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Lebanon: Civilians Unharmed by Army  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“During the past couple of days, media and many blogs have been reporting the cruel racist targeting of innocent Palestinian civilians by the Lebanese Army. Some even went as far as comparing the Lebanese Army with the Israeli and American ones, and how they all share a common interest in targeting innocent civilians,” writes Lebanese blogger FaiLaSooF.
“To all those, I'd like you to go visit the Lebanese Army official site here, and there, and see how throughout three days of clashes with the terrorist organization Fath-l-Islam, only ONE civilian was killed, and only 19 were injured. I think if we were targeting civilians, the casualties would have been much much higher, don't you think? Not to mention all the aid the Army as well as the Lebanese Red Cross provided for all the refugees who escaped Naher-l-Bared camp.”


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Lebanon: Where Will the Next Bomb Strike?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese blogger Charles Malak is asking: Where will the next bomb strike in Lebanon?
“So, where can we expect the next attack? Hamra? Jal ed Dib? Batroun? Bhamdoun?
Most Lebanese go to work, and return home immediately. Friends, the other day, came over to my place. They said, “We'll go out after the bomb.” There has not yet been more than one attack on the same night. Most nightspots are closing early or not opening at all. And the ones that remain open are empty, and the owners are jittery,” he writes.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Malaysia: New Blog Directory · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Rocky's Bru points to a new project by the leading English newspaper in Malaysia to build a blog directory. The backers of the project herald it as a victory for freedom of speech. Rocky also links to another blogger who is not fully convinced with this idea.

author: Preetam Rai


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Mexico: Encouraging Physical Education · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Lilu Guzmán of Vivir Mexico [ES] writes about the creation of a Sports Council in Mexico City that seeks to impulse increased physical activity among the population.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Morocco: Muslims Making Headlines  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Muslims are making headlines yet again. The Pew Research Center has found that one in four American Muslims under the age of 30 think that suicide bombings can sometimes be justified as a means to defend Islam,” writes Christine Benlafquih in Arabisto.
“With headlines focusing on this one aspect of the poll, Muslims naturally will be jumping in defense of their religion. But will it really help the American public, which is regularly spoon fed such sensational statistics, to hear yet again that Islam is against suicide and terrorism?  Will it mean anything to learn that Islam is also against harming civilians, infrastructure, even trees and agriculture during a war?
The fact that Muslims are doing such things in spite of Islam, not because of it, means little when the media favors more exciting topics than Islam 101.  To those already versed in the basics, daily headlines just demonstrate that some of Islam’s followers really don’t know their own religion very well,” explains the Morocco-based blogger.


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Morocco: Restoring Fez  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan blogger Samir updates us about the latest restoration projects in Fez.
“While many people are busy restoring old houses in the Fez Medina, there are other projects going on that are making an important contribution to the life of the people in the Medina,” he explains.


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Morocco’s UN Refugee Office Closes its Doors · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Cat in Rabat reports that The United Nations Refugee Office in Morocco has closed its doors after African migrants stormed the building on Saturday.  “They were demanding financial assistance for accommodation and food, as well as residency papers, access to healthcare, and the right to work,” she says, adding: “There are some 10,000 illegal immigrants in Morocco all hoping to peel back the wrappers of their Willy Wonka Wonka Bars and find a gold ticket to Europe. The unsuccessful ones – a.k.a pretty much all of them – can be found on Morocco's city streets, now reduced to begging.”

author: Jillian C. York


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Pakistan: Thinking as a Nation · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Pakistani Spectator on the importance of thinking like a nation. “We have totally disregarded thinking as a nation, if symbol of unity and integrity is thinking on such lines then we cannot blame a poor who is only thinking of his wages. We need to think like a nation now, it is requirement of the time. We have done much damage to internal situation of the country and enemy (declared by us) is piling up on the border. In such a situation we should not think of our homes.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Pakistan: Violence, Terrorism and Islam · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

iFaqeer on Islam, leadership, terrorism and the politics of it all. “Given that, the problem as I see it, both with Muslims in the West and globally, and “communities of concern” in places like Karachi, and Kashmir, and Palestine, is that, now that there is “leadership” in place that a lot of us find less-than-savoury, in the way that deal with them, we have to be careful not to seem like we're trivializing the real issues that they base their politics upon; otherwise the “silent majority” that we say exists in those communities, and whose “hearts and minds” we say need to reach, get the wrong message and we're set back a long way in terms of solving the problems them that make the current options successful.”


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Palestine: Don’t Take Me for Granted  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“One thing I can’t stand about people is those that take me for granted. They don’t take me seriously. They just look at me and just judge me on looks. That’s it! Those people are shallow and have no life. I got sick of it. Especially guys. They just don’t want to ever take me seriously,” writes Palestinian blogger Rebellious Arab Girl.


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Palestine: Support Resisting Iraqis · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian blogger The Cylinder encourages his readers to sign the Iraqi Oil Law petition.
“Please help Iraqis who dare to resist!” writes the blogger.


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Palestine: Waiting for the Dreadful Conclusion  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian blogger Laila Al Haddad updates us on life in Gaza.
“I can't sleep. I get up maybe once every two hours. Go to the bathroom, walk around a little, and then doze off again. Only to be awakened by the drones, followed by the manic hovering of helicopter gunships.
This time they were directly over our apartment building. I would have been afraid, except this happened once before, maybe two years ago. Panicked and fearful at the time, I called my cousin, who re-assured me that when an Apache is directly overhead, it means its intended target is about 500 metres to one kilometre away. It is information I wish I did not know.
So this time, I didn't flinch. I just waited for the dreadful conclusion,” she writes.


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Qatar: Why Somalia isn’t Iraq · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Qatar-based blogger Abdurahman Warsame explains why Somalia isn't like Iraq.
“There has been bomb attacks in Mogadishu since the city fell to the Transitional Government. A number of civilians were killed in various attacks, the prime minister Ali Ghedi and Mayor of Mogadishu, former warlord Mohamed Dheere, have both survived roadside bombs and four Ugandan soldiers where killed. Is this a repeat of Iraq? it started with foreign troops, small-scale attacks and ended up in the chaos we witness today. Well, luckily Somalia isn't Iraq,” he writes.


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Rising Voices, Helping the Global Population Take Part in the Global Conversation · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Thanks to the generous support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Global Voices is now starting a new outreach project, Rising Voices, which aims to spread the benefits of citizen media to regions, languages, and communities that are currently underrepresented on the conversational web.
Rising Voices will serve as the third arm of Global Voices’ triad of amplifying independent voices worldwide, advocating for their right to free speech, and providing universal access to citizen media tools as is described in our founding manifesto. To better understand how our focus has evolved from mere aggregation of worldwide blog content to this new pro-active initiative of spreading social media tools to underrepresented populations, it is worth looking back to 2004 when the Global Voices Manifesto was first drafted and at how far we've come since.
In December of 2004 – still before the explosion of weblogs and podcasts that have now become unavoidable parts of our daily lives – Global Voices co-founders Ethan Zuckerman and Rebecca MacKinnon invited bloggers from around the world to convene in Cambridge, Massachusetts for the second day of the Berkman Center's Conference on Internet and Society. These blogging pioneers from Malaysia, China, Iraq, and beyond agreed that we were witnessing the dawn of a new era of communication in which individuals around the world were finally able to take advantage of the decentralized web thanks to the availability of self-publishing tools like blogs and podcasts, which radically transformed every computer into its own printing press and radio station.
This post isn't meant to perpetuate the idealism that dominates the rhetoric around citizen media; just the opposite. However, it's still worth looking back over Global Voices’ first two years and recalling some of the stories and conversations that exemplify what happens when ordinary citizens are given the power to make their voices heard, to tell their own stories.
In March of 2005, President Askar Akayev’s administration in Kyrgyzstan collapsed under the protest of what soon came to be called the Tulip Revolution. Via the newly buzzing blogosphere, we were presented with accounts, photographs, and analysis in real time as developments unfolded. The same was true a week later in Zimbabwe where Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party extended its control over the country despite widespread allegations of vote rigging. In April 2005, Ory Okolloh gave Global Voices readers their first introduction to Kenya's nascent blogging community which started with a strong foundation of government watchdog blogging that continues today. A month later, it was Ndesanjo Macha's turn to give us our first look at the Swahili-speaking blogosphere, which at the time numbered no more than fifteen.
We were also given immediate reaction when Iranian blogger-favorite Dr. Mostafa Moeen lost in the first round of the 2005 elections and again in August when local bloggers protested newly elected President Ahmadinejad’s cabinet nominees. While Wikipedia became the go-to location for up-to-the-minute information about the July 2005 London bombings, Global Voices offered the initial reactions of Muslim and Arabic-speaking bloggers from the Middle East and North Africa. The debate over the Central American Free Trade Agreement was and continues to be made personal. Not only has Iraq become a nation of importance to us all, but so have individual Iraqis thanks to the dedicated coverage by Salam Adil.
We all debated the gray area between free speech and inciting violence following the publication of the infamous Danish cartoons. Likewise, last year's World Cup in Germany took playful web nationalism to a new level. Nepal's April Revolution of 2006 was a daily part of our information consumption thanks to the tireless citizen reporting of Kathmandu's booming blogosphere.
There is no doubt that the widespread enthusiasm for sharing local stories with global readers which defines Global Voices is a step closer toward a world that favors dialogue and understanding over ignorance and brute force.
But these past two years have also taught us that certain regions of the world and certain demographics within those regions have benefited from the boom in citizen media more than others. Most bloggers and podcasters still tend to be middle or upper-middle class. Most have a college-level education. Most live in large cities. And of the 70 million weblogs now tracked by Technorati, 95% of them are written in just 10 languages. The truth is, what we often call the ‘global conversation,’ is a privileged discussion among global elites.
We are currently developing a curriculum of multilingual, how-to learning modules which will assist workshop leaders and citizen media evangelists who want to explain to friends and peers how to start blogging, podcasting, and video-blogging.
We will also soon be announcing the first round of microgrants for innovative project proposals that extend the reach of citizen media to communities that are otherwise unlikely to come into contact with new media tools like blogging and podcasting. Stay tuned for more information about how to apply for a grant and please feel free to write in with any concerns, comments, or suggestions at outreach@globalvoicesonline.org.
More information about the Knight Foundation News Challenge awarded to Global Voices is available at the Berkman Center website.

author: David Sasaki


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Russia: Investments in Austria · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Robert Amsterdam writes about Russian investments in Austria.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Serbia: Kosovo Shelter for Stray Dogs · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Prishtine: Independence and Kanun writes about Kosovo Shelter for Stray Dogs.


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Syria: Lebanon is Boiling  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Writing from Syria, Mustafa Hamido says: “Lebanon is boiling. It is the filed of all conflicts in the world. When US tried to prove its strength in the world after its clear defeat in Iraq went to Lebanon and has supported anti-Eastern powers which includes an important portion of Christian and a westernized Muslims. It failed also in Lebanon. It is playing its last card .Lebanon is easily considered as an important cold battle field not only between Syria and US but also between Russia , China from aside and US and its allies from the another side.”


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Syria: Spring Blooms  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian blogger Abd gives us a break from politics and posts  photographs of some of his country's spring blooms here.


