text:
Zambia: Reactions to Chiluba’s acquittal · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A magistrate in Lusaka acquitted former Zambian President Frederick Chiluba of corruption charges this week in a ruling that has received mixed reactions in Zambia.
Chiluba was accused of stealing about $500,000 to support his extravagant lifestyle when he served his two term from 1991 – 201 after defeating Zambia's first President, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, in Zambia's first multi-party elections.
Although Chiluba supported his successor, the late Levy Mwanawasa, it was Mwanawasa who pushed for the Parliament to lift Chiluba's immunity in 2002 to facilitate criminal proceedings against him.  Earlier this year, the London High Court found him guilty and ordered him to pay back the money he stole from the government.
Following the judgement that cleared him of corruption charges, Chiluba's lawyers have written to the Speaker of the National Assembly demanding the restoration of his presidential immunity.
In Malawi, the former President Bakili Muluzi is also facing corruption charges.
Let's see what Zambian bloggers and their readers say about the judgement and the future of the fight against corruption in Zambia.
“Justice by executive order- The Era of Bwezani Banda”, is the title of a post by Mwankole in reaction to the ruling. Mwankole argues that the current President, Rupiah Banda, influenced court's judgement:
Despite the overwhelming evidence presented, which in some bizarre fashion was sufficient to convict his principal accomplices Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu to 3 years of hard labor prison sentences, Chiluba come off without the slightest pretense of a reprimand. Chiluba was the President in charge when Kabwe and Chungu were stealing; further the evidence for all intents and purposes points to the duo carrying water on Chiluba’s behalf.
Doesn’t he bear some responsibility, if not all? Does the buck not stop at plot one?
Proof that it is not the weight of evidence that determines the outcome of significant legal cases in Zambia; it is the executive that calls the shorts.
It therefore follows, that Magistrate Jones Chinyama had to buy himself more time before passing judgment on Chiluba, a whole weekend to consult the almighty Rupiah Bwezani Banda [The President of Zambia]. He then had, come up with 6 hours long blah…blah, that let loose without so much as a slap on wrist, one of Zambia’s most unscrupulous plunderer simply because the current plunder did not want a precedent set.
A reader at Zambia Watchdog says:
The mess Levy has left behind is that on one hand we have a London Judgement while on the other hand we have a Zambian Judgement. Which one does one go for. The Post and the like obviously will be full of praise for the London judgement while people like me prefer the Zambian judgement. We all know that the British and American would not agree to have anyone of their own tried in a foreign country. Remember those 2 black British School girls who some two years or so were caught in Accra with drugs. The British Govt fought hard to have them tried in Britain and not Ghana. Why then should we subject our former presidents, no matter how bad one might be to a foreign court if others can refuse to have mere school girls tried abroad? What arrogance. Levy got it wrong. In any case apart from shoes and shirts what else is there to show that FTJ stole.
Another one warns African dictators:
Dictators of Africa who are stealing from their pipo should not liken Chiluba’s judgement will apply to them too. Muluzi’s case is in Malawi and Malawi is not Zambia. I feel the prosecuting government in Malawi will tighten the loose ends and send Muluzi to jail after learning that Zambia has failed to send Chiluba to jail.
Chiluba will enter jail briefly and am seeing it. The London court is not silly to have judged him that way after having enough evidence that he stole from the Zambian pipo. Not all Zambians are happy with the Jones Chinyama ruling so far. RB should not cheat that Zambians ve accepted the ruling, we are still following up and if he had a hand to this judgement, time will catch with him also. His on record already, ‘Chiluba good damn president’.
Ben Israel is disappointed at the ruling but not shocked:
It is extremely disappointing to hear such news BUT am personally not shocked, Chiluba’s freedom was inevitable… I mean this case was supposed to have been over the moment they (prosecutors) started probbing. There was truely enough evidence to use against Chiluba but the moment they started dragging shoes in the issue we should have known it was a lost cause.
Perhaps if Levy was still alive the outcome might have been different because it seems like he was the only one brave enough to do the Zambian people Justice. Chiluba destroyed many lives and I know this for certain because I come from the copperbelt, Luanshya to be exact and I saw first hand the kind of confusion which arose during the privatisation era (people lost houses and Jobs and mining towns became Ghost towns).
Now suddenly Chiluba is the victim, this my people is pure evidence of how corrupt Zambia really is. We need to do something radical about this cancer (corruption), our leaders have no will to serve us – the only thing that concerns them is money and power.
Zambia Watchdog writes about the call for restoration of Chiluba's immunity:
Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwaambwa is reportedly under pressure to immediately convene parliament to restore former president Fredrick Chiluba’s immunity.
Sources at Parliament have told the Watchdog that the speaker has problems convening parliament because of the way the demand has been made.
Chiluba’s lawyers Simeza Sangwa and Associates wrote to the speaker on Tuesday for him to convene parliament.
Ulemona responds to the news:
Is there no one left with a back bone and integrity? Twachula pafula [It means “We have suffered enough” in Bemba). Pls Mr Speaker, save Zambia and stop this nonsense!
Zambiano says:
The MPs should for once stand for the Zambian people and reject this. It would deny those of us who want government to appeal our chance. Too much money was stolen and these guys have either walked Scot free or got cosmetic sentences. We are watching!
B M says:
Nkole [Nkole is the Chairman of the Task Force on Corruption] must shutup,how much taxpayers money do they want worst on cases they can’t win in our courts,he’s mentioning other cases how far have they gone?the Task Force chairman is very mean,taskforce must be dissolved forthwith..these prosecutors must find jobs elsewhere.Chiluba has suffered alot under these political cases that even from the onset direction was difficult to tell…Can Nkole tell the the nation for the past 8years what has happened to the remaining cases,why the delay?its simple it benefitts him and other collegues at Taskforce!
Zambian Progress thinks that the ruling is an indication of Zambian government weakness on corruption:
While many Zambians will point accusing fingers at Ndola High Registrar. We must realise that FJT's free ride is not about the presiding magistrate but MMD government and its plans which has proven itself in this case that it is weak, soft and legally incompetent to prosecute corruption cases.We not blame for the magistrate for acquittal; but hold MMD accountable for failing to prove the case.
Then, there is RB telling the nation that he is happy for Zambians to accept Chiluba walk to freedom; please!!! Chiluba was already accepted by Zambians. We Know he destroyed the economy through credit privatisation of the companise withour oversight and accountability. Zambians accepted him when he wanted a Third Term and we accepted him when Zambian had no medicines in hospitals, Chiluba was buying designer suits and shoes.
Zambians must respect the ruling of court but hold MMD government accountable in the manner it handled this case. MMD government has wasted taxpayer's money with this case which many top MMD officials knew it was a dead end. Zambians deserve to know who how much MMD government has spend on this case since it started. This is total wasteful spending by the government.


text:
Azerbaijan: Eurovision scandal continues · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Despite attempts by the authorities in Baku to downplay the incident, news that the names and addresses of 43 citizens who voted for the Armenian entry in this year's Eurovision Song Contest had been obtained by police in Azerbaijan continues to send out shock waves through the international media and the Internet.
Of course, Eurovision has been no stranger to such controversies, with all three countries in the region letting politics and ethnic rivalries spill out into proceedings.
The competition had already got off to a bad start in February when Georgia entered an entry mocking the Russian prime minister, former President Putin, but then Armenia and Azerbaijan soon took the level of animosity to even greater heights with actions that bordered on the infantile. This might be reason enough for many to consider Eurovision as more absurd than it already is, but when the two countries remain in a state of war, even a simple and otherwise mundane song contest takes on a frightening new dimension.
However, many consider this latest development as more serious than those before it. Indeed, says FR33 Agents, it identifies the intolerance and racial prejudice many have accused the Azeri government of promoting against Armenians in the past.
When you’re talking about government, “strange” is a relative term. Still, voting for the wrong team in the Eurovision Song Contest hardly seems like a matter of national security. Azerbaijan’s National Security Ministry seems to disagree. Rovshan Nasirli, one of 43 Azeris to send a text message voting for Armenian duo Inga and Anush over the national team, was summoned last week to answer for his treasonous behavior.
[…]
The Azeri government is a little on edge about the Nagorno-Karabakh region. This disputed territory is within the imaginary lines of Azerbaijan, but most residents are ethnic Armenians. There seems to be a lot of hate flying between the two ethnic groups, and at least one of the governments appears ready to punish race traitors.
Eternal Remont also recognizes the same, but manages to see the funny side.
[…] it seems that liking Armenians in Azerbaijan is kind of being considered a crime. […]
[…]
Frightening and hilarious. However, before you judge the Azerbaijani authorities for overreacting, look at the Armenian Eurovision entry from this year. I got some questions for people who voted for this.
It Is What It Is agrees.
[…] Azerbaijan just does not get it. According to a news the police there had been questioning people who voted for Armenia. Get with it, Azerbaijan, caring about the Eurovision Song Contest is sad! Are you trying to be camp or something? If so, I think you're getting it wrong. The whole heavy thing – you're not quite getting it, like if Santa Claus dyed his beard pink in an attempt to be feminine. Just not as cute.
Regardless, the ramifications were clear.
Reports that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will now be investigating the incident prompted Thattalkshop's Blog to consider whether Azerbaijan will be prevented from entering the competition in the future.
Despite the fact last November both the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders agreed to intensify their efforts to find a political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh region it seems the problem is far from sorted.
[…] what a conundrum?
Well it seems like the EBU will try to brush this under the carpet, would they not want to upset some countries in the region, allies of Azerbaijan such as Turkey, which indeed in previous years we have seen Azerbaijan broadcaster promoting people voting for Turkey.
Does this really amount to less than Lebanon law requiring non recognition of Israel not being able to compete in 2005, the EBU forcing them to withdraw. We will just have to wait and see […]
Ianyan, a U.S.-based Armenian blog, however, considers what this all means for peace between the two estranged neighbors, but ends on an optimistic note.
A total 1,065 Armenians voted for the Azerbaijani entry and Armenia gave Azerbaijan one point. A total of 43 Azerbaijanis voted for the Armenian entry.
Here’s to hoping this scandal is just a small blip on the radar that will be overshadowed by strong desires and efforts for mutual peace.
Writing for The Armenian Weekly, a U.S.-based newspaper incorporating blogging and commenting features for its online version, Andrew Turpin also hopes that something good can come out of the scandal.
The fact remains that as the world saw in Iran, “It rains on the just and unjust alike.” And there are good Azerbaijanis that need to be supported in their efforts if Azerbaijan is ever to make headway in its desperately needed civil society reforms.
So if you know a good Azerbaijani activist or student, send them a gift of support and solidarity, as they dwell like Daniel in a geopolitical lion’s den. And if you don’t, find one and forge a new friendship, if for no other reason than to counter the Azerbaijani rhetoric and deflate the sounding war drums.
For, if there’s not a single Azerbaijani we can call “jan, jan,” then we may win Eurovision 2009, but that’s as good as it gets.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
Iran: Testimonies of torture and rape  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

