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Does a New Japanese Robotic Wheelchair Offer “Answers to Problems Disabled People Don’t Have”? · Global Voices
Michael Peckitt

Tmsuk RODEM mobility robot. Video screencap from www.tmsuk.co.jp/rodem/
I love technology. I suppose I am what we might call in in Japan a ‘gijutsu otaku,’ (技術オタク) a person with an excessive love of technology. Maybe this comes from growing up in an era when there were still mainframes, and personal computers (PC) could at best only handle word processing or games with really bad graphics. I am also disabled, so technology is a necessity for me as well. The PC and the smartphone are now indispensable features of my everyday life, but there are also assistive devices that are both functional and cool, and robotics is an area I follow with keen interest. Driverless cars, certainly, cannot come soon enough for me.
Yet sometimes I am hesitant about particular technological developments, as technological ambition can sometimes surpass concerns about functionality. Take, for example, the recent innovation from Tmsuk Co. Ltd, a company based in Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture, that in mid-December 2017 produced a new type of robotic wheelchair called the ‘Rodem’. The Rodem is allegedly designed to allow the user to transfer from wheelchair to bed more easily than the longstanding ‘chair design’ wheelchair.
As ‘Nikkei Technology’ reported:
“The robot, “Rodem,” was developed so that the user can easily ride on the wheelchair from a bed, sofa, etc. At the time of getting on/off the robot, its seat protrudes backward and diagonally downward, and the user straddles the seat from behind. There is no backrest, but the user can lean forward to put his/her weight on the front part of the seat…The robot can be charged by using a 100V domestic power source. After being charged for eight hours, it can travel 15km or more. Its maximum speed is 6km/h.”
The device can be controlled by smartphone, allowing users to control it remotely, to bring it closer or move it further away from a bed, for example.
It's the apparent convenience and comfort that makes the ‘Rodem’ so appealing, of course. To be able to get in and out bed easily without the need for a carer, and with such a cool-looking wheelchair, that must be a good thing, right? “While conventional wheelchairs give a hug, the Rodem gives a piggyback,” said Tmsuk’s President Yoichi Takamoto, suggesting that he certainly thinks so.
A spokesperson for the Tmsuk Company also stated in an article in The Daily Mail that the Rodem was intended to “…break down the barriers facing elderly and disabled people,” by allowing for “movement to widen the users’ living area and increase their quality of life.”
A desire to break down barriers and increase the quality of life of disabled people is, of course, a good thing. Yet some in the disability community have doubts about the Rodem.
UK-based Access and Inclusion expert and wheelchair user Mik Scarlet tweeted that he was fed up with “. . . ego driven product designers telling us what we need & creating answers to problems Disabled people don't have. This won't advance accessible tech but looks good in media.”
Scarlet was equally outspoken in a conversation with me via Twitter private message. “Tmsuk Rodem chair proves designers have no idea about wheelchairs & their users,” he said. “…the bizarre concept around transferring into it indicates that very few chair users took part in the design process at all. To transfer onto the Tmsuk Rodem is much harder than the usual side transfer and there is much less support with the loss of the backrest. It works for almost no wheelchair users.”
If its purpose is to help the majority of wheelchair users, said Mik Scarlet, the Tmsuk Rodem wheelchair is simply not up to scratch. But to the media and public at large, it looks like a great idea. As an article on the tech site Engadget gushed in December 2017, “The robotic wheelchair gives you a piggyback ride that not only makes it easier to climb aboard, but puts you in a high, forward-mounted position. It's easier to brush your teeth, make breakfast or just hold face-to-face conversations.”
I am also moved to speculate about the reasons behind Japan’s interest in robotics, which might include the scarcity of staff for certain jobs. Hospital and the residential care are among the sectors in Japan that are highly underfunded and understaffed, and in areas such as customer service robotics are quite literally taking over. Now it’s mobility aids. It is all very convenient, but convenience, in this case, seems to be linked to not having to deal with human beings. That may be fine for someone trying to buy something from a shop, but not so pleasant, one imagines, for the salesperson whose job the robot has replaced.
Getting in and out of bed is one of the most difficult, yet crucial tasks a disabled person faces, and I am sure that one day a robotic device will be developed that would satisfy the concerns of Mik Scarlet and others about its physics and eliminate entirely the need for wheelchair users to depend on carers. In its present incarnation, however, the Tmsuk Rodem is not it.
It does seem as well that the Rodem is targeted at elderly people who may not have access to a carer, especially if they live in rural areas of Japan, where there is a particular need for more carers. My question then is this: Instead of developing new technologies that might prove unsuitable, why not at the very least also train more professional carers?

author: Michael Peckitt


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Filipino Bloggers Rally to Defend Rappler News Site · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

Black Friday protest in Quezon City, Philippines on January 19, 2018. Photo by Therese Reyes, shared on Twitter.
Filipino bloggers are rallying to defend press freedom against moves by Rodrigo Duterte's administration to shut down Philippine-based news website Rappler.
On January 11, the Securities and Exchange Commission cancelled the company’s license to operate as a business, claiming that it has violated rules against foreign ownership of media companies.
Although Rappler has received some financial support the US-based Omidyar Network, it is fully is owned and operated by Filipinos who reside in the Philippines. Nevertheless, President Duterte insinuated in his July 2017 State of the Nation Address that Rappler is “fully owned by Americans.”
Supporters held “Black Friday” protests on January 19, condemning the attacks against the besieged news site and demanding stronger protections for media freedom.  Members of mainstream media, campus journalists, activists, and press freedom advocates gathered in Quezon City and Bacolod City to raise their voices.
Filipino youth defending press freedom #BlackFridayForPressFreedom pic.twitter.com/0WYB1TkYsw
— Therese Reyes (@theresereyes_) January 19, 2018
Protests at Timog and Katipunan erupted today as a sign of protest against the attacks of the government on press freedom. #DefendPressFreedom pic.twitter.com/abPdGmuueM
— Ice Punzalan #JunkTRAIN (@icepnzln) January 19, 2018
Bacolod media, groups join call for press freedom#BlackFridayForPressFreedom pic.twitter.com/OWqs9v9BRE
— Marchel Espina (@marchelespina) January 19, 2018
On the same week the SEC revoked Rappler's license, the country's National Bureau of Investigation also summoned company CEO Maria Ressa, along with a reporter and one of the company's corporate owners. The investigation is the result of a claim by businessman Wilfredo Keng, who alleges that Rappler committed “cyber libel” in a 2012 article that showed evidence that Keng had been involved in human trafficking and drug smuggling. Rappler has vowed to challenge these claims against the company.
On January 19, Filipino bloggers collectively wrote and signed a statement expressing their commitment to freedom of expression, and their solidarity with Rappler. Initiated by Mom Blogger Noemi Dado, the statement is part of an outpouring of support by Filipino social media users and netizens for Rappler and in defense of press freedom.
More bloggers are invited to join the signatories by signing up at http://bit.ly/bloggersforfreedom. Here is the statement's text and initial signatories:
We concerned Filipino bloggers stand for the rights to free expression and to free speech. And our first responsibility is to protect these rights.
We thus stand with Rappler, its right to exist, the rights of its working journalists and contributors, and the rights of its community of readers.
We stand against moves to silence and scare journalists, bloggers and media practitioners just because the President and his ardent supporters dislike their news and views.
Now is a time for making choices amid battles between truth and lies, debate and dissonance, democracy and dictatorship.
We sign our names here to tell everyone we have made a choice. We are bloggers for freedom.
Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Tonyo Cruz
Dale Bacar
Marcelle Fabie
Myk Mykapalaran Cruz
Rod Magaru
Ely Valendez
Alex Lapa
Tess Termulo
Zena Bernardo
Jover Laurio
James Romer V. Velina
Ramon Nocon
Flow Galindez
Helga Weber
Mc Richard Viana Paglicawan
Raymond Palatino
Loi Landicho
Saul de Jesus
Karlo Mongaya
Ricky Rivera
Mark Will Mayo Magallanes
Eyriche Cortez
Julius Mariveles
Yusuf Ledesma
RJ Barrete
Dino Manrique
Peachy Tan
Rhadem Camlian Morados
Julius Rocas
Jon Limjap
Markku Seguerra
Jam Ancheta
Estan Cabigas
Enrico Dee
Acee Vitangcol
Stefan Punongbayan
Jesus Falcis
Hancel Reyes
Czarina Maye Noche
JM Mariano
Reginald Agsalon
John Clifford Sibayan
Jane Uymatiao
Johnn Mendoza
Carlos Celdran
Christian Melanie
Jann Medina
Carlo Arvisu
Inday Espina Varona
Eugene Alvin Villar
Melo Villareal
Brian Ong
JM Tuazon
Fritz Tentativa
Fitz Villafuerte
Tina Antonio
Mykel Andrada
Reynaldo Pagsolingan Jr.
Renz Daniel de Vera
Alfred John Tayona
Jed Lariego
Judith Albano
Maritel Ledesma
John Paul Manahan
Vencer Crisostomo
John Phillips Bengero
Leo D. Cloma
Kassy Pajarillo
Dianne Salonga
Joseph Gonzales
Bimbo Isidro
Alan de Luzuriaga
Acielle Angeli Garcera
Maria Jose
Nath Hermosa
Mavic Conde
Anton Deleon
Pepe Cabrera
Jorel Alfuente
Yshmael Cabana
Allandale Antenero
Consie Lozano
John Philip C. Bravo
Eduardo Joven
Claire Madarang
Randell Tiongson
Michelle Ressa Aventajado
Jim Paredes
Didi Tiu Tang
Menard Osena
Oji Sanchez
Note: Filipino Global Voices community members Karlo Mongaya, Julius Rocas and Mong Palatino (Global Voices’ Southeast Asia editor) are signatories of the statement.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Karlo Mongaya


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In Argentina, the Search for the Lost Grandchildren of the Dictatorship Continues · Global Voices
Romina Navarro

