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Man’s Death Inspires Solidarity in Midst of Devastating Storm in Lebanon · Global Voices
Nada

Few people knew his name before he was found dead near the American University of Beirut. But on January 7, 2012, Beirut mourned the death of Ali Abdallah, a homeless man who was a familiar face for the AUB community, often found on Bliss Street, where the university is located.
When a photo of Ali was posted on the photography Facebook page of Humans of Lebanon, many recalled meeting him near the university, noting rumors that he was a former AUB professor.
A photo of Ali Abdallah by photographer Krikorian M, used with permission
One Facebook user wrote:
I read he was a physics professor in AUB who saw his wife daughter and sister raped and killed infront of his eyes during the war and he became like this and lost his mind I never understood anything he said and I dont think he understood anything I ever asked him. And I read he asked for paper and pen
With over 400 shares, the photo stirred strong reactions online, with messages of sympathy as well as comments on the need to take actual action:
Hope this is taken into a more serious action by the Lebanese youth! There is someone else out there living in the same circumstances, there is someone waiting for help!
The man, who already suffered from poor health most probably died of complications because of the cold. At least his death served as a wake up call. On the blog Hummus For Thoughts, Joey Ayoub who once spent a moment talking to him wrote:
So do not pity him and do not hate. Do not say that we cannot remember him because we didn’t really care when he was alive. Say that we must remember and do something about it. Do what? That, my friends, is something I’m still asking myself. I refused to pity Ali. When I finally talked to him, I tried my best to treat him as an equal because he was one. He never was less than an equal. That is something that we, all of us, condemned him to be.
That is why we must remember Ali. That is why I will not delete the photo, as some have asked me to. And that is why I will not merely do what we Lebanese do best: complain and feel better about it.
Ali must be remembered.
On A Separate State on Mind, one blogger remarks:
I will not mourn Ali Abdallah because I, like the absolute majority of AUB students in a state of depression now, never spoke to him, never bothered to know him and never considered him “our Ali of Bliss Street.” I feel sorry for the way he died – out there, alone in the cold, leaning against a cold Beiruti wall.
Some are citing natural causes for Ali’s death. Well, those natural causes are freezing to death in the midst of the worst storm of Lebanon’s recent history. How many of those mourning Ali ever thought about giving him a coat or money for a place to stay or ever tried to help him out? I highly doubt they are many.
For those of you who are touched by his death, there’s another homeless woman on Bliss Street that you’ve been ignoring for many years now. Perhaps it’s time to give her a second glance so you don’t feel sad when the homeless woman you ignored day in, day out ends up dead as well due to the freezing cold.
His death did start a movement of solidarity in support of the unprivileged. The Facebook group Fighting Homelessness in Lebanon gathered over 1300 members who will be volunteering to make a difference one way or another. Another group on Facebook called the Ali Abdallah Foundation pledges to try their best “to take care of the homeless people and to shed the light on their pain.”
Help for the most vulnerable is indeed much needed as Lebanon undergoes the worst storm in decades. The Bride (that’s the name of the storm) froze the country under a blanket of snow for two days. With poor infrastructure and shabby buildings, freezing temperatures and floods have exacerbated the plight of the most vulnerable, including Syrian refugees fleeing the violence in their home country and currently living in camps. The Beirut suburb of Hay el Sellom suffered extensive damage and residents fear that buildings will collapse. Roads closed in many places around the countries and classes were suspended in public and private schools.
Relief efforts started immediately.  At Nasawiya Café, a community center run by the feminist collective Nasawiya, warm clothes, blankets and food are being collected and will be distributed on January 11 to those without shelter, or without suitable shelter around the country.
Meanwhile, as the storm was raging, people also shared pictures of both the disaster, and beautiful pictures of snow-white landscapes on social networks. You can see many of them on the Lebanon Weather Forecast Facebook page. However, beware of counterfeit, blogger Nagib from Blog Baladi explains in this post how one pictures, labeled as a scene from Choueifat in Lebanon, turned out to be a pictures from another storm in another country.

author: Nada


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Nobel Peacemaker Ramos Horta’s Mission to Guinea Bissau · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

The political chaos in which Guinea Bissau finds itself embroiled – still more so since the April 2012 coup d'etat – may be a little closer to finding a resolution with the recent appointment of Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President of East Timor, José Ramos-Horta, to lead the United Nations Integrated Peace-Building Office (UNIOGBIS) in the country from February.
Political and military instability has been a constant feature of life in Guinea Bissau, a country which, since its independence from colonial Portugal in 1974, has never seen an elected president reach the end of their mandate. In April 2012, a few days after the second round of the presidential elections, the country was plunged into a new crisis with a military coup d'etat which placed the current “transition government” in power.
Ramos Horta has now been appointed to “consolidate peace”, succeeding the Rwandan Joseph Mutaboba, whose mandate ended at the end of January. His appointment has been praised by international diplomats [pt] and Guinean civil society organisations alike. An article [pt] published in Deutsche Welle (DW) explains why:
Ramos Horta on a state visit to the Maldives, as President of East Timor. Photo by Mauroof Khaleel on Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Presidente de Timor-Leste entre 2007 e 2012 e anteriormente ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros, Ramos-Horta dispõe de experiência diplomática e de influência internacional, algo que poderá ser relevante para voltar a colocar a Guiné-Bissau na agenda política mundial. Foi condenado ao exílio forçado nos Estados Unidos na sequência da invasão indonésia do seu país e durante 24 anos defendeu a causa timorense na Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) e nas capitais mundiais. Em 1996, o seu esforço valeu-lhe o Prémio Nobel da Paz, que partilhou com o bispo de Díli D. Ximenes Belo.
President of East Timor between 2007 and 2012 and former minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramos-Horta has both diplomatic experience and international influence, something which will be important in order to put Guinea Bissau back on the global political agenda. He was condemned to forced exile in the United States following the Indonesian invasion of his country, and for 24 years he defended the Timorese cause at the United Nations (UN) and in the global capitals. In 1996, his efforts were rewarded with the Nobel Peace Prize, which he shared with the bishop of Dili, Ximenes Belo.
While many people consider the appointment of Ramos Horta to be a “good omen”, Nádia Issufo, a Mozambican journalist, suggests that it could represent a “poisoned gift” for the transition government. On her personal blog, Acalmar as Almas [Calming Souls], she points to various organisations representing the international community which have tried to intervene in the current political situation in Guinea Bissau, of which she highlights the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), which does not recognise the current transition government, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which does recognise it:
Está assumido pelo governo de transição guineense que a CPLP não é exatamente bem vinda na negociação da sua crise. A CEDEAO é o parceiro confiado de Bissau. Por exemplo, recentemente o governo de Serifo Nhamadjo disse estar satisfeito com a presença das forças desta organização no país, apesar da Liga dos Direitos Humanos Guineense afirmar que a tal força assiste impávida as violações dos direitos humanos no país.
(…)
A nomeação de um representante da ONU proveniente de um país membro da CPLP, pode parecer inocente, mas em termo práticos isola e sufoca a CEDEAO e obviamente a Guiné-Bissau. Quer queira quer não, de alguma maneira o governo de transição é obrigado a engolir a CPLP, se não desliza com mel, então…
Enquanto a guerra entre a CEDEAO e a CPLP não terminar as chances para uma saída pacífica são mínimas. Sabemos que no fundo a disputa é dominada por Angola, que se quer impor no continente africano ao nível diplomático, e a Nigéria que quer também o posto. Portanto, está um país a afundar-se também em nome de ambições alheias.
It is assumed by the Guinean transition government that the CPLP is not exactly welcome in the negotiation of its crisis. ECOWAS is Bissau's trusted partner. For example, Serifo Nhamadjo's government recently said that it was satisfied with the presence of ECOWAS forces in the country, in spite of claims by the Guinean Human Rights League that these forces were passively observing human rights violations in the country.
(…)
The appointment of a UN representative originating from a member state of the CPLP may appear to be innocent, but in practical terms it isolates and suffocates ECOWAS and of course, Guinea Bissau. Like it or not, in some way the transition government is obliged to swallow the CPLP, if it doesn't slip down easily, then…
As long as the war between ECOWAS and the CPLP continues, the likelihood of a peaceful exit is minimal. We know deep down that the dispute is dominated by Angola, which wants to impose itself on the African continent on a diplomatic level, and Nigeria which also wants that position. Therefore, it is a country which is sinking also under the weight of foreign ambitions.
“Guinea Wants Peace. Photo by Sofia da Palma Rodrigues on the blog Brancon'pelele
The “foreign ambitions” to which Nádia refers are also mentioned by Portuguese political marketing consultant José Paulo Fafe, who comments [pt] on his blog:
Recorde-se que, em 2004, Ramos Horta chefiou a missão da CPLP que “fiscalizou” (sem grande sucesso, diga-se de passagem…) as eleições naquele país, quando sob o olhar cúmplice da comunidade internacional e do governo então chefiado por Durão Barroso, se sucederam as fraudes e as “chapeladas” por todo o território. Esperemos agora que o antigo mandatário timorense “emende a mão” e, pelo menos, não seja à semelhança do chefe da diplomacia portuguesa [Paulo Portas], um porta-voz dos interesses angolanos naquele país. É que para mandarete, já basta o que temos…
It must be remembered that in 2004, Ramos Horta led the CPLP mission to “oversee” (without great success, by the way…) this country's elections, when under the complicit gaze of the international community and the government then led by Durão Barroso, fraud and “ballot-box stuffing” took place all over the country. Let us hope now that the former leader of East Timor “corrects his hand” and, at least, does not resemble the head of Portuguese diplomacy [Paulo Portas], a spokesman for Angolan interests in the country. We've got enough errand boys as it is…
Journalist Helena Ferro de Gouveia, on the blog Domadora de Camaleões [Tamer of Chamaeleons], says that Ramos Horta, “the man who declared that ‘Timor ida deit'” (Timor is a single country), calling for the union of the Timorese people, could be “the right man to prevent the future from deserting Guinea and to help the country to find a way home”, but she points out some of the difficulties which he may encounter:
- A ossatura de um Estado faz-se de dois pilares: o da segurança e o da justiça; na Guiné-Bissau, o pilar da segurança ruiu há muito e o sistema de justiça é inexistente.
- O uso da força pelos militares [substituiu] as instituições do Estado. Sem ajuda externa para acabar com o envolvimento das Forças Armadas na política, é impossível acabar com a chantagem dos militares sobre os políticos, a sua manipulação do poder legislativo e do poder judicial e o deslizar  do país para o tráfico de drogas entre a América Latina e a Europa.
- The frame of a state comprises of two pillars: security and justice; in Guinea Bissau, the security pillar collapsed a long time ago and the justice system is inexistent.
- The use of force by soldiers [has replaced] state institutions. Without external help to put an end to the involvement of the Armed Forces in politics, it will be impossible to stop blackmail by soldiers over politicians, their manipulation of legislative and judicial power and the slide of the country into becoming a point on the drug-trafficking route between Latin America and Europe.
Remaining on the subject of drug trafficking, an editorial on the blog Página Global [Global Page] [pt], dedicated to Lusophone countries, says that this is a “burden which weighs excessively on the Guinean people (…) who are struggling with a crisis caused by corrupt officials and coupists linked to drug cartels”:
A determinação de fazer da Guiné-Bissau um território sobre a posse do narcotráfico é por demais evidente e não será Ramos Horta que conseguirá mudar o curso desses objetivos se a comunidade internacional, a ONU, não der um “murro na mesa” e usar os argumentos e provas que possui para criminalizar em Tribunal Internacional os criminosos e cúmplices que detêm os poderes e a sistemática subjugação do país aos ditames do narcotráfico, dos golpismos e de prepotência. Basta de impunidades.
The determination to make Guinea Bissau into a territory in the possession of drug traffickers is quite evident and Ramos Horta will not manage to change the course of these objectives if the international community, the UN, doesn't put its foot down and use the arguments and evidence which it possesses to prosecute in an International Tribunal the criminals and their accomplices who are holding onto power and systematically subjecting the country to the dictates of the drug trafficking industry, of the coupists and of arrogance. Enough impunity.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Sara Moreira


