text:
India: Wheat Harvest In North India · Global Voices
Rezwan

“Have you seen wheat being harvested in North India?” asks Deepa Krishnan at Desicritics.  She then takes us to a long  walk into a golden-yellow wheat field in Rajasthan with her photo-essay.

author: Rezwan


text:
Jordan: A Busy Week for Culture Vultures  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian blog 7iber sums up events happening in Amman in the week from April 4 to 10. “This is one of those weeks where the culture vultures among us will have some very difficult choices to make, because there are so many interesting events taking place every single day,” says the blog.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Jordan: Facebook Page for Jordan Blogs  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian blogger Osama Al Romoh (Ar) has created a Facebook page for Jordanian blogs here.


text:
Lebanon: Chant and Scent · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

While hundreds of well dressed Lebanese were flocking towards the churches of Beirut to the religious chants emanating from loud speakers, a strong scent of the shiploads of cows penetrated every street and house. This took place on the night of Good Friday as reported by Bech.

author: Moussa Bashir


text:
Lebanon: Dissemination of Information in the Arab World · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“In 1991, the Arabs were terrified of Western supremacy in technology (smart bombs for example that CNN kept showing their devastating effects in collateral damages on civilians)… In 2003, Arab/Moslem masses had Al Jazeera channel to cover the war among 32 other satellite channels…This information victory scared the Western civilization…” writes Adonis49 about the evolution in the diffusion and dissemination of information in the Arab world.


text:
Lebanon: First Muslim-Christian Feast · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“This year, Lebanon finally celebrated its first Muslim-Christian feast: the Annunciation (البشارة) on March 25th… At first, I was quite skeptical about this inter-religious feast…[later] I started to feel that there was something good about that celebration…” writes Worried Lebanese about the newly declared unified Muslim-Christian Holiday commemorating the Virgin Mary.


text:
Nigeria: Leading Nigerian leftist gone · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“Abubakar Rimi, arguably, northern Nigeria most visible politician of the leftist persuation died yesterday of “cardiac arrest” after witnessing an armed robbery episode. Rimi has been diabetic,” reports Chidi Opara.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Peru: Imprisoned Police Officers Use YouTube to Call Strike · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Through YouTube,  two imprisoned police syndicate leaders managed to send out their calls for a Police strike protesting low salaries on April 5th. Although they are in jail for organizing a previous strike, that didn't stop Edward Casas and Richard Ortega Quispe from lending their voices to make the call for this one where they ask officers on duty to stay at home with their families and reflect on the state of the nation.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


text:
Russia: Reflections on the Subway Bombings and Politics · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

It's been a week since the March 29 bombings on the Moscow subway, which killed 40 people and left over 100 injured. Below is a sampling from an ongoing discussion by Russophone bloggers.
LJ user matiutia wrote (RUS) about an encounter with Moscow police officers on the day of the attacks:
I'm on my way to work. One subway station is closed. I move to another one. At the entrance, I'm stopped by the cops. Six of them or so.
- Your documents.
– [Don't have them] (left them in another bag)
– Are you registered [here in Moscow]?
– [Propiska – the record of place of residence]. Bolshoi Karetnyi Pereulok.
(They talk to each other for a while):
- Detention until identification.
– Well, come on, she's alive, that means she's not a [suicide bomber], come on…
(To me)
- Any identification documents.
(I unbutton my coat, take out my [Christian] cross):
– The only ID that I've got.
– You're free to go.
LJ user dolboeb commented (RUS) on the official response to the attacks:
[President Dmitry Medvedev] has decided to spend some time fighting terrorism.
Considering the background of our jurisprudent, we should not be surprised that all countermeasures he has come up with are not practical (scanners, cameras, dogs, instructing the population, international cooperation), but exclusively legalistic. What's needed, it turns out, is to reconsider the articles in the criminal code that relate to terrorists, and the bad [shahids] will get scared right away.
“It is reasonable to revisit issues related to the proper administration of justice under terrorist legislation – under the ‘terrorism’ and related crimes article – and to talk about the need to improve such practices,” said the head of state.
I wonder how it is possible to improve the practice of law enforcement under terror articles in order to punish, finally, those two female suicide bombers whose body parts have allegedly been found on Monday on the Moscow subway? How to optimize measures of penitentiary influence on the two [female suicide bombers] who blew themselves up [on board of the planes on August 24, 2004]? How should the articles in the [criminal code and the criminal procedures code] be corrected? Perhaps, some afterlife punishment provisions should be added to them?
[two photos of the dead perpetrators of the 2002 Moscow theater siege, also known as the Nord-Ost hostage crisis]
It would also be interesting to find out whether the extermination of the Nord-Ost [female suicide bombers] (who were killed  while unconscious by shots in the head) helped obtain data on their accomplices, [those who ordered the siege], funding sources, or the circumstances of preparing for the terrorist act. Did the “improved practice” used on their commander [Movsar Barayev] (a shot in the head and a bottle of cognac placed into the corpse's left hand) help prevent [the 2004 bombing at Rizhskaya subway station], the double bombing of the planes that flew out of [Domodedovo airport in Moscow], and [the Beslan school siege]?
[…]
LJ user maratguelman wrote this (RUS):
Unfortunately, we do not trust the results of the investigations into the previous terrorist acts. We are either not shown these results, or we are shown the corpses of the terrorists. But practically, there hasn't been a single trial whose materials one can look at and say – “we understand who and why carried out this terrorist act.” This is a fact. Hence the theories [implicating the Federal Security Service, FSB]. […]
http://community.livejournal.com/ru_politics/28956469.html Here they are discussing why [the terrorists] aren't targeting FSB as they take revenge for [militant Said Buryatsky], but instead attack peaceful Muscovites. As if terrorism is a declared war whose goal is to destroy an opponent. It's not the opponents that they are after, but innocent victims. […]
When Sasha Brener [performance artist Aleksander Brener], in response to the [invasion] of Chechnya, challenged [Boris Yeltsin] to a fight at [Lobnoye Mesto on Red Square], the police did not interfere for half an hour and only after all the [TV] cameras were done shooting him, he was arrested. When I was picking him up from the police department, I asked them – why? Why didn't they detain him right away – they couldn't have been scared of 50 students who stood in a circle around Brener. Their answer was this: well, maybe your crazy guy has just saved someone's life. They'll see over there in Chechnya that there is someone who is protesting against the war in Moscow.
[…]
LJ user yuozik made this political forecast (RUS):
[photo of president Dmitry Medvedev on the left, and of PM Vladimir Putin on the right]
Any terrorist act […] is an operation carried out by special services. It may be carried out by a 50-year-old Chechen woman or even by a bear with a [balalaika] – not much difference. […]
And today I'm interested in only one thing – whose special forces have been working today? Of the one who is on the left? Or of the one who is on the right?
[…] The algorithm of what happens next will allow us to understand just how horrible the current situation in the Russian Federation is. […] Because no matter how sad it may sound, we've arrived to the point where the two heads of the eagle on [the Russian coat of arms] (also, a reference to the so-called Putin-Medvedev “tandem”) are trying to devour one another to get on top.
[…]
1. If this was done by the new president's special services, then in the nearest future we'll see the weakening of the positions of [Chechnya's president Ramzan Kadyrov]. […]
2. If this was the work of the team of the ex-president in co-authorship with the current president of Chechnya, then it is possible to expect a real bloodbath in the nearest months. […]
Then the goal of today's terrorist attack is to intimidate the president of the Russian Federation and his young, reform-minded team. […]

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Saudi Arabia: At the Crossroads of Writing  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Passionate about writing? From Saudi Arabia, Hariohari shares those  thoughts.


text:
Saudi Arabia: Religious Police in Trouble? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice rules Saudi Arabia with an iron fist. Crossroads Arabia reports what could signal trouble to the commission – better known as the religious police.


text:
Saudi Arabia: Someone tried to Hack into my Blog  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi blogger Fuad Al Farhan sends out a tweet (Ar) saying that someone tried to hack into his blog and WordPress sent him an alert for resetting his password.


text:
South Africa: White supremacist leader killed · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Africa Is a Country writes about the murder of the South African white supremacist leader, Eugene Terreblanche. He was hacked to death by his workers.


text:
Sri Lanka: On Military Tourism · Global Voices
Rezwan

“The war is over and civilians can hop Air Force flights now.” Indrajit Samarajiva at Indi.ca writes about a personal experience of military tourism in Sri Lanka.


text:
Zambia: Failed education policy · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The ruling party in Zambia has failed to deliver on education: “ince the MMD came to power, we have seen tens of thousands of Grade 7 and Grade 9 students being spilled onto the streets every year.”


text:
Africa: Online African Music Awards · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Museke.com has launched Museke Online African Music Awards.


text:
Anguilla, Turks & Caicos: Taking Responsibility  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Corruption-free Anguilla comments on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's refusal “to accept responsibility for the decline of good government in the Turks and Caicos Islands”, saying: “The inevitable result, I fear, will be the British Government’s international embarrassment.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Australia: Oil Spill on Iconic Waters a Warning to Obama · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

A Chinese coal ship is spilling its oil onto Australia’s icon Great Barrier Reef:
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says she wants authorities to “throw the book” at the owners of the Chinese coal ship spilling oil into the pristine waters around the Great Barrier Reef.
Bligh's fury over Reef oil spill blunder
“It sounds like the plot of a disaster movie!” according to Geoff Sidebottom of Views from Towradgi (Comments from the Australian city of Wollongong on local and world events). His sentiments have been shared around the country:
… beaches on the Queensland coast and nearby Great Keppel island will be damaged – and our vital tourist industry will be threatened.
This ship was fifteen miles off course outside the shipping lane. Either incompetence or a lack of local knowledge could have been prevented had an experienced pilot been at the helm.
Surely a requirement that must be immediately implemented for all Barrier reef shipping !
Barrier reef oil spill !
Brian, at group blog Larvatus Prodeo, reminded us that:
A little over a year ago there was a major oil spill off the coast of SE Queensland when the Pacific Adventurer ran aground  spewing 270 tonnes of oil across the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Island. Now a Chinese ship, the Shen Neng 1, plowed at full stem into a reef about 120km east of Rockhampton on the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef.
Oil spill on the Great Barrier Reef
Australian Senate candidate Larissa Waters is very clear about what The Greens want:
Marine pilots should be compulsory for carriers navigating the entire inner Great Barrier Reef, and industry should bear the full cost of pollution clean ups, said the Greens today as an unknown amount of oil leaks from a coal carrier off Great Keppel Island.
The Great Barrier Reef is not a coal highway, it is a multibillion dollar tourism icon and biodiversity wonder which government should do its utmost to protect.
Instead Government is bending over backwards to increase exports of fossil fuels, rather than investing in job rich clean renewable energy which safeguards our Reef.
Reef  is not a coal highway – act to prevent oil spills say Greens
The ruckus was picked up across the Pacific. In the U.S. the liberal Irregular Times (News Unfit to Print) drew obvious parallels with local developments:
Barack Obama is supporting Sarah Palin’s goofy Drill Baby Drill  agenda of expanded offshore drilling. He says we shouldn’t worry, that there probably won’t be a big accident any time soon…
…a big accident like the one today in which a big tanker carrying coal rammed into the Great Barrier Reef. Some fuel oil was spilled, but if the tanker had been carrying crude oil, the results of the accident would have been even worse.
Oil Spill On Great Barrier Reef
We can only be thankful that this time it was a coal ship not an oil tanker.

