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Colombia: Approval of “Lleras Law 2.0” Ignites Netizens’ Indignation · Global Voices
Lully

The approval by the Colombian Congress of the proposed Law 201 (2012) -popularly known as ‘Lleras Law 2.0′- which reforms [es] the framework to legislate and regulate copyright and intellectual property, sparked indignation among Colombian netizens.
The only pending step is the signature of President Juan Manuel Santos, who seeks to present the bill to President Obama as part of a package of requirements for a Free Trade Agreement with the United States during an upcoming bilateral meeting at the Sixth Summit of the Americas. Consequently, the possibility of repealing this law is solely in the hands of the Constitutional Court, the entity responsible for ensuring the integrity and hegemony of the Constitution.
Among its articles, this law covers the issue of television and Internet copyright, which according to users and researchers threatens freedom of expression and the ability to share files and exchange material through cyberspace.
Numerous citizens and activists are demonstrating their indignation, and some are sharing their proposals for alternatives. While some bloggers propose strategies [es] to evade the law or create pages to organize protests [es], other activists like Anonymous [es] announce retaliation [es].
The Facebook group ‘Against Vargas Lleras and his Law on Internet Censorship’ [es] shared a series of images [es] before the final debate on April 10:
Image from the album 'Photos to share' from the Facebook group 'Against Germán Vargas Lleras and his Law on Internet Censorhip''
Elkin Botero (@ebotero) says the law is unfair [es] and invites her Twitter followers to disobey:
#LeyLleras2 es una clara invitación a la desobediencia civil “Cuando una Ley es injusta, lo correcto es desobedecerla”.
#LeyLleras2 is a clear invitation to civil disobedience “When a law is unjust, the right thing to do is disobey.”
Juan Pinilla (@juanpinilla81) announces his position [es] of civil disobedience:
Anuncio públicamente mi posicionamiento en contra de la reforma del código penal y me constituyo en desobediencia civil.
Diego Moreno Herrera (@Diego_Moreno_H) [es] recalls the sale of the Panama Canal and relates it to the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement (TLC for its initials in Spanish) with the United States:
¿Colombia entregó Panamá y recibió 25 millones de dólares de indemnización? ¿Cuánto ganaron los gestores del TLC por entregar el país a EEUU?
Iván Marín (@ivanmarinsoyyo) refers [es] to the disappointment generated by the approval of the law:
#LeyLleras2 conozco personas a quienes les bajo la moral #SoyDelincuente
#Law Lleras2 I know people who are very discouraged by the law #SoyDelincuente (I am criminal)
Andrés Vanegas (@anvanegas) complains [es] about President Obama:
Ese burro a Obama, como la #LeyLleras2.0 es el símbolo de que nos van a quitar todo… Flora, fauna, y el derecho a la información.
Juan KMartínez  (@jucamar), talks about [es] how quickly the law was approved:
Colombia debería ganar el record de trámite de ley mas rápido que hay. #leylleras2 #paisinviable
Gustavo Diaz writes about the law in his blog [es], and calls on the Constitutional Court to analyze it so that it benefits citizens:
Yo solo espero que la corte constitucional logre discernir con claridad esta nueva ley, que resulto ser mas ambiciosa que la Ley Lleras y nos brinde las garantías necesarias a todos los internautas para que no se nos vulneren otros derechos constitucionales.
Finally, Redpatodos (“Internet for all”) communicates the following in their blog to denounce the approval of the law and encourage the wider community to join their cause:
RedPaTodos, a citizen participation platform that promotes discussion on copyright and its application on the Internet, warns that the adoption of Bill 201/2012, known in social networks and media as #LeyLleras2, failed the public debate, ignored citizens requests for participation, and disregarded the arguments of scholars and experts in the field in the design of the standard.
As a result of this serious omission and the desire to fulfill political commitments, the concerns expressed by various sectors remain in the law that will seriously threaten the fundamental rights of Colombian citizens. The approved text goes beyond the FTA and other international treaties, disregarding users safeguards such as exceptions and limitations, violating Internet users privacy, threating [sic] freedom of expression in the Net, and assigning judicial functions to the Executive.
With the approval of the bill and its likely presidential approval, RedPaTodos announces that will analyse going before the Constitutional Court. In this new stage, we call on citizens to build a strong case and carry out intensive citizen engagement. We need support from lawyers, creative artists, communicators, leaders, activists and citizens to join voices and art into the initiative.
RedPaTodos as a citizen platform seeks to unite and optimize the common efforts of those who wish to defend their digital rights based in peaceful and constructive arguments. Wait for other initiatives of mobilization and Join.

author: Lully


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Colombia: Explosions near the US embassy in Bogotá · Global Voices
Cati Restrepo

On the night of April 13, against the backdrop of the Summit of the  Americas [es] (a meeting of the continent's heads of State), explosions were heard [es] near the location of the United States Embasy in Bogotá. No one was injured as a result of the incident  [es], and on Twitter it  began trending under the terms Embajada Estados Unidos [es] (United States Embassy). The incident coincided with the arrival in the country of President Barak Obama and took place at the same time as another similar incident in the city of Cartagena [es] (location of the conference).

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Cati Restrepo


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Colombia: Painter and Sculptor Fernando Botero Celebrates 80 · Global Voices
Lully

The Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero has been attending a series of events for the celebration of his 80 years of life which will be official April 19, 2012. These events have included private [es] and public events during Holy Week, including highlighting his donations to the Museum of Antioquia [es], the exposition [es] of “Stations of the Cross: the passion of Christ” and the official donation of the sculpture “The Cat” to his hometown Medellin.
“Stations of the Cross: the passion of Christ” is a combination of 27 oil paintings and 33 drawings completed in 2010.  The exposition arrived in Medellin after first being exhibited in Marlborough Gallery [es] in Manhattan, New York. The Marlborough exhibition will extend through August of this year, allowing time for a cultural and academic agenda that increased awareness of the artist and his works through conferences, panels, chats and audiovisual projections.
Fernando Botero, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
According to Botero, the “Stations of the Cross” has been reflected “in the eyes of a modern artist, allowing certain liberties like including himself and his mother [es] in the works.” He made the stations of the cross without satirical elements and with a Jesus figure more man than God, the aureola was not painted for example, but he does allude to the sacred with an angel that flies over the tomb. He said it was painted in a Latin American vibe with an Italian air.
His other celebration was held April 3, with the inauguration of his “The Cat” sculpture [es] in the park which carries his name in the city district of San Cristobal [es], Medellin. “The Cat” [es] is a bronze sculpture weighing 1.050 kilos, and measuring 390 x 150 x 190 centimeters and created in his workshop in Pietrasanta (Italy). This work adds to the many others [es] that Botero has so generously donated to Medellin and the 300 present across Colombia.
Many other events are being held in honor of his birthday, such as an exhibition [es] at the Fine Arts Palace in Mexico City. This will be a grand retrospective review of his works, combining a collection of 177 pieces including oil paintings, drawings, technical mixed pieces, small and large sculptures.
Botero, who made clear his desire [es] to be remembered for his untiring work, wants to continue making art with passion and enthusiasm. He also confirmed that he hasn't considered leaving art because he cannot conceive of life without painting. He recognizes Pietrasanta, Italy as a city he is fond of and where he passes the majority of his time developing his works [es]. He has done 160 international exhibitions, half in museums and the other half in open spaces [es] (streets, parks, etc).
During the celebrations for his birthday, Botero has been surrounded by many people but also by security, as captured in this photo [es] by Donaldo Zuluaga on Twitter (@donaldozuluaga). However he has demonstrated his delight in daily recognition when passing the streets of the city and the almost ‘idolatry’ that is felt for him. This reverent feeling can be seen in various media outlets promoting his presence [es], as well as social networks like Twitter and blogs.
Vanessa de la Torre, (@vanedelatorre) applauded [es] Botero for the new work donated to the city district of San Cristóbal:
Todos los aplausos al Maestro Fernando Botero por regalarle una escultura: El Gato, a su ciudad natal. Esta en San Cristóbal, Medellín
Gabriel Jaime Rico (@RICOGabriel) wrote [es] about the importation process for “The Gat” and its installation in San Cristóbal:
#elgatodebotero fue importado desde Italia por @plazamayormed y será instalado en el parque biblioteca “Fernando Botero” de San Cristóbal.
Esteban Vegue V. (@estebanvegue) mentioned [es] “The Cat” sarcastically and as an analogy of the thieves that wander Medellin:
Esperemos que “El Gato” de Botero coja tanta “Rata suelta” que hay en Medellín.
Camilo Durán Casas (@cduranca) called Botero [es] a noble representative of the country and praised his birthday making allusion to his human and professional values:
El maestro Fernando Botero a sus ochenta años está en la cúspide de su madurez artística y humana. Un orgullo para Colombia.
Samir Yesid Urazán (@samurga) repeated the phrase [es] used frequently by Botero when he is asked about his final years:
“Sólo temo tener que vivir sin poder pintar.” Fernando Botero
Estefanía Ruíz (@estefaniaruizZ) commented on the subject [es] of Holy Week and the Stations of the Cross, though she admits to preferring the artistic rendering of the stations:
Al único viacrucis que me encantaría ir a ver es la obra del maestro Fernando Botero.
While La Silla Vacía [es] completed an analysis of the latest Botero donations, in other media [es] and on Twitter [es] the comments and reports on this subject have multiplied.
'The Cat' by Botero, Medellín. Image from Telemedillín on Flickr  (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
There are some who took time to allude to Botero's works in a playful tone, like Eduardo Morales (@EduardoMorale93) [es] who pokes fun at himself in this tweet:
Yo sí hubiera sido un excelente modelo… Pero para las pinturas de Botero! #ViernesSanto #SemanaSanta
But others did not share the same administration for the works or style of Botero. Sergio Araujo (@sergioaraujoc) [es] criticized Botero for his dismissive comments of other painters in Colombia:
Fernando Botero “No tengo cuadros de ningún pintor Colombiano porque no admiro a ninguno.” Uffff ¡Terrible frase! despectiva, despreciativa.
Jorge Rocker (@jorgerocker) [es] also does not share any love for Botero, questioning the motive behind his ”donations” in Colombia:
Botero es feliz tramando bobos con los “regalos” que hace de sus esculturas….si, me cae mal ese tetramalparido :)
Bitter Swet (@InvokedDream) [es] comments that he didn't enjoy the Botero paintings on exhibition in the Fine Arts Gallery in Mexico:
Hoy fui a la expo. de Botero en Bellas Artes; Puras pinturas de gordas feas y todas iiug y mal encaradas, y bueno, la verdad no me gustó.
Also from Mexico, Jesús Martínez Gutiérrez, from the blog Del castillo literario, spoke about Botero's style [es]:
Botero es un sólido continuador del modelo del arte como representación, o como reproducción de lo que hay, aunque su técnica no sea calcar la realidad sino inflarla para encontrar lo bello más allá de los límites de volumen real de las personas o de las cosas.
In the same blog, besides referring to the artist's activities across the world, he comments about the exposition in Medellin [es]:
La exposición desvela el detallado estudio y el amor que el artista colombiano siente por la pintura italiana del Renacimiento. Botero aborda el tema de la pasión de Cristo desde contextos tan diversos como Manhattan o los pueblos antioqueños. El artista permanece fiel a los eventos de la historia de Cristo y también al singular estilo con el que ha conquistado la fama.
On April 19, his birthday, Botero will be recognized in the Botero Museum [es] in Bogota, Colombia in a production with public school children and authorities.