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Pakistani Activist Khudi Ali Killed in Bombings Targeting Hazaras  · Global Voices
Sana Saleem

On 10 January, 2013 in Pakistan's southwestern city of Quetta, 82 people lost their lives in back-to-back bombings that hit an area populated primarily by ethnic Hazara Shia Muslims.
Irfan Khudi Ali, a prominent human rights activist who tirelessly highlighted the persecution of Hazara Shia in Pakistan, passed away in the second attack.
Vigil for @khudiali in Islamabad. Picture by @ali_abbas_zaidi
On Twitter, Ali reported narrowly escaping the first bombing in Quetta:
@khudiali : #Quetta, was on the way to home nearly escaped from bomb blast 11 ppl dead.
Maria Memon tweeted:
Ali cldnt survive the 2nd blast tonite.RIP @khudiali RT @khudiali #Quetta,was on the way to home nearly escaped 4m bomb blast 11 ppl dead
His killing has sparked a tribute to his struggle and reignited protests on Shia killings in Pakistan. Ali's last tweet was a report from the ground regrading the migration of Hazaras as a result of persecution:
@khudiali #Hazara families of #Machh,Khuzdir finally succumbed to the genocidal pressure&moving out. Sad day for diversity in #Balochistan.
Irfan Ali during a protest against sectarian violence in Islamabad, September 2012. From the Facebook page of Pakistan Youth Alliance.
Since 2001, Hazara Shia Muslims from Quetta — have routinely been targeted by militant groups. Being a minority within a minority, the killing of Hazara Shias is one of the most underreported cases of violence in Pakistan.
Hazara.net archives statistics of killings of Hazara Shiites in Pakistan, including number of attacks and the number of people killed in the attacks thus far. According to the statistics on the site a total of 1100 Hazara Shiites have been killed in Pakistan since 1999.
Media outlets often face the heat for not acknowledging the nature of the attacks and when they do they are criticized for using the term ‘sectarian’ when a particular sect is being targeted. In an effort to create more noise and build pressure on law enforcement agencies and the government, there's been an active debate on social media regarding the targeted killings of Shiites using the #shiakillings and #shiagenocide on Twitter. Hazara activists have, in the past, used social media to get international media's attention in order to get their stories reported.
Well respected journalist Mohammad Hanif writes:
@mohammedhanif: there seems to be a near consensus here that calling a sectarian attack, a sectarian attack, is the major cause of sectarian attacks
@zainabimam: Well done, Faisal Qureshi (actor) for a detailed morning show on the Shia view of belief. Daring of him. Thank you from a #Shia. #Pakistan
@adyadeel: #ShiaGenocide must end. govt must take concrete steps to show that they r serious to save innocent Shia lives
Blogger Omar Biden wrote a brief yet moving tribute to Irfan Khudi Ali on his blog:
Yesterday was one of many blood-soaked days for Balochistan’s capital, Quetta. Already in the morning the residents of city got to hear a blast pow, where explosives were planted in a Frontier Corp vehicle at Bacha Khan Chowk. The explosion resulted in 12 innocent lives being perished. Indeed, it created helter-skelter between the residents to bury the dead bodies.
Yet the more-then-enough rule doesn’t work in Pakistan, at least not in Quetta. After an interval of only few hours Alamdar Road, a majorly Shia Hazara people territory, witnessed another mass massacre, still the same tactic as in the morning -bomb blast. Nevertheless this time planned “Mardanawar”, boldly, a twin-blast to claim an unforgettable catastrophe (…)
he brutal incidents cost an enormous loss to humanity indeed. It also happened to be the death of an admired friend, a human rights activist –Irfan Ali Khudi.
Allegedly, Irfan Ali Khudi, 33, had come to Quetta so that he could “deliver peace training to young activist”.
Although I intended to write my feelings, yet am leaving this post incomplete…
The blood soaked day in Quetta, as Omar puts it, is not the first of its kind and may not be the last one. The indifference has angered many, especially since the banned militant organization, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, that claimed responsibility for the attacks are yet to be apprehended.
@sehartariq : Why do we feel more sympathy for Muslims in Gaza than we do for Muslims in #Pakistan with whom we share history & citizenship #shiagenocide
@zzzAsad : Shia pilgrims are frequently targeted on buses by sectarian militants #LeJ #ShiaGenocide
@FahidJaved : You bloody #LeJ butchers, kil me #WeAreAllHazara. Every Pakistani is Hazara, each one of us. How many wil u kill? How many bullets do u hv?
@Naseer_Kakar : Latest on #Quetta: all the victims r shifted to military hospital as doctors were threatened by #LeJ in Civil Hospital.#Balochistan #blasts
@AhmadShuja : RIP @khudiali. They took your life, but your courage and inspiration remains. #LeJ #Quetta
@ZakirChangezi : Quoting #KhudiAli “My people the Shia are dying. If I die, I want to die trying to help them”. #RIPKhudiAli
The families of the victims have refused to bury their dead and have announced  that they will continue a sit-in unless the army takes action against the killing sprees. This image uploaded on Twitter shows thousands of Hazara sitting in the rain with the dead bodies of those massacred in the Quetta bombings.
@ammar_faheem : Shia protesters stage sit in on Quetta's alamdaar road along with bodies of those martyred in yesterday's blasts #ShiaGenocide
@AdnanSarparrah : Sit-in by the Shia community continues but handing over #Quetta to army won't solve anything, Quetta is already under control of Army (FC)
Ali spoke at Tedx event in Rawalpindi city just a few weeks ago, watch his powerful speech here.
Ali dedicated most of his life to highlighting the plight of Hazara, for those who knew him and even those who did not, he has become a symbol of the struggle for justice for the Hazara Community in Pakistan. As the sit in continues, amid cold and rain, as families refuse to bury their loved ones, will the authorities finally take action to stop the bloodshed? Till then Ali's story needs to be heard.

author: Sana Saleem


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Peru: Wendy Sulca, YouTube Phenomenon, Teased Once Again · Global Voices
Robert Valencia

“Hello to Armando Esteban Quito [roughly translated as “assembling this little bench”]… and Jorge Nitales [jor-genitals]… a big kiss to Elsa Capunta [pencil sharpener]… we're your number one fans from Narnia…”. This is how Peruvian star Wendy Sulca greeted her supposed fans earlier this month on her Tweetcam [es], seemingly unaware that she was the victim of a series of pranks as she stated fictitious names, some with double meanings. The jokes mostly came from her Chilean “fans”.
The video of more than four minutes immediately spread like wildfire on YouTube, the same site that made her famous more than five years ago [es], inciting laughter and discomfort in some. In a statement she made to a Peruvian television show, Sulca confessed she is unhappy “with the jokes made in bad taste” and affirmed she does not have “that type of malice”. Also, some national journalists expressed their disagreement, arguing that people have taken advantage of the “innocence” of a girl who is just 16 years old.
And the fact is, to tell the truth, Wendy Sulca's songs and videos, that border between the unusual and kitsch, have earned her accolades, mocking and multiple critiques that cross boundaries. One clear example is the Spanish program El Intermedio, whose presenters have lambasted Wendy Sulca (along with other YouTube phenomenons, La Tigresa del Oriente and Delfín Quishpe) on multiple occasions:
Despite all of this, Sulca has won the sympathy of artists like Calle 13, Dante Spinetta, and Fito Paez and has been invited to give concerts around Latin America. The fascination with this viral movement, beginning long before the arrival of Gangnam Style and Rebecca Black's cacophonous “Friday”, has been described by renowned journalist Alma Guillermoprieto as “infinite and joyful capacity for self-invention” and she highlighted the following in the prestigious The New York Review of Books:
“Their self-confidence and optimism we can only envy, and yet they have lives we can barely imagine (how much did the rural violence provoked by Peru’s Shining Path guerrillas influence Wendy’s parents’ decision to migrate to the capital?). But millions of people admire these singers. This is not outsider but insider art of the deepest sort, forged in a hot-hot crucible, and it is we who stand on the outside, peering wistfully at the screen”.
About two years ago, Colombia's Revista Shock [es] (Shock Magazine) devoted a cover and special edition to Sulca, cataloging her as the “ultimate diva of our Latin America”:
“Más allá de La tetita y la Cerveza, el fenómeno de Wendy Sulca revela uno de los momentos más interesantes de la historia cultural reciente… Como una de esas estrellas infantiles cuyo inevitable crecimiento hace que su público se sienta medio estafado, ella ya está en esa etapa de la vida en la que comienzan a tallarle los vestidos que los mayores la han obligado a usar. Es una niñita risueña que comienza a destetarse”.
Beyond La Tetita (The Little Breast) and la Cerveza (Beer), the phenomenon that is Wendy Sulca reveals one of the most interesting moments of recent cultural history… As one of those child stars whose inevitable growth makes the audience feel half-cheated, she is already in that stage of life in which she has begun to be fit for dresses which older people force her to wear. She is a cheerful girl who has started the weaning process.
The trolling (provocative messages on the Internet) aimed towards Wendy Sulca was a subject of discussion on Twitter. Jorge Marín (@jorgemarin) came out in Wendy's defense:
@jorgemarin: Cómo puede existir gente inescrupulosa que le haga bromas a Wendy Sulca?
How can there be unscrupulous people that would play pranks on Wendy Sulca?
Other users, like Claudia (@claudiita1595), found the incident hilarious:
@claudiita1595 Acabo de ver el video donde trollean a Wendy Sulca en su twitcam. JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJJA ELVA SURITA. NO PUEDO JAJAJAJAJA
I just watched the video where they prank Wendy Sulca on her tweetcam. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA ELVA SURITA. I CAN'T HAHAHAHAHA
Dummie (@sianale) argues that the joke played on Wendy Sulca
@sianale: la trolleada a wendy sulca es la verdadera marca peru…
the prank on wendy sulca is the true Peruvian brand…
Ignacio Martinez (@nachito79) expressed his skepticism about Wendy's innocence:
@nachito79:  Imposible que @WendySulca no se diera cuenta de los nombres que decía en su twitcam
Impossible that @WendySulca didn't notice the names she was saying on her tweetcam
Juan Aranguren (@jc_aranguren) proposed the following:
@jc_aranguren: Deberíamos inmortalizar a esta niña Wendy Sulca, hacerle un altar o nombrar alguna calle con su nombre.
We should immortalize this girl Wendy Sulca, maker her an altar and name a street after her.
Finally, Chichoelmalo (@chichoelmalo) emphasized:
@chichoelmalo: Nunca, oigan bien, nunca voy a superar el saludo a Elsa Capuntas de Wendy Sulca. Te amo Wendy, te amo.
I will never, listen up, never get past the greeting Wendy Sulca gave to Elsa Capuntas[pencil sharpener]. I love you Wendy, I love you.
In honor of the possibility of reinvention that Guillermoprieto points to, we leave you with the version of “Like a Virgin” by Madonna sung by Sulca herself:

author: Robert Valencia


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Rethinking Public Service: Portuguese Bloggers Translate IMF Report  · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Whether you agree with its content or not, it is unacceptable that the only available version is in English.
The author of the Portuguese blog Aventar refers [pt] to a recent report released by the IMF, ‘Rethinking the State – Selected Expenditure Reform Options’, which “may be the basis for many governmental decisions that will have an impact in the life of Portuguese citizens”. The blog has launched a call for collaborative translation of the document.


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Set Phrases in China’s Diplomatese · Global Voices
Abby Liu

From “angrily denounce” to “be gravely hurt”, Chinese journalist Fang Kecheng analyzed the set phrases in China’s diplomatese.

author: Abby Liu


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Social Media Buzz: The Fallout of Assad’s Speech · Global Voices
Syria Deeply

As part of our collaboration with Syria Deeply we are cross-posting a series of articles that capture civilian voices caught in the crossfire, along with perspectives on the conflict from writers around the world.
Millions of Syrians are using social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Skype to disseminate and discuss the conflict. Each week our Mohammed Sergie monitors the online conversation in English and Arabic, pulling out the highlights in a feature called the Social Media Buzz.
President Bashar Al Assad gave a rare speech on Sunday, his first since June, igniting Facebook and Twitter discussions that provided a jolt to both his supporters and opponents. Assad reiterated his argument that there is no revolution in Syria and that those seeking his ouster are criminals and terrorists working for foreign enemies. He laid out a peace plan that echoed his stance for the past 21 months, refusing to engage the armed rebels and functionally insisting on staying in power.
The online discussion followed a predictable flow. Assad opponents dismissed the speech, pointing out that nothing new was said, while Assad supporters were invigorated, gleeful at the defiance of their embattled president.
Although the fate of Assad and his family’s decades-long rule remains the core demand at the heart of the Syrian conflict, the debate in Syria has touched on broader issues — none more sensitive and potentially deadly than the sectarian enmity brewing in the country. Subhi Hadidi, a prominent Syrian writer for the London-based daily Alquds Alarabi, sparked some testy exchanges this week.
It began when Hadidi said that Alawites should examine the roots of the violent behavior of some in their sects, a comment that was a reaction to the apparently endless stream of videos showing Syrian soldiers taunting and killing unarmed prisoners.
Many took offense to his statement, including Samar Yazbek, an Alawite writer who supports the revolution, and labeled him as sectarian. Yazbek asked why people fell silent after it became known that one of the alleged soldiers was Sunni. His response tries to clear up the point but its aggressiveness doesn’t seem to have been effective.
Asaad Abu Khalil, author of the Angry Arab blog and a fierce opponent of the Syrian revolution, linked to Hadidi’s tweetsand alerted readers to their “sectarian quality.”
The unmistakable signs of Islamism continue in Aleppo. The image below shows rebels emptying liquor bottles into a drain, a picture that has many liberal supporters of the revolution concerned that they may not be able to drink alcohol in a post-Assad Syria.

author: Syria Deeply


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Zonguldak Accident Draws Attention to Turkish Miners’ Plight · Global Voices
Baran Mavzer

Zonguldak is a mining city on Black Sea coast of Turkey, and the name of the city originates from Turkish zondalik, which means swamp. After the death of eight miners in an accident which occurred in a gas leak in a mine on January 7, that is how all mines around the city seem like to the miners – an endless swamp.
Miners in Zonguldak. Picture is taken by gecetreni on flickr.
Kozlu, where the accident occurred, is a town in the central district of Zonguldak Province, and also has a tragic history for miners. In 1992, after a firedamp explosion in the mine, 263 miners died. This was the biggest disaster in the 150 years of Zonguldak's mining history. But it was not the only one. In 1983, Ereğli, a town in the central district of Zonguldak Province, again turned into a graveyard for 102 miners after a firedamp explosion. Just three years ago, on May 17, 2010, the death of 30 miners in the same city shocked the whole country once again. After years and years, the only thing that changes is the number of deaths. Even that could not prevent Turkey in passing China to top the list of the numbers of miner deaths per 100,000 miners in the world, according to the International Labour Organisation.
The signs of the accident on January 7 had some similarities to previous ones. A subcontractor company was running the mine, which does not have the required qualifications and has no previous experience on mining, because it is a construction company. Even the government tries to stay away from the responsibilities of the accident, in their inspection on the mine by the inspectors of ministry of internal affairs shows that the subcontractor did not fulfill basic safety and health requirements.
According to the report on Turkey Anthracite Society Kozlu Anthracite Processing Company (the same mine that eight miners died) which was prepared by the court of account in 2011, ‘it is just a lucky coincidence not having a fatal accident in this mine’. As it is clear for all to see, every single department of the government, including parliament, ‘have seen’ these problems about the mine and the subcontractor, but no precautions were taken.
On the other hand, it came out that just one and half years ago, same miners held a protest and a strike that lasted two weeks, and mentioned that they could not get their deserved payments and they were made to work under really bad conditions. According the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, one of the miners, Ayhan Gökgöz (35) mentioned the death of 30 miners on TV during the strike said:
“Bu arkadaşlarımız göz göre göre öldü. Önlemler alınsaydı, hiçbir şey olmayacaktı. İş işten geçtikten sonra ’ah anam bunlar gitti’ denmesin. Sayın Valim, emniyet müdürüm, milletvekilleri sesimizi duysunlar. Biz işçi olmak istiyoruz. Biz çalışma koşullarımız iyileşsin istiyoruz. Yalvarıyoruz yetkililere, Allah için gelsinler görsünler halimizi”
“These friends of ours died so obviously. If there were precautions in place nothing was going to happen. Nobody would say ‘oh so sad we lost them’ after everything is done. Dear governor, chief of security, senator hear us. We want to be workers. We want better working conditions. We are begging officials, for God's sake, see our conditions.”
And another miner simply yelled to the cameras:
“Lamba, maske bile vermiyorlar. Kazmayı küreği kendimiz alıyoruz”
“They do not even give us a flashlight or mask, we even brought our own digging tools.”
And on January 10, 2013, the same miner Ayhan Tokgöz was talking again and this time he said:
Ölen 8 arkadaşımla beraber 30 işçi öldüğünde Karadon Maden Ocağı’na gittik. Beraber ağladık orada. Hatta, ’Biz de böyle olur muyuz’ diye konuştuk ve olduk.
“We with our eight friends laying dead in the mine went near our 30 friends who died in the mining accident when it happened. We all cried together. And even we asked each other ‘Will we end up like that too?’ and we did.”
After the accident, Turkey Anthracite Society Kozlu Anthracite Processing Company's vice director Ali Demirsoy met with the families of the three miners whose dead bodies are still in the collapsed mine. Though his speech surprised the people, as he said “Look you are all veiled women here… It is not important as you are veiled or not, we are in that kind of situation.” It is not the first time of surprising speeches by the officials, after mine accidents in Turkey. After death of 30 miners in 2010, prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said “dying is the destiny of a miner” and Omer Dinçer, the minister of labor and social security, followed him a few days later by mentioning “miners died in a beautiful way, without suffering.”
The reactions of netizens were almost in the same direction with each other – even though they had different political views. Hakan Coşar (@hakancoar1) said on his Twitter account:
Daha çok grizu patlamaları ve göçüklerle gündeme gelen madenciler.Güneşin doğuşunu ve mavi gök yüzünü onlardan daha iyi anlayan var mıdır?
Miners are on the agenda only after explosions and collapses. Is there anyone understanding the sunrise and the blue sky better than them?
Twitter user Dede (@mhmmtgkc) mentioned the government official news channel TRT Haber's program during the accident. He twitted:
Daha yarım saat önce patlamanın olduğu işletme TRT Haber'deydi. Yok güvenlik şöyle yok dedektörler böyle dediler yarım saat sonra facia :S
Just half an hour ago, the mine that had an explosion was on TRT Haber. They were praising the security and detectors and just half an hour later, disaster :S
Ernoyan Ç. (@ernoyan) who comes from a miner family as he admitted, brought another angle to the incident by saying:
Madenci bir ailenin çocuğuyum. Dedelerim de babam da madenlerde çalıştı. Ne zaman bir maden kazası haberi gelse yüreğim parçalanıyor
I am a child of a miner family. My grandfathers, my dad worked in the mines, too. Whenever I hear about a mine accident, my heart shatters in pieces
Acz (@aczvefakr) tried to draw attention to one of the miners who gave his life away by saying:
taşeron çalışan muhsin akyüz 800 TL maaş alıyordu. 14 yerine 7 kere, 25 yerine 10 metre sondaj yapıldı diyorlar. muhsin'i devlet öldürdü.
working under subcontractor, Muhsin Akyüz was earning 800 TL per month. They say explorations have been made just 7 times instead of 14,  just 10 meters deep instead of 25. The government killed Muhsin.
On Turkish social platform eksisozluk.com, one of the users, nicknamed as “nekadarmukemmelimsahaneharukayim” entered an entry telling, how usual these accidents start to become:
haberi duyduğumuzda anlamsız hayatlarımıza ara verip yarım dakika bilemedin 1 dakika etkilendiğimiz, sorumlularının hukuken hiç bir ceza almayacakları, köseleşmiş vicdanları sebebiyle suçluluk bile duymayacağı ”iş kazası”dır.
This is a kind of “work accident” which makes us give 30 seconds or at best 1 minute break to our meaningless lives, the kind of accident which will have no charge for the people who are responsible for it, and by the help of their blunted conscience, they will not feel guilty for it.
Zonguldak once again hits headlines as usual with a mine accident. Even there were reactions on the social media, especially on eksisozluk.com (a social platform in Turkey) and twitter, one of them was telling everything all smooth and clearly. Nilüfer Zengin, sister of Köksal Kadıoğlu who lost his life in the accident, cried out at the funeral of her brother:
“Seni bu ocaklara girmeye mecbur kılan bu düzen utansın ağabey. Sana ’girme’ dedim. Sen, ’Girmek zorundayım, ne yapayım kardeşim, özel sektör bu çalışmadan sigorta vermiyorlar’ dedin. Emekliliğine 5 sene kalmıştı ağabeyimin”
“Shame on the system that puts you into those mines. I told you not to enter there, and you said; ‘I have to do it, what else I can do my sister, this is private sector they do not give insurance without working’. Only five more years were left for your retirement.”

