text:
Chile: #LosQueSobran Campaign to Pull Youth to Polls · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

A group of Chilean NGOs has come together to encourage young Chileans to vote in the Municipal elections which will be held this Sunday, October 28, 2012.
The organisations involved – Ciudadano Inteligente, Un Techo para Chile, Educación 2020 [es], Chao Pescao [es], and Iguales [es] – are taking the action because for the first time in Chile, voter registration is automatic and voting is voluntary.
The campaign website [es] explains:
Hoy nos enfrentamos como país a la incertidumbre del nuevo sistema electoral, en el que votar es un acto voluntario. Es por eso que nos hemos asociado para en conjunto hacer un llamado a votar: a manifestarse en las urnas y a no sobrar.
Hay algunos que quieren que no votes. Nosotros te invitamos a votar para manifestar tu contento o descontento. Existen buenas y nuevas alternativas en las comunas, y si no te sientes identificado con ninguna, vota nulo, pero vota.
Today as a country we face the uncertainty of the new electoral system, in which voting is voluntary. That's why we have partnered to make a call to vote: to appear at the polls and to not be ‘the leftovers'/'the unneeded’.
There are some who want you not to vote. We invite you to vote to express your content or discontent. There are good and new alternatives in the communes, and if you don't feel identified with any of the options, cast a null vote, but vote.
‘La franja de los que sobran’. Image shared by @TECHOChile via Twitpic
The campaign in Spanish is called La franja de los que sobran, which can be roughly translated into ‘the political ad/broadcast of the leftovers/the unneeded ones’.
‘Los que sobran’ is a phrase used in Chile to describe those who are not important to the powerful or the elite. The phrase comes from a very popular song by Los Prisioneros called El baile de los que sobran (The Dance of the Unneeded Ones). In the song, the ‘unneeded’ or the ‘leftovers’ represent young Chileans from lower and middle classes with limited possibilities to grow and develop.
The group has been releasing several humorous videos featuring well-known Chilean actors and comedians.
The video for the ‘political ad of the unneeded’ shows a fake politician, reelected for the eighth time, thanking the youth who did not vote. The video then shows the same candidate reacting if ‘the unneeded’ vote (you can see his reaction starting at 0:45). The video ends encouraging young Chileans to vote.
The jingle for this fictitious politician is set to the tune of the popular song ‘Gangnam Style’ by Korean singer Psy. This version is called ‘Sobram Style':
Netizens are sharing the videos and the campaign's main messages on Twitter using the hashtag #LosQueSobran.
Student leader Giorgio Jackson (@GiorgioJackson) [es] tweeted:
@GiorgioJackson: ¿Crees q te rebelas x no votar? Mira el adelanto d la franja d #LosQueSobran https://vimeo.com/51876869  / Muchos candidatos alegres c tu ausencia
@GiorgioJackson: Do you think you are being rebellious by not voting? Watch the preview for the political broadcast of #LosQueSobran [the unneeded] https://vimeo.com/51876869  / Many candidates are happy with your absence
The Twitter account for Educación 2020 (@Educación2020) [es], a citizen movement that seeks to improve the equity and quality of Chilean education, wrote:
@Educación2020: #LosQueSobran no son los jóvenes, son algunos alcaldes que no han hecho nada por la Educación Pública http://ow.ly/eGvVn
@Educación2020: #LosQueSobran [the unneeded] are not the youth, its some mayors who have done nothing for public education  http://ow.ly/eGvVn
Sebastián Valenzuela (@sebavalenzuelam) [es] encourages youth to vote with this message:
@sebavalenzuelam: La marcha más legítima y valida en democracia, es a votar. No seas parte de #LosQueSobran y se protagonista del Chile que quieres.
@sebavalenzuelam: The most legitimate and valid march in democracy is voting. Don't be part of #LosQueSobran [the unneeded] and be a protagonist of the Chile you want.
You can see images on the campaign's Flickr account.


text:
China: New media organization to tackle social issues · Global Voices
Violeta Camarasa

Charlie Custer, China Geeks blog author has launched his new project: 2Non.org, a non-profit media organization producing documentary films and shorts as well as written reportage on issues of social justice.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Violeta Camarasa


text:
China, U.S.A: Five Lifestyle Differences · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Charlie from Chengdu Living listed five major differences in lifestyle and inter-personal interaction between China and the U.S.A, including: traffic laws, table menu, taste (of chicken), use of diapers and weight's comment.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
Colombia: How Attacks on Energy Infrastructure Affects Citizens · Global Voices
Julián Ortega Martínez

This post is part of our International Relations & Security coverage.
Electricity cables in Baranquilla, Colombia. Photo by Lucho Molina on Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
In the last few months, attacks on Colombia’s energy infrastructure by the FARC and ELN have increased. While such attacks affect the lives of many ordinary Colombians, they are most often discussed within the bigger issue of terrorism. However, there are a few Colombian bloggers who offer different perspectives.
Alejandro Gaviria describes [es] the gloomy panorama of attacks up to late August 2012:
The issue is serious. Much more than acknowledged. Tumaco has been without electrical power for two weeks. Several towns in Arauca department have been in the same situation for a few days. One of the transmission lines connecting central Colombia with the Caribbean Coast was dynamited this week. In August, fifteen towers were knocked down. Another seven have been severely damaged. Since the beginning of this year, the attempts against the national electricity system add up to 60. In 2010, there were 24; in 2011, 58.
In a post [es] from August criticizing former Finance Minister Juan Carlos Echeverry for claiming [es] that FARC attacks don't affect the economy, Jorge Monroy writes:
Every time FARC mount an illegal patrol, destroy an electricity tower or blow up an oil pipeline, they are reducing the production possibilities of Colombia as a whole, reducing our potential GNP (gross national product). What the minister intends to say is serious, because if attacks happen outside Bogotá, the potential GNP decreases more than proportionately to the real GNP, which means that the gross national product figures he can show are, according to this measurement, more significant.
Tumaco, a coastal town on the Pacific, in southwestern Colombia, near Ecuador, was one of the most affected places. The town was left in the dark for two weeks in August and also had their supply of water reduced. Landmines planted around the towers killed three people [es] who were making repairs, including one indigenous Awá citizen. Another landmine, close to one of the towers and also to the local school, killed a 17-year-old Awá boy [es].
Mundo Noticias summarized [es] the situation and some of the measures taken or considered by the authorities:
The local administration, together with security forces intends to issue a curfew within the next few hours in Tumaco […] The situation faced by the people is dramatic and worrying because essential goods are becoming scarce. Besides, some bus drivers don't want to go to the town because of the serious public order situation in the region. […] Public and private schools decided to suspend activities until order has been restored. A total of 56,000 were on a [forced] school break.
On August 18, 2012, around 2,000 marched [es] to express their contempt for terrorism. The strategic location of Tumaco and its poor security have made this town a victim of guerrillas, paramilitaries and criminal gangs (bacrim) engaged in drug-trafficking. A left-wing Senator demanded [es] the government should develop a security policy for the region.
Though mentioned in the media, these attacks do not usually get deep coverage, and bloggers hardly mention it apart from the list of all criminal acts violent groups commit. Gaviria claimed that the increase in attacks bore relation to rumors at the time of conversations between the Colombian government and FARC guerrillas, which had “the veiled purpose of gaining a strategic advantage.” These rumors were confirmed days later. The attacks show how the Colombian state, which claims [es] these attacks show the “weakness” of guerrilla groups, is still far from achieving complete presence in remote areas of the country where armed and criminal groups thrive, despite some efforts [es].
This post and its translations to Spanish, Arabic and French were commissioned by the International Security Network (ISN) as part of a partnership to seek out citizen voices on international relations and security issues worldwide. This post was first published on the ISN blog, see similar stories here.

author: Julián Ortega Martínez


text:
Ecuador: Cofiec Banking Loan Irregularities Unleash Outrage · Global Voices
Belén Quezada

