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Recently in Peru · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Here once again to share with you some of what has been published in the Peruvian blogosphere. These days the categories are somewhat mixed up. Blogs that normally post about other things are now writing on politics and thematic blogs are posting personal items. More evidence that in the blogosphere anything is possible and there aren't restictions to creativity and personal expresion except for what we ourselves impose.
Beginning with politics, or better said, continuing with the discussion about Ollanta Humala who continues to offer plenty to talk about, especially now that several surveys have put him as the leading presidential candidate. In Gustavo García's blog, Cultura Peruana is the post, “We'll play in the forest while Ollanta is, Ollanta is …”. Gustavo says of Ollanta Humala:
He's become the fierce wolf of Peruvian politics, the terrible outsider who is threatening to become the country's president, the “menacing ghost” who at once is united to the dark side of the force: Hugo Chávez
In De todo un poco, Pedro Flores posts, “Ollanta, why won't you shut up?” where he comments:
The statement that he is going to intervene in multinational corporations, that he's going to impose new taxes, that he will be a radical with the transnationals; he's making a big blunder. It's because of these statements that the market comes down while the dollar rises and keeps rising and the investments stay stalled.
He then makes an analogy between an administrator of a commercial building and the president of the country which is interesting though somewhat superficial. To conclude with the posts on Humala, Diego of Desde la Clandestinidad sarcastically posts, “Why I Will Vote for Humala”:
It doesn't matter if the farms stop producing and industry stops or if we can no longer listen to Los Prisioneros because they're Chileans. Good bye to the foreigners and their ideologies because they alienate us. Farewell Catholicism and franchises. We'll eliminate the press, electricity, the Spanish language, and gasoline. I've already got my vote decided.
But not everything is about Huamala. Fujimori is also worrying some bloggers and in Perú Político Bernd Krehoff speaks of “The Streets of Fujimori,” concluding with the following:
The hundred thousand supporters that Fujimori had imagined waiting at the airport for his return to Peru appears to be more the product of a misplaced dream than a realistic calculation.
Check out the plentiful comments which are diverse and extremely interesting. And even better, Bernd went out of his way to translate the post to english so that the readers of Global Voices and all of the world can read it. The English version is here (though the interesting comments are on the Spanish version).
On another theme, ingenuopais (naive country) posts an unsettling article that's not meant for the naive. “Chile in Peru … Do They Already Have Their Candidate?”
If we Peruvians make the decision to suit the rules of the game of investments in Peru to make them compatible with the national interest, the government of our neighbor will consider it a potential problem. And sure, … it reminds the current governing “friend” that “… it's necessary that the establishment of legal protections for Chilean investors advances.” Nothing more to say.
But let's leave the anger that at times is produced by politics and let's laugh a little with Lanuez's “Electoral Ethics Pact.”
As a bridge between politics and technology, we have the post of Juan Carlos Luján in Sin Papel: “Peruvian Politicians Don't Know Anything About the Internet.”
Despite the fact that they all have Internet presence (there are eleven political movements that have no clue of the web's power), not one has demonstrated the astuteness to take advantage of the tool that would help them reach nearly three million Peruvian internet surfers and position themselves adequately on the world wide web.
In Communication and Peru's Development Eland Vera posts about “Ideas that were Brought Up in the Blogs and Education Course at UNSA.” It's a good handful of ideas which aren't completely original, but transfered to a city like Arequipa could do much good. A Mango tells us about “The Powers of Blogs, Part Two,” something which is just recently being seen in Peru. Finally, in “The Metaverse of JL,” JL tells us about his recent impressions of TV, cable, Tivo, and other related things in “Goodbye to TV Programming which also has a version in English: Say goodbye to the TV Guide.
Changing topics, the blog, Powerful Words momentarily leaves behind its literary side to post about a current event in Lima: “Story of a Kidnapping,” which is about the wave of abductions that have invaded our capitol city. Another hot topic of late was the recent attempt to hack our website, BlogsPerú, but luckily our webmaster, Leuzor realized in time and the problem was rapidly overcome. However, in the interim, various bloggers reported on the topic: Letra Suelta: Blogsperu y los crackers, http://e-nredados.blogspot.com/: Blogsperu crackeada y Blogsperu crackeada v2: 2006 es el año!, verolindapechocha: ¡BlogsPeru Hackeado! y BaluArt.net: BlogsPerú hackeado (Actualizado). Thanks to everyone for their concern.
For those that don't already know, I don't just live in Lima, but also in Iquitos, a beautiful city by the Amazon river. I tell you this because Pako Bardales, a blogger based in Iquitos, posts in his blog, Diario de IQT, “Alberto Fuguet Ama a Iquitos,” about the presence of Iquitos in the literary imagination of various writers. And from writers we move to the journalists. In El Crónico, they post almost in a humorous tone, “Singing 1, 2, 3!: Journalists Rise to the Scene,” about the various musical adventures of mainstream journalists. Speaking of music, Juan Carlos Bondy of Lado B laments in his post, “Why Don't the Stones Come?” which concludes:
Let this serve as a lesson to the naive, like this blogger, who dreamed of seeing the Rolling Stones around these parts. But don't worry, Daddy Yankee is sure to visit us soon.
Not everything is so full of regret however; Alexandra of Raising Ravens writes about  the Peruvian band, “Maganzoides: when the horror cannot stop,” a nostalgic post about the incredible rock band.
In the section of personal blogs, there are some excellent choices like Vir, who was just recently interviewed in BlogsPerú. In her blog, Puerto Asterix is a reflection on “Life, oh life, what is it all about” as well as various other topics:
How many times have I distrusted perfection? As if affirming my own imperfections somehow grants me a letter of authenticity, humanity, what they call an absence of pretension or “posing.” A species of silly rebellion. A change, two changes, three changes, aaah, life changes, I change, becoming another, but basically still me, crossing the threshold of your time, my beloved Al.
About other things, but with a certainly poetic tone, Laura of The Ingenious Naivete, tells us of “Sheets of the Sea:”
I will search you when you leave the sea, because there I find myself more easily. There in the water, blue and cold, I remove the legs that have lost me, I strip away the salt of the day to day and I am once again a woman and marine spirit, like before … like always.
For her part, Antolín Prieto of A Park Bench goes back in time juggling curious words in “A Wait:”
You can figure the ticking on the heels of a waiter in the bar or on that slow music that, you know, could be Piaff. But, How long will this song last? You wait until it finishes or maybe another one, without thinking of a thing. You stare at those pictures hanged on the wall.  They are not hooked on you or they are staring at you vividly. The worst are those pointing at you or the ones laughing mysteriosly, hiding their roaring laughter.
In this post we also have a translation to English thanks to the valuable collaboration of the indefatigable Kat who I'd like infinitely thank here.
Introducing a new topic in these selections, nothing better than a couple uninhibited girls: Definitely Unfaithful writes, “Dirty Mouth,” which talks about the intimacies that nearly everyone likes to hear. And Mojadita tells us about her experiences in past parties in “Anonymous.” I was able to get both bloggers to translate their posts, respectively: Noisy and Anonymous.
Hmmm, perhaps we should change topics and discuss parties: Invazor C!!! tells us about the birthday of a fellow Peruvian blogger in “Santos’ Birthday”. It's too bad we weren't there huh?
Finally, but no less important is our selection of photos. Remember the post, “Miscelanea Fotográfica: Trujillo, 31 de diciembre” which I had selected the time before? Well, there is never a first without a second and this time Crepúsculos y cuadernos presents Miscelánea Fotográfica: Huanchaco, 31/12/05, 1-2/01/06, a continuation of the photojournalistic report that began with the prior post. Comunal dances in the Southern Sierras of Peru and part of Bolivia are displayed in the series of two posts at “Caporales de la Tuntuna I,” which has sparked controversy among readers. And with that, I leave you until next time.
: Refers to a law passed in Venezuela which requires that half of all music played on public radio stations comes from domestic bands.
Translation by David Sasaki

author: Juan Arellano


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South Africa: Afrikaans usage · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Moral Fibre from South Africa, reports on a row over the Afrikaans language  between opposition parties and a military judge who  complained about the use of the language in an official context… “”… I must say it on record that to me it is disgusting that at this time and age we still find official correspondence or official communication in Afrikaans…”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Sokari Ekine


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South Africa: Condoms in the classroom · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Mzansi Afrika comments on the debate taking place in South Africa over  whether condoms should be available in classrooms …”The main argument, surprise, surprise, was from the whole moralistic religious viewpoint that condoms encourage sex, and sex before marriage, especially among teens is bad. The other concerns were around sex and HIV/AIDS.”


