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I Have Never Known A Cuba That Wasn’t Blockaded · Global Voices
Sandra Abd'Allah-Alvarez Ramírez

Two perspectives on the Cuban Embargo. An Otherwords cartoon by Khalil Bendib (CC BY-NC-ND 2.5).
*This post was translated from Spanish by Victoria Robertson.
Of all the steps taken by Barack Obama, to me none has been more relevant than the one concerning the U.S. blockade/embargo against Cuba and the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two American countries.
I was born in Cuba and lived in there the first 39 years of my life, before moving to Europe in 2013. I know no other Cuba than that which was blockaded (although the term is a misnomer, this is what I was taught), the one constructed in opposition to those “northern imperialist gentlemen.”
I grew up hearing that all the ills of Cuban society, tangible and abstract, could be excused by the catalogue of restrictive measures imposed by the United States in 1961, which had made our lives on the island miserable.
This became abundantly clear to me a couple of years ago during a visit to London, when I was barred from collecting money at a Western Union counter because ”the country you come from (confirmed upon presentation of my passport) does not appear on the list.” The same thing happened in San José, Costa Rica.
So, on this past December 17, I realized that Obama was talking not only about an exchange of prisoners, but also about the future application of a significant number of measures, some of which address the blockade (or embargo) and the normalization of relations between the two countries. I said to myself: pinch me, I am dreaming. It seemed so unreal, as unreal as my going to Cuba on December 30. The story of the two Cuban agents and the American contractor quickly faded into the background.
It is worth mentioning that December 17 is an important date in Cuba that commemorates the miraculous San Lazaro, who, according to Cuban Santería tradition, is Babalú Ayé, a saint and syncretic spirit that watches over those suffering from illness or misfortune—another way of describing the relations that have existed until now between Cuba and the United States.
On the day in question, still glued to the television, I started sending information to Cuba, because given the island's antiquated communications infrastructure, I wanted to make sure everyone understood, just as I did, the scope of what was happening.
The appearance of Raúl Castro only served to confirm the liberation and exchange of the prisoners, a fact of which I was already aware. But when Obama let loose his “TODOS SOMOS AMERICANOS”, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I had not imagined that this man would initiate such a profound and historic change.
In our home in Hanover, Germany, my partner Esmeralda and I experienced the gamut of emotions: anticipation, expectation, happiness, uncertainty, tears, euphoria. Our poor neighbours had to endure our applause, shouts and celebrations. For Esmeralda, who, while Cuban-born, had grown up in West Germany during the Cold War, these new circumstances meant, I think, a legitimization of her Cuban identity in exile—something that had been taken away from her as a child and had turned her into a “Communist,” even though she had already left Cuba by 1959.
While I listened to the two presidents (first Raúl and then Obama), I was struck by an onslaught of ideas and requests: universal access to Internet in Cuba, easier passport and travel applications, no longer being considered a “possible migrant” by American consulates (a witch-hunt term on the island), respectful dialogue between dissidents and revolutionaries, and much more.
I know there are aspects of the embargo that the President of the United States cannot change. I also know that everything will depend on what the Congress decides. But that the man threw down the gauntlet, of that I am firmly convinced.
Now, days after the announcement, I continue to struggle with feelings and thoughts that I imagine I will carry with me for some time. And other concerns will follow, like those I have tried to keep at bay, such as those are related to the residual colonial subtext of Mr. Obama's speech:
Today, we are renewing our leadership in the Americas.  We are choosing to cut loose the anchor of the past, because it is entirely necessary to reach a better future—for our national interests, for the American people, and for the Cuban people.
Charting a New Course on Cuba

author: Sandra Abd'Allah-Alvarez Ramírez


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Mainland Chinese ‘Bad Behavior’ Abroad Is a Strategy for Success at Home · Global Voices
Jack Hu

A viral photo circulated on Chinese social media of a brawl among four women on a flight from mainland China to Hong Kong. Photo from Weibo.
The image of mainland Chinese has taken a hit again in the world's press after a brawl between four women on a flight from mainland China to Hong Kong over a noisy baby almost forced the plane to return on December 17, according to reports.
Two women became angry at the noise from an infant in the row behind them and retaliated by reclining their seats. An argument ensued and escalated into a physical fight. The scuffle went on for a while before cabin crew stepped in, warning that the flight would return if they did not stop.
The incident occurred only days after a Chinese woman attacked a flight attendant with a cup of hot noodles in a row over seating arrangements on a Thailand flight and her boyfriend threatened to blow up the plane.
In a scathing statement, China’s National Tourism Administration said the tourists disrupted the flight, hurt other passengers and “badly damaged the overall image of the Chinese people.”
Such incidents come at a time when the Chinese are traveling more but also becoming notorious for rough behavior. More than 100 million people from China have travelled overseas this year, more than any other country.
Backed by rising incomes, more Chinese are venturing outside their home country for the first time. Chinese tourists have gained a reputation for spending large amounts on luxury goods while abroad, leading some retailers to hire Mandarin-speaking staff to cater to them. Some countries are also streamlining their visa processes in the hopes of attracting more Chinese tourists.
Chinese tourist overseas have also developed a reputation for bad behavior, ranging from drawing graffiti on ancient monuments in Egypt to allowing their children to defecate in public, and to making rows and brawls on flights.
Singapore’s news website zaobao.com posted an article after the “cup noodles incident” attributing Chinese tourists’ rudeness to the Chinese strategy for success at home: you can make it only when you become fierce. “Living in China is like crossing the street there, with few Chinese obeying the rules. So sometimes you need to become fierce to make things done,” it said. “Either you can get things done by money or power, or you must be rude to do it. You would get no response without escalating the conflict.”
The conclusion was cited by one of China’s media outlets, the National Business News, on popular microblogging site Sina Weibo, sparking heated discussion about mainland Chinese qualities and character. It attracted more than a thousand comments and thousands of republicatons.
Ye Tan, a well-known financial commentator, believed the unruly behavior stems from mainland Chinese culture:
恐惧文化，越凶越有人害怕，一村人全怕升级为村级恶霸，一县人全怕就是县级恶霸，以此类推，可得出黑社会运作规律。
It stems from China’s culture of fear, which means the crueler you become, the more people will be afraid of you. A man who can make everyone in a village afraid becomes the village bully; a man who can make everyone in the country afraid becomes the county bully. That's how the underworld operates.
‘Mr_MAKE_THE_CHANGE’, who has lived overseas, echoed the Singaporean newspaper's comment:
回国一段时间就深深体会到这一点、要么有权、要么有钱、没权没钱的就必须凶恶、不然客客气气谨守规则的基本办不了事，要么就会被人当SB耍！
I understood it deeply after I came back to China for a while. Without power or money, you must become fierce to get something done. If you’re polite and abide by the rules, you either make nothing or are taken for a fool by others!
‘I’m Miss Nan’, a columnist for Marie Claire and ELLE, described the reality further:
这个倒是有可能，好好说话没人理。以前我一个朋友从悉尼回来，在上海好几次吃饭遇到好好说话没人理，得粗声粗气才上菜的遭遇。后来回悉尼也这么说话，一下子自己被自己吓到了说：啊我现在在悉尼啊，我不用这么说话了。我可以友善了！
When you’re polite, you can’t get good service. I have a friend who came back from Sydney before. She found out that when she was polite in restaurants in Shanghai she got no responses. Only when she acted angrily could she get her dishes on the table. When she went back to Sydney, she scared herself as she still behaved forcefully in restaurants. Then she said to herself, I'm in Sydney now, I don't need to be like this anymore. I can be nice!
‘Hyper_Emotion’ believed the distortion of mainland Chinese character comes from its political history:
中国就是这样 丛林法则社会 低级社会的特点 就是暴力最强者得逞 规则都是狗屁 遵守规则的 诚信的人就吃亏 野蛮的低素质垃圾就得势 中国这个社会就是劣币驱良币的典型 终究到底 是无产阶级革命的恶果 影响至少几百年
That’s China, a society under jungle law. The lower levels of society are characterized by the rule that whoever has the most violent force wins. Rules are shit. Those who follow the rules or are honest will lose, while those who are barbarous will gain. China’s society is typical of ‘the bad drives out the good’, which results from proletarian revolution and will influence the country for a long time.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Jack Hu


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Defying Hacker Threats, Sony Releases Film The Interview on Google Play and YouTube · Global Voices
Sahar Habib Ghazi

