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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: The Face of HIV  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Sometimes, life in small island societies can have immense drawbacks”: Blogging from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Abeni says that some of them are “the whisperings about persons with HIV and the subsequent ostracism that takes place.”


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Syria: Arab Leaders and the Summit  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The Arab summit today was truly surprising and from what has been ‘said’ so far it seems that finally the Arab leaders are saying what the people want to hear, and are actually doing what the people want them to do,” says Arabia Camel: The Revolution, from Syria.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Syria: Where’s The Daily Star?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Qifa Nabki has got the story. It looks like the (Lebanese) Daily Star has published its final edition,” reports the Syria News Wire, in this post.


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Taiwan: Prepare for the Lunar New Year · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

The Lunar New Year is right at the corner. The Lunar New Year is an important holiday for family members and friends to get together in Taiwan. To prepare the food and the mood, people like to go shopping before the Lunar New Year. chensumi showed us what she saw when she went to several traditional markets in Taipei.

author: I-fan Lin


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The Balkans: Gaza and Srebrenica · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Jasmin's Heart recalls Srebrenica as she is thinking about the situation in Gaza.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Ukraine: Photos of Dnipropetrovsk · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Photos of Dnipropetrovsk (RUS) from a few years ago – by LJ user mgor.


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Uruguay: How the Changes in OLPC Will Affect the Country · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Pablo Flores of the Plan Ceibal blog [es] writes about how the changes in the One Laptop Per Child project will affect Uruguay, which has been participating through the distribution of thousands of XO laptops to the country's children.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Africa: 10 Lessons for African leaders from Obama · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

According to Paul Usungu, there are at least 10 things African leaders need to learn from Barack Obama

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Africa: Banking on African Women · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“Women own nearly half of all enterprises in Africa, but have the hardest time securing credit,” writes Guest Author on AfricanLoft discussing African women and entrepreneurship.


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Africa: Mobile solution provider for African markets · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nii writes about Afric Xpress (AX), a solution provider for mobile phone-based and other electronic transaction services for African communities in the continent and abroad.


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Africa: Top Ranked Blogs · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Here is a list of top ranked blogs in Africa from Afrigator, an African blog aggregator.


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Armenia: Azerbaijani Airliner Lands in Yerevan · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

My The Caucasian Knot comments on yesterday's arrival of an Azerbaijani passenger plane flying directly between Baku and Yerevan. Carrying the American, Russian and French co-chairs charged with the task of mediating between Armenia and Azerbaijan in an attempt to find a solution to the Nagorno Karabakh, such flights have only been possible since late 2006 — except for one time in the middle of the war between the two countries when Azerbaijani mafia bosses visited Armenia to pay their last respects to a local mobster killed in a Moscow prison.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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The Balkans: “Whose Is This Song?” · Global Voices
Elena Ignatova

Recently several Macedonian bloggers published links to the online documentary “Whose Is This Song?” by a Bulgarian director Adela Peeva on their blogs and started discussing the story. The documentary was filmed as an idea that the director got during a dinner in Istanbul with several friends (a Macedonian, a Serb, a Greek and a Turk), when all of them said that the song playing in the background was from their country.
First to publish [mkd] a short review of the documentary was Arheo Blog:
[…] Although the documentary doesn’t have any political tendency, the search for an identity of a song shows the search for the identity and national impatience for the nations from the Balkans. Instead of connecting them, not knowing the situation, in some moments Peeva has to deal with emotional reaction of the interviewed people thinking that she is offending them. Trying to connect the cultural heritage for the Balkans, this time through music, Adela Peeva at the end will conclude that it’s almost unbelievable how only one song with unknown background can create hatred in people. This is shown in the end of the movie, in the scene where one Fiesta is transformed into a field that is on fire and its save by “people from different ethnicities”. This is happening at the border between Bulgaria and Turkey.
Although it’s a great documentary, I was intrigued by the two facts said in the movie – “That this is a war song and that the rhythms are from North Europe, because they are not typical for the Balkans”. It’s up to you to determine which song it is.
When the post of Arheo Blog was shared [mkd] on Kajmak.ot there were several reactions:
Arwena:
I don’t know why there is always a tendency to look for argument and reasons for national tendencies. That is always the case for the Balkans, because politics is unavoidably connected with history. I stand by: “that the documentary doesn’t have any political tendencies”, because it’s made with another purpose. Probably it didn’t have that motive at the beginning, but the results show something completely different. This is something that we have seen several times when there is mixture between cultural heritage and achievements of different ethnicities and civilizations. Everything artistic that includes more sides, by the nature of this region will lead to nationalism and it will be considered as motive with political tendencies.
Zlochko:
Yes, yes. It’s made by completely naive reasons to find the true origin of the song. That’s why she says to the Bosnians that the Serbs have the original (although she still hasn’t been in Serbia), she plays the Bosnian version to the Serbs, and to the Bulgarians she says that the Turks claim that the song is theirs.
There is nothing naive in the documentary… and if it’s full with something it’s politics. But it’s good that it’s made in that way – it shows the nations here in the best way :).
The blogger Razvigor also published the video and wrote [mkd]:
[…] The author of the film in the part for Albania said that she would return, and that really happened with her last movie “Divorce Albanian Style” [mkd]. Is that movie available on the internet also?
These are the things I was talking about when I was searching for the Macedonian Michael Moore [mkd].
There are two version of the song in Macedonia: from the town of Prilep “Oj ti Paco Drenovchanke” and from the town of Tetovo “Oj devojche, ti Tetovsko jabolche.”

author: Elena Ignatova


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Bangladesh: Photoblog – Kantaji temple, Dinajpur · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

Munir Uddin Shamim takes us on a photo trip to the famous Hindu temple in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. Known as the Kantaji temple , this is a fine specimen of terracota art from 1752 A.D.

author: Aparna Ray


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Bermuda, U.S.A.: Thinking Out Loud · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bermudian blogger Vexed Bermoothes is filled with scurrilous thoughts about everything from the use of trusts to the Premier's attendance at the Obama inauguration.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bolivia: Autonomy of Central Bank Under the New Consitution · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

From an economist's point of view, Carlos Gustavo Machicado of Guccio's [es] provides his thoughts on the draft Constitution to be voted upon on January 25.  Among other things, he is worried whether the Central Bank will maintain its autonomy, especially in emergency situations.


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Bolivia: Most Bolivians Practice Religious Syncretism · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Despite the conflict between the national government and the Catholic Church, Bolivian President Evo Morales declares that he is Catholic. Mario Durán of Palabras Libres [es] adds that most Bolivians would classify themselves as practicing a type of “religious syncretism” with native beliefs.


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China: 50 Cents Party Fearmongering · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Chinageeks feels that 50 Cents Party will be more an annoyance than threat to web 2.0.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Control 2.0 · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

David Bandurski from the China Media Project comments on the global media venture proposed by Chinese government by looking into the speech of Li Changchun (李长春), China’s top media control official as the politbruo standing committee member in charge of ideology back in December 2008. The blogger believes that, the project would turn out to be a Control 2.0 rather than a free speech body.


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China: Does the government still concern about the “kidney stone babies”? · Global Voices
Winglok Hung

The coverage of the tainted milk scandal in China has been gradually faded away from the mass media with the bankruptcy of Sanlu company. In December 2008, the Chinese government comes up with an initial compensation plan, however, to some victims’ disappointment. And according to Hong Kong's newspapers’ report (Mingpao), some parents put forward their proposal in early January, 2009 were detained from voicing out.
Government compensation plan
Local news (via sina) reported that the total compensation amount will be around RMB 4 billion (USD 0.6 billion) shared by the government and 22 other corporates. The government's share (RMB 2.6 billion) will be allocated directly to the hospitals for paying the bill for the victims. The compensation for the death caused by melamine claim is up to RMB200,000 (USD30,000), for serious kidney disease victims, it is RMB30,000 (USD3,000). As for minor illness the victims receive RMB2,000 (USD300) subsidy. A health fund (RMB 0.2 Billion) was set up to help victims for their future hospital treatment.  Some parents, especially those getting the RMB2000 offer, refused to sign the compensation agreement.
Some bloggers joined in the discussion, for example, Wuhangmin criticized:
早就有人指问题奶粉的赔偿方案不公正，既没有患者代表参加，赔偿金额也不尽合理。而如今在赔偿方案启动后暴露出来的问题，更是令人费解。“结石宝宝”究竟有否免费救治？倒底有多少“结石宝宝”享受到了免费政策？为何报道中提及的患儿都是在自掏腰包自费救治？不知道国家规定免费治疗后是否下拨了专项资金，如果有，这笔资金究竟是如何使用的？为何还有家长要自掏近5万元看病?
Mu mian 7 suspected that the Chinese government is deliberately slowing down the process:
政府不是信誓旦旦的表态吗，现在呢？怎么都没反应。他们只会拖延时间 ，让民众遗忘这件事，达到最后不了了知的结局，政府和企业皆大欢喜，民众只能偷偷地流眼泪！！！
Liu Changfeng, another Chinese blogger added a legal dimension to the discussion:
政府部门与有关企业达成协议，匆匆出台补偿标准。尽管表达出了相当的诚意，但在不少人看来，赔偿标准显然是低了很多，大大超出人们的预料。从政府的本意来说，显然是为了尽快促成赔偿的实施，尽早消除事件的负面影响。但无论如何，此举都无法让公众信服。一方面，就当下的经济形势而言，在不少并非当事人的网友看来，这个赔偿标准都低得有些离谱，赔偿标准的合理性有几多？公众无法不对其提出疑问。另一方面，法庭的审判只认定了的违法行为，而对受害者的赔偿只字不提。作为司法干涉的最后也是最关键的环节，赔偿问题并非来自司法部门的解释，而是来自政府官员的说法。那么，赔偿标准究竟该由法律认定还是由政府行政决定？公众质疑的是行政决策究竟能否代替法律审判？
Up till now, there are around 290 thousands children developed symptom related with melamine poisoning. 51.9 thousands have entered hospital and 154 of them are suffered from serious kidney disease and 11 of them have died.

author: Winglok Hung


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China: What does Charter 08 mean? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Rebecca Mackinon from Rconversation draws together various discussions on the implications of Charter 08 in China and points out that it is yet too early to tell its consequence.


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Colombia: Criticisms on Fight on Crime in Bogotá · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

In Colombia, Machete [es] criticizes the way that the Government Secretariat of Bogotá, Clara Lopez, handled the fight against crime.


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Dominican Republic: Free Access Law for Public Information · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Ahi e que prende [es] writes about his experience using the Free Access Law in the Dominican Republic, which had been set up to provide public information to those that request it.  He writes out the steps needed to use the law.