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Taiwan: What’s in a Name? · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Pinyin News puzzles over — at length — the mystery of the ‘g’ in famous Taiwan director Ang Lee's name, which seems to be properly romanized as “An.”  A commenter provides one answer:  An Li or Li An sounded too feminine to him.

author: Jose Manuel Tesoro


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The Caribbean Single Market · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

It's rare to find Caribbean bloggers across different islands talking about the same issue at the same time, but one would have thought that yesterday's historic signing in Jamaica of the document ratifying the Caribbean Single Market (CSM), might have created a little buzz. That, however, is exactly what it did — created a little buzz.
There was no word on yesterday's event, notably, from the pro-business TalkCSME.com blog (the CSME, the Caribbean Single Market & Economy, scheduled to be in place by 2008, is the final stage of the CSM process, and will involve a single currency and a common economic policy), which launched back in June 2005, stating very optimistically that:
The Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) involves the free flow of labour, goods and capital among participating Caribbean Community (CARICOM) members states. The emergence of this single market means that legal and administrative restrictions affecting trade, labour and technology within the CARICOM region will generally be a thing of the past.
That post, which attracted 27 comments, went on to say that:
one of the greatest advantages is that it will encourage intra-regional trade and allow CARICOM states to negotiate as a single entity. This will afford them a better opportunity to influence policies concerning global trade. Perhaps the region may soon be a force to reckon with in the next round of World Trade negotiations.
TalkCSME.com has posted only a few items since then, the last being an ackowledgement, on December 31, 2005, of the CSM's official coming into effect on January 1, 2006.
I could in fact find only three bloggers talking about yesterday's signing. Simone Champagnie, a Jamaican living in Florida, noted the event on her blog and linked to an article drawing parallels between the CSME and the failed West Indies Federation of the 1960s. Calling the CSM “the Caribbean version of the EU”, Jamaican blogger Leon wrote that:
While it seems beneficial in theory, I doubt it will be so in practice. I believe some countries will gain much greater benefits than others. . . . . Remember the great economic miracle that globalization was promised to be? . . .   I think countries like Barbados and T&T will use the CSM to invade Jamaica's private sector. There are already a few Trinidadian firms here, most notably RBTT and the formerly Jamaican-owned Carib Cement. Most countries prefer to employ nationals over foreigners. The opposite is true in Jamaica, and the CSM will make already scarce jobs even more so. But in the words of the immortal Bob Marley, “Time will tell.”
And MediaCritic  in Guyana accused  Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo of being a “non-integrationist” for declining the invitation to attend the historic meeting, then running off to Cuba the next day:
Your visit to Cuba Sir, is a slap in the face of the entire regional integration effort. You have, in one swipe, spat on everything CARICOM, on all the efforts of those before to reach this Single Market.

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Trinidad & Tobago: Carnival · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Nicholas Laughlin is finally embracing Carnival, the national festival of his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago. Caribbean Free Radio, on the other hand, may just have seen a few too many.


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Venezuela: Notes on WSF · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Author and activist, Luis J. Rodriguez offers his experience at last week's World Social Forum in Caracas.

author: David Sasaki


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Voices from Central Asia and the Caucasus · Global Voices
Ben Paarmann

“Snow in Tbilisi”, Hans Heiner Buhr
Welcome to the first roundup of the Central Asian and Caucasian blogosphere, brought to you bi-weekly by neweurasia. We'll take you alphabetically through the countries:
Armenia:
Onnik Krikorian does a great job writing the first-ever roundups from the Armenian blogosphere. Himself a blogger over at his Oneworld blog, he has the best insights into the local scene as he is based in Yerevan, Armenia's capital.
Georgia:
Extreme weather conditions have ground life in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, to a halt. ‘Sueandnotu’ has her personal story about how difficult it can be to walk along the town's biggest promenade, Rustaveli, when everybody is throwing snowballs at you.  ‘Kaukasus’, a blog run by a German based in Georgia, has amazing pictures of the snow chaos in Tbilisi. Jeremy over at neweurasia covers the recent gas shortages that occured when a gas pipeline from Russia got blown up by explosions – and their implications for already hard winter life in Georgia.
Kazakhstan:
Extreme winter conditions have made Betsy post about how people in Uralsk (northern Kazakhstan) cope with the low temperatures and the masses of snow. FYI: “You can’t tell the difference between –35 degrees and –45.” I hope that means Fahrenheit…
Kyrgyzstan:
Amira over at ‘The Golden Road to Samarqand’ wonders whether she could get more Kyrgyz students to blog. Speaking of students, ‘Mountains of Heaven’ writes about her experiences examining students on their English-language abilities. Many of her students spoke much better English when haggling about a better grade. For a complete rundown on recent events unfolding in the mountainous Central Asian republic, Claire's roundup is the place to get up-to-date about post-revolutionary intrigue and political soap-opera.
Tajikistan:
‘Dushanbe Pictures’ keeps up its great flow of photos from Tajikistan. Take a look at this post for a yummy Central Asian rice dish (is it a Tajik plov?).  ‘Tajikistan Travels’ has been on a field visit to Bishkent, a city in southern Tajikistan, and interviewed local inhabitants. An interesting discussion unfolded when neweurasia's James reported on Islamic education in Tajik schools’ curriculum.
Turkmenistan:
Turkmen blogger, Karakum, wrote up the second half of a fascinating interview with a member of the Initiative Group, an organisation designed as an information platform for governments reforms to be undertaken in Turkmenistan. The interview is particularly revealing about the deficiencies of the Turkmen army in tackling the growing problem of drug-trafficking in the country. Recent pension cuts in Turkmenistan make ‘Fakten und Fiktionen’ wonder whether one might expect similar developments in Germany soon (read neweurasia for backgrounds on President Niyazov's latest controversial decision).
Uzbekistan:
‘Novoe Uzbeksoe Slovo’ (The New Uzbek Voice) has news about a regular train schedule between the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, and Andijon. The train will set off for Andijon in the late afternoon, stop off in Margilan, and then return to the capital two days later. The itinerary has not been possible so far because of the vicinity of the track to the Tajik border, but it seems arrangements have been made. Until her last post Tashkva, from Tashkent, was stuck in Dushanbe trying to get to get a flight back home via Khojand. She writes about her observations of the Tajik capital, which she describes as flash from the past. However, she is impressed by the friendliness and optimism of the local people.
Would you deem fur-lined underwear morally-objectionable? Uzbekistan's government certainly does, and neweurasia's Rumil is just puzzled about the whole story.
Culture:
To catch up with the latest cuts and styles as well as scratches and lyrics from the region: ‘Who knew Armenians could rap’ has some fresh news on Mihran, who won the hip-hop category at the recent Armenian Music Awards. The Registan has the latest details on the Uzbek hip-hop scene and links to some tasty snippets of hip-hop Uzbek style.

author: Ben Paarmann


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Zimbabwe: going hungry · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

This is Zimbabwe comments on the lack of compassion and failure to manage crisis by Zanu-PF….


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Africa: Bono · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Ethiopundit comments on an interview with Bono published in Der Spiegel in which he discusess “Meles and other African dicatators.”


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Africa: Cup of Nations · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Black Star Journal has a report on the African Nations Cup as the first round comes to an end.


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Argentina: More Free, Creative Commons Music · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Fernando Casale reviews the album (ES), “Eleven Songs Written in the Bathroom” by Argentine singer, Esteban Gómez whose project, Madreocéano (Mother Ocean) has its own weblog and website where the the entire Creative Commons-licensed album is freely available for download. Sebas leaves a comment on Casale's review lamenting the fact that so many Latin American musicians are now singing and composing in English.


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Argentina, Spain: Blogs and Translation · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Martin Varsavsky, an Argentinean living in Spain, explains why he has six blogs in two different languages. He then adds, “I rarely translate my blogs. I don´t believe in translation. I believe in cultures and I say raise different issues in different languages; something that frequently annoys my Spanish readers many of whom believe everything can be translated.”


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Armenia & Azerbaijan: Cultural Destruction · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Blogian reports that a skeptical Scot travelled to the Azerbaijani territory of Nakhichevan and found Armenian reports of efforts to eradicate evidence of Armenian cultural history in the region to be quite accurate.

author: Nathan Hamm


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Bahamas: More on majority rule · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Sir Arthur Foulkes continues his discussion of majority rule in the Bahamas, noting that “the architects of the progressive movement in the Bahamas in the Sixties often told the uncompromising old guard that the country would be better off if the old guard dealt with them rather than face a more radicalized generation later on.”


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Bangladesh: For kids · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices on a Unicef study that indicates there aren't enough toilets for children in schools.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Bangladesh: Insulting Islam · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Razib Rashedin on the recent controversy surrounding cartoons on Islam – “Denmark has established itself as the new frontier of Islamic hatred. Jyllands-Posten , a Danish paper, published a set of controversial caricatures of the prophet Mohammed last September, Magazinet published the controversial drawings in the name of ‘freedom of expression’.”


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Bangladesh: Remembering Shah AMS Kibria · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Adda on “Shah AMS Kibria, a parliamentarian, a politician, a former bureaucrat, a diplomat, a former finance minister” who was injured by a grenade thrown on him, and died in a few hours in January 2005.


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Barbados: Men and domestic violence · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Titilayo takes issue with statements made by the chairman of Barbados's Men's Education Support Association in a report on a recent conference.


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Barbados: Opposition leader’s volte-face · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Barbados Free Press writes that the crossing of the floor by Barbados's opposition leader has “fueled cynicism — especially among the non-partisan electorate”. And was the attack on the Barbados Free Press web site politically motivated?


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Cambodia: Painter of the Khmer Rouge · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Phatry Pan interviews Vann Nath, who painted Khmer Rouge propaganda and portraits of leader Pol Pot in return for his life being spared.


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Cambodia: Truth in Khmer · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Kwii's Conscience discusses how, since the Khmer Rouge auto-genocide, Khmer people have a difficult time forming honest relationships. “During the war, all that trust was broken. Family and friends turned on each other for survival. So no one trusts anyone–especially Khmer people.”


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Caribbean: 10 best first lines · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Nicholas at The Caribbean Beat blog lists his picks for the 10 best first lines from West Indian novels.


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Caucasus: YC Day 2 · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Young Caucasus Women has six more posts from Armenians, Azeris, and Georgians.


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Chile: Streets Open to Bicycles · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Chilean citizen journalist, Ramiro Octavio Garcia Strohm describes the mixed reactions to Chile's recent car-free day of recreation. The festival, copied from a similar event in Colombia, is known as “Ciclorecreovia” and closes streets to cars in favor of bicycles.


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China: Exporting Language · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

What's China's hottest export? Language! says Horse's Mouth. “I always laugh to myself when I speak with fellow business majors and they tell me they're studying a language such as French or Italian for their required second language. What's the point?”  Chinese is the tongue of the future.


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Ethiopia: journalist arrested · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

My Heart's in Accra points to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists that the Ethiopian government have arrested “Frezer Negash, a correspondent for Ethiopian Review, a website fiercely critical of the Zenawi government. Negash is being held without charge.”