Screenshot from http://www.theinterview-movie.com/
Citing freedom of speech concerns, Google has released the Sony Pictures film The Interview, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, for rent and streaming on Google Play and YouTube.
Earlier this month, Sony pulled their planned release of the political comedy in theaters across America, succumbing to threats by a hacker group that US officials claim is linked to North Korea. The group, called the Guardians of Peace, demanded that Sony pull The Interview, which it called “the movie of terrorism,”  making threats against theaters that would play it. In The Interview, Rogen and Franco play two journalists tasked by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
North Korea has denied involvement in the hacking and proposed a joint investigation with the US government. Some independent experts have also questioned whether the evidence against North Korea is sufficient. President Barack Obama told CNN he is considering putting North Korea back on the list of terrorism sponsors (North Korea was removed in 2008), following the Sony hack.
David Drummond, Google's Chief Legal Officer writes on the Google blog:
Last Wednesday Sony began contacting a number of companies, including Google, to ask if we’d be able to make their movie, “The Interview,” available online. We'd had a similar thought and were eager to help—though given everything that’s happened, the security implications were very much at the front of our minds.
Of course it was tempting to hope that something else would happen to ensure this movie saw the light of day. But after discussing all the issues, Sony and Google agreed that we could not sit on the sidelines and allow a handful of people to determine the limits of free speech in another country (however silly the content might be).
So starting at 10 a.m. PST in the U.S., you can rent or buy “The Interview” on Google Play and YouTube Movies. It will also be available to Xbox Video customers and via www.seetheinterview.com.
Watching #TheInterview on you tube pic.twitter.com/Epe88QpR3x
— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) December 24, 2014
The move was welcomed by the two popular stars of the film:
Merry X-mas MERICA! !!!!!THE INTERVIEW IS LIVE!!!!!! !!!Watch it here!!! http://t.co/oQ7YpBZXhY Thank you SONY!!!!!!!!
— James Franco (@JamesFrancoTV) December 24, 2014
You wanna watch The Interview?? You can RIGHT FUCKING NOW!! Go to http://t.co/IRhW7juZWn. Thanks Sony for making it happen. Booyah.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) December 24, 2014
I need to say that a comedy is best viewed in a theater full of people, so if you can, I'd watch it like that. Or call some friends over.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) December 24, 2014
But the Globe and Mail's Senior Media Writer, Simon Houpt, shared some bad news:
Poor @SethRogen: #TheInterview won't be eligible for an Oscar. @TheAcademy rules preclude online premieres: http://t.co/AeAkVgM7TP
— Simon Houpt (@simonhoupt) December 24, 2014
An Oscar was probably a far-fetched idea in any case, as the film isn't getting great reviews:
I likely won't see #TheInterview anytime soon. But I wanted the freedom to make this choice. pic.twitter.com/UC90mxhlU0 via @CNNWire
— Jeffrey Guterman PhD (@JeffreyGuterman) December 24, 2014
Great that there is debate on freedom in film. Just too bad it was prompted by such a mediocre movie. #TheInterview
— Gitesh Pandya (@giteshpandya) December 24, 2014
On December 16, 2014, the Guardians threatened to carry out “terrorist attacks” against theaters that played The Interview. Immediately, Rogen and Franco canceled a series of promotional appearances for the film, and Sony pulled its TV advertising. The following day, Sony canceled the theatrical release of The Interview, after many major North American cinema chains pulled the film out of security concerns. On December 23, Sony announced that The Interview would have a limited release at some small independent theaters on December 25. On December 24, the film was released on YouTube and Google Play.
@piersmorgan You'll pay for #TheInterview with your credit card and they'll hack u and steal your information.
— Michael (@mikeztyme) December 24, 2014
Sony Pictures was the victim of a massive cyberattack by the Guardians of Peace in November 2014. The hackers breached Sony’s security systems, stole tens of thousands of internal documents and emails and left threats. The Guardians said they were going to make these private documents public if the studio went ahead with its planned release of The Interview. They also left a threat directed towards Sony employees with violent and disturbing imagery that said “not only you but your family will be in danger.”
In June 2014, threats of “merciless” action against the United States were made if the film's distributor Columbia Pictures, a Sony subsidiary, went ahead with the release. Columbia delayed the planned October 10 release to December 25, reportedly to make the film more acceptable to North Korea.

author: Sahar Habib Ghazi


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Internet Memes Protest Killing of Anti-Mining Villager in Myanmar  · Global Voices
Chan Myae Khine

Students in Yangon condemned the killing of a villager who was protesting the operation of a China-backed copper mine project. Photo from the Facebook page of DVB TV News
A protester was shot dead in a China-backed copper mine project in the Letpadaung area in Myanmar. The woman, identified as Khin Win, was part of a local group that was resisting the attempt of the Wanbao mining company to build a fence around the project site. The villagers claimed that Wanbao was assisted by the police in the operation. However, it is not clear whether the woman was killed by the armed security personnel of Wanbao or the police.
The copper mine project in Sagain Division, which started in February 2012, was opposed by villagers and many Myanmar groups. Some landowners refused to take any compensation from Wanbao and instead they chose to struggle against the project. In one of the protests, police dispersed a group of protesting monks by using tear gas, a water cannon and other weapons, injuring 50.
News of the woman's death infuriated many in Myanmar. Students in Yangon, the country's former capital, quickly organized an assembly to express their indignation. Meanwhile, netizens responded with witty memes targeting the government and the People's Republic of China.
Somael Celestial asked President Thein Sein a sarcastic question via a “Condescending Wonka” meme:
Top text: The big guy who wants to be reelected if the public would only agree
Bottom text: Tell us more how a woman shot dead in the head could vote for you
Nga Paing wondered about the initial report that said police shot at the woman's leg, but accidentally hit her head instead.
Top text: The very first country to invent the “shoot-leg-hit-head” gun
Bottom text: Myanmar
Using “Sheltered Suburban Kid”, Min Sat Paing created a meme about those who look down upon those struggling in rural areas.
Top text: In order to get shot
Bottom text: She must have done something stupid
အင်ဘရန် လတောင် also made a meme about the life of villagers who lost the right to keep their land when the government steps in to claim it:
စက္ကန်း ကမ္မင်း has advice on how to avoid being killed by a bullet that targets the leg but hits the head instead. Using a locally famous meme template known as “Bad Advice Thein Sein”, the advice is quite simple but hilarious:
Top text (The woman says): I guess it's alright not to sell our farms if we don't wish to?
Middle text (The guy says): What? Your farms?
Bottom text (The guy says): Even Nay Pyi Daw [Capital of Myanmar] must be sold if China wants it!
Top text: If you are thinking about protesting in the future
Bottom text: Please come in a handstand position
As there are unconfirmed news reports that Chinese armed personnel were also involved in the clash, Somael Celestial wondered about the status of his country.
Wanbao mining company described the death of the protester as “senseless” and has asked the police to investigate the issue. Meanwhile, protests are continuing against the copper mine project.
Top text: Not sure if it's the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Bottom text: Or the Republic of China's Myan Dian [Myanmar in Chinese]

author: Chan Myae Khine


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Man’s Best Friend: Dog Chases Ambulance to Be With His Owner · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón

This happened near the city of Brasília, Brazil.
A homeless man was being transported in an ambulance after suffering a seizure. All of a sudden, the paramedics noticed something unusual: the man's dog was desperately following the ambulance. He kept going for some kilometers until he was finally allowed to enter the vehicle and join his owner.
The scene happened in March this year, but only went viral on social media this Christmas Eve. As Daily Mail Online reported, 42-year-old paramedic Caliomar Ferreira do Couto recorded the scene and said this was a first for him, after 19 years in the profession. At the hospital, the faithful dog patiently waited by the stretcher while his owner was being cared by the doctors.
Cachorro persegue ambulância em Taguatinga: http://t.co/oEmwWGttFn via @YouTube
— Normand Beaudoin (@tourloo) diciembre 24, 2014
Dog chases an ambulance in Taguatinga

author: Gabriela García Calderón


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New Taxes in Macedonia Send Freelancers and Part-Time Workers Into the Streets · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

“No to racketeering by the state” – banner at a protest in Skopje, Macedonia, Dec 22, 2014. Photo: F. Stojanovski, CC BY.
Several thousand Macedonians took to the streets of downtown Skopje on December 22 to protest a new tax that requires mandatory contributions to the state retirement and health funds. The new tax will be imposed on earnings for freelance work and will be added to other personal income tax, effective January 1, 2015. In a country with an unemployment rate that nearly reached 29 percent in the second quarter of 2014, freelancing and working part-time is all that's available to many people.
The protest's organizers created Facebook event that attracted more than 5,000 RSVPs and used the hashtag #ПротестХонорарци (#ProtestFreelancers) on Twitter and Facebook. Ahead of the protest, over 15 diverse and otherwise unconnected organizations expressed their support, from the Macedonian Translators’ Association, to the independent Journalist Trade Union, to leftist organizations Lenka and Solidarity; and the Student Plenum. Protest participants were joined by many prominent public figures, including artists, musicians, activists, and entrepreneurs, many of whom are freelancers themselves.
The protesters paid a visit to the Parliament, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, and the building of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia. There was no official response by the authorities.
“Taking from the poor to give to the rich!” – some protesters associated the Prime Minister Gruevski with the slogan of “reverse Robin Hood.” Skopje, Macedonia, Dec 22, 2014. Photo: F. Stojanovski, CC BY.
The tax's opponents claim it will directly affect workers, though income taxes and health insurance payments in Macedonia technically fall on employers. Critics say employers will respond to the new tax simply by lowering salaries, sometimes by as much as 35 percent. People also worry it will lead to discrimination, as several types of work, including elected and appointed public officials, would be exempt.
The tax is unpopular for several other reasons, too. Workers earning above minimum wage, for instance, are unable to register for unemployment benefits the following year. The extra tax burden is expected to weigh heavily on the nonprofit sector, as well as independent media outlets, where resources for additional spending are scarce. According to protesters, the new taxes will not increase the quality of state services in Macedonia, and will only shift the costs of the current system.
“Is this personal enough?” Protest meme designs by MightyCreation Aleksandar Pesevski, CC BY-NC.
According to protesters’ main Facebook event page, paying additional taxes on freelance and part-time work is unacceptable for several reasons:
Намерата на Владата да воведе плаќање придонеси за хонорарите од 1 јануари 2015 година ќе доведе до зголемување на сиромаштијата и до зголемување на невработеноста. Покрај тоа, изземањето на државните службеници од оваа обврска што Владата им ја наметнува на сите други смртници, без никакво логично објаснение, ја покажува целата извитопереност на вака зацртаниот концепт на плаќање придонеси за хонорарите.
Кои се нашите барања?
Нашите барања се:
1) да се стопира примената на измените на законите со кои се воведува плаќање на придонеси од задолжително социјално осигурување за хонорарите, со цел да се отвори простор за нивна измена и повлекување;
2) преку засилени инспекции на Инспекторатот за труд да бидат отстранети случаите на прикриен работен однос, односно на наметнато вршење работа без договор или врз основа на договор за дело, при што за работниците не се плаќаат придонеси од задолжително социјално осигурување.
3) да се покачи или целосно да се укине највисоката месечна основица за пресметување и уплата на придонесите на плата од шест просечни плати.
Кого сè ќе го загрозат законските измени?
Голем број лица во Македонија, немајќи можност за редовно вработување, се принудени да се борат за својата егзистенција работејќи за хонорар, кој најчесто не е ниту редовен ниту висок. Покрај тоа, ним не им следуваат сите оние права кои ги имаат според закон работниците во редовен работен однос. Далеку од привилегирани, овие лица се дел од прекаријатот, еден од најзагрозените делови од работништвото. Ним, кога ќе стапат на сила законските измени, работодавачите ќе им ги намалат хонорарите за со тие пари да ги платат придонесите кон државата и на тој начин ќе предизвикаат нивно дополнително осиромашување. Дури е можно, неможејќи повеќе да ги плаќаат, да ги отпуштат од работа, со што ќе се зголеми и невработеноста.
Сите лица кои се работно ангажирани и сите лица што во иднина ќе бидат работно ангажирани се загрозени од овие законски измени![…]
Со овие законски измени Владата сака да превиди дека најголемиот проблем на Македонија е сиромаштијата, а не зголемувањето на парите кои таа ги контролира! И понуди лек кој е полош од болеста! Решавањето на проблемите кои самата власт ги создаде кај Фондот за пензиско и инвалидско осигурување и кај Фондот за здравствено осигурување не смее да биде на грбот на сиромашните и обесправените!
The Government’s intention to introduce contributions for freelance work from January 1, 2015, will lead to increased poverty and unemployment. Besides, exempting state employees from this obligation which the Government imposes on the all other mortals, without any logical explanation, shows the full perversity of the concept.
Our demands are:
1. Stop the implementation of the new regulations… in order to create space for their change and withdrawal.
2. Increase the work of the Labor Inspectorate and detect the actual cases of hidden employment, or the proclaimed issue of working without contracts or not paying of social security contributions…
3. Increase or abolish the highest monthly base for calculating contributions which currently amounts six average salaries.
Who will be affected by these legislative changes?
Large number of Macedonian citizens who have no opportunity for full-time employment are forced to fight for their existence working for honorariums, which most often are neither regular or large. Such freelancers are not entitled to labor rights which come with full-time registered employment. Far from privileged, they are part of the precariat, the most endangered working class. When these legislative changes come into effect, their employers will lower the honorariums in order to pay the contribution benefits requested by the state, thus causing further impoverishment. It is also possible that, with a lower bottom line, that many such people would be fired, increasing the unemployment.
All persons who are employed full-time and all people that will be employed in the future are affected by these legislative changes! […]
With these amendments the government wants to overlook the biggest problem of Macedonia — and that is poverty — not the increase in the amount of money it controls! The remedy offered is worse than the disease itself! The poor and the oppressed should not be used as scapegoats and sacrificed so the government can overcome the problems with the Pension and Disability Insurance and the Health Insurance Funds it itself created!
Macedonia's parliament adopted the new legislation in a special meeting last summer, bypassing typical requirements for public discussion and consultations with stakeholders. Politicians waited until October to address several ambiguities in the new regulations, and the government has refused to postpone implementation. Recently, however, there are some signs lawmakers might be willing to roll back certain privileges for public officials that were built into the law. (Officials inexplicably removed from the state pension fund's website language that would have enforced these entitlements.)
Some social media users accuse the state of adding unconstitutional and discriminatory clauses to the new regulations, just to serve as a bargaining chip the state can later withdraw, as a way of pacifying the public.
“Hell comes when you could have said ‘No!,’ but you kept silent” – protest in front of the Government of Republic of Macedonia, Dec 22, 2014. Photo: F. Stojanovski, CC BY.
So far, the Macedonian government has not wavered before demonstrators, even after massive student protests. The expected influx of money from this new kind of levies (some 68 million euros) will to some degree help fund the country's depleted healthcare and pension spending. Macedonia has about 2 million citizens, and its state budget is burdened with the salaries of 180,000 state employees, as well as various benefits for key segments of the population that vote mainly for the ruling Parties, such as retired persons and farmers who receive state subsidies.
#ПротестХонорарци pic.twitter.com/EpTun6yALl
— Венчо (@veky9) December 19, 2014