author: Baran Mavzer


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Venezuela: Legal Stand-Off Over Chávez Absence · Global Voices
Jessica Carrillo

Venezuela has returned to the forefront of the political debate scene after leaders of the government claimed President Hugo Chávez will no longer hold the presidency captive after of January 10, 2013.
Discussions revolve around Chávez's eligibility to be sworn into office after this date and in such a case whether or not a permanent or temporary vacancy should be declared as stated in articles[es] 231, 232, 233, 234 and 235 of the Bolvarian Republic of Venezuela's constitution.
Attorney José Ignacio Hernández shares his analysis on Prodavinci of how these five articles should be interpreted in light of President Chávez's illness:
To read the Constitution is a difficult and delicate task because such constitutional provisions determine presidence, establishing the principals and values with which scope and meaning are interpreted.
Let me be clear: it is not that a literal interpretation of the Constitution should be entirely dismissed. Nor am I inclined to support the notion that the provisions granted in the Constitution are flexible and elastic. The Constitution, in entirety, is regulatory in nature, establishing rules of conduct that should be interpreted in accordance with the Constitution, without distortion of its meaning, the repercussions of which would result in a parallel constitution of sorts.
José Ignacio Hernández proposes declaring a temporary absence for the President, a provision he believes fully established by the Constitution.
Presidente Hugo Chávez Frías. Photo by Flickr user !Que comunismo!, under the Creative Commons license agreement (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
In response to the recent debate, Venezuelan citizen José Gómez Barata submitted his perspective to the Aporrea opinion pages. There he explains that the time and place of the presidential inauguration will remain secondary so long as the authorities are involved:
Article 231 of the Venezuelan constitution states- without any general doubt or margin of creative interpretation- that: “The elected candidate will be sworn in as the President of the Republic on the 10th of January in the first year of his or her constitutional period, under Oath before the National Assembly…”
A cautionary provision immediately follows. “If, for whatever reason, the circumstance suddenly arises where the President of the Republic is not able to be sworn in before the National Assembly, he or she is to be sworn in before the Supreme Court”.
The secondary guideline precisely notes “sudden” instances, meaning unexpected or unforeseen and as such should be impossible to legislate. The text establishes no place, date, or extensions, things that consciously leave constituents at the discretion of the concerned authorities: the National Assembly, the Supreme Court and the President who, in mutual agreement, should enforce the mandate. In this case what is in accordance with the substance of the law and that which is legally binding is that the president take office before the mandated authorities. The means and timing are secondary.
However, for Daniel Pratt in his post on the Panfleto Negro page, this question of interpretation has created a deep divide in Venezuelan political life:
The problem for the chavistas [Chávez supporters], and Venezuela as a whole, is that they believe in democracy and the Republic only when they win the elections. If they lose or if an obstacle presents itself, no one has a problem violating the people's will (I repeat: all Venezuelans, no just chavistas). In fact, this instance and its absurd interpretations of the Constitution (from both sides), reveals that even more than republicans and democrats, Venezuelans are actually majorically monarchists.
Strong arguments are heard noting the general lack of information present, despite the more than 25 medical reports that have been published regarding the President's condition since the beginning of his health battle in June 2011:
We have no idea what he's actually sick with. Absolutely no party has specified cancer. The only thing they have said is “malignant cells” and “pulmonary infection.” For all we know, he could have cancer, AIDS, Lupus, pneumonia or bronchitis.
But on Twitter, the majority of the discussions have revolved around the distinct interpretations and their implications for the political climate in Venezuela.
LaDivina Diva (@ladivinadiva) claims that Venezuela's Ocober 7th elections were simply for President Chávez and no one else. Otherwise, to talk of an indefinite absence now would have been completely unfeasible:
(@LaDivinaDiva): The Venezuelan people voted for Chávez, not for “whatever chavista was available.” To indefinitely prolong an absence is not legal nor is it a viable option
But Ángel Dueñez (@AngelNoez) considers that while the reasons the Supreme Court levies may or may not be please the people, the Court is ultimately who has the final say:
(@AngelNoez): Like it or not, the Court is the ultimate interpretation of the Constitution. WHAT'S DONE IS DONE.#6AñosMas
Alonso Moleiro (@amoleiro) questions the invalidity of issuing a temporary absence, and in turn, the consequence if Diosdado Cabello of the National Assembly were to assume an interim presidency:
(@amoleiro): I would love for a chavista to explain to me- without insulting me- why @dcabellor can't serve as interim President while we wait for Chávez #Constitución
For José Montilla (@datobinario) the current crisis in Venezuela is not about the defense of the Constitution but the interests of the various sectors that make up the political life in the country:
(@datobinario): In the end, no one is defending the constitution or its legality, only political interests defending themselves.

author: Jessica Carrillo


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Who Should Be in the Internet Hall of Fame? · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

The Internet Society seeks nominees from any country who have played a significant role in the development of the Internet for inclusion in the Internet Hall of Fame.

author: Solana Larsen


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Cartoonists Inspired by Censorship Protests in China · Global Voices
Abby Liu

The Southern Weekly incident became an inspiration to cartoonists. Below is the most popular image posted by an unnamed artist.
CHINA DIGITAL TIMES has collected more cartoons from Chinese social media.


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Jamaica: Debt Storm Coming?   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Jamaican blogosphere has been a bit prickly ever since the Chicago Tribune, in an editorial on January 8, 2013, compared Jamaica’s financial condition to that of Greece, considered by some to be the most precariously perched country in the global economy.
Blogging at Active Voice, Annie Paul noted that the Tribune “drew attention to Jamaica as another Greek tragedy waiting to happen” by flat-out stating the island nation was “in worse financial shape than Greece” and “caught in a debt trap”.   Its proposed solution? “A restructuring, and a bailout with significant debt relief.”  Paul commented:
This bald statement of Jamaica’s stark reality has deeply shaken this nation whose citizens have never had a liking for plain talk. Being a former sugar plantation, the product is abundantly available, and sugar-coating the truth is routine.
She went on to quote some of the “excited chatter” surrounding the issue, reposting a comment from one of her Facebook friends:
Ok – so Jamaica has a serious and critical debt problem. This is therefore the challenge of our time, for our generation to fix and I believe wholeheartedly that we can – why are we educated if not to find solutions? if we don’t, then our children will have to fix it, and if they don’t then theirs will. Could I find just 20 humble and willing people who aren’t motivated by greed and personal welfare, who aren’t caught up with always going to party at maiden cay and getting drunk on Friday nights – who are not so egotistic as to think that they are better than their ordinary countrymen , who are patient and ingenious , who are prepared to sacrifice for the good of those who will come after, whose names will be deserving of marking the halls dedicated to them and their work, and whose names children of the future prosperous Jamaican nation will proudly bear? Could I just find 20 people who understand that things will never get better unless I can find these 20 people? And could those 20 people inbox me with the subject – Revolution!
On Twitter, there were markedly different responses to the editorial. Samir King didn't try to contain his sarcasm:
@persian__king: #ChicagoTribune- #Jamaica the #Greece of the Western Hemisphere. The Prime Minister must be so proud.
Marlene Malahoo thought the Tribune editorial was stating the obvious:
@oohalam: Did we really need #Chicagotribune to tell us about the bad lesson of #Jamaica's irresponsible stewardship and its debt trap?
The Caribbean News Network simply reported the political reaction:
@caribbeannewsuk: #JAMAICA: Both poltical parties have united to criticise a #ChicagoTribune editorial describing the Jamaican economy as worse than Greece.
Kevin Edmonds, writing for the blog of the North American Congress on Latin America, suggested that last year the region was collectively trying to keep its head above water – and wondered what 2013 could have in store economically:
The ugly reality of austerity has rolled back much of the region’s social progress in healthcare and education—and we are witnessing an unparalleled spike of inequality, poverty, and crime. The majority of the spending for such services now is predominately debt driven and as such are unsustainable.
He cited Jamaica as an example:
Jamaica has come to symbolize how problematic a relationship with the IMF can become. Since the late 1970’s Jamaica has been stuck on a treadmill of debt, running at full speed, engaging in continuous borrowing, and repaying with massive amounts of interest while never getting ahead. In the 35 years the IMF has been in Jamaica, the country has devalued its currency numerous times, liberalized its tariffs, lowered taxes for corporations, created export-processing zones, slashed social spending, and privatized state enterprises. This has all resulted in higher levels of debt, less social services, little to no economic growth, and the collapse of Jamaica’s productive economy.
In response to the Chicago Tribune editorial, he wrote:
Jamaica is currently in the midst of deciding whether or not to negotiate a further round of payment restructuring. Instead of flying advisors from Washington to Kingston to provide advice on how to handle the crisis, perhaps the PNP government should be looking south towards Buenos Aries for ideas on how to deal with such unsustainable levels of debt.
While this will not happen overnight, there is a serious need for democratic renewal in the region.
The post dealt with other regional push factors – crime and its impact on human development, food security, trade liberalization, the erosion of basic social welfare programs, parallel drug-based economies.  Edmonds continued:
The orientation of the region has led to a fracturing of both the domestic and regional economies. What is proposed is not an easy task, and it will take a collective effort. What Caribbean leaders need to do is establish a series of plans to tackle to most serious problems facing the region.
And if that fails, Annie Paul provided a glimmer of optimism:
Its the young who will have to find ways to cauterize our debt wound. If there are enough like [her Facebook friend] Samuel Morgan around there is hope.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Long Prison Terms for ‘Dissident’ Vietnam Bloggers · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

