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Tropical Storm ‘Manuel’ Leaves Acapulco Under Water  · Global Voices
Elizabeth Rivera

Tropical storm Manuel has left the historical port of Acapulco, and large part of the state of Guerrero, completely flooded and isolated [es].
Acapulco is one of the country's most important tourist destinations. Currently, 40,000 tourists are trapped waiting for the exit routes to reopen. Additionally, 34 deaths and thousands of victims have been reported. Authorities have asked for “patience” from the population that finds itself waiting for help.
The Sol and federal highways linking to Mexico City are closed due to landslides and mudslides. On the other hand, the local airport is closed due to flooding of their facilities as well as electrical system failures.
The mayor of Acapulco, Luis Walton Aburto, said [es]:
“Hoy consideramos que el 50% de las colonias de Acapulco están inundadas y sigue lloviendo. Para llegar al área Diamante hay lugares que tienen hasta tres y cuatro metros de agua y no se puede ingresar, además de la corriente que impide transitar. Se está comenzando a pasar alimento por carros militares y helicópteros”
Today we believe that 50% of the colonies of Acapulco are flooded and it continues to rain. To get to the Diamante area, there are places that have up to three and four meters of water and entry is impossible, in addition to the current that prevents movement. Food is starting to be transported via military vehicles and helicopters.
Here we share some of the tweets and photographs from users asking for help, providing information, or indicating the poor urban planning of the port and the state of Guerrero, and its consequences.
Construyeron sobre pantanales, selvas y dunas y ahora pagan el precio El Princess Aca. pic.twitter.com/XYlQtE9xow@alconsumidor@roblesmaloof
— Espejored (@Espejored) September 17, 2013
They built on wetlands, forests, and dunes, and now they are paying the price.
Solo imaginense que si así está Acapulco, que tiene la infraestructura menos jodida de Guerrero, cómo estarán otras comunidades.
— Metamorfa (@pulgarebelde) September 16, 2013
Just imagine how other communities will be if this is what Acapulco, whose infrastructure is less messed up than that of Guerrero, is like.
#Acapulco está devastado, 41 municipios inundados. Acopio Cruz Roja Polanco pic.twitter.com/qzo8PLvoeo vía @YoSoyRed_#AcapulcoNoEstásSolo
— Jesús Robles Maloof (@roblesmaloof) September 16, 2013
Acapulco is devastated, 41 towns flooded.
“@rahelA2guzman: @puigcarlos Qué bueno q la gente quiere a Acapulco! @alondradlp pic.twitter.com/9ynaLBFzdJ”
— Alondra de la Parra (@alondradlp) September 17, 2013
How great that people love Acapulco!
Me informan que hay personas atrapadas en la COLOSIO ayúdenos con palas, picos, cinceles, marro #ACAPULCO#Acafollow#URGENTE
— Irving López (@irving_lopez) September 17, 2013
I'm being told that there are people trapped in the COLOSIO help us with shovels, picks, chisels, hammers
#URGE repelentes, pañales, medicamentos, alimentos para las 1500 personas refugiadas en la COLOSIO #Acapulco dejarlas en puerto marques RT
— Irving López (@irving_lopez) September 17, 2013
We need repellents, diapers, medicine, food for the 1500 people taking up shelter in the COLOSIO, Acapulco. Leave them at the marques port RT
#Confirmando#AlMinuto Turistas recibirán noche de lunes gratis en #Acapulco, confirma @peraltanet71 , secretario de #Turismo municipal.
— Irving López (@irving_lopez) September 17, 2013
Confirming, by the minute. Tourists will receive Monday night free in Acapulco, confirms @peraltanet71, Secretary of Municipal Tourism.
@irving_lopez una imagen de los huéspedes, reclamando en el #HotelCalinda #Acapulco (día 16 sep a las 11am aprox) pic.twitter.com/mi5bRwXoRF
— Gerardo Guzman (@gerus9) September 17, 2013
an image of the guests complaining at the Hotel Calinda in Acapulco (September 16 at 11am approximately)
Others simply want to show the world the devastation that “Manuel” left behind not only in Acapulco but in the entire state of Guerrero [es].
Aspectos de la carretera federal a #Acapulco, a la altura de Petaquillas, que se encuentra cerrada. pic.twitter.com/cKGgbT3G4n
— FOROtv (@Foro_TV) September 16, 2013
The federal highway to Acapulco, at the height of Petaquillas, which is closed.
mar y los ríos ya se unieron en la zona de La Condesa. Foto de la calle del Hotel Emporio. pic.twitter.com/tVwDbGJjEP”
— NOTICIAS Y POLITIK (@NPOLITIK) September 17, 2013
the sea and the rivers now united in the La Condesa zone. Photo of the street from the Emporio Hotel.
Va ser una noche muy larga para algunos #Chilpancingo #Guerrero @lopezdoriga el poder de la naturaleza pic.twitter.com/XZMuFwEmef
— Jose luis (@jluismz7) September 17, 2013
It is going to be a very long night for some people @lopezdoriga the power of nature
Aspecto carretera federal tramo #Chilpancingo-Iguala imposibilitada la circulación. Derrumbes en Cañada del Zopilote pic.twitter.com/S90zgcK15G”
— NOTICIAS Y POLITIK (@NPOLITIK) September 17, 2013
Appearance of the federal highway stretch Chilpancingo-Iguala circulation disabled. Destruction in Cañada del Zopilote
On YouTube, user Freesiithaww Hdezzs shares the following video from Acapulco:
Televisa [es] shares more photographs of the area.
The blog Acapulco Busca [es] is gathering reports of missing and found people in Acapulco.

author: Elizabeth Rivera


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Victor Jara: Music In Search of Justice 40 Years After His Murder · Global Voices
Gerardo Espindola

Photo by Gerardo Espíndola
On the night of September 15, 1973, Victor Jara was picked out of a line of prisoners being led out from the Chile Stadium to the National Stadium, another detention centre, in the days following Pinochet's coup. It was the last time he was seen alive by anyone except the military. On the morning of September 16, his bullet-ridden body appeared alongside those of six other victims just outside Santiago's Cementerio General.
It took three decades for the Chilean justice system to identify the eight soldiers involved, and it is now requesting the extradition of one of them from the government of the United States.
It was weapons in the hands of members of Chile's military that discharged the 44 bullets that killed Victor Jara. But the folk-singer became a legend in his homeland; and today, 40 years after the massacre, he is a major icon for musicians and their fans around the world.
Just last week, in his first concert in Chile, rocker Bruce Springsteen interrupted his usual repertoire to sing “Manifiesto”, one of Jara's most emblematic songs. It was a tribute from one creative force to another, sealing once and for all the universal importance of the Chilean artist's work. “If you are an activist and a musician, Victor Jara continues to be a great inspiration”, said Springsteen.
“Yo no canto por cantar, ni por tener buena voz. Canto porque la guitarra tiene sentido y razón. Tiene corazón de tierra y alas de palomita. Es como el agua bendita, santigua glorias y penas” (Manifiesto).
“I do not sing for the sake of singing, nor to show off my voice. I sing because the guitar has a meaning and purpose of its own. Its heart is of the earth and travels on the wings of a dove. It is like holy water, blessing glories and healing pain.” (Manifiesto)
The intimate side of Chile that Jara talked about crossed borders more quickly after his murder. On September 22, 1973, Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh identified asteroid 2644, which orbits the sun in our system, and christened it Victor Jara, moved by the recent and brutal crime.
His name is already a star in the sky. A rebel rock star, but a rebel with a cause, according to Rolling Stone magazine which, in June 2013, published its “15 rock & roll rebels” edition, placing him in the company of Nirvana, Jerry Lee Lewis and the Sex Pistols, among others:
The love and justice songs of Chilean folk singer Victor Jara were apparently so threatening to the military leaders who staged the nation's 1973 coup that they had to murder him.
Mural of Victor Jara in Santiago, Chile. Photo by Gerardo Espíndola.
“¿But where is the rock and roll in Victor Jara?” some people ask. It's in everything he did.  Just one example is his recording of “El Derecho de Vivir en Paz” [the right to live in peace] [es], which included an electric guitar and featured the rock band Los Blops [es]. For many, this instrument was a symbol of American imperialism, but for Jara it was another indication of his creativity.
In his role as theatre director, Victor Jara adapted and directed Viet Rock, a musical written by Megan Terry, refocussing the piece with a more pro-Vietnamese stance. His wife, Joan Jara, choreographed the work. In an interview published by the blog Palabra Callejera [es], she indicated that:
El rock estaba como en el movimiento de la producción de algunas cosas, tremendamente movido… Víctor era un gran coreógrafo, y se movía en la acción en toda la sala, y eso digamos es el espíritu rock, yo creo que es el espíritu rock que se produjo ahí.
Rock was like the impetus moving things along…Victor was a great choreographer and he moved the action on stage and throughout the room, and that is the essence of rock; the essence I believe of the spirit of rock and roll that was created there.
“Paint your village and you paint the whole world,” said Tolstoy. Victor Jara's legacy makes that clear: folklore and rock as universal creative forces.
The British poet Adrian Mitchell wrote about Victor after his death and offered his poem to Joan Jara when she visited the UK; his verses were later read by her during a benefit concert for the victims of the Chilean dictatorship organized in the U.S. by the American protest singer Phil Ochs [es]. Ochs had met Victor during a trip to Chile years before when they had both taken part in a concert for copper miners.
The poem became a North American folksong set to music by Arlo Guthrie, who had also participated in the U.S. concert and heard the reading.
Since 1973, more than 10 films and documentaries have been made about Victor Jara in countries as far afield as France, Germany, and Spain as well as in the United States and Chile. Musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Astor Piazzola, and Los Fabulosos Cadillac are among those who have shown their admiration.
Funeral of Victor Jara, December 2009, photo by
Gerardo Espíndola
The legacy of Victor Jara has transcended borders, just as the echo of universal justice extends to the United States from whom the extradition of the former Chilean military officer Pedro Pablo Barrientos is being requested. The matter must be judged in Chile, and the accused must answer the charges levelled against him for the crime committed against the folksinger.
Victor Jara's hands did not bleed as those of a rock musician should, from the passionate strumming of his guitar. Jara's were destroyed with the butt of a soldier's rifle. They forced him to sing, bleeding, and he sang. And 40 years later his voice is still heard, and his music rocks on.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Gerardo Espindola


