text:
Brazil: Mobilization for the Right to Sustainable Water Cisterns · Global Voices
Thiana Biondo

On December 21, 2011, almost 10,000 residents of the arid northeast of Brazil (called the sertão) crossed the bridge that links Juazeiro, in the state of Bahia, and Petrolina, in the state of Pernambuco. Farmers were protesting in favor of an agreement between the government and the organization Articulação do Semi-Árido Brasileiro (ASA) (Brazilian Semi-Arid Network), which leads the project constructing cisterns for rainwater catchment and storage for beneficiary families, in the subregion of Brazil with the greatest problem with desertification.
The Ministry of Social Development and Combat of Hunger (MDS) had announced that the transfer of R$120 million to the program to build the cisterns would no longer happen. As an alternative, the government would offer plastic cisterns that allegedly do not match the realities of the people and that would no longer be constructed by citizens themselves, but instead “donated” by state and city governments. The agreement with ASA, which has existed for over a decade, was threatened in the end of December.
The mobilization forced the government to reverse its announced suspension. On December 23, representatives of ASA and the Ministry met and the continuation of the agreement without mediation of city and state governments was guaranteed at least until April 2012. On January 3, the ADA and Ministry will meet again.
On social networks, discussion in last days was centered on the reason for substituting the ASA for greater dependence on the decisions of local public officials. On Twitter, theologian and writer Leonardo Boff (@LeonardoBoff) commented [pt], in a series of tweets:
Ivan Cruz, ASA Brazil (used with permission).
A ASA construiu centenas de cisternas e educou o povo a conviver com o  semiarido. A Ministra vai introduzir cisternas de plastico, mexicanas. (…)
Abandona-se um projeto popular levado pelo proprio povo. Se triunfar fica claro o viés tecnocrático do Gov.Dilma  sem diálogo (…)
Resolver os problemas dos pobres sem envolver os pobres é erro crasso e  não funciona. Temos que denunciar e resistir e obrigar a um dialogo.
Beyond the possibility of the turning residents into dependents of a technology unknown to them, the plastic cisterns could become an electoral currency in the hands of local politicians, as writer Frei Betto pointed out on his Twitter account (@Frei_Betto).
Geographer Janete Limelo questioned [pt] the first position of the Federal Government:
A quem interessa trocar cisternas de alvenaria que custam R$2000, 00 por plástico que custam R$5000,00?? ow.ly/873r8 #perguntepradilma
Neto Santos, C.F. Mandacaru de Pedro II (used with permission)
The ASA, composed of 750 civil society organizations, coordinated two projects: Program for a Million Cisterns (P1MC) and Program One Earth and Two Waters (P1+2). With the Federal budget, 371,728 cisterns have already been constructed by the beneficiaries themselves, over 2 million Brazilians. The cistern program is recognized internationally as “a reference in management and social inclusion in the area of access to water and the right to food and nutritional security of families living in the semi-arid region” as the Mandacaru de Pedro II Training Center emphasized.
Turuna  Tântalo on the blog Soda Cáustica (Caustic Soda) [pt], reminded that the organization “[bringing together] groups interested in turning around the position of miserable exile imposed on the peoples of the semiarid region”, began after the 3rd Conference of the Parties of the Convention Against Desertification COP3 of the UN, in the city of Recife:
No dia 26 de novembro de 1999,  contrariando as expectativas do mundo piedoso com os pobres coitados sem  água, gente aliada aos supostos pobres-coitados-sem-água anunciava a  festiva e profética Declaração do Semiárido Brasileiro.
The documentary A Different Look, made by ASA Brazil, ” presenting a region that is not defined by cracked earth, thirst and hunger. But, that there is another side, of production, prosperity and solidarity. This is possible when farmers join organizations in an interesting coming together of ideas.”
The discourse that there is not enough water in the northeast of Brazil was important ally of the indústria da seca [literally: the drought industry, referring to elite manipulation of government subsidies], one of the more nefarious relations of power in Brazilian politics, which fed the creation of the myth of the “poor”, “helpless” and “underdeveloped” northeasterner which has permeated the national imagination.
Due to a lack of opportunities, many northeasterners hop on pick-up trucks and migrate to become day laborers in construction or maids in the southeast. The cistern is a symbol of a change in this narrative or as Turuna Tânalo writes in the blog Soda Cáustica [pt] “a change of paradigm”:
…é possível viver na caatinga, resgatando e melhorando tecnologias  adequadas para o calor intenso, assim como vivem os esquimós no gelo  seco do Ártico, assim como vivem os indígenas nas alturas de ar  rarefeito dos Andes, assim como vivem os cosmopolitas em meio ao barulho  e à multidão da Grande Cidade…..
Silenciosamente, mas obstinadamente, abandonamos o delírio televisivo de  que aqui chovesse como chove no sudeste: a gente da terra árida foi  despertando para o fato de que não é exatamente água que falta…
…it is possible to live in the caatinga shrublands, bringing back and bettering appropriate technology for intense heat, just as Eskimos live in the dry ice of the Arctic, as the indigenous live in the air-starved heights of the Andes, as the cosmopolitans live in the midst of the noise and crowds of the Big City…
Silently, but stubbornly, we abandon the televised delirium that here it should rain like it rains in the southeast: the people of the arid lands have been waking up to the fact that it is not exactly water that is lacking…
Developmental myopia
The debate about the partnership between ASA and the Ministry also brought to the fore the issue of the developmental policies of Dilma's government. The Vice President of the Indigenist Missionary Council (CIMI), Roberto Antonio Liebgott, points out [pt] that Brazilian economic growth is based on partnerships between the state and large corporations, without including citizens as actors in social transformation:
O ano em que Dilma Rousseff decidiu romper a parceria com a Articulação no Semiárido Brasileiro (ASA) que previa construir um milhão de cisternas e garantir água aos nordestinos. Ao invés disso, decidiu oferecer cisternas de plástico (PVC), levando lixo ao sertão brasileiro. É a política do “goela abaixo”
Global Voices collaborator Raphael Tsavkko highlighted [pt] the problem of public policies that do not include local residents as agents of transformation:
Nada contra assistencialismo em si, enquanto políticas   emergenciais de curto/médio prazo, o problema é trocar um projeto que   emancipa, por políticas de apoio ao retorno do coronelismo e que   substituem a autonomia da população e sua independência, dando-lhes dignidade.

author: Thiana Biondo


text:
Caucasus: The Year in Review · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

As popular uprisings spread through the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, the Arab Spring also tried to take root in the South Caucasus. However, while opposition forces in the region sought to capitalize on the protests, especially hoping to benefit from international media interest in ‘Facebook Revolutions,’ they failed to achieve similar results.
In Armenia, for example, the low use of social media in political activism was particularly evident. With the number of Facebook users standing at just 123,000 at the time, few signed up for the ‘Armenian Revolution of Reform’ although, as testimony to the importance of traditional grassroots political activity, around 10,000 people did turn out to protest.
At the same time, in neighboring Azerbaijan, where the use of social media is arguably more evolved than in Armenia despite a slightly lower Facebook penetration rate, thousands signed up for protest actions planned for March. Yet, despite that declared intention to attend, barely more than a hundred youth actually took to the streets and found themselves easily dispersed or detained by police.
Ironically, Facebook and Twitter were better used to report on those detentions in the Azerbaijani capital, and the same was true the following day when another protest action was staged by a traditional opposition party.
There was also criticism of the protests from some bloggers, although demonstrations still continued the following month. By May, however, attention had already turned to Eurovision. With the annual musical competition, launched in Europe in the 1950s, no stranger to controversy in the Caucasus, the event was to become even more interesting when Azerbaijan unexpectedly won.
And, as bloggers turned their attention towards staging the competition in Baku later this year, some activists naturally used the opportunity to raise other more sensitive issues. One of those was the continued incarceration of journalist and prisoner of conscience Eynulla Fatullayev, with Amnesty International especially making renewed calls for his release.
Channel 4 anchor Jon Snow.
The UK's veteran Channel 4 anchorman, Jon Snow, led the campaign launched on Twitter, and two days later the journalist was pardoned and released. However, some online media observers such as Global Voices co-founder Ethan Zuckerman questioned whether the micro-blogging site had played as significant a role as it first might have seemed.
Indeed, despite Fatullayev's release, the year was also marked by the arrest of other activists in Azerbaijan such as Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and Jabbar Savalan, allegedly on trumped-up politically motivated charges, although the latter was pardoned just before the end of December.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Georgia, Facebook resulted in the dismissal of a policeman identified through the social media site after the dispersal of striking veterans from the South Ossetia and Abkhazia conflicts. Even so, social media was perhaps better known for ridiculing opposition protesters in May or discussing the visit to Tbilisi by Sharon Stone and the appearance of a Georgian road sign in a Beyoncé video.
But, with more than 700,000 Facebook users in the country, that's not to say there wasn't any political engagement online with the Georgian government particularly active in this area. In fact, with parliamentary elections scheduled for Armenia and Georgia this year and presidential elections in all three countries in 2013, the use of social media will likely become more important as citizens become more engaged.
In Armenia, for example, Facebook has been used to petition the capital's municipality to end the killing of stray dogs and to call for the dismissal of a controversial regional governor. Moreover, while these were genuine grassroots initiatives, there also continues to be substantial funding from the US Government and other international donors, although it remains to be seen to what extent such projects will succeed.
The first test of that will likely be the May parliamentary elections in Armenia, with Georgia following in the Autumn or possibly earlier, so stay up-to-date with the latest developments on Twitter at @gvcaucasus.
Շնորհավոր Նոր Տարի. Yeni İliniz Mübarək. გილოცავთ ახალ წელს. С Новым Годом. Happy New Year.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
From Sidi Bouzid to Kinshasa: Francophone Africa in 2011 · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