Antonio Buñay, former executive chief of Cofiec Bank – a state owned bank- and the alleged responsible person for the Cofiec case, which is causing stir in the Ecuador legal system and among citizens, appeared before the prosecutor's office on October 16, 2012. The #CofiecCase [es], as Ecuadorian Twitter users have named it, was uncovered after irregularities were found in a Cofiec banking loan for US$800,000 granted to the Argentinian investor Gastón Duzac [es].
The loan given to Duzac on December 2011 expired on August this year. However, the loan was granted although Duzac didn't meet [es] the respective requirements. As a result of this failure to comply with the Ecuadorian State, some civil servants, who authorized the loan, are being investigated.
Cofiec [es] (Ecuadorian Financial Corporation) was founded in the 70s by Antonio Correa Escobar in order to create a financial corporation. In those days, Cofiec Bank had the ability to loan money, as well as the authorization to take part in venture capital. After the Ecuadorian banking crisis in 1999, Cofiec Bank passed to Banco Progreso's owner, and it was later financed by the State through Ecuador's Deposit Insurance Agency (AGD), an autonomous entity led by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Buñay has been accused of granting the loan to Duzac with warranty in sales of goods belonging to AGD owned companies [es]. Rumours are surrounding Pedro Delgado [es], the president of the Central Bank and cousin of the current president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa. Delgado reportedly put pressure on Buñay [es] to grant the loan to an “alleged group of Argentinian investors” represented by Duzac.
Carolina Martínez (@scaromartinez) [es] reacts with the following comment:
@scaromartinez: Dicen que #Duzac es inversionista … Q diablos vino a hacer a Ecu. Préstamo de dinero y Garantías de Estado. #PaisDeManuelito
@scaromartinez: It is said that #Duzac is an investor… What the hell is he doing in Ecuador? Money loan and State guarantees. #PaisDeManuelito
Monica Mier Vielma (@monicamier) [es] states:
@monicamier: Las preguntas que realiza Dalo Bucaram [asambleísta del Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano (PRE)] en #CasoCofiec envidencian que las versiones de PDelgado en CNN y ABuñay en Comisión, se contradicen.
@monicamier: The questions asked by Dalo Bucaram [assembly member of the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party (PRE)] in #CofiecCase make clear that the statements made by Pedro Delgado on CNN and Abuñay in the Commission are contradictory.
Janet Hinostroza (@janethinostroza) [es] highlights the weakness of Buñay's statements:
@janethinostroza: “@elcomerciocom: Buñay dice que debía darse el crédito a Duzac siempre y cuando se completara la documentación/y xk lo autorizo? #casoCofiec
@janethinostroza: “@elcomerciocom: Buñay says that the loan should have been granted to Duzac only if all the documents were submitted. Why was he granted the loan then? #casoCofiec
@basoledispa [es] remarks how Buñay avoids to answer:
@basoledispa: #CasoCofiec Ahora todas las respuestas de Buñay son “desconozco” Vía @sanayalas //Se veía venir q por ahí era la cosa…ahora no sabe nada!
@basoledispa: #CasoCofiec Now all he says is: “I don't know” via @sanayalas// We could see that coming…now he knows nothing!
The external influence for granting the loan is still in doubt, as Edmundo Vera R. (@edverar) [es] points out:
@edverar: Y se presentó a declarar #Bunay sobre su actuación en el crédito a#Duzac. Algo que Sí le creo es que el Directorio le ordenó aprobarlo.
@edverar: #Bunay was summoned to declare about his involvement on the loan to #Duzac. I DO believe that the board of directors made him approve it.
Fernando Rosero (@FernandoRoseroR) [es] writes the following:
@FernandoRoseroR: Al fin alguien dijo lo que nadie se atrevia: “El credito a #duzaces vinculado y su otorgamiento configura el delito de PECULADO BANCARIO”.
@FernandoRoseroR: Finally someone said what nobody dared to: #duzac‘s credit is binding and its granting means EMBEZZLEMENT.
However, Nataly Morillo (@titamorillo) [es] put this statement out:
@titamorillo: #Buñay asegura que no tuvo presiones para otorgar préstamo a#Cofiec
@titamorillo: #Buñay assures that he wasn't pressured in order to authorize the loan to #Cofiec
Ecuadorians are struck by the fact that Duzac was given the loan so easily, while Hundreds of farmers have to wait months to be granted credits. Martha Roldós (@martharoldos) [es] and Galo Lara Y. (@GaloLaraY) [es] state:
@martharoldos: En Yaguachi se quejaba dueño d una piladora d q estuvo como 1 año tras d un crédito d US$10,000 poniendola como garantia y nada. #Duzac
@martharoldos: The owner of a rice warehouse in Yaguachi complained that, after a year, he was denied a US$10,000 loan, although he left the warehouse as guarantee. #Duzac
@GaloLaraY: A #Duzac le dieron 800mil dolares sin presentar garantias? cuánto le prestan a los ecuatorianos la banca estatal….
@GaloLaraY: US$800,00O dollars for #Duzac without a guarantee? How much does the state bank lend to Ecuadorians?
Some Twitter users, like Carlos Vera (@CarlosVerareal) [es], shared links to recordings obtained through some national newspapers:
@CarlosVerareal: AUDIO de Grabación de APROBACIÓN de CREDITO a #Duzachttp://bit.ly/AUDIODuzac Vía @elcomerciocom //Y ahora? Yo no fui?
@CarlosVerareal:RECORDING AUDIO of LOAN APPROVAL #Duzac http://bit.ly/AUDIODuzac Vía @elcomerciocom//What now? It wasn't me?
Finally, the well-known reporter Janeth Hirostronza (@janethinostroza) [es] stated:
@janethinostroza: Las cosas caen por su propio peso…#casoCofiec
@janethinostroza: Sooner or later, the truth will be revealed #casoCofiec
This case, which is under investigation as of writing this post, will follow its due course in the Assembly's Audit Commission.

author: Belén Quezada


text:
Egypt: Advice to Protesting Kuwaitis  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

As Kuwaitis embarked on their largest ever protest to denounce changes to the electoral law, passed by the country's hereditary ruler while the Parliament was dissolved, Egyptians kept themselves busy on Twitter, dishing advice to them on what to do and not to do.
Samah Anwar tackles the dress code of Kuwaiti men, who wear a long flowing gown called a thobe. She tweets [ar]:
لبس الجلبيات ده مينفعش خالص ف الثورات
@samahanwar: Wearing a thobe is not suitable for revolutions
In another tweet, she uses reason:
ماتجبوش الخراب لبلدكم انتو عايشين كويس واحمدو ربنا غيركم مش لاقي العيش
@samahanwar: Don't destroy your country. You are living well. Thank God for your blessings. Other people aren't able to live
Many Egyptians echoed similar sentiments. Ebrahim Elkhadm writes [ar]:
#نصيحة_مصرية_للكوايته.. تبقوا ولاد مره لو سمعتوا كلامنا .. ده احنا اساسا معرفناش ننصح نفسنا بلا هبل
@ebrahimelkhadm: You would be losers if you listen to us. We don't even know how to advice ourselves. Let's not be stupid
Elshazli adds:
ركزوا فى كل كلمة مكتوبة فى الهاشتاج دا واعملوا عكسها هتلاقوا ثورتكم نجحت
@El_Shazli: Focus on every word written under this hash tag and do its opposition. You will discover that your revolution has become a success
And Kuwaiti Naser AlMufarrij shares this screenshot of a tweet, which reads in Arabic:
Egyptians advise protesting Kuwaitis on Twitter. Kuwaiti Naser AlMufarrij shares this screenshot on Twitter
Why would you have a revolution when the youngest child amongst you is richer than an Egyptian minister?
Many Egyptians used the opportunity to joke about their own revolution, like Gepril Thuwaiba who tweets:
قبل ما تتحركوا المره اللى جايه كل واحد يتفق مع صحابه ..بعد المسيره مفيش كلام ولا جدال والا الفراق
@Gepril1: Before you take to the streets next time, everyone should agree with his friends. After the march, don't talk, argue and part ways
And he adds:
هما ثلاث خطابات لو حصل مبروك عليكوا متنسوناش بعد الفرحه الكبيره كام برميل كده ع الماشى احسن الحاله ضنك
@Gepril1: There are only three speeches [in reference to Mubarak's three speeches before leaving power]. If that happens, then congratulations! After your big celebration, don't forget us. Remember us with a few barrels [of oil] as our circumstances are dire
Kuwaitis were also quick to point out that the protests in Kuwait were just that – protests and not a revolution. Barcelonya explains:
دي مش ثورة دا احتجاج يا اخوانا
@Barcelonya: This isn't a revolution. It is a protest.
But Mona Abo Elyazeed is adamant in her advice and shares one thought:
@MonaAbo: no compromise

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Egypt: Local Rule and the Right to Housing · Global Voices
محمد عادل

What should the role of Egypt's local councils be? Screen shot from the second episode of Right to Housing series.
Shadow Ministry of Housing blog has recently launched [ar] the second episode of the documentary series Right to Housing, entitled “Local rule and the right to housing.” Check the video below [subtitled in English].
[Read more about the initiative and check the first episode here]

author: محمد عادل


text:
Guatemala: Soldiers Arrested Over Totonicapán Killings · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Blogger Nic Wirtz says that the arrest of eight soldiers after the clashes in Totonicapán -which left at least 8 indigenous protestors dead- is “the first test of Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina's mano dura (iron fist) approach to restoring law and order.”
Pérez Molina campaigned for office promising to use the army, from which he is a retired general, to help combat narcoterrorism and the associated random violence that pervades the country. Instead, the remilitarization of Guatemala, with mixed army and Policía Nacional Civil (National Civil Police—PNC) roadblocks a common sight, has brought back memories of the 36-year civil war where state brutality was a daily occurrence.
Read more in Americas Quarterly.

