text:
The Dilemmas of Bahrain’s Opposition Group Alwefaq: Between Fragmentation and an Underground Movement · Global Voices
Mohamed Hassan

Bilad Al Qadeem, Bahrain. 6th February 2015 — Clashes continued between demonstrators and security forces during protests in Bilad al-Qadeem calling for the release of opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman who was detained after appearing at a protest in December 2014. Photograph by Sayed Hashim. Copyright: Demotix
This article is co-written by Faten Bushehri.
The largest opposition group in Bahrain is on the verge of getting shut down by the regime, and its future is not looking good. Members of Alwefaq National Islamic Society are already expressing contradicting opinions on the society’s functions and the implications of its potential closure on the Bahraini opposition movement.
The Ministry of Interior stated that Alwefaq is being charged in relation to announcements made on their website and Twitter account.
The case has been referred to the public prosecutor, according to a statement made on the Ministry of Interior’s main Twitter account on February 17:
MOI: The case regarding Al Wefaq's recent statements was referred yesterday evening to the Public Prosecution #Bahrain
— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) February 17, 2015
This comes after two leading members of Alwefaq were detained. Its Secretary General Ali Salman is still detained for investigation on charges that include “inciting hatred against the regime” and “inciting disruptions and protests”. His trial is ongoing and the fourth hearing was held on April 22, 2015. Also behind bars since mid-February 2015 is society's chairman of consultative council Jameel Khadim, who was leading the opposition’s delegation in the National Dialogue with the government. The trial of Ali Salman was adjourned until May 20, 2015, and Kadhim is serving a six-month sentence.
Bahrain, which bans political parties but allows political societies to function within narrow parameters, has been witnessing political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising. Bahrain’s crackdown is nothing new, as most of the political movements in the country prior to 2001 were underground movements.
The period between 1973-1975 witnessed the start of organised political establishments in Bahrain. However, the experience was short-lived. After the near unanimous rejection by the National Assembly of the ‘State Security Decree of 1974′ the then-Amir of Bahrain decided to dissolve parliament. A state of emergency was declared, and political movements were forced to be clandestine again.
The political parliamentary process was resumed in 2001. The National Action Charter brought huge hopes of a promised constitutional monarchy. The 2002 constitution, on the other hand, came as a disappointment to the opposition. Political movements were again working publicly and participating in parliament. The last parliamentary and municipal elections were held in 2010, achieving a 67 per cent voter turnout rate. Alwefaq won a majority of votes with 18 out of the 40 total seats.
In the light of the attack on protesters on February 17, 2011, a day now remembered as “Bloody Thursday”, Alwefaq decided to withdraw from parliament due to “the lack of efficacy in the political process.” Since then they boycotted all elections and focused on extra-parliamentary activities.
In 2011 authorities came close to disbanding the two largest political parties in Bahrain, Al-Wefaq and the Islamic Action Society. However, the decision was postponed following what is believed to be pressure from the United States, when President Barack Obama’s administration expressed concern over such measures. In a statement on the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the government said it will determine its position towards the two societies “in light of facts and as investigation progresses.”
The Beginning of the End: Boycotting Elections
In 2014, four main opposition groups, including Alwefaq, boycotted the parliamentary elections that took place in November, protesting the lack of desire for a political solution within the government, and said their participation would legitimize the corrupt system.
On the October 28, 2014, prior to elections and following Alwefaq’s announcement to boycott, the Supreme Court suspended the society’s activities for a period of three months. The Ministry of Justice had filed a case claiming the group failed to abide by the rules when holding their general assembly meetings. The decision was quickly reversed by Justice Minister Khaled Bin Ali Al Khalifa, only hours later.
On February 17, 2015, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said on its website that Alwefaq was referred to the public prosecutor after documenting statements made on Twitter that represent “criminal content punishable under the law.”
The violations included incitement to hatred against the ruling system, circulating false news to undermine civil peace and national security and insulting a foreign nation. The last charge comes after Alwefaq criticised the British Ambassador's support to the boycotted election.
Currently Alwefaq’s activities are frozen, and they are not granted permits to organize legal demonstrations. A court hearing has been set on June 1 to hear the claims of the representative of the government.
As the largest political group in Bahrain, they have former members of parliaments acting as non-official permanent delegates abroad. We spoke to Matar Matar in Washington D.C. and Jawad Fairouz in London, and their impressions and predictions of the future were anything but in sync.
“Punished for Boycotting the Elections”
The threats to the opposition happened as a consequence of sequential events that indicate the government continues to punish the political societies for boycotting the latest parliamentary elections, says Matar.
He added:
“Since the arrest of Ali Salman. Alwefaq has requested 90 permits for demonstrations and rallies, all which have been either rejected or not accepted in the first place.”
The government, claims Mater, is painting Alwefaq in a negative frame trying to “portray us as rejectionists who refuse to participate in elections in order to escalate the situation.” He denies the allegations, explaining the society was willing to negotiate and participate in elections even without a “perfect deal” because they believe in grassroots reform, but says the government did not offer anything.
“Dissolving Alwefaq Is a Matter of Time”
Matar says he believes dissolving Alwefaq is a matter of time and the “release of their members wouldn’t mean much, because they are always at risk of being arrested again.” He explains:
The big picture is that a decision had been taken to crackdown on even the moderate sides of the opposition who are calling for negotiation.
In the light of the latest action of revoking 72 citizenships taken by Bahraini authorities, Matar speaks on behalf of himself and his colleagues abroad saying:
We feel the danger of revoking our citizenship; we could be in any upcoming batch. The government is always promoting that we are tainting the reputation of Bahrain abroad and that’s not true, we are trying to respond to the distortion the government is practicing.
Matar adds:
The government is trying to spread the idea that Bahrainis are not ready for democracy. And that the pro-democracy movement is against immigrants, women rights, the ruling family, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Sunnis.
The government is also launching campaigns that suggest members of opposition are directly tied to Iran, and are supporters of terrorist groups.
Because of these campaigns portraying them as traitors, Matar says the process of revoking citizenships is a very easy process that does not require evidence or a fair trial in court. He notes it is just a single decision by the Interior Minister.
One of those who actually had their citizenship revoked is the former MP of Alwefaq Bloc Jawad Fairooz. He agreed that there is a very good chance that Alwefaq would be banned. Threats from the Ministry of Justice, and the arrests of many members by the Ministry of Interior show that many would like to see Alwefaq banned from practicing politics.
Matar and Jawad seem to have different perspectives on how future decisions will be made — an issue one could regard as alarming for Alwefaq’s followers and supporters.
Matar: Social Media to take the Lead in Political Activism
When it comes to decision making, Matar says social media will play a key role in the organization of the movement, while the role of officially recognized political parties will decrease:
Activism will not be centralized or organized from a particular body. You will see groups that used to be a part of Alwefaq, continue their activism through individual initiatives, and might function behind the scenes.
As a member of Alwefaq living in Washington D.C., Matar says he and other members abroad cannot represent a specific group because they are not on the ground. Therefore they are not directly involved in the decision making like they used to be when they were in Bahrain.
I was a senior member in Alwefaq. I was part of the decision making, but being outside there is a lack of communication, and lack of the ability to assess the situation. It is difficult for me to be part of the decision making process inside now.
He says this aspect will not change or be affected by the fate of Alwefaq. He will still remain outside and far from being part of the decision making:
I always believe that those who are inside are the ones who can decide where things should go. I’m here to amplify their message and their cause but not to speak on their behalf or to dictate what they should do.
Fairooz: “Shutting Down Alwefaq Will Not Marginalise It”
On the other hand, Fairooz argues that shutting down Alwefaq will not marginalise Alwefaq because he thinks that the political movement that Alwefaq represents is bigger than the official organisation.
Being unable to hold a general assembly for the political group will not change Alwefaq drastically, the key members of Alwefaq will still be able to organise among themselves and come up with decisions. When the leaders of other factions of the opposition were imprisoned their movements didn’t stop being influential.
Building his point of view on the recent progresses, Fairooz noted that the momentum of the protests increased after the arrest of Ali Salman. He added that the ban of Alwefaq might push those more reluctant to take part in the political struggle to take a stand.
Violence and Underground Movements
Matar and Jawad views varied on another possible consequence: Violence and Underground movements. They both fear the shutdown of Alwefaq and the absence of a centralized commander-in-chief may lead to violence amongst younger groups and coalitions, and eventually move the activism to underground.
“The current situation leaves no space for freedom of expression,” said Matar. “The government in Bahrain is dragging us to underground movement again.”
While Matar thinks it could still be controlled now, things could get out of hand if Alwefaq and other political societies get shut down.
It will hinder the ability of Alwefaq to engage in gradual process for political reform and negotiation, he said.
We can’t convince people to engage when it’s secret, to lead such kind of process.
Matar explains that underground work poses a threat and risk to the safety of those involved, including participation in demonstrations. Since the government no longer permits protests and demonstrations, people’s participation in rallies not approved by the government puts them at risk of prosecution for breaking the law.
Matar acknowledges the safety of activists is something essential for them to work and mobilize people but says “there is no alternative, I think underground movement is the way to go.”
Fairooz agrees that underground movements will arise and that there is a possibility for radicalization. However, he doesn’t think it’s probable as the existence of clergy that is supportive of Alwefaq demands and strategies, will form a method of crowd control. He explains:
The street movement might be swayed to higher demands, the mobilisation around these demands isn’t tied to the existence of Alwefaq as an official establishment, but rather to the stance and leadership of the popular clerics. The precedence with the faction of opposition who called for the downfall of the regime made it clear, despite their imprisonment, they continue to be a part of the political formula.
Alwefaq’s current status remains in limbo. Matar said he feels the government will play on this and make a big case of it, where it’s not clear whether or not the political parties are still functioning, whether they’re shut down or suspended.
With the current threats against Alwefaq and Waad, it makes it difficult for the parties to function as they did before.
Waad is the National Democratic Action Society, a secular opposition group, which is also being threatened by the government with closure.
And should the government decide to officially shut Alwefaq down, Matar says no one will be able to represent or speak on behalf of the bloc.
It will rather be merely individual statements representing individual thoughts.
Fairooz thinks that it’s actually the authorities who would lose more if Alwefaq was banned.
The closure of Alwefaq will expose the authorities lack of will for reforms, it will be the end of pretending to have any kind of democratic reforms in Bahrain. The regime will find no one to negotiate with and that will create a great deal of embarrassment to the allies of the regime. Political movements in Bahrain are used to working underground.
Fairooz also believes that the current situation is not sustainable, he believes this will push the regime to compromise.
In the absence of leaders no solution can be reached. Depending on the use of security measures as a solution proved it’s not viable, neither are one sided amendments, consensual reforms are the only way to move forward.