This post is part of our special coverage:
Marwane Ben Yamed of Jeune Afrique sums up succinctly but accurately the year that was for Francophone Africa when he writes [fr]:
Quelle année !
Indeed, it would be an understatement to say that 2011 was an eventful year for the African continent. The usual year-end review would hardly do justice to the epic changes that have turned the continent upside down, driven by the collective courage of its citizens, who often faced violent repression while striving for emancipation from various dictatorships.
Through the eyes of local citizen media, here are some of  the highlights of what transpired in the year 2011, a year that has left many citizen media contributors breathless, hopeful and disillusioned all at once.
Tunisia
It all started in Sidi Bouzid where protesters decided against all odds and 40 years of the authoritarian police regime of Ben Ali that they “are not afraid anymore“.
Sidi Bouzid banner illustration from Nawaat.org
The prescient words of Mohamed Ali Chebâane took a whole new meaning  when he wrote on December 29, 2010 [fr]:
Vos jeunes se sont soulevés et il sera difficile de les faire taire : Ils  s’immolent, s’électrocutent, et je ne pense sérieusement pas que des  coups de matraques ou des longues nuits dans les commissariats vont leur  faire peur.
The uprising across Tunisia resulted in the fall of the Ben Ali regime, the initiation of the process towards a new constitution and the election of a new interim president.
The spirit of Sidi Bouzid was carried over in many other nations in Northern Africa and the whole continent in general.
Gabon
A few weeks after the fall of Ben Ali, the West African nation of Gabon also erupted in protests against the rule of President Ali Bongo Ondimba, son of long-time strongman Omar Bongo.  Citing allegations of election fraud, opposition leaders formed a breakaway government on January 26, 2011, with former presidential candidate André Mba Obame as the self-declared president.
After weeks of protests that were repressed violently by the government, the  uprising did not result in political change but the Tunisian revolution clearly inspired Gabonese citizens. This sign below held by protesters summarize in a few witty words the inspiration that Tunisia provided to other countries:
Meyo-Kye, North Gabon, 2 February, 2011. Banner reads: "In Tunisia, Ben Ali left. In Gabon, Ali Ben out." Image provided via Julie Owono
Algeria
Algerian citizens also followed up on holding the authorities accountable for the high levels of corruption, unemployment and the rise in basic goods prices. Inequalities are growing wider even though the country is the fourth largest exporter of crude oil in Africa and an important producer of natural gas.
Protests were initiated shortly after the ones in Tunisia and climaxed  on February 12, 2011 (#Feb12). Additional demonstrations followed for a week in several cities and all were violently repressed by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika regime. Eventually, the protests fizzled, sapped by the violent repressive measures and national media blockade.
As the status quo remained, a few Algerian bloggers were left disillusioned about the idea of an “Arab revolution”. Khaled Satour wrote in February of 2011:
We have to free ourselves from this harmful siren call of the “Arab revolution” that deludes us into thinking the slate has been wiped clean and all alliances are possible. Sadly, we already know some of the apostles of “democracy” who are protesting once again
Morocco
Another democracy-driven movement grew from streets protests in  Morocco.  The demands of the February 20 movement  centered around reforms that would promote a better democracy and reduce corruption. The youth-based movement has not resulted in fundemental structural change in the Moroccan Kingdom but some reforms were granted by the King.
In the following video, members of the movement provide the details of who they are and why they are protesting [ar]:
Cote d'Ivoire
Following a contentious presidential election in 2010 opposing incumbent Gbagbo against Ouattara, Côte d'Ivoire was rocked in 2011 by its second civil war in less than a decade that resulted in the arrest of then President Gbagbo at his residence on April 11.
Protests at the French embassy in Berlin, against French military intervention in Cote d'Ivoire. Image by Thorsten Strasas, copyright Demotix (09/04/2011).
Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook played an important role in sharing information in real-time from the ground during the crisis, but citizen media was also often used as vectors for hate.  To counter this ill-use of information technology, Ivorian social media contributors undertook multiple citizen media-driven actions to promote peace and humanitarian efforts during the crisis and in the post-crisis recovery period.
Edith Brou, a community manager in Abidjan, explains how curated social media can make a difference [fr]:
@edithbrou: Let's tweet usefully and tweet efficiently, to save lives, vi@ [via] the Ivorian Web. #civsocial… one tweet can make the difference -
A concrete example of such action was described by blogger Cartunelo who tweeted [fr] in April of 2011:
@cartunelo: #civsocial, We need a doctor at the Star 6 area, the sister of a friend has just been shot!! If you know one, we urgently need his/her contact details!!!#civ2010
@cartunelo: Thanks to your help, the bleeding has stopped. Now we need xylocaine. Contact 10003480/03784354
Cameroon
Despite a diverse showing of candidates for the presidential elections in Cameroon that took place on October 9, the status quo remained as incumbent Paul Biya remained in power. The campaign prior to the elections lacked intensity has many Cameroonians seemed resigned to the foregone re-elections of Paul Biya, in power since 1982.
Bloggers seemed to mostly blame the lack of alternative in Cameroonian politics on the inability of the opposition to present a credible united alternative to Biya:
18 individuals gather in total 5.01% ! What a joke! Give us back our dozen millions that you received for the so-called campaign! We don't know you! The whole opposition together doesn't even reach 25% of the ballots, what a shame!
Democratic Republic of Congo
The outcome of the presidential election in DR of Congo that took place on November 28, 2011, is still disputed by the opposition candidate Étienne Tshisekedi. The official results announced that the incumbent Joseph Kabila won the elections but the electoral process was marred with fraud allegations.
The official results prompted riots and violence in Kinshasa and other cities in DR of Congo. Outrage even spread in the Congolese diaspora abroad where unrest rocked several cities of Europe and North America. The Wikipedia page of the DR of Congo as of January 2, 2012, even lists Tshisekedi as the current president.
Congolese bloggers documented many  irregularities during the pre-electoral campaign. Alex Egwete details one of the issues that was encoutered during the pre-elections period:
The electoral commission is in the midst of yet another controversy, this time over the discovery of phantom polling stations in the “cartography” of polling stations CENI recently published. Some opposition groups and journalists have given CENI Chair Rev Daniel Ngoy Mulunda 72 hours (commencing yesterday) to come up with a coherent explanation for those phantom polling stations.
Senegal
Senegal has also experienced its share of protests in 2011. The demands were spurred on by perceived nepotism by President Wade in favor of his son Karim and by frequent power outages throughout the year. Presidential elections are set for February 26, 2012, and many observers fear that additional unrest may follow.
Recent protests in December have focused on the legal case of Barthelemy Dias [fr], a member of the opposition who was arrested for an alleged homicide:
Une situation née des violentes manifestations produites à Dakar par des jeunes de l’opposition pour réclamer la libération de Barthélémy Dias.
Les forces de police comme celle de la gendarmerie sont aux aguets pour parer à toute éventualité.
This post is part of our special coverage:

author: Lova Rakotomalala


text:
Nepal: The Benefit Of Being A Celebrity · Global Voices
Rezwan

XNepali translates a news where we learn that a Nepali actress got her lost suitcase back from a taxi driver after the news of the loss was covered in a local newspaper.

author: Rezwan


text:
Spain: The #15M Celebrate Christmas With Outrage · Global Voices
Chris Moya

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.
On Wednesday December 28, 2011, Madrid, Barcelona, and a number of other main Spanish cities celebrated the so-called #IndignantProcession (#CabalgataIndignata in Spanish), organized by the #15M [es], which, under the slogan, “We've lost our innocence because we will no longer believe the lies, nor will we stay silent before this joke of losing our basic rights,” brought over 5,000 people to the streets of Madrid, reuniting in Puerta del Sol.
The meeting's poster
@acampadasol: Lo importante es que hoy hemos vuelto a las calles para manifestarnos con imaginación y creatividad. Enhorabuena, #15M#NoSoyInocente
@juventudsin: La # cabalgataindignada bajando por la Calle Alcalá entre villancicos y tambores pic.twitter.com/8FFKFQNR
The popular rally returned to highlight the demands that the #15M have spent quite some time asking for more citizen participation in the so-called market dictatorship and a more participatory democracy.  This time, taking advantage of the holiday festivities, they celebrated it as a recreational activity [es], bringing together a large number of participants [es] until they arrived at Puerta del Sol.
Start of the Indignant Procession. Image by alteridadperiodicocultural.blogspot.com
Tensions
A few days ago, this video was posted, starring the #15M members of Valladolid in an eviction at the gate in Belén, which denounced the evictions that were being practiced en masse throughout the entire country.
An argument with the police broke out during the procession that resulted in the police charging at some of the participants, and even detaining a neighbor of the APBM.
Moments of tension during the procession. Image by Flickr user pierrerc
In the end, the procession regained its calm and resumed without any more incidents, demonstrating once more that the strength of the #15M lies in taking advantage of occasions to continue reinventing ways to make its demands known.
This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

author: Chris Moya


text:
The World is Talking… We Translate · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

This post is part of our special coverage Global Voices in 2011.
Every time a year comes to an end, evaluations of it are made. Sometimes we tend to be very objective and other times, subjectivities float to the surface. Most of the time, these assessments, recollections and lists of the ‘best of the year’ do not satisfy everybody.
Some members of the team of translators at Global Voices in Spanish [es], who during the past twelve months have worked behind the scenes to translate the best of what Global Voices Online publishes in English on a daily basis, decided to briefly express what we liked the most or what impacted us the most of what we have translated or seen posted. And as we say colloquially, let's put the ‘floro‘ (palaver) aside and get to the point:
Elisa López tells us about the post she enjoyed translating the most, and adds a note of personal information:
I really enjoyed translating Estados Unidos: ¿La NASA ha descubierto un planeta habitable? [es] (Has NASA Discovered a Life-Friendly Planet? [en])
I  found the topic appealing. My husband and I are always discussing  science-related events, and we had been discussing that particular topic  a couple of days ago.  And when I started working on the  translation, I found the article well-written: clear, concise, and  showing different points of view. Interesting information and good  writing, a great combination!
Natán Calzolari shares his feelings and sentiments about Global Voices’ involvement with world events:
While I was translating it I found myself really  moved by how the whole world was helping the Egyptians to put their word  out there. Needless to say, Global Voices did an incredible job  amplifying their voices, and it was really exciting to be a part of it.
Isabel Guerra shows her amazement about a fact she wasn't aware of:
I enjoyed translating this one Filipinas: Debate sobre proyecto de Ley de Divorcio [es] (Phillipines: Debate on Divorce Bill [en]) because I wasn't aware that there was still a country that does not allow divorce!
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Rivera tells about her sadness while translating a post from Libya:
For me, Libia: De duelo por la muerte de Mohammed Nabbous [es] (Libya: Mourning Mohammed Nabbous [es]) was a very special and sad post to translate. Since Libya's revolution  started, I followed ‘Mo's’ reports and even watched his live feed. I  just couldn't believe it when the news broke on Twitter that he had  died. I knew, right away, I wanted to translate the post related to his  death as soon as it was published as a tribute to a man I consider a  hero and an inspiring citizen journalist. The post did him justice. It  was sensitive, complete and very well phrased. Needless to say, I shed  some tears while writing it and felt very connected – by heart – to the  Libyan people and their struggle.
Although she didn't translated the post, Catalina Restrepo comments she was impressed with the situation women face in many countries:
It's no translated for me but was wonderful when I saw this article in Spanish: Arabia Saudita: Condenada a 10 latigazos por conducir un automóvil [es] (Saudi Arabia: Outrage Over 10 Lashes for Female Driver [en])
Generally Women here [Colombia] are not worried about their role in  the society but about the fashion or beauty. When I read this story, I  discover again that it's necessary for women [around the world] reflect  on the importance of being a woman in honor of others who do not have  the same “freedoms”.
Gabriela García Calderón shares her sentiment about the first news of what later would be known as the Arab Spring:
Even though it is actually a post published on late 2010, I think the most important post I've translated is Túnez: El intento de suicidio de un desempleado provoca disturbios [es] (Tunisia: Unemployed Man's Suicide Attempt Sparks Riots [en]).
This post tells us the plight of 26-year old Mohamed Bouazizi, who set himself on fire out of desperation for not being able to earn a living for himself and his family.
This at first isolated and individual action was the spark of was later known as the Arab Spring, a series of events that set the standard for the whole year. As usual, Global Voices was there to inform its reader about important events, almost while they are still happening.
Adriana Gutierrez tells us about her chosen post, also related to the Arab Spring:
It's kind of hard to pick just one memorable post for me (every single  entry is special, one way or another), but I enjoyed translating this  one: Egipto: Graffiti – Por una revolución colorida y un recuerdo inmortal [es] (Egypt: Graffiti – For a Colorful Revolution and an Undying Memory [en]).
I found very moving and creative the way egyptians took a very  “simple” and ordinary thing as a street wall and converted it in a  canvas to express their thoughts about revolution and to pay tribute to  the martyrs, claming the street as theirs.
Indira Cornelio was also impressed by the circumstances some women have to live with:
And said:
As a fan of hyperlinks,   I like texts that starting off with just two or three lines can take  you to new and various texts that may, sometimes, represent a lot of  reading. It's just like opening a little wormhole on the generated mental image  and taking to another dimension, just to  come back to take off once again. That's why, I love posts just as CEE: More on Václav Havel and His Legacy, due to their concentrated richness.
With this small and humble sample we, the Global Voices Spanish team, wish to encourage authors all over the world to write their articles and to go on doing so. We want them to know that their texts not only inform, but also generate sentiments, discoveries and awareness in all the readers.
Thank you, and a happy 2012.
This post is part of our special coverage Global Voices in 2011.