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Britain’s Top Gear Show Not So Top in Argentina After Falklands Gaffe · Global Voices
Laura Schneider

Graffiti in Ushuaia city, Argentina. “English pirate ships are prohibited from mooring.” Photo: Laura Schneider
Since Argentinian troops landed on the Falklands Islands 32 years ago and sparked a war with the United Kingdom in a bid to recover a territory that was under the South American country's control prior to 1833, relations between the two countries have typically been tense
On November 19 the Argentinian parliament passed a law which establishes that all public transportation including sea, land, air transport is obliged to use the legend: “Las Malvinas [The Falklands] son Argentinas” (The Malvinas are Argentine). The fundamental idea behind the law is to strengthen the country's sense of history.
Among islanders the feeling is often different. Kris Thorsen, a Falkland resident recently presented a petition that prohibits the flying of the Argentinian flag on island territory as he claims it generates discomfort among the population. The country's main civilian airport carries a sign that advises all arriving passengers not to use any Argentine insignia in Falkland territory.
But it was the recent and highly controversial visit to Argentina of the British television program Top Gear — a laddish show broadcasted by the BBC and targeted at fast car lovers — that really re-opened old wounds for for many Argentinians.
Central to the controversy over the show's visit was the fact that one of the cars used by Top Gear bore the registration plate H982FLK, which provoked an angry reaction from some locals.
A principios de octubre, los integrantes del programa de la BBC fueron apedreados cuando recorrían la Patagonia con automóviles de lujo. El problema se generó porque el Porsche que utilizó Jeremy Clarkson, el histórico presentador del show de autos más visto del mundo, tenía la matrícula “H982FLK”. El nombre alude inevitablemente a la guerra que enfrentó al Reino Unido con la Argentina en las Islas Malvinas: 82 coincide con el año del conflicto (1982) y FLK, con el nombre del archipiélago en inglés, Falklands.
Jeremy Clarkson, the show's host, has a reputation for being outspoken and politically incorrect, but insisted via Twitter:
The number plate WAS a coincidence. When it was pointed out to us, we changed it. As pics in this morning's Mail show.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) octubre 4, 2014
In another, more sarcastic tweet, Clarkson thanked the Argentine government:
We had planned a good ending for the show. But thanks to the government's foolishness, it's now even better.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) octubre 4, 2014
The program will be shown on the BBC on December 27 and 28.
It is worth recalling that during the 2014 World Cup, FIFA fined the AFA (Argentine Football Association) for displaying an Argentine flag emblazoned “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” during the team's matches in the tournament. And back at the Olympics in 2012 a video filmed in the Falkland Islands and made by the Argentine president's office sparked controversy for promoting the team under the slogan To compete on English soil, we train on Argentine soil.
It would be surprising if the airing of the show this weekend did not cause yet another round of controversy.

author: Laura Schneider


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Citizens Battle Government for the Right to Decorate Kyrgyzstan’s Main Festive Tree · Global Voices
Dasha Kondrateva

Kyrgyzstan's 2015 New Year Tree. Photo by Aki Press, used with permission.
Creating a festive mood ahead of the New Year holiday is one of the most important annual tasks the municipal government of a post-Soviet city faces. The mayor's office in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, has been judged in the court of public opinion, and has come up short.
So short, in fact, that citizens have started a campaign to do a better job themselves, in spite of threats of administrative fines from the state.
Bishkek, like other post-Soviet countries with Orthodox Christian populations, celebrates Christmas in January, but the most universally-celebrated holiday in the majority Muslim country, as per-communist tradition, is New Year.
The New Year tree, or yolka, is the centre piece of those celebrations and was lit up in the capital's central square December 22.
But while this year's yolka looks impressive by night, many citizens are complaining it is an eyesore by day.
New Year's tree decorations. Photo from vb.kg, used with permission.
One commenter on the popular news website vb. kg, claimed the government was “laughing at citizens” with the flat, flashing plastic and acrylic decorations — supposed to resemble toys — it had adorned the tree with. The government claims that each decoration was worth at least 50 USD, while decorating the central square as a whole cost close to 50,000 USD.
Commenting on the Facebook page of one of the country's leading news websites, Bishkek resident Gulzada said the tree had ruined her holiday mood:
Позор…Сама вчера увидела эту “елку” и была в шоке,..Испоганили предновогоднее настроение!(((Разве такой должна выглядеть главная елка страны?!
It’s shameful! I saw this “New Year tree” yesterday, and I was shocked…They spoilt my New Year’s mood! Should the country's main New Year tree look like that?!
While citizens made unflattering comparisons with the New Year trees in other post-Soviet countries — noticeably Russia — this is perhaps unfair. After all, along with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan was the poorest country to emerge from the ruins of the U.S.S.R.
Yet many of the yolka's detractors say hopeless government corruption has shortchanged citizens of a real festive experience.
а потом если спросят почему такая ужасная елка вы наверно скажете что мол денег мало выделили…так,я вам скажу,вы их у себя в карманах поищите,лодыри…учитывая то что она охарактеризует нашу страну можно было и постараться.,коллективом собрать денюжки и нарядить…
If we ask them they will probably say they did not have enough money. I would advise them to look in their pockets! The main square [with the tree on it] represents our country…
Embarrassingly for the cash-poor municipality, some members of the public have even suggested collecting money to decorate the tree better, while more active citizens of Bishkek proposed a flash mob, where residents of the capital will decorate the New Year’s tree independently of the government. An anonymous user issued the call on a popular forum:
Многие не довольны главной елкой страны, и мы решили организовать акцию. Любой желающий может принести красивую игрушку для елки, и мы украсим лесную красавицу сами!
Many people are not satisfied with the main New Year tree of Kyrgyzstan, and we decided to organize this event. Any resident can bring a nice decoration for the tree, and we will embellish it independently!
The flash mob earned an immediate response from a city police official, who claimed the tree as municipal property and threatened administrative fines for any unauthorised embellishing. The police will protect the tree, added the official.
The last time a New Year’s tree provoked such discussion in Kyrgyz society was in 2012, when the main tree fell down, an event people attributed to wind and poor structural supports at the time.
Bishkek's Ala-Too square, where the festive tree is located has already witnessed revolutions in 2005 and 2010. While it seems unlikely that the December 27 flash mob will come to that, it will be interesting to see how the police handle any freelance tree-decorators.

author: Dasha Kondrateva


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One Dead, Dozens Injured as Myanmar Farmers Continue to Oppose Chinese Copper Mine Project · Global Voices
Juan Cebu

