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U.S. Policy Toward Latin America After the Election · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

How will Barack Obama's re-election affect U.S. policy toward Latin America?
The realistic answer is that policy will not be affected greatly, and the change that occurs will be related more to domestic constituencies than foreign ones. […] In short, at this point we don't have any reason to believe there will be any significant policy shifts.
Greg Weeks blogs at Two Weeks Notice.

author: Silvia Viñas


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‘Unknown Kazakhstan’ Photo Exhibit · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

Copyrights (c) PhotoSafari.kz.
‘Unknown Kazakhstan’ photo exhibition [ru] will open tomorrow in Almaty. For those who can't attend, VoxPopuli.kz presents some of the most interesting photos from the exhibition.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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Australia: Having Our Say about India, the World’s Largest Democracy · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

What lies ahead for India, which is not just the largest democracy but will soon have the biggest population?
You can join the discussion of The World's Largest Democracy at Australia’s vibrant social media site, OurSay.
It’s the latest in their online participatory democracy initiative:
This video explains how OurSay.org works:
In this case, the World’s Largest Democracy forum runs until November 29, 2012.
There are 34 questions with 3 weeks to go. The first question posted by Glen Clark was very topical:
Just as Prime-Minister Julia Gillard visited India recently to talk up a uranium export deal, India's own Auditor-General has warned of a “dangerously unsafe, disorganised” nuclear industry with “ineffective” oversight. Many Australians don't want to see their uranium partly responsible for future nuclear disasters which could potentially kill thousands and displace millions in the world's second most populous country. Wouldn't it be better to leave Australian uranium in the ground and instead help India develop decentralised renewables to solve its energy needs?
Glen is a previous winner when OurSay partnered with ABC TV's Q&A program after the 2011 Federal budget.
The most popular at present comes from Jan Stewart with 219 votes and 4 comments so far:
What is the single most impactful action Indian women can take for India's benefit?
Jan is a host and manager at Hub Melbourne ‘a professional member community that exists to drive innovation through collaboration’. She asked her first question of Julia Gillard for the Prime Minister’s Google+ Hangout on 21 July 2012.
Carolyn Tate, who asked a question of independent members of the House of Representatives in an earlier forum, left this comment in response to Jan’s question:
I was in India 5 years ago with Opportunity International on a field trip to meet Indian women running their own businesses from micro-financing loans. Helping Indian women to become successful, independent business owners in their communities is the most powerful way we can impact their nation!
A newcomer to OurSay, Susanna Julian, recalls the controversy surrounding a number of violent incidents including the murder of an Indian student in Melbourne:
Since the 2009 violence against Indian students in Australia was well published in India, Australian government departments have made many efforts to rebuild the relationship between the Australian Government and the Indian public. We need to deepen this relationship between everyday Indians and Australians. What is the biggest challenge to the Australian public's relationship with Indian public and civil society and what recommendations do you have for improving this relationship?
Many of the questions pick up on recent political developments. Stephen Manallack brings an educational perspective:
What do you think of the Asian Century report recommending schools teach Hindi in Australia? My feeling is cross-cultural understanding is more important – hence I like student exchanges and would encourage young executive exchanges as well.
It drew this comment from Angela Knox who has been active since May:
Spot on. And the study of Asian histories and culture: there's not one ‘Asian culture’ and this new campaign shouldn't be driven by economic considerations alone.
There have been lots of issues raised so far including: human rights, the economy, corruption, multinational miners, land appropriation, social inequality, poverty, the environment, health and family planning.
Anyone, from any country, can ask a question and post comments. The Oursay team are especially looking froward to participation from India.
Please use all 7 votes. Yes, 7 votes! Give them to your favorite Q or spread them around.
This week OurSay.org was shortlisted for THE YAHOO! GOLD STANDARD ‘INTERNET FOR GOOD’ AWARD 2012.
[Personal disclosure: I have posted a question in the World’s Largest Democracy forum.]

author: Kevin Rennie


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East Timor: Monument to the Santa Cruz Massacre · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Monument to Santa Cruz Massacre under construction. Anonymous photo shared on Facebook.
On the preparations for the anniversary of the Santa Cruz Massacre (November 12, 1991), a photo of a monument to be inaugurated in Dili circulated on Facebook.

author: Sara Moreira


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Japan’s New Copyright Law Creates Confusion · Global Voices
Keiko Tanaka

Japan’s revised copyright law was partially enforced on October 1, 2012, and now penalizes the act of illegal downloading and DVD ripping for personal use. If arrested, one will be sentenced for up to 2 years in jail or fined 2 million JPY, which is approximately US$ 25,680.
Internet users have shown concern in reaction to the new law. Movements for the Internet Active Users made a statement [ja] against the bill on June 6 when it was drafted.
The shift to penalties caused confusion and fear among Internet users. One comment on Twitter describes how information transformed into misinformation:
Twitter伝言ゲーム難しすぎ。「違法ダウンロード刑罰化10/1より」→「著作権違法サイトの取締り」→「二次創作は著作権違法？」→「二次創作禁止令10/1より」→「10/1までに反対が10万人集まらなければコミケ・ニコニコ動画・pixivがなくなります！拡散希望！」←こうなった
Here's how information transformed. “Penalty for illegal download starts October 1st” –> “Crackdown on Copyright infringed websites” –> ” derivative works are copyright infringement?” –> ” ban on derivative works starts October 1st” –> “Sign the petition! 100,000 signatures are needed or niconico movie, pixiv websites and independent distributions will have to shut down!” Look how inaccurate (the information) became by the end.
Some Twitter users sent warnings about the misinformation. User @fu_ryukei cautioned:
【拡散希望】「二次創作禁止令の法律が10月１日からに決まった」というツイートが拡散されていますが、正しくは「違法ダウンロード刑事罰化が10月１日から」です。 二 次 創 作 そ の も の を 禁 じ る も の で は あ り ま せ ん
I saw some tweets going around saying “The law bans derivative work from October 1″ but that's incorrect. The penalty of illegal downloads starts from October 1. It is not about a ban on derivative works.
Another user also warned:
「二次創作禁止令」という法律は存在しない。ただのデマ。 ただし、無許諾の二次創作は著作権法違反。親告罪なので、原作者からの黙認・削除依頼・告訴…といった形で折り合ってきた。 10/1違法DL刑罰化施行からは、音楽・動画の無許諾二次創作に限り、ダウンロードも刑罰対象(親告罪)。
There is no such thing as “No-Derivative Work Act”. It's a false rumor. However, derivative work without permission from the author is a copyright infringement. It is an offense subject to prosecution only upon complaint, so if the author overlooks it or asks to take it down, then a court appeal may result. After October 1, if you download derivative work made without permission of the author, it is subject to penalty upon complaint.
On July 24, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs published frequently asked questions [ja] about the law, but it is unlikely that these details will bring an all-inclusive definition and understanding towards copyright issues. The government's site run by their Public Relations office also published details of the new copyright law. On their page [ja], they describe that the intention of the law is to prevent piracy from damaging the profit of rights holders, such as the revenue from paid-distribution, sale of CDs and DVDs.
One Twitter user looked back to the discussion on penalizing illegal downloads after discovering that Japan ranks number one in spending on CD per customer; spending the largest amount of money in the world:
つまり、ダウンロード刑事罰化の議論とはいったいなんだったのか、と。 .@biac_ac さんの「TV「世界番付」を見て、「CDを買う国」ランキングの1位が日本だと知った人の反応」をお気に入りにしました。 togetter.com/li/361017
So what was the purpose of introducing penalty for illegal download in the first place? .@biac_ac Here's a link curating the reaction of Twitter users who found Japan is the biggest CD consumed country in the world, according to a television program. togetter.com/li/361017
Thumbnail image by  HikingArtist.com CC BY NC-ND 2.0

author: Keiko Tanaka


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Rediscovering The Bonds Between Afghanistan and Pakistan · Global Voices
Salman Latif

During the post 9/11 era, relations between Afghanistan's new regime and Pakistan haven't been very amicable. Yet they have failed to undermine the fact that people on both sides of the border not only culturally identify with each other but are keen to collaborate and create a common future, based on mutual friendship and respect.
This was manifest in the Afghan-Pak Journalist Exchange Programme 2012, brought together by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). The two-phase programme brought together 22 journalists from Pakistan and Afghanistan who were then tasked with working on join reporting projects. Most of these projects concerned issues pertaining to both countries, making them relevant to all the participants.
Participants of Afghan-Pak Programme 2012. Image courtesy Annie Zaman
In the first phase of the project, Afghan journalists came to Pakistan. For them it was a very interesting experience. Writing at the ‘Understanding the neighbor’ blog, Faisal Malik Moonjazer who is an Afghan activist and has worked in newspaper as well as TV, writes in a post titled ‘I was born to hate Pakistan’:
“Friendship, kindness, good behavior, support, humility and honesty –  these were all things I found in my Pakistani counterparts. Looking at the photos and recalling the good memories –  every minute reminds me of their smiles and kindness. I urge the media from  both countries to let us, the people, decide who is the enemy and who is the friend. Do not feed us with enmity from the day when we are born, instead, I request them to promote a culture of peace and friendship.”
In the second phase these journalists met in Kabul. Sundus Rasheed, who is a Programming Manager at CityFM89, Karachi, relates her experience of Kabul in a post at Pak Tea House:
“Even in a city as close as Karachi, Kabul is deemed ‘exotic’ and adventurous.  As a Pakistani, it is closer to home than most of us would imagine. However, Kabul is not for tourists, it is for travelers. But there is a romance in the air that is unmistakable. If you are in Kabul, explore something besides the ruins and war relics.”
She then goes on to give a brief cultural outlook of the city, exploring popular foods, marketplaces, music and the people of the city. In another post on a food blog titled ‘Yummy Mummy and Me’, Sundus goes on to give a closer view of the Kabul cuisine and the notable eat-outs in the city.
Image Courtesy Sundus Rasheed
The reflections and impressions of the Pakistani participants are recorded on the blog ‘Understanding the neighbor’ providing an eclectic mix of glimpses into Kabul's many aspects. Bari Baloch, a staff reporter for The Nation from Quetta, writes in a post titled ‘Pak-Afghan future inter-linked’:
“Officially, the trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan stands at $ 2.6 billion while informal trade is estimated at more than $ 2 billion which is creating over 3.4 million jobs in Pakistan. Afghanistan is a tremendous market for Pakistani economy as it allows Pakistani goods and products to be widely available. Political analysts on both sides of the border believe that peace is essential for the regional prosperity and Pakistan, being a developed country, as compared to Afghanistan, should play a significant role in the process of development of their Afghan brothers.”
Whereas Pakistan can certainly lend a hand to Afghanistan in helping the country attain peace and continue its journey towards education and economic progress, there still remain certain elements in Pakistan who's rhetoric continue to be derived from the establishment's doctrine that Pakistan once deployed towards all things Afghan. One such example is a recent statement given by the emerging leader in Pakistan, Imran Khan.
In a recent statement, Khan termed the war waged by Taliban in Afghanistan as Jihad (holy war), eulogizing their efforts. Naturally, this offended the regime in Afghanistan which has worked hard and long to recreate an Afghanistan which is free from the shackles of religious warriors.
In a post titled ‘Afghan govt condemns Imran's Jihad comment‘, Ayesha Hasan, a sub-editor at The Express Tribune, writes:
“The reverberations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan’s political gaffe are being felt across the Durand Line.”
The visit to Kabul also enabled journalists from Pakistan to get a first-hand view from notable Afghan scholars. Beenish Javed interviewed Zahid Hussain who is the author of ‘Frontline Pakistan’ and ‘The Struggle With Militant Islam.’ A video of the interview is posted below:

author: Salman Latif


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Remnants of an Abandoned Yemeni Jewish Village · Global Voices
Noon Arabia

Yemeni blogger Rooj Alwazir (@Rooj129) shares amazing photographs of her trip to an abandoned Jewish Village, Beit Baws, perched on a rocky mountain, 15 minutes from Sanaa.
In a slideshow, Alwazir showcases snippets of her excursion.
Packed together in a white van, fourteen of us decided to take a trip together and visit an abandoned Jewish village, Beit Baws, a village perched on a rocky mountain, 15 minutes from Sanaa.
Here are two of the photographs she shared:
Beit Baws – Perched on the Mountains. Photograph by Rooj Alwazir
Homes chiseled into the mountain side in Beit Baws. Photograph by Rooj Alwazir
Many Yemeni Jews migrated to Israel during ““Operation Magical Carpet” in the late 1940's, the first years of the Jewish state existence. Some choose to remain in Yemen, but their number is sadly decreasing because many are leaving the country due to threats from radical Islamists. The Yemeni Jewish community preserved its culture mostly in the northern part of Yemen and are well known for their craftsmanship and are the best silversmiths.
This video posted by omrisharaby gives a glimpse to their life in Yemen. Songs in the video are by the late famous singer Ofra Haza, who was of Yemeni Jewish origin.

author: Noon Arabia


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Saudi Judge: “The ruler has the right to do what he sees fit” · Global Voices
Anas Soliman

The fifth session of the ongoing trial of the two prominent human rights activists Mohammad Al-Qahtani and Abdullah Al-Hamid was held earlier today. The judge insisted in the last trial session to make it private, but the two activists firmly refused. The judge finally changed his mind and made this session public on the condition of leaving mobile phones outside the courtroom. About 45 people attended the trial to support the two activists, the majority of whom were young men. In addition, journalists from national newspapers attended for the first time. And, of course, nine policemen were stationed on every side of the courtroom.
When the session started, the public prosecutor was allowed to read an 18-page-long list of charges. The two activists said that it was unjust to allow the public prosecutor alone to read what has already been presented in previous sessions, without asking them to re-present their defenses. They said that this might have been done to influence the journalists.
Dr Al-Qahtani (on the left) and Dr Al-Hamid (on the right) via SultanAlfifi
The judge then asked Dr Al-Hamid whether he believed that protests were legitimate for either advising the ruler or achieving change. Dr Al-Hamid affirmed that position and explained that people have the right to refuse injustice, such as arbitrary detainment of over 30,000 people. The judge asked Dr Al-Hamid and Dr Al-Qahtani to prove that there are 30,000 arbitrarily detained people, and they said that they are ready to do so once the Interior Ministry opens all of its prisons.
On Twitter, those who attended the trial shared snippets from the conversation that took place inside:
من #محاكمة_حسم .. القحطاني: هل يجوز السجن بدون حكم قضائي شرعي؟. القاضي: لولي الأمر ما يراه
@thumarm: From ACPRA trial… Al-Qahtani: Is it legitimate to imprison [people] without sentences? Judge: The ruler has the right to do what he sees fit.
د. القحطاني للقاضي : الدولة لا تستطيع أن تسن قوانين تجرم المظاهرات لأنها وقعت على مواثيق أممية في حرية التعبير تشمل المظاهرات
@alabdulkarim0: Dr Al-Qahtani: The state cannot impose laws criminalizing protests because it had signed international declarations to protect freedom of expression, which includes [the right to] protest.
سأل القاضي عبدالله الحامد: هل ترى وجوب الالتزام بقرارات ولي الأمر؟.. أجاب الحامد: نعم، لأن (ولي الأمر) هو الشعب
@Alqudaimi: The judge asked Abdullah Al-Hamid: Do you think that you have to obey the ruler's commands? Al-Hamid answered: Yes, because the [legitimate] ruler is the people.
The judge said that everyone in Saudi Arabia is subject to trial, including the sons of King Abdulaziz, the founder of the absolute monarchy. The activists said that their real opponent is the Interior Minister, who is responsible for all human rights violations in prisons and challenged the judge to bring him to court. The judge did not answer.
Dr Al-Hamid (third from the left) and Dr Al-Qahtani (right) after the session. via @thumarm
The judge decided to hold the next hearing session two weeks from today, on November 24.

author: Anas Soliman


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Trinidad & Tobago: Useless Labels  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In a society where name-calling and labelling is the easy way out, we must be mindful of the words we use.
West Indian Mother suggests that it's time to throw out the labels.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Upcoming BarCamp in Rosario, Argentina  · Global Voices
Laura Schneider

A new BarCamp will be held in the city of Rosario on November 10, 2012. This will be the second BarCamp organized in this city. Photo shared by @barcampros on Twitter.
Those interested in participating in discussions or conferences can sign up through the BarCamp webiste [es]. The same site has already shared previous conferences [es]. The Barcamp, scheduled to start at 8 AM local Argentina time on November 10, can be followed on Twitter with the hashtag #BarCampRosario.

author: Laura Schneider


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#8N: New Massive Protest in Argentina · Global Voices
Laura Schneider

On November 8, 2012, a new national protest took place in Argentina, this time under the slogan #8N [es] which makes reference to the date of the mobilization. The call was spread massively through several social networks, and during the day many opinions, reports, photos and videos were published on Twitter. The ones favoring the protest were found under the hashtag #8NYoVoyPorQue [es](#8N I go because) and the ones against under #8NYoNoVoyPorQue [es](#8N I don't go because).
In a previous post we commented the reasons why Argentinians are protesting. The web page Argentinos Indignados [es] answers the question “Why should we take the streets?”. Some of the reasons this page gives are:
Image of the protest that took place in several cities across the country. The picture is from 9 de Julio Avenue in Buenos Aires – from Facebook page Yo no voté a la Kretina y Ud? (I didn't vote for the Kretin and you?)
The blog Digo Pavadas [es] made an analysis before the protest:
¿De que puede servir mas que para sentar un nuevo precedente de que este gobierno es sordo a lo que no le conviene escuchar? Saldrá en los diarios del mundo, dirán que el gobierno no responde, generará mas desconfianza internacional, etc. Para la hora en que se ha citado el acontecimiento, todos los diputados, senadores y ministros, estarán plácidamente mirando por televisión a la muchedumbre enardecida que “se da el gusto” de protestar (dirán).
What's the point of protesting other than adding a new precedent that this government is deaf to the issues that is not in its interest to listen to? [The protest] will appear in newspapers around the world and they'll say this government doesn't answer, and it will generate more mistrust internationally, etc. By the time the protest takes place, all the congressmen, senators and ministers will be comfortably watching on television how the outraged mass “takes pleasure” in protesting (they'll say).
The blog then explained who the protest should be directed at:
Nuestro país es muy presidencialista, por eso todos creen que la culpa de como nos va es de quien sea el presidente, pero en realidad, la culpa es de los cómplices representantes del pueblo que se dejan manipular por el poder ejecutivo. Por eso insisto, es a ellos a los que hay que reclamar que hagan su trabajo y que escuchen a las personas que los votaron.
Our country is presidentialist, that is why everybody thinks that whoever is the president is to blame for the situation, but in reality, the blame belongs to the accomplice representatives of the people who let themselves be manipulated by the executive power. That is why I insist, we must demand that they [the representatives] do their job and listen to the people who voted for them.
Under the hashtag #8NYoVoyPorQue [es] Argentinians shared on Twitter the reasons to protest. Daniel Ferrero (@Turis2364) [es], for example, tweeted:
@Turis2364: #8NYoVoyPorque se respete a la justicia “#8N
@Turis2364: #8NYoVoyPorque justice must be respected #8N
Martín Rodriguez (@jabberwocky_MR) [es] said he was attending because he loves Argentina and he's tired of politicians. Also, Jose Marchmar (@josemachmar96) [es] wrote that he wants a country with freedom of expression and respect for the Constitution.
Image inviting citizens to protest, from the webpage http://argentinosindignados.com
On the other hand, Argentinians also gave reasons not to participate in the protests under the hashtag #8NYoNoVoyPorQue [es]. Cristian Hendriksen (@CrisHendriks) [es] shared his opinion:
@CrisHendriks: #8NYoNoVoyPorque se están produciendo cambios históricos sobre igualdad e inclusión en mi país y quiero que se profundicen! #VivaArgentina
@CrisHendriks: #8NYoNoVoyPorque there are historic changes taking place towards equality and inclusion in my country and I want them to run deeper! #VivaArgentina
Together with other Twitter users who used this hashtag, Ivana (@ivistub) [es] said she wouldn't take part because “to change the country we need to vote, not complain”.
According to the news agency Telam [es], several opposing politicians participated in the protest and its call:
A diferencia de la marcha concretada el 13 de Septiembre, donde los organizadores se presentaban como independientes de cualquier agrupación política, la realidad señala que ahora los caceroleros ya no podrán despegarse del intento opositor que busca capitalizar esa movilización.
A difference between this one and the protest on September 13, when the organizers presented themselves as independent of any political affiliation, is that now reality shows us that protesters cannot longer keep themselves away from the opposition's attempts to capitalize from the movement.
The Facebook page “I didn't vote for the Kretin and you?” [es], one of the organizers of the protest, posted a warning:
Gente, importante:
Estoy leyendo en algunos grupos que quieren pedir que la Presidente renuncie en el acto……
NO SE ENGANCHEN
No pedimos la renuncia de nadie!
Pedimos que hagan las cosas bien!!!!!!!
Por favor, no demos letra a idiotas que nunca faltan!
People, important:
I am reading that some groups want to ask for the president to resign during the protest…
DON'T GET COUGHT UP
We are not asking for anyone's resignation!
We want things to be done right!!!
Please, don't give space to the idiots that never fail to appear!
Citizens gathered across the country in several cities including Mendoza, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Rosario, Salta, and Tucumán. The biggest group was in Buenos Aires, along the Obelisco as well as in various neighborhoods and cities of the province.
Also, Argentinians living overseas expressed their opinion, as Infobae [es] informed. The site also published images sent by the protesters:
Los cacerolazos se iniciaron en Sidney y se extendieron por Viena, Ginebra, Berlín,Roma, Milán, París, Barcelona, Madrid y Londres. El común denominador de quienes fueron y de quienes se expresaron en Twitter es el rechazo a ciertas políticas del Gobierno.
The cacerolazos (pot-banging protests) started in Sidney and extended to Viena, Ginebra, Berlin, Rome, Milan, Barcelona and Londres. The common denominator between those who attended and those who expressed themselves on Twitter was their rejection of certain government policies.