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Guyana: Upcoming Chris Brown Concert Upsets Anti-Violence Advocates  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Back in 2009, when the news broke that Barbadian-born singing sensation Rihanna's then-boyfriend Chris Brown had allegedly assaulted her, Caribbean bloggers were outraged.
The incident drew attention to the problem of domestic violence in many regional territories and inspired strong netizen reaction, especially after Rihanna appeared to be unwilling to use her influence as a celebrity to speak out against gender violence. The couple's subsequent reconciliation squandered any goodwill that netizens may have felt for the singer.
Just over three years later, the wound is still festering. Having got wind of an upcoming Chris Brown concert in Georgetown which is allegedly being financially supported (at least via tax breaks) by the Guyanese government, two blogs are voicing their discontent.
Rihanna performing. CC Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer.
Code Red explains:
Guyanese social justice advocates reject the government’s support of Chris Brown concert.
Some activists have argued that Chris Brown should be allowed to perform but the proceeds from the concert should go towards support mechanisms for survivors of intimate partner violence. Others recognise his ‘right’ to perform in Guyana but question the use of tax payer dollars to support his performance.
Some activists have taken issue with the irony that the Chris Brown concert will coincide with 16 days of Activism Against Gender-based violence.
The blog asks for feedback on the issue from its readership, noting that…
Reports of domestic violence in Guyana, as in many other parts of the region, are frequent and gruesome, with women making up the majority of intimate partner homicides (femicides).
…and making the point that:
It has been reported that Chris Brown’s criminal record prevents him from working in the UK.
Save Guyana simply republishes a letter to the editor that addressed the issue of Brown being allowed to perform in Guyana:
Chris Brown on stage. CC image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer.
As if life in Guyana could not get more bizarre, we read that the Government of Guyana as part of its mission to promote tourism is bringing Chris Brown to Guyana. Chris Brown gained additional notoriety for his attack on his girlfriend, Rihanna.
Chris Brown, like many of the men who brutalise women in Guyana, did not do any jail time for this action. In Guyana, the Government and the Private Sector cannot provide funding to sustain the domestic violence programmes needed to rehabilitate men like Chris Brown.
It appears that the Government of Guyana and the Private Sector and many of the fans of Chris Brown want us to forgive Chris Brown for this mistake. This is what many survivors of domestic violence are told.. forgive the abuser. Many times the survivors do so, over and over and over again and often to their peril.
The writer of the letter, Vidyaratha Kissoon, ends by asking:
Is there any kind of redemption to be had? The Government of Guyana and the Private Sector must donate all of the proceeds…to the work being done in Guyana against domestic violence.
Chris Brown should work with the men [who have made similar ‘mistakes’] to learn about the behaviour and attitude change needed for recovery. All of this of course, is assuming that Chris Brown has changed.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Iran: Bloggers Urge Minister of Education to Resign  · Global Voices
Hadi Nili

A bus in southwestern Iran overturned in southwestern Iran on Friday, October 19. Several Iranian bloggers urged the Minister of Education to resign as ‘a minimum reaction to this tragedy’. Iranian cyberspace accused the Iranian authorities for being irresponsible about the lives of people.

author: Hadi Nili


text:
Iran: A Blogger in Danger · Global Voices
Hadi Nili

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced that they are concerned about the health of Mohammad Reza Pourshajari, the jailed writer of the blog “Iran Land’s Report”. RSF says according to blogger's family “he is in a critical condition, suffering from kidney failure and aggravated by a lack of medical treatment”.


text:
Israel: “Those who Believe in Netanyahu are Afraid”  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Netanyahu: Those who believe in him are afraid. Photograph shared by @elizrael in tumblr
On tumblr, Israeli blogger Elizabeth Tsurkov shares this graffiti of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and comments:
“Those who believe him are afraid”
A play of words on the religious song: “Those who believe are not afraid”


text:
Kuwait: The Country’s Biggest Protest?  · Global Voices
Mona Kareem

Tear gas and stun grenades were used to disperse a protest in Kuwait against changes to the electoral law. The call for the Karamat Watan (A Nation's Dignity) march, which took place on Sunday, was made on Twitter, and attracted about 150,000 out of the country's population of 3 million. Media outlets considered this number to be the biggest in the small Gulf emirate's history.
The protest came in reaction to the Amir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah decree to change the electoral law, making a citizen vote for one candidate instead of four, as it used to be in the elections of Kuwaiti parliament. The protest was not only an objection for making such a change but more importantly to protest the change of a law without the parliament or the people having their say in it. Since last June, Kuwaiti parliament has been frozen by the Amir and then dissolved by the constitutional court for ‘wrong procedures’ in dissolving the parliament before it.
The opposition has been protesting since but was never able to gather such a huge crowd; even the liberal “Tahalof” and Pan-Arabist “Manbar” took part in Sunday's demonstration despite their disagreement with the Islamist-Conservative opposition.
In a unique step, this demonstration was organized through Twitter. The account @KarametWatan [ar] (which translates to A Nation's Dignity) was started to call for the protest. It suggested an orange avatar (in reference to the 2006 youth movement that changed the electoral law from 25 districts to 5), and organized the meeting points with the following map:
The protest route shared by @KarametWatan on Twitter
As usual, Kuwaitis used Twitter to post pictures and videos of the protest. Here are some of the pictures:
On Twitter, @NforNaser says the police asked him to drop this sign or else they would beat him up. The sign reads: Believe in the people; disbelieve in the system.
Picture of the crowds marching posted by @nourah_ibrahim
A protester with a head injury (photo posted by @BuNaWaFF)
Another injured protester with his feet cuffed (posted by @3asalaswad)
Protesters running away from tear gas bombs (posted by @JanarlySpeaking)
To show the numbers, crowds, and chants, this video was posted on YouTube by Q8jo7a:
Here is another video of the crowds marching, from a distance, posted by jozifanto:
Blogger Alziadi posted this video showing protesters running from the tear gas bombs:
On Monday [Oct 22], Sabr Online Newspaper reported that all detained protesters have been released:
@Sabrnews: عاجل/ إطلاق سراح جميع معتقلي مسيرة “كرامة وطن
Urgent: All those arrested in the Nation's Dignity march have been released

author: Mona Kareem


text:
Madagascar: Preserving National Heritage with Video Archiving  · Global Voices
Rakotomalala

A Civil Society Initiative has been set up to preserve the ‘collective memory’ of Madagascar by digitally archiving videos detailing its, often controversial, history. Reasons for controversy include disagreement over the tragedy of the 1947 Malagasy Uprising, a perspective limited by language, as well as destruction of historical archives during political crises.
The Fl@H Association [fr] was set up to preserve Madagascar’s audiovideo heritage and aims to be a force for the preservation of the country’s history. AudioVideo professional members have set a target of digitising approximately 600 hours of film on Madagascar and can already point to several achievements.
Monique Razafy Rahajarizafy gave details of these [fr] on website No Comment:
Près de 1 400 bobines de films, représentant 600 heures d’images en formats 16 et 35 mm, sont actuellement restaurées, regroupées et numérisées [..] Un travail de longue haleine, commencé en 2007, et pour lequel Fl@h s’est vu décerner à Dublin, en 2010, le prix du Meilleur projet de sauvegarde d'archives audiovisuelles, décerné par la Fédération internationale des archives de télévision. À son actif, la réhabilitation des Actualités de Madagascar, des films jadis diffusées en avant-programme dans les cinémas et couvrant toutes les années cinquante jusqu’à la proclamation de l’indépendance. Un capital inestimable, faisant de Madagascar l’un des rares pays africains à avoir encore les images de son indépendance…
March for the independence of Madagascar in 1960 by Polaert from Wikipedia CC license-NC-BY-2.0
A film of the Declaration of Independence of Madagascar [fr] in 1960 was presented by Tsilavina Ralaindimby in Paris on its anniversary (proclamation of the Republic on October 14):
At a TEDx event in the largest city in Madagascar, one of the members of the Fl@H Association spoke about why these archives are so important, highlighting the “common good” and the need to make people aware of their responsibilities [fr]:
However, the project risks a period of prolonged inactivity due to lack of finance. The Fl@H Association functions thanks to the financial and technical support of foundations and donors. Monique Razafy Rahajarizafy of No Comment detailed [fr]:
Grâce à l’appui financier de la Coopération française, on a pu s’en procurer une d’occasion à 20 000 euros et on a également bénéficié du soutien technique de l’Institut national de l’audiovisuel (INA) pour la formation de nos techniciens
To find solutions which will allow them to continue without relying on external funding, the Fl@H Association presented their work to the International Federation of Television Archives at a British Library conference held from September 28 to October 1, 2012.
Patrick Sweeney reminded attendees that October 27 is the UNESCO supported World Day for AudioVisual Heritage, stating that:
This is your opportunity to draw attention to the importance and significance of your archive, the work you do and the issues you want to promote. The 2012 theme draws particular attention to the crisis of time for archives worldwide to save and preserve this precious heritage. Tell the world what you are doing on this day to raise awareness and promote your archive.
This UNESCO video shows archive footage of historic events over the last 50 years:

author: Rakotomalala


text:
Nigeria: ‘Okada’ Motorbike Taxi Ban Despite Lack of Public Transport · Global Voices
Nwachukwu Egbunike