author: Kevin Rennie


text:
China and U.S: Sending Amercian students to China · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

C. Custer from china/divide comments on the U.S government's plan to send students to China for learning more about the world.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
Egypt: Crackdown on Peaceful Pro-Democracy Protests · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

On the second anniversary of the first call for civil disobedience in the history of modern Egypt, new protests broke out through out the country. Egyptian police violently beat and randomly detained people to disperse protests calling for constitutional reform – especially downtown in front of the People's Assembly and the Shura Council.
It started back when the April 6 Youth Movement, along with other political movements, called for peaceful demonstrations in front of the People's Assembly. In addition some prominent intellectuals, such as announcer Hamdi Qandeel, asked all Egyptians to join the protests this time.
@Sarahcarr shared a photo of the Shura Council protest just before it was violently broken up.
From the morning on, news about the detention of activists was starting to come in from different places in the country.
Hebamorayef, a female activist, was in Tahrir Square and sent eyewitness updates:
1# Groups of plainclothes security on every street corner between Tahrir and Maglis el Shaab [People's Assembly]
2# Saw Four Dragged away from demo in front of shaab.
3# Beating and kicking of demonstrators arrested. 20 so far.
Malek, who was doing excellent minute by minute reporting on the situation in Arabic, mentioned that when protesters tried to run to the lawyers’ or journalists’ syndicates, news spread that both syndicates had been shut down. He also commented on the way of treating female protestors, and on how the police were using female officers, maybe for the first time:
2# اول مره اشوف العدد دا من الناشطات مضروب, واول مره اشوف طريقة التعامل دا مع بنات من وقت مظاهرة مايو 2005 اللي تم التحرش بها بالفتيات
3# الأمن المصري يستخدم عناصر نسائيه للمره الاولى لمطاردة ناشطات حركة 6 إبريل, العناصر النسائية ترتدي ملابس شرطة.
2# The first time I've seen that number of female activitists beaten up, and the first time I've seen this way of treating girls since the May 2005 protests where girls were sexually harassed
3# Egypt security uses uniformed women police officers to chase 6 April Movement female protestors for the first time
Journalist and blogger Sarah Carr, who was near the Shura Council, shared a short video of policemen removing people from the protest. She also said riot police were using batons to hit protestors; people were hit as they were dragged away.
Another video can be found here. People were chanting “leave him, leave him”.
Protests and clashes with the Egyptian police were not only in Cairo, but in other governorates, according to updates from bloggers and activists on Twitter.
In Alexandria, Dalia Al Marghani reported:
In Mansoura, Mohamed Maree reported a crackdown on an exhibition by the April 6 Movement:
(Picture of the exhibition in Al Mansoura university before it was burnt.)
Mohamed Maree also confirmed there were demonstrations in other places:
There were Demonstrations all over Egypt Today in Zagazig, KafrElsheikh, BanySweif #6april
The same thing was echoed by Mohamed Adel, one of the April 6 youth leaders who was in a demonstration; he listed the approximate number of students who joined protests at different universities:
In Ain Shams university (in Cairo) the situation was different. Nawara Negm wrote a blog post condemning the concert that was held on the university campus at the same time as the protest to distract students from joining. She then commented on the protests themselves:
Later on, many confirmed the block of the April 6 movement's website. Zeinobia said:
The official website of the 6th April movement is blocked and its server is down. http://www.6april.org/ I am not an expert but it seems that someone has hacked the main server.
At the end of the day, RamyRaoof who was also closely following the protests and working on the Front to Defend Egypt Protesters website wrote:
we were able to confirm the names of 73 activist detained at Cairo-Ismailiya road. #6April #EgyDefense
Fustat later confirmed:
The number of detainees are now 90 , and they are all held at a central security facility in Madinat al Salam http://bit.ly/bMnnex #6April
Many bloggers circulated the “Egyptian Revolution” video edited by James Buck of Nasser Nouri‘s photographs from Mahalla on April 6, 2008, with chants saying “We are not afraid. Freedom. Down Down Mubarak”.
The day ended with a glimpse of hope; Ahmed Adawy reported:
Updates throughout the day came from Mohamed Maree [Ar], Kareem El Behairy [Ar] and Zeinobia [En], as well as the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information[Ar], Egypt Protest Defense[Ar/En]. You can of course follow the hashtag #6April on Twitter.

author: Eman AbdElRahman


text:
Egypt: Linux InstallFest a Success! · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

EGLUG InstallFest, Final session. Photo by Zeinab Samir
The Egyptian Linux Users Group organizes an event every now and then in order to raise the awareness of the masses of Free Open Source Software (FOSS). They help distribute Linux CDs for free, help people in installing Linux on their machines, and give awareness sessions and brief introductions to FOSS-related software and technology.
Ahmed Mekawy – Linuxawy – wrote on his blog before the event asking for volunteers:
The event took place in Sawy Cultural Wheel last Saturday, and it was very successful. It was sponsored by Egyptian daily newspaper Al Masry Al Youm and Ofok, and many people from different age groups and education levels attended it.
Maggie Ossama wrote her opinion about the event in her own blog:
Alaa Abdel Fattah left a note on the micro-blogging service floss.pro, expressing his pride with the success of the event.
And finally Zeinab Samir published a group of photos she took for the InstallFest.

author: Tarek Amr


text:
Fiji: Contradicting censorship · Global Voices
Michael Hartsell

It's hard to prove fully, but for the past six months, blogging platforms (including Global Voices) have been subject to on-again, off-again access problems in Fiji. As another round of blog blocking has been rumored, New Zealand-based blogger Crosbie Walsh writes an open letter to Fiji's Police Commissioner explaining the harm indiscriminate censorship can do to a fragile political situation.

author: Michael Hartsell


text:
France: Muslim woman on the burqa debate · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

In an interview with Bondy blog [Fr], Malika, 28, a veiled French Muslim woman of Algerian descent, expresses her detailed views about the burqa and niqab, amidst the debate, reheated by the French government, for or against a bill that would ban the burqa.

author: Suzanne Lehn


text:
Guyana: Gender Equity  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Signifyin’ Guyana discusses gender roles in marriage and gender equality in the Caribbean.


text:
Haiti: “The Quake”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Haitian Blogger calls PBS’ recent documentary on the Haitian earthquake “distorted”, saying: “It would have been great if the writers and producers of ‘The Quake’ had offered a documentary that was not only representative of the immediate aftermath of the devastating earthquake, but was also an accurate historical, political, and economic perspective on what has made Haiti so desperately poor and vulnerable to this ‘natural’ disaster.”


text:
India: The Naxalites Continue  · Global Voices
Rezwan

“The reason why Naxalites have been able to sustain their insurgency for so long is due to three main reasons: the absence or failure of governance; the romanticism and propaganda of their overground sympathisers; and, finally, due to the relatively subliminal nature of their violence,” comments The Acorn while discussing about the escalated violence by the Naxalites in India.


text:
Iran: Art and Protest · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Zina Saunders, a NYC-based artist has brilliantly created two posters for the March 18 Movement. This movement was created to honor Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, an Iranian blogger and journalist, died in Evin Prison in Tehran.

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Iran: Iranian Embassy Occupied by Protesters in Den Haag · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Omid Habibinia tweeted that Iranian Embassy occupied by protesters in Den Haag,Netherlands. He says protesters were left wing students.


text:
Jamaica: Taking it to Court  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Yardflex.com reports that the Jamaican government will bring the U.S.’ extradition request for Christopher “Dudus” Coke before the courts.


text:
Japan: Remote-control female android · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Pink Tentacle has a post on a robot project by Osaka University to create a realistic-looking remote-control female android that mimics the facial expressions and speech of a human operator.


text:
Russian Government to Develop National Search Engine · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

Russian government will develop a search engine. “RBC-Daily” newspaper that published [RUS] the sensational news on its first page already gave a name to the future engine “Kremlyandex” and said that it might be available online in a year. The source of inspiration for this name was the most popular Russian search engine Yandex.ru. So far, the main Yandex’s competitors are Google, Rambler and Mail.ru. According to Liveinternet.ru [RUS], Yandex dominates Russian search market with 63.5 percent of usage. Approximately 21 percent of Russians uses Google, while Rambler and Mail.ru close to each other at the third place and fourth places.
It looks like Russian users don’t have a lack of options to search for online information. According to RBC daily, the idea to develop a national search engine, despite the fact that RuNet is well equipped with search options, was offered by the deputy head of presidential administration Vladislav Surkov, who is known as the chief-ideologist of the Kremlin. The newspaper suggested few explanations why the new project was born.
First, Russian government wants to have a major search engine that won’t be owned by foreign companies (Yandex belong to Netherlands based company Yandex N. V.). Second, the new system will be focused on governmental needs. It will provide access to secured information, while the prohibited content will be blocked. According to source of RBC, in both case the motivation has political nature since “the government will get a relatively controlled search engine with loyal owners.”
RBC told that the budget of project is 100 million dollars and it’s developed by the Russian Ministry of Communication, which cooperates with Russia-based private IT companies. Another source told the newspaper that Kremlin considered to purchase one of the existent search engines but eventually decided to develop its own.
The publication of the news raised a broad discussion among experts and bloggers. Most of them asked why RuNet needed a governmental search engine. It’s obvious that such an engine might be an instrument of censorship while promoting pro-government content and reducing the visibility of oppositional Web sites. However, experts argued that the main challenge is not to develop a search engine, but to make it popular in a situation when Russian users already can choose among Yandex, Google and Rambler.
The Lenta.Ru Internet expert Alexander Amzin writes [RUS]:
Представьте себе, что железнодорожная сеть России была бы создана частными компаниями. Имело бы смысл государству строить свою, дублирующую? Нет, это огромные затраты, гораздо проще добиться целей законодательным регулированием. <…>
По рельсам Яндекса, Рамблера и Гугла ежедневно “ездят” миллионы человек. Представим, что рядом прокладывают государственные пути с невнятной бизнес-моделью (реклама?) и целью существования. На продвижение этих вторых рельсов тратятся средства налогоплательщиков. Но, что характерно, госрельсами никто не пользуется, потому что частники пестовали свою железнодорожную сеть с десяток лет. Они про это понимают все. Государство тут чужое. Число успешных государственных интернет-проектов, мягко выражаясь, невелико.
“Convincing dozens millions of people to abandon everything and move to a governmental platform is not easier than making a revolution,” Amzin concludes.
Livejournal bloggers suggest two major versions: political censorship or money laundring. Vzav, for instance, wrote[RUS]:
Вот честно, не понимаю – нафига?
Зачем создавать то, что заведомо будет хуже уже существующих сервисов?
Идея тотального контроля? Так он есть.
Национальное самолюбие? Так оно не так достигается.
Деньги отмывают? Так ведь шито все белыми нитками…
Зачем тогда?
LJ user  dmadload suggests [RUS] a scenario how Kremlyandex might become popular:
Поскольку Гугл, Яндекс и Рамблер по-прежнему выводят неугодные единственно правильной политической партии результаты, они со временем (до марта 2012 года) будут выведены с легального положения. Как известно,  России 2 народа: один пользуется интернетом, а второй ходит на выборы. Дабы первый не соблазнял второй голосовать против ЕР, нужно его лишить мест публичного сбора и обмена мнениями. Яндекс и другие политически вредные поисковики нужно закрыть. Таким образом множество неугодных сайтов падут в небытие.
Lead_and_aether writes [RUS]:
Ещё можно обязать Яндекс (Рамблер не рассматриваю) использовать движок этого кадавра, а Гугль с Бингов забанить в Кремлёвском Государственном Брандмауэре (КГБ для краткости). И придёт щастье и советские газеты на каждый стол!
LJ user Tygro writes [RUS]:
…правда, думаю, всё как всегда, сведётся к банальному освоению средств и распилу казённых денег…
A head of the Internet department of the Radio-TV governmental holding (VGTKR) Askar Tuganbaev told [RUS] “Svobodnaya Pressa” that the national search engine, as well as national operational system, should help the government in regulating the Internet. According to Tuganbaev, all governmental offices, universities and schools will be required to use the national Internet products. In this case, the new search engine will be the home page for all Russian public servants and students.
Victor Galenko, deputy director of “Finam” company, supports this point of view. In an interview to “Svobodnaya Pressa,” He said [RUS]:
Это может быть элементарным капризом Путина или Медведева, а 100 млн долларов в масштабах государства – деньги небольшие. Какую-то долю на внутреннем рынке они все равно займут, пусть 5-10%. <…> Например, обяжут все государственные организации пользоваться только этим поиском. <…> Я думаю, это будет не только поисковик, там будет привязана еще и почта, которую граждане РФ смогут сделать официальной, чтобы получать различные документы. Каждый россиянин может быть принудительно затянут туда. Это единственная идея, которая сможет продвинуть проект.
It looks like Russia is moving toward an idea of the state creating not only e-government services by entire government-based online environment. In this case, “Kremlayndex,” is only a part of the future “Kremlinet” that will grow and expand inside RuNet trying to use the so-called administrative resource to fight its private competitors.
By the way, someone with a good sense of humor was faster than Kremlin. The domain “Kremlyandex.ru” is already taken and registered. Someone built there a Web page that similar to Yandex search engine. If you type there anything and click search, it will lead you to the Web site of the Russian ruling party “Edinaya Rossiya.”