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A blogger’s lament over the 18th Party Congress in China · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Stan from China Hearsay lamented about 18th Chinese Communist Party Congress in China: boring official news, internet connection disrupted, unproved rumors and speculations.

author: Oiwan Lam


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A Historic Road Takes an Online Detour in “La Calle Loíza” · Global Voices
Luis Trelles

A walk down one of the grittiest streets in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan has a new pit stop, and it’s online. Calle Loíza, in the historic downtown sector of Santurce, is a lively mix of down home Caribbean earthiness and the trendy. An immigrant enclave where a burgeoning community from the Dominican Republic has flourised for decades, this is a street where open-air fruit stands, decaying thrift stores, and scores of hip new arrivals in shiny fixed gear bycicles meet. Artists and young professionals have started to move in to the neighborhood in the last decade, bringing with them a host of playfully decorated cafes and restaurants. To capture it all, a new website in Spanish has sprung up: lacalleloiza.com aims at providing news, commentary and the goings on in Santurce, following the lead of its most iconic street.
“This is a project that can be compared to a regional newspaper, but in a virtual setting,” says Mariana Reyes, the site’s creator. “It’s always a great pleasure to write for and about a community; all journalism is hyperlocal in the end,” she adds of the site, which was launched at the end of October and is updated weekly.
An image from La Calle Loíza in Puerto Rico. Used with permission from the creators of the hyperlocal news site lacalleloiza.com
A quick look at lacalleloiza.com reveals that the street was once a road that served a vital function: it connected San Juan with the coastal areas to the east that are now Isla Verde and Piñones, a tourist district and, beyond that, a zone where a deep African heritage is preserved. Historical insights like that one are presented alongside articles that discuss the development plans of a couple of mayoral candidates, restaurant and theater reviews (full disclosure: I contribute food and cultural pieces to the site), and a section with short videos that highlight the lives of distinguished Cangrejeros, as the barrio’s residents are traditionally known. It also offers a weekly calendar of events, a blog updated by Reyes with her thoughts on the neighborhood, and a map with directions to the places mentioned in the articles.
“There are probably more things going on in Santurce than in most places in Puerto Rico,” says Reyes, an experienced journalist that has worked in Latino media outlets in New York City and in the island. The idea for the site came out of her deep affection for the place where she has lived in for years. While mentioning the influence of other hyperlocal news sources like Brooklyn’s Brownstoner, Reyes puts an emphasis on the independent nature of her project.
“This is grass roots, guerrilla-style effort,” she says. “We have no budget. Although our resources are limited, it gives us the opportunity to give the neighborhood a deeper look, one that is not purely commercial.”
Part of the trick is balancing the changing nature of Santurce, where the displacement of working class residents is a growing concern.  “Gentrification is inevitable, look at Williamsburg and the Lower East Side in New York,” Reyes mentions. “There is room for all the newcomers, and also for all that has been here for decades.”
As for her approach to hyperlocal news, lacalleloiza.com's creator is quick to point out the advantages of the internet.  “It's almost instant.  You can gather the news, write up an article and upload it within an afternoon.  On the other hand, it also helps that more people can work on the webpage remotely.  They can send in their texts from wherever they are working.”
Other hyperlocal sites have been up and running for some time. ¡Mayagüez sabe a Mangó!, for instance, is focused on the the largest town in the island’s west coast. Back in the capital, steamy Loíza Street is full of sweat-drenched traffic and activity. For those that live and play in Santurce, the site that bears its name is set on harnessing the daily energy of that road.
Orígenes from La Loíza on Vimeo.
In this video (in Spanish), used with permission from lacalleloiza.com, Lester Ivan Nurse Allende, a historian and lifelong Cangrejero, explains the history of the neighborhood.

author: Luis Trelles


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Concern over Subterranean Water in the Sahel · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

We are told that miners do everything to waterproof the soil and ensure that waste does not contaminate subterranean water. But it must be recognized that there is always a risk, as they can never be completely sure that they are not contaminating subterranean pools. Moreover, with the impact of climate change, people will increasingly rely on subterranean water to supply towns
Alain Tossounon, reporting comments [fr] from a meeting with Dam Mogbanté, Executive Secretary of the  Global Water Patnership West Africa

author: Abdoulaye Bah


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Critique of Southeast Asia Human Rights Declaration · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration makes references to balancing the rights with responsibilities. We are of the view that this provision is based on a false premise that individual rights negate communitarian responsibilities. This is erroneous as we contend that the nature of universality, inalienability and indivisibility of individual rights promote a responsibility to ensure the common good for all.
Maruah, a human rights group in Singapore identifies the weak points in the Southeast Asia Human Rights Declaration.

author: Mong Palatino


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Cuba: Time for Constitutional Reform?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Iván García suggests that Cuba needs a constitution that serves the interests of the entire population.


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Greek Director Theo Angelopoulos Remembered at Thessaloniki International Film Festival · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

Colleagues share recollections of Theo Angelopoulos at the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival. Photo © Asteris Masouras
Renowned Greek film director Theo Angelopoulos was killed in a traffic accident in January 2012. He was remembered by his “cinema family” at the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival (November 2-11). Three of Angelopoulos’ best known films are on the program. The festival Twitter hashtag is #tiff53.

author: Asteris Masouras


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If there were Elections in China…  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

An imagined Chinese election map. By 假裝在紐約
A micro-blogger, pretending to be in New York, composed an imagined map of election results if the Chinese Communist Party were to compete with Kuomintang from Taiwan. (via Tea Leaf Nation)


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India Reacts to the Re-Election of US President Barack Obama · Global Voices
Lakshmi Sarah

The recently concluded US presidential election generated much interest in India. At the government level, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated US President Barack as did Sonia Gandhi, the President of the Indian National Congress Party. But what about those on the ground in India – what has been their response?
Shibayan Raha at Youth Ki Awaaz, India's largest online platform for young people, said in an open letter to President Obama:
As you gear up to take your seat in the White House I have these following suggestions which I think if accepted will raise USA’s status much higher in the developing world.
Indians in Mumbai Celebrate Obama's Victory. Image by Gayatri Agnew. Used with permission.
Raha suggested five things:
1. Put Tibet on top of your Foreign Policy Agenda
2. Stop the Drone Attacks
3. Release Bradley Manning
4. Don’t let Israel Bomb Iran
5. Close Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility
India Ink highlighted government response to the re-election of Obama, but also quoted the Dalai Lama’s response which is aimed at reminding President Obama of the importance of addressing the “poverty, injustice and deprivation suffered by billions of people,” according to a congratulatory letter he wrote to the president. Dalai Lama also thanked the president for his “steady encouragement” and support toward finding a “peaceful peaceful resolution to the problems in Tibet.”
In a less serious piece, Delhi Walla wondered:
“What if Barack Obama was a neighbourhood or a landmark in Delhi? What would he be?”
Responses ranged from Gurgaon and Connought Place, to Khan Market and Nizamuddin. Siddhartha Basu, a TV producer said in above mentioned post:
“Barack Obama would be India Habitat Centre. He, like the IHC, is the new kid on the block, unlike the conservative India International Centre
Indians in Mumbai Celebrate Obama’s Victory, Image by Gayatri Agnew. Used with permission.
As Infoqueenbee says: The expectation is that the United States will continue its current relations with India, “Expanding trade, ramping up military cooperation, staying out of the India-Pakistan Dispute over Kashmir and opposing outsourcing in the IT field and forcing Indan IT companies to hire US employees.
The Indian diaspora have also welcomed Obama’s re-election, saying saying his administration has delivered and victory is good for the community and India both.
On twitter,  a few notable reactions:
@vdehejia (Vivek Dehejia): “Most outsourcing industry leaders said…much of..Obama’s criticism of outsourcing was campaign rhetoric…”. Hope so!
@dhume01 (Sadanand Dhume): FT- In India, a collective yawn. [There was little to separate Obama& Romney on policy toward New Delhi.]
@ShivAroor (Shiv Aroor): Mitt Romney trending in India, but Obama isn't. Proves how much we Indian tweeps love losers.
@jonathanshainin (Jonathan Shainin): Tonight's burning question on Indian TV: Is Obama or Romneybetter for India? Spoiler alert: the answer is no.
The next four years we will see where India and President Barack Obama truly stand.

author: Lakshmi Sarah


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Is the Kremlin Trying to Stop Governors from Using Twitter? · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