Photo of Daw Khin Win. Widely shared.
Daw Khin Win, a 56-year-old woman from Mogyopyin village in central Myanmar, was allegedly shot dead by police during a clash between 60 villagers and a Chinese mining company on December 22, 2014. Around 10 people and two police were injured during the confrontation. Violence spilled over into the next day with three more people receiving injuries.
The incident grew out of a quarrel wherein villagers tried to obstruct the company's attempt to fence off an area of land close to the Latpadaung copper mine, taking on a company bulldozer in the process. The conflict intensified when Mogyopyin locals started using slingshots and police retaliated with force.
The joint copper mining venture between the Chinese company Wanbao and the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings (UMEH) is one of the most controversial investment projects in Myanmar. In November 2012, a protest against the mining company was violently dispersed with more than 60 people, including Buddhist monks, wounded. A state commission was formed to probe the incident, and as a result the company was ordered to pay financial compensation to local land owners, although many residents affected by the project viewed this measure as insufficient. It was these villagers — who refused to take compensation and surrender their lands — that were involved in the latest clash.
Farmers trying to block a bulldozer in protest against the fencing off of their land by a copper mining firm. Photo by Han Win Aung, The Irrawaddy Blog
The death of Daw Khin Win has angered many activists that have been supporting the villagers’ position since 2012.
Moe Thway, a member of the pro-democracy youth group Generation Wave, questioned the substance of the political reforms allegedly implemented by Myanmar's new government. (Warning — link contains graphic content):
A female peasant was shot to dead [sic] in protest against land grabbing for Lapadaung mining project in upper Burma, near Monywa. More than 20 local peasants were wound [sic].
What does reform mean?
Is there real change?
Nay Myo Zin, an ex-military officer and founder of the Myanmar Social Development Organization, compared the case of Daw Khin Win with a separate incident involving Ko Par Gyi, a reporter who died while under the custody of the military:
Ko Par Gyi was killed secretly but when his case was revealed [they] justified it by saying that he was shot for running away. Now let's wait how [they] will justify the death of the woman farmer from Latpadaung. People need to watch whether they will say that she was shot accidentally or if it was to protect the blind and helpless bulldozer [sarcasm implied]. Everyone needs to come together to try to achieve justice. If not we will have to live in fear that we might meet the same fate as Ko Par Gyi.
Moethee Zun, founder of the Democratic Party for a New Society, also condemned the government and urged the people to demand justice:
I denounce the act of the government for violently dispersing the farmers from Latpadaung. The cause of these farmers is also the cause of everyone in the nation. We must help them. Do not be indifferent as if it is not our own. Next time it will be those who are indifferent [that suffer].
Audrey Gaughran from Amnesty International raised concerns about police handling of the protest:
While we are aware of reports that some protestors threw stones at police, the resort to firearms raises very serious questions about how the police have handled this situation.
Meanwhile, Maung Zarni, a famous political analyst, called on people to oppose the activities of the Chinese firm without racism. (Warning — link contains graphic content):
CHINA-#MYANMAR mining LOOT-Kill. Boycott anything #China, but don't allow yourself to become anti-Chinese #racist. pic.twitter.com/dIzzhRYLJ3
— maung zarni (@drzarni) December 22, 2014
The deadly clash between police and protesters in Mogyopyin will intensify public scrutiny of the Myanmar government, which seems unwilling to address growing dissatisfaction with a number of development projects underway across the country.
Wanbao has condemned the killing of Daw Khin Win, who the company referred to as “a member of the extended Latpadaung family” and reiterated that “extremists” and “outsiders” are the ones causing the violence in the community. The company emphasised in its December 23 statement that “only through peaceful dialogue can peace and sustainable development be achieved.”

author: Juan Cebu


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This Trailblazing School in Haiti Teaches Younger Kids in Creole, Not French · Global Voices
PRI/PRX's The World

A 5th grade class at the Matenwa Community School in Haiti. Credit: Amy Bracken (Used with permission)
This article and a radio report by Amy Bracken for The World in Words originally appeared on PRI.org on December 22, 2014 and is republished as part of a content-sharing agreement.
Frandy Calixte is an 11-year-old boy who lives in a small village on the drought-prone island of Lagonav, Haiti. Sitting outside his house with his mother and teacher, he tells me he wants to be a nurse when he grows up, but his mother corrects him.
“Doctor,” she says, and he amends his answer.
Almost everyone here is a small farmer; higher education is virtually unheard of. But Calixte is bucking the trend by going to a different kind of school: The Matenwa Community School, just down the rocky road from Calixte’s house.
Matenwa is also bucking the norms of Haitian education. At the start of an all-school assembly, students stand up and share what’s good and bad — a lesson they enjoyed, or how they didn’t like the behavior of other students or even teachers. In class, students sit in a circle, following the school’s philosophy that children should be seen, heard and treated with respect.
There's another essential part of the school's method, the staff says: teaching in the students’ native language, Creole, instead of French.
Only an estimated 5 percent of Haitians are fluent in French, but it's still the language of government-funded textbooks.  “When I was in school, I never really learned French,” says Calixte’s mother, who calls herself Madame Frantz Calixte. When I ask how she succeeded in school, she laughs. “I didn’t really pass my exams,” she says.
But of her sons? “They’re learning better than I did,” she says.
Abner Sauveur, who grew up in the village of Matenwa, was also taught entirely in French, despite not being able to understand everything. When teachers got frustrated with the language barrier, he says, they lashed out — literally — at their students.
“The way they beat me in school, I knew the system was bad,” he says. “People can’t learn like that.”
Sauveur never finished high school. But, in 1996, he and American teacher Chris Low co-founded the Matenwa Community School to provide “education that allowed people to reflect and share their ideas,” he says, “education that lets them learn better.” Using Creole was a necessity.
Matenwa uses Creole in all its instruction and textbooks through the third grade, when French is introduced as a second language. After that, textbooks for subjects like geography and history are all in French, simply because such books still aren’t available in Creole.
Matenwa’s co-founders hope that one day all books will be in both French and Creole. For earlier grades, the administration raises money to buy Creole books, and students make their own.
Fifth-grader Kervenson Succès reads a student-authored book, “A Cure for Being a Pest,” printed in Creole, French and English. Credit: Amy Bracken (Used with permission)
But many parents still believe French is the language of education, even in the earliest grades. They believe its spelling and grammar are more established than Creole, and that the earlier children are exposed to French, the better off they’ll be — even if they don’t understand at first.
“When the Matenwa school started, it was very difficult,” Sauveur says. “There were parents who would withdraw their students from school because we were teaching in Creole.” But he says those parents have returned their kids to Matenwa. Now political leaders from the prime minister on down are calling for more Creole education, and some are calling Matenwa a model.
Jonès Lagrandeur, the superintendent for the more than 200 schools on Lagonav Island, was also against Creole instruction at first. “Of course! Because of the way we were raised,” he says. “But then we came to better understand it. I was a skeptic, but now I’m a die-hard fan. Since Matenwa came along, we’ve turned a page in history.”
Matenwa also offers “mother tongue” training to educators around the country, but mostly works with neighboring schools. Lagrandeur claims that’s why national exam scores on the island this year were the highest ever.
Michel DeGraff, a Haitian linguist who works at MIT, says tests already show the Matenwa students’ Creole reading skills are almost three times the average score for 84 mainland schools tested by the World Bank.
DeGraff says he can tell French-based education isn’t working just by hearing people study. “It’s this sing-along type of tone, where often they break the sentence in the middle,” he says, “which means that they don’t understand what they’re studying.” It's the same kind of studying he did as a child, when Creole was disdained at his schools.
Now, as a member of the new Creole Academy, DeGraff is now tasked with promoting the language in all areas. But his main focus is education, including tools to help teachers teach science in Creole, and the translation of 21 math computer games into Creole.
Back at Matenwa, I visited on a Friday, when educators gathered for mother tongue training. They got pointers and books, and they discussed how they'd go back and train more people themselves.
“In the beginning it was just us who were teaching in Creole,” says Abner Sauveur, the school's co-founder says. “Now there are 10 schools who come here for training, every month. When I look at that experience, I believe that after 15, 20, 30 years, I might be dead already, but it’s possible that the system will be completely changed in Haiti.”
But at the training session, Sauveur distributes manuals that seem to have nothing to do with how to teach in Creole. They’re about stopping corporal punishment, communicating productively with students and protecting kids from sexual abuse. So is Matenwa a model because of Creole, or because of that attention to the rights of children?
I ask the teachers: Wouldn’t this school be influential even if all the classes were in French?
Their response? This could never happen in French.
The World in Words podcast is on Facebook and iTunes.

author: PRI/PRX's The World


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Did You Miss Our Top 14 Stories of 2014? · Global Voices
Sahar Habib Ghazi