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Taiwan and China: Chinese speech · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated a debate over a popular song called Chinese Speech by S.H.E. The song criticized by Liberty Times (pro-independent newspapers) for misleading and corrupting the next generation in Taiwan into thinking that they also use ‘Chinese speech.’

author: Oiwan Lam


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Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados: Cozier on West Indies’ Performance · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“At Lord’s, there was an unmistakable hint that old uncertainty had been replaced by new resolve.”  West Indies Cricket Blog quotes cricket commentator Tony Cozier on the West Indies team's performance against England.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Trinidad & Tobago: Soca Star Arrested  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad and Tobago girls, politics, sports, technology, carnival and lifestyle reports on the arrest of soca singer Machel Montano following an incident that occurred outside Zen nightclub a few weeks ago.


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Ukraine: Piskun, Again · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes: “Svaytoslav Piskun, Ukraine’s perennial prosecutor general, lost his job today.” Once again. This time, though, his dismissal has caused some Ukrainian politicians to talk of “an attempted coup.”


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Ukraine, Serbia: Investigating Political Murders · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Taras Kuzio writes about political assassinations and pursuit of justice, and compares Ukraine to Serbia: “Ukraine’s fragile democracy is closer to Serbia’s democratising state than to Russia’s autocracy.”


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US Virgin Islands: Active Hurricane Season · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

News of St. John reports that the upcoming hurricane season is expected to be “more active than usual”.


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Venezuela: Glover’s Film to be Financed by Government · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Tomas Sancio reacts to the news that the Venezuela government will help finance a movie project by Danny Glover about the Haitian revolution led by Touissant L'Overture.  He writes in his blog, Venezuelan Politics, “You have to be really irresponsible to approve such an expense when the same newspaper reports on page 7 about a El Nacional headline declaring that the Misión Negra Hipólita cannot absorb more homeless kids because it is full…We are all for movies about civil rights, racism, etc. But gentlemen, do it with your own money. It's not like it is in short supply in Hollywood.


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Yemen: Censorship of tow opposition news websites · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

The Yemen's Ministry of Telecommunications has blocked access to tow opposition news websites (www.al-shoura.net and www.aleshteraki.net) because they are reporting about the humanitarian situation and the fighting in the northern province of Sa'ada between the army and Shia rebels. According to aid workers the clashes “led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians and soldiers and the displacement of 30,000-35,000 people.”
On May 26th, we will witness the launch of Yemen’s first multi-source news crawler and search engine which, according to commentators, will be able “to extract headlines from news website that are being blocked by the authorities.”

author: sami ben gharbia


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A Return to Morocco, in Pictures · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

France/Maroc à VTT posts hundreds of vivid photographs of his journey back to Morocco, the country of his birth.

author: Jennifer Brea


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Afghan Whispers:Refugees,War Lords and Orphanages · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several Afghan bloggers have discussed  Iranian government’s decision to expel Afghan refugees to Afghanistan. Some of these refugees  have lived in Iran for years. Marine Gustavson, from Parsa NGO shows in our photo.You can see more photos here.
Afghanistan's government called the consequences of sending back thousands of people to tje country disastrous. Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Spanta has asked Iran to cease the expulsions since they are exacerbating instability in Afghanistan.
Afghan refugees in trouble
Habib Peyman criticised[Fa] Ali Khamenei,Leader of Islamic Republic of Iran.The blogger says he remembers that Iran's leader criticised American behaviour regarding prisoners in Guantanamo.Then the blogger considers the Iranian government's decision to expell Afghan refugees worse than American actions at Gutanamo. He says some Afghans were picked up while they wanted to buy bread and were sent back to country.
Dialogue 3 says[Fa] the main reason for Iranian decision is that Afghan government has not permitted Iranian universities and companies to be active in Afghanistan.The blogger adds Iran wanted to sign a security agreement with Iran but Afghan government refused that. Dialogue 3 thinks Afghan government took this decision under influence of Americans.
No Amnesty for war lords
Afghan Lord is against amnesty for war lords. He says
if the US and International community want to bring peace and prosperity in Afghanistan they should implement a cleared strategy against gangs of warlords and drug traffickers. The warlords should be taken to the war criminal court in The Hague and punished.
In order to bring peace and normality to Afghanistan, the criminals should be sent to court.If the US and its alliance want to have support, they should sympathize with Afghanistan’s victims of war. If the Mujahideen (holy warriors) will not be punished, this country won’t gain peace and prosperity.
The Orphanage
In Parsa Kabul blog we read about a letter to the Deputy Minister about an orphanage:
we submit the following reports documenting the conditions at the orphanage in an effort to initiate an investigation of the conditions of the orphanages in Afghanistan and the management systems in place. We do this not to create problems but to assist in the clarification of the problems so that you and your staff can take effective action. We do not consider this a poor reflection on this ministry. All countries struggle to care for their most vulnerable people appropriately. These conditions are understandable in the current struggle to develop Afghanistan. What is not tolerable is to know about these conditions and to not investigate and address the issues so that the children under your care have the quality of life they are entitled to. We have confidence that you and this network will do so expeditiously.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Albania: Shkodra · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Stepping Stones posts pictures from her recent trip to Albania's northern city of Shkodra.


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Americas: Reproductive Rights Blog · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Rh Reality Check is an “online community and publication serving individuals and organizations committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights.” The site recently launched a series on its blog written by men and women from across Latin America, where they discuss their own country's reproductive rights policies.  Recent posts include views from Argentina, Nicaragua and Mexico.


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Arabeyes: Unlicensed Bahrainis; Silent Algerians; Kidneyless Egyptians and More · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

What is banned and allowed in Bahrain? How did the government and politicians react to the low turn out at the Algerian elections last week? Why did an Egyptian man sell his kidney? And finally  – why do you need Wasta in Jordan? These are the main questions the following translation of Arabic blogs shed light on this week.
Bahrain: Where Imagination is Banned
In Bahrain, Manama Republic  wonders about what is permissible and what is banned in the new era of reforms, which ushered in a democracy in the Gulf Arab state in 2002.
Algeria: Low Election Turnout
Algerian blogger Salam Al Baroudi has another axe to grind, and is wondering why his countrymen didn't turnout in force for the Algerian elections which took place on May 17.
الحكومة إلتزمت الصمت ولم ترد على رسالة الناخب والأحزاب سارت على طريقة النعامة في الهروب من العاصفة .إن ماحدث يوم السابع عشر ماي هو هزيمة لكل المترشحين والأحزاب بما في ذلك الذين فازوا بالمقاعد لأنهم فشلوا في إقناع الناخب بالخروج إلى مراكز الإقتراع ومن فاز منهم فكان له ذلك بأصوات أصدقائه و حاشيته
Egypt: Sell Your Kidney to Buy a Computer
Still in Algeria, blogger Rua'a links to a story about a young Egyptian man, who sold his kidney to buy a computer.
Jordan: The Power of Wasta
Our last stop is in Jordan, where Jad has just discovered he needs Wasta or the intervention of an influential person to be able to register in a Master's programme.


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Argentina: Recap of Mayoral Debate · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Robert of Line of Sight had plenty to say about the recent Mayor of Jefe de Gobierno debate for the June 3 elections.   The three candidates participated in a forum on the political program “A Dos Voces,” which led to some chaos during the open floor debate.


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Aruba: Tabloid Journalism  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

After a photo of a Minister of Parliament sunbathing nude is dubbed “Picture of the Year” by an Aruban daily, Arubagirl asks, “What good did it do?  How does embarrassing this guy help the public at large?  If his only crime is that he had no clothes on, I think there were worse crimes committed on Aruba that deserved to be featured with a full page picture.”


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Bahamas: Race Matters  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Race matters. And we need to talk about it in order to make it matter less.”  Nicolette Bethel starts the discussion on race relations in the Bahamas.


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Bahrain: Second Podcast  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger emoodz posted his second podcast in Arabic and English, lamenting the ‘tasteless’ music youth listen to, the political situation in Bahrain and his opinion of some of the local bloggers.


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Bangladesh: No under-30 maids to the Gulf · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

a bengali in TO points to a recent move in India banning women under 30 to work as maids in the Gulf. “Renuka Chowdhury, the Indian minister of women and child development, has called for a ban on women under 30 to work as maids in the Gulf in a bid to curb sex trafficking. While any attempt to improve the lot of poor women and children should be supported, it always vexes me when people try to cure the symptom rather than the disease. If your roof is leaking, you can't put a bucket under the leak and say all is well.”


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Belize: Supreme Court Rules Against Police  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Belize Supreme Court has ruled that the police cannot prevent citizens from protesting against the controversial Universal Health Services loan guarantee during today's House of Representatives meeting. Belizean quotes United Democratic Party leader Dean Barrow: “The will of the people obviously cannot be thwarted and the right to dissent must be upheld. It is a glorious victory.”


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Brazil: New Round on the National Internet Policy Debate · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