In an article [ru] published earlier this week, Izvestia newspaper cited anonymous sources inside the Kremlin who claim that the federal government is now discouraging regional heads and governors from communicating publicly through Twitter. The unofficial motto is “produce results in ‘real deeds,’ not online,” though the paper speculates that the Kremlin is more interested in avoiding the repeat of scandals involving state officials tweeting embarrassing remarks. Kirov Governor and popular blogger Nikita Belykh denies [ru] any campaign against Twitter, which he claims to use as a “continuation of maximum openness” with his constituents.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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More Camps to Accommodate Detained Asylum Seekers in Israel · Global Voices
Elizabeth Tsurkov

In June 2012, Israel began implementing the amendment to the Anti-Infiltration Law according to which all asylum seekers who cross the Israel-Egypt border are automatically jailed or subjected to internment for a minimum period of three years without trial. [Note: Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial.]
Citizens of ‘enemy states’ (such as Sudan) are jailed indefinitely.  The law does not include an exception for children or asylum seekers who have survived the torture camps in Sinai. The amendment to the law, promoted by the Benjamin Netanyahu government, passed into law in January 2012, but its implementation was postponed because Israel did not have enough prison places to accommodate the flow of asylum seekers entering Israel. During 2012, the Israeli government undertook a massive construction effort, erecting three new internment camps for asylum seekers. In addition to the expansion of the already-operational Saharonim interment camp (3,500 prison places), Israel constructed the Ktziot (2,400 prison places), Nachal Raviv (4,000 prison places) and Sadot (8,000 prison places) camps. The camps, most of them consisting of tents surrounded by guard posts, fences and barbed wire, were erected near the Israel-Egypt border, in the Negev desert.
Refugee rights activist Lea Miller Forshtat shared this photo of the Saharonim internment camp on Facebook:
Leftist blogger Noam R. wrote on his blog o 1 39 (Hebrew):
The State of Israel is constructing a concentration camp. Correction: the State of Israel has constructed concentration camps in what it refers to in official memos as “Stay Facility Nachal Raviv” and “Ktziot Prison”. There, some of the refugees from Sudan and Eritrea will be housed in temporary tents or containers refitted to house humans, exposed to the elements ahead of the coming winter, in greatly crowded conditions with poor sanitation, and without social or mental care. In these facilities, women, men, children, including babies, will be jailed for an indefinite time. Yes, the State of Israel will jail infants whose only crime is that their parents sought a life for them.
Blogger Noam Sheizaf described a visit to the interment camps on the +972 Magazine blog:
The first asylum seekers were brought to Ketsiot prison, in which Israeli used to hold thousands of Palestinian prisoners (500 of them are still there). Right next to it, Israel built the Saharonim facility, which has been operating for several years. Across the road, construction of the Sadot prison is under way, and a couple of miles east, one can see rows of tents that comprise the “Nachal Raviv” holding camp.
This is Nachal Raviv. It was built on army land in order to bypass the local zoning committees and objections expressed by the regional council, which claimed that the conditions were not suitable for humans. The planned capacity is said to be between 2,000 and 4,000 inmates.
Nahal Raviv internment camp. Photo by Noam Sheizaf
Leading refugee rights expert, Anat Ben-Dor, described in the blog Laissez Passer one of the most disturbing aspects on the Anti-Infiltration Law – the fact that asylum seekers who have undergone torture at the hand of smugglers in Sinai are jailed under this law as well:
There are things one can do only when no one else is looking. Detaining a baby girl a year and three months old for a period of three years, for instance. We met Ambat yesterday in Saharonim prison – an active child, she was dressed in red and was held in her mother’s arms. We sat in the oppressive 30 degree heat for an hour… The two of them have been in this prison, surrounded by fences, security towers and barbed wire for over three months. Trapped in a tent with 12 others – six women and six children. It is doubtful whether Ambat’s mother, who is only 23, knows that she and her daughter will spend the next three years in this place.
…
Zabib and Ambat were transferred from one person to another on their way to Sinai…. In the end, they were brought to a smugglers’ camp in Sinai. There, Zabib’s legs were cuffed, while the smugglers demanded a ransom of $25,000 in exchange for her release. This is when the baby turned into her mother’s protector. While other women were raped and sexually abused, Zabib was only the victim of beatings and lashings. The smugglers often dangled Ambat out a window, threatening to throw her in front of her mother. They also slapped her when she cried. Zabib says that Ambat learned from the smugglers: she gently strokes her mother’s cheek before suddenly slapping her, in much the same way as the smuggler slapped Ambat.
Activist Mey-Tal Danon decided to spend the Jewish holy day, the Day of Atonement, outside the Sadot internment camp, to protest against what she sees as the sin of incarcerating refugees without trial. Mey-Tal documented her two-day stay outside the fences on Facebook. She took this photo of the camp:
Blogger H. B. Hoffman wrote on her blog (Hebrew):
This week I saw my Prime Minister speak at the Knesset. He spoke – with real repugnance – about the ‘infiltrators’ [the common term used by the Israeli government to describe asylum seekers] at the southern border and about the great danger they pose to Israel. He presented them as terrorists, who threaten the strength of the state and its Jewish character. I heard these words and felt chills down my spine. About what Jewish character is His Honor talking about? … What Israeli honor is there in treating members of another people as human garbage just because they are not members of the ‘right’ religion? And why don't we all rise up together and kick out the man whose political agenda, and the justifications he presents for another term, to a large degree, is based on inciting xenophobia?
And then it hit me… This is not about hatred of foreigners. It is about a hatred of humans. Because they focus on the amorphous concept that is the ‘state’ they forget that the state is made up of people, and people need to be cared for. Bibi [nickname for Netanyahu] and his friends at the Knesset and government who jabber about the Jewish character and the strength of Israel did not bat an eyelash when poor people burned themselves on the streets due to economic hardship. Those miserable people were Jewish and Israeli, and still they did not receive an ounce of compassion. Many like them suffer from hunger and poverty and their numbers are growing day by day. They do not do this on a fence outside the state, in front of loaded rifles, but inside the state, in a place that is supposed to be a safe home for the Jewish people. Jewish character? Don't make me laugh. When other people's humanity becomes invisible, when a human is not seen as first and foremost a human, and instead calculations of profit and loss are made, all of our lives are in danger here.

author: Elizabeth Tsurkov


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“Latinitas,” Empowering Young Latinas With Technology · Global Voices
Yarisa Colon

Fortunately, not all good ideas discussed in the classroom end there. In 2002, Laura Donnelly and Alicia Rascó at the University of Austin, Texas began to develop the concept of a magazine focused on the experiences of young Latinas. After graduation, they continued building the professional links necessary to finally create what is now known as Latinitas, the sole non-profit organization in the United States dedicated to the empowerment of young Latinas aged nine to 18, through education and the use of media and technology. The video below features one of their projects.
And, of course, the magazine continues to be published in digital form under the name of the organization, with the participants themselves writing a large part of the content. Among the sections developed by the youngsters are the following:
On October 6th, Latinitas held their first conference with huge success. Hanne Vang
Latinitas hold their first Annual Conference in Austin Texas. Photo used with permission.
Hansen, the translation editor and community relations assistant—and also a Global Voices translator—commented that more than 60 girls aged nine to 15 took part in the three workshops offered in TechChica: social media/networks, blogging and podcasts, and public service announcements.
Hanne explains:
A través de estos diferentes medios las niñas crearon campañas sobre problemas sociales en su comunidad con el fin de crear cambios sociales. Entre los temas que eligieron están embarazos de adolescentes, la intimidación (bullying) y la discriminación de los discapacitados. El resultado al final fueron videos con anuncios públicos de servicio social (PSA's) que fueron exhibidos. Durante la conferencia nos dimos cuenta de la conciencia que las niñas tienen sobre cuestiones sociales.
Through the different media, the girls created campaigns focused on social problems in their community with the aim of creating social change. Among the subjects they chose were teen pregnancies, intimidation (bullying), and discrimination against the disabled. The final result were videos with public service announcements (PSAs) which were exhibited. During the conference, we discovered the degree of awareness that the girls had on social issues.
According to the reporter Juan González:
El censo proyecta que antes del 2050 una de cada tres personas que viven en Estados Unidos serán de descendientes de latinos y si esta tendencia continúa es muy posible que para fin del siglo XXI la mitad de la población del país trazará no sus orígenes a Europa sino a Latinoamérica.
The census projects that by 2050, a third of the people living in the United States will be of Latin descent. If this trend continues, it is very likely that, by the end of the 21st century, half the population of this country will trace its origins not to Europe, but to Latin America.
The fact that Latinitas is supporting the strengthening of the voices of young Latinas, who will be our future leaders, is very encouraging. This collective of  brilliant and creative young people knows well that success lies in continuing to fight for your individual dreams, in spite of prejudices.

author: Yarisa Colon


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Myanmar Hit by 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake · Global Voices
Chan Myae Khine

An earthquake with a magnitude 6.8 hit the towns of Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin, Shwe Bo and Sagaing in Myanmar at 7:40 a.m (GMT+6:30). According to reports, 4 workers died and 25 were injured at the construction of a bridge[my] in Shwe Bo. The earthquake was the strongest to hit the country in the past 3 years.

