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Trinidad & Tobago: The Game  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Underground Trini Artiste posts a video that has been all the rage on Facebook and YouTube, about “people who are stuck in a university for years and just can't leave the lifestyle of girls, parties and liming behind and go into the real world.”


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Uruguay: Journalist Álavaro Alfonso Sent to Prison for 24 Months · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Qué Pasa Uruguay? [es] points out that local media have ignored the sentencing of journalist Álvaro Alfonso to two years in jail for libel, and the confiscation of his book “Secretos del Partido Comunista” (Secrets of the Communist Party). The blogger posts an article by the The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) condemning the sentence.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Silvia Viñas


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Uruguay: The Night of Nostalgia · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Ana Rita Franco writes [es] in her blog about The Night of Nostalgia (in Spanish, La Noche de la Nostalgia), a night when Uruguayans dance to old songs and remember things that make them feel nostalgic. Ana lists some of these things.


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Algeria: Bloggers Denounce the Exclusion of Egypt from the Algiers Book Fair  · Global Voices
Mohamed Benderouiche

Logo of the Algiers Book Fair (SILA):  http://www.sila.dz/
The decision to exclude Egyptian authors for Salon international du livre d’Alger (SILA) (Algiers Book Fair) did not sit well  with many Algerians. In a public announcement last week,  a few online citizens from all social categories denounced the decision by SILA board members to prohibit Egyptian books from being shown at the upcoming event [fr]:
Le commissaire a invoqué, en guise de justification, la campagne haineuse menée contre l’Algérie par certains médias égyptiens ainsi que le mauvais traitement subi par des citoyens algériens lors de la rencontre, au Caire, entre l’Équipe nationale de football et son homologue égyptienne.
À notre avis, il s’agit bien d’un chauvinisme délirant qui révèle, en fait, le peu d’égard que le livre en particulier et la culture en général ont toujours eu dans notre pays et une propension de certains de nos responsables à dénoncer au lieu d’éduquer
Blogger R.Z offers  the following opinion [fr]:
Ceux qui ont décidé ce blocus sur le livre égyptien, ne peuvent être que victimes d'une overdose d'excès de zèle et d'un nationalisme à un sou et qui pue l'allégeance…. » Et d’ajouter : «Pour l'instant, et sans diminuer de la valeur de nos illustres écrivains (Kateb Yacine et Assia Djebar), le seul homme de lettres arabe à avoir inscrit son pays au Nobel de littérature, c'est Najib Mahfoud. Bon, il se trouve que c'est un égyptien, ce n'est pas de sa faute. On ne choisit pas sa nationalité.  Il le méritait. Pas pour sa nationalité mais juste pour son talent».
In a reaction to the decision, Algerian blogger Adel regrets the origin of this development [fr]:
à chaque fois qu’il y a un problème dans nos pays arriérés, il faut que le pouvoir s’immisce. Si Bouteflika avait laissé les instances du football algérien régler le problème après le caillassage du bus et pas dit oui à la poursuite du match, le problème aurait été résolu aux niveaux des fédérations. Fierté algérienne mal placée jusqu’où tu nous mèneras ?
While awaiting for Algerian authority's reactions, Ahmed Bensaada also published on his blog another list of a dozen of Algerians who signed a petition denouncing the sanction against Egyptian writers.

author: Mohamed Benderouiche


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Armenia-Azerbaijan: Unbiased e-media coverage call for projects · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

There are just three days left until the deadline passes for the Eurasia Partnership Foundation's unbiased e-media coverage project for Armenian and Azerbaijani journalists and bloggers. Global Voices Online will be presenting its experience to date in this area at workshops held as part of the initiative.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Azerbaijan: Lilit · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Gulara Azimzadeh's blog [AZ/EN/RU] reflects on a meeting between Armenia and Azerbaijani youth at an event in Georgia. In particular, she writes, although nationalists and a rhetoric of hatred exists on both sides, there are so many similarities between the two nations still locked in bitter conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. And, having made friends with one Armenian participant, the blogger now remains in touch from her native Azerbaijan via social networking sites such as Facebook.


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China: Prostitution, Reality, Hypocrisy and Human Lives · Global Voices
Gabriel Nada

While online media pages, online TV platforms, commercials, advertisements and virtually every aspect of contemporary Chinese life constantly increases the presence and amount of sexualized female imagery (for example, the highly sexualized image below is captured from QQ's woman news section), recently a crackdown on prostitution and pornography has gone into affect across many of China's major cities.
During the recent 2010 World Cup in South Africa, every day there were new pictures posted on all of the major media pages of sexualized, scantily clad women in suggestive poses with descriptions such as “fragrant meat” (香肉） and “sexy soccer babies” (性感足球宝贝) depicting women as sources of sexual arousal.
Real Human Sexuality
Certainly, the female body, female sexuality, and human sexuality in general, are hopefully not perceived as negatives. The depiction of eroticism or sexuality is a part of human nature as old as recorded history, and China is certainly not the first country or society to deal with the question of sexuality (nor is this the first time in China's long history that the issue has been addressed).
Europe, America, in fact every society that has ever existed, has inevitably needed to deal with the nature of sexuality within culture, society and between individuals. The questions, especially in light of the contemporary phenomenon of hyper-mass media, simply deal with old subjects in a new way.
The Oldest Profession
Prostitution is termed “The Oldest Profession”, yet outside of a few countries or jurisdictions remains one of the most taboo and denigrated forms of earning a livelihood.
While debate on the morality of prostitution is endless and ultimately personal and subjective, the demand for prostitutes is constant and never-ceasing. Women (and to a lesser degree men) have, are, and always will be in demand as sources of sexual gratification and arousal- objects for fulfillment of fantasy and desire.
This is where some of the most pressing questions regarding sexuality, identity, ownership, culture and society come into play.
Sex, Sexuality, Economics and Ownership
Who owns a woman's sexuality and body? Ideally it could be said no one, however in concrete material reality the answer becomes: whoever claims its ownership with the most power to defend that claim- often at the expense and denial of the woman herself.
Whether it is a family, a boyfriend, a husband, a modeling/ad agency, the music/film industry, a religion, a pimp, or a government itself, someone or something is almost always claiming ownership and/or control over a woman, her body, her sexuality, reproduction, mind, relationships, and choices- and it is almost always someone or something with more power than her individually.
Economically, the female body and female sexuality are valuable commodities. Regardless of whether or not one likes the reduction of female existence down to an economic commodification, this process is real and constant in every society across the planet whether it be camels, cows, sheep or horses in some regions, societies and cultures, or contracts for dollars, euros, yen or yuan in others.
Female beauty and sexuality is used to sell absolutely anything and everything from dish-washing soap to cars, deodorant, beer, as well as family life itself. Women with appropriate forms of beauty and sexuality are sought out for different manners of using and exploiting the different products sold by and through their images.
A different form of sexual appeal and imagery will be used for cars and beer and sports than for household products, but it all encompasses a use of physical appeal and sexuality on one level or another. Women themselves are encouraged to self-sexualize and obsess over appearance and form and are sold, almost cannibalistically, the means to transform themselves into more sexualized, physically appealing forms for the consumption of other people, corporations, and industries.
An enormous amount of profit is made off of and out of women, their bodies, their images, and their sexuality, and this is where the first issues regarding the criminalization of prostitution arise: if it is acceptable for business and industry (and through tax structure eventually government as well) to exploit, use and profit from female sexuality…why is it criminal for the woman individually to do the same? If it is criminal for a woman to make profit by exploiting and using her own body, why isn't it criminal for corporations to make vast sums of money directly and indirectly exploiting female sexuality, including even the use of young girls through non-explicit yet sexually provocative or suggestive means?
Repression, Criminalization, and Control
Societies are inherently organizations based around applied control over individuals for collective gain. It is essentially impossible for individuals to have absolute individual personal freedom within a society or to have a society made up of individuals with absolute personal freedom and no central control. What societies struggle to do therefore, is to regulate the degree to which there is a floating balance point between liberty and obligation- too much obligation and the individual will feel trapped and oppressed, to much liberty and the society cannot function cohesively to maintain its needed functions.
With sex and sexuality the issue is the same- too much sexual liberty and disease is spread and pregnancy is begun by those unready or unwilling to carry it through and be parents. The opposite however, over-bearing sexual repression (especially at a culturally-wide level) causes psychological and emotional damage which can lead to physical, relational, and self-abuse and the inability to participate in or enjoy normal, natural human relations and sexuality even within socially approved relational norms.
As such, it is this pincer-like pressure of the artificial stimulation of sexualization, arousal and desire for the self-serving purpose of economic profit on the one hand and the social repression of human sexual behavior on the other (often encouraged or even administered by religious and/or governmental agencies) that compresses the humanity of the individual members of society in this no-win vice of incompatible extremes resulting in psychological and emotional trauma which often vents itself in the physical material world within the relationships people have between themselves and each other.
我首先认为应当尊重性工作者，她们用青春换取金钱，用辛苦的劳动换取报酬，这是无可厚非的，她们比她们的顾客，要高尚得多，即使大家都是不合法的。无疑，嫖客比女性性工作者多，并且大多是拿着不合法的钱来消费的，这个不合法跟她们的不合法不同，他们所做的，或许在整个世界范围内都是不合法的，而她们的行为和收入则不是。
“Unequaled on Earth” (不可一世)Regarding the crackdown on pornography as well as others (关于扫黄以及其他…)
While it is not actually the purpose of this post to condone (or condemn) professional sex work, the point of this blogger is appropriate for discussion because although the demand for sex workers creates their occupation (which often they are also forced into being a part of – many if not most sex workers are not wholly voluntarily employed as such), it is usually the women who do the work and not the clients who demand their services who receive the largest amount of scrutiny and shame from the legal and social standpoint.
酒后驾车、公共场所撒野、吸毒、乱伦、嫖娼等种种恶习，在娱乐圈不少的明星眼中似乎都算不上什么大事。所谓饱暖思淫欲，不差钱的明星们，既有嫖的本钱，更有嫖的闲心。
007 26 City sweep of porn reads like an inventory of entertainment circles, recruitment of prostitutes by male stars (26市集体扫黄 盘点娱乐圈＂招妓嫖娼＂的男星)
“扫黄”整体还远未进入“深入区”。为什么？因为查黄却不涉黑、涉腐(而这是绝不可能的，因为黄不可能没黑保护和参与，而对黑来讲，警方若说不知道那是渎职，警方知道了没办，那是庇护。所以怎么看，都说明很大的问题)。从目前披露的“扫黄”成绩看，类似北京整顿高级夜总会“天上人间”、重庆突查“希尔顿酒店”仍是个别例子。
185519734 Regarding the latest porn sweep(关于最近的扫黄)
The Vicious Circle
And so we see the illustration of the cycle of demand for women as sexual objects both from private clients searching for fulfillment of personal desire as well as from private industry using the sexualization of women to attract interest and sell their products, the involvement of criminal gangs in the recruitment and coercion of women and girls into the ranks of sex workers, the profits raised and realized from these endeavors both legal and illegal- yet who bears the blame in the eyes of society and the law?
China is undergoing a hyper-modernization of it's culture and society and a large influx of imagery and ideas from outside its traditional cultural norms on sex. Japanese and Korean, as well as American porn circulates across the web. Following in the footsteps of European, American and South American media, the Chinese media continue to increase saturation of sexualized female forms in connection with every imaginable circumstance. The idea of Chinese women needing to “catch up” sexually both in terms of activity and physical proportions and an insecurity in Chinese women due to this idea slowly seeps into more and more minds.
Hypocrisy in blaming Victims
While prostitution is probably not an ideal form of employment, so long as the demand for sex workers is generated by rich clientele, fed obliquely by the media's super-saturation of sexualized imagery, protected by organized crime and the failings of law enforcement and the government, and so long as all of these institutions profit off of the women and girls who actually do the work, it seems very unfair and even hypocritical to lay the blame and direct the brunt of the enforcement towards the people who have the least to do with the larger issues.
Sex and desire are a part of reality. Attempting to control and suppress people's ability to express and experience their own natural feelings on the one hand while artificially hyper-stimulating and glamorizing conspicuous consumption of sexuality on the other leads to incompatible contradictions in the members of society and the people caught in the middle of the large forces at work shouldn't be the ones left with the blame and the pain.
我叫露露，今年20岁，说我有职业，确实没有一个正当职业，是失业大军中的一员，说我没职业，也还有事可做的，每天常去夜总会、洗浴中心、星级宾馆那些地方。一听你就会明白，这种职业是很难听的，就是做**，香港叫“鸡”，咱们这则尊称我为“小姐”。
不埋怨爸妈，这是我自己的选择
我长的挺漂亮的，虽然比不上影星模特，但走在大街上，男人们都会不由自主地看我几眼。你们看见我，也许会爱上我的，但你肯定不会娶我，因为我没工作，家庭又是个特困户，妈妈有病，爸爸下岗，靠零工养活全家。即使这样，我也非常感谢爸爸妈妈，是他们给了我一张漂亮脸蛋和一副好身材。如果我是个丑女，恐怕现在连饭都吃不上。真的，我从不埋怨爸妈，是我自己选择了这条路。
前年我高中毕业，和同学们一样也复习，也报考，还真的考上了，虽说是二表的一般学校，但毕竟是大本。但一看通知书就傻眼了，学费加上其他各种费用一共一万多元，就是把爸妈的骨头砸碎卖了，也凑不够这笔钱。我痛哭了一场，偷偷地把录取通知书撕掉了。我对爸妈就说没考上，并问爸爸，能不能想法给我找个工作。爸爸说，我自己都下岗了，上哪给你找工作去？自己想办法谋生吧。
My name's Lulu, I'm 20 this year, to say I have a profession, I really don't have an official profession, I'm part of the great army of unemployed, to say I'm unemployed, I still have something I can do, every day I go to the nightclubs, bath houses, high class celebrity guest houses, those sorts of places. Once you hear you know what I mean, this kind of profession is really shameful, being a **, in Hong Kong they call it being a “chick”, here we call it “little sister”.
I don't complain about my parents, this is my choice.
I'm really pretty, maybe not like a movie star or model, but when I walk down the street, all the men can't help looking at me. If you see me maybe you could fall in love with me, but not marry me, because I don't have a job and my family doesn't have good circumstances, my mom's sick and my dad's laid off, he just depends on part-time work to support the family. Still, I'm really thankful to my parents because they gave me a pretty face and a really nice body. If I was ugly I'd be terrified to think of how I'd never be able to eat. Really I don't ever blame my parents, its my own choice.
The year before last I graduated high school, I studied with my classmates and took the college exams and I passed even though I went to a second class normal school, but after all it was still a solid base. But when I saw the acceptance letter I was stunned. The entrance fees added to the other fees were more than 10,000, if I sold my mom and dad's powdered bones I still wouldn't have enough. I really cried, I secretly took the admission's notice and tore it up, I told mom and dad I didn't pass, I even asked dad if he could help me find work. He said, ‘I'm laid off, how can I help get you work?’. So I thought of my own way to get work.
Mr. Right A “little sister” after the porn sweep (“小姐”进了扫黄局后 )
Individual Lives, Individual Reasons
Each one has her own reason, those that actually were able to make the choice (since many are forced not just through circumstance but by actual violence and threats), but the results are the same. Cracking down on the women while leaving the gangs, corporate industries, celebrities and rich businessmen untouched and unaccountable is a backwards and useless means of attempting to deal with the problem.
Punishing the providers while leaving the users and pushers is like trying to stop water rushing downstream while leaving it flowing upstream. All you can do is scoop up a little while not actually dealing with the source.
In an ideal world no one would need or be forced to sell their body and sexuality to survive, but so long as we live in reality and so long as reality demands bodies and sex, punishing the people who are used to satisfy those demands while leaving those who create and use the bodies of others for their own satisfaction and profit is never going to help anything.