author: Gregory Asmolov


text:
Malawi: Raising Malawi Academy to empower young girls · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Madonna blogs from Malawi about Raising Malawi Academy: “Our academy will educate, protect, and empower 450 young girls who are Malawi’s hope for the future. We will stop the brain drain happening in so many African nations—our students will receive an internationally competitive education while incorporating local values.”


text:
Maldives: The Issue Of Veil In Focus · Global Voices
Rezwan

Rehendhi is uncomfortable with the fact that the issue of veil is becoming a focus in Maldives, due to exploitation of religion in politics.


text:
Nepal: The Way Out · Global Voices
Rezwan

Paramendra Bhagat at Democracy for Nepal opines that “the way out of the ongoing political paralysis in Nepal is a 10-party government under Dr. Baburam Bhattarai's leadership”.


text:
Peru: Ongoing Mining Strike · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

On Sunday, April 4th, a Peruvian Twitter user, Jhon Cornejo (@ionCornejo) wrote angrily and sarcastically about the tribute made by President Alan García to the recently deceased Peruvian singer Jesús Vásquez:
Alan canta en velorio de Jesús Vásquez (lamentable perdida para el Perú). Ojalá tambien cante en el velorio de los muertos en Chala.
This reference to the dead in Chala was for those who died in the clashes between the police and miners, who had been blockading [es] the South Panamerican Highway near the community of Chala in the Arequipa region. This blockade was part of the National Miner's Strike organized by the Mining Federation of Madre de Dios (FEDEMIN for its initials in Spanish) and the Artisan Miners of Peru (FENAMARPE for its initials in Spanish). The blog La Vanguardia [es] writes about the strike's demands:
La comunidad minera exige la derogatoria del Decreto de Urgencia N° 012 – 2010, del Decreto Supremo Nº 019-2009, que la hidroeléctrica de Inambari no sea construida y la destitución del Ministro del Ambiente, Antonio Brack Egg.
The blogger adds the context of the protest and the reasons:
es necesario que se informe a la población sobre futuros proyectos en territorio peruano … la población jamás va a estar tranquila con la idea de que un amplio tramo de la Carretera Interoceánica … sea inundado. Tampoco aceptaría el desplazamiento de las poblaciones cercanas al proyecto y  la deforestación … La población sentirá los efectos negativos en sus actividades agrícolas a menos que, se vean frente a la oportunidad de una verdadera mejora en la calidad de vida.
en tanto a la derogatoria del Decreto de Urgencia 012 – 2010, … intenta formalizar la pequeña minería y la minería artesanal en el departamento de Madre de Dios; … plantea la recuperación de zonas degradadas por la minería informal. De esta manera, se crea el establecimiento de zonas de exclusión minera y zonas donde sí se puede realizar esta actividad.
El Decreto de Urgencia 012-2010, al igual que el Supremo 019-2009, buscan la protección de nuestras áreas naturales. Sin embargo, mientras tanto ¿Qué van a hacer los trabajadores mineros de este departamento?
It is necessary that the population is informed about the future projects on Peruvian territory … the population will never agree with the idea that a large stretch of the Inter-ocean Highway … end up flooded. In addition, they will not accept the displacement of the population living near the project and deforestation … The population will feel the negative effects in their agricultural activities unless they see an opportunity for a truly better quality of life.
Regarding the repeal of Urgent Decree 012 – 2010, … it attempts to formalize small-scale mining and artisan mining in the Madre de Dios department; … it proposes the recuperation of the zones degraded by informal mining. In this manner, areas of mining exclusion and areas where this type of activity will be created.
Urgent Decree 012-2010, as well as Supreme Decree 019-2009, searches for the protection of our natural areas. However, what will the miners in this department do in the meantime?
Martín Soto Florián from the blog SNm [es], writes that he was recently in the city of Puerto Maldonado where he could see some of the aspects of this strike:
1. Existe gran temor entre la población, esto alcanza a tirios y troyanos, incluídos funcionarios públicos (se recuerdan los antecedentes de 2008, quema del Gobierno Regional, y 2002, quema de la sede del Ministerio de Agricultura).
2. Se estima un Paro de grandes dimensiones, constituyendo puntos críticos los siguientes: Inambari, Puerto Maldonado y el Aeropuerto, también fue mencionada la posibilidad de toma de edificios públicos y de quema del Poder Judicial de Puerto Maldonado.
He estado allí, donde verdaderamente impera la ley del más fuerte …He visto y escuchado las historias, he observado los movimientos de alimentos, de utensilios, y también de gente. Los mineros habitan en pueblos fantasmas, que me recuerdan las pelas del lejano oeste y los sueños dorados,  operan con gran maquinaria, contaminan y tienen un gran poder adquisitivo: se juegan la vida por su oro.  Pretender retirarlos de la minería sin tentar otras puertas, es una sincera invitación a la violencia. Creo que no estamos preparados para lo que se viene, y creo que no nos importa porque –seamos honesto- esto va a suceder harto lejos de aquí.
1. There is a lot of fear among the population, reaching Tyres and Trojans, including public workers (remember the antecedents of 2008, the burning of the Regional Government, and 2002, the burning of the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture).
2. It is estimated that the Strike is on a large scale, including critical points in the following areas: Inambarí, Puerto Maldonado, and the Airport, there was also mention of the possibility of the taking of public buildings and the burning of the Judicial offices in Puerto Maldonado.
I was there, where survival of the strongest prevails … I have seen and heard the stories, I have observed the movement of food, utensils, and also of people. The miners live in ghost towns, that remind me of the fights in the old West and the golden dreams, where large machinery operates, contaminates, and have great purchasing power: they risk their lives for their gold. They try to take them out of mining without opening other doors, it is a sincere invitation to violence. I think we are not prepared for what is coming, and I don't think it is important to us because – let's be hones – this will take place a long way away from here.
There were some Twitter reports by those who were passing through the city of Puerto Maldonado:
Etni Flores Barriga (@etnof):
Hoy hubo inusitado transito aereo en Puerto Maldonado, al parecer esta llegando contigente policial, para cautelar el orden en esta ciudad.
Fauna Forever (@faunaforever):
Emeterio Nuñoncca (CICRA): Pasaron 17 embarcaciones llenos de personas a Puerto Maldonado (por el paro minero).
Enso A. Pita Mejia (@ensopita):
me llamaron de puerto maldonado, los mineros se estan reuniendo en la feria agropecuaria, y al parecer son mas de 10 mil.
RPP News (@RPPNoticias):
Reportan que miles de mineros informales marchan por calles de Puerto Maldonado
Then came the news via traditional media regarding the miner's march in Puerto Maldonado, as had been reported by RPP [es], that despited the feared violence, it did not take place in the city.  It was also reported that the strike began in the cities of Apurímac and Arequipa [es]. Unfortunately in the town of Chala, there were reported deaths, as alluded to at the beginning of this article- 3 miners and 1 motorcycle taxi driver, possibly due to the police actions for attempting to remove the blockades on the South Panamerican Highway [es].
El Comercio newspaper reported that the miners in Puerto Maldonado had organized themselves for the protest by financing it with contributions in gold [es] that had totaled US$60,000 in value. The newspaper La República reported that even though President García did not want to talk about the deaths in Chala, he defended the measures of force that were taken [es], “We want for there to be work for the miners but it should be formalized, what is happening in Madre de Dios is an atrocity: the rivers are the color of mercury, of arsenic, it is dramatic … those truly guilty are the midsize miners who allow for dredge mining. What we are trying to do is show that the State has the backbone and seize these dredges.
Another newspaper, Perú 21 reported that in addition to the 4 deaths, there were at least 17 wounded in Chala, Arequipa [es]. They also cited Peruvian Prime Minister Javier Velásquez who stated that: “Russian and Brasilian businessmen are financing the strike (…) in order to leave the decree that orders the mining activity without effect … these people will be located, they will be impeded from entering the country and judicial proceedings will begin.
In a new report published by the newspaper La República, chronicling the events of Chala, it appears that the situation is far from resolved [es], since “the protesters said they will not lay down their protest actions until the State formalizes their work. They also said they would “charge for each of the deaths.”

author: Juan Arellano


text:
Philippines: A Holy Week Visit to Old Manila · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

An excursion through the old downtown area of Manila City during the Holy Week underscores the need for a sense of history and culture in the face of the lack of initiatives to preserve colonial-era buildings, set up museums, and retain old street names.

author: Karlo Mongaya


text:
Philippines: Earth Hour 2010 · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