Okada is a local parlance for commercial motorcycle taxis in Nigeria, where public transportation is non-existent, traffic snarls up most cities and potholes mark most roads. However, the Lagos State Government has restricted the operation of these commercial bikes to certain roads.
News of this proposal has not gone down well with Okada riders, and reactions have echoed into the blogosphere.
The government hinged its action on a recent road traffic legislation edit, which states amongst other things that:
Okada in Kano, Nigeria. Image released by Andy Waite under Creative Commons (Attribution-Share Alike 3.0).
Control of Motorcycles, Tricycles: 3. (1) No person shall ride, drive or propel a cart, wheel barrow, motorcycle or tricycle on any of the routes specified in Schedule II to this Law.
SCHEDULE II
Prohibited Routes for Motorcycle and Tricycle
[Section 3]
Major Highways in Lagos
1. Lagos Ibadan Expressway
2. Apapa Oshodi Expressway
3. Oworoshoki Oshodi Expressway
4. Lagos Ikorodu Expressway
5. Lagos Abeokuta Expressway
6. Babangida Bouleverde
7. Eti-Osa Lekki Epe Expressway
8. Lagos Badagry Expressway
9. Funsho Williams Avenue
10. Agege Motor Road
11. Eti-Osa Lekki Coastal Road
The government has insisted that violation of the law will be punished:
The Lagos State Government has declared total war on commercial motorcycle riders also known as okada riders plying the 475 prohibited routes in the Lagos metropolis. It said police enforcement of the ban was just a tip of the iceberg of what would befall the riders still flouting government’s order that they avoid the prohibited routes.
Twitter reactions have been varied, although the majority are against the ban. The reasons are varied:
@sheikhofeffizy: … I personally think okadas shd b banned nationwide..Its working beautifully in Enugu..errone [everyone] will adapt
@rmajayi: @sheikhofeffizy Yes, Okada are dangerous. Why not introduce safety measures – Okada licenses, helmets etc?
@Ayourb: The way BRF [Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola] handled Lekki toll, Lasu Fee hike, Doctors strike, Tejuosho market & now Okada, he has proven to be a callous unfeeling brute.
@Anirvachan: Dear @tundefashola sir, when someone has a headache, would you cut off the head? Answer is to enforce law not remove okada
@bhadoosky: If over 1million Okada Riders are restricted/banned…what will dey do for living? Additional 1million Armed Robbers for Lasgidi peeps
@djbuzzle: Okada Riders & Market Women are the Major Voters in Nigeria during any Election. Banning of Okada bcos u know u're not Coming back is BAD:|
@NaijaCyberHack: One of d major reasons people take okada is ‘cos of traffic jam,which in most part of Lagos is caused by bad road,y not repair these roads?
@daSuspekt: The Worst Mistake FASHOLA ll Make Is Banning Okada and NOT Making Proper Transportation Provision. BRT nor dey go Everywhere O!
@umaryf: Kano state the commercial hub of okadas in Africa is not willing to ban okada why Lagos???
@Elsieisy: Fashola, after making me trek today ehn, God is watching u in 3D! :'( I duuno what okada pple did to him o
But not all are complaining. Some are in support of the government’s action:
@4eyedmonk: Okada was not banned in Lagos, but on 475 roads. Tricycles have also not been banned at all. Okada riders are to blame for their predicament
@dockie007: why are u all complaining about Fashola..I guess those complaining have never lost a family member to an okada accident….smh
@sandychic1234: With or without the ban of Okada, bad boys will still do their “thing”! #fact
@DTRUCE: So I heard from a very reliable source, that fashola is partnering with the chinese to build a new railway system, thus the ban on okada.
This last tweet referencing the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, got numerous retweets. In a country that worships football, the humour is not lost:
@desmondc03: FOOTBALL inside POLITICS: Governor Fashola who's a Manchester untd fan has rendered 80% of Chelsea fans (okada rider) jobless in Lagos.
Rather than provide alternatives to the transport problem for poor people, with the Okada restrictions the government seem to have only entrenched a growing attitude – that it does not care about public opinion.

author: Nwachukwu Egbunike


text:
Panama: Protests Erupt in Colón Over Land Law · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

The controversial laws sponsored by the National Assembly and signed by President Ricardo Martinelli once again are bringing instability and anguish to Panamá. This time it is Colón Province that finds itself immersed in protests, vandalism and even gunfire.
The reason for this is Law 72, which permits the sale of land located in the tax free zone of Colón, the largest and oldest of Latin America. The law was approved in three sessions by a large majority of the Congressional members and signed the same day by the President, who at the moment is traveling in Japan.
Thus, on Monday, October 22, Colón Province found itself paralyzed and in constant confrontations between police and protestors. The blog OtraAmérica [es] relates:
Anacleto Ceballos, director de la Cámara de Comecio de Colón, ha denunciado que las manifestaciones de primera hora de la mañana para exigir la suspensión de la Ley 72 eran pacíficas, pero que tras la intervención desproporcionada de la policía, el ambiente se ha enrarecido y ahora hay choques en diferentes puntos de la ciudad, donde se escuchan detonaciones permanentes de armas de fuego.
Anacleto Ceballos, director of the Colón Chamber of Commerce, reported that the protests first thing in the morning to demand the suspension of Law 72 were peaceful, but after excessive police intervention, the atmosphere changed and now there are clashes in different parts of the city, where ongoing firearm blasts can be heard.
Protest in Colón, October 22, 2012. Photo shared by Twitter user Rene M. Bellido (@renebellido)
The law had already been rejected several times by both townspeople and businesspeople. Before the approval of the law, land was rented to various businesses, according an income to the state of around $33 million USD a year, reports Alba Tv [es]:
El alquiler por metro cuadrado de tierra en el llamado “casco antiguo de Colón” oscila hoy entre 50 centavos de dólar y un dólar con 40 centavos, para empresas multinacionales, que incluso tienen acuerdos con el Gobierno, de cero impuestos. El gobierno panameño recibe al año unos 33 millones de dólares por el alquiler en toda la Zona Libre de Colón.
The rent for space in Colón's so-called “old town” today varies between 50 cents and $1.40 per square meter for multinational companies, who even have agreements with the government, zero taxes. The Panamanian government gets about $33 million USD a year in rent for the entire Free Zone of Colón.
The government's proposal is to sell this land and make $2 billion over twenty years, earning four times what it would earn during the same time in rents. But some Panamanians have doubts about the real reasons for selling the land.
The current government has already had several clashes with the population over laws that are not well accepted by the citizenry. Even attempts to liquidate state assets have provoked protests and general condemnation.
The blogger Erick Simpson comments in his blog 507PTY [es]:
Ojala que, con la misma velocidad supersónica conque el desgobierno remata nuestros activos  batiendo todos los records, solucionen los grandes problemas que aquejan a la ciudadanía, a saber, la pobreza y pobreza extrema, el pésimo sistema educativo, la inseguridad, la cobertura de agua potable a nivel nacional, el alto costo de la vida y la disminución de la canasta básica; temas todos en los que han fracasado.
Hopefully the same supersonic speed with which misgovernment has auctioned off our assets beating all records, will be used to solve the big problems facing the public, namely poverty and extreme poverty, the abysmal education system, lack of security, providing drinking water nationwide, the high cost of living and the diminishing family budget–all subjects at which it has failed.
For its part, the government insists that the sales are good and that it is looking out for Colón Province's best interests. President Ricardo Martinelli (@rmartinelli) [es] wrote on Twitter:
@rmartinelli: Colón merece mejores dias.Esa ha sido siempre la intención.Conversando se arregla todo.
@rmartinelli: Colón deserves better days. This has always been our intention. Dialogue fixes everything.
Cambio Democrático (Democratic Change), the political party in power, also said in its official blog Cambio Democratico 507 [es] that a government commission would travel to Colón to talk with the protestors:
Luego que el ministro de la Presidencia, Roberto Henríquez sostuviera conversaciones con dirigentes de la Cámara de Comercio de Colón y otros dirigentes de la provincia, se acordó que una delegación del Gobierno Nacional viajará mañana martes 23 de octubre en horas de la mañana a Colón, para reunirse con representantes de las fuerzas vivas de esa provincia.
After the Minister of the Presidency, Roberto Henríquez, had conversations with leaders of the Colón Chamber of Commerce and other provincial leaders, they agreed that a delegation from the national government would travel on the morning of Tuesday, October 23, to Colón to meet with representatives of the driving forces of the province.
However, so far the protests have continued, resulting in various injuries and arrests. La Prensa [es] reported:
Durante los enfrentamientos de esta mañana, los agentes de la Policía Nacional retuvieron a seis personas, mientras que el abogado Edgar Ortíz denunció que un morador de las afueras de la ciudad de Colón resultó gravemente herido, pero se desconoce si fue con arma blanca o de fuego.
During this morning's protests, agents of the National Police detained six people, while the attorney Edgar Ortíz reported that a resident from the outskirts of Colón was seriously injured, though it was unknown whether it was a stabbing or gunshot.
“Frente Amplio (Broad Front) for Colón says it will not negotiate with the national government–they ask for the repeal of Law 72″. Photo by Twitter user Rene M. Bellido (@renebellido)
Social networks have echoed the situation, above all calling for peace and dialogue on both sides. Milagro Rodriguez (@esMilagrosR) [es], a citizen of Colón, laments what is happening in the province:
@esMilagrosR: Que triste lo que sucede en mi Colon :( todo lo quE se mueva lo arrestan.. La gente presa en sus hogares D:
@esMilagrosR: How sad what is happening in my Colón :( they arrest anything that moves. People prisoners in their homes D:
Furthermore, Benjamin Rios (@pilomilan06) [es] believes that the sale of the free zone is about personal interest:
@pilomilan06: La venta de las tierras de la zona libre de colon responden a intereses personales de un grupito con capacidad economica allegados al gob…
@pilomilan06: The sale of the free zone lands of Colón is about the personal interests of a small group with financial ties to the gov…
What is certain is that this controversy continues, and so far it seems that neither side is willing to compromise.