After attending a training course in Bangkok organized by Vietnam Reform Party or Viet Tan, 14 people were arrested by Vietnam authorities for allegedly participating in “activities aimed at overthrowing the people's administration.” The arrested individuals were mostly Catholic students, bloggers, and human rights activists. Last January 9, a local court found them guilty of subversion by citing Article 79 of the penal code. Long prison sentences were handed out to the convicted individuals:
1. Ho Duc Hoa (13 years in prison, 5 years house arrest)
2. Dang Xuan Dieu (13 years in prison, 5 years house arrest)
3. Paulus Le Son (13 years in prison, 5 years house arrest)
4. Nguyen Van Duyet (6 years in prison, 4 years house arrest)
5. Nguyen Van Oai (3 years in prison, 2 years house arrest)
6. Ho Van Oanh (3 years in prison, 2 years house arrest)
7. Nguyen Dinh Cuong (4 years in prison, 3 years house arrest)
8. Nguyen Xuan Anh (5 years in prison, 3 years house arrest)
9. Thai Van Dung (5 years in prison, 3 years house arrest)
10. Tran Minh Nhat (4 years in prison, 3 years house arrest)
11. Nong Hung Anh (5 years in prison, 3 years house arrest)
12. Nguyen Dang Vinh Phuc (probation)
13. Nguyen Dang Minh Man (9 years in prison, 3 years house arrest)
14. Dang Ngoc Minh (3 years in prison, 2 years house arrest)
‘Dissident’ bloggers on trial. From Facebook page of Viet Tan
Viet Tanis a United States-based opposition political group which is banned by the Vietnamese government. They issued this statement on the day of the trial:
These activists, most of whom are in their 20s and early 30s, have tirelessly advocated for social justice, engaged in citizen journalism and participated in peaceful demonstrations against Chinese territorial encroachment. By persecuting these individuals for their peaceful expression and political advocacy, the Hanoi regime has shown once again its fear of civil society.
Human rights groups immediately reacted to the news and demanded the freedom of the convicted bloggers. Shawn Crispin of the Committee to Protect Journalists described the ‘harsh sentence’ as a suppression of independent reporting:
These harsh sentences demonstrate the outrageous lengths that Vietnamese authorities are willing to go to suppress independent reporting. We call on the authorities to reverse these convictions and release all journalists currently held behind bars on spurious national security-related charges.
Brad Adams of Human Right Watch suggests that Vietnam should honor the activists and not imprison them:
The conviction of yet more peaceful activists is another example of a government that is increasingly afraid of the opinions of its own people. Instead of imprisoning critics, the Vietnamese government should be honoring them for their efforts to address the myriad problems facing the country that the government itself has also identified.
Whatever the reason, the government appears despotic to its own people and the world when it says that someone who tries to uphold the rights of others is a threat to the state.
Friends and relatives of ‘dissident’ bloggers outside the courthouse. Photo from Viet Tan
Rupert Colville of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urges a reviewof Vietnam’s Criminal Code:
We urge the Government of Vietnam to review its use of the Criminal Code to imprison people who are critical of its policies, and to review all such cases violating freedom of expression and association in the country
Amnesty International thinks the charges against the activists are baseless:
To misconstrue the activities of the activists as trying to overthrow the government is baseless – they have been imprisoned only for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, blogger Nguyen Hoang Vi narrates how she was sexually harassed by police authorities while covering the trial of the imprisoned bloggers last December 28:
Today I'm very happy for claiming two victories against you. The first is despite the fact that you did mobilize a lot of people and efforts to stop me from leaving the house. But you failed, I did arrive at the court house where I wanted to go. The second, you used your vile and dirty acts wanting to hurt my soul to instill fear in me, causing me to give up my cause. But I want to let you know that while it is true that violence and your vile acts may cause people to surrender before you, but that only works for the weak. With people like me those acts only strengthen my spirit and my determination. You should convey my words to those who ordered you to carry out these vile acts. And don’t forget to add that your skills are poor and inferior to a woman like me that you had to rely on those dirty tricks.

author: Mong Palatino


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Mobile Libraries Help Haitians Overcome Major Earthquake · Global Voices
Davi Bonela

If today were 12 January, 2010, the world would be about to stop speechless on hearing news of the earthquake that would have destroyed Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The images would be heart-breaking, which would not stop an even greater shock following estimates that, in only a few minutes, 222 thousand people would have lost their lives and 2 million their homes. And if estimates were made with the heart, the calculation would be that all 9 million Haitians had been left wounded by the fear and uncertainty for their own lives, as well as for those of their friends and relatives.
The story of this earthquake would not fit into a book, but it is reading itself that is helping the Haitian population overcome it. This is because Libraries Without Borders is launching mobile libraries to circulate through the country's capital supplying books and, in doing so, offering a means of access to information and knowledge.
BiblioTaptap Bookmobiles in Haiti. Photo from the Libraries Without Borders website.
Operating in countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia, projects like these are carried out in developing countries and those left at risk from disasters and conflicts. In Haiti, the organisation acts in partnership with the country's National Library, which is being reconstructed, the Haitian National Bureau for Books and the Foundation for Knowledge and Freedom (FOKAL).
When faced with catastrophes, governments and international organisations join forces to distribute medicine, water, food, clothes and shelter for victims. However, people's basic needs extend beyond their bodies to their minds, spirits, hearts or wherever they have chosen to keep their feelings about what they have gone through. Badis Boussouar, Head of Communications at Libraries Without Borders, explains the role of reading in this context:
For Libraries Without Borders, there is no question that organizations and governments must devote the majority of their efforts to promoting the physical wellbeing of disaster victims. But more attention should be given to nourishing the mind as a second measure to help victims cope with catastrophe and move forward. Books and expression help sustain intellectual stimulation and promote self-worth and resilience in times of crisis. Through books, computers or training, access to information and cultural resources empowers individuals and gives them the tools to reconstruct what has been lost.
BIBLIOTAPTAPS
The organisation's mobile libraries have been inspired by the book buses that exist in other countries, especially in rural areas, and have arisen from the sad fact that most of Haiti's libraries were destroyed by the earthquake, along with 4,000 schools. 80% of the schools in Port-au-Prince and 60% of the schools in the south and west of the country were destroyed or damaged, according to data from the Disasters Emergency Committee.
They have been named BiblioTaptaps in homage to the typical local taxis. The first was launched in July 2012, and two more will be launched by this March. As can been seen in the video below [fr], the project mobilises Haitians of all ages, especially children, who are often the most affected.
While travelling through the Port-au-Prince neighbourhoods, each BiblioTaptap carries 400 books, including romances, poetry collections and plays, with half of them in the native language. In addition to literary topics, there are books on history, politics, economics and culture, both Haitian and from around the world. Users of the service also have access to photography catalogues, books on the arts and dictionaries, among other things. Books are chosen daily by the activity leaders based on the scheduled itinerary, so that reading is always simulating, whether for children participating in BiblioTaptap activities, youth wanting to better understand their country's reality in order to change it, or even adults or the elderly seeking information on health or how to care for their communities or the environment.
Book donations are welcome, but care is taken not to harm local book economies by providing excessive amounts of books.
THE URGENCY OF READING
This all forms part of the belief in the power of books to provide basic self-care knowledge along with other vital information for overcoming the trauma caused by the earthquake, which naturally, can neither be forgotten nor rectified in such a short space of time.
UNICEF supports education in post-disaster contexts and collaborates with Libraries Without Borders in Haiti.
The recent Libraries Without Borders initiative called The Urgency of Reading reaffirms the organisation's conviction that books and reading are an important means for victims to overcome this type of catastrophe. They appeal to international organisations involved in humanitarian work to: “1) expand reading, cultural and educational programs, which activate the human spirit and help individuals cope with trauma; and 2) make the provision of access to information and books a priority for international humanitarian relief”.
They can be helped in this endeavour by signing an international petition, as Tzvetan Todorov, Mario Vargas Llosa, Zygmunt Bauman, J.M. Coetzee, Robert Darnton, Roger Chartier and many others have already done.
It makes you think about what book would help in this situation. Maybe someone in Bangladesh is thinking of giving the Haitian people a poem by Rabindranath Tagore, perhaps someone in Russia is considering something by Maiakovski, but the first thing that came to my mind was a verse by the Brazilian poet Manuel Bandeira, which will be amazing when true for the entire world: Belo belo belo tenho tudo quanto quero (Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, I have everything I want). In the meantime, recognition of the importance of books and reading in situations involving natural disasters and calamities is increasing. Queens Library, for example, is offering books to the victims of Hurricane Sandy in the USA. To bring them hope, Walt Whitman.