The Iranian authorities have been accused by UN experts and the opposition of torturing jailed protesters of the June 12 presidential election results. Mehdi Karoubi, an opposition leader and former Speaker of Iran's parliement, claimed that both male and female detainees have been raped in the Evin and Kahrizak prisons in Tehran, and that political prisoners are being tortured to death.
Rape and torture are not a new phenomenon in Iran's prisons, but the recent events have focused more attention on the prisons of the Islamic Regime. Iranian civil society activists, including Reza Allamehzadeh, a leading film director, have been using citizen media to highlight testimonies about the Iranian tragedy.
A former political prisoner recounts the experience of being imprisoned, tortured and raped in an Iranian prison in the 1980s. She was only 17 years old at the time, and did not know why she had been arrested. More than 84,000 people have watched her testimony on YouTube.
Kahrizak
Thousands of protesters, including some who were injured, were arrested during the July demonstrations and hundreds were sent either to prison or a torture house called Kahrizak.
Here is a testimony from one of the survivors that has been published on several blogs:
They took us with tens of others to Kahrizak camp. At least in that room that I were held there were another 200 people, all were injured beaten by batons. you could hear people crying everywhere….the plaincloth guards came into room…beat whom they could. they did for half an hour…after that they put a flash light in our faces and say if you make a noise with put these batons in your asses….to prevent us dying of hunger, everyday they give us a bag of leftover food.
In this interview, a survivor explains how prisoners at Kahrizak were forced to lick water from the floor.
Ayathollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, has ordered the closure of Kahrizak. MPs have said that 12 officers and judges were prosecuted over the Kahrizak incidents.
Beaten with a cable, no questions asked
Iran's torture houses have been in existence for 30 years, however, and Kharizak is not the only one. Here is another testimony from an Iranian citizen arrested and tortured at Evin prison  simply for having been near the site where a demonstration took place.
I had no sense of being part of a demonstration and was just walking normally in the street. Still, I was nabbed and put into a car and left there until about 9 pm. Everyone in the car was blindfolded the whole time, and then we were driven somewhere. Three days later, I figured out that we had been driven to Motahari Street. There we were randomly assigned to an interrogator. My interrogation went on until 1 am, but I was not asked any questions. I was beaten with a cable and with other things without being asked a single question.

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Morocco: Celebrating el-Khattabi’s Memory  · Global Voices
Hisham Almiraat

Badr al-Hamri, writing on Aghora [Ar], realizes his long cherished dream by creating a blog [Ar] dedicated to the memory of Moroccan anti-colonial figure, Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Karim el-Khattabi. “My Ambition is to make it a reference for the thinking and life of ‘Abd al-Karim. I invite those interested and all enthusiasts of the idea, to support this experiment through their contributions,” notes the blogger.

author: Hisham Almiraat


text:
Russia: Anna Akhmatova · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

St. Petersblurb writes about Anna Akhmatova and the Fountain House.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Russia: Flag Day Rally · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LJ users daria_mas and alter-gregor post photos (RUS) from the opposition rally that took place in Moscow on Russia's Flag Day and ended with riot police detaining some of the activists.


text:
Zambia: The ills of Mwanawasa’s legacy · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A guest blogger at Zambian Economist discusses the ills of Levy Mwanawasa's legacy. The late Mwanawasa was the third President of Zambia.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Armenia: Ultra-nationalist homophobic death threat · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on a death threat made against a prominent LGBT writer by an ultra-nationalist group in Armenia. The blog says that this latest development in what still remains a traditionally homophobic society marks a new move to create internal enemies and hopes that law enforcement agencies will take immediate action.


text:
Brazil: On the meaning of “Minorities with a majority complex” · Global Voices
Deborah Goldemberg