author: Gabriel Nada


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Cuba: Censorship, Technology and Memory · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

George Gautier writes [es] about censorship in Cuba. He says that technology has helped leak some things, but he hopes that someone is keeping track of everything that is happening in Cuba so that nothing will be lost.


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East Timor: (Un)Dignified Sculptures of Women in Shangai World Expo 2010 · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

In response to recent statements by a Timorese deputy, who reportedly implied that the statues of naked women at the Timor Leste Pavillion in Shanghai World Expo 2010 are not appropriate, João Paulo Esperança critically wonders [pt] if East Timorese women would be considered deprived of dignity in the past, when they used their bare breasts.

author: Sara Moreira


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Guyana: Domestic Violence  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Domestic violence has not been stamped out; instead it has grown to staggering proportions”: The Guyana Groove  thinks the country needs “a real, feasible solution to this dire situation.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Guyana: Wonders of Blogging  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I sit here with the whole world in me home.  I feast on exotic food, art, music; on me travels, I delve into strange thoughts and ideas”: Guyana-Gyal remembers how she discovered blogging.


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Hungary: Foreign Media on Orbán’s Government · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum reviews foreign media coverage of Viktor Orbán's government – here, here, and here.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Hungary: More on Béla Biszku’s Case · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes about Béla Biszku's case (also covered by GV's Marietta Le here and here).


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Hungary: St. Stephen · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes about the history of the cult of St. Stephen, the first king of the Hungarians, who was canonized on Aug. 20, 1083.


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India-Bangladesh Relations Is Necessity Driven · Global Voices
Rezwan

“The present India Bangladesh Relations are mostly necessity driven (could be told reality driven), not that much of Ideology driven, which was showed at the 70s of last century;” opines Kazi Mohoshin Al Abbas at Groundreport.

author: Rezwan


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Jamaica: Garvey’s Home  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands links to a report that suggests the Jamaican government is interested in purchasing the childhood home of Marcus Garvey “in hopes of restoring it and converting it into a memorial or museum.”


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Malawi: Bloggers discuss freedom of speech and 2014 election · Global Voices
Victor Kaonga

A Presbyterian senior clergy Rev Levi Njombole Nyondo was arrested last Friday during a funeral service of former Health Minister Professor Moses Chirambo. Police allege that Nyondo uttered seditious words during the service. The government has been blasted by Malawi's faith community and civil society for its heavy hand on the men of God claiming that this behaviour is characteristic of a one-party state that Malawi went through for 30 years before 1994. Nyondo and his Livingstonia Synod are a fierce critic of Muthaika administration. Blogger and law student Cryton Chikoko groans over government’s arrest of Nyondo.
In his post titled Prosecting Free Speech in Malawi, Cryton goes to some length to justify why Nyondo should have been left free:
The president’s decisions, among others, include: the establishment of the Mulhako wa Alhomwe to champion the course of the president’s Lomwe ethnic group; the change of the national flag; the inclusion of his wife in cabinet; the reduction of the salary of the leader of opposition and recently the endorsement of his brother to be the presidential candidate for the ruling party when the president’s final term in office comes to an end.
In my view all these are legitimate issues worth full debate. Malawians are justifiable in express their views. These are valid issues for the clerics to express their opinions.
It is not seditious if the object of the speech was to show that the government has been misled or mistaken in her measures, or to point out errors or defects in the government with a view to their reformation, or to excite the people to attempt by lawful means the alteration of any matter in government by law established, or to point out, with a view to their removal, matters which are producing, or have a tendency to produce, feelings of hatred and ill-will between classes of the people in the country.
Cryton raises a number of interesting issues worth pursing in the rest of the post. A political science student and blogger Boniface Dulani agrees with some of the issues raised by Cryton. Boniface suspects that president Mutharika’s actions have something to do with old age. He proposes an age limit on the president in Malawi. A number of “sad” developments during Mutharika's second term of presidency could have been prevented if there was age limit:
Perhaps we should have seen the warning signs earlier when he embraced the establishment of the Mulhako wa Alhomwe to champion the course of his Lhomwe ethnic group instead of becoming a champion of the all-inclusive ethnicity of ‘Malawi’.
A few months back he not only ordered the re-introduction of the quota system for university selection….
In recent times, he has spearheaded the change of the national flag under the false illusion that Malawi has transited from the dawn of development to a full blown developed nation deserving of a full sun (although the white star on the ‘new’ flag looks like the moon than sun!) Those of us who have been critical of the flag change have meanwhile been ridiculed as drunkards (talk of irony!).
“Malawi turning into a Mutharika Dynasty”
It started as a rumour that President Bingu wa Mutharika was grooming his brother Professor Peter Mutharika to take over as president in 2014. Last year he publicly defended his brother’s ambition to lead Malawi come the ext elections. Many expected that the country's first woman vice president Joyce Banda would possibly be the torch-bearer for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Now the story is official. The DPP has nominated Professor Peter Mutharika as its candidate in 2014-four years ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections. The development has received widespread criticism as being undemocratic since other players have not been given the chance to be nominated.
Blogger and news analyst Kondwani Munthali writes about the long journey to 2014:
If Joyce Banda has presidential ambition, which is a very normal thing, give her space and time to organise herself. In politics the one with the best strategy wins and that will happen in DPP once the euphoria launched a three weeks ago stabilises.
For Professor Peter Mutharika I don’t equally see anything wrong for him to be endorsed by anybody…. The challenge will be for him to stand the heat and scrutiny as he will be compared as a presidential candidate throughout the next four years, something he might not be comfortable with as his statement, dress, language and everything will be interpreted as campaign or playing big.
A university student and blogger Ananiya Ponje sheds more light on how Mutharika created room for his brother to come into the 2014 journey. In a post titled Peter might be the next DPP candidate, he says:
“The bashing might have been aimed at creating room for his brother to be ‘popularized’ without any hurdle. He might have thought that if a number of top DPP members continued positioning themselves for 2014, then his brother might have very little room for being made popular among the majority of voters. Of course, we need to be mindful of the fact that the ruling party would eventually hold a convention where the party’s 2014 torchbearer would be elected,” a political scientist who chose not to be named replied in a questionnaire.
Generally, Malawians have mixed reactions to the nomination of Peter Mutharika. Some say it is too early. Some say the process is undemocratic equating the nomination to the creation of “Mutharika political dynasty.” Others have said Peter is a hard item to sell therefore the earlier the better. While others say believe that Peter Mutharika is the right candidate to take Malawi further into the new era of progress and development that justified his brother's efforts to change the national flag.

author: Victor Kaonga


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Northern Cyprus: Rihanna’s Concert · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Greater Surbiton writes about the controversy surrounding Rihanna's upcoming concert in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.