There are not many issues in Brazil where you are able to find unanimity. But when you talk about messing with Internet freedoms, the defenders spring up from radically different locations in the political spectrum. That's what we are seeing again this week as Sen. Eduardo Azeredo, the protagonist of a recent ‘evil’ plot aimed to control Brazilian Internet users, made a strident reappearance with much of the same. The consideration by the Senate Commission on Constitution and Justice of a legal project under his authorship and intended to become Cybercrime Bill was postponed.  The noise generated by the blogosphere has much to do with this outcome.
Se tinham como objetivo atenuar a polêmica causada pela primeira versão do projeto de lei sobre crimes virtuais, as alterações anunciadas pelo senador Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB-MG), relator do projeto, conseguiram atrair ainda mais atenção… O principal ponto de discussão do novo projeto permite que usuários contra-ataquem ameaças digitais por meio da contratação de “agente técnico ou profissional habilitado”, que será isento da punição prevista por invadir redes ou infectar sistemas por meio da chamada “defesa digital”. Além de considerar a definição do profissional vaga, já que não há regulamentação apropriada da profissão no Brasil, o presidente da ONG SaferNet, Thiago Tavares, considera o artigo “um atentado à Constuitição brasileira”. “A lei garante o sigilo de dados e permite que este seja quebrado apenas com decisão judicial durante uma investigação criminal”, afirma, citando o que chamou de “institucionalização do grampo privado” na internet brasileira. “Existe a Lei do Grampo, que determina que (o grampo) só pode ser feito pela Polícia ou pelo Ministério Público com autorização judicial. O projeto permite que profissionais façam interceptações de dados sem autorização judicial e a partir de seus próprios PCs”, exemplifica.
Crimes Virtuais – Mistura Digital
A senadora Ideli Salvatti (SC) confirmou logo no início da reunião da Comissão e Constituição e Justiça do Senado que o governo pedirá vista para o projeto de Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB-MG), que tipifica os crimes praticados com uso da informática, sobretudo da Internet… A senadora alega que o projeto é muito polêmico para ser votado agora. “Precisamos estabelecer regras mais claras dos crimes na Internet. Não podemos tentar resolver um problema e criar outro”, disse a senadora…
Governo vai pedir a revisão de projeto de controle da web – BlogVisão
Procurem no site no Senado — http://www.senado.gov.br/ — os nomes dos membros da CCJ e seus e-mails. Enviem mensagens de protesto. Certos políticos brasileiros não conseguem conviver com a liberdade da rede. Se concedermos nesse aspecto, eles pedirão mais. Exageros são cometidos? Certamente. Mas existem condições técnicas de se chegar ao criminoso. A proposta é autoritária. Parte do princípio de que todo mundo é culpado. No dia em que se atribuir ao poder a prerrogativa de entrar na sua comunicação porque se suspeita que você está cometendo um crime, estaremos vivendo numa ditadura. Que o PSDB dê um puxão de orelha no seu senador trapalhão. Se essa porcaria passar, resta aos internautas a missão de não deixar em paz os senadores que a aprovarem. Chega de dirigismo! Chega de mandonismo! Chega de ter mais estado enfiando o nariz na nossa vida.
Um projeto idiota na CCJ. Alô, senadores: milhões de internautas contam com vocês para dizer “não!” – Reinaldo Azevedo (Veja)
Sen. Azeredo's approach to cyber-crime is surely not helping his approval rating among Internet users. The unpopularity of the project is making bloggers start to investigate the causes of such obstination on the part of this offbeat Senator. They don't have to look much further in order to find the possible causes for the insistent drive.
Pois então… O senadorzinho teve o financiamento de R$ 150 mil para sua campanha de 2002 da Scopus Tecnologia S.A. Pois bem. Veja o que uma pesquisa de cinco minutos descobre sobre a terceira maior financiadora da campanha de Azeredo em 2002. No documento estratégico “Building an Information Society”, de janeiro de 2003, está escrito na página 221 que: “Ao estabelecer links diretos com os provedores de Telecomunicações do Brasil (ao invés de comprar assinaturas de ISPs e distribuí-los entre os clientes do banco, embutindo os custos da assinatura na forma de tarifas mais altas), o Bradesco pôde evitar negociações com intermediários e estruturar o crescimento de uma rede de dados a um custo baixíssimo. Com sua base de usuários em crescimento, o Bradesco avançou em direção ao comércio on-line. O Scorpus é o braço eletrônico do banco e desenvolveu estrategicamente uma carteira on-line. Resumindo: onde ficam os dados de transações on-line, número de cartão de crédito, etc”. Com os intermediários fora do caminho, adivinhe para quê vai servir ao Bradesco o lobby das empresas de certificação digital, espécie de cartórios virtuais, que atestam a veracidade de informações veiculadas pela internet nessa tungada na liberdade individual das pessoas, que consta no projeto do senador Azeredo.
Azeredo, apesar de ter cara de bôbo, voz de bôbo, nariz de bôbo e jeitão de bôbo, não é bôbo – Prática Radical
Pois então que Azeredo vem com uma interessante idéia: “Esperamos, assim, que o artigo 21 do Substitutivo estimule a celebração de convênios, entre aqueles que tornam possível o acesso à rede de computadores e as organizações detentoras de informações para permitir a verificação dos dados imutáveis como nome, número de documento legalmente emitido, conforme a boa prática existente entre organizações de proteção ao crédito, as instituições financeiras, órgãos públicos e outros.” De acordo com Azeredo, só aqueles que não tem ficha suja no SPC poderão mandar e-mails e aqueles que esqueceram de pagar a conta da TV a Cabo não poderão utilizar o Live Messenger. Ou então, os clientes do Bradesco teriam acesso mais rápido à Internet.
SOS… Same Old Shit – Não Sou Um Número
Many blogs are echoing comments about the evil consequences that Sen. Azeredo's project will bring to all Internet users, and a growing consensus points out that a civil ruling should preceed the criminal approach.
Em reportagem publicada na UOL, o coordenador do Centro de Tecnologia e Sociedade da FGV-RJ, Ronaldo Lemos, classificou o impacto do projeto nesta nova versão como “devastador”, já que “o empresário do setor ficará desestimulado a tentar criar alguma coisa nova, por receio de violar a lei e de ter que arcar, não só com responsabilidades civis, mas também com sanções criminais e penais”. Isso, ainda segundo Lemos, “causará estagnação no mercado de Internet e de tecnologia no país”.
Projeto Insistente – Tribuna Nacional
O caminho natural para se regulamentar a rede, seguido pela maioria dos países desenvolvidos, é primeiramente estabelecer o marco regulatório civil, que define claramente as regras de responsabilidade com relação a usuários, empresas e demais instituições acessando a rede e somente então definir a regulamentação criminal da rede. A razão para isso é a questão da inovação. Para inovar, um país precisa ter regras civis claras, que permitam segurança e previsibilidade nas iniciativas feitas na rede (como investimentos, empresas, arquivos, bancos de dados, serviços etc.). As regras penais devem ser criadas a partir da experiência das regras civis.
O Projeto Azeredo e seus custos para o Brasil – Linux e Cia
Um outro ponto do projeto do senador Azeredo que devesse gerar polêmica, mas que fica prejudicado pela linguagem legal e legislativa em que se dá, é a criação de um artigo no Código Penal que passasse a equiparar dados digitais a “coisas” -. artifício utilizado para dar efeito legal à suposição de que um determinado bem imaterial seja considerado como um bem material, como acontece na legislação dos direitos autorais. O que equivaleria a transformar, por exemplo, o ato de baixar dados da internet (filmes, músicas, etc.) em crime. Um retrocesso, justamente em tempo que as gravadoras estudam fórmulas para resolver este problema de outras formas.
Projeto Insistente – Tribuna Nacional
Por fim, o incentivo à “privatização da vigilância” é reforçado pelo artigo 22 do projeot de lei, que determina que “não constitui violação do dever de segilo a comunicação, às autoridades competentes, de prática de ilícitos penais, abrangendo o fornecimento de informações de acesso, hospedagem e dados de identificação de usuário, quando constatada qualquer conduta crimininosa”. Na prática, tal artigo simplesmente elimina o sigilo e a inviolabilidade que resguardam as comunicações no Brasil. Um dispositivo como esse permitiria, por exemplo, que as comunicações eletrônicas realizadas por adolescentes em todo o paíse fossem devassadas, na medida em que se constatasse que esses adolescentes estariam trocando música pela internet (atividade que pode configurar o ilícito penal previsto no código 184 do código penal, que criminaliza a violação de direito autoral). Essa e outras práticas são objeto de intensos debates legislativos em todo mundo, muitos deles buscando a reforma da lei. Enquanto essa reforma não acontece, não é possível ignorar o fato de que efetivamente centenas de milhares de pessoas poderão ter suas comunicações eletrônicas devassadas em razão do projeto de lei do Senador Azeredo.
O Projeto Azeredo e seus custos para o Brasil – Linux e Cia
As the law project goes far enough to turn into crime the unauthorized use of cookies in websites, bloggers couldn't help noticing that even Azeredo's website was not complying with his own directive. How is that? Does he knows what he is talking about?
O texto contém exageros, como bem notou o UOL ao identificar que o próprio site do Sen. Eduardo Azeredo contraria algumas normas penais propostas. UOL: Senador, o senhor reconhece que o projeto de lei reconhece como crime a gravação de cookies no computador dos internautas sem autorização? Eduardo Azeredo: Isso cabe aos juízes decidirem caso a caso, e criar jurisprudência. Na minha opinião pessoal, o cookie se enquadra na lei sim, ele está previsto nesses artigos.
Um ataque a democracia brasileira – Navegantes Blog
Há duas possibilidades: (1) Azeredo está tentando passar esse projeto sem saber do que está falando, por isso não se deu o trabalho de adequar sua página a um projeto de Lei que tem tentado emplacar há anos. (2)  Azeredo sabe muito bem o que está fazendo, mas como o faz apenas para agradar aos seus patrocinadores, não se preocupou em adequar sua página a um projeto de Lei que tem tentado emplacar há anos. Escolha conforme suas convicções a respeito do senador. De qualquer modo, parece que isso encerra a discussão sobre mais esse projeto inútil proposto por um parlamentar brasileiro.
Fim da discussão – Martelada
If there is one group that will somehow be favored by the project, it is the “technical agents or qualified professionals”, whoever those are, that will be granted the power to search, attack and destroy the feared digital menaces that haunt the good Senator dreams. By the way, we should amend the unanimous characterization given to this case, as we managed to find one blogger defending the new law project. Presumably a “technical agent”.
Mas o senador Eduardo Azeredo, do PSDB mineiro, já tem a fórmula pronta para tirar a web brazuca desse atraso: basta liberar os profissionais de segurança de TI para agir como vigilantes no ataque a hackers e transformar todos os provedores de acesso em informantes compulsórios da polícia. Tudo sem pedir qualquer ordem judicial, é claro. Afinal, quem vai querer lidar com essa chateação que é a Justiça? Se é fraude em banco do crime organizado ou P2P de um adolescente, não importa: delação obrigatória, por lei. O projeto do senador está para ser votado no Congresso. Se for aprovado, muita gente de TI vai ganhar uma estrela de xerife.
Esqueça a Internet, Senador – Uhull.com.br
Antes de fazer qualquer análise sobre o assunto, convém que o interessado leia o projeto, o relatório (o projeto está na Comissão de Constituição e Justiça do Senado) e entenda algumas características da legislação brasileira… O assunto polêmico do momento é o termo “defesa digital”. Do jeito que parece pelos comentários que andam fazendo, isso transformaria a Internet brasileira em um faroeste sem lei. Não é bem assim. O objetivo lá é, por exemplo, evitar que você seja preso por manipular um vírus ao criar uma assinatura para seu IDS, por exemplo. Lá está muito claro, “sem risco para terceiros”. Nos parágrafos que citam que não há crime quando a ação é executada em defesa digital sempre há a expressão “excetuado o desvio de finalidade ou o excesso”… Se há problemas, vamos tentar melhorar. Mas acho que o país já está cheio de gritaria e palpites sem fundamento. Aos críticos mais ferrenhos, por favor, leiam o projeto e os comentários do relatório. Vão ver que não há nenhum gigantesco absurdo lá.
Novamente, PLS sobre crimes cibernéticos – Augusto Paes de Barros – CISSP
While many in Brazil celebrate the advantages of being open, the powers that are used to function in controlled environments are striving to have their say in the Internet's brave new world. It's kind of obvious that the later are not ready for the open debate, and are eager to use the classic political path where they still reign. Is this strategy still possible with issues related with the Internet? Is Internet governance demanding a new, more comprehensive approach for policy formulation? Brazil is going to host the IGF (Internet Governance Forum) this year, in November, and the theme promises to be revisited heavily till then. But this is another post…
Ou seja: um projeto de lei polêmico, que restringe liberdades individuais, que abre espaço para *justiceiros virtuais*, que pede que os provedores mantenham por três anos os registros de acesso de seus clientes, entrou assim sem mais nem menos na pauta de votações, sem dar espaço para a sociedade discutir se tal lei é válida ou não. Assim sendo é hora de, de novo, a sociedade pressionar para que não se aprove essa lei. Como? Através de blogs, emails, enfim, levantar a poeira.
Pilgeróvski in Assim Não Dá! – Alfarrábio

author: Jose Murilo


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Bulgaria: Prom Season · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Eternal Remont visits Bulgaria at the height of the prom season: “Even desperately poor families will bankrupt themselves to pay for a fantastic dress and a classic car. Entire convoys of these vehicles roll the streets of Sofia, honking horns and otherwise making a fantastic racket.”