author: Mohamed Hassan


text:
Yemenis Making Art in the Time of War · Global Voices
Noon Arabia

A mural in Sana'a of Yemen's flag using shattered glass of homes from a Saudi-led airstrike.
Yemenis are putting their art and creativity to call for an end of a war in their country, which is the poorest in the Middle East.
Over the past three decades, Yemen has suffered from chronic underdevelopment and a socio-economic crisis.The precarious humanitarian situation was further exacerbated in the four years of political instability following the revolution in 2011, which ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Since Saudi-led coalition forces started bombing the country on March 26, and ousted president Saleh's militia allied with the tribe the Houthis advancing and bombarding the southern provinces, the situation reached catastrophic levels.
Thousands of Yemenis are stranded abroad, unable to return home. Another 300,000 are internally displaced in Yemen, with little to no help. The imposed embargo on Yemeni air, land and sea, caused Yemenis to be stranded overseas. With new visa requirements imposed on them by countries that previously welcomed them, and no resources to support them. Amid the airstrikes, tank bombardments and embargo, Yemenis are facing dire living conditions, with food, fuel and water shortages and continuous electricity black outs.
Cedric Schweizer, who heads ICRC (The International Committee of the Red Cross) in Yemen said in joint statement with MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières):
The harsh restrictions on imports imposed by the coalition for the past six weeks, added to the extreme fuel shortages, have made the daily lives of Yemenis unbearable, and their suffering immense
Yet what Yemenis fear besides the death and destruction caused by the war is the social fabric that is being torn and the feelings of animosity that is developing between the different regions in Yemen, facing the same hardship. Yemeni artists used their creativity, despite all the difficulty and despair, to send out messages of cohesion, unity and call an end to the war and to the injustice faced by all.
Bushra Al Fusail, a photographer and women's rights activist and her friend Nina Aqlan, a social entrepreneur, used shattered glass from a Saudi-led airstrike targeting Faj Attan weapon depot, on April 20, which rocked the capital Sana'a and destroyed many residential homes and shops to make a mural. The artists aimed to use debris from the explosion to create an expression of national unity by assembling the pieces to a wall to make the Yemeni national flag. Nina Aqlan writes on Facebook:
Each piece on the wall represents a home that was destroyed, a life that was lost, the wounds sustained, the pain and horror that the city lived on that day. The glass colored Yemeni flag stands for the solidarity and hope that must be revived in these moments of war and tragedy.
The ‘flag’ can be seen in Hadda Street, a busy main road in central Sanaa.
Ahmed Alshaiba, a Yemeni musician who lives in New York, produced his latest music video as a homage to Yemen and message to all Yemenis, entitled “My trip in Yemen”. Albasha takes us on a nostalgic musical tour, playing tunes on his magical Oud from different regions in Yemen, symbolising the feeling of unity during these hard times which the whole country is facing.
SupportYemen, a Yemeni media cooperative, also launched their last video called “The Color of Injustice”, a title inspired by a poem by the famous late Yemeni poet Luti Jaafar Aman. The video was produced under very difficult circumstances of war which Yemen is facing and amid long electricity blackouts. Through powerful poetry, strong visuals, and images of war in Yemen, SupportYemen's video highlights the human suffering all Yemenis face. They state in the press release for the video:
Yemenis are losing hope in the possibilities of civil peace and social justice as they are surrounded by the color of injustice that only gets darker and darker each day.
You can read more about the making of the video through a blog post written by Abdulrahman Hussein, one of SupportYemen's co-founders and the film's director. Abdulrahman points to the hardships faced:
While it has always been more risky to hold a camera than to hold a weapon, it was still possible to continue filming. However, today it was worse than ever as we are stuck in a brutal war that left people drowning in hate and Yemen is being torn apart more and more.
He adds:
.In spite of the absence of transportation and continuous bombardment every day, young Yemeni women and men continued to come and help finish filming.
Although just posted today, the video has been viewed and shared widely on social media:
Powerful video by @SupportYemen on current hardships faced by ppl in #Yemen Recommend read text in vid description https://t.co/Lp6ClFwsa8
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) May 5, 2015
.@SupportYemen videos show how the poetry of our past is able to so accurately reflect our present
— Abubakr Al-Shamahi (@abubakrabdullah) May 5, 2015
#Resilience and #Hope, that’s what @SupportYemen’s video proves of #Yemen-is: “The Color of Injustice” https://t.co/8DAaNGMHDJ #KefayaWar
— Benjamin Wiacek (@BenjaminWiacek) May 5, 2015
Once again, Yemen's youth use their talent to show the world their resilience demanding justice, unity and peace in Yemen…and soon.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Noon Arabia


text:
Chinese People Seem to Love Uber. Chinese Authorities? Not So Much · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Screen capture from Uber Guangzhou page.
Authorities raided the Chengdu, China office of popular US-based crowd-sourced taxi service Uber on May 6, about a week after its Guangzhou office was raided on accusations of operating without a license and conducting illegal business.
Officials claimed that the crackdown was part of a comprehensive operation against unlicensed taxis; China is certainly not the first country go after Uber for that reason. But some believe the raids had other motives — to protect domestic taxi-hailing services by clamping down on a foreign competitor.
Uber made its debut in China in February 2014 and currently operates in about 10 Chinese cities. Its deal with Baidu, the country's biggest search engine, in December 2014 has given the app access to Baidu's map and boosted its business in China.
But in January 2015, China's Ministry of Transportation announced a ban on private cars offering unlicensed taxi rides via mobile apps. Not long after, China's two largest domestic operators of taxi-hailing apps — Kuaidi Dache, backed by Alibaba Group, and Didi Dache, backed by Tecent Holdings – decided to merge. They claimed they would more closely monitor services by connecting their passengers to cars owned by rental agencies — licensed third parties according to guidelines set by the Ministry of Transportation.
In March, Didi Dache held talks with Uber for a partnership arrangement that would monopolize the market. Uber did not comment on the news.
In seems that Uber is in favor of competition. In addition to working with private car rental agencies, Uber China has developed a “People's Uber” carpooling strategy to recruit more private cars into its network. Thomas Luo, a tech blogger, praised the company's courage to set up such a platform:
尽管大量低价车充斥着人民优步的市场[…]司机试图在意用户的感受并尽量满足乘客的需求——这种平衡让Uber在中国获得了“人民性”。而获得了“人民性”的Uber和它的“人民优步”服务，事实上成为了一个将那些被摒弃在出租车营运体系和资格之外的私家车们（官方亲切地称之为“黑车”）凝聚和组织在一起的“另一个出租车”营运体系，一个依靠人民群众，放手发动群众的出行供需平台。[…]也正是因为如此，它让竞争对手恐慌——微信平台曾多次以“恶意营销”为名封禁Uber在各个城市的运营公众号[…]
Although a large number of shabby private cars have entered the Uber market […] the drivers are catering to customers’ needs — the market equilibrium helps Uber get people's support in China. The people-oriented Uber and its “People Uber” service has evolved into another rental car operation system for those private drivers who were kicked out from the official rental car system (the official term for them is “black cars”.) The system depends on people and the platform is operated according to people's demand and supply. […] Because of [such a people-oriented set-up], its competitors are very nervous. WeChat has blocked the public accounts of Uber in many cities under the pretext of “spam marketing” […]
But the Chinese authorities are not a fan of this “people-oriented” business strategy. Luo believed Uber's foreign background is the main reason behind the crackdown:
对一家试图在中国开展业务的美国科技公司来说，保守和矜持会遭到轻视和“不接地气”的嘲笑，但决绝和生猛毫无疑问会遇到更严酷的反扑——2008年的Google中国和现在的Uber都是这样的例子。
但Uber在中国面临的并非Google当年的窘境——Google在中国的业务从第一天起就有文化与意识形态的壁垒，最终的结局也是由于双方（Google与中国监管机构）之间无可调和的价值分歧。而Uber不同，更方便、更实惠和更有赚头的利益驱动是放之四海而皆准的普世价值，而其遭遇的一些被触动利益的主管机构的制裁与打压 […]
For US- based technology companies, which attempt to develop business in China, if their strategies are conservative, they would be humiliated as not being localized. Yet, if they are determined and proactive, they would face a lot of pressure — that's what happened to Google China back in 2008 and today's Uber.
Yet Uber is different from Google — Google's business in China from day one was confronted with cultural and ideological barriers and eventually the difference in values between Google and Chinese regulators reached a breaking point. Uber's values are based on its convenient, economical and profitable service. Being driven by interests is universal, and when the business affected others’ interests, authorities stepped in […]
In addition to the raids on Uber's offices, Chinese police has been targeting Uber drivers in major cities, some going undercover by calling cabs through the application as customers.
However, Luo was quite optimistic about Uber's future. He believes that people will develop their own strategies to tackle the crackdown:
看看在人民优步被严厉打压的北京和广州正在发生的事吧——打开Uber应用，5分钟以内可到的“人民优步”轿车仍然密布在地图上随处可见。可能一些司机会提前打电话过来摸一下情况，判断一下是不是被“钓鱼执法”，可能有的司机会跟你商量“咱们到机场直接下停车场，省得被查”，还有的人会跟你约定接头方式和暗号，但一个基本的事实是：活照拉[…]
Take a look at Beijing and Guangzhou where the “People's Uber” service is severely suppressed — turn on the Uber apps, and you will see in the map lots of “People's Uber” private cars that can offer their services within five minutes. Perhaps some drivers will call back to check if the police are conducting a “fishing operation”. Some drivers will even suggest stopping at the airport car park to prevent police checks. Some might decide on a secret code with you before you get in the car. Basically, business as usual […]
He urges people to take sides and support “People's Uber”:
这是一场人民优步的人民战争。我们来自五湖四海，为了更自由方便地出行的目的，走到一起来了。当你接到人民优步司机小心谨慎地询问的电话的时候，多给一点理解和耐心——这就是你们接头的暗号。每一个乘客和每一个司机的每一次接头和交易，都指向一条真正通向自由之路。
This is a people's war over “People's Uber”. We come from different places and gather on one platform because we want to enjoy freedom and convenience when we travel. When Uber drivers ask for your phone number, please be understanding and patient — this is a secret code. Every transaction is leading to freedom.
Judging from the reactions on social media, Uber indeed has won the support of many. But the country's policies do not necessarily side with the people, as implied in Audrey Li's observation regarding Chinese journalist Michael Anti's comment on the crackdown in Twitter-like Weibo:
关于广州查封Uber总部，安替有句精彩评论：感觉政府解决交通问题无能，但解决能解决交通问题的人非常有能力。
Concerning the crackdown on Uber's Guangzhou office, Micheal Anti has a very bright comment: It seems that the government is incapable of solving the traffic problem, but capable of “solving” those who are capable of solving the traffic problem.
Public transportation is usually very poor in over-populated Chinese cities. That's why Michael Anti's comment is echoed by many in the post thread, such as this one:
不解决群众提出的问题！而解决提出问题的群众
It won't solve the question raised by people, but it will “solve” those who raise the question.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
Questions After Indonesia Executes Drug Convicts From Australia, Brazil and Nigeria · Global Voices
Juke Carolina