author: Davi Bonela


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Mourning 13 Expatriates Online in Bahrain · Global Voices
Mohamed Hassan

Manama the capital of Bahrain is known to be the residence of many expatriates. The older neighborhoods of Manama is where the less privileged expat workers live in old traditional Bahraini houses, where there has been many incidents leading to casualties.
@ManamaFebEN, a Twitter account that has been reporting on the events of the Bahraini revolution in Manama tweeted:
@ManamaFebEN: A fire in one of the houses near the Matam Bin Saloom [a historic shia house of worship] in #Manama before some moments ago..
Fire in an expat workers house in Manama, shared on Twitter by @ManamaFebEN
Police response was swift as per the Twitter account, saying that police arrived to the scene only minutes after. However, their behavior might be unorthodox:
@ManamaFebEN: Manama| mercenaries hit the poor expats with the sticks, just because they're watching..
Few hours later Bahrain's ministry of interior affairs tweeted:
@Moi_Bahrain:Part of the burning building in Mukharqa collapsed and bodies of two Asians were found, while a civil defence personnel injured
An hour later they added:
MOI_Bahrain:13 bodies were found at the three-storey building after controlling the fire
Such news made it's impact on the Bahraini websphere. Journalist Reem Khalifa tweeted:
#Bahrain نعزي اسر ضحايا حريق المنامة من العمالة الاسيوية
@Reem_Khalifa: we offer our condolences to the families of the expatriate workers who are victims of Manama's fire
Abdulnabi Salman, an ex-MP, criticized the efforts toward protecting the less privileged workers saying:
لا احدفي الجانب الرسمي والقطاع الخاص يعبأ بالاهتمام بالعمالة الفقيرة وتقع المسؤلية على دولها الاصلية لحمايتها عبر اشتراطات ملزمة #Bahrain
@BuSalman1960: No one from the officials in the public sector or the private sector cares about the poor expat labors, the responsibility lies on their countries to protect them with binding conditions
Blogger Ahmed Habib witnessed the fire. He described a scene of the area:
العثور على ١٣ جثة بعد حريق في مبنى في المنامة مررت على المبنى وشاهدت حالة الحزن والبكاء لدى الآسيويين. تغمد الله ارواحهم #Bahrain
@ahmdhabib: 13 bodies were found after a fire in a building in Manama I passed by the building and saw the state of grievance and tears among the Asian workers. May their souls rest in peace.
Writer Jaffer Al-alawi compared this tragedy to previous incidents that had similar results:
١٣ آسيوي يقضون نحبهم في حريق بسكن عمال يعيد للذاكرة سيناريو ٢٠٠٦ وحريق مبنى القضيبية ولجان التحقيق وأشياء أخرى. الله يرحمهم. #BAHRAIIN
@JustJa3far: 13 Asian perish in fire in a labor residence which brings back memories of 2006 scenario and the fire in Qudhaibya [a neighborhood in Manama] and their investigation committees and many other things. God have mercy on their souls.
The ministry of interior issued a statement saying that an investigation to determine the causes and responsibilities, blogger Chanad Bahraini tweeted another tragic incident happening in the same day which raises concerns about the status of expat labors in Bahrain, it says:
@Chanadbh: #Bahrain: On the same day as 13 migrant workers killed in fire, another Indian migrant worker commits suicide http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=345412 …

author: Mohamed Hassan


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New Palestinian Village Bab Al Shams Established in East Jerusalem · Global Voices
Ola Anan

As part of the popular resistance movement in Palestine, a group of about 250 Palestinian activists established the new village of Bab Al Shams or “The Gate of the Sun”, on a piece of confiscated land in Eastern Jerusalem, referred by Israeli authorities as “Area E1“.
The newly established #BabaAlshams village is located on the “E1″ area east of Jerusalem, tweets @_mahmoud
A Press release was published on the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee website earlier today, describing the reasons behind the establishment of Bab Al Shams. In their Press release, they said:
For decades, Israel has established facts on the ground as the International community remained silent in response to these violations. The time has come now to change the rules of the game, for us to establish facts on the ground – our own land.
Photograph of the Palestinian flag flown on Bab Al Shams. Photo shared on Twitter by @Lemapal
In addition to the Press release, the Palestinian activists used Twitter to declare their movement, and provide updates and photographs from the ground.
Activist Abir Kopty was among the first few to declare the establishment of Bab Al Shams as she tweets:
@AbirKopty: We a group of #Palestinian women and men have established the new village of #BabAlShams on Palestinian land on what Israel refers to as #E1
She also clarifies:
@AbirKopty: #BabAlShams is a new village, not one revived but it symbolizes a lot of things including return to our land.
Tents erected on Bab Al Shams. Photograph shared on Twitter by @AbirKopty
This movement could be considered as the first initiative to take an effective reaction to the confiscation of Palestinian land by the Israeli army, and its declaration that this area will soon be built into an Israeli settlement, which is illegal under international law.
Palestinian Pal_1948 explains [ar]:
اعلنت حكومة الإحتلال مؤخراً بناء 4 الاف وحدة سكنية، وغرف فندقية، ومنطقة صناعية في المنطقة , فقام قرابة 300 شاب فلسطيني باقامة قرية باب الشمس .
@Pal_1948: The Israeli government recently announced the construction of 4,000 residential units and hotel rooms, and an industrial zone in the region [E1], so a group of 300 young Palestinians established the Village of Bab Al Shams.
He adds:
حتى الان تم نصب 25 خيمة، تضم عيادة طبية مجهزة، يتواجد فيها طبيب مناوب وخلال الساعات القادمة ستم نصب 50 خيمة
@Pal_1948: So far, 25 tents have been erected, with an equipped medical clinic, where there is a doctor on call and in the coming hours about 50 tents will be set up.
A photograph inside the medical tent, shared on Twitter by @Tweet_Palestine
A few hours later, the Israeli army surrounded the area, closed the checkpoints leading to Bab Al Shams, and handed the activists an administrative eviction notice to evacuate the village. Interestingly, the Israeli supreme court issued a suspending order, which states that the village cannot be evicted for 6 days.
Fadi Arouri explains with a photo of the eviction notice:
الجيش يسلم قرار إخلاء فوري لقرية باب الشمس بالرغم من قرار المحكمة العليا بمنع الإخلاء قبل ٦ ايام
@farouri: The [Israeli] army delivers immediate evacuation notice of Village Bab Alshams, despite the Supreme Court's decision to prevent eviction by 6 days.
Abir kopty wasn't surprised by the Israeli notice, and tweeted:
@AbirKopty: We were ready to the eviction order so along with building #BabAlShams we went to the court & got suspending order! We are using their tools.
Despite the Israeli notice of evacuation and the cold weather, the Palestinian activists decided that they will stay the night at their tents in the new village. Keep following updates on Twitter on the hashtag #BabAlshams for further developments.

author: Ola Anan


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North Korea Broadcasts Google Exec Schmidt’s Visit · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

North Korea Leadership Watch wrote a post (with several screengrabs) on how North Korean state media covered Google’s executive chairman, Eric Schmidt's visit to the country. Members of delegations toured the Korea Computer Center in Pyongyang and learned about North Korea’s internet technology.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Pedophilia & Rape Accusations Flood the RuNet with Cruelty · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