author: Chan Myae Khine


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Peruvian Ambassador to Argentina Resigns Over Meeting with Movadef · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Movadef, or the Movement for Amnesty and Fundamental Rights, which has been accused of being a sort of screen for the terrorist group Shining Path, continues in the spotlight and not just in Peru, but also abroad. This time it caused the “resignation” of the Peruvian ambassador to Argentina, and demands for questioning of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On October 31, it became known that Movadef had participated in a meeting [es] in Argentina between the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo and Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel. In September, Movadef organized a protest in front of the Peruvian embassy in Mexico with signs and red flags. During both events, members of Movadef claimed to be victims of political persecution and advocated for the freedom of their leader Abimael Guzmán.
It isn't the first time Movadef has been known to proselytize abroad, but this appears to be the first time they have tried to form alliances on an international level. While on one hand, the government has condemned [es] Movadef's activities in other countries, they have also announced the adoption of a bill to stem the activities of pro-terrorist groups.
Tagle Tower, Peruvian Foreign Ministry building-Lima, Perú. Photo by Edgar Asencios on Flickr, under Creative Commons license(CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
However, the matter escalated after it was learned on November 2 that the Peruvian ambassador in Argentina, Nicolás Lynch, had received  representatives of Movadef in the Peruvian embassy in Buenos Aires. Various congress members [es] and politicians of different parties quickly demanded his ouster. Interestingly, these events had occurred in January, and he had told the Foreign Ministry about it.
As a result of the media scandal, the ambassador was called to Lima to explain the meeting, given that, as the Foreign Minister stated, [es] there was an order to not receive, and to avoid any dialogue with, members of Movadef. However, this response did not prevent requests [es] for questioning of the minister himself.
On November 3 it was revealed that Ambassador Lynch, after arriving [es] in Lima that day and meeting with the Foreign Minister, had submitted his letter of resignation and it had been accepted. Even so, some politicians were of the opinion [es] that Lynch should have been removed from his post and that the Minister should be asked [es] for a clarification [es] about whether the meeting with Movadef had been kept from the public.
As in the mass media, the majority opinion on blogs is zero tolerance for Movadef. For example, Fabber, the blogger for Océano de Mercurio, commented [es] on these statements by Lynch: “The embassy is the home of all Peruvians” and “I can't judge them” [es] (in reference to Movadef):
Es verdad que cualquier ciudadano del Perú puede acercarse a la embajada para resolver un trámite o ser ayudado ante un apuro en el país extranjero donde exista representación oficial. No importa en lo que crea o no crea […]. Aquí no interviene lo que cree, sino su necesidad de resolver un asunto que puede estar al alcance de la delegación. Pero esto, y es algo que debe saber cualquier embajador, dista un abismo de recibir una delegación de un actor político pernicioso con el cual nuestro país tiene una posición no solo de enfrentamiento directo, sino que ha sido y sigue siendo su víctima.
It's true that any Peruvian citizen can approach the embassy to get paperwork done or get help in a pinch in a foreign country where there's official representation. It doesn't matter what one believes or doesn't believe […]. Here it doesn't matter what one believes, it is about the necessity to resolve a matter that may be within reach of the delegation. But this, and it's something that any ambassador should know, crosses a line to receive a delegation from a pernicious political player with whom our country has not only a position of direct confrontation, but has been and continues to be its victim.
The blog Neoliberal Cusco criticizes the appointment of people on the left and writes [es]:
Que complicados son los izquierdistas, ¿son genios o son idiotas? Al final, podría creer que a pesar de su estupidez ideológica, son más inteligentes y hábiles que la mayoría de nosotros, que si necesitamos trabajar (y mucho) para lograr las pocas cosas que vamos alcanzando. Sin embargo, actos como el de Lynch me traen a la realidad. Los imbéciles somos todos, que permitimos que estos mediocres vivan como ricos gracias a nuestro trabajo.
The leftists are so complex–are they geniuses or idiots? In the end, you might think that despite their ideological stupidity, they are more intelligent and clever than most of us, who need to work (a lot) to achieve the few things we have. However, acts like Lynch are a reality check. The fools we all are, we allow these mediocre people to live high thanks to our work.
Professor Gonzalo Gamio, meanwhile suggests [es] in his blog that the issue is not being discussed in depth beyond the scandal:
No se puede derrotar al MOVADEF si no se libra una batalla política basada en la recuperación de la memoria de los crímenes de Sendero Luminoso. Allí están las evidencias, los testimonios. El Informe Final de la CVR y otras investigaciones han documentado rigurosamente estos hechos. Se trata de una lucha contra la impunidad y la amnesia. Resulta lamentable constatar que muchos seguidores de este grupo prosenderista son jóvenes que no tienen conocimiento de lo que vivimos en el país en los años del conflicto. […]
MOVADEF cannot be beat if a political battle is not waged based on the recovery of the memory of Shining Path's crimes. There is the evidence, the testimonies. The TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Committee] Final Report and other research has documented these facts rigorously. This is a fight against impunity and amnesia. It is regrettable to note that many followers of this pro-Senderist group are young people who have no knowledge of what we lived in this country during the years of conflict. […]
In the blog of the National Coordinator for Human Rights, the activist Rocío Silva Santisteban opines [es]:
Obligar a Nicolás Lynch a renunciar ha implicado darle demasiada fuerza al Movadef, que ahora enarbolará esa cabeza como una victoria. Lynch debió renunciar [antes] […] Que haya recibido al Movadef es una torpeza más. […] Mi clara posición sobre Lynch no significa, por supuesto, que no pueda dejar de decir que ha sido masacrado mediáticamente con torpe cálculo político.
Forcing Nicolás Lynch to resign means giving too much strength to Movadef, which now will hoist his head as a victory. Lynch should have resigned [before] […] That he met with Movadef is just one more blunder. My clear stance about Lynch, of course, does not mean that he wasn't massacred by the media through clumsy political calculations.
In Ideele Radio's blog, the analyst Alberto Adrianzen, interviewed about the subject, said [es]:
En el gobierno argentino trabaja gente que ha estado vinculada a los montoneros; en Uruguay hay un presidente que ha sido guerrillero, que es [José] Mujica. En Brasil, hay una guerrillera que ha sido presidenta de Brasil, Dilma Rousseff, entonces este tipo de relación, más allá de que te guste o no, es entrecomillas [en esos contextos] normal”, explicó. “Creo que Lynch ha reaccionado a este contexto y no ha reaccionado a este contexto que tenemos en Lima, lleno de fascistas autoritarios, que no entienden otra cosa que la represión.
The Argentine government hires people who have been tied to Montoneros [translator's note: Marxist urban guerrilla group]; Uruguay has a President, [José] Mujica, who was a guerrilla. In Brazil, there is a guerrilla who has been President, Dilma Rousseff, so this type of relationship, whether you like it or not, is [in these contexts] “normal”, he explained. “I think Lynch reacted to that context and not to the context that we have in Lima, full of authoritarian fascists, who don't understand anything but repression.”
More or less along the same lines, Silvio Rendón from the blog Grancomboclub thinks that the climate in Lima is turning repressive [es] and “McCarthyist” [es] and warns [es] of yet another divide in the never very well united Peruvian left.
La mayor parte de sector caviar [izquierda adinerada] se sumó a la campaña de las derechas e incluso encabezó el pedido de la cabeza de Lynch, como el toledista [simpatizante de Alejandro Toledo] Ronald Gamarra y Rocío Silva de la CNDDHH [Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos]. Es un sector parece creer que encabezando el discurso represivo no le harán nada. Sin embargo, hubo otro sector que se desmarcó de tal postura, desde luego que no por el MOVADEF o por la libertad de expresión o la libertad de ejercicio de derechos políticos, sino por su afinidad con Nicolás Lynch, al fin y al cabo, uno de ellos. Un sector caviar advierte que el clima represivo acabará incluyéndolo.
Most of the limosine liberals (moneyed leftists) joined the right's campaign and even led the demand for Lynch's head, like the toledista [supporters of Alejandro Toledo] Ronald Gamarra and Rocío Silva of the National Coordinator for Human Rights. This is a group that believes that leading the repressive discourse will not affect them. However, there was another group that distanced itself from that position, certainly not for MOVADEF or for freedom of expression or for the exercise of political rights, but because of its affinity with Nicolás Lynch, who in the end, was one of them. A warning to the moneyed group that the repressive climate will end up including them.
Meanwhile, Facebook user El Comerrio brings up [es] a doubt worth looking into:
No solo El Comercio, sino que ninguno de los otros diarios “importantes” de la capital (La Republica, Correo, Peru21) publicaron la noticia antes. ¿Se estaba guardando esta “bomba” para usarla en el momento adecuado? Sea como sea, genera suspicacias que esta noticia no haya sido publicada antes. Sospecho que a partir de aquí se viene una campaña fuerte contra las ONGs defensoras de derechos humanos.
Not only El Comercio, but none of the other “important” daily newspapers (La Republica, Correo, Peru21) published the news before. Were they holding this “bomb” to use it in the right moment? Whatever happened, it is suspicious that this news wasn't published before. I suspect that from here on, we will see a heavy campaign against NGOs defending human rights.
Meanwhile, on November 8 the Foreign Minister spoke before Congress to share the foreign policy actions to curb Movadef's progress, for which he requested [es] a private meeting. Moreover, the President of the Council of Ministers declared [es] that Movadef's days are numbered. The President of the judiciary came out [es] in favor of declaring the group illegal. There will more than likely be news in coming days.

author: Juan Arellano


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Political Reform in China: Neither old way nor odd way · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The ministry of Tofu translated some micro-bloggers’ comments on Chinese President Hu Jintao's talk in the 18th Party Congress about political reform. Hu stressed that the Chinese's reform will be neither old way nor odd way, which in a nutshell points to “no way” as highlighted by micro-blogger Xu Xiaonian.


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Promoting Indonesia’s Batik through Social Media · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

batikantik writes about the success of #batikday in Indonesia which has become a social media movement promoting Batik as global heritage of humanity. Batik is a traditional textile art and craft in Indonesia.


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Senegal: Ensuring Efficient Telephone Use by the Government · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

Aliou Fama reveals [fr] that Macky Sall, President of Senegal, has decided to put the members of his goverment on a strict regime, in order to reduce government telephone bills:
Ministers’ telephone credit is now capped at 500 000 FCFA (EUR 762,25), with that of technical advisers limited to 150 000 FCFA. Beyond this point, costs must be covered out of the officials’ own pockets. As a result, after the 15th of each month, certain advisers have found themselves scratching away at top-up cards to get their phones back on line.