Speak up Sarney: "I can explain all the dirty tricks, I mean, charges". By Paulo Barbosa.
Brazilian politicians, discredited as they are, occasionally deliver the most fascinating sayings that, although they cannot absolve them of their political negligence and abuses of power, make their mark by provoking the public and allowing the Brazilian people understand them a little better.
Last week, it was Senator Renan Calheiros’ turn to deliver a real gem. In 2007 he had to step down from the Presidency of the Senate amid accusations by his ex-lover, the mother of his illegitimate child, who posed for Playboy Magazine soon after the scandal. He has earned himself a place in history with a phrase that has made the current political crisis in the Senate, triggered by accusations of corruption against the current Senate President José Sarney, more riveting than the evening soap opera. In a fierce discussion with the PSDB (Brazilian Social Democratic Party) Senator Tasso Jereissati, many accusations were made, some of which offer an acute reflection of the present state of the Brazilian Senate.
The blogger Leandro Prudêncio [pt] made a good selection of the highlights of the discussions from a transcript available at Estadão Online, the web version of one of the main Brazilian newspapers, which puts Renan's gem into context:
Renan Calheiros: “A respeito da manifestação do senador Tasso Jereissati. Essas crises acontecem por isso, porque é a minoria com complexo de maioria…”
Tasso Jereissati: Que me desculpe senador Renan. Senador Renan, não aponte esse dedo sujo pra cima de mim! Não aponte esse dedo sujo pra cima de mim! Estou cansado de suas ameaças”
Renan:“Esse dedo sujo infelizmente é o de Vossa Excelência. São os dedos dos jatinhos que o Senado pagou”
Tasso: “Pelo menos era com meu dinheiro. O jato é meu, não é dos seus empreiteiros.
Renan: “O dinheiro é seu?”
Tasso: “É meu, é meu, é meu, é meu! Eu tenho pra falar, tá?
(Fora do microfone) Renan: Coronel…
Tasso: Eu, coronel? Cangaceiro, cangaceiro de terceira categoria…”.
Renan: “O senhor é coronel!” – Baixa o microfone e diz: “Seu merda” (relato dos senadores próximos a Renan)
Renan: “Você é minoria com complexo de maioria. Me respeite”
Tasso Jereissati: “I beg your pardon, Senator Renan. Senator Renan, don’t point your dirty finger at me! Don’t point your dirty finger at me! I’m tired of your threats!”
Renan: “You’re the one with dirty fingers, Your Excellency. They’re the fingers of someone who had a private jet paid for by the Senate.”
Tasso: “At least it was with my own money. The jet belongs to me, not your contractors.”
Renan: “So the money’s yours?”
Tasso: “It's mine, mine, mine, mine. Let me speak, okay?”
(Away from the microphone) Renan: “Colonel…”
Tasso: “Me, a colonel? You bandit, you third-rate bandit…”
Renan: “You are a colonel, sir!” – Lowers the microphone and says: “You shit head” (according to the senators sitting next to Renan)
Renan: “You are a minority with a majority complex. Show some respect.”
Follow this link to check out the scene.
Photo by Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/ABr
“Minority with a majority complex” was the phrase which echoed around offices and bars all over the country, as well as in the blogosphere, becoming an instantly popular saying. But what, exactly, does it mean and why was it so successful?
In the strict sense in which it was said, Renan being one of the leaders of the government base which supports José Sarney’s continued presence in the Senate (something already discussed by GVO), the intention was to diminish the opposition's importance.
Bloggers who interpreted the phrase in this sense were fairly critical of it. The blog O Que Estamos Fazendo? [pt] asked:
O que gerou a manifestação de Renan? A divergência. E olha que a oposição no Brasil é quase inexistente. Se sofre de algum complexo, é de inferioridade. Vive escondida, com medo de cumprir seu papel de… oposição, como fazia o PT quando era minoria…
Então, se mesmo com uma oposição omissa o senador Calheiros disse o que disse, qual é o seu desejo? Se divergir, se exercer o papel de oposição significa ter “complexo de maioria”, o que deseja Calheiros?
Algumas hipóteses:
- Deseja que os congressistas da “minoria” recebam seus salários, mas não apareçam no congresso para encher o saco. Que fiquem em suas casas, em verdadeiras licenças remuneradas, como um bom funcionário fantasma nomeado por ato secreto;
- Deseja que os congressistas da “minoria” mudem de lado e migrem para a “maioria”, dando uma banana para seus eleitores tão logo assumam seus cargos;
- Deseja que os políticos da “minoria” sejam declarados inelegíveis, uma vez que somente a “maioria” deve possuir representação política na democracia de Renan.
So, even if Senator Calheiros aimed what he said at a silent opposition, what point was he trying to make? If being the voice of dissent and fulfilling the role of the opposition means having a “majority complex”, what does Calheiros want?
Some hypotheses:
- He wishes that congressmen from the “minority” would accept their salaries, but wouldn’t show up at Congress to bother him. They should stay at home instead, on paid leave, like good old “fake public servants”, appointed by secret ballot;
- He wishes that “minority” congressmen would change sides and migrate to the “majority”, sticking two fingers up at those who elected them as soon as they take up their posts.
- He wishes that the “minority” politicians could be declared ineligible, since only a “majority” would have political representation in Renan's democracy.
The blogger PlunkPlakZum [pt] raised the same issue, drawing attention to the challenges that the Brazilian democracy is currently facing:
Contudo, é fundamental considerar que o pensamento democrático brasileiro pode, por caminhos próprios, por vida própria, nem sempre estar em tudo representado pela maioria. Isso porque as relações político-partidárias necessariamente não representam por si só as idéias, ideologias e posições do povo. Tanto é que há até divergência entre partidos ou grupos de partidos. Também por isso é que se busca apoio político. Existe, sim, uma minoria que, por casualidade, pode representar a maioria sem voz que espera, do lado de fora do Senado, as deliberações dos senadores.
Portanto, antes de enxotar essa minoria de dentro do Senado como se fosse cão pequeno, examine-se se ela não faz coro com a vontade de uma maioria atenta que, do lado de fora do Senado, são brasileiros de voz e vez, ao menos em época de eleição.
Therefore, before turfing this minority out of the Senate as if it were a stray dog, ask yourself whether it does not echo the will of a majority that is watching from the sidelines, made up of Brazilians who really matter, at least at election time.”
Nevertheless, Renan's phrase had wider implications, which were seized upon by many bloggers.
An article written by the now-independent journalist Paulo Henrique Amorim [pt], who once worked for some of the main media outlets in Brazil, made a real splash, and has been replicated in many blogs, including one devoted to Dilma Roussef, the all-powerful Brazilian Chief of Staff. Paulo Henrique Amorim sought to answer the question: ‘Why is the PSDB, according to Renan Calheiros, a “minority with a majority complex”?’ with the following argument:
Porque os tucanos – em que o peso de São Paulo é predominante – pensam que são melhores que os outros.
Porque os tucanos – e subsidiariamente sua linha auxiliar, os Demos – são mais ricos.
E terceiro, porque os Demo-tucanos controlam o PiG (*).
Isso deu a eles a sensação de maioria, especialmente porque o Presidente da República foi um metalúrgico – e é nordestino!
A percepção de que controlar o PiG (*) resolvia o problema começa a se esfacelar.
E não só porque a Internet e os blogs adquiriram a relevância que tem no Brasil.
Em boa parte por causa da falencia do PiG (*). Mas, também , porque houve uma super-utilização do poder do PiG (*).
Pig: Partido da Imprensa Golpista.
Because the PSDB – and their staff, the Devilish Demos (from the DEM party) – are richer.
And thirdly, because the Demo-PSDB control the PiG (*).
This gives them a sense of being the majority, especially since the President of Brazil is a former factory worker, and is from the Northeast of the country.
The idea that controlling the PiG (*) will solve all their problems is beginning to falter, not only because the Internet and blogs have become important in Brazil, but principally because of the PiG's (*) bankruptcy, and because its power has gone too far.
*PiG: an acronym for what Amorim has dubbed the ‘Partido da Imprensa Golpista’, meaning ‘the party of the coup-plotting mass media’.
What comes out from this blog post is that Renan's phrase had such wide appeal because it joked about “São Paulo’s white elite”, blamed for all the evils faced by the country. Amorim goes as far as to refer to PSDB politicians as the devil!
There is a long history of prejudice against São Paulo State, which was illustrated in the blog Bueno Muy Bueno [pt] after Fernando Henrique Cardoso, originally from Rio de Janeiro, ex-president of Brazil and a PSDB leader, declared that São Paulo was under-represented in Brasília:
Divergência número 2: São Paulo não está sub-representado em nada.
São Paulo está sobre-representado na Federação.
E é por isso que deveria haver uma re-pactuação da Federação brasileira.
Os presidentes da República saem de São Paulo.
Os Ministros da Fazenda saem de São Paulo.
Os Ministros da Indústria saem de São Paulo.
Os tributos são feitos de forma a aprofundar a hegemonia de São Paulo.
Os Ministros da Agricultura saem de São Paulo.
O Ministro da Educação é de São Paulo.
O Ministro da Defesa é gaúcho, mas seus parceiros políticos estratégicos? José Serra e Fernando Henrique Cardoso ? São de São Paulo.
Dos três únicos jornais brasileiros, dois são de São Paulo…Em São Paulo estão todas as revistas semanais de informação.
O Ibope é medido só em São Paulo e as redes de televisão trabalham para São Paulo.
Os dois principais partidos do país ? PSDB e PT ? são de São Paulo.
As lutas internas do PT e do PSDB conduzem a política brasileira.
O candidato do PSDB à presidência da República é de São Paulo: José Serra,na verdade, já eleito de ante-mão, como se sabe.
A elite branca do grande governador Cláudio Lembo é de São Paulo.
A elite branca de São Paulo, se pudesse, faria como os amigos do Berlusconi do Norte da Itália e mandava o resto do Brasil, do Rio (inclusive) para cima, para a África.
Em São Paulo fica o templo da elite branca, a Daslu.
O movimento Cansei é uma obra-prima da criatividade paulista.
O jornalismo esportivo brasileiro só trata do Corinthians.
This kind of resentment is strange, to say the least, because despite the fact that the State of São Paulo has the biggest GDP and population in Brazil, and the most multiethnic and ‘transbrazilian’ metropolis in the country, only a small number of Presidents of Brazil have come from São Paulo. Besides President Lula, from the State of Pernambuco, who has been in power for almost eight years, ever since direct elections were resumed in Brazil all the presidents have come from other states, including for a period of eight years when the Rio de Janeiro-born Fernando Henrique Cardoso was in power. Tancredo Neves was from Minas Gerais; José Sarney is from Maranhão; Fernando Collor de Melo is from Alagoas; Itamar Franco is from Minas Gerais. That is to say, the origin of the various Brazilian Presidents is at least sufficiently diverse. The Senate in Brasília has an even spread of members per State.
It is equally curious that the “São Paulo issue” came up in a discussion between Renan Calheiros and Tasso Jereissati, because both of them are from the Northeast of Brazil: Renan from Alagoas and Tasso from Ceará. Could it be that Tasso’s appearance (white and chubby) and dress sense (well-cut suits) made him seem like a São Paulo man?
The blog Perereca da Vizinha [pt] seems to interpret things this way:
Nem quando está fora do poder, consegue descer do salto, para buscar, enfim, aquilo que lhe faz mais falta: o apoio da sociedade civil organizada.
O autismo de que padece o partido o impede de ver que as casas parlamentares são, apenas, uma frente de batalha. Aquela em que se pode, é verdade, andar enfatiotado.
Nas baixadas, nas periferias repletas de lama e poeira, onde inexiste o mínimo para a sobrevivência digna de um cidadão.
Falta aos preparadíssimos técnicos e intelectuais tucanos a necessária humildade para ir ao encontro do povo onde o povo está.
The short-sightedness from which the party suffers prevents them from realizing that the houses of parliament are just a battle front, albeit one where you can strut around dressed up to the nines.
The poor regions, neighborhoods dirty with mud and dust, lack even the basic conditions for the citizens to live a dignified life, but the highly qualified technical staff and intellectuals from the PSDB lack the humility to go to the people.
Also, upon a closer look at the language used in the quarrel between Renan and Tasso, we can see that it was couched in essentially Northeastern terms. At the height of the exchange, Renan accused Tasso of being a “shitty colonel” and Tasso, fighting back, accused Renan of being a “third-rate bandit.” (He used the expression “cangaceiro”, meaning a specific type of bandit leader operating in the drylands of the Northeast of Brazil).
Clearly, for both, the ideal thing would be to be a GREAT COLONEL, that is, the antithesis of what they were accusing each other of being. Perhaps they both dream of being like José Sarney himself, the pivot of this whole political crisis, known as the “owner of Maranhão State” despite there being blogs such as A Velha Debaixo da Cama [pt] dedicated to quashing this idea:
Como tenho dito aqui, os maranhenses estão carecas de saber do que eles são capazes, afinal, eles se dizem donos do Maranhão, não é? Mas o povo não aceita mais esse título, pelo menos os que conheço e escuto.
“Being a minority” in Senator Renan Calheiros’ view, it seems, more than being someone from São Paulo State, was used to mean someone who wants to imagine a Senate and a Brazil beyond the corruption that is devastating the Brazilian Senate at present. Any pretension of being “better than the others” greatly bothers Renan Calheiros because, as a representative of the politicians who have escaped punishment for their crimes by having their colleagues keep their dirty secrets, the ideal situation would be for everyone to be the same; that is, corrupt like the majority.
Will it End Up in Pizza? Local slang for "will it go anywhere?" by Sandra Carvalho
It’s no secret that prejudices, whether based on class, appearance or nationality, are always at the service of hidden interests. Some prejudiced verbal attacks find an echo amongst the population because they simplify and generalize important and complex issues. It is always easier to have a good laugh than to have to analyze a situation in detail and unveil its true meaning. Perhaps if the Brazilian electorate learned how to vote with their heads and not with emotion, often contaminated with prejudice, we would not have such a decadent Senate and such a discredited political class.

author: Deborah Goldemberg


text:
Ecuador: Continuing to Face the H1N1 Virus · Global Voices
Carlos Suasnavas

The number of deaths of the AH1N1 flu virus has reached 1300 across Latin America, making it the region around the world most affected by this virus.  The Southern hemisphere has especially suffered a rapid spread of the virus, due to the unusually cold winter and in many countries, the cases of the AH1N1 virus have surpassed the number of cases of ordinary flu. Even the countries of the Mercosur recently talked about the issue during their recent summit [es].
Ecuador is one of these countries that have had to face the reality of this virus. According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Public Health [es], up until August 15, there have been 23 deaths and approximately 800 individuals infected by the flu.
Its impact in the country's health centers has remained on a “moderate” level and according to the Ministry of Health, “the demand for medical attention is above normal levels, but still below the maximum capacity for health services.” There have also been preventative measures such as the “temporary suspension [es]” of anti-flu advertisements because a considerable percentage of the deaths were caused by complications from the consumption of these types of medicines without a prescription.
The public's perception towards the government's management and spread of information by the traditional media has been acceptable, such as the opinion of the blog Annyland [es], which writes:
Ya haciendo un análisis de lo que he visto en otro diarios electrónicos nacionales, uno de los que más información e importancia le da al caso de la Influenza es El Universo, así como el Hoy en su página principal existe una opción que la llaman Gripe Porcina. Al contrario del diario El Telégrafo.
En mi opinión los medio en Internet están dando buena información, acerca de la situación de la Influenza AH1N1 en el país, incluso existen muy buenas notas donde se dan recomendaciones, se informa el origen de la enfermedad y la realidad o los sucesos que pasaron otros países con respecto a este tema que ha acogido la atención a nivel mundial.
Making an analysis on what I have seen in other online national newspapers, one of the papers that provides the most information and gives the issue importance is El Universo, and also in the newspaper Hoy they provide an option on the main page that says “Swine Flu.” This is the opposite of what the newspaper El Telégrafo does.
In my opinion, a lot of good information about the situation of the AH1N1 virus in Ecuador is being provided online, there are also good articles that provide recommendations, the origin of the illness and the reality or events taking place in other countries regarding this worldwide topic.
Even Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa was under medical observation after a member of his security team came down with the AH1N1 virus, according to the Vice-Minister of Health, Marcelo Aguilar.  However, one cabinet member was confirmed for having the virus.
Blogger and author Raúl Farias of Al Lado del Camino [es] writes about some close calls after returning to Ecuador after spending time in South America:
En Guayaquil, el calor me hizo sentir a salvo hasta hace dos viernes, cuando después de un concierto me encontré con el Ministro Ricardo Patiño y hablé un par de palabras con él sobre unos proyectos (a veces te toca bailar con el diablo). El mismo día mi hermana llegó con los ojos reventados, la garganta inflamada y con malestar de cuerpo. Dos días después me enteré que Patiño era portador de la gripe AH1N1 al igual que el presidente de Costa Rica. La cagada, esta gripe no tiene preferencias, me dije enseguida… Ya han pasado quince días desde el último encuentro con la plaga y no hay síntomas. Si esta es una pandemia al estilo I am legend, donde perecerá una parte importante de la raza humana, después de algunos roces con la enfermedad, creo estar entre los elegidos para salvarse. Eso pienso mientras un moco se me sale de la nariz.
In Guayaquil, the heat made me feel safe up until two Fridays ago, when after a concert, I met up with the government minister Ricardo Patiño, and we talked about some projects (sometimes one needs to dance with the devil.) The same day my sister arrived with her puffy eyes, inflamed throat, and with aches in the body. Two days later, I found out that Patiño was a carrier of the AH1N1 virus, like the president of Costa rica. The bad part of it, is that this flu has no preferences, I told myself later… It's been 15 days since the last meeting with the virus and there are no symptoms. If this is a pandemic, like from the movie ‘I am Legend,” where a large part of the human race perishesm after some brushes with the illness, I think I am among the chosen ones to be saved. This is what I am thinking, meanwhile my nose begins to run.