The Internet, any way you slice it, is a strange place populated by strange people. In the last few weeks, the Russian Internet—often your typical den of online cliques and conspiracy theorists—has boiled over the levees of “strange” and flooded the RuNet with a new intensity of bizarre moral recriminations. Behind the frenzy is Russia's most popular blogger, Rustem Adagamov, whose ex-wife, Tatiana Delsal, has accused him of committing statutory rape some ten years ago, when they were married and living in Norway. In the six days since RuNet Echo first reported on this story, Adagamov's situation has developed (or deteriorated, depending on your perspective) quite rapidly.
Adagamov's bad week
Until January 10, pedophilia and statutory rape allegations against Adagamov remained an Internet affair. His ex-wife's claims were confined to an obscure YouTube post [ru] and the blog [ru] of a notoriously anti-oppositionist blogger. That changed when Delsal granted interviews to government-friendly (and widely distributed) media outlets Izvestia [ru] newspaper and RT [ru] cable news station. As a condition for granting the interviews, Delsal insisted that Izvestia and RT transmit her claims to federal investigators as an official criminal charge. A day later, even Russia's state-controlled Channel One [ru] reported Delsal's accusations, airing clips from her interview with RT.
Rustem Adagamov (blogger name drugoi), attending a protest in Moscow, 12 June 2012, photo by Ilya Schurov, CC 2.0.
According to a tweet [ru] from RT head Margarita Simonyan, Russia's Investigative Committee announced a criminal investigation into Delsal's charges—even before RT was able to finish drafting an official request on her behalf.
At roughly the same time as Delsal's appearance on television and in print, Russia's Ministry of Culture quietly deleted Adagamov's name from its list [ru] of Public Council members. Ministry official Yulia Zazulina told reporters [ru] that Adagamov's name was attracting too many website visits, which “raised technical difficulties for the site's functioning.” Earlier in the week, state-owned bank VTB and telecom MegaFon announced that they will not renew promotional contracts [ru] with Adagamov, prompting Izvestia newspaper to compare [ru] Russia's top blogger to the American sports star Tiger Woods, who similarly lost major corporate sponsors after a sex scandal. (Some bloggers [ru] believe this financial attack was the key reason for the current media storm.)
Then, on January 11, LiveJournal's own director, Ilya Dronov, announced [ru] that the government gatekeeper of Russia's Internet blacklist, Roskomnadzor, is now requiring LJ to block access to a March 26, 2012, post [ru] by Adagamov about a self-immolation in India. (The post, which features disturbing photos, is now inaccessible to web users inside Russia, though it is still easily available via proxies. Visitors not in Russia are first asked to verify that they are older than eighteen.) Adagamov's Coordinating Council colleague and blogger friend Alexey Navalny instantly reposted [ru] the self-immolation photos in solidarity, explaining that he is “testing” to see if Roskomnadzor will ban his post, too. (So far, access continues unabated.)
Dragged through the mud
The multiple-fronts assault on Adagamov's reputation and livelihood has convinced many that this is an attack orchestrated by his enemies in the Kremlin. Indeed, Adagamov shared (and later made private) on his Facebook a highly sympathetic Lenta.ru report [ru] by Sultan Suleimanov, who characterizes (perhaps accurately) Delsal's interview comments and earlier online statements as inconsistent and contradictory.
For instance, in a December 27, 2012, LiveJournal post [ru], Delsal stated plainly that she is accusing Adagamov of violating Article 132, Paragraph 4(b), of Russia's Criminal Code, which prohibits “violent sexual actions” against persons under the age of fourteen. Delsal told Izvestia, however, that Adagamov actually “raped” a friend of the family for upwards of five years (during the ages of 12 to 16), beginning sometime around 2003. (Criminal Code 131, which stipulates nearly identical prison sentences, covers rape.)
Suleimanov, along with the liberal-leaning NewsRu.com portal [ru], also linked to a blog post [ru] by journalist Dmitri Gubin, who faulted the RT interview for a lack of professionalism and an absence of hard-hitting questions. Suleimanov also accused Izvestia of being a gun-for-hire, noting its “more active” participation in the propagation of Adagamov's recent troubles with VTB and MegaFon.
Who ARE these people?
The truly bizarre thing about the Adagamov scandal has been the repulsiveness on all sides. If Adagamov's accusers are indeed a bunch of liars, their depravity is clear. That scenario would mean that someone paid off or deceived his ex-wife into fabricating molestation charges, all in order to destroy the life of a single oppositionist photoblogger.
This conspiracy theory is fairly tame for Russian politics—blaming the Kremlin for a “black PR” campaign is both a traditional dodge and a plausible defense. Some bloggers take the “wheels within wheels” concept to extraordinary lengths, such as Valery Lebedev, who on January 6 published [ru] an elaborate theory that LJ head Ilya Dronov is in league with Russian Orthodox activists to censor anti-cleric material like Adagamov's.
On January 8, 2013, Delsal, for her part, encouraged LJ readers to sign a petition [ru] to “Protect Our Children,” which irresponsibly conflates pedophilia charges against Adagamov with his known support for LGBT rights, proclaiming:
Как заинтересованный человек, как активист родительского движения прошу провести проверку фактов в отношении Адагамова Рустема Ринатовича, поскольку его влияние на информационную среду Интернета весьма велико, он часто освещает «детские вопросы», при этом известна его открытая поддержка лиц с девиантным поведением.
As an interested party, [and] as an activist of the parents’ movement, I ask [federal investigators] to investigate the facts surrounding Rustem Adagamov, insofar as his influence online is quite high, and he often addresses “children's issues,” and at the same time he is known for his open support of persons of deviant behavior [sic].
Dmitri Gubin, meanwhile, feigns “agnosticism” about Adagamov's guilt, but immediately demonstrates his support for the blogger, along with his powerful insensitivity to a young woman who may well have been raped. For example, he “innocently” poses [ru] the following questions:
Сразу, чтобы пресечь такое обсуждение здесь: я в отношении этого обвинения агностик. Совратил Адагамов ребенка? – не знаю. Совратил ребенок Адагамова? – не знаю. Политическое это дело, поскольку Адагамов член КС? – не знаю. Месть бывшей жены? девичьи фантазии? шантаж? – не знаю, не знаю, не знаю.
Right away, in order to halt any such discussion here, I'll say that I'm an agnostic in this matter. Did Adagamov seduce a child? I don't know. Did a child seduce Adagamov? I don't know. Is this case political, insofar as Adagamov is a member of the opposition's Coordinating Council? I don't know. Is this his ex-wife's revenge? Is it some teeny's fantasy? Is it blackmail? I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.
In the comments on Gubin's post, some readers speculated [ru] further about the child's motivations. LJ user doctor_notes announced that he has “a feeling” that the accusations are the fabrication of “some 27-year-old junkie.” He adds that “this assumption instantly explains everything that's happened.” In a tweet the next day, Gubin himself speculated [ru] about the identity of the girl in question, actually revealing her name, as well as complaining that the Norwegian police should be leading the investigation, instead of journalists.
Gubin's blithe attitude about the victim's anonymity, and his readers’ unfounded suspicions that she is likely a narcotics addict, showcase a worryingly reoccurring phenomenon in Russian society. In another brief scandal that emerged in late December 2012, Alexey Navalny posted compromising photos of a Duma deputy's underage children. Defending Navalny's actions, oppositionist Maria Baronova feuded [ru] with blogger Maksim Kononenko over Twitter, at one point suggesting that physically developed minors are fair game for sexualization:
Максим Кононенко: быстро же навальный научился использовать детей столь же ловко, как их используют депутаты.
Мария Баронова: А ты думал мы забудем? Ты думал родители не помнят? Кстати, каких ДЕТЕЙ он трогал? С пятым размером?
Maksim Kononenko: Navalny sure learned quickly to use kids just as cunningly as [Duma] deputies do.
Maria Baronova: And you thought we'd forget? You thought parents wouldn't remember? By the way, what kind of CHILDREN did [Navalny] use? With size DD [breasts]?
Addressing the Adagamov story on January 11, Ekho Moskvy chief editor Alexey Venediktov cited [ru] Gubin's post as a reasonable critique of the RT interview. By entering the debate, however, Venediktov also reminded bloggers [ru] that years ago he actually confessed to statutory rape himself. Indeed, in a November 2007 interview with Russian Maxim magazine, Venediktov (perhaps exaggerating his own past for the sake of a men's magazine) revealed that he carried on sexual relations with underage high school students, when he was a teacher, in his late youth. When asked to name his early sins, Venediktov mentioned “sex with schoolgirls.” He went on to explain that intercourse between a 17-year-old student and 22-year-old teacher was no great travesty, concluding [ru]:
Не могу сказать, что я пользовался бешеным успехом, но романы случались. Это были романы, которые включали в себя иногда и секс.
I can't say that I enjoyed any great success, but there were some romances, and sometimes they included sex.
Venediktov's revelation may have been forgotten, had it not been for Vladimir Pozner, who almost three years later grilled Venediktov on the subject, when the two met together on national television in October 2010. In that exchange [ru], Venediktov first tried to dodge Pozner's questions (claiming that he doesn't live in the West and should not be subjected to Western piety). When Pozner did not relent, Venediktov claimed to have only been describing a “social problem” in his interview with Maxim, and not his own personal experience.
Heroes: there's no such thing
In this maelstrom of sexism, polemics, and conspiracy, it's hard to know what to believe. Certainly, the campaign against Adagamov is suspiciously well coordinated—possibly even choreographed. Newcomers to the story expect to find a phalanx of enlightened dissident-netizens rallying to a wounded Adagamov, but the reality is that decency doesn't penetrate this scandal. The filth of disrespect and inconsistency reeks on everyone.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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Peru: Discussing “Gastrofascism” · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

About a month ago, Javier Puente published on Selecting Stones, a critical article about the surge of Peruvian cuisine and, above all, about the role chef Gastón Acurio has in it. According to its author, Peasant and Chef: The Limits of Peruvian Gastro-Fascism, 1994-2012 is an attempt to “contextualize the foundation of this new Shangri-La of Peruvian cuisine, so those who come later make a better job, filling in the remaining gaps”. Once in matter, explains:
In Acurio’s world without social classes, there is nonetheless an organic social corps, a body composed of compartments by which all the actors of the culinary boom are defined. […] The cult of the nation is replaced by the cult of the pot, and no one is left aside from this compartmentalization.
He also refers to an alleged racist discrimination case against María Huamaní, who died in an accident [es] along with other chefs, to show the limits of this nationalist culinary rhetoric, in spite of its inclusive stand. On the blog Equilibrios, Manuel José Ayulo points out [es] that the article fails on the concept of “fascism” itself that it uses, and adds:
almost any economic activity that gets across with an optimistical, national and conciliatory discourse would end by falling in some sort of fascism, according to [Javier] Puente's description.

author: Juan Arellano


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Two Kurdish Activists Face Death Penalty in Iran · Global Voices
Hooman Askary

Two young Iranian Kurd activists, Zaniar (or Zanyar) and Loghman Moradi are about to be sent to the gallows according to multiple Iranian news websites and human rights organisations. They have been accused of murdering the son of a local Sunni prayer Imam from the town of Malayer and have reportedly admitted to the charge after nine months of detention without leave or visiting rights. They both claimed afterwards that their confessions were made under duress and torture including rape threats by their interrogators.
Meanwhile an open letter has been published in the name of Zaniar Moradi pleading with the “young people” of the world for his life, making it clear that he and his cousin are innocent and that they “despise death”.
Facebook Campaign
A Facebook group titled ‘Save Zaniar and Loghman has been launched to support the two men.
Jamal asks people to step in and help in this Facebook comment:
You humans! Something must be done. Let's stop the crime machine of the mad, cannibalistic, blood-thirsty and fascist Islamic regime. The whole world must be ignited against these organized crimes. Please join. We welcome any material that can be utilized towards this aim. Please assist in raising awareness and make this page known to others.
Here is a cartoon supporting the Facebook campaign: “Each ‘like’ is a ‘no’ to execution”:
Each ‘like’ is a ‘no’ to execution – Facebook campaign to save two Iranian Kurds, cartoonist Mana Neyestani, Mardomak
A Father's Message
Zaniar's father uses YouTube to ask international organizations to put pressure on the Iranian regime to stop executing his son and other political prisoners. He says in this video that Zaniar was tortured.
“Forced Confessions”
Iranian blogger, Mohammad Ali, has no doubt that the confessions initially made by Zaniar and Loghman were orchestrated and forced by the Islamic Republic agents. Mohammad Ali's blog named ‘Faryaad-e Alborz‘ [Roar of Mount Alborz] reads]:
Life and death of humans are not in the hands of their fellow humans. Based on the news we have heard from the fascist regime in power in Iran, the framing of innocent prisoners has not been rare. Inmates have been put under such pressure by force and physical abuse that they have confessed to uncommitted crimes.
Undoubtedly, Loghman and Zaniar Moradi, have been forced to confessing to murder after nine months of torture, abuse and threat to rape.
The writer of Faryad-e Alborz asks in the end:
I don't know if there is a human rights committee in the world or not? Since there is only talk and talk and talk. What have they done in Iran? Oh you members of the human rights entities, which prisoner has been saved by the power of your blade from assault and battery and execution?

author: Hooman Askary


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Why is Vietnam an S-Shaped Country? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

An animation video made by Duong ToDao about the history of Vietnam.
Duong ToDao, a Graphic Design student from Saigon Technology University, made this video about the history of Vietnam.