The Philippines joined the March 27 Earth Hour as 1076 cities and municipalities turned their lights off in a symbolic mass action for energy conservation, environmental protection, and against global warming. Filipinos post observations and comments online.
Organizers of Earth Hour in the Philippines dubs the campaign for the hour-long voluntary switch-off campaign as a resounding success.
“It is a wonderful example of public and private sector collaboration and a brilliant celebration of climate solutions.” Rough estimates peg that at the very least, over 15 million Filipinos in 1076 towns, cities and municipalities joined this year’s switch-off.
In 2009, the Philippines also ranked first among 88 nations in terms of local participation in Earth Hour. Over 10 million Filipinos in 647 cities and municipalities switched off their lights during Earth Hour, saving an estimated 611MWh of electricity – equivalent to a temporary shutdown of a dozen coal-fired power-plants.
The Mindanao Examiner covers the Earth Hour in the key cities of Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines.
Members of the Boy Scout of the Philippines and the Kabataan Party List also joined the Earth Hour 2010 in Davao City. The party list group also took the occasion to air its grievances against President Gloria Arroyo’s policies on the environment and energy and other social issues.
In Kidapawan and Zamboanga and other key cities in Mindanao, lights were also turned off to conserve energy. People from all walks of life also joined Earth Hour 2010.
But many areas in the southern Filipino region were also in total darkness because of power outage due to the continued dry spell. In Zamboanga City, many villages were without lights and black out can be as long as three hours every night.
Because of power outages, the Earth Hour in Zamboanga City was minimized to 30 minutes only:
A lot of citizens were furious when they saw tarpaulins promoting the “earth hour”. We're not really against the idea, however, the entire city is already experiencing rotational brownouts which lasts for 2 hours (atleast) and this sums up to 6 or 8 hours of brownouts for a day. Isn't that already an effort of saving mother Earth from global warming? It's more than an hour, even!
In this context, a labor union alliance called on the Arroyo government to “present concrete actions and steps towards the resolution of the current power supply crisis rather than focusing on trivial, short-term, non-significant activities.”
“If the government cannot provide any viable solution, aside from enforcing rotating brownouts, to the country’s power supply deficiency during the election period and beyond, then all the efforts for Earth Hour 2010 will be put to waste,” said KMU chairperson Elmer Labog.
Neil Viajero reports on the Earth Hour protest action of an indigenous people's organization for the protection of the environment.
Together they encircled the candles which were arranged to form number 60 symbolizing 60 minutes of campaign against climate change. The group started the program with prayers for the environment especially the effect of Climate Change as they hold placards for their calls for the environment and the issues of Energy in the Philippines. They chanted “60 minutes for Nationalized Power Industry.
Pictures of the indigenous people's protest action can also be viewed on flicker.
A Kids Earth Hour story telling for children was organized in a mall in Taguig City, blogs Recycle Bin of a Middle Child:
The stories that were told to the kids had something to do with the importance of saving energy and keeping our environment clean and safe. There was also a film showing which depicted Earth-related issues. And then, other had a fun time climbing, jumping and running inside the playpen. This was really great, I suppose, because this had been a fun way to keep the children in touch with what’s happening around them, to be responsible, and a great way for them to enjoy darkness and participate in this wonderful event.
Mark Maranga blogs about the Earth Hour activity in a Cebu City mall where a popular band played songs
just before the celebration of the Earth Hour just to gather people in the place… There was a 60 second countdown and then the major lights were off, as well as the elevators and the escalators. Restaurants & shops inside the mall showed their share in saving planet earth.
Meanwhile, Entrepremom suggests activities that families and their children can do during the Earth Hour:
Stargazing – As as child, I knew that the stars shine brighter when the lights are off. Tatay taught me about Astronomy when I was just a kid. Now this is a good chance to teach our kids about constellations and bits and pieces about whats out there.
Catching fireflies – I wondered if I can still find fireflies here to show my little girl. This one was my favorite!
“Moon, follow me!” – I love it when the moon follows me wherever I go – even now
Patintero – I never got the chance to do this because my grandparents were so strict but my friends said that they enjoyed playing this game before.
Shadow play – This I love! Can you make a dog, a tiger, a dove, a bird and a snake with your shadow?
Story telling – Oh please spare your kids the horror stories! It would do them no good Tell better ones and let them use their imagination.
DinoLara's photos of Makati City from the top floor of a building during Earth Hour are posted on CNNiReport. dianesfootprint also posts a picture of the Makati/Taguig area in Metro Manila while below is a video of the Ayala Museum in Makati City during the Earth Hour:
Earth Hour started in Australia four years ago but has since become a global event participated by millions world-wide.


text:
Russia: War Reporter Blogs on Trauma and Politics of the Subway Attacks · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Flowers at Park Kultury subway station in Moscow – April 3, 2010 (image by Veronica Khokhlova)
Olga Allenova (LJ user allenova) is a special correspondent for the Kommersant daily, author of Chechnya is Close: War Through the Eyes of a Woman (RUS), a collection of the 1999-2007 war reportage from Russia's North Caucasus region. In the blog post (RUS) translated below, she writes about the March 29 subway bombings in Moscow and the 2004 Beslan school siege, the subsequent pain and trauma, and the resulting political and media responses.
Today a friend of mine […] suddenly told me that she had been [avoiding subway and taking buses and other means of land public transportation] to work this whole past week. She works at [Kolomenskaya subway station], and lives at [Rechnoy Vokzal]. It takes her only 40 minutes to get from home to work. But since Tuesday, she's been leaving home two hours earlier – at 6 AM, that is – to be at the office by 9 AM.
I didn't get what she meant right away. That is, I could guess she was stressed out, like many other Muscovites, as a result of [last Monday's subway blasts]. But I didn't know her condition was that serious. And when I asked her why she was so sure something similar couldn't happen on [a bus], she started crying. And I suddenly realized that I had just told her a very cruel thing. The imaginary safety of land transportation was keeping her afloat, allowed her to continue going to work, to somehow plan her life. And now she was sobbing, saying this: “I can't live! I can't live! I can't descend into the subway! I can't look at the people!” And now I could understand her. I was in a similar state in 2004, in and after Beslan. Everything that used to give my life a sense of some universal justice had collapsed then. I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat or go out into the street. In front of my eyes stood black plastic bags, and the black women screaming above them. It's impossible to express this, the words that I'm writing now seem absurd. Even now I have a lump in my throat. I don't even remember how I got out of that. Many hours, weeks, I'd been talking to all kinds of people, friends, a priest, my husband, colleagues. It was then that I decided I wouldn't be seeing psychologists – they aren't of much help. They are just doing their job, staying outside – outside your pain.
Then a year passed, and I went to Beslan again. And again, there was this terrible hurt, and these symbols – white balloons over the school, white birds over the cemetery, an old woman saying tender words to a dove that chose to sit on her granddaughter's grave, children's faces on the cold gravestones, their teddy bears, their chocolates and cola. I'm a strong person, I know that. I've seen a lot in my 33 years. War, dirt, terrorist acts, corpses that no longer looked like people. I know that I've survived all that. But I know that deep inside I still haven't recovered from Beslan. I don't like to talk about it. I try not to think about it. Because when I do, I sob from despair, from fear. I sob because I still haven't understood why it happened. I sob the way my friend did today. She's just scared. There are many people like her now. People are scared to go inside subway. They are scared of women in headscarves, even though many of these women are Moscow natives. They are scared of their own fear. Fear is an enemy that destroys a person from within. If you are scared and you give up, the fear will take full hold of you. When I'm scared to go to the Caucasus, I realize that if I give in to fear and don't go once, I'll stop going there altogether – and I'll end up stuck at home, behind the closed doors, and I'll be scared even to pick up a phone. I know people to whom this happened.
I don't understand why they aren't discussing this problem on TV. Why there are no psychologists who would talk in prime time to people about the problems that are bothering them a lot. Not every person would agree to see a psychologist. Not everyone understands that it's a disease that requires treatment.
They'd tell me – what TV discussions do you expect when on the day of the attacks they didn't even air special newscasts on TV. I live in this country, so I'm not surprised. A year after Beslan, exactly on the anniversary, Moscow was celebrating its birthday. And when I wrote a text about it, outraged readers responded to me: “What, do you want us to forget our own birthdays, anniversaries, weddings?” My friend, by the way, was also celebrating her birthday on that day. And now she is sobbing from fear. It's just that at that time it all seemed too distant. And now it's very close. […] And I'm not surprised by how the federal channels were covering the subway attacks. If you remember Nord-Ost [theater hostage crisis of 2002] and the live broadcasts on [NTV] – and what they did to NTV afterwards – it becomes clear that no live broadcasts are possible in this country under this regime. I'm not gonna get hysterical and scream about why the officials aren't showing me the truth – the way Beslan mothers did at one point. I simply despise this regime. I don't see them as authorities. For me, they are a cowardly bunch of people who couldn't even get out of the Beslan airport, but were sitting there, in the hastily set up headquarters (just in case, so that they could get out if the terrorists suddenly besiege the whole city) – at the time when the children were being shot at by tanks and grenade launchers. These same cowardly people were trying to convince the citizens whose relatives were taken hostage in the besieged Nord-Ost [theater]: “Colleagues! Calm down! All the terrorists are waiting for is for you to hold a rally on Red Square! We won't allow this!” A quote from [Valentina Matvienko]. They, of course, couldn't allow such a blow to their image. A rally against the war in Chechnya, and right on Red Square. Against the sacred and on the sacred.
I don't expect anything from these people. I even understand why they disliked the publications in the media claiming that the Moscow attacks were acts of revenge for the Caucasus. [Boris Gryzlov] is very displeased with hearing all the time about the regime's cowardliness. And about the mistakes they had committed but wouldn't admit to. […]
But – again – this isn't what I wanted to say. I wanted to say that people need help. Professional psychological help as well as simple moral support from [family and friends]. If you have a friend who is scared to take subway, talk to him about it. Help him. Maybe you'll save him from trouble. We can only rely on ourselves, on our dear ones, on fellow citizens. Because there's no one else in this country that we can rely on.


text:
Senegal: Wade’s African Renaissance Monument · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ethan discussses Abdoulaye Wade’s African Renaissance Monument project: “Sure, there’s the predictable “Does a country with a per capita income of $1088 per person need a huge copper statue?” The monument has pissed off a surprisingly wide range of people.”


text:
South Africa: Real threats to South African democracy · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Pierre discusses the murder of the South African white supremacist, Eugene Tereblanche: “I really do not understand why everyone is making such a fuss about the murder of a completely irrelevant, right wing, racists, megalomaniac like Eugene Terreblanche.”


text:
Sri Lanka: The Tale Of The Fasting Monks And Police · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sri Lankan police have arrested several Buddhist monks who were demonstrating against the detention of the Gen Sarath Fonseka, former presidential candidate of the opposition. Perambara has the story how the fasting monks were picked up by the police.

author: Rezwan


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: False Connection?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Glimpses of status updates sufficed. Comments on pictures were quick and hurried, not considered.  The like button became a false symbol of connection”: Judette at Mango Media Caribbean thinks “it's time we took our friendship off Facebook.”


text:
Argentina: In Defense New Media Law · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the blog Patria SI, Colonia NO [es] spreads the news about the April 9th march in defense of the new Media Law, which would prohibit media outlets from being concentrated in the hands of too few owners.

author: Eduardo Avila


text:
Barbados, Antigua: Constitutional Crisis · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Wuhloss. Only in the Caribbean could a political victory unfold so spectacularly”: Barbados’ Cheese-on-bread! blogs about a constitutional crisis in Antigua.