author: Carlos Suasnavas


text:
Iran: Tohidloo, a reformist blogger was released · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Somayeh Tohidloo, an Iranian female reformist blogger, walked free  [fa] from jail today. She had been arrested 71 days ago.


text:
Japan: Whaling. Scientific research or commercial hunting? · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Whaling is a very ancient tradition in many countries where fishing is a primary activity and Japan is one of those having practiced whaling for some thousands of years. In the 1980s, though, the necessity of a break in the indiscriminate killing of cetaceans made the international community intervene and establish rules to follow in order to prevent the extermination of the species.
Since 1986, when the International Whaling Commission (IWC)'s moratorium was enforced, commercial whaling is prohibited in Japan.  Only scientific whaling is allowed. But this is often regarded by environmental organizations and anti-whaling countries as a mere cover to continue the commercial hunting as id: matumo sums up [ja].
1982年の今日、国際捕鯨委員会で1986年からの商業捕鯨全面禁止案が採択されました。日本では、約８０００年前の縄文時代からから捕鯨が行われていました！
また、長崎県壱岐市の原の辻（はるのつじ）遺跡からは弥生時代の捕鯨の跡が出土しています。
現在では、調査捕鯨のみが許可されていますが、調査の名目で、捕獲されたクジラが食用になったりしています。
Whale meat. Flickr user id: Gilgongo
Last year, in June, two activists members of Greenpeace Japan were arrested for stealing a box of whale meat from a scientific whaling fleet, which they presented to Tokyo Public Prosecutor to expose a  whale-meat smuggling scandal.
A blogger reports  [ja] one of the indicted, Jun'ichi Sato,'s words.
佐藤さんの話に戻るが、敗戦直後の日本人の栄養補給のため、マッカーサーが日本の南極捕鯨をOKした。我々の年代は良く知っているが、小学校の給食に鯨肉がよく出てきたものだ。
１９８０年代になって鯨の乱獲から南極が鯨保護区になり（種の保全）、商業捕鯨が禁止となったが、日本はその取り決めを拒否した。
そして日本は「調査捕鯨」という名目で今でも年間１４００頭獲ってる。（実質は商業捕鯨）
しかも水産庁が「共同船舶株式会社」という会社に調査捕鯨を委託し、年間１２億円の助成を出している。（国営事業）
調査捕鯨の内部告発として「捕鯨ノルマがあるが、もともと捕獲した鯨をすべて曳船できず”獲っては捨てる”を繰り返している」という。（驚）
Sato-san, who risks with his companion up to 10 years of jail for theft, comments [ja] on the question in his blog.
日本では多くの人が、「クジラが魚を食べすぎて私たちが食べる魚が減少している。クジラは間引いたほうが良い」というプロパガンダを信じていると思います。このプロパガンダは日本鯨類研究所が長年にわたって使ってきた（*1）ものですが、昨年、国際自然保護連合（IUCN）がそれを否定する決議を採択したこと（*2）や、海外の科学者らがこの議論を批判しているのを意識したのでしょうか、森下氏はこのプロパガンダが科学的に結論づけられたものではないと明確にしたのです。
[…]
この日、オーストラリアのギャレット環境相は、南極海におけるクジラを殺さない科学調査を2009年から2014年にかけて行う計画を発表しました。この計画は、あらゆる国の科学者の参加を促し、毎年IWC科学委員会からのアドバイスを受けながら計画を調整していくという点で、日本の調査捕鯨の進め方とは大きく異なります。
[…]
日本は、この調査提案に参加を表明していません。しかし、本当に日本が南極の鯨類調査に真剣であるのなら、クジラを捕殺しないこのような調査に参加し、南極で捕獲しなければならないクジラの数を減らしていくという姿勢が求められるでしょう。そうでなければ、「調査捕鯨」の目的が科学調査以外にあることが明白になってしまいます。
（1）「クジラが食べているのはサンマやサケ、スケトウダラなど、人類が漁業資源として利用しているものも多く、その量は世界の漁獲高の3～5倍。人類の食料となる水産資源への影響は絶大です」（日本鯨類研究所パンフレット「クジラの調査はなぜやるの？」）
（2）IUCN「鯨類と漁業の関係に関する決議」 (PDF)
At the beginning of this year, The Cove, an investigative documentary on the whaling issue was presented at the Sundance Film Festival and received the Audience Award. Id:ekojin gives us some details [ja] of the film.
和歌山県東牟婁郡太治町（たいじちょう）。
今後この漁業の町が、日本国内で大きな注目を浴びることになるかもしれない。
アメリカのサンダンス映画祭で2009年度観客賞を受賞したのが、「The Cove」（入り江）。
「反捕鯨」のドキュメンタリー映画らしい。
伝統的にクジラ漁で栄えたこの町で、密かに年間20000頭ものイルカが殺されており、鯨肉として売られている。
さらに、その肉にはメチル水銀などの有害物質が検出されており食べるのに適していない。
のみならず、そのイルカは海外向けに闇取引されている。
これらの「事実」を多くの日本人は知らされていない。
開放的な民主主義国であるはずの日本に厳然と存在する「暗部」だ、、、
というのが主旨らしい。　どうやら。
These facts are unknown to many Japanese. It is a ‘dark side’ that clearly exists in a country which is thought to be a liberal democracy…
This is what the film is about.

author: Scilla Alecci


text:
Serbia: Threats to LGBT Population  · Global Voices
Sinisa Boljanovic

On July 21, members of the Organizing Committee of the Belgrade Pride held a press conference to announce BELGRADE PRIDE 2009 – IT'S TIME FOR EQUALITY. They said that the event was scheduled to take place on Sept. 20 and that it was not planned as a provocation, but as a political protest of the LGBT persons in the effort to raise public awareness about discrimination and violence they face daily.
LGBT population has been facing plenty of serious threats in the past few months. Some neo-Nazi groups and fans who are connected with Red Star and Partizan football clubs have been issuing threats to organizers, warning that the event's participants would be beaten if they organize parade. On the walls of Belgrade’s buildings appeared deterrent messages: “Death to faggots,” “Serbia for Serbs, Out with Faggots.” Football club officials dissociated themselves from these fan groups and said that they didn’t organize anyone to write graffiti.
At the conference, representatives of the LGBT population reminded the public of the Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade of June 2001. Lesbian movement named this gathering the Massacre Parade: 40 persons were injured and LGBT community was held hostage by fear for many years afterward.
On the occasion of this year’s parade, they said:
We the activists have long been asking ourselves, “Is it time?, are we ready?” and finally this year, new people came and said “YES!”. Lots of activities, and many negotiations with police and the Ministry for Human Rights are underway to secure a peaceful parade.
At the end of the press conference they invited people to participate in the event:
We obviously need many of us to be here! We invite you all to come and join us on Sunday, the 20th of September!
Mayor of Belgrade, Dragan Djilas, who used to be one of the leaders of the anti-Milosevic student protests, and who is now a high-ranking official in the Democratic Party, is against the parade.
Belgraded.com reported on the bizarre statement Djilas made when asked to comment on the safety issues of the forthcoming Belgrade Gay Pride Parade, and the anti-gay graffiti seen throughout the city these days:
“I say what I believe—maybe I was raised patriarchal—but sexual orientation is a personal thing, and I do not know why anyone would have to come out with it in public, regardless of whether they are homosexual or heterosexual. I did not imperil anyone, I am not prohibiting anything, I just said that such an event will cause a reaction from those that destroy the city every several dozen days and I am expressing concern for the participators.”
Goran Miletic, a Serbian blogger, reacted (SRP) to the mayor's statement:
Mayor Đilas didn’t support the parade. Instead of pointing out the actual laws, he did the most risky thing. […] he said that the police would not be able to protect participants after the Parade. In this way he gave ideas and encouraged everyone who is preparing to commit criminal acts. Third, in his statements he gave an alibi to the policemen not to make enough effort to protect participants. If someone like Đilas says that something is unavoidable, why would the policemen try to do that. Fourth, mayor sent word to Belgrade citizens that they are not obliged to express publicly something from their private lives (the European Court for Human Rights confirmed in a few verdicts that the private is inseparable from the public). Fifth, the mayor is worried about buses in which participants will arrive in Belgrade to be eventually destroyed after the event. In this way he clearly informs us the buses are more important than the people. Sixth, since tens of thousands gays came to Belgrade from the Europe during the [2008] Eurovision Song Contest, and for ten days not a single incident was registered, we conclude that foreign gays, who visited Belgrade as tourists, are acceptable for mayor, but that is not the case with Belgrade gays/Serbs.
Here are some of the dozens of comments to this post:
g.radicevic  writes:
[…] Don't get me wrong, I am not against gay population, the Roma, Albanians… anyone. All are supposed to have the same rights but no more the same just because they belong to some group or community. The basis of democracy is that everyone can use his rights but no one can deprive others of the same rights. Simply, I am allergic to selective struggle for human rights. […]
Sybil replies to g.radicevic:
[…] Why would heterosexuals fight for human rights if they are the majority and their rights are not violated. The rights of minorities are violated and the mirror of a society represents relation towards them. Mayor can think anything at his home but as a public person he must to protect minorities and human rights. […]
drug. clan writes:
The story that minority is always deprived is unavoidable falsehood. That is true in the case of gay population in Serbia but that is not the general truth and cannot be an argument. […]
[…] Is the minority of 3% of the total population which has 80% of world’s treasure deprived because it is a minority?
Adam Weisphaut writes:
Let the LGBT population appraise solo what is best for them because they have to live with social prejudices every day.
Earlier this year, LGBT in Serbia was in the online spotlight, too. On a Facebook page titled “Should the organizing of Gay Pride Parade be supported” the following views were published:
Радивоје wrote on March 18:
I have therapy for them. Gays should be beaten by thick bar over their heads to set person straight.
Predrag wrote:
Illness? Where do you live? If something bothers you, why don’t you simply ignore it?
The illness called “neo-Nazism” and how to treat it is more interesting to me.
Nenad wrote:
Homosexuality is a disease. It is incurable. It’s the saddest in Serbia that homosexuals have more rights than normal people. Our government is preoccupied with issues of homosexuality as our people from Kosovo are hungry. Also, there are many poor citizens in Serbia. Gays and people who fight for human rights have the worst propaganda that this population has rights in the European Union. But they are acceptable in England, the Netherlands and Slovenia only. I don’t know who they are lying to. Homosexuals contributed only to the white plague and AIDS. […]
Predrag wrote:
If the words are about white plague, this country is exclusively guilty of that because it didn’t provide conditions for young people to have their own family. Gay population is not responsible for that.
Dusan wrote:
It’s terrible, guys, where this world is going to. And gays will have right to have sex in the streets. We are really miserable and can’t be more miserable.
On the forum titled “Gay Parade 2009 – Belgrade YES or NO” the following comments were published, among other things:
nicsta12 wrote:
To forbid. Because they are the repulsive and perverted beast. I’m repeating: the beast… And probably they will be beaten.
Djosla wrote:
For ignorance and stupidity NO, for all others YES.
Zimba wrote:
I think that parade should be allowed. They should let them walk 15-20 meters and then they should be beaten very strongly to forget their own names as well as that they are faggots.
Vidovlad wrote:
A stake is a cure. Of course NO. When has the straight parade been ever held? Who do we look to for help with our deprived rights? Illness should treated, not protected by laws.
CrasyHorse wrote:
Which human rights? Faggots conceive in order to advertise themselves and poison kids’ brains so that they could abuse them. I’m not against them having sex among themselves, but advertising and poisoning of kids’ brains is too much. Do you see that they took over the Eurosong, only gays, lesbians and transvestites can win. Hooligans, take bars in your hands. Beat the beast! […]