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Pakistan Floods: First Hand Report From Charsadda · Global Voices
Rezwan

Aly B posts a first hand report from three relief workers (Tahir Farooqui, Ali Raza and Danish Qaiyoum) who were in Charsadda village in Pakistan for relief distribution to the flood victims.


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Pakistan Floods: First Hand Report From Kohistan · Global Voices
Rezwan

Beena Sarwar posts a personal note of Rashida Dohad of Omar Asghar Khan Foundation about her flood relief efforts in Kohistan, Pakistan.


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Peru: The Little Girl Drawing on a Street in Huancayo · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Juan Arellano writes in his blog Globalizado [es] about a girl on a street in Huancayo who captured his attention because she didn't act like other children working on the street: she was drawing on the ground. He recorded a short video of their conversation.


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Poland: Open-Air Market in Krakow · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A walk through Krakow's Hala Targowa market – at Polandian.


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Puerto Rico: Live Blogging About Teacher Strike · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Michael Castro announces in his blog Poder 5 [es] that he will be live blogging from a teacher strike in San Juan. He is also tweeting about the strike at @MichaelDCC.


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Russia: Bono Sings Together with Opposition Musician · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Bono's (U2) visit to Russia [EN] turned out to be a highly politicized event. Some complain [RUS], Bono didn't tell Medvedev about the Khimki Forest Park, some admire his joint performance [RUS/EN] with Yuri Shevchuk, an opposition musician. Oleg Kozyrev asks [RUS], “What if Bono could spend part of his energy to support the opposition?”

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Russia: It’s not the Kremlin · Global Voices
The Economist

[Global Voices authors occasionally submit articles to The Economist's Babbage blog about technology. This story was originally published on August 25, 2010. Read more about our partnership here.]
THIS summer Russians faced several state attempts to “filter” (selectively block) websites. And as in many other things, Russia has gone its own way with a slightly more complicated technique: regional filtering.
There are two ways to control the internet. You can influence the companies and bloggers who use the web, or you can muck with the architecture of the web itself to block or monitor traffic. China does both. Russia, so far, has leaned on websites and telecoms operators using its criminal code, and encouraged groups of like-minded citizens to nudge the online conversation in directions the Kremlin finds pleasing. Until now, few websites have been blocked altogether in Russia.
But this year three such cases were identified. In each, the site was blocked only within a certain region. On July 16th, the city court of Komsomolsk-on-Amur obliged Rosnet, a local internet provider, to ban YouTube and the Internet Archive, among other sites. The court was worried about far-right extremist material that can be found on the sites; it is the country's first YouTube ban. The decision has not been enforced. For similar reasons in late July, a regional court in Ingushetia forced a local provider to block LiveJournal, Russia's most popular blogging site. And in August in the Tula region, the state-controlled local telecoms operator temporarily blocked the website of Tulksiye Priyanki, an independent regional news portal.
In each case, the region used internet-protocol or “IP” blocking, a straightforward way of preventing anyone within a certain network — in this case those of the regional providers — from viewing viewing content at specific address. This could be described as an inefficient method, since it can be sidestepped with a proxy server, which mimics a location outside of the network.
But regional filtering is in many ways more efficient than national filtering. First of all, it attracts less media attention and is easier to hide. Even if the filtering is exposed it’s easy to say the site was inaccessible due to technical reasons. Second, regional blocking affects the target group only.
In Ingushetia and Khabarovsk the prosecutor’s office requested the filter. In Khabarovsk, the provider exposed the court's decision and appealed it. It is likely that the higher court will overrule the lower court’s decision. In Ingushetia, the block on LiveJournal lasted for 17 days; it was removed as soon as several influential online media outlets wrote about it. In Tula it was allegedly the governor of the region, irritated by the website’s criticism, who ordered the block; Tulksiye Prinanki had already mirrored its site at blogger.com.
This news is both discouraging and encouraging. It proves that there's room for internet censorship wherever a political power is aligned with a network. At a national level, Russia prefers internet monitoring to internet filtering; at a local level, Russia's regions may begin to better understand how to manipulate their own networks. But all three attempts were technically crude and quickly detected, and none survived much contact with sunlight. That's something to be thankful for.

author: The Economist


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Russia: Kaliningrad Politics · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

RFE/RL's The Power Vertical and A Good Treaty (here and here) cover the Kaliningrad governor situation.


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Russia: Noize MC’s New Song · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

RFE/RL's The Power Vertical writes about rapper Noize MC's new song: “After spending 10 days in jail for performing a song mocking police at a music festival in Volgograd, the irrepressible rapper has released a new [song and video, RUS] — mocking the police.” Robert Amsterdam's blog calls the new song “sarcastic apology rap.”


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Russia: Porsche Cayenne and Firefighting · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Moscow Diaries re-posts LJ user fichetto‘s photos (RUS) of a 2007 Porsche Cayenne of Yevgeny Chernyshev, head of Moscow's firefighting service – “retrofitted to…fight fires?”


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Russia: Soviet History and Tetris · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Siberian Light shares “A Complete History of the Soviet Union, Arranged to the Melody of Tetris” video, found via Global Dashboard.


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Russia: “Where’s Your Rabbi?” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Oleg Klimov posts two photos from Birobidzhan in Russia's Jewish Autonomous Region – and shares this short conversation (RUS) with a guard at the local synagogue: “‘Where's your rabbi?’ – ‘He left for Israel a long time ago…'”


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South Korea: Controversy Overshadows Woman Climber’s World Record · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