text:
Bolivia: Election Results Reveal Emergence of New Opposition Force · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Soon after the final vote was cast in the April 4th municipal and departmental elections and the official results began pouring in, many bloggers started to provide their analysis and interpretation of the results. On that day, Bolivians would set out to elect local mayors and members of the city council in 327 municipalities, as well as governors and departmental assembly members in the 9 departments.
After winning re-election in December 2009, President Evo Morales and his party Movement Towards Socialism (MAS for its initials in Spanish) sought to consolidate power by maintaining those regions in which they traditionally had strong support, but also to put forth “invited” candidates in opposition regions that may provide them with different results from previous losses.
Citizen casting a vote in the city of La Paz by @patojv and used with permission.
Mario Durán of the blog Palabras Libres [es] notes that the MAS won 6 of 9 governor seats, but only the mayorship of 2 of the 9 departmental capitals. This he notes, leaves the victory with a “taste of ash.” Duran's brother, Jaime, also chimes in with some questions and answers about the results:
¿Qué significan estos resultados? ¿Se puede hablar de una derrota del masismo?
Cómo siempre no hay una respuesta única a estas preguntas. Es una derrota porque no se colmaron las expectativas. Perder tres alcaldías en Occidente no son buenas noticias. No es una derrota porque el nivel meso (las gobernaciones departamentales) está bajo control del partido azul y es en ese nivel que se construirán las autonomías. Aunque debe matizarse que los departamentos en los que se encuentra la riqueza hidrocarburifera no están bajo las alas del oficialismo. Esto generará problemas y se lo verá dentro de poco.
What do these results mean? Can we talk about a defeat for the MAS?
As always, there is not only one answer for these questions. It is a defeat because they did not meet expectations. To lose 3 mayorships in the West (traditionally strong support for MAS) is not good news. It is not a defeat because at the mid-level (departmental governments) they are under control of the blue party (MAS) and at that level the autonomies are constructed. Even though it must be noted that in the departments in which the hydrocarbon wealth can be found, they are not under the control of the government party. This will create problems and will soon be seen.
Blogger Pablo Andrés Rivero of Purple Fire [es] writes that, “it is clear that the MAS-IPSP is the outright winner, but… there are many ‘buts'”
One of these “buts” took place in the city of La Paz, which is also the seat of government and where the MAS has enjoyed considerable support. However, its mayoral candidate Elizabeth Salguero, who had been leading in the polls, was defeated by Luis Revilla from the party Without Fear Movement (MSM for its initials in Spanish). It was this result that attracted the most attention in the Bolivian blogosphere, as many bloggers provided their thoughts on why the MAS lost in La Paz and what this means for the party and its party chief for the future.
Juan del Granado, who founded the MSM, had been mayor of La Paz for a decade before deciding not to run for a 3rd term in the 2010 elections. As a former human-rights lawyer, del Granado had successfully prosecuted the first Latin American dictator in the courts when he placed Luis García Meza behind bars in the mid 1990s.
During his 2nd term in office, the MSM became allies with the MAS party. However, for the 2010 elections, the MSM chose to put forth its own candidate, rather than support Salguero in the municipal elections. This led to a war of words from President Morales and many of his supporters, which included threats of placing del Granado into the Chonchocoro maximum security prison and warnings that the central government would not work with elected leaders from opposition party. This rhetoric was something which the bloggers and evidently the voters noted, as Revilla was elected. Some voters like Alberto Canedo (@betocomics) captured the image of their vote for Revilla in this Twitpic photo, as well as Patricio Javier Vera (@patojv):
Photo of vote cast by @patojv and used with permission.
Daniela Otero of the blog Dejando Huella [es] writes:
La guerra sucia emprendida contra el Movimiento Sin Miedo, uno de los más importantes aliados del proceso de cambio en occidente, fue interpretada por los ciudadanos como una sucesión de actos de deslealtad y arbitrariedad.
Blogger and political scientist Miguel Centellas of Pronto* adds that there was a bit of hypocrisy in these accusations:
During the campaign, the rhetoric intensified to the point where Evo and others threatened to jail the popular La Paz mayor (and democratization-era hero) Juan Del Granado. Apparently, after more than four years as close working allies, Evo suddenly discovered that Juan “Sin Miedo” (as he & his party are called) was “corrupt” due to his previous participation in pre-2005 governments. Of course, this didn't stop MAS from recruiting Roberto Fernandez, the son of populist Max Fernandez of UCS (both of whom actively took part in the worst of the patron-client relationships of the 1990s “neoliberal” era). Roberto was recruited to run for the mayorship of Santa Cruz against Percy Fernandez (no relationship) and Johnny (Roberto's brother). Percy looks to have won an easy reelection.
Richard Sánchez of the digital magazine La Mala Palabra [es] was especially tough on the MAS and clearly stated his intention to not vote for Salguero, and encouraged his readers to refrain from casting a ballot for the MAS candidate. He writes the following, 3 days prior to the elections, why people should not vote for the MAS:
Porque ese empleado a quien le dimos pega en Palacio por segunda vez, ahora amenaza. Se da el lujo de amenazar diciendo que no trabajará con alcaldes o gobernadores que ganen y que no sean del MAS. ¿No se da cuenta que es presidente de TODOS los bolivianos, le guste o no? Un embajador gringo también nos amenazó hace tiempo para que no votemos por Evo y todos votamos por Evo. Ahora Evo cae en las mismas amenazas. LMP y ninguno tiene ni debe ser amenazado. NO VOTES POR EL MAS CARAJO.
Even though del Granado did not participate in the local elections as a candidate, many have been calling him one of the day's winners, partly due to the errors committed by Morales and the MAS party. Otero summarizes this [es]:
Quizá, la lección más importante de estas elecciones es que los errores políticos siempre pasan altas facturas y que los que se cometieron en el caso específico de La Paz sólo contribuyeron al surgimiento de una nueva fuerza política nacional: el Movimiento Sin Miedo.
Jaime Durán, writes that at the head of this new political force is del Granado, and it is a different kind of opposition [es], because it is also an left-wing opposition, as opposed to the traditional right-wing opposition to the MAS. Victories by the MSM also were recorded in the city of Oruro, another traditional MAS stronghold, and strong finishes in other parts of the country.
At the victory press conference appearing with the mayor-elect Revilla, MSM supporters greeted del Granado with calls for him to run for President in 2014. Despite the springboard to the national scene based on these results, del Granado said that “2014 is still very far away.”


text:
Brazil: Blogosphere in support of anti-corruption bill · Global Voices
Paula Góes

At the exact moment of this post's publication, over 1,735,000 people had already signed a petition supporting the Ficha Limpa (No Criminal Record) bill, which seeks to prevent politicians who have committed serious crimes, such as misuse of public funds, corruption, murder and drug trafficking, from running in elections.
It may be hard for the international reader to understand why a law is needed to regulate something like this, but in Brazil, there are a good number of politicians in office with a criminal record.  For example, the Congressional Deputy Paulo Maluf, whose name recently made it to the wanted list of Interpol, for conspiracy and appropriation of public funds. (Malufar is a neologism invented by Brazilians, a verb meaning “to steal public money”.)
The goal of the campaign, which included Avaaz.org in recent weeks, was to gather 2 million signatures before today Wednesday April 7, the day the project is to be decided on in the Chamber of Deputies.  If approved in the Chamber, the bill goes to the Senate.
With the tagline “A vote has no price, it has consequences”, the Ficha Limpa campaign was launched in April 2008 by the Movimento de Combate à Corrupção Eleitoral [Movement Against Electoral Corruption, pt] with the goal to improve the profile of candidates running for office in the country:
Para isso, foi elaborado um Projeto de Lei de iniciativa popular sobre a vida pregressa dos candidatos que pretende tornar mais rígidos os critérios de inelegibilidades, ou seja, de quem não pode se candidatar.
Pessoas condenadas em primeira ou única instância ou por meio de denúncia recebida em tribunal – no caso de políticos com foro privilegiado – em virtude de crimes graves como: racismo, homicídio, estupro, tráfico de drogas e desvio de verbas públicas. Essas pessoas devem ser preventivamente afastadas das eleições ate que resolvam seus problemas com a Justiça Criminal;
One of the many banners that have become popular in the blogosphere
In addition to the 1.6 million signatures collected at the grassroots by activists and church groups, the project won the sympathy of the blogosphere, which embraced the project. In October last year, Arthurius Maximus [pt] published the banner above, calling readers to participate in the campaign and saying it was high time they forgot any ideological differences and put pressure on MPs to approve the bill:
Esqueça […] as ofensas costumeiras do embate ideológico. Esqueça a Copa do Mundo, as Olimpíadas ou o BBB. Esqueça que seu time pode ser campeão ou ser rebaixado. Esqueça que seu professor é um chato ou que seu aluno não quer nada com estudo. Esqueça que seu chefe não te valoriza ou o empregado preguiçoso. Esqueça tudo… menos das vezes em que você se sentiu humilhado e traído ao ver um homicida, um traficante ou um corrupto notório e condenado em diversos processos (mas ainda “inocente até que se prove ao contrário”, em processos que se arrastam por décadas, levados por advogados espertalhões e pagos com o seu dinheiro suado, devidamente roubado dos cofres públicos).
Chegou a hora do “bom combate”. Chegou a hora de esquecer as diferenças ideológicas e de primar por uma nova era na política nacional. […]
Como é de se esperar (no Congresso Nacional, mais de um terço dos congressistas ficariam inelegíveis imediatamente caso o projeto fosse aprovado), os políticos se articulam para barrar, modificar ou tornar inócuo o projeto.
Pedro Hutsch Balboni [pt], who normally does not blog about politics, opens an exception to promote the online petition hosted by Avaaz, even if the votes there are not for real:
É lógico que essa votação não é aberta ao público, para nós ficam causas muito importantes como o desarmamento ou não, enquanto a escolha de “se queremos políticos corruptos ou não” é feita somente por deputados (vejam só, são políticos!). Mas há também, no meio dessa sujeirada, bons deputados, que realmente estão interessados no futuro do país, e que são contrários a corrupção na política.
Not everyone is optimistic about the Ficha Limpa bill approval. Fernandinho Brasileiro [pt] thinks that such a project in a country like Brazil even looks like a bad taste joke:
O MCCE tenta em vão aprovar esse projeto de lei que esbarra na própria constituição não desperta o menor interesse por parte dos políticos. Afinal de contas, o deputado do Castelo,o deputado que está se lixando para a opinião pública,os mensaleiros,os sanguessugas,estão totalmente contrários a esta lei,pois serão diretamente atingidos por ela. A lei ficha limpa não olha o sistema político e econômico que impera no país.
Other bloggers asks about the feasibility of making such projects work in reality. Ricardo RicBrSp [pt] says the idea is not too bad, but as he does not believe it would work but bring chaos, he prefers to campaign for null vote:
Se isto vier a acontecer o Brasil todo vai ficar sem rumo, sem chefia, sem poder executivo, pois ele só consegue operar nas condições atuais, movido a corrupção.
Going viral
Despite the pessimism of some, on the eve of the vote in the Chamber of Deputies, the bill became viral, doing the rounds in mailing lists and having even made it many times to the Twitter trending topics for Brazil. Many tweets promoted the Avaaz petition, but Tico Santa Cruz [pt] pointed out contradictions in the Brazilian law, which does not allow that people with criminal record apply to be public servants:
@Ticostacruz: Ñ pode fazer concurso Público qm Ñ tem Ficha LIMPA então a lógica é a mesma p qm quer ser Polítco http://bit.ly/b2SVXu – ASSINE! Já assinei
Many, however, have no hope the bill will be signed into law. @jrkbza is one of them [pt]:
@jrkbza: será que estão acreditando que essa Lei Ficha Limpa será aprovada pelos deputados? eu espero que sim, mas sei que não.
And not even members of parliament are that confident. Deputy Chico Alencar [pt], who backs the project, calls the attention of the population:
@depchicoalencar: ‘Ficha limpa’ esta semana na Câmara. Fiquem atento(a)s: vão tentar “aprimorar”(= tornar inócuo) o PL, ou adiar a votação…
However, having the support of both, left and right wing parties in some degree, the project makes some people hopeful, such as Adriana Cristina [pt], who believes that people can change the country with the power of their votes:
@adryanacristina: Vamos pressionar os deputados conseguindo 2 milhões d assinaturas p mostrar que se eles não votarem pela “Ficha Limpa” não votaremos neles!