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Why Are Saudi Boys Painting their Nails?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Out with beautiful dad! Shared by @NadaFarahaat on Twitter
Saudi boys are painting their nails – and showing off their hairy legs in photographs drawing laughs across the Arab world. It is all part of a hashtag on Twitter, which translates to Take a Picture of Yourself Like a Girl Does.
The boys are poking fun at girls sharing their pictures on social media – of the shoes they wear, nail polish they apply, the coffee they sip and gifts they exchange with each other.
This picture of a man, showing off his red painted nails, while sipping coffee, has made the rounds:
Saudis making fun of women taking pictures of themselves
Others, like Rakan al-Hamdan, show off their shoes – like girls do:
#صور_كنك_بنت  With girls .. pic.twitter.com/IfAA9fSrq7
— Rakan al-Hamdan (@rakantweets) September 8, 2013
And one boy shows off his “pedicured” nails – along with his favourite drink:
#صور_كنك_بنت  My best drink pic.twitter.com/J5YMV2dtQP
— B. (@BaderQ_) September 8, 2013
The pedicured nails caused a stir. Ahmed wonders:
#صور_كنك_بنت I won't even ask why so many guys have access to manicures.
— Ahmed (@Mickeyzor) September 13, 2013
And Aseel voices her objection:
Seriously? Guys applying nail polish on their nails just to make fun of girls !! ما عاد بيها رجوله يا جماعه #صور_كنك_بنت
— Aseel27♥ (@A62x_) September 11, 2013
Seriously? Guys applying nail polish on their nails just to make fun of girls!! There is no manhood left

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Hackers Put Up Anti-Chinese Communist Party Mooncakes on Government Site · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tomorrow is the Chinese mid-autumn festival. Some hackers celebrate the season by hacking Zhejiang Shaoxing government website and put up pictures of moon cakes with anti-Chinese communist party slogans on top. Bejing Cream has the screen-captures and full story.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Iran Releases Political Prisoners · Global Voices
Farid

Iran releases several political prisoners including Iranian human rights activist, lawyer and Sakharov Prize winner Nasrin Sotoudeh,on Wednesday. Nasrin's husband wrote “Nasrin came,…they told her you are free.”

author: Farid


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Is a Monument to Chechen Women an Affront to Russia? · Global Voices
Nina Jobe

Dedication of the Dadi-Yurt memorial. YouTube screenshot.
Last Saturday, September 14, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov dedicated a monument to a group of Chechen women who had died when Russia was establishing control over the North Caucasus in the 19th century. According to the story, which some say is apocryphal, in 1819 forty-six Chechen women taken prisoner by Russian General Yermolov threw themselves and their captors off a bridge over the Terek River, choosing to drown rather than face dishonor.
Kadyrov posted a series of photos of the monument’s dedication ceremony on his Instagram account, writing [ru]:
Ахмед Кадыров заявил, что там, где не уважают женщин, не берегут их честь, не вырастают достойные мужчины.
Akhmed Kadyrov [Ramzan's father] said, that where they do not respect women, where they do not protect their honor, they do not raise decent men.
Kadyrov’s move caused an outcry in the Russian blogosphere — many bloggers saw it as tacit approval of the killing of Russian soldiers, something that hits close to home a mere decade after the end of the last Chechen conflict.
LiveJournal user DimkaJD complained [ru]:
Учитывая, что Чечня — дотационная республика, этот памятник построен на российские деньги.
Given that Chechnya is a subsidized republic, this monument was built with Russian money.
Another blogger, Stbcaptain, predicted morosely [ru]:
Не удивлюсь, если власть проглотит эту оплеуху безмолвно и безропотно.
I will not be surprised if the [federal] government will swallow this slap in the face silently and without complaint.
Another made reference to recent violence between ethnic Russians and Chechens:
На самом деле, это очень плохо.
Намного хуже, чем драки с участием ножиков.
Гораздо хуже, чем дотации центра, больше похожие сами знаете, на что.
Неизмеримо хуже, чем красивая мечеть, накрученная аж до ранга “Символа России”.
Собственно, это декларация политического видения, в рамках которого Россия из foederātiō явочным порядком превращена в в сommonwealth.
Really, this is very bad.
Much worse than knife fights.
Much worse than federal subsidies, which seem more like you know what [note: probably “tribute”].
Much worse than the beautiful mosque, which was forced to become a “Symbol of Russia”.
Actually, this is a declaration of a political vision, in the framework of which Russia has been turned from a federation into a commonwealth by fiat.
On the Ekho of Moscow website, social activist and prison rights advocate Anna Karetnikova wrote an op-ed wondering why Kadyrov had erected a monument to women-martyrs, and argued [ru] that the story Kadyrov was memorializing ran counter to traditional views of Chechen womanhood:
Женщина – то, что вы всегда более всего оберегали столетиями. Это то, что я ценю превыше всего в вашей культуре. И что теперь? Не женщина-мать, не женщина – хранительница очага. Убившая себя и других женщина.
Women are what you have guarded most of all for centuries. This is something that I value above all else in your culture.  And now what?  Not a woman-mother, not woman-homemaker. But one who killed herself and others.
Valery Fedotov, a Russian MP, titled his blog post [ru] on the subject: “Again a different standard for Chechnya.”  He cited several other incidents in the past few months where Chechens seemed to be judged by different standards than other Russian citizens.  Fedotov concluded:
Чечня является частью РФ всего лишь номинально. Но на это готовы закрывать глаза до тех пор, пока Кадыров демонстрирует номинальную же лояльность Москве, точнее – лично Путину. А  Меж тем, часики тикают, противоречия накапливаются.
Chechnya is only nominally a part of the Russian Federation. But [the Kremlin] is willing to turn a blind eye as long as Kadyrov demonstrates the same nominal loyalty to Moscow, or to be exact — to Putin personally.  Meanwhile, the clock is ticking, the contradictions are accumulating.

author: Nina Jobe


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Italy: Seeking Press Officer. 300 Euros Per Month. · Global Voices
Annalisa Merelli

[All links lead to Italian-language webpages unless otherwise noted.]
The district of Arconate in Italy's province of Milan published a job advertisement online for a press officer on August 12, 2013 expiring on September 2 (and now deleted from the district's site). By all accounts, the job appeared to be standard, requiring that applicants (via Ilcomizietto):
But for the position, which required the future employee to be “available via phone and willing to participate in events and activities in the evenings and during national holidays”, the district only offered a gross salary of 300 euros per month.
On DIS.AMB.IGUANDO, a popular blog on communication written by Giovanna Cosenza, professor of Semiotics in the Department of Philosophy and Communications of the University of Bologna, the peculiar job offer has provoked many comments. On the blog, readers agree with the professor when she says:
So bene che la pubblica amministrazione ha pochi soldi. Ma così si straccia e svende – ancor più di quanto non sia già stracciata e svenduta – la professione giornalistica. Povera Italia.
I know that the local government bodies haven't got much money. But this undervalues and undersells the journalistic profession – even more than it had already been undervalued and undersold. Poor Italy.
Among the comments is that of Amalia Temperini, from the blog Bricolage, who argues by accepting such low pay, journalists themselves support exploitation:
Di più me la prendo con quelle persone che accettano svilendo il loro percorso professionale. In molti, difatti, con la scusa della passione, accettano tali compromessi, non rendendosi conto che stanno recando un danno altissimo a tutti coloro che, giorno per giorno, sudano per migliorare il proprio status lavorativo, e rendere la propria vita (e quella degli altri) più civile.
More than anything, I blame those who accept these offers, debasing their careers. In fact, many people, with the excuse of passion for their work, accept these compromises without realising that they are damaging everyone who struggles on a daily basis to improve their employment status and make their lives (and that of others) more civilized.
There are some who point out that in Italy the situation is similar in other sectors, and others claim that the district's job offer is worth it in the long run compared to the insecurity of working as a freelance journalist, often for free or for very little. And others still, such as the user Pier Dario Forni, express irony:
[…] se nell’edificio del comune c’é un balcone, per comunicare con i pochi cittadini del paese sarebbe sufficiente affacciarsi e parlare con un megafono.
[…] if there is a balcony in the building, all they need to do to communicate with the few citizens that live there is lean over and talk to them with a megaphone.
The news, which fits in perfectly with current debates about youth unemployment or underemployment, was also mentioned in the national newspapers. Twitter user @mauretta replied to a tweet by newspaper La Repubblica, with a link to the news, underlining the fact that newspapers were jointly responsible for the exploitation of young journalists:
Un addetto stampa a 300 euro lordi al mese http://t.co/ATPxJYlNnD @repubblicait indignata, ma un titolo sui vostri stagisti a 0 euro no?
— maura de gaetano (@mauretta) August 29, 2013
A press officer to earn €300 gross per month http://t.co/ATPxJYlNnD… @repubblicait indignant, but no article on your interns who earn €0?
- maura de gaetano (@ Mauretta) August 29, 2013
On the other hand, in response to the article that appeared in newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, user roby64 suggested that the job offer may be fake:
Un bando del genere serve solo come “copertura” per dare una mancia a qualche parente. Si tratta, molto probabilmente, di poche ore settimanali, quindi 300 euro sono giustificati.
Such job offers are simply a front to give some relative extra cash. Most likely they will only work a few hours a week in which case the €300 are justified.
The district, who originally tried to justify the content of the job offer, eventually defended itself by saying that there had been a mistake in the description of the position, reiterating that it does not have funds available to raise the pay. Someone has, however, pointed out that the Mayor of Arconate, Mario Mantovani, holds several public offices (Mayor of Arconate, Councillor for Health, Deputy Governor of the Lombardy Region and Senator) receiving proportionately lavish salaries. A reader, who calls himself Il Conte, in a letter sent to the Legnano 24 newsroom entitled “Mantovani's sense of the ridiculous”, wrote:
Lo avevamo lasciato alle prese con due poltrone. Gestire il gigante multimiliardario della sanità lombarda, restando saldamente ancorato alla cadrega del feudo, è un esercizio di valore non trascurabile. Aggiungerci uno sberleffo alla categoria dei giornalisti, per mezzo di un bando per addetto stampa, è un virtuosismo degno di un circo.
We left him to struggle with two roles. Managing the multi-billion euro giant of the Lombardy health sector while remaining firmly anchored to the feudal throne, is a mighty feat. To add a sneer at the professional journalists, by means of a job offer for a press officer, is a virtuosity worthy of a circus.
Consequently, the contrast between the mayor of this small town and the offer that is being made to the potential press officer cannot help but raise the issue of the costs of Italian politics and the so-called “caste” [en] (a term commonly used in Italy in reference to politicians and their unjustified privileges).
This theme, that of the gap between the caste and the real world, unites in discontent both the young, who have ever less job security, and the old, who have difficulty getting back into the job market. While on one hand the dejection is caused by job offers such as the one published by the district of Arconate that, given that it was offered by a governmental body, should have been more respectable, on the other hand there are groups of citizens who refuse to give up.
Among these initiatives is “Voglio Restare” (I Want To Stay) which, by opposing the growing problem of the “brain drain” from Italy, has given itself the objective of “changing the country, so as to not have to change country”. An appeal from the group:
Politici, editorialisti, imprenditori ci dicono che precarietà e disoccupazione giovanile sono un dramma, quasi non fossero le conseguenze di scelte politiche condivise […] abbiamo bisogno di un cambiamento qui e ora, che ci permetta di restare: non vogliamo il posto di qualcun altro, vogliamo costruire il nostro. Non chiediamo privilegi, ma semplicemente le condizioni di dignità e agibilità necessarie a prendere in mano il nostro futuro e quello dell’Italia […]
Politicians, editors and business men tell us that youth unemployment and instability are a tragedy, almost as if they were not the consequences of political choices […] we need a change here and now, that will allow us to stay: we do not want someone else's job, we want to create our own. We do not ask for privileges, but simply the necessary conditions to be able to take hold of our future and that of Italy with dignity and equal rights […]
Post written in collaboration with Gaia Resta.