author: Ariel Moreno


text:
Syria: Cartoonist Detained for Criticizing Assad · Global Voices
Rami Alhames

This post is cross-posted from Global Voices Advocacy.
Syrian cartoonists who dare depict Bashar Al-Assad's character are paying a heavy price. Earlier on August 25, 2011, Ali Ferzat, the 60-year-old famous cartoonist was dragged and beaten by three masked men, who then also broke his hands.
“Freedom to Akram Rslan.” Source: ArabCartoon
Akram Rslan, is another Syrian cartoonist who works in the government-run newspaper Fedaa [ar]. He was detained on October 2, 2012, after publishing a cartoon critical of the Syrian President, as reported by blogger The-Syrian blog [ar]:
It was only a matter of time before [Rslan] was arrested as he continued to criticize the regime and its oppression, going so far as to attack the President himself. [Rslan] did not hide and he remained in his home and at his job in the Hama-based Fedaa newspaper. The regime eventually lost its patience with him and arrested him from his workplace on Monday, October 2, 2012. Since then, there has been no information about him.
The blogger also publishes the cartoonist's biography and a selection of his work, including the one cartoon that is believed to have caused his arrest (see below). The cartoon illustrates an infamous slogan often chanted by Assad's henchmen, the “Shabiha,” who claim they prefer to burn the country than to leave power:
Akram Rslan, born in 1974 in Soran-Hama, is an 1996 literature graduate. He is one of the many, many members of our revolution who prefer to struggle away from the media and the limelight, and whom we know little about until they get arrested or martyred. Freedom for the artist [Rslan] Akram. Following is a selection of Rslan's work, including the cartoon (the first one) that caused his arrest.
“Assad or burn the country” by Akram Rslan.
The Doha Center for Media Freedom has condemned the detention of the cartoonist, issuing the following statement:
The centre urges the Syrian authorities to release Rslan immediately and to put an end to the ongoing targeting of journalists and critics of the Assad regime. The government must do more to ensure that members of the media are protected and do not face intimidation, harassment or detention as a result of carrying out their work.
The website ArabCartoon has also condemned the arrest.
A campaign to free Akram Rslan has been launched on Youtube under the banner: “Freedom to Akram Rslan”.
This post is cross-posted from Global Voices Advocacy.

author: Rami Alhames


text:
Tajikistan: Russian ‘Migrant Guide’ Deemed Insulting · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

A ‘migrant worker's guide’ to the city of St. Petersburg has provoked an outcry from rights activists in Russia and internet users in Tajikistan who claim it depicts labor migrants in an ‘offensive way’.
Meaning well?
The authorities in Russia's St. Petersburg apparently meant well when they produced a reference guide for the city's migrant workers in August. Available in Russian, Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Uzbek, ‘The Migrant Worker's Guide‘ (pdf) has been distributed among laborers from Central Asia to help them make their way in the city. The guide contains legal advice on registration with the authorities, recommendations related to personal hygiene, and precautions against sexually transmitted diseases. It also gives advice on cultural aspects of life in Russia.
Image from ‘The Migrant Worker's Guide’ published in St. Petersburg.
Thousands of copies of the guide had already been distributed before the leaflet was spotted by Russian rights activists in mid-October. They condemned the guide for featuring cartoon-style illustrations depicting migrant workers as tools such as brooms, paint brushes, trowels, and paint rollers. In contrast, the local residents are depicted in the guide as human beings. Alexander Shishlov, human rights ombudsman for St. Petersburg, criticized the cartoons as “not conducive to tolerance”.
Confronted with criticism, St. Petersburg's authorities denied having anything to do with the guide, suggesting that it had been designed by a non-governmental organization and approved by migration officials in Central Asian states. They also promised to stop the distribution of the leaflet.
Outrage in Tajikistan
Despite the reassurances, the guide has provoked outcry in Tajikistan, the country which sends over a million of its citizens annually to Russia for work. Journalist Khiromon Baqozoda was the first person in the country who reacted against the offensive images. On the Radio Ozodi's blog, Baqozoda shared (tj) the details of his telephone conversation with an official in charge of St. Petersburg's international affairs as well as with the author of ‘The Migrant Worker's Guide’. According to the journalist, she managed to convince them that the cartoons were offensive and unacceptable.
Numerous comments (tj, ru) underneath the blog show that most visitors on the website also found the representation of migrant workers as tools deeply insulting.
Image from ‘The Migrant Worker's Guide’ published in St. Petersburg.
Another Tajik journalist, Salim Aioubzod, on his personal blog also criticized (tj) the controversial guide:
Шумо, агар ба ман гапи хубе омӯзондан мехоҳед, чаро худро дар шакли одами зиндаву маро дар сурати асбобу анҷом қаламдод мекунед? Оё нахустин сабақи чунин тасвирҳо ин нест, ки ман бояд кӣ будани худро фаромӯш накунам ва ҷойи худро дар ҷамъияти инсонҳо ба хубӣ бидонаму аз ёд набарорам?
If you would like to teach me something good, why do you portray yourself as a living person and me as a tool? Isn't the primary thing that such [guides] purport to teach that I should not forget [who I am] and that I should remember my place in the community of human beings?
Blogger Isfandiyor Zarafshoni speculated [ru] about the motives behind depicting migrant workers as physical objects rather than human beings:
Эти картинки обезличили, унизили и обесчеловечили наших сограждан. Нас представили в виде орудиев труда – без души, без тела, без культуры. Это понятно, потому что орудиев труда легче обидеть, использовать и эксплуатировать, не испытывая при этом никаких укоров совести.
These images have defaced, humiliated, and dehumanized our fellow citizens. We have been represented as tools, without souls, without bodies, and without culture. This is understandable because it is easier to offend, use, and exploit tools, without feeling a remorse.
Image from ‘The Migrant Worker's Guide’ published in St. Petersburg.
Other voices
On the largest Tajikistani Facebook group ‘Platforma,’ many people appeared not at all offended by the images used in the Russian guide. Solomon Burikhan, for example, suggested [ru] that the tools that supposedly represent foreign workers might have nothing to do with citizens of Tajikistan:
а что там подчеркнули что таджики и есть шпательки и мастерки[?],если нет то не обрщайте внимания,среди мигрантов есть и китайцы и вьетнамцы и весь кавказ,надо что бы и эти диаспоры возмутились…
Have they indicated that those trowels and paint rollers are Tajiks? If not, don't pay attention. Migrant workers [in Russia] also include the Chinese, Vietnamese, and people from all over the Caucasus. These diasporas should feel angry…
Another Facebook user, Rizich Akbari, who now lives in Russia, contended [ru] that it was the publicity and controversy that made the images appear offensive:
Честно говоря, я бы не обратил внимание, если бы этому не предали такой огласки. А относятся к нам, к каждому индивидуально, я например абсолютно не чувствую на себе ничего негативного, а другие может и чувствуют.
Honestly, I wouldn't have even paid attention [to these images] if there wasn't all this publicity. [In Russia], they treat us all differently, on an individual-to-individual basis. For instance, I do not feel any negative attitude towards me, but some others may feel it.
The controversy surrounding the depiction of migrant workers in the Russian-produced guide has led the authorities in Tajikistan to react publicly. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said [ru] the production of such documents should always be coordinated with the authorities in Tajikistan. The Migration Service urged the authorities in St. Petersburg to destroy all copies of the guide deemed “offensive to the national feelings of the Tajik citizens”.
Image from ‘The Migrant Worker's Guide’ published in St. Petersburg.
New national symbols?
Karomat Sharipov, head of the Moscow-based Tajik Labor Migrants movement, said [ru] the governments of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (the three countries in whose languages the guide was published) should seek to ban the distribution of ‘The Migrant Worker's Guide’ in court:
Если они этого не сделают, значит, их устраивает, как наших людей позиционируют в России, и тогда они сами будут причастны к этой позорной истории. Пусть тогда заменят гербы на наших паспортах и нарисуют там новые символы наших наций – веник, валик, кисточку и шпатель.
If they don't do it, it would mean that they are alright with the way our people are represented in Russia. In this case, they would be complicit in this shameful [occurrence]. They should then also replace coats of arms in our passports with the new symbols of our nations – brooms, paint brushes, trowels, and paint rollers.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: R.I.P., Bertie Marshall  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Mark Lyndersay pays tribute to the late steel pan pioneer, Bertie Marshall, who passed away last week.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Working with Windows 8  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Two Trinidadian bloggers review Microsoft's Windows 8: Mark Lyndersay, who offers a techie analysis of working with it on a tablet, and aka_lol, who gives it a more humourous spin.