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Cameroon: Nkuma, a new movie about female genital mutilation · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Dibussi Tande reviews a new Cameroonian movie, Nkuma: “Nkuma is a simple but interesting film which shows that FGM is a complex issue which is more than just about the sexist agenda of patriarchal Africa. It also has the merit of steering away from off-putting preachy and moralistic discourse aimed at shaming traditionalist to change their ways. The film demonstrates the complexity of the fight against FGM by showing that in many instances, the most vocal proponents of FGM are the women folk, and that they, more than the men, need convincing about the demerits of FGM.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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China: China Children’s Times · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Joel Martinsen from DANWEI translated a blog post by Tu Guowen about a Children newspaper, China Children's Times, published during China's Republican era.


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China: Infected Pig Statistics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Chris O'Brien blogs about the confusing statistics about Pig disease in China: Xinhua: 300, Hong Kong media report: 1,300, Reuters: a million.


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China: Land Requisition in Hubei · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Xueyong posts a protest letter against a forced land requisition in Hubei. The requisited area is 616.42 hectares, affecting 3,032 people. However, the compensation is just one eighth of the national requirement. (zh)


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China: Rural Migrant Children · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zuo Ai Chung quotes figure from Federation of Women association research that 5-10% of the rural migrant population in the urban area are children (around 750-2,000 millions) who follow their parent to work in towns and cities [zh].


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Colombia: Bloggers Campaign for the Release of a 3-Year Old Hostage · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

In other instances, bloggers have gotten together to ask for the release of journalists, bloggers or political figures. This time, Colombian bloggers are bringing their voices to request the liberation of someone who doesn´t even know what freedom feels like. This time it is for Emanuel, a 3 year old born to Clara Rojas and a guerrilla fighter.  Rojas was kidnapped along with presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt as they were traveling for campaign purposes. on February 23, 2002 by members of the FARC
In Libertad para Emanuel [ES], a blog created for the sole purpose to provide visibility to this child, today's post does a great job summarizing blogger comments and support for this campaign:
Thanks for supporting our campaign on behalf of Emanuel (Read the original post here).
Thanks to all our blogger colleagues who yesterday (some are still doing it today) showed their support to this campaign to provide visibility to Emanuel. The blogs who supported this initiative are registered on the right-hand column and there, they will stay, in the hope that they will accompany us in the future on similar campaigns.
It is worth highlighting the diversity of opinions expressed regarding Emanuel's kidnapping.  Some citizen bloggers emphasized the necessity to demand the freedom of ALL kidnapped victims.
We completely support this. We are not looking to bring Emanuel out into the public spotlight in order to hide all the other hostages. We are simply looking to bring Emanuel's case out into the open, for the unique circumstances of his kidnapping, and to complement or add emphasis to the general idea of demanding the release of all the hostages. While it is true that all the hostages should be freed immediately, the most urgent and vital need is in the case of Emanuel, for obvious reasons.
This wasn't a campaign launched by an NGO or a social movement, it simply launched by a group of citizens -who support this and who believed it was possible to saturate some pixels for a just cause. If it is true what some cyberspace fanatics say, that if it doesn't exist on the Internet, then it simply doesn't exist (questionable perspective, though with some validity), then yesterday we gave a strong push towards making Emanuel visible on the web.
What follows now? Over the next few days we will launch a mini-campaign to try and take this same message to two international organizations that could possibly play a part specifically in regards to Emanuel´s kidnapping. These are the International Red Cross and UNICEF.
It is necessary to open a slight chink in the armor of the notion that this kidnapping is only the concern of the Colombian government, the guerrillas and influential family members of some hostages. It is their business. But it is also the civil society, the common citizens and the international community (the French have campaigned to demand the liberation of Ingrid, because she is a French citizen, while we – the common citizens- still wait for the miracle to fall in our laps.) We need for these organizations to tell us whether they have the will to play a unilateral role to demand the liberation of Emanuel and his mother.
Once again, thanks to all the bloggers who supported this campaign. Here are some quotes taken from our blogging friends:
Pirata Subterráneo [ES]
Soy el Pirata Subterráneo, un colombiano mas, paisano tuyo, un bogotano del Barrio Ricaurte. Nací en una gran ciudad, Bogotá, y crecí entre la ciudad y el campo. Mis padres, como muchos colombianos en los últimos cincuenta años, llegaron de la provincia, eran campesinos que se fueron a la ciudad huyendo de la violencia, buscando un futuro que el campo no les ofrecía.
Si algún día llegas a leer este mensaje, si sobrevives y no te matan los hombres que te rodean, guerrilleros de las FARC, o los que supuestamente quieren rescatarte, soldados del Ejército de Colombia, te sorprenderás al enterarte de que muchas de las cosas que te voy a contar, que sucedieron muchos años antes de que nacieras y que son las causantes de que hayas nacido y estés en la selva, secuestrado, separado de tu madre, muchas de estas cosas, aún no han cambiado, por el contrario, han empeorado, se han degradado (…).
Someday if read this message, and if you survive, and if the men who surround you don't kill you, the FARC guerrilla fighters, or those who allegedly want to rescue you, the Colombian army soldiers, you will be surprised to find out about the tall tales that I´m going to tell you about, which happened many years before you were born and for the reasons that you were born and are in the jungle, kidnapped, separated from your mother, many of these things, they haven´t yet changed, on the contrary, they have gotten worse, they have degenerated (…).
OIMC [ES]
Todos los colombianos, y Emanuel entre ellos, tienen derecho a vivir una vida libre y digna, y el Estado tiene la obligación de garantizar la seguridad de todos sus ciudadanos, bajo el principio fundamental de que todos somos iguales ante la ley, y tenemos los mismos derechos y deberes (…).
Más allá del Ecologismo [ES]
Más allá del ecologismo se une al llamado de varios blogs colombianos y del escritor Héctor Abad Faciolince, quien citó lo siguiente: “Señores de las Farc: ¡Suelten ya mismo a Clara y a Emmanuel o considérense asesinos!…”
Medea Material [ES]
Entonces, me hago presente. No sólo por la libertad de Emanuel, sino de todos los otros secuestrados, las mujeres, los niños, los jóvenes policías, los adultos mayores, los enfermos y los sanos, porque no hay derecho que nadie esté retenido en contra de su voluntad y sin que medie un juicio justo. (…) Y carajo, mientras los sueltan, que por lo menos les den toallas higiénicas a las mujeres. Por pura dignidad.
Der Latin Lover [ES]
(…) Y lo mas triste: saber que ese bebe ya camina y habla…y cumplió tres anitos…en “cautiverio”. No te parece una monstruosidad? A mi si. Por eso quise escribir este par de líneas sobre el tema. (…) Saludos y un abrazo a la familia de Emanuel. Que mi Dios los proteja y acompañe en este momento tan puto.
Crítico Latino [ES]
(…) hoy es un día para reflexionar y pedir, sin importar razas ni religiones, creencias políticas o sociales, el derecho a la libertad y a la vida es un derecho que no debe ser quebrantado, por eso, hoy rezamos por la paz y la liberación de este pequeño y de todos los secuestrados, en Colombia y el mundo entero.
Con senos y con sesos [ES]
Pues no sé si mi post clasifique dentro de la jornada, porque yo no sólo quiero que se de la liberación de Clara Rojas y de su hijo Emanuel -el cual (contrario a lo que han manifestado algunos columnistas) sí tiene un padre y es guerrillero; sí señor, “no nos hagamos tarugos”-, bueno ése es otro asunto… (…) Lo que quiero decir es que me parece muy bien que se den este tipo de iniciativas en la blogosfera, pero no creo que se deba ser tan excluyente e ignorar la situación de los otros 23.144 secuestrados (…)
Comunicación? [ES]
En ninguna circunstancia es admisible el secuestro, pero adicionalmente ¿Es justo que un niño nazca y crezca privado de la libertad? Por supuesto que no.(…)
Calicanto [ES]:
Emanuel no es víctima del Estado sino de las Farc, y a éstas corresponde las consecuencias de un intento de rescate de Clara Rojas, su madre. Emanuel es un nombre que hoy se repite en muchos blogs, se espera que no solamente nacionales sino también extranjeros, para hacer visible su caso.
Ciudad de pensamiento plano [ES]
Este Blog se une a la campaña Libertad Para Emanuel. Hagamos visible a Emanuel. Exijamos su liberación inmediata!
Astrolabe- JSA [ES]
Uno quisiera en estos casos, no que muchos blogs se sumen para hacer visible la situación de Emanuel y la barbarie de las Farc, sino que no fuera necesario hacerlo. Pero también es notable el hecho de que los blogs no solamente sirvan para soportar las tonteras que se nos ocurren, sino que se ejerciten en la loable tarea de crear redes con fines sustantivos.
Once again, thanks.
Translated by Juliana Rincón

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Cuba: Welcome The Beatles  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“It’s taken the best part of 40 years but The Beatles have finally arrived in the part of Cuba where I grew up. Officially, that is,” writes Child of the Revolution, who thinks that the opening of a replica of the tavern where the Fab Four first found fame is “quite a development.”


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Ecuador: The Views of a Taxi Driver · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Marco Chinchero, a local taxi driver, has plenty to say about the direction of his country. At ¡¡¡Cambiemos Ecuador!!! [ES], the blogger asked Mr. Chinero about his views and recorded it as a podcast.  Hear his views on various subjects here.


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Egypt: Live Snakes to Saudi  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Mostafa Hussein links to an AP story which says that police detained a man at Cairo's airport – bound for Saudi Arabia – who was trying to smuggle 700 live snakes on a plane!


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Estonia: Part of Nordic Community · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Itching for Eestimaa writes about Estonia's relations with its Nordic neighbors: “Estonia is too small and too far for serious investment when dollars and pounds can flow into larger, closer markets like Poland, Hungary, or the Czech Republic. For the Finns, Swedes, and to a lesser extent the Danes and Norwegians, Estonia is attractive because it's a market they can dominate with relative ease.”


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Guinean proverb · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Roots and Culture posts a Guinean proverb: “When ants work together they carry lift elephants.” (Fr)


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Guyana, Barbados: Press Freedom  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Antilles, along with many regional newspapers, stands behind Stabroek News in condemning the Guyanese government's advertising boycott of the newspaper due to editorial content – while Barbados Free Press wonders why The Nation News could not have assumed a similar stance with local freedom of speech issues.


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Hong Kong: Category II Indecent Material · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated Mingpao (local newspapers) feature report on the Chinese University erotic section. The report was recently graded as category II indecent material.


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How the South is financing the North’s internet connection · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Reseau International de correspondants writes about pricing inequalities in the international telecom system (Fr) that place a disproportionate burden of payment on developing countries to the extent that “the South is financing the North” and it is in effect “three times more expensive to connect to the internet” in developing countries.


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Hungary: Budapest Photos · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Budapest photos – at Pestcentric.


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Hungary: Human Rights · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“The annual Amnesty Report this week has charged Hungary with discrimination against the Roma, a lack of protection for women and not surprisingly, police abuses,” writes Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar.


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India: Child Labour and Trafficking · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Weight of Silence on child labour and trafficking. “The conditions these children are forced into essentially amount to nothing more than slavery, two hundred years after legislation was passed which made the practice illegal. And this is slavery at its ugliest, most evil core, slavery of the most vulnerable among us: children.”


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India: Jesus and his missing years · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

varnam on the speculation surrounding Jesus's missing years. “The Jesus in India theory comes from author Holger Kersten who wrote a book about the same. Though without proof the idea comes from the observation that the teachings of Jesus are similar to Buddha who lived in India, 500 years before Jesus. Since there was a trade route to India from the Roman empire which passed through Palestine, it would have been possible for Jesus to travel to India, learn Buddhism and go back to Palestine.”