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From the African Union Summit to Darfur—Musings about Sudan · Global Voices
Vandu

The 6th African Union (AU) summit took place in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum from 16-24 January 2004. Key on the agenda was who should succeed the Nigerian president as the next African Union chairperson. Tradition dictates that the leader of the host country should become the next chairperson. However, several African nations appeared unwilling to allow the Sudanese president take over the helm of affairs, given Sudan’s poor record in the Western Sudanese province of Darfur. A compromise was reached and the president of Congo-Brazzaville was elected to chair the African Union for the next one year.
The blog Sudan Watch muses about the AU summit, focusing on two presidential yachts that were ordered by the Sudanese government for ferrying dignitaries. Unfortunately, the boats never made it on time. The first of them arrived in Sudan after the summit had ended. The blog Harowo also looks at the AU summit, quoting a report from the East African of Kenya, which hails the AU’s decision to elect the president of Congo-Brazzaville and not that of Sudan as its head in the coming year. The report also notes a peculiar seating arrangement at the summit:
“…the decision to alter the seating arrangements at the summit to put a ‘buffer’ between Ethiopia and Eritrea, was a clear indication that the AU was not yet ready to deal with an issue that could result in fresh hostilities between the Horn of Africa neighbours…The two countries were kept apart by Gabon, Gambia, Guinea and Ghana”.
Pambazuka News, in an article by Eva Dadrian, takes a look at the massacre of Sudanese refugees in Cairo by Egyptian security forces on December 30, 2005. In the opinion of Eva Dadrian, the fact that Sudan was meant to host the AU summit, given its record in Darfur, was an insult not only to those in Darfur but also
“…to the memory of those Sudanese refugees who were trampled to death or died of their wounds during and after the vicious attack by the Egyptian security police…just across from the UNHCR office… they were staging a sit-in in protest at the UNHCR’s earlier decision to close their files and start their repatriation [back to Sudan]”.
Eva Dadrian further accuses the Egyptian security forces of aiming
“…mainly at the heads, kidneys and genital parts of male and female refugees alike. All those who died and whose corpses are still lying in morgues have head wounds, brain haemorrhages, burst kidneys and burst pancreas”.
Darfur is one issue that ever remains on the minds of those who blog from or about Sudan. Sudan: The Passion of the Present notes that while the American President, George W. Bush, made reference to the word “genocide” in his State of the Union speech, he did not mention Darfur specifically. The blog Coalition for Darfur quotes a report from savedarfur.org, which notes that on
“February 1st [2006], the United States assumes the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for one month, giving America a unique opportunity to help the people of Darfur by leading the international community to take action. Specifically, the U.S. must use its time as head of the Council to take the necessary steps to turn the under-funded and under-equipped African Union peacekeeping force into a much stronger and more capable United Nations peacekeeping force. If America is serious about helping the people of Darfur, this is not an opportunity we can pass up”.

author: Vandu


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Georgia: SandraBuses · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Ben Wheeler reports that Tbilisi's recently purchases Dutch buses have been a major headache.


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Guatemala: Conflict at Nueva Linda Cattle Ranch · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Rob Mercatante publishes a bulletin about an ongoing labor conflict at the Nueva Linda cattle ranch in Camperico, Guatemala which recently left four employees injured by private security forces.


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Guatemala: José Santos Toruño Archeological Park · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Chapinadas describes the José Santos Toruño archeological parkin La Democracia, Escuintla.


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Guyana: Snake dreams · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Guyana-Gyal has a dream about a snake. “If you is Guyanese and you dream 'bout snake,” she says, “it mean you got a enemy, real or not!”


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Human Rights diminishing · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Curious writes on the “law of diminishing human rights” in Britian….”These days, all you have to do to be suspected and possibly accosted under the terrorism act is forget to shave for a few days and attempt to use the London underground. It appears that as our societies get more advanced, we are regressing in the area of human rights.”


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India: Maxim And India · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Style Station on the launch of lag-mag Maxim in India, and the immediate controversy it finds itself in.


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India: Music and women · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

India's Carnatic Music may have some misogynistic streaks. Gupta-vati takes a closer look at the famous Carnatic Music composer and reads into the lyrics to understand his perception of women.


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India: The other Muslim · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

An excellent post at Shobak on the Muslim Identity as potrayed in Indian Cinema.


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Iran: Dead End? · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Mr. Behi, Iran based blogger, writes ” I do not like to write about this nuclear stuff that much because news and media are doing so a lot. I never loved war because I saw a missile exploded 500m from my apartment killing one of my best friends, I was 7. Try to feel standing in a long line to buy some milk for your little brother to feed. Stay out of your comfort and try to feel what sanctions mean”.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Kazakhstan: Reaching West · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Ben Paarmann explains how Kazakhstan can take advantage of European fears about the reliability of Russia as an energy supplier.


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Kenya: dog food for children · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

White African points to a story in Yahoo News that a New Zealand woman planned to send dog food to “Kenya's starving children“.He asks if this story is possible?…”The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights condemned the offer as a degrading assault on the dignity of the country’s children.”


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Kenya: moving back home · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Kenyan Pundit writes joins the Kenyan debate on moving back home and uses her own personal experiences…”In my experience, you first have to commit to the idea of going back. Like really commit. No ten year plans. No once I make this much money. Cut the crap. Wake up and say I’m moving back.”


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Laicity and Football deception in the Moroccan Blogs · Global Voices
Farah Kinani

Last Monday was the first day of the new Hegire  year 1427 and the Moroccan Blogsphere wished Muslims all over the world a   happy  new  year (French).
Soumiaz author of Imta , started an e-discussion with foulla‘s Refusenik about Islam and laicity . While most of the Moroccan bloggers posted about their deception after the early elimination of the Moroccan team in the ACN 2006.
Laicity or Ijtihad
Following the e-discussion lunched by foulla who posted about Islam and laicity , Soumiaz answered back by starting  an e-debat  between the two blogs and their readers about whether it's appropriate to talk about Laicity or Ijtihad.
Before I try my luck sharing what I have with the rest of you, we all should keep in mind that on his last address, the prophet Mohamed (may god bless his soul!) said that Islam as a religion was sent to the world as whole and that it is meant to be flexible. Islam is suppose to follow the evolution of societies and what worked for them back then might not be applicable to us today.
The comments to the e-debat were very different  even though most of them tried to defend Islam instead of pinpointing the bad practices associated to it. And the debat is still going on after foulla posted to answer back some of the”Islam defenders”.
..and as long as those religious persons don't target their misguided followers with the fervor and the rage they expend on outside critics, the mistake of associating Islam with savage practices will continue..And so will the practices..
Football deception
It seems like the defeat of the Moroccan team in the ACN 2006 wasn't a big surprise for the Moroccan bloggers , still , last week was a very sad one for the football lovers.
Citoyen Marocain thinks that the elimination of the Atlas lions  is but a small aspect of the bad mangement  (French) in  most of the Moroccan administrations.
Our football team is sick..very sick..but this information is definitely not the ACN's “revelation”..
Larbi is also very desapointed and his post relates how bad he feels about the elimination of the Moroccan team but also about other negative aspects (French) of the life in Morocco.
Oh brother, i feel the rage inside of me.!
Elkortbi author of Partageons nos passions  writes a satyrical post about the defeat of the Atlas lions , and he says that there are lessons to learn from the elimination (French) .
We don't trust our local competencies.And we think whatever is not Moroccan is good. Even when it's about a bad product.
Crucivore posted about an article which title is “Morocco defeated by its federation”.The article was published by “  l'ECONOMISTE ” (French) and it cosiders the Moroccan Royal Federation of Football the main responsible (French) of the Atlas Lion's elimination.
The bloggers in Moroco are even circulating an online petition about the Moroccan team asking for the  resignation of  the Moroccan Royal Federation of Football ‘s members who brought us nothing but shame and disgrace.
That's it for this week . See you next Wednesday,  Inshallah;)

author: Farah Kinani


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Malawi: board games · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Soyapi Mumba points to a new online Malawian shop where you can buy Bawo (called Ayo in Nigeria)  “a popular Malawian and African” board game.


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Mexico, Argentina, Nepal: Cricket, Football, and Globalization · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Once again proving the mysterious ways of globalization, Tony Munro writes about cricket in Mexico while Radheshyam Dahal says that Nepal is full of devotees to legendary Argentinean soccer player, Diego Maradona.


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Nepal: More violence · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

More violence in Nepal. United We Blog! brings “Images from Tuesday night’s Tansen, Palpa attack where At least 15 people including 7 policemen, 4 Maoists and 4 soldiers have been killed. Pictures speak.”


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Nepal: Politics and Students · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

United We Blog! on university and college students in politics – “After declaring many parts of Kathmandu restricted for political demos, imposing DAYTIME curfew in the capital city to thwart a pro-democracy rally, suspending landlines, wireless and mobile phones, the government has finally closed down the country’s largest university for two weeks by extending the regular vacation that ended Monday.”


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Nigeria: Abacha Days · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Musings of a Naijaman comments on two recent events in Nigeria that remind him of the dark dictatorships days of the late General Abacha…”This style of guttersnipe communication, where any government criticism was met with a barrage of blistering personal attacks was honed under the Abacha government, and for those of us who lived through those dark days, seeing a return to such tactics under a so-called democratic government was sad.”


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Nigeria: Free HIV drugs · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Kid's Doc in Jos announces the start of a new programme that will provide “free anti-HIV drugs (antiretroviral or ARV) to patients.


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Nigeria: Medical tourism · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Timbuktu Chronicles reports that Medical tourism has arrived in Nigeria… “The facility to be known as “…CAMP SINAI INTERNATIONAL ® is planned to meet the highest standard of quality, functionality, aesthetics and service delivery comparable to some of the best hospitals in the world.”


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Pakistan: By the sea · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A photopost on Miani Hor – a hamlet by the sea in Pakistan at The Organic Brew.