text:
Arab World: Salafi Awkward Moments  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Recognised by their long beards, and short garbs (thobe), Salafists, who follow a strict interpretation of Islam, were the butt of jokes on Twitter under a new hash tag #SalafiAwkwardMoments.
Following the ousting of Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak and the murder of Libya's Muammar Al Gaddafi, Salafists, who were operating underground, rose to prominence, becoming more visible and vocal in public life. In Egypt, Hazem Abu Ismail, a Salafi leader, even ran for the Egyptian presidential elections – for a short while at least – before being disqualified, after it emerged that his mother was a US citizen. In Libya and Tunisia, they stormed the US embassies after the release of a trailer of a movie, which was insulting of Islam and Prophet Muhammed.
While the West ponders on how to deal with them, let's tune into Twitter to see how funny netizens think they are.
That Salafi has a number of jokes under his sleeve. He tweets:
@ThatSalafi: When you find out that your new boss is a female #SalafiAwkwardMoments
A rally for Salafist former Egyptian presidential elections candidate Hazem Abu Ismail in Cairo's Tahrir Square on April 6, 2012. Photograph by Jonathan Rashad, shared on flickr under (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
@ThatSalafi: When your thobe is the longest one in the group #SalafiAwkwardMoments
@ThatSalafi: When your son asks you to teach him how to shave #SalafiAwkwardMoments
@ThatSalafi: Just saw an Orthodox Jew with a bigger beard than mine #SalafiAwkwardMoments
Aly Galal quips:
@alycature: When you can't have some soup without soaking your beard into the dish. #SalafiAwkwardMoments
And Egyptian SuperWoman adds:
@Super_Egypt: When a Salafiya gives you the You're-not-Salafi-enough-for-me look and tells you to choose martyrdom #SalafiAwkwardMoments


text:
Brazil: Rethinking Drug Policy · Global Voices
Rami Alhames

Rio Real blog wrote about the launch of Pense Livre (Think Free) [pt] in September 2012, a network to urge a rethink of Brazil’s drug policy. The author stresses that drug decriminalization would remap Rio de Janeiro, and links to an interview [pt] to Pedro Abramovay, a lawyer and law professor who advocates for changes in the Brazilian anti-drug policy.


text:
Chile: What is Poderopedia and How Does it Work? · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Poderopedia is an editorial and crowdsourced data journalism platform that maps who's who in business and politics in Chile.
Poderopedia, a nonprofit open source project, has recently released this video explaining how the platform uses data visualization and semantic technology to promote transparency and to understand the connections between the most influential people in Chile.


text:
Competition to Use Civic Apps Before U.S. Election · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

Race for Reuse is a competition launched by the Code for America Brigade to implement one of four civic applications in a local community in the United States before the presidential election on November 6, 2012. The apps are: Adopta, Textizen, LocalWiki and Shareabouts.

author: Solana Larsen


text:
Cuba: Cell Phone Use on the Rise · Global Voices
Ellery Roberts Biddle

Puertasabiertas [es] reports that thousands of Cubans are purchasing cell phone service for the first time because of a new plan offered by Cuba's cell phone company, Cubacel, that began offering a new low rate for users last week. Cubacel centers in Havana and Santiago de Cuba have been reportedly overrun with customers since the new rates were announced.

author: Ellery Roberts Biddle


text:
Cuba: Four Years Jailtime for Angel Carromero · Global Voices
Ellery Roberts Biddle

The Cuban Triangle reports that Angel Carromero, the Spanish Popular Party leader has been sentenced to four years in prison for vehicular manslaughter in the deaths of Cuban human rights advocates Oswaldo Paya and Harold Cepero. Carromero was at the wheel when the vehicle, carrying Paya, Cepero, and Swedish national Jens Aron Modig, crashed on a highway in the eastern province of Bayamo. See Global Voices coverage of the crash and its aftermath.


text:
FIFA Approves Use of Goal-Line Technology · Global Voices
Richard Wanjohi

Yesterday, 23 October, 2012, international football association FIFA announced that Hawk-Eye and GoalRef goal-line technology can be used, starting with the Club World Cup championship in December.
FirstPost.com had this to say about the announcement:
Goal-line technology providers GoalRef and Hawk-Eye have been authorised to install their systems worldwide after signing licence agreements with FIFA, soccer’s world governing body said on Tuesday.
The announcement came a year after FIFA began an exhaustive search for systems which could reliably detect whether or not a ball had crossed a goal-line.
Football’s rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), approved the use of the technology in July following a series of incidents in which referees failed to see that the ball had crossed the goal-line.
The most infamous “phantom goals” were Frank Lampard’s effort for England in the World Cup second round match against Germany in 2010 and Sulley Muntari’s ‘goal’ for AC Milan in a top-of-the-table Serie A clash against Juventus last season.
WorldFootballReport says this in a post titled ‘Goal-line Tech: FIFA Approval Given':
Once a system has been installed in a stadium, the system undergoes a final inspection to check its functionality. This is carried out by an independent test institute, and the results of this so-called ‘final installation test’ must be successful. Premier League clubs may have this approval completed and in place by mid-December 2012.
On Twitter the conversation was quite interesting as can be seen from the following tweets:
@ESPNFC: GoalRef and Hawk-Eye have signed licence agreements with FIFA to install goal-line technology systems worldwide
@dommylloyd: Glad to see goal line technology being introduced, hopefully it won't interrupt the flow of the beautiful game #goallinetechnology
@segankure: People saying human error makes the game more interesting, get real! #GoalLineTechnology
@NickRodgers89: Fifa say they want the game on just like #GoalLineTechnology
@NigeCollins: About time! Install it asap #goallinetechnology
In a post done earlier this month, SportTechie.com had made an appeal for FIFA and other sports such as baseball to appreciate the use of technology in football referee decisions:
In 2014, Brazil hosts the 20th iteration of the FIFA World Cup. With little time left before soccer’s biggest tournament, FIFA prepares to make radical technological changes to improve the much criticized officiating of the sport. Among their initiatives is goal-line technology, aimed to provide clarity on disputable goals.
While this prospect would elevate the state of play, there’s still a long road ahead to make this venture a reality by summer 2014.
FIFA has approved the “Hawk-Eye” and “GoalRef” devices as the goal-line technology to be utilized for the World Cup. The Hawk-Eye system consists of six to eight high-speed cameras that determine the precise location of the soccer ball. This data then is transmitted to video software in order to generate a three-dimensional image of the ball’s course. Referees will learn if a goal was indeed legitimate, within one second of the play. Working simultaneously, GoalRef tracks the ball’s path via magnetic sensors near the goal, informing refs of a score via radio signal on their watches, again, within a second of the play.
Should goal-line technology quickly become the norm in soccer, the 2014 World Cup is bound to be officiated more accurately than any World Cup in the past. A lot of gradual steps need to materialize between now and summer 2014, to ensure for Brazilians that their national sport is showcased on their home turf without any controversial game-deciding goals.
The Footy Blog also made a brief note on the announcement and had this to say:
This should be the most boring story of the world, and yet the Twitter replies to the news include a “noooo!” and “Dislike.” But why?
FIFA have extensively tested the technology in trials, and it passed with flying colours. Is it really that romantic for goals that should be given disallowed? Or vice versa? Is technology that helps referees automatically bad? I honestly don’t understand the opposition to this at all.
This announcement is bound to change the way the game of football has been decided over the last couple of years. After initially firmly refusing to interfere with play, FIFA leaders seem to have appreciated the need for a ‘third eye’ to aid make informed decisions by referees on contentious goals and other action around the goal-mouth.

author: Richard Wanjohi


text:
Grenada: Remembering a Revolution  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