Photo by Emergentes shared publicly on Facebook Facebook and used with permission.
On December 27, 2017, the Argentine NGO Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo announced the recovery of granddaughter number 127. The latest granddaughter to be found is the daughter of María del Carmen Moyano and Carlos Poblete, militants from the Montoneros organization who were kidnapped and have been missing since the last dictatorship in Argentina (1976 – 1983).
The digital news outlet Cosecha Roja briefly tells the story of her parents and the circumstances surrounding their disappearance:
Con la llegada de la dictadura, los militares allanaron su casa y ella [María del Carmen Moyano] se mudó a San Juan, donde conoció a Carlos Poblete, un estudiante de Ingeniería 10 años mayor. “La pareja compartió militancia en la organizción Montoneros. Luego de seis meses decidieron vivir juntos”, contó Estela de Carlotto. Entre abril y mayo de 1977 Carlos y María del Carmen fueron secuestrados en Córdoba y trasladados al centro clandestino de detención La Perla. Ella ya estaba embarazada.
With the arrival of the dictatorship, the military raided her house and she [María del Carmen Moyano] moved to San Juan, where she met Carlos Poblete, an engineering student who was 10 years older than her. “The couple shared militancy in the Montoneros organization. After six months they decided to live together,” said Estela de Carlotto. Between April and May of 1977 Carlos and María del Carmen were kidnapped in Córdoba and taken to the clandestine detention center La Perla. She was already pregnant.
“Nieta 127″ (Granddaughter 127) was born in captivity between May and June 1977 in the maternity ward of the clandestine detention center of the Navy School of Mechanics (ESMA). After 40 years, her two uncles and seven aunts celebrate the closure of an important chapter in their family's history; however, the wound remains open as the parents’ fate is still unknown.
During the dictatorship, an estimated 30,000 people were victims of forced disappearances and their children, in a good portion of the cases, were appropriated by the State through illegal adoptions and clandestine births. The number is still contested, but human rights defenders and the foundation Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo  (Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo) — an organization devoted to the cause of finding the grandchildren of those who were disappeared – claim this number to be accurate.
Press conference by the Abuelas (grandmothers) for the recovery of granddaughter #127. Photo shared publicly on Facebook
Adriana, granddaughter #126, who had been found just days before attended the press conference. Two of the granddaughter 127's aunts were present as well. The identity of the granddaughter 127 herself is not yet known. The details about the family that raised her were not revealed either in order to protect their privacy. One of the aunts who was filled with emotion said:
We are going to tell her to not to worry. We're going to give her all the time in the world to process the situation. We searched for her for 40 years. We love her intensely.
The joy of the moment could not even be overshadowed by the news of the recent transfer to home confinement of Miguel Etchecolaz, the man that was responsible for the kidnapping, torture, and murder of a group of high school students in what became known as the Night of the pencils.
Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo confirmed the news. “The aunts of the granddaughter, who have been waiting for this meeting for 40 years, were present at the press conference” they said. The news surpassed that of the home confinement of Etchecolaz…
Under the hashtag #Nieta127, Twitter was flooded with expressions of joy, some of them mixed with indignation and disagreement with the justice given to those responsible. The image shared in many of the tweets shows writing on the wall of the Casa por la Identidad (the House of Identity, lead by the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo) where the context of the forced disappearances during the dictatorship is recounted. Inside the text, they manually keep count of the grandchildren that have been reunited with their families:
La Casa por la Identidad de Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, en @espacio_memoria ya tiene contabilizada la restitución de la #Nieta127 Seguimos sumando logros y esperanzas ! @abuelasdifusion pic.twitter.com/sEcxbp6ThY
— Silvia Flores (@floresimosquera) December 30, 2017
The House of Identity of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, in @espacio_memoria has already accounted for the restitution of #Nieta127 We continue adding achievements and hopes! @abuelasdifusion
La #Nieta127 nació en la ESMA. El genocida Jorge Luis Magnacco, obstetra de la ESMA que atendió el parto, está suelto, beneficiado por haber cumplido dos tercios de su condena.https://t.co/wJJjt5i1ND@abuelasdifusion
— H.I.J.O.S. Capital (@hijos_capital) December 30, 2017
La #Nieta127 was born in the ESMA. The repressor Jorge Luis Magnacco, the ESMA obstetrician who attended the birth, is free, after having served two-thirds of his sentence.
Tarda en llegar, y al final, al final, hay recompensa. Bienvenida #Nieta127. #memoriaJusticiayVerdad pic.twitter.com/5Mrn3embn6
— Yésica E Ibarra Ríos (@yes_ir) December 29, 2017
It's late in arriving and at last, finally there is a reward. Welcome #Nieta127
Contamos del 1 al 127 y no pararemos de contar. Gracias, Abuelas, y como dijo Estela de Carlotto: “Feliz año y hasta el próximo nieto”. #Nieta127 #Feliz2018 pic.twitter.com/Rl2kST1RkQ
— Mariano Vázquez (@marianovazkez) December 31, 2017
We count from 1 to 127 and we will not stop counting. Thank you, Abuelas, and as Estela de Carlotta said: “Happy New Year and until the next grandchild.” #Nieta127 #Feliz2018

author: Romina Navarro


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Chaos in the Capital: Photos of Record Snowfall in Tokyo · Global Voices
Nevin Thompson

Captions: “Live from Shibuya Station”, record-breaking snowfall. 23 centimeters expected to fall in Tokyo Metropolitan area. Screencap from ANN YouTube channel.
At least one foot (30 centimeters) of snow accumulated in the Tokyo region over the weekend and into Monday, January 22. This is the most significant snowfall in Tokyo since 2014. Although this rare weather event shut down transportation networks, it also provided terrific photo opportunities for the nine million residents of Japan's capital region.
2017.1.22
東京に大雪が降ったという記録をしました。 pic.twitter.com/yHo1fr2dHj
— ばっしー〈写真垢〉 (@_Ay1_i3_) January 22, 2018
A record-breaking amount of snow has fallen in Tokyo.
The Asakusa neighborhood on the east side of Tokyo, a tourist area home to the famous Senso-ji Temple, offered some particularly spectacular snapshots.
大雪の日は浅草が絵になる＼(^o^)／#雪 #浅草 #浅草寺 pic.twitter.com/IOshwV2w7V
— だいし (@daishi_xxiv) January 22, 2018
When it snows out Asakusa becomes just like a painting. ＼(^o^)／  #snow #asakusa #asakua_temple
On the other side of the city, one Twitter user snapped a surreal scene in Shinjuku:
Schnow + Shinjuku neon lights = ❤❄? pic.twitter.com/uSnKWNYkhs
— Shiverz 尻尾 (@ReddKlaw) January 22, 2018
Even Godzilla made an appearance:
蒼生ちゃん、こんばんは?
雪が好きなだけあって、いい笑顔ですね～ さすがに雪だるま☃は作らなかったかな？ゴジラも雪だるまに…? 明日の朝は滑りやすいので気を付けてね? pic.twitter.com/VDmlUWa8G6
— ボンズ (@2016everlasting) January 22, 2018
[…] I love snow, it makes me smile. While I wasn't able to make a snowman, here's a snow-Godzilla. It's going to be slippery tomorrow, so watch out!
For Tokyo residents who are not used to the snow, the weather was mainly a pain. The heaviest snows fell on Monday evening at rush hour.
首都圏では、
夕方から夜にかけてが大雪のピーク。
帰宅時間と重なり大混乱です。
明日朝の通勤・通学時間帯も
影響は残るのでしょうか？
各地から雪の様子を生中継。
今後のお天気もたっぷり解説します。
『NEWS23 』は今夜１１時から#news23 #大雪警報 #帰宅命令 #大雪の影響 #皆川玲奈 pic.twitter.com/sE9dKhUlYn
— news23 (@news23_tbs) January 22, 2018
Peak snowfall will occur in early evening in the Tokyo Metropolitan area during the evening commute, causing chaos. Will the snow affect the morning commute tomorrow? We're providing live updates from different locations about the snow. Please tune in tonight for a detailed weather forecast.
The heavy snowfall essentially shut down the network of expressways and toll roads throughout central Tokyo, bringing traffic to a standstill.
首都高のトンネル大変な事になっていたのね…今日は子供が学校行事でお台場方面にバスで行くけど、首都高乗れるのかなぁ…下道も大渋滞だろうし、夕方電話したら先生は行く気満々だった(・・;)大丈夫か？ pic.twitter.com/6eKDxxcsbe
— ちゃんゅ (@chanyu31) January 22, 2018
Conditions in the tunnels on the Shuto Expressway are terrible. Today we were planning to go on a school trip to Odaiba on the expressway but I wonder if the buses are running. The city streets are also probably crammed with traffic.
When I phoned the teacher last night s/he still seemed excited to go [to Odaiba]  (・・;)
Is it going to be all right?
After traffic was stalled in some tunnels for more than five hours, fears of exhaust gas buildup forced many motorists and passengers to abandon their vehicles and escape.
ブログ更新しました！ 時事速 : 【悲惨】首都高･山手トンネル、5時間以上たってもトンネルから出られず…排ガスが充満し非常口に向かう人多数 https://t.co/hZw6JpbjZi pic.twitter.com/yXR8WClcgc
— 時事速 (@daieto4194) January 22, 2018
After being stopped for more than five hours in the Yamate Tunnel, tons of people headed for the emergency exits because of building exhaust fumes.
About 50 cars stuck on Rainbow Bridge due to heavy snow pic.twitter.com/qg7FFdhAuk
— Thoton Akimoto (@Thoton) January 22, 2018
Tokyo residents, who are generally unused to snowy conditions, had to be reminded about how to prepare for the weather.
【ニュース特設：大雪情報】大雪となっている関東甲信の平野部では、あす朝は、各地で氷点下の冷え込みが予想されています。歩行中の転倒事故や車のスリップ事故に十分な注意が必要です。https://t.co/VSn5gVe3hH pic.twitter.com/ShgeAz9S16
— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) January 22, 2018
Because of snowfall accumulations on the Kanto Plain, slippery conditions are expected tomorrow morning. Please take care when walking to avoid slips and spills, or car accidents.
Some Twitter users poked fun at the shock and surprise caused by the unexpected winter snowfall in Tokyo.
Livecam Tokyo like right this second https://t.co/GrKlLOkLui
— Matt Alt (@Matt_Alt) January 22, 2018
Residents from parts of Japan where heavy snowfall is quite common also commented on the chaos in the capital. This Twitter user posted a photo from the mountain city of Aizu, in snowy Fukushima, to the northeast of Tokyo:
首都圏の電車はだいぶ遅れがでて大変なようですが、会津鉄道は今日も平常運転です。 pic.twitter.com/zRiAtwYOnN
— ししょう (@Kazutti0426) January 22, 2018
While the trains are probably running behind, causing disruption in Tokyo, the Aizu Railroad is right on schedule today.
Another Tokyo resident pointed out why snowfall might be a big deal in Tokyo:
“Lol Tokyo sucks at snow compared to my city X,” where X is a place that (a) regularly sees weather like this, (b) spends a big chunk of its budget on snow-plowing, and (c) has maybe 1/100 of the commuters of this sprawling mess.
A post shared by  Peter Durfee (@durf) on

author: Nevin Thompson


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In Indonesian Papua, Dozens of Children Have Died From Measles and Chickenpox While Awaiting Medical Care · Global Voices
Ian Morse