South Korea's Oh Eun-Sun is believed to be the first woman to have successfully climbed the world's 14 highest mountain peaks, though one of her climbs (her claims to have scaled the Kanchenjunga) was disputed around last week of April. Now the dispute has reignited after one of largest TV networks in the country, SBS,  broadcast an hour-long investigative report on Oh’s climbing record.
As public opinion veers towards the argument that perhaps she had indeed failed to scale the aforementioned Himalayan peak, bloggers delved deeper into the story looking at causal factors that underlie the current controversy.
In the annals of mountaineering,  8,000 meters (26,247 ft) height above sea level, is often referred to as God’s realm – the sacred area that mortals do not dare to touch. At that height, with extreme cold and thin air, you can take only two to three steps before being forced to stop and pant for the next 5 minutes due to the extremely low level of oxygen in the air.  People have been known to frequently doze off or see hallucinations as the brain struggles with the low levels of oxygen and extreme conditions.  nevertheless, several women have challenged the harshness of Nature and some have returned with stunning achievements. Oh Eun-Sun was one of them, or rather the one who stood first among them by creating a world record of scaling all 14 eight-thousanders on April 27, 2010.
An image of Mt. Kangchenjunga from Wikipedia.
The record got blemished pretty soon. Earlier, Oh's scaling of Kanchenjunga in 2009 had been questioned by several Western media including a BBC report. The controversy stemmed from this photo reportedly taken by Oh at the summit of the Kanchenjunga. Though too blurry to confirm the exact location of where she stood but it was the only evidence that could prove her ascent. One of the Sherpas who accompanied Oh supported her claim while another disputed it. Ferran Latorre, a Spanish climber, said that the green rope affixed to the mountain by Oh's team stopped 200 meters short of the summit. Also, Oh’s unexpectedly short span of time taken to descend the mountain was one of major controversial points.
But the suspicions later cooled down after she appeared in a talk show, tearfully explaining her stance.
The recent SBS report however, has bolstered several points skeptics raised against Oh and the local media is buzzing with new reports on the controversy.  People are questioning as to how it is possible that the photo is the only evidence. Oh hadn’t planted her flag on the peak and she claimed that she had lost the flag but later her flag was found several hundred meters below the summit and other photos of Oh show that the flags were kept safely inside her jacket.
This is just one example. The evidence against her is mounting but the evidence supporting her is non-existing. Many are concluding that she was somehow mistaken (whether subconsciously or had been mislead by the guide or Sherpas) into believing that she had reached the summit. And since it is such a big deal to be recorded in history and she is endorsed by the Black Yak Company, Oh, who had so much to lose, has let an honest mistake mutate into a gigantic, ugly lie. Blogger Danbis commented as follows
개인적으로 등산에 관심이 많고, 관련 책이나 다큐도 몇번 보았지만, 정말 고산지대에서 벌어지는 일들은 인간의 상상을 초월하고 죽어가는 사람들 보고도 그냥 지나친다고 하는데, 죽기보다 힘든 상황에서 유혹에 빠졌을 수도 있지 않을까 싶다. 더욱이 다른 사람들과 경쟁하고 있는 상황에서 뒤쳐지고 있을 때라면 더욱 그런 유혹에 빠지기 쉽지 않을까 싶다. 문제는 거짓말이 거짓말을 낳고, 더욱 의혹만 증폭이 되어가는 것이 아닐까 싶은 생각이 들고…
Many Korean mountaineers have been blamed for obsessively climbing mountains on tight schedules under the guidance of a strict leader of the team, taking zero consideration into the situation of others. One Korean Climbers’ Association even admitted to this rude practice and held a conference on the climbing ethics in November. This tendency towards over-achievement has become intensified with corporate sponsorship.
The woman climber is a fascinating subject of advertisement. It is extremely rare to see women climbers climbing Himalayan Mountains. It is somehow a win-win for both, as the climbers need large sponsors and financial support which is indispensable in climbing high mountains. It takes around 160 thousand dollars to climb a Himalayan mountain that is an 8-thousander.  Oh Eun-Sun was endorsed by the Black Yak and her rival Go Mi-Young was sponsored by the Kolon, another outdoor clothing and equipment company. The competition between two was pretty intense before it ended abruptly last year with Go’s death. Go lost her footing during her descend from another Himalayan summit. To win the competition, Oh kept up her brutal climbing schedule. It sometime took only two to three months, and in some cases only several weeks, before she scaled a peak and went climbing up another 8,000 meter high summit.
Blogger Semison08 expressed that it was sad to watch the pure spirit and love to the mountains evaporate, to be replaced by capitalism.
지난해 히말라야 낭가파르밧 정상에서 하산을 하다가 실족을 당한 故 고미영 씨는 당시 누가봐도 무리한 등정을 하고 있었다. 그 해에만 8000M급 산을 무려 4봉이나 올랐고, 여유 없이 빠르게 정상을 밟아 나가고 있었던 것이다. 故 고미영 씨가 그렇게 까지 무리하게 등정을 했던 이유는 아무래도 전세계여성 산악인들 사이에 있던 ‘여성 최초 14좌 완등’ 타이틀 경쟁 때문이었을 것이다. 누가 최초로 히말라야 14좌를 완등하느냐…산악인 누구나 맨 처음 산을 오르는 이유는 그저 산이 좋아서 였을 것이다. 산을 오르면서 자연을 음미하고, 온전히 산에 자신을 맡기면서 산과 하나가되는 그러한 느낌에 등반을 시작했을 것이다. 그러나 언제부턴가 산을 정복의 대상으로 여기고 스포츠처럼 경쟁적으로 산을 오르다 보니 이런 안타까운 일들이 발생했던 것이다. 이번 오은선 씨의 의혹 또한 이러한 경쟁적 등반 의식의 산물이라고 해도 과언이 아니다. 오은선 씨에게도 또한 故 고미영 씨처럼 빨리 14좌를 완등 해야한다는 시간적 압박감이 있었을 것이다. 그러한 압박감이 혹시라도 오은선씨에게 잘못된 선택을 하게 한 것은 아닐지 안타까운 마음이 든다.
8000M급의 고봉을 등반하기 위해서는 산악인 자신의 체력적 문제뿐만 아니라 비용의 문제 또한 고려해야 한다. 해외 등반을 위해서는 등반을 위한 산에 대한 정보를 수집해야 하고, 루트 선정, 그에 따른 대원들의 선정도 함께 해야 한다. 또한 산의 고도나 지명도에 따라 일부 국가에 상당한 액수의 입산료를 징수해야만 하고 그 외에 항공료나, 교통비, 숙식비 등을 따지면 한번 등반에 대략 2억원 가량의 비용이 든다. 그저 산이 좋다는 이유 하나만으로 등반을 하기에는 부담스러운 비용이다. 히말라야 원정이 별로 없었던 초창기에는 8000M 이상의 고봉에 오른다는 사실만으로도 놀라웠기 때문에 스폰을 해주는 기업체가 많았다. 사실 당시 스폰을 해주는 기업도 ‘최초’ 라는 타이틀을 가지고 충분히 광고를 할 수 있었기 때문에 크게 손해가 나는 장사는 아니었던 것이다. 그러나 지금처럼 히말라야 원정이 크게 대수롭지 않게 된 지금에서는 시시한 등반이나 이름 없는 산악인을 흔쾌히 스폰 해주기는 어렵다. 그래서 ‘최고 높이’ 라든가 ‘최초 등반’ 같은 수식이 붙은 산이 아니면 그들에게도 더이상 의미가 없다는 말이다. 오은선 씨 또한 ‘여성 최초’ 라는 타이틀을 목표로 등정하고 있었기 때문에 후원사의 도움을 받을 수 있었던 것이다. 후원사와 오은선 씨 사이에는 빨리 등정을 해야만 하는 충분한 이유가 있었고, 그러한 이유들이 지금 같은 의혹을 만들어 낸 것은 아닐까.
The competition for the first women to climb 14 eight-thousanders is not limited to the national level. Mountain climbers from German and Spanish teams were also chasing the same title. In April, Oh's main rival, Edurne Pasaban from Spain, was also aiming to become first woman to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders. After Pasaban spoke with Elizabeth Hawley who plays the role of the ultimate arbitrator when disputes are raised among climbers, Hawley agreed to mark Oh's summit of Kanchenjunga as “disputed”. Pasaban also reportedly had slipped Oh’s controversial points to some journalist which eventually led to the BBC news report on the dispute. Oh’s side has been condemning Pasaban’s move as a low blow and some conspiracy theories have broken out regarding that. A blogger Ttodasi urged that even though there is high possibility that Oh did not scale the summit, the timing of the dispute and the person who suggested it to the mainstream media should be reviewed.
Many bloggers have lamented the loss of pure mountaineering spirit and the single-minded concentration on competition. A blogger Smoker3 commented that there was nothing sacred and sincere in the current mountain climbing. Making a short comparison between the alpine style and the current’s expedition style (or siege style), the blogger commented that the blind-eyed competition of the climbing is the true reflection of our society where only the outcome matters.
(세르파) 3000이상 고산에 사는 티베트계 네팔인들의 총칭, 이들은 히말라야를 등반하는 이들과 함께 등반하면서 유명해졌는데 등반가들의 짐꾼과 가이드 역할은 이들 셰르파가 맡는다…전세계에서 가장 산을 잘 타는 이들로 알려져 있다. 만약 네팔인에게 돈이 많았다면 전세계 등반가의 등반 기록의 순위는 모두 장난이 되는 것이다. 심지어 이들은 매해 등반철이 되면 먼저 올라가면서 루트를 개척해 놓는다고 한다. 히말라야를 등반한다는 것은 산의 밑에서부터 올라가는 것이 아니고 헬기로 소위 공격지점이라는 산 중턱까지 이동하게 된다. 전통적인 등반을 중시하는 이들은 이 방법이 치트라며 좋아하진 않는다고 한다… 현재는 이미 과학의 발전으로 대부분의 산은 다 정복되었다.이제는 등반하는 것이 문제가 아니고 등반하는 방식이 더 중요한 시점이 되었다. 특히 하인 홀트 메스너 (Reinhold Messner) 가 존경받는 이유는 알파인 스타일을 추구하고 그것으로 히말라야를 올랐기 대문이다. 그는 누구의 도움도 받지 않고 혼자 새로운 루트를 개척하며 산을 오른다. 물론 자신의 짐은 모두 자기가 들고 간다. 거기가 더해서 고정 로프를 사용하지 않고, 고지대에서는 포터를 이용하지 않고, 산소 호흡기의 도움도 받지 않는다. 그야말로 자연의 거대한 산을 온몸으로 받아들이는 것이 알파인 스타일이다… 이번 오은선의 히말라야 14좌 여성 최초 완증 파문을 보면서 그냥 씁씁함만이 느껴 졌다. 과정은 필요없고 단순히 결과만을 중시하는 사회 분위기의 절정판 이라고나 할까? 플랙야크, 코오롱, 오은선, 고 고미영씨는 무엇 때문에 히말라야 14좌를 올랐나? 위대한 자연에 대한 도전이었는가? 아니면 ‘여성 세계 최초 히말라야 8000m 14좌 완등'이라는 타이틀의 결과물이 필요했던 것인가? 등반가인가? 등반 선수인가?
A blogger Socuteno1 reflected a perspective shared by most of the bloggers as well as ordinary people who are not much interested in mountain climbing. The blogger said that whether Oh had reached the summit was not a huge issue to them, but public wanted to see the pure mountain lover, their once respected hero ‘Chief Oh’ restoring her status by truthfully admitting the mistake. Many bloggers along with Socuteno 1, said that Oh will still be loved for her stunning feat of climbing 13 eight thousanders and the strong inspiration she gave to Korean public.
사실 전 그가 완좌를 했건 아니건 관심없어요…그가 등반에 실패했다 의혹을 제기하는 측은 구체적인 증거가 있고 정복했다 말하는 그는 구체적인 증거가 없습니다. 정말 산 만이 아는거겠지요. 만약 정복을 했다면 이와 같이 억울한 일은 없을거예요…다만 이제는 14좌를 완등한 최초의 여성 산악인이라는 타이틀 보다는 산을 사랑하고 산 앞에 한치의 부끄러움도 없는 정직한 산을 좋아하는 사람의 모습을 보여주어야 할거 같아요. 그를 몰아세우는 언론도 걱정이네요 . 목숨을 걸고 산에 오르는 산악인에게 벼랑끝으로 몰아세워 다시 칸켄중가를 등반하게 했다가 사고라도 나면 .. 그때는 어떤 기사가 나올까요? …오은선 대장님. 국민은 당신이 최초 히말라야 14좌 등반 여성 산악인이기를 원하는것이 아닙니다. 뒤늦게라도 사실을 정정하고 다시 초심의 마음으로 산을 오를수 있는 용기와 산을 사랑하는 마음을 바라는 겁니다. 이제라도 진실이 무엇인지 확실히 밝히신다면 당신에게 손가락질 할 국민보다 용기의 박수를 보낼 국민이 많다는 걸 아셨으면 좋겠습니다.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Taiwan: Call for legal community to speak out · Global Voices
David Reid

Lawyer and environmentalist Robin Winkler discusses how Taiwan’s government is gradually eroding  the separation of powers and the rule of law. He calls on those in the legal profession to speak out against this.

author: David Reid


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Trinidad & Tobago: Crime & Punishment  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I am listening to the current calls from all sections of society that a resumption of hangings is part of the answer to crime”: KnowTnT.com suggests that “it is time to review our laws and let the punishments fit the crime.”


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U.S.V.I.: Watching Earl  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

News of St. John reports that the U.S. Virgin Islands are on a storm watch.


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Ukraine: Blueberries and Early Harvest · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Blueberries and this year's early harvesting in the Ukrainian countryside – at The Pickle Project.


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Venezuela: Former Miss Universe and the Flag With Seven Stars · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“…the two issues that are pressing us are 1) how come Miss Venezuela was not in the last 15 finalist of the Miss Universe competition last Sunday and 2) what did the outgoing Miss Universe meant when she waved a Venezuelan flag with 7 stars instead of the official 8 star flag,” writes Daniel for Venezuelan News and Views.


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Angola: Armament Compared with Brazil and Israel · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Every week the Em angola blog posts some figures about the country. This week, on war and violence, Gabriel Toueg makes a comparison between Angola, Brazil and Israel, concerning both legal and illegal armament.


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Anguilla: One Step Back · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Corruption-free Anguilla thinks that Montserrat's new draft constitution “does not advance government…rather, it sets Montserratians back decades, particularly in the area of human rights.”


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Brazil: Scholar Blog on Citizen Media · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Brazilian blog Mídia Cidadã [Citizen Media, pt] is the support platform for an academic research on “citizen communication and socio-cultural transformations” which intends to foster “the role of networked virtual media in the construction of a new paradigm of sociability”.


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Chile: Strong Citizen Response Against Thermal Energy Project · Global Voices
Felipe Cordero