Visualization created from Gephi by Gilad Lotan.
This year we grabbed your attention while documenting war crimes in Gaza, debunking conspiracy theories in the MH17 crash, exposing propaganda wars in Crimea and keeping up with the stories eating up the Caribbean's bandwidth.
2014 was the year of big news stories, and we focused on sifting through misinformation in overreported stories, while continuing to shed light on the most underreported stories around the world.
Here are our top 14 most visited stories of 2014.
In recent days I was arrested by authorities and questioned about my research regarding the use of illegal weapons in Gaza, my mail and Facebook accounts were blocked, And I received strong hints that my life is at risk and I need to be silent and keep low. But I'm not going anywhere. They may close my communication channels again,but that does not mean I'm not here, I'll find a way to get the information out to you,and I trust you will echo it on, go down with it to the streets ,And demand your representatives, your government to stop funding the slaughter in your name,to boycott Israel and to stop the bloodshed in Gaza. The whole world is watching now, history is being made.
At 3:50, we see Ramy Ryan on the floor, lying over a pool of blood. He's dead. A man is telling us “Look, look. A journalist. Look.” while showing us Ramy Ryan's “Press” insignia. The man then tells us angrily, “show the United Nations! Show the world! Show the Red Cross! Show the Arab traitors! They are all traitors!”
Natalia Poklonskaya as an anime character. Image distributed online.
Natalia Poklonskaya, the newly minted Prosecutor General appointed by the secessionist government of Crimea, has captured the hearts and minds of RuNet, and, surprisingly, Japan. A video from her March 11 press conference accepting the position has over a million views on YouTube, perhaps because of her incongruously youthful appearance (she is actually 33) combined with the seriousness of her office.
The fresh-faced, yet stern, Poklonskaya, talking to the press surrounded by microphones, served as an inspiration for Japanese and Russian fan-art. Most of the pictures are drawn in a manga (Japanese comics) style, and grotesquely over-emphasize the “cute” or “kawaii” aspects of Poklonskaya's appearance.
The image Russian state TV claims is proof that MH17 was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet. Screenshot from 1tv.ru.
The photo shows MH17 a bit north of Donetsk being fired upon by a ‘fighter jet,’ presumably Ukraine’s, with a missile en route. A number of pro-Kremlin bloggers and Russian news outlets immediately shared this news as a smoking gun, claiming that what most in the West had dismissed as a conspiracy was now indisputable. However, as many on the RuNet immediately noticed, this image was just too good to be true.
While war rages on the ground in Gaza and across Israeli skies, there’s an all-out information war unraveling in social networked spaces. Not only is there much more media produced, but it is coming at us at a faster pace, from many more sources. As we construct our online profiles based on what we already know, what we’re interested in, and what we’re recommended, social networks are perfectly designed to reinforce our existing beliefs. Personalized spaces, optimized for engagement, prioritize content that is likely to generate more traffic; the more we click, share, like, the higher engagement tracked on the service.
After a week of conflicting information surrounding the disappearance of flight MH370 and its 239 occupants, theories ranging from ludicrous to plausible have cropped up to fill the void about what happened. Wild guesses abound on social media, where riveted users were thinking about everything from black ops to black magic. Some people suggested that aliens, UFOs or a meteor strike could be involved. Others blamed terrorists or speculated that the Malaysian military might have mistakenly shot down the passenger plane. Several hypothesised that the Boeing 777 could have landed safely and that its occupants are still alive.
A video depicting a mother's idea of ‘discipline’ is spreading like wildfire in Trinidad and Tobago, prompting strong reaction from the blogosphere. An unidentified mother and her twelve year-old daughter are the subject of the video, which has been posted and reposted on Facebook and other social networking sites. The video shows the mother hitting the child several times with a belt, after the child was alleged to have posted suggestive photographs of herself online.
Internet users in Russia won't be able to use Wi-Fi in public spots anonymously any longer. The Russian government is now going to require individuals accessing public Wi-Fi hotspots to present their passports or IDs. Personal data will be recorded and stored by the Internet provider, along with information about the devices used, including their unique MAC-addresses.
Chikungunya, a virus that causes high fever and severe joint pain, is now rampant across the Caribbean. The disease is vector-spread by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, and the number of new cases has steadily risen across the region.
Jamaica in particular seems to be having difficulty containing the spread of both the virus and misinformation about the disease. Using the hashtags #chikungunya #caribbean, Twitter users are sharing information about how climate change can contribute to the spread of disease, about regional Chikungunya death toll statistics, and much more.
Russian television has long been infamous for parroting the Kremlin on political issues. It is still rare, however, that the public glimpses this propaganda system’s internal workings. If Anonymous International’s leak is genuine, Russians are getting to peek behind the curtain today.
The war in Ukraine moves to Wikipedia. Images mixed by Kevin Rothrock.
Unsurprisingly, the blame game is now playing out on Wikipedia, where editors battle to record the polemics that best reflect their side of the story. Earlier this morning, the Russian-language Wikipedia entry for commercial aviation accidents hosted one such skirmish, when someone with an IP address based in Kyiv edited the MH17 record to say that the plane was shot down “by terrorists of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic with Buk system missiles, which the terrorists received from the Russian Federation.” Less than an hour later, someone with a Moscow IP address replaced this text with the sentence, “The plane was shot down by Ukrainian soldiers.”
I am an angry Iranian. Well, before being an Iranian, I am an angry man, just like the angry Middle Eastern men you see on television, the ones you see on the streets with clenched fists and anguished faces showing their protest. I wasn’t always angry; I turned angry. What tormented me and turned me into an angry man goes back to when I lived in Iran. Of course, from a certain point on, my anger surpassed ordinary boundaries and I started to laugh to survive. I mean, I cannot be angry without laughing at my own anger.
Today, turning my anger into comedy and laughing at my anguish is my livelihood. My reasons for this anger keep mounting every day, and therefore, I have more reasons to laugh, too.
Screenshot of Lisa Punch performing on the ABC show “Rising Star” via YouTube.
Writer and cultural activist Ruel Johnson praised Punch for persevering through difficult circumstances. “What got her to where she is today is sheer hard work, incredible individual talent, unstinting support from her mother and friends, and belief in her own ability to make it,” he wrote. “Instead of decrying her on the basis of some bullshit, delusional positive patriotism, we should be thanking her for acknowledging us at all when this place as a community of people and laws did.
The Clean Indian, an anonymous anti-public urination activist group, has come up with one possible solution to stopping public urination in Mumbai. The group, whose members wear masks to conceal their identities, patrols Mumbai city with their giant yellow water tanker and sprays water on those urinating in public.


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How to Reduce the Production of CO2 in Daily Life? · Global Voices
Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez

Rut Abrain reflects on her blog Esturirafi about one of the main cause of climate change: the production of carbon dioxide (CO2). In this sense, the blogger stresses out that not only factories, vehicles and planes produce CO2, but also each one of un in our daily lives. To have an idea of the magnitude of the impact of our daily activities in the production of CO2, Rut suggests us to use this calculator.
Surprised? Yes, each one of us has some responsibility in climate change, and at the same time, each one of us is able to reverse that with small actions. Rut shares some advises to reduce pur production of CO2:
[…] – Reducir, reutilizar y reciclar. Esto tienes que aplicarlo en todas las facetas de tu vida: evita productos con un empaquetado excesivo, compra productos de segunda mano, separa los residuos de manera adecuada para su posterior reciclaje.
[…] – Reduce, reuse and recycle. You have to do this in all aspects of your life: avoid products with excessive packaging, purchase second hand articles, separate litter properly for further recycling.
Rut also says to reduce our “carbon footprint“:
- Ahorra energía, tanto electricidad, como gas natural, butano o gasoil.
– Compra productos locales.
– Camina, utiliza el transporte público, la bicicleta.
– Utiliza menos papel.
- Save energy, electricity, natural gas, domestic gas or diesel.
– Purchase local products.
– Walk, use public transportatipn.
– Use less paper.
The blogger ends up with a quote by Eduardo Galeano applicable to the impact these small actions have on reversing climate change:
Mucha gente pequeña en lugares pequeños, haciendo cosas pequeñas, pueden cambiar el mundo.
Too many small people in small places, making small things, can change the world.
You can follow Rut on Twitter.

author: Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez


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Mexico: An Unsatisfactory and Late Presidential Address · Global Voices
Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez

On Thursday, November 27, 2014, Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto addressed publicly Mexican nation to make a stand about the shocking events occured in Iguala and to announce a set of actions to be taken.
The address was a disappointment for most of the Mexican people, who expected more from their president. In this context, Fernando Vázquez Rigada responds ciítically to the presidential address and points out it was not only late, but it also lacked empathy towards the people. Furthermore, the announced mesaures weren't enough to face the current Mexican crisis:
La mención al combate a la corrupción fue blanda y retórica. Se asume el plan de la oposición, pero sin ser capaz de agregar nada ni de garantizar una nueva ética que se base en los mejores hombres, en las mejores prácticas, en un blindaje real e inmediato. Vendrá la implementación de las reformas por los mismos que han debido cancelar licitaciones, encubrir, coludirse.
Lo mejor fue la mención a la aplicación del modelo chino de estímulo al crecimiento. La pobreza no produce criminales, pero si divide y desgarra.
La nación esperaba el jueves a un ejecutivo y encontró a un legislador. Aguardaba a un líder que compartiera el dolor, que mostrara reflexión sobre sus errores propios, que asumiera los costos que le corresponden y, sobre todo, que inspirara a una sociedad harta y desconsolada.
The mention about fighting corruption was soft and rhetorical. The plan from the opposition might be guessed, but without the possibility of adding nothing on nor secure a new ethics based in new men, better practices, a real and immediate reinforcement. The reforms will be implemented by the same people who should have called off tendrs, concealed, colluded.
The best thing was the mention of implementing the Chinese model of growth boost. Poverty doesn't produce criminals, bit it does divide and rips up.
On Thursday, the nation was waiting for an ejecutive and came across a legislator. They were waiting for a leader that might share their pain, that might show some reflection upon his own flaws, that would assume the costs upon him and, above all, that might inspire a society that's fed up and inconsolable.
You can follow Fernando on Twitter.


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Somber Scenes as World Mourns Pakistani Children Slain in Peshawar Attack · Global Voices
Rezwan

Students of Army Public School, members of Civil Society, Pak Army staffs and large numbers of citizens held a candle light vigil to mourn the innocent victims. Image by ppiimages. Copyright Demotix (19/12/2014)
A group of Taliban gunmen dressed in military uniforms entered an Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan, on December 16 and shot students and teachers walking from classroom to classroom. At least 148 people, 132 of them children, lost their lives in the attack and scores of the students were injured.
The following day, vigils were held in Karachi, Islamabad and other major cities throughout the country, which can be seen in these pictures.
There have also been numerous vigils across the world:
People at those vigils remembered the victims, protested against the barbarism, voiced their anger at the Taliban and echoed that children should be spared from such atrocities.
Here are images of some of those vigils:
A collection of candles and votives lit as part of a vigil in Trafalgar Square, London, to remember the dead school children and teachers killed by the Pakistani Taliban in Pakistan. Image by Emma Durnford. Copyright Demotix (17/12/2014)
A Candlelight vigil for the children of Peshawar is held in Longsight, Manchester outside the Pakistani Community Centre. Image by Barbara Cook. Copyright Demotix (20/12/2014)
Two hundred people gathered in front of the CNN Center in Atlanta for a candlelight vigil to honor victims killed during a Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar, Pakistan. Image by Steve Eberherdt Copyright Demotix (17/12/2014)
Columbia students and other members of the community joined a campus candlelight vigil to support the victims of the Peshawar attacks. Image by Mansura Khanam. Copyright Demotix (17/12/2014)
Indian congress workers and children pay tribute to those killed in the Taliban attack in Peshawar, Pakistan at a candle vigil in Allahabad, India. Image by Ritesh Shukla. Copyright Demotix (17/12/2014)
A candle light vigil and were held at the Pakistan High Commission in Bangladesh, this evening in remembrance of the innocent victims of the massacre at the Army public School peshawar.
Indian people lit candles as they took part in a candle-light vigil in memory of victims killed in a Taliban attack on a military-run school in Peshawar, in Amritsar. Image by Sanjeev Syal. Copyright Demotix (17/12/2014)
Childrens in Sivasagar, Assam lighting candles protesting the attack of Talibans in a school of Pakistan, image by Neelam Kakoty Majumdar. Copyright Demotix (18/12/2014)
Burdwan District Press Club organised a Candlelight Rally in At Burdwan, West Bengal, India, protesting against Taliban terror attack on Army Public School in Peshawar. Image by Sanjoy Karmaker (18/12/2014)
Children holding solidarity messages at the candle light vigil in Lahore, Pakistan. Image by Fatima Arif. Copyright Demotix (18/12/2014)

author: Rezwan


text:
So Much More Than the World Cup Happened in Brazil in 2014 · Global Voices
Taisa Sganzerla