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Sudan: Nuba Mountains Activist Detained for 8 Months · Global Voices
Maha El-Sanosi

In the middle of the night on 14 March 2012, the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) abducted a woman named Jalila Khamis Kuku from her home and took her into custody. Denied access to a lawyer and even a change of clothes, Jalila was dragged into a pickup truck in her night gown accompanied by a dozen NISS officers in civilian clothes.
Kuku, who hails from the Nuba Mountains, is a primary school teacher, an activist and a member of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N). She was targeted for helping displaced Nubans who fled the war in South Kordofan and hosting them in her own home. She recorded a video in which she spoke about the humanitarian situation in the Nuba Mountains.
Out of the eight months Jalila has served in jail so far, three of them were spent in solitary confinement. She is now under threat of the death sentence as she has been accused of serious charges under the Sudanese criminal law; namely Article 51, of waging war against the state, and Article 50, which entails undermining  the constitutional system. Her trial remains shrouded in secrecy as Kuku’s lawyers are still being denied access to the details of her case.
Jalila Khamis Kuku has been unjustly detained by the Sudanese security organ since mid-March 2012.
Activists froms the civil society called for a campaign to release Jalila, and youth movement “Girifna” (We Are Fed Up) participated via a campaign on the 8th and 9th of November to condemn the Jalila's ongoing detention using social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. November 14th marks the activist’s eighth month in detention.
@girifna: Thurs-Fri Nov9/10 GIRIFNA will host tweeting campaign 4 Jalila's freedom bc Nov14 will b her 8 months n detention w/o trial #Jalila8Months
On Twitter, netizens from Sudan and other parts of the world rushed to answer the call and tweeted, demanding Jalila’s release.
Aliah Khaled tweeted:
@AliahKhaled: #Jalila8Months #FreeJalila who is a teacher,who speaks about the injustice in her region,who fights 4 human rights shouldn't be where she is
Sudanese journalist Reem Shawkat tweeted:
@ReemShawkat: I dedicate all my tweets today to Jalila Khamis, an activist, mother and teacher in detention since March 14 #Sudan #Jalila8Months
Dalia Haj-Omer, a Sudanese human rights activist, tweeted:
@daloya: Jalila speaks: My children's life turned to hell…they refused to celebrate Eid, it's the 2nd w/o me #Jalila8Months http://tinyurl.com/bqt5lsl
Many others joined the online campaign, relentlessly tweeting:
@Sudanesedream: Jalila Khamis is a peace activist, one of the few persons who stood up against war in #Sudan #Jalila8Months
@Neo0rabie:شهور_يا_جليلة جليلة خميس كوكو ، ذنبها انسانيتها #Jalila8Months
@Neo0rabie: Jalila Khamis Kuku, her only fault is her humanity
@africathinker: Jalila Khamis,will be executed very soon unless we do something.Her crime …speaking out against the Sudanese government.#Jalila8months #Nuba
@ReemHajo: freedom to #Jalila8months who speaks about the truth, FREEDOM to our beloved #SUDAN
@Galaxy717: ننادي بالحرية لمن فقدتها لأنها نادت لغيرها بالحرية وطالبت بحقه ،، فشتان بين من كانت قضيتها وطن وبين من كانت قضيته قبض الثمن #Jalila8Months
@Galaxy717: We call for the freedom of a woman who lost it because she called for freedom and rights .. There is a difference between those whose cause is a nation and those who get paid for their stance
Muzan Alneel condemned the United Nations’ lack of action, tweeting:
@MuzanAlneel: dear #UN when u placed #SudanInECOSOC did u think about #Darfur? #Jalila8months? #Shawa? damn it did u think about #Sudan|ese ppl at all?
“Girifna” vows to continue campaigning for Jalila Khamis Kuku.
@girifna: We are continuing our campaign for Jalila.Raise your voice for a woman who risked her life for the truth #Jalila8Months http://www.girifna.com/7032

author: Maha El-Sanosi


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382 Million in Africa’s Workforce Today and 122 Million more in 8 Years  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Infographic posted by Courtney on the Workforce in Africa today (CC-license-NC-BY)
Courtney writes about the great entrepreneurial opportunities in Africa, stressing the fact that 122 million more workers are expected in 2020. Chris adds that the sector with the greater potential for job growth is agriculture while Devarajan points out the informal sector makes for 70 to 80 percent of the total labor force.  The original data were published in the report “Africa at work: Job creation and inclusive growth” by the McKinsey Global Institute.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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7 Must-See African Moustaches · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

In honor of Movember: President Omar al Bashir of Sudan and his moustache. Via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
In honor of “Movember” an annual international charity event where men grow moustaches in November to raise awareness of prostate cancer, Afrika Blog from Denmark lists 7 must-see moustaches from Africa [da].

author: Solana Larsen


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Brazil: Rio de Janeiro Demands Better Sanitation · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

[All links lead to sites in Portuguese unless otherwise stated.]
Sanitation is one of the central issues that will be addressed in the regional hackathon [en] Developing Latin America [en] on December 1 and 2, 2012. The work of one particular project in Brazil could serve as inspiration for the development of new platforms.
The initiative Sanitation is Basic! is part of the nonprofit organisation Meu Rio (My Rio) dedicated to civic participation through technology. According to the organisation, “half the population in Rio de Janeiro is still without mains water and sewerage”. This accounts for nearly 3 million citizens who are “[obliged] to drink dirty water or throw sewage directly into the rivers, lakes and beaches of this wonderful city”.
Meu Rio has launched an online petition accompanied by the video “Eu quero 100% de #saneamentoparaorio” (I want 100% sanitation for Rio), which presents the problems of everyday life that the people of Rio have to put up with:
http://vimeo.com/47526252
Pressure Cooker
One of the platforms of Meu Rio, the Pressure Cooker, has made it possible for any citizen or social movement to create their own popular pressure campaigns, as the website explains:
A receita é simples: você aponta um problema, convoca outras pessoas que desejam a mesma mudança e pressiona diretamente políticos, empresários e administradores públicos, por email, Twitter ou Facebook.
The recipe is simple: you point out a problem, then call on other people who want the same change to directly put pressure on politicians, businessmen and public officials, by email, Twitter or Facebook.
Campaigns related to sanitation problems in Rio de Janeiro have been no exception. One exposes the problem of sewage spill on São Conrado Beach. The campaign, launched by the movement Salvemos São Conrado (which also has a blog and its own Facebook page with over 2,500 followers), points to an analysis of the water quality of the beaches of Rio, made by INEA (the State Environmental Institute) and indicates:
O Secretário Estadual do Ambiente, Sr. Carlos Minc criou a Lei 2661/96 de 27 de dezembro de 1996 que exige níveis mínimos de tratamento de esgotos sanitários, antes de seu lançamento em corpos d'água, de modo que não ofereça riscos à saúde humana e ao meio ambiente, porém o mesmo permite tal afronto por parte destas instituições e compactua com o descaso ao carioca e ao meio ambiente.
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Mr Carlos Minc, created the Law 2661/96 on December 27, 1996. This law requires minimum levels of waste water treatment before it is released into bodies of water, so that there are no risks to human health or the environment, but it allows such defiance by these institutions and colludes with the neglect of the people of Rio and the environment.
In spite of the promise of the State Environmental Department to eliminate pollution from the beaches, Salvemos São Conrado describes the current situation in a worrying way:
“Salvemos São Conrado” Campaign
Temos várias linguas negras que invadem nossas areias em períodos de chuva, porém o que é mais revoltante é o despejo proposital de todo o esgoto produzido na [favela da] Rocinha (…) desde à época do governo Garotinho. (…) No mesmo período foi criada uma estação de tratamento que deveria tratar esse esgoto antes de chegar à praia, porém a “Rio Águas” que é responsável pela estação, não faz o seu trabalho e despeja todo o esgoto “in natura” através desta galeria.
We have several black tongues that invade our beaches during periods of rain, but what is more appalling is the deliberate discharge of all sewage produced in [the slum] Rocinha (…) since the time of the Garotinho government. (…) At the same time a treatment plant that would treat the waste water before reaching the beach was created, but the “Rio Águas”, which is responsible for the station, does not do its work and dumps all the sewage “in natura” through this culvert.
Through Pressure Cooker, 415 direct messages have already been sent demanding “access to the complete technical project planned for the elimination of pollution on São Conrado beach, and [a guarantee] that the work will begin immediately” to the respective people in charge: the president of the Companhia Estadual de Águas e Esgotos (State Company of Water and Sewerage, CEDAE), Wagner Victer, the municipal secretary for the Environment, Carlos Alberto Muniz, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Carlos Minc, and the Foundation Institute of the Waters of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Rio Águas.
Another connected case reported on the site by journalist Guilherme Ramalho is that of the pollution in Guanabara Bay:
“Put an End to Pollution in Guanabara Bay!” in the Pressure Cooker
O Programa de Despoluição da Baía de Guanabara (PDBG) foi anunciado na Eco+92. Começou a ser executado em 1994, mas nunca foi concluído. Em duas décadas, a limpeza da Baía de Guanabara já passou por seis governos e custou R$ 1,5 bilhão em recursos. O esgoto continua sendo jogado na baía praticamente sem tratamento.
Agora, surgiu o PSAM (Programa de Saneamento Ambiental dos Municípios do Entorno da Baía de Guanabara), que prevê gastos de R$ 1,13 bilhão em obras de esgotamento sanitário e em projetos de saneamento dos 15 municípios do entorno da baía.
The Programme for the Elimination of Pollution in Guanabara Bay (PDBG) was announced in Eco+92. It commenced in 1994, but was never completed. In two decades, the cleaning of Guanabara Bay has seen six different governments and cost R$1.5 billion [£460 million, USD $733 million] in resources. The sewage is still thrown in the bay with virtually no treatment.
Now the PSAM (Environmental Sanitation Programme of Municipalities Surrounding Guanabara Bay) predicts costs of R$1.13 billion [£347 million, USD $550 million] for sewerage and sanitation projects in the 15 municipalities surrounding the bay.
Looking for ways to ensure that the goal now set up for a “clean-up that has lasted over 20 years” is fulfilled by 2016 (the year the Olympic Games will take place in Rio), the campaign is putting pressure on the Secretary of State for the Environment, Carlos Minc, who up to now has received 115 replicas of the following message in his inbox:
Queremos que a Secretaria Estadual de Meio Ambiente divulgue um cronograma com metas anuais do PSAM para que a população, as universidades e a mídia possam fiscalizar e garantir o sucesso dessa despoluição.
We want the Secretary of State for the Environment to give us a timeline with annual targets for the PSAM so that the people, the universities and the media are able to monitor and ensure the success of the depollution.
“We do not want increased water rates!” created by Nalva Pinheiro, resident of the neighbourhood Colégio
A campaign that has already ended, and that despite not having achieved the outlined objective attracted a lot of media attention, denounced a series of problems in the services provided by CEDAE in a video, and demanded the cancellation of the increase in water rates of between 10 and 14%, “until the problems with the service are resolved”:
É um abuso ter que pagar um preço ainda maior de um dia pro outro, sendo que o serviço é péssimo. As contas vêm erradas, eles cortam a nossa água sem explicação, muitas vezes a água vem suja, e é muito difícil falar com eles no telefone para corrigir os problemas. Somos mal-tratados toda vez que tentamos. Sem falar que muita gente recebe conta sem ter água chegando em casa, e tem que pagar o preço pra não ficar com nome sujo.
It is an abuse to have to pay a higher price from one day to the next, given that the service is terrible. The accounts are wrong, they turn off our water without explanation, the water is often dirty, and it is very difficult to talk to them on the phone to fix the problems. We are treated badly every time we try, not to mention that many people receive water bills without having water at home, and they have to pay the bill so they don't get a bad name.
Nearly 2,200 messages were sent to the Ombudsman to the President of CEDAE, but according to the text of the petition mentioned above, he replied that “the increase will not be reviewed because there exists a decree that was signed 12 years ago that says that CEDAE can increase the water rates without passing through the sieve of an agency that ensures the quality of service and the need to readjust the price”.
The petition launched by the Meu Rio cites the campaign of the citizens of Rio and addresses the Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Sérgio Cabral, demanding the repeal of the decree 25.997/200 [pdf] which delegates power considered abusive by the organisation to the President of the CEDAE.