The approval of a thermal energy project sparked a strong online and on-the-ground citizen response. The plant, approved by the Regional Environmental Commission [es] of the Coquimbo Region, was to be built near the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve and Punta de Choros, a small beach town known for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity.
The environmental movement Chaopescao [es] (literally “Bye fish;” a playful Chilean way to say goodbye) and concerned citizens present during the Commission's voting on the project, began tweeting the outcome right away. What started with tweets (such as this one, announcing the decision [es]), Facebook status updates and blog posts, concluded with more than 3,000 people protesting the decision in downtown Santiago.
Online citizen response
Television ad that was censored on Chilean TV for unknown reasons. Video by YouTube user MrKairosStudio. More videos are available, including a documentary, on YouTube channel movimientochaopescao.
Before the voting took place, Sergio Espejo wrote on his blog [es]:
¿Cuántras tragedias ambientales más deberemos vivir como país antes de que entendamos el valor de lo que estamos perdiendo? El drama de los 33 mineros en Copiapó debiera hacernos reflexionar. Ese accidente no se habría producido si empresarios y autoridades hubieran hecho su pega. Pero también faltó sociedad civil y sindicatos que hablaran claro […]En Punta Choros no debe ocurrir lo mismo. Aquí, la sociedad civil se ha manifestado […]
Many Chileans used Twitter before and after the vote to inform and comment on the project. Victor Vargas (@elvitoto) expressed his opposition [es] to the plant, while others used Twitter to reach President Piñera (@sebastianpinera). Reflecting on current events in Chile, David Olave (@olavecl) said this to the President [es]:
@sebastianpinera Chile espera su promesa sobre #PuntaChoros. No interesa tener vivo a los #mineros si la tierra donde viven es una mierda.
In the wall of the Facebook group “Salvemos Punta de Choros” [es] (Let’s Save Punta de Choros), which as of today has 52,525 “likes,” thousands of users commented against the project. For instance, Elizabeth Venegas Navarrete, a supporter of the group, said [es]:
Es  muy triste que en nombre del progreso se pierdan los maravillosos  lugares naturales de nuestro país.  ¡¡¡Que les dejaremos a nuestros  hijos o nietos!!!!
Donde les llevaremos a conocer y disfrutar de lo hermoso país que Dios nos regalo a todos.
Soon after the vote, a street march was organized, presumably by Chaopescao. The blog Aire Puro [es] (Clean Air) called on Chileans to protest the project [es] in cities across the country. Similar calls were found in abundance on Twitter. The result was a peaceful gathering of more than 3,000 people. The police dispersed the protesters forcefully [es] using teargas, despite the fact that the protest had been peaceful, but unauthorized by regional authorities. Arturo Subercaseaux (@suberca_10) said about the police [es]:
Honestamente, la marcha por Punta de Choros fue tan pacifica que los unicos que causaron desordenes fueron los pacos
Photo taken by Flickr user bdeboikot, used under a Creative Commons  Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.
Because of the success of online organizing, both traditional and social media outlets have analyzed the role of social networking sites in the protests against the thermal energy project. The blog QueSaen [es] called social networking sites “fundamental actors in the anti-thermal energy protests,” and said [es]:
Anunciado y propagado, como una bola de nieve, llegando a ser Trending Topic (e informando a todo el aparataje de inteligencia del gobierno)  lograron reunirse más de 3 mil ciudadanos entre la Alameda y Plaza de  Armas por Ahumada, la mayoría profesionales after pega y estudiantes que  se enteraron de la masiva en sus hogares y casas de estudio. Nadie  quería quedar ausente de esta causa.
Presidential Comments and Response
An interview with President Sebastián Piñera during his presidential campaign was widely circulated through social networks. In the blog La Libélula [es] (The Dragonfly), Reydet Saieh commented on the regional authorities’ decision [es] and reposted President Sebastián Piñera’s comments regarding the thermal energy project:
“Lo que estamos haciendo es una locura…me voy a oponer a todas las termoeléctricas que atenten contra la naturaleza, comunidades y calidad de vida.” […] “Somos inmensamente ricos en los combustibles del futuro…en energía solar con los desiertos con mayor radiación del mundo…la riqueza de las mareas…la riqueza de la geotermia en un país lleno de volcanes y la potencia de la energía del viento” […]“Promover las energías limpias y renovables, por ahí está el futuro de la energía en Chile” […]“Seré muy riguroso, muy exigente con proyectos termoeléctricos contaminantes, como ha habido más de la cuenta en nuestro país.”
The audio recording of this interview can be found here [es].
In the same post, Reydet Saieh added:
Es impresentable que la Corema haya aprobado el proyecto termoeléctrico Barrancones en Punta de Choros, debemos exigirle a Sebastián Piñera que cumpla su palabra de proteger el medio ambiente.
Today, President Piñera (@sebastianpinera) said the project would not be built near Punta de Choros, but rather elsewhere. The Chilean President announced on Twitter [es]:
Hemos logrado gran  solucion para proteger santuario naturaleza punta choros, isla damas y  gaviota, para nuestra y futuras generaciones
In response to the presidential decision to relocate the plant, David Farias (@davidfarias_) said [es]:
Bien x Punta de Choros, mal x la zona donde será reubicada la termoeléctrica. @SebastianPinera sigue sin cumplir promesa de energías limpias

author: Felipe Cordero


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Cuba: Double Standard  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“On one hand they release some dissidents from prison, on the other those who attempt to say ‘I disagree’ get shoved behind bars”: Crossing the Barbed Wire comments on “the double standard policy assiduously practiced by the government as part of its greater foreign policy.”


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Ecuador: Journalist Jorge Ortiz Leaves Important Television Channel · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“It is really a pity […] We are not only losing a critical voice on TV, the citizenry is losing another space in that ‘fight’ between the top and bottom.” This is how blog La Hueca [es] reacted to the news of journalist Jorge Ortiz leaving television channel Teleamazonas.


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Ghana: Recycled Bolga Baskets · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Photos of recycled Bolga baskets from Ghana: “But this is not crappy marketing, this is just being honest. These baskets go quickly. So quickly that the photos to show from last week’s delivery are redundant because the damned things sold out already.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Guatemala: Indigenous Teacher and Artist Kidnapped and Murdered · Global Voices
Renata Avila

This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.
An increasing spiral of violence has impacted different communities in rural Guatemala. This time, the victim was a respected rural teacher, spiritual guide, dancer and artist from Sololá: Lisandro Guarcax.
Lisandro was kidnapped on his way to the rural school were he taught, in Chuacruz, Sololá. His deceased body was found with signs of torture as reported by an official statement from Cultural Center Sotz´il Jay [es], where Lisandro worked as the director. The blogs Colectivo El Papel [es], Red Maya (Mayan Network) [es], ComunicArte [es], The Pavarotti Center [es] and Quahutemallan [es] also reported the incident. Artists and indigenous groups are mourning the torture and murder of Lisandro.
Indigenous poet Rosa Chávez  dedicated a farewell and a poem [es] to her friend and mentor on her blog, Santa Tirana:
Gracias por tus palabras sabias, por ser amigo, guia y  hermano,  tu  fortaleza y tus sueños siguen con nosotros, en mi corazón  estan los   recuerdos que vivimos como semillas, es difícil entender la mala muerte, esa que deviene del desequilibrio y la maldad, da rabia y da coraje, el dolor corre por mi sangre, por nuestra sangre,  pero  tambien   la luz que deviene de tu espiritu, que ya es latido de viento, sonido infinito, estrella, neblina, susurro de tiempo…
As the Director of Cultural Center Sotz´il Jay, Lisandro worked in Sololá with a network of indigenous Kaqchikel youth, rescuing pre-hispanic dance and oral traditions, as shown in this video.
A member of Cultural Center Sotz´il Jay performing indigenous dance. Image from Flickr user Grupo Sotz'il used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License.
Open spaces for art and expression like the cultural center Lisandro directed are an opportunity for teenagers in extremely poor and marginalized areas to reinvent their identity and revitalize their individual and collective self esteem. It works like a magic solution to discourage youth from getting involved with gangs and drug lords. But as this incident indicates, the spiral of violence is seemingly unstoppable, and it is killing the magic solution by killing the artists.
This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.

author: Renata Avila


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Hong Kong: A Typology Internet Commentators · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated an online forum post on a typology of Hong Kong Internet Commentators regarding Aug 23 Manila hostage incident.

author: Oiwan Lam


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India: Recyclers – The Invisible Heroes · Global Voices
Rezwan

Anna da Costa at India Climate Solutions writes about the Indian recycling industry which is contributing in India's economic boom and the slum dwellers who provide cheap labors for this industry.


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India: Traffic During Rain In Mumbai · Global Voices
Rezwan

Priya at Reading Cafe posts some pictures to show what happens when it rains in Mumbai.


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Infographic of China’s Social Media equivalents · Global Voices
Andy Yee

Thomas Crampton puts together an infographic to explain some of China’s Social Media equivalents.

author: Andy Yee


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Iran: Jailed blogger Goudarzi receives NPC award · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

The National Press Club has announced the international recipient of the 2010 John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award is Iranian blogger Kouhyar Goudarzi, who is being held in Tehran's Evin Prison–notorious for its torture of detainees.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Is Taiwan Whitewashing Sino-Tibetan History? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Angry Chinese Blogger explains the recent controversy regarding an exhibition in the Taipei's National Palace Museum on “Tibet: Treasures From the Roof of the World”. The exhibition was hailed as a sign of improving Sino-Taiwanese ties with the accusations that the photos were being used to promote a sanitized version of Sino-Tibetan history


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Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Redemption  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp posts a poem by Trinidadian Jennifer Rahim.


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Japan: Eyebrows raised by China’s rise to number two   · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Financial data and figures say Japan has now fallen to number three in world ranking.
This month the Japanese government admitted that China has stolen its thunder [en] becoming the second largest economy after the US, as official figures showed that Japan’s gross domestic product was US$1.28 trillion in the second quarter against China's US$1.33 trillion.
By Flickr id xioubin low. CC license.
But this announcement hasn't surprised many Japanese people who had been expecting it to happen sooner or later.
The buzz that media created about Japan being beaten by its Asian neighbor has made many bloggers raise their eyebrows and say: so what?
Ampontan, for instance, warns that China becoming the second largest economy in the world is nothing but a bubble that will eventually burst.
Yesterday, the English-language print media was filled with stories declaring that China’s economy had at last grown to become the second-largest in the world, surpassing that of Japan. One newspaper said it had “seized” second place (as if economies can seize anything), while another reported that it had captured the “second-place crown”.
Perhaps they should be forgiven, for it’s obvious they know not what they do. Many people, more often on the left than not, view the dynamics of national economies as a zero-sum contest–as if they were spectators at a baseball, football, or hockey game. The economists remind us that the potential for win-win is always there, but few people listen.[…]
As Gordon Chang points out in Forbes [en], the Chinese property market has become the 500-lb bubble in the middle of the room. When it pops–and you know it will–investors will take a bath so large the media will be inundated with water sports stories 24/7.
Japan emerged as economic superpower in 1968, when it became the second largest economy in the world, surpassing West Germany.
The “economic miracle” as defined by some scholars [en] was caused by multiple factors including postwar reforms and a high level of industrialization fostered by ‘keiretsu’ [en], a partnership of Government and private industry.
Nowadays Japan, with a population which is only one tenth of greater China's population, has a public debt to GDP ratio of about 200% and a mere 0.1% economic growth rate.
Takaojisan thinks it’s natural that the Chinese GDP passes Japan's as the population is bigger. But he also shares with Ampontan the opinion that the story that China is going to be the largest economy in the near future may go up in smoke.
単純に考え、日本の１０倍の人口がいるから日本の１０倍の購買力があるなどはあり得ず、結局は一部の富裕層が買いあさっているに過ぎない。中国のGDPは、個人消費ではなく、行き場のない金が向かっている投資によるところが大きい。そして、その投資がはじければ、中国の巨大な経済は一夜にして水泡に帰するのだ。なにしろ、経済の実体となりうる個人消費がきわめて限られ、インフラが整備されず、国民生活を支える有形無形の社会サービスがまったく形成されていないからだ。
つまり中国の投資バブルがはじけた場合の崩壊はすさまじいと言える。まさに、実体のない経済が雲散霧消するのだ。[…]
しかし、いずれ日本を経済規模で抜いたとしても、べつにそれがどうと言うことではないのだ。
In addition to the figures that prove China’s economy being greater than the Japanese, experts forecast [en] that this growing power will eventually pass also the US by 2030, becoming then the largest economy in the whole world.
Blogger aen_ukon99 wonders what are the factors considered by the experts when examining a country's economic performance.
それに中国に生産拠点を移した多くの外国企業の生産はカウントされていないのかな？
そして安い労働力の供給元だった中国がこの頃自殺者やストなどで目覚め始めて多くの企業はインドやアフリカに移りつつあるって中国にとっては結構痛い話じゃ無いのかな。
More positive thinkers, like Bos, have taken the news as a reason to look ahead and help their country to utilize those values and strengths that made of it a world power in just a few decades.
まあ、いつか来る順位変動なので仕方がない。
これ以上落ちないように努力と行動と思考と知能を生かしていきたいものだ・・・・・。

author: Scilla Alecci


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Japan: iPads in the Sumo stables · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Steven Sande at TUAW reports [en] on the reasons that induced the Japan Sumo Association to distribute iPads to the “big-fingered sumo-wrestlers”. He says the aim is to make the internal communication process smoother after the scandals that hit the association [en] recently.