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Cuba: Uproar Over Ozzie Guillen’s “Love” for Fidel Castro · Global Voices
Ellery Roberts Biddle

In an interview with the US-based Time magazine on April 9, 2012, Miami Marlins baseball team manager Ozzie Guillén told reporter Sean Gregory that he “loved” Fidel Castro.
I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that [expletive] is still there.
Across digital and mainstream media, Guillén’s comments unleashed a perfect storm of searing debate between baseball fans, political junkies, Cuban-American Miamians, and Cubans themselves.
Blogging for Pajamas Media and Babalu.com, Cuban-American Miami resident Henry Gómez called Guillén’s comments “dumb,” but acknowledged that Guillén, who is originally from Venezuela, had the right to make them:
In our country Ozzie Guillen has the right to say whatever he wants, no matter how dumb. What he doesn’t have is a right to be popular. If you make unpopular statements or jokes that are in poor taste, you can’t expect to be loved. If you repeatedly make such statements and alienate your boss’s customers, you can’t expect to keep your job for long. That would be just plain dumb.
Indeed, Guillén was promptly suspended by the team’s owners for five games. Many have argued that the funding for the Marlins’ new stadium, which was drawn mainly from local tax dollars, should justify the team’s decision. Guillén gave an emotional mea culpa at a press conference on Thursday afternoon. In the following video, demonstrators denounce Guillén outside of the Marlin's stadium in Miami:
Numerous Cubans in Miami and in other parts of the world expressed outrage at Guillén's comments, accusing him of having no compassion for the hardships that they or their families had experienced living in Cuba under the Castro government.
On La voz del destierro, [es] Juan Carlos Herrera, a Cuban exile blogger resident in Spain, wrote:
12 millones de cubanos sufren de carencias de todo tipo y pobreza crónica, debido a un sistema castrador de iniciativas de prosperar y crecer como persona, trabajador o profesional. En ese mar de dolor profundo, heridas incurables, impotencia e indignación, cayeron las palabras de Guillén.
On Twitter, many users pointed out that while Guillén’s comments may have offended many Marlins fans, he had the right to make them.
Cuba-American Miami Herald columnist Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) tweeted:
RE: Ozzie Guillen saying he loves or respects Fidel Castro, my folks brought me to U.S. so I'd could speak my mind. Others get same right.
@CesarAugustoRH echoed Salguero’s comment:
Como acosan a #OzzieGuillen por expresar sus pensamientos en el pais mas democratico del mundo!
Meanwhile, some users mockingly compared Guillén to categorically “evil” figures in recent history:
@Viper_Tim: “#CharlesManson denied parole…#OzzieGuillen disappointed
@RickyHuston: “#ozzieguillen admired hitler for his open mind
Others took Guillén to task on his political stance. @Maruor33 tweeted:
Lamentable que un venezolano #OzzieGuillen se exprese de esta manera! Que fácil es hablar pero no vivir la situación.
Cuban state media took many opportunities to note the hypocritical nature of Guillén’s punishment. La Joven Cuba, [es] a collective blog written by young Cuban journalists, had this to say about the controversy:
Nos critican por una supuesta falta de libertad de expresión y sin embargo actúan como trogloditas cuando alguien expresa una opinión que vaya contra sus intereses.
[…]
La manipulación del término “libertad de expresión” está a la orden del día en la política anticubana, es algo así como ‘haz lo que yo digo pero no lo que yo hago’.
They criticize us for a supposed lack of freedom of expression, and yet they act like louts when someone expresses an opinion that goes against their interests.
[…]
The manipulation of the term ‘freedom of expression’ is the order of the day in anti-Cuban politics, it’s something like ‘do as I say but not as I do.’
Mambi Watch, a Miami-based blog, took this question a step further:
If they truly are believers of human rights (and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), then Cuban exiles should understand that punishing Guillen would constitute a violation (as interference) of his “right to freedom of opinion” (Article 19). […] If Guillen is punished for his personal opinions the example of hypocrisy would have negative effects for the entire Miami community.
Mambi Watch noted that some Cuban-Americans, as well as Cubans on the island, have a great deal of respect for Fidel.
Americans and Cuban-Americans will have to confront these opinions at some point in the future. They won't be able to condemn or punish all of them as easily as Ozzie Guillen.

author: Ellery Roberts Biddle


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Egypt: The Drama of the Presidential Race · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Elections 2011/12.
It has been reported that since January 25, 2011 the profits of the Egyptian film industry have dropped, and the main reason must be that the drama in the political arena since that time cannot be beaten by any movies. The suspense has currently reached a peak thanks to the presidential elections race.
Hazem Salah's Mom
Hazem Salah Abou-Ismail, the Salafi cleric, is one of the candidates with the biggest chance of success, with a large number of supporters and endless posters all over the country. However, news came weeks ago that his mother might have American citizenship, and as the constitutional amendments made last year state that applicants cannot stand for presidential elections if at least one parent or spouse holds foreign nationality, Abou Ismail might be disqualified if this is proved to be the case.
Rally in Tahrir Square on April 13, 2012. Image by Flickr user Mosa'ab Elshamy (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
Since then contradictory news has been appearing on a daily basis, and during the past weeks it has been normal to see people asking for updates:
It's an ironic situation because the Salafis argued for the constitutional amendments:
According to Egyptian law, a person should get permission before taking another country's citizenship, and failing to do so means that the local authority will not be aware of the citizen's second nationality. Knowing this, Abou Ismail – who is a lawyer himself – filed a lawsuit calling for the Interior Ministry to prove his mother's U.S. citizenship, which it was unable to do. Doing this changed the question from whether his mother holds U.S. citizenship to whether the Ministry of Interior has the papers to prove it or not, and last Wednesday the court gave Hazem Salah's presidential dream a kiss of life, waiting for the final decision of the Supreme Committee for Elections.
The Chess Game of SCAF and the Muslim Brotherhood
The next two big candidates are Khairat El Shater and Omar Suleiman. The Muslim Brotherhood introduced Khairat El Shater into the presidential race very recently, despite their earlier pledge not to run a candidate for president. They even expelled Abdel-Monem Aboul-Futouh from the Brotherhood for defying that very pledge earlier.
A short while later Omar Suleiman entered the race. Zeinobia wrote about his entry:
Others believe that this is the answer of SCAF to El Shater’s candidacy and that the military is using the fear of the Islamists that is growing among the middle class.
Suleiman was Mubarak's vice president, yet according to Zeinobia he said the following in his announcement:
I decided to run for presidency in order to achieve the goals and aims of the January 25th revolution!
The Muslim Brotherhood compared Khairat El Shater – who was imprisoned many times during the Mubarak era – to Prophet Joseph who came out of jail to rule Egypt. Zeinobia commented:
The Muslim brotherhood boys decided that he was Joseph 2012 who will save the Egyptian economy !! Of course the old Joseph , the real Prophet Joseph did not call for the privatization of water or electricity or allowing the private sector to control the infrastructure of a third world country that already suffered a lot from corruption in the past 30 years!
She then added how Omar Suleiman supporters compared him to King Solomon, and comparing his opponents to ants that should hide or else they'll get crushed:
Interestingly enough El Shater’s nemesis in the presidential elections Omar Soliman is now being described by his supporters as King Solomon !!!
In a press release issued today by Soliman’s campaigner Samual Al Ashay, we find a quote by Mohamed Anatar. […] Anater ended his statement with a warning to the Muslim Brotherhood with a quote from the Qur'an: “O you ants, go into your homes, lest you get crushed by Solomon and his soldiers, without perceiving.”
Both the revolutionaries and the Muslim Brotherhood have been united in rejecting Suleiman. Raafatology wrote how Suleiman's belief that revolutionaries might support him to rescue them from the Muslim Brotherhood are totally wrong:
The parliament with its Islamic majority has been working on passing a law that bars the “remnants” (unreformed loyalists of the former regime) from entering the presidential race:
The recent tension  between the Muslim Brotherhood and SCAF, and the moves they have both made in the presidential race, made Mohamed Ibrahim describe the race as a chess game:
The Game Changer
On Saturday April 14 came the news that turned everything upside down, as AhramOnline reported:
The body overseeing Egypt's presidential election disqualified 10 candidates from the race on Saturday, including the Muslim Brotherhood's Khairat al-Shater, former spy chief Omar Suleiman and Salafi sheikh Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail, Ayman Nour, and Mortada Mansour.
The candidates still have 48 hours to appeal against the decision; however, the disqualification of the three candidates mentioned above has been the focus of most discussions on Twitter and blogs.
Bassem Sabry gave detailed reasons as to why each candidate was disqualified.
Ahmad Mahmoud Ali mocked the fact that all the candidates were disqualified at once:
Farid Salem expected the remaining candidates to be very happy, especially Aboul Fotouh and Amr Moussa:

Ahmad Shokr added:
@ahmadshokr: Omar Suleiman disqualified for failure to collect required signatures from 15 governorates. Deep state may not be so deep after all #egypt
While Tarek Shalaby couldn't care less about the elections:
@tarekshalaby: These elections are totally for entertainment and anthropological purposes – they have nothing to do with our ongoing revolution. #jan25
And finaly, Ahmed Abd Rabo went further, seeing a conspiracy being cooked:
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Elections 2011/12.

author: Tarek Amr


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Egypt: The Fall, Rise and Fall of Omar Suleiman · Global Voices
Salah Almhamdi

It has been a dramatic few weeks in Egyptian politics. On April 6, 2012, Omar Suleiman, Egypt's former vice president and intelligence chief, announced his candidacy for president. Omar Suleiman is considered by many Egyptians to be part of the counter-revolution, one of the “remnants”, or unreformed loyalists of the former regime.
On April 13, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Tahrir Square to protest against Suleiman's presidential campaign. Then, in a surprising turn of events, on April 14 it was announced that Suleiman was one of ten candidates barred from standing in the elections, apparently because he failed to get enough signatures to endorse his candidacy.
A panoramic view of Cairo's Tahrir Square showing tens of thousands of protesting against the candidacy of Omar Suleiman, April 13, 2012. Image by Flickr user Mosa'ab Elshamy (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
On April 12 blogger Raafat Rohaiem attacked Suleiman:
On April 14 Maikel Nabil Sanad, a prominent blogger and activist, wrote in a blog post entitled “Against Omar Suleiman”:
"The subtle questioning of Omar Suleiman's loyalties in Tahrir Square." Image by Twitter user @HannahAllam.
Suleiman has made an appeal to those (including Egypt's Christians) who are concerned that the Muslim Brotherhood is seeking to push through a conservative Islamic agenda in the country, and argues that he would stop Egypt becoming a “religious state”. Indeed, there are those who feel he would do a good job. Timmy tweeted:
@tamerhegab: To be honest, I don't mind Omar Soliman being president. The country will be up and running in 4 years; the Ikhwan [Muslim Brotherhood] will have gone. Perfect.
However, Mena Makram tweeted:
On April 7, just after Suleiman announced his candidacy, political cartoonist Carlos Latuff published this image of him rising from the “trash bin of history”:
"Omar Suleiman, former Mubarak strongman to join Egypt presidential race." Image by Carlos Latuff.
After the news of Suleiman's disqualification, artist Hazem Arafa made some changes:
Cartoon of Omar Suleiman by Carlos Latuff with changes by Hazem Arafa.
Maha Abouelenein believes that there is still hope for Suleiman:
@mahagaber: The only candidate that can modify his paperwork to qualify is Omar Soliman – he has 48 hours to get remaining tawkeels [endorsements]
Suleiman's campaign has announced that all legal measures will be taken to challenge the election committee’s decision.