October 19 was the 29th anniversary of the bloody military coup in Grenada which ousted leader Maurice Bishop from government and prompted the United States-led invasion of the country.  Two bloggers marked the occasion with detailed posts about what happened and how it forever changed the course of Grenada's history.
Blah Bloh Blog, who reposts her 2005 blog entry about the events every year on the anniversary of the uprising, noted that:
The events of that fateful day would have profound social and political ramifications that resound in Grenada even now in 2012.
North American Congress on Latin America blogger Kevin Edmonds remembered the date as “[when] the United States attacked the island’s population of 110,000 with 7,000 troops via land, sea, and air” and put examined the decision in the context of the Cold War:
Reagan was also eager to score a military victory and restore the confidence that had been lost after the Vietnam War and the overthrowing of the Shah in Iran. This victory was to come at the expense of the Grenadian people, and the wider hopes of the Caribbean, in constructing a model of society based on social justice.
Edmonds provided further background by explaining:
The Grenadian Revolution began on March 13, 1979, when the New Joint Endeavor for Welfare Education and Liberation, or the New Jewel Movement, overthrew the corrupt and increasingly oppressive government of Eric Gairy. Bishop described life under Gairy as one of ‘a total dependence on imperialism, a reality that meant extreme poverty, characterized by massive unemployment, with more than half of the work force out of work, high malnutrition, illiteracy, backwardness, superstition, poor housing and health conditions combined with overall economic stagnation and massive migration.’
The role of the Grenadian Revolution, its importance to the wider Caribbean, and the threat it posed for the United States was best summed up by Bishop who remarked in 1980 that ‘We are obviously no threat to America, nor is Cuba for that matter. I think Washington fears that we could set an example for the rest of the region if our Revolution succeeds. In the Caribbean region you’re talking about small countries with small populations and limited resources, countries that over the years have been classic examples of neo-capitalist dependencies. Now you have these new governments like Nicaragua and Grenada that are attempting a different experiment.They are no longer looking at development as how many hotels you have on the beach but in terms of what benefits people get. We certainly believe in Grenada that the people of the English-speaking Caribbean want to see an experiment like that succeed. America understands that and obviously if we are able to succeed where previous governments following different models failed, that would be very, very subversive.’
The blog post claims that “the Reagan administration had to figure out a way to portray Grenada as an immediate threat to the world’s preeminent superpower” and claims that “this was done by portraying the construction of the Port Salines International Airport as the latest Soviet attempt to launch an attack on the United States.”
Both bloggers agreed on the push factors that caused the coup.  Blah Bloh Blog explained:
In the latter years of the Revolution (or the Revo as it is still called), Bishop and his political partner Bernard Coard began to drift apart ideologically. As one writer would put it, ‘One current of Grenadian socialism was egalitarian, democratic, and Jamesian; the other was hierarchical, statist, command-oriented, placing power above the masses..’
…while Kevin Edmonds wrote:
A personal and factional rivalry began between Bishop and Bernard Coard. Bishop was regarded as being more pragmatic, while Coard on the other hand was seen by many as being much more ‘Stalinist’ and doctrinaire in character. Coard’s ultra-left counter-revolution was extremely bloody, killing Bishop, his pregnant girlfriend, and many of his supporters in the Revolutionary cabinet. With the killing of such a charismatic and visionary leader, this was the date when the Grenadian Revolution was dealt its hardest blow; the invasion simply finished things off.
Before this could happen, one of the most vital elements which helped Reagan build his case for invasion came in the form of a request by the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States to invade Grenada to restore democratic institutions. The OECS leader and Prime Minister of Dominica, Eugenia Charles, made the request.
Twenty-nine years later, the events are still fresh in Blah Bloh Blog's mind:
I remember that day even now. October 19th 1983. I was 12, and my grandmother kept my brother and me home from school. Days before this, Maurice Bishop had been placed under house arrest by the Revolutionary Army, under the directive of Bernard Coard and Hudson Austin.The citizenry was worried, confused and agitated. There were rumours of impending student demonstrations and strike actions.
At about 1pm we could hear the sounds of gunfire coming from St George’s, the sounds of car horns blaring, the screams and shots of people running out of town. I remember my grandmother being terrified for the safety of my uncle who was working in the heart of St George’s; thankfully he showed up unhurt and full of news later on that afternoon.
The total civilian casualties from that day have never been accurately assessed. What had become apparent is that there were definitely some young people who were never seen again, but whose families have NEVER reported them missing, for reasons I don’t know.
The blogger continued:
Despite the best, and often grossly misguided, efforts at delving into the truth about what really happened that day, who was to blame, etc., the events of October 1983 have left a brutal, sad and violent scar on the psyches of Grenadians. This is still evident in 2009, when the last of the Grenada 17, which included Bernard Coard and Hudson Austin, were recently released from Richmond Hill Prison, a sensitive topic for Grenadians on either side of the issue. There are too many wounds, hurts and grievances have been left unattended, paramount among which is the question of the whereabouts of the remains of Bishop, Creft and the others who were executed. Additionally, because of the poignant silence from the families of the others who died or disappeared on that day, it is still unknown if there are other bodies as yet un-recovered or accounted for. There is so much about that day we don’t know; a lot we probably don’t want to know.
Kevin Edmonds summed it up this way:
The Grenadian Revolution was notable in the English speaking Caribbean for its firm declaration of anti- imperialist politics and the advancement of grass roots democracy, economic self-reliance, and agricultural cooperatives.
In many ways, [it] was also traumatic blow to the wider Caribbean left, revealing sharp warnings about ideological factionalism and ever-present U.S. destabilization campaigns and military intervention.  That said, we can see signs of hope. As a sign of the transition towards recognizing the good of the Revolution, in 2009, the Point Salines International Airport—the target of so much U.S. propaganda efforts—was renamed the Maurice Bishop International Airport.
With the deterioration of living conditions and limited opportunities for so many people in the Caribbean, the words of Bishop and the positive lessons from the Grenadian Revolution are now more important than ever. While August 2012 marked the 50th Anniversary of independence for Jamaica and Trinidad, the current levels of poverty, inequality, violence, and lack of opportunity across the wider Caribbean, reveal that political independence is often a hollow prize if not reinforced by efforts to remake society along the lines of greater equality and justice.


text:
Kyrgyzstan: Child Abduction Caught on Tape · Global Voices
Atai Muratbekov

Last week a spine-chilling video emerged out of Kyzl-Kiya, a provincial town in Kyrgyzstan's southern region of Batken. Uploaded on YouTube by Alex Li, a journalist at the youth news portal Kloop.kg, the footage from a CCTV camera appears to depict the abduction of a little girl by a woman in a crowded market place. The video has become a focal point for discussion on the country's largest internet forum, Diesel.
The child's mother, Umidi Imamdin kyzy, has accused [ru] police of not doing anything to find her 11-month-old baby. But some Kyrgyz netizens have suggested that Imamdin kyzy herself is guilty of neglect or even complicity in the kidnapping.
The video below shows (0.30) Imamdin kyzy hand over her daughter to an unknown woman while shopping at a jewellery stall. The woman plays with the child for some time before disappearing from the frame. After about five minutes, Imamdin kyzy realises (1.50) that the baby is gone and rushes to look for the child – in the opposite direction to the one taken by the alleged kidnapper. She soon returns (2.15), visibly panic-stricken.
Blaming the mother
Eldiyar Arykbaev, Kloop's Editor-in-Chief commented [ru] in disbelief:
Как мать могла оставить ребенка незнакомой женщине на целых 8 минут… Мне как-то смотреть даже больно для мозга было.
How could a mother leave her child with a woman she doesn't know for eight minutes [?]… It [was painful] to watch this.
Alex Li, who uploaded the the video, agreed [ru]:
Офигеть!!! Что за люди? Неужели, какие-то кольца могут так привлечь внимание, что про собственного ребенка забываешь?
Madness!!! What's wrong with these people? Can you actually be so much distracted by [shopping for] some kind of rings that you forget about your own child?
Timoha on the Diesel forum added [ru]:
имхо лишить родительских прав…на кой ляд отдавать подержать незнакомой тетке????
[In my humble opinion], the woman's parental rights should be removed… Why would she hand over [a baby] to an unknown woman?????
Other views
But another netizen, Gatin, stepped in [ru] to defend the mother and focus attentions on broader social ills:
Да хорош мать поносить…Разные ситуацию бывают, это общество гнилое такое, знает слабые места людей и где их можно подловить… убил бы эту тварь… как подумаю о моей дочери…
Stop blaming the mother… There can be different situations. This is about the society, it is rotten, people know other people's weaknesses and ways to make use of them. I would have killed [the abductor]. When I think of my own daughter….
Other Kloop readers and Diesel users agreed that anyone could have fallen victim to such a ploy. Yet, some netizens suspected that the mother herself was complicit in the kidnapping. Mmega posed [ru] the unthinkable question:
Продала? Заметает следы?
Has she sold [the baby]? Is she now covering up [the crime]?
Samboder agreed [ru]:
да мутит походу “мамаша-баткенская” что-то….. как можно подойти к незнакомой и спросить подержать мелкого?!……либо что-то мутят гнилое…очень гнилое…
Yes something is wrong with this “Batken [region in Kyrgyzstan]-mother”… How can one ask an unknown woman to hold a baby? …… Or something rotten, very rotten is happening here…
uDontKnowMe elaborated [ru]:
Больше смахивает на инсценировку и похоже на статью “торговля людьми или иная незаконная сделка”… а заявление о пропаже, ни что иное как уйти от ответственности…ИМХО
It looks like the whole thing has been staged, and resembles [something that would fall under] the [Criminal Code] article “human trafficking or other illegal transactions” … The statement about her loss is nothing but a duck out, IMHO.
Police in Batken continues to search for the child and the alleged kidnapper, while the video continues to provoke emotive discussions across the Kyrgyz internet. According a children's rights organization quoted by Kloop.kg, 40 children were kidnapped in Kyrgyzstan in the first four months of 2012 alone.

author: Atai Muratbekov


text:
Mexico: Central American Mothers in Search of Missing Migrants  · Global Voices
Andrea Arzaba