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MENA: Kuwaiti Cartoons Cause Moroccans Offense · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A popular Kuwaiti television programme has upset some Moroccan viewers, who say it depicts Moroccans in a negative light.  The cartoon, called Bu Qutada wa Bu Nabeel, portrays Morocco as corrupt and its women as greedy, as they try to entrap the Kuwaiti male characters into marrying them.
Several clips are available on YouTube.  One, below, shows a scene in which Moroccan police attempt to elicit a bribe from the arriving tourists, while another shows the Moroccan female characters practicing witchcraft.
The show has created a rift between Morocco and Kuwait, and an online spat, prompting a quick apology from Al Watan for the offending cartoons, reports Al Arabiya.
Moroccan blogger Mouad wishes to start a cross-cultural dialogue about the cartoons and the stereotypes they depict:
Other topics was treated by the 2 “special Morocco” episodes such as the naive nostalgia of some in Arabophone world to reconquest the Andalus in a way that it could be considered as against Arabs & Muslims if makers weren't Kuwaitis. Personally, I appreciated the way it mocked the behavours of some Khalijis which make them rich dumbs in the eyes & mind of people abroad. Needless to say that conceptors didn't pay any attention for details of cities or behavours of Moroccans.
So, I think clichés from both people of Gulf & Morocco & other Arabophone world the opportunism of some are the main problem. Maybe it's time to sit and discuss. I wish other bloggers from Gulf and Arabophone world join to it and to talk about this topic.
Waiting for what? Let's go!
Writing in Arabic, Kuwaiti blogger Frankom notes:
This short post attracted around 120 comments so far, with reactions ranging from those who don't blame the Moroccans for their outcry to those who see no harm in the cartoon and characters it depicted.
Q8PING writes:
While Sara says:
اللي انعرض هذا الواقع ومايزعل وأتمنئ الكويت والله تقطع علاقتها مع اللي يسئ لها جان الدول حسبتلنا ألف حساب
Candle, who is just back from Morocco, disagrees with the way in which the Moroccans were stereotyped saying:
And His asks:
How would  we react if another country made cartoons about us?
Similar sentiments are being echoed in Kuwait's popular online forums. On the Salmiya Forum, Awhaam says:
مافيه اي اساءه للمغرب
مجرد ان ثلاث متزوجين يريدون الذهاب الي المغرب وتلحق بهم زوجاتهم وتحصل بعض المواقف الطريقة بالمطار
والقناة اللي عرض الي فيها هي قناة الوطن الخاصة مالها علاقة بالحكومه الكويتية
On the same forum, Amal Al Haifa disagrees saying:
The reader continues to explain what the serial showed:
Meanwhile on Facebook, several groups calling for an end to the series have been formed, attracting a few thousand followers.
One of them is Egyptians and Moroccans Calling for an End to the Kuwaiti Series which Hurts Morocco (Ar), which has attracted more than 2,200 ‘fans’ so far, and another is  Together for Calling for an End to the Abu Qutada and Abu Nabil Series and a Kuwaiti Apology for Moroccans (Ar), which has so far attracted just over 1,000 members.
In retaliation, Moroccan hackers allegedly hacked the official Kuwaiti Amiri Court website, replacing its content with derogatory content targeted against Kuwait and its people, according to Kuwaiti online news site Alaan.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Mexico: Wikileaks Releases Mexican Documents · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Vivir México [es] reports that Wikileaks has released Mexican documents which the government has not commented on.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Moldova: Mock Independence Day Greetings · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A compilation of mock Independence Day greetings to Moldova's interim president, reflecting the current geopolitical situation – at Morning in Moldova.


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Nigeria: Am I the last hope of my generation? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nigerian blogger Adeola asks, “Am I the last hope of my generation?”: “Nollywood is torn apart by the amount of money that its members will receive for the support or campaign for Jonathan. One useless group called NIGERIA ECOWAS YOUTH or Nigerian Youths in ECOWAS has promised to open a campaign office in the 16 ECOWAS countries on behalf of Jonathan.”


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North Korea: Former President Carter Rescued A Detained American from North Korea · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter left North Korea with a detained U.S. citizen AIjalon Mahli Gomes today South Korea's Joongang reported, quoting North Korea's state media KCNA (Korean Central News Agency).


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Pakistan: Relief Efforts – Report From The Ground · Global Voices
Salman Latif

Ever since the Pakistan floods started to get worse, I had been thinking of doing some meaningful relief activities, and so far my work had been confined to helping the flood victims stationed in a nearby school in Multan. I also had some money collected from friends and family and intended to embark upon a trip to the flood affected regions.
Building walkway to connect. Image courtesy Dr. Awab Alvi from Twitpic
I, along with some students of Pakistani universities had founded Azm-e-Nau – Let Us Rebuild Pakistan, to involve the youth in social welfare activities. So this was our big opportunity and we collaborated with members of Pakistan Youth and Children Forum (PCYF), a Multan-based local non-profit organization for our relief trips.
We started our first field trip on August 15, 2010 when we took a mini-truck load of food and relief materials to Muzaffargarh and Mehmood Kot, which are the least developed regions of Punjab. We could only buy relief goods amounting to 50,000 rupees (US$ 585), a meager but precious first attempt.
I shared in my blog  how the trip materialized for me:
Today, as I received an sms from a friend inviting me to a trip to Muzaffargarh to disburse relief good, I promptly replied in affirmative (a huge part in this readiness was played by the inspiring narrations from others). By 11 a.m. I was heading straight for Ghanta Ghar where a number of PCYF (Pakistan Children and Youth Foundation, a local non-profit organization) members awaited departure. After brief introductions, we embarked upon the journey.
Flood Relief Trip Part 1: uploaded by LetusrebuildPaksitan
What struck me most was the utter lack of any governmental authority, any official relief work or any other sort of aid that could have come from more organized quarters in this region. Even army's relief role in the region was confined to a tiny camp near Muzaffargarh power station where it comprised a very bare fraction of the entire mass. Having read so much about relief camps and activities, it was rather shocking for me that this region seemed utterly neglected.
Flood Relief Trip Part 2: uploaded by LetusrebuildPaksitan
Helping the relief victims brought into urban relief camps is more organized and convenient. But those that are still in the flood-ravaged regions or nearby are the ones in severest need of relief goods. Many of them are carrying farm animals with them and hence, take to camping rather than traveling to safer places. Those who choose to leave are forced to sell their animals at a fraction of their original price.
Read the rest here.
The flood victims told me terrifying tales which are detailed in another post in my blog:
“We barely fled with our lives. 7-feet waves washed across the entire village when the Muzaffargarh Canal overflowed” narrates Muhammad Hanif of Basti Kandi Wala, a village at a few kilometers from Mehmood Kot. Standing near a crowd of displaced populace, Hanif tells that there is no chance for a normal life, not at least for a long time, “As long as waters recede completely, there's no going back. And even when it does, we'll have homes to build, marshy lands to deal with and above all, the rent that is to be paid to the landlords.”
The area had been cut off both ways for about a week when the road drowned under-water. At one side, Mehmood Kot and at the other, Kot Addu was inaccessible. [..] “For a week, we were stranded, with no food or relief from the authorities or anyone.” Ghulam Asghar, aged 35 relates.
After coming back from Muzaffargarh and Mehmood Kot, I was able to make arrangements for medical camps using my connections at the Nishtar Medical Hospital which is among the largest hospitals in Pakistan, and get doctors from there.
I wrote in details about the Medical Relief Camps organized by by Azm-e-Nau here:
After a week-long effort, Azm-e-Nau had been able to procure a fair amount of medicine provisions, four doctors from Nishtar and a dispenser. Initially the plan was to pitch up a tent at an appropriate location and then stay there for the rest of the day. However, considering a lot of scattered clusters of tents and people, we decided to go mobile. Three stops at different localities, including Qureshi wala, were made and some 350 – 400 patients were diagnosed and treated with basic medicines. [..]  Throughout the check-up, a log of the diagnosis was continuously maintained. This, we did to keep track of the more prevalent diseases and make our arrangements accordingly for future trips.
Some times, it requires a real experience to truly feel the magnanimity of a situation. Watching the plight of the flood victims on TV may arouse a distant sympathy, but when I saw them face to face, watched the naked hunger written in their parched faces and witnessed fights over food and water, I realized how huge the problem was and how badly these people needed help. This only persuaded me to plan another medical relief trip to the region, this time into the remote regions of Rajanpur and Jampur. The visit will be a three-day trip, scheduled from August 27- August 29.

author: Salman Latif


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Russia: Blog Roundup at SiberianLight · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russia Blog Roundup has become a regular feature at Siberian Light again; Aug. 27 installment is here.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Singapore: Should food bloggers get free meals? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Singaporean food blogger, Brad Lau (Iron Lady Chef), was accused by a restaurant of bad behavior when he and his friends initially refused to pay for the food they ordered. The incident sparked a heated online debate about the ethics of food blogging.
This is Brad’s version of the whole episode:
Story: The articles seemed to suggest that I paid the restaurant a visit on my own accord, that I walked into the restaurant and announced myself as a food blogger.
Fact: This is not true. I was invited to a food tasting session by Melanie, PR Manager for the Restaurant.
Story: It was reported that the restaurant had decided to “waive the fee” for me and my dining partner out of goodwill
Fact: This was an invitation to a food-tasting session…Having attended previous food tastings before, I assumed that the meal would be, at the very least, on the house for myself and one dining partner. I was not expected to be billed for and then “waived” off from what was disguised as a “food tasting session”. When questioned, Melanie then cited this to be in-line with ‘industry standards’ of food tasting sessions: that the restaurant would only pay for my +1. “
Story: It was reported that I had said: “I always get free food wherever I go“.
Fact: This was never said. Nevertheless, I must admit the hostility while paying (I had tossed my credit card on the table) was uncalled for and I sincerely apologise.
The restaurant management issued this statement:
We want to take this opportunity to suggest a possible formation of a governing body or an association/society, which cultivates and promotes the appropriate manner of belonging and blogger's etiquette. There should be some guidelines and policies implemented to avoid any similar incidents from occurring again.
xiaxue criticized the restaurant for insulting the invited food blogger
You don't like a blogger? FINE. Don't invite him ever again. You can even spit in his food the next time he comes if you want.
But to give other bloggers + newspapers petty details such as him arriving late or overstaying your stipulated buffet period? LOW, SO LOW.
MY FOOD SIREN II dislikes the idea of bloggers attending food tasting events without being invited
I’m fine with restaurants inviting bloggers for tasting events but definitely not the other way round. Integrity is the word, people. If you really truly blog for the passion of food, this issue is a moot point.
Daniel Food Diary has a reminder for those who are interested to become food bloggers
Some of my friends thought that being a food blogger was wonderful with privileges such as free meals, endorsements, and advertisements. But many food bloggers I know had none of these – only a small handful made it to the pedestal. I know that I do not earn a single cent out of this. Zero.
A note to all who wants to be a food blogger, you really have to love both food and writing. I can give my word that it is never about free meals. Spending 2-3 hours of writing, editing, and photo-shopping on one entry for a free meal (if you do get it) is never worth it! Credibility and objectivity can never be bought anyway. It has to be established, slowly and definitely.
This matter has been blown out of proportion and the truth is, I do wish to read ladyironchef’s entries again (whether he did or did not demand for that free meal). Let us just go back to the fundamentals of food blogging – to share about the joy of food. At least that’s how I see it.
Both the restaurant management and the food blogger had shortcomings, according Melbourne blogger – Melbourne Social Scene.
I don’t really understand this PR-invited food tasting culture in Singapore personally. As I said above, I believe that in order to properly review an experience at a restaurant it’s important to be incognito, much as one of the general public would be, so as not to receive special service and special perks. In my opinion, that leads to a “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” arrangement that destroys the objectivity of food blogging and reviewing. But whatevs. In any case, I think it was somewhat presumptuous of him to assume he could just bring along as many people as he wanted. Moreover, it was something of a professionalism fail by the PR company to not even dignify him with a response
Ed Unloaded suggests a few tips for food bloggers
Maybe Bloggers should just label their posts more deliberately, especially when it is a paid Advertorial.
Bloggers should have a certain level of integrity. I seriously don’t want to recommend to my friends a really lousy dieting product and find out that they suffer from liver failure in the near future