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Poland: Katowice · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

The Katowice roof collapse may have multiple causes says the beatroot.


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Poland: Political Alliance · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

the beatroot reports that the UK's Conservative Party intends to team up with the Polish Law and Justice Party in the EU parliament.


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Russia: Bus Police · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Sean Guillory says that Moscow city transit has contracted for private security guards on buses to protect passengers from fake ticket inspectors and, no kidding, people with dirty clothes or an unpleasant odor.


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Russia: The land of juice · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Russian Marketing Blog says that the every kind of juice imaginable is available in Russia, and that juice makers are still coming up with strange combinations for customers.


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Somaliland: Somalia · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

The Voice of Somaliland points to a Reuters report “Somaliland has reacted angrily to a call by African leaders for a partial easing of a United Nations arms embargo on lawless Somalia, fearing the weapons may one day be turned against the breakaway enclave.“


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South Africa: Marxism · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

South African blog, Floyds Perspective publishes an essay on Marxism and South Africa which asks…..”Marxist tool of analysis is relevant to South Africa. Like many other African countries, South Africa was a colonial and/or imperial country, though conceptualised as that of a special type”.


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Taiwan: The World is Not That · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Michael Turton picks apart global know-it-all Thomas Friedman's myths, mistaken conclusions and mischaracterizations of Taiwan so as to shoehorn it into his popular theories.  “Friedman's uninformed screed highlights a desperate need for newspapers to draw on the writing of recognized experts in their fields, and more importantly, for academics to produce more works for popular audiences.” Amen to that.


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Thailand: Tearjerkers · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Brain farts (and other inane crap) spends an afternoon in Thailand watching Korean films that make her cry and asks “Why do we re-watch movies that we know are going to make us cry? Is there some deep psychological reason why we like to revisit sad movies? Or am I the only freak around here?”  She doesn't have an answer, but lists her selection of sure-fire tearjerkers from both East and West.


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The Week That Was – Bolivian Blogs · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Few knew quite what to expect during President Evo Morales’ first week in office.   After the worldwide attention of the inauguration had settled, proposed policy decisions would draw the attention and critique from some of the bloggers.  Undoubtedly many of the new policies are very different from previous administrations and their results are still unknown.
The new administration has indicated that it no longer wants to focus on the coca leaf farmer, which often supplies the raw material for the manufacture of cocaine, as the center of drug control policy.  The new policy wants to move away from “zero coca” and towards “zero narcotrafficking”.  However, some believe that it is difficult to separate the two, as there will still be a lot of coca that is destined for the manufacture of the illicit drug, even if the coca farmer is not directly involved.
Jaime Rubin de Celis wrote a two-part blog entry at JCR’s Place, in which he spells out four important points to consider within the new proposed policy.  A new study will determine how much coca is needed for the legal, daily use.  However, until then, Rubin de Celis says that the current policy should still be in effect. and unfortunately control cannot take place without force.  The author also recognizes that external demand from abroad plays a huge part in this controversial topic, but it shouldn’t be an either/or type of stance by focusing either on supply or demand.
Boliviscopio’s author Jaime Humérez Seleme questions the designation of former coca farmer, Felipe Cáceres as Vice-minister of Social Defense, which operates as Drug Czar.  This former coca leader will now have the task of making sure that each family does not grow more than 1 cato (a measurement equal to 1600 m2) of coca, which was the amount agreed upon with the previous administration.  Humérez Seleme states that the coca farmers have moved away from being “controlled” to the ones who now are the ones “controlling.”   He asks, “Isn’t this like entrusting the mice to guard the cheese?”
The hydrocarbons issue may be even more controversial because of Morales’ campaign promises of nationalization and just what that might entail.  New hydrocarbons Minister, Andres Solíz Rada, declared a victory over the Spanish multinational company, REPSOL, by exposing “massive accounting fraud” when it registered Bolivia’s hydrocarbons reserves as its own in the New York Stock Exchange.  However, Jonathan Olguin writes in the Journal of Bolivian Business and Politics that the sudden drop of REPSOL stock had nothing to do with Solíz Rada’s claim of victory.  On the contrary, Olguin states that Bolivia loses out on additional investment due to the Spanish company’s lowered reserve estimates.
Some waves were made in parts of the country, namely in the department of Santa Cruz and Tarija, where the new Prefects have wanted to move ahead and help develop many of its oil and natural gas reserves.  The new central government, however, reminded these new departmental elected leaders that energy policy is a national concern, and not local .  Mauricio from Bolivia Hoy  doesn’t blame these local leaders for wanting to move ahead and hopes that the two can work together through mutual dialogue.
Antonio Saravia based out of Dubai, formerly of the blog The Economist en Su Laberinto, returns after a lengthy hiatus to start a new blog called  Lecciones de Economía en Evoland.  The main focus of this new site will highlight the new economic policies from the Morales administration, which Saravia denominated as EVOnomics.  The name is inspired by a similar label applied to former U.S. president Ronald Reagan and his policies denominated “Reaganomics”.  Saravia states that Morales’ new policies will resemble nothing like Reagan’s economic vision because the Bolivian state is poised to take a more active role in the national economy and is very different than the more liberal, hands-off economic policies of the 1980s in the U.S.
Natural disasters are also causing difficulties in Bolivia. Miguel Buitrago (MABB) laments the unusually heavy rains that left four departments with heavy flooding. Several nations have pledged humanitarian and logistical support for those areas affected.
A relatively new blog called  Palazos a la Piñata by Sebastián Sánchez Villalpando in La Paz, Bolivia presents his blog topics as the Mexican tradition of a hanging piñata, which has caught on in Bolivia.  In his instruction on his blog he writes:
Game Rules:
1).  I hang a piñata
2.)  We all swing until it breaks or until those that defend it break us
3)  Outside damage to the piñata is not permitted
4)  Going at it with other participants is allowed
5.)  The piñata is the central focus of the game
6).  With a little bit of luck, we’ll come out of it with only minor injuries, but also with some new ideas
In his first post, he offered up the topic of music piracy in Bolivia, complete with background music.  His suggestion: Radiohead’s OK Computer.  Sánchez Villalpando presents both sides to the argument such as the fact that Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere yet a cost for an original CD is equal to the price in the U.S.  He wonders whether art should only be available to those that can afford the high price.  However, he also states that piracy is equal to stealing.  Judging from the amount of comments there are plenty of participants anxious to give his/her best shot.
Finally, the blogging community, Blogs de Bolivia recently updated its Bolivian blog listing and many blogs that have not been updated for three months were removed.  Nearly 100 blogs were removed due to inactivity.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Trinidad & Tobago: Carnival · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Francomenz weighs in on the state of Trinidad & Tobago's Carnival, declaring that the “the tone has changed from one of merrymaking and good vibes to one of greed, divisiveness and even anger”. Harsh words, coming from a former Junior Queen of Carnival.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Faux-Westminster · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

In the aftermath of the Blair government's humiliating defeat over a bill to combat religious hatred, Jonathan Ali compares Trinidad & Tobago's political system with that of Great Britain, calling the former “a faux-Westminster system of government”.


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Turkmenistan: Pensions Slashed · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

neweurasia discusses reports of panic spreading across Turkmenistan following the announcement of drastic pension and disability cuts.


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Vietnam: Eulogy for a Mandarin · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Virtual Doug writes a eulogy to Dr. Bưu Châu, a descendant of Vietnamese imperial mandarins who returned to Huê to live out his last days.


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Zimbabwe: arrest of students · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

The Passion of the Present reports on the arrest of 4 Zimbabweans who were carrying out research “on the effects of the government's controversial urban clean-up campaign after mistaking them for journalists.”


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Armenia: Life in Karabakh · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Onnik Krikorian continues reporting on Karabakh peace negotiations examining the issue of territories around Karabakh to possibly be returned to Azerbaijan.


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Blogs from West Africa  · Global Voices
Imnakoya

