next moves. Do consumers, the citizens, have a say in this debate?
A complex game. CC by paulasofiasimoes/Flickr

author: Luis Henrique


text:
Chile: Controversy Over Pardon Proposal by Catholic Church · Global Voices
Claudio Ruiz

As part of the celebrations for the Bicentennial of the Republic, the Chilean Catholic Church has announced a proposal [es] regarding the need to pardon certain people convicted of crimes on humanitarian grounds. In the words of bishop Goic,
Nuestra petición no anula ni contradice el imperio de la Ley y la Justicia, sino que lo supone y lo exige. Es decir, velando  por el imperio de la justicia -nada más injusto que la impunidad- y  salvaguardando el pleno imperio de los derechos humanos en materia de  crímenes de lesa humanidad, creemos que se pueden dar pasos de clemencia, actuando en el marco del estado de Derecho, del ordenamiento constitucional y de los tratados internacionales vigentes
The proposal –announced amid a controversy about allegations of sexual abuse by priest Karadima in Santiago– was sent to President Piñera for his analysis and eventual affirmative answer, causing great controversy across the political spectrum. In particular, for the possibility that this pardon include those convicted of violations of human rights during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.
The pardon is a long-standing legal institution in Chile. In the words of professor Marcelo Brunet [es]:
(…) el indulto presidencial es un resabio absolutista propia de las monarquías soberanas, una institución propensa a la arbitrariedad y los abusos de poder, que no se justifica en el siglo XXI.
In general, the proposal was accepted only in certain sectors of the political parties that make up the government's coalition [es].
The Association of Families of Dissapeared Detainees strongly opposed the measure. In the words [es] of Mireya García, vice-president of the organization:
La propuesta de la Iglesia no descarta sino que incluye, a pesar de que  está señalado en forma bastante diplomática, pero cuando se habla de  que hay que tener clemencia en crímenes en contra de la humanidad lo que  se está diciendo es que los violadores de Derechos Humanos también son  susceptibles de ser beneficiados con un indulto. Es una propuesta que  claramente a nosotros nos provoca gran desazón.
During this week, the Chilean blogosphere has published a series of interesting articles on the issue. Rodrigo Mora, in Blog de la República [es] opposes the proposal, arguing that,
Sería inconveniente que Piñera sucumbiera a tamaño error de  prudencia. El opinante y llanero solitario de los derechos humanos en la  derecha podría cometer el peor de todos los errores: la vuelta de los  fantasmas y la exhumación de varios cadáveres que ya parecían enterrados  y que no estaban ni siquiera desaparecidos.
Héctor Salazar, a Human Rights lawyer, writes for El Quinto Pode [es] about the lack of relationship between the country's bicentennial celebrations and the pardon for those who have committed crimes:
Es indudable que un indulto general, decretado por ley, importa un  sacrificio importante de justicia, y ello, dentro de un cuadro de  impunidad creciente, mas que pacificar, crispa la convivencia social,  obteniéndose así lo contrario de lo que sea dice desear: paz y  tranquilidad.
Bogger Julio Suárez [es] also opposes the proposal from the Church, saying that,
En Chile, los autores de delitos de lesa humanidad no han sido todos  detenidos y procesados y encarcelados. Y muchos que sí lo han sido,  recibieron penas leves. ¿Y ahora, indultarlos? El argumento es que son  viejos. Sí, son asesinos que se pusieron viejos, no son “viejitos  buenos”. ¿Se imaginan, con este argumento del “viejito enfermo”, estar  hoy soltando a Paul Shäefer, por indulto?
Those who have been in favor of the measure are the  associations of retired military [es], who in a joint declaration argued that,
Expresamos asimismo, nuestra esperanza en que el actual Presidente de  Chile, ajeno a indebidas como ofensivas presiones de quienes,  interesadamente, insisten en perpetuar la odiosidad y división entre los  chilenos, adopte la más sabia y justa resolución en esta trascendente materia que afecta el alma nacional, primando en él su condición del  estadista que nuestro país requiere para enfrentar unitariamente su  tercera centuria
On Sunday, President Sebastián Piñera announced his final decision about the proposal, declaring that [es],
no es conveniente ni prudente, en los actuales tiempos y circunstancias, promover una nueva ley de indulto general.
Nevertheless, he announced that he would use his presidential capacity to pardon in a “very prudent and restrictive” way for humanitarian reasons, leaving aside those convicted of serious crimes, among which he included human rights, terrorism, drug trafficking, rape, homicide and child abuse.  The presidential announcement has been supported [es] across different Chilean political parties. Carlos Moffat, in Blog de la República [es], reflects on this:
Para una coalición que lleva muchos años haciendo de la seguridad ciudadana y de la puerta giratoria un tema de campaña política, un  indulto general parecería una contradicción fundamental. Y para esa  misma coalición, que debe – a pesar de mucho de sus miembros –  demostrarle al país un compromiso más que retórico con la inviolabilidad  de los derechos humanos, un indulto a los militares hubiera tenido un  costo político significativo, sin ventajas aparentes.