author: Juan Arellano


text:
United States: Occupy Wall Street Also Speaks Spanish · Global Voices
Yarisa Colon

This post is part of our special coverage #Occupy Worldwide.
Mariné Pérez, 30, resident of Brooklyn, New York, did not hesitate for a moment of assuming the responsibility of coordinating the Spanish translation edition of the newspaper Occupy Wall Street Journal, the work of the movement that caused the occupation of the financial district in New York in September 2011.
This Puerto Rican activist, with previous experience in the student struggles of the University of Puerto Rico and the University Sagrado Corazón, has been given the immense task of amplifying the voices of 99% through the effective use of pen and paper.
Photo of Mariné Pérez with the fourth edition of Occupy Wall Street Journal, taken by Chris Theokas.
The following is an interview with the coordinator of the Occupy Wall Street Journal in Spanish (OWJS), that continues to be printed even after the removal of the protesters from Zuccotti Park on 15 November, 2011.
Global Voices (GV): How did you get involved with the Occupy Wall Street movement?
Mariné Pérez (MP): Since I read the proposal, pitched by Adbusters I thought that I wanted to join the Occupy Wall Street movement. Finally I felt like they'd hit the nail on the head. And so, from the first day, 17 September 2011, I joined the protests together with a group of Puerto Ricans that live in New York City. Later on, I received another announcement that said they were looking for translators interested in supporting the movement. I sent my CV immediately to apply as a volunteer.
Given my several years’ experience as a project administrator in a translation agency, and as a freelance translator, they invited me to coordinate the translations of  Occupy Wall Street Journal [es] in Spanish. And I accepted.
GV: When was the Spanish issue printed for the first time?
MP: OWSJ in Spanish – like its English counterpart – began to be printed at the beginning of October. At this time we decided that the newspaper wouldn't be a “daily” paper which contains news, but something more like a space for reflections about the events that had taken place every week or two.
GV: Who do you work with?
MP: The (Spanish language) work-group is made up of about 25 members. We're all volunteers. We don't just translate OWSJ, but we also subtitle the videos with the communications group, and we translate anouncements and other texts related to the movement. We also work very closely with the graphic designers, the printers and the distributors, and the editorial team.
GV: How have both the Spanish and the English versions of the OWSJ been affected by the eviction from Zuccotti Park by the police on 15 November?
MP: The eviction has affected neither the production nor the distribution of the newspaper. The writing and the translating are done remotely (people all over the world collaborate via the internet), and the newspapers continue to be distributed both to key places and to the OWS activities, where we know there will be a massive concentration of Spanish speakers. For example, it is distributed in the marches, the monthly protests to commemorate OWS, and the General Assemblies in Spanish, among others.
On a personal level, the fact that there is no fixed occupation in Zuccotti Park has allowed me to have more time to manage this project, because before I visited the park everyday after my regular job, to then take charge of the OWSJ – I hardly slept! Now I have a little more time to dedicate to this project and help with the OWS work-group meetings, to which I belong.
Occupied Wall Street Journal in Spanish
GV: Where is the OWSJ distributed? Where are those key places?
MP: It is distributed in New York neighborhoods where we there is a Latino presence. It is also available in the Judson Memorial Church,  Bretcht Forum and the universities of New York City and Long Island (CUNY). I want to emphasize the work carried out by Mariano Muñoz, one of the main people in charge of the distribution routes of the newspaper.
GV: How has the Occupy Wall Street Journal in Spanish been received?
MP: So far it has been very positive. For example, OWSJ in Spanish was talked about a lot during the General Assemblies.  The idea of creating a new independent newspaper [with original content] was suggested, which will be written exclusively in Spanish. In this newspaper, we will cover news regarding the current situation for immigrants and Latinos in the country. It will also include a section dedicated to the actions of other “occupations” in the United States. In this way, we will continue to strengthen our links.
We count on the support of the editorial team of Occupy Wall Street to carry out this pilot project. It is expected that 20,000 copies of the new newspaper in Spanish will be launched in January 2012.
GV: What is the process for publishing articles in the OWSJ in both English and Spanish?
MP: Articles, comments, questions, etc., must be sent to occupymedia@gmail.com. This address appears both on the last page of the printed edition and the newspaper's website.
The deadline for sending articles to the OWSJ in English is decided by the editorial team. For translations, we normally give a week from the date that the editorial team from the OWSJ in English sends us the articles to translate. In general, when the printed English version goes out, we start the Spanish translations, and approximately a week later the Spanish newspaper is ready to go to print.
GV: Can the newspaper be read in a digital format?
MP: Yes, the Spanish translation of the newspaper now has an active website and it is also available in French and Arabic. A page has also been created in Turkish. This initiative was carried out independently. There was no arrangement with an editorial team. This is one more example of the decentralisation that we want to form.
GV: What role has traditional media played covering the movement?
MP: Traditional media waited for an explosive event to happen, like the massive arrests on the Brooklyn Bridge, to generate news. But I take its news with a pinch of salt because it focuses on trivial and sensationalist details. On the other hand, many people who only read the mainstream press have joined the movement thanks to its coverage. The movement is definitely on the minds of a lot of people.
By the way, at this time a documentary is being made called While we Watch that discusses the role of alternative media in the Occupy Movement. It emphasizes, for example, the excellent work of the team focused on the media coverage of the movement.
GV: Are there other newspapers published in Spanish about other “occupiers”?
MP: I am not aware of other newspapers published in Spanish that focus on the Occupy movement but I would like to think that there are other projects in Spanish.
This post is part of our special coverage #Occupy Worldwide.

author: Yarisa Colon


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Afghanistan:The number 39 is associated with prostitution · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

A Facebook campaign has been launched to fight against wrong mentality about number 39 in Afghanistan. This number is associated to prostitution. Read more here.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Arab World: Best of Arab Blogs  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

OpenDemocracy shares its list of the Best of Arab blogs here. Check out their list, which includes blogs from Egypt, Syria, Tunisia and Morocco, by clicking the link above.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Bahrain: Journalist Mazen Mahdi Detained, then Released  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini journalist Mazen Mahdi tweets that he was detained by police today, and later on released. The Committee to Protect Journalists says the Middle East political turmoil and protests is proving  to be deadly for journalists.


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Bangladesh: Titas is the Name of a Murdered River · Global Voices
Rezwan