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Turkey: Armenian “Martin Luther King Jr.” Commemorated  · Global Voices
Simon Maghakyan

The second anniversary of a murdered journalist once again had the power to move mountains in strained relations between Armenia and Turkey, two states separated by the biblical mount Ararat and an unholy history. When ethnic Armenian Hrant Dink was assassinated in front of the Istanbul office of the Agos Armenian weekly newspaper he edited on 19 January 2007, thousands of Turkish citizens attended his funeral chanting, “We are all Hrant Dink. We are all Armenians.”
Yesterday's commemoration might not have been on such a large scale, but newspaper articles, editorials, and reaction from bloggers show that the murder of a prominent member of Turkey’s dwindling Christian Armenian minority by a Turkish ultra-nationalist continues to shock the world. Moreover, hopes remain alive that Dink's legacy as a symbol of peace and reconciliation between the two nations. The Pasha and the Gypsy comments.
Today is not only Martin Luther King Day, and the day before Barack Obama's inauguration. It is also the second anniversary of another murder.
Rasti, a Kurdish blog,  also remembers the day that Dink was killed.
I remember where I was and what I was doing two years ago today. I remember how I felt. I remember opening a page of news and seeing the photo of Hrant Dink covered with paper, yellow crime scene tape holding back onlookers, and the police standing nearby. I remember how I felt. I was shocked, horrified, dismayed, disgusted. I wanted what I was seeing not to be true. But I knew it was true…
With commemorations held around the world, Turkey hosted the majority. Among them, as listed on Blog Kurdistan, one stood out.
18 Ocak’ta saat 15.00’te Galatasaray Meydanı’nda ‘O gün Biz de vurulduk’ temalı bir flashmob etkinliği yapılacak.
Photos from the flash mob demonstration are already available on a Turkish site. Other Turkish blogs have marked the occasion, and KISA KES UZUN OLSUN… posts photographs from the gathering at the location of the journalist's murder. Online commemorations were also held, with over 1,800 members of my Facebook group changing their profile picture to display of a photograph of Hrant Dink and their status lines to read “We are all Hrant Dink.”
Armenian journalist-blogger Mark Grigorian [RU] also remembers Hrant Dink.
Он был одним из тех, кто пытался найти пути и способы примирить армян и турок…”Армяне — врачи турок, — продолжал он, — а турки — врачи армян. Нет других докторов. Диалог — вот единственный рецепт”.
With the historic first visit of the Turkish president to Armenia last year, and an online apology for what most historians consider to be the Armenian Genocide, Grigorian notes the unparalleled progress in Armenian-Turkish relations since Dink's death.
…проблема так велика, а пропасть между двумя народами так глубока, что сдвиги в сторону сближения вызывают у националистов негативную реакцию, а то и отторжение. Примером этого можно считать опубликованную в одной из турецких газет фотографию, на которой группа мужчин держит плакаты с надписями: “Собакам вход разрешен, евреям и армянам вход воспрещен “.
And while nationalism in Turkey remains a significant problem, one Turk made another unprecedented step toward reconciliation. His letter, posted on my Blogian, explains his actions.
When I found out that the properties that I and my brothers inherited from our father wasn’t our own, but properties taken from the murdered Assyrians in 1915 I felt an indescribable feeling of guilt and shame… I have personally apologized to every Assyrian and Armenian I’ve met. But this does not get rid of the crime our ancestors committed. Even if I am personally not responsible for what happened in 1915, I felt as I had to do more than just to apologize. Finally, I came to the decision to give back all properties that I inherited from my forefathers to [an Assyrian organization].
Dink's reputation for promoting human rights and fighting for minority rights has also opened Armenian eyes. Armenian-American blog This Side of Fifty, for example, ponders not only Dink and Armenian-Turkish relations, but also how his message was much wider.
…It strikes me very odd that many Armenians I knew growing up had a dislike for blacks. When I look back at both the Armenian Genocide and the life work of Martin Luther King, I am struck with one thing. Armenians for the most part focus on our own tragedy, almost exclusively. We can live in this great country and see little irony that we as disposed people live on the lands of disposed American Indians….
Incidentally, the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday in the United States in 2009, celebrated the second Monday of January, coincides with Dink’s second anniversary. Two years ago, immediately after Dink’s murder, Canada-based Armenian blog Hyelog compared the two.
On April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King was shot… In 1986, Martin Luther King Day was established as a United States holiday.
Hrant Dink’s story still remains to be written in Turkey…his unwavering trust that we all would manage to live together in peace one day.
It is now Turkey’s turn to demonstrate its greatness by making Hrant Dink Turkey’s Martin Luther King.

author: Simon Maghakyan


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India: Predictions for The 2009 Elections  · Global Voices
Rezwan

Rajesh Jain at Emergic predicts the outcomes of the 2009 elections in India in contrast with the 2004 elections.

author: Rezwan


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Iran: A popular sport program under fire · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several news sites and blogs reported that '90’ ,a very popular sport program is under fire by government because it criticised Iranian football authorities. Jomhour, an Iran based blogger, says[fa] that Iran Telecommunication sabotaged the system so no one could send any text message to the show. The blogger adds this event shows the real meaning of “absolut freedom” in Iran that Iranian president talks about!

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: A song for Gaza · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several Iranian bloggers wrote about Michael Heart's “we will not go down tonight“, a song for Gaza.


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: One Love?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bob Marley's One Love was played at Barack Obama’s Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, prompting Abeng New Magazine to say, despite the ironies: “We are proud that the USA can borrow from us at a critical moment when the president-elect sells the idea that ‘anything is possible in America.'”


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Lessons From Gaza · Global Voices
Rezwan

A Bengali In TO summarizes some lessons from the recent Gaza conflict and says: “The Muslim world has a surplus of martyrs and a deficit of scholars.”


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MENA: Reactions to Obama’s Inauguration · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Today marked an historic moment in United States history as Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President.  While Arab support of Obama has been waning over the past few months following the selection of his cabinet and his silence over Israel's attacks on Gaza, across the Middle East and North Africa bloggers still have plenty to say.
A Syrian in London shares a timeline of the past few weeks of Israel's attacks, then remarks:
Not since Kennedy, and some say not never, has an American President has had such attention with such high hopes, from around the world resting on his shoulders. In his inauguration speech, President Obama said:
“we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord”
“we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.”
“In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned.”
“we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals”
Dare we grieve the dead?
Dare we hope for the living?
Jar of Juice, a blogger based in Dubai, felt that Obama's speech was a bit lacking:
While I think Obama’s speech was brilliant – he did not flinch when he said “Muslims” but was trying hard to sound genuine when he “thanked” the imbecile of whom we do not speak of after today – I think there was a crucial element missing in this event…
…but I guess Obama won’t lower himself to acknowledge that fool more than the diplomatic gesture in his speech.
Moroccan blogger Laila Lalami, who is a US resident and admits to voting for Obama, is slightly more hopeful, and glad Obama's day has come:
I’m glad that day has come.
Eight years ago, I voted for Ralph Nader because I thought there really wasn’t much of a difference between Democrats and Republicans on the major issues.  But after the debacle in Florida, the Supreme Court decision, and the abysmal presidency that followed, I learned a simple lesson: Not all politicians are equal.  There are some who are so talentless, so impervious to common sense, so lacking in simple compassion that they make a mockery of the office. I suppose I’m too cynical now to expect vast differences in government policy but I am still fired up about this particular change, about Barack Obama, and about the departure of George W. Bush.
Moroccan Obama fans are still actively campaigning for President Obama to give his first foreign speech in Rabat.

author: Jillian C. York


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Morocco: President #44 · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Moroccan-American blogger Laila Lalami shares her thoughts about the 44th American president on inauguration day.


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Pakistan: Seeking Donation For A Private School · Global Voices
Rezwan

Kashif Aziz at Chowrangi shares an interesting ‘Pledge Form’ distributed by one private school in Karachi, asking parents to donate money for construction of its main campus.


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Pakistan: Walking on Burning Coal · Global Voices
Rezwan

All Things Pakistan criticizes an inhuman tribal practice in Pakistan in which a person has to walk on burning coal to prove innocence.


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Panama: Safety Guide · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Following the murder of a Spanish businessman in Panama City, CaDs Online [es] provides a safety guide especially written for Spanish readers.


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Peru: Public Transportation Options in Lima · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Jorge Gobbi of Blog de Viajes [es] provides a thorough summary on public transportation options in the Peruvian capital of Lima.


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Russia: Lawyer Markelov and Journalist Baburova Shot Dead in Moscow · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russian human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov, 34, was shot to death Jan. 19 as he walked from a news conference along Prechistenka Street in central Moscow. Journalist Anastasia Baburova, 25, who accompanied Markelov, was also shot as she tried to intervene; she died in hospital a few hours later.
Baburova was a freelance journalist for Novaya Gazeta.
Markelov was the attorney for the family of Elza (Kheda) Kungaeva, an 18-year-old Chechen woman killed by Russian colonel Yuri Budanov in March 2000. Budanov was granted early parole and released from prison on Jan. 15, 2009. At the Jan. 19 news conference, Markelov said he planned to file an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights against Budanov's early release.
Markelov's other high-profile client was journalist Mikhail Beketov, who was attacked and severely beaten in Nov. 2008 (see this Chicago Tribune story for more info).
The New York Times quoted a spokeswoman for Novaya Gazeta, who said that Markelov had also worked on “almost every case opened as a result of the work of Anna Politkovskaya,” a prominent Russian journalist who was shot dead in Oct. 2006.
Many Russian bloggers reacted with shock and outrage to the broad-daylight shootings of Markelov and Baburova. Below are some of the initial responses, translated from Russian.
LJ user tupikin:
[…] I've known Stas [Stanislav] for God knows how many years, from the early 1990s perhaps, from the time he was a law student. Then he finished his studies, cut his long hair short and became a lawyers who was defending the truth, defending human rights even when it seemed that it was impossible to defend them.
He worked in Chechnya against the federals, he worked against the police, he worked against the Nazis.
And he, damn it, was an incredibly cheerful and optimistic person, despite all these nightmares that accompanied him in life. […]
LJ user alisezus:
I've no idea who killed Stas and Anastasia Baburova. Whoever it was – may he be damned.
Stas used to offer a helping hand to the most humiliated, the most insignificant and, often, the most despised people – those who could no longer hope to get any qualified legal assistance.
A few times I gave Stas’ number to my own friends. He never refused to help. Haven't lost a single case.
Eternal memory to you.
LJ user oleg-shein:
[…] Markelov worked on a huge number of cases, which, as a rule, had something to do with illegal activities of the officials. We met when protesters were beaten up in [Elista] five years ago and one person died. We succeeded in replacing the prosecutor then and halting prosecution against those who participated in the protest. There there many other episodes. […]
He was a sincere, brave and very compassionate person, who had a good sense of irony and sarcasm, a true menace to those who were used to humiliating ordinary people with impunity.
LJ user xanzhar:
[Lawyer Yuri Shmidt] writes that [Markelov] was too brave. Careless. Maybe he did not completely understand what country he lived in. And we, too, did not understand it completely. How disgusting…
One of the comments to this post, from LJ user aquim:
He understood everything. Namely, that a real war is taking place in the country. He knew that he was taking risks all the time.
LJ user marchenk:
[…] Stas was known and respected by everyone who was involved in some kind of social activism. Not just in Moscow. Hard to believe.
He is survived by wife and two children. […]
A couple comments to this post:
andrei_naliotov:
I talked to him on Thursday. He was convinced that Budanov did not deserve [early conditional release]. To the question on what's to be done now he replied: “We'll fight.” An anti-fascist. Beketov's lawyer. […]
marchenk:
[…] Stas belonged with human rights activists, trade unionists, anarchists, anti-fascists, those who advocated the rights of migrants and refugees. He was perceived not just as a lawyer […] but as an activist as well. […]
[…] Throughout his involvement in law and activism, he had been getting many different threats. Budanov's case, Beketov's case, the European Court of Human Rights cases, support for anti-fascists…
LJ user smitrich:
[…] It resembles the murder of Politkovskaya too much.
LJ user voinodel, in a comment to this post:
No, Dima, this murder is much worse.
LJ user voinodel – and his readers – in the comment section to a post on his own blog:
ogneva007:
I think this is part of a script, and the early conditional release of the defendant is, too. The goal is to provoke a social collapse.
voinodel:
Would be okay if it was so. But this seems to be no longer a professional theater, but an amateur performance.
ogneva007:
Amateur performance is predictable and provokable, too.
voinodel:
Yes, you've understood me correctly. But [amateur performance] is scarier because it is taking place on a larger scale.
ogneva007:
And the scale is frightening – I read LJ a lot. And I'm shocked that it is possible to screw (pardon) normal people's brains so much that they begin to write really delirious things with foam at their mouths.
[…]
maramaram:
Markelov, as we know, was Mikhail Beketov's lawyer, but nothing but Budanov is being discussed. I think that those who Beketov was [fighting against] could have predicted such a “course of public thought.”
voinodel:
[…] As for Beketov, I absolutely agree with you. But this has to do with us journalists. People will read more eagerly about the murder of the lawyer of the Kungaevs than about the murder of the lawyer of “some” Beketov.
***
A few links to English-language posts on the double murder:
- Keith Gessen Blog:
[…] I’ve been watching TV since I got home… and it’s amazing. It’s amazing. The most offensive, most propagandistic of the evening news shows is on Channel 3, TV-Center, it’s not a major channel so they try harder—the woman broadcaster acted like it was Markelov’s fault that he got shot on the night she was hosting the news. “Another of those killings that are said to ‘resonate,’” she began contemptuously before reading the details as quickly as possible—as though, ok, she understood it was “news,” but also she knew this was all part of Markelov’s brilliant marketing strategy, his media campaign, and, frankly, she found it in poor taste.
There was no hint of an idea that Putin or Medvedev would respond, or that people would grieve, or that something really really horrible had just happened, that they were killing all the best people in Russia and no one was going to do anything about it. […]
- Ongoing coverage at Robert Amsterdam's Blog, which includes Grigory Pasko's report; a post on the earlier threats that Markelov received; updates on the media and advocacy groups’ reactions; and a post on Budanov's early release, drafted when Markelov was still alive.