author: Salah Almhamdi


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French Presidential Candidate’s Video to Attract Minorities  · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

François Hollande, the left wing candidate in the French presidential elections recently posted a video on youTube showing him walking in the French suburbs surrounded by minorities to the music of “Niggas in Paris” by Jay-Z and Kanye West. Commenting the video, AfroEurope  writes: “After appearing on YouTube on Tuesday, the video has already been watched over 28,000 times. The buzz on Twitter has so far been positive. But not everybody has been fooled. Some web users are complaining of “ethnic marketing”, according to France 24.”

author: Abdoulaye Bah


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Guinea-Bissau: Military Attack Citizens in Demonstration · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

According to Simão Mendes National Hospital [pt], the military attacked citizens in a demonstration this morning, April 15, in front of the National Parliament of Guinea-Bissau. On Facebook they have posted a picture of a stabbed patient who arrived at the hospital, “before they [the military] come and take our camera and computer, as they did with the journalist [Aly Silva]”.

author: Sara Moreira


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Panama: Traffic Congestion Sparks Online Reports and Complaints · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

Transport is one of Panama's biggest problems. Panama City is constantly growing. It's advantageous geographical location has, in recent years, made it a benchmark for world trade. Alongside Chile and Mexico, it has been one of Latin America's fastest growing countries [es].
However, the transport system has become a real headache for all Panamanians, whether they use public transport or they are fortunate enough to own their own vehicle.
The constant works and long-term improvements organised by the government have turned the centre of the city into a transportational chaos. Amongst the major works, an underground metro system [es] is being built that will run across a large part of the city, but this has meant the closing of certain main roads during its construction.
Post-work congestion.  Photo used with permission of  photographer Eirene Moreno.
Social networking sites have become daily reflections of the experiences of Panamanians throughout the “tranques” (a local slang term for traffic congestion). Accounts are beginning to appear on Twitter such as ¡Vía Noticias y más! (Highway News and More!) (@traficologo) [es] which has more than 18,000 followers and describes itself as follows:
¡El que madruga y tiene Twitter, Dios le ayuda!.. Brindamos reportes de Tráfico, tiempo, noticias e información variada desde Panamá.
Traffic Panamá (@TrafficPanama) [es], another very popular feed with more than 20,000 followers, says it is:
La forma de llegar mas rápido a tu destino, información de Trafico y temas de actualidad, cargados de opiniones diversas y polemicas
The interaction between Twitter users is varied and on-going, such as those who see the funny side of it all like Maria Elisa Cabal (@MareCabal) [es] who writes:
Jaja dizque aquí en #panamá no hay tranque sino caravana laboral
Others, like Gaby Acosta (@gabygabs27) [es] are voicing their anger over the never ending traffic congestion:
Cuánto más hay que madrugar para encontrar transporte o para no encontrar tranque? #Panamá
There are also those who try to enjoy the beauty of certain parts of the city, like Crisabel Delgado (@Crisalina01) [es] who took a photo of a Guayacan flower and shared it on her feed:
La belleza de mi Panama, la contemplo en el medio del tranque. @RobaMorena :D
A number of videos of the congestion can be found on Youtube.  n October 2011, a user known as pipolopez shared this short video:
According to the blog Mirando hacia Panamá [es] the situation is not as bad as it's made out to be; the blogger also points out that the situation is the same as in any city and that the blame lies with those who chose to use their cars even just to go as far as the street corner.
La verdad es que acabo de volver de un mes de vacaciones familiares en Panamá y la situación del tráfico no me pareció tan calamitosa como la pinta la voz pública. Es verdad que las avenidas no están tan vacías como en mi álbum de la Ciudad de Panamá de los años setenta y hasta ochenta (miren mi album de la Ciudad de Panamá). Es verdad que después de las 4 p.m., el viernes, más te vale no intentar cruzar el Puente de las Américas pensando ir y volver de Veracruz en menos que canta un gallo. Pero tampoco es para tanto, ni hay tantos accidentes como dicen, ni la gente es tan grosera como las pintan y claro, como en todas partes tienes que entrar en la fluidez del tráfico, con todos tus derechos y, sin jugar vivo más de la cuenta, no dejarte comer… y todo sale bien.
The “traque” is a part of Panamanians’ daily lives and social networks are for the most part helpful as a means of venting and prevention. On April 9, 2012, the Trending Topics PTY account (@TrendingsPanama) reported  that the term “Traque” was the number one most used in interactions between Panamanian users.

author: Ariel Moreno


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Spain: King Juan Carlos and the Elephant in Botswana · Global Voices
Esteve Mata

Days after Felipe Juan Froilan accidentally shot himself in the foot during shooting practice, his grandfather, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, fell while he was hunting and broke his pelvis. This would have been minor news, had it not been for the fact that he was hunting elephants in Botswana on the kind of safari that can cost up to $60,000 USD [es]. That the King of Spain would pay thousands to kill animals (while his country is suffering from recession, no less) has been deeply troubling for many, and this was clear on the blogosphere. Carlos Canicero sarcastically mused: “What's going on with the Bourbons and shotguns? Can't they live without shooting?” Lola Pardo of El País pointed out that Rann Safaris, the agency through which Juan Carlos booked his hunt, had shut down its website [es], shortly after a photo disseminated through the internet, showing the King posing before an elephant carcass.

author: Esteve Mata


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Sweden: Visiting Rinkeby, Stockholm’s Immigrant Ghetto · Global Voices
جلوبال فويسز

The Rinkeby district of Stockholm, Sweden is famous for its high concentration of immigrants. Curious outsiders have documented their visits.
Yemeni journalist and blogger Afrah Nasser lives in Stockholm. She wrote about visiting Rinkeby for the first time in a blog post on April 6, 2012.
I've always heard from people in Stockholm that there is an area called Rinkeby that is so full of immigrants and you can even hardly see Swedes there. So, I decided to go there, yesterday. I wanted to go and discover this mini-Non-Swedish area.
A street sign in Rinkeby. Photo by Afrah Nasser (used with permission)
Afrah noticed a difference upon arrival at the Rinkeby metro station which was shabbier than most central Stockholm metro stations like, T-Centralen. She compared photos of both stations:
My first impression when I arrived at the metro underground was, “OMG, Why the metro underground looks horrible! why there is no decoration at the metro !! Like how it is in , for example, Karlaplan (Where Swedes dress/walk like there is some kind of a fashion show)! No ads, no pretty pics on the walls like how it's the case at the average metro’ walls in the city.
T-Centralen Station. Photo by Afrah Nasser (used with permission)
Rinkeby Station. Photo by Afrah Nasser (used with permission)
Many people living in Rinkeby can't find a good job outside the community because they don't have the minimum Swedish language skills. According to Tricia Wang, an American blogger and cultural sociologist who visited Rinkeby in 2008, the woman in the next photo fears her children won't have good work opportunities because of the level of English and Swedish spoken in their school.
Bakery in Rinkeby. Photo by Tricia Wang on flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Vegetable market in Rinkeby. Photo by Tricia Wang on flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
At the end of her visit, Afrah said:
I said goodbye to Rinkeby with a feeling that Stockholm is segregated. Sana'a, my hometown, has been always segregated as well. The rich lived at one side and the poor at the other side. The Yemenis lived in one side and the immigrants lived at the other side. So, I know what social segregation means. There is an area in Sana'a called Safia that's heavily inhibited by Somalis. We used to call is Maqadishu. I bet Rinkeby is Stockholm's Safia. This is not new for me but it was interesting to discover this side of Stockholm.
Poster in Rinkeby advertising international money transfers to Africa. Photo by Tricia Wang on flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

author: جلوبال فويسز


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Syria: Safana Baqleh, the “Freedom Harp”, Arrested in Damascus  · Global Voices
Leila Nachawati Rego

UPDATE 19 April: Friends have confirmed that Safana Baqle was released on Thursday, after being taken to court for a few hours. The rest of activists detained for holding a “Stop the killing” banner are still under arrest. __________________________________________________________________
When Rima Dali was arrested on April 8 for holding a banner reading “Stop the killing. We want to build a country for all Syrians”, Safana Baqleh was the first person who rushed to defend her and try to stop the security forces from taking her with them. For this attempt she too was arrested, together with other activists attending a peaceful protest in front of the Syrian parliament. Rima Dali was released on April 10, but Safana remains in detention, as do activists Hussam Dahna, Ali Zain and Assem Hamsho.
Safana Baqleh, 30 years old, is a musician. She plays the harp and is known by her friends as the “Freedom Harp”. She was due to give a concert at the Opera House in Damascus on April 11. She graduated with honors from the High Institute of Music of Damascus and has a degree in English language and literature. Safana is a strong believer in nonviolent resistance and is a member of Nuwab Shabab (Young Members of Parliament), an organization promoting the presence of young people in parliament. She has also been a volunteer for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent since 2001.
Safana Baqleh, the "Freedom Harp". Image from Activist News Association on Facebook
Activists do not know Safana's whereabouts or what she is accused of, and are therefore deeply concerned about her. Her friends have created a Facebook page to share news on her detention and demand her release. Updates on her detention can also be followed under the #freesafana hashtag on Twitter.
Demonstrations and sit-ins have taken place in solidarity with Safana, Hussam Dahna, Ali Zain, Assem Hamsho and all Syrians imprisoned since the beginning of the regime´s brutal crackdown against all forms of opposition. The following video shows activists holding a banner reading “Stop the killing. We want to build a country for all Syrians”, at a shopping mall in Damascus on April 11.

author: Leila Nachawati Rego


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Thailand: Free Apps for Tourists · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Thailand's tourism authority has launched a website where visitors can download apps for a wide range of smartphones to help them plan their stay in the country

author: Mong Palatino


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Tracking the Location of Singaporeans in the World · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Where Are We SG is a website which maps the location of Singaporeans around the world.