author: Sinisa Boljanovic


text:
Afghanistan: Elections with better security, worse violations · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust reviews the reports about presidential elections in Afghanistan, noting that security was much better than expected, though there are widespread indications of fraud.

author: Adil Nurmakov


text:
Afghanistan: Independence Day & Elections Eve · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Safrang writes about celebration of Afghanistan's national holiday (that marks the occasion of its 90th independence anniversary from Great Britain after the 3rd Anglo-Afghan war) the day before the presidential elections.


text:
Afghanistan: Reportages on Children  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Onne Parl offers a series of posts about children living in the provinces of Afghanistan, featuring a post about the place of religion in high school education, about regular school for street children and about life of kids in the traditional rural economy.


text:
Afghanistan: Televised Presidential Debates · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Safrang reviews the Afghanistan's presidential TV debates, organized by the the national TV (RTA) and radio RFE/RL. For the first time in history, the incumbent president together with two contenders were publicly responding to the questions and each other's criticism.


text:
Armenia: Homophobia turns deadly · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Even if homosexuality was decriminalized in Armenia in 2002, society remains largely intolerant and traditional in its values. Naturally, in a country where nationalist ideology is also somewhat prevalent, fears that homophobia might turn even more extreme appear to be turning into reality. With blogs providing LGBT activists with a medium through which to voice their concerns, such fears can now be highlighted more openly than before.
This is especially true when in many cases it is actually the local media, and even some civil society groups, which seeks to promote homophobia. However, in recent weeks the level of intolerance in the mainstream media has alarmed many, with one newspaper going so far as to seemingly encourage hate crimes against members of the LGBT community in the country.
Pink Armenia comments on such developments.
It’s a pity but again l have read a homophobic article in an Armenian newspaper lately. […]
[…]
I don’t know why but almost all journalists mainly discuss the topic of homosexuality, I don’t know why but they never remember that there were and are many outstanding people among them, they just insist that it is amoral. It is evident misinformation of the society.
[…]
I won’t forget to mention that in the last article that I have read was a call to abuse and even kill homosexuals. I think that many will agree that appropriate punishment must be applied toward such people.
Unzipped: Gay Armenia also comments on what it views as a call to eliminate homosexuals in the country — literally.
When someone is homophobe, it’s bad enough. But when that homophobe advocates killing, he is crossing the line.
I have to confess, I do not read Iravunk tabloid. If it’s not for my friends, I would have been unaware of this whole bunch of ‘articles’ over the last week or so devoted to gays there.
[…]
Iravunk’s journalist then notes that “we do not want you to take this story as a call for killing. We simply wanted to present this story”. Obviously, what they effectively did is to advocate killing of gays.
[…]
[…] there is definitely enough evidence for opening the case against Galadjyan and his tabloid for inciting murder and hatred.
As a rule, one hate goes hand in hand with another hate. If you look at Iravunk’s articles, they are not just homophobic, but racist, full of hate to everyone who is different. […]
A week later, if such concerns might have been considered by some to have been exaggerated, the same blog reports that they were very real indeed.
Group of Armenian ultra-nationalists, a copycat of Russia’s and others’ neo-nazi, united under the so called Hayrenik (‘Motherland’) movement, published a post on their website threatening the life of Armenian author writing under the name Dori An. Dori An is the author of award winning gay-themed short story in Yerevan. […]
They provide Armenian government with the ultimatum type message: either you silence Dori An, using “legal means”, or we will do it by our means and methods. ‘Message’ is accompanied by Al-Qaeda terrorist-like picture, or its poor copycat.
[…]
Failing to produce any ‘results’ by ‘fighting external enemies’, and failing on all fronts, these ultra-nationalists try to create ‘internal enemies’ to justify their very own existence.
This is a direct threat to person’s life and the right for free speech, the very basic human rights protected under Armenian constitution. After all, this is effectively a terrorist-like ultimatum to Armenian government, and law enforcement agencies in Armenia should take up the case for further proceedings.
It remains to be seen whether the voices of such bloggers are heard by the authorities and action is taken to prevent homophobia in Armenia from turning deadly before it's too late.


text:
Bahamas, Haiti: On Film  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Nicolette Bethel blogs about the local film industry in response to Ward Minnis’ series of blog posts on the viability of Bahamian art, while Repeating Islands highlights the recently concluded Haitian Film Festival.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Bangladesh: Facebook Developer Garage · Global Voices
Rezwan

The first ever “Facebook Developer Garage” took place in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Emran attended the event and writes about it and posts the slide he presented in his blog.

author: Rezwan


text:
Barbados: Press Threats?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A senior political figure allegedly threatens a newspaper editor, prompting Barbados Free Press to comment: “Bajans know that our country has not enjoyed true freedom of the press in two decades or more.”  Keltruth Corp. adds: “The Nation [newspaper] is getting all bent out of shape because somebody threatened to destroy someone’s reputation, yet the same paper has ignored death and other violent threats.”


text:
Ecuador: Flyers Announcing “Social Cleansing” · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

JuanPi is very concerned about the appearance of flyers in his city of Babahoyo, Ecuador, which announced “the time has come for social cleansing” [es] in regards to actions to stop delinquency in the city.   Similar notices appeared in a nearby city of La Concorida, which produced two earlier deaths.

author: Eduardo Avila


text:
Global: Ramadan Mubarak · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