The Cantareira System, which supplies 7 million people with water in São Paulo, has reached record lows in 2014 — 4.1 percent of its total capacity in October. Image by Flickr user Fernando Stankuns. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
“Brazil is not for amateurs” is a common saying in Brazilian social media and a reference to the country’s great deal of ideological and political mayhem, which makes it hard for even the experts to make sense of (let alone take sides).
While many of the world’s eyes were turned to the largest Latin American country in 2014, football was only a side-kick in this year of elections, protests and “textões de Facebook” — a brand new expression, meaning “Big essay on Facebook”, used by those tired of social media wars and longing for days past of happy photos and cat videos.
Kissing scene between Felix and Niko in the last episode of the soap opera “Amor à Vida” (Love of Life)
In February, millions gathered at home to watch what was dubbed the first nationally televised gay kiss in a soap opera in Brazil. The kiss was the result of a massive campaign on social networks asking the screenwriter for the gay couple Felix and Niko to finally lock lips on camera on the soap “Amor à Vida” finale.
Soap operas are huge in Brazil, but not exactly known for defying stereotypes and taboos, hence the magnitude of such an innocuous kiss. Among all of the country's contradictions, LGBT rights is one of the biggest: Brazil holds the largest gay pride parade in the world and also tops the list in LGBT killings.
Lynch mobs and racism
The young boy tied to the lamp post with only a piece of newspaper to cover himself.
National outcry followed the beating of a 15-year-old black teenager, who was found naked and tied to a lamppost in an affluent neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. The youngster said he was beaten up by a group of 30 men – apparently ‘vigilantes’ in the neighborhood with the so-called purpose of stopping thefts. While social movements condemned the attack, regardless whether the teen were stealing or not, a prominent conservative news anchor defended his assailants on national television.
Similar cases were promptly picked up by mainstream media in the weeks that followed, sparkling a debate of whether taking justice into one's own hands has any merit. But the brutal murder of a woman in a poor neighborhood of seaside town of Guarujá by a lynch mob took the country to a state of pure horror. The assault was driven by Facebook rumors that she was kidnapping children for witchery rituals, which were proved false.
Spanish newspaper El País left Brazil with the question: “What if she was proved guilty?” Would the barbaric way in which she was killed, with absolutely no right of defense, still shock us?
#ThereWillNotBeAWorldCup vs. #YesThereWillBeACup
A demonstrator holds a sign that says “There won't be a cup” in a protest in May. Image by Flickr user Ninja Mídia. CC BY-2.0
Demonstrations against the World Cup took over Brazil's streets regularly throughout the year. With chants like “Fifa Go Home” (a refurbishing of the oldie “Yankee go home”), social movements were condemning inequality and the lack of basic rights for most of Brazil’s population, in the face of an event that turned out to be hugely expensive to country’s public reserves – and whose tickets cost more than the Brazil's minimum wages.
The death of cameraman Santiago Idílio Andrade, hit by a rocket fired by activists while he was covering a demonstration in Rio, prompted legislators to put forward the “Terrorism Bill”, which would harden regulations on protests. The bill was heavily criticized by social movements.
Weeks before the Cup, another hashtag emerged in social media: #VaiTerCopaSim, or, #YesThereWillBeACup, apparently started by a Facebook page. The hashtag was used mostly to mock the negativity of the demonstrators, embracing Brazil's problems as a part of its own distinctiveness  – some argue it was a political move to keep up the population’s good spirits and turn a blind eye to the protesters.
Brazil was kicked out with a humiliating, unforgettable 7-1 loss against Germany in the quarterfinals, providing enough material for Internet memes for the next 10 generations (and also, prompting a lot of depressing newspaper front pages). Meanwhile, 28 people were arrested in Rio the day before the big final – not for protesting, but for possibly planning to do so.
Memes for the next 10 generations after the unforgettable 7-1 against Germany. Image: unknown author.
National elections
Following the Cup, Brazil was again swept up in another round of social media battles: national elections, due on October 6. The presidential race was unexpectedly reshuffled by the emergence of Marina Silva, who took the place of candidate Eduardo Campos for the Brazilian Socialist Party after his startling death in a plane crash in August.
The long standing rivalry between Brazil’s two main parties (the center-left Worker’s Party, in power since 2002, and center-right main opposition Brazilian Social-Democratic Party) was suddenly disrupted by Silva, who was leading the polls in mid-September.
On one side, fear of communism. On the other, fear of fascism. Will the two groups ever make peace? Image by Flickr users Ninja Mídia and Aécio Neves. CC BY 2.0
An evangelical Christian and also a prominent environmentalist, Silva presented herself as a “bridge” between conservatives and progressives. But her attempts at dialogue fell short in a series of misguided steps in her campaign – the most significant of all when she stepped back from supporting gay marriage, changing her government program following pressure from religious leaders.
She was eventually shut out of the runoff, which was the most sharply disputed since the transition to democracy in the 1980s. Incumbent Dilma Rouseff was reelected by a tight 51 percent of the votes.
Some argue this is representative of the Worker’s Party dwindling strength and that a significant part of the population is ready for change. Others point out the role that mainstream media, largely anti-government, played in those results. Leftists, on the other hand, still feel unrepresented by both government and the conservative opposition, waiting (perhaps hopelessly) for a “real leftist candidate” to take center stage.
Water crisis
While the post-election healing took place, Latin America’s largest city was running out of water. Authorities spent most of the year taking the problem lightly, solely blaming the current rain shortage in Southeast Brazil for the crisis. As the year ends, São Paulo might have less than 100 days of guaranteed water supply for its 8.5 million residents.

author: Taisa Sganzerla


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Where Does Venezuela Fit in the New US-Cuba Love-in? · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

“Go on! You're doing well!” Taken from Eduardo, ‘Edo’ Sanabria's page. Published with permission.
The diplomatic rapprochement between Cuba and the U.S., which has come on the back of decades of bitter bilateral relations, has taken Cuba's allies in the Venezuelan state by surprise, generating a series of responses that reflect the confusion of being left in the dark during negotiations that were clearly taking place for months.
As a result, Venezuela's social media has responded with irony and mockery, posting memes and comments that portray the country's government as the character that was brushed aside in the story. Many also point out the seeming contradiction between warmer relations with the U.S. and the socialist ideals promoted by both Cuba and Venezuela.
Venezuelans learned of the re-establishment of bilateral ties between Washington and Havana two days after an anti-imperialist demonstration in Caracas on December 15, held due to sanctions against Venezuela being discussed by in the U.S. Congress at the time.
Those sanctions, which were approved December 18, targeted selected government officials viewed as cracking down on anti-government demonstrators during this year's protests in Venezuela.
But the the sudden thaw in Cuba and U.S. relations seemed to force Venezuela onto the back foot.
In the space of a week, government officials went from ramping up their traditional anti-U.S. rhetoric to cautiously praising Obama's new approach towards Cuba to fiercely criticising Washington again when the sanctions became a reality. Venezuela, which had harnessed its oil wealth to be an ideological and geopolitical thorn in the US’ side for so long, suddenly looked irrelevant.
Angel Alayon, an economist and strategic thinker explains in his Prodavinci blog how the government has lost face:
Hay una pérdida simbólica-discursiva que se agrava con el hecho de que el gobierno venezolano ha lucido sorprendido por la negociación entre cubanos y estadounidenses. ¿Por qué no se avisó a Venezuela de estas negociaciones?
There's a symbolic and discursive loss that gets worse in lieu of the fact that the Venezuelan government looks surprised by the negotiations between the Cubans and Americans. Why wasn't Venezuela told about these negotiations?
Alayon goes on to explain how worsening economic conditions drove Cuba into Washington's arms, and left Venezuela's decision-makers with less economic and political room to manoeuvre:
Cuba ya no puede contar con Venezuela como lo hacía en el pasado. Es la RealPolitik. Es justo mencionar que las negociaciones entre Cuba y Estados Unidos empezaron cuando el petróleo todavía estaba sobre los cien dólares, pero ya los problemas económicos en Venezuela eran evidentes.
Cuba cannot count on Venezuela as it did in the past. This is realpolitik. It's fair to mention that these negotiations between Cuba and the United States began when oil prices were over 100 dollars, but even then Venezuela's economic problems were already noticeable.
In their Political HangOut, Global Voices’ Luis Carlos Díaz and blogger Naky Soto discussed some of the most important elements of the news from a Venezuelan perspective. They commented on the drastic switch in the political stance of Raul Castro, who not so long ago “raised his fist by [Venezualan President Nicolas Maduro's] side” and claimed that sanctions threatened by the U.S. government against Venezuelan officials were “inadmissible”:
Parte de las sanciones que proponían en este caso los congresistas en EEUU era congelar bienes […] y eliminar visas. No a todos los venezolanos, no a todos los chavistas, [solamente] a este conjunto de personas que tienen sobre ellas sospechas o investigaciones sobre torturas y violación de los Derechos Humanos. [A esto] Nicolás [Maduro] responde: ‘No. Tienen que meternos a todos en las sanciones. Debería ser un honor para un revolucionario estar ahí. Todos merecemos esas sanciones, todos deberíamos estar ahí. La gente no debería tener visa.’ Y resulta que ahora los cubanos sí van a poder tener visa, y casas de cambio con dólares, y negociaciones con Estados Unidos […] y muchas empresas van a poder migrar… Y Cuba va a volver a crecer más que Venezuela, como en el año 2014, como en el año 2013…
Part of the sanctions that were proposed by U.S. congressmen were to freeze bank accounts […] and eliminate visas. Not for all Venezuelans, not for all Chavismo [former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez  supporters], [only] this group of people that are subject to investigation for Human Rights violations. [To this] Nicolas [Maduro] responds: ‘No. They have to put us all there. It should be an honor for the revolutionaries to be in this group. We all deserve those sanctions, we should all be part of this. People shouldn't have a visa.’ And now it turns out that Cubans will be able to have visas, and access exchange offices with dollars [non-existent in Venezuela], …and a lot of companies will be able to cross over there… And Cuba will grow more [economically] than Venezuela, just as it did in 2014, and in 2013…
A diplomatic romcom?
Local social media has taken a light-hearted view of Venezuela's growing international isolation, pitting the Venezuelan government as the loser in a cruel romantic triangle. The concept of the country getting friendzoned by Cuba was repeated in a number of tweets:
“@LuisCarlos: Pueden votar el meme de Venezuela – EEUU y Cuba en @9GAG: http://t.co/1E4xNVVyuE”> jajaja #foreveralone
— Mariana (@ladamadebath) December 19, 2014
Cuba friendzoned Venezuela and it's now in a relationship with the U.S. Typical, your girlfriend dumps you for someone more successful and with a car.
Others caricature Cuba's change of position:
La mascota de Raúl Castro viendo el discurso de Maduro el lunes 15D insultando a los EEUU pic.twitter.com/cWSw3l2DzL
— JJSR (@jjsalazarr) December 17, 2014
This is Raul Castro's pet watching Maduro's speech on Monday December 15, in which he insults the U.S.
Cuba, meanwhile is portrayed as having enjoyed the best of both petrodollar socialism and Yankee capitalism:
El único que ha salido ganando de 15 años de bonanza petrolera: Cuba. Arruinó a Venezuela y ahora se acerca a EEUU.
— Guillermo Amador (@modulor) December 17, 2014
The only one gaining from these 15 years of oil profits: Cuba. It ruined Venezuela and now gets closer to the U.S.
¿Acercamiento definitivo de Cuba a EEUU por temor a sufrir un nuevo periodo especial ante la inminente ruina económica de Venezuela?
— Tony De Viveiros (@TonyDeViveiros) December 17, 2014
Is Cuba approaching the US for fear of a new Special Period after Venezuela's imminent ruin?
El Chigüire Bipolar, a popular Venezuelan humor blog, didn't miss out on the chance to weigh in and came up with an amusing would-be-conversation between Nicolás Maduro and Raúl Castro on Whatsapp.
Venezuelan social media users also shared widely Eduardo ‘Edo’ Sanabria's cartoons on the subject:
Caricatura EDO: Como la guayabera / EEUU y Cuba pic.twitter.com/r9V9AxHens
— Eduardo EDO Sanabria (@edoilustrado) December 18, 2014
Venezuela outside Cuba's and U.S.’ relations
Caricatura EDO (2010) Me estás ocultando algo / EEUU y Cuba pic.twitter.com/8CCGgz0j7o
— Eduardo EDO Sanabria (@edoilustrado) December 18, 2014
You're hiding something from me