author: Paula Góes


text:
Brunei: Playing chess on Mt. Everest · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Members of the Brunei Chess Federation plan to become the first Bruneians to set foot at the base camp of Mt. Everest. They also plan to play chess on the world's highest mountain.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Cuba: Participation of Elián González in Communist Youth Congress · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Ten years after his return to Cuba, Elián González is participating in the 9th Congress of the Union of Communist Youth [es], writes Yohandry Fontana.


text:
Guyana: Child Labour  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyana's Minister of Labour is considering revising the current labour laws as they pertain to children; Repeating Islands takes note.


text:
Haiti: Painter Bigaud Passes On  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands acknowledges the passing of Wilson Bigaud, “one of the last giants of the first generation of Haitian painters…”


text:
India: Chinese Hackers Attacked The Times of India · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sans Serif  reports that Chinese hackers hacked into the systems of India’s largest English language newspaper, ‘The Times of India’.


text:
India: Efficacy Of The Right To Education Bill · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sandeep Bansal at Looking Beyond The Obvious blog comments on the efficacy of the newly introduced right to education bill in India: “mere passing of the Right to Schools (Education) is not going to change anything significant unless coupled by any change in the delivery mechanism.”


text:
Indonesia: Facebook users on the rise · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Indonesia is the top country in the world which registered the highest growth in number of Facebook users last month


text:
Mexico: Children Born with AIDS · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Each year in Mexico, between 250-300 children are born with AIDS, writes Jessica Uribe of Vivir México [es].


text:
Peru: The Chances for Ex-President Alejandro Toledo · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The chances for former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo in the 2011 elections are getting better and better, according to Juan Sheput of the blog Mate Pastor [es], who notes Toledo's rise in the polls and favorable opinion columns.


text:
Philippines: Holy Week rituals · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Journalist Gel Santos Relos writes about the Holy Week rituals practiced in the Philippines


text:
Philippines: More effective than surveys · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

According to Oliver Mendoza from the Philippines, “various studies have shown that ‘word of mouth’ campaigning is more effective in influencing voters than opinion surveys”


text:
Singapore: Defending the right to send template emails · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Prime Ministers of Singapore is complaining that critics have been sending him template emails. DK defends the right of Singaporeans to send standard letters of complaint or petition to politicians.


text:
Singapore: Fear of new immigrants · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Christopher Ong explains why it is “rational” for many Singaporeans to fear the entry of new immigrants in Singapore.


text:
Singapore: Housing problem · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Diary of a Singaporean Mind wants the government to take more responsibility for the housing crisis in Singapore instead of merely blaming the “unrealistic expectations” of the people.


text:
Singapore: Tourism ad questioned · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

DK questions the appearance of a U.S. citizen in a Singapore tourism video ad.


text:
Sri Lanka: The Tax System Needs Changes · Global Voices
Rezwan

I Love Sri Lanka blog opines that the tax system in Sri Lanka needs changes because high tax frustrates the middle class: “unnecessarily high taxation kills the motivation to work hard, take risks and make a better quality of life for themselves and their families.”


text:
Thailand: Mekong drought blamed on China · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Thailand is blaming China's mega dams for the low water level of Mekong River which runs from China down to the Indochina region.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Fired!  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I don’t know if there will be any parties to celebrate the successful hounding out of office and into the dog house of the incompetent and dotish UDeCOTT Board, but I hope so”: This Beach Called Life vents about Trinidad and Tobago politics.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Photo Op · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Photos don’t take themselves”: Caribbean Free Radio blogs about proper accreditation of creative material.


text:
Understanding an Indonesian address · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Spektrum Pemikiranku blogs about how to read an Indonesian address.


text:
Bangladesh: The Image Of The Politicians · Global Voices
Rezwan

An Ordinary Citizen points to the ever diminishing image of Bangladeshi politicians in the eyes of the people. “The common people are observing the developments, they could identify the deviations and one day they will discard them and stage a revolution,” comments the blogger.


text:
Bermuda: Get Back to Basics · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The violence is so alien to me that I am speechless.  Is this Bermuda?”: Commenting on the latest murder, Vexed Bermoothes feels “very sad” for his country.


text:
China: Anhui Elder Dies from Starvation · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

PH from veggie discourse translated a story about a 85-year old Anhui elder died from starvation. To this, village cadre Cheng Xiangan replied: “Who told him not to have a son (as in, Cheng Baoping deserved to be in the helpless circumstance).”


text:
China: Most influential most-read blogger · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Being the world's most widely-read blogger seems to have made Han Han a candidate for the 2010 Time 100 list, though a certain amount of selection bias probably isn't hurting given the other contenders from China this year.
Han's blog service provider Sina.com ran his nomination as a top feature earlier in the week and many others such as rival QQ have given space to the debate over the degree of Han's influence; Han himself has posted on the topic, translated here by China Digital Times‘ Xiao Qiang:
Sina.com blogger and university professor Xie Yong thought to consider the source of Han's perceived influence:
必须承认，我是韩寒的粉丝，所以，当看到《广州日报》4月5日韩寒进入美国《时代》杂志全球最具影响力候选名单的报道，我实在是有些惊奇：不是惊奇韩寒入选名单，而是惊奇新闻的标题，惊奇新闻标题最后那个有些刺眼的问号。
我不知道《广州日报》是出于什么考虑，用疑问句的方式书写这个标题，也许他们想要转述部分“网友”的质疑：韩寒什么时候具有全球影响力了？在这部分网友看来，作为青年作家和赛车手的韩寒，他的名字进入榜单，与世界政治家企业家放在一起，会影响实力榜的“权威性”。可能在这部分网友眼中，“中国”并非“世界”一部分，这块土地上生活着的十几亿人口，并非“全球”的有效组成，所以，即使韩寒已经成为我们今天最有影响力的青年人，成为当下“公民”社会的象征，他的影响力也不足以具有“全球”性。或者，只有政治家与经济精英入选《时代》，这位网民心中的权威感才能落实……
实际上，韩寒有没有影响力，在我看来已经基本上不成为“问题”，前不久，张鸣先生在深圳讲演时曾经提出，“现在的中国大学教授加起来对公众的影响力，赶不上一个韩寒”。这话自然有些情绪色彩，但在某种程度上也算是真相一种。也许，在今天需要进一步思考的是，韩寒的影响力究竟从何而来？
很自然，会有一种说法，韩寒没有什么了不起，他说得不过是“常识”，他拥有的不过是俊朗的外表和同样俊朗的文字表达，他之所以能有今天的“影响力”，是传媒界“炒作”的某种成果：新概念作文让韩寒一夜成名，新浪网让韩寒成了草根名博，然后南方报系让他成了“公民韩寒”，再一步步进入“世界主流媒体”，成为美国媒体塑造的文化英雄、拥有世界影响力的中国青年……
微博上面流传有一段十年前的视频，那是韩寒当年参加央视的节目，与“专家学者”，以及某位“品学兼优”的好学生进行对话，看了当年那个节目，我们不难发现韩寒影响力的真正来源，韩寒领先于他的时代，因为他立足常识，反对体制以及体制为这社会绝大多数人准备的评价体系。而这个体系一直到今天还在规则者人们的生活。而另一方面，通过那段对话我们不难感觉到，在今天中国，常识是多么稀缺可贵，在现实中要获得常识，不仅仅需要勇气，更需要智慧。
当然，我们也可以说，韩寒的影响力在某种程度上是时代造就的，不过，这种“造就”是以某种奇妙的方式完成的：当社会造就大批缺乏常识，心灵扭曲的人们，却又依稀让这些人看到真正世界的时候，当这个社会通过种种方式让我们都跪下又在一定程度上渴望站立，一个站立的，健康的，生机勃勃的脱离体制并有可能与体制作对韩寒就拥有了影响力。这样看来，韩寒的影响力，不是什么媒体给他们的，更重要的是，他个人奋斗与粉丝如我的双向选择的结果，是一种“共谋”的产物，而且，只要有体制继续存在，韩寒的影响力就不会衰竭，只要体制继续膨胀，我们内心不断纠结，韩寒的影响力也会继续扩大下去。
Tough thing to try and pin down, but something that author and Chinese-American Wang Boqing is certain that exists:
美国《时代》周刊一年一度的100位“全球最具影响力人物”评选，前天公布了“全球最具影响力人物”的200名候选人名单，作家韩寒代表中国入选榜单。韩寒对我有影响，不是因为他是作家，这几十年来中国的作家多去了，不管他们自己感觉怎么样，我不看他们的东西，因为作品里没有东西。所以，我也没看韩寒的作品，他有什么文学作品我也不知道。我被影响不是因为他常发网络言论，网上发言的多去了，从芙蓉姐姐到什么哥哥，忙碌的大多数谁关心？网络代表啥民意？网络最不代表沉默的大多数。我被影响是因为他一个八零后，关心民间的正义与公平，他敢于表达自己的观点，分析深刻、语言鲜明，能一下抓住人性和人心。很多 50-70后麻木得连自己的权利都不关心。
韩寒的确有影响，不仅影响了我这个不受影响的人，还正在影响海外的华人。这次回美国，参加朋友聚会，都是定居美国的中国老留学生，唯一谈到的中国人物是韩寒，大家很注意这个人。我记不清在最近十年那个知识分子被这样关注过。排开幕式的张艺谋？他算吗？那些诺贝尔奖的华人，甲乙丙丁没人知道！科学有限、思想无敌。
Maybe Han can be called a dissident now—or will be, if he ranks high enough come May 1 or beats out someone like Bo Xilai; here's part of a post of his from 3am on April 5, the day the news of his Time 100 nomination broke in Chinese, ‘Letter from a Stranger’:
我们国家有一个部门，叫做信访办。古代老百姓受了当地官员的冤屈以后，就会上京告御状，运气好的还能拦到当官的轿子，运气最好的能遇见微服私访的皇帝，这些小概率事件乃是支持整个社会对公平正义向往的精神支柱。到了现代，领导们都换上了好车，不能再用拦轿子的方式自杀了，更大的领导由于电视曝光率很高，也不能微服私访了，就算下乡，最多也是去一些当地领导特地安排的影视基地，和一些农民艺术家们进行表演，但那都是影帝们在飙戏，和老百姓的关系不大，信访办是很多遭受了不公正待遇的人们唯一的出路。
当然，很明显，他们想的太天真了，在一个司法不独立的国家，你怎么能指望突然会有一个政府部门为你出头呢，一个小朋友打你一下，他妈妈骂你一句，他爸爸还揍你一拳，你去他爷爷那里举报他儿子和孙子，你明显是还欠踹你一脚。虽然他们那挑高三十米的办公楼大堂里可能挂着诸如为你服务等文字，但人家是把这个当书法作品在欣赏，你怎么能把这个误会成人家的行动纲领呢。
于是，在明白了上访乃是自投罗网主动进入黑名单以后，越来越多的人碰壁以后想到了媒体，追求公正就变成了和追求女人一样，只要搞大了，这事就成了。毫无疑问，中国的媒体人和中国的公务员是有着本质区别的，每个职业都有每个职业的追求和素养，媒体人基本上是有自己的媒体理想和新闻追求的，虽然他们也不能违反每天下发的禁令，但是只要在他们的能力范围以内，他们都是嫉恶如仇的。再比如车手，职业追求就是开的快，演员，职业追求就是演的好，但是我始终无法知道公务员们的职业追求是什么，是办公务么。也许他们的职业追求就是好吃好喝，游手好闲，察言观色，见风使舵，最终顺利变成官员，可以有权有势有灰色收入。恰恰因为他们没有正当的职业追求，所以他们没有职业素养。基本上，上访者在他们眼里都是没有大局观的刁民。
很多受到了不公正待遇的朋友们把我当作了媒体，在杂志的稿件和我每天收到的信中，有不少都是希望我主持正义，帮他们写一写，让他们的遭遇引起媒体的关注。我每封信都认真的看了，但是我非常的无奈，这些事情在你们家庭的身上是个沉重的负担，但是对于新闻媒体，这已经失去了新闻价值，我相信就算我为你写一些什么，也不会有传统媒体的关注。而一件事情的解决，往往需要很多传统媒体的帮助才可以，领导才会出来装腔作势的急群众所急，想群众所想。信中最多的是某个小区交房质量很差，某个小区边上是个垃圾站或者变电站，还有最多的就是我被强拆了。你如果被强拆了，那不是新闻，那是生活。如果你本人没有烧焦，还能收发邮件，全家老小全部健全，那就是幸福生活，你应该感谢国家。
最惨的一封来信来自于一个外地来的朋友，所有的材料都很全，内容是一家人被强拆了，还有人受伤，家里的大部分面积被算成了违章建筑，他们去北京上访，结果材料被退回到省，省退回到市，市退回到县，县退回到村，然后每逢国家重大节假日，他们一家都被联防队监控起来，以防破坏和谐气氛。最后他们告到了法院，法院居然受理了。
天哪，法院居然受理了，法院难道不是政府的一个服务机构么，怎么会受理此案呢？我迫不及待了翻到了下一页。
在这一页里，法院居然很快判决了，判决的结果是原本政府要赔受害者二十万的，现在政府只需要赔十万。
My god, the court actually accepted the case, but don't the courts serve the government? How could they accept to hear this case? I couldn't wait to find out so I flipped through to the next page.
And there I saw it, sure enough the court was quick to make a ruling, taking the original ruling which had ordered the government to pay the victims RMB 200,000 in compensation, and reducing that to RMB 100,000.
在我收到的这些信件中，我并不能公布的另外一个重要原因是我并没有核实过，但是我个人又没有能力去核实这些。虽然我相信大部分都是真实的，甚至全部都是真实的，最多就是在艺术上多写了一些对自己有利的内容，但是对事情的大局上并无影响，操蛋的肯定是对方。对于这些需要帮助的信件，我觉得自己非常的无力。当然，他们并不是希望我能够为他们带来曙光，他们只是在不停的向所有他们能想到的渠道尝试。
For more on Han, consider checking out:
Wandering China, Novelist Han Han:A City Built on a Heap of Money Won’t Shine
Danwei, Han Han on Google leaving China – deleted post