Children in Indonesia's Papua region are especially vulnerable to measles and chickenpox. Photo by Carsten ten Brink via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
In the remote Indonesian region of Papua, a series of measles and chickenpox outbreaks have killed 69 toddlers and left hundreds of people hospitalized since September 2017.
The diseases have begun to spread to other regions, making some fear the total toll could breach 100. This week, the Indonesian government has sent the military to Papua to try to control the outbreak.
The Papua region is home to a mostly indigenous population that lives alongside the world's largest gold mine, one of the largest tax payers in Indonesia. Yet Papuans are among the country's poorest citizens.
Indonesians typically get measles vaccines as babies, but Papuans say the necessary medicine rarely reaches distant villages, and poor nutrition means the disease can be more damaging. Papua military spokesman Muhammad Aidi noted that, “Measles is not dangerous, it’s a mild disease. But because those children are malnourished, they can’t cope in that condition.”
Since mid-January, children in the region have also begun to die of chicken pox, a disease also easily overcome with regular nutrition. More doctors and paramedics were expected to be sent to the region on January 23.
The Asmat district of Papua has a severe shortage of doctors for a population of roughly 130,000. To make matters worse, the affected areas can only be reached by plane, helicopter, then boat. Pegunungan Bintang, a regency next door, has equally remote areas locked among mountains. Reports indicate 27 residents have died there.
The Indonesian government sent in the national military (TNI) to provide medical supplies and nutrition to regions in Asmat, but they are struggling to reach affected villages. Medical facilities are also few and far between. Forty-three patients with malnutrition could not find a place at the hospital in Asmat’s capital city but were treated in a church nearby.
Even when departing from the same island, it takes more than a day at best to reach the area. Some villages in Pegunungan Bintang require a day’s walk to reach. The remoteness also delayed the news of the outbreak.
Al Jazeera reports that some Papuans have had to travel by boat over long distances to other villages to find treatment, only to be denied care. Some children have died on the way and had to be buried on the riverbanks.
A measles outbreak was reported for the first time in September, but little was done do mitigate its spread or effects. Experts say the deaths could have been avoided months ago.
Phil Karel Erari, an environmentalist in Papua, wrote in a Facebook post that he told President Joko Widodo to improve the “concerning and bad quality” medical and education services in Papua. He also placed blame on local officials for not moving fast enough.
Ketika Wartawati bertanya tentang sikap saya, saya katakan bahwa, Bupati setempat dan Kepala Dinkes Asmat harus bertanggung jawab, dengan cara menyatakan mundur, sebagai rasa bersalah dan malu. Bila perlu dipecat, agar ada efek jera.
When the interviewer [on TV] asked me about my opinion, I told him that the local Bupati [district head] and Head of the Asmat Health Office must be held accountable, by way of resigning with guilt and shame. If they need to be dismissed, it will be to deter.
News site Tirto.id reported that the Minister for Social and Cultural Affairs, Puan Maharani, denied that the government response was weak and unprepared.
Menteri Puan membantah tudingan bahwa pemerintah telat memberikan penanganan terhadap wabah di Asmat hingga timbul korban meninggal 63 jiwa. Puan mengklaim tindakan antisipasi telah dilakukan oleh pemerintah pusat.
“Oh enggak (tidak terlambat), kita sudah melakukan segala antisipasi. Namun, kita juga membutuhkan sinergi Pemda, karena yang mengetahui masalah dan situasi di daerahnya tentu saja Pemda. Pemerintah pusat tentu saja akan bersama-sama bersinergi untuk menyelesaikan persoalan dan mengantisipasi hal-hal seperti itu,” ujarnya.
Oh no, (we were not late), we did all we could in anticipation. However, we also need the cooperation of local government, because they are the ones who know the problems and the situation in the region. The central government, of course, will work together to solve problems and anticipate things like that.
A local health department spokesman preferred to move on from blaming others.
We have very limited staff, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t trying very hard. What we need is not to be criticized but to be given real help. Those who criticize us, I want to invite to help here.
Hendrik Hader, a priest in Asmat, asked whether anyone really cared about the children who were dying.
Does anyone want to go there and get real data about their condition? And why do we only now say this is a problem?
The speaker of the People’s Representative council, one of the two houses of parliament in Indonesia, said that he would donate his salary to the efforts in Asmat.
Saya ingin menggalang solidaritas kepada seluruh anggota DPR dan masyarakat terkait apa yang terjadi di Asmat, Papua, namun saya belum tahu formatnya seperti apa.
Saya punya waktu 18 bulan menyerahkan seluruh gaji, namun siapa yang menampungnya.
I want to rally support and solidarity with all members of parliament and the community regarding what happened in Asmat, Papua, but I do not yet know what form that will take.
I have 18 months to hand over all my salary, but I just need someone to handle it.
In the early 1960s, with the help of the United States and a sham referendum in which only a handful of Papuans were able to vote, Indonesia invaded and took control of Papua. They allowed the US company Freeport-McMoran to operate the Grasberg mine, which has the world's second largest copper mine in addition to the more gold than any other mine.
An independence movement and low-level insurgency in Papua and West Papua, another province on the island, demands self-determination, economic development, and investigations into human rights abuses for the two provinces’ more than four million people, most of whom have indigenous roots and represent an ethnic minority in the country.
In an editorial, the Jakarta Post noted that the separatist flag often raised by Papuans in the news is more a red herring than a red flag.
Few question the arrest, torture and shooting of Papuan protesters, without questioning why anyone in a poor province would demand independence. As critics among Papuans reiterate, most Indonesians care about the rich land much more than their Melanesian brothers and sisters living too far from the capital and other more developed areas.

author: Ian Morse


text:
Jurassic Post: Afghan Minister’s Gaffe Raises Meritocracy Concerns · Global Voices
Ezzatullah Mehrdad

Shahzad Gul Aryoubi, the Afghan minister of Communications and Information Technology. Official government photo.
Shahzad Gul Aryoubi got off to a poor start as Afghanistan's minister of Communications and Information Technology earlier this month, stumbling through a pre-prepared speech in which he claimed the country's postal service was “1.5 million centuries” old.
The gaffe put questions about how state officials earn their positions to the forefront of debate on local sections of social media.
.@ashrafghani‘s Minister of Telecommunications & IT says “post service in Afghanistan has 1.5 million centuries history”.
Listen for yourself; he is not reading a Martian text though, it's in Farsi, Afghanistan's official language.@Murtazawi3 pic.twitter.com/Yh6EDjBlQI
— Sattar Saeedi (@SattarSaeedi) January 5, 2018
Part of Aryoubi's problems were linguistic. As a Pashto-speaker, he appeared to struggle in Dari, the country's other official language and its most widely-spoken among non-Pashtun ethnic groups. Aryoubi was one of 11 out of 22 ministers approved to take up positions in the cabinet by Afghanistan's parliament at the end of last year.
During the January 7 speech, he mispronounced several words and said that postal services in Afghanistan dated back “1.5 million centuries”, before humans even roamed the earth.
Parwiz Kawa, an Afghan journalist, attacked the new communications minister, whom he viewed as barely literate.
A #NUG minister tries to read a text in an official language, and he can’t. Although he has passed a test and interview by a PhD holder president. I could fail in 3rd class of my school if I was reading this bad.
pic.twitter.com/rNqvWhFk92
— Parwiz Kawa (@parwizkawa) January 5, 2018
Lal Bakht, a female Twitter user, mocked the minister and Internet speed in Afghanistan.
خدمت وزیر مخابرات عرض کنم که یک و نیم میلیون قرن پیش ایمیلی فرستاده بودم، هنوز در حالت سیندینگ است. در این حد است سرعت انترنیت.
— لعل بخت (@bakht_lal) January 6, 2018
I sent an email 1.5 million centuries ago, but it's still in process. Such is the speed of Internet in Afghanistan.
A meme featuring a dinosaur-themed illustration and the minister proved a hit on both Facebook and Twitter.
در پاسخ به اظهارات #شهزادگل آریوبی، وزیر مخابرات و تکنالوژی معلوماتی که گفته بود خدمات پستی در افغانستان، یک و نیم میلیون #قرن قبل پیشینه داشته است. pic.twitter.com/9RRE3Jfj9A
— Hadi Sahar (@HadiSahar2) January 6, 2018
In response to Mr. Minister, who said that the post service in Afghanistan is 1.5 million centuries old.
The new proposed cabinet featuring Aryoubi and others was put before parliament after prolonged talks between President Ashraf Ghani, and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
The two leaders formed a National Unity Government (NUG) in 2014 after Ghani edged Abdullah in a tense and violation-prone election, but infighting has roiled domestic politics.
The storm surrounding the speech is all the more relevant because Ghani, the best educated leader in the history of Afghanistan, ran for the presidency on a platform stressing meritocracy over nepotism.
Naeem Nazari, head of the Afghan Civil Society Network, told a local television channel:
I regret that the National Unity Government Leaders talk about good governance while appointing a minister who lacks primary literacy.
In Afghanistan, the primary literacy rate is at about 31% for the adult population. Female literacy levels are 17%, while male literacy is around 45%.
Under the Taliban, the government was spearheaded by semi-literate commanders, and Aryoubi's speech was judged by local netizens as a marker of non-progress.
نمونه شایسته سالاری @ashrafghani یعنی این؛ در یک جمله چندین اشتباه! pic.twitter.com/t3uGuw3ofb
— Moh Yasser Malikzada (@YasserMalikzada) January 5, 2018
Meritocracy means this; in one sentence, he makes many errors.
Their anger is understandable. Young, educated citizens, who typically dominate the conversation on Facebook, are often refused jobs with the government.
Universities across the country produce 50,000 to 90,000 graduates each year, but the government recruits only about 15,000 each year.
Deeply rooted patronage systems hold back young Afghans from occupying government posts. Ghani pledged a new political culture based on transparency and the potential of youth.
But his presidency has yielded few reforms so far and he further undermined his image as a reformer last year by appointing his septuagenarian uncle as Afghanistan's ambassador to Russia.