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India: Muslims and the Media · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

After an attack on a mosque in Hyderabad, is the media missing the bigger picture? iFaqeer comments “Of course, he is taking it from the perspective of a “Security” hawk within the Indian establishment and not looking, as I am trying to do, beyond the tension between Muslims and other communities and on to intra-Muslim tensions, as in Karachi. The issue really is one of fanaticism being left on the table as the only option for a lot of young, educated folks (and yes, it is the educated ones I am particularly concerned about)–Muslim or not. South Africa, where Mandel himself has never said that their resort to violence was wrong, Ireland and Sri Lanka come to mind.”


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Iran:Neo-Cons To Plot Iran Strategy Amid Caribbean Luxury · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Thanks to Sibil Tala we get information about a “Neo-Con” led conference about Iran.According this information the workshop, entitled “Confronting The Iranian Threat: The Way Forward,” is to include “30 or so leading experts who will analyze the implications of Iran’s activities, the diplomatic challenges, military and intelligence capabilities, the spread of its ideology within and beyond its borders, and other issues, including the prospects for democratization in the Islamic world, energy security and other related issues that face policymakers in the United States, Europe and the Middle East,” according to the invitation letter from FDD’s [Foundation for Defense of Democracies]president, Clifford May. The purpose will be “exploring policy options …and consider solutions to one of the most significant policy issues of our day.”The blogger says[Fa] this conference reminds us 19 century where colonial powers came together to take a decision about Iran. The meeting takes place May 30 to June 1.


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Iraq: New Blogs on the Street  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Konfused Kid from Iraq introduces the latest Iraqi blogs here.
They include a blog discusses everything from rock music to Iraqi social glimpses, recent posts include attending a Pink Floyd concert, and an Arabic-language post about the tribulations of a small child; another written in French by a Christian Assyrian and a third about the only Iraqi heavy metal band's Accrasscida's relative ups and downs.


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Iraq: US Destruction Machine · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Majed Jarrar links to two videos  which show the US troops “destroying Iraq.”


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Israel: Jewish and Israeli Blog Awards  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Global Voices Israel author David Bogner won four accolades in the Jewish and Israeli Blog Awards  for his blog . Congrats David for winning Best Large Blog (Gold), Best Personal Blog (Gold), Best Slice of Life in Israel (Gold) and Best Overall Post (Silver).


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Israel: More Qassams Fired  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Aussie Dave from Israel reports that more Qassams have been fired into Israel.
“While there have been no injuries, one of the Qassams started a fire in a wheat field near Sderot,” he adds.


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Israel: Myths About the Asian Community  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blogger Fily discusses myths about the Asian community in Israel.
“Why, I wonder, don’t the Asian students mingle with the locals? Why is it that the Israelis obsessed with Asia don’t make the effort to try to meet the Asian students?
You see, I know that some of my Asian friends in Israel – and their friends – feel somewhat lonely and isolated here and that they want to meet the locals. I also know that some Israelis would die for a good Asian friend or culture/language-exchange.”


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Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Drummer Muhtadi Thomas · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Geoffrey Philp features Trinidad multi-media artist Elspeth Duncan as she talks about the experience of working on a Leda Serene documentary about Master drummer Muhtadi Thomas: “I asked him if he would open our filming session in the same way that he opens his drumming sessions, with his hands playing a prayer (for centering) on the drum skin. As we watched him do this, I felt drawn in…and there came a point where he and the drum merged, becoming one.”


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Japan: Cat shooting game · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Japan Probe introduces a new game, cat shooting game, from the Neko Games team. You can click to play here.


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Japan: Listen to the voices of the Tokyo fire bombing victims · Global Voices
Hanako Tokita

112 people, including the victims and their families of the 1945 Tokyo fire bombing, are suing the Japanese goverment for an official apology and 1.2 billion yen compensation. On March 24, a trial hearing was held at the Tokyo District Court and blogger tokyodo-2005 urges that more attention should be paid to the case. [Ja]

author: Hanako Tokita


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Japan: Spring swallows · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Overoften blogs about Japanese spring time with very nice photos of the swallows under his roof.


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Kazakhstan against -bashization  · Global Voices
Leila Tanayeva

Yesterday Sergey Duvanov, a journalist and a human rights activist was arrested for organising the protests on the square in Almaty against the constitutional amendments that exempt Nazarbayev from a limit on the number of the presidential terms.
Casio Cisar writes:
Duvanov was holding an unsanctioned protest against what he calls the ‘Turkmenbashizma’ of Kazakhstan. Earlier in the day Duvanov posted a statement on kub.kz, in which he argued that the recent constitutional reforms are nothing but political deceit. Duvanov argues that the recent so-called democratic political reforms are, if anything, to the contrary and represent “no more than the next step in strengthening the personal authority of Nazarbaev”.
Not many people showed up at the protests:
Around 40-50 people turned up for the protest. They were, however, met by at least half as many police and assorted plain clothes KNB officers. After twenty minutes, and much discussion with police officers, Duvanov was forcibly pushed into a waiting bus where he was taken off to prison.
Casio Cisar senses the atmosphere in Almaty:
Currently in Almaty, there is a palatable sense in the air that within the ruling elite ‘something is happening’, but what it means and where it will lead is unknown.
Arthur comments:
It certainly appears from all the action online that something big is going down in Almaty. Interestingly, though, as I live very, very far from Almaty, I have heard practically no discussion about any of these topics.
Last night I asked a usually very-informed young man for his opinion… and he didn’t even know anything was happening. Perhaps because he is an ethnic Russian, and this whole drama seems to be taking place within the Kazakh community, who, after all, form nearly the entire ruling class.
Anyway, I am surprised that even 40 people would show up at a rally.
Kazis Toguzbayev posted a photo report of the protests. On some of the photos he sees the plain clothed policemen or special services agents and he shows the arrest of Sergey Duvanov as he was dragged into police car.
Serikoff commented:
I looked at it and I cried, I read and I laughed, and then cried and laughed again! The sad and the funny all mixed together, just as democracy and the Turkmenbashism did… Thank you, Kazeke!
Neizvestnyi:
It's good that it is neither 37 nor 68, and nor 86 now! It is all civilized, gentlemen and comrades, this is how the CIVIL SOCIETY starts – from the individuals on the square, not on the recommendation of some state commissions and legislative committees. The initiatives comes from the bottom, from the people themselves.
Tastak:
Yesterday the news from the republic Square did not appear on channel 31. (…) There was a dialog between a female journalist who was preparing the report about the protests. Her manager said: We will not air this material (this conversation was eavesdropped accidentally, cited by memory). Journalist: Why? Manager: Just that. Journalist: Let's do it. There are some super shots. The news is interesting. Manager: It won't work. The ban from above. They stressed the scandal with Aliev and asked not to interfere with the serious politics. These amendments are like a sacred cow. So it's better to avoid showing any criticism. Journalist: It's a pity. We came here in vain.
Bureau:
Excellent report. It is clear without any text that the OSCE should not let us closer than within a gunshot. I wonder if there is a casting for the camera people from the secret services or something? it is difficult to imagine that so many identical faces without a trace of intellect would gather together in one place accidentally.
sara:
Does anyone know if Duvanov is out yet? What is the charge? His mobile does not answer… (…) I am curious, will it repeat if someone comes out to “walk around” the square every day? Every day the same thing? I know one thing: those who ordered to arrest Sergey are not too bright. So what, a person came out to speak to the journalists. If they didn't do what they did, everyone would go home quietly, and it wouldn't have been possible to have this brilliant photo report!
STauzhanov:
… I am “for” “Kyrgyzstan” in Kazakhstan.
Alexandr-Kargapolcev:
You are “for” “Kyrgyzstan” in Kazakhstan, I didn't see you holding such a poster yesterday!
MERZKYI:
Why make Duvanov, a person without any intellect, an erudition or a literary talent, into a hero? Everyone knows that he just works for the grants and nothing more. By the way, his friends from the “Spartakus” [gay club in Almaty] were waiting for him  yesterday.
Wrath:
Duvanov is at least doing something while we sit comfortably in our chairs and chew in front of the computer screens. “Everyone knows that he just works for the grants and nothing more.” – this reminds me of a bearded guy from “Odnako” program. He also liked saying: “everyone knows”… “it is clear to everyone”… “we all know”, etc. He liked speaking on behalf of the whole nation, you know…
See the photo report by Kazis Toguzbaev – here.
And another one by Valeri Surganov – here.

author: Leila Tanayeva


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Lebanon: Fighting Resumes  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Writing from Lebanon Blacksmith Jade says: “After a two-day long truce, fierce fighting in and around the Nahr el Bared refugee camp resumed on Thursday night as the Lebanese Army evacuated journalists, and intercepted a group of Fatah al Islam gunmen as they tried to flee the camp.”

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Lebanon: Urgent Aid Needed  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

‘They called it a second nakba (catastrophe). “The first one in 1948 was a black and white nakba, it was easy to know who our enemies were. This one is more colorful.” This is how Palestinian refugees from Nahr al Bared camp described their flight to Badawi refugee camp, about twenty kilometers away. Their escape, as with their experience under fire in the Nahr al Bared camp, was traumatizing. Not only did they escape Fatah al Islam sniper fire and the Lebanese army's heavy artillery shelling, they also encountered a third group along the way, a militia group they identified as a local, Tripoli Sunni group who seems to have been operating inside Nahr al Bared camp as well,’ writes Dr Marcy Newman, who calls for urgent aid for the refugees.


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Lebanon: War Analysis  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Blogger Michael Totten links to different blogs and writers about the war in Lebanon here.


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Lebanon: Where’s Our Patriotism? · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

After relegating herself to the status of spectator of the recent violence in Lebanon, Marie-Josee takes up her pen, this time to write about how the country's trivialization of the deaths of Lebanese soldiers shows a “fundamental lack of patriotism” (Fr) on the part of Lebanon's government and its people.


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Lebanon: Who is Responsible?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese blogger Jounoune links to a news article which points fingers to who is responsible for the fighting in North Lebanon.


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Moldova: Chisinau, Countryside and Elections · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Live in Moldova posts pictures from the countryside; Public Policy Watch writes about Chisinau City of her dreams and the local elections.


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Nicaragua: English Language Blog Round-up · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Our Man in Granada writes a Nicaraguan round-up of English-language blogs.  He states that as his Spanish improves, then he will continue to add Spanish language blogs to these roundups.


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Pakistan: Transporting Students · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Islamabad on the inadequate transport facilities for students in the city. “I talked to a few students on the road, about the transportation availabilty in their schools and the responses were quite shocking. Most came back with complains that their schools, including the private and the public ones were facing acute transport shortages. Cost of private transport is too high for most student's parent to afford, so they have to opt for either the public transport or the crowded school buses.”


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Palestine: Explosions Close to Home · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

‘We go to sleep now waiting for the next round of Israeli attacks against “Hamas targets”. That is what they are calling them now. Last night, I couldn't sleep again. The drones were waxing and waning in intensity overhead. And then of course the Apaches. And the explosions.
But this time, the “target” wasn't some distant building or family gathering hall in Shija3iya or Jabaliya, it was a money changer on my very street, Omar al-Mukhtar, in Gaza's Remal neighbourhood. And the supermarket next door,’ writes Palestinian Laila Al Haddad.