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Australian Broadcaster Wins First Indigenous Journalism Award · Global Voices
Simon Maghakyan

The winner of the first journalism award for indigenous broadcasters hosted by the World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network (WITBN) in Norway on March 29, 2012 was National Indigenous Television from Australia. The winning video and other finalists can be viewed on the WITBN website.

author: Simon Maghakyan


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Brazil: Homage to the Victims of the Amazon in Washington, D.C. · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

This post is part of our special coverage Forest Focus: Amazon.
On Monday 9 April, 2012, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff made an official visit to the United States capital Washington, D.C. At approximately 10am local time, around 100 people gathered in front of the Brazilian embassy bearing images and messages in an act of solidarity with the Amazonian casualties.
The activists wanted to draw international attention to the Brazilians who were killed and who are being persecuted for their work to protect the Amazon rainforest,  and promise Brazil further criticism [pt]. We invite you to learn a little more about these Brazilians and their causes.
Zé Cláudio, Maria do Espírito Santo and Laísa, “with a bullet in the head”
A Zé Cláudio poster. Photo by Felipe Milanez (used with permission).
The Brazilian journalist Felipe Milanez was in Washington and shared photos of the preparations and the protest itself on his Twitter account (@felipedjeguaka). Milanez has been one of the most active voices in giving visibility to those victims in the Amazon region.
He was very close to the conservationist and environmentalist José Cláudio da Silva, who was murdered with his wife, Maria do Espírito Santo, on 24th May 2011 near the city of Nova Ipixuna, Pará. Six months previously Zé Cláudio, as he was known, explained during a presentation on TEDx Amazônia that illegal loggers were causing a threat in the region and that he was living “with a bullet in the head”- he could be murdered at any time.
In November 2011, Milanez and Vice magazine released the documentary Toxic: Amazônia, about both the defence of the rainforest and the abundance of illegal loggers in Nova Ipixuna.
On 9 February, Maria's sister, teacher Laísa Santos Sampaio, was at the United Nations in New York to receive a posthumous tribute to the couple in a ceremony that closed the International Year of Forests. Laísa returned to live in the settlement Praialta Piranheira, in Nova Ipixuna, despite receiving death threats.
Felipe Milanez issued  [pt] a petition on 12 February on Twitter demanding the authorities protect Laísa:
Laisa chega hoje a noite em Maraba. E teme ser morta! Abaixo-assinado pela proteção imediata de Laisa Sampaio http://t.co/qAvLBScw
Among the posters displayed in the protest, all produced by the artist César Maxit, was one saying Laísa: “I want to live.”.
"The Amazon and its people want to live". Posters with photos of Maria do Espírito Santo, Zé Cláudio da Silva and Chico Mendes, an environmentalist murdered in Acre in 1988. Photo by Felipe Milanez (used with permission).
Nilcilene de Lima, Dinhana Dink and the threat of gunmen
Nilcilene: I want to live. Photo by Felipe Milanez (used with permission).
Nilcilene Miguel de Lima was also not forgotten. After receiving death threats from land grabbers and illegal loggers since 2009 from the city of Lábrea, Amazonas, she now has protection from the National Public Security Force. In retaliation for her complaints of land invasions and tree thefts, Nilcilene was beaten and her house was burned.
In a Global Voices post from March 2012, the link between deaths and the agrarian economy in the country was discussed.
On 30 March, 27-year-old Dinhana Dink, who worked closely with Nilcilene, was murdered in a village in Nova Califórnia, Rondônia, where her family had recently moved. According to report agency A Pública [pt], Dinhana had informed on gunmen who raided, attacked and killed farmers in the region.She was with one of her three children, six-year-old Tiago, when she was shot in the chest in the early hours of the morning.
Several families who are close to Nilcilene left Lábrea, since the Amazonian town has no policing. It is the illegal loggers and their gunmen who exercise de facto power.
Belo Monte hydroelectric plant and Rio+20
There are also criticisms of the hydroelectric plant in Belo Monte, which is still under construction on the river Xingu, in Pará, which is set to have the 3rd largest capacity in the world. In 2011, indigenous and riverside communities in the region of Volta Grande do Xingu, as well as other cities both in Brazil and the rest of the world, said ‘no’ to the plant [pt] because of its social and environmental impact.
"Protest in front of the Brazilian embassy, in Washington: Stop Belo Monte; Enough Violence! " Photo by Felipe Milanez (used with permission).
Recently, on 29 March, construction was halted following the death of a worker. On 4 April, riot control was called to force the workers to continue the construction but some of them resisted, according to the site [pt] Xingu Vivo.
"Rio-20: where human rights become 'green capitalism'?". Photo by Felipe Milanez (used with permission).
There were also questions raised regarding the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, scheduled for this June in Rio de Janeiro.
Maria do Espírito Santo and Zé Cláudio Ribeiro da Silva. Photo by Felipe Milanez (used with permission).
Threats to the Guarani-Kaiowá's land
On 8 April, anthropologist Tonico Benites’ report [pt] was shared on Facebook several times. It recounts the harassment he suffered while trying to drive to the village of Irajuí, in the municipality of Paranhos, Mato Grosso do Sul, with his wife and children. Benites tells how the man who stopped him in the road knew that he was investigating the Guarani-Kaiowá and he said:
“Você tem filhos e esposa, né? Gosta dela e de teus filhos? hein?! fala?” Respondi que sim.
Então ele passou [a] me ameaçar: “Você vai perder tudo, ela que você ama e [os] filhos que gosta, vai perder, Vai perder carro. Vai perder dinheiro. Tudo você vai perder. Você quer perder tudo? Você quer perder tudo?”, ele repetiu várias vezes essas pergunta.
As previously reported on Global Voices, the lands of the Guarani-Kaiowá attract greed from cane sugar and soy farmers. On 18 November, 2011, 42 men entered the Tekoha Guaviry camp in Amambaí, Mato Grosso do Sul, and killed the chief Nísio Gomes, a woman and a child, and kidnapped others.
This post is part of our special coverage Forest Focus: Amazon.

author: João Miguel Lima


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China: Feminist Questions ‘Date NGO Girls’ Charity Event · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently, NPI, a nonprofit organization that supports the development of NGOs, together with a number of print and online media organizations hosted a marriage matchmaking charity event in Beijing. The organizers explained that the project, known as ‘Close to Charity, Date NGO Girls’, is meant to help young female NGO staffers to find their marriage match and to promote the idea of “new happiness”. The first dating event was on April 15, 2012.
However, prominent feminist blogger Lu Ping has questioned why charities and NGOs are spending their resources to promote a culture that reinforces gender, marriage and sexual stereotypes.
Below is the advertisement [zh] for the event:
Online marriage matchmaking event poster. Image from Weibo account suesue2008
是的，这是一场相亲会。2012公益圈兄弟姐妹第一件欢天喜地的大事儿，就是争当“卖女孩的小火柴”，纷纷要为身边NGO女生找到伴侣。
这，又不仅仅是一场相亲会。各界青年才俊将会云集，在这里，您可以亲近公益，跨界交友，感受“新幸福主义”。
如果您是公益界的人士，请踊跃推荐和鼓动身边的NGO单身女生！
如果您是NGO的单身女孩，赶快摘下面纱勇敢自荐，2012都来啦！
如果您喜欢有爱心的女孩，还等什么？还不报名来“抢亲”？
同时，欢迎您出谋划策，提供创意；欢迎您提供资源，加盟合作。
4月中旬，我们将为您在茫茫人海中“情缘一线牵”。
谁来一起，与她擦亮生命中的火柴？缘来如此，敬请期待。
Yes, this is a marriage matchmaking event. A big and happy event in 2012 for brothers and sisters within the charity circle to compete to become a match for someone, sell their girls and help girls from NGOs find a mate. This is not only a marriage matchmaking event. Elites representing different sectors will gather here and build friendships across industry lines. Experience a new happiness.
If you are from within the charity circle, please recommend single girls from NGOs around you.
If you are a single girl from an NGO, take off your veil and sign yourself up for the function. 2012 has come.
If you like girls who have love in their hearts, don't wait. Sign up for the function and grab your bride.
You are welcome to give us suggestions and creative ideas. You are also welcome to provide resources and become our partners.
In mid-April, from among millions of people, we will find the one for you. Who will become the match that lights up her life? This is what we call karma, please be ready.
Currently, only 16 girls have been selected for the actual dating function. Their pictures and profiles [zh] are hosted on a special page on QQ's web platform.
Marriage matching is a very common phenomena in China, with marriage markets and “matchmaking corners”, as they are known locally, found very easily in major cities, such as in Shanghai. Most of the dating events are either arranged privately by family members or by commercial dating businesses. The question arising from this charity marriage matchmaking is, why are charities and NGOs getting involved in marriage matchmaking and what kind of gender relations they are perpetuating in the process?
Well-known Beijing-based feminist Lu Ping penned a long article [zh] in the China Development Brief, a publication that covers the nonprofit sector in China, criticizing such a charity:
公益组织从资金到人力、品牌、平台、公信的投入，应该划出公共利益的底线，否则就是滥用。为部分公益工作者的个人需求，而动用公益资源，是滥用行为。
都是单身，若一部分“未婚”公益人需要相亲，也总有一部分丧偶、离婚的公益人需要吧，公益组织怎么就不关心他们的婚恋需求？排斥这些人的理由是什么？
在同一阶层中，离婚、丧偶、同性恋者更少找到伴侣的机会，既然是公益相亲，为何不首先满足他们？多数人优先、主流群体优先、更有机会者优先，这不是公益精神。
All the participants are single. When it comes to the need of marriage, divorcees and widowers also would have the same need. Why don't the organizers pay attention to their needs? What is the reason for excluding their participation in this event? The chance for divorcees, widowers and homosexuals to find their partners is far less than that of single girls. If this is charity matchmaking, why don't you satisfy the needs of these minorities? To give priority to the mainstream and dominant social groups is not consistent with the spirit of charity.
通过相亲找到配偶的例子很多，但共识的恐怕是，相亲本身不是浪漫爱，相亲要讲条件，至少在起点上必须是，条件匹配的人才应该坐到一起相。至于条件，身高、相貌、教育程度、收入、家庭背景……往往是基于等级的标准，以及刻板的性别期待。
中国的主流社会深患婚姻强迫症，最直接的表现是认为人人都要在所谓“适龄”结婚，不结婚就是不忠不孝不成年，针对单身妇女还特别发明了“剩女”一词，暗示没男人要就是没价值。相对间接的表现，则是赞美婚姻生活，宣扬浪漫爱，仿佛单身就不是“幸福”和享受生活。然而正有越来越多的人在争取和维护单身的自由，从家庭暴力到男性性特权到财产和责任的不平等，则正在让越来越多的人特别是妇女认识到，在这个性别不平等的社会里，浪漫爱之承诺的兑现往往要靠幸运，婚姻不是什么幸福的终点站。
Mainstream Chinese society is suffering from a pathology of marriage coercion. It pressures everyone to marry at the appropriate age. Or else the person is immature and not loyal to his or her family and country. Recently, society introduced the term “residue woman” to trash single women who are deemed not wanted by men. The society praises married life and propagates romantic love as if being single cannot lead to a happy and enjoyable life. However, more and more people are defending the single life. More and more women are coming to realize that in a gender unequal society, what they face in a marriage is domestic violence, unequal claim to property, etc. One's luck in love and marriage is not the end game for happiness.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Chinese Africans in Hong Kong · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Republic of the Gambia has no consulate in Hong Kong. But the city has a population of Mainland Chinese Gambian passport holders seeking residency in HK via the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES). More from David Webb.