author: Annalisa Merelli


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Melbourne Protesters Take Campaign to McDonald’s Chicago HQ · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

Opponents of building a McDonalds in Melbourne are taking their case to Maccas headquarters in Chicago on Wednesday 18 September 2013. Approximately $40,000 in funds have been raised through an online campaign. Global Voices reported on the conflict in March 2013 Australia: Locals Fight to Stop McDonald's in their Hills
Photo courtesy Michel Pickard flickr (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0 license)
As well as social media, the protesters have used traditional direct action methods such as roof occupations and blockades. These resulted in court action by McDonalds against the so-called Tecoma 8, which has now been withdrawn although injunction applications are apparently ongoing.
An online petition has over 90,000 signatures.
Activist Garry Muratore puts their case in this video of a radio interview:
There were a couple of negative comments on the station blog:
Absolute idiots who do NOT represent the local community. Funds & signatures gathered from elsewhere. Time to give up and let those trying to do their jobs get on with it.
Abby Tuesday 17 September, 2013 – 12:53 PM
These protesters are knuckle-heads, the money could have gone to something to really help people in need not a stupid fight against a worldwide company.
Willow Tuesday 17 September, 2013 – 10:14 AM
The campaign is receiving national and international media coverage:
From the old media: Mac attack, the showdown between a tiny town and a fast food giant
From old via new media:
#Tecoma making the news in Chicago! pic.twitter.com/1oBlaLYTZ6
— No McDonald's Tecoma (@SAVE_TECOMA) September 17, 2013
A range of twitter hashtags is popular for spreading the message as indicated in these tweets:
@MishBridges @SAVE_TECOMA thanks for the support! #McDonalds need to #burgeroff! It's them who are beyond a joke- legal not equal to ethical
— flowerdancing (@flowerdancing) September 17, 2013
Hello Chicago! Can you hear us yet? #tecomaroars pic.twitter.com/7gKdi3zcE9
— No McDonald's Tecoma (@SAVE_TECOMA) September 16, 2013
Finding online voices of supporters of the Tecoma McDonald's is difficult. McDonalds Australia has a twitter account with 2 followers and no tweets at present, but some are using the account to send messages to the management. Australian CEO Catriona Noble has given statements to the media defending the project.
Spectrum FM Radio is one of those with a message for her:
A Massive PR Train wreck for #McDonalds – Over 2000 Photos Tell Why http://t.co/zUGS2uUskM @McDonaldsAu #Tecoma #BurgerOff #Chicago
— Spectrum FM Radio (@Spectrumfmradio) September 17, 2013
John Weiss, who has been an active advocate for the Tecoma McDonalds, continues his support on his Facebook account:
Most of Australia is actually shaking their heads in embarrassment to be honest. This is just a minority being bolstered by a global petition of people who don't like McDonald's and have never set foot in Tecoma. What a joke.
Finally these videos, posted on YouTube are just two examples of citizen media that cover local activities:
From MrTJsmith, Tecoma Still Says No:
From NoMaccasInTecoma, No Maccas Flash Mob:
Watch this space for further updates.
Update: From CBS Chicago: Australians Hand-Deliver Petitions To McDonald’s HQ

author: Kevin Rennie


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North Korea Gets 3D Movies · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

North Korea Tech wrote about a recent report that North Korean capital Pyongyang newly hosted a movie theater capable of showing 3D movies. The blogger also explains about North Korean leadership's deep interest in motion pictures.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Peruvian Blogger with Parkinson’s Disease Publishes Book · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón Orbe

Peruvian blogger Cyrano, from the blog Columna 17 [es], has published his book “El párkinson y yo” (Parkinson's and me), where he shares his daily life as a patient with this medical condition, and he announced it [es] on his blog:
Se trata de un relato desde mi experiencia como paciente con el mal de Parkinson, con un breve recuento de mi vida con esta condición médica, de mis peripecias cotidianas sazonadas con anécdotas graciosas y de las otras, desde que aparecieron las primeras manifestaciones hasta estos momentos […] en un lenguaje de fácil comprensión que, espero sea del agrado de todos.
This is a recount from my experience as a patient with Parkinson's disease, with a short account of my life with this medical condition, about my daily events spiced up with funny stories and some of the other ones, from the moment the first symptoms appeared until these days […] using an easily understandable language which I hope you'll all like.

author: Gabriela García Calderón Orbe


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Will Madagascar’s Upcoming Elections Solve the Island’s Crisis? · Global Voices
Rakotomalala

After multiple delays, the proposed organization for the presidential elections towards the end of October 2013 is suggesting a solution for the political stalemate in Madagascar. The four-year-long crisis that started with the military-driven takeover in 2009 has plunged the country into a deep political and financial crisis.
But the country has a history of repeated post-electoral crises, so is optimism for an exit to this latest crisis premature?
Even if many observers see a glimpse of the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, the economic reconstruction efforts are still in tatters. In fact, the endemic poverty from which the Malagasy people suffer is not solely due to the current crisis, even if the economic indicators reveal that it has dramatically gotten worse in the last four years.
This two-parts series will present the causes and potential solutions to the downward spiral that is currently draining the country. In this first part, we will discuss the political crisis and the conditions for getting out of it. The second part will address the economic component and the possible solutions.
Elections and equitable access to information
The 2009 power struggle (Global Voices special coverage of the crisis can be found here) saw the country spiral into spurts of violence and protests, resulting in about 130 deaths since the start of the crisis.  A coup d'état followed in March 21, putting the country on hold while citizens wondered wearily about the fate of country. A military group put Andry Rajoelina in power during the transition period to govern the country until the next elections. The roots of the crisis are numerous but a combination of a growing inequality and the meddling of foreign power resulted in the removal of then-president Marc Ravalomanana who flew with his family to South Africa.
The 2013 elections will be the beginning of a crisis recovery, but not a cure-all. Many people find it hard to believe that elections will change the periodic crisis cycle, but they still hold the hope that the crisis will eventually end, like Sahondra Rabenarivo [fr], a lawyer and expert in international law based in Antananarivo, Madagascar:
Je rentre de la campagne où les élections n’ont aucune, alors aucune, résonance. Quand on n’évite pas de parler des affaires nationales, on s’en remet à Dieu pour résoudre les problèmes, tellement le sentiment d’impuissance face à l’énormité du problème met le citoyen à l’écart de tout pouvoir d’agir [..] Les élections de sortie de crise étaient censées être différentes : la liste électorale allait être revue en long et en large, mais qu’en est-il ? Où était la société civile ? [..] Il n’est pas encore trop tard mais il le sera bientôt. Les médias doivent ne pas laisser les uns et les autres occuper la place médiatique. Car pour y croire, il faut avoir confiance, et pour avoir confiance, il faut une démonstration crédible de progrès (carte d’électeur, bulletin final orienté vers la compréhension des électeurs et pas les préférences des politiques, accès égalitaire aux antennes nationales, abandon de prérogatives ministérielles)
A Malagasy citizen's vote. By Andrimaso, used with permission
Tsilavina Ralaindimby, the former Minister of Culture, agrees [fr] and advocates for equal access to media for all candidates:
Si le suffrage universel est sacré c’est parce que l’opinion exprimée par le choix du citoyen est sacrée. Mais comment avoir un véritable choix si on ne dispose pas de l’intégralité des informations ? Comment sera assuré l’accès équitable des candidats aux médias publics en particulier ? Sachant aujourd’ hui que les médias privés dominants sont ancrés à des candidats, les prix du temps d’antenne risquent d’y être prohibitifs.
Ne rêvons toutefois pas de conditions idéales et respectées. Nous avons empilé tellement de couches de complexités dans nos façons de penser et de faire qu’appliquer des idées justes et simples est devenu compliqué. Mais si ces diverses conditions sont remplies dans la majorité des lieux de vote et qu’au travers de leurs représentants dans les différentes régions, les candidats en compétition l’admettent, sont-ils d’accord pour signer un document commun où ils s’engagent à respecter les résultats et à donner une nouvelle chance à la démocratie à Madagascar ?
Hidden causes of the 2009 crisis
The frequency of political crises in Madagascar has increased at an alarming rate: 1975, 1991, 1996, 2002 and 2009. In the 2009 crisis, many experts studied the reasons that led to the country's irreversible spiral in the current impasse. A recent study published in the magazine, Les Afriques, explains “the deep secrets from the [last] Malagasy crisis.” The study argues that the big island's competing geo-political interests stirred up the coup d'état [fr] that overthrew Marc Ravaomanana. The authors detail the reasons why they assert that France supported the removal of Ravalomanana, the main reason being that Ravalomanana threatened French financial interests in the country, especially the exploitation of the already-established French oil concessions in the southern part of Madagascar.
Le coup d’Etat d’Andry Rajoelina, le 18 mars 2009 à été qualifié comme étant un «french Coup», un coup-d’état orchestré par la France, selon les propos d’un diplomate européen à l’issue de la réunion du groupe international de contact sur Madagascar du 6 au 7 octobre 2009 à Antananarivo [..] La crise politique malgache depuis 2009 a donc été le résultat d’une mésentente entre la France et les U.S.A et les intérêts pétroliers sont au centre de cette querelle. Le plan énergétique américain et français, qui consiste à s’immiscer dans les affaires politiques, économiques et militaires des Etats pourvoyeurs de pétrole pour faire main basse sur cette dernière, n’est pas d’invention récente…
This argument was confirmed recently by former Malagasy president Didier Ratsiraka who stated during an interview [fr] on public television:
La France [m’] a demandé d'aider Andry Rajoelina à évincer Marc Ravalomanana [..]J'ai répondu, je ne suis pas en faveur des coups d’État” (….) On s'est mis d'accord que Marc Ravalomanana quitterait le pouvoir sans bain de sang.
France asked me to help Andry Rajoelina to push Marc Ravalomanana out [..] I said that I was not in favor of coup d'état [..] We agreed that evincing Marc Ravalomanana will have to happen without any violence.
Les Afriques magazine's statements on France's role are mainly based on Thomas Deltombe's March 2012 article in Le Monde Diplomatique to support his arguments. In this article, Deltombe explains that the French industrial holding group Bolloré, known for its aggressive acquisition policy in developing countries, and French oil Company Total were upset with  Ravalomanana's decisions to reallocate some preferential markets. Deltombe states [fr] that:
Les sujets de crispation franco-malgaches se multiplièrent tout au long de la présidence Ravalomanana. Le groupe Bolloré fut, dit-on, fort marri de se voir souffler la concession du port de Toamasina, privatisé en 2005, par un concurrent philippin. Quant à Total, il fallut une très forte pression de l’Elysée pour que le gouvernement malgache signe, en septembre 2008, une licence permettant à la multinationale française d’explorer les sables bitumineux de Bemolanga, à l’ouest de Madagascar [..] Si l’hypothèse d’un soutien français au coup d’Etat a la vie dure, c’est aussi que la France n’a jamais masqué sa proximité avec le président de la HAT Andry Rajoelina.
Why does Madagascar attract so many conflicting financial interests that irreparably plunges it in repetitive crises? Les Afriques magazine notes that Madagascar is a country that has plenty of resources [fr] to get its population out of endemic poverty:
Madagascar est riche en ressources forestières et halieutiques. Ses 5000 km de littoral, composés des mangroves et récifs coralliens qui produisent chaque année un excédent biologique (des poissons, des crabes, des crevettes, des concombres de mer et des huîtres) supérieur à 300 000 tonnes. Les mangroves du Canal du Mozambique servent à la reproduction de crevette de qualité appelées «L’or rose de Madagascar ». son sous-sol regorge du pétrole lourd et léger, de quartz, de diamant, d’or, d’ilménite etc. [..] Madagascar dispose donc de tout pour décoller. Pourtant cette île est l’un des 12 pays les plus pauvres du monde, 80% de la population vit en deçà du seuil de pauvreté [..]  L’insécurité des biens et des personnes et maximale aussi bien dans les grandes villes que dans les zones reculés.
The crisis recovery process will have to go through many obstacles and competing interests in order to form the foundation for a strong recovery. But time is also against the big island. The next leaders will have to find solutions in a very short period in respect of the country's fragile economic situation.
The second part of this analysis by observers of the Malagasy crisis will focus on the economic and social aspects.