author: Sara Moreira


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Catalan TV Show Flares Debate Over Independence from Spain · Global Voices
Joan Antoni Guerrero Vall

Catalonia's news program “30 minuts” [ca], which has aired weekly on the region's public television channel TV3 [ca] since 1984, recently broadcast an episode on the question of Catalonia's geopolitical status, called “Independence, step by step.” The episode comes at a complicated time, just a week before campaigning begins for the region's early round of elections (to be held on November 25, 2012), which are largely considered to be a plebiscite on Catalonia's independence from Spain.
The entire episode can be viewed on TV3's website [ca].
Catalonia's unionist opposition parties have seized the moment as an opportunity to criticize the content [ca] of Catalan public television, accusing President Artur Mas of using it to spread separatist propaganda to support his party's (CiU [ca]) chances of retaining parliamentary control.
Nevertheless, “Independence, step by step,” has enjoyed very high ratings as the most-watched episode of the past four seasons. Some 750,000 viewers (22.3% of Catalonia's television audience) watched the episode, according to a survey [ca] by Kantar Media.
The program quickly became a topic of hot online debate, as the hashtag #30minuts [ca] began trending on Twitter during the Sunday broadcast and continued to do so until Monday morning. The wide-ranging reactions to the program seem to match the complexity of the region's politics, reinforcing the analysis that the debate surrounding the question of Catalan nationhood is anything but simple.
Those who praised the episode commented on what they believed to be journalistic integrity, marked by a presentation of diverse and opposing expert opinions on the question of Catalonia's independence from Spain. Miquel Roca [ca], a Catalan nationalist politician and one of the fathers of the Spanish constitution, as well as Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, Spain's minister of justice, were among the program's interviewees.
@saravaldesB Quan en un reportatge s'aporten testimonis equilibrats d'ambdues parts, és bon periodisme.Tot el demés populisme. #30minuts vs #elgrandebate
@JoanJosepPastor Molt aclaridor “La independència, pas a pas” de @30minuts explicant el procés i totes les perspectives http://bit.ly/R6irhB  #30minuts
@nasticnastic Enhorabona pel #30minuts d'ahir. A veure si aprenen altres cadenes de tv.
On the other hand, more skeptical netizens raised concern that while public television networks are busy reporting on the region's surging separatist politics, examples of corruption in Catalan politics — such as the Cafè amb llet [ca] case, in which two journalists were fined 10,000 euro after exposing shady dealings by healthcare moguls — have by-and-large been ignored.
@TeresaSoler “@OriolCanosa: El que està passant amb @_cafeambllet i la sanitat catalana també donaria per un #30minuts , no?” O per un #60minuts #tela
@fletandelnorte ganes de veure un #30minuts en el que tot un pare de la constitució parli de la corrupoció CIU: Cas Millet, Cas ITV, Cas Crespo, Sanitat,
@pauaragay Celebro que Miquel Roca, tant des de la seva columna a LV com des d'espais televisius com el darrer #30minuts, estigui parlant tan clar.
There was also significant negative commentary, criticizing what was supposedly biased and demagogical reporting.
@Gonzografia Hace gracia la valoración de hoy del #30minuts,hablan de la voluntad de un pueblo,como si TODO el pueblo Catalan deseara la independencia.
@CristianFerrerG He vist el #30minuts d'ahir: Sesgat, demagog i parcial. Hi havia per fer un bon reportatge i només han fet propaganda política per a @CiU
@ullerol Acabo de vore el #30minuts d'ahir sobre la independència de Catalunya i el trobe totalment parcial i sense contrastar coses molt bàsiques.
The program was also widely reviewed by bloggers. On Planeta imaginari [ca], the journalist Gemma Busquets, who specializes in television, was ultimately positive about the episode's content.
El títol del reportatge de “30 minuts” era il·lustratiu del que hi trobaríem: “La independència, pas a pas”. Impecable en la confecció, amb entrevistes a experts constitucionalistes i economistes d’aquí i d’allà, declaracions d’arxiu de polítics, el missatge oficial del govern espanyol en la veu del ministre Gallardón, la contextualització internacional amb les situacions que viuen el Quebec, Kosova i Escòcia… Amb arguments i raonaments, el treball periodístic, diguin el que diguin els que estan a les trinxeres, seguia la política del seny que impera en el procés de canvi que viu Catalunya.

author: Joan Antoni Guerrero Vall


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Coalition of African Nations Agrees to Send 3,300 Soldiers a year to Northern Mali  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Seven African nations of ECOWAS namely Nigeria, Senegal, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Togo have agreed with Malian government [fr] to send 3,300 soldiers a year to Northern Mali to take back control of northern Mali from Islamist fighters. Other nations outside the ECOWAS might also send in troops.


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Ecuador’s President Correa Runs for Reelection · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa announced that he is running for reelection in the upcoming February 2013 elections. Bloggings by boz argues that there are three issues that matter in this election: the economy, citizen security, and personality:
At the moment, Correa has an advantage on the economy and personality. The security problems aren't bad enough to push voters away and no opposition candidate is yet making a credible claim to do better.

author: Silvia Viñas


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French Government Eases Strict Immigration Policy  · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