author: Mong Palatino


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Sri Lanka: TweetupSL a Major Success · Global Voices
Rezwan

Amitha Amarasinghe reports on TweetupSL, the first ever public Tweetup for Sri Lankan tweeps. He shares some photos of the meet where more than 100 Sri Lankan Twitter users gathered under one roof.

author: Rezwan


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Taiwan: Tell the difference between Yukata and Kimono · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

Famous comic blogger and Japanese culture observer JaeJae teaches us how to tell the difference[zht] between Yukata and Kimono, the two similar Japanese traditional garments.

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Trinidad & Tobago: Educating the Ministry  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Somebody needs to go to the Ministry of Education…and screech loudly to the folks in there: ‘MoE, we have a problem!'”: KnowTnT.com explains, here and here.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Uganda: The Expat/Ugandan Dynamic · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mark Jordahl discusses corruption allegation at Uganda Wildlife Authority and lessons to be learnt about the dynamic between foreign experts and Ugandans:  I believe that for some, there is a tendency to assume we mzungus bring more to the table than we actually do.”


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Ukraine: Anthem in 14 Languages · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukraine's national anthem performed in 14 languages (Ukrainian, Greek, Tatar, Gagauz, Polish, Romanian, Georgian, Yiddish, Romani, Russian, Hungarian, Belarusian, Armenian, Azerbaijani) – at Ukrainiana.


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Australia: Left Perspectives on Hung Parliament · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

Reacting to Australia's national elections held on Saturday 21 August, one outcome is certain: neither Julia Gillard's Labor government or Tony Abbott's conservative Liberal/National Coalition have won a majority of seats.

author: Kevin Rennie


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Cameroon: A white person is eating me · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Christina is an American volunteer in Cameroon. She has met a man who needs her help because,”He tells me that a white person is inside threatening his mother. And then the next day it is that a white person is eating him.”


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Chile: Miners record on a video their living conditions · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Through a video camera lowered down to them, the 33 trapped Chilean miners have recorded their living conditions in the refuge that kept them alive for the 21 days before they were found. In the video they send messages to their families and explain how they spend their days.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Egypt: Ramadan Television and the Muslim Brotherhood · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Eyad Nassar playing Hassan El Banna's role in El Gamaa. Image taken from Lokmet Eish blog
If we are to list the main characteristics of the Holy Month of Ramadan in Egypt and in the Arab World, they are – other than fasting and praying – oriental desserts, soap operas and TV series. And this year the Egyptian TV decided to produce a series about the opposition party Al Ikwan Al Muslemeen (The Muslim Brotherhood), who are also referred to by the Egyptian regime as El Gamaa El Mahzoura or the Illegal Group. The TV series, which is called El Gamaa, tries to shed light on the history of group and it's founder Hassan El Banna; however it was criticised by many bloggers that it reflects nothing but the regime's point of view.
Tarek Shalaby compared the series to Nazi propaganda:
Hussein Ossman criticized El Gamaa here, claiming its writer is biased to the regime and to the the state security intelligence's point of view:
Raafatology also criticized the writer of El Gamaa and described him as a police-writer:
Other bloggers, who also found it biased, believed that the series – unintentionally – did Al-Ikwan a big favour.
Maggie Osama and Nawara Negm, for example, said that the Jordanian actor playing Hassan El Banna's role is handsome enough to let people like El Banna and his group instead of hating them.
And Nawara wrote in her blog how the ones responsible for the casting of this series have shot themselves in the foot:
And another user on Twitter posted a link showing how the series raised people's interest in learning more about Al-Ikhwan's founder as the increase of searches on Google show:
This graph shows the increase of number of searches for Al-Ikhwan founder Hassan El-Banna
Ibrahim Mohamed, on the other hand, liked the series, and wrote in his blog “Hanany” how he found the script and information offered satisfying:
The series is also attracting attention outside Egypt. Lebanese Naeema tweeted:
And finally, Abdel Monem Mahmoud wrote in his blog (Ana Ikhwan), about the other series that Ikwan were going to produce themselves, but about a year and a half has already gone and it hasn't seen light yet:

author: Tarek Amr


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Ethiopia/Eritrea: Languages spoken in Ethiopia/Eritrea · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Learn about languages spoken in Ethiopia and Eritrea:”Amharic is the dominant and official language of Ethiopia.Whereas Eritrea does not have any official languages but English, Italian, Tigrinya, and Arabic are languages which are commonly used in official communication.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Guatemala: Attack Against a Blog? · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Luis Figueroa reports [es] that blogger Guillermo Pineda wrote on Twitter, “My blog in WordPress.com was hacked. Anyone knows if I can recover it? #Hacked #Wordpress.” Luis wonders if this is an attack; in June Guillermo received threats [es] both in person and through email.


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India: Floods In Jammu And Kashmir · Global Voices
Rezwan

Dilip D'Souza at Death Ends Fun describes his first hand experience of the flood situation in the Leh district of Jammu and Kashmir state in India.


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Japan: Anime Director Satoshi Kon’s Last Message · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Anime director Satoshi Kon died of pancreatic cancer on August 24th, and the world lost a visionary creator. He was 46 years old. As  jbetteridge tweeted:
It's not that anime will never be the same with Satoshi Kon gone. It's now much more likely that anime will always be the same.
Kon's wife published his last words, “Sayonara (Farewell)”, on his website on the 25th. It is a lengthy post that starts with how he and his wife were told in May that Kon had six months to live, and chronicles his decision to greet his fate in his own home, a near death experience, the love and support of his wife, colleagues and friends, and his unfinished film Yume Miru Kikai (The Dream Machine).
Writer Makiko Itoh translated  the entire article on her blog, saying:
Satoshi Kon, the director of anime movies Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, Millenium Actress and Paprika, as well as the TV series Paranoia Agent, died on Tuesday, August 24th at the age of 46. (NY Times obituary.) He left behind a rambling but extraordinary document, which his family has posthumously posted on his blog.
They're the last words of a supremely talented artist who knows he is dying very soon, with work left unfinished. It's been the talk of the Japanese internet, and it struck me deeply.
Here are some excerpts:
“Why not try to keep living according to my own principles!” However, as is the case when I'm trying to create a work [a film], ones willpower alone didn't do the job. The illness kept progressing day by day.
When I envision your faces, I only have good memories and remember (your) great smiles. Everyone, thank you for all the truly great memories. I loved the world I lived in. Just the fact that I can think that makes me happy.
With my heart full of gratitude for everything good in the world, I'll put down my pen. Now excuse me, I have to go.
Itoh tweeted that there is a German translation as well. She's also posted Further language and cultural notes regarding Satoshi Kon's last words.
Satoshi Kon's last message made the rounds in the Twittersphere as his message resonated with legions of fans. @SAKAI_Kenzi:
先日亡くなった今 敏監督、余命宣告を受けていたんですね。オフィシャルサイトKON'S TONEの、長い長い最後の投稿を読んで、自分の死に冷静に向き合う姿勢に目頭が熱くなった。「死ぬための準備」僕にはできそうにない。http://bit.ly/asvCKo
@KatsumiKuga:
再度、今敏監督の最後の日記を読む。 死にゆく者の達観にも圧倒されるが、監督を取り巻く群像の描写と、それにより今敏の死というシーンが鮮やかに立ち上がってくることに改めて衝撃を受ける。最後の最後まで表現者だったのだな。遠く及ばずながら、願わくは俺もそのように生き、死にたい。
@dienojibigboss, referring to one of @konsatoshi's tweets:
故今敏監督は亡くなる一週間前にツイッターで「でも、やるんだよ」とつぶやいていた。涙がとまらんよ。俺も絶対頑張ろう。どんなツラいことがあっても 「でも、やるんだよ」
One of Kon's best known works is Paprika, a film that explores the intersection of dreams and reality, released in 2006. Giving a brief overview of Kon's movies, James Leung writes:
When Paprika was released, Kon was reaching the zenith of his powers as a director and animator. He began using his patented nonlinear storytelling to tackle increasingly challenging and complex narratives. Therefore, his untimely death seems like an even greater loss to the anime industry. I can’t even imagine how many more potential masterpieces he could have created. […] Satoshi Kon’s life can be summed up in a memorable quote from Paprika, the inventor Tokita innocently remarks, “Isn’t it wonderful? The ability to see a friend’s dream as if it were your own. To share the same dream.” Thank you for sharing your dreams with us. We’ll miss you Satoshi Kon.
@susan0smith1985 watched Paprika over the weekend:
「パプリカ」鑑賞終了。ほんとにすごい作品。今敏監督の作品て意識的に理解するというより、無意識の領域で「わかる」ようなかんじ。現実と虚構が入り交じる現代社会、情報の波に踊らされてしまうのは至極当然。でもたまには立ち止まって「大事なモノってなんだっけ？」自分に問いかけるのもまた一興か
Ohagi at Anipression, a group blog for anime bloggers, remembers the first time he saw a Kon film and says farewell.
「PERFECT BLUE」は当時衝撃を受けました。今でも見終えた後の放心感は覚えています。。当時（1998年）色々なアニメを見ているうちに「アニメーションの表現には大きな可能性があるのではないか」なんて考えていました。そんな時に緻密な描写とその描写・表現の革新性や演出力を見せつけた本作はまさに「新しいアニメーションの可能性」を感じさせてくれた作品でした。この人の動向はチェックしなければいけない。そんな事を感じさせてくれました
Photo of Satoshi Kon in 2007 by Flickr user Aaron Webb, CC by NC SA
殆どのアニメ映画が原作有りの作品、もしくはTVアニメで人気が出た作品の映画化が多い中、ここ10年間で自らのオリジナリティを頼りにアニメ映画を作り続けた今敏監督。まさにナンバーワンならぬオンリーワンの方ではないでしょうか。だからこそ、平沢進氏や多くの素晴らしいアニメーター達が作品作りに参加され、驚異的なクオリティで作品を発表し続けることができたと思うのです。だからこそ、死によって彼が目指したアニメーション表現における先進的・野心的な方向性が消えて無くなると思うと、惜しいのです。
しかしそれだけ惜しまれるほど、今まで素晴らしい作品を送り続けたともいえると思います。だからまず我々ができるのは、面白いアニメを見たいと思っている友人に彼の作品を薦める事ではないでしょうか。こうした今敏氏が遺してくれたものをより広めていくこと。そして、今 敏監督のメッセージを感じることではないかと思うのです。
Perhaps it is a sign of how excellent his work is, for the world to lament this loss so much. One thing we can do is to recommend Kon's work to friends that want to see interesting anime films. Spread the word on what Satoshi Kon has left us. And last but not least, feel his message.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


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Japan: Execution chamber opened to the public · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Adamu at Mutantfrog comments [en] on the opening of the execution chamber to the local media who were allowed to take a peek at the gallows [en] for the first time.