A banner at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta which warns of death penalty for drug traffickers. Picture from Wikimedia.org
Despite international appeals and domestic criticism, Indonesia carried out the execution of eight drug convicts last week. But it didn't end the debates about the death penalty law, the ‘war on drugs’, and the possibility that some of the convicts were innocent.
Those executed were four Nigerians, two Australians, one Brazilian, and one Indonesian. A Filipino convict received a last-minute reprieve after the court learned that she could be a victim of human trafficking when her alleged recruiter surrendered in the Philippines.
A day after the execution, reports surfaced that the Indonesian convict who was executed, Zainal Abidin, could be a victim of ‘clerical blunder’ when it was revealed that his clemency appeal file has been misplaced by the Palembang District Court. He was charged for marijuana possession and initially sentenced to 18 years in jail before he was handed out a death sentence due to a misplaced appeal file.
Meanwhile, the public learned that Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, yet the Indonesian Supreme Court rejected his appeal. He was not aware about his impending death until he was just minutes away from standing up in front of a firing squad. His family is campaigning for his posthumous pardon.
The number of Indonesians who prefer the giving of a life sentence prison term over the death penalty for drug-related crimes has been growing in recent years. However, according to a survey by Indo Barometer Survey Agency, the majority of Indonesians (84.1 percent) approved of the government's decision to carry out the execution of the eight convicts.
Two major Islamic organizations in the country, Nadhlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, agree that capital punishment should be applied to drug traffickers. The majority of Indonesians are Sunni Muslims.
Various reactions appeared on Twitter, and some even used the hashtag #BoycottIndonesia to express their displeasure over the executions.
But some urged critics to understand the situation of Indonesia, a country that needs to defeat the operations of global drug cartels.
Matt Hart, the guitarist from the band Arkana, was one of those who visited Indonesia and saw the extent of the drug menace:
The reason Indonesia evoke the death sentence penalty for drug smuggling is due to the sheer extent of a rapidly growing problem that is already out of hand.
Instead of neighboring countries attacking and placing judgment upon Indonesia for their stance and policies surrounding the enforcement of drugs they should be offering their council, assistance and support to tackle the real problem head on.
Gustika Jusuf Hatta, a grandchild of Mohamad Hatta, one of Indonesia's founding fathers, had mixed feelings about the execution:
As an Indonesian, I am deeply ashamed that such a primitive and barbaric practice still exists within our law. However, I feel extremely proud of the fact that we managed to exercise our sovereign right without conforming to foreign pressure.
There were also Indonesian Facebook users like Andreas Arianto Yanuar who think that the death penalty law is not an effective solution to the drug problem:
Tadi ada sedikit pembicaraan dgn tmn2 soal putusan hukuman mati utk pelanggaran hukum yg berkaitan dgn pengedaran narkoba. Semoga pemikiran berikut bisa berguna buat tmn2 juga.
Memberantas pengedaran narkoba dgn memberantas nyawa pengedarnya gak akan banyak membantu dlm menyelesaikan masalahnya. Namanya jg pengedar, distributor, di rantai industri letaknya hanya di tengah2, di antara produsen dan konsumen. Distributor gak bisa hidup klo gak ada produsen dan konsumennya. Jd utk mengatasi narkoba, kita mesti ngulik dulu gmn industrinya berputar. Dan krn minat org gak pernah hilang thd zat adiktif apapun (tmsk rokok dan alkohol), maka yg lbh efektif dan efisien dilakukan adalah meregulasi, membatasi dan memonitor peredaran dan penggunaannya dlm masyarakat supaya gak memakan korban jiwa. Kalo hanya mengkriminalisasi, masalahnya ga akan selesai sampe kapan pun, gue yakin bgt krn itu yg terus terjadi sampe sekarang
Trying to eliminate drugs by eliminating the traffickers won't solve the root problem. Traffickers, distributors are middlemen of an industry, their place is between the producers and consumers. Distributor's lifeline won't last without producer and consumer. To limit drugs, we need to understand how the industry (works). People can hardly cut their addiction to substances (including cigarettes and alcohol), this means that it makes more sense to regulate, limit, and monitor the distribution and usage (of drugs) in society; hence they can't claim more lives. By simply criminalizing it won't end the problem.
Some Indonesian legislators are currently discussing the proposal to downgrade the death penalty for drug crimes from being a primary punishment into an alternative punishment. This means that under certain circumstances, death-row inmates can receive a life sentence or reduced sentence.

author: Juke Carolina


text:
Former French Defense Minister Finds Excuses for the Alleged Rape of Central African Children by French Soldiers · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Screen capture of video of Former Defense Minister of France arguing that challenging conditions can explain odd behaviors (such as rape)
Afrique Info reports that JP Chevènement, a former defense minister of France, stated on public radio Europe 1 on May 3 that the challenging conditions that French soldiers face in the Central African Republic could explain “behavior of that kind” (see video above). Chevènement was referring to the allegation of child sexual abuse by French troops posted in the Central African Republic. The allegations surfaced after disciplinary proceedings were taken against a United Nations employee accused of leaking the allegations to the French authorities.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


text:
Gwadar’s Thalassemia Patients Survive With ‘Hope’ · Global Voices
Pak Voices

A Thalassemia patient in Gwadar Civil Hospital. Used with Permission.
This story was originally written by Mariyam Suleman for PakVoices. It is being published on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.
It has been two years since Mahnaz was forced to leave college. Sea waves surround her little harbor community Sur Bunden, and remind her of the big dreams she left behind.
Her mother died from complications related to the genetic blood disorder Thalassemia.
Being the eldest, she had to take care of her nine younger siblings. Mahnaz says that she has already lost three her brothers and a sister to the fatal disease. She has another two sisters with the same condition.
Nineteen year-old Mahnaz is among the few girls her age in Sur Buden who could complete high school education. Cultural barriers and lack of educational institutions did not stop her from transforming her dreams into reality, she says.
It was the lack of healthcare facilities in and around the port city Gwadar, that forced her to abandon her dreams.
Within Pakistan's impoverished province of Balochistan, Gwadar is known for its billion-dollar strategic port, a potential gateway for 20 percent of the world’s oil. The port was created with funds mostly from China, for China. But its 249,055 residents lack basic health facilities.
This population is served by one government-run hospital, where only four of the 28 employed doctors are usually on duty. According to the locals, the working hours of the hospital are 8:00 am to 2:00 pm but the few doctors on duty usually arrive at 11:00 am and leave at 1:00 pm. Gwadar also has about two dozen government-run health centers according to the non-profit Paiman.
A view of District Head Quarter Hospital Gwadar. Used with Permission.
Speaking about her mother's passing, Mahnaz says “due to the lack of operation facilities and the absence of doctors, my mother had to endure severe pain and was taken to Karachi but before we could reach the hospital, she stopped breathing and I couldn’t do anything to save her.”
Eleven year-old Adil is another Thalassemia patient in Gwadar. He visits the hospital every month with his father. With his pale, innocent face, he says “I want to play and go to school with my friends but my parents are too scared to send me anywhere far from them. May be I don’t have many more days to live.”
While the government continues to ignore the health sector of the port city, there are a few dynamic and self-driven individuals who have taken worthy initiatives on their own.
Younis Hussain, the key founder of the organization, together with several youth merged ideas to originate and run an organization that made life possible for the patients of Thalassemia. This seemed almost impossible in a place like Gwadar that doesn’t even have doctors for minor health issues but they achieved the impossible, a blood donor told Pak Voices.
Both Mahnaz and Adil thank “Hope Foundation” a community based organization in Gwadar that had been helping victims of Thalassemia since 2009. Unexpected yet active, Hope Foundation has more than 150 members who donate funds yearly and have been fighting against the disease that so far has killed not only Mahnaz’s siblings and Adil’s dreams but thousands of innocents during the past few decades.
Blood donation camp organized by Hope Foundation. Used with Permission.
According to the organization there are 105 registered patients in Gwadar that come on regular basis for blood transfusion. Along with them, there are a number of patients who refuse to transfuse blood due to non-medical beliefs and myths.
Many believe that transfusing blood once would lead to life time dependency and by not doing so, the body of the victim would itself be able to make blood. Hence even after knowing about the disease, many patients choose not to come to the Hope Foundation center. This ultimately increases the number of Thalassemia-related causalities every year.
During the past seven years the organization has registered around 40-45 causalities. “They (the people of Gwadar) need more awareness about this inherited disease” says a member of the foundation. In the audio clip below, Younis Hussain talks about the causes of Thalassemia and the problems faced by people of Gwadar in tackling the disease:
“We are fortunate to have 2200 volunteer blood donors every month” Younis Hussain, the lab technician at DHQ Gwadar and the founder of Hope Foundation says. But he is concerned about the fact that preserving donated blood and storing the medicine in a cool place is almost impossible in the midst of the perennial electricity shortage. He says there is a dire need for electricity-storing units and stabilizers for the center, government-enforced power outages are frequent in Pakistan.
“It won’t be less than a surprise for a visitor to know that our port city still lacks health care facilities compared to the metropolitan cities of the country”, says a Gwadar resident.
According to Dr. Fazal Khaliq, the Medical Superintendent of DHQ Gwadar, Thalassemia is not an epidemic disease like TB that can be eliminated but it is an inherited blood disorder that results in excessive destruction of red blood cells. He says that it might not be possible to reduce the cases of the disease but talking of Gwadar, the patients can be helped to lead a normal life by blood transfusion on regular basis through Hope Foundation.
Another Thallasemia patient in Civil Hospital, Gwadar. Used with Permission.
It may seem impossible to reduce the cases of this disease in Gwadar due to the lack of medical facilities. According to Gretchen Holm writer of HealthLine medical website, “Thalassemia can be diagnosed and cured even before the birth of the child carrying the disease. “ In other words, an intervention at the earliest possible time may be helpful.
However a hospital that only has four doctors for only 2-3 hours a day, no medicines for the patients, only 42 beds that are not maintained well, no training facilities for nurses, lack of equipment, a frequent lack of X-Ray film; in such a hospital, expecting such treatments for Thalassemia patients is no more than a vain dream, says Younis Husain.
Barkatullah Baloch, the president of Gwadar Youth Forum, an active youth organization, is critical of the provincial government which has failed to improve the health facilities in Gwadar. He quotes the Health Minister of Balochistan, Rehmat Swaleh, who visited the hospital in February and stated “We understand all the issues of the hospital and we assure (we'll) send 5 doctors to DHQ Gwadar.’’
Baloch says that even after two and a half months, the five doctors that the health minister promised haven’t appeared at the hospital. The founder of Hope Foundation says:
Leaving out other minor health issues, government hasn’t yet provided any facilities to the Thalassemia victims. Many patients may have died had they decided to rely on the government’s promises. Apart from only letting the Hope foundation use a room in the district hospital and providing few equipments last month, the ministry of health hadn’t helped us with anything else in the past years.
While organizations like Hope Foundation are fighting against Thalassemia, a number of other diseases, epidemic and inherited, require the notice of the government. People of Gwadar are impatiently waiting for the day when all doctors and each type of medical facility is provided in the civil hospital they already have and in GDA (Gwadar Development Authority) hospital that is planned for future.
Younis Hussain talks to PakVoices about ‘Hope Foundation’. Used with Permission.
But again the new hospital of GDA ran into issues even before its inception. According to Gwadar Youth Forum, Memon Foundation is a medical firm from Karachi which offered to make the hospital fully functional. However the offer was not availed and now, political interference has made the hospital nonfunctional even though six months have lapsed since its complete establishment.  The post of Chief Executive of the facility has been handed over to Dr. Noor, who is the brother of the Provincial President of the governing National Party, Dr. Yasin. Naturally, there are allegations of favoritism in medical appointments in Gwadar.
According to locals, political interference has already been a great hindrance for the educational development of impoverished Balochistan and now the same political game is an obstruction in the improvement of the health sector.
Children like Mahnaz’s siblings and little Adil are precious lives which are significant not only for their family but also for Gwadar. They are a litmus-test for the government to prove that the common citizens have a stake in the future of the region. And that is only possible if appropriate facilities for diseases like Thalassemia are provided to the patients on an urgent basis.
Mahnaz urged, “I may have had my mother still with me if only we had operation facilities in Gwadar and my four siblings with me if we had something like Hope Foundation before.”