author: Ezzatullah Mehrdad


text:
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is Pregnant and Internet Users Can’t Stop Talking About It · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Source: Wikimedia Commons
The announcement that New Zealand’s Labour party prime minister Jacinda Ardern is pregnant has brought immense joy to many on local social media. Jacinda and her partner, Clarke Gayford the TV host of Fish of the day, announced via Twitter:
We thought 2017 was a big year! This year we’ll join the many parents who wear two hats. I’ll be PM & a mum while Clarke will be “first man of fishing” & stay at home dad. There will be lots of questions (I can assure you we have a plan all ready to go!) but for now bring on 2018 pic.twitter.com/nowAYOhAbF
— Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern) January 18, 2018
People immediately took to social media to share their excitement about the announcement:
Just love that the NZ Prime Minister is going to be a normal woman with a job and a baby! Good for her. https://t.co/ITewG6Gsx7
— Ally Fabish (@Fabish) January 19, 2018
I love this so much!!! This is gong to challenge so many peoples ideas of what (pregnant/mothers) women in power positions can do!! https://t.co/Y1XMSUrmey
— Holly Thorpe (@hollythorpe_nz) January 19, 2018
However, this overwhelming support has been laced with some defensiveness:
Jacinda Ardern is pregnant. I can already hear men complaining.
— Erin (@erinkslawson) January 18, 2018
#NZ Prime Minister @jacindaardern announces her pregnancy. Baby due in June. Congrats. Can't wait for the first white middle age male commentator to share his insights on what the Prime Minister does with her body along with child-rearing tips. https://t.co/bwNlZPxKR6
— Darren Davis (@DarrenDavis10) January 18, 2018
The 37-year-old was the world’s youngest female leader when she became PM in October 2017 and only the third NZ woman in the role. Apparently, she found out she was pregnant six days before the political party NZ First's Winston Peters offered to form a coalition government with Labour. He will be acting PM during her planned six week parental leave.
Jacinda Ardern is politically and socially progressive, a feminist and a social democrat. Her statement on taking office that capitalism has been a “blatant failure” for New Zealand's children has been criticized by some conservatives.
An earlier controversy had been sparked within hours of her becoming opposition leader last year when ex-cricketer and media personality Mark Richardson asked her if she would need maternity leave if she became pregnant while PM.
This tweet drew a connection, complete with a childish insult:
“Jacinda Ardern having a baby is an inspiration for a generation” LOL funniest thing I have heard all year! At least she has 2 brain cells now that she is pregnant! #Jacinda! Mark Richardson! Prime Minister!
— I Love Kapiti Coast (@ILoveKapiti) January 19, 2018
Pakistani journalist Veengas was among those to point out the Ardern is not the first pregnant world leader:
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern isn't the first prime minister to expect a baby while in office.
A generation ago, Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was pregnant with, and gave birth, to her daughter Bakhtawar on January 25, 1990 via @CNN https://t.co/Wh4pWnNbas
— Veengas (@VeengasJ) January 20, 2018
There have been smatterings of the anticipated disapproval on Twitter:
Ridiculous! #JacindaArdern #nzprimeminister is pregnant. Wrong on so many levels – PC gone mad. As much as the world should embrace woman and the workforce, you simply can’t be a good Mum and PM at the same time. Impossible. Irresponsible. https://t.co/EISXWZw5EY
— Alice (@alice1234123412) January 19, 2018
So Jacinda Ardern gets pregnant and her mob are ecstatic….I actually thought women everywhere got pregnant, without this idiotic adulation that Ms Teeth is receiving.
— AmosFactor (@rglhang) January 19, 2018
A post from Stuff.co.nz’s Facebook page has plenty of negative comments. Jeannie Wood did not pull any punches:
This is a story of immorality, lies and deceit. It is not something to be proud of. Jacinda kept this secret from the public. She should step down, get married and be home with her child at least for the first year.
Inevitably, Donald Trump became part of the online banter:
NZ PM Jacinda Ardern pregnant: Trump claims he's more pregnant than her https://t.co/Bk4EctFFwL
— The Chaser (@chaser) January 18, 2018
I so hope there’s an international forum in the next six months where a pregnant Jacinda Ardern gets to meet Donald Trump
— Bill Bennett (@billbennettnz) January 18, 2018
In New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, Martin Jago took aim at Trump's America:
There is such a lovely buzz in #Wellington right now.. Like a royal baby & a royal wedding combined. #America this is what a #21stCentury country looks like. And it's great. #KiwiRoyalty
Jacinda Ardern: New Zealand prime minister pregnant with first child https://t.co/y9VnTL6rqq
— Martin Jago (@ukpuppetboy) January 18, 2018
‘Centre Right’ online media site Whaleoil has lots of comments critical of Ardern on its posts, ranging from the negative to the nasty. LesleyNZ was one of the more restrained when she addressed the PM's comment that, “I am not the first woman to multitask.”:
All this multitasking superwoman mum talk about Jacinda is marginalizing a segment of mothers – those who believe that staying home to look after their children and forgo a career and not make lots of money is more important and that the job of a mother is the hardest one in the world. They multitask too and don't leave it up to childcare or others to look after their children. Of course Jacinda is fortunate in that she earns a big salary so her partner does not have to go to work and can be a stay at home at dad and not have to put baby into childcare.
Some Ardern supporters have recalled attacks on former Labour PM Helen Clark for being childless:
The people who are bitching about Jacinda having a child are likely the same people who bitched about Helen Clark not having any.
— caffeine addict (@caffeine_addict) January 19, 2018
In an expletive-charged post, Emily Writes, The Spinoff Parents editor, has responded to many of the negative reactions:
When it comes down to it, I’m sure Jacinda always knew she was going to get shit. Helen Clark got shit for not having kids. Jacinda got shit for not ruling out having kids in order for people to attack her for not having kids.
SheKnows’ Jennifer Mattern let the PM have the last word:
But Ardern's final word on the topic — her response to naysayers doubting her ability to serve as prime minister throughout a pregnancy — is our favorite: “None of them detected I had pretty bad morning sickness for three months of establishing the government,” she said wryly.
Reporters asked how she pulled that off. Ardern shrugged and replied, “It's what ladies do.” Indeed it is.

author: Kevin Rennie


text:
Protests Underscore the Potential Power of Iran’s Access to Information Law · Global Voices
Article 19

An Iranian protester holds up a peace sign. Image from Article 19, used with permission.
Written by Afsaneh Rigot and David Banisar of ARTICLE 19 in a content partnership with Global Voices.
On 28 December 2017, widespread protests broke out across Iran on an unprecedented scale, in what has become the country’s largest anti-government demonstration since the post-election protests in 2009.
Security forces have responded to the protests with aggressive and in some cases lethal force, resulting in over 3,700 arrests and 21 deaths during the protests. Three demonstrators arrested during the protests have since died in prison.
These protests have awakened a new call for anti-corruption and transparency in Iran, opening what could be an opportunity for the government to fully implement regulations intended to support government transparency, namely Iran’s Access to Information law.
The protests in Mahshad appear to have been triggered by government corruption and increasing prices of basic goods. The protests quickly spread throughout Iran in the following days, with messages ranging from the economic chants of “bread, land, freedom” to political opposition against President Hassan Rouhani, Ayatollah Khamenei and the Islamic Republic as a whole.
These demonstrations are set apart from the anti-government protests of 2009, with the widespread involvement of working-class people, who have been hit hardest by inflation and austerity measures.
Rouhani’s new proposals in December 2017 led to cutting state subsidies – cash handouts – for 30 million people and increasing the price of fuel and eggs by 50%. This was further compounded with proposals to increase government funds to opaque religious institutions.
The protests reinitiated calls from political officials and citizens for transparency around the government's economic activities. Rouhani himself spoke out about the right to information and need for transparency in a speech just 10 days before the protests, where he called for greater budget transparency from the Minister of Economy and Treasury.
In short order, the first week of December saw Rouhani release details on the new national budget. This unprecedented decision functioned as a symbolic move towards transparency, by allowing citizens to see how public money is being spent.
The budget itself sparked widespread discontent and is seen as a catalyst of the protests, during which screenshots of the budget were circulated through popular Telegram channels, showing cuts to subsidies and funding increases to religious institutions.
Rampant corruption and calls for institutional transparency could pave the way for Iran to fully implement its Publication and Free Access to Information Act, passed in 2009 amid corruption scandals under former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Although the government has taken some steps to promote its use through online training and informational materials, the law has yet to be fully implemented.
Government materials on the right to access of information. From foia.iran.gov.ir
Implementing the law could help citizens and civil society hold the Iranian government accountable for its responsibilities to the public. Beyond serving as an anti-corruption tool, it also provides citizens the right to information on key issues which affect their lives, such as the safety of local hospitals or budgets for local schools. The law also provides a mechanism for Iranians to request access to their personal records from government bodies, including medical and social insurance.
In his December 2017 speech on the importance of transparency in governance, President Rouhani said:
We have no way other than clarity for rooting out corruption; we must all go inside a glass room so that people can see every measure we take.
Time will tell if he makes good on this promise.

author: Article 19


text:
Shifts in Bangladeshi Wedding Culture Bring a Change to the Menu · Global Voices
পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha)

Bride and groom, posing at a wedding. Photography by Sanim Haque. Used with permission
Everyone loves a wedding, and if you're a food lover you don't want to miss a chance to attend a Bangladeshi wedding. Considering the love Bengalis have for their cuisine, it comes as no surprise that they go the extra mile for their wedding celebrations.
The wedding season in Bangladesh usually runs from December to January, when the temperature is cooler. A typical wedding menu consists of food items such as Pulau, Biryani, Chicken roast, Korma, Kebab, Rezala and Borhani among others. The sweet desserts include sweetened yogurts, Payesh, Jorda and different kinds of sweetmeats. When the groom arrives at the wedding, he is welcomed with sorbet and sweets.
Until a few decades ago, weddings used to be arranged inside the premises of the home or the neighborhood and was served by family and friends. Nowadays, the venue has shifted to community centers and other halls where professional catering services and chefs deal with the food. Novelist and journalist Iraj Ahmed reminisces about his childhood:
গলির মুখে লাল, সাদা আর সবুজ মেশানো কাপড়ের গেট। চনমনে রোদের মধ্যে হয়তো বাড়ির ভেতরের উঠানে বিরিয়ানির হাঁড়ি চড়েছে ইটের চুলার ওপর, লাকড়ির ধোঁয়ায় চারদিক অন্ধকার। ছাদে টানানো ত্রিপল অথবা সামিয়ানার নিচে ভাঁজ খুলে বসানো হয়েছে হালকা খয়ের রঙের চেয়ার, টেবিল। অনেক মানুষের ব্যস্ত ছোটাছুটি, কিছু মানুষ দুপুরের রোদে উদোরপূর্তি শেষে কাপড়ে ঝোলের দাগ মেখে বের হয়ে গলির মোড়ের দোকানে গলায় ঢালছে সেভেন আপ অথবা চিবাচ্ছে পান। বাতাসে ভাসছে কেমন এক আনন্দের সুর। বলছি অনেক বছর আগে এই ঢাকা শহরে বিয়ের অনুষ্ঠানের কথা।
There was a huge gate wrapped in red, white and green clothes standing where the lane started (welcoming the guests). In the scorching sunlight, huge pots filled with Biryani would be sitting on the makeshift burners of bricks. The area would be filled with the smoke of the firewood of the burners. On the rooftop, light grey chairs and tables would be assembled beneath the tarpaulin. You could see people running errands like busy bees. And some were seen coming out of that scene after filling their stomachs with curry marks on their festive clothes. They would inadvertently walk ahead to buy a Seven Up (drink) or a paan at the local store. The air would be filled with joy. This was the scene of a typical wedding in Dhaka many years ago.
In those days, people would say that it's bad manners to serve guests catered food; however, now people seem to be catching up with the reality of the times. Siddhratha Mukhopaddhay from West Bengal, India writes about the changes in Bengali weddings:
এখন অবশ্য নিজেদের ক্ষমতা মত গৃহকর্তা ক্যাটারারের হাতে এই সব দায়িত্ব সঁপে দিয়ে নিশ্চিন্তে থাকতে চান৷ আসুন বসুন বলে খাওয়ানোর মানসিকতা বদলেছে ৷ আগে তো বাড়ি এসে নিমন্ত্রণ না করলে অনেকে আসতেনই না৷ কর্মব্যস্ততার কথা মাথায় রেখে এখন তো ফোন অথবা ফেসবুক- হোয়ার্টস অ্যাপ মারফতও নিমন্ত্রণ গ্রহণ করা হচ্ছে।
Now the hosts want to be sure about the hospitality by giving all the responsibility to the caterers. The tendency to serve the guests personally has changed. Earlier the guests would not come to the weddings if they were not invited in person by visiting their homes. Now, it's sometimes via phone calls and people are even accepting wedding invitations via Facebook or Whatsapp!
Along with the changes in wedding culture, there has been a shift in the wedding food items in Bangladeshi cuisine. Earlier, simple dishes like Pulau with chicken roast, spicy mutton rezala (curry), fried beef, Tikia (mutton mince patty), salad with tomato and cucumber and borhani, and desserts such as jorda or rice pudding used to be served. Now, more complex and lavish dishes like Biryani, a Mughal cuisine, is being increasingly chosen for menus.
There is even a special arrangement for the groom. For wealthy families, the norm is to serve him and his entourage a whole lamb roast.
The groom is being welcomed with sweets. Image by Sanim Haque. Used with permission.
The groom has been served. Image by Sanim Haque. Used with permission.
This popular main dish used to be served at almost all Bengali weddings. Plain pulau is made of fragrant rice (Basmati, chinigura etc.) with onions, green chilies, peas, ghee and sometimes other additions. It is served with roast and curry (separate dishes).
Plain Pulau – a simple spicy rice dish. Image by Sanim Haque. Used with permission.
Serving Biryani, a South Asian mixed rice dish, is now becoming a norm. Spices, fragrance rice, meat (chicken, mutton, beef, or fish), Ghee (clarified butter) and other condiments are layered and cooked together to make Biryani. Unlike Pulau (which is eaten with roast and curry dishes), Biryani is a complete dish with meat and spices (and vegetables) inside.
A post shared by PaThaN swrov (@imfoysalpathan) on
Mutton Rezala is a curry dish originating in Bengal that is prepared from mutton and vegetables. It is served typically with Pulau or rice.
Rezala means soft mutton on gravies. You will remember its taste for a long time. This is one of the common figures on menus at Bangladeshi weddings. Image by Sanim Haque. Used with permission.
Another common dish at a Bangladeshi wedding is chicken roast. Image by Sanim Haque. Used with permission.
Tikia is usually taken with Pulau or Biryani. So it is a natural choice for the wedding menu.
Tikia, a common dish at weddings. Image by Sanim Haque. Used with permission.
Borhani is a yogurt drink blended with mint leaves, pepper, green chilies and water. It helps digest the rich food served at weddings.
A post shared by Maisur (@abumaisur) on
Jorda rice is known as a typical sweet dessert at weddings.
Jorda rice is made of rice, ghee, sugar, saffron color or orange juice among other condiments. Image by Sanim Haque. Used with permission.
Paan is a preparation combining betel leaf with areca nut, tobacco leaf and other spices.
Serving paans after eating food is a very old wedding tradition. Image by Sanim Haque. Used with permission.
Although the dishes served at Bangladeshi weddings have started to change, one thing always remains the same — they are delicious.