The Titas River is a trans-boundary river of south-eastern Bangladesh and it is more known to the Bengalis by a famous novel and a movie titled “A river named Titas“, which depicts the life of the fishermen on its bank.
River Titas, which is the source of livelihood for many people, is now endangered. In Ashuganj town of the Brahmanbaria District of Bangladesh a long diversion road has been hurriedly built through the Titas river and its tributaries and canals obstructing its flow in many parts.
Local media reports that it was done to facilitate transhipment of Indian goods on heavy vehicles as the existing roads and bridges are damaged and cannot bear the load of these huge carriers. Netizens are outraged by the developments.
A road through Titas river. Image courtesy Sharat Chowdhury
Here is a picture of the same place taken on 2008.
Mahfuzur Rahman Manik reports [bn]:
সম্প্রতি সামাজিক যোগাযোগের ওয়েবসাইটগুলোয় (ব্লগ, ফেসবুক) একটা ভিডিওর ব্যাপক ছড়াছড়ি। তেমন কিছু নয়, একুশে টিভিতে প্রচারিত সংবাদের ভিডিও। ‘ট্রানজিট’ নিয়ে প্রচারিত তিন পর্বের এক পর্ব। সেখানে উঠে এসেছে আখাউড়া ও ব্রাহ্মণবাড়িয়ার সংযোগস্থলে তিতাস নদী দ্বিখণ্ডিত হওয়ার করুণ কাহিনী। ভারতকে ট্রানজিট সুবিধা দেয়ার নামে তিতাসের মাঝখানে রাস্তা বানিয়ে কীভাবে তাকে মেরে ফেলা হচ্ছে তার প্রমাণ ভিডিওটি। যারা কখনো তিতাস দেখেননি কিংবা নদী বরাবর কীভাবে রাস্তা বানানো হলো তা দেখার কৌতূহল থেকেও অনেক ইন্টারনেট ব্যবহারকারী এতে ঢুঁ মেরেছেন।
একুশে টেলিভিশন প্রচারিত সংবাদটি বলছে, তিতাস নদীর ওপর বাঁধ দেয়ায় চারপাশের লাখ লাখ হেক্টর জমিতে ফসল উত্পাদনের ওপর বিশাল প্রভাব পড়ছে। এ নদীর ওপর নির্ভর করে যারা জীবিকা নির্বাহ করেন, তাদের জীবনে এসেছে অনিশ্চয়তা। বিশেষ করে জেলেদের অবস্থা খারাপ। সেখানকার মানুষ ঘরে ফসল তুলতে পারেন না। হাজার হাজার হেক্টর জমি তলিয়ে গেছে পানিতে। পরিবেশ বিপর্যয় তো রয়েছেই।
Blogger Kallol Mostafa went to the site and reported [bn]:
ভারতের ত্রিপুরার পালাটানায় ৭২৬ মেগাওয়াট ক্ষমতার একটি বিদ্যুৎ প্রকল্পের প্রয়োজনীয় ভারী যন্ত্রপাতি ৯৬টি ওভার ডাইমেন্সনাল কার্গো’র (ওডিসি) মাধ্যমে পরিবহনের জন্য ৩০ নভেম্বর ২০১০ এ ভারত ও বাংলাদেশের মধ্যে একটি সমঝোতা স্মারক স্বাক্ষরিত হয়। [..] আশুগঞ্জ বন্দর আর আশুগঞ্জ থেকে আখাউড়া সড়ক পথ ওডিসি পরিবহনের অনুপযুক্ত হওয়ায় বন্দর উন্নয়ন, ৪৯ কিমি রাস্তা মেরামত ও ১৮ মিটার পর্যন্ত প্রশস্ত করার জন্য ভারত এককালীন ২৫.৫০ কোটি টাকা প্রদান করবে বলে ঠিক হয়। [..] এই রাস্তায় তিতাস নদী ও বিভিন্ন খালের উপর যেসব ব্রীজ ও কালভার্ট রয়েছে সেগুলো এত ভারী কার্গোর ভার বহনের সক্ষম নয়। তাই রাস্তা মেরামত ও প্রশস্ত করণের পাশাপাশি ভারতের আসাম বেঙ্গল কেরিয়ার বা এবিসি ইন্ডিয়াকে দ্বায়িত্ব দেয়া হলো ব্রীজ ও কালভার্টগুলোর পাশ দিয়ে “বিকল্প রাস্তা” তৈরী করার।
A makeshift road near the culvert on a canal of Titas river. Image by Niloy Das. Courtesy Dinmojur Blog
The whole article has been shared many times in social networks. Kallol also shares [bn] his frustrations and anger:
দুনিয়ার আর কোন দেশের শাসক শ্রেণী এইভাবে নিজ দেশের নদী-খালের মাঝখান দিয়ে বাধ নির্মাণ করে আরেক দেশের মালামাল পরিবহনের ব্যবস্থা করেছে বলে আমাদের জানা নাই।
Some bloggers took an initiative to carry out a visit to the site. A Facebook event [bn] was created.
Kowshik provides [bn] the scope of the visit:
আমাদের রাজনীতি নেই, আমরা রাজনীতি বুঝি না – কিন্তু সব গেলো সব গেলো বলে আহাজারি করতে পারি! সেই আহাজারীর মাত্রা আরেকটু বাড়াতে আগামী ৩০শে ডিসেম্বর তিতাসের খণ্ডিত বুকে গিয়ে জানতে চাই সেখানকার মানুষদের কি মতামত!
Kowshik also provided frequent updates [bn] of the bloggers’ initiatives.
Here is a three part videocast showing interviews of bloggers and locals:
(Part 1: Featuring Ali Asif Galib [bn])
(Part 2: Featuring Sharat Chowdhury [bn])
(Part 3: Featuring Ali Mahmed [bn])
Blogger Sharat Chowdhury shares his experience [bn] of actually being there:
আমরা দেখি নদীর বুক চিড়ে রাস্তা বানানো হয়েছে। ট্রানজিটের রাস্তা। আমাদের নতজানুতার পথ। এই পথ দেখে আমাদের কষ্ট হয়, ঘৃণা হয়, অবিশ্বাস গাঢ় হয় সরকারের বিবেচনা বোধ আর সদিচ্ছার প্রতি।
Sharat adds:
এই মুহুর্তে প্রতিবাদ প্রতিরোধ ছাড়া আর কোন পথ নেই। ব্লগাররা কাজ করতে পারেন স্থানীয় অপনিয়ন লিডার হিসেবে। কেবল রাজধানী-কেন্দ্রীক আন্দোলনের বদলে আমরা এমনও দেখতে পারি যে ব্রাম্মণবাড়ীয়া, আশুগঞ্জের ব্লগাররা প্রতিবাদ জানিয়েছেন স্থানীয় প্রশাসনকে। অবহিত করেছেন স্থানীয় মানুষদের। সংগঠিত করেছেন। এটা আমাদের করতেই হবে।


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Bermuda: Race, Politics & Society · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Catch-a-fire says that when it comes to race, “there are few issues which are as controversial or fundamental in understanding Bermudian politics and society.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Brazil: Military Police Strike and Looting Cause Panic in Fortaleza · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

–
[All links in this post lead to Portuguese language pages except when otherwise noted.]
On the eve of the New Year's festivities, the population in the state of Ceará, Brazil, was taken by surprise with a strike by the military police and firefighters. Propagating both facts and rumors surrounding the violence, the hashtag #CaosEmFortaleza (ChaosInFortaleza) has brought together general grumbling, formal complaints, ironic musings and misinformation on the social and political atmosphere in the capital city of Fortaleza.
On the evening of December 29, 2011, military police and firefighters assembled in the barracks of the military police's Company 6 of the 5th Battalion, located in Fortaleza's Antonio Bezerra neighborhood, and formally commenced the strike. They occupied the locale and called for professional compensation in terms of both education/training as well as higher salaries.
Fearing violence, Governor Cid Gomes declared a state of emergency and called in the Army and the National Guard to patrol Fortaleza. The governor is currently in the capital city, but he has not made any public appearance or statements to date. Negotiations have taken place between the representative of the Association of Public Security Professionals (APROSPEC in Portuguese), the federal attorney general, the state attorney general and the president of the Ceará Chapter of the Brazilian Bar Association.
Panic escalates with the spread of facts and rumors
On January 2 and 3, 2012, Trending Topics Brazil registered the following top hashtags/expressions from the citizens of Fortaleza: #CaosEmFortaleza (ChaosInFortaleza), #aculpaedogovernador (itsthegovernorsfault), and the expression ‘Cid Gomes.’ Throughout January 2, reports shared on social networks and the media referred to attacks on restaurants and stores, and to looting along the main avenues and in the downtown area. There are still questions being raised as to the extent of the situation since some of the images and information that has been shared have proven to be false.
Student Débora Vaz (@deboravaz) tweeted a message pleading caution:
Todo cuidado é pouco na hora de separar o que está acontecendo de verdade e o que é histeria coletiva. #CaosEmFortaleza
A photo of thieves on motorcycles, guns in hand, was widely circulated on Facebook, with claims that the photo had been taken somewhere in the depressed outskirts of Fortaleza. Hours later, the truth emerged: the photo had been taken in August 2010 in Rio de Janeiro during a clash between the police and drug traffickers.
Twitterer Thallis Cantizani (@tcantizani) drove through the Barra do Ceará neighborhood with a friend to investigate the alleged situation of shootings and attacks in the area. She found a very different situation and satirically reported her findings via video:
Galera, eu rodei por Fortaleza/Barra e não vi isso tudo que vocês estão dizendo, me desculpem #CaosEmFortaleza t.co/pK4m0qz5
Satirical responses to the situation include remarks by @Rezenha_de_Gil, who ironically tweeted that #Chaos InFortaleza was likely a name for a music band playing the local musical genre of forró, and by Gustavo (@gustavo_ns) joking about Twitter traffic with the governor's name, which remained a trending topic for nearly an hour. He made a reference to the rumor that had surfaced in 2010 regarding the expression ‘Cala Boca Galvão’ (Shut Up Galvão), also reported [en] on Global Voices:
Cid Gomes is a rare bird of the interior of Ceará at risk of extinction.
On the morning of January 3, filmmaker Juliana Ribeiro (@Juju_Ribeiro) complained:
Gente, sério: galera faz piada, mas o quão absurdo é a cidade inteira parada c/ medo d assalto s/ nenhuma notícia d negociação p/ resolver?
Reporter Fábio Campos (@fabiocamposm) questioned the governor's lack of engagement:
O governador erra ao não se pronunciar. Prevalece um vácuo de autoridade.
Student Camila Mont'Alverne (@camilambpp) condemned the government of  Cid Gomes, which was criticized in 2011 for its reaction to the teachers’ strike and also for its policy of removing communities in expectation of the 2014 World Cup.
Twitterer Bárbara Alencar (@BabiAlencarCE) related the situation to the apocalyptic theories surrounding 2012:
Dizem que o mundo acaba em 2012…tinha que começar logo em Fortaleza? :( #CaosEmFortaleza
January 3, the day Fortaleza stood still
Facebook users are posting a photo montage of the game Grand Theft Auto Fortaleza
If many reports were proved false, many public figures provided first hand reports that served to misinform the public and create more panic. TV reporter and anchorwoman Maísa Vasconcelos (@maisanablogo) tweeted:
Assalto, tiros e terror na Frei Mansueto, Varjota #Fortaleza. Eu vivi.
Writer Socorro Acioli (@AcioliSocorro) tweeted what she had seen from her apartament:
Arrastão na via expressa. bandidos param os carros com pedradas, mandam descer. Não é boato,estou vendo da minha janela.
Stores in the city's downtown area closed after reports of looting and attacks. The area, which is generally packed with people and street vendors, was empty, as seen in the photo tweeted by Jarbas Oliveira (@jarbas_oliveira):
Photo shared on Twitter by @jarbas_oliveira: "Pedro Pereira Street in downtown Fortaleza today at 2:28 p.m. It looks like the days everyone takes off when Brazil plays in the World Cup."
Facebook user Sabryna Esmeraldo tried to raise awareness after everything she had seen and heard from friends:
De boa, quem estiver dizendo que é só boatos e terror deve estar em casa, tranquilo. Várias lojas fechadas no centro, quase todas na Dom Manoel fechadas, ruas desertas, helicopteros e policia para o arrastao do Mercado Central, ônibus ameaçando parar (isso quem me disse foi um motorista de onibus), arrastao no HGF, tentativa no Cesar Cals, Shopping Via Sul fechado, lojas da aldeota fechadas, antonio sales e domingos olimpio tb. Essas todas ou eu vi ou pessoas realmente proximas me disseram. Não sei o quanto mais das outras coisas é boato, mas realmente to preferindo acreditar…
Effemberg (@Effemberg) tweeted the public's general impressions of January 3:
03/01/2012 o dia que Fortaleza parou #CaosEmFortaleza
Sociologist Márlia Paiva (@MarliaMaloca) stressed that, with the people bunkering down in their homes, the general 6:00 p.m. traffic simply ceased to exist:
Faltam 15min p/ às 18h e não existe nenhum congestionamento em Fortaleza.Conseguiram acabar com o caos do trânsito em Fortaleza.Como foi? =P
Márlia Paiva also posted on Facebook a photo she had taken on her cell phone of an army vehicle on Domingos Olímpio Avenue.
The  repercussions of violence on everyday living
Given the threat of violence, post offices and some health clinics chose to stop operating for the day. The number of busses on the street decreased as of January 2, with bus drivers citing a lack of security on their routes and through neighborhoods marked as dangerous.
On January 2, the State Department of Justice declared the strike unconstitutional and ordered everyone back to work, levying a R$500 fine upon anyone who chose to defy the order. Nevertheless, the strike continued.
Early in the afternoon on January 3, the Ceará Chapter of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB-CE) publicized a note clarifying the strike. The note stressed the legitimacy of the claims put forward by the police officers although it criticized participation by all officers on account of having caused trouble and bringing danger upon the city's citizens. While the impasse continues, the population remains reclusive, afraid of going out in the streets.