Molara Wood recounts Ngugi wa Thiong'o’s ordeal in Kenya on returning home after spending 22 years in exile.  Ngugi and his wife were brutually assaulted by some Kenyans.
“Two weeks into their visit, the couple were attacked by four men in their high-security apartment complex. Ngugi was beaten and his face burned with cigarettes. Njeeri was sexually assaulted – an ordeal she made public, she says, to combat pressures on women to remain silent about abuse…Three security guards and a nephew of Ngugi's by marriage were remanded on charges of robbery with violence, and one count of rape. The trial, which began in November 2004, is in its final stages, and the couple have returned twice to give evidence.”
Ngugi is the author of “Weep Not Child” and other great books.
Emeka Okafor via Africa Unchained,  showcases the Kanu Heart Foundation located in Nigeria. He states “continuing on our theme of indigenous foundations the Kanu Heart Foundation's goals include ‘…to alleviate the problem of heart related diseases in Africa, the Kanu Nwankwo Heart Foundation plans to establish five specialist hospitals in several African countries and dozens of clinics in Nigeria. The Foundation also plans to promote the research for heart disease and other related conditions and disseminate the useful results of such research.’ ”
The foundation is the initiative of the Nigerian professional footballer, Kanu Nwankwo. He became the focus of attention when, after a celebrated transfer from Ajax of Amsterdam Inter Milan F.C. Italy, he was diagnosed to be suffering from a weak aorta valve in his heart. For which he was successfully treated.
Superstition is the subject of discussion at the  Reality Blog, asking “How superstitious are you?” If you believe in superstition then you can probably relate to these examples listed on his blog:
“Hitting your left foot against any object as you walk along the street”, “making the sign of the cross following flashes of lightning and thunder clap”, “eating in your dreams”, “asking for money early in the morning”, or “being at a road junction (an intersection) where all traffic lights are red”.
The blog- Black Looks in  a post titled:Citizen Jury, writes about some Malian farmers voting in a Citizens Jury against the use of Genetically Modified (GM) crops despite pressure from mutinationals to do otherwise.
“African countries are being increasingly pressurized to adopt GM crops. In Mali which is the largest producer of cotton in SSA Farmers in the South West region of Mali have voted in a “citizens-Jury” against the introduction of GM crops.   The farmers came to the decision after cross-examining 14 international witnesses representing a broad range of views on GM foods. The jury was hosted by the regional assembly of Sikasso and facilitated by the ‘International institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and RIBios, the University of Geneva's Biosafety Interdisciplinary Network.’ ”
Ore, blogging from Lagos Nigeria, contemplates on the future- wondering if her chances of “succeeding at balancing a work and family life are totally doomed.” In her post- “the  Life of a Woman“. An extract of her musing goes like this:
“As I spend more time at home, I feel increasingly weighed down by thoughts of what lies ahead for me in life. Sure, I plan, hope and pray to have a fantastically-fulfilling career, with lots of opportunities to travel! A wonderful family life is also on my wish list and it is this that fills me with worry and (more than a little) dread. All the women I know end up pulling double-duty i.e. working and taking care of their family and home. Even those married to the most progressive, new-age type of men!”
Jeremy at Naija blog captures Africans’ penchant to commemorate important landmarks in a post titled:“Beyond the Pail”. He writes:
“On the side of the bucket is some text, which states the following ‘In Remembrance of Our Father, Asani Olanrewa Aju Oseni, (a.k.a Aram Aram), 1901-1978. 11th August 1978. Presented by Charlin & Children…’ The humble bucket is therefore not simply a receptacle for carrying water; it is also a receptacle of memory. There is something profoundly moving about how humdrum everyday objects in Nigeria are often suffused with meaning and memory in this way. In the midst of banality lie the most precious forms of spirit.”
Using Jeremy’s post as a pivot, Ethnicloft, a recent entrant into the Nigerian blogoshpere remarks :
“Africans have a unique tendency to commemorate historical events, important landmarks and personal achievements. Surprisingly, the vestiges of these endeavors often manifest  at the most unexpected times, and in objects and places.”
EthnicLoft features a printed commemorative cloth from circa 1975 supporting the anti apartheid movement and the then imprisoned Nelson Mandela” as an example of  this tradition.
Cameroon
Expatriates in West Africa often blog about their experiences at work and about life in general.  Jennifer Kennedy and Scott Harrison are some of these individuals.
Life In Cameroon is by Jennifer, an American teacher living in Cameroon since August of 2005. She teaches 4th grade students in Yaounde, the capital city. Jennifer celebrated the Christmas/new year holidays visiting the Northern province of the Cameroon with her boyfriend. This excerpt describes her experience on the trip:
“The next day, we set off (in a 4WD Toyota with a driver) to Rhumsiki. The drive there was gorgeous. We passed many villages with homes made of mud/clay bricks and roofs made of wood and grass. As we drove, children shouted out Bon Anne (Happy New Year) and Cadeaux (gift). We passed beautiful mountains and amazing scenery. When we arrived to Rhumsiki we were immediately given a tour guide who took us on a tour of the village. The most impressing part of this particular village was the landscape of amazing peaks and mountains. We could even see over into Nigeria. On the tour we saw the crab sorcerer who told Darrell and I our future from the movements of two crabs. We learned how some village ladies make pottery from clay. Also, we went to an area where they weaved cotton.”
Whereas,  Scott of Scott Harrison – notes from West Africa is a volunteer photo-journalist onboard the Mercy Ship Anastasis in West Africa. According to Scott:
“Mercy Ships is the world's largest non-governmental organization of hospital ships, the Anastasis currently the largest operating in the fleet. Since 1978, the organization follows the 2000 year model of Jesus, & brings hope and healing to Africa's poor. The blind see through cataract and other eye operations. The lame walk through orthopedic operations. The mute speak through cleft lip and palate operations. The disfigured are given their dignity back through advanced, life-changing maxillofacial operations. The Anastasis also engages in AIDS education, community development projects, water sanitation and well building, dental & maternity health clinics…”
In additon to their narratives, Jennifer and Scott do have some pictures to share as well. Be warned that some of the pictures on Scott's blog may appear “somewhat unsettling”.

author: Imnakoya


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Burkina Faso: famine and elections · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Voice in the Desert comments on famine relief in Burkina Faso and distribution of food to school children.  He wonders whether to continue his involvement given that the President has just spent $1.8 million on his re-election campaign.


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Caribbean: Bloggers invited to tourism press conference · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Don Dunnigton at the IAOC Blog reports that bloggers have been invited to attend a press conference hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization in New York, which causes the Caribbean Beat Blog to wonder whether bloggers have arrived, and also whether Caribbean governments might be persuaded to implement free municipal wi-fi by being reminded of the free publicity to be gained from tourist bloggers.


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China, South Korea, Japan, Iran: Nuclear Concerns · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Mingi Hyun explains why China's concerns over nuclear proliferation are different from the Western powers.  The reason why it doesn't want Iran to have nukes is because it worries South Korea and Japan may one day want them too.


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China: What Does China Want? · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Sun Bin critiques a writer who lays out the six goals of the Chinese leadership.  “They are in fact sub-goals of one simple goal: to feed its 1.3bn people and let them live better lives…or to sustain the legitimacy of the CCP regime.”


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Ethiopia: disinformation · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

One Ethiopia writes that his current failure to understand the economic news being peddled by EPRDF media is not his lack of intelligence but a conscious decision by the “masters of disinformation” to confuse


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Fires in focus in the South African blogosphere · Global Voices
Bronwyn

The last few weeks have been slow in the South African blogosphere.  The most exciting thing happening this week is the is that nominations have just opened for the second annual South African blog Awards. There are 14  categories including: South African blog of 2005 – The best of the best from SA, most humourous, best political, best photographic, best new, best food. best group and best design. .
Other big news in the blogosphere over the past week has been the terrible fires burning out of control on Table Mountain and other parts of the Western Cape. A British women, a tourist, was killed when she was hiking on Table Table Mountain and was overcome by the smoke. Ironically, the fire was started by another British tourist when he dropped his still burning cigarette butt on the ground. The man concerned has been criminally charged, and goes to court sometime this month. Cherryflava comments, “What where you thinking dude? You don't see Safricans trooping through Buckingham palace, flicking cigarettes around trying to set the thing alight do you?” Lusharazzi is thankful for the great work done by our fire fighters, “To the more than 200 firefighters who have worked non-stop throughout the night in heavy winds, difficult terrain and massive fires, WE SALUTE YOU!”  The latest fire, which on Thursday 2nd February was still burning out of control along an 80Km line is in the Overberg region of the Cape.  South Africa blog relays the news, “What was described as “the worst fire in memory” destroyed large swathes of the Overberg and Swartland, ruining farms and wiping out precious fynbos. It continues to burn.” Sadly, according to the Overberg fire chief, this fire was also caused by human negligence under conditions of extremely high winds and temperatures.
A new South African blog has recently come on the scene.  African Voices and Visions is written by young a documentary and filmmaker with a passion for Africa, and she travels widely through the continent. Her content is original writing with lots of photo's, and she documents some of the fascinating people that she's come accross like the Voodoo Pope from Benin and other interesting characters.  Here she writes about Fort Jesus, Mobassa a place “that connects all continents”
It has been standing for almost five hundred years and remains a fine example of 16th century military architecture. It was designed by an Italian and built by the Portuguese in 1583 who wanted to secure their position on the best harbour on the coast of East Africa. There were countless battles as the local Swahili people refused to accept foreign rule which led to Mombassa becoming known Vita or a place of war. Alaway Abzein, the Administrative Officer of the Fort, tells you about how his heroic grandfather was imprisoned in the Fort for standing up against colonial rule.
To end off on a lighter note, we had a new cartoonist on one of our online news sites and he's a blogger. Lots of cultural and social commentry on offer at Urban Trash.

author: Bronwyn


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Hong Kong, China: Violent Thought · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Glutter reprises a conversation she had with a person opposed to democracy in Hong Kong and who worried opposition weakens the Chinese government.  She writes: “I asked him how did he know those in power were always right, and their's was the best way? What gave them the responsibility to dictate the “ideals” we all have to follow?”  Read her post for his answers.


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India: Calcutta Calling · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The GreatBong shares some memories of Calcutta – from Durga Pujas (nine-day festival) to book shops. Each city has its own character, and Calcutta – especially so.


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India: Pinnacle of Sacrifice · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Palm Leaf on Ponniyin Selvan by Kalki, a book that took the Tamizh reading world by quite a wave in the middle of 20th century.


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Indonesia: Creeping Islamic Law · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Indonesia Matters worries about Islamic-law-based ordinances that are being passed at the regional level across Indonesia.


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Iraq: Election debate goes on · Global Voices
Salam Adil

Riverbend adds her weight to the bloggers debate on the aftermath of the Iraqi elections. She says: “I try not to dwell on the results too much- the fact that Shia religious fundamentalists are currently in power- because when I do, I’m filled with this sort of chill that leaves in its wake a feeling of quiet terror.” Read on here.

author: Salam Adil


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Kenya: Insecurity · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Bankelele comments on the growth of the security industry in Kenya  “Insecurity has gripped the country and especially our leaders. Buildings everywhere are being fenced off and fortified. In front of the Treasury, there is now a 24-hour roadblock /security checkpoint and another one in front of Central Bank.”


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Kyrgyzstan: NGOs UFOs · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

CXW of neweurasia reports on the linguistic elegance of certain Kyrgyz politicians.