With the advent of Ramadan around the globe this weekend, Muslim and non-Muslim bloggers everywhere are wishing each other Ramadan mubarak (or “blessed Ramadan”).  As is the case each year, bloggers have found a variety of topics to talk about, from the Qur'an to the difficulties of Ramadan, to the fast itself.
Ramadan Kareem…from the White House?
One popular topic amongst bloggers this year is U.S. President Obama's Ramadan speech, in which he wished all Muslims a blessed Ramadan.  Middle East Blog, whose author is Egyptian, appreciates Obama's sentiment but wishes for a bit more:
Obama is a charming, charming talker. He peppers his words with Islamic references to both make Muslims feel that he understands them and their religion and is educating others about the faith as well. He highlights the most significant issues in the Muslim world – the war in Iraq and the Israel/Palestine conflict. He even draws on fears that many Muslims have about how Swine flu may affect making Hajj (pilgrimage) this year.
Of course, I take all this in the way it’s supposed to be taken. Obama is doing a brilliant job at trying to reach out to Muslims through words.  However, I can’t help but feel that speeches such as this one merely gloss over the lack of action that he promised us.
Egyptian chronicles has mixed feelings about the speech as well, but adds a fun fact:
Allah Akram* president Obama , another speech to the Muslim world , this time it is short yet with too many points : Iraq, Palestine , and the Muslim world. Nice short smart speech for sure.
By the way the most expensive “ LE 18”and finest dates in Egypt is called Obama this Ramadan ;)
Reading the Qur'an
Beyond fasting, Ramadan is a time for reading (or re-reading) the Qur'an.  Special prayers for Qur'an recitation are held, with the intent of reading one thirtieth of the Qur'an each night for the entire month.  Some bloggers are writing about the experience.
bint battuta (Bahrain), who is undertaking the project of reading the Qur'an in Arabic during Ramadan, writes her first post on the experience:
A strange thing happened yesterday. As I was reading the Qur'an, listening simultaneously to the sheikh reciting, I found tears running down my cheeks. Before this is misinterpreted by anyone, it was simply because I was moved by the beauty of the Arabic. It's true that I am sensitive to language – it is my life – and that words, beautiful or ugly, are able to affect me deeply, but I was surprised to experience such a strong reaction.
Malaysian Anas Zubedy has initiated a project called “Let's Read the Qur'an” for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to “read the Quran in the language they understand most and find in it areas of common value for our day to day living.”
HoongLing, from Malaysia, is taking part in the project, and even fasting.  Of the experience, she writes:
I have “announced” of my fasting this Ramadhan through facebook. Lots of feedbacks and it was intriguing to see the comments of many friends. No, I am not a Muslim but I am a bangsa Malaysia, when asked am I a Muslim (therefore fasting).
Fasting during Ramadhan isn't new to me. I did this as soon as I have the liberty to cook and sahur at 5am. Puasa for 4 years during Ramadhan and then stopped for 6 years due to gastric. This year, I am back on track. My colleague suddenly asked me today, the reason I fast.
The answer was simple. I was a church-goer for 6 years, apparently to learn and improve English and then only discovered Buddhism when I was 13 years old. Buddhism (yes, I am a Buddhist) encourages Buddhists to go search and find out about other religions before deciding one that is right for him/her. With this “freedom” of choice and Malaysia being one of the easiest place on earth to learn diversified cultures and religions, so why not? I went on to learn about Islam and eventually practise them in daily live.
Difficulties During Ramadan
Although most Muslims are grateful for the arrival of Ramadan and the challenges it brings, life is ongoing and it is impossible to escape from its difficulties at times.  An American Muslim in Morocco is a blogger experiencing her first Ramadan in the Muslim North African country, and is experiencing some disappointments.  She laments:
Here’s what I imagined…that family’s prayed together at each and every call to prayer; that people greeted each other with As Salam Alaikum on the street, so much so that I would have trouble keeping up with the number of people we passed; that people would be more willing to help each other; and that the level of respect youth had for elders was eons beyond American kids.  I imagined that no one drank, no one tried to cheat another, and I imagined that the the stares and comments American women complain about where figments of their imagination.
Here’s what I found…teenage girls wearing the tightest revealing clothes while walking next to their fully covered mothers in veils and djellabas; dirty streets where people litter forgetting that Allah gave them this Earth to live on and care for; people having to fend for their lives to cross the street as cars speed toward them not even bothering to slow down; and so many people drinking that they have to dry-out for 40 days before Ramadan…
From Palestine, the stories are more complicated.  In Gaza, noting the poor quality of fresh food, and the effects of the Israeli blockade on the fishing industry and medical practices, says:
With all of these facts and clear evidence of the systematic destruction of Palestinians lives and means of existence in Gaza, one can hardly expect Ramadan to be filled with joy as in former years.
Reflection
Lastly, Ramadan is a time of reflection, and many blog posts during this time reflect that fact.  Canadian Sana of KABOBfest, wishes readers a happy Ramadan, reminding them:
We are reminded briefly of the pains of millions around the world, many in our own backyards and on our streets, suffer without the comfort of knowing that at the end of the day there is going to be a meal waiting to fill the roaring stomachs. We fast to starve ourselves – starve us of our egos, our materialism, and our individualism. When we fast we experience, together, the realities of an empty stomach and the realities of a fed soul.  And of course, take this month of communal dinners and support to get to know your brethren – Muslim or not. Starve yourself of your shyness, your lethargy and your inhibitions.
From Indonesia, Titus Jonathan reminds us to be happy:
Ramadan will always a beautiful month if people offer smile each others. Let the smile becomes our home where we are able to take some rest on the hot earth and share kindness each other, not only for a month, but also for another eleven months onward. If smiles exist everywhere in Ramadan, everyone will always miss Ramadan, and expect to come again, soon.
Happy Ramadan, with an outpouring of smile everywhere.
Finally, from Syria, Abu Fares leaves us with a lovely reflection:
I hope we work on eradicating the disparity between the rich and poor so that the wealthy don't feel that they are doing the needy a favor with their alms.
I hope we become free to live the way we choose to and liberate our minds from the vice of judging others.
I hope we believe in ourselves enough not to wait for miracles to happen but instead work out butts off to make viable wonders come true.
I hope we come to terms with reality, cherish the physical world and see the inherent beauty of the universe with wonderment and joy not in awe and fear. ex nihilo nihil fit.
I hope we never lose the impulse to learn, the will to travel and the urge to discover the unknown.
I hope we reach the point when no one believes that it's worth dying or killing for a cause.
I hope that no man has to toil for bread, no child sleeps unfed and no woman is coerced in bed.
*”Allah Akram” means “Allah (God) is most generous”

author: Jillian C. York


text:
Greece: Wildfires encroaching on Athens · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

Wildfires broke out on Friday night in Northeast Attica in Greece and rapidly consumed large tracts of forested land and properties. In just two days, they reached the northernmost suburbs of Athens, reawakening memories of destruction in the nightmarish forest fires of 2007.
Greek blogger mindstripper posted the view from her balcony on Saturday evening on the scratch blog:
‘Ωρα Αθήνας 8μμ
Κι εγώ θέλω να φύγω από το σπίτι μου.
A day later, London-based photographer mlazopoulou posted a photo taken from an airplane:
She commented, “Just can't describe this with words…”
Live views of the fire
On Sunday night, a webcam in the forest of Schinias recorded snapshots of advancing fires until the camera temporarily went out of order (it is now working again).
Schinias webcam image on Aug 24 at 1:53 AM in Greece
The New Athenian chronicled the events of early Sunday, when the fire reached the Pendeli suburb of Athens:
Many local residents had spent the night protecting their homes. On Sunday morning they were still doing what they could to put out small fires near their homes, beating them with olive branches and shovels, or forming human chains to relay buckets of water filled using yard hoses. The air was thick with acrid smoke, and people were covering their faces with T-shirts, kerchiefs and towels to work. [..]
Many Pendeli residents were waiting until the last moment to evacuate their houses. The roads were still lined with parked vehicles in late morning. Many people were waiting outside their homes, faces covered, their dogs beside them on leashes. From the invisible depths of the smoke explosions were audible – natural gas tanks, perhaps, or cars exploding.
On Twitter, people referred to a Google Maps mashup, with data from the fire information agency FIRMS, to monitor the fires and quickly settled on a hashtag (#grfires) to aggregate tweets related to the fire. Most messages repeated information broadcast on TV, as well as media and political criticism, with little actual firsthand reporting.
Twitter user @savvakos provided some firsthand reports of advancing fire fronts, complete with Google Maps coordinates:
Ενεργό μέτωπο της φωτιάς στην Σταμάτα, λίγο πριν από την πλατεία #grfires http://bit.ly/t38Z5 http://twitpic.com/ezarv
Also on Twitter, @kyanoun posted a real-time video with commentary using Qik from his car while he drove down a smoke-clouded Attica highway.
Flickering lights in the dark
Sunset is a dreaded time during times of fire, because aircraft are grounded and firefighting efforts are severely hampered. Eric Parks described this dramatic moment on Twitter:
@erictparks: Sunset & we're watching daring air crews make final drops in little light. Darkness reveals hundreds of points of fire on the mountains.
Greek web designer Dimitrios Doukoglou posted this photo on Twitpic on August 23:
The view from my roof, yesterday night. #grfires
Several people posted mobile phone photos on Twitter using the Twitpic application, and a Greek software developer provided an auto-refreshing web service to aggregate them, using the #grfires hashtag.
Politics in times of fire
Teacher Dude, a citizen photo-journalist based in Thessaloniki focused on the political connection between wildfires and national elections:
Although Greece regularly has wildfires a study carried out by the Athens University of Economics suggested that there was a direct link between their destructiveness and national elections. According to Spyros Skouras and Nikos Christodoulakis half of the forest lost through fires in the last 54 years took place in the 16 years in which elections were held.
The last serious fires to hit the country in 2007 took place just weeks before parliamentary elections and most political analysts consider the announcement of new elections within the next few months a certainty.
Teacher Dude reminisced on Twitter about an earlier firefighting effort in which he himself took part:
I keep on remembering what happened here in Saloniki in 1997. I volunteered to help fight the fires. Scary how fast they can move.
… and also commented wryly that:
The New Democracy [governing party] logo has new meaning now. http://tinyurl.com/m4mafa #grfires

author: Asteris Masouras


text:
Guatemala: Study to See if Metro Train is Realistic · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

GuateZona [es] writes about an upcoming study to see the if an unground metro or surface train is realistic and possible.


text:
Guyana: Striking Back  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As mobile phone theft continues to rise in Georgetown, Imran Khan shares a practical way in which to strike back.


text:
Hungary: Update on Hungarian Guard · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum posts an update on the Hungarian Guard (more on it, in an earlier GV post by Marietta Le).


text:
Jamaica: Never Can Say Goodbye  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Snailwriter says that a recent road trip across Jamaica has been like saying goodbye to so many natural treasures: “I have been an advocate for the natural environment for more than twenty years…and now I must face the fact that still, after all the effort, our natural resources are put on the auction block…and the price we accept for our irreplaceable assets is a rock bottom, last chance sale price, a going out of business giveaway.”


text:
Kazakhstan: Astana Cycling Team Survives Difficulties · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog reports that after a period of financial difficulties, Team Astana released a statement that Alberto Contador, the two-time Tour de France winner, will stay in the team for one more year.


text:
Kazakhstan: Diplomat Accused of Being a Spy · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

As Adam reports, the British media alleged that a high-profile Kazakh diplomat may be expelled from Britain after it was revealed that top secret intelligence files suggest he is a KGB spy.


text:
Kazakhstan: Journalist sentenced to jail · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Sorge reports that Ramazan Yessergepov, chief editor of the independent newspaper, has been sentenced to three years in jail on charges of divulging state secrets.


text:
Kazakhstan: The resurrection of Vino · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Dina reports that Kazakh sports fans celebrated the end of two-year suspension of famous cyclist Alexandre Vinokourov.


text:
Maldives: Ramadan Rule And Expats · Global Voices
Rezwan

Abdullah Waheed writes about relaxation of a rule in Maldives regarding the ban of restaurants in daytime during the month of Ramadan: “trade Ministry has licensed certain designated restaurants in Male to remain open during the daytime hours of the fasting month in order to feed the large number of expat non-Muslims in the capital.”


text:
Pakistan: The Sugar Crisis · Global Voices
Rezwan

Kalsoom at CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan discusses about the recent sugar crisis in Pakistan.