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Ecuador: New “Conectándonos” Blog Announces Gathering in May · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

The Ecuadorian version of the blog Conectándonos [es] (“getting connected”) announces the upcoming gathering in Loja, Ecuador on May 24-26. Rising Voices and a local university -the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja [es] (UTPL).- are co-organizing this event which aims “to promote [digital] integration and participation of groups and individuals from underrepresented sectors.” The first Conectándonos gathering was held in Bolivia in December 2011.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Ethiopia: PEN Awards Top Prize to Jailed Journalist and Blogger · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ethiopia journalist and dissident blogger is the recipient of 2012 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award: “Nega, a leading advocate for press freedom and freedom of expression in Ethiopia, was arrested on September 14, 2011, and is currently being tried under the country's sweeping anti-terror legislation…. He could face the death penalty if convicted.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Ethiopia: Teddy Afro’s New Album Stirs Up Online Discussion  · Global Voices
Endalkachew Chala

The release of a highly anticipated Teddy Afro’s new album, Tikur Sew, which can literally be translated as “A Black Person,” has stirred up discussion online. Tikur Sew is a homage to King Menelik II, whose victory over the Italians at the Battle of Adwa in 1896 made him a pride of Africa.
The lyrics of the song, which are written both in Amharic and Afan Oromo, are loaded with the history of Ethiopia’s Battle of Adwa, a topic that is seldom sung by Ethiopian musicians.
One of Ethiopian music Facebook pages writes:
Teddy Afro's new song is spreading like a wild fire in a street….love is in the air, in the streets of Addis…..wow…simply wow…………Teddy is the man……
Other discussions are taking place on Teddy Afro Facebook fans page, which has over 65,581 likes.
Teddy Afro in concert. Photo of Flickr user ALEMUSH released under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) .
Another fan posts an extended note [am] on his page:
ዛሬ ለሕዝብ ጆሮ የደረሰው የቴዲ አፍሮ አልበም እጄ ከገባበት ቅጽበት አንስቶ እያንዳንዱን ሙዚቃ እስካሁን ቢያንስ ስምንት ስምንት ያህል ግዜ (በኃይማኖቷ ምክንያት ሙዚቃን አርም ካለችው እናቴ ጋር እየተነታረኩም ቢሆን) አጣጥሜዋለሁ ፤ በቶሎም የምረካ (የምሰለች) አይመስለኝም፡፡ በተለይ “ጥቁር ሰው” እና “ደስ የሚል ስቃይ” የሚሉት ስራዎች (ላለማጋነን ከሃያ ግዜ በላይ ደጋግሜያቸዋለሁ) የሚገርም እርካታ ፈጥረውብኛል፡፡
ሆኖም ያልተሞከረ ታሪካዊ ዳራ እና ወኔያማ አቀራረብ ይዞ ብቅ ያለው “ጥቁር ሰው” በተሰኘው ስራ ውስጥ የተወሱት (የተወደሱት) የኢትዬጵያ አርበኞች ማንነት (በብሄረተኛ ኦሮሞዎች ዘንድ ስለአርበኞቹ ውስጥ ውስጡን ያለው ውዝግብና ቅያሜን ማለቴ ነው) እንዲሁም አርበኞቹ ከተወደሱባቸው ስንኞች መኸከል የተወሰኑት
(ለምሳሌ …
“”…አድዋ ሲሄድ ምንሊክ “ኑ” ካለ
አይቀርም በማሪያም ስለማለ
ታዲያ ልጁ ምን አለ?
“ወይ” …
“ወይ” ሳልለው ብቀር ያኔ
እኔን አልሆንም ነበር እኔ
እኔን አልሆንም ነበር እኔ
እኔን አልሆንም ነበር እኔ…”)
…የሚሉት ስንኞች ለድርብ ፍቺ (MISINTERPRETATION) የተጋለጡ መሆናቸው ለታሪካዊና ፖለቲካዊ ክርክር ብሎም ቶሎ ለሚከስም ውዝግብ (ከላይ ከጠቀስኳቸው ብሄረተኛ ኦሮሞዎች ጋር) መንገድ እንደሚከፍቱ ከወዲሁ እየተሰማኝ ነው፡፡
የሆነው ሆኖ የቴዲን በሳል እና ወኔያማ ስራ ተከትሎ በርዕሰ-ጉዳይ ላይ አይቀሬ ሆኖ እየተሰማኝ ያለው እሰጥ-እገባ እንዲሁም በጉጉት የምጠብቀው የቴዲ ምላሽ (ሁሌም የምናውቀው አይነት ቀና እና አስታራቂ አንዳንዴም ብልጣብልጥ ምላሾቹን ማለቴ ነው) የኋላኋላ ለብሄራዊ አንድነትና መግባባት መንገድ እደሚደለድሉ ገና ካሁኑ ልበሙሉነት እና ደስታን ፈጥረውብኛል፡፡ ታሪክን ለመስራት ደፋር መሆን ካለብን ይሄ በቂ አብነት ይመስለኛል፡
I am looking forward to hear Teddy’s intelligent and shrewd response to the foreseeable controversies regarding his Album. But I feel his attempt will positively put in an element for building a common national identity. Besides, he sets an exemplary effort for courage and wisdom!
Markos, an Ethiopian blogger and Global Voices Author, lists 5 reasons why you need to buy Teddy Afro's album:
1. His songs invoke emotions
Artists should invoke emotions and Teddy Afro is very good at it. He takes Asmera to Addis; for most people still don’t believe that Ethiopians and Eritreans are two different nations. He invokes emotions about the social challenges what Ethiopians have in the country and outside the country. He sings about equality and unity. I would also expect that he would invoke emotions in this new album.
2. He is an activist
Activism is barely accepted in Ethiopian society let alone with the government. It is great that there are many online activists right now, thanks to social media! But the in the society at large most activists are driven by their political parties not in their own philosophies. Teddy’s activism comes out of himself. His new album titled “tikur sew” [am], Black Person. I expect that he will exercise activism in his new album.
However, Befeqe does not think that Afro is an activist. In his blog post he responds to Markos [am] explaining why he does not need to buy Afro's album:
ይህንን መንግስት እና ይህንን ኑሮ አላማረረም (I don’t want art for the sake of art)
‹እንዴ ቴዲ እኮ ዘፋኝ ነው?› ካላችሁ፣ እንዴ እስክንድርም እኮ ጋዜጠኛ ነው እላችኋለሁ፤ ‹እንዴ ቴዲን እኮ እያሰሩት ነው?› ካላችሁ፣ እንዴ እስክንድርንም እኮ ከሰባቴ በላይ አስረውታል እላችኋለሁ፡፡ ‹የፈለገውን አቋም መያዝ፣ ማራመድ ወይም አለማራመድ አይችልም እንዴ?› ካላችሁ ግን እስማማለሁ ግን ባያስጀምረን ነበር፡፡ የምርጫ 97 ሰሞን ጥዑም ፖለቲካ ዘፍኖ ከዘፋኝነት ወደነፃ አውጪነት ካሸጋገርነው በኋላ ማፈግፈጉ ያኔ የሕዝቡን ትኩሳት ተንተርሶ ሊጠቀምብን ነበር ማለት ነው? ያኔ ተቃዋሚዎች ተስፋ አላቸው ከነርሱ ልወዳጅ ብሎ ነበር ማለት ነው? ዛሬ ድንገት ተነስቶ ‹የለም! ኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ እየተካሄደ ያለውን ነገር አላየሁም፣ አልሰማሁም› ቢል እኔም አልሰማውም፡፡
But Zelalem Kibret, a blogger residing in Addis Ababa, looks at Teddy’s song in a different in a post titled “Ethiopian History 101 By Teddy Afro”:
The New Teddy Afro album is amazing as always has been and I prefer to give my reflection on the title of the album called ‘Tikur Sew’.
In Tikur Sew Teddy tries to give a history lesson for Ignorants but, not in a conventional way rather in a new & lovable way.
1. E pluribus unum , Out of Many, One
The first thing that I found Interesting in ‘Tikur Sew’ is Its mentioning of different Patriots & war lords who plays pivotal role in the battle of Adwa, from different Ethnic Group :
❥ First It mention Dejazmach Balcha Aba Nefso, an Oromo patriot
❥ Then Emperor Minilik ( Aba Gagnaw) , from Shewa, Amhara
❥ The Next is Fitawrari Habte Giorgis Dinagde ( Aba Mela ) , a Gurage Patriot
❥ It is Ras Mengesha Yohannes, Tigrian Patriot ( The son of Emperor Yohannes IV from Tigray) turn to be mentioned and followed by.
❥ Ras Alula Engida, another Tigrian Patriot,
An exiled satirist blogger Abe Tokichaw also posts [am] a rejoinder to the discussion:
ለእምዬ ምንሊክ የተዘፈነው ጥቁር ሰው! ኢህአዴግ ይበልጡንም ደግሞ ህውሃት ሚኒሊክን እንዴት አድርገው እንደጠመዷቸው ልብ ስል አደዋ ላይ ሚኒሊክ ድል የነሱት ጣልያንን ሳይሆን ህውሃትን ነበር እንዴ? ብዬ እጠይቃለሁ። ባለፈው ግዜ እምዬ ምኒሊክን ክፉኛ የሚያንጓጥጥ መፅሐፍ ከህውሃት ወዳጆች አንዱ የሆኑ ሰው አሳትመው ነበር። በዛ ላይም እንዳየነው ከኢህአዴግ ወላጅ አባቶች አንዱ የሆኑት አቦይ ስብሀት ፀሐፊውን “እጅህ ይለምልም!” ብለው ከሞካሹ በኋላ በሚኒሊክ ላይ ዘመቻው እንደሚቀጥል ተናግረው… “ጥቁር ሰው” ሙዚቃ አፄ ሚኒሊክን ድጋሚ ያነገሰ ቢባል ይገባዋል። አሁን እንግዲህ ሰሞነ ቴዲ አፍሮ ገብቷል።
The question is whether Teddy Afro's music will be censored. Gezahegn Teji, an Ethiopian who has written a thesis on music censorship in Ethiopia, challenges the practice of music censorship in light of the Ethiopia’s Constitution which forbids of any form of censorship:
Officials, journalists, DJs, music editors, lobbying and religious groups, and music producers are found to be active agents censorship. Music is censored to circumvent retribution, to satisfy bosses and to be perceived as caretakers of “government’s ideology”. Hence, self-censorship overrides other types of censorship, i.e. official, unofficial, and market censorship.
De Birhan’s blog reports that the album might have been “censored”:
As the Ethiopian music audience eagerly awaits the release of Tewordos Kassahun’s aka Teddy Afro’s new album “Tikuer Sew” meaning Black Person rumour has been circulating in the city of Addis Abeba that the album might have been “censored’’from being distributed. No authentic source could verify this.
Teddy Afro is one of the leading young singers in Ethiopian music scene. He was accused of hit-and-run manslaughter and was imprisoned for six years in 2008. The appellate court reduced his sentence to two years in February 2009. However, Afro was released from prison eight months early on account of good behaviour. Ethiopian activists maintain that his imprisonment was a result of political nature of his music.

author: Endalkachew Chala


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India: Administration Backlash over a Political Cartoon and it’s Aftermath · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

The recent arrest of an university professor in West Bengal, India, over a humorous political cartoon has been met by stiff resistance and protest both online and offline. On his blog Pabitraspeaks, blogger Pabitra Mukhopadhyay discusses how the incident is another in a slew of recent incidents that have negatively impacted the image of the state's Chief Minister, Ms. Mamata Banerjee.

author: Aparna Ray


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India: The Supreme Court Upholds Right to Education · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

Soumalya Ray at Medica-India explains the recent Supreme Court judgement which upheld the Right to Education and mandated 25% reservation in private as well as government-aided minority schools for children from the weaker sections of society.


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Iran’s “Electronic Curtain” Animated by U.S. State Department · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

In a message to Iranians on the occasion of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year on March 20, 2012, United States President Barack Obama condemned Iran for the creation of an “electronic curtain” which stops the free flow of information and ideas into the country.
Now the U.S. Department of State's Bureau for International Information Programs has released an animation about the electronic curtain on YouTube and is leveraging the internet to pass on the message. They encourage using the hashtag #ConnectIran.
The video is also available in Spanish and French, Chinese, and Russian.
Also on March 20, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced the easing of sanctions on some Internet services. See our interview with Iranians: Does Easing Internet Sanctions Make Any Difference?

author: Fred Petrossian


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Kenya: Kenyan Films in Africa Movie Academy Awards · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Hot Secrets blogs about Africa Movie Academy Awards: “The list of nominees for this year’s Africa Movie AcademyAwards (AMAA) has been released. Kenya has a total of 14 nominations. The organizerand founder said, “Our theme this year is Africa Rising. Africa’s economies areconsistently growing faster than those of almost any other region of the worldand our film industries are following suit.”