[All links in French unless otherwise stated]
French Interior Minister Manuel Valls, during a speech in Toulouse in southwestern France, expressed his desire to change his country's immigration policy. The site afrik53.com posted an article which states:
Le ministre de l’Intérieur, Manuel Valls, a annoncé jeudi avoir envoyé aux préfets la circulaire modifiant les conditions de naturalisation, et supprimant en particulier les questionnaires à choix multiples et la nécessité d'avoir signé un CDI.
To this end, the minister said, again according to afrik53.com:
L’urgence tout d’abord : redresser la courbe du nombre de naturalisations, en revenant sur les critères les plus discriminants qui sont à l'origine de près de 70% des refus”, a-t-il dit selon le texte de l'intervention prononcée lors d'une cérémonie de naturalisation.
During Nicolas Sarkozy's five-year term as President of France, xenophobic [en] measures aimed at restricting immigration were used to round up support from the far right. Jean-Daniel Chaoui wrote from Madagascar on blogg.org:
Claude Guéant [ancien ministre de l'intérieur] continue son marathon derrière le Front National dans le but de récupérer son électorat ou du moins une partie de celui-ci et d’affaiblir Marine Le Pen. Tout est bon pour y parvenir, y compris la démagogie xénophobe qui a pour conséquence principale la banalisation des thèses frontistes et l’accélération des comportements racistes et des situations d’exclusion.
Après les enfants d’immigrés qui font baisser le niveau scolaire dans les écoles, voici les étudiants étrangers que l’on renvoie dès leurs études terminées et les “mesures spécifiques” contre la délinquance étrangère dénoncée comme bien supérieure à la moyenne.
[Former Interior Minister] Claude Guéant continues to run a platform close to the Front National [ed's note: far-right party] with the intent of stealing their voters, or at least some of them, and weakening Marine Le Pen's position. Everything is in place for that to happen, including the xenophobic demagoguery that serves to normalize frontist ideas and incite racist behavior and situations of exclusion.
First we have the children of immigrants who lower the level of educational achievement in schools, and now we have foreign students that we send back once they graduate and “specific measures” against reportedly above-average foreign crime.
Demonstration for the regularization of undocumented immigrants at the regional prefecture in Rennes. By Camille on Wikipedia under license CC-BY-NC 2.0
The Guéant circular of May 2011 [en], which limited job opportunities for foreign students who have studied in France, has not only made their lives more difficult (see Julie Owono's article about this on Global Voices), but business leaders have also expressed their concerns, as the site vousnousils.fr reported:
Les entreprises françaises sont “préoccupées” par les effets de la circulaire Guéant restreignant les possibilités d'embauche des étudiants étrangers diplômés sur le territoire. Le Medef estime que la mise en œuvre de cette circulaire “risque d'être un problème pour la compétitivité de la France et son rayonnement à l'étranger” ; elle menacerait “l'attractivité des entreprises”.
The Fédération socialiste des français à l'étranger [Socialist Federation of French Nationals Abroad] also strongly condemned the provisions of this circular:
Par une circulaire du 31 mai 2011 relative à l’immigration professionnelle, les Ministères de l'Intérieur et du travail compliquent considérablement l'obtention d’autorisation de travail par les étudiants étrangers hors UE diplômés en France des universités et des grandes écoles.
Au-delà de sa xénophobie  latente, cette circulaire qui freine un peu plus l’immigration légale représente une aberration économique pour notre pays.
With their May 31, 2011 circular on professional immigration, the Ministers of the Interior and Labor are making it considerably more difficult for foreign, non-EU students to obtain work permits when they have graduated from French universities and colleges.
Beyond its latent xenophobia, this circular hinders legal immigration a bit more and is an economic aberration for our country.
Needless to say, the new government's corrective measures were expected. The site clesdusocial.com described what happened:
Le 31 mai 2012, la “circulaire Guéant” du 31 mai 2011 restreignant les possibilités d’autorisation provisoire (APS) de séjour pour une première expérience professionnelle en France des jeunes diplômés étrangers de niveau au moins du master a été abolie…..Elle est remplacée par une nouvelle circulaire, publiée le 4 juin, qui règle les demandes en attente par une autorisation automatique de 6 mois, non renouvelable et demande aux préfets de faciliter la délivrance d’une APS de 6 mois aux diplômés qui ont une promesse d’embauche. La demande peut être faite même avant d’avoir obtenu son master ; et les demandes complètes doivent être traitées en 2 mois maximum.
A real turnaround is underway when it comes to immigration. Indeed, even obtaining French citizenship has been made easier. In an article on Migration Conseil‘s [a law firm specializing in employment for foreign nationals in France] blog questionsdetrangers.com, Giulia Herzenstein wrote:
La circulaire concernant la procédure d’accès à la nationalité française est datée du 16 octobre 2012 et a été adressée aux préfets deux jours plus tard. Cette circulaire, signée par le ministre de l’Intérieur, veut clarifier plusieurs des critères pris en compte dans l’examen des demandes de naturalisation.
Saphirnews.com commented on these new measures:
S’il y a bien un secteur où les étrangers sont discriminés, c’est aussi celui de l’emploi. Manuel Valls plaide pour un assouplissement des conditions liées au travail, qui étaient à l'origine de 40% des refus de naturalisation. Dès à présent, il ne sera donc plus nécessaire d’avoir un CDI pour obtenir la nationalité française.
Il a également annoncé l’ouverture aux moins de 25 ans de l’examen des demandes de naturalisation. M. Valls a été lui-même naturalisé français à 20 ans juste après l'élection de François Mitterrand en 1981. Il faudrait toutefois que le candidat respecte deux conditions : avoir résidé en France depuis dix ans et avoir suivi une scolarité continue de cinq ans minimum.
If there is one area where foreigners experience discrimination, it is employment. Manuel Valls is calling for a relaxation of work-related conditions that were responsible for 40 percent of rejected naturalization applications. Now a permanent contract of employment will no longer be necessary to obtain French citizenship.
He also announced that the naturalization application review process would become open to those under 25. Valls himself acquired French nationality when he was 20 years old, just after François Mitterrand's election in 1981. However, applicants will have to meet two conditions: to have lived in France for ten years and to have attended school for at least five years continuously.
Pierre Henry, executive director of France terre d'asile, an organization that supports asylum seekers, expressed his view on the matter:
Cet assouplissement était nécessaire tant l’accès à la nationalité avait été dévoyé sous le gouvernement précédent. La suppression du QCM “Guéant” ou de l’obligation de possession d’un CDI ne peut que rencontrer notre assentiment.  Il reste cependant à s’interroger sur le pouvoir de véto laissé aux préfets, tout l’enjeu étant d’éviter l’arbitraire à travers une application homogène  de ces critères sur l’ensemble du territoire de la République.
This relaxation was necessary as access to nationality had taken the wrong direction by the previous government. The elimination of Guéant's multiple choice tests and the need to have a permanent contract of employment will only meet our approval. However, the prefects’ veto power remains something to be considered, the challenge being to avoid arbitrariness through the consistent application of these criteria throughout the entire country.
Pierre Henry's comment has unfortunately proved itself relevant, as numerous cases reported by the organization amoureuxauban.net have illustrated:
La Cimade nous a alerté de la situation déplorable à la Préfecture de Haute Garonne. L’organisation constate et déplore la persistance de pratiques préfectorales déloyales et inhumaines, qui vont à l’encontre de la volonté annoncée par la gauche de rompre avec la politique du chiffre.  «Convocations déloyales en préfecture, maintien en rétention pour une durée anormalement longue, privation de liberté excessive au regard des buts poursuivis, séparations de familles…» sont constatés au quotidien.
These reforms have not yet been harmonized. Indeed, foreign nationals who have already been forced to leave French territory will not benefit from these reforms. A report by “Égaux mais pas trop,” a monthly magazine program hosted by Rokhaya Diallo on the National Assembly's television channel LCP, showed the daily challenges faced by a young couple when they found themselves in this situation just as they were about to get married.


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Guinea-Bissau: More citizen frustration with turmoil · Global Voices
Janet Gunter

Buala blog shared a message circulating via email by Moema Parente Augel e Johannes Augel [Pt] raising international awareness about the “abusive and illegal regime” in Guinea-Bissau and what they deem to be an attempted counter-coup on October 21. IT specialist Gabriel Vaz also shared his dissatisfaction with turmoil in his home country on Youtube [Pt].

author: Janet Gunter


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Historic Mausoleum Reopens in Afghanistan · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

The badly damaged mausoleum of Timur Shah in 2000. Image by Olaf Kellerhoff (CC BY-NC 2.0).
Circling the Lion's Den reports that the mausoleum of Timur Shah that had been badly damaged during the Afghan civil war has been restored and reopened in Kabul. The mausoleum is an important historic and Islamic monument built in the early nineteenth century.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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Iranian Blogger Sattar Beheshti Tortured to Death · Global Voices
Hooman Askary

Screenshot of Sattar Beheshti's blog, http://magalh91.blogspot.se
Iranian netizens have launched a major online storm [fa] after the shocking news of a blogger's death in custody was first posted [fa] by opposition websites. According to interviews with Sattar Beheshti's family members as well as reports on human rights websites, he was arrested on October 28, 2012 and announced dead some ten days after his arrest.
Sattar Beheshti. Source: Facebook campaign for Sattar Beheshti
41 political prisoners bravely published[fa] a statement saying they witnessed signs of torture on Sattar's body.
Several international organizations including Reporters Without Borders urged the Iranian authorities to clarify the exact circumstances of the blogger's death and called on the international community not to allow the crime to go unpunished.
Beheshti's cyber-activism, including his personal blog [fa] apparently led to his brutal arrest, torture and eventual death at the age of 35. His blog motto translated from Farsi reads: “Criticism. Long Live Iranians and Iran. My life for Iran.” His last post appears to have been on October 26. He was arrested two days later.
In his final post he criticized Ali Larijani, head of the Iranian parliament. He said that Larijani and the Islamic Republic are hypocrites to criticize other countries for human rights violations. Beheshti wrote [fa]:
You talk about human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain… Western countries, just like you created heaven on earth in Iran. No you did not. If you had really created this heaven, why would you not ask people to come to Iran and see it?
Iranian netizens reacted to this “crime” that reminds us once more that bloggers can end up sacrificing their lives for their virtual activity.
A page was launched on Facebook [fa] with the title “Those who were responsible for the death of Sattar Beheshti should be on trial”.
Ahmad Sharifi (@sharifi123) tweeted:
وبلاگ نویس مملکت رو گرفتن به جرم وبلاگ نویسی تو زندان اوین کشتن. بعد رییس جمهور مملکت رفته اجلاس جهانی دموکراسی از دموکراسی غرب انتقاد میکنه
They took a blogger in custody and killed him in prison, and then the president goes to the World Summit for Democracy in Indonesia, criticizing Western democracy.
Hasan Ejraei posted on his Google+ profile [fa]:
What’s going on in there that every time someone has to be killed? What do they do to a people in their custody? What did they do to Zahra Bani Yaghoub for her to die? What did they do to Zahra Kazemi for her to die? What do they do to all the others who are in custody? The judiciary should be held responsible for this. Should they not? Ok, They shouldn't. I apologise.
Three years ago, another blogger, Omid Reza Mir Sayafi died in an Iranian prison under suspicious circumstances.

author: Hooman Askary


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Laid-off Workers Turn from Victims to Debtors in Taiwan · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

In a rather ironic case, Taiwan's Council of Labour Affairs (CLA), a government body in charge of protecting labour rights, wants to sue  workers who were laid-off by factory owners sixteen years ago. The council seeks money from the Legislative Yuan to bring legal action against more than 2,000 workers, who they say never returned the ‘loan’ the government offered as compensation for being laid off.
Since July 2012, members of the Alliance for Workers of Closed Factories (AWCF) and their supporters have been protesting against the CLA‘s [zh] decision. One of the most widely reported action was the occupation of the Taipei Subway station on August 10, 2012.
Victims turn into debtors
On August 10, 2012, workers from AWCF occupied the Taipei Subway Station against the CLA's lawsuit. Photo from coolloud.org. Permission for non-commercial use.
The story begins in 1998, when many factories in Taiwan relocated to China and other countries [zh] to cut their labour costs. Some of these factory owners announced bankruptcy and refused to pay their workers salary, retirement and other compensation. Many of the factory owners fled to other countries and reopened their factories, leaving the workers in Taiwan protesting in despair. The CLA was then assigned to negotiate with these labourers and the factory owners. While the factory owners refused to pay the compensation, the CLA decided to settle the conflict by granting “loans” to the workers to release them from financial burden before they found new jobs. The understanding was that the workers would not have to pay-back the so-called “loan” as the workers were also victims.
But recently, the CLA broke their promise and asked the Legislation Yuan for NTD20.56 million (approximately USD 709,000) to sue more than 2,000 workers who have not paid back their “loan”. In reaction to the decision, the AWCF protested in front of the Legislation Yuan [zh] on Oct 31. The CLA's action is outrageous, as Tiny fatty pointed out [zh] in his blog:
一個勞工工作了近半輩子結果領了退休金竟然還要做償還，
如果事件發生在你我身上的話，你不會想上街頭為自己討回公道嗎？
To avoid further conflict, the CLA agreed to suspend the lawsuit, but refused [zh] to revoke the budget for the lawsuit, which means it may pursue the lawsuit later. In fact, according to Taiwan independent media, coolloud.org's report [zh] CLA's representative Keng-Pei Li (李庚霈) insisted that the money distributed to the workers 16 years ago was a “loan”:
不管過去的政府跟工人們談過什麼，現在也沒有記錄作憑證，目前勞委會只想找到一個雙方都能接受的處理方式。
Jack and the beanstalk questioned [zh] the function of CLA:
勞工局不是應該要替勞方權益著想嗎?
現在竟然為了控告勞工,編列了2千萬預算……

author: I-fan Lin