author: Rakotomalala


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90% of Madagascar Lives On Less Than Two Dollars a Day. Why?  · Global Voices
Rakotomalala

Less than two months from the country's planned election date, there are several questions being asked about the future of Madagascar. In the first installment of our examination of the Malagasy crisis, we discussed the political obstacles that stand in the way of a long-term solution to the crisis. In this chapter, we will discuss the socio-economic decline of the island; its causes (which are not exactly as clear-cut as some may think); and the solutions that ought to be considered.
The Toliara market – from Wikimedia CC-NC-BY 3.0
Political impasse and economic decline
The political crisis and the abrupt economic decline of Madagascar are very closely linked. Nevertheless, the four years spent in a deadlock do not fully explain the chronic poverty in the country. The consequences of the political crisis on the population are undeniable. Madagascar is currently the poorest country in the world with 90 percent of its population living on less than two US dollars per day. This transition has already been drawn out over four years and continues on to the detriment of the Madagascan people who are eager for the debate to shift from “who will govern” to “how are we going to get out of this crisis,” as is illustrated in the video below [fr]:
The statistics are hard to argue with: the consequences of the political crisis on the people of Madagascar [fr] are tragic and have plunged the majority of the population into an indescribable poverty. The report from the World Bank breaks down [fr] the different areas that have been struck by this crisis:
Le nombre d'enfants non scolarisés a peut-être augmenté de plus de 600.000. La malnutrition aiguë des enfants reste un problème critique. Dans certaines zones, elle a augmenté de plus de 50%. De nombreux centres de soins de santé ont été fermés [..] les recettes fiscales sont en baisse, la fraude fiscale a augmenté, et la capacité à maintenir le niveau des dépenses globales est remise en cause [..] 60% de la récolte de riz est menacée. La crise politique représente un obstacle à la mise en place d'une réponse appropriée.
The number of out-of-school children has increased, possibly by more than 600,000. Acute child malnutrition remains critical, having increased in some areas by more than 50 percent. Numerous health care centers have closed […] Tax revenues are falling, tax evasion has increased, and the capacity to hold the line on overall spending is strained […] 60 percent of the rice crop is endangered. Here too, the political crisis acts as an impediment to mounting an appropriate response.
The crisis (and those responsible for it) has certainly been damaging to the country, but the real underlying causes of the country's economic decline and poverty are not to be found in this debacle. After all, chronic poverty has haunted this country since well before 2009.
The causes of the crisis and the foreseeable solutions
A study led by Mireille Razafindrakoto, François Roubaud and Jean-Michel Waschberger revisits some 50 years of economic history of Madagascar and attempts to draw out the causes of an apparently persistent economic malaise. The article, which is entitled “L'enigme et le paradoxe” (The Enigma and the Paradox) [fr], states that there are no specifically identifiable causes that can explain the country's decline, but rather, that the cycle of social unrest is due to a fragmentation of classes and an inertia surrounding any idea of progressing to a more inclusive society (A PDF of the full study is available here) [fr].
The Malagasy Enigma: Graph of the GDP Growth of various African countries (courtesy the public presentation of the study)
In fact, the study focuses on the natural tendency towards centralization and the tendency of various authorities in Madagascan society to personalize power. This type of appropriation of power, along with the growing exclusivity of the elites in relation to the rest of the country has a tendency give rise to political instability and calls into question the legitimacy of institutions. As the study states [fr]:
Il résulte de ces éléments une coupure abyssale entre les élites et la population. Dans les grandes villes,
un tout petit groupe de privilégiés bénéficie de conditions de vie qui les rapprochent des citoyens des pays
développés (les “élites globalisées”) alors qu'une immense majorité de la population vit à un niveau de
subsistance et reste enfermée dans des trappes de pauvreté. [..]Les paysans malgaches et bien des travailleurs du secteur informel ne sont en effet véritablement « capturés » ni par le système politique – en dépit de la légitimité (ou du soutien de façade) qu’ils accordent a priori au détenteur du Fanjakana, ni par le système économique.[..] Parmi les pays où les mêmes questions ont été posées, Madagascar est celui où la légitimité des institutions (justice, police, administration fiscale) apparaît la plus faible. Cette situation, particulièrement inquiétante, témoigne de l’ampleur de la détérioration de la confiance dans l’Etat.
What arises from these factors is a deep fission between the elite and the rest of the population. In large towns, a very small group of privileged people enjoy living conditions that mirror those of the developed world (the global elite). Meanwhile the vast majority of the the population lives at a bare subsistence level and remain trapped in the cycle of poverty. The people of Madagascar and many of those who work under-the-table are not in fact truly “captives” of the political system – in spite of the (semblance of) legitimacy that is given preemptively to whoever is the keeper of the fanjakana (traditional order and values); nor are they captives of the economic system […]. Among all of the countries where similar questions have been asked, Madagascar is the one where the legitimacy of institutions (justice, police, fiscal government) seems to be weakest. This situation which is particularly worrisome bears witness to the extent of the waning confidence in the state.
A study by American researcher Charlotte McDonald supports the notion that separation between the elite and the majority of the people continues to grow. The study of the Madagascan census figures suggests that a significant part of the population is not even counted in the population reports. This situation can only have a negative impact on any attempts to drive development [fr]:
un vaste nombre de Malgaches est inconnu par l’Etat et ces gens sont forcément desservis. Ce n’est pas une exagération de dire que sans un recensement régulier, Madagascar ne pourrait jamais atteindre son potentiel
The state is unaware of the existence of a large number of Madagascans and these people are inevitably under-served. It is not an exaggeration to say that without a regular census Madagascar will never be able to reach its potential.
One symptom of the elite's takeover, and the disregard for the larger population can be seen in the way mining projects have been managed in recent years. Jean-Luc Hariniaina and Serge Zafimahova provide some context to how Mainland Mining Company Ltd has managed its exploits of ilmenite [fr] in the region of Manakara:
La société MAINLAND a commis d’énormes irrégularités suite aux manquements constatés quant à l’application des Cahiers de Charges Environnementales (CCE) du projet et certainement à certains dispositifs des lois et textes réglementaires malagasy en matière d’environnement et d’exploitation minière [..] Suite à l’implantation de la société MAINLAND, la population de Manakara a tiré la sonnette d’alarme. Il existe une mobilisation du peuple Antemoro dont les pouvoirs traditionnels ou coutumiers et des entités et personnes de bonne volonté à lutter contre les fraudes à l’endroit des richesses du peuple malagasy et de la région de Vatovavy Fito Vinagny. Cette opposition a été déjà adressée aux dirigeants du régime actuel de transition en forme de résolutions écrites. Cependant, elle n’est pas reçu favorablement par les tenants du pouvoir actuel.
The MAINLAND company has been responsible for significant irregularities even after the negligence that had been noted regarding the Environmental Specifications and Requirements for the project, and certainly regarding some measures in the laws and regulatory texts of Madagascar that concern the environment and mining. After MAINLAND's establishment in the area, the Manakara population raised the alarm. There is a call to action among the Antemoro people who hold the traditional power, the organizations and people who truly wish to fight against environmental fraud. They are fighting in the interests of the Malagasy people and the region of Vatovavy Fito Vinagny. This opposition was already expressed to the leaders of the present provisional regime through written resolutions. Nevertheless it hasn't been favorably received by those who are currently in power.
There is urgent need for implementing a better means of accounting for regional interests. In a study on the connection between work and poverty in Madagascar, Epstein et al. argue that access to a stable job (meaning, one that is outside of the black market) is one of the keys to sustainable development:
The study stresses the impacts on employment and incomes of improved access to credit by households, and by infrastructure investments in key sectors that can improve domestic linkages in the Madagascar economy. The study outlines policies that can be undertaken by the government and central banks, including loan guarantees, direct lending, and asset backed reserve requirements that can make financial assets more directly available to small producers and businesses.
Another study, done by Mireille Razafindrakoto et al. also emphasizes that ties need to be strengthened between the state and the grassroots population in order for solutions to be created. They wrap up their research by arguing [fr]:
L'usage de la violence par les factions d'élites assurerait la stabilité de leur pouvoir. Un tel schéma permettrait l'instauration progressive d'un ordre social stable, mais signifierait un abandon du processus démocratique. La seconde voie consiste en revanche à consolider les institutions citoyenne et stimuler la formation de corps intermédiaires pour (r)établir le chaînon manquant entre le sommet de l'Etat et la base [..] Cette seconde voie est selon nous possible, évidemment plus désirable, mais aussi plus difficile à emprunter et surtout nécessite du temps. Elle exige l'instauration d'un nouveau contrat social entre les acteurs en présence sur la scène malgache.
The use of violence by elite factions would cement their power. One such plan would allow the gradual establishment of a stable social order, but it would also bring the abandonment of the democratic process. On the other hand, the other option would be to consolidate the citizen institutions and stimulate the formation of intermediary bodies in order to (re)establish the missing link between the head of the state and the base [..] This second option is, in our view feasible, and clearly more desirable, however it would be more difficult to implement and, above all would require time. It would need the establishment of a new social contract between the governing elite and the general population of Madagascar


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After 25 Years, Iran Still Haunted by Mass Executions of 1988 · Global Voices
Farid