author: Laura Vidal


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Argentina: Outstanding Tourist Attractions on Social Media in 2014 · Global Voices
Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez

Wenceslao Bottaro presents us with the most outstanding tourist attractions on social media from the interior of the country, according to the II Edition of the Ranking of Tourist Attractions and Social Networks in Argentina 2014. He also explains that this ranking is important because:
[…] sirve cómo radiografía del trabajo que los destinos provinciales realizan en las redes sociales. Siguiendo la evolución de su performance en las redes sociales, nos damos cuenta de cuáles son los destinos que trabajan e invierten en Internet, en la generación de contenidos genuinos, en estrategias de promoción y difusión, cuáles son los que están más atentos a las tendencias actuales y, sobre todo, cuáles son los que dejan pasar la oportunidad de posicionarse y ganarse un lugar en el deseo de los potenciales viajeros.
[…] can be used as an in-depth analysis of the work that provincial destinations carry out on social networks. Following the evolution of its performance on social networks, we realize which are the destinations that work through and invest in the Internet, in generating genuine content, in promoting and spreading the word, which ones are more aware of the current trends and, above all, which ones don't leave their positioning to chance and instead attract the attention of potential travelers themselves.
Chart from the blog Blucansendel, used with permission
According to the ranking, the province of Misiones, where the Iguazú Falls are located, ranks top of the list on Facebook with over 730,000 fans and an inter-annual growth of over 600,000 new fans. Then come the provinces of Salta with 359,702 fans, Tucumán (267,636), Córdoba (227,091) and Mendoza (226,354). The situation is different on Twitter, where the province of Tucumán is top of the list with 29,200 followers. This was the only place that had more than 20,000 followers, along with Córdoba with 18,900 followers, Salta (16,800) and Mendoza (14,900).
You can also see the first edition of the ranking, from the year 2013.
You can follow Wencesleao on Twitter.


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Cuban Dissidents Harbor Hope, Fear and Fury Over US-Cuba Reconciliation · Global Voices
Ellery Roberts Biddle

Damas de Blanco or Ladies in White demonstrate in Havana, Cuba 2012. Photo by Hvd69 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Last week’s announcement of renewed relations between Cuba and the United States elicited responses of hope, skepticism and even anger among anti-government advocates and bloggers in Cuba.
Many dissenting voices in Cuba now worry that the US government has not drawn a strong enough link between diplomatic ties and improvements in human rights standards on the island.
Speaking with Diario de Cuba, human rights advocate and founder of the Estado de SATS intellectual forum Antonio Rodiles said Obama’s decision to negotiate with Cuban authorities without consulting civil society on the island was a misstep. “To give to the regime without asking for anything in return seems to me a tremendous error.”
Many prominent voices both from Cubans like Rodiles, who have developed a powerful presence both online and on the island, and older generations of dissidents, see the policy shift as one that will empower the Cuban government to increase social control and repression of anti-government activists.
On social media, many have echoed the sentiments of conservative US lawmakers since the shift was announced. Las Damas de Blanco (“Ladies in White”), an organization of women who march in solidarity with jailed journalists and other political prisoners on the island, retweeted and highlighted comments from US congress members such as Marco Rubio and Robert Menéndez, both of whom represent “hardline” anti-Castro exile communities in the US.
Group leader Berta Soler, one of the most prominent anti-government voices on the island, told Diario de Cuba:
Las medidas del presidente Obama son para el Gobierno, no para Cuba. Se ha equivocado si piensa que restablecer relaciones va a favorecer al pueblo de la Isla. Aquí habrá cambios cuando se respeten los derechos humanos y no existan los Castro.
[…]
En estos momentos nos sentimos desprotegidos, pero con apoyo o sin él lo importante es mantenernos en nuestra lucha, buscando la libertad del pueblo de Cuba.
Hasta este momento, hemos sido hombres y mujeres golpeados y encarcelados. Ahora creemos que pueden aparecer activistas muertos en las cunetas.
The measures that President Obama has taken are for the government, not for Cuba. He is mistaken if he thinks that reestablishing relations will benefit the people of the island. Here there will only be change when human rights are respected and the Castros no longer exist.
[…]
At times like these we feel unprotected, but with or without support, the important thing is that we continue fighting for freedom for the people of Cuba.
Until this moment, we have been jailed and beaten. Now we believe we will start seeing activists dead on the streets.
Known to accept financial support from US government agencies, many members of the Damas de Blanco have suffered beatings, detentions and other forms of repression by Cuban state security since their inception in 2003. This week however, supporters noted that they were able to march freely, without a single arrest:
#Cuba Pudieron caminar hoy las @DamasdBlanco de Cárdenas y Colón sin ser arrestadas, repudiadas y golpeadas como siempre ha hecho la tiranía
— Iván Hdez Carrillo (@ivanlibre) December 21, 2014
Today the @DamasdBlanco were able to walk from Cárdenas y Colón without being arrested, harassed or beaten as the tyranical forces have always done
Many thought back on the work of fallen civil society leader Oswaldo Payá, who led a late 1990s civil society effort calling for a referendum on the country's constitution that would have enshrined rights to full electoral participation, free expression, and other fundamental rights for all Cubans. Payá was killed in a 2012 car crash that his family suspects was orchestrated by Cuban authorities, though this has never been confirmed. Since his death, Payá’s daughter Rosa María has become a prominent voice on human rights in the country, albeit following a distinct path from that of her father.
In an open letter to Barack Obama published by the Washington Post, Rosa María Payá wrote:
Mr. President, your laws are not what is preventing the free market and access to information in Cuba; it is the Cuban government’s legislation and its constant censorship.
What would be new would be a real commitment to the Cuban people, with concrete actions supporting citizens’ demands. We don’t need interventionist tactics but rather backing for solutions that we Cubans have created ourselves.
But not all opposition voices are so negative. Reinaldo Escobar, a journalist-turned-blogger and the husband of famed blogger Yoani Sánchez, expressed hope that these expectations would prove incorrect:
Yo apuesto a que van a quedar mal, pero estoy deseoso de perder la apuesta. Todas las señales y la experiencia acumulada dicen a las claras que se trata de una nueva maniobra para ganar tiempo y que se van a salir con la suya, pero es también una jugada inédita y las cosas siempre pueden salir de otra manera.
I am betting that things will go badly, but I hope I lose that bet. All signs and past experience suggest that this will be a new way for the regime to buy itself time, but this is an unprecedented move and things could always turn out differently.
Manuel Cuesta Morúa, leader of the Partido Arco Progresista — a progressive political group that opposes the Cuban communist party — identified three ways in which the reforms would improve conditions for Cubans:
Primero, se puede utilizar más la solidaridad global para favorecer nuestras estrategias en materia de recursos, de contactos, de relaciones. Segundo, es posible destruir para siempre la narrativa del régimen, que siempre nos ha acusado a nosotros, los disidentes, de trabajar a favor de potencias extranjeras, sobre todo de EEUU. Tercero, pero no último, nuestro contacto con los cubanos al interior del país puede ser menos envenenado porque ahora los ciudadanos, que son los que dan legitimidad a cualquier apuesta y propuesta política, están en mejores condiciones de participar, de interactuar con nosotros.
First, it will allow for more global solidarity in support of our strategies, in the form of resources, contacts, and relationships. Second, it will now be possible to permanently destroy the narrative of the regime, which has always accused us, the dissidents, of working for foreign interests, above all the US. Third, but not least, our contact with Cubans in other parts of the country can be less fraught because now citizens, those who give legitimacy to any political proposal, will be more able to participate and interact with us.
Yoani Sánchez, blogger and editor-in-chief of recently launched digital magazine 14ymedio, highlighted the way in which the feud between the US and Cuba has functioned as a motor for the Cuban government.
…a pesar de la ausencia de compromisos públicos de la parte cubana, lo de hoy fue una derrota política. Bajo el mandato de Fidel Castro nunca se hubiera llegado siquiera a perfilar un acuerdo de esta naturaleza. Porque el sistema cubano se apoya -como uno de sus principales pilares- en la existencia de un contrincante permanente. David no puede vivir sin Goliat y el aparato ideológico ha descansado demasiado tiempo en ese diferendo.
…in spite of the absence of political commitments on the Cuban side, what happened today was a political defeat [for the Cuban government]. Under the command of Fidel Castro, we never would have gotten even close to an agreement of this sort. Because the Cuban system is supported by — as one of its principal pillars — the existence of a permanent opponent. David cannot live without Goliath and the ideological apparatus has relied for too long on this enmity.
For Cubans and Cuban-Americans all along the political spectrum, it is difficult to imagine that “normalization” of relations will lead to the pressing of a proverbial reset button on all things ranging from economy to civil and political rights. Shortly after the announcement, Estado de SATS leader Antonio Rodiles quipped:
“Cuba no es una computadora a la que se le instala un nuevo software y se vuelve socialmente funcional.¨ @AGRodiles
— Damas de Blanco (@DamasdBlanco) December 23, 2014
Cuba is not a computer in which you can install new software and expect it to work differently.
Indeed, regardless of political priorities, most voices agree that neither Cuba nor the US will change its ways easily or quickly. Time will tell whether the so-called “thaw” will reflect a renewed commitment to human rights by both Cuba and the US.