author: John Kennedy


text:
Colombia: ‘Child Bomb’ Used to Attack Police Station · Global Voices
Julián Ortega Martínez

Gustavo Silva Cano provides his thoughts [es] about the death of 12-year-old Heriberto Grueso in El Charco (Nariño, southwestern Colombia), killed by a bomb he was carrying inside a package that an unknown person asked him to deliver apparently to the little town's police station.

author: Julián Ortega Martínez


text:
Costa Rica: Appetite-Enticing Culinary Blogs · Global Voices
Jenny Cascante Gonzalez

Costa Rican bloggers are successfully exploring their culinary skills in an attractive variety of blogs, complete with recipes and pictures.  These healthy, sweet, typical, and experimental dishes capture the attention and enticing the appetite of the blogs’ readers. The bloggers range from amateur chefs to simply people passionate about food, whose aim is not only to present the recipes, but to encourage readers to start experiencing fun through cooking.
Italian octopus stew by Mariana Flores (Food Junky) and used with permission.
Food Junky [es] is the culinary blog of Mariana Flores. The name of the blog suggests food addiction, which is not difficult to imagine, because of the delicious presentation of her finished dishes. As a real fan of cooking, her list of categories on her blog is as long as the variety of dishes which are featured, and of which the preparation is far from complicated.
Flores’ love for cooking is one of the reasons why she started publishing recipes as her blog’s first post states quite clearly [es]:
Yo sé que hay millones de blogs de gente que cocina y comparte recetas, y fotos, y tips y de todo, pero ninguno es mío.
Pork in mango and tamarind sauce by Mariana Flores (Food Junky) and used with permission.
Food Junky can be followed on twitter (@food_junky).
Manos en la Masa [es] (Hands in the Dough) is a collective blog that has been publishing since 2007.  Lena, Adriana, Liz, and Jules have been sharing their live experiences with tasty recipes, the proper use of organic ingredients, healthy recommendations, and even a bit of humor. The authors are enthusiastic sponsors of experimental creative cooking and that is well reflected in the way their recipes are written [es]:
Seguimos utilizando la berenjena como sustituto de la pasta de trigo. Colocamos una capa de berenjena encima del queso, y volvemos a empezar: tomate, queso y más berenjena. Coronamos con una leve capa de tomate y un par de dientes de ajo crudos picados bien finitos. Como la receta no lleva mucho aderezo, esto le ayudará a crear un contraste maravilloso, créame.
Emblematic regional dishes are also part of this initiative.  In his blog Cocina Costarricense [es] (Costa Rican Kitchen), Luis Gonzalez explores his preference for home cooking: typical Costa Rican food.  The recipes and cooking advice that have been kept in the hearts for generations are now within reach of anybody thanks to Luis’ passion. The blog header delivers a description of what his site is about:
En Costa Rica la gastronomía es herencia y resultado del cruce de razas. La auténtica cocina costarricense se hace en cocinas de leña (fogón) y al lado de hojas de plátano. Recetas que intento rescatar y dejar plasmadas en este blog.

author: Jenny Cascante Gonzalez


text:
Fiji: New media oversight proposed  · Global Voices
Michael Hartsell

Bloggers, blog commenters and forum posters are commenting on the draft media decree released by Fiji’s government that would replace censorship rules established under the emergency regulations in place since shortly after the country’s constitution was abrogated in April 2009.
The Media Industry Development Decree 2010 (download here) would establish an authority to oversee content and media ownership issues; a media tribunal to hear complaints from the public; a code of ethics for journalists and laws governing media ownership. The head of this new authority would be appointed by a government minister and charged with the power to investigate and to subpoena people and information (including computer documents).
The authority will insure the media will not publish material:
-    against the public interest or order;
–    against the national interest;
–    that offends good taste and decency; and,
–    creates communal discord.
Other highlights of draft decree includes:
–    Publishers and editors found breaching media codes could face up to FJ $500,000 (about $258,000 US) in fines and/or a prison term not exceeding five years. Reporters, if found guilty of violating the code, could face a fine up to FJ $100,000, or US $51,500, and/or a prison term not exceeding five years.
–    A tribunal, whose chair must be qualified to be a judge, will hear and determine complaints referred by the authority, considering cases regarding media standards, media disputes and complaints from the public.
–    Only 10 percent of ownership of each media outlet can be foreign-based, meaning 90 percent of owners must be permanent residents of Fiji, spending five of the previous seven years in the country, nine months out of 12.
–    A person who owns a “beneficial” interest in one media outlet cannot hold more than five percent of a second media organization.
–    The minister in charge of media and information will have emergency powers to prohibit the publication or broadcast of information which could create disorder, undermine the government or breach the peace.
–    No court or commission will have the jurisdiction to challenge the legality  of the decree, any decision of the authority, the tribunal or the minister.
Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the decree, which is undergoing consultations this week, would emphasize “fair, accurate and responsible reporting.” He also pointed out that media organizations will be held responsible to comply with these codes.
Radio Fiji reported that some of the 50 members of the media and other organizations who gathered for the consultation in Suva, the country’s capital, worried the media authority would not be independent because its head would be appointed by a government minister. Journalists also unanimously opposed the amount of fines for breaching media codes, especially without the right to appeal. Worries also surfaced about who would define “good taste” and “decent.”
Debate from within and outside Fiji took place regarding the limiting of foreign owners in Fiji’s media. The country’s oldest and largest paper, the Fiji Times, is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Limited. The paper has sparred with the government of Frank Bainimarama since dissolving Parliament and deposing the elected Prime Minister in December 2006. The decree’s rules, as currently written, would force foreign owners to divest from the media outlet within three months after being formalized. The Australian reported the company would be forced to withdraw from Fiji, closing down the Fiji Times, creating the loss of 170 direct and 100 indirect jobs. John Hartigan, Chief Executive, said the company has attempted to resolve the ownership issue with Fiji’s government.
Let’s start with journalist and academic David Robie, who previously taught in Fiji and writes Café Pacific.
Had the Fiji news media got their act together and improved things on their own accord, rather that persevering with the “toothless tiger” Fiji Media Council with all its overdue faults, this draconian draft might have been headed off…
Now we have a ruthlessly chilling climate of self-censorship being imposed in post-coup Fiji. A year of censorship since the 1997 constitution was abrogated on April 10 is taking its toll. Soon we will have a generation of journalists (average age in Fiji is less than 25)that will barely know what it was like to work in a genuinely free press.
The regime is systematically destroying what had been traditionally one of the strongest media industries in the Pacific.
Media improvements were needed, true. Especially over “fairness and balance”. But government authorities have ignored the commonsense independent Media Council review recommendations last year and instead been influenced too heavily by the harsh proposals of the discredited 2007 Anthony report.
Café Pacific also provides detailed responses to certain conditions of the draft decree.
Sparring with the media has become a concern of every government in Fiji (like elsewhere). However, critics worry that because Frank Bainimarama’s government is unelected and yet has no constitutional checks-and-balances in place, it can easily force this bill on the media.
On the other hand, government supporters and critics of Fiji’s media claim that the country’s press has often published one-sided stories and accusations that often put the government in power in poor light and help lead to inter-ethnic tensions between the indigenous Fijian majority and the minority Indian population, descendants of workers brought over by British who ruled the country until 1970. Bainimarama came to power claiming to help lead Fiji to a post-ethnic state.
A comment from Reality check at  Crosbie Walsh’s blog, Fiji: the Way it Was, Is and Can Be provides some historical background to this proposed decree.
…Because a racist government in a bastardised democracy tried to push through laws disadvantaging 40 per cent of the population. They were warned to back off and didn't. So…
You could say the same about the Fiji Times. A generation of young journalists in Fiji were brought up thinking they had the freedoms of their mentors in Australia and NZ. They were paid peanuts so the best ones like Richard Naidu went off to pursue careers more worthy of a grown-up. Those who stayed were badly trained, semi literate and arrogant. They produced stories that were wrong, half wrong, one sided or badly executed.
Their bosses didn't do enough to ward off their mistakes and were more interested in profit than good journalism. And people who weren't very good in the first place were promoted beyond their abilities. Some of these took it upon themselves to mount crusades on various issues, align themselves with partisan politics and make fiery speeches in international forums demanding even more freedom. Instead of reining them in, their foreign bosses encouraged their undergraduate petulance.
Staying with the same blog, commenter Invictus claims:
It is the responsibility of any news organisation to disseminate news in a Fair “Free from favouritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming to established standards or rules” and to be Balanced “Equality of distribution”
Wallop. That's the Fiji Times and like the SDL [the governing party overthrown by the present government], it only has itself to blame. We now have a Singapore-style regulated media and the rest of us will just have to get used to it. But let's not kid ourselves that it's all the IG's fault [Interim regime: the present government]. There's plenty of blame to share around.
The former is self explanatory yet it eludes Senior and junior journalists at the Fiji times whereas the latter is significant in that it’s “discriminative” and compels the journalists to exercise due diligence and be self-conscious when distinguishing between partiality and impartiality.
However given the current state of affairs within the Fiji Times journalists to that extent are deficient in all aspects of the prescribed norm of journalism.
To be fair the Fiji Times was infact a news organisation worthy of its status where news was disseminated in a fair and balanced manner to a wide and varied audience pre-1987, it was an era when journalists were educated and intelligent enough to be apolitical.
When the Fiji Times chose to align itself with a philosophical system based purely on ethno- nationalistic ideals it became a powerful voice for the Fijian cartel for which to perpetuate itself.
Another commenter, TheMax, reports:
The new media decree doesn't curb anybody's freedom of speech at all but what it does is curb media organizations from manipulating news and reports to suit devious agendas that has nothing to do with making Fiji a better place or taking the country forward. The decree makes media organizations accountable because right now they are not accountable to anyone.
From New Zealand, Idiot/Savant writes in No Right Turn:
The result of this is clearly intended to be a silent, complaint press, which parrots the government line unquestioningly. And that is incompatible with democratic values. But then, if the military cared about them, they'd still be in their barracks, rather than running the country.
Finally, from Jonno at the Fiji Board Exiles:
So who wants to be a newspaper reporter in Fiji?