Khavaran cemetary, photo from memorial Facebook page
Twenty-five years ago, thousands upon thousands of Iranian political prisoners were executed by the Islamic Republic and buried in unmarked mass graves, particularly in Khavaran, south Tehran. Although the killing continued for months in several cities, August 31 is considered the anniversary and is always commemorated by relatives and friends of victims.
This year, for the 25th anniversary, both foreign-based Iranian media and netizens published numerous special features, tweets, posts, films and reports about the unnamed mass grave in Khavaran cemetery. A Facebook page is also dedicated to the many victims from 1988.
The majority of those executed were serving prison sentences for their political activities after unfair trials in revolutionary courts. But they had never been sentenced to death.
In spite of pressure from human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International the Iranian government has never officially acknowledged the executions.
Grand Ayatollah Montazeri who was supposed to replace Grand Ayatollah Khomeini, the Founder of the Islamic Republic, once criticized the mass killing and was reportedly then shunned.
This year, family members were allowed to attend a commemoration in Khavaran for their loved ones.
Shabeke Anarshist (“anarchism network”) shared a painting for Khavaran's victims and writes that Mostafa Pour Mohammadi, the current Minister of Justice, played a key role in ordering the systematic elimination of prisoners.
Several netizens shared a video with a mourning woman in Khavaran from 2010.
Iranians remembered one of darkest days of the Islamic Republic in several countries including Germany where participants say they “do not want this crime to be forgotten”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUnkDnqZCTEFXSKxZGLpAzoQ&feature=player_detailpage&v=P5dOKp9jYCc
On Twitter there were also reactions.
جلوگیری از برگزاری مراسم  برای اعدام شدگان سال 67 در خاوران http://t.co/o2tSsmVdDl #حقوق‌بشر #حقوق‌شهروندی
— madyar (@madyar) September 1, 2013
Security forces did not allow relatives to commemorate the executed.
روزی از روز ها در گلزار خاوران شهریور سال 1385 زیر پایم هزاران جوان در گورهای دسته جمعی بی نام و نشان ، خفته… http://t.co/20ZRWWZfqR
— Freedom Messenger (@freedommesenger) August 18, 2013
Beneath our feet thousands of executed young people are buried.


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Youth Protest Scheduled in Angola Despite Police Warning · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

An unauthorized youth demonstration [pt] called by the Angolan Revolutionary Movement (Movimento Revolucionario Angolana) is planned for this afternoon, September 19, 2013, in the capital city of Angola, Luanda. A few hours before the demonstration is expected to begin, Mozambican journalist from BBC Africa Zenaida Machado (@zenaidamz) wrote on Twitter:
#Angola Police say they did not authorize the protest because of fears that the group would use slogans that incite violence & promote war.
— zenaida machado (@zenaidamz) September 19, 2013
Machado quotes a statement by the Spokesman of National Police, Aristófanes dos Santos, broadcast on national television TPA last night:
#Angola police vow to clamp down on planned protest. “We'll repress all acts that go against order…We'll use force if it is necessary”
— zenaida machado (@zenaidamz) September 19, 2013
She also recalls Amnesty International's recent statements urging the Angolan authorities not to suppress the upcoming demonstration. The human rights organization is concerned “that like previous protests, Thursday will see unwarranted force used against the protesters”.

author: Sara Moreira


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Cyclists in Fortaleza, Brazil Win Bike Lane After Pressuring Authorities · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

[All links lead to Portuguese language pages except when otherwise noted.]
Cyclists in Fortaleza will soon have a space reserved for their own transportation.
As of September 16, 2013, the Transit, Public Services and Citizenship Municipal Authority, known in Portuguese by its acronym AMC, will begin the implementation of a bike lane on Ana Bilhar street, a few blocks from the beach in the Meireles district. The implementation of the bike lane is considered a victory resulting from the mobilization of cyclists, especially of the group Massa Crítica Fortaleza (Critical Mass Fortaleza).
On August 4, members of the group took matters into their own hands and created a bike lane on the same street. The audiovisual group Verso de Pé Quebrado – Narrativas (Verse in Broken Meter – Narratives) recorded the their actions on video and shared it on social sites that same day, generating commentary and praise. It’s worth noting the ingenious equipment devised by the members to paint the lane, making use of a shopping cart and tubing to spread the paint on the asphalt.
The AMC, however, removed the “citizen” bike lane on the night of August 5, alleging a lack of dialogue with the authority responsible for public roads.
The group then scheduled a meeting with workers of the AMC to pressure them into separating part of the road with paint into a bike lane. The AMC decided, finally, to reinstate the bike lane, this time officially.
Respect for cyclists and biking safety
Days before the bike lane action, a cyclist was run over and killed, shocking enthusiasts of two-wheeled transportation. On July 25, 61-year-old Francisco Severiano Filho was biking on Avenida da Universidade after getting off work when he was run over by a bus and killed instantly. Following the international tradition of honoring cyclists killed in such accidents with a bicycle painted white, members of Massa Crítica and their supporters erected a white bicycle in an operation they called Bicicleta Fantasma (Ghost Bicycle).
Ghost Bicycle in honor of cyclist Francisco Severiano, who died after being run over. Photo from the profile Massa Crítica Fortaleza on Facebook, used with permission.
Fortaleza provides bike lanes separated with a barrier on some avenues, but there is only one bike lane cordoned off simply by paint, located on Benjamin Brasil street in the Maraponga district. The bike lane on Ana Bilhar street, which will be two kilometers (1.2 miles) long, will be the second in the city separated by paint.
Facebook user Felipe Alves happily shared the new and took advantage of the opportunity to provoke skeptics:
Alguém ainda vai dizer que reivindicar não funciona? E essa é só o começo…
Parabéns Massa Crítica Fortaleza e Associação dos Ciclistas Urbanos de Fortaleza – CICLOVIDA!
Is anybody still going to say that making public demands doesn’t work? And this is only the beginning. Congratulations Massa Crítica and the Association of Urban Cyclists of Fortaleza-CICLOVIDA!
The decision by the Municipal Authority was made public on September 13, just days before the start of Semana da Mobilidade (Mobility Week), an event organized by the Association of Urban Cyclists of Fortaleza-CICLOVIDA (Associação dos Ciclistas Urbanos de Fortaleza – CICLOVIDA) and by Massa Crítica designed to make people think about the bicycle as a viable alternative for urban mobility. Programming includes discussions, outings, and activities designed to raise awareness with vehicle motorists, culminating in World Car Free Day [en] on September 22.

author: João Miguel Lima


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For Chinese, Violence in the Middle East Sparks Debate on Democracy, Stability · Global Voices
Tea Leaf Nation