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Russia: Memorial Event at Prechistenka · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LJ user drugoi posts 14 photos from the memorial event that took place earlier today at the spot where lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova were shot on Jan. 19.


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Russia: Train Station, Migrant Workers and Pro-Kremlin Youth · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LJ user drugoi posts pictures and video (RUS) from Moscow's Kazansky Train Station, where activists from a pro-Kremlin youth movement held a rally to encourage Central Asian migrant workers to “work legally” and “pay taxes.”


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Russia, Ukraine: Gas and Soccer · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LJ user dobrokhotov wrote this (RUS) on Jan. 18 about the Russian-Ukrainian gas deal: “What nonsense, it's been, like, two days already since they agreed on the price of gas, but they haven't yet announced officially what the price is. This is unprecedented nonsense, almost like if the Ukrainian and Russian soccer teams played against each other, but instead of broadcasting the game, they'd have coaches come out to journalists and say: “Thank God, the game was a success, there were 20 percent more goals scored than in an average European game.”


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Sri Lanka: Lack of Tamil Political Voices · Global Voices
Rezwan

Valkyrie writes at Groundviews: “The fundamental crisis of Tamil politics (in Sri Lanka) today is that there is no Tamil political group (except Tamil politico-armed groups) that advocates for the rights of the Tamil people.”


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Taiwan: Cross-Strait viewpoints · Global Voices
David Reid

A-gu translates and summarises the key points of a Strait Exchange Foundation forum. The Far-Eastern Sweet Potato criticises a Bloomberg report on cross-strait security.

author: David Reid


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Thailand: Australian writer jailed for lese majeste · Global Voices
David Reid

Australian writer Harry Nicolaides was given a three year prison sentence for lese majeste in Bangkok on Monday. He was charged with the offense of offending the monarchy for a passage in a book he published in 2005 titled Verisimilitude. Only 50 copies of the book were ever printed and seven copies sold. The book contains a paragraph referring to a “Crown Prince”. The offending text is now being quoted on a variety of sites and some sites have even made a pdf copy of the book available for download.
Harry was arrested in Thailand in August and was held in prison until his trial on Monday. He pleaded guilty to the charge in order to get a lighter sentence. New Mandala, a blog which has covered Harry's case in detail, published a statement from Harry's brother. He wrote：
My family is extremely distressed with the outcome and we will now do all that we can to ensure that Harry remains strong, healthy and positive in the circumstances. Harry does not intend to appeal the decision but rather wishes to focus efforts on considering an application for Royal Pardon.
Some Australian blogs expressed their concern for Harry and the hope that he can get assistance from the Australian government. Andrew Walker at New Mandala said pressure is building on the Australian government. A roll of the dice wrote:
In the end it doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t matter if he is a good writer or not, it doesn’t matter what kind of guy he is, it doesn’t even matter whether he deliberately or recklessly got himself into this mess.  What matters at the moment is that a man is in prison for nothing more than exercising free speech and making a poor choice of travel destination, and at the moment he seems to be getting less help from our government than a certain group of convicted drug traffickers in Indonesia.
Robert Merkel at Lavartus Prodeo wrote that he wondered why a pardon wasn't granted.
Leaving aside the broader goal of convincing the Thai government to abandon its lese majeste laws (Thailand has more pressing governance problems at the moment), surely the realpolitik approach to getting Nicolaides out of jail was a deal where, first, he was let out on bail. Then, a quick guilty plea should have led to an equally quick royal pardon and an even quicker deportation; the Thais keep face and Nicolaides gets to work on his writing in some other location with more hospitable laws. But that didn’t happen. And I’m still left wondering why it didn’t.
Some others were not quite as sympathetic. Richard Barrow at Thai Blogs said people should know and respect the law in Thailand.
Although I feel sorry for the guy, it is hard to believe that a teacher and a writer could know so little about the culture of Thailand. If you check any “Do's and Dont's” list for Thailand, you will always see mention of this: “Do not insult the monarchy”. In fact, most books go on to say that you should avoid any discussion of the monarchy which could be seen as criticism. In Thailand, lese-majeste is a serious offence.
Harry Clarke, a former resident of Thailand, also expressed a similar point of view.
Generally I am puzzled at what has occurred as Nicolaides has worked in Thailand since around 2003 – he should clearly have understood the reverence and respect Thais place on their monarchy.  I find it difficult to believe his claim that he didn't understand the law since any foreigner working in the country finds about about this very quickly.
Harry is not the only foreigner facing lese majeste charges in Thailand. Therion writes:
Harry Nicolaides isn't the first westerner to fall foul of lèse majesté  laws in Thailand.
New York based Committee to Protect Journalists has come to the defense of BBC journalist, Jonathan Head, who has been accused of slandering Thailand's 81 year old King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
And Thai academic Giles Ji Ungphakorn is also facing lese majeste charges over a book he wrote titled A Coup for the Rich. Ungphakorn has his own blog where he is showing that he is unafraid to speak out. He has written a statement detailing the problems of the lese majeste law and his reasons for fighting against the charge.
The Lese Majeste Law in Thailand does not allow the for the proper functioning of a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy, since it restricts freedom of speech and expression and does not allow for public accountability and transparency of the institution of the Monarchy.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Start the Bacchanal  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Who needs Carnival in this place where leaders could play mas with democracy?” Trinidadian blogger Attillah Springer wonders if the masquerade will ever end.


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Trinidad & Tobago, U.S.A.: Blogger Inauguration  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

For Trinidadian diaspora blogger Chookooloonks, a funny thing happened on the way to the inauguration – she was asked to host a Blogger Inauguration party!  Check out the goings-on here.


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Trinidad & Tobago, U.S.A.: Mr. President-Elect  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

From Trinidad and Tobago, This Beach Called Life publishes a one-of-a-kind, unofficial blog interview with President-Elect Obama.


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Turkey: Hrant Dink Memorial Video · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

mondoDesperado posts video of yesterday's memorial to commemorate the second anniversary of the murder of Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor and journalist, Hrant Dink, outside his office in Istanbul, Turkey.


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Turkey: Hrant Dink Murder Unresolved · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Journalist in Turkey comments on yesterday's anniversary of the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist and editor, Hrant Dink. The blog says that two years later there is no political will in Turkey to bring the masterminds of the killing to justice.


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Zimbabwe: Dollarisation is official · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

At last, dollarisation of the Zimbabwe economy is official as Zimbabwe blogger Denford Magora reports.


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African Blogosphere On Obama’s Inauguration · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“It is done. I knew it would come, but, oh, what a feeling! Yes, Mr. President, it is done, indeed!” These words from Kenyan blogger Whispering Inn sum up the emotional responses of most bloggers in the African blogosphere to the historic inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America.
While the world was watching Obama, Rob was watching Kenyans as they were celebrating “the second coming” with beer. Rob is a freelance journalist writing about Africa for The Times, The Irish Times, The Daily Mail, The Scotsman and The Christian Science Monitor from Nairobi.
While the rest of the world was watching the inauguration of the 44th US president, I couldn’t help feeling Kenya was watching the second coming. Down in Kibera (Africa’s biggest slum) the mood was electric. Most of the people I spoke to seemed to have been drinking since very early and everyone had a wishlist of things they wanted Obama to do for the land of his father.
The combined talents of Aretha Franklin, Joe Biden and Yo-Yo Ma failed to silence the drinkers at the Urafiki Green Pub in the heart of Kibera, Africa’s biggest slum.
Thousands gathered in the narrow dirt alleys and dusty clearings of the slum to enjoy the moment, chanting “Yes we can”. Hush fell only when the tiny television set in the corner of the ramshackle bar room filled with the distinctive features of America’s 44th President.
“This man is Jesus,” shouted one man, spilling his Guinness as Barack Obama began his inaugural address. “When will he come to Kenya to save us?” If Barack Obama’s spin doctors have been trying to lower expectations since his election victory, the message clearly has not reached the land of his father.
Mama has never seen Kenyans in the celebratory mood they were in yesterday:
Kenyans were in a celebratory mood like I have never seen before, half the people in Nairobi city centre that I came across  yesterday were wearing Obama t-shirts. It was nice to see even MPs at the KICC watching the proceedings on telly…I believe I saw Rachel Shebesh (my new heroine) on the front row in the hall. Amaco even donated an Obama cake and the guys at KICC did all the standing and whatever that the guys at the inaugural proceedings were doing, it was a fun occassion. Citizen chose to concentrate its efforts in Kogelo (where I saw some wazungus!?) and I believe I saw annoying Nagila of NTV at the Carnivore interviewing some Canadians. University of Nairobi students were treated to not only the live broadcast, but also to some music from Kenyan ‘celebrities’ as well.
Rafiki Kenya's post titled “Malia Obama Capturing History,”  which focuses on Obama's daughter, Malia:
Malia Obama was capturing history earlier today, with the First Daughter filming her father as he made his first speech as President of the World.
Malia – who was dressed in a striking blue and black coat – is regularly spotted with a camera in hand at her father's events. She has been busy documenting her father's historic days with a small digital camera. Reports indicate that Malia Obama's “camera of choice” is actually the Kodak EasyShare M893.
Charcoal Ink defends Obama's daughters in her post titled, “Like Barack said, Children are *off* limits”:
I was just reading one post about what the female members of the Obama family were wearing. I thought they looked brilliant. And then someone said that Sasha & Malia looked like they were 40.
This really rubbed me the wrong way because people can hate on Marack all they want, as Barack and Michelle are two grown ups but criticising what the kids are wearing is butters behaviour to me. At least if Sasha & Malia were at least 16, I could understand because they are on their way to be adults but they are too young to be scolded in such harsh ways.
Dr. Stephen Karanja looks at the event in the context of failed leadership in Africa. He identifies two lessons from Obama's historic achievement:
The first lesson goes to the African leaders. True leadership is about uniting the people not dividing them. The evils bedevilling Africa from poverty, disease, ignorance, illiteracy, war, hatred, bigotry, corruption, you name it is a result of false leadership. Obama has demonstrated that true leadership does not thrive on the misery of its people but on the hope and inspiration it brings to the people. On the other hand, African leaders have used all tactics in their possession to divide the people on ethnic, religion, and regional lines in order to get and remain in power. If Obama had listened to bigotry he would not have won the presidency. Through his actions and words he proved that the presidency was not about African-American turn but about the best candidate. How many times have we heard African leaders shout themselves hoarse “it our turn now”. By projecting himself as the best candidate, Obama won the hearts and minds of the people. True leadership is about winning the hearts and minds of the people and not preaching divisive hatred and fear.
The second challenge is to the African, black and all trodden people – complain about the wrongs done to you but do not embrace a victim attitude. Do not let anger and bitterness overtake you. Abhor the injustice suffered but do what you must do to uplift yourself. In Obama’s words, “never succumb to despair or cynicism; you must always believe that you can write your own destiny.” If Obama had emphasised his disadvantages, he would not have had the capacity to dream big and go for presidency. He would have consoled himself by saying “no African-American can ever win the presidency”. But he dreamt and his dream came true.