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Palestine: Political Groups Silent on Lebanon Fighting · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian Pundit Tony publishes an interview conducted by the Electronic Intifada (EI)with blogger and professor Asa'ad Abu Khalil regarding the latest fighting in Lebanon here.
“EI: What has been the reaction to these events Lebanon and are any groups or parties condemning the bombardment of Nahr al-Bared camp?
ABUKHALIL: As far as reaction in Lebanon this is one of the most painful elements of this story at the personal level. I have never felt more isolation as someone who speaks out on Palestine as I have felt in the past few days. There is an overwhelming, unanimous competition by people and organizations to rally behind the Lebanese army and to pay tribute to the troops. Not a single political party in Lebanon has spoken out, none, against the indiscriminate shelling of the refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared. Hizbullah has taken a position in support of the army, as has the Lebanese Communist Party, and other organizations.”


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Peru: Dust into Gold · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

A entrepreneurial neighbor of blogger C.J. Schexnayder aka Kleph collects the refuse from the floors around jewelry stores in Miraflores, and puts it through a process to remove the gold specks.  The entire process was also documented on Klephblog and presented in a slideshow titled “Dust into Gold.”


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Poland: Ryanair Case · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Polish government doesn't like to be made fun of: the latest case involves Ryanair, the beatroot reports.


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Romania: Pilgrimage to Csiksomlyo · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

About half a million Catholics from Hungary and Romania make an annual pilgrimage to see Our Lady of Csiksomlyo, Csikszereda Musings reports.


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Serbia: 50 Human Rights Tasks · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belgrade 2.0 comments on Goran Miletic's “fifty human rights tasks that new government should do.”


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South Africa: is the South African blogosphere entirely white? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Izzonline writes about race and blogging in South Africa: “Not that it's worrying. But a small concern it is. The SA blogosphere is nearly entirely white – I realised since starting to blog. I went across many blogs on Amatomu, the SA blog aggregator, and you hardly ever come across a blog by a black person. I asked qDot, one black who features reasonably well on the SA blogosphere, what the cause may be.”


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South Korea: Creative Leadership · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) formally announced his presidential candidacy yesterday. Matt from Gust of Popular Feeling wrote some background about Lee's creative leadership: “creative leadership” mostly means “throw money at construction companies.”


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Sri Lanka: S. Bose(1975 – 2007), Poet, Editor & Writer · Global Voices
Mathy Kandasamy

The following poem was written by S. Bose, a writer-poet (Tamil) from Vavuniya, Sri Lanka and was translated by a friend of mine for Global Voices Online readers. Chandrabose Sudhakar or S.Bose was shot dead by armed men in his own home on April 16th, 2007. The killers who spoke Sinhala warned S.Bose's seven year old son to go back to sleep quietly and left the scene. Fortunately S.Bose's wife and daughter had been travelling and were not present.
Let me talk
your loud voices have
cut my wound deeper.
my voice is lost and dissolved in
the light of your foot prints.
Stop,
i want to be my self
always.
the stars in the sky
shatters and breaks,
you are screaming
seeds are spurting out of land,
again and again you are being possessed.
i lowered my head in shame for you.
at least in some moments
give permission to some one,
to ask some questions that
raise from within the depth
of their heart and talk them out
2.
in my broken voice
i also want to sing,
love-filled songs of sorrow
S. Bose (1975 – 2007)
S.Bose was known as a poet, journalist and littérateur. He has been published in Eelanatham, Veliccham, Eelanadu, Nilam, Kalachuvadu, Veerakesari, Sari-nihar, Mundravathu manithan, Thamizh ulagam, Innoru kaladi. He has also worked for Veliccham, Eelanatham, Eelanadu, Veerakesari. He edited and published ‘Nilam’ an exclusive magazine for poetry. He also published from Sri Lanka, ‘Thamizh ulagam’ a magazine published in London, U.K.
S.Bose was captured, prisoned and tortured by the Sri Lankan Government in 2001. His mistake? He wrote about the Tamils’ exodus from Jaffna in a magazine published in Tamil Nadu, India. Due to the said magazine's mishandling, S.Bose's personal information were published and this was used by the Sri Lankan Government.
While friends and acquaintances mourn his death, they are quite scared to make any overtures to help his bereaved family. The loss is all the more painful because S. Bose's widow lost her first husband in a similar manner.
DJ Tamilan, Toronto, Canada writes, “In a land where the losses are being calculated by the numbers, it's becoming increasingly difficult to mourn for each and every person being killed”.
Peddai from Toronto, Canada who met S.Bose a few years ago in Sri Lanka writes in detail about the killings in Vavuniya. In the two weeks preceding S.Bose's murder, 24 people had been killed in Vavuniya alone. One of the 24 people killed was her own grandmother. This old lady had been going about her ways in an alleyway with trees on either side. A stray bullet came out of nowhere and killed her. And she breathed her last on the lap of her daughter. And her suffering did not stop there. Since the morgue in the Vavuniya hospital was full, the innocent old lady's body had to wait for the relatives to get traveling passes. And had lost all the charm and had become darkened.
Peddai continues, “Only the people living with the lost ones would feel the impact. S.Bose was killed in his own home with his son by his side. The loss and the emptiness would only resonate within his family. The others would be writing notes – such as this – and will forget the loss as time goes by. It's the people living there, who have to ‘live life’ amidst all the chaos and added by the burden of loss.”
Muranveli from Sri Lanka while writing about S.Bose talks about social responsibility. They request people to help. At the same time, they also wonder if they would be  making the same request for every human being killed. Was S.Bose any different from the other people being killed on a daily basis. S.Bose was a littérateur. So is preference being given to intellectuals? What about the marginalized people? Muranveli says that these questions are very disturbing and unanswerable.

author: Mathy Kandasamy


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Murder of Innocents  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

After a domestic squabble turns disturbingly violent, Abeni wonders, “When did it become okay to kill our children, when?”


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Suriname, Barbados: CARICOM Failing Caribbean People  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As Suriname announces plans for the construction of a nuclear power facility, Barbados Underground writes, “This affair epitomizes the ineffective organ we call Caricom.”


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Syria: 14 Killed in Bus Accident  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“14 people have died after an Iraqi bus crashed on the Aleppo to Raqqa highway.
20 others are injured.
The bus had just crossed the border from Iraq, and was travelling on the wrong side of the road.
The Aleppo to Raqqa highway is one of the country's accident hotspots,” reports Syrian blogger Sasa.


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Thailand: Blogspot Blocked · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Bangkok Pundit writes about Thai internet service providers blocking blogs hosted on the popular blogspot.com domain. Seems the domain was blocked as there were some blogs hosted on the domain that were deemed offensive by the Thai ministry of communication  and information technology.

author: Preetam Rai


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Trinidad & Tobago: News Roundup  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In reviewing the top news stories of the week, Trinidadian blogger Jonathan Ali finds a recurring theme – forgiveness.


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Tunisia: Breakdown of Religions  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Tunisia Subzero Blue gives us a break down of the adherents of different religions.
“The following is the list of the world's major religions ranked by the number of believers adherent to them: 1. Christianity: 2.1 billion, 2. Islam: 1.3 billion, 3. Secular/Nonreligious/ Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion, 4. Hinduism: 900 million, 5. Chinese traditional religion: 394 million,
6. Buddhism: 376 million, 7. primal-indigenous: 300 million, 8. African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million, 9. Sikhism: 23 million, 10. Juche: 19 million, 11. Spiritism: 15 million, 12. Judaism: 14 million,
13. Baha'i: 7 million, 14. Jainism: 4.2 million, 15. Shinto: 4 million, 16. Cao Dai: 4 million, 17. Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million, 18. Tenrikyo: 2 million, 19. Neo-Paganism: 1 million, 20. Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand, 21. Rastafarianism: 600 thousand and 22. Scientology: 500 thousand.”


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Turkey: Plans to Attack Kurds · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Turkish blogger Murat Altinbasak links to a news article which discusses Tuesday's deadly rush hour bombing at an Ankara shopping district in which at least six people died and more than 100 were injured. His conclusions are: “Turkey plans for attack on Kurds.”


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Ukraine: “Turbulent Day” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Pictures from Abdymok: two Ukrainian riot policemen preparing lunch, the Prosecutor General's office, and people gathered for yet another rally at a Kyiv park. Foreign Notes writes about a “turbulent day” for Ukrainian politicians.


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Vietnam: Fibre Optic Cable Looting · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

SaigonNezumi writes about Vietnamese authorities nabbing under sea fiber-optic cable robbers. The bloggers asks “Who are the ones telling these smugglers the exact locations of the fiber-optic lines?”


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Zambia: corruption wars · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Cho discusses corruption wars in Zambia: “I have watched with some amazement at the recent flurry of discussions on corruption following the London judgement on our ex President FTJ. The issue has been much debated on every Zambian blog, forum and newspaper. As always these discussions have been led from the frontline by the Post newspaper, whose daily editorials on “Chiluba the plunderer” has now fuelled unpleasant exchanges between two ex-Presidents : the post columnist KK and the accused FTJ. But is the nation now in danger of losing focus on the issue of corruption?”


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Zambia: Zambian art: a woman from the lake · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A woman from the lake is one of Cho's Zambian art collection.


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Argentina: Too Many Airports Not in Service · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Jorge Gobbi's Blog de Viajes [ES] discusses the strange figure in that nearly half of the airports in Argentina are currently out of commission.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Brazil, Uruguay: Videos of OLPC’s XO Computer in Action · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

One Laptop Per Child News, an independent blog that provides “news, information, commentary and discussion” of the XO recently added videos of children in Uruguay and Brazil test driving their new laptops.  The post's author, Charbax, writes, “I think that the OLPC foundation just needs to make sure that a few more of these fascinating videos from the actual OLPC test schools are filmed by the local reployment staff and then that those awesome videos be put on the Internet for us to have an idea how it is like to use the OLPC in the actual classrooms. This should be impressive enough to convince most of the sceptics around the Internet, about the awesome potential that is in embracing the mass deployment of XO-1 laptops all over the world as soon as possible.”


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Colombia: Nostalgia for Colombian Television · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Carlos Raúl van der Weyden takes a trip down nostalgia lane after finding several YouTube channels devoted to old Colombian television programming.  News programming and telenovelas are some of the programs featured in his roundup on the Colombia Herald.


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Honduras: President Orders Private Media Stations to Air Government Propaganda · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Honduran President Manuel Zelaya recently announced that all private media stations will be required to air messages from the government in order to counterbalance the incorrect and unfair information provided by the media.  La Gringa's Blogicito wonders whether it will be the same situation as years ago, when people will no other choice than to hear the government's message because the other cable channels were ordered off the air during these two hours.  Aaron Ortiz, who writes in Pensieve, states, “Mel complains about the power of the media, and he has a point, because they are controlled by the rich upper class. Nevertheless, he is abusing his power by forcing them to present political propaganda, which carries the authority of the Honduran state. This only heightens his paranoia and his martyr mentality.”