author: Claudio Ruiz


text:
Egypt: Americans need appointments to visit Embassy  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Joseph Mayton, who is based in Cairo, tweets: “American Embassy in Cairo bars Americans from walk-ins, starts appointment only access to Embassy – down with Embassies!”


text:
Francophonie: Like Fine Wine, Twitter Experience Gets Better With Age   · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

An unexpected but deliciously nostalgic hash tag, #jesuisvieux,  has been trending on the French speaking social media scene.  Since July 26th,   twitter users have been going down memory lane,  posting  tweets  relating their memories from youth with the hash tag #jesuisvieux ( I am old – men) or #jesuisvieille ( I am old – women).  The timeline for the hashtag was filled with often humorous, sometimes sweet updates and provides a good snapshot of the evolution of information technology usage and its demographics.
It is unclear whether the article in the New York Times on July 15 entitled: “Aging Gracefully, the French Way” has anything to do with the twitter trend but aging is certainly on a lot of people's mind in the francophone world and they seemingly embrace it openly.
A few newspapers have collected and curated the best of them. Here is an article  by Coline Bérard at L'Express.fr:  “Twitter c'est pour les vieux”, (twitter is for old people in English) and Belgian newspaper Le Soir is currently posting and monitoring a live blogging session about the #Jesuisvieux hashtag on the Cover It Live platform.
Screenshot of the #Jesuistropvieux tag on Trendsmap.com
According to Hashtags.org, #jesuisvieux hash tag made up to 0.03% of tweets worldwide on July 27.
Here are a few tweets that have caught out attention:
From @JocelyneRobert in Montréal, Canada:
On ne brimait pas nos élans sexuels avec la menace des ITS mais avec la menace de l'enfer #jesuisvieille
Pierre Côté:
J'ai surfé sur le WWW en utilisant NETSCAPE #jesuisvieux
Anna Gueye from Senegal and La Hague, Holland:
#jesuisvieux il y avait des 1ères classes dans le métro #jesuisvieille
slim404 in Tunisia:
Le 7 nov. 1987 j'étais content. Mon père m'a dit : “tu va pas à l'école aujourd'hui, on ne sait jamais” #jesuisvieux
@bravepatrie:
J'ai vu des ministres démissionner quand ils étaient mis en cause dans des affaires. #jesuisvieux
Necessepas:
J'ai été amoureuse d'Albator #jesuisvieille http://youtu.be/SpE9Yo9dmIo
Boris:
Je me souviens avoir vu la comète de Halley #jesuisvieux
sophiedurocher:
Dans ma jeunesse, il n'y avait pas Internet pour que des anonymes qui n'ont pas de vie déversent leur haine et leur mépris. #jesuisvieille
Dugomo:
Voler des 33 tours, c'était quand même plus héroïque que télécharger #jesuisvieux
Kristalynm9:
J'ai déjà imprimer un travail de Cégep sur une imprimante a ruban de Commodore 64 a @tremblay96 #jesuisvieux
fastclemmy:
on est tous le vieux de quelqu'un #jesuisvieux
Finally Lionel suggests that one of the top contributors to the meme is Global Voices own's Anna Gueye:
lionelchollet:
L'une des toutes meilleures séries #jesuisvieux #jesuisvieille, au niveau mondial, est, sans conteste, celle d’@annagueye http://is.gd/dN00B

author: Lova Rakotomalala


text:
Guyana: Media Accreditation  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“If it is his contention that journalists should be admitted into Presidential press conferences solely on the basis of a Guyana Press Association general media accreditation then he is being most unreasonable”: Imran Khan attempts to sort through the confusion of media accreditation procedures in Guyana.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
India: RTI Activist Murdered · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