text:
Peru: Contamination in Mining Town La Oroya · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) recently declared the petition admissible against the Peruvian State for committing human rights abuses against the residents of the mining city of La Oroya, located in Central Peru. The suit alleges that the government allowed environmental contamination caused by the emission of gases and other derivatives from activities from mining companies located in the area.  The action by the IACHR takes the issue one step further towards presenting a formal case in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights located in San José, Costa Rica.
Many Peruvians wonder why this news was not published in many of the major national newspapers, and note that the previous presidential announcement about the “realistic solution” between the government and the miners, primarily from Doe Run, had more coverage. There are others who wonder whether the Peruvian press vetoes certain topics. However, there is always the internet to find alternative information with commentary and analysis about the implications of the IACHR's decision.
The news of this ruling has made it onto websites of Peruvian organizations concerned with environmental policy and human rights, such as the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA for its initials in Spanish), which published the news of the admitted petition on its website.  As early as 2007, the IACHR had asked the Peruvian government to take precautionary measures to protect the residents of La Oroya from contamination [es], as noted by the “Runamasinchipaq” Human Rights Association (Adehr for its initials in Spanish).
Mining town near La Oroya taken by Matthew Burpee and used under a Creative Commons license.
This topic has been ongoing and has been written about in blogs for the past several years. Godofredo Arauzo of the blog Perú y Medio Ambiente [es] (Peru and the Environment) commented in 2007 about the petition to take precautionary measures in the region: “Our country's environment is more neglected and abandoned than a child orphaned from a father, mother and family.”  Another past post comes Miguel Angel Valladares of the blog Mkv [es], who states that the air in La Oroyo is full of lead.
In the blog Derecho Ambiental [es] (Environmental Law), Iván Lanegra also comments about the precautionary measures:
Sin duda, este hecho, sumado a la sanción impuesta por OSINERGMIN hace algunas semanas y la posición firme que las autoridades locales y regionales vienen mostrando, generan un escenario diferente al que se ha vivido durante muchos años respecto de este caso, por lo que se abren posibilidades reales de alcanzar soluciones efectivas al problema de la contaminación ambiental de La Oroya. Esto es especialmente significativo cuando nos encontramos cerca de celebrar el décimo aniversario de la presencia de DOE RUN PERU en la operación del Complejo Metalúrgico de La Oroya.
However, the mining industry is often the only thing that keeps these towns alive.  Recently, the company Doe Run suspended its activities due to financial difficulties, and it has not been able to complete the environmental requirements.  As a result, many residents are faced with protesting so that the mine re-opens, regardless of evidence of contamination affecting the community.  Diana Horqque of the blog Hacker Moi Belle Kotoshi [es] writes about a conversation with a resident of La Oroya:
¿Están polarizadas las cosas en La Oroya?
Ciertamente lo están. Y una situación así es insostenible. Entre dos espadas que amenazan mi vida
¿Quién es el principal responsable de la contaminación en La Oroya?
La fundición señorita, la fundición… pero yo trabajo ahí. En la empresa me han dado de todo, ahí recibo mi sueldo, también ayudan al colegio de mis hijos; tengo facilidades en el hospital; y además, la empresa, ha hecho bastantes cosas por la ciudad. En las Navidades nos hacen las actividades con chocolatada y dan los uniformes para los partidos de fútbol con los demás trabajadores, señorita. Ustedes lo que quieren es cerrar la empresa. Además, si cierran la empresa, ¿A donde me voy? ¿A Jauja, a Cerro de Pasco, a Huancayo? ¿A donde señorita? Si aquí esta mi familia, aquí está mi historia de vida, mis hijos están creciendo aquí.
Pero señor, ¿sabe acaso usted que tener 5 gramos de plomo por decilitro en la sangre es altamente peligroso y que, según el estudio “Niveles de plomo sanguíneo en recién nacidos de La Oroya” [1], el 75,3% de los niños recién nacidos en la ciudad tienen entre 6 y 10 gramos de plomo en cada decilitro de sangre. Y que encima el 24,7% de los recién nacidos tienen más de 10 gramos de plomo en cada decilitro de sangre?
Are things polarized in La Oroya?
Of course they are. And it is an unsustainable situation. Between two swords that threaten my life.
Who is primarily responsible for the contamination in La Oroya?
The foundry, miss, the foundry  …. but I work there. In the company the gave me everything, I receive my salary there, they also help with my children's school; I have access to health care at the hospital; and above all, the company has done a lot for the city. During Christmastime they provide chocolate and provide the uniforms for the football matches with the workers, miss. What you want is to close the company. If they close the company, where will I go? To Jauja, to Cerro de Pasco, to Huancayo? Where, miss? If my family is here, and here is my life's story, my children are growing up there.
But sir, don't you know that if one has 5 grams of lead per deciliter in one's blood, it is very dangerous, and according to the study “Levels of lead in the blood among newborns in La Oroya, [1] that 75.3% of newborns have between 6-10 grams of lead in each deciliter of blood. On top of that, 24.7% of newborns have 10 grams of lead per deciliter of blood?
It is expected that the government and the workers of Doe Run to resume negotiations to see if the deadline to fulfill the requirements of the PAMA (Environmental Suitability Program) so that the mine can continue its normal activities. Nevertheless, the workers have announced a strike for August 31.
Carlos Quiroz of Peruanista writes that the situation in La Oroya “seems to be worsening”:
According to AP, Workers at the smelter said [today] that they will erect blockades in the Junin region starting August 31 to demand the government give the company more time to complete a mandatory cleanup, which could pave the way for a restart of operations. ” The workers in this case are being used by Doe Run Peru who threaten them with massive lost of jobs.
The La Oroya case is another example of what happens when weak governments in dependant countries allow private corporations -especially foreign- to do what they please. This is done in the name of free market and corporate minded development recipes, imposed by rich countries in poorer nations mostly located in Latin America and Africa.
Other links include the blog of Corey Laplante, who spent 9 months in La Oroya investigating this issue, as well as Kristian Andersen's blog with photos of La Oroya. There are also YouTube videos about the environmental contamination.
There is also the trailer of the 2007 documentary called La Oroya: Metallic Air on the blog of Acullicu Film, and the complete film on the blog of Tropósfera [es].

author: Juan Arellano


text:
Poland: More on “Lemko Land” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Raf Uzar travels “down south to deepest, darkest Lemko Land.”


text:
Slovakia, Hungary: More on the Tensions · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Michal Hudec of Blogactiv.eu writes about the Slovak-Hungarian tensions.


text:
South Korea: Why Does Korea Not Accept Refugees? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Korea Beat translated a newspapers opinion piece on “Why does Korea not accept refugees?”. According to the article, from 1994 to last June a total of 2,336 people have applied for recognition as displaced persons, with just 116 of them receiving such recognition.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
Sri Lanka: TEDx Colombo · Global Voices
Rezwan

The Ultimate Change posts videos and links of the TEDx Colombo event, which was held last month.


text:
Sri Lanka: The Role Of Astrologers · Global Voices
Rezwan

Cerno tells that the social utility of astrologers in Sri Lanka extends beyond predicting the future: “They provide a system of managing one’s destiny amidst the amplified uncertainties of living in a third world country. Be it for avoiding suicide bombers, securing a promotion, overcoming mental/physical illness, entering your child into a ‘Good Colombo School’ [..].”


text:
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: New Constitution Vote  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are about to vote on whether or not to adopt a new constitution – Numalali finds it unfortunate that “the entire process is mired in controversy and partisan bickering…as some observers have noted, the referendum will be a mock election.”


text:
Turkmenistan: Students prevented from study abroad · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Orazdurdy reports that Turkmen students studying at the American University in Central Asia (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) were rejected at airport en route to USA through U.S. State Dept. undergraduate program.


text:
Ukraine: Independence Day Parade · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana posts photos and video of the Independence Day parade in Kyiv.


text:
Ukraine, Russia: Reaction to Medvedev’s Statement · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Notes translates one Ukrainian editor's take on president Medvedev's Ukraine address.


text:
Uruguay: ITC Plan for Upcoming Election Cycle · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

For the upcoming election cycle in Uruguay, the Association for Information Technology of Public and Private Administration provided a space for political parties to put forth their Technology plan during a recent event writes Gabriel Budiño of D Todo 1 Poco [es].


text:
Uzbekistan: Women banned from mosques · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Noah Tucker informs that after pressuring women for several months to stop attending mosque on Fridays, Bukhara authorities have officially prohibited them to go to mosques.


text:
World: Reactions to the Release of the “Lockerbie bomber” · Global Voices
Katharine Ganly

Helena opens in this post on Israel Palestine Blogs Peace Blogs Aggregator:
There is currently a huge amount of over-heated rhetoric on the airwaves and in the blogosphere, in reaction to the Scottish court’s decision to release convicted Libyan mass-bomber Abdel-Basset al-Megrahi before the end of his sentence, on compassionate/health grounds.
Whether viewed as over-heated or otherwise, there is certainly a huge amount of debate taking place in both the mainstream media and the blogosphere regarding the release of the only man ever convicted over the bombing of Pam Am flight 103, Libyan Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi.
The “Lockerbie bomber” was sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the 1988 bombing of the plane over Lockerbie, Scotland,  in which 270 people died. He is suffering from terminal prostrate cancer, and with less than three months to live, the Scottish Government released him on compassionate grounds.
His release has been met with controversy and strong reactions, and has brought up a number of related issues and debates.
What has been called in the mainstream press the “hero's welcome”  that Megrahi received upon his return to Libya has been met with particular criticism in the US and UK press. But what of the reactions on the web?
rfitzgibbon, tweeting from the US, displays a sentiment echoed by many US citizens active online:
Though he remains non-committal regarding the guilt of Megrahi, Anglo-Libyan writing on his blog of the same name was also less than pleased with Megrahi's airport reception. He states:
Al-Megrahi returned … to Libya, I too was hoping his return to Libya would be a low key even but he was received as a hero!
I do not know if he is guilty of this horrible crime but this man was convicted of killing 270 innocent civilians yet the Libyan authorities showed how distasteful they are at a time when the victim's families were watching in pain, to most of them this is not acceptable.
He commends the decision taken by the Scottish government (though, like many, is suspicious of the reasons behind it), and is critical of the behaviour of the  Libyan authorities in handling the issue:
The Scottish government did take a courageous step by releasing Al-Megrahi to spend his last days with his family, whether they did it for compassionate reasons or purely for business is for you to decide.
[however]
If he was innocent, he should have stayed and died fighting to clear his name and the Libyan authorities have embarrassed themselves yet again
Adam White, tweeting from the UK suggests the gathered crowd may not be quite the “hero's welcome” it is presumed to be:
And Syrianews echoes this sentiment in justifying the welcome received:
Megrahi's conviction was controversial from the start, and the question of his guilt has been brought up anew since his release. Some see the abandonment of his appeal – a presumed condition of his release by many,- as a means of concealing his wrongful conviction.
Ibn Kafka, commenting on this post, is not keen on the idea of a convicted man being released, but highlights the doubts over Megrahi's guilt :
if indeed he’s guilty of the Lockerbie bombing, he should die in prison or on the gallows. I’m am more worried at the soundness of his conviction in the first place, what with the persisting rumors on Syrian involvement.
Others see Megrahi as a scapegoat offered by Libya. The Angry Arab, in response to Hillary Clinton's condemnation of the Scottish decision, accuses the US of “feigning mild outrage” :
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had worked strongly against the decision, saying it would be “absolutely wrong” to release Mr. Megrahi.” Oh, please spare me your fake sense of moral uprightness. Your government has been cuddling the real master-terrorist Qadhdhafi, who ordered the terrorist bombing of Pan Am 103.
Indeed the media coverage of this case is getting bigger and bigger and more issues are being uprooted than might have been initially anticipated. Many are beginning to call for a fresh inquiry into the whole affair, amidst accusations of hidden agendas and secret deals.
On The Lockerbie Case blog, which has been posting updates regarding the case since its beginning, a reader comments in response to this post:
If things carry on as they have done for the past few days, al-Megrahi/Lockerbie will soon become such a cause celebre that it will be essential reading for students of politics and or history even at secondary level. The fig leaves in Westminster, and elsewhere, are beginning to look distinctly diseased. Thank you also to Saif al-Islam for your timely contribution on this subject today – perhaps dreams of an enquiry might not be as fantastical as I had previously thought after all.
While reader  Nennt mich einfach Adam! states
Whatever the intentions of the various players are or were – the only answer can be an inquiry into the whole Lockerbie affair.