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Mali: Timbuktu, a Cultural Treasure in Peril · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

The name Timbuktu conjures up a majestic, stately image all over the world. However the war in northern Mali and the presence of small extremist groups constitutes a serious threat to the fate of the town.
In a press release [fr], Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, describes her worry about the risk this fighting poses to Timbuktu's global cultural heritage:
D’après des informations récentes publiées par la presse, les rebelles ont pénétré dans le site et des tirs y ont été entendus. Le Mali compte trois autres sites du patrimoine en plus de Tombouctou : les Villes anciennes de Djenné, les Falaises de Bandiagara (pays dogon) et le Tombeau des Askia.
Sankore Mosque in Timbuktu. Image from Wikipedua, License Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Timbuktu was a centre for culture and propagation of the Muslim faith, which reached far beyond Mali's borders. There were universities where scholars would come to teach about the Muslim world.
There are still three Grand Mosques: Sidi Yahia, Djingareyber and Sankoré, which date back to its golden age, but are threatened by the advancing sand. In these buildings especially there is a large number of books.
However, the fear is that, with people fleeing to neighbouring countries or other regions within Mali in a bid to avoid recent fighting, humanity will lose a priceless treasure for ever. Christelle Marot, a Casablanca journalist and blogger on the riches of Timbuktu's written documents, states [fr] on africultures.com:
Ces 25 000 manuscrits ne seraient que le sommet de l'iceberg. On estime à près de 100 000 le nombre d'écrits aux mains des familles de Tombouctou, sans compter les collections privées détenues par les habitants des régions de Kidal, Gao, Ségou ou Kayes, qui pourrait conduire au chiffre édifiant de 700 000, voire un million pour le Mali et la sous-région. Certains ouvrages, soustraits aux regards et aux pillages des étrangers durant la colonisation, seraient encore enfouis sous le sable.
During an exhibition organised by Timbuktu's Fondo Kati library to promote the renaissance of Hispano-Muslim culture and to help raise awareness of the shared heritage and strong links, which previously united Spanish towns and regions such as Andalusia and Toldeo with the Niger Bend, journalist Salimata Diouara wrote [fr]:
Selon M. HAÏDARA, l'explorateur Mahmoud Kati a laissé derrière lui plusieurs milliers de manuscrits, écrits en arabe, en hébreu et en espagnol, actuellement conservés dans la bibliothèque familiale Fondo Kati de Tombouctou. Cette bibliothèque a été créée par Mahmoud Kati, fils d'Ali Ben ZIYAD et de Kadidia SYLLA qui est la grande sœur de l'empereur Askia Mohamed. Elle comprend 14.000 manuscrits dont 7.000 sont déjà répertoriés.
According to the website tombouctoumanuscripts.org, South Africa financed the construction of Nouvel Institut Ahmed Baba [fr] at a cost of 2.5 billion CFA Francs (381,000 euro). The Institute's premises measure 4,800 m and include a 500-seat ampitheatre, a 300-seat conference room and a library:
possède actuellement une collection d’environ 30000 manuscrits collectés grâce aux efforts de quelques personnalités exceptionnelles telles que le Dr Mahmoud Zubayr, premier directeur du centre, et Abdul Kader Haidara qui a travaillé pour CEDRAB avant d’établir sa bibliothèque personnelle. Ce chiffre de 30000 manuscrits est encore quelque peu conservateur si l’on considère le nombre estimé de manuscrits existant dans la région.
Christelle Marot also reminds us [fr] in her post on Africultures mentioned above:
l'Arabie Saoudite et le Koweït ont donné près de 45 millions de francs CFA [Euros 68 602]au centre Ahmed Baba, outre les actions déjà menées par l'Unesco, la Norvège et le Luxembourg.  Pour les privés, ce sont des fondations qui interviennent largement….
The black flag of Islamist fundamentalists flies over Timbuktu by Boubacar Bah on Twitter
What will become of this treasure? After the city of Timbuktu was dramatically taken by Toureg rebels and then the Islamist groups of Ansar Dine and Al-Qaïda in the Maghreb (Aqmi), many are experiencing anxiety over the answer to this question.
In a post entitled “Après les Bouddhas de Bamyan, les manuscrits de Tombouctou?” (After the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the manuscripts of Timbuktu?) [fr], Hervé Bar quotes Hamady Bocoum, director of the African Institute of Basic Research (Ifan) in Dakar:
Des manuscrits uniques (près de 100.000) sont conservés depuis plusieurs siècles à Tombouctou, ville savante, ville des 333 saints, où pratiquement chaque concession est un patrimoine, une bibliothèque “Possession des grandes lignées de la ville, ces manuscrits, les plus anciens remontant au XIIe siècle, sont conservés comme des trésors de famille dans le secret des maisons, des bibliothèques privées, sous la surveillance des anciens et d'érudits religieux.Ils sont pour la plupart écrits en arabe ou en peul, par des savants originaires de l'ancien empire du Mali. Ces textes parlent d'islam, mais aussi d'histoire, d'astronomie, de musique, de botanique, de généalogie, d'anatomie…Autant de domaines généralement méprisés, voire considérés comme “impies” par Al-Qaïda et ses affidés jihadistes. L'exemple funeste des Bouddhas de Bamyan, dans le centre de l'Afghanistan, vient immédiatement à l'esprit.
Guy Alain Bembelly [fr] reminds us that this city has been listed as a world heritage site since 1988:
Tombouctou est un vrai grenier du savoir didactique dans les domaines de l’astronomie, de la musique, de la botanique, de l’histoire (sur l’histoire du Soudan au xve siècle). Le centre de documentation et de recherches Ahmed-Baba (Cedrab), fondé en 1970 avec l’aide de l’UNESCO, recueille certains de ces manuscrits pour les restaurer et les numériser. Ce trésor culturel est à préserver. Il faut y aller…
In his post, Bembelly quotes [fr] several phrases attributed to intellectuals who lived in Timbuktu, including Ahmed Baba (1556-1627), whose words are displayed at the centre named after him:
Ô toi qui vas à Gao fais un détour par Tombouctou. Murmure mon nom à mes amis et porte-leur le salut parfumé de l’exilé qui soupire après le sol où résident sa famille, ses amis, ses voisins.
Unfortunately the turn of events leaves no room for doubt that the worst case scenario from a military standpoint seems to be happening. In fact, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (NMLA), which declared its secularity and its desire to find a certain respectability, seems to be giving way to other more extremist movements.
Moussa Haïdara, a cameraman who filmed the arrival of the convoy of Ansar Dine fundamentalists in the city under the supervision of  Tuareg Iyad Ag Ghaly, quoted in a post published on the website slateafrique.com, stated [fr]:
Ils sont venus avec cinquante véhicules. Ils ont pris la ville, chassé les gens du MNLA et brûlé leur drapeau, pour mettre à la place le leur sur le camp militaire de la ville.


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Mexico: Children in Viral Video Shake Up Presidential Campaign · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Against the backdrop of the electoral process happening in Mexico to choose the next president, the movement named Nuestro México del Futuro [es] (Our Mexico of the Future) kicked off April 9, 2012, with its release of a video titled “Niños incómodos exigen a candidatos” (Uncomfortable Children Call on the Candidates).
During its 4 minutes and 2 seconds, the video portrays daily scenes of sadness for Mexicans (robbery, kidnapping, poverty, violence, public corruption, chaotic traffic and environmental pollution) acted out by children, with a final forceful message for the presidential candidates:
Si éste es el futuro que me espera, no lo quiero. Basta de trabajar para sus partidos y no para nosotros. Basta de arreglar el país “por encimita”. Doña Josefina, don Andrés Manuel, don Enrique, don Gabriel, se acabó el tiempo, México ya tocó fondo. ¿Sólo van a ir por la silla o van a cambiar el futuro de nuestro país?
The video went viral and was shared by thousands of people on Facebook and Twitter. As what happens normally with viral videos, reactions were swift.
Katya Albiter [es] for Vivir México, praised the video, but was skeptical of and questioned those who were behind its production:
Desgraciadamente, me cuesta trabajo dejarme llevar tan fácil porque, tras la emoción, lo primero que pienso es: este video no es cosa de niños. La producción es demasiado buena y bien cuidada. Y entonces me pregunto ¿quién está detrás de esto? La respuesta más inmediata es Nuestro México del Futuro. Ellos se definen como “un movimiento social sin precedente a escala nacional que ha convocado a todos los mexicanos a expresar su visión sobre el México en el que les gustaría vivir” -yo me niego a calificarlo de “movimiento social”, es lo malo de estudiar sociología, nada nos complace-.
Vitocha, author of the blog Estupideces sin sentido [es], expressed his opinion, disagreeing with the critique of the current system and the indignation generated by it, being only a “fad”:
Contrario a la muy probablemente opinión mayoritaria, que aplaude ese ejercicio de libertad de expresión de traumatizantes efectos mediáticos, a mi no me causa furor justiciero. Y no sólo por mi tendencia natural a ejercer de advocatus diavoli, ni por la indignación tipo señora gorda histérica que ha producido en la clase política y en la intelectualidad inorgánica, el empleo de niños actores para intervenir en el proceso electoral federal en curso, violando las disposiciones legales, sino por la esencia del mensaje que forma parte de una tendencia en boga entre la sociedad civil.
A principios de los años noventa comenzó a gestarse en la escena política mexicana una moda que en ese momento tenía una razón de ser y resultaba efectiva en sus propósitos. Era la moda de constituir grupos críticos, formados por empresarios, intelectuales, ex guerrilleros, curas liberacionistas y activistas ambientales y de derechos humanos.
Contrary to what is probably the majority opinion, which applauds this exercise in freedom of expression of the traumatizing effects of the media, this does not afflict me with righteous anger. And not only because of my natural tendency to play the devil's advocate, nor because of that fat hysterical woman type of indignation that has come out of the political class and inorganic intellectuality, the employment of child actors to intervene in the current federal electoral process, violating legal regulations, but because of the essence of the message that is part of a trend in vogue among civil society.
In the early 1990s, a fad began to take shape on the Mexican political landscape that in that moment was reasonable and effective in its aims. It was a fad that birthed groups of critics, made up of businessmen, intellectuals, ex-soldiers, liberationist priests and environmental and human rights activists.
The author justified his ideas:
Ser ciudadano no se agota en andar denunciando con el índice flamígero, ni en el áurea impoluta que se forma al pertenecer a una organización de la sociedad civil que no quiere contaminarse incursionando en actividades políticas. Tampoco significa promover una percepción maniquea y bastante rudimentaria de “ciudadanos buenos vs. políticos malos”, ni en frases soeces del tipo “estamos hasta la madre”.
Ser ciudadano, y esto lo dicen algunos personajes con más o menos “cierta” credibilidad ganada al paso de los años e incluso de los siglos, como Hobbes, Rousseau, Montesquieu y más recientemente Hannah Arendt, es ser parte activa de lo público que es la fuente primigenia de su condición de cive, es decir el que vive en la civitas, que a su vez tiene su origen en la polis, formada por los pólites o politkós (ciudadanos).
To be a citizen is not completed by running around denouncing according to a flaming index, nor by maintaining the golden and pristine by belonging to a civil organization that does not want to pollute itself taking on political activities. Neither does it mean promoting a Manchiean and fairly rudimentary perception of “good citizens vs. bad politicians”, nor in uncouth phrases such as “we've had it up to here.”
To be a citizen, and this is said by various personalities with more or less “certain” credibility earned by the passing of years, including centuries, such as Hobbes, Rousseau, Montesquieu and more recently Hannah Arendt, is to be an active part of the public which is the basic source of his condition as a cive, or citizen, who is said to live within the civitas, the social body that unites citizens by law, which has its origin in polis, or city, which is formed by the pólites or politkós, or citizens.
The circulation of the video seems to have completed its objective of bothering at least some of the actors within the political arena, such as Marco Antonio Gómez Lovera [es] reported:
El día de hoy en el pleno algunos diputados dieron su opinión al respecto del video que muestra a unos niños representando la situación actual del país y que increpa a los candidatos a la presidencia sobre la finalidad de sus actos.
El diputado priista Miguel Ángel García Granados pidió a la Secretaría de Gobernación retirar el spot del aire y no escudarse tras el pretexto de permitir la libertad de expresión.
Today congressional representatives in droves gave their opinion with respect to the video that portrays children acting out the current situation in this country and which rebukes the intentions of the presidential candidates.
Institutional Revolutionary Party representative Miguel Ángel García Granados asked the Secretary of the Interior to retire the spot from the air and not hide behind the pretext of allowing freedom of expression.
As to the discomfort of the legislators, particularly that of García Granados, journalist Carlos Marín [es] questioned why it is there are no criticisms when politicians employ children during their campaigns:
Impúdicos y desvergonzados, cuando se trata de políticos en campaña besuqueando a niñas y niños, no ven “uso”: simplemente se hacen pendejos.
On Twitter, Gabriel Guerra (@ gabrielguerrac) [es] ridiculed the discomfort that the video in question generated among not only legislators, but among the general public as well:
Hay quienes se molestan más por un video que por la realidad que refleja… Eso SÍ es el mundo al revés…
Alessia Corcuera (@top_roping_ale) [es] expressed her happiness with the video's circulation:
Ya vieron el video de los #NiñosIncómodos? uff, está buenísimo, a mi me gustó y coincido, “si ese es el futuro que me espera, no lo quiero”
For his part, the administrator of the account @Dios_Padre [es] pointed out:
Es más que obvio que detrás de los “niños incomodos” están unos adultos muy “acomodados”.
It's more than obvious that behind the “uncomfortable children” there are very “comfortable” adults.
Other users such as @JCsudias [es] also questioned the video, alleging that the objective is something “other”, even though they didn't mention exactly which it could be:
#niñosincómodos la mayoría de los mexicanos ya no somos tan tontos para caer en chantajes de ese tipo el trasfondo de su petición es otra
A viral video always generates diverse reaction, and surely in the ongoing developments of the electoral process in Mexico there will be many more videos that stir up a commotion within the blogosphere and social networking sites. We will be watching.