author: Pak Voices


text:
How Twerking May Destroy a Russian Small Business · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Image edited by Kevin Rothrock.
Orenburg’s scandal-making bee-costumed teens are back, and this time they’re twerking their backsides on the label of an organic anti-cellulite cream. The skin product (aptly named “Twerk!”) is made by a small cosmetics company called Dash_Dash—or rather it was until earlier today, when a Russian politician called on federal investigators to open a case against the cream-maker, saying the product’s marketing commits a “depraved act” against minors under the age of 16 (punishable by up to three years in prison).
The man who brought “Twerk!” skin cream to the attention of the police is Vitaly Milonov, the instigator and chief architect of Russia’s ban on “gay propaganda.” Milonov, an ardent crusader for conservative values, is a city councilman in St. Petersburg and a member of United Russia, the country’s ruling political party.
Yelena Popova, the co-owner of the online store, Click-boutique, where the cream was for sale, told the newspaper Izvestia that her company isn’t responsible for the packaging and designs cosmetics-makers choose. Popova also speculated that the labels featuring the bee-costumed twerking girls were made using a drawing, not a photograph, refuting other claims that Dash_Dash’s labeling may have broken copyright laws or violated individuals’ privacy.
Milonov says he wants Click-boutique investigated as an accomplice, nonetheless. “You have to understand,” he explained, “that selling narcotics isn’t just a crime when you’re a Afghan mujahadeen growing them near some American military base. The people who sell it will answer, too.”
Hours after speaking to Izvestia, Click-boutique dropped all products made by Dash_Dash, purging it from its website entirely.
Dasha Danyushevskaya, the founder and head of Dash_Dash, did not respond to RuNet Echo’s request for a comment, but she did address the matter in a social media post several hours before the story broke in the media, asking friends not to discuss the matter with anyone. “This is all Izvestia, those unbelievable rats,” she wrote.
Dash_Dash’s Facebook account has been deleted, and the company’s VKontakte page is now private.
Viral video of the Orenburg twerking dancers (left) and the “Twerk!” cream label (right).
An announcement of the “Twerk!” cream, including an image of the label, is still archived on Google’s cache, however. From that image, it’s clear that the label featured a cropped frame from the viral YouTube video of the Orenburg twerking teens. Popova likely mistook the snapshot for an illustration because of the low resolution and pixelation.
Milonov worries such packaging is emblematic of the problem e-commerce presents worldwide. “With the help of the Web,” he says, “it’s possible today to sell fakes, counterfeits, and dangerous goods ever so quietly. They can sell an anti-cellulite cream that will make your legs drop off and your skin fall off.”
When it was still on sale, a can of “Twerk!” cream cost 990 rubles (about $20). Dash_Dash promised it would “smooth the skin and straighten out spiritual bonds,” poking fun at Russian conservatives’ commitment to defending the country’s metaphysical wellbeing.
Unfortunately for the cosmetics company, this is the one kind of “straight” Vitaly Milonov cannot abide.

author: Kevin Rothrock


text:
Keeping Minors Safe Online Is Everyone’s Responsibility · Global Voices
Dominic Fernández

We live in an age in which dizzying technological advances sometimes put minors in danger. In a post on blog Mujeres Construyendo (Women Building), Gloria Serrato delves into society's responsibility to protect them and teach them the appropriate use of new technologies:
Diferentes organismos han emitido iniciativas para defender a los menores de edad con respecto a la protección de su información confidencial, […] para buscar la regulación pertinente que no lesione los intereses del acceso a la información ni a los menores.
El acceso a las redes sociales en internet es una oportunidad para el ejercicio de los derechos de las personas y es una herramienta para el aprendizaje y el conocimiento. Sin embargo es imprescindible saber que los […] adultos deben ser una guía que pueda orientar en los usos adecuados.
Several organizations have launched initiatives in order to defend minors and preserve their confidential information, […] looking for the pertinent regulation that does not harm the accessibility of information or underage children's interests.
Access to social media sites is an opportunity for the exercise of people's rights and a tool for instruction and knowledge. But is essential to know that […] adults should be a guide to direct them in proper use.
The writer states that such an education should take place in schools and family environments. She also lists the lines of work from the Montevideo Memorandum on protection of minors’ data:
a)   Recommendations in terms of prevention and education
b)   Recommendations to states on the legal framework
c)   Recommendations for the application of law
d)   Recommendations for public policy
e)   Recommendations for the industry
Continue reading Gloria Serrato's post here and follow her on Twitter.

author: Dominic Fernández


text:
Macedonian Police Unleash Water Cannons and Batons on Anti-Government Protesters · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

At the beginning of the protest on May 5, a protester holds up a sign saying “Stop to police brutality” in front of the main government building in Skopje. Photo by Vanco Dzambaski, used with permission.
The murder of a young man in Macedonia's capital Skopje on the night of the electoral victory of ruling party VMRO-DPMNE in June 2011 has come back to haunt the Macedonian government with a vengeance.
In the late afternoon of May 5, 2015, over 5,000 people took to the streets in Skopje to protest after audio recordings leaked by opposition leaders appeared to show that Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska and Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, among other officials, tried to cover up details in the investigation into 22-year-old Martin Neshkovski's death.
Within hours, the peaceful protests turned violent as police began going after protesters to disperse the crowds with water cannons, smoke bombs, and batons.
In recent years, the country's government has been accused of ineptitude and corruption and the country, among the poorest in Europe, has struggled with social inequality. Protests have become a normal sight in large cities, Skopje in particular, but such violence is something disturbingly new.
Neshkovski died from injuries in an altercation with an on-duty police officer in a downtown city square on June 5, 2011. At the time, people also took to the streets over several months and called for the resignation of the Interior Minister Jankuloska. The officer was eventually arrested and sentenced to 14 years in prison for the murder, and protests eventually died down.
Blogger Dona Kosturanova calls it the irony of “protests against police brutality being stifled by police brutality.” Thousands of people poured into the streets of downtown Skopje, infuriated by what the recordings allegedly reveal. As Kosturanova reports:
Citizens took down the flags in front of the building to half-mast, in grief for the life lost in 2011 and the situation today. People started throwing eggs, tomatoes and potatoes at the recently unveiled new plaster faux-baroque façade of the building, quickly turning parts of it yellow. Multicultural unity was seen, as people raised different national flags (Albanian, Macedonian, Serbian), holding, rising and even bounding them together. Protesters often stood with hands raised as a sign of non-violence.
People were chanting: “No justice – no peace”, “Common state”, “Together we are stronger”, “Murderes”, “Resignation”, “Come with us”, “Put down your shields”, “Do you have any children?”. One policeman took down his equipment and left positions, which was greeted with applause and hugs by protesters.
Early into the protest, protesters talk to police posted as crowd control in front of the main government building. At least one police officer reportedly broke ranks and joined the protesters. Photo by Vanco Dzambaski, used with permission.
Five hours into the protests, however, riot police cracked down on the crowds to disperse them. Many protesters sat down and covered their heads, shouting that they were there peacefully and had no intention of doing harm or rioting. Police ignored their pleas and beat the sitting protesters along with those trying to flee the scene.
The crowd was soon dispersed and the number of injured is still uncertain as media in Macedonia are giving different accounts of the story altogether. Reports have stated, however, that 38 police officers were injured during the protests and 30 protesters were taken into police custody. The Ministry of Interior also reported that “several violent attacks on police and government building were initiated” between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. and that “protesters threw metal bars, eggs, bottles and potatoes” at police and government buildings.
As night fell, police began gathering riot control equipment and later used water cannons, smoke bombs, and batons to disperse at least 5000 protesters. Photo by Vanco Dzambaski, used with permission.
Many online sources, such as Independent Balkan News Agency, have reported a drastic dissonance in coverage of the protests:
The protests have been shown in different versions by pro government media and the opposition media. While pro government media called these protests as scenarios of the opposition to cause unrest in the country, some opposition portals have said that the citizens are raising their voice against this government that they call totalitarian.
Several amateur videos of the protests and police crackdown on protesters are available online. Protesters can be heard in the video below shouting at the police cordons in front of the main government building in Skopje, “Who are you protecting?” before the police charge to disperse the crowd.
Riot police reportedly continued to patrol the streets well into the night after the protesters fled. On the morning after the May 5 protest, Prime Minister Gruevski held a press conference stating that the “police reacted professionally” during the protest.
The protests in the streets were matched by people online demanding answers and resignations from government officials. The hashtag #протестирам (#Iprotest) has become increasingly popular overnight on the Macdonian-language web to list their grievances with the government.
If social networks are any indicator, protesters have promised to continue gathering every evening at 6 p.m. in major cities until there is a change in government.
@TAtanasoska #Прилеп #протестирам денес во 18 ч АКО НЕ ВИ СРАМ, ОСТАВЕТЕ МЕ САМ! pic.twitter.com/NBfjcuDHQr
— Ognen (@Ognen_K) May 6, 2015
@TAtanasoska #Прилеп #протестирам today [May 6] at 6 p.m. IF YOU HAVE NO SHAME, LEAVE ME ALONE! pic.twitter.com/NBfjcuDHQr
— Ognen (@Ognen_K) May 6, 2015
Macedonian blogger Maya Balsha and others have reported from the new protest gathering on May 6 that water cannons have already been positioned in front of the main government building in Skopje to ward off protesters.
Полиција веќе блокира пристап до @VladaMK водени топови се позиционирани,има полиција во цивилка, секако пак со одврзани раце #протестирам
— Balsha (@MayaBalsha) May 6, 2015
Police have already blocked access to the Macedonian Government, water cannons are in position, there are plainclothes police officers, certainly still with carte blanche [to do as they wish] #протестирам