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Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome · Global Voices
Salam Adil

Making todays post is like mixing a pancake – you have your eggy mess in the middle and you must whisk in the flour a bit at a time or it ends up all lumpy. Lets move on before the Analogy Police get me!
This week there is a mixture of politics, analysis, word from the streets and deep emotion. And you must read to the end to see the cute kitten.
The main topic this week was politics. With the implications of the Iraqi election results now sinking in, two veteran bloggers, Salam Pax and Mohammed (of Iraq the Model) slug it out to see who can be the most pessimistic about the future. Round one goes to Iraq The Model:
In a post entitled “Is there a place for democracy in the Middle East”, Mohammed start by asking questions:
“Is it possible for democracy to succeed here? And is the struggle to change our backward present and catch up with the modern world a losing one?”
He goes on to look at recent history to explain why the secular parties failed and the religious parties succeeded. Mohammed explains:
“religious parties .. had their offices (the mosques) and a schedule for meetings (prayer times). Unlike them, we had to find an office and we didn’t have holy dates and times for our meetings; clerics didn’t have to send invitation cards, hang banners or give every member a phone call as their audience was coming out of fear from God’s punishment.”
Mohammed ends defiantly: “Victory may look far away but defeat I can’t see at all and if some consider our sacrifices a defeat, I consider them a price that has to be paid.”
Salam Pax responds in a fighting spirit…
“Today we celebrate a new holiday in Iraq. It’s Democracy day. On this day last year we voted for the first time after the war. Now give me a moment to do my Happy Dance to celebrate the fact that we have a couple of religious extremists sitting in parliament”
Then a strong jab to the left:
“Thinking of this now it feels like I have been living in a make-believe world, I keep asking myself where are all the secular Iraqis? Where did all this religious extremism come from?  … There is only one answer, it was all a mistake.”
And the knock-out blow – Salam Pax gets personal:
“Sorry Mohammed but, to repeat a cliché, denial is not just a river in Africa. You are still expecting too much.
To come back to the question, is there a place for democracy? Well. I don’t think either of us has the heart to say no … But it’s such an uphill struggle to keep believing that …”
Then out of the blue in steps Baghdad Dweller and sweeps the old bruisers aside. She says:
“Is democracy associated with happy and stable society? .. India is a democratic country, yet the majority is in or under the poverty line.
Instead of blindly imitating the west, we must build our own pyramid by starting from the base and not from the top as the west telling us, by starting from the people and not from the government, by creating a suitable surroundings for justice.”
And we have a winner.
In my own blog, Asterism, I pointed out how the secular, religious and Baathist parties are failing and that there is now a power vacuum in Iraq. I called for a new democratic and secular movement to fill this.
Midterm exams are over in Iraq and some bloggers are giving a sigh of relief.
HNK approached her exams with the right attitude:
“For about 12 days, I didn't get enough sleep nor enough rest. I was weak mentality and psychology. From the first days of my examinations the generator was out of use. So imagine! How could I study without light? …”
Hassan Kharrufa missed an important lecture because the Interior Minister's daughter was kidnapped. and Aunt Najma is celebrating the exams being over: “I'm finally done with the mid-year exam. Inshallah, those were the last mid-year exams in a school for me ever!”
Word from the Streets:
Honorary Iraqi, Christopher Albritton returned to Baghdad and found it the same as when he left. Well not exactly: “I’ve been back a day and I’ve already received an earful on the high price of petrol”. he goes on to talk about the failing infrastructure, the political process, the mood of journalists and why there were more marriage convoys than usual when he arrived in Baghdad. Well worth a read!
Nibras Kazimi writes more about political proceedings and gives a clear picture of the meltdown in security in Iraq. “A similar situation occurred in the interim between last January’s elections … but this time around the intensity is fiercer and wider.” He goes on to say “I’ve had two sources tell me that they had recently tried dialing the ‘130’ emergency numbers to find that no one was picking up the phone.”
Konfused Kid posts two of his articles that were not published by the Day To Day in Iraq blog in the NY Times. A summary here will not do them justise. Just go there and enjoy some original writing.
Baghdad Treasure talks about the cult around the “Baghdad Sniper”.
“Baghdad Sniper is a man who shoots US soldiers with his silent guns. He fires once and vanishes just like ghosts. There is never a follow-up shot, never a chance for US forces to identify him. It’s a matter of seconds. You’ll never hear it.”
But he is not impressed: “my own point of view is this man and many others like him are leading the destruction of this country.  …  And who is suffering now? Before, it was only Iraqis but now, it is even the Americans who are losing loved sons, friends, and relatives in an endless horrible war”.
Morbid_Smile turned 22 on Tuesday and has been missing her Mom who was in Dubai for a while – Happy Birthday!
Attawie chats about the difficulty of finding a violinist in Baghdad. Attawie finds one but “The thanks go to our society that girls can't trust guys and vise versa.” Read on to find out how they overcome the obstacles.
And The Woman I Was writes about the difficulty of day to day life: “It is winter.. Rains and cold.. If I can buy fuels for the heaters; many could not…”
And Finally…
If the above was all too depressing here is a picture of a cute Kitten from Baghdad Girl.
Raghda takes catblogging to new extremes. I just dare you to scan through her blog and not say ‘aaaah’ once. When a teenage girl in Iraq can live through the horrors of this war and still blog about kittens it reaffirms my belief in humanity. As she says “Iraq for ever, cats for ever and Baghdad Girl for ever….”


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Langston Huges · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Bazungu Bucks reminds us that February 1st is the birthday of African American poet Langston Hughes.


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Liberia: anti-corruption drive · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Grandiose Parlour reports that Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson has sacked the whole of the finance ministry as part of her anti-corruption drive..


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Malaysia, Denmark: Clash of Civilities? · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Ktemoc Konsiders, a blogger from Malaysia, shares his thoughts on the controversy surrounding a Danish newspaper's decisions to publish caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad: “why choose an offensive insensitive issue, as if it didn’t know that the cartoons would be highly blasphemous, distressing, insulting and provocative to Muslims throughout the world? But in reality, it did (know) because it admitted it was testing to see how Danish freedom of speech and expression had been curtailed?”


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Nepal: Rally in NY · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Democracy For Nepal has a wonderful photo-post of a rally held in New York.


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Nepal: What does it all mean? · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The world of brickthrowing, riots and clashes with the police. Samudaya.org on the purpose and purposelessness of demonstrations.


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Nigeria: homosexual ban unconstitutional · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Agodi News criticises the proposed ban on homosexuality (justifed on the basis of religious texts) in Nigeria as being unconstitutional and facist….”Law neither hinges on paternalistic whim nor on moral nor on religious world views. Law's authority is to force social integration and enable justice and in democracy the price we pay for our freedom is that equal freedom must be accord dissenting views and morals”.


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Pakistan: Diaspora meeting homeland · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Getting diaspora to know the country. Metroblogging Islamabad reports “Overseas Pakistan Foundation (OPF) has planned to arrange study tours for children of overseas Pakistanis to their homeland.”


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Panama: Monolingual American Expats · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Leon Kadoch is frustrated by Americans who live and work in Panama without taking the time to learn the language and culture. Kadock opines that this is a specifically American phenomenon and that French, Dutch, German, and British visitors have “a completely different behavior, they're  really working hard on learning our culture [and] language.”


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Panama: Tameles Recipe · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Melissa identifies the secret ingredient which distinguishes the Panamanian tamal from its northern neighbors. As always, her post will leave you both more informed and hungry.


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Poland: Stabilization · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

the beatroot reports on a stabilization pact signed by two minority parties with the Law and Justice government that mean new elections shouldn't be on the horizon.


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Russia, Kosovo, Georgia: Frozen Conflicts · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

David McDuff writes that Russia may acquiesce to a plan that would split Kosovo from Serbia and Montenegro to pressure the West into a quid pro quo deal that would result in recognition of the pro-Russian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, both of which are legally part of Georgia.


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Singapore: Bloggregator Woes · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Singapore blog aggregator Tomorrow.sg continues to take knocks from other bloggers, who complain about its editorial approach and integrity.  Xialanxue posts a sarcastic “guide to managing a metablog” and links to several posts critiquing Tomorrow.sg‘s problems.


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Sleepless in Sudan: Goodbye · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Darfur aid worker Sleepless in Sudan says goodbye……”It's somewhat bittersweet to write those words after having ranted and raved, moaned and marvelled, and generally obsessed about Darfur for so long. Of course, it's not that I have run out of things to rant about.”


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Slovenia: Darfur Initiative(s) · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

The Glory of Carniola writes on Slovenian Darfur initiatives which include both the president's humanitarian initiative and Slovenian industry's initiative to provide Omar al-Bashir with a luxury yacht.


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Sri Lanka: New site to syndicate content from blogs · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A new site – zSri syndicates content from Sri Lankan sources and blogs.


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Tajikistan: Presidential Guard on Trial · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

“Tajik Boy” writes about the trial of a former commander of the Tajik Presidential Guard that he says is similar to the Khodorkovsky case in Russia.


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Travels in the Kurdish Blogosphere · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

My normal Wednesday post is late this week because well….I forgot what day it was. It has been one of those weeks. Luckily, it was a quiet week in the Kurdish blogosphere so I feel redeemed.
Hiwa from Hiwa Hopes writes about Kurdish judges in the Saddam Hussein trial, anger over the bird flu, and about a situation where the Turkish government deported an Iraqi Kurdish family.
Kurdistan Blog Count is having a contest to come up with alternate titles for this weekly column. If you have a suggestion, please comment here or on KBC.
From Holland to Kurdistan has an interesting post with a letter that was sent to him about his work for the Kurds. Vladimir has been becoming more and more active in writing news articles for various Kurdish news agencies. Most of these he posts on his blog, Kurds blast caricatures of Islamic prophet, is one of his articles from this week that deserves a good read.
Roj Bash! has some excellent historical topic postings this week: PKK in Southern Kurdistan: The Beritan Line, information for a photo exhibit on Dersim and Munzur Valley, and a brief history on the Yezidi's.
Save RojTV continues in their work to not only save their TV station but also to help further establish the legitmacy of Kurdish media, check their websites for ways to help.
Rasti writes about state terror in Turkey and the Iraqi connection with it, and an excellent reason to support Denmark.
Talk about the Passion has an interesting post on rules for guests in Kurdish households.
And I am only really going to announce this blog this week, but there now is a wonderful blog about the Kurdish city of Hasankeyf in Southeast Turkey which will be under water within the next few years due to damming on the Tigris. The site was created by journalist John Wreford and it is absolutely fantastic!
There will be no Kurdish update next week as I will be getting married, so a two week round-up will be forthcoming. Till next time!

author: Deborah Ann Dilley


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Trinidad & Tobago: Embracing Carnival · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Nicholas Laughlin recounts the story of how he learned to stop worrying and love Carnival.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Say no to chutney · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

The Trinidad & Tobago World Cup Blog analyzes  the request by the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) to have the word ‘chutney’ to be added to the name of T&T's national football, making them the Soca Chutney Warriors.