author: João Miguel Lima


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Caribbean: Looking Back on 2011 · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The regional blogosphere in 2011 saw a few territories, most notably Cuba, taking front and centre – especially when it came to digital activism.  The rest of the Caribbean meanwhile, grappled with everything from homophobia to states of emergency, weathered hurricanes and questioned the boundaries of online privacy, discussed a plane crash and World AIDS Day and became ardent fans of Project Runway.
Here's a quick look at what our Spanish Language Editor, Firuzeh Shokooh Valle and I agreed was noteworthy this year…
Haiti – Earthquake recovery, Aristide & elections
As physically and economically ravaged Haiti struggled to find its bearings a year after the January 12, 2010 earthquake, Twitter was full of tweets bearing the hashtags #remember #Haiti as netizens recalled the devastation and spared a thought for earthquake victims and survivors alike.
The country was soon to face another strange reality in the form of ousted dictator Jean Claude Duvalier's curiously timed return to his homeland.  There was soon talk of an impending arrest for acts of corruption during his tenure, but although charges were filed, the case soon appeared to fall by the wayside, reportedly because the statute of limitations had expired.
Tent city, Juvenat,
A couple of months later, the country's elections took centre stage, with reports of election threats and subsequent violence.  As it turned out, the candidate accused of leveling those threats, Michel Martelly, popularly known by the moniker “Sweet Micky”, went on to claim victory in the polls.
Throughout the earthquake and election turmoil, frustration continued to mount against the United Nations presence in Haiti (MINUSTAH), partly as a result of its troops being responsible for an outbreak of cholera that killed thousands of Haitians, and partly for their crimes against the Haitian people.
Cuba – Deaths of dissident and Las Damas leader and reforms
The (albeit measured) jubilation over the release of Cuban political prisoners in 2010 soon turned to sadness following the death of opposition member Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia.  Local dissidents insisted that he had been beaten by police, while the government maintained that Soto's “acute pancreatitis…led to multiple organ failure”, even calling the allegations of police brutality a “'smear campaign’ aimed at weakening the Cuban revolution.”
The incident called into question modus operandi of the Cuban government, especially considering its routine crackdowns on Las Damas de Blanco, one of the most respected opposition movements on the island, whose members comprise the wives of prisoners of conscience.
The Ladies in White were soon thrust into the spotlight again – this time because of the hospitalization of the group's vibrant leader, Laura Pollan, who subsequently passed away.  The official cause of death was an unidentified infection that reportedly turned out to be dengue fever, but some camps suggested that her treatment may have been sub-standard because of her political stance.
Even as tributes poured in for the late human rights activist, bloggers expressed concern for the safety of other Cuban dissidents, given the climate of apparent state-sanctioned aggression against them.
One of the high points in the Cuban blogosphere this year was the first meeting of users of the social network Twitter #TwitHab, held last July in Havana at 23rd and 12th of the Vedado district and in the Pabellón Cuba.
The event hosted almost 100 people, mostly young journalism students, administrators, professors, journalists and bloggers, among others. The event was not free of controversy; nevertheless, Twitter has evidently served as an interesting venue for expression, debate and solidarity.
The sixth congress of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), held in Havana from April 16-19, marked a turning point for the Cuban economic system, and for Cuban society at large. Party members approved measures to institute term limits for top party and government leaders, legalize home ownership and sales, and restructure state salaries so that they will be determined in part by the amount and quality of labor performed by workers.
Dominican Republic – Drugs, hurricanes and gold medals
Last November, the Partido de  la Liberación Dominicana (PLD-Dominican Liberation Party) nominated Margarita Cedeño, the wife of current president Leonel Fernández, to run for vice-president in the next elections. The drug connection between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico has also made headlines this year: September saw was the sentencing of the infamous Figueroa Acosta case [es], considered one of the most scandalous cases of drug trafficking in both these islands.
At the start of the hurricane season, Hurricane Irene devastated the north coast of Dominican Republic [es] leaving approximately 30,000 affected and 11,000 people displaced.  (The storm also affected the Bahamas).
Finally, it was a great year in sports: the Dominican Republic achieved a historical record of medals [es] in the past edition of the Pan-American Games held in Guadalajara, Mexico, with seven gold, nine silver, and 17 bronze medals in 26 events.
Trinidad and Tobago – State of emergency
In August, many netizens were taken aback at the unexpected declaration of a state of emergency, ostensibly to deal with the country's rising crime rate.  Nicholas Laughlin summed up the general feeling by pointing out that “this legal step, which affects a broad range of civil rights, has triggered widespread debate about the roots of violent crime in Trinidad and Tobago and the implications of the government's latest strategy.”
The government's gaffes resulted in confusion and mounting frustration; bloggers vented online here and here.  When the state of emergency finally came to an end and as expected, violent crime  rebounded, the citizenry was left wondering what it achieved, if anything at all.
Puerto Rico – Domestic violence and crime, the arts and sports
The year 2011 was the most violent in the Island’s history with 1,136 murders as of early in the day December 31 [es], a 15% increase from 2010. Twenty-six women were murdered (eight cases are still under investigation) by their partners or ex-partners, one of the highest rates in years.
Farewells
Finally, Caribbean bloggers were eloquent in their farewells to some luminary people, both home-grown and international.  Trinidad and Tobago lost an environmental champion with the passing of Professor Julian Kenny, as well as an important cultural icon with the death of Dr. Pat Bishop.  Remembrances also poured in as tech-minded bloggers learned of the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and wrote about how his visionary products helped to transform their work and their lives.
The human rights activist Sonia Pierre died on December 4. She was 48. Pierre dedicated her life to advocate for the rights of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic and of Dominicans of Haitian origin. Pierre was the founder of MUDHA — Movimiento De Mujeres Dominico-Haitiana or Movement of Dominican Haitian Women. She is remembered as a courageous activist who fought against racism and sexism all her life.
More to look forward to
We have no doubt that in 2012, Caribbean bloggers will have a lot more to talk about – the outcome of Jamaica's recently-held general elections is just one topic that comes to mind – and we look forward to following the regional blogosphere as we continue to strive to facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas.


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Chile: Wildfire in Torres del Paine Shocks Netizens · Global Voices
Elizabeth Rivera

Since December 29, 2011, Twitter has been flooded with messages referring to a massive fire in national park Torres del Naipe, one of the most important touristic spots in Chile and a declared Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO. One of the first users to talk about the fire was journalist Gonzalo Ramírez (@tvn_gonzalo) [es]:
Malas noticias desde Torres del Paine. Ya van 1500 hectáreas afectadas por incendio descontrolado.
Bad news from Torres del Paine. There are already 1500 hectares affected by an uncontrolled fire.
This disaster has shocked Chilean netizens who have expressed their feelings of worry, anger, sadness and hope that the fire gets controlled soon on various social networks. The tending topic “Torres del Paine” and the hashtag #salvemostorresdelpaine (let's save Torres del Paine) have been used to inform and comment on the fire.
At the time of writing the post, the fire had been burning for four days and 11.000 hectares had been consumed, which is equivalent to more than 21 thousand football fields as it was explained in an infographic [es] published by the online community Sentidos Comunes (Common Senses). Also, the ONEMI [es] (National Office for Emergencies – Interior Ministry) Director, Vicente Nuñez, said on December 30 [es]:
Estamos ante una situación altamente compleja, con un escenario de carácter extremo, principalmente por condiciones de topografía, fuertes vientos y estado de vegetación altamente combustible
We have a very complex situation on our hands, with an extreme scene, mainly because topography, strong winds and vegetation that is highly combustible.
Various citizen media have picked up reactions, including online newspaper El Dínamo which published a Storify [es] with pictures of the fire taken and shared by Twitter users. Also, YouTube user Reggaetonmusicfull [es] uploaded this video filmed during the park evacuation.
Indignation grew among netizens as time went by and authorities showed no clear organization and mass media didn't cover the news.
Simón Borić Font (@sboric)[es], a journalist from Magallanes, remembered last year's plane crash accident that resulted in the tragic death of 21 people in September in the Juan Fernandez archipelago:
A Juan Fernández mandaron 3 fragatas, 15 aviones y más de 500 hombres. En Torres de Paine hay 25 soldados chilenos y 23 ARGENTINOS (Chauque)
To Juan Fernandez they sent 3 ships, 15 airplanes and more than 500 men. In Torres del Paine there are 25 Chilean soldiers and 23 Argentinean (Chauque)
Luis Mariano Rendón, Acción Ecológica (Ecological Action) coordinator, a NGO known for its opposition to HidroAysén, said on a press release replicated on several online outlets [es]:
Hubiésemos querido ver a este Gobierno, que es tan ágil para lanzarle agua a la ciudadanía que lucha por sus derechos, ser igualmente ágil para lanzarle agua a las llamas que consumen nuestro patrimonio natural
We would have wanted to see this government that is so agile to throw water to the people that are fighting for its rights to be equally agile to throw water to the flames that are consuming our natural heritage
Psychology student and Punta Arenas neighbor Luis Sandoval Pérez (@orpheoslira) remarked:
Los twitteros los únicos informantes wn, que cuático. Los medios guatiando #salvemostorresdelpaine
Twitter users are the only ones informing dude, that's crazy. Mass media failing #salvemostorresdelpaine
Others remembered that in 2005 there was a similar fire and no corrective action was taken to improve the security in the zone, while the penalties for those responsible were low. Designer Marcial Barría (@marcialbarria) complained:
Por lo visto.. el incendio del 2005 en el Parque no dejó ninguna lección. #salvemostorresdelpaine
Apparently… 2005's fire in the Park didn't leave any lessons behind. #salvemostorresdelpaine
Famous Twitter users @elquenoaporta said:
Turistas rayan en Cusco: presos. Turista provoca, en 2005, incendio de 17.000 has en Torres del Paine: multa de $120 mil. #asinosepuede
Photo by Twitter user @IvanGomezS, used with permission
Meanwhile, the government has declared the place a catastrophe zone decreeing that the park will stay closed during January. Also, the President has asked for help to other countries like the United States, Australia and Argentina to fight the fire.
Foreigners that were inside the park when this all started shared their testimonies on the Internet.
Global Voices author Miguel Angel Guevara told us by email:
Estaba en las torres del paine cuando nos tuvieron que evacuar, ayer regresé a puerto natales, hay mucha información aquí en el pueblo pero muchos rumores. […] La situacion ha evolucionado demasiado rápidamente, nos enteramos del incendio hace dos días cuando estábamos en el campamento italiano, y supimos que no podríamos ir al glaciar grey, después en la noche empezó a llegar olor a quemado al parque, y al siguiente día el guarda parques nos despertó a todos en el campamento para decirnos que había que evacuar. Evacuamos, pero ya en el horizonte no se veía nada, estaba lleno de humo, a mi me dieron naúseas al intentar caminar.
I was in Torres del Paine when they had to evacuate us. Yesterday, I went back to Puerto Natales. There's a lot of information here in town but a lot of rumors […] The situation has evolved too fast, we knew about the fire two days ago when we were at the Italian camp, then we learned that we would not be able to go to the Grey Glacier. Then at night we started smelling something burning in the park, and the next day a park ranger woke up everybody at the camp to tell us we needed to evacuate. We left, but it was already hard to see anything on the horizon, it was filled with smoke, I was nauseous as I tried to walk.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica left this comment in the post “Chile cries, her beauty burns: Fire in Torres del Paine” from the blog Matador:
The park should have been closed sooner. The guides coming out of the park knew it was out of control on Day 2 […] I have talked with several people evacuated from the park who said they were not given any information while they waited for hours in refugios watching the smoke and fire get closer.  Some were even charged money to escape on the tourist boats on Lago Grey. […]
Blogger Claudia Saunders was also at Torres del Paine when the fire started and after evacuating she posted a call to action in her blog where she echoes the feelings and hopes of many who are closely following the developments:
It's with a heaviness in my heart and a saddness [sic] in my soul that I write this entry. Torres del Paine is burning. It's an act of recklessness, selfishness and stupidity. No fires are allowed in the park, it's one of the few rules to protect this incredible place. Anyone who has been here knows why, the winds in Patagonia are a force unto themselves. But a group of people thought this rule didn't apply to them. With a mixture of despair and anger I watched thick red/brown clouds spill over the ridges and fill the whole valley with smoke…and i cried. […]
[…] I am asking you all to do your part and collectively we can hold in our consciousness the safety and well-being of all of those who rushed in to fight the fire and for a quick and harmonious end to it.
I saw young men, old men, military personnel, park rangers, gauchos and guides leave everything behind and in a moment load up horses, on foot, in cars and boats to reach the beginnings of the blaze and to battle it. This is their home. This is their prize. This is their livelihood and they are struggling to save it.
Photo by Flickr user Nekane Ortega Albarran (NoaPhoto) (CC BY-NC 2.0)