A picture of Egypt’s Tahrir Square, deleted from Sina Weibo (via Freeweibo/Fair Use) -
This article by Lotus Yuen originally appeared on Tea Leaf Nation on September 17, 2013 and is republished as part of a content sharing agreement.
Recent months have been rocky for the Middle East: harsh crackdowns on protesters in Egypt and a Rashomon-like scenario in which the Syrian government and the rebels have accused each other of using chemical weapons, just to name a few. The region’s great distance from China has not diminished Chinese netizens’ interest in its unrest. That is not only because of the shocking death tolls, but also because recent riots on Egyptian streets and violence in Syria have resonated with incidents from China’s own history and a number of social changes currently taking place within the country.
In the case of Egypt, reports have it that the tense standoff between its military government and protesters seeking the reinstatement of ousted president Mohamed Morsi was met with violence and blood on August 14, a day when the most deadly crackdown broke out in Cairo–with troops killing at least 638 people and injuring over 4,000. While some estimated the death toll on that day alone to be in the thousands, the exact figure remains unknown as Egypt’s Ministry of Health stopped updating the total casualty count from the crackdown on August 17 “because of the huge number of deaths.”
A week after Egypt’s deadly crackdown, the “specter of chemical weapons warfare” was seen in Syria, shocking the world as much as the violence in Egypt. According to Ban Ki-moon, the U.N. Secretary-General, the use of poison gas has led to over 1,400 deaths, with 5,000 people affected through contact with the chemical substance.
Both catastrophes were substantially covered by Chinese media and have at different times become top trending topics on Sina Weibo, China’s Twitter. While the two events shared some similarities, as both involved needless civilian deaths and long-standing power struggles, Chinese netizens focused on different aspects of the two stories.
In the case of Syria, where there has been more wrestling and negotiation between international powers, Chinese netizens analyzed the foreign policies of the United States, Russia, and China. China has long opposed international intervention in the Syrian conflict. Jokes like “Putin has betrayed President Xi?” and “It is quite difficult for China to play the role of the mistress” went viral when Russia and the United States announced a deal on Syria.
With Egypt’s unrest, however, netizens were more inclined to draw parallels between the country’s experiences and Chinese domestic issues. The reason behind this, arguably, is that state violence in Egypt against protesters reminds some Chinese of the deadly crackdown by the Chinese government against pro-democracy protesters on June 4, 1989, which, according to the Chinese government, resulted in 241 deaths and 7,000 injuries. Some organizations estimate the death toll may be as high as 2,000, or even 3,000. A number of articles and concerned Chinese netizens even referred to the incident as “Egypt’s Tiananmen Square.”
Screen capture of the Youku video on state violence in Egypt. An unarmed man is trying to block a military tank.
On Youku, a popular YouTube-like video-sharing platform in China, a news video showed a young, unarmed person standing in front of a military tank to block its way has received over ten thousand views so far. While user @qjy1 left an oblique comment—
相似的一切，总是上演，即使结果不同
Similar things happen all the time, though they may end with different results
Other veiled remarks were more obvious, as with the comment “8964” left by user “lonely maple tree” (@孤寂的枫), referencing the year, month and date of the Tiananmen crackdown.
Such vagueness is a must: words like “Tiananmen Massacre” (天安门大屠杀), “Tiananmen Uprising” and “June 4 incident” (六四事件) are sensitive words, meaning that posts discussing or even mentioning these phrases may be deleted, and in some cases, those who post such content may be “invited to drink tea” — a euphemism for being summoned by Chinese authorities and told to stop posting such political content.
In reaction to the tight censorship, Chinese netizens have developed a system of code words and oblique references to avoid filtration of their posts. When phrases as explicit as “Egypt’s Tiananmen Square” are eliminated from Sina Weibo, netizens again adopted the strategy of vagueness.
User @MrDominic uploaded a picture of a military tank and described it with four key words: “Egypt, protest, clearing up the scene, tank” User “Great person fatty Kim fallen from heaven” (@天降伟人金胖子 sarcastically remarked,
埃及有没有在坦克使用方面请教中国啊。
Did Egypt seek advice from China when it comes to employing tanks?
Another user, Lin Kailong (@林凯隆), was enthusiastic in offering sarcastic comfort to the Egyptian people,
若干年后，埃及会是一个幸福的国家，人人安居乐业。呵呵。我们也是这么过来的，经验之谈
Years from now, Egypt will become a happy country and its people will live and work in peace and contentment. Well, we’ve been through it all and I speak from experience.
Some, however, pointed out that the parallel was not a perfect one. Unlike in Egypt, where some pro-Morsi activists resorted to violence during the August 14 protest, the pro-democracy Chinese in Tiananmen Square sat quietly in protest and some activists among them turned to hunger strikes. While critics were quick to point out underlying differences between the two uprisings, Chinese netizens seemed more concerned about the discrepancies between the international community’s reactions to the clearing out of Tiananmen and Tahir squares. As Sina Weibo user “Lala Lizard” (@赖赖_Lizard) wrote,
没有任何本质区别的清场行动，24年发生的叫独裁镇压，现在埃及发生的叫民主镇痛，可笑的“政治正确”。
…the incident that happened 24 years ago was called an authoritarian crackdown while this one in Egypt was referred to as democracy [growing pains]. Ridiculous ‘political correctness.’
The definition of the Tiananmen incident as a “massacre” resulted in a number of unwanted consequences for the Chinese government. Immediately after Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping ordered the People’s Liberation Army to disperse the protests, China was subject to widespread international condemnation, economic sanctions, and diplomatic isolation, arguably costing Beijing a chance to host the 2000 Summer Olympics. In contrast, while world leaders have roundly condemned Egypt’s generals, there’s been no talk of punishment akin to China’s.
Weibo users expressed disappointment at this. User “Lin's Babe” (@林家贝贝) wrote,
觉得还蛮奇怪的，为何埃及的军队这么快射杀集会人群，国际媒体这么平静？和24年前发生在中国的事情待遇截然不同，有时候双重标准真挺难接受的。
It is quite strange. Why does the international community remain quiet when the Egyptian troops were so quick to fire into the crowds? The reaction is so drastically different from what happened in China 24 years ago. Sometimes the double standard pains me.
Not all netizens clung to the past. Many instead regarded the situation in Egypt and in the Middle East at large as a reminder of existing social uncertainties in China.
While sympathy for the civilians in the Middle East was prevalent in the Chinese online community, a number of netizens displayed relief that China does not have to deal with such instability. Some went even further, deeming the bloody violence a warning to those who have been calling for democracy and social changes.
User Shaosong (@韶松) mocked,
看看埃及吧！不希望中国这样！希望公知们用良心想想，中国普通人到底要什么！
Just take a look at Egypt! [I] don’t want China to become like that. I hope public intellectuals can use their conscience to think about what ordinary Chinese people truly need.
In the eyes of user “Chinese medical doctor Qui Yen1″ @中医秋燕饵,
当然有比中国差的地方，你去叙利亚或者埃及，或者墨西哥试试，时刻被枪对着，动荡不安的滋味。乱世人不如狗。当然在一些启蒙派小清新看来，人命没有西方制度值钱，只要有西方制度，什么贫困，绑架，毒贩，都可以接受。
There are many places whose situations are worse than China’s. Just go to Syria or Egypt, or Mexico. You might have a gun pointed at you at any moment — it’s a feeling of living in turmoil, turmoil in which a human life is not even comparable to that of a dog. But surely to ‘the enlightened,’ human life is not as valuable as the Western system; as long as the Western system were there, anything–poverty, kidnapping, drug-dealing—would be acceptable.
Some were more direct. As user “Travel in a Time of Chaos” (@风云岁月旅程) wrote,
中国的“新自由主义”的“普世价值”的鼓吹者们，见鬼去吧！
Down with China’s ‘neo-liberals’ who propagate ‘universal values’!
Mr. Wang Xiaoshi, who became famous, or infamous, for writing an essay entitled “If China Experiences Unrest, It Will Be More Pathetic Than the USSR,” also joined in the debate. He remarked:
公知们把宪政（普世价值别称）解释成按宪法执政、依法治国以强化其口号的合法性。但贺卫方回应童之伟文章不慎泄露真相：所谓宪政就是要推翻社会主义宪法，而推行欧美那一套“政党制度、土地私有、司法独立、新闻自由、军队中立”等。埃及不正在猛抽宪政派的脸吗？
Public intellectuals explain constitutionalism—a word equivalent to universal values—as ‘rule of law’ so as to increase the legitimacy of this claim. But according to people like He Weifang [a well-known Chinese law professor], constitutionalism is the overthrowing of the socialist constitution and its replacement with a Western one that calls for ‘[changes in] party system, private ownership of land, independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press, and military neutrality. [The Communist Party currently controls the military.]’ But look at Egypt! Hasn’t it showcased how ridiculous the constitutionalists’ appeals are?
Some were far less strident than Wang, contending that it was not democracy that caused Egypt’s problems and the Middle East unrest in general, but an underdeveloped democracy.
User “Changjiang livecast” (@长江直播) offered up some “fundamental causes of the Syrian turmoil”:
一，阿萨德为首的利益集团独裁政权，把军队党化，牢牢掌控官僚政权。二，否定宪政，以权代法。三，血腥镇压维权民众和异见人士。四，国家资源被阿萨德几大家族垄断，利益分配严重不公。五，阿萨德复兴党渗透各个基层，人民言论等自由受到严格限制。六，控制打压言论
First, the interest group led by Assad maintains an authoritarian regime, incorporating the army into its own party and holding the bureaucratic regime tightly Second, they deny constitutionalism, replacing rule of law with rule by power. Third, they carry out a bloody crackdown on civilians and dissidents. Fourth, national resources are exclusively owned by the Assad family, which has caused unfair distribution of benefits. Fifth, pro-Assad individuals are present at all levels of society, limiting people’s freedom of speech. Sixth, they control and suppress speech.
After comparing various countries and regions, user “Reformer Liu Shengjun (@刘胜军改革) pointed out:
朝鲜告诉我们，不改革国家是没有希望的；突尼斯告诉我们，一味拒绝改革是危险的；埃及告诉我们，改革太晚政治家命运是悲惨的；叙利亚告诉我们，政治家不顺应历史潮流是民族的灾难；台湾告诉我们，及时改革是利国利己、彪炳史册的；越南告诉我们，渐进式政治改革是可行的
[The situation of] North Korea tells us that a nation without reforms is a nation with no hope; Tunisia tells us that it’s dangerous to universally reject reform; Egypt tells us that when reform comes too late, it means tragedy for the country’s politicians; Syria tells us that a government refusing to adapt to the changes of the times means disaster for its people; Taiwan tells us that that timely reforms are beneficial to the government as well as to its people; Vietnam tells us that that gradual reforms can work.
Liu Yu, a professor at China’s prestigious Tsinghua University and a respected intellectual, concluded that,
民主化难以包治百病，也不大可能一帆风顺，但如果有人试图以埃及的情况证明专制的“优越性”，则显然患上了选择性失明。
Democratization is not a cure-all. Nor would it be smooth sailing. But if someone is trying to prove the ‘superiority’ of autocracy using the example of Egypt, he is surely suffering from selective blindness.
According to Professor Liu, Egypt’s violence should be a lesson for China:
对于还在民主化的门槛外徘徊的国家及民众，更有意义的是积极准备，在民主化的浪潮到来之前努力弥合社会的、经济的、价值观的裂痕，为这一浪潮的来袭打造一艘坚固的大船。
For countries and peoples that are hesitating at the threshold of democratization, it would be more meaningful to make active preparations, to bridge societal, economical and values-related gaps before the wave of democratization arrives, in order to ensure that the ship [of the country] will be strong enough to survive it.

author: Tea Leaf Nation


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Global Voices Partners with InfoAmazonia · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

A new form of visualization of Global Voices stories about the Amazon rainforest is now available in the shape of a map of the website InfoAmazonia.org. Through the established content partnership, Info Amazonia's special interactive map is being updated with the latest citizen media stories by Global Voices about the Amazon in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
The platform, a project by Internews and Brazilian environmental website O Eco [pt], was launched in June 2012 at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. It intends to “help broaden the understanding of the global impact of this important region in the world” by aggregating articles and data on the environmental changes in the Amazon rainforest:
Follow InfoAmazonia on Twitter for updates: @InfoAmazonia.
InfoAmazonia provides timely news and reports of the endangered Amazon region. A network of organizations and journalists deliver updates from the nine countries of the forest. The data used will always be freely available for download and will be renewed frequently. The comparison between stories and data aims to improve public’s perception of issues in the Amazon region.
The Amazon region is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, keeping in check climate change by absorbing CO2. Yet in the light of its importance, the region has faced acute environmental challenges.
As Global Voices reported in the special coverage page Forest Focus: Amazon created for the United Nations International Year of Forests (2011):
In the Amazon rainforest region, deforestation impacts around 30 million people and 350 indigenous and ethnic groups. Yet the Amazon, and other forests like it, are fast-becoming major casualties of civilization as growing human populations increasingly threaten these important biomes.
A platform to serve the community
“Use us as a tool”, Project Coordinator and Knight International Journalism Fellow Gustavo Faleiros told Global Voices team when offering to serve the citizen media community in terms of maps and visualization of data in the Amazon:
We want to be your desk of maps and visualization.
We took on the challenge and invited InfoAmazonia to draw us a map with the boundaries of Amazonia Legal for a Global Voices story from last July about the approval of a bill in Brazil that has opened the door to the cultivation of sugar cane for the first time in that area, which comprises the geographical regions of the Amazon forest, the tropical savanna Cerrado, and the swamp land Pantanal.
Five more Global Voices stories have already been mapped in the InfoAmazonia platform since June, representing a step forward for our community on data journalism from Latin America.
InfoAmazonia invites anyone to participate by sharing data, stories and geographic coordinates through the website's submission tool. Existing maps, organized by publisher or categories such as protected areas and indigenous lands, deforestation, oil & gas, among others, can also be embedded in other pages using a sharing widget.