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Uganda: matters of concern · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Ngomrom writes on the various things that are happening in Uganda that are cause for concern such as a speeding army truck that dispersed supporters of the opposition; On the military side: Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who heads a regiment of the Presidential Guard Brigade is Museveni's own son. This is the closest to a private army Museveni has ventured;


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Uruguay: The History of the Uruguayan Sensibility 1800-1860 · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Rosario reviews The History of the Uruguayan Sensibility 1800-1860 by José Pedro Barrán and wishes her own history classes in school were as intimate.


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Venezuela: Looking Back on Seven Years of Chavez · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Today marks seven years of Chavez at the helm of Venezuela. Miguel Octavio translates an op-ed by Teodoro Petkoff entitled “Seven Years of Failure,” while Oil Wars says the piece is lacking in statistical evidence.


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Zimbabwe: food shortages · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

The Bearded man has a roundup of Zimbabwean news: shortage of  Zimbabwe's staple food, maize meal, means people are eating substandard bread if they can afford it; the issue of a Zim dollar 50,000 note which with the hyper inflation will buy 3.6 eggs or 4 candles.


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Africa Cup – Ghana over and out · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

The Trials & Tribulations of a Freshly-Arrived Denizen mourns Ghana's Black Stars poor performance in the Africa Cup of Nations.


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Armenia: IDPs, Refugees, & Landmines · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Onnik Krikorian writes on Karabakh and internally displaced persons, refugees, and landmines.


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Barbados: Software piracy and a famous madam · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Titlayo is fascinated by a newspaper report about a Barbadian woman who has been indicted in the US on charges of software piracy. And Richard Bolai pays tribute to Rachel Pringle, “the famous 18th century Barbadian hotelier, entertainer of princes and commoners, sailors and soldiers”.


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Chile: Reality Blog · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Carolina, Juan, and Pedro are among the contestants of Reality Blog, which predictably enough is the Chilean blogosphere's equivalent of reality T.V.


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China, Hong Kong: Self-Reflection · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

EastSouthWestNorth translates a column by China blogger Michael Anti praising EastSouthWestNorth‘s heroic translations of Chinese media reports: “If the Chinese blogosphere can be said to be like the world of martial arts, then EastSouthWestNorth's Roland is the supreme leader of the alliance who is in a lofty and unmatched position.  So please let us pay tribute to you, the leader of our tribe.”


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Coretta Scott King · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Gukira comments on the passing of Mrs Coretta Scott King who he says will not be remembered for her support of gay and lesbian rights nor for belief in civil rights for all – she will be “She will be, like Caesar, stabbed and appropriated, turned into a docile saint.“


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DRC: myth v reality · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Adventures of a retired arm chair traveller provides some real facts about the DRC….”Um. No, 92 out of every 100 babies do not die. This is why sports columnists should not write about health statistics, at least not without asking, So what does that mean? Think about it — If I had 10 babies, one MIGHT live. C'mon. DRC has a population of roughly 60 million, so that means that if all the infants had lived, they'd have a population of 750 million? No, I don't think so.”


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Ethiopia and cultural tourism · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Friends of Ethiopia points to a piece in the New York Times on Ethiopia's rich history and prospects for cultural tourism.


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Ethiopia becomming a US citizen · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Aqumada comments on her transistion from mere foreigner to American citizen and the new expectations from her husband who remains a foreigner.


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Ethiopia detention of Frezer Negash · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Reporters without Borders has called on the “Ethiopian authorities to explain why they are holding Frezer Negash, a member of the opposition and a correspondent for the US news website Ethiopian Review, for the past week. Negash is three months pregnant...”……“This new arrest once again shows that the Ethiopian authorities cannot stand their political opponents expressing their views in the media or on the Internet,” the press freedom organisation said. “As no official charge has been brought against Negash, we consider her detention to be arbitrary.”


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G8 and celebrity frenzy · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Curious is sick and tired of “the media-hyped frenzy that is whipped up to promote celebrity in the name of helping the poor” and points to  paper by Professor William Easterly, “Planners Vs Searchers in foreign aid” which discusses the subject.


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Georgia: Thieves’ Honor · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Ben Wheeler writes on honor among Georgia's thieves–their Achilles’ heel.


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Goodbye Teju Cole · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Naija blog writes an obituary as Teju Cole's blog on his journey home signs out – we are all feeling the loss.


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Grenada: Independence etc · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Ice Man Melting is so busy celebrating the 121st anniversary of the Grenada Boys Secondary School and attending a screening of the island's first feature film, that he almost forgot that Grenada celebrates its Indepedence Day this coming Tuesday.


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Guyana, Jamaica: Caribbean Single Market · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Guyana's MediaCritic continues his “Conversations” series with a chat with “Jamaican Sistren” about the Caribbean Single Market, which was ratified earlier this week.


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Guyana: Matchmaking & other dying arts · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Guyana-Gyal recounts the hilarious tale of her mother's close brush with an arranged marriage, though admits that she's got “tradition in my bones”.


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Haiti: Cultural life · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Alice Backer reminds us that “a general strike against the UN mission's perceived inaction against insecurity, the recent suicide (or is that killing?) of the head of the UN mission, and delayed elections,”  hasn't put a stop to Haiti's cultural life. Last week a panel discussing a novel by writer Marie Chauvet took place in the Haitian capital. “Among various themes,” says Alice, “panelists highlighted the work's relevance to haitian literature and to haitian women's literature.”


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In praise of Ghana street food · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

My Heart's in Accra writes in praise of Ghana street food – “Great food is one of the main reasons to come to Accra. And the way to eat in Ghana is not to go to restaurants, but to wander from stall to stall on the sidewalks, eating plantain, kebab, boiled eggs and yam chips. I’d add fresh pineapple and coconuts to her list of neccesary culinary experiences”


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India: Bombay and Trains · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Entrance To The Shrine on Bombay: The trains, dirt, romanticizing the journey on trains, dabbawallah system and more.


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India: Jew Town · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Reuben at Zoostation writes about Cochin, its Jew Town and some of the last “White Jews” left.


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Iran: Bloggers & Bus strike · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Otobos1 blog (Persian) informs us that this  Friday bus drivers will start a strike to ask for liberation of hundred bus workers and drivers who got arrested last week, one day before launching strike. Blogger asked other bloggers to back strike and bus workers by different means including covering news. Already about 40 bloggers have left comments on Otobos1 to say they will back movement tommorow.


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Jamaica: Jonathan gets his groove back · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

LandFall thinks that “emancipation” from author Terri McMillan has been good for Jonathan Plummer, if only in the looks department. Plummer is the young Jamaican McMillan met while on vacation in Jamaica and eventually married, and who subsequently revealed he was gay. The story of their meeting was the inspiration for McMillan's novel How Stella Got her Groove Back.


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Kenya: Githongo scandal · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

From Kenya, both Kenyan Pundit and Thinkers Room comment on the ongoing saga of the Githongo scandal….Pundits conclusion…”there is money in Kenya, just in the wrong pockets”.


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Letter to Obasnajo on gay marriages · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

AfroHomo posts an extract of a letter to Nigeria's President Obasanjo on same sex marriage. “”I personally [sic] do not like same sex marriage, but that does not mean I must stop others who prefer to live that way, if it makes them happier. At the end of the day we do not need sermons on marriage ethics passed as laws of Nigeria according to the taste and caprices of Obasanjo and his holier than thou ministers.”


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Meles : schizophrenic · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Weichegud! ET Politics tells us why she believes Ethiopian leader, Meles Zenawi is suffering from schizophrenia.


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Mexico: Judge Sides Against Coke · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Michelle Dion writes about a recent court case in Mexico where a judge ruled that Coke-FEMSA dismissed a worker because of his sexual orientation.


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Myanmar, Thailand: Damning the Salween · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Burma Underground talks about a deal between the Thai government and the ruling Myanmar junta to dam the Salween River and displace thousands in ethnic minority states for Thai industrialization.


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Nepal: Protestors  · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A brilliant photo-post at Samudaya.org showing protestors being shoved around by the police. Not even UN Monitors and journalists were spared.


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Nepal: Remembering the bullet · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

United We Blog! has a feature on “A student in Nepal remembers how her life has changed after an army bullet fired at pro-democracy students hit her.”


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Niger Delta: hostage taking · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Kazey's Journal has a timeline of the recent rebel attacks in the Niger Delta and asks  a number of questions such as “Is Nigeria a safe place to live”?


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Nigeria: 3rd termism · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Chippla's Weblog and David Ajao both comment on the ongoing debate around a third term for President Obasanjo.  Ajao writes..”Like the proverbial cat with nine lives, this menace called “Third Term” has refused to die. It only simmers a little, and re-surfaces again, rearing its ugly head in the political terrain of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”


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Panama: A Blogger’s First English Post · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Panamanian blogger, Anna Luisa writes, what I believe is, her first post in English and concludes, “Today was OK. Today was cool. Today was in English.”