author: J. Tadeo


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Nigeria: Virality is a Cause · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Emannuel Iduma discusses #SaveOke campaign in the context of Kony 2012: “I am interested, in joining my voice to #SaveOke, in telling ways in which KONY 2012 implicate readings of virality…If a #SaveOke video is made, and it goes viral, the complex questions of white supremacy and black inactivity will not arise.  We might just ask, ‘is this real?’ or ‘why exhibit his ailment?’ Those questions are within the realm of simplicity. This is a simple, human, matter.”


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Russia: Evgeni Malkin’s Journey to the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs · Global Voices
Donna Welles

Evgeni “Geno” Malkin – a Russian-born ice hockey player who currently serves as the alternate captain for the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins – has led his team to the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Born in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk in 1986, Evgeni played for the same Metallurg Magnitogorsk hockey club where his father had served as a defenseman. In 2003, Evgeni represented Russia in the U-18 World Hockey Championships before he was selected 2nd overall in the 2004 NHL draft. By 2009 he'd already won his first Art Ross Trophy.
During the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, which were held in Calgary/Edmonton around the New Year, Russia defeated Canada 6-5 in a semi-final before ultimately losing to Sweden in the championship match. The Pens Blog captured Mr. Malkin's playful banter directed at his Canadian teammates via his Twitter account:
Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin skates against the Columbus Blue Jackets in a Feb. 26, 2012 game at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Photo by Michael Miller (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0).
As you probably know, Russia defeated Canada in a semi-final game at the World Junior Hockey Championship tonight. Evgeni Malkin spent the night trolling on Twitter. James Neal got in the act as well. […]
What we've learned from this is that Crosby, Staal, Fleury and Asham each owe Malkin $100.00. Too bad the Pens don't have any Swedish players for the final.
Here are some of the specific tweets the post cited:
James Neal:
@malkin71_ here they come geno
Evgeni Malkin:
I cant wait see Canada lose tonight!!!
Evgeni Malkin:
Whats the score Canada)))))?????
Evgeni Malkin:
Thanks boys))))#87,11,29,45-100$ tomorow please)))))
James Neal:
Anything can happen. What a game. Tough loss for the Canadian boys. Ur lucky this time @malkin71_
Fathead Sports Blog discussed in a February post how Mr. Malkin had taken a leadership role in the absence of the Penguin's Captain, Sydney Crosby:
Even with Sidney Crosby injured, Evgeni Malkin is having an amazing season. Within a three week span in January 2011, Crosby fell to a concussion and Malkin suffered a devastating knee injury. For a team that’s expected to perennially contend for the Stanley Cup, having their future Hall of Famers in doubt was worrisome.
While it’s unfortunate that Sidney Crosby is still sidelined with lingering effects of a concussion, Malkin has dominated this season. One would never guess that he shredded his knee not too long ago because he’s playing at such a high level. At this time, Malkin is leading the NHL with 78 points and has the Penguins looking like the Cup contender they’re supposed to be.
Because of Malkin, the Penguins are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference standings. He has scored five points in a game a remarkable five times this season. Five times! In the modern day NHL, that is simply astounding.
In March, Mr. Malkin's intensity of play led to a discussion as to whether or not he should have been suspended for a hit on Boston Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk:
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the boarding minor Malkin received in the Penguins’ victory over the Bruins on Saturday will be the extent of his punishment: No suspension, no fine, just time served.
Seth Rorabaugh of Empty Netters has it right: This was a trifecta in Malkin's favor. No immediate injury, no prior history of illegal hits and there's enough gray area in Boychuk's last-second turn to the boards that supplemental discipline gets a little murky.
In April, both English- and Russian-language sources reported that Mr. Malkin had scored his 50th goal of the season, which was all the more remarkable because, (1) the season had been relatively low-scoring across the league, and, (2) Mr. Malkin himself had been forced to miss several games due to an injury to his knee.
CBS Sports Blog announced the goal in an April 7 post and also mentioned that Mr. Malkin had secured his second Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season:
Entering Saturday's game against Philadelphia it was pretty much already decided that Evgeni Malkin was going to finish as the NHL's leading scorer and win his second Art Ross Trophy. And that's exactly what he's going to do, as he will finish the regular season with 109 points, leaving a pretty significant gap between himself and the second leading point producer in the NHL, Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos.
And Malkin did it while playing in just 75 games. His 1.45 points per game average pretty much blew everybody else away.
The only question that remained unanswered for Malkin was whether or not he would score his 50th goal of the season. Late in the second period, with the Penguins already up 3-2, he did just that by moving into the center of the ice and beating Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky with a wrist shot.
StarSport.com – a Russian-language news outlet – announced Mr. Malkin's 50th goal of the season on April 8. A few days later, a Russian-language Twitter user posted a YouTube video of Malkin's training exercises.
Looking ahead to the Stanley Cup playoffs, Mr. Malkin thanked the fans via his Twitter account in both English and Russian:
#Pens fans are the best- always support me & team! Thank you for everything! Can't wait for playoffs- Be loud :)
Спасибо всем!!!Спасибо за вашу поддержку,переживания и теплые слова-хороший сезон,но впереди самое интересное)))Хорошего Вам настроения)))
The Penguins have lost their first three Stanley Cup playoff games against their instate rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. Game 4 will be played in Philadelphia on April 18.

author: Donna Welles


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Spain: Faces of the victims of the economic crisis · Global Voices
Esteve Mata

The Els nous pobres [The New Poor, ca] blog collects testimonies of poor people affected by the crisis which has greatly limited their economic and personal opportunities. According to the authors, the intention is “to give faces, names and surnames to social injustice we have been living in while our public representatives have been sharing shameful wages, favors, subsidies and privileges of all kinds.”


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Tunisia: Book Readers to the Streets! · Global Voices
Ahmed Medien

Following weeks of demonstrations in Tunis, a new event has been announced, called “L'avenue ta9ra”, or “The avenue reads”. The plan is for Tunisians to bring their books to Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the most symbolic thoroughfare of the capital, and take part in a collective reading session.
The announcement on the event's Facebook page says [fr]:
Et si on envahissait l'avenue ? Pas avec nos cris ni nos manifs mais avec nos livres.
L’idée est, comme d'habitude, simple: le mercredi 18 avril à 17h, on se déplace vers l'avenue, on s'installe dans les cafés, sur les bancs publics, sur les marches des escaliers, un livre à la main pendant une heure.
Pas la peine que l'on se connaisse, que l’on se parle…on va se reconnaitre par le fait d'avoir un livre à la main
Ça sera la première manif silencieuse sur l'avenue, sans revendication politique; prouver et montrer que les Tunisiens lisent, que ceux qui vont changer le monde sont ceux qui lisent.
Il est temps de rappeler que notre peuple est impliqué, cultivé et lettré.
Invitez vos amis, soyez nombreux, créons l'événement.
Tous à vos livres !!!!!
"L'avenue ta9ra" (The avenue reads). Image from event page on Facebook.
This event follows the recent lifting of the protest ban on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, as well as the brutal assault of peaceful demonstrators by the police. Unlike recent anti-government rallies, it claims to be apolitical.
Tunisian blogger Abdelkarim Benabdallah is behind a similar initiative called “Les amis du livre” (Friends of the book) [fr]. On Facebook the members share book suggestions, discuss their choices and organise votes to choose future locations for gathering.
There have been few cultural rallies in Tunisia since the uprisings of 2011. However, young Tunisians are once again taking the lead and intend to make these collective reading sessions more frequent and common across the country.

author: Ahmed Medien


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Arab World: Technology in the Time of Revolution · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