author: Elizabeth Rivera


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Cuba: Internet in a Flash  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

At Havana Times, Alfredo Fernandez blogs about Cuba's “strange form of the Internet” – the flash drive.


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Georgia: Return of the Meskhetian Turks  · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

This post is part of our special coverage on Refugees.
The repatriation of the Meskhetian Turks to Georgia from Azerbaijan, Russia and Central Asia is not just a priority for the Georgian government, but also an obligation it has had to fulfill to the Council of Europe since becoming a member in 1999. Over 100,000 people were deported by Stalin in 1944, from the Meskheti region of Georgia, among them Hemshin (Muslim Armenians), Kurds, and Karapapakhs. By far the largest group relocated, however, were the Meskhetian Turks.
At least 400,000 Meskhetian Turks now live outside of Georgia, although it has been unclear how many would return in a process that should have officially ended last year, but which might be extended. This has been one of the reasons why the process of resettlement has taken so long, especially as ethnic Armenians now make up the majority population in what is now the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. As a result, in order not to strain inter-ethnic relations, the Georgian government is settling Meskhetian Turks throughout the country.
East of Center recently touched upon the sensitivities surrounding the issue:
Thanks to Stalin’s paranoia, millions of Muslims and members of various non-Slavic ethnic groups in the Soviet Union were forcibly relocated to Central Asia during the ’30s and ’40s. It’s hard to think of any of these communities that has been victimized more often and so thoroughly ignored by the wider world as the Meskhetian Turks. […]
Clearly, however, Georgia is not capable of resettling that large a population anywhere on its territory, much less the underdeveloped Samtskhe-Javakheti region where the Meskhetians originally lived. And then there is the Armenian question, and a large dose of anti-Muslim feeling. […]
Salim Khamdiv of Abastumani village. Khamdiv was 14 when the deportation happened © Temo Bardzimashvili
However, in a two-year application period ending in July 2010, the Georgian government received only 5,841 eligible applications according to the European Center for Minority Issues (ECMI). This amounted to just 9,350 individuals. Ahıska Türkleri – Ahıskalılar explains what the Meskhetian Turks hope for:
We want to return our lands from which we were expelled unjustly. As of today, we have been settling down in 2000 different settlements at 9 different countries including USA. We have difficulty in getting citizenship, settlement permission and work permission in the countries where we live. Our culture and language is on the edge of vanishing. We want to return our country as Georgian citizens and to live in our lands from now on.
Osman Mekhriev (left) and Islam Niazov, elders of the Abastumani Meskhetian community, take a break from the holiday prayers during the end of Ramazan celebrations © Temo Bardzimashvili
Last year, Zaka Guluyev's Blog detailed the situation of some of those that have returned, mainly from Azerbaijan, to Samtskhe-Javakheti:
Muslim Arifov and his family has come back to Akhiltskhe three years ago from Saatly, settlement of Azerbaijan. Arifov says that now he feels  happy coming back and  live in his motherland Georgia. “My parents were unfairly deported from this region. Now I’m happy that I  managed to come back and live in my home Georgia with my family.”
Two months ago Muslim’s relative Mehemmed Rehimov also decided to come back with his family from Azerbaijan and to live in his motherland Akhlstkhe. Mehemmed Rehimov says that Georgia seems better place to live in. “It’s very good sense to live in my motherland Georgia. two months already past after my coming to Georgia. I’m  happy here with my family and I’m feeling myself very well”.
[…]
Ismayil Moidze,  the chairman of the [Vatan Georgian Axhiska Turks] society says that, their organization was expecting more people to apply for returning. But he explains that many families refused to apply because […] many documents are required for applying [for] repatriat status in Georgia. […] That’s why many families decided to stay where they live”.
Rana Rajabova, a 24-year-old bride in the Azerbaijani village of Shirinbeili. Rana's grandparents, natives of the Arali village in Georgia's Adigeni region, were deported to Uzbekistan. Before the deportation they were told by the soldiers that they would return in 7 days, so no belongings should be taken. Her grandmother hid her gold jewelry at home with the hope of returning after a week. Rana's family has applied for the repatriation and says that they do not want to be "refugees." © Temo Bardzimashvili
Georgian Youth | Multiculturality | New Challenges looks at how the new arrivals are reintegrating:
In Samstkhe-Javakheti, the regional association “Toleranti” provides families of repatriated Meskhetians with legal counseling, medical assistance and language support. In the frame of its 3-year project “Provision of humanitarian assistance to repatriate Meskhs and prevention of “self-repatriation”, the association noticeably organizes classes for young repatriated Meskhetians twice a week. Youth who attend the classes hope to improve their chances of success at school, where they receive tuition in Georgian, and to support their integration in the community.
Considering how motivated they are to learn Georgian, and as quickly as possible, this integration is usually 100% successful.
[…]
As many others however, one thing prevents them from totally feeling home in Georgia: they are waiting for an answer to their application for the Georgian citizenship, which they sent two years ago. Without citizenship, they are not fully-fledged citizens in Georgia, and therefore struggle to have access to basic services like medical assistance. They have no choice, though: just like the others, they have to wait […] – this means a life of uncertainty in the long-term…
Portraits of Abdullah Gamidov, his wife Khalida, and her father Zia Chumidze lie on the checkerboard in the Gamidov's house in Kant, Kyrgystan. Zia Chumidze was fighting at the frontline when the deportation happened and never made it home. © Temo Bardzimashvili
Where's Keith comments on the work of Georgian journalist and photographer Temo Bardzimashvili who has been documenting the return of the Mskhetian Turks to Georgia as well as their lives in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. Some of Bardzimashvili's work, “The Unpromised Land – the Meskhetians’ Long Journey Home,” was exhibited in Tbilisi, sponsored by the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI), and accompanies this post with kind permission.
Delizia Flaccavento also posts photographs of a Meskhetian refugee community in Buffalo, New York, as does Meskhetian Turk Refugees in Atlanta, Georgia (the US State). Meanwhile ECMI says there is a “serious need […] to enhance public awareness on the right of deported persons to return and on the repatriation process […], in particular through the media and the educational system.”
This post is part of our special coverage on Refugees.


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Iran: 100 Bloggers Boycott Parliamentary Election · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

About 100 bloggers has boycotted [fa] the next parliamentary election in March. They call it a circus and ask the opposition to use the creative way to protest against it.


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Iran: Iranian activist’s video message from prison · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

An Iranian political activist, Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, sent out a video message from the Rajayishahr prison. He said “repression and violence can not stop our movement”.


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Iran:Iranian internet users to be cut off from World Wide Web  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several bloggers report [fa] that Iran's Corporate Computer Systems [fa] says that Iran will be cut off from the World Wide Web once the country launches its own national internet network in near future.


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Israel: Protest Against the Deportation of Children of Migrant Workers  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

On Facebook, Elizabeth Tsurkov shares this set of photographs she took during a protest held against the deportation of the children of migrant workers in Tel Aviv, Israel, tonight.