author: পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha)


text:
What is More Convincing for World Cup 2018 Fans? Russia’s Edgy New Tourism Logo or Their Governments’ Dire Warnings? · Global Voices
Christopher Moldes

The logo's legend explains that the brick red rectangle on the far left is Crimea, the annexed peninsula that is the source of much of Russia's latest woes // russia-brand.com
With the 2018 FIFA World Cup beginning in June 2018, Russia’s federal tourism agency is seeking to put forth a fresh image of the country. Football matches will take place in 11 cities across Russia.
In anticipation of the games, Rosturizm recently unveiled the country's new tourism “brand”: “The Whole World Within Russia”, so named for the wealth of cultures and peoples that can be found in the country.
The result of a two-year-long contest with more than 500 submissions, the winning campaign draws upon the rich avant-garde artistic movement of Suprematism, developed in the early 20 century by artists such as El Lissitzky, Kazimir Malevich, and Ivan Kliun.
The main logo evokes the map of the Russian Federation, from the annexed Crimea across the Ural Mountains to Russia’s Far East and beyond. With over 170 officially-recognized ethnic groups and 100 minority languages in Russia, the logo seeks to convey the ethnic, linguistic, and cultural vastness of the country today.  The collection’s other design concepts superimpose images of Russian artists, food, athletes, landscapes, and art styles onto the main image.
Various traditional Russian art styles integrated into the campaign's main suprematist design // russia-brand.com
The winning design will be rolled out at a moment of great anticipation for Russia's tourism industry. In tandem, state and industry leaders hope that the number of foreign visitors to Russia will continue to increase, spurred by interest in the game.
According to Rosturizm, foreign tourism rose by 14 percent from 2016 to 2017. FIFA recently reported that over 3 million tickets have been requested for the World Cup’s various matches. In the event that demand outpaces supply, a lottery system has been developed to determine who will get tickets for certain matches.
With a reported 38 percent of these requests coming from abroad, the Russian government has worked with FIFA to develop a visa-free travel regime for the duration of the games. The visa-substituting “Fan ID” also comes with free transport between host cities, and given the enormous distances one would have to travel across Russia, these efforts are aimed at streamlining tourism during the games as much as possible.
Tourism experts are counting on the games to affect the amount of tourism even after the championship comes to an end. However, expectations have been tempered by the country’s experience with the 2017 FIFA Confederation Cup. As the press release for a tourism conference put out by the Russian business publication Vedomosti states:
…не оправдал ожидания туристического бизнес-сообщества, – гостей оказалось явно меньше, чем планировалось организаторами, жить они предпочитали в частном секторе, бронируя размещение через онлайн-сервисы в обход туроператоров, готовых предоставить им экскурсионные программы и удобную логистику.
…didn’t live up to the expectations of the tourism industry. The number of visitors was evidently much lower than organizers had planned, as these guests preferred to get lodging in private homes, making reservations through online services and bypassing tour operators, who were ready to provide excursions and convenient logistics.
For this reason, the projected number of World Cup visitors from abroad was lowered from about two million to one million after the Confederation Cup ended.
And just as the first stage of ticket sales is drawing to a close, the State Department of the United States released updated travel advisories for American travelers to Russia, citing terrorism and harassment of American citizens by law enforcement agencies as reasons to “reconsider travel”.
The move was soundly derided by Russia watchers:
#US #StateDepartment travel advisory puts #Russia in cat 3 of 4: “reconsider travel” – ostensible “due to terrorism and harassment”. This is absolutely ridiculous. Whether a political move or stupidity, truly ludicroushttps://t.co/rtOvj9NwjK
— Mark Galeotti (@MarkGaleotti) 11 января 2018 г.
*not the part about avoiding travel to the North Caucasus and Crimea – that's prudent.
— Christopher Jarmas (@jarmascm) 16 января 2018 г.
The travel advisory was immediately rebuked by the Russian Foreign Ministry, whose spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, questioned the risk to US travelers.
The US, however, was not the only country to issue travel advisories. The French government issued an advisory last year, though as one commentator noted, the accompanying graphic may have helped to contextualize the advisory a bit more than the American one:
Following the State Department's controversial travel advisory on Russia, here is the same advice from the French ministry of Foreign Affairs: all safe, except for the South Caucasus. Seems a bit more legit. https://t.co/ZjfgxS15AP pic.twitter.com/1qTNcnXXGf
— Fabrice Deprez (@fabrice_deprez) 11 января 2018 г.
With the United States and other European countries being counted on to supply a large portion of tourists for the World Cup, it remains to be seen whether these advisories will have any effect at all on the number of visitors.
In any case, Russian tourism experts are also looking to Latin American fans for their huge travel potential, because in contrast to European fans — who can travel to Russia more readily and may only come for certain days — fans from Latin America may end up staying for weeks to make their long trips worthwhile. Regardless of which countries top the leaderboards for number of tourists to Russia, for a month this summer, there truly will be a “whole world within Russia.”

author: Christopher Moldes


text:
#JusticeForAsifa: A Young Girl’s Murder Shocks Jammu And Kashmir Residents — But Not the National Media · Global Voices
Vishal Yashoda Manve

The text on the poster says: “Delhi… Here women are scared to step out of their house. Who responsible for this intense fear?” Image by Francois Decaillet via Flickr. CC BY-NC-ND
As Pakistan grapples with bringing the perpetrators of seven-year-old Zainab Ansari's murderer to justice, another heinous killing across the border, in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, has shocked local residents.
On January 17, the battered, lifeless body of eight-year-old Asifa Bano was found in a forest in Hiranagar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. News reports in Kashmir's local press said Asifa appeared to have been raped and tortured before she was killed, and that there were human bite marks on her body.
Asifa Bano had been missing for a week before her body was recovered. Family members told local media that they had filed a First Information Report after she went missing, but that police were slow to investigate her disappearance. Asifa and her family belonged to the Gujjar-Bakarwal semi-nomadic tribe.
Local officials, citizens, and journalists in Jammu and Kashmir have all decried Asifa's gruesome murder and have drawn parallels with the killing of Zainab Ansari in Pakistan. There also have been public demanding justice for the child.
Shujaat Bhukari, editor of Kashmir-based Rising Kashmir wrote:
When one wakes up to know about the horrendous news of kidnapping, rape and killing of 8-year old Asifa Bano in Kathua. This is gruesome beyond words. Sadly this savagery has no boundaries. #JusticeforAsifa
Local resident Nadir Ali reflected on the incident and the state of society:
Soul of Jammu and Kashmir is in revolt.. 8-year-old daughter was raped and killed. Where are we heading??? Are we going backward into the future?? We all should stand together and give justice to Asifa's family.
A medical student from Kashmir, Mehreen Syed wrote:
i literally hv no words to describe what i am feeling right now..this is a henious crime and i want these culprits to be punished so severely that no one dares to even think about committing such an act #JusticeForAsifa #JusticeForZainab https://t.co/1rntcduMjL
— Mehreen Syed (@muzamilgurcoo) January 19, 2018
Social activist Guftar Ahmed wrote:
#JusticeForAsifa When Asifa will get Justice @MehboobaMufti @SushmaSwaraj . Reached Kathua today held multiple protest in District for Asifa pic.twitter.com/ogCi5toFcD
— GuftarAhmed (@ahmedguftar00) January 19, 2018
But nationally, reactions to the incident have been sporadic, with many Indians refraining from commenting or staging protests against the heinous crime. In contrast to other senseless killings, there have been no candlelight marches or petitions for justice.
Major publications such as Zee News, Times Now and Republic, which are known for their generally supportive stance towards the government, have not reported on the incident. Such stories often become the fodder for prime time debates with trending hashtags and long editorials, especially when they happen in urban areas. But in this case, where the victim comes from a remote region in Jammu and Kashmir and belongs to a minority community, national response has been relatively muted.
On Facebook, journalist Majid Hyderi criticised local media publications that failed to cover the incident:
A local newspaper, which doesn’t report about the gruesome rape-and-murder of an eight-year-old-girl on its front page, can be appreciated as nothing but Pimp-Of-Journalism or Dalla-e-Sahafat. The tragedy of Gujjar girl, whose family isn’t resourceful enough to seek justice, gets fudged as a routine murder report on some inner page with no mention of rape.
Hyderi again made a pertinent point about the gruesome murder and rape:
We all are silent because it wasn’t our daughter or sister or maybe she wasn’t from our community or tribe; she didn’t belong to the circle of influence that could awaken our souls.
Let’s not communalize the spine-shivering tragedy as being the case of a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christians; Unless we humans wake up against such crimes as one voice regardless of religious or other beliefs, someone’s daughter will continue to fell prey.
As of now, let our heads hang in collective shame. Sorry, Asifa we did nothing for you because your rape and murder don’t serve our interests!
In the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the opposition political party, National Conference (NC) staged a walked out protesting against the murder while the ruling party announced swift investigations. The chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, has condemned the incident and called for speedy investigations. A 15-year-old boy has been arrested by police in connection with the murder.
Outraged by the heinous incident in which a young Bakerwal girl has lost her life. Incidents like this will be investigated expeditiously & the guilty will be punished.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 18, 2018
Over the past two weeks, this incident and another killing, along with a string of ten rapes in the Haryana region have forced government and media to focus on the issue. Hundreds of women were molested by hooligans on new year's eve in 2017 which led to major protests across the country.
And India's problems with rapes and crimes against women aren't new. Since 2001, 143,795 cases of crimes against women have been reported and India has witnessed a steady annual rise of crimes against women — 337,992 in 2014. And the numbers have been alarmingly growing with more women and girls coming forward to report cases of sexual assault, molestation, and rape.
Meanwhile, in Jammu and Kashmir, many are still asking why hasn't Asifa's murder shaken India's conscience. Why has there been such limited media coverage of this crime? The rules and norms that dominate India's systems of law and governance may have a long way to go when it comes to protecting the rights and physical safety of all Indians — especially women and girls.