text:
India: IPL And Indian Entertainment Channels · Global Voices
Rezwan

Bhatnaturally informs that Hindi general entertainment channels have seen a 10.5 per cent drop in the overall share during the Indian Premier Leage (IPL cricket tournament) period this year. The blogger asks: “is IPL competition to Hindi TV channels?”


text:
Indonesia: Sumatra quake reporting with Twitter · Global Voices
Juke Carolina

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Aceh and South Sumatra in Indonesia early Wednesday morning. The undersea quake epicenter was at the 34 KM off Simelue island in the west coast of Sumatra.
Tsunami warning has been issued by the Thailand government.
Maskuncung : Earthquake in #aceh, electricity down.. Im sad to hear that.. Thank God no tsunami there
funkynektaria : apparently there's five aftershocks around north sumatera and aceh after earthquake this morning #fb #aceh #indonesia #earthquake
Twitter is useful in quake prone Indonesia as a tool for breaking  news and to alert others of natural hazards since the Meteorology and Climatology Agency's (BMG) website is often down due to heavy traffic.
hSammir : Seperti biasanya, ketika
#gempa besar terjadi, situs #BMG #Indonesia tidak bisa di akses. MEMALUKAN!!!!
The people of Sumatra has witnessed some of the most devastating earthquakes of the decade. In 2004 boxing day, a giant tsunami struck Indonesia's westernmost province of Aceh leaving more than a hundred thousand people dead and about five hundred thousand residents homeless. To date the Acehnese are still living in fear.
LaidHu : @helmiiii gempa di aceh dirasakan jga ya di medan.. Kasian saudara2 di aceh,apalagi bnyak banget gempa2 susulan #aceh
Despite having the tsunami warning downgraded, people are still preparing for the worst-case scenario.
leksa : Msh saja ada yg merasa liat tanda2 tsunami, berlari2 menjauhi laut, membuat suasan panik #gempa
The Indonesian govenrment sent its Air Force Cessna to map the devastated area and transport some relief goods.
According to the BMG's website there have been six aftershocks in Sumatra and a 5.5 on Richter Scale jolt occured in the Indonesian spice islands of Moluccas on Wednesday late afternoon local time.

author: Juke Carolina


text:
Japan: 2channel Advice for New Hires · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Matt Alt  translates  “nuggets of wisdom for new hires at Japanese companies from the anonymous hordes of 2ch”. It offers another angle on the subject to our article “Japan: Call us Social Beings Now!“.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


text:
Japan: Call us social beings now! · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Though the date April 1st is linked to April Fools Day for most people in the world, in Japan it represents the start of a new year.
On April 1st, the fiscal year begins, as well as a new academic year for students and the first day of work for the young, new employees.
For those who graduated last March and secured a job while in their last year of university, as is the Japanese custom of ‘job hunting’, last Thursday meant the beginning of a new phase of their life.
To distinguish them from the students, who don’t pay taxes and have no civic responsibilities, those who work and contribute with their job to ‘society’ are referred to as ‘social people’, or 社会人 shakaijin in Japanese.
Initiation Ceremony. Flickr id: norio.nakayama
Shakaijin. By Flickr id: iMorpheus
To mark the entrance to this new social group blogger  misaki decided to renew her blog: new life, new url, new layout. From day one at work, she started posting what’s she has been learning now that she is a ‘social person’.
働くということは
身を削ってお金を得ることなんだなって思い知らされました・・・。
Also kurumazuke shares his account  of what starting to work means for many in Japan who move to the company’s dormitory and receive a one month training period before being assigned to their department.
少しずつ慣れてはきたけど、寮で生活したり電車で通勤したりとガラッと環境が変わって何かと大変です。
研修も思ったよりキツいです。朝早起きして通勤するだけでもそこそこ疲れちゃうからどうしても眠くなっちゃうし、毎日日報書かなきゃいけないのが辛い。どこの会社でも最初の研修はしんどいのかなぁ。
その代わり、土日がものすごくうれしいです。学生の頃は土曜日は毎週バイトしてたし日曜日もちょくちょく大学行ってたとはいえ、週末まともに休めるのがこんなにも幸せだとは・・・
Asmodeus-DB gives some advice to those youngsters who have just become part of the social community.
“By becoming accustomed to these basic habits, it’s possible to learn how to be a proper social being”, he says.
挨拶と笑顔
とにかく挨拶をしっかりしましょう。
いきなり精神論かよ、と思われるかも知れませんが、挨拶超大事です。はっきりいって、挨拶がちゃんとできる人とやらない人は、上司や顧客(特に年配)からの見え方が違います。また、笑顔も大事です。
報告・連絡・相談の技術 […]
自分見積もり[…]
習慣化すべきことはただ1つ。作業前に作業時間を予測し、作業後にどれくらい掛かったかの実時間と突き合わせてズレを調整する。これだけです。この繰り返し。
[…] 大事なのは、自分が何を得手不得手としていて、それにはどれくらいの時間が掛かるかを、なるべく正確に把握することです。[…]
図を描く[…]
人間の頭の中には、情報は整理された状態で入っていません。色んなものがゴチャゴチャになって詰め込まれています。悩んでいるときや考えがまとまらないときなどは、情報が脳内と随所に散らばっているため整理が付いていないのです。では、整理するためにはどうするか。簡単な話で、図に書くのです。[…]
質問の技術 […]
メモの技術 […]
成果を残す […]
まとめ
以上、新社会人が半年間で習慣化すべきことです。
どれも簡単で、やること自体は簡単です。これをまず半年くらいでコツをつかんで習慣化しましょう。こういった基礎的なことができるようになって始めて、応用的なことができるようになります。[…]ま、焦る必要はありませんけど。一番大事なのは、基礎的なことを時間を掛けてでもしっかり習慣化すること、です。一見たくさんあるように見えて大変そうですが、一個ずつこなせば大したことは有りません。時間が掛かってもいいので着実に、です。
Job Training for New Employees. Flickr id: norio.nakayama
Also joruri has some words to spend to encourage the new blood.
「今の君達には何も期待していない。でも、君達の将来には結構期待している。」
誰かの言葉だった気がするけど、思い出せない。
新しく社会の、会社の一員になった君たちに対して、会社は、社会はこう思っている。
不安で当然。辛いことがないなんて、嘘でも言えない。でもね、ちょっと興味をもって仕事をするだけで、面白くもなるんだぜ。せっかくだから楽しまないと。ね。
Essa, gives his version of what ‘being social’ means.
「社会性」という言葉で、僕がイメージするのはそういう感覚だ。自分たちと違う考え方をする人たちと、双方向のやり取りをしようと思う気持ち。相手が変わる分だけ自分たちも変化する、双方にプラスになるような方向を模索する気持ち。それが社会性だ。
In an entry immediatley before April 1, Essa posted the draft of the speech  he was to give to the new employees of his company. In it, he explains how a new concept of ‘social person’ must be thought of as society has been changing rapidly and dramatically in  recent times.
これから、このメモをポストして会場に向かい、iPhoneで自分のブログを見ながら話す予定です。どこを話すかは、その場の雰囲気で決めます。
•	挨拶・導入
o	入社おめでとうございます
o	今日から皆さんは社会人としての一歩を踏み出すわけですが、今日は、「社会人とは何か」ということを一緒に考えてみたい
o	私が就職したのは25年ちょっと前。「もう学生ではないんだから」と回りからよく言われた
o	社会人とは「今ある社会にスッポリはまる人間」だった
o	つまり、社会人という穴が空いていて、そこに自分を押しこむイメージ
o	社会は変わらない、個人がそこに適応すべきという前提がある
o	それでいいのだろうか？社会は変化している
Greetings – Introduction
–	Congratulations on entering the company
–	From today, you will all take your first steps as shakaijin  but on this day I’d like to reflect together with you, what being a ‘social person’ means
–	I started this job 25 years ago. Everybody told me, “you are not a student anymore”
–	At that time, being a shakaijin meant “being a person who completely fits in with the current society”.
–	In other words, imagine an opening which is the ‘social person’ and then pushing yourself into it.
–	The premise then was that the society doesn’t change, it’s the individual who must adapt.
–	But is that still OK? The society is changing!

author: Scilla Alecci


text:
Japan: The meaning of globalization · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Chikirin  reflects upon the meaning of ‘globalization’ [ja]. She wonders whether it's really possible to call ‘global’ the Japanese companies, only because they export their products abroad, while their personnel remains very ‘local’.
In her elaborate post, the blogger also compares the Japanese companies with the European and American ones, quoting essays and articles on the issue.


text:
Kyrgyzstan: Photos of Bloody Protests  · Global Voices
Vadim Isakov

LJ user drugoi published a selection of photographs from the recent violent protests in Kyrgyzstan.

author: Vadim Isakov


text:
Morocco: Blogger Released from Prison · Global Voices
Hisham Almiraat

Bashir Hazzam reports [Ar] on the release from prison of fellow Moroccan blogger Boubker Al-Yadib, arrested earlier this year for his support of other arrested bloggers.

author: Hisham Almiraat


text:
Nepal: Remembering The April Uprising · Global Voices
Rezwan

“When people arise, all power will have to surrender!” Ujjwal Acharya at The Radiant Star remembers the mass peoples’ movement in Nepal during April 2006, which ended monarchy and Maoists’ People’s War establishing a more reformed democracy in the country.


text:
Russia: Expat Bloggers List · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Ru_travel community tries to make a list of expat bloggers who live in the most distant parts of the world. Russophone bloggers found in New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia and even Antarctica.

author: Alexey Sidorenko