author: Danica Radisic


text:
Preparations are Underway for Ramadhan in Jerusalem · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Preparations are underway at the Masjid Al Aqsa in Jerusalem for the holy month of Ramadhan, expected to begin on June 17 or 18 this year.
Muslims fast from dawn to sunset during the month, the start of which is decided by sighting the new moon. The mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, and is getting prepped for Muslim worshippers during the month.
Al Aqsa, which is also known as Bayt al-Muqaddas, is located in the Old City of Jerusalem.
On Twitter, Khaled Safi shares a photograph showing how work is progressing in putting up canopies, to shield worshippers from the sun during the midday Friday prayers. This area, outside the Dome of the Rock, is also where thousands of Muslims break their fast when the sun sets:
بدء التجهيزات والاستعداد لاستقبال شهر #رمضان في #المسجد_الأقصى المبارك.. اللهم ارزقنا الصلاة فيه pic.twitter.com/a20eedQnC7
— Khaled Safi خالدصافي (@KhaledSafi) May 2, 2015
Preparations have started for receiving the month of Ramadhan in the holy Masjid Al Aqsa. May Allah bless us to pray in it
Niswihaidi shares another set of photographs, saying:
البدء بالتحضير للشهر الفضيل في #المسجد_الأقصى بنصب الشماسي والمعرشات لكي تقي المصليين في شهر رمضان من الشمس pic.twitter.com/30UInWmlIz
— نِيس | فلسطين (@niswihaidi) April 26, 2015
Preparations have started for the holy month in the Aqsa Mosque by putting up canopies and sprinklers for protecting worshipers from the sun in Ramadhan
Also read:
In photos: Ramadan in Jerusalem

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Who Says Desert Climates Can’t Rock Agriculture? Check Out the Gulf Nations at EXPO 2015 · Global Voices
Faten Bushehri

Expo Milan 2015 is the universal exhibition that Milan, Italy, is hosting from May 1 to October 31, 2015. The opening ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi. Photograph by Marco Aprile. Copyright: Demotix
The chaos of Milan's multi-billion-euro EXPO 2015 didn't stop some Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries from showcasing their best food culture and innovative ideas.
The festival's motto this year is “Feeding The Planet, Energy For Life”. The official website says it's an event of
184 unique days of culture and science, innovation and tradition, sustainability and solidarity where visitors can find over one hundred national cuisines each with their own tastes, aromas, and colors.
The six-month event, which kicked off on May 1, provides a platform for different countries to exchange innovative ideas to promote a sustainable future by guaranteeing healthy and sufficient food for everyone, while respecting the planet and its equilibrium.
The exposition will feature projects from 145 countries in the form of pavilions, from nations including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while Saudi Arabia is absent this year. Each pavilion will represent a country, showcasing the local cuisine and food culture, and ways of using different natural products.
An article in newspaper The National UAE described the diversity among pavilions representing countries from the Gulf:
While the UAE’s sand dune design focuses on landscape, the sails surrounding Kuwait’s building represent the region’s seagoing traditions, while Oman’s fort-style pavilion and Qatar’s souq find their inspiration in traditional architecture.
Taking a different approach entirely, Bahrain’s pavilion appears modest from the outside, but hidden inside is a series of gardens that has entranced visitors.
Official videos give a glimpse on some of the projects, including Kuwait's and UAE's pavilions.
The participating GCC countries share in common that they're all desert areas, with a climate that makes water scarce and providing food sometimes difficult. Innovative water management schemes being a keystone for agriculture in the Gulf, the GCC states designed their initiatives to overcome these challenges.
Qatar
The Qatari Pavilion takes on the theme “Seeding Sustainability Innovative Solutions for Food Security”. The overall look of the pavilion represents an old traditional market, a “Souq”, consisting of a central space that is designed to look like a traditional food basket, a “Jefeer”, and a rooftop garden with interactive technology features.
From the official Twitter account of Qatar Pavilion:
Our traditional music at the Qatar Pavilion – Musiche tradizionali al Padiglione Qatar #Expo2015 @Expo2015Milano pic.twitter.com/nfCc8iMXFn
— Qatar Pavilion (@QatarPavilion) May 1, 2015
One visitor came away impressed:
Il piano bar del padiglione del #qatar è qualcosa di strepitoso #expo2015
— Mario Servillo (@mario_s) May 2, 2015
The piano bar in the Qatar Pavilion is terrific.
Part of the whole Qatari experience is to listen and watch traditional performances by Qatari singers and dancers.
#Qatar #Expo2015 #expo Si fà sentire questo padiglione!! pic.twitter.com/xTaYKeSxSt
— Giacomo Zaottini (@giacomo87z) May 2, 2015
You can sure hear this pavilion!
How they #eat in #Qatar! #expo2015 @qatarpavillon pic.twitter.com/LeweFrGj6R
— Daniele Burtoli (@DanieleBurtoli) May 1, 2015
In giro per il mondo: il padiglione qatariota #Qatar #expo2015 http://t.co/BBVybE7vmy
— Franco Cavalleri (@cssteurope) April 30, 2015
Around the world: the Qatari pavilion.
L'aria di milano non cambia: ieri lo smog, adesso il #Qatar. Sempre disturbi respiratori sono. #Expo2015
— riccardo chiaberge (@chiaberger) March 1, 2015
Milan air doesn't change: yesterday the pollution, today Qatar. Still it's all respiratory disease.
Kuwait
“Challenge of Nature” is the theme of Kuwait's pavilion. It refers to the country's three main sustainability challenges: water, agriculture, and energy. Kuwait took steps to address these challenges, which are presented in the country's pavilion, designed to be a small fortress made of glass sails.
#Expo2015 #kuwait pavilion: multimedia journey to discover how life grows in the desert http://t.co/NcesUdxb54 pic.twitter.com/BZ3HabynJ3
— STEMplusD (@STEMplusD) June 28, 2014
Kuwait's Pavilion at night:
#Expo2015, il padiglione #Kuwait pic.twitter.com/QLVUHcEKct
— Greta Sclaunich (@gretascl) May 1, 2015
Kuwait TV‘s Twitter account shared pictures from the exhibition:
مشاهد من معرض دولة الكويت في (اكسبو ميلانو 2015). #Expomilano2015 #Expo2015 #KuwaitExpo2015 #KuwaitPavilion #kuwait pic.twitter.com/HZXpR9jgPl
— تلفزيون دولة الكويت (@Kuwaittv1) May 3, 2015
Scenes from the exhibition in Kuwait at EXPO Milan 2015
Bahrain
The small Gulf island of Bahrain went big with its pavilion, living up to the name previously given to Bahrain, “The Land of the Million Palm Trees”. The Bahraini pavilion consists of ten distinct fruit gardens representing its agrarian heritage and culture dating back to the ancient civilization of Dilmun.
View from the top! #BahrainInItaly #bahrainpavilion2015 #archaeologiesofgreen pic.twitter.com/psyXRlrPGN
— BahrainPavilion2015 (@bhpavilion2015) April 29, 2015
#Bahrain pavilion at #Expo2015; nature, architecture, history, a snack bar. Safe but works. The architect is here! pic.twitter.com/ghSdMKq1gr
— Yuri Serafini (@Yuri_Serafini) May 3, 2015
Photographs of a scale model of the Bahraini Pavilion have appeared on Twitter:
Archeologie del verde. Il #Bahrain di #Expo2015 sarà un grande frutteto -> http://t.co/sLWonQZEFp #Milano pic.twitter.com/tXfxSYdXJP
— Saporiecom (@Saporie) April 28, 2015
Archaeology of green. The Bahrain of Expo 2015 is going to be a big fruit garden.
At the end of festival, the Bahraini pavilion will be repatriated, rebuilt, and serve as a botanical garden.
Oman
The sun, sand, and sea are the three natural elements that make up the Omani pavilion, built on a theme of “The Heritage in Harvest”. Oman emphasized the importance of water for its agriculture across time. The pavilion is split into two parts: the western part (a fortress where visitors can watch multimedia shows about Oman's landscape), and the eastern part (where a castle stands, drawing in visitors to experience an atmosphere of the Arabian Nights).
Pictures from the Omani Pavilion:
#Oman #Expo2015 #Milano https://t.co/6dnUvorwBR
— Matteo Bianchi (@bianchimatteo) May 4, 2015
Oman Pavilion, Expo 2015, Milan, Italy #expo2015 #Oman #WorldsFair #fountain http://t.co/dQ076LtF4y pic.twitter.com/G1PO8fBlNE
— ExpoMuseum.com (@ExpoMuseum) May 2, 2015
#Oman to promote tourism at Expo Milano 2015 @Expo2015Milano #expo2015 http://t.co/7YLnUdpVK1 pic.twitter.com/HZjTHGQ8Eg
— Fatma Alsaleh ☆ (@fatewm) April 30, 2015
United Arab Emirates
The Emirati sand dune pavilion is set to show how the UAE benefits from its desert climate under the theme “Food for Thought—Shaping and Sharing the Future”. The exhibit features a “state-of-the-art auditorium” that screens a short film about the life of a palm tree. Visitors can learn more about the UAE through various high-tech interactive installations.
Like Bahrain, the UAE is planning to rebuild and move its pavilion to Masdar City, on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi at the end of the fair.
Masood Al Awar has high expectations for the future of UAE:
The UAE pavilion in #Milan will serve as an appetiser for the main course to come in five years. #Expo2020 #Dubai #UAE #Expo2015
— Masood Al Awar (@MasoodAlAwar) May 4, 2015
A short video from the inside of the pavilion:
#UAE #Expo2015 https://t.co/rGF5wHbJyy
— Matteo Bianchi (@bianchimatteo) May 4, 2015
Visitors were impressed:
Don't want to ruin the surprise of what u'll see at #UAE pavilion #expo2015 but expect to feel inspired&witness some impressive technology
— Natalie Crampton (@NatalieCrampton) May 2, 2015
هذا هو الممر نحو المستقبل #Expo2015Milano #UAEPAVILION pic.twitter.com/i0ktVftQQR
— Mariam Saliba (@MariamSalibaSKY) May 3, 2015
This is the corridor toward the future
Swiss architect Jacques Herzog feels quite differently about the Expo, calling it a “vanity fair” and waste of money.
In an article written on De Zeen Magazine, Herzog said:
“Such events will increasingly take place in countries where democratic systems are not so well developed and such shows serve as propaganda for the political regime.”
Herzog was originally asked to developed the master plan for this year's Expo, along with other architects, and eventually left the project because organizers were not open to his ideas and preferred sticking to “the same kind of vanity fair that we've seen in the past”, he says.
Dubai will host the global fair next in 2020 with a new theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. UAE's pavilion has dedicated an exhibition to celebrate Dubai's win and offers a glance into the next Expo. It's estimated that Dubai will invest more than DHS 30 billion (around $8 billion) in new infrastructure. The UAE also promises (like Italy did) that the event will create more than 200,000 jobs between 2013 and 2021.
There are not yet any available official data on how much the GCC countries spent on their pavilions for Milan EXPO 2015.