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How Russians Read McCain’s Pravda Op-Ed on Putin · Global Voices
Daniel Alan Kennedy

McCain debates Obama. 16 October 2008. Photo by Travis Crawford, CC 2.0.
John McCain, a sitting Senator and the Republican Party presidential candidate in the 2008 US presidential election, is one of the American political establishment's most outspoken critics of Putin and loudest proponents of US intervention in Syria. Perhaps seeking to beat Putin at his own game, McCain recently published his own opinion piece in the Russian press. The article, which appeared on the Russian website pravda.ru on September 19, 2013, was scathing in its description of Putin. Citing everything from Russia's law against “Gay Propaganda” [GV], the fate of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, and Russia's over-reliance of resource extraction, McCain lambasted Putin's domestic and foreign policies, claiming
[Putin] is not enhancing Russia's global reputation. He is destroying it. He has made her a friend to tyrants and an enemy to the oppressed, and untrusted by nations that seek to build a safer, more peaceful and prosperous world.
While Americans were incensed at being lectured by a foreign politician whom many regard as either an idiot or a hypocrite, many Russians, it turns out, reacted no differently. Conservative blogger fotoksi, whose blog regularly decries America and American foreign policy accused McCain [ru] of simply attempting to score political points at home.
США сейчас переживают настоящий декаданс. Хотя пропагандистская машина Штатов нахваливает президента США Барака Обаму и критикует президента РФ Владимира Путина… в Штатах нарастает недовольство Обамой, при этом консервативные американцы восхищаются Путиным.
The USA is currently living in complete decadence. Although the US propoganda machine sings the praises of US President Barack Obama and criticizes Russian President Vladimir Putin… in the States the dissatisfaction with Obama is growing, while conservative Americans are enamoured by Putin.
It wasn't only fans of Putin who were put off by McCain. Grigory Rasputin, a blogger with no love for Putin or United Russia, had harsh words for the Senator, as well.
А ещё, Джон МакКейн, который вот уже 30 лет в Конгрессе США, один из редкостных долбоёбов на мой взгляд. Типичный республиканец, чо.
— Георгий Распутин (@RastoMann) September 19, 2013
Once again, John McCain, who has been in the US Congress for 30 years, is one of the biggest f*cking idiots of all time in my opinion. Typical Republican, right?
Some oppositionists, on the other hand, welcomed McCain's criticisms of Putin. Oleg Kozyrev, a prominent writer, blogger, and liberal activist, went as far [ru] as declaring his newfound allegiance to McCain's Republican Party.
Хороший Маккейн на Правде.ру Думаю, в США я был бы республиканцем http://t.co/aklV0aVe9Y
— Олег Козырев (@oleg_kozyrev) September 19, 2013
Good stuff from McCain in pravda.ru. I think that in America I'd have been a Republican. http://t.co/aklV0aVe9Y
It wasn't just the content of McCain's piece that raised eyebrows but where he chose to have it published. While Pravda was the biggest newspaper in the Soviet Union and the official mouthpiece of the Communist Party, it was dissolved along with the Soviet Union. There are currently two Russian publications called Pravda. One paper belongs to the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, and the other is an online, stridently anti-American publication that appears in English and Russian. Both papers claim to be the “official” Pravda, and relations between the two are extremely bitter. Today, neither enjoys a large circulation. BBC Journalist Steve Rosenberg combed the news stands of Moscow to find a copy and was greeted by vendors with confusion.
Some thought McCain's selection of Pravda as a platform unintentionally demonstrated how mired the Senator is in Cold-War thinking, showing him to be out of touch with the basic facts of post-communist Russia. Ilya Yashin, a liberal opposition figure, tweeted [ru]
Маккейн, видимо, не в курсе, что сайт Pravda.Ru это не известная ему со времен холодной войны газета “Правда”, а сурковская пародия на нее.
— Илья Яшин (@IlyaYashin) September 19, 2013
Obviously it seems that McCain isn't up to speed on the fact that the site Pravda.ru is not the famous “Pravda” he remembers from the Cold War, but a Surkovian parody.
Vladimir Putin echoed these sentiments [ru] at a meeting of the Valdai Club (a forum for Western and Russian journalists and political figures), where he laconically responded to a question on the Senator's piece, saying, “This politician has a lack of information about Russia. He would have been better off coming to the Valdai Club to discuss things.”
In the end, some wondered if McCain has actually done Putin a favor [ru]. Mikhail Dryashin [ru] wrote on his LiveJournal:
Лучшей агитации в пользу Путина и не придумаешь. Я б на месте Кремля Маккейну заплатил бы чего-нибудь.
You couldn't come up with better PR tactic that benefits Putin. If I were in the Kremlin's place, I'd pay money for something this.
Dryashin's concerns about McCain's article were seemingly confirmed by blogger sergzhest, who sarcastically advised [ru] his readers:
Когда в следующий раз столкнетесь с каким-нибудь мудаком из белоленточных или представителем прочих “оппозиционных сил”, рассказывающим вам об ужасах преступного режима, просто ткните его мордой в эту статью. И скажите, что все аргументы оппозиционера против Путина вы уже знаете. Из статьи американского сенатора.
Next time you run into some white-ribboned d**khead or representative of the “opposition forces” telling you about the horrors of the criminal regime, just stick this article in his mug. And tell him you already know all the oppositionist arguments against Putin—from the American Senator's article.
For many Russians, the main takeaway of McCain's article remains the decision to publish his anti-Putin tract in such a peripheral newspaper. While the memory of “Pravda” newspaper is still vivid for millions of Americans alive during the Cold War, the USSR's Communist Party and its mouthpiece have been broken and gathering dust for more than two decades in Russia. It's unlikely that McCain's publicity counterattack against Putin has won him great respect inside Russia, but perhaps that was never the plan. Given his obvious disconnect from modern Russia, McCain's letter was probably more about convincing an American audience to ignore Putin on Syria than persuade Russians to see their own president's failings.

author: Daniel Alan Kennedy


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Indonesia’s First Breastfeeding Video Animation · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Indonesia Breastfeeding Mothers Association has produced a 13 minute film animation that educates Indonesian couples about the benefits of breastfeeding.

author: Mong Palatino


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Jamaica: Art to Spark Discussion · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A must-read post by Under the Saltire Flag, that delves into the difference between great poets and novelists, public art and the way in which Caribbean people interact with it.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Floods in Romania Take Nine Lives, Thousands Evacuated · Global Voices
Tamara Gocmanac

Nine people are known to have lost their lives in flash floods that swept the area around the Danube port of Galati in eastern Romania. Floodwater has affected 21 localities so far and has destroyed hundreds of hectares of crops, also washing away a lengthy portion of railway tracks and causing the derailment of several empty passenger coaches.
The floods have forced thousands to flee their homes in eastern Romania in the last four days. Torrential downpours caused the water level to rise rapidly on Thursday, September 12, 2013. Among those who died was an eight-year-old girl swept away from her father's arms.
Rescuers and locals push through the floodwater in Eastern Romania; photo courtesy of Balkan Inside, used under Creative Commons license.
Eugen Chirita, an emergency services spokesman for the Galati region, said: “The toll since Thursday is nine dead, 6,900 evacuated and 1,735 homes flooded.”
EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva tweeted:
#Romania #floods 9 victims & much damage. Auths have mobilised 1K+ personnel. W/ more heavy rain forecast we stand ready to help if needed
— Kristalina Georgieva (@KGeorgievaEU) September 13, 2013
Another Twitter user, @FauziPewarisPG, wonders if this is a result of climate change:
@KGeorgievaEU #flood #Romania The frequency & ferocity of floods in #Europe are on the upbeat. All are signs of #ClimateChange onset.
— PAO TZE★PG All BLUE★ (@FauziPewarisPG) September 13, 2013
Jim Bedient, a weather watcher and astronomer, tweeted from Ukraine:
Floods – Galati, Romania: FLOOD (INFORMATION) http://t.co/ltwCPimsc1
— Jim Bedient (@airDX) September 13, 2013
In the meantime, thousands of rescuers, soldiers and police are at work, while Romainian Prime Minister Victor Ponta is said to be gathering more information about the situation on the ground. The video below shows the level of damage and amount of floodwater on the first evening of the floods, as rescuers and locals salvage villagers and livestock.

author: Tamara Gocmanac


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St. Lucia: Hair’s the Issue  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

[The Principal] believes that if he allows this…long haired boy, who never did anything wrong at the school, to enter the classroom, then chaos will prevail…[but] by resisting the simple, inevitable change, HE is falling into the trap of the being the agent of Chaos.
The FLOGG BLOGG is incensed over the unconstitutional behaviour of his Alma Mater.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Death Knell for Professional Photography?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Is the smartphone the death knell for professional photography?  Mark Lyndersay discusses the question here.


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“A Woman Can Only Become President When Men Die Out in Tajikistan” · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