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Madagascar: Radio Soatalily in Toliary Sacked  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Tomavana  posts  on twitter [fr] a report that  Radio Soatalily in the town of Toliary (South East of Madagascar) was sacked by 30 members [fr] of the opposition after their meeting was dismantled by police forces. The government also launched “Operation Strike” to curb down banditry and increasing criminality [fr] on the island.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Morocco: The Sublime Sufi Revival · Global Voices
Nabila Taj

The rhythms of a Sufi revival are passionately reverberating through the corridors of Morocco, and they are not going unheard, especially by the nation’s youth.  A blogpost on Lonely Planet reports :
The mystical branch of Islam, with its philosophy of inner peace, social harmony and oneness with God, is seen by many in Morocco as the ideal counterweight to such strict interpretations of Islam as Salafism, which have gained ground in the past few decades, as well as answering the country’s spiritual needs.
Sufism is recognized for introducing Islam to most parts of southern Morocco in the twelfth century. Eventually, Sufi tariqats, or brotherhoods, extended their influence to northern Morocco, and as well as to the rural areas. By the late fourteenth century, Sufism became a vital aspect of Moroccan politics.  After a three hundred year stint as a defining facet of Moroccan culture and mores, Sufism disappeared into the shadows of a stricter, more politicized Islam.
In the infancy of the twenty-first century, Islamic fundamentalism is rapidly advancing across the world. Sufism’s tenets of tolerance and pacifism exhibit great potential as a tonic for the looming threat of extremism.
King Mohamed VI, a descendant of the Alaouite Dynasty, which has ruled Morocco since 1666, wholeheartedly supports a Sufi revival. Since his coronation, he has faced quite a bit of criticism from right-winged opponents who want to instate a more religiously conservative administration to replace the current king’s liberal and secular governance.
Margot Boyer-Dry, a student from Wesleyan University provides her analysis on this issue.
“This is where Sufism comes to the rescue (at least in the mind of the government): Sufi Islam in Morocco is quite similar, in its liberal nature and tolerance, to the Islam enforced under Kind Mohamed VI. Ideally, the more adherents Sufism can gain within Morocco, the fewer people will be left to question the King’s role as a religious ruler.”
Even if Sufism is being utilized as a political tool in the Moroccan government, it is still welcomed by members of the younger generation who are attracted to Sufism’s rejection of fanaticism, and lenience with modernization.
For example, annual Sufi festivals are held throughout the year in Morocco.  A writer on Moroccoboard  illustrates the Fez Festival held this past April:
“The festival will, according to the Association of Fes Festival of Sufi Culture, continue to show Morocco as the land of the ancient home of Sufism and promoter of dialogue among cultures, but also as a bridge between the East and the West, symbolized by the mediating role that Morocco has always played, especially in its modern history.”
Festivals such as the Fes Festival feature musical acts from all over the world, but Morocco is home to several innovantive musicians as well. The three most popular brotherhoods in Morocco are the Gnawa, the Aïssawa, and the Hamadcha, and each offer their own musical styles and practices.
Joe Tangari writes:
“Gnawa musicians, mystics, and dancers provide a communication conduit between people and the jinn, unseen beings of smokeless fire that are important not to anger. The word is the source of our “genie,” and one particular type of jinn, the mluk (literally, “the owners”) is said to possess people who cross its path. One of the purposes of Gnawa ceremony is to negotiate with the mluk and send it packing– it dovetails with the Sufi quest for spiritual purity. An “Ouled Bambara” is a suite of Gnawa songs played during the Fraja, or entertainment, phase of a Gnawa ceremony.”
An example of a Gnawa invocation, or a lila can be found here.
Another notable Moroccan brotherhood is led by Bachir Attar. The Master Musicians of Jajouka is based in the village of Jajouka in northern Morocco. Members of the Attar family were knighted the royal musicians of the Kingdom of Morocco, and played for the sultans. The Attar family has been passing down music and traditions through generations for almost 1,300 years.
Despite all the enthusiasm, a fraction of Moroccans believe that the Sufism rejuvenation is a blasphemous tactic to undermine specific aspects of mainstream Islam. Idris al Faez, who defines himself as a conservative Sufi imam, imparts his position on the validity of Sufism. “There are some aspects of ignorance among some Sufis such as the mingling of the two genders and the use of music.”
Nonetheless, it is evident that Sufism is deeply rooted in Moroccan traditions, and a Sufi resurgence would, at least, be paying homage to the history of Morocco.

author: Nabila Taj


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Nigeria: Arrest Ibrahim Babangida · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Adeola wants the former Nigerian President Ibrahim Babangida to be disqualified from contesting any election in Nigeria and be arrested and tried for treasonable felony.


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Pakistan: Live Blogging Flood Relief Mission To Thatta Region · Global Voices
Rezwan

Teeth Maestro live blogs a flood relief mission to Thatta Region in Pakistan via CoveritLive and documents the journey live via GPS. “I believe that is the only way to share with the world what we see and hear on the ground,” Dr. Awab Alvi notes.


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Palestine: Abu Rahmah convicted of incitement for non-violent protest · Global Voices
Gabriel Nada

Non-violent organizer Palestinian Abdallah Abu Rahmah (عبدالله أبو رحمة), jailed since December 2009, has been convicted of
“المشاركة في تظاهرات غير مشروعة وغير مرخص لها” و”التحريض على تجمعات غير مشروعة”
by an Israeli military court for protests against construction of the concrete separation barrier (جدار الفصل) described by EU foreign policy chief Lady Catherine Ashton in the following manner:
“The EU considers the route of the barrier where it is built on Palestinian land to be illegal.” Her office also expressed deep disapproval of a conviction in which the EU sees that: “the possible imprisonment of Mr Abu Rahmeh is intended to prevent him and other Palestinians from exercising their legitimate right to protest against the existence of the separation barriers in a non-violent manner.”
Organizing Support for Appeals and Protest
The tweet:
“Criminalizing Peaceful Protest; Act Up for Abdallah Abu Rahmah http://bit.ly/aW7gO8 #Palestine #Bil'in”
is attracting numerous people spreading the word about the conviction and information on how to help appeal and protest this decision.
Other organizations directing efforts for assistance include the International Solidarity Movement, Bil'in.org, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, The Coalition for Justice in the Middle East and Jewish Voice for Peace among others. Also, a blogger by the name of Annie offers information on how to help protest and appeal this conviction and support Mr. Abu Rahmah.
Arab Blog and Human Rights Responses
According to Palestinian blogger and journalist Najib Faraj (نجيب فراج) writing in his blog on blog.amin.org, the attendance and support for Abu Rahmah at his trial was both international and high-level:
وجرت الجلسة وسط حضور قرابة 17 من الدبلوماسيين والقناصل ونشطاء السلام الإسرائيليين والدوليين الذين عبروا عن دعمهم لأبو رحمة ونضال بلعين السلمي ضد بناء الجدار.
Reports from Arab Media
Many reports in the Arab media have focused on the unusual and strong condemnation from the EU of this conviction, including Al-Dustuwr (الدستور), Al-Quds (القدس) and Al-Watan (الوطن).
Western Media Reaction
The BBC and CNN have both run feature articles covering the case while the Independent and The Guardian and The Huffington Post have also featured stories on the controversial conviction.
Western and English-Language Blog Response
Western and English-language blogs which have covered the ruling include Palestine Note, Gonzo Media as well as Mondoweiss which quotes former prominent investigative Jewish American Journalist I.F. Stone, writing about the lynching of a boy in the South based on racist hatred, for the purpose of showing the connection with the current situation in Palestine:
It shames our country and it shames white Americans that the only meetings, in Harlem, Baltimore, Chicago, and Detroit, have been Negro meetings. Those whites in the South and in the North who would normally have been moved to act have been hounded out of public life and into inactivity. To the outside world it must look as if the conscience of white America has been silenced, and the appearance is not too deceiving.
The intent is to replace “white Americans” with “the Western World” and “Negros” with “Palestinians” to show how the inaction and silence of the world in light of the current situation echoes past circumstances when the world allowed abuses and crimes to go unchecked because it could not rouse itself to act.
Twitterings and Tweets
Activity on Twitter for support of Abu Rahmah, his release from prison, and appeal of this conviction has been strong. Tweets spreading news of the conviction, support for his release, and ways to get involved with appealing and overturning this conviction can all be found here.
IsraeliCrimes tweets:
Abdallah Abu Rahmah: know the facts and act now for the freedom of a nonviolent freedom fighter shar.es/0Wxlp
while jvplive (Jewish Voice for Peace) offers:
Abdallah Abu Rahmah of Bil'in convicted for non-violent organizing after 8 months in prison. Speak out on his case: http://bit.ly/a1YKcJ
Israeli Reaction and Final Thoughts
Israeli reaction has been fairly predictable:
قال المتحدث باسم وزارة الخارجية الإسرائيلية ايغال بالمور: إنه ‘أمر غير مألوف أبدا بالنسبة لكبار الشخصيات الأجنبية التعبير عن وجهات نظرهم حول النظام القضائي في بلد آخر، وإذا وجدت أشتون خللا في هذا النظام، ينبغي لها أن تقول ذلك، وإلا فإنه من غير الواضح لماذا تتدخل في الإجراءات، وحقيقة أنها أعربت عن وجهة نظرها وتجاهلت الأدلة هو أمر غير لائق للغاية’.
Last Word
It is, of course, very usual for high ranking members of governments to make comments on events in legal systems and cases around the world – we see it with Iran and North Korea, Cuba and Libya – in fact Western governments and governments in general essentially do nothing but comment on – as well as intrude on the politics and internal affairs of – states around the world, and in this case, one would hope more countries will follow suit with the EU and Lady Ashton, not just in critical words but in critical action to appeal and reverse this ruling and set a person dedicated to peace and non-violence free.

author: Gabriel Nada