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Azerbaijan: Black January · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.
As much of the world celebrated the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, Azerbaijan mourned the 19th anniversary of an event which ultimately led to its independence from the former Soviet Union. With Moscow's power over its satellites weakened, ethnic tensions in the South Caucasus would soon erupt into war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh.
Many among Armenia's ethnic Azerbaijani population had already fled or been forced to leave the country in 1988 and continued to do so over the next year, and clashes in Nagorno Karabakh which left 2 Azeris dead and 50 Armenians wounded stoked existing tensions. Three days later, anti-Armenian pogroms in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait resulted in the deaths of at least 6 Azeris and 26 ethnic Armenians.
As stories of mutual violence between the two ethnic groups continued to circulate, the situation quickly escalated, and on 13 January 1990 another anti-Armenian pogram broke out in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. Figures vary, but anywhere between 48 and 66 — or possibly more — ethnic Armenians were killed.
By 19 January, most of the city's Armenian minority had fled, and the next day Soviet tanks and thousands of soldiers had already moved in ostensibly to stem the ethnic violence which had reportedly subsided. Until this day, questions linger as to why it took so long for Moscow to react, but Human Rights Watch alleges that the military incursion had been planned long before.
Indeed, the international human rights organization and other independent observers conclude that the intervention was staged not to protect ethnic Armenians, but to prevent the victory of pro-independence political forces in elections scheduled the following month. At least 130 people were killed and 700 wounded in what is now known as “Black January.”
Presently on a short visit to Azerbaijan, Anna Takes a Trip comments.
Although today was a joyful day for the U.S., it was a sad day of mourning and remembrance here in Baku. On the 20th of January (“Black January”) they remember the day in 1990 when after rumblings of possible independence Soviet troops rolled in and killed dozens of innocent civilian protestors. The entire city goes up to “Martyr’s Avenue,” an absolutely stunning and beautiful monument that ends with a perpetual fire overlooking the city and the Caspian Sea. You could actually feel the sadness in the air. In 1991 Azerbaijan successfully declared its independence from the USSR.
Learning to Walk in Stilettos also remarks on the day, coming as it did as Obama was sworn into office, while “Side-tALKS” Azerbaijan reflects on what the anniversary means for the country nearly two decades later.
Its now 19 years since the sons and daughters of Azerbaijan gave their life for freedom. These martyrs were victims of the then Kremlin aggression. A defeat on human freedom was a typical characteristic of the communism ideology. Therefore on every hint on the people’s inclination to emancipation, Kremlin had acted with severe military actions.
On that faithful, the 20th of January 1990, the Azerbaijan population woke up to witness a great number of the Russia army in their capital Baku. The direct order wasn’t exact but the consequences of the day was so clear –there were hundreds of innocent civilians -men, women and children killed particularly in the center of the capital city. There were fathers went to work and never returned; children went to school, bidding their parents good bye without realizing that that was the last good bye they will ever wish them. Women went to market and never returned; wives and husbands were separated by death prematurely.
Sheki, Azerbaijan comments from a local perspective.
USSR era ended for Azerbaijan with last massacre Soviet Army has brought upon it on 19-20 January, 1990…
In short Azerbaijan Republic had declared independence and Soviet Army entered on tanks and with Kalashnikovs in their hands to show power and who was in charge… Although USSR government knew that USSR was collapsing and Republics were going independent, government didn’t want to give away the last chance of showing its deep hatred toward free minds and people I must say in general…
[…]
I will neither go into details of wildness when tanks were going over armless people and soldiers were shooting to every window they saw light in…
[…]
I am a woman, mother, spouse and sister and I don’t believe into wars and revenge. To me the most valuable thing on planet Earth is a life of a person, of any person…We had two explosions in Baku tube during last ten years…The country is in ceasefire but now and then coffins of some young guys go back to their homes and ruin lives of their families…I am following the news from places like Gaza, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, civil wars in Africa and it is unfortunate to see what people are doing… […]
20 January is the day Azerbaijanis pay tribute to those who gave their lives for the country's independence…
Sapanov [RU], the blog of a Russian living in Baku, remembers events as they happened.
Напрямую меня те страшные события не коснулись. Но беда была вокруг. У соседского сотрудника погибла 12-летняя дочь Лариса. Погиб врач скорой помощи Александр Мархевка, выехавший к раненым… Страшная была ночь. Да и вообще времена жуткие. До сих пор помню патрульные БТР, гоняющие под окнами, военные палатки на Московском проспекте и автоматчиков, исподлобья поглядывающих на любопытных и мало что понимающих детишек.
Meanwhile, Doctor Ziya [AZ], posts photographs of American journalist Thomas Goltz being interviewed by the Azadliq  Azeri service of RFE/RL. It also quotes the well-known specialist on Azerbaijan who likens the day to 4 July in the United States.
«Əlbəttə, həmin günlərdə ölənlərə görə məyusam, kədərlənirəm. Amma nəticədə axı siz müstəqilliyi əldə etdiniz. Bu tarix sizin üçün ABŞ-da qeyd olunan Müstəqillik Günü kimi, 4 İyul kimi olmalıdır. Buna fəxrlə yanaşmaq lazımdır, ağlamaq yox».
Now that its broadcasts have been banned in the country, Azadliq continues to use its website to disseminate news and images, including a photo slide show of images from that fateful day.
This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.


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Azerbaijan: Day of Tragedy · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Commenting on a Global Voices Online post, 27 Months in Azerbaijan offers its own opinion on the 19th anniversary of the Soviet repression of unrest in its former satellite on 20 January 1990. The blog concludes that although the day was a tragedy, it also represented the opportunity for a new beginning.


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Bahrain: Scores of Websites Blocked · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Scores of websites have been blocked in Bahrain, following a new crackdown by the Ministry of Information. The latest sweep makes sites ranging from Google Translate to those of social, religious, human rights and political groups inaccessible to people in Bahrain.
The Bahrain Human Rights Society, whose site is also blocked in Bahrain, provides the following list of banned websites:
BCHR listing of the blocked website by Bahrain Ministry of Information
حركة الحريات والديمقراطية حق
1. [www.haaq.org]
ملتقى الجنوب المقاوم
2. [www.bintjbeil.org]
موقع بروكسي
3. [proxify.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
4. [nofilter.biz]
موقع يزود بروكسي
5. [www.proxyworld.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
6. [www.anonnow.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
7. [www.anonworks.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
8. [www.proxywars.net]
موقع يزود بروكسي
9. [www.opencity.us]
موقع يزود بروكسي
10. [www.poro6.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
11. [www.bind2.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
12. [www.zendproxy.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
13. [zoxy.info]
موقع يزود بروكسي
14. [www.seenoip.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
15. [www.ibypass.org]
موقع يزود بروكسي
16. [www.ipzap.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
17. [kproxy.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
18. [www.attackcensorship.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
19. [mrnewguy.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
20. [www.unblockwebsites.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
21. [spysurfing.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
22. [www.stupidcensorship.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
23. [www.evilsprouts.co.uk]
موقع يزود بروكسي
24. [www.bypassbrowser.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
25. [www.proxymouse.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
26. [www.fsurf.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
27 [www.browseatwork.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
28. [www.surfonym.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
29. [www.iamnewguy.com]
موقع يزود بروكسي
30. [www.ninjaproxy.com]
منتديات أحرار البحرين
31. [www.ahraralbahrain.net]
منتديات البحرين للحوار الحر
32. [www.montadayatbh.org]
منتديات المحفوظ
33. [www.almahfood.com]
منتديات الجفير
34. www.juffair.org/
منتديات على الأصغر
35. www.alialasghar.net
شهداء البحرين
36. www.shaheed-bh.com/
الصرح الوطني
37. www.wattaninet.org/
ملتقى المالكية
38. www.malkiya.net/vb/
ملتقى بني جمرة
39. www.banijamrah.org/
كرباباد
40. www.karbabadiat.net/
حركة احرار البحرين
41. www.vob.com/
الصحافة
42. [www.alsaheefa.net]
الحوار المتمدن
43. www.rezgar.com/موقع
موقع أوال
44. www.awal.org
أوال
45. www.awaal.net
ملتقى كرزكان
46. www.karzakan.com
ملتقى الدراز
47. [alduraz.net]
وعد
48. [www.aldemokrati.org]
منتديات الثقلين
49. [www.althaqlain.com]
موقع بنت جبيل
50. [www.bintjbeil.org]
الشبكة العربية لمعلومات حقوق الإنسان
51. [www.hrinfo.net]
مركز البحرين لحقوق الإنسان
52. [www.bahrainrights.org]
منديات شهركان
53. [www.shahrakkan.org]
كرد تايمز
54. [www.kurdtimes.com]
موقع البوابة
55. [www.albawaba.com]
لادني
56. [www.ladeeni.net]
الكنائس العربية
57. [www.arabchurch.com]
الأقباط الأحرار
58. [freecopts.net]
59. [annaqed.com]
60. [www.rezgar.com]
الصحيفة
61. [www.alsaheefa.net]
بحرين تايمز
62. [www.bahraintimes.org]
بحرين اونلاين
63. [bahrainonline.org]
منديات البحرين
64. [montadayat.org]
شهداء البحرين
65. [shaheedbh.com]
مترجم الغوغل
66. [google.com]
Blogger Ali7 writes:
Ali7 even goes on to challenge the ban saying:
On Facebook, Bahraini blogger Manaf Al Muhandis, who blogs at TheRedbelt.com posts a note entitled: Censored Internet in Bahrain: Imprisonment of Speech.
In it, he writes:
I am sure most of you know of the efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Information to ban websites. I think we are all together that this is unacceptable, unimplementable, and simply put: ILLEGAL as it goes against the Bahraini Law which protects the freedom of speech.
A group of us tried to avoid this by introducing the Anti Hate Code of Ethics (http://www.bahraincodeofethics.com) and prefer that any offending website be prosecuted under the law with a chance of representation rather than resort to this old and ineffective method.
My friends,
Whether you signed the code or not, I implore you to write about the matter in your own blogs. We should also unify our forces to make our voice heard. We could hold up a rally or send one letter of objection bearing our signatures. I invite you to come up with more suggestions on what we can do about it.


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Bangladesh: Drug Users And HIV · Global Voices
Rezwan

HIV infections are on the rise in Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh. Photo Journalist Monirul Alam posts a photo in his Photoblog showing street drug users injecting with used syringes.


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Bangladesh: Elections Over, Now Its Time To Keep Promises · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

On the 29th of December, 2008, Bangladesh successfully conducted its 9th parliamentary elections. Samaresh Vaidya writes [bn]:
অনেক ত্যাগ, সংগ্রামের পর গত ২৯ ডিসেম্বর ২০০৮ বাংলাদেশের নাগরিকরা নির্বিঘ্নে নির্ভয়ে তাদের অন্যতম নাগরিক অধিকার অর্থাৎ নিজেদের পছন্দসই প্রার্থীকে ভোট দিয়ে নির্বাচিত করার অধিকার ফিরে পেয়েছে। … দেশি-বিদেশী অধিকাংশ সংগঠন ও মানুষের কাছে নির্বাচনটি হয়েছে নিরপেক্ষ, অবাধ ও সুষ্ঠু।
Widely acknowledged as free and fair, the polls saw a record 87% votes being cast. That there was high excitement and involvement among citizens to participate in this election and bring the country back on the rails of democracy (back from the military controlled caretaker government that had assumed power on 11th January, 2007) was evident from these electoral statistics : of the almost 81 million voters registered, 31% voters were first-timers (age 18-25yrs) and 51% were women.
The results brought a landslide victory (263 seats out of 300) for the Awami League-led Grand Alliance, led by Sheikh Hasina . Of these, 230 seats were won by the Awami League alone, giving them a clear majority. Sheikh Hasina assumed office as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 6th January, 2009.
It was clear that the citizens had voted for change. The sentiments have been captured in this open letter written to Hasina by blogger Sherif Al Sayar [bn]:
প্রিয় নেত্রী,
শুরুতেই বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগের নেতৃত্বাধীণ মহাজোটের এই নিরঙ্কুশ বিজয়ে অভিনন্দন জানাই সাথে ইংরেজী নতুন বর্ষের শুভেচ্ছা। বাংলার জনগণ বিগত সরকারের দূর্নীতি, দুঃশাসন, হটকারীতা এবং এই সকল অগণতান্ত্রিকতার বিরুদ্ধে ভোট বিপ্লবের মাধ্যমে তার প্রতিবাদ জানালো। এবং সেই প্রতিবাদ জানানোর পাশাপাশি আপনার উপর আপনার দলের উপর আস্থা জ্ঞাপণ করল। আশা করি সেই জনগণকে আপনি ক্ষমতার দম্ভে পড়ে ভুলে যাবেন না। সেই জনগণের পাশে আপনি এবং আপনার সরকার নিরপেক্ষভাবে সব-সময় পাশে থাকবেন। এমনটাই আমরা আশা করি। …আমি বর্তমান প্রজন্মের একজন ভোটার ছিলাম। এই বার প্রথম ভোট দিয়ে নিজের নাগরিকত্ব অধিকার এবং আমার দায়িত্ব পালন করেছি। এবং সেই অধিকারের মাধ্যমে আমার মতো আরো লক্ষ নতুন ভোটার আপনার কাছে এবং আপনার মহাজোটের কাছে দেশের দায়িত্ব অর্পণ করলো। তাই আমি যেটা বলতে চাই সেটা হচ্ছে, এই বিজয়কে ক্ষমতা ফিরে পাবার বিজয় মনে না করে দায়িত্ব ফিরে পাবার বিজয় মনে করার অনুরোধ থাকলো।
আমার মতো অসংখ্য নতুন ভোটার আপনার কাছ থেকে অনেক কিছু প্রত্যাশা করে। প্রত্যাশা করে, যেই দিন বদলের চেষ্টার কথা আপনি বলেছেন সেই দিন সত্যি সত্যিই বদলাবেন। তারা চায় একটি হানাহানির রাজনীতিমুক্ত, দূর্নীতিমুক্ত, দুঃশাসনমুক্ত একটি শান্তিময় দেশ।
Interestingly, the election promise that most people are discussing in the blogosphere is the promise of good governance and more specifically point 5.1 in the election manifesto that stated, "Terrorism and religious extremism will be controlled with iron hand. Trial of war criminals will be arranged."
"We want trial and punishment of the war criminals of 1971 " — this cry is growing stronger and louder. Sadik writes [bn]:
নতুন সরকারের কাছে প্রথম দাবী হোক যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচার চাই। সবাই সমর্থন জানান এবং নিজ নিজ কর্মক্ষেত্র এবং পরিবার পরিজন নিয়েই সোচ্চার হোন "যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচার চাই"। প্রতিটি মানুষ যদি সমস্বরে দাবী জানাই "যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচার চাই" নতুন সরকার সেই দাবী মেনে নিতে বাধ্য ।
His sentiments are reflected by many other bloggers, some of whom are actively trying to mobilize public support to strengthen the voice of this demand. A mass signature campaign has been launched, to renew and strengthen the efforts started earlier through an online petition .
Blogger Sohail Motahir Chowdhury feels that the time has come not only to bring the war criminals to trial but also to cleanse and heal past wrongs. He suggests the following [bn]:
স্বাধীনতা পরবর্তীকালে বিভিন্ন অগণতান্ত্রিক সরকার বিভিন্ন সময় দেশদ্রোহী, মুক্তিযুদ্ধবিরোধী, যুদ্ধাপরাধীদেরকে যেসব রাষ্ট্রীয় সম্মান বা পদক দিয়েছে – সেগুলো বাতিল করা হোক।
Finally, Hasan Morshed writes that the task of the new government's good governance does not end with merely bringing the war criminals to trial. He states [bn]:
আর যুদ্ধাপরাধীর বিচার করাই শেষ কথা নয়, বন্ধ করতে হবে ধর্মভিত্তিক রাজনীতি…যে রাজনীতি রাষ্ট্রের জন্মের বিরোধীতা করেছিলো,সেই রাজনীতি রাষ্ট্রের কল্যান কামনা করবে-এমোন ইউটোপিয়া থেকে বের হয়ে আসা খুব জরুরী ।


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Bangladesh: The Local Elections Without Interference · Global Voices
Rezwan

An Ordinary Citizen lauds the new government of Bangladesh for not interfering with the processes of the upcoming local elections.


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Caribbean: Obama’s Day   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Like the rest of the world, the eyes of the Caribbean were on Washington, DC yesterday, as Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.  Regional and diaspora bloggers – for the most part –  could not contain their enthusiasm over this history-making moment.
Jamaica
Geoffrey Philp, a Jamaican living in Florida, talked about the anticipation he experienced:
It was the moment for which we had all been waiting, yet here seemed to be a lingering apprehension…could this really be happening?  The time had come: The swearing in of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. It was as if we were all collectively holding our breath.
So inspired was Geoffrey by the event, that he soon penned a post-inauguration poem:
All the lies have been laid to rest
The insults from childhood that would trigger
Bile in your stomach, rage that would linger
In your knuckles, creep up into your chest,
And made you think you couldn't hold on any longer…
All the lies have been laid to rest
Fellow Jamaican Stunner agreed that “a page of history was written today, history that the whole world stopped to watch”, but was all too aware of the fact that the new President has his work cut out for him:
Many in the world, including the Caribbean and Jamaica are looking on in anticipation and hope that with this new administration, things will get better economically and where international relations are concerned. But despite his admirable and eloquent speeches, his extremely great feat of becoming president, we are still in a world ravaged by a global economic recession, wars, poverty and disease. Therefore, he has a humongous challenge ahead of him to make a change for the better and only time will tell how much he and his administration can do to improve the US and by extension the global community.
Stunner's compatriot, Active Voice, recalled the moment she knew that Barack Obama was going to win the election, and wondered “if the Americans didn't fully realize how extraordinarily different it is this time”:
For instance American might and power has never made me take an interest in their political system before. Yet once Obama showed that he was a force to contend with I started to be interested; how far would this unusual candidate get? What would his tactics be? How long would the American political system tolerate this challenge from a political nonentity? I'm sure there were millions like me all over the world. And trust me Barack hasn't let any of us down. And for a change neither has the United States, which has proved that its much vaunted democratic system of governance actually can and does work fairly. The Americans should be congratulated for that.
Emotions ran high.  Raw Politics…Jamaica Style! admitted that a few tears flowed; the moment brought to mind the struggles of Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela:
In that moment, Barack Obama and President Mandela became one. Across the boundaries of geography and even time…their dreams seemed united; twinned in the universal demand for human rights and dignity. In it, I saw the visions of the slaves and the promise and power of their rebellions; their insistent cries of admission not just to the community of nations but also the dignity of the human family. Dr. King’s dreams were being realized and my insistent prayers had not gone unanswered.
Abeng New Magazine posted a series of entries about the inauguration, while writer/blogger Pamela Mordecai celebrated the greatness of the day:
A great day, this, to be back online, and a new day, hopefully, for American politics. I'm wishing that the Force be with Barack Obama, 44th President of the USA, whose inauguration day it is. He's going to need a seriously Superior Force in the days ahead, not a fighting force, but a moral force – a committed, courageous, bold and decent force of men and women of good will.
Bermuda
Blogger/cartoonist The Devil Island could barely contain himself:
I teared up at some points, I cheered at some points, I applauded at some points.
I couldn’t be happier.
He was even moved to post a drawing of the new President.  Meanwhile, fellow Bermudian Breezeblog was impressed by how “even as he [Obama] was giving his inauguration speech, he was already making good on his promise to keep the online connection that won him so much support in the campaign”; Vexed Bermoothes thought that the new President's inauguration speech was “superb”.
Barbados
With the exception of Living in Barbados, who could hardly find the words to express how he was feeling, it was mostly female bloggers who made the effort to communicate their thoughts.  Gallimaufry posted a close-up shot of Michelle Obama holding the Lincoln Bible as her husband's left hand rested on top of it, causing one of her readers to gush:
I didn’t realise she was the one holding the bible. This shot totally makes me tear up. Again.
Cheese-on-Bread! admitted that the moment was an emotional one and wished that her grandparents were alive “to witness what they would deem unimaginable.”  All that emotion, however, did not eradicate her keen fashion sense – in another post, Cheese made sure to mention that the era of Michelle O had begun.
Cuba
Cuban bloggers were also quite vocal about the day's events.  El Cafe Cubano noted that “today will mark history in that America will have its first black president and it does not matter on what political spectrum you are on, it's historical.”  But he continued:
Time will tell how history will judge the Obama regime…
Uncommon Sense was optimistic that the new President “recognizes the enemy in Cuba”:
The thought of Obama being in charge of American policy on Cuba scares the hell out of many Cuban Americans…but if you take Obama at his word – and today of all days, we should take him at his word – you shouldn't fear that when it comes to Cuba, Obama is about to sell the store. Just because he plans to take the sensible, humanitarian step of loosening limits on travel and remittances to the island by Cuban Americans, does not mean is betraying American values or the Cuban people.
Sunrise in Havana loved Obama's inauguration speech and hoped that one day he could hear similar words from a democratically elected Cuban President, while Generation Y did not mince words when she said that she prefers “the buzzing of a fly over listening to the promises of a politician” – which is why she was “so confused with the serene statement delivered…by Barack Obama, with his manner of carefully constructed arguments and invocations to harmony”:
It seemed to me when reading it—I don’t have an illegal satellite dish to watch it on TV—that he condemned all the rhetoric to be left in the twentieth century.  We have started to say goodbye to that convulsed eloquence which no longer moves us.  I only hope that it will be, ‘We, the People’ who will write the speeches from now on.
Puerto Rico
As a self-governing territory of the United States, Puerto Rico had a vested interest in this special day – and for The Voice of the Taino People Online, that “ambiguous political relationship with the U.S.” is one of the first things the new President should turn his attention to.  But for the moment, Gil the Jenius was content to rekindle that sense of pride in country:
As I write this, President Obama is now Our President. And for the first time since the darkening days of of September, 2001, when a vile attack by foreigners became a series of vile attacks by those who swore–falsely–to protect Us, I feel that the pride of nation that tinged My childhood, the pride in a nation that could overcome its own tragedies and place a man on the moon, that pride is… back.
The Bahamas
“The world has changed,” wrote Nicolette Bethel, in a well-researched blog post that explained just how that change has become a reality:
That the 44th President of the USA is African-American is important, revolutionary, seminal, historic. Yes. But that he is also the first president born after 1960 — the date accepted as the end of imperialism — after the change that began to change the world, after empires died and the formerly oppressed — we must not forget — were able once more to forge their own destinies for better or for worse, is equally significant. That he is the first president whose administration really appears to understand the change that has come in the world is something that is liable to change the world perhaps as profoundly as the skin he wears will do.
It’s possible to argue, and I’m going to, that the election of Barack Obama as an African-American marks the end of a change that began with Gandhi, continued through the struggle for self-determination and national independence throughout the European empires between 1919 and 1960, and came home to the English-language Americas with Martin Luther King. But what Obama’s election also signifies is the beginning of another change — a change in society that has to do with changes in technology. The old ideas that were forced upon us by governments whose philosophies were the residue of 19th century industrialism are passing away, and a new world is beginning.
Her compatriot, Rick Lowe, blogging at Weblog Bahamas, preferred to delay judgment, but Womanish Words was happy to get caught up in the excitement of “a brother running the free world”:
I am thrilled to have witnessed his address, grateful for the blessed optimism his achievement is inspiring in us all. I will always remember that my baby daughter was at my breast when he took the oath and the new era began.
The rest of the region
Trinidad diaspora blogger Karen Walrond, who hosted a Blogger Inauguration party, actually liveblogged the event with some friends:
10:49 a.m.:  Watching the beginning of the inauguration.  Feeling a bit shaky with anticipation.
10:54 a.m.:  Aretha Franklin singing “My Country 'tis of Thee.”  Aaaaaand I'm already teary.
11:08 a.m.:  We all just stood as Obama took oath.  And then cheered.  Unreal.  It's real.  Unreal.
11:21 a.m.:  Watching Obama's speech (with a CBS cameraman watching us)…
And within seconds of Obama taking oath, the new White House home page.
Dominica Weekly could not help but draw parallels with the late Dr. Martin Luther King, while jmc strategies decided to blog about “what should Haitian leaders take away from his words? Two things: a warning and a promise”:
The Warning:
[President Obama]: To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
The story of Haitian leadership since virtually the country’s inception has been one of wanton destruction rather than nation-building. Haitian leaders have treasured personal gains over the collective welfare, resorted to plundering state coffers rather than enforcing tax collections and managing revenues in ways that benefit the collective good. While Haiti proclaimed its love of freedom, equality and brotherhood it stopped short of calling for the pursuit of happiness, and implemented neither freedom, equality or brotherhood.
The Promise:
[President Obama]: To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
President Obama appears to not back away from a strong and pro-active foreign policy that intelligently uses US assistance to lift up the poor.
That, in effect, summarizes the Caribbean region's response to the new U.S. President's inauguration – there may be challenging times ahead, but with fortitude and hope comes the promise of a better day.


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China: victims of Sichuan earthquake · Global Voices
Yantao BI

The victims of the Sichuan 5.12 earthquake are suffering from the chilly winter. A local official says  the lowest temperature in the earthquake zone can be 21.1 degrees below zero centigrade. Now how to help the victims pull through the bitter winter remains an urgent and tough task.
Last month, Mr. Zang Lu （臧璐）, a well-known environmentalist, and his colleagues took great pains to visit a leprosy village in Mao County, which is 40 kilometers away from seismic center. When asked what they need badly at the moment, the villagers simply replied: “Quilts!”
But when 15 university students of Yibin Vocational and Technical College in Sichuan province collected four large bags of clothes for the earthquake survivors, the local red cross office in Yibin refused to take them.
Just at the same time, some teachers in the mountainous areas in Sichuan province sent out messages that they badly need clothes, quilts, stationery, etc.
Then what is the true situation in the earthquake zone? Mr. Ji Shaokang, a Canadian professor, visited Sichuan last December. He describes what he witnesses in his blogosphere:
冬天来临，缺棉衣、缺棉被。山里的老乡一见到我们一行,就主动向我们反映情况, 说着说着泪水就在眼里转。
In cities and towns, there hang slogans along the roadsides, saying:
“有手有脚有条命，天大的灾难能战胜”；“不等不靠，自力更生重建家园”；“挖废墟刨旧梁，自己动手砌新房”
One of Prof. Ji’s companions felt puzzled: Where is our donation?
On the other hand, more and more people outside the earthquake zone are trying to help the fellows in Sichuan.
A week before the New Year’s Day, Care for Life Campaign（关爱生命万里行）launched a second mission to Sichuan. The NGO enlisted 43 people (29 from Hong Kong) to visit Sichuan. With different kinds of gifts and their warm hearts, they celebrated the New Year’s Day with their old friends there. The website says:
我们知道一个团体能做的很有限，或许不能在根本上给灾区的数百万同胞带来真正的帮助，但我们做了总比不做好，今天做了总比明天做好。
In November 2008, Green and Shine Foundation（桂馨基金会）published an open letter to help the rural teachers in the earthquake zone, which urged:
大家来自不同的地方，……，每个人的职业也不尽相同，……。但是，同一个心愿和发自内心爱的力量驱动，使大家有了同样的行动。
As a result, people of all walks of life across China answered the call with great enthusiasm, sending gifts, clothes, books, stationery, etc. to the teachers there.
Ms. Wu Bei（吴蓓）, an educator and translator, together with her friend Ms. Liu Zhen（刘真）, wife of a grassroots thinker Yin Zhisheng who passed away in 1999, disseminated this information to their friends via SNS, receiving very positive responses.
Unfortunately, when trying to track the sources of information online, I found out they have already been deleted by website administrators, probably because these posts suggest that the government hasn’t taken effective measures to take care of the earthquake survivors.

author: Yantao BI


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Fiji: Bloggers debate PM’s absence at Pacific Forum meeting  · Global Voices
John Liebhardt

Bloggers and forum posters are analyzing the decision of Fiji’s self-appointed Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama to miss a January 27 special Pacific Islands Forum meeting which had been called because the leader has refused to hold a once-promised election in March 2009.
Bainimarama, who came to power in a December 2006 coup, said it would be inappropriate for the head of a government to leave Fiji as the country is still recovering from week-long floods that killed an estimated 10 people, destroyed roads and bridges and created massive crop loss on the country’s two largest islands.
In a letter to Toke Talagi, Premier of Niue and Chairman of the Pacific Forum, Bainimarama asked to postpone the meeting.
The regional body comprising 16 countries had scheduled a special meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to discuss the possibility of ousting Fiji from the group because of the Bainimarama government’s refusal to hold an election, which it said it would not do until the country's constitution and race-based electoral system is reformed. In August, Bainimarama also refused to attend an Pacific Forum meeting in Niue because he had not been granted visas to travel through New Zealand for post-forum consultations.
The pro-government blog IG-Fiji felt the Prime Minister had no choice but to try to postpone this meeting:
The PM has announced that he is seeking a deferment of the meeting which is soon to be held. We applaud this move and agree that this is best way forward for Fiji. Had the PM decided to attend, it would have been like the man who's house is on fire and leaves it to go and play golf – and the PM has once again shown that he is for the people and will stay around to ensure that the flood stricken victims are tended to and not left to fend for themselves. We highly commend this action…
real jack, at the Fiji Board Exiles forum, feels that there is nothing presently for Fiji to say to the Pacific Forum.
the ultimatum made to us was to have elections by March 2009 – OR ELSE. that was what they did in Niue.
so all thats left for them to do is suspend Fiji – what else is there to be done ?
what is FB supposed to say to them in PNG ?
the reason why they want FB in PNG is so that they can get a way out of the mess they have put themselves into in lkaying down that ultimatum – they now realise that suspending Fiji will have broader implications for the region – and very significant implications too at that.
so they want FB to come there and they talk and its made to look as if FB has backed down and compromised by agreeing to another date (not March 2009) which they will then set as the next deadline for elections – so that they can save face.
Staying at Fiji Board Exiles, Alohabula1 wonders who will blink first: The government of Fiji or the Pacific Forum?
Hmmmm it puts an interesting spin on the situation as far as PR goes. FB asked for a postponement due to the flooding disaster, that is a fair enough request. Everything is pretty much upside down at the moment. Now if they suspend Fiji at this juncture, it would not exactly be construed as a humanitarian act on their part. They can speculate that he is trying to find a way out of it, BUT the only way they would know for sure is if they postponed the meeting, otherwise they are left holding the bag so to speak if they suspend Fiji. If they don't then no harm no foul. It will be interesting to see how it plays out..
To gdevreal, Bainimarama’s decision comes as no surprise.
If it was not one excuse it would have been another.
The guy is way, way out of his depth, and would only make a fool of himself.
A bit more than two weeks ago, Raw Fiji News predicted that Bainimarama would find an excuse to skip the meeting.
Frank is playing his smoke and mirrors game again and the Pacific Forum Leaders better accept that he will most likely side-step the meeting as we had reported earlier. He has nothing to gain but everything to lose if he does attend. He knows he will be bombardered with some razor sharp questions and knowing his grade 5 communication skills, we doubt his utterances will ever make any meaningful commitment towards an election. Frank is viewing the meeting as a place of torture for him where he will be stripped down to his coup-coup nuts by those fiery questions.
Until we see Frank at Moresby, only then will we give up our understanding that the guy will most likely ditch the Pacific Leaders Forum.

author: John Liebhardt


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French Caribbean, Palestine, Israel: Economic Boycott?  · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

French West Indians and Caribbeans have expressed their solidarity with the population in Gaza in many ways since the bombings began.  By early January, the French and Creole-speaking Caribbean blogosphere had already echoed much of the reactions and opinions in the population; there were posts [Fr] announcing the organization of rallies in Martinique, statements [Fr] of intellectuals like Raphaël Confiant, and the Muslim Community of Guadeloupe posting a call for action and support.
Thousands of miles away from the Middle East, most West Indians empathized with Gazawis, shown dying or suffering on TV. This empathy is explained by Zandwonis, when he addresses a Guadeloupean politician about the Israeli attack over Gaza [Fr] on January 12th:
Comment à l’époque de la globalisation, du « village mondial » voulez-vous que nous ne soyons pas solidaires des 350 enfants massacrés par l’armée israélienne? Comment voulez-vous que nous Guadeloupéens peuple issu de l’esclavage, peuple installé sur cette terre après le génocide des Amérindiens, nous soyons sourds et muets aux malheurs qui s’abattent sur des êtres humains vivants au Proche Orient ?
This partly explains the general understanding for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez‘s stance on this issue: he and his government expressed their support to Palestine by expelling the Israeli diplomatic staff.  Here [Fr], blogger Mabool quotes Martinican author Raphaël Confiant, who praised the decision. In his speech entitled “African and Caribbean states should follow the example of Venezuela” [Fr], published and reproduced many times, Confiant states his opinion:
Une nouvelle fois, le chef de la révolution bolivarienne, Hugo Chavez, vient nous désigner la voie de la dignité et de la résistance en expulsant l’ambassadeur israélien au Venezuela.
Although a controversial ceasefire has been decided upon, people in the French Caribbean islands have not been pacified at all.  This goes a long way to explaining the latest Martinique-based campaign, designed to show support to the victims in Gaza and “retaliate” at the economic level.
In CaribCreoleOne, a question is asked: “Do Caribbean people fund the Israeli war?”  For the blogger, the answer is found in two household furniture and electrical appliances superstores, located in Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana, “Conforama” and “But“.  It is rumoured that the three heads of the company which owns the two stores in the Caribbean, have some involvement in pro-Israeli lobbying and funding.  It is with caution then, that CaribCreoleOne lists the alleged links between the CEOs and Israel, asking this final question:
Peut-on conclure que l'argent que nous dépensons dans les magasins Conforama et But sert à financer les bombes au phosphore qui ont été lâchées sur les civils palestiniens ? La question est d'actualité et mérite d'y réfléchir

author: Fabienne Flessel


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Global: Morocco Closes Caracas Embassy · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Morocco announced this week that it would close its embassy in Venezuela due to Venezuela's recognition of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), the territory also known as the “Western Sahara,” over which Morocco asserts its sovereignty.  Forty-eight countries recognize SADR, and thirteen of those are home to Saharawi embassies (see image below).
Moroccan blogger Ibn Kafka provides a timeline of events between Morocco and Venezuela:
Ceux qui me lisent connaissent le peu d’estime que j’ai pour les séparatistes, et quelques uns me le reprochent même régulièrement. Je me sens d’autant plus à l’aise pour vous communiquer les éléments d’information suivants, sous forme de calendrier.
3 août 1982:  le Vénézuela reconnaît la “République arabe sahraouie démocratique“, qui a une ambassade à Caracas depuis cette date – voir son site (qui ne fait pas très sérieux, mais c’est une autre affaire).
2 septembre 2004: le président vénézuelien Hugo Chavez rencontre officiellement Abdelaziz el Marrakchi, leader des séparatistes, et affirme publiquement le soutien du gouvernement de la république bolivarienne du Vénézuela à la cause séparatiste.
6 juin 2008: un nouvel “ambassadeur” sahraoui est accrédité à Caracas, et est reçu par le ministre vénézuelien des affaires étrangères pour lui remettre ses “lettres de créance”.
27 décembre 2008: Israël lance sa guerre d’agression contre Gaza.
6 janvier 2009: le président de la république bolivarienne du Vénézuela, Hugo Chavez, déclare persona non grata l’ambassadeur d’Israël au Vénézuela, qui a 72 heures pour quitter le pays.
15 janvier 2009: un communiqué de la MAP annonce que le Maroc a décidé de rompre les relations diplomatiques avec le Vénézuela “en réaction à l’hostilité ouvertement affichée par ce pays à l’égard de l’intégrité territoriale du Maroc, compromettant tout effort de développement de la coopération bilatérale“. Le communiqué rajoute: “La république bolivarienne n’a pas cessé d’afficher ouvertement [son] hostilité au Maroc, joignant la parole aux actes, au plus haut niveau de l’Etat, portant ainsi un grave préjudice aux relations de bonne entente entre les deux pays“. Tout ceci est vrai, mais les jalons de cette attitude vénézuelienne vis-à-vis de la question du Sahara ont été posés entre 1982 (date de la reconnaissance de la “RASD” par le Vénézuela) et juin 2008 (date de la dernière accréditation d’un “ambassadeur” de la “RASD” au Vénézuela). Le Maroc réagit donc avec entre 6 mois et 27 ans de retard, selon le critère que l’on pourrait choisir pour déterminer le moment à compter duquel le Vénézuela a “affiché son hostilité à l’intégrité territoriale du Maroc“.
3 August 1982: Venezuela recognizes the “Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic”, which has had an embassy in Caracas since – see its website (which is not very professional, but that's another matter).
2 September 2004: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez formally meets Abdelaziz el Marrakchi, leader of the separatists, and asserts the public support of the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the separatist cause.
6 June 2008: a new Saharawi “ambassador” is accredited in Caracas, and is received by the Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs to submit his “credentials.”
27 December 2008: Israel launches its war of aggression against Gaza.
6 January 2009: President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, declares Israel's ambassador to Venezuela persona non grata, giving him 72 hours to leave the country.
15 January 2009: a press release of the MAP [Maghreb Arabe Presse, Morocco's state news agency) says that Morocco has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Venezuela “in response to the open hostility displayed by that country with regard to Morocco's territorial integrity, undermining any effort bilateral cooperation efforts.”  The release adds: “The Bolivarian Republic has continued to openly display its hostility to Morocco, joining the call to action at the highest level of government, dealing a serious injury to the good relations between the two countries.”  All this was true, but the foundations of this Venezuelan attitude vis-à-vis the Sahara issue were laid between 1982 (date of recognition of the SADR by Venezuela) and June 2008 (date of last accreditation of an “ambassador” of the “SADR” in Venezuela). Morocco therefore reacts 27 years and 6 months too late, according to the criteria which we could choose to determine the moment that Venezuela might have “shown its hostility to the territorial integrity of Morocco.”
Roads to Iraq ties the incident to Israel, saying:
Morocco cuts relations with Venezuela because the Latin-American country supports the Polisario, who are recognized by more than 64 countries in the world and Venezuela, had already relations with the Polisario since the 80s.
But if you read what Moroccan newspaper Attajdid wrote that Israel’s exports to Morocco last year reached $19.6 Million, Morocco’s exports to Israel about $3.6 Million, then you can understand the real reason.
Nimr of the Arab-American blog KABOBfest also raised the issue, and referring to how often Venezuelan embassies have turned up in the news lately, says:
Well if you can dish it, hope you can take it:  Now Morocco is closing its embassy in Caracas in protest over Venezuela's support for the Polisario:
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the decision followed “increasing hostility by the Venezuelan authorities regarding the Kingdom of Morocco's territorial integrity and recent measures to support (Polisario)”.Why do stern diplomatic communiques always sound like a passive-aggressive ex-girlfriend?  “I mean, we are not mad at you, ya know?  We are mad that you don't respect our, like, integrity…”
Fortunately, Kabob Mediation Services™ has stepped up and figured out a solution to everyone's benefit. Morocco, Israel and Morocco have all agreed that in the event of a future diplomatic row, participants will simply hurl metallic devices devices at the French.
Egyptian blogger Zeinobia is perplexed by Morocco's timely decision:
Mentioning the news of official Morocco , why did really the Moroccan government withdraw its ambassador from Carcass ?? Is it really for the Western Sahara issue !!??
Well I think it is plain stupid now with my all respect because Venezuela has recognized the Western Sahara since 1982 !!!!  So I wonder why King Hassan II did not withdraw his ambassador from Carcass all that time.
Surely Carcass is not the only capital that recognize the Western Sahara as an independent entity. For God sake there are other countries in the world that recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic “SADR”. Strangely these countries are still having Moroccan Embassies like for instance Mexico so why now Mohamed IV decides this strange decision when Venezuela becomes the new ally of Arabs in South America ?? In time we are in a very bad need to an ally.
I still do not get this move at all.


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Guadeloupe: Hard Times?  · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

Guadeloupean bloggers Critiqart Guadeloupe [Fr], Gwakafika [Creole] and CaribCreoleOne [Fr] are all anticipating massive social turmoil.


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India: The Surname Debate  · Global Voices
Rezwan

Indian celebrity Sanjay Dutt sparked a debate in the country when he said: “Women should not stick to their fathers’ surname after marriage just for the sake of fashion. It will be a disrespect for their husbands if they do so.” I love life… so I explore reacts to his remarks.


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Indonesia: Questions for President Obama · Global Voices
Martin Manurung

The enthusiasm of the Indonesian public, especially bloggers, about Barack Obama's inauguration is remarkable. This statistics alone can explain: between January 20-21, there are 27,968 blog entries that mention the word ‘Obama’. Furthermore, almost all national TV stations broadcasted live the inauguration last night (midnight in West Indonesian Time) and major newspapers put the event on their headlines.
Nevertheless, some commentators have begun to question Obama's inaugural address. Particularly, they were disappointed because Obama did not mention anything about Israel and its aggression over Palestine in the Gaza strip. For example this is what E. Billah said in his post “The Real Barrack Obama”:
Barrack Obama memang seorang tokoh yang pandai dalam berpidato. Sayangnya dalam pidatonya kemarin tidak sedikitpun Barrack Obama menyinggung tentang konflik Israel dan Palestina.
I personally can understand the disappointment. But, perhaps we should keep in mind that it was an inaugural address as the President of the United States. Thus, local issues are more important to be pointed out for the Americans who have elected him as President.
Another interesting issue regarding the 44 President of the USA is whether he can make his economic reform plans work. Yanuar Rizky, a financial analyst who blogs at elrizky.net, disclosed the contributors behind the massive inauguration ceremony. He quoted the data presented by Center for Responsive Politics, a non partisan organization focusing on money’s influence on U.S. elections and public policy, that listed the biggest supporter of the event was “Securities & Investment”, which donated more than US$3.6 million.The sum of donation from the troubled finance, insurance and real estate sector reached US$7 million.
Based on the presented data, Rizky concludes:
Semakin jelas bahwa “wall street” tetap menanamkan kuku di setiap pemerintahan AS. Presiden Obama, dengan Menkeu alumni “wall street” tetap akan memperhatikan kepentingan industri sekuritas.
Thus, despite all the positive expectations from the Indonesian public, the choices that Obama will take during his years in the White House will decide whether he can deliver the “change” he has promised.

author: Martin Manurung


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Iran: AIDS Doctors face prison · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Physicians for human rights site reports that Kamiar and Arash Alaie are sentenced to terms of three and six years respectively. This site calls this imprisonment as first test of Obama Administration. Read more here.


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Iran:Women activists honored with an Award  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

The One Million Signatures Campaign  that demands the end of discriminatory laws against women in Iran, has been awarded the Simone de Beauvoir Award which was established in memory of this Feminist writer.


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Japan: Coming of age in 2009 · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Every year, on the second Monday of January, in the neighbourhood of every city hall of Japan, one can see young men wearing the hakama (typical Japanese trousers) and women dressed up in furisode (long sleeved kimono, traditionally worn by unmarried girls). On that particular day, in fact, since 1946, “Coming-of-age Ceremonies”(成人式 seijin shiki) have held to celebrate the passage to adulthood of people who turned 20 years old in the period between April of the previous year and March of the current year.
In comparison to ceremonies held in the past, however, ceremonies on January 12th were different this year, according to the mainstream media. Articles and surveys published in national newspapers and on TV shows presented a desperate picture of coming-of-age Japanese adults in the last few months, the economical crisis and lack of work being the topics everybody is talking about.
Some “grown-up bloggers” noticed the different turn that the coverage of the Coming-of-age Ceremony took this year and commented on it in their blogs. Two papa romio, for example, despite understanding the worrying economic situation Japan currently faces and the anxieties held by young people in the country, encourages the younger generation to be proactive:
数年前の成人式の日には新成人の暴動なんかがよくテレビで流れていた気がするが、今年はそういった報道が無かった。「仕事がないので不安です」「これから の若い人間が働きやすい環境を作ってください」などのコメントが多かった。学生の内定取り消しや雇用の削減が若い人間にも大きな不安を与えているのだろう。確かに彼、彼女たちがこれから飛び込んでいこうとする社会がこの状況では不安だろう。
でも若い人間がこれからの社会を変えないと日本は変わらない。人頼みではなく自ら変えようという心意気で社会に飛び込んでもらえたらいいのにな。とはいいつつその頃の自分がそんな事を思っていたかというとそんな事はない（＞＜）
Encouraging words come also from other bloggers who turned 20 some years ago.  One of these bloggers, nanatsuboshi(ななつぼし☆ ), whose son just turned 20, encourages him and others of his age to show their mettle in these difficult times.
きのうは成人の日であった　息子よ　おめでとう
急速な景気悪化の中　息子の通う大学でも　就職の不安を抱えている先輩たちが
多いらしい　厳しい時代でも厳しい時代だからこそ　成人となり将来に向け　気概を新たにすることを望みたい
ゲームやネット　それにケイタイで育った世代である
コミュニケーション下手と言われる世代だが　仲間とのそれは違うようだ
[…]
それもこれも　ケイタイでの連絡　情報機器の活用に慣れているからか
隔世の感はある　が　それらを有効に活用して　自身の知識　教養を深めながら　未来に邁進するがいい
加えて　思いやり　親切心　感動できる豊かな心や感性を持つことは　忘れてはなるまい
Similarly, Gainet Hayataku (ガイネット ハヤタク), remembering when he turned 20 y.o. during the Bubble years, expresses his optimistic view about the new generation of individuals who, as has happened before in Japanese history, will be able to change the country and rescue it from the critical situation that it is in nowadays.
この時期、いつも思いだされるのは、自分が二十だったころ。
もう少しすると、2回目の成人式かというくらい遠い日の事になりつつありますが。
あの頃は、バブルも崩壊したものの、バブルの残り香と下がる景気の雰囲気が世の中に入り混じっていました。
[…]
バブルは崩壊したと言っても、今とは違い仕事も沢山あったし、仕事も嫌なら辞めればいいぐらいに思っていました。
それに比べて、今は適当にしていたら、ちゃんと生きられない。
世の中の流れなので、生きるのが大変なのは若い人に限った話ではありませんが。
こういう時に若い頃を過ごせると、生きる力が強い人が沢山育ちそうです。
反面、落ちこぼれも増えるのかもしれませんが、初めの大衆心理の話じゃないけど、意識の押し上げにはなると思います。
こんな世の中から、何か凄い人が育ってくるのかもしれません。
いつの時代も、若者を導くのは大人の役割です。
見て育つというのもあるでしょうが、周りの状況以上に大きく育つことは難しいでしょう。
自分の状況を大きく超えるには、想像以上の世界をみせる必要があるのです。
私の好きな明治維新には、吉田松陰や勝海舟などの思想家がいました。[…]
当時の若者達にそれほど想いの差があったとは思いません。
彼らにあったのは、自分達の周りの状況の差でした。
現代は情報の時代。
しかし、自分を成長させるスイッチを入れなければ、目にした物を自分の状況に落とし込むことはできません。
身近にメンターを持つことが、人生に大きな差が生まれるでしょう。
こんな時代だからこそ、若者達を正しく導く大人が沢山出てくることを願い、そして、自分もそういう存在になって行きたいものです。

author: Scilla Alecci


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Korea: Worse and Worse – North Korea and South Korea · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

North Korea announced that South Korea’s attitude might cause confrontation between them and suggested  a possible conflict [EN]. It leads to anxieties and concern in South Korea. Since the Sunshine Policy started, relations have seemed better and the two Koreas even started economic cooperation. The other direction of the new South Korean government on North Korea policy has changed many things for one year. Netizens ask what led the North Korean government to make the public announcement.
[…]북한군 대변인이 TV에 나와 성명을 읽은 것은 지난 99년 서해대전 이후 10년 만에 처음이다. 북한의 의도는 여러 가지로 풀이된다. 성명서가 미국의 정권 교체 사흘을 앞두고 발표됐다는 점에서 오바마 당선인을 겨냥했다는 점은 분명해 보인다. 한반도의 긴장을 높여 향후 대미 협상에서 유리한 고지를 차지하려는 전술이다. 동시에 북한은 상대적으로 유화적인 오바마의 대북 정책이 우리 정부의 강경책에도 영향을 미치길 기대하는 것으로 보인다. 북한이 경제위기를 겪고 있는 남한의 취약점을 노렸을 수도 있다. 불황에 안보위기까지 겹치면 여론이 불안해질 수밖에 없다.[…]
노무현정부때 미국이랑 관계가 겉으론(?) 껄끄러웠어도 문제가 없었다. 북한과의 협력이 지속되었기때문이다. 이명박정부의 상황은 그때와 다르다. 북한과의 관계는 경색되고 여차하면 미국에 의지하려는 자세는 호시탐탐노리는 주변국이 강건너 불구경 할 수 있게 도와주는 일일뿐왜 미국과 북한이 관계정상화되어가는 시점에서 우리는 왜 냉전시기의 메커니즘을 고수하고 있는가? 북한도 미국과도 동시에 협력할 수 있다.
Even though the previous government had not a good relation with the US government, there was no problem. Cooperation with North Korea continued as well. However, the current government faces a different situation. In the moment when relations between North Korea and the US are getting getter, why do we keep the mechanism of the Cold War? We can cooperate with North Korea as well as the US.
Will the North Korea policy of the new South Korean government bring domestic advantages?
북한 군부의 전면대결태세 언급의 이유
1. 공화당 –> 민주당 8년만에 미국 정권 교체.
오바마 정권 교체기에 맞추어 존재감 표출
2. 김정일 신변 악화설 의식
자신들의 굳건한 선군체제 형식적 표명
3. 서해 및 휴전선 부근 삐라 살포행위에 대한 불쾌감, 최대 경고 표시
북한 군부 이미 작년부터 실질적으로 매우 심각한 불쾌감을 남북 군사당국자 대화에서 표명해 왔음 . 개성관광 철수도 이러한 원인이 크게 작용
삐라살포 전혀 도움 안되는 행위.  삐라 뿌린다고 북한 바뀌는 것도 아니고, 지혜로운 합당한 방법도 아님
그냥 살던지, 내부혁명을 하던지, 전적으로 북한 주민들의 결단의 문제
4. 경제 협력 필요로 하는데, 이명박정권 지혜없어, 방향제시성 불만 표출
상대방의 입장이나 심정적 요소 고려없어, 현정권의 남북관계 현재 막장 형태
어렵게 전진시킨 기존 남북관계 전진틀 계승이나, 발전의지 없음
기존의 협력틀, 경제협력, 교류형태도 도전상태 . 금강산관광, 개성관광 이미 완전 중단
5. 북한 독재체제라는 것 다 아는 사실이나, 그들 나름대로는 자기들 체제에 대한 자부심 지니고 있다는, 심리적 요소 배제하면 안되. 북한의 존심(存心)은 남북관계에서 중대 고려 요소. […]
대응과 해소책
1. 서해상 민간어로(漁擄) 협력 구역 협의하고, 양측의 군사적 충돌 가능성 자제시켜야 할 것 (북측과 대화협상 필요). 서해 및 휴전선 구역, 삐라살포 및 묵인행위, 무책임하고 아무런 가치도 없는 일
2. 경제 발전(Economic Development)의 성장동력의 기본은 인구와 지리, 자원,
즉 공간자원이 가장 본질적임. 국내경제성장 정체 및 한계현상, 인구와 지리적 한계에서 유발. 경제적 제약으로 젊은 세대 출생률도 현저하게 떨어지고 있는 상태. 현재 단계에서 북한의 인구, 공간지리구조와의 융합을 통한 경제성장은 선택이 아니라, 필연적이고 필수적인 단계
3. 자본주의는 그 질적, 공간적 외연(boundary)을 지속적으로 확장시켜야 성장하고 발전할 수 있음. 모든 대결적, 소모적인 대응 버리고, 금강산,개성관광 재개시키고, 개성공단 획기적으로 확대시켜야, 파주 – 개성을 잊는 남북공동의 획기적 자유도시 건설을 제안해 봄
4. 화해 통한 경제적 실질,실리 획득하려는 것이 이미 북한의 의도. 클린턴 정부 말기에 북미정전협정 종결을 타진하였으나, 미국 정권교체로 단절, 8년을 기다린, 북한, 오바마정권 출범과 더불어, 본질적 변화 도모할 것. 이런 기회를 활용하지 못하고, 주요 역할자에서 배제되는 것은, 우리 스스로에게 엄청난 손실이며, 후세와 God에 대한 중대한 죄악.
1. We have to negotiate the West Sea matter with North Korea and should prevent possible military conflicts (We need to talk with North Korea). Spraying leaflets on the West Sea and the border line is irresponsible and worthless.
2. The principle of economic development is based on population, geography, and natural resources. The reason why our domestic economic growth is stagnant is due to limited population and geography. This moment, the economic growth with population and geography of North Korea is not a choice, but the essence and necessity.
3. Capitalism can grow up and develop to expand the quality and boundary. We should give away competitive and exhausting relations with North Korea. We should restart Mt. Keumkang and Kaesung Tourisms. I suggest a new city to connect Paju and Kaesung.
4. The North Korean intention is to obtain economic substance and advantages through reconciliation. At the end of the Clinton Government, agreement of cease-fire between North Korea and America was almost there, but stopped due to the new government of the US. With the Obama Government, more substantial changes will be planned. If you don’t use this opportunity, it will be great loss for us and will be the major sin for out descendants and God.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Madagascar: Tropical cyclone Fanele makes landfall in the Southwest Region · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Blogger Pierre Maury is thinking of the Southwest region of Madagascar  as Tropical Cyclone Fanele has made land fall at 4:17 am on January 21st 2009 (fr).  The city of Belo-sur-Mer is threatended by gust of wind as fast as 281 km/h.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Mexico: Good Conduct Law Revoked · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The local government of Guanajuato, Mexico revoked the “Good Conduct” law that would have outlawed public kissing after receiving negative press for the law updates Ingrid of Vivir México [es].

author: Eduardo Avila


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Myanmar: Cyclone recovery will take four years · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

According to a UN agency, recovery and reconstruction efforts in the cyclone-ravaged areas of Myanmar will take four years. Last May 2008, a deadly cyclone hit Myanmar.

author: Mong Palatino