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Latin America, 2011: A Year Marked by Social Movements · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

As the Arab Spring unfolded throughout 2011, and as Spain’s indignados and the now worldwide ‘Occupy’ movement gained momentum, important social movements also rose up across Central and South America.
In 2011, Latin Americans took to the streets in big cities and small towns to defend their right to education, protect their lands from road and mining projects, and demand peace. Now, we remember the Global Voices Latin American team's coverage of these important mobilizations as we look back on 2011.
Student movements
Images of Chilean student protests made news around the world for months. While most international media focused on the recurring clashes between protesters and the police, on social networks citizens shared analysis, reports, images and videos from the ground.
For over six months, Chilean high school and university students staged various protests to demand an overhaul of the educational system. Students blogged and live-streamed their tomas (school occupations) documenting their experience inside the schools. They also uploaded citizen videos of cacerolazos (pot banging demonstrations) and the various incidents – negative and positive – that took place during protests, including a video which shows students stopping a group of violent protesters.
The student movement remained a hot topic on social networks as protests continued; in October, the Chilean Ministry of Interior presented an ‘Anti-Occupation’ bill to congress and later invoked a State Security Law, heating up the debate among netizens.
Meanwhile, in Colombia, students and professors held meetings and protested against a proposal to reform the higher education ‘Law 30′ that would, among other things, allow private investment in public universities.
Six months later, workers and students joined in a nationwide demonstration, and university students began a university strike demanding the government withdraw the bill to reform Law 30 from congress. On the eve of a nationwide protest scheduled for November 10, President Juan Manuel Santos announced he would withdraw the bill if students lifted the strike.
Despite the announcement, demonstrations were held on November 10 and in Bogotá students ‘occupied’ Bolivar Square. The next day, the Presidency's Twitter account reported the President had asked congress to remove the bill, and in the following days students began to gradually return to class.
"We've said: enough" Students protest on November 10, 2011 in Bogotá. Image by Flickr user Juan Camaron (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
But student protests had not ended for the year. Inspired by the student movements in Colombia and Chile, on November 24, students throughout Latin America marched to demand free, high-quality education.
Controversial projects
In 2011, several Latin American countries faced a recurring dilemma: mines, roads, and other projects that promised economic growth and development also raised environmental concerns and threatened to infringe upon indigenous rights.
In June, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced a controversial project to build a road that would go through the Indigenous Territory National Park Isiboro Sécure (TIPNIS); in August, indigenous groups and their supporters began a 500 kilometer march towards La Paz to oppose the project.
In September, reports of police repression against the indigenous marchers spread on social networks. As a result, citizens began to mobilize both online and on the streets to show their support for the cause to defend TIPNIS. Netizens like Luis Chuquimia (@chuquijosel) [es] described the arrival of the marchers to La Paz on October 19:
las calles pacenhas….quedaron flores, mixtura, banderas  de papel…lagrimas, abrazos…sonrisas..pasos que calan historias #TIPNIS  ES VIDA
Finally, on October 21, President Morales announced the road will not go through TIPNIS.
TIPNIS march. Image by Flickr user Pablo Rivero (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
In November, in neighboring Peru, bloggers reflected on several mining protests, including demonstrations against the Minas Conga gold mining project in Cajamarca. A strike caused the company to suspend the project, which, as Global Voices author Isabel Guerra explained:
[is] considered to be the largest mining investment in the history of Peru, [and] according to its opponents threatens to destroy some 20 lagoons, which serve as a foundation for  local ecosystems and a source of water for farming communities.
Protests continued well into December despite the suspension, as opponents called for the total cancellation of the project; as a result, the government declared a state of emergency. The conflict is not yet resolved, but local bloggers have continued reporting from Cajamarca, and social networks users from all over Peru will keep sharing their reactions as events unfold.
Another mining controversy that has caused mixed opinions involves open-pit iron ore mine ‘Aratiri’ in Centro Chato, a small village in central Uruguay. In 2011, the controversial project divided Uruguayan netizens: some see it as an opportunity for employment and economic growth, while others  are concerned about the environmental consequences and question whether  the country will actually benefit from the mine’s profits. Developments will surely be followed closely by bloggers in 2012.
Marching for peace
Mexico's Drug War, a major military operation against drug cartels launched by President Felipe Calderón in December 2006, has left tens of thousands of victims. In 2011, Mexican citizens took to the streets and the Internet to say ‘enough’.
In May, Mexicans participated in a massive 4-day, nationwide march for peace, and demonstrations were also held in countries around the globe on May 8.
The march, which began in Cuernavaca on May 5 and ended in Mexico City on the 8, was organized by  Mexican poet and activist Javier Sicilia, who became the leader of the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity [es] after his son was killed.
With the Mexican blogosphere buzzing with commentary on the issue of violence, GV en Español organized a blog carnival on “Citizenry, Violence and Blogs”. The following posts summarize the results of the carnival:
Shortly after the Blog Carnival, reports of online activists becoming targets and victims of brutal killings stirred social networks. In a guest post for Global Voices Advocacy, ARTICLE19 explained:
Against a backdrop of endemic violence against journalists, social  networks and other online communication platforms such as “Nuevo Laredo  en Vivo” are increasingly being used by citizens – especially in  Tamaulipas [to] break the silence around criminal activities that are not  being reported in the press because of the pervading climate of fear and  self-censorship.
As Mexico prepares to elect a new president in 2012, the War on Drugs and how to reach peace will surely keep the conversation on social networks going.
The Latin American team will work hard to amplify more of these important citizen voices from across the region in 2012. If you'd like to help us, we have several author vacancies for you to consider and there are multiple ways you can get involved in the Global Voices community. We hope you will join us as you continue reading, commenting, and sharing our stories; you can also follow us on Twitter @gvamericalatina.
Happy New Year!

author: Silvia Viñas


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Latin America, 2012: A Year of Land-Related Protests? · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

In his blog Latin American Thought, Alejandro Sánchez looks ahead at what could happen in Latin America in 2012 and argues that “we will see more land-related issues (read protests) in several countries, more so than we have seen already.” Read more about some of last year's land-related demonstrations in our 2011 roundup.


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Lebanon: Non-Political Blog Stories of 2011 · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

In an end-of-year post, Mustapha compiles a collection of top non-political Lebanese blog posts he wrote during 2011. He introduces the collection by saying: “The Arab spring and the turmoil in Lebanese politics dominated the 1,210  posts in this blog in 2011. But this year also witnessed other stories and off-beat, quirky little Lebanese memes that helped shape the year in their own way.”

author: Moussa Bashir


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Mexico’s ‘Political-Civic Disconnect’ in the Search for Peace · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Fred Rosen, from the NACLA blog Mexico, Bewildered and Contested, explains that when it comes to movements that seek an end to violence in Mexico, “there is a major disconnect between, on the one hand, the movements that have arisen from (and remain in) civil society and, on the other hand, movements that seek state power through the organization of political parties.”


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Philippines: Manhunt for ‘Human Rights Violator’ Goes Online · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

The efforts to catch Major General Jovito Palparan have gone online after an arrest warrant was finally issued against the alleged human rights violator in the Philippines. Human rights victims, witnesses, families, and their supporters have called for a public manhunt of Palparan after his failed attempt to escape the country and subsequent hiding from the authorities.
Notorious as the “The Butcher,” Palparan has been charged with the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of University of the Philippines student activists Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno.
Palparan is also infamous for the rise of cases of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and other human rights abuses in every province where he was assigned under the regime of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Human rights groups have documented at least 1,206 extrajudicial killings, 206 enforced disappearances, and 2,059 illegal arrests and detention under the past administration.
Netizens have been encouraged to help the mothers of the two missing activists attain justice by posting the “Wanted: Palparan” poster released by the human rights groups Karapatan, Desaparecidos, and Hustisya on blogs, Facebook pages, and other social media. Here is a video that the same groups have uploaded online:
The mothers of Cadapan and Empeno said that the arrest order of Palparan signals a new beginning in the quest to hold human rights violators accountable and ending impunity in the country, which continues to hold sway under the new administration of Noynoy Aquino.
Such impunity is wrought by the brazen commission of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other forms of human rights violations under the Macapagal-Arroyo regime. Such violations continue with impunity to this date under the Aquino administration, which has been remiss in pursuing justice for the victims and has sustained the same kind of counter-insurgency measure which terrorizes and wantonly violates human rights.
Mindanao-based journalist Karlos Manlupig remembers his own encounters with Palparan and the fear the latter roused during the May 2010 elections in Davao, Southern Mindanao.
Student activists, as a joke, refer to Palparan as Tito Palpy and usually use it to scare some kasamas [fellow activists] when they go home late, “Hala ka, naa baya si Tito Palpy diha sa gawas sa gate. Ginahulat ka [Beware, Tito Palpy is just there outside the gate. Waiting for you].”
University of the Philippines Student Regent Krissy Conti notes that the arrest of Palparan would bring peace to the minds of many UP students engaged in social work.
Palparan et al’s arrest and detention in ordinary jails would give us a little peace of mind as we continue to conduct field work, immerse in communities, and serve the people where we can find them – the same way Karen and Sherlyn did. We have no bounty to offer, but to those who can bring in the men who terrorized the countryside have our deepest gratitude.
Ellen Torsedillas meanwhile recalls in her blog how former President Arroyo awarded Palparan despite the controversies surrounding the figure.
In her sixth State-of-the-Nation address on July 24, 2006, Gloria Arroyo, amidst cries of parents of University of the Philippines Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño and relatives of Manuel Merino, a farmer, Gloria Arroyo lavished praises on one of the most feared and hated generals – then Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, commander of the 7th Infantry Division in central Luzon, where many of the extra-judicial killings happened.

author: Karlo Mongaya


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Puerto Rico: Violent End to 2011 · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Reports of “excessive gun fire” ringing in the New Year in Puerto Rico; Dondequiera comments.