On the 20th of this month, 33 year old Amit Jethwa, a prominent environmentalist and Right to Information (RTI) activist was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen opposite the Gujarat High Court in Ahmedabad. His murder comes just a few days after he had filed a public interest litigation in the Gujarat High Court naming Bharatiya Janata Party member of parliament, Dinu Solanki as one of the parties involved in illegal mining activities in the protected Gir Forest (home to the last of the Asiatic Lions) areas in Junagadh, Gujarat.
In a country where till date there have been eight murders and 20 serious attacks on RTI activists in the last one year, Jethwa's killing once more drove home the dangers of standing up against the powerful corrupt.
Netizens have reacted with shock at this incident. There have been public statements posted condemning the killing in strong terms.  Twitter abounded with tweets expressing the sentiments of netizens, some of which have been captured below:
bittusahgal: My friend Amit Jethwa, whose life was dedicated to protecting Gujarat's wildernesses was shot dead 20 minutes ago. The world has gone mad.
ranjona: @bittusahgal it's really shocking. amit was working very hard and refusing to give in.
s_chowdhury: I mourn the death of Amit Jethwa, shot dead in front of the Guj HC. A lone fighter who took on mining mafia n tried to save the Gir lions
drrbalu : Another RTI Activist Amit Jethwa has been killed. Politicians and corrupt leaders have found a way to permanently silence RTI activists
KanishkaNarayan: Shocked and scared by Amit Jethwa‘s murder for filing PIL against illegal mining
Vinaymenon01: Very sad on the killing of one more rti activist. great gift the pm has given us. To see all the wrong and get killed trying to get it right
protectwildlife: Shocking ; Amit Jethwa fellow conservationist/activist member nathistory India shot dead. He was president Gir Youth Nature club
_bharath_k : Another RTI activist gets killed. The message -“Demanding accountability from bureaucrats and politicians! We know where you live.”
nutanthakurlko: We shall do whatever possible to get justice done in the murder case of Sri Amit Jethwa, the RTI activist and our associate in Gujarat.
TusharG: Satyendra Dube, Manjunath Shanmugham, Yogendra Pande, Satish Shetty, Navleen Kumar, Amit Jethwa……. Martyrs of modern India.
Madhusudan Katti wrote on his Reconciliation Ecology blog:
Bloody sad news from the conservation battle front in Gujarat, India: Amit Jethwa, a young wildlife activist whom I knew only through his occasional postings on Nathistory-India was shot dead right in front of the Gujarat High Court in Ahmedabad! He was there to take on the mining mafia threatening the last natural home of the Asiatic Lion at Gir National Park, which Amit had dedicated his young life to – now literally so! Wildlife  conservation remains a dangerous business in India (as indeed  elsewhere) – perhaps more so now than ever, and my (academic  conservationist's) hats off to people like Amit who take on these real  battles in the trenches despite the risks
Citizen Journalist Subhash Chandra, in an article in Merinews, wrote the following:
Immediate  concrete steps are needed at the highest level to prevent such  happenings and to ensure that law and order authorities protect people  like him, who are fighting the rich and the mighty…It  is an irony that criminals and corrupt ones enter our political system  and get security, while whistle-blowers get threat to life from such  notorious politicians or those patronised by such politicians.
As activists join ranks on the ground to push for justice for their slain colleagues, an online petition has been launched, addressed to the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers of all the Indian State,  drawing their attention to the dangers of RTI activism in the country. The petition points out:
The state, by passing the RTI Act, is allowing citizens to use  information as a weapon. But it is falling short in bringing the real  culprits to book or giving protection to the whistleblowers ,  undermining its own commitment to truth i.e. the government’s commitment  on the protection of whistleblowers .
Hope the powers that be are listening and that we the citizens too are ready to give active support to these ‘lone warriors’ – for as this tweet rightly points out
TusharG: @SinghGirishR Next time another Amit Jethwa fights our battles stand shoulder 2 shoulder with him only then change will happen.
Image by author

author: Aparna Ray


text:
India: Shortage Of Nepali Labors In Himachal Pradesh · Global Voices
Rezwan

Nityin at Himachal Live blog reports that the farmers in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh are facing problems as there is a shortage of Nepali migrant labors in this year's pick Apple season.


text:
India: Why Businesses Must Embrace Social Media · Global Voices
Rezwan

Komal-Nishka Manglani at Blog Adda explains why businesses must embrace social media.