The Arab uprisings have created a debate about the role played by social media and mobile technology in bringing change. Whatever conclusion you come to on that subject, activists certainly make use of a wide range of new technologies, and we'll take a look at some of them in this post.
Reporting your arrest
Since the beginning of the Arab uprisings many bloggers and activists have been arrested. In Syria, in the last few months alone, Rima Dali, Safana Baqleh, Ali Mahmoud Othman, Razan Ghazzawi were detained. In Egypt Maikel Nabil Sanad, Alaa Abd El Fattah and Amr Gharbeya were just a few of those arrested. That's without mentioning countries such as Tunisia and Bahrain, as well as the cases where a bloggers or activists were denied entry to Egypt and held for investigation in Cairo airport.
While some of these bloggers and activists were later released, at the time of their arrest many didn't have time to tell their lawyers and family members what was happening. And this is where technology can play a role. A while ago Global Voices Advocacy contributor Ramy Raoof talked about Etmasakt, one such technical solution:
@RamyRaoof: Our friend Mohamed Hussien (@7aloli) developed this application http://bit.ly/Etmasakt to alert people when you get arrested. #Egypt #Android
Etmasakt helps you send short message to multiple numbers (family, lawyer, activists etc.) as well as sending the location where you were arrested.
Etmasakt is an Arabic word that means “I've been arrested”. On his blog Orlando Elkabeer wrote about the application and how it sends an SMS to multiple recipients along with your exact location – grabbed from your phone's GPS – with one click:
Etmasakt is not the only application of its kind. There is also “Byt2ebed 3alia” and “I'm Getting Arrested“; the latter seems to be older with a bigger user base. The existence of these different applications all basically doing the same thing clearly means that there is a need for them.
Live video broadcast
Nothing is worse than recording an important incident with your video camera, then being detained by security forces who destroy your camera, or at least force you to erase your memory card. And this is why Bambuser is very popular tool among activists. The Swedish mobile application lets you shoot videos and upload them instantaneously from your mobile phone; it's like having a video broadcasting station in your pocket.
Before being blocked by the Syrian government, Bambuser was used a lot by Syrians. In February the service reported on its own blog that it had been blocked in Syria:
Over the past weeks the number of Bambuser broadcasts from Syria has increased, with strong footage showing bombings, victims, destruction and terrible conditions at local field hospitals in Syria.
Some live footage like that of the destroyed oil pipeline in Homs was used by major TV channels such as CNN, BBC, AlJazeera and SkyNews:
We believe this footage was the trigger for the Syrian government to block access to bambuser.com and disable the possibility to broadcast live video with mobile phones on Syrian 3G.
In Egypt Tarek Shalaby reported his own arrest via Bambuser, and there were plans for activists to use the service in monitoring the parliamentary elections especially when international observers were not permitted to do so. During the first days of the Egyptian revolution the government decided to block Bambuser, amongst other services, before deciding to turning the whole Internet off two days later.
Other tools
Nancy Messieh of The Next Web has put together basic mobile apps arsenal for activists. Movements.org, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to identifying, connecting, and supporting grassroots digital activists, and advocates for the use of new technologies, has listed dozens of applications that range from Open Source word processing and audio/video editing software to encryption and tunneling software.
There are other less useful applications like this one that tries to document the Egyptian revolution by bringing a gallery of photos taken during the revolution onto your mobile phone.
The downside of automation
Despite the usefulness of the above applications, automation can be a problem. A month ago activist Hossam El Hamalawy received a short message from Mostafa Sheshtawy saying that he got arrested.
@3arabawy: Guys, I received few mins ago a text message from @msheshtawy saying he's getting arrested. I called him, he's not answering.
People were worried about Mostafa Sheshtawy, and only later was it discovered that the message was sent by mistake:
@msheshtawy: Am fine people. Am not arrested or anything. My phone wasnt with me. Am sorry people.
@msheshtawy: Someone clicked on the application while i was asleep. Silly joke and i will screw whoever did this. Am really sorry.
Finally, just like activists and citizens, dictators also use new technology. Authoritarian regimes in the Arab world have had plenty of help from American firms when it comes to censorship and spying on pro-democracy protestors. At the end of the day, technology is a double-edged sword; each side uses it for its own purposes.

author: Tarek Amr


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Bahrain: Police Help Thugs Vandalize Shiite-Owned Shop · Global Voices
Mona Kareem

The owners of the Jawad Business Group, a Shiite-owned company, have released a video of one of their shops being stormed, robbed, and vandalized by a group of thugs on April 10, 2012, as policemen watched and even helped.
Businesses owned by Jawad have been a target over the last year as it has been claimed that the company provided food to the protestors at the Pearl Roundabout.
Blogger Marc Owen Jones wrote on April 13:
Profile picture of a Facebook page calling for the boycott of Jawad shops: "A boycott campaign against the Jawad Group that betrayed our country."
Yesterday I wrote a post about how the Ministry of the Interior [the police] treat Bahrainis differently depending on whether they are pro-government or anti-government. This was after their tame dispersal of a large group of regime supporters who, after gathering at the Alba roundabout, wrecked two cars and then vandalised a nearby supermarket. The reason the market was attacked is because it was owned by Jawad Group, which is maligned by many loyalists for apparently serving food to protesters at the Pearl Roundabout last year. Of course there are numerous examples of the police turning a blind eye to violence perpetrated by pro-regime supporters. There’s also a lot of evidence to show plain clothes thugs operating alongside the police. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether the thugs are civilians, or just security officers in mufti [civilian clothes]. Today however, this CCTV footage from the attack on the 24 SuperMarket emerged. Not only does it show thugs breaking into and looting the shop, but it also shows police standing idly by as this happens. That’s not all, at 5.15 one of the security officers wearing a fluorescent bib smashes one of the windows. At 4.50 another officer helps himself to a bottle of water. Clearly ignoring crime is thirsty work.
The following six-minute video shows the attack:
Amir Jawad, a board member of the Jawad Business Group, has described the events of April 10 as being part of a systematic series of attacks; he reported that crowds also roamed outside the company's headquarters.
Policeman involved in the attack. Images posted by Twitter user @lord20003.
According to Al Wasat newspaper [ar], Jawad shops have been attacked 54 times. A Twitter account called @Jawad_storm has been started to document all the attacks against Jawad businesses. Here are some of the tweets:
More tweets relating to the attack can be found on the hashtag #غزوة_جواد (“the invasion of Jawad”).
This graffiti is evidence of the campaign against Jawad businesses:
Graffiti in Sakhir area: Shame on every Sunni traitor who buys from the "24 hours" shops. Image posted by Twitter user @jawad_storm.
A supporter of Jawad is shown with a sign:
A Bahraini holds a sign in solidarity with Jawad company in front of one of the shops. Image posted by Twitter user @Sadad_9mooD.
Others have treated the incident with humour in order to mock the regime. In this video, a group of young Bahrainis who call themselves Baharna Drama stage another attack:

author: Mona Kareem


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China: What is Causing the Death of Endangered Finless Porpoises? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

More than a dozen Finless Porpoise corpses have been found in Dongting Lake in Hubei and Hunan provinces since March 2012. Chinese micro-bloggers are keeping each other updated on the situation while trying to determine the reasons for the deaths of this endangered species, as the government is yet to confirm the death toll and put forward a rescue plan.
The Finless Porpoise is one of the most endangered species in China. Information spreading online said [zh] that there are fewer than 84 remaining in Dongting Lake. The large scale death of this endangered species should be national news, yet the state controlled media outlets have been downplaying this news and as yet no government authority is actively responding to the problem.
Corpse of Finless Porpoise by Flickr user Changhua Coast Conservation Action CC: BY-NC-SA
Magazine reporter Yang Jiang has been a consistent source of information regarding this issue, reporting [zh] in microblogging website Sina Weibo:
刚连线湖南岳阳江豚保护协会会长，证实，从3月3日至今，洞庭湖已发现的死亡江豚为12头，非网络流传的17头，但该协会不排除有更多尚未发现的江豚尸体，原因初步判断为环境污染所致…，另，此次至少7头是母江豚，照此速度，洞庭湖江豚一年内灭绝也不是没有可能。
Blogger Yongaiqiqi has gathered information from various sources, including newspapers and online reports, and found that there were more than thirteen reports on the discovery of Finless Porpoise bodies in 2012 and that only one report came from state controlled media [zh].
现在我要问：对洞庭湖已经发生的如此严重的江豚集中死亡恶性事件，当地政府为什么至今没有发布信息向社会公开？是不知情？还是有意隐瞒真相？呼吁当地政府尽快作出负责任的回应，澄清事实。
Blogger “Subject of the Empire”  examined [zh] the problem in detail and found that aside from the underlying ecological reasons, the Finless Porpoise might have been poisoned by snail fever prevention treatment:
2008年记录死亡江豚20头，2009年为19头，2010年为12头。连续3年，江豚死亡都是两位数。要知道江豚种群总数已经比大熊猫还少，每年两位数的死亡速度实在太高了！太快了！太危险了！刚刚过去的2011年，记录死亡20头，然而进入2012年仅仅只是东洞庭湖一个栖息地，3月份以来40天内就死亡了12头，这还只是被渔民发现的江豚尸体，考虑到江豚一般都是以父母子女一家为活动习惯的规律分析，实际死亡情况更加严重，按照中科院豚类专家王丁先生们的研究判断，这次可能已经有30多头江豚已经死亡，这难道还不足以引起相关政府主管部门和研究机构的高度重视吗。
Regarding the death toll of the Finless Porpoise, in 2008, 2009 and 2010, there were 20, 19 and 12 deaths respectively. In three consecutive years, the death tolls were in double figures. We have to be aware of the fact that the total number of Finless Porpoises in China is less than the number of pandas. This death rate is already too high and too dangerous. In 2011, the recorded death toll reached 20. In 2012, in Dongting alone and in less than 40 days, 12 corpses have been found, with this figure only including those corpses discovered by fishermen. Since Finless Porpoises live together in family groups, the situation is probably even more serious.According to the Finless Porpoise expert Wang Ding from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the death toll may have reached 30. This is an alarming figure that the government and research organizations must pay attention to.
洞庭湖的生态危机其实已经早就成了众所周知的事实，江豚为什么濒临灭绝，这是与整个洞庭湖生态链遭到严重破坏、是与多年来围湖造田、滥捕滥捞、竭泽而渔分不开的，更是与渔政部门长期行政不作为、监管不力甚至为了经济利益纵容滥捕滥捞分不开的，加之洞庭湖水位随着三峡大坝蓄水后大幅下降，阻断了千百万年来年复一年的洪水泛滥，大面积的湿地长期裸露在外，再有就是大量挖砂船活动、大量捕捞螺类底层物种致使湖区食物链、生态链断裂…
江豚的意外死亡，其实也不意外，在人类与江豚争夺食物也就是鱼类水产的时候，江豚甚至自身都处于被人类捕杀的境地，何况其食物链已经接近断裂；洞庭湖鱼类资源作为江豚的食物来源，已经从10多年前还剩下120多种急骤下降到目前仅存10多种…
我注意到今天的湖南经视新闻在报导本次江豚密集死亡事件的新闻中，采访了岳阳渔政部门的相关领导，他以自己的经验猜测可能是由于近期岳阳县出于血防需要在洞庭湖区投放杀钉螺药剂有关，可能是江豚误食了被灭螺毒死的鱼有关，我认为这当然是最直接的原因之一，但我就纳闷了，这种后果其实并非今天才出现，而是早就发生过，为什么就没有引起相关部门重视并在工作上加以改进呢？我查了一下资料， 洞庭湖江豚多年来饱尝命丧之虞就有类似直接的人为原因，2004年，岳阳为迎接全国血吸虫病防治工作会议的召开，在洞庭湖区投放了约5000吨杀钉螺药剂，曾酿下一个月内毒死6头江豚的惨剧。
This post was sub-edited by Jane Ellis.


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Colombia: Free Trade Agreement with U.S. to Take Effect on May 15 · Global Voices
Lully

After the close of the Sixth Summit of the Americas, President Barack Obama and President Juan Manuel Santos announced that the free trade agreement between Colombia and the United States will take effect starting next May 15. While citizen media [es] users show skepticism [es], mass media outlets [es] present it as a topic of the day.

author: Lully