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South Korea: Satirial Podcast’s Popularity Continues Despite the Host’s Arrest · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Naggomsu is a satirical podcast which gained tremendous popularity in South Korea for lampooning the country's President. Even after one of its host was jailed for raising allegations of stock price manipulation against the President, the podcast's popularity continues to grow. The nation's influential blogger IamPeter picked [ko] it as the top news of 2011.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Southeast Asia in 2011: A Year of Protest · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street are localized protests that still made a tremendous impact in the world in 2011. They were organized in response to place-specific issues, but their appeal and influence were immediately global. In Southeast Asia, Global Voices was able to feature several protest movements in 2011 that echoed the radical politics of Arab Spring and Occupy.
Malaysia’s Bersih (Clean) was the most outstanding protest event of 2011 in the region. The event, which was initially organized to ask for very sensible and doable electoral reforms (e.g. cleaning up of the electoral roll and the use of indelible ink), in the end became a pro-democracy action because of the massive participation of the civilian population in the streets – and the violent reaction of the state.
And like the tech-savvy Arab protesters, the Bersih marchers maximized social media to broaden the movement’s appeal among the apolitical segments of the local internet community.
Perhaps to prevent another Bersih, the Malaysian Parliament has approved the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill which gives police and government authorities broad powers to control and even ban street assemblies and protests. Rallies were also organized to oppose the bill
Bersih rally from the FB page of Yuvanesh Prabakaran
Next to Bersih were the various Occupy protests in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They didn’t succeed in sustaining big crowds, (Singapore’s Occupy flopped) but through their militant and creative actions, they were able to highlight the worsening poverty in their societies.
The Occupy protests in the Philippines were joined by students and other young people who used planking as a unique and funny way of expressing their anger over the state budget cuts on education and other social services. Early this month, the Occupy-like campout protests of students near the presidential palace were violently dispersed by the police.
Mass planking protest. Photo from participant
Perhaps the most underrated protest of the year was the rally of Cambodian villagers who dressed up like the Na'vi tribe from the 2009 science fiction film Avatar in opposition to the government’s plan to convert the Prey Lang forest into plantations and mines. Prey Lang is the largest remaining primary lowland dry evergreen forest in the region.
Prey Lang Avatar
Environmental protests actually intensified this year, and one of them succeeded in forcing Myanmar's government to cancel its hydroelectric dam project on the Irrawaddy River.
Not all those who fight for land rights, even through non-violent means, are able to freely express and organize their campaigns – a fact underscored by the experience of seven activists in Vietnam who were arrested, charged, and found guilty of overthrowing the government.
The protesters whose actions perhaps most symbolized the deep hatred and frustration of the poor against an oppressive system were Pham Thanh Son of Vietnam and Sondang Hutagalung of Indonesia. Son burned himself early this year in front of Da Nang’s municipal office to protest the confiscation of his family’s property by local authorities, while Sondang set his body on fire just a few weeks ago in front of the presidential palace to condemn the anti-poor policies of the government.
Source: http://www.facebook.com/ngochoang.qb.vn
There were no London-like urban riots in Southeast Asia this year, but the great floods that destroyed rice fields and food crops in almost all countries of the region could lead to food and rice protests next year. Delays in the rehabilitation of flooded communities could also ignite more anger and political backlash. During the Thailand flooding, residents removed flood barriers and defied authorities in protest to what they perceived as unfair government policy to ‘save’ central Bangkok from flooding at the expense of nearby towns.
Human rights advocates decried the continuing crackdown of democracy protests in West Papua and the various activities of their supporters in Indonesia.
We also recognize the SlutWalk protest in Singapore for its brave articulation of equality and sexual freedom through a rare protest assembly in the city.
Protest hashtags of the year: #bersih, #bersih2, #bersihstories, #occupydataran, #campoutph, #walk4freedom, #sawangsawa

author: Mong Palatino


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Top Thai Films of 2011 · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Wise Kwai's Thai Film Journal lists the top five Thai films of 2011.


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Tunisia: 2011 in Citizen Media Photos · Global Voices
Afef Abrougui

This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011.
The year 2011 has been an extraordinary year for Tunisia – a historic year that will be engraved into the memory of every Tunisian. What started as a spontaneous act of despair in the forgotten and marginalised region of Sidi Bouzid, turned into a popular uprising that would sweep the country, topple the 23-year rule of Zeine el Abidine Ben Ali, and change the face of the entire region as one Arab country after the other picked up the revolution fervour.
A bloody beginning of the year
Dead young Tunisian man in Tala (central-west of Tunisia), January 10, 2011. Photo from Nawaat.
The year had a bloody and violent beginning. Authorities responded to the protesters’ demands of “employment, freedom, and national dignity” with live bullets, and tear gas, killing more than 300 protesters and injuring many more.
The day the former president fled to Saudi Arabia
Photo by Talel Nacer, copyright Demotix (14/01/2011).
On January 14, 2011, thousands of protesters gathered outside the building of the Interior Ministry in the capital Tunis. The protesters were chanting ”Interior Ministry is a Terrorist Ministry”, and ”Ben Ali Dégage” (Ben Ali Get Out). The demonstration which started peaceful, ended up with police violently dispersing protesters. Later on the same day, Ben Ali fled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Police use tear gas to disperse protesters outside the Interior Ministry on January 14. Photo by Wassim Ben Rhouma via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
The dictator is gone, but what about dictatorship?
Protest against interim government presided by Mohamed Ghannouchi, a close ally of Ben Ali, on February 25. One day later, Ghannouchi resigned. Photo by Kahled Nciri.
Tunisians were keen to cut all ties with the past, and the battle for democracy in Tunisia, did not stop with Ben Ali fleeing the country.  Kasbah square, where the Cabinet building is located, became an epicenter of sit-ins and protests, which sought to overthrow the so hated former ruling party (now dissolved), the RCD (from its French acronym Le Rassemblement Constitutionnel Démocratique, Constitutional Democratic Rally in English), which was associated with corruption and oppression.
First democratic election
Voters lining up to vote. Photo by Erik (@kefteji).
October 23, 2011, was a turning point for Tunisia. Voters waited for hours to elect their representatives, in the first free and fair election of the so called Arab Spring.
Rise of Islamists
Banner reads: "Equality and justice for all Tunisians". November 21, 2011, in a protest outside the assembly. Photo by Soukaina W Ajbetni Rouhi via Facebook.
The Islamist party Ennahdha won 41 per cent of the votes, and gained 89 out of 217 seats at the constituent assembly. For liberals,  the rise of Islamists in Tunisia, is a threat to the secular values of the state, and Tunisian women's rights, considered as the most advanced in the Arab region.
Moncef Marzouki – New President of the Republic
Moncef Marzouki, new president of Tunisia. Image by Hamideddine Bouali, copyright Demotix (13/12/11)
On December 12, the national constituent assembly elected human rights activist Moncef Marzouki, who was imprisoned, and exiled under Ben Ali’ regime, as  the new President of the Republic of Tunisia.
As the year comes to an end, protests and sit-ins for democracy, employment, and dignity continue in Tunisia, as heated debates  sweep the national constituent assembly, and an interim government presided by Hamadi Jebali (from Ennahdha) takes up duties.
Stay tuned for more Tunisia coverage in 2012.
This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011.

author: Afef Abrougui


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Tunisia: Censorship and Freedom of Speech in the Year That Was · Global Voices
Afef Abrougui

This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011.
Former Tunisian President Zeine El Abidine Ben Ali was an enemy to freedom of speech. With its heavy tactics, his regime attempted to silence all dissidents. The Tunisian Internet Agency (known as the ATI from its French acronym) spent significant resources on Internet censorship, while the Interior Ministry tracked down, and violently silenced voices calling for change and political reform.
On January, 14, 2011, Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia, and ever since, Tunisians have been able to express themselves freely, protest, assemble, and enjoy unprecedented access to Internet like never before. But, the battle for freedom of speech in Tunisia did not cease with the former president leaving the country. And as old habits die hard, there were cases of censorship, and of violent crackdowns on protesters after January 14.
Here are some of the incidents that stand out when we look back at censorship and attempts to silence of free speech since Ben Ali was toppled.
Is the Army a red line?
On November 9, Nabil Hajlaoui, an agronomist from Sidi Bouzid, was sentenced to two months in prison following his criticism of the Tunisian military institution. Hajloui accused the army of passivity in dealing with post-election riots that swept Sidi Bouzid when the independent commission for the election disqualified a number of seats won by an electoral list called ”the Popular Petition,” over ”campaign finance violations.”
This list won most of the votes in Sidi Bouzid. Hajlaoui, was freed on December 15 as Emna El Hammi from the collective blog Nawaat reports [fr].
Earlier this year, in May, the Tunisian Internet Agency and following a military order censored five Facebook pages for their intentions ”to damage the reputation of the military institution and, its leaders,” said the Tunisian Ministry of Defence. The ATI then stopped censoring the five pages ”for technical constraints” said the agency in a statement published here [fr].
Practices like these have made Tunisian activists, and netizens wonder if the military institution is a red line that should not be crossed.
Whistleblower Samir Feriani and his imprisonment
Samir Feriani with his son after being released on September, 22. Photo by Yassine Gaidi on Facebook.
Samir Feriani, a senior official in the Tunisian Interior Ministry, published articles in a magazine, saying that people holding key positions in the Interior Ministry were responsible for the killing of peaceful protesters during the uprising, and that classified documents showing collaboration between ousted Tunisian President Ben Ali and the Israeli Mossad, were intentionally destroyed by officials in the ministry.
On May 29, Feriani was arrested and taken into military detention and accused of “harming the external security of the state” and “releasing and distributing information likely to harm public order.”
Feriani's case quickly gained public sympathy, as campaigns, and protests calling for his immediate release were organized.
On September 22, a military court temporarily released Feriani, who is now awaiting trial in front of civil court.
Police – old practices continue
The year 2011 was a year of protests and sit-ins in Tunisia. During the first two weeks of the year, the police crackdown on protesters was disastrous, leading to more than 300 deaths.  Things only started to change after the fall of the Ben Ali regime. But, in several occasions, Tunisian authorities continued to violently disperse protesters.
A Tunisian protestor beaten by a policeman in civilian clothes, May 6, 2011. Photo by Twitpic user @worldwideyes.
The most violent police intervention in the post Ben Ali era took place on February 26, when a peaceful protest calling for interim former Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi to step down, turned into violent clashes between protesters, and security forces. The clashes led to the death of three people.
In May, and during an anti-government protest, security forces attacked not only demonstrators, but also bloggers, and journalists.
On July 15, authorities used batons and tear gas, to prevent protesters calling for political and judicial reforms from organising a sit-in outside the Cabinet Building.
In 2011 many positive changes took place in Tunisia, but the authorities still need to get rid of their old practices. Meanwhile, Tunisians in general, and more specifically activists, and bloggers, are quite aware that the battle for freedom of speech, and democracy is far from over.
This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011.


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Turkey: Remembering the Turkish Schindlers · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Writing on the Huffington Post, Ziya Meral explains why honoring those Turks that saved Armenians during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire is important. Meral argues that recognizing these ‘Turkish Schindlers’ would go some way in defusing tensions between Armenia and Turkey, making the events of 1915 a shared tragedy. For this reason he has launched his own blog-based project to honor those that did save Armenians in what many consider to be the first genocide of the 20th Century at http://www.projectcommonhumanity.net.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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U.S.V.I.: Water Woes Cause Anger · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“It’s gotten graphic there – waste that’s piling up in toilets that cannot be flushed; people crawling around in cisterns trying to retrieve a bucket of water to meet a small part of their needs. And this is 2012″: No See Um blogs about the untenable water rationing situation in St. Thomas.


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Vietnam: Memorable Statements of Public Officials in 2011 · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Mai Chi reviews some of the memorable statements made by Vietnamese officials in 2011


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Vietnam: Situation of Sex and Drug Rehabilitation Centers · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Anand Grover, the UN's Special Rapporteur for the Human Rights Council, found Vietnam's rehabilitation centers as “ineffective, counterproductive, and a violation to the right of health.” His final report will be released this June