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Philippines: Fast Food Freak-Out · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

A few Americans try Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee and freak out: “We became such Ugly Americans because this food was so beyond anything we could have guessed it would be. We couldn't stop. We were embarrassing ourselves and still couldn't stop. Every bite was another shock.”  Their reactions offend some, while others shrug. “oh well. it's definitely exaggeration. jollibee was not made for them, it's for filipinos.”


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Russia: Nationalism · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Sean Guillory examines whether or not nationalism in Russia is anti-East or anti-West.


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South Asia: Reacting to the Danish Cartoons Controversy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The recent controversy over the cartoons perceived to be ridiculing Islam have stirred a whole volley of posts in India. Pickled Politics makes some important points and rounds up reactions from various other blogs.  The Predicate has an excellent roundup of the entire situation and says
The Islamic radical extremists have escalated this issue, literally begging for a backlash and public outcry. Had they just politely asked for an apology, they would have probably gotten it and the issue would have ended there. With bomb threats and boycotting Danish goods and fatwas and other potentially violent means, they have pushed people to respond. Now, many more images of Mohammed will show up, public will be more defiant (as people just love to demolish sacred cows).
Mumbai Girl explores some conflicts surrounding taking a stand in the issue.
The conflict between the right to freedom of speech and the harm that it may cause will always exist as it always has. But the contradictions between the two need to be resolved through dialogue about what it means to have a right, to exercise it and to be offended by it, not by adopting defiant postures as several European newspapers have done, or violence and intolerance as some Muslims have done.
Atanu Dey at Deesha outlines the choice of one makes of being offended
My advice to anyone who is offended by the lawful expression of free speech is simple: don’t watch, hear, or read whatever it is you find offensive. Nobody is forcing you to read or watch you find offensive. Reach for the remote and switch the channel. If you cannot find the channel you want, start your own channel. Or newspaper. Or whatever. But for the sake of sanity, keep your sensibilities to yourself if you find free expression offensive.
Haydur.dot.com says
Why is Al-Jazeera allowed to broadcast beheadings and a European newspaper being slammed around the globe for showing soom sense of humor? I don't see any Muslims protesting against Al-Jazeera by showing all those bloody tapes and tarnishing the image of their religion? Is it because they want their religion to be feared, just like they've been raised to fear God Almighty…
More reactions at Hardly Innovative. Sadiq reiterates that Islam's take on prophets of any religion would mean that a prophet cannot be the object of ridicule.  Mezba says
I believe this is a fantastic opportunity for the Arab world. Cancel the boycott. Announce that any European visiting an Arab country will get a free tourist visa, and can live with an Arab family. Start with the Danes. The Arabs are famous for their hospitality, and many locals will line up to have an European family stay with them.


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South Korea: The Screen Goes Dark · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

The passing of pioneering video artist Nam June Paik earlier this week drew comment from Korea bloggers here and here.


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Sri Lanka: Online Mediation · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Hell's Dire Agent links to a An Asian Perspective on Online Mediation.


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Thailand: Exiled Website · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Thai activist website CorruptionWatch.net (TH) had its hosting contract cancelled by its local host, according to Reporters San Frontieres.  The website, which runs critical coverage of individuals linked to Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has found a new host — outside Thailand.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Adventure & masquerade · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Francomenz pays tribute to her brother Ryan Mendes, the only Caribbean athlete ever to participate in New Zealand's famous Speights Coast-to-Coast Multi Sport Race. And both Francomenz and Richard Bolai visit the exhibition featuring the work of Trinidadian Carnival designer Wayne Berkeley.


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Vietnam: What is Literacy? · Global Voices
Jose Manuel Tesoro

Việt Nam is famous for having extremely high literacy rates for a developing country.  Down and Out in Sài Gòn observes that when it comes to foreign shows, many Vietnamese prefer listening to dubbed voices than reading subtitles.


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Bolivia: Morales with Jorge Ramos and George Bush · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Fausta's Blog links to a video of Bolivian president, Evo Morales becoming visibly agitated by Univision anchorman, Jorge Ramos’ prodding about his thoughts on Fidel Castro. He also translates a transcription of the exchange into English. The next day, responding to an article published in Spain's El Pais, Fausta's Blog calls the article an example of big media spin. Boli-Nica has his thoughts on a reported conversation between US president, George Bush and Evo Morales.


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From Geocities to MTYBlogs: The History of Monterrey’s Blogosphere · Global Voices
alan flores

From last week's Monterrey Bloggers’ reunion at Cafe Paraiso
The social and cultural impact of weblogs on how we communicate cannot be denied. Everyday, everywhere in the world, without leaving Mexico, you can find more of them. And as they grow, so do the topics they cover and formats they use. But did you ever wonder how and when this “boom” started? Have weblogs always existed as such? What was their precursor?
Wikipedia helps us and mentions what could have been the first weblog in Spanish: “April 1999, Barrapunto.com is born, a weblog related to free software that offers a logbook system denominated MiBarrapunto (in 2001) and later on moved to the logbook of Barrapunto (2003)…”
We asked our friends here in Monterrey to speak to us about it. Moises Kirsch author of Moiblog and also owner of the business Subjetivo.com commented:
One of the first weblogs that has been recognized today was the novelty section of the NCSA Mosaic page (which was bought by Microsoft to become Internet Explorer). Personaly, to me, weblogs started with Kottke.org and Zeldman.com. These two were the firsts I began to follow constantly and from that moment on I became aware of many more.
Meanwhile, Eduardo Dominguez author of OchoCuartos, which has been functioning since october 2004, chimes in: “Personally, I remember many sites that now can be qualified as blogs and had been online for a while like Slashdots, Shinga, Shack, Blues News or those the programmers published to keep the hungry followers of their games informed.”
Who did not use Geocities at some point? Who did not have it's personal page with this platform? Our friends Moises and Eduardo confess to having their webpage on it. (By the way, as a curiosity, none of them remember the URL of their old site) Moises mentions”…The first reference of a blog in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, to be honest, was my own where I updated sort of constantly with news and commentaries. It began on Geocities, later became Moiseskirsch.com, then moi.kirsch.com.mx, and finally ended up to become what you can see today in moiblog.com…”
Eduardo tells us, “compared to what we have today, my Geocities site just stayed afloat, though it could be said that it was good as long it lasted…” We could probably call such sites the beggining for many bloggers or blogging itself. The intention was probably tha same; we put personal stuff on these pages, family albums, etc.
Perhaps we were always bloggers, but we just gave it a different name. We always had the same goals though the publication platform varied. The evolution is interesting as are the changes that have taken place and will continue to take place.
I agree with Eduardo's comment: “many people have weblogs; they just don't know they do. For them it's just a “website”, their “myspace” or their “MSN Spaces.”
Bitacoras, Blogsmexico, Veneblogs, MTYBlogs – just to name a few – have arisen from the same necessity. First to meet and get to know others like you: “I'm a blogger, but who else is like me?” Then you want to know how many are in your city, state, or country. And from there, bloggers begin to organize themselves in thematic categories.
The growth has been incredible. Services that offer you free blog hosting, exemplary tutorials, new templates, and more. The growth of users is just as incredible. Veneblogs, today, has 2,220 registered Venezuelan blogs. Blogsmexico claims 4,265 weblogs, Bitacoras has 141,705, and the recently resurrected MTYBlogs now has 66 users.
But how did it occur to developers to start these communities? Have they always grouped bloggers like they do today?
Raúl who writes at Isopixel and is in charge of Blogsmexico, tells us some interesting facts:
Blogs México was born on April 20, 2004 – so it will soon turn two years old. It came out of some talks we had at the first couple blogger meetups in Mexico City, which were just three or four of us. It was hard to believe that there were so few of us and we would try to guess the amount of Mexican bloggers scattered around. The most adventurous guess was 500, so you can imagine our surprise when we surpassed that number in the very first days of the directory.
Time passed and my interest in blogs kept increasing. I tried to understand the phenomenon in any way I could, including wanting to do my master's thesis on blogs, which gave me the push to find reliable numbers related to the growth of weblogs.
I met Afrael, who wrote the code for Veneblogs, which Blogs México also runs on. I asked his permission to adopt all of the source code to make Blogs México and the rest is history.
Seyd Rios, who started MTYBlogs, tells us his story:
I bought the domain, MTYBlogs.com in July of 2003 and began the directory and the community weblog around this time. More than anything else, the idea arose from the need of feeling connected to Monterrey while living abroad. In July of 2003 I already had offline a small collection of links to blogs from Monterrey, so really it was just a question of putting them online. I felt the need to make it public because I figured that there were plenty of other Mexicans from Monterrey, like myself, who felt the need to be connected to their city via this “new medium” of blogging.
I think physical distance was the greatest obstacle with MTYBlogs.com because it was impossible for me to attend the reunions and make tighter bonds with the bloggers to strengthen the website. There were two or three well-recognized bloggers in Monterrey's blogosphere and I think it didn't seem to them that someone living outside of the city should initiate the project. But fortunately, their influence wasn't as great as that of the local blogosphere who wanted a directory and everything turned out well.
Monterrey's blogosphere began the day that the first “Regio” (someone from Monterrey) started a weblog and that would be impossible to estimate. I think though that there have been so-called “Alpha Geeks” in Monterrey that have been blogging since the 90's, but the phenomenon arrived to the general population probably in 2001 or 2002.
I have been blogging since before the term blog was coined. In 1999 I kept a site on geocities with a section called “my diary,” which I edited manually. Later I joined the burgeoning blogger movement and started my blog with Blogspot/Blogger, later migrated from Greymatter to Movable Type and now I use WordPress.
In my point of view, blog communities are necessary, but not obligatory. They bring about a sense of belonging and a certain manner of etiquette among the group.

author: alan flores


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Indigenous Culture in Brazil Offers New Perspectives – OhmyNews International · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Filmmaker and citizen journalist, Anna Penido joins an entourage of White Brazilians observing the festival of “Kuarup” on Xingu Reservation and pens her interesting observations at OhmyNews International.