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First Response Services In The Maldives · Global Voices
Rezwan

Maeed points out to the dilapidated state of some of the first response services in Maldives and wonders whether it is effective for donor agencies and financial supporters to invest in the Maldives.

author: Rezwan


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Graffiti War on Syrian Walls · Global Voices
Rami Alhames

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011/12
Graffiti is an art that can be labelled under civil disobedience and peaceful expression. Although the Syrian Revolution has intrinsic humanitarian values; it is a revolution with artistic aspects. Painting is one of the most important methods a human uses to express one's ideas; it is the fastest way to illustrate an idea or to make people interact with this idea.
To give the graffiti its real power, let's remember the spark that lit the Syrian revolt flame. A famous Graffiti in Daraa in 2011 led to the arrests of at least 15 children for painting anti-government graffiti on the walls of a school. And so, the local governor decided to come down hard. The punishment stunned the town, and suddenly, Syria got its first strong taste of rebellion in the Arab Spring.
Graffiti in Syria, “Your turn has come, doctor”, referring to President (and ophthalmologist) Bashar Al-Assad. Source: EA WorldView.
Graffiti has became another field of the conflict, where both government and peaceful activists found their freedom of expression. According to Al-akhbar:
Syrian authorities and graffiti dissidents are playing cat and mouse on the country’s walls. Syrian protesters spray anti-regime slogans, while authorities rush to cover them up and arrest the perpetrators, including one mysterious dissident dubbed Spray Man. When buying spray paint in Syria, remember to take your ID with you. Vendors refuse to sell the paint unless buyers provide personal papers and an ‘affidavit’ explaining the reasons behind the purchase.
Graffiti also finds a life on the Internet. For instance, Syrian activists created a group called “اسبوع غرافيتي الحريـّة سوريا – Freedom Graffiti Week“.
Graffiti: Walls of the People
Qaph, a blog reading politics, books and civil society events, wrote:
Graffiti explodes in periods of political and social changes and becomes itself a form of public power to resist authoritarian power. An artist, or group of artists, chooses a crowded street to convey the message in words or picture or both, that most of the times contain bitter sarcasm. The power of graffiti as a mean of free expression is increasingly alarming for many governments and ruling Systems. Repressive measures are taken to “shut-up” the voice of the streets; the best example of such reactions is that of UK with the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 and UK MPs signing a charter saying “Graffiti is not art, it’s crime.”
Bashar Stencil by El Teneen. Next to it, reads ‘The People Want the Downfall of the Regime’ words made famous. Seen on July 25th, 2011. Source: Blog suzeeinthecity
In March 2011, Syrians went to the streets to express their rage, which filled the streets of Syria's cities with thousands of protesters chanting for freedom. Meanwhile, others found their voice on walls. You can spread your message in different ways. On the streets, you can shout, dance, sing; while on the walls you can paint, write, and personalize characters. Messages between pro and anti Assad factions were expressed, corrected, and painted over many times in a way showing that both sides are sharing the same space.
Graffiti by the FSA in Damascus, Syria: “We are sorry for the inconvenience…we die for you”. Source: The revolting Syrian Blog
Pro & Anti Syrian Revolution Graffiti
Happy Arab news service blog reported that graffiti was seen at an anti-Assad insurance agent's business in the United States. A day later, a pro-Assad journalist posted a photo on Facebook of pro-revolution graffiti on a Garden Grove travel agency owned by a Syrian-American who expressed support to the current regime.
Orange County's Syrian-Americans are divided over the revolution in Syria. We've seen protests in front of Syria's consulate in Newport Beach, some against the regime and others to support it. Recently, the divide in Southern California has escalated.
There is a saying in Syria goes: “الحيطان دفاتر المجانين” which means “Wall are the sheets of the insane people”; however, nowadays Syrian people turn Syria's walls into the free expression exchange field!
I'll leave you with some painted walls in several cities in Syria.
Be with the revolution. Source: 29 Arabic Letters Blog
Assad Graffiti. Translated: “(Either submit to) Assad or We Burn The Country”. Source: The revolting Syrian Blog
Graffiti in Damascus, Syria bearing the logo of the FSA (the Free Syrian Army) with the words “we are coming” written underneath the logo. The writing on the wall above the logo reads: “It’s getting closer” (i.e. Bashar, your days are numbered). Source: put a spell on you on Tumblr.
Revolutionary terms Graffiti on the walls of the faculty of Science in Aleppo, correcting the phrases written by Assad thugs. Source: Facebook page of FREEDOM GRAFFiTi WEEK Syria
A graffiti artists tags a wall with the phrase “Down with Bashar”, during the Syrian Uprising, March 2011. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
Assad thugs graffiti in Hama: “Either Assad To Rule Syria or No One” . Source: FreedomHouse on Flickr
Assad thugs graffiti: Only Bashar – We are death men. Source: FreedomHouse on Flickr
Graffiti against Bashar Assad #Syria. Source: Sabry Khaled on Flickr
This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011/12

author: Rami Alhames


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Malaysians Gather for the ‘Uprising of the Citizens’ · Global Voices
Jerrenn Lam

Tens of thousands joined the ‘Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat’ (literally translates to Uprising of the Citizens Rally) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday, January 12, 2013, organised by the Opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat as they ramp up efforts in the lead up to the yet-to-be-announced general election that must occur this year.
The rally highlighted the Bersih demands (for free and fair elections), the campaign for free education, and protection of the environment. The Malaysian Insider cites information from the Malaysian Bar Council that between 70,000 and 100,000 people attended the rally.
Thousands joined the #kl112 march. Photo from @fitri34
Many Malaysian bloggers appear to be very supportive of the cause like Secret Garden:
Although I am not able to present myself there physically, but I am always with those who strive after a cleaner and fairer government, both mentally and spiritually.
The unprecedented success of Rally KL112 shows that our people (including myself) have finally awaken to the corrupted and errant government.
Thanks to advanced technologies and uncensored net, we are no longer blindfolded by main streamed media and government. That's why the rally is named as “People's Uprising”.
Ipohgal provided a summary of the event from her perspective:
Many came with salt, mineral water and towel, ready to face another round of tear gas and water cannon. Surprisingly, the police presence was minimal and there was a carnival atmosphere. Traders were doing good businesses selling T-shirts, souvenirs, foods and drinks around Stadium Merdeka.
About 50,000 to 60,000 people managed to pack into the Stadium and spent the hot afternoon listening to fiery speeches by the NGO’s and political leaders. Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Ibans, Dayaks and the Orang Asal were all there. Young and old, male and female, came out in full force.
It is comforting to see total strangers standing or sitting together in solidarity. We were one people with one spirit. We were truly and proudly Anak-anak Bangsa Malaysia (Children of Malaysia). We clapped, we sang and we cheered with one voice. Everyone helped to pass mineral water around and we also donated money to cover the cost of renting the Stadium. Yes, we paid the organizers to attend, and not paid by them to attend.
View from Stadium Merdeka. Photo from @Fred9Fareed
There were also some who were sceptical about it, claiming that the Opposition is merely trying to engineer a revolution within Malaysia. For instance, Aeshah Adlina Karimposted pictures alleging that some Malaysians are supporting the Opposition in calling for a revolution that includes changing the Malaysian flag, supporting Chin Peng (a former leader of the Communist Party of Malaya who is in exile and who has applied and been denied entry into Malaysia), and ‘legalising LGBT’.
Dave Avran, instead took a rather neutral and light-hearted take of the rally.
Having rallies like today's for example is good for the nation. We have a lot of bored people who don't know what to do on weekends and need a reason to leave their malls.
Protesters also converged outside the stadium. Photo from @imokman
The topic has been very popular on Twitter, with the hashtag #KL112 and #HKR112 being promoted heavily by the organizers.
@ShakirAmeer: The cops are very nice and friendly. Crowd control ain't fun for anyone. Salute them! #kl112 http://instagr.am/p/UYZzLBKsDI/
@NatAsasi: we came, we rallied, we went home :) well done everybody! incl @PDRMsia @najibrazak. see how calm & peaceful things can be? :) #KL112
@wongkahwoh: Rakyat has proven that we can have #KL112 rally peacefully. Gov should apologize for their undemocratic mistake made during #709 #428.
@Bengbros: Im not a political person but i think #KL112, Bersih and all that crap is a joke.
@itsfrankiehere: “I know you have the right for a peaceful assembly. I also have right not to support you.” #kl112 @abby_abadi112
@tristupe: If government do a gathering, it is a “meet the rakyat”. If opposition do, it is “rally and against democracy”. #kl112
@niha_rika94: There are plenty of ways in channeling our opinions or frustrations to the current government not by marching on the roads #KL112 #HKR
@fahmi_fadzil: So many people, such different backgrounds. An amazing awe-inspiring sight. Quickly approaching Central Market, crowd getting huge. #kl112
@julia_ti: I don't think the rally/riots #kl112 #hkr112 represents the civil rights movement.
Earlier, Al Jazeera showed a video clip from YouTube of a dramatic ‘trailer’ for the rally using footage from past demonstrations:

author: Jerrenn Lam


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Oral History Of The Indian Constitution · Global Voices
Rezwan

Rohit De at ‘Law And Other Things’ informs that journalist, blogger and writer Sidin Vadukut has uploaded a series of podcasts on the oral history of the Indian constitution, beginning with the reforms of 1858.


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Peruvian Cinema 2012 · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

On December 2012, blog Cinencuentro had its yearly survey [es] about the best Peruvian film on 2012, where the winner was [es] documentary “Lima Bruja” [Witch Lima]:
that aims to rescue that other side of popular music from our city, the one of the neighborhood jaranas [parties] and its mosts veteran performers.
Here, there is an interview [es] with director Rafael Polar. And here [es] you can watch a trailer from the documentary. On this post [es] you can find a summarized overview of Peruvian cinema on 2012, and the list of all Peruvian films from last year (vía Globalizado).


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Podcast: China’s Southern Weekend Incident  · Global Voices
Abby Liu

Sinica hosts a discussion on the recent Southern Weekend incident in China. They look at what brought on the protests, the social media response and what the incident suggests about the way China's new government will handle media relations.

author: Abby Liu