According to statistics by the Mesoamerican Migrant Movement [es], in the last six years around 70,000 migrants [es] have disappeared in Mexico. For several years, Central American mothers of abducted and missing migrants have traveled all over Mexico looking for their sons and daughters who have disappeared on their way north.
The route used by Central American migrants who travel through Mexico to get to the United States is a deadly odyssey. Many migrants die in the attempt, and when they arrive to Mexico they suffer from extreme weather, hunger, and harassment and abuse by organized crime groups and the authorities.
Even if the mothers of these migrants don't find their sons and daughters, the women hope to capture the media's attention and raise awareness on this issue that has been largely ignored.
A mother holds a photo of her son Jose Leonidas Moreno, a missing migrant. Photo by Mario Marlo from @Somoselmedio, under Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
Omar Sanchez de Tagle from Animal Politico [es] recounts the main idea behind the trip of these Central American mothers and where they will tour:
La idea de esta caravana es recorrer la llamada ruta migrante que comprende unos 4 mil 600 kilómetros a lo largo de 14 estados y 23 localidades. De acuerdo a distintas organizaciones no gubernamentales dedicadas a la defensa del migrante, este recorrido tiene como finalidad denunciar que la inseguridad, el secuestro y homicidio de migrantes ha ido en aumento en los últimos seis años.
The idea of the caravan is to travel through the so called migrant route, which is about 4,600 kilometers across 14 states and 23 localities. According to various non-governmental organizations dedicated to the defense of migrants, this tour aims to expose that insecurity, kidnapping and murdering of migrants has been increasing in the last six years.
Suyapa Socorro walks through the streets of Reynosa, Mexico, holding an image of her missing daughter. Photo by Mario Marlo from @Somoselmedio, under Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
In the blog Somos El Medio [es], representatives of the Mesoamerican Migrant Movement explain where the participants are planning to stay during the caravan:
En cada una de las 23 localidades donde pararemos contamos con el apoyo de una gran variedad de actores mexicanos solidarios quienes son los anfitriones locales: albergues de migrantes, colectivos, organizaciones no gubernamentales, Institutos de Migración de los Gobiernos de Tlaxcala y Tamaulipas y del Distrito Federal, universidades, activistas y defensores de los derechos de los migrantes, cuyos nombres se verán reflejados en la agenda de actividades de la caravana.
In each of the 23 locations where we stop we have the support of a wide variety of Mexican actors and supporters who are the local hosts: migrant shelters, groups, organizations, Institutes of Migration from the Governments of Tamaulipas and Tlaxcala and from Mexico City, universities, activists and defenders of the rights of migrants, whose names will be reflected in the program of activities of the caravan.
Central American mothers participating in the caravan make and offering at a cross in memory of the migrants. Photo by Mario Marlo from @Somoselmedio, under Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
Marcela Salas Cassani, in the blog Desinformemonos [es], writes the success story of this year's caravan:
La caravana de madres centroamericanas Liberando la esperanza, que tiene previsto visitar 15 estados de la República Mexicana en 20 días para localizar a migrantes desaparecidos en el camino hacia Estados Unidos,  ha comenzado a rendir frutos. Hasta el momento, son cuatro las personas que han logrado reencontrarse con sus familiares: Max Funes, Marvin Celaya, Gabriel Salmerón y Silverio Mateo.
The caravan of Central American mothers “Releasing Hope” which is scheduled to visit 15 states of the Mexican Republic in 20 days, in order to locate missing migrants en route to the United States, has begun to bring results. So far, four people have been reunited with their families: Max Funes, Marvin Celaya, Gabriel Salmerón y Silverio Mateo.
Mother participating in the caravan stands in front of photos of missing migrants. Photo by Mario Marlo from @Somoselmedio, under Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
The caravan, which has already started, will go through the capital, Mexico City, on October 27 and 28 and will finish on November 3 in Chiapas, in southern Mexico.

author: Andrea Arzaba


text:
New Realities of the India-Russia Defence Partnership · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

This post is part of our International Relations & Security coverage.
BrahMos missile and launch canister on display at the International Maritime Defence Show, 2007, in Russia. The stealth supersonic cruise missile is a joint venture between India and Russia. Image by One half 3544. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
A number of defense contracts are likely to be sealed when Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s visits India in November for annual summit talks with India’s Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
India and Russia have a long history of defense cooperation, with Russia being India's leading partner. According to Russia Today, between 1960 and 2000, Russia supplied India with about $35 billion worth of military equipment. Over the years, the relationship has evolved [pdf] from a simple buyer-seller framework to one involving joint research and development, production and marketing of advanced defense technologies, including missiles, rockets, fighter and transport aircrafts.
However, changing political landscapes may be forcing the allies to realign their interests. While India makes positive strides in its defense relations with the United States, Russia is once again keen to expand its role and influence across South Asia. Moscow’s initiatives include the Dushanbe Group of Four – a proposed collaboration between Russia, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Sensing ambivalence in the US-Pakistan relationship, Moscow has also warmed to Pakistan, much to India's chagrin.
Commenting on the turn of events, Brahma Chellaney, Professor of Strategic Studies at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi, tweeted:
@Chellaney: New geopolitics, new equations: As India moves closer to the U.S., Russia and Pakistan explore a new relationship with high-profile visits.
Friends and Foes
President Putin was supposed to visit Pakistan at the beginning of October, but postponed his trip at the last minute. Russia later sought to quell India's concerns by insisting they would not sell arms to Pakistan. But eyebrows were raised when a meeting of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) in New Delhi had to be rescheduled from October 4 to October 10 because the Russian Defense Minister, Anatoly Serdyukov, apparently had to participate in an event organized by Putin. This happened to be at a time when Pakistan's Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was visiting Moscow. Around the same time, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also postponed his India visit and went to Islamabad instead.
Military blogger Prasun K. Sengupta elaborates on what he feels will be the nature of cooperation between Pakistan and Russia. He writes:
Interestingly, Moscow has signalled its readiness to warm up to Pakistan’s overtures with the proviso that Pakistan accommodates Russia’s concerns regarding the regional security scenario in Central Asia, given the fact that Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan/Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belt is separated from Tajikistan by Afghanistan’s narrow Wakhan Corridor, and that this belt of Pakistan also borders the Kashgar prefecture of China’s troubled Xinjiang province. To this end, Russia is reported to be willing to extend a sizeable quantum of security assistance to Pakistan, which is likely to include up to 12 new-build Mi-171 helicopters (to be built by the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant) and hundreds of RPO-A Shmel (Bumblebee) shoulder-launched thermobaric rockets, items which the Pakistan Army urgently requires for its upcoming counter-insurgency campaign in North Waziristan.
India is not only apprehensive about the Pakistan-Russia rapprochement but is also concerned about delays in Russia's delivery of certain defense hardware and technologies. For example, the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov (now renamed the INS Vikramaditya) will not be ready for transfer before the end of 2013.
For their part, Russia is unhappy with India scaling up their defense relationship with the US and also for diversifying its sources for new defense equipment from nations such as the US, Israel, and France.
Some Russian experts have cited this as one of the reasons why Russia needs to look for additional markets, a sentiment shared by some of the country’s netizens:
@ForcesFocus: India's American-cozying is slowly distancing it away from its old friends. #Russia prefers meeting #Pakistan COAS (Chief of Army Staff) 2 Indian Defence Minister
Nevertheless, both India and Russia appear to be working towards the ‘rebalancing of relations‘ and moving ahead with more deals. Russia is still India's main supplier of defense equipment and will, according to forecasts, continue to be the number one importer of Russian arms, with purchase value increasing from $8.2 billion for the period 2008-2011 to $14.3 billion between 2012 and 2015.
This post and its translations to Spanish, Arabic and French were commissioned by the International Security Network (ISN) as part of a partnership to seek out citizen voices on international relations and security issues worldwide. This post was first published on the ISN blog, see similar stories here.

author: Aparna Ray


text:
On the Challenges of Discussing Precarity in Africa · Global Voices
Rakotomalala

Despite robust signs of growth [fr] in Africa in 2012, precarity remains an ever-present problem right now for the majority of people living in Africa; 47% of Africans live on less than one euro per day [fr].
Inequalities are undoubtedly broadening but the very concept of precarity in Africa is also rapidly evolving. In fact, it seems increasingly odd to try to find solutions to precarity without involving the population who are most at risk of economic insecurity.
Defining poverty
The concept of poverty or precarity is by definition subjective and depends on the point of view. Still, it is important to define the scope of issues encompassed within the notion of precarity to evaluate all the possible solutions. The question is, who are the poor and what are they suffering from?
Nomads in Morocco by Antonioperezrio Flickr (CC-NC-2.0) originally published in the article on solutions to poverty in the world
Rangot Tsasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo asks the question “Are we really poor?” [fr]:
La pauvreté est l’insuffisance de ressources matérielles, comme la nourriture, l’accès à l’eau potable, les vêtements, le logement, et des conditions de vie en général, mais également de ressources intangibles comme l’accès à l’éducation, l’exercice d’une activité valorisante, le respect reçu des autres citoyens. [..] quand des jeunes désoeuvrés tuent et volent au su et au vu des autorités en place, devrions-nous interpeller les parents qui sont responsables de l’éducation de base ? Pas de boulots, rien a faire, on se retrouve dans les rues.
Poverty is the lack of material resources such as food, access to clean water, clothing, housing and general living conditions, but also intangible resources such as access to education, the exercise of a rewarding activity, respect received from other citizens. [..]  when unemployed youth kill and steal right in front of police authorities, should we hold the parents responsible for not providing basic education? We have no jobs, nothing to look forward to and we eventually end up in the streets.
In Senegal, Seydina Oumar Touré explains on the site Good Governance Africa that there are several dimensions of poverty [