author: Vishal Yashoda Manve


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Offering ‘Beer, Meat and Oppression,’ A Carnival Group Wants To Celebrate Brazil’s Military Dictatorship · Global Voices
Luiza Saturnino Braga

The cover photo for the piece “Block of the DOPS Basement” shows the colonel Carlos Alberto Brilhante Ustra, the only commander from the dictatorship sentenced by the Brazilian courts for crimes of torture. Photo: Shared/ Facebook
A group of carnival organizers intends to celebrate what is literally and figuratively one of the darkest places of Brazil’s recent history: the basements of the Department of Political and Social Order (DOPS), where hundreds of people were tortured during the military dictatorship of the late 20th century.
DOPS was the main repressive agency of Brazil’s military junta, which took power after the 1964 coup d’état, which was supported by conservative sectors of society and the US Department of State. The coup brought the ouster of President João Goulart, seen at the time as sympathetic to communism.
According to the country's truth commission, at least 1,800 people were tortured at the hands of DOPS, with most of them having been suspected of harboring communist ideas or sympathies.
The dictatorship lasted until 1985 and was characterized by press censorship, repression of opposition demonstrations, systematic torture, illegal prisons, and disappearances. According to the National Truth Commission, instituted by the federal government in 2011 to investigate human rights violations committed by the state in this period, 191 people were assassinated and 243 disappeared. The final report, released in 2014, stresses that the numbers could be higher, as these count only the confirmed cases.
With the commission only four years in the past, the “Porão do DOPS” carnival block (the term “block” refers to a group leading a carnival section) sent shock waves around the country when an invitation to the event appeared on Facebook.
Illustrated with a photo of Colonel Carlos Alberto Brilhante Ustra, the only military officer sentenced by Brazilian courts for committing acts of torture during the dictatorship, the event calls itself “Brazil’s biggest anti-communist block”, taking advantage of the double meaning of the word “block”. The invitation promises “beer, oppression, meat, oppression and oppressive carnival songs” for those who participate.
The event was created by a page named “Right-wing São Paulo”, which last year led protests in São Paulo against the visit of American feminist philosopher Judith Butler. The demonstrators accused Butler of being the “biggest propagator of gender ideology” and even burned a doll with a photo of Butler’s face while shouting “burn the witch” in front of the venue where she gave a lecture.
On 16 January, the Public Ministry of São Paulo opened an investigation against the “Porão do DOPS” organizers. According to the prosecutors, the group is “insulting the rights to truth and memory” and “promoting apology for the crime of torture”. Prosecutors asked the police to investigate the latter, which is punishable under Brazilian law by up to six months in prison.
In a note shared on Facebook, the organizers asserted that “they will not back down if faced with ideological proselytism”. The also suggested that the prosecutors should “take advantage of the rest of the holidays to hang out in Venezuela”.
The block is so far only a Facebook event, as it is not featured in the official program of São Paulo’s carnival. The owner of the restaurant where the gathering would have taken place changed their mind following the fallout from the case. According to the organizers, a new venue will be made known only via email to those who signed up and paid the entrance fee (R $10) beforehand.
The recent strengthening of right-wing movements in Brazil has triggered intense disputes about public memory of the military dictatorship.
Since the 2013 protests — which unleashed a complex chain of events that preceded the impeachment of then-president Dilma Rousseff in 2016 – groups have been taking to the streets and social networks to demonstrate their support for the former regime and, on occasion, call for the military to return to power.
The politician Jair Bolsonaro, pre-candidate for president in 2018, is one of the most notorious defender of the dictatorship, having praised the colonel Ustra while he voted for Rousseff’s impeachment. Rousseff was arrested by the regime in 1970, when she was a political activist who opposed the regime, and was tortured while in jail.
2015 Soviet Block parade at São Paulo carnival. By Mark Hillary via Flickr (CC-BY 2.0)
The organizers of the DOPS Basement carnival block assert that the initiative is a response to the already established “Soviet Block”, which has paraded since 2013 referencing socialism and bearing a name which plays on the geopolitical term [“bloc”]. In five years, the block went from an improvised gathering of left-wing friends gathered around a shopping trolley to a parade with around 20,000 people and a float.
As was to be expected, a prolific discussion was sparked online about the two blocks. Commenters questioned the validity of equating the two regimes and brought up the possibly satirical and self-deprecating wording of the “Soviet Block”. On Brazilian social media it is common for right-wingers to call left-wingers “communists” pejoratively, or to tell them to “go to Cuba”, a catchphrase enthusiastically adopted in the Soviet Block’s songs.
Existe uma diferença entre o bloco soviético se chamar “bloco soviético” e não “bloco do gulag” que a galera do “bloco porão do dops” claramente não captou quando inventou esse nome
— Gustavo Pizzo (@gugtavas) January 10, 2018
There is a difference between the soviet block calling themselves “soviet block” and not “gulag block” that the people of the “dops basement block” clearly did not catch when they invented this name.
Desculpa Gustavo, mas você só deixou mais claro o eufemismo usado. Pra mim, me permita discordar, não muda em nada. Se fosse “Bloco da Ditadura” (não exaltando diretamente a tortura) e nele todos usassem camisas com ratos em barris ou fotos de fuzilamento, poderia então?
— Fábio (@figueiraFABIO) January 10, 2018
[Fábio]: Sorry Gustavo, but you only made clearer the euphemism they used. For me, allow me to disagree, it does not change anything. If it was “Dictatorship Block” (not directly glorifying torture) and for that they all wore shirts with rats in barrels or photos of shootings, then would they be able to?
É, pra mim a questão é se estão realmente comemorando a URSS ou o gulag ou só usando de forma irônica, brincando com algo que é muitas vezes imputado à esquerda.
— Joel Pinheiro (@JoelPinheiro85) January 11, 2018
It is, for me the question is if they are really commemorating the USSR or the gulags or only using it ironically, joking with something that is often imputed to the left.
In December, the Soviet Block announced that it would not participate in the São Paulo carnival due to bureaucratic issues faced at the city hall.

author: Luiza Saturnino Braga


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Ugandans Grow Anxious Over Incidents of Deadly Viral Fever · Global Voices
James Propa

An Ebola treatment unit in Grand Cape Mount, Liberia. Photo by Martine Perret/UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response via Flickr. (CC BY-NC 2.0)
The death of nine-year-old Bridget Nalunkuuma in the central Ugandan town of Nakaseke has rattled residents who fear the girl may have suffered from Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever.
Eight other  people have reportedly died in recent months after experiencing similar symptoms.
Present in Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of the Middle East and Asia, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever is transmitted through insect bites or direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person or animal. It bears symptoms similar to Ebola, the deadly viral infection that killed 11,217 people in three West African countries in 2014. But they are not in the same viral family.
According to the World Health Organization, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) can have a fatality rate of up to 40% of people infected. There is no vaccine for the disease.
Multiple media reported that the cadaver of the nine-year-old girl was tested for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever and the results came back positive.
Authorities took precautions consistent with the disease before collecting and burying the body, as seen in photographs taken and posted online by Uganda Radio Network.
While rumors about the virus have circulated online and in the media, the Ugandan government is rejecting the claims. The report of the death of nine-year-old girl comes shortly after the Ministry of Health Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine refuted media reports about the outbreak.
Earlier in December 2017, another child was admitted to a hospital in the same district with signs of the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever.
In a report read out by the minister of Health Hon. Sarah Opendi confirmed that the child, a nine-year-old boy, tested positive and was treated at the facility. Follow-up tests showed he was no longer infected with the deadly disease.
The Ugandan Ministry of Health tweeted that the fever is not present in the country and urged people with fevers and headaches to report to a health facility:
Hon. Opendi: I want to inform the public that we do NOT have any suspected cases of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in communities. In case, there is anyone in the community who has fever ?,headache?, vomiting,diarrhea,body ache,please report to nearest health facility
— Ministry of HealthUG (@MinofHealthUG) January 16, 2018
In a press conference, the Uganda Medical Workers’ union asked the government to clearly explain the status of the fever in the country and take all necessary measures to handle the incident as an emergency.
Several people have also come out to comment on the situation through their social media accounts.
Bantu Dragon tweeted her concern that the government's denial of the epidemic makes the situation more risky for the citizens, as this can lead to a wider spread of the fever:
So what was the point in gov't denying the outbreak of the Crimean Congo fever? Like seriously, what were their motivations? Ignore it and maybe it will go away meanwhile as it spreads? I really can't wrap my head around this level of stupidity.
— Bantu Dragon (@DCalyne) January 16, 2018
Twitter user Omara-Ogwang James expressed confusion over the matter, suggesting that he did not know who to trust:
Doctors Association (and pretty much everybody else): there is Crimean Congo fever in Nakaseke
GoU (Min of Health): NO! There is no Crimean outbreak!
Myself: totally bewildered?
— Omara-Ogwang James (@Jomaraogwang) January 16, 2018
Television journalist Walter Mwesigye shared an infographic chat on how the fever spreads. Even though the Ministry says there is no risk of the disease in the country, he feels people should take caution:
Ministry of health is set to address the country on repeated reports of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever outbreak. P.S @Atwine_Diana said, last week, that there are confirmed cases of the disease in Nakaseke district. #NTVNews @ntvuganda
However this is what you need to know? pic.twitter.com/D5UnOARuCZ
— Walter Mwesigye (@MwesigyeWalter) January 14, 2018
Uganda has in the past suffered other epidemics such as Ebola, Cholera and Marburg which gives more reason for the people to be scared of any threatening outbreaks. At this time, it is not clear if the government trying to temper media coverage, or if there really is no threat of an outbreak.