author: Ellery Roberts Biddle


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Go Inside Salegy, the Music That Dominates Madagascar · Global Voices
PRI/PRX's The World

Eusebe Jaojoby, considered the king of salegy, performs with the “TANA GOSPEL CHOIR” in 2009. Photo by Flickr user carlos. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
This article by Banning Eyre for Afropop Worldwide originally appeared on PRI.org on December 21, 2014 and is republished as part of a content-sharing agreement.
On any weekend night in Jao’s Pub, a popular nightspot in Antananarivo, Madagascar, you’ll find a lively scene: A dance floor filled with comfortably dressed men and women, mostly young, shimmying gracefully to the band’s upbeat 6/8 groove.
They occasionally break out in rhythmic clapping, or rombo. The band’s call-and-response vocals are strong and declamatory, but still as uplifting as the beat itself. Strains of accordions, tangling electric guitar lines, pumping bass and relentless rhythm blend together in unified symmetry. Musicians and dancers move as one.
If it’s a young band onstage, they play non-stop, each song morphing into the next and extending the collective trance long into the night. It’s a vibe you won’t find anywhere else but Madagascar. This is salegy.
Salegy has been one of the most popular dance music genres in Madagascar since the mid-20th century. People still associate the music with the northern coastal regions, just across the Mozambique Channel from East Africa, but today you can hear it anywhere on this vast island.
Salegy is grounded in older traditional rhythms, but it came of age in the hopeful years following World War II, when all sorts of indigenous music was being retrofitted for a new, modern age. One of salegy’s veteran champions is Eusebe Jaojoby, who began in a village singing traditional folk songs and sang in some of the first salegy bands formed in the northern city of Diego Suarez.
Jaojoby’s self-named band went on to rock Antananarivo in the 1970s and gain international fame in the ‘90s. Today Jaojoby owns and operates Jao’s Pub, and his band — or one of his family bands — plays there each Saturday night.
These days, young stars like Ali Mourad and Wawa dial back the fancy guitar work and crank up the tempo for a more youth-oriented sound. Artists like Tence Mena and Vaiavy Chilla go further still, fusing the classic sound with high-tech contemporary sounds from Africa, like coupé-decaléfrom Ivory Coast and ndombolo from Congo. They also create savvy, satirical music videos that critique modern life in this vibrant but politically and economically troubled island nation.
The videos here provide a rich entrée into the world of salegy. First, here’s a set of mostly live videos of Jaojoby from over the years:
Here’s another major bandleader of classic salegy, Lego. This 2013 video starts out in traditional mode, featuring percussion, accordion, and vocals:
To get a sense of salegy’s roots, here’s a video the Afropop team shot in Diego Suarez, in the north of Madgascar. Teenage accordionist and bandleader Candela leads an acoustic ensemble here, giving a sense of what the music might feel like in a down-home setting. This is field video, not a perfect recording, but what it lacks in technical polish it more than makes up in musicality and spirit.
These days in the northern city of Diego Suarez, young salegy artists are promoting a sound they call salegy gouma. It’s fast, energized and largely about interaction with the crowd. You’ll get the feel from this bit of live video Afropop shot at Jao’s Pub, Jaojoby’s nightclub in Antananarivo. The artist is Ali Mourad — sometimes Aly Mourady — from Diego Suarez.
Now to the contemporary sound of Tence Mena, who is currently one of the most successful popular singers in Madagascar. As noted above, Tence Mena has incorporated all sorts of foreign musical influences, but you can still hear that her roots lie in salegy.
Tence Mena makes some of the most creative music videos in Madagascar these days. Check out her song “Soa’G.” This is not technically salegy, but it shows how this young artist has expanded the genre’s parameters. “Soa” is a play on the word swag or swagger, but in Malagasy, it also means good or beautiful. G is “gasy,” as in Malagasy. The message is to be proud of being Malagasy. Here’s the video, and it's well worth watching to the end!
In the Spring of 2014, a team of producers from PRI’s Afropop Worldwide journeyed to the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, traveling across the country to gather material for a three-part radio series exploring the nation’s unique music and culture. To give you a taste of the show, Afropop senior producer Banning Eyre put together this musical guide to the program’s central musical genre, salegy. For more music from Madagscar, be sure to check out Afropop.org and subscribe to Afropop’s podcast.


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Medellín’s Casa Tres Patios, a Space Where Modern Art Can Flourish · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Artists working in a room from Casa Tres Patios. Picture taken from their Facebook page.
Medellín is one of the most modern cities of Colombia and Latin America, a sense of modernity that translates to its up-and-coming art scene, which — until a few years ago — lacked the space for more experimental or alternative offerings.
Within this scene there are both famous names and young up-and-coming artists in need of places to show off their work. Luckily there are people that care enough to supply places to work and participate in the construction of a more artistic city.
On such example is the Casa Tres Patios, founded by Tony Evanko, which since 2006 offers artists and local communities a space to express themselves. Their mission is “a non-profit foundation dedicated to research, alternative pedagogical practices, artistic production, free creation and collaborative knowledge”.
In an interview for the website Medellín Cultura, Tony explained the project in detail:
este espacio está abierto a artistas, arquitectos, curadores y profesionales afines al arte que vayan a desarrollar un proyecto o una investigación en la ciudad, pero es condición que esos proyectos sean aportes nuevos para la práctica artística contemporánea y que tengan un componente comunitario porque las residencias existen para la comunidad
This space is open to artists, architects, curators and related professionals of art who are developing a project or research in town, but it is important that these projects are new contributions to contemporary art practice and have a community component because the homes exist for the community.
Global Voices talked to Tony to find out more about the history, activities and projects of Casa Tres Patios.
One of the most interesting aspects of Casa Tres Patios, as mentioned by Tony in the video above, is their association with Un/Loquer, a hackerspace that operates from inside the house, representing collaboration between modern art and tech experts.
But what kind of art is developed in the house? An interview with Tony for the Red de Bibliotecas Medellín offered an explanation:
Este hombre, bien como arquitecto, bien como artista, recuerda dos exposiciones que se han instalado en su Casa Tres Patios. Una de ellas, Desaparecidos, de Isabel Restrepo; una obra que juega con las luces y las sombras, una muestra con tecnología básica, pero con calidad. La segunda, de Juan Fernando Vélez, un pintor que no usó las paredes de la casa para colgar sus cuadros, los muros se convirtieron en parte de su obra. “Eso es algo que siempre hemos querido, nos interesa que el artista use el espacio”.
This man, just as much architect as he is artist, remembers two expositions that were on display at his Casa Tres Patios. One of them, Desaparecidos, by Isabel Restrepo is piece that plays with light and shadows, a showcase of basic technology but with quality. The second one is by Juan Fernando Vélez, a painter that didn't use the walls of his home to hang his paintings, instead those walls became a part of his work. “That is something that has always interested us, that the artist use the space.”
While flipping through his publications, one of the house's projects that caught our attention was “De lo local a lo global” (From Local to Global) by María José Planells and Juan José Rivillas. The project intends to educate people about the environment, showing young people how to cook with sunlight and recycle waste from raw materials, as well as raise awareness about issues such as river pollution and deforestation.
Some of the works are more experimental artistically, while others are fun as seen in the video below uploaded to YouTube by Julian Bedöx:
Among the projects that Casa Tres Patios develops to promote artistic work is Cubo X, which gives local artists a space to experiment. At the same time it is a creative laboratory for young people participating in the Foco Critico programme, which teaches forms of expression that connect art, technology, and communication, from the nonprofit cultural organization Platohedro. There are also workshops, studios, teaching spaces and areas dedicated to discussion groups, where people talk, reflect and generate animated and dynamic ideas.
Another activity held in conjunction with the Sistema de Bibliotecas Públicas de Medellín (SBPM), is called #Bibliolabs. It is a process of training through the experience of collaborative and collective creation that promotes learning about digital culture.
One interesting side of Casa Tres Patiosis is the organization's self-financing. Besides the support they receive from some institutions, they host an annual activity, as Tony explained in the Red de Bibliotecas Medellín interview:
Sostener económicamente la Casa es posible gracias a una subasta al final del año, en la que los artistas donan sus obras. “Algo que me ha parecido muy bonito es que los mismos artistas compran las obras de sus compañeros, se vuelve en algo muy íntimo y es la credibilidad que tiene el proyecto. Los artistas necesitan este espacio, además no tenemos tiempo para vender”.
The Casa is able to support itself financially thanks to an auction at the end of the year to which the artists donate their works. “Something I found very nice is the fact that the artists buy the works of colleagues, making the auction very intimate and the project more credible. Artists need this space as they do not have time to sell [their work].”
Finally, those interested in applying to any of the residences hosted by Casa Tres Patios in order to develop specific artistic projects can inquire via email.
Casa Tres Patios are on Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube. The following is a video about C3P, produced by themselves.

author: Juan Arellano