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Iran: A Bloody Face Symbolizes the Violent Repression of Women · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

The Iranian police continue with their crackdown on female dress and there have been more victims of police violence each day.
On Sunday 20th of May a young woman in Tehran became the latest victim of the crackdown. Citizen reporters captured photographs of her bloodied face which were subsequently published on many Iranian weblogs. According to some reports she was filming the police crackdown on women when she was attacked herself by police. Some eyewitnesses say the police wanted to push her into their car because of how she was dressed and she resisted.
Beyond the unacceptable use of police violence, the bottom line of the story is that a defenseless woman was beaten up by the police in Tehran and the mainstream media were not there to get the story.
Maraym Sheybani, a journalist and blogger, says, [Fa] “the photos explain everything and there is no need to write about it. It displays the moral decline of humanity in Tehran these days. Authorities insist they are establishing security, but I see only the fear in everyones’ eyes. Security is an illusion that disappears as soon as you see security forces.” The blogger adds, “I do not support security forces these days as they now play the same role of both an agent and a judge.”
Zannevesht, also a blogger and journalist, writes [Fa], “it is not easy to see the bloody face of a woman on my computer screen. One colleague says, ‘why so much violence?’ Another one asks, ‘should we write something about it?’ Another reminds us that we do not have the legal right to write anything about it because of the order by the Supreme National Security Council.'”
Zannevesht then adds:
It is like you cannot feed your hungry child. We journalists are responsible to inform people and transfer news but we cannot do it. Imagine you are responsible and you fail your responsibility every day.
Kamangir has published a couple of testimonies from eyewitness. The blogger reports:
A shopkeeper in 7-Tir squares in Tehran mentioned later “The officers questioned three girls, aged 25- 30, for their veils. The questioning was so harsh that they reacted. A female officer started pulling a girl’s hand to get her in the police patrol, but she refused. Then, a male officer attacked the girl. That was when others got involved. The girls were taken away by passing cars safe from the police. They got into civilian cars while they had no covering and their cloths were torn away,
A taxi driver also said “In the morning, while the police was brutally questioning a girl, her cries for help enraged other people”. He also said that when the second incident happened, the Police hit a mother and daughter. While showing their injured faces to the people, they took off their veils. The two ladies have reportedly captured the incident on tape.
Marjan Namazi says [Fa] that ‘security’ is used as an excuse for authorities who violate human rights to achieve their goals. According to the blogger the so-called security plan has generated growing violence.
Lastly, Daroon Broon makes the situation personal [Fa]:
God where are we living? Are we in 21 century? Is there any difference between 21 century and first century, and then what is the use of history? Is anywhere in the world like here? Is any where else the law is so strange? Do in other places people are treated like here? Why should I always be worried about my sister?


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Iran:Several photos from police action against “criminals” · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Almozakhraf has published several photos of “criminals” who have been beaten up by police.Several bloggers considered police violence inacceptable.


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Korea:Is Sexual Harrassment just for Women?  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

While sexual harassment is regarded as the worst scenario that would happen to women and the weak, a male blogger insists that men also run into harassment in their daily lives through his and his friends’ experiences. His post has received a lot of responses especially from young bloggers. It shows a part of Korea.
이글루를 돌아다니다가 성희롱 관련 글을 읽어보면서 나도 적어본다. 성희롱 피해자의 대다수가 여성인점을 알고 있지만 내가 봤을 때 남자들 또한 성희롱에서 자유롭진 않다. 오히려 사회적으로나 암묵적으로 남자에게 이정도까지는 괜찮겠지 , 남자니까 라는 관점으로 넘어가는 일이 종종있지만 때론 기분이 묘한게 어떻게 반응해야될지 아리까리할때가 있다. 이럴땐 여자들이 성희롱 당시 드는 기분을 조금이나마 알수 있다. 지금부터 여자후배의 성희롱은 나 혹은 내 주위사람들이 겪은 것들이다. 내가 이 얘기를 하는건 성희롱이라는것 자체가 정당화될수도 없고 해도 괜찮은 것이 아니라, 일방적으로 여성만이 성희롱을 겪고 피해자인것처럼 여겨지는 일이 없도록 하자는데 있다.
에피소드1
학회실에 앉아있는데 여자후배들이 우루루 들어왔다. 대학내일을 보면서 광고에 나온 남자들 사진을 보며 이런 저런 얘기를 나누는데 가수 비가 나온 광고가 있었다. 그때 한 여자 후배가 말했다. ” 아 씨발 비 존나 따먹고 싶어 ” 친한사이니까 웃고 넘겼다. 이 후배가 나를 성희롱했다고 생각하지 않는다. 물론 혹자의 말대로 그 얘기를 듣고 성희롱 당했다고 생각하는 남자들도 있지 않을까? 만약에 입장을 바꿔서 남자후배들이 여자선배있는데서 김태희 사진을 보면서 ” 아 씨발 김태희 존나 따먹고 싶어 ” 라고 얘기했으면 어떻게 됐을까?
에피소드2
친구중에 옆에 구렛나루 부분이 심하게 꼬인 녀석이 있는데 그 녀석이 학회실에 앉아 있는데 여자후배들이 왔다. 여자후배들이 그 녀석에게 ” 선배 옆에 구렛나루가 왜 이렇게 꼬여요 파마했어요? ” 라며 곱슬곱슬한 구렛나루를 손으로 만지작 거렸다. 녀석이 ” 하지마 ” 라고 말하면서 신경안쓰고 보던 책을 계속 보고 있는데 여자 후배가 계속 만지는데 다른 여자후배들이 킥킥 웃어서 봤더니 그 여자후배가 손에 침을 발라서 녀석의 구렛나루를 펴주고 있었다는 것이다.  녀석은 기분이 그닥 안좋았다고 하는데 친한사이에 딱히 뭐라고 하기도 그렇고 해서 장난식으로 ” 너 지금 뭐하는거야 더럽게 침을 왜 발라 ” 라고 얘기했지만 그 얘길 들었던 다른 이들은 ” 정말 개념없다 ” 한마디로 끝났다. 그나마 여자가 남자에게, 그리고 친한사이에 벌어진 일이라 넘어간 일이다.
만약에 이걸 다시 반대로 남자가 여자에게 했다면?
에피소드3
학회실에 앉아서 노트북으로 리포트 작업을 하고 있을 때 였다. 여자후배가 와서 말을 붙이는데 앉아있는 허벅지에 자신의 허벅지를 밀착시키는것이다. 남자분들은 알겠지만 꽤 당혹스러운 느낌이다. 거기서 오바해봤자 기껏해야 역공당할뿐 그냥 피할수 밖에 없었는데 이 때 개인적으로 여자들이 남자들에게 성추행을 당했을 때 어떤 기분인지 어떻게 대응해야할지 모르겠는 그런 기분을 느낄수 있었다.
에피소드4
여자후배랑 얘기하던 도중 여자후배가 손가락질로 ” 선배 ” 가리키며 손가락끝이 젖꼭지를 눌렀다.
에피소드5
아줌마들이 식당같은 곳에서 팔에 난 털을 보고 쓰다듬으며 ” 팔의 털이 아주… ”
여성들만 성희롱의 피해자가 아니라 남성들도 성희롱에 수 없이 많이 노출 돼어있다. 사회적으로 여성이 당하는 입장에서 여성만이 성희롱피해자인것처럼 여겨지지만 실제로 말도 할수 없이 많을 만큼 남성들도 피해를 보고 있다. 단지 남자니까, 남자는 이정도까지는 괜찮아. 등의 당연시여겨지며 아무렇지도 않게 성희롱이 이뤄지고 있다. 문제인식이 되있는 여성들의 성희롱 문제도 심각하지만 오히려 난 남자들의 성희롱문제가 더 조심스럽게 접근돼어야하지 않을까 싶다. 남자들이 성희롱 발언을 했을 때 여자들이 느끼는 기분? 솔직히 그게 성희롱이라는걸 알면 남자들은 안한다.  의외로 남자들이 느꼈을 때 그다지 성희롱이라고 느끼지 않기에 얘기를 하는거지 일부로 성희롱을 하려는 목적에서 하지는 않는다는 것이다. 말했을 때 아무렇지도 않게 생각하는 여자들이 많지만 싫어하는 여자들이 더 많다? 그건 솔직히 주위사람들이 어떤 사람인지에 따라 달라지는 것이 아닌가? 주위 사람중에 성에 관한 농담에 쿨하게 즐기고 하는 사람들이 많다면 성에 관한 농담에 불쾌하게 생각하는 사람들에게 둘러쌓인 사람보다는 어느정도 개방적인 태도를 유지하기가 쉬울수 있다.
위에 에피소드 5가지중 분명히 성희롱으로 느껴지는 것도 있을 것이고 주위에서 너무나 빈번하게 일어나서 아무렇지도 않게 받아들여지는 것도 있을 것이다.  내가 이 글을 쓰는 이유는 정말 남자도 여자도 성희롱에서 자유로울수 없다. 다만 정말 누가 봐도 명백히 성희롱인것을 제외하고 정말 일상생활에서 친한 사이에 벌어지는 일들은 개개인이 알아서 할 문제다. 블로그를 보면서 남을 가르치려는 사람이 왜 그렇게 많은가 모르겠다. ” 이야 짧은 치마 입으니까 진짜 이쁜데 ” 라는 말을 들었을 때 성희롱 당했다고 생각이 들며 기분이 더러운 사람이 있는가 하면 칭찬으로 받아들이고 즐거워하는 사람이 있다. 저 말이 성희롱이 될 수도 있다고 생각한다면 그건 받아들이는 사람의 차이일뿐이다.
비가 작업걸면 대쉬고 오덕후같은 놈이 작업걸면 스토킹이고 뭐 그런거 아닌가.  어떤 여자들은 성희롱 피해에 대해 피해자라는 생각만 갖지 결코 자신은 가해자라는 생각을 하지 않는다. 한번 오픈마인드로 입장바꿔놓고 생각해볼 문제다.
Rome agrees with him.
여자가 월등히 많은 동아리에서 흔히 볼 수 있습니다.
예쁘장하게 생긴 남자 후배를 둘러싼 여자 선배들.. 언어적 희롱에서부터 술 따르기, 신체적 접촉..
입장을 바꿔서 남자가 여자 후배에게 했다면 학교 게시판을 떠들썩하게 할 사건이 될 겁니다.
사회적 약자인 척 하지만 여자라고 다를 것은 없는 듯 합니다.
The blogger’s post made other bloggers, like rayray, think the other side.
음- 다시 생각해 보게 하는 글이네요- 잘읽었습니다!
Basecom commented,
성희롱, 차별의 문제는 남자/여자보다 강자/약자의 대립구도가 더 맞다는 것에 큰 공감을 합니다. 여기에 남자/여자 구도가 두드러져보이는 것은 “남자니까” “여자니까” 라는 어떤 무의식중의 선입견이 크게 작용한다고 봅니다.
Danghannom shared his experience briefly,
저같은 경우엔 공대라서 여자도 많이 없고 여자들이 첨엔 공주였다가 시간지나니까 남성화 되더라구요…
같은옷을 일주일입거나 머리도 않감고 모자쓰고 다니고 해드락걸고 주먹으로 옆구리를 세게떄리기도 하고 그날 잘못맞고 엎어져서 숨을 헐떡인적도 있었습니다. 몇질전엔 창문에 기대서 담배피고 있는데 여자동기2이 제 엉덩이를 주물주물 거리고 도망 가더라구요…
조금은 기분이 얺찮았지만 억지웃음짓고 이거 성추행 아니냐니까 … 남자가 까칠하게 왜그러냐… 그럼 너도 만져라고 하면서 웃고 도망 가는일이 있었습니다. 우리공대 분위기가 여자도 구두에 부어놓은 맥주정도는 마시는 정도 임니다. 만약 “너도 만져” 이말만 듣고 제가 그랬다면 아마 전 지금 여기에 글을 남길수 없었겟죠..(ㅡ,.ㅡ)

author: Hyejin Kim


text:
Lotto Fever strikes BIG in Japan · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