author: James Propa


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Would Amnesty for Drug Kingpins Achieve Peace in Mexico? Depends Who You Ask · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Pictured: Andres M. Lopez Obrador, who proposed amnesty for some participants in Mexico’s non-international armed conflict. Image from Flickr by Eneas de Troya, taken during Lopez Obrador’s campaign and used under CC 2.0 licensing terms.
Would pardoning criminals put an end Mexico’s internal armed conflict? This is one of a few recently proposed scenarios to have emerged in Mexico prior to the July 2018 presidential election.
The candidate who is currently polling highest, Andres M. López Obrador (also known by his initials, AMLO), said in a speech last December that he would consider granting legal amnesty to leaders of Mexico's warring drug organizations.
Amnesty is defined as “forgiveness extended to certain crimes, which absolves legal responsibility of their perpetrators,” according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy.
The former head of government of Mexico's capital is vying for the job once more, after two previously unsuccessful runs. A leftist, populist candidate who has held roles in multiple political parties, López Obrador is sometimes compared to Venezuela’s current president, Nicolas Maduro.
The Huffington Post reported on López Obrador’s “granting pardon” approach, quoting him verbatim: “We are going to look at amnesty declaration from every angle, while taking victims into account as well.” News and commentary site Animal Politico also reported on the proposal, noting that the leader of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party said he would do “everything one could possibly do” to bring peace to the country.
In January 2018, current president Enrique Peña Nieto referred to the amnesty proposition as a “betrayal of Mexico,” in a speech largely understood to be a direct response to López Obrador. Mexico's federal government has claimed to be at war with criminals since it was openly declared by his predecessor, Felipe Calderon, in 2006.
Although López Obrador and his followers have now backtracked on his statement regarding amnesty, the subject is nevertheless very much in discussion among the public.
Users posted their positions on Twitter:
Resulta hipocrita que el gobierno mexicano critique la propuesta de amnistia para delincuentes hecha por AMLO, cuando el estado mexicano, no solo no ha hecho nada contra la delincuencia organizada, sino que se establece como su socio principal debido al imperio de corrupción.
— miguel angel aguirre (@maaguirref) 17 janvier 2018
How hypocritical of the Mexican government to criticize AMLO’s proposal of amnesty for criminals, when the Mexican state not only has done nothing against organized crime but established itself as its main partner in an empire of corruption.
User Adrian Turner commented:
Me pregunto si la amnistía planteada por AMLO también incluye a Peña Nieto y todos aquellos que han saqueado a México en probada y transparente fiscalización de los recursos nacionales cuya conducta produjo un detrimento a las arcas nacionales ? Así, en minúsculas
— Adrian Turner (@Trismegisto333) 16 janvier 2018
I wonder if AMLO’s proposed amnesty also includes Peña Nieto and everyone else who has plundered Mexico through widely acknowledged and transparent control of national resources, whose behavior has detrimentally affected the national treasury? Non-capitalization intentional.
For his part, Pedro B. expressed:
El presidentito @epn se rasga la ropa por la supuesta amnistía que ofreció AMLO, pero no dice nada del 98% de impunidad en denuncias. No tiene vergüenza, ni madre.
— Pedro B. (@petrinob) 16 janvier 2018
Lil’ president @epn rends his clothes at AMLO’s supposed amnesty offer, but says nothing about the 98% of cases that end in impunity. He has no shame, nor mother.
Daniel Vazquez made similar pronouncements:
No sé por que se espantan al escuchar el termino “amnistia” que maneja AMLO, cuando lo que se maneja en el gobierno actual es IMPUNIDAD, y eso si es bastante grave.
— Daniel Vazquez (@danielvazquez91) 16 janvier 2018
I don’t know why they get scared when they hear the term “amnesty” that AMLO is pushing for, when what currently drives the government is IMPUNITY, which is quite serious.
In this tweet, a user suggested that the proposal by pre-candidate López Obrador might not have been made in sincerity, but as a mockery:
El peor enemigo de AMLO es el propio AMLO. Vaya lío en el que se metió por su fabulosa idea de proponer “Amnistía” a los delincuentes. Sin duda, fue una ocurrencia que le pareció muy correcta decirla. Eso pasa cuando no oyes, no escuchas, te crees ser Dios.
— El Padrastro del Análisis Legal Superior (@EAMunozCuevas) 15 janvier 2018
AMLO's worst enemy is AMLO himself. What a mess he got into for his fabulous idea of proposing “Amnesty” to criminals. Without a doubt, it was a jest that seemed quite fit to make. That happens when you do not hear, you do not listen, and you think you are God.
El fin de la guerra, por medio de la amnistía (sigo sin entender qué quiere decir AMLO), no garantiza la paz. No es suficiente con el desarme. Y para entender qué tenemos que hacer, es necesario escuchar a las víctimas. Éstas deben ser el centro del engranaje.
— La Güera Ortiz (@lachulonaYeaO) 6 janvier 2018
Ending war through amnesty (I still don’t understand what AMLO means) does not guarantee peace. Disarmament is not enough. And to understand what we have to do, it is necessary to listen to the victims. They must be central to the roundtable discussion.
But it is not only on Twitter that citizens have discussed possible amnesty to combatants. Another voice in the debate is that of activist and poet Javier Sicilia who has been a victim of the conflict since his son was executed in 2011 by armed squad members.
Sicilia sent an open letter to López Obrador which has been circulated by several media outlets, especially the weekly Proceso. In the following excerpt, Sicilia addresses the candidate in the letter, placing special emphasis on his assumed position as savior:
Querido Andrés Manuel:
Tú y yo a lo largo del tiempo hemos tenido serias y profundas diferencias. Me simpatizas más que cualquier otro de los candidatos a la Presidencia de la República, pero me repugnan tu mesianismo y tus aires de redentor que, al igual que lo han hecho otros, he criticado a riesgo de tener que soportar el linchamiento en redes de muchos de tus correligionarios; [e] incluso, en 2011, una amenaza de muerte.
Dear Andres Manuel,
You and I have had serious and profound differences over time. You have my sympathy more than any other candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, but I am disgusted by your messianic and redeeming airs that, like others, I have criticized, even at the risk of media lynching by your many disciples (including a death threat made toward me in 2011).
About the subject of amnesty, Sicilia says:
A menos que estés buscando el voto del crimen organizado que, enquistado en los aparatos políticos, ha destrozado y desfondado a la nación –cosa que en su monstruosidad me rehúso creer–, dime, dinos, Andrés Manuel: ¿puedes en conciencia pedirnos olvido a las víctimas, sobre todo a las víctimas de los desaparecidos que aún no encuentran a sus seres queridos? ¿Puedes pedir olvido a un país que tiene centenas de fosas clandestinas, incluyendo las del Estado, como lo revelamos en Morelos al descubrir y abrir las fosas de Tetelcingo y Jojutla? ¿Puedes pedir olvido a un país donde los criminales continúan asesinando, desapareciendo, extorsionando, porque la corrupción del Estado les ha dado una carta para la impunidad –ella, te recuerdo Andrés Manuel, alienta al crimen–?
Unless you're seeking the vote of organized crime, which has entrenched itself in the political apparatus and destroyed and disgraced the nation – a thing so monstrous I am unable to believe it – tell me, tell us, Andres Manuel: Can you in good conscience ask us to forget the victims, especially the victims of disappearance who still haven't found their loved ones? Can you ask a country to forget the hundreds of unmarked graves, including those made by the State, like we found in Morelos when the graves of Tetelcingo and Jojutla were discovered and opened? Can you ask a country to forget that their criminals have carried on murdering, disappearing, and extorting because State corruption has given them the free reign of impunity – and who, I remind you, Andres Manuel, encourages crime?
The unmarked graves Sicilia refers to are used not just by armed groups to furtively hide their victims, but also by the State to dispose of human remains caught in the crossfire from non-international armed conflict. Many of these graves have been discovered in the state of Morelos in southern Mexico.
The concept of drug cartel amnesty is not new to Latin America. In 2016, Colombia proposed it among a list of actions with the intent to end their internal armed conflict. But the public rejected this idea at the referendum polls (by a narrow margin) that were organized to confirm some of the peace agreements intended to foster forgiveness for guerrillas.
It should be noted that citizen participation in that particular democratic exercise was scarce because, according to some sources, about 62% of Colombians qualified to vote opted not to do so.
Ecuador is another country in the region in which, under its particular circumstances, amnesty has been proposed for individuals who have been accused of committing crimes.
For the time being, and regardless of whether or not media sources have distorted the words of candidate López Obrador, Mexican citizens are openly discussing the possible future relinquishment of responsibility for warmongering criminals as a way to achieve peace after almost 12 years of conflict.

author: J. Tadeo


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Afghanistan Reels From Two Deadly Attacks in Less than a Week · Global Voices
Ezzatullah Mehrdad