author: Faten Bushehri


text:
Why Aren’t Uganda’s Journalists Asking the Tough Questions? · Global Voices
Prudence Nyamishana

Ugandan journalists covering peace keeping mission in Somalia. Photo shared by Aidah Nalubega on Facebook. Used with permission
Despite challenges to press freedom from the government, Uganda generally has a vibrant media industry. According to Freedom House, there are more than two dozen daily and weekly newspapers and more than 180 private radio stations.
But some argue that the quality of journalism in Uganda is ‘going to the dogs’. Stories and analyses lack depth and quality. Several issues, particularly those of a political nature, remain ignored because journalists do not have the courage to question what is going on in the country.
According to the Kampala-based African Centre for Media Excellence, Ugandan journalists have also been accused many times of engaging in corruption to cover up stories.
Around 100 journalists were reportedly paid money in 2014 for favourable coverage of Uganda's former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi. In 2011, the government allocated money to pay journalists to promote positive coverage of government projects, particularly in the oil sector.
Samson Tusiime, a lawyer by profession and the co-founder of Veritas Interactive, @SchoolPlusUg and @QlikSocial, fired the following questions to Ugandan journalists:
I would like any journalist in print to tell me why I should take them seriously when they sell 30K copies yet we are 38M Ugandan.
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
I would like any journalist to tell us why violent crime has a pattern of coordination and leadership yet we never arrest top shots
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
I would want any journalist to tell me how investing $300M in car production for Kira EV is a comparative advantage for Uganda
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
Kiira EV is Uganda's first electric car that was built by Makerere University students in 2011.
Tusiime further asked them to verify statistics that non-governmental organizations release to the public:
I would also like a journalist to interrogate NGOs stats of 300K children are aborted every year. That's like 1% of Uganda kila year
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
I am challenging any journalist to tell what is actually involved in the UGX 1B for every KM [Kilometer] tarmacked.
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
UGX is the Ugandan shilling. One dollar is equivalent to 2,990 UGX.
I am also challenging any journalist to tell us which Ugandan company is exporting illegal ivory from Ituri and other provinces
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
Ituri is in the North Eastern Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Ituri forest is home to the largest remaining population of forest elephants.
I would like a journalist/researcher to tell us why our fish are dwindling yet there is no correlation to fish exports and consumption.
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
I am challenging any journalist how a single bridge that's not on a major river can cost UGX 7B
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
I am also challenging any journalist to ask why we spend $800K on tourism promotion and marketing , an industry that earns $400M
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
I am also challenging any journalist to tell us why we export more gold than what we actually mine.
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
I am challenging any journalist worth their salt to expose police cartels extorting money from people under the police bond scam.Any takers?
— Sam (@Samwyri) May 1, 2015
These questions led to the creation of #SamwyriQNS hashtag where other Ugandans joined Samson Tusiime in questioning Ugandan journalists:
Why did Uganda conceal the Kibwetere report even after destroying massacre site? #SamwyriQns
— Sam Agona (@samagona) May 2, 2015
Joseph Kibweteere is the cult leader of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. A hundred members of the cult were burnt to death in 2000.
Julie, a social media enthusiast, challenged journalists:
#SamwyriQNS an explanation is needed on why we import dairy products yet the country can produce more than we can consume.
— Elektrolyte (@julimuffn) May 2, 2015
This user admitted that these were tough questions:
These #SamwyriQNS are a hard paper. My journalists friends have said no to most of them. They fear for their lives.
— Only In 256 (@OnlyIn256) May 2, 2015
Kevin, a Ugandan blogger, noted:
TL Journalists are usually quickest to jump on trending* stories. But I don't see any jumping to give @Samwyri answers. #SamwyriQNS
— Kevin™ (@kevrx) May 2, 2015
Frank Tumusiime, a water and sanitation specialist, revealed one of the reasons that may be behind falling journalism standards in Uganda:
Media houses keep young journos on payroll without contracts. What quality of articles do we expect of folks without security? #SamwyriQNS
— Fredrick Tumusiime (@tufre80) May 2, 2015
Another one, Daneri Akiiki, said:
As soon His Highness the Aga Khan lands in Ug, his 1st courtesy call is Statehouse and one expects newspapers to dig into #SamwyriQNS; No!
— Daneri Akiiki (@_pensioner) May 2, 2015
The Aga Khan owns the largest private media house in East and Central Africa.
For those journalists who do dare to report on sensitive issues, they have regularly faced harassment from the government. In May 2013, Ugandan authorities shut down two newspapers after they reported on a letter written by the country's coordinator of intelligence services asking for an investigation into a plan to groom the eldest son of President Yoweri Museveni to succeed the the leader.

author: Prudence Nyamishana


text:
How a Schoolboy ‘Son’ of Tajikistan’s President Extracted a Massive Bribe from a Citizen · Global Voices
Censored Voice

The Rahmon family. Somon is not pictured here. Wikipedia image.
Earlier this year Global Voices reported on the official that compared autocratic Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to ‘the sun’. Now, a random schoolboy who secured $50,000 from a man by posing as Rahmon's ‘son’ is being investigated by the anti-corruption agency controlled by one of Rahmon's real sons, Rustam Emomali.
In Tajikistan — where connections mean everything and a genetic link to Rahmon is the biggest trump card of them all — people tend to have faith in government corruption, if nothing else.
So when Khushdil Kurbonov, a 10th grade high-school student of prestigious Dushanbe International School, was able to ingeniously present himself to a local citizen as Rahmon's youngest son, Somoni Emomali, and promised to secure the said citizen a piece of land outside the capital — it did not take the man long to front up the cash.
As AkiPress reported:
A senior school student pretending to be the son of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon was detained in Dushanbe after he received $50,000 bribe in exchange for land, media reports say May 6.
Tenth-grader Khushdil Kurbonov introducing himself as Somoni Emomali, the president's [youngest] son, took $50,000 from a man in exchange for promising him 0.3 hectares of land outside the capital.
Kurbonov then called a local official and instructed him to hand over the land, but the official did not believe him.
The media reports say Kurbonov attends the same school as Somon [pictured here on the right], who is also a 10th-grader.
The Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption is investigating into the case.
The event also led the Anti-Corruption Agency, which has been led by elder son and potential successor Rustam since March, to call the population to fight against criminal offences connected to the relatives of state officials.
This call was viewed as a deep irony in a country which many think the President's family treats like a personal piggy bank.
Tajik Facebook users discussing the schoolboy's fraud mourned the fact that corruption has cemented itself in the country's schools.
Abumuslim Kalandarov, a member of Facebook group Ya Dushanbinets- 2, wrote that the schoolboy was a “good strategist” in a country where government makes it difficult to make a living honestly.
ни какой не сопляк. хороший комбинатор. очень хорошо ориентировался в пространстве.хорошо знал минусы нашего обшества
He is not a jerk; rather, he is a good strategist. He knew the disadvantages of our society and worked well within that space.
Other Facebookers condemned his victim's naivety.
Kamil Areshov said:
Бездарные чиновники и люди, поверившие на слово малышу! Завтра так родину продадут какому-нибудь чужеземцу по звонку! Я в трансе!
Incompetent officials and the people who believed in this kid! Maybe tomorrow they will sell the motherland to some stranger over the phone! I am in a trance!
Highly-placed officials in Tajikistan, many of whom are linked to Rahmon by blood or regional ties, seem to be able to guarantee impunity for their badly behaved relatives, even in extreme circumstances.
For example, in October 2013, Rasuli Amonullo, the 16-year-old son of the then-head of the Tajik Railways Company, was behind the wheel in a car accident that killed three people. Amonullo, who was too young to drive anyway, escaped investigation while his parents were charged approximately $20 for irresponsibility.
In this vein, another member of the group Ya Dushanbinets- 2, Said Safarov argued:
Интересно другое, до какой степени у нас в крови чинопочитание что ребенок может приказывать государственному чиновнику….
It is interesting the extent to which servility has gotten into our blood that a kid [has the nerve] to order a state official….
Given that Rahmon's son and Kurbonov do actually attend the same school — one packed with children from the country's elite — famous Tajik journalist Orzu Isoev suggested Kurbonov's claim to be a presidential sire might not have been too far from the truth:
Ручаюсь, что он отпрыск какого нибудь другого чиновника, ибо в этой байналмилали мы с вами не в состоянии обучать своих чад
I bet that he is the scion of some other official, because we could never afford to educate our children at this school.

author: Censored Voice


text:
Did a Journalist Save a Chechen Teenager from Marrying a 57-Year-Old Police Captain? No. · Global Voices
Karena Avedissian

Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's leader, stops a “runaway bride.” Image edited by Kevin Rothrock.
Last week, RuNet Echo reported that a Russian independent journalist had succeeded in preventing a 17-year-old Chechen girl from being married against her will to a 57-year-old police captain. It now appears the marriage will go through, after all.
The young woman, Heda Goilabieva, and her family contacted Elena Milashina, a Moscow-based journalist at Novaya Gazeta, to help them against the advances of Nazhud Guchigov, a police captain in the village of Baitarki in Chechnya's Nozhai-Yurt District.
Milashina was able to bring attention to the case by writing about it in the newspaper and online. On April 30, when she called Guchigov to confront him about the allegations, he denied any wedding preparations.
Then, on May 6, Elena Milashina reported on Facebook that her efforts to stop Guchigov ultimately failed.
Вчера в новостях по грозненскому телеканалу “Вайнах” Рамзан Кадыров заявил: “Я лично послал людей, узнайте согласна она или нет?! Ничего не оставалось делать, люди … И эта девочка, ее мать сказала , что девочка согласна ! И дедушка по отцу дал слово и согласие ! И все завершено по этому вопросу ! Так говорят они!
Yesterday on the Grozny-based television channel Vainakh, Ramzan Kadyrov announced, “I personally sent people [to Baitarki] to find out if [Goilabieva] agrees or not. There was nothing else to do, people … And this girl, her mother said the girl accepts! And her paternal grandfather gave his permission and approval! And so this question has been settled! That is what they are saying!”
Milashina emphasized the fact that the girl’s relatives had in fact appealed to her to help bring Kadyrov’s attention to the matter. Goilabieva’s friends also tried to contact Kadyrov through his preferred mode of communication, Instagram, but they were unsuccessful.
Milashina says money might have played a role in the parents’ change of heart.
Жених – начальник Ножай-Юртовского РОВД… потратил большие деньги на подарки (покупку?) юной второй жены
The groom is the head of the Nozhai-Yurt Interior Ministry… [and perhaps] he spent a lot of money on a present for (or buying?) a second wife.
Milashina added that she felt the girl’s father to be most responsible; that if he had been resolute in his rejection of Guchigov’s advances, his daughter might have been spared. There is in fact a precedent for such defiance, Milashina says:
Кстати, этот жених раньше сватался к другой юной девушке в этом же районе. Но ее родственники оказались более смелыми и увезли девочку.
By the way, this man previously sought another young girl for marriage in the same district. But her parents turned out to be braver and took her away.
Facebook users—including some journalists based in the North Caucasus—commented on Milashina's post, mostly faulting the Goilabiev family for failing to do more to rebuff Guchigov's advances.
Zarema Gasanova, a well-known journalist from Dagestan, wrote, “After all, there really have been people who have said no [even] to Kadyrov without fear.” She added, however, “But then in this sense maybe Kadyrov is better than that cop.”

author: Karena Avedissian


text:
Initiative Helps Children With Autism Through Surfing · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón Orbe

Image on Flickr by user Manolo Guijarro (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
Tabra is an association launched by Guillermo Ferrero and Andrea Mesones in Peru that aims to improve life quality for children with autism and Down syndrome through surfing and contact with nature, as stated on their Facebook page.
Guillermo is the father of a 13-year-old boy diagnosed with autism, and Andrea is a psychology student at a university in Lima.
Tabra nace del deseo de probar alternativas para lograr una mejora significativa en los niños con problemas del desarrollo cognitivo, dándoles oportunidades de expandir su mundo.
Tabra was born of the desire to try new alternatives to achieve a significant improvement in children with problems in their cognitive development, giving them opportunities to expand their world.
During every monthly two-hour session, “They try to have newcomers, so everybody can participate.” Due to their logistics, they can allow only ten to 12 children per session.
As Guillermo Ferrero says:
La felicidad que tienen cuando están en el mar es tan contagiosa que realmente tú terminas una sesión de Tabra con el corazón y el espíritu lleno de energía por todo lo que te transmiten estos niños durante el momento en el que están conectados con el mar.
The happiness they feel when they are in the sea is so contagious that you really end a session with Tabra with the heart and spirit full of energy for all that these children transmit during the time they are connected with the ocean.
About the name Tabra, the blog Seis de enero tells:
El nombre nació de una manera espontánea un día que estábamos conversando fuera del agua y el muchacho [el hijo de Guillermo] empezó a decir “quiero tabra”, pronunciando mal la palabra tabla.
The name came up spontaneously one day when we were just talking by the sea and the boy [Guillermo's son] started to say “I want tabra”, with a bad pronunciation of the word tabla (the Spanish word for surfboard).

author: Gabriela García Calderón Orbe


text:
Macedonian Women Form Human Shield Around Police to Keep Protests Peaceful · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Female protesters forming human shield protecting the police from provocateurs, preventing escalation of violence. Photo: Meta.mk, used with permission.
In an extraordinary sight only one day after police violently dispersed demonstrators in Macedonia with water cannons, smoke bombs and batons, a group of women out to protest formed a human shield around officers to protect them from provocateurs throwing glass bottles.
The women in Skopje, Macedonia's capital city, were participating in a second day of protests demanding justice after leaked recordings seemed to show officials tried to cover up the 2011 murder of Martin Neshkovski at the hands of a police officer.
On May 6, several thousand more people marched in the streets of Skopje, and the movement spread to Bitola and Prilep. The government did not repeat its demonstration of force the day before, and protests were peaceful as intended.
But in Skopje after several hours, as the crowds started to thin, a number of participants warned about the increased presence of provocateurs. A group of “football fans” wearing hoods and masks started to coalesce and throw objects at the Parliament and the police cordon separating the building from the mass of people standing or sitting on the street, lawns and in a nearby park.
News agency META.mk reported:
Although there were several attempts for provocation by fifteen protesters, protest for justice for Martin Neshkovski, which instead of in front of the Government was held in front of the Assembly, ended peacefully.
The last attempt of part of the protesters to initiate violence was prevented by group of female activists, who stood between them and the police.
A dozen protesters remained sitting on the grass in front of the Assembly and are talking.
Some participants collected waste and plastic bottles from the grass and the road, but there were some who, even though the road was put into use, didn’t allow vehicles to pass.
Most of the special forces and police vehicles left.
Few bottles and eggs were thrown at the building of the Assembly, but there were no seriously injured policemen or protesters.
Protesters called citizens to join them on a peaceful protest tomorrow at 6 pm, but the location has not yet been precisely determined.
Journalist Vlado Apostolov (@apostolov80) posted a video of the event.
For months, opposition leaders have been leaking audio recordings, which appear to confirm suspicions of a variety of criminal misdeeds committed by top government officials, including election fraud, illegal wiretapping and hiding details in the investigation into 22-year-old Martin Neshkovski's death.
Neshkovski was beaten to death in 2011 by a police officer during post-election celebrations. His killing sparked massive protests at the time, and the officer was eventually arrested and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Following the tradition established with those demonstrations against police brutality, participants have decided to gather every day at 6 p.m. until their demands that all officials involved in the cover-up resign and face prosecution are met. On May 6, police blocked off the streets around the government building, where marchers intended to rally, so the mass of people turned around and went to protest in front of the Parliament. Several dozen protesters remained sitting in the blocked streets redirecting newcomers. Some argued that with the blockade, the government violated Article 21 of the Constitution of Republic of Macedonia:
Citizens have the right to assemble peacefully and to express public protest without prior announcement or a special license.
The exercise of this right may be restricted only during a state of emergency or war.
While the protest on May 5, 2015, counted about 5,000 participants, the second was estimated to have two to three times more. Martin Neshkovski's brother, who addressed the crowd, put the number at about 15,000.
Peaceful protest demanding responsibility for cover up of murder of Martin Neshkovski in Skopje. Photo: Vancho Dzambaski, CC BY-NC-SA.
Prior to the protests, activists using the hashtag #протестирам (I protest!) to coordinate warned people not to bring children to prevent them from being harmed in case the government ordered new violent reprisals.
Following the demonstration, Twitter users quickly identified the young woman who initiated the human shield as one of their own. @Momichet0 later responded with an explanation:
застанав зошто хулиганот ќе направи проблем и ќе избега, а на останатите ќе им се случи вчера и пак недолжно ќе го јадат ќотекот.
— Mомиче (@Momichet0) May 6, 2015
Honestly, I felt good about the praise, but I did not feel brave at the moment, nor do I now feel heroic. I was terrified.
And I didn't stand up because I like the policemen. I do not justify them and I do think that they have a choice.
I stood up because the hooligan will create a problem and then run away, and the innocent protesters will suffer the consequences like yesterday and will be thrashed again.

author: Filip Stojanovski


text:
Mother Regains Custody of Child Following Social Media Pressure in Ecuador · Global Voices
Dominic Fernández

The battle of a French mother to recover her son held in Ecuador by his Ecuadorian father, a case characterized by sexism and misogyny, had been followed closely on Ecuadorian social networks. Valeria Coronel and Antonio Jurado relate for the blog Plató Mundo:
Arianais Alezra, la madre de Gaspard Bruzzone, denunció hace unas semanas el secuestro de su hijo. Ella notificó que el niño se encontraba retenido por el padre […]
En una página web llamada: SalvemosaGaspard.com El padre redactó una carta diciendo que el secuestro es justificado, ya que estaba salvando a su hijo de una sociedad pecaminosa y liberal como Francia […] “las pruebas” de por qué Alezra no estaba capacitada para ser madre […] unas fotografías donde vemos a la madre posando desnuda, bajo intenciones artísticas. […] Aclarar que si las intenciones de posar desnuda fueran o no artísticas, no imposibilitan a una mujer de ser madre.
Arianais Alerza, Gaspar Bruzzone's mother, a few weeks ago denounced her son's kidnapping. She announced that the child was held by his father […].
On a web page named: SalvemosaGaspard.com (Save Gaspard) the father wrote a letter saying that the kidnapping was justified, because he was saving his son from a blasphemous and libertarian society as France […] “the proof” of why Alezra was unqualified to be mother […] some photos of her posing nude, with artistic purpose. […] To clarify that whether or not her motives for posing nude were artistic, this does not preclude a woman of being a mother.
José María León reports on GKillCity how the pressure on social networks (“#FindGaspard was used on about 6,000 tweets in a week and the child's name nearing 10,000 more”) forced the court to return Gaspard to the custody of his mother and allow him to join her on April 8 so they could return to their house in Paris.
Con #Gaspard las redes sociales demostraron que pueden servir para algo más que para descargar el exceso biliar http://t.co/q4CQBEN0SX
— GkillCity.com (@GkillCitycom) April 14, 2015
Gaspard demonstrated that social media does much more than discharging the bile excess.
Continue reading the post here. And follow Iván Lasso, who suggested the story to Global Voices, on Twitter.