People across Japan turned out in large numbers last week to line up and get their hands on tickets for “BIG”, a variation on the soccer lottery “toto” operated by the National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health. The combined sales figure for all soccer lottery tickets was a record high 6.5 billion yen, with 1.5 billion yen carried over from 12 previous rounds, each of which had failed to deliver a winner. Previously suffering from sluggish sales, the popularity of the lottery soared recently as prize money climbed.
Last Sunday, prizes were awarded to a total of seven top-place winners, each of whom received 563 million yen (approximately 4.6 million US dollars). The size of these individual payouts was second only in the history of the lottery, the largest amount having been recorded last November when one person won 584,156,640 yen.
The immense popularity of “BIG” apparently caused headaches for toto last week when their computer system crashed as people rushed to buy tickets, forcing popular convenience stores to suspend sales. This popularity is reportedly due in part to a change in strategy on the part of the lottery operator: while the “toto” lotto normally allows ticket buyers to bet on their favourite J-league teams, in the case of “BIG”, these selections are made automatically at random, levelling the playing field for non-experts.
Blogger Digital Motox does some quick calculations, and writes:
TOTO-BIG！6億円の当選金を夢見てTOTO-BIGを買いに行きました。
TOTOは皆さんもご存知と思いますが、今回はキャリーオーバーという事で一等の当選金額が6億円になった事もあって話題になったTOTO-BIG。サッカーの試合結果を自分で予想するのでは無く、機械が自動的に選んだくじを購入するのが
TOTO-BIG。完全に宝くじのようなものですね。当選金が6億円あるなら
一口300円のくじを全パターン購入を考える人もいるかもしれませんが、
試合結果を予想するくじの全パターンは４，７８２，９６９通りもあります。
これを全部購入すると、１４億３４８９万０７００円になります。
しかも機械が勝手に選ぶのでこの額で１等がないことも考えられます。
TOTO-BIG ! Dreaming of the 600 million yen in prize money, I went and bought my ticket.
I think everyone knows what TOTO is, but this time, because of carry over, the first-place prize money has risen to 600 million yen, and it has become a big topic of conversation. With TOTO-BIG, you don't need to make any predictions about who will win soccer games, you just buy a ticket and the machine automatically chooses for you. It's really completely like a normal lottery. The prize money is 600 million yen.
Some people might think about trying to buy all possible patterns for 300 yen each,
but the number of different patterns for all possible game results is 4,782,969.
If you buy all these tickets, it comes out to 1,434,890,700 yen.
But then, since the computer chooses for you, even at this amount there is a chance that you won't get a first-prize ticket.
Blogger ichiko has a slightly different take on the thinking behind the lottery:
昨夜もファンドなどのセミナーを受けて意いて、680億だとか87兆円という数字を聞いてもピンとひない自分がいた。しかし先週に盛り上がっていたサッカーくじ「ＢＩＧ」。１週間で昨年分の約半分を売り上げたらしい。みんながもしかしたら１等6億円」のチャンス到来と思ったのだろう。長蛇の列ができた。
マジシャンのプリンセス天功が三等に当選したらしい。イリュージョン？！今週は通常の「1等3億円」に戻ったが、しかし3億円といっても凄い金額だ。生活の中で行き交う途方もない数字。「この売り場からでましたらでました」なんてフレーズを見れば、つい並んでしまう。人間とは懲りないところがある。つねに「もしかしたら」という期待があるからか。
Other bloggers were less than happy with the change in direction of the toto, from one that claims to be “promoting awareness about sports” to a focus on gambling. Blogger Sukaidon writes
何が言いたいかというと、
・現在のようなシステムを続ける限り、キャリーバックが重なる度に同様の騒動が発生するだろう
・しかし、キャリーバックが無い間は年間１８０億ペースの売り上げに留まるので、システムを増強してもほとんどが無駄になる。
・よって、ｔｏｔｏはサッカー（および国内スポーツ）に寄付するつもりで買う人だけを対象とするよう、システムを改定すべき。
・そもそも、ＢＩＧ等のシステム改定は”スポーツに対する意識の振興”には全く寄与しない。
・サッカー（および国内スポーツ）に寄付するつもりの無い人は、こんな分の悪いギャンブルはやめましょう。
ということです。
Finally, another blogger summed up the frustration of many in this entry:
いろんな意味で残念です・・・
いまさらですが先週のtoto Ｂｉｇ
実は僕も6億円につられて買っていました。
結果をみてハズレと分かっていましたが、
なかなかクジを捨てることができませんでした。
すると昨日ワンコ仲間で話をしていると
近所の販売所から1等がでたとのこと！
慌ててネットで抽選結果を確認してみましたが
当たってるわけがありませんでした・・・

author: Chris Salzberg


text:
Morocco blocks access to YouTube · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

Yesterday, May 25, 2007, it has been reported by numerous Moroccan blogger that Morocco has blocked access to YouTube video sharing website. There have been many ongoing speculations that the ban followed the broadcasting of material critical of the country's king and pro-Western Sahara. This is the third major sites blocked  by the Moroccan filtering regime after Google Earth and Livejournal.


text:
Morocco blocks popular video site YouTube · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Early this morning, the news broke across the blogosphere that Morocco has joined the ranks of countries like Iran and Tunisia, which already block YouTube.  A Moroccan in Washington D.C. posted:
“According to postings online and friends in Morocco, access to Youtube is blocked. Nobody knows the reason for this. Whatever the reason is, it is the wrong step to take. Youtube is a high profile website and the news will be broadcast everywhere tarnishing the image of a tolerant Morocco and causing a setback to the reforms that Morocco has been undergoing under the young and reformist king. Blocking websites has proved to be a technique with many limitations in Saudi Arabia ,China and Thailand and the same thing will happen in Morocco.
It's quite saddening to see such a thing happening in Morocco;a country that has made giant steps in freedoms and socio-economic reforms in the span of short 8 years.”

author: Jillian C. York


text:
Nepal: The Mount Everest Buzz · Global Voices
Ujjwal Acharya

It’s a mountaineering season. Nepal, being the country with Mount Everest the highest peak in the world, is abuzz with news about it. A few records have been set at always. More than 500 climbers have already set their foot on the Mt Everest peak, and five have died in the attempt, and the climbing frenzy is not decreasing.
Nepali blogosphere has a few things to say about the Everest climbing. A few bloggers are surprised on how Sherpas so easily climb and help other to reach the top yet do not get the due credit.
Nepal Sites is amazed how Sherpas make it so easy, “… there are people like Appa Sherpa, who climbs the Everest for 17th time and makes climbing the top of the world look like a piece of cake.”. And, The Radiant Star writes “Apa Sherpa had summated 17 times, Pemba Sherpa reached the top thrice within nine days this season, and there are many Sherpas who had climbed to the top more than five times.”
Yet both blogs believe the Nepalis are lagging behind when it comes to taking credit. The Radiant Star believes its unfair:
Yet, Sherpas do not get credit they deserve.
In almost every films made, Sherpas are almost absent once they mountaineers leaves the base-camp. In every documentary, the role of Sherpa is to cook food and carry loads.
Nepal Sites wonders why there are not films and books from Nepali summiteers:
I was also wondering at the same time that stories and heroic of climbing Everest are portrayed so beautifully by the foreign climbers. While Nepalese have climbed the peak more than anyone else, they don't seem to tell their stories. And even the journalists don't seem to bother telling their stories.
Look & Gaze talks about an expedition to be led by the Snow Leopard – 60-year-old Ang Rita Sherpa which aims to hoist the flags of eight political parties of Nepal atop Mt Everest. It says the Democratic Everest Expedition is important event of Nepal:
The snowmen's humble expedition, though it appears like a postmodernist game of littering the highest mountain with festoons, is at heart a symbolic journey of a ‘New’ democratic Nepal.  The snowmen's excitement is a very meaningful historical phenomenon. To rush up to the summit with flags by these snowmen is to deconstruct the grand Everest narration, the grande récit used by both the British Empire and the Nepali feudal history. This “Democratic Everest Expedition” will give a new meaning to the history.
And, Real News Stories from Nepal has an entry about an expedition to clean up Mt Everest.

author: Ujjwal Acharya


text:
Singapore : Rare Waterspout in Singapore · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Mr. Brown is asking readers to contribute to a Flickr pool of pictures of a waterspout that appeared in Singapore waters yesterday.


text:
Singapore’s Myanmarese Go Online for Double Taxation Petition · Global Voices
May Hnin Phyu

Myanmar Bloggers from Singapore reported that the Myanmarese are gathering signatures for an “Avoidance of Double Taxation Petition” which is to be sent to the prime minister of Singapore.
Myanmarese residents abroad have to pay a tax at their embassies despite the fact that they are paying tax in the host country. If the don't pay the tax, the Myanmar embassy denies them of all consular services.
Burmalibrary.org provides the background on the double taxation policy practiced by Myanmar.
Burmese in Japan, for example, are expected to pay 10% of their income or ¥10,000 per month, whichever is higher, to the Burmese Embassy in Tokyo.  In the U.S., they must pay 10% (usually around $65) monthly to the Burmese Embassy in Washington D.C.  In both cases, such workers are already paying taxes to the government of the host country.  The situation is similar for Burmese living in such places as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea and Australia.  (The only exception to this practice, in fact, may be the U.K. because of a tax treaty between the two countries.)
The petition prepared by the Myanmarese residents in Singapore states that despite the fact that a DTA (double taxation agreement) has been acknowledged since 1999 and came into force on 1st January 2001, Myanmarese in Singapore are still being double taxed. Hence the DTA signature collection campaign has been launched to seek help and action from the Singapore government.
DTASG group states:
With the advice of a very competent law professional, we have already established several communications and discussions with competent Singapore tax authorities in accordance with the procedure mentioned in the article 26 of Singapore – Myanmar DTA.
As directed in the article 26, Singapore tax authorities are officially looking into this matter and the next logical step is to prepare a solid case on this issue to be officially communicated to the competent tax authorities in Myanmar.
The law (the DTA) is clearly on the side of Myanmar Citizens and we have already formulated very clear strategies and execution plan on how to protect our rights and arrive at the satisfactory solution to this case.
Blogger Lin Lat Kyal Sin and TZA asks her readers to pass the word around for the DTA signature collection campaign.
Ka Daung Nyin Thar wants the Myanmarese workers in Singapore to be united and participate in the campaign which would compel Singapore PM to discuss with Myanmar government to respect the agreement.
The people working on this project have set up the DTASG blog. The blog announces a venue where Singapore based Myanmarese can sign the petition from May 22nd to July 1st 2007. The blog also provides links to download a signature template from the blog and an address where the form can be mailed to.
It is requested that the participants use their proper names and EP/S Pass/WP/Dependent Pass/Student Pass/NRIC (Blue) Number in signing for the petiton. You can find more informations on the campaign and necessary downloadable forms on DTASG blog.

author: May Hnin Phyu