Children fleeing the compound targeted by gunmen in Jalalabad province. Photo courtesy of Zahra Joya. Used with her permission.
January has brought no shortage of sad news to Afghanistan after two attacks in quick succession shook citizens of the country.
On January 24 gunmen stormed the compound of international aid organization Save the Children in Jalalabad Afghanistan, killing three and leaving dozens wounded, according to Afghan officials.
That was less than a week after an assault by militants on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul left at least forty dead, highlighting the extreme dangers of living in the capital for Afghans and foreigners alike.
Save the Children's Jalalabad office was targeted on January 24 by a car bomb attack. After the explosion, gunmen exchanged fire with local Afghan forces for around ten hours.
Save the Children confirmed three of its staff members have been killed in the eastern region, including two guards and one civilian. An Afghan government spokesman Attaullah Khoygyani said 20 people were wounded. Afghan Security Forces rescued 46 others, he added.
The organization has temporarily suspended its Afghan operations.
The brutal militant group ISIS claimed responsibility for what it called an attack on “British and Swedish institutions”.
While the attack on the Intercontinental bore more casualties, even citizens used to seeing their timelines flooded by violence were shocked by the attack on a children's charity.
Another sad day in Afghanistan; a cowardly and heinous attack by a bunch of terrorists on a humanitarian organization that serves the Afghan children. We are with #SaveTheChildren
— Sediq Sediqqi (@SediqSediqqi) January 24, 2018
Imagine these children.
What might going through their minds. https://t.co/Ozj2jP3PpV
— Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) January 24, 2018
Wow I’m shocked at how low someone can go to attack a #SaveTheChildren center! A place where charity comes first to help save innocent children and future of out world! #WednesdayWisdom #LeaveKidsOutOfIt pic.twitter.com/JZwz2potif
— ❣?ℓυι?❣ (@Lilovebananas76) January 24, 2018
Local residents are escaping after suicide attack on Save the children office in #Jalalabad,#Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/xekdCrf6r6
— Hbabur (@Humayoonbabur) January 24, 2018
The January 20 attack on the Intercontinental, in turn, saw insurgents spray residents of a luxury hotel in the capital Kabul, leaving 25 local citizens and 15 foreigners killed. Survivors’ accounts are harrowing.
The attack was claimed by the Taliban.
We were still bleeding from the #KabulAttack, now the evil soldiers attacked #Jalalabad Save the Children organization. It’s never ending! #JalalabadAttack https://t.co/sarizJImrf
— Omaid Sharifi (@OmaidSharifi) January 24, 2018
In recent years, International aid agencies have been constantly targeted by various groups that fight against the embattled Afghan military across the country. As a result, many have been closed or downsized, leaving vulnerable Afghans at risk. Last year, the International Committee of the Red Cross reduced its presence after many its staff members were killed and kidnapped in different parts of Afghanistan.
The Red Cross have already rolled back activities after a shooting, MSF have been attacked, orgs in Afghanistan continue to draw down. This attack can have serious consequences for Afghans in need of aid https://t.co/umZbmgMDB0
— Sune Engel Rasmussen (@SuneEngel) January 24, 2018
The limitations Save the Children will impose on their future activities in the country are not yet known, but their mission is certainly necessary. Afghanistan is considered among the most dangerous places for children to be born and grow up following three decades of conflict that have entrenched poverty and violence.
Save the Children has been operating in Afghanistan since 1976, and currently runs programs across 16 provinces in the country. The aid organization, which aims to promote better education, healthcare and provision of essential supplies to children, said it has reached out more than 700,000 Afghan children during its time in the country.


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Iran Suspends Thousands of Drug-Related Death Sentences After Years of Human Rights Advocacy · Global Voices
Center for Human Rights in Iran

A Iranian guard stands by a noose during a public hanging in Iran. Image from the Centre for Human Rights in Iran.
Below is an edited version of an article that first appeared on the Centre for Human Rights in Iran website.
An estimated 4,000 prisoners currently on death row in Iran for drug-related crimes could have their death sentences revoked, following a judicial order based on the country’s newly amended drug trafficking law.
The order, issued by Judiciary Chief Sadegh Larijani on January 9, 2018, suspends death sentences for drug-related crimes pending sentence reviews and requires judges to rescind death sentences that do not meet the new conditions set by Parliament for the death penalty.
On October 14, 2017, the Guardian Council, which vets laws for conformity with Islamic principles, approved an amendment to the Law Against Drug Trafficking after it was passed in Parliament despite efforts by security agencies to halt the bill.
The development comes after years of domestic and international human rights campaigning. Iran has one of the highest per-capita execution rates in the world. More than 500 people were executed in 2017, the vast majority for low-level drug-trafficking crimes, including for carrying small amounts of illegal drugs.
An estimated 5,000 people were on death row in Iran prior to the judicial order for drug-related crimes, the vast majority first-time offenders under the age of 30. Data compiled by the Centre for Human Rights in Iran shows that in the 12 months prior to the passage of the amended law in October 2017, at least 270 prisoners were executed for drug crimes that are no longer punishable by death.
A former member of Parliament in Tehran, Ali Akbar Mousavi Khoeini, told the Centre for Human Rights in Iran that he helped set up meetings between United Nations human rights officials and Iran’s drug enforcement officials in Geneva two years ago:
I see this as a good omen. It has come a bit late but it will still save the lives of many human beings. I’m happy to see these efforts have led to constructive decisions by Parliament and the judiciary to reduce executions. I hope the amendment to the drug law will become a benchmark for future judicial reform to strengthen justice, freedom, peace and progress in Iran.
Under the revised law, the death penalty can only be issued in drug-related convictions involving:
Yahya Kamalipou, the deputy chairman of Iran’s parliamentary committee for legal and judicial affairs, said on October 30, 2017:
By our estimation, 4,000 of the 5,000 prisoners convicted of drug charges will be saved from execution. I was a judge and prosecutor for 20 years so I’m well aware of the situation facing these prisoners and their families.
Ninety percent of the prisoners on death row for drug crimes were just unfortunate mules carrying drugs to pay for their daughter’s dowry or an operation for their mother.

author: Center for Human Rights in Iran


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#MeToo Has Hit China’s Universities, Despite Efforts of Internet Censors · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Chinese students displayed anti-sexual harassment banners at the January 20 Women's March in Washington, DC. Image via Voice of America, licensed for reuse.
The global #MeToo movement is slowly catching on in China, despite strict censorship on the internet.
After highly-regarded Beihang University professor Chen Xiaowu was dismissed over multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, students and alumni from dozens of top universities have launched online petitions demanding that school administrators establish official policies against sexual misconduct, which are all but non-existent in Chinese universities. The initiative has its own hashtag, #EveryoneIn.
Following more than a dozen sexual misconduct allegations against American film producer Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, the #MeToo campaign and hashtag became a global social movement to raise public awareness of sexual assault and harassment. Since that time, women from all over the world have been sharing their own experiences online using the #MeToo hashtag.
The movement has also spread to mainland China but was difficult to see online, thanks to China's aggressive internet censorship regime. Activists say that phrases like “anti-sexual harassment” were targeted and censored on social media.
But this began to shift when the story of Luo Qianqian, a former student at Beihang University in Beijing, went viral.
Luo, who is now living in the US, published an essay in which she described how Chen Xiaowu lured her to his sister’s home and forced himself upon her twelve years ago, during her post-graduate study. Although she was able to escape, she later learned that another student had been lured by Chen and had become pregnant as a result.
Luo’s account went viral overnight. Censors responded quickly, but could not contain the response when five other Beihang students came forward and made similar sexual misconduct allegations against Chen.
Upon investigation, Beihang University decided to dismiss Chen, who at the time had served as vice president of the university's graduate studies program. The Ministry of Education also stripped Chen of his academic title as “Yangtze River Scholar”.
The decision was widely reported and discussed on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
A Beihang student commented in one of the Weibo news threads about this disciplinary action, noting that it was long overdue:
作为北航的学生，我只能说学校的反应之慢令人不满，这事情早就有人举报过，然后在知乎上删帖，然后威胁受害人，总归给压下去了，离我们不到1km的北电事件也没有了消息，这社会越来越让人失望，政府的不作为，让越来越多的优秀学子开始离开这个国家，长此以往，这个国家还有希望吗？
As a Beihang student, I can only say the school is regretfully slow in responding to the sexual misconduct. The case had been reported before. It was revealed on Zhifu (an online platform), but the post was deleted and the victim was threatened. The expose was repressed. A similar [sexual harassment] case happened in Beijing Posts and Telecommunications University, which is 1km away from Beihang. There wasn’t any follow-up. People are disappointed with the government’s inaction. More and more elites are leaving the country. Can we still see hope in this country in the long run?
Feminist activists consider the result a small victory, warning that on-campus sexual harassment is endemic in China and that universities still do not have concrete policies addressing the problem.
Wei Tingting, a feminist activist who was arrested by police for organizing an anti-sexual harassment action on March 8 Women's Day in 2015, conducted a nationwide survey on university campus sexual harassment in September 2017. Among the 6592 respondents, nearly 70 percent had encountered different forms of sexual harassment.
Many agreed that Chen Xiaowu’s sexual misconduct is just the tip of the iceberg:
当客厅里有一只蟑螂的时候，墙角早就一堆了
When you see a cockroach in the middle of the living room, you can find usually find a whole colony of them in the corner
对中国的敎育行业感到无比担忧，从幼儿园到大学，就没有给孩子一个安全的环境。除了压就是洗白。
China’s education sector is such a mess — from kindergarten to university, the environment is not safe. And the problem is addressed with either repression or a clean-up show.
Some pointed out that it is a reflection of systematic power abuse in the society. One user wrote:
在“色欲”的社会里谁能把持住？特别是有着公权势的人，利用权势（职权利害）把多少女性抱上了床、搂进了怀？有的是投怀送李，有的是身不由己，但都是为了生计。
In a society driven by “desire and thirst”, how can people resist such temptations? Especially for those who hold positions of public authority, they use their positions to lure women. For the sake of survival, women have to be submissive, willingly or unwillingly.
To address the problem of systematic power abuse, students, alumni and teachers from several universities including Beijing University, Fudan University and Wuhan University have made public appeals to school authorities to introduce a set of monitoring and disciplinary measures to prevent campus sexual harassment.
In addition, more than 50 professors from universities across the country signed a declaration on January 19 urging the Ministry of Education to address school and university campus sexual harassment with a concrete policy. The professors suggested that offenders should be prosecuted in court. They also pledged to report on sexual harassment and protect victims.
However, similar calls to establish campus sexual harassment policies have been made repeatedly in recent years and thus far no concrete policies have been introduced.
Feminists like Wei Tingting are using this moment to push for more public pressure:
在你们看到的“罗茜茜”以外，还有另一个和很多个“罗茜茜”……这个罗茜茜用了12年，其她的罗茜茜我们看不见。
有人说这是中国高校版的Me Too，我要说的是，Me Too并不够，而是要Everyone In
不是只有受害的当事人站出来说：Me Too 还要更多其他的人（包括女人和男人）拿出行动来说：I’m in
Me Too 只解决了”说出来“的部分，说出来之后要做什么，需要更多人的I’m In
Luo Qianqian is just a single case, there are many mang “Luo Qianqians”… it takes twelve years for this Luo Qianqian [to tell her story], while other Luo Qianqians remain invisible.
Some say that this is China’s campus version of the Me Too movement. I want to stress that the Me Too campaign is inadequate, we need everyone in.
Not only the victims should stand up and tell their Me Too stories, we need others (female and male) to take action and say “I’m in”.
Me Too will only address the story-telling part. After the stories are told, we need more “I’m in” to follow up with action.
Wei launched a crowdfunding campaign with a plan:
1，为调查报告中所有的211高校寄送一份高校调查报告和建议信
2，为这个网络众筹一名协调人的工资
3，招募更多感兴趣的同道人
1. Send a copy of the survey report and a set of policy suggestions to the 211 universities that participated in the survey.
2. Support the salary for a coordinator who will maintain a [national anti-sexual harassment] network.
3. Recruit more people into the network.
Meanwhile, some are worried that the current #MeToo campaign in China will face another round of online crackdowns. In 2015, five feminist activists were arrested for speaking out against sexual harassment ahead of March 8 International Women’s day.
According to a report from New York Times, in addition to censoring a public appeal calling for a campus sexual harassment policy, activists were warned by authorities that their action could be viewed as colluding with foreign forces and betraying the country. Feminists and allies of the movement in China are bracing themselves for more censorship, as International Women's day approaches.

author: Oiwan Lam