text:
Tajikistan: Pristine Nature and the Echo of History · Global Voices
Abdulfattoh Shafiev

Irkht, Badakhshan. Photo by Bakhriddin Isamutdinov
All photos by author or used with permission.
Tajikistan, 93% mountainous with ethereal alpine lakes dotted all over, is a veritable shrine for nature lovers, providing they can live with the rutted roads and burdensome bureaucracy.
Because once you have paid out on a multi-connection flight to the capital Dushanbe and shelled sixty dollars or so for a tourist visa, off-the-beaten track treasures await.
Many of those who find Tajikistan on a map and decide to travel there come to climb. But for those that lack the skill and equipment for mountaineering, road trips can take you far higher than you might expect.
The Pamir Highway was listed third in the top-ten must-visit places in the former USSR in a May 2015 issue of the National Geographic Traveler and is considered by many as one of the most thrilling, edgy road trips in the world.
As the jeep rattles along the road between Dushanbe and Murghab in the east, travellers of the highway can see Afghan villages across the Amu-Darya river. Separated from the former Soviet Union by the snaking body of water, they seem like part of another world.
At points along the way you will spot Peak Ismoil Somoni, the highest peak in the old USSR. You might then wish to pray in the remains of an ancient Zoroastrian temple and read petroglyphs. On arrival in Murghab tourists can feast on yaks raised mostly by ethnic Kyrgyz herders.
Dushanbe can also be used as a base to travel to the second biggest city in the country — Khujand — in another spectacular long jaunt, this time over the Fan Mountains in the north and west of the country.
Mountain climbing. Photo by Bakhriddin Isamutdinov
Afghan villages on other side of the river. Photo by Abdulfattoh Shafiev
Road to Badakhshan. Photo by Abdulfattoh Shafiev
Zarafshan valley. Photo by Abdulfattoh Shafiev
Ziddeh village in Varzob. Photo by Bahrom Jalilov
It is the Zarafshan valley along this road that is home to some of Central Asia's most beautiful lakes. Iskandarkul, connected by name and legend to Alexander the Great, is located at 2,195 meters above sea level. From the right angle you can see how the lake serves as a mirror to the nature surrounding it, reflecting the fairytalish Fan peaks with startling clarity. Further along are the equally otherworldly seven lakes of Shing, sometimes called the Shing princesses.
Kharikul, Jirgatal. Photo by Bahriddin Isamutdinov
Haftkul lake in Zarafshan valley. Photographer: Nozim Qalandarov
Iskandarkul lake in Zarafshan valley. Photographer: Nozim Qalandarov
Tajiks believe that the fabled cities of Bukhara and Samarqand are culturally theirs, but these Silk Road oases were given to Uzbekistan when the Bolsheviks started artificially carving Soviet republics into Central Asia with little reference to the national identities of the local population.
But even without the ancient pearls of Asia, as the two are sometimes called, Tajikistan has historical sites. Hisor fortress, just 20 kilometres from the capital along a recently built highway from Dushanbe is the only ancient settlement recalling the State of Shuman, which celebrates its 3,000th anniversary this year.
Hisor Fortress. Photographer: Nozim Qalandarov
Reconstructed Hulbuk Palace, Khatlon. Photo by Abdulfattoh Shafiev
Khujand city museum. Photo by Abdulfattoh Shafiev
For history in the north you can also visit the Sheikh Muslihiddin mosque in Khujand and the city of Istaravshan founded by Alexander the Great and previously named Alexandria. The south meanwhile hosts the Ajina-Tepe Buddhist Monastery where an excavation in 1966 unearthed the largest Buddha statue ever found in Central Asia. Mostly restored from the waist up, it is currently housed in the National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan in Dushanbe.
Yamchun fortress, Wakhan Corridor. Photo by Bahriddin Isamutdinov
Murghob. Photo by Abdulfattoh Shafiev
Murghob. Photo by Bahriddin Isamutdinov
Apart from semi-restored Buddhas Dushanbe contains a number of other massive things including the second biggest flagpole in the world and the biggest teahouse in the world. Moreover, if you re-visit the country in a couple of years, you will also find the biggest mosque in Central Asia in addition to the region's biggest theater.
So, don't let the country's 109th placing from 141 countries in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness rating prepared by the World Economic Forum deter you. Travel to Tajikistan!
Night vision of Dushanbe city. Photo by Bahrom Jalilov
Nawrooz Palace in Dushanbe city. Photo by Bahrom Jalilov
The second tallest flagpole in the world. Dushanbe. Photographer: Nozim Qalandarov
Tajikistan is known for colourful handicrafts. Photo by Bahriddin Isamutdinov

author: Abdulfattoh Shafiev


text:
The Cherán Indigenous Community in Mexico Finds Its Voice in Homegrown Media · Global Voices
Giovanna Salazar

Mural in Cherán. Made by the collective DEXPIERTE – Colombia, on the third anniversary of the communal government. Photograph DEXPIERTE collective- Colombia. Published with permission.
This post is the continuation of a two-part series about Cherán's self-government and the development of its media. In a previous post we reviewed the history of strength and solidarity of Cherán K'eri. This time, we'll explore the role that community media has played in their autonomy project.
Radio Campfire, one of the main media outlets in Cherán in western Mexico, was born only a few days after the indigenous community took up self-governance and self-defense in 2011 in the face of organized crime looking to exploit the area's resources.
In the words of young Angelica, who actively participates in the radio station:
Surgió a través del levantamiento que tuvimos nosotros como comunidad, defendiendo nuestros bosques. La radio surge porque llevamos la palabra acompañada con la música, pensando también en que es el arma más importante que nosotros como pueblos indígenas tenemos para defendernos y para dar a conocer nuestra lucha, nuestras problemáticas.
It came out of the uprising that we had as a community, defending our forests. The radio came about because we set our words to music, thinking that this weapon is the most important thing we indigenous towns have to defend ourselves and let people know our fight and our problems.
Kuri Morales, another young person involved in the project, says the radio station came to be thanks to the Jóvenes unidos por Cherán (United Young People for Cherán):
Era muy necesario este proyecto, ya que en nuestra comunidad contábamos con una radio que formaba parte de la CDI [Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas] del gobierno federal [que] nunca dio difusión a nuestro movimiento […] Para nosotros fue muy necesario crear nuestra propia radio para dar difusión a nuestro movimiento tal y como era, ya que tanto los medios de comunicación, radio y televisión, no daban la información […] Siempre se distorsionaba… [Por ello] decidimos crear nuestra propia radio.
This project was really necessary, since our community had a radio that's part of the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous People of the federal government that never spread the word about our movement. […] For us, it was really important to create our own radio station to spread information about our movement as it is and was, given that so many forms of media, radio and TV, didn't […] It always was distorted… [Because of that] we decided to create our own radio station.
Young radio announcer from Cherán Radio. Photograph Collective DEXPIERTE – Colombia. Published with permission.
Having started with a transmitter of only 15 watts, Radio Campfire now has improved equipment that allows nearby towns to listen, and is constantly working to broaden the station's transmission capacity. According the radio team, they plan to also expand to Internet radio.
Colectivo DEXPIERTE – Colombia, a cultural and artistic experiment out of Colombia, has also reported on the Cherán community. For the collective, this group is a symbol of autonomy and strength. They explain:
Radio Fogata se crea con un transmisor, un computador, dos micrófonos, una conexión a internet, una antena y unos cuantos chavos que sin saber nada de medios de comunicación se atrevieron a encender la llama de la palabra brindando su tiempo de manera voluntaria para aportar al proceso organización comunitaria.
Casas y negocios comerciales sintonizan el 101.7 FM para escuchar Radio Fogata […] Entre música P’urhépecha, ranchera, banda, rock, pop y otros géneros hay programas con contenido sobre las mujeres, las drogas, los derechos, lo que pasa en la comunidad y la lucha de otros pueblos hermanos.
Campfire Radio is created with a transmitter, a computer, two microphones, an Internet connection, an antenna and a few guys who without knowing anything about media dared to light the fire of the community's words, giving their time voluntarily to contribute to the community organization process.
Houses and commercial businesses tune into 101.7FM to listen to Campfire Radio […] Between P’urhépecha [indigenous Mexican music], ranchera, banda, rock, pop and other genres, there are programs with content about women, drugs, rights, what happens in the community and the struggle of other brother towns.
The Campfire Radio page on Facebook reports on numerous political and cultural demonstrations, such as the activities of other alternative media and communities in the region. For example, this month was the anniversary various events that led to the eventual political emancipation of Cherán. Similarly, Campfire Radio gives echo to the movements in solidarity with the missing Ayotzinapa students and calls attention to attacks on other community media in the country.
As part of its project to combat mainstream media's misinformation about and marginalization of indigenous communities, Jóvenes unidos por Cherán together with the group Los Tejemedios launched a new project in October: Cherán TV.
After gathering all the necessary equipment and conducting editing, audio, and video workshops, Cherán TV had its first transmission on November 29, which included interviews, news, culture, dance, traditional music and political features. Some of the features are available on their YouTube channel.
Entrance to the community cabin installations of Cherán Radio and Cherán TV. Photograph by DEXPIERTE collective [Colectivo DEXPIERTE]- Colombia. Published with permission.
A group of five young men read Cherán TV‘s main principles in one of their YouTube videos:
Esta TV comunitaria es para fortalecer nuestra autonomía y para apoyar nuestra organización. En esta TV comunitaria, no hay discriminación, cero religiones institucionales, sin comerciales, sin partidos políticos ni grupos de poder. ¡Hagamos la tele entre todos!
This community TV is strengthened by our autonomy and to support our organization. In this community TV, there is no discrimination, zero institutional religions, no commercials, no political parties, or power groups. We create TV together!
In their effort to preserve their history and customs and give voice to the community, everyone is given time slots: women, men, girls, boys, young and old of both sexes. Cherán TV shares information about self-government, community elections, cultural manifestations, and audiovisual experiments. The channel also connects with other community media outlets nearby and shares information of interest for alternative media. See an example of Cherán TV's coverage below, a feature about Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations:
Their community blog is another example of how they create awareness of their indigenous p'urhépecha culture. There, they publish work completed by other media and also promote cultural community activities. The blog also includes a small forum though which visitors can leave messages that, for example, encourage and support the community.
Community media like the kind found in Cherán face many challenges, including technical limitations. Nevertheless, these community news outlets work every day to fulfill their mission of spreading the word about their community's independence and culture. Campground Radio and Cherán TV are part of a movement that seeks to offer an alternative to traditional media's narrative and defend the dignity of the population. Their efforts have certainly lit a fire, one that doesn't show any sign of being extinguished any time soon.

author: Giovanna Salazar