In Tajikistan where even a mention of elections often makes people yawn, the upcoming presidential contest promises to be anything but boring. For the first time in the country's history, a woman is running for its highest political office. Oynihol Bobonazarova, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist, entered the presidential race on September 9, 2013, after a coalition of Tajik opposition parties and NGOs nominated her as their candidate.
‘Best thing that could happen’
Oynihol Bobonazarova. Image by ASIA-Plus, used with permission.
Bobonazarova's presidential bid – and the fact that she is backed by the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan – has galvanized public opinion in society where patriarchal attitudes run deep. While few people believe that she has a chance to win the elections, many bloggers and social media users are enthusiastic about the very fact of her participation in the contest.
Tomiris writes [ru] on her blog:
…[Я] думаю, что выдвижение Ойнихол Бобоназаровой единым кандидатом от оппозиции для участия в президентских выборах  это лучшее из всего, что могло произойти на этих выборах.
Я не настолько наивна, чтобы думать, что у ОБ есть хоть малейший шанс победить на этих выборах или хотя бы набрать четверть голосов. Нет, за неё мало кто проголосует. Но её выдвижение все равно лечшее из всего, что могло произойти.
I think that the fact that the opposition nominated Oynihol Bobonazarova as their single candidate for the presidential elections is the best thing that could happen during these elections.
I am not naive to think that [Bobonazarova] has a slightest chance of winning these elections or getting at least a quarter of the electorate's votes. Few people will vote for her. But her nomination is still the best thing that could happen.
Tomiris then explains [ru] why she is so enthusiastic about a female candidate entering the presidential race:
[Бобоназарова] хотя и проиграет, но покажет своим примером что женщина может претендовать на самые высокие политические должности в стране. Это будет иметь огромные, положительные и долго-срочные последствия для всех девушек и женщин в Таджикистане. У нас появится идеал к которому будут стремиться. А мучжчины возможно поймут, что к девушкам нужно относиться серьёзнее и что место женщины может быть не только на кухне, но и в президентском кресле.
Even by losing, Bobonazarova will set an example, showing that a woman can compete for the highest political offices in the country. This will have a huge, positive and long-lasting impact on all girls and women in Tajikistan. We will have an example to emulate. At the same time, men will possibly realize that girls should be taken more seriously, and that a woman's place is not only in the kitchen, but also in the presidential seat.
‘Only when all men die out’
Although many social media users in the country have voiced their support for Bobonazarova, even a cursory glance at comments left on news forums shows that many more people in Tajikistan are not ready to vote for a female candidate.
Under a news report about Bobonazarova's presidential nomination on ozodi.org, Sham writes [tj, ru]:
Давлатро зан рохбари кунад? Наход дар байни онхо як мард пайдо нашуд, ки занро пешниход карданд? Это уже слишком!!!
A woman to lead the country? Couldn't they [opposition leaders] find at least one man among them and not nominate a woman? This is too much to take now!!!
In a similar vein, Mahmadullo states [tj]:
мардуми мо барои он ки зан сардори давлат шавад таер нест . Мумкин худи он кас таер бошанд аммо фахмиши мо менталитети мо дигар аст барои мо дар айни хол сарвари мард даркор …Хубаст ки занро пешбари мекунанд аммо холо барвакт аст.
Our people are not ready to have a woman as the head of state. Maybe she [Bobonazarova] is ready for this, but our way of thinking and our mentality is different. We need a man as our leader at the moment. It is good that they nominate a woman [for president], but it is early to do so now.
On news.tj, Tokhir Muzhik [‘the man’] asks [ru] ironically:
Женщина президент??? Разве уже первое апреля???
A woman president??? Is it April 1 [April Fools’ Day] already???
And under Tomiris's blog post, Gafur states [ru]:
Лично я думаю что женщина сможет стать президентом только когда все мужчины вымрут в Таджикистане. Да и тогда навряд ли.
I personally think that a woman can become a president only when all men die out in Tajikistan. And even then, it is hardly possible.
‘The Tajik Margaret Thatcher’
Yet some internet users in Tajikistan believe that Bobonazarova could win the elections and make a good leader.
Responding to a comment suggesting that a man rather than woman should lead the country, Ramziya writes [tj] on ozodi.org:
мо дидем ки мардхо дар давоми хукумронишон ба кучо халку миллатро ватанро бурда расондаанд.
We can see what men have done to our country and our people during the period of their leadership.
Benom [‘Anonymous’] adds [tj]:
танҳо зан моро аз ин торики метавонад раҳо кунад.
Only a woman can lead us out of this dark period.
While Rustam announces [tj]:
[Бобоназарова] Бехтарин номзад. Мо уро аз дилу чон табрик мекунем ва ба у овоз хохем дод. У Маргарита Течер ва Ангела Маркели точикон хохад буд.
[Bobonazarova] is the best candidate. I extend my congratulations to her and will vote for her. She will become the Tajik Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel.
Unlikely to win
Patriarchal attitudes are not the only reason why Bobonazarova is unlikely to become a president. In his blog, Mustafo suggests [ru] there are also significant political and international factors which make Bobonazarova's success during the elections highly unrealistic:
Победить на ноябрьских выборах Бобоназаровой конечно не удастся. Этому есть целый ряд причин. Ну, во-первых, вопрос, который я сам себе недавно задавал: кто она вообще такая? Большинство людей, которые будут голосовать, не знают ее и поэтому не имеют ни малейшего представления о том, что она из себя представляет. Во-вторых, она женщина, а за женщину у нас не многие будут голосовать. Такое уж у нас общество, патриархальное. А в третьих, она довольно немолодой человек. Нашей республикой должен управлять кто-то помоложе, у кого будет достаточно сил ломать и перестраивать. У Бобоназаровой особой энергии не наблюдается.
Есть еще и четвертая причина. Бобоназарова долгое время возглавляла Фонд Сороса, то есть американскую неправительственную организацию, и сейчас возглавляет другую неправительственную организацию, которая занимается правами человека. Не думаю, что Россия позволит такому проамериканскому кандидату прийти к власти в Таджикистане. Да и наши чиновники и силовики не захотят видеть во главе государства человека, обеспокоенного правами человека.
Bobonazarova will not win the elections in November. There are a number of reasons for this. First of all, there is this question that I have recently found myself asking: who on earth is she anyway? Most voters do not know her and therefore do not have a slightest idea about what she is like. Second, she is a woman, and not many people in our country will vote for a woman. This is the kind of society we are, a patriarchal one. Third, she is not a young person. Someone younger should lead our republic – someone who will have enough energy to break and rebuild everything. Bobonazarova does not seem to have too much energy.
There is also the fourth reason. For a very long time, Bobonazarova served as the head of the Soros Foundation, an American non-governmental organization, and she now leads another non-governmental organization involved in human rights issues. I do not think that Russia would allow such a pro-American candidate coming to power in Tajikistan. Besides, our officials and security services will not want to have as head of state a person concerned about human rights.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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Bermuda: Safety at the Risk of Privacy? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Vexed Bermoothes says that the public will tolerate a certain level of surveillance in the interest of safety, but is concerned that “Bermuda has no established regulations regarding the collection, storage, and use of such data.  Nor do we have any privacy legislation worth talking about.”


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Council Elections 2013 of The Northern Province of Sri Lanka Updates · Global Voices
Rezwan

The Sri Lankan Provincial council elections are being held today (September 21, 2013) to elect 148 members to three of the nine provincial councils in the country. The Northern Province, which was plagued with civil war, is having its first council elections in 25 years. Centre for Monitoring Election Violence blog is providing regular updates on the Northern Provincial Council elections 2013.

author: Rezwan


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Indonesian Groups Criticize ‘Miss World’ Contest as ‘Un-Islamic’ · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The nationwide protests organized by Indonesian Islamic groups led by the controversial Front Pembela Islam (FPI) have forced the government to scrap the Miss World 2013 beauty pageant in the capital Jakarta. The main event will still take place on September 28 but the venue is now in Bali, the country's Hindu-majority island.
Muslim demonstrators hold posters rejecting the Miss World 2013 in Jakarta. Photo by dharma wijayanto, Copyright@Demotix (9/3/2013)
Muslim groups like FPI have branded the Miss World competition as ‘un-Islamic’. They threatened to disrupt the event and hold more protests if the government will allow the contest to continue. Indonesia is the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation.
In response to the protest, the Miss World organizers have promised to replace the bikinis with Balinese sarongs for the beach fashion segment of the show. But this didn’t convince the Muslim leaders who continued to call on their followers to protest the event.
@riotuasikal is disappointed with the protests and questioned their narrow interpretation of Indonesian culture:
But what is budaya Indonesia (Indonesian culture) exactly, is that wearing kebaya not bikini, speaking bahasa Indonesia not English, and dancing kecak not ballet? Then we automatically judge a women as not Indonesian just because she is wearing a tank top, and is budaya Indonesia that simple? Oh no, sometimes we don’t realize that we have simplified our high cultural values into just those symbols. If we do so, please prepare yourself for symbol war.
Life is Beautiful was shocked to see Miss World contestants wearing Indonesia’s national costume during the opening show:
I watched the part of the show, Nusantara Parade, I think it was all joke. How can we “force” people to wear our national custom. It supposed wear with pride, but look how clumsy they wore them. Compare with usual parade when all contestant wear their own national custom, we missed all the bright happy contestant's face while they were wearing their national custom.
Randomness Thing reminded protesters that Indonesia is a secular nation:
Indonesia is not an Islamic country. The constitution is clear about that and in fact we have various religions: Islam, Christian, Catholic, Hindu, Buddha, and others. What might be “haram” for you does not necessary apply to others.
Forcing your way to boycott the contest single handedly is the act of intolerance to others because clearly you are not open to discussion with other people.
The decision to change the venue of the competition was criticized by human rights groups as another proof of the rising influence of radical religious leaders in the government. But Angry Magpie urged these groups to also criticize the beauty pageant:
Personally I would be rather surprised if Human Rights Watch supported Miss World – beauty pageant is not exactly an issue that progressive human rights groups traditionally pursue. If anything, I'd much rather see HRW criticising beauty pageant whilst maintaining that the government should not be so easily coerced by radical groups.
William Pesek wanted the ‘misplaced anger’ to be redirected to other issues:
My question is, why the misplaced anger? Where’s the outrage over obscene levels of graft, which eats up national wealth and forces 115 million Indonesians to live on less than $2 a day? Where are the placards condemning policies that have made the rupiah Asia’s most pathetic currency? Why don’t we hear chants demanding greater accountability from leaders?
Nana Bali confirmed that Bali residents are happy with the holding of the event in their island:
meanwhile, Bali is calm, peace and no people are thinking the contest will bring a bad thing for us
Below are some reactions on Twitter:
"… the only message [Miss World] is currently sending to the world was that Indonesia was undergoing a 'radicalization of Islam.'"
— Resi Respati (@resir014) September 20, 2013
Not all Indonesians RT @AlArabiya_Eng: ‘#Muslimah World’: Indonesians hold #Islam’s answer to #Miss World http://t.co/2yvEPYohLv
— Pradhana Adimukti (@Pradhana_Adi) September 14, 2013
So they said that Miss World is a whore contest. I don't get it. pic.twitter.com/TDXw4q19eC
— Martha Tan (@marthatandiyono) September 14, 2013
If FPI wants to wash out sin from Bali because of Miss World, why don't they do it to Bali nightclubs before? I don't get it :/.
— N. Arinda Pradisty (@arindapradisty) September 16, 2013
An alternative protest is the holding of Muslimah World pageant which was dubbed as “Islam’s answer to Miss World”. The competition was held in Jakarta where contestants recited verses from the Koran during the show. They also have to possess the three Ss: sholehah (piousness), smart and stylish.


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Online Application For Nepali Passports Required · Global Voices
Rezwan

Hira B Thapa describes the current long and complicated process of applying and issuance of machine readable passports in Nepal. The blogger opines that a proposed online application system will ease and shorten the process.


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From Kafranbel: The Syrian Revolution in Three Minutes · Global Voices
Syria Untold

This post is cross-posted from Syria Untold.
When Syrians started taking to the streets in March 2011, one of the most common pro-regime thugs’ threats was “to take Syria back a 100 years”. This soon turned into a joke Syrians repeated as their rulers displayed their military and propaganda machines to repress every form of opposition. “We're going back to the Stone Age”, was mockingly repeated by freedom activists as they saw the devastation around them.
Photo taken from the “Banners from Occupied Kafranbel” Facebook page
The irony of Syria becoming crushed into the past while it struggled to emerge into a future where freedom and justice prevailed has been used by the people of Kafranbel (Idlib), to send a powerful message to the world.
In a three-minute video that became viral soon after it was published online, activists from the town of Kafranbel dress as stone age people to represent the evolution of the Syrian uprising. A few stone-agers hold rudimentary banners to protest, before they are attacked by a group holding guns and rifles, who suddenly open fire at them. The attacks gradually turn into shelling and bombing. As more protesters keep coming out of their caves, a few observers sit and watch. It is only when the attackers start using a bottle of gas to spray the others that the observers react, angrily demanding that the bottle is removed from the picture. The video ends with the following message:
Death is death, regardless of the way it is done. Assad has killed more than 150,000. Stop him.
With this video, Kafranbel once again stands out as a powerful symbol of Syrian resistance and narrative amid internal and external threats. Perhaps the most famous town in Syria today after becoming the source of creativity and wisdom in expressing revolutionary feelings and awareness, the way Kafranbel continues to resist both Assad's oppression and any attempts to hijack their revolution becomes more relevant than ever.
In a world that tends to ignore Syria's recent history, but focuses on how the rest of the world views them –  as stone age barbarians whose voice has become a nuisance – the video points to the hypocrisy of the international community, that has drawn the red line on the use of chemical weapons, allowing the killing of 150,000 people and setting the country and the region on fire.
As the geopolitical conversation focuses on military aspects and proxy-wars, it becomes more important than ever to listen to Syrian voices and grassroots projects. Amid these voices, Kafranbel is a powerful symbol of self-management and resistance that Syria Untold considers crucial for a better understanding of the Syrian reality.
This post is cross-posted from Syria Untold.

author: Syria Untold