author: Katharine Ganly


text:
Uruguay: Independence Day · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

August 25 is Uruguayan Independence Day and Mariolo of 1 x Día [es] celebrates with nostalgia.


text:
Argentina: Borges Birthday · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

It is the 110th anniversary of the birth of Argentine writer Jorge Borges, and Keff Barry of Buenos Aires, City of Faded Elegance looks back at some of his favorite Borges stories.


text:
Argentina: The Construction of the Valley Train · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Pablo of Vivir en Neuquen Capital [es] wonders when construction for the “Valley Train” will begin. The start date is programmed for December, but according to news reports that there has not even been a bidding process for some of the materials.


text:
Azerbaijan: Activist bloggers face additional charge as trial approaches · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

At time of writing, according to the OL! blog, youth activist video bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli have been held in pre-trial detention for 48 days on charges of “hooliganism.”
Moreover, despite huge interest in their case from the international media, as well as strong criticism and monitoring from international human rights and freedom of expresison groups, it remains unclear whether they will be freed any time soon let alone be cleared of what many consider to be politically motivated charges.
However, in an unexpected development, Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines reports that rather than drop the action against the detained bloggers, the authorities have decided to add an additional charge of assault even though the alleged victims have so far not come forward to present evidence of their injuries. The blogger says the reason for this is simple.
Hajizade and Milli assaulted no one, she believes, and there are no wounds inflicted on anyone other than themselves, adding that she now also fears the worst.
The case of Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizada who were arrested on 8th of July and sentenced to pre-trial detention for two months turns a new leaf. 40 days into investigation, the case investigator Ziya Aliyev adds a new charge- article 127 of the Criminal Code (intentionally causing less severe damage to the health). The lawyer, Isaxan Asurov says this sentence was added due to body injuries on the so called victims’ bodies. No one has seen either victims or their fake injuries.
[…]
Thus, the bloggers’ sentence was doubled… There is no sign of their release. I wouldn't be surprised to read another new clause added soon.
Even so, and considering not only doubts over the veracity of the charges made against them but also their triviality in legal terms, Media Helping Media points out that the Azerbaijani government is violating international human rights norms. The entry was written as part of an online journalism course just held in Baku, the Azerbaijani capital.
The authorities in Azerbaijan have been urged to follow the ruling of the European Convention on Human Rights regarding the rights of family members to visit prisoners.
Hikmat Hajizada, the father of one of the two jailed Baku bloggers, says he has not been allowed to see his son, Adnan, since he was arrested early last month.
[…]
Speaking at a news conference in Baku, Azerbaijan Hajizada said he was going public with his challenge to the investigators in the case because he wanted to end what he called “illegal arrests, illegal investigations and a denial of access to those charged.”
[…]
Hajizada’s lawyer, Isakhan Ashurov, revealed that an extra charge of deliberately causing physical damage had been added at the end of the investigation and said lawyers had not been informed in advance.
Hajizada thanked all those who had been publicising the case of his jailed son.
He said the new generation of bloggers had given the older generation hope that their voice would be heard.
Meanwhile, as friends, relatives and supporters wait for the two activist bloggers’ trial to be held in early September, one local rap band Shirband has followed up their song for Hajizade's OL! youth movement with one specially written for the detainees.
Azərbaycanın etirazçı “Şirbənd” rep qrupu yeni mahnısını yazdırıb. Qaynar.info-nun verdiyi xəbərə görə, mahnı “Davam edir 37″ adlanır və həbsdə olan gənc fəallara Emin Milli və Adnan Hacızadəyə həsr olunub.
According to translated summaries of the song's lyrics posted on my own Facebook, the song highlights the repression facing activists today in Azerbaijan and draws parallels with the past.
it says: the 1937 is still going on, even more strictly, more seriously, now with oil and gas, the youth are beign arrested, we alawys feel these black jeeps following us behind. the general idea is that repression time didnt over, they r still going on
it's kind of parallels between Stalin's famous repressions in 1937 and repressive methods of present Azerbaijani government.
The trial of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli is set for 8 September and Eternal Remont says that a demonstration in their support is scheduled this Friday outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington DC.

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
Barbados: Boycotting  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As Barbados Underground joins the call for the boycott of a local newspaper, citing “another case of a weak media exposed”, Living in Barbados examines the power of boycotting, saying: “To boycott effectively you have to have self-sacrifice.”


text:
Bermuda: Cricket Lows · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

BeachLime.com laments the fact that “Bermuda cricket has fallen to new lows.”


text:
Brazil: Students arrested for demonstrating in the Senate · Global Voices
Diego Casaes

Democracy and freedom of speech in Brazil are being slowly put aside as we become used to hearing about situations like blogs censored and people held for demonstrating against corruption. On 19th August, a few students demonstrating against the Senate's President José Sarney were arrested, kept for three hours in a room within the Senate and subjected to many charges and threats. In this video, made by Christiane Couto, one of the students arrested, demonstrators are seen in the Senate and security start to act against them:
We can hear the security chief saying that “if you demonstrate inside the Senate, you come here [to this room]. It is the price for protesting”. The students also claimed that they were threatened with dismissal from their jobs and nearly had their documents seized too. Many Senators sympathized with the cause – as well as Member of Parliament Janete Capiberibe who insisted on remaining alongside the demonstrators – and convinced the security that they should be released.
André Dutra [pt], one of the demonstrators arrested, contextualizes the situation. He blogs:
Dentro do Senado, iniciamos nossa manifestação pacífica e logo fomos atacados pela truculenta segurança do Senado. Leões de chácara, resquício da ditadura, protegidos de Sarney. Foram em cima de nossos cartazes, torceram nossos pulsos, deram golpes sutis, acertaram mulheres, inclusive. Rasgaram tudo, mas não tiveram coragem de rasgar minha Constituição. Guardarei esse exemplar para sempre, memória de que ainda há um mínimo de respeito em meu país.
The case has been quite popular on the Brazilian blogosphere and amongst Twitter users as the mobilization against José Sarney grows every month. It has attracted the attention of celebrity bloggers such as Marcelo TAS [pt], a popular name on the Brazilian blogosphere and host of CQC, a humorous journalism TV show (acronym for “No Matter the Cost” in Portuguese). He expresses [pt] his feelings about this case:
Afinal existe ou não liberdade de expressão no país? […] Este blog apóia a liberdade de expressão e acredita que essa gentalha só aprende na base da pressão. Fora Sarney, reforma política já e vamos preparar os corações e mentes para varrer esses vermes nas Eleições 2010!
A "Get Out, Sarney" banner shows the protest schedule throughout Brazil. Source: Marcelo Tas' blog
Luciana Capiberibe's Blog [pt] publishes a post about the way in which local media treated the issue. According to A Gazeta, a newspaper from Amapá, the Senate Police is supposedly investigating the participation of MP Janete Capiberibe in the organization of the protest, accusing the MP of paying R$ 40 (about US$ 21) to the students, so that they could take part in the demonstration. The blogger publishes photos of the paper's headlines and adds a caption:
Jornal A Gazeta, ligado a Sarney no Amapá, faz acusações infundadas
Francis Pessoa commented on Luciana Capiberibe's blog post above, adding [pt]:
[…] Interessante como a “IMPRENSA” amapaense funciona. Algum tempo atrás, uns que nesse jornal está, faziam parte do outro jornaléco diário. Hoje eles estão do outro lado e dizem que este (jornaléco) é o melhor, o mais importante, o mais lido periódico do Amapá. Mentem. O jornaléco é doado para reciclagem na lixeira pública.
Torço para que cada brasileiro tenha em casa um computador e INTERNET. Quando esse dia chegar, muito desses jornalécos pilantras irão sair de circulação e o cidadão terá acesso (democreticamente)as informações verdadeiras. E vocês, pilantras da “IMPRENSA” não terão mais vez…
[…]
Só faltava essa!!! Dirigentes do jornaléco, vocês pensam que somos idiótas? Estamos acompanhando tudo pela INTERNET, SITE’s, BLOG’s, TWITTER e por jornalista sérios de Belém do Pará, Brasília, São Paulo e outros. Mas o fim de vocês está próximo, não perdem por esperar…
Peaceful demonstrations for justice and freedom of speech and against corruption in the government are considered crimes in contemporary Brazil. Tsavkko – The Angry Brazilian [pt] cites many related cases all over the country, adding:
O que se vê é um processo – aparentemente irreversível – de criminalização e perseguição aos Movimentos Sociais, além de uma truculência absurda contra as liberdades do povo, contra o direito de protestar, reclamar e se manifestar. Abusos são constamentente cometidos pelas “forças de segurança”, provadas ou estatais, e nada nunca é feito.
A ditadura acabou quando mesmo?
When actually did the dictatorship finish?
André Dutra holding a "Get out, Sarney!" flyer.

author: Diego Casaes


text:
China: Free speech under control 2.0 · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

David Bandurski translated an article from CCP mouthpiece publication, Qiushi, on “Freedom of Speech and the Media’s Responsibility”. The article showed the Chinese government's desire for a fair share in the global public opinion.


text:
China:  The Death of the Internet Addict Youth  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated a Southern Metropolis Daily article about the death of a young man at an Internet addict healing camp. The article got the editor fired from his job.


text:
Ghana: Interview with rapper A-Plus · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Museke chats with Ghanaian rapper, A-Plus: “Ghanaian hiplife music lyrics are not very conscious or political in general but one artiste has gained a reputation for making political songs.”


text:
Ghana: Invitation to Kumasi meetup · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tobias writes about Kumasi meetup where participants are expected to learn about ICT and Kabisa. Kabissa is a network of people who are working online and on the ground for positive change in Africa.


text:
Hong Kong: Poll on drug tests · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Libertines Hong Kong has a very interesting post on the background of research institute, Hong Kong Research Association, which recently released a research founding that 70% of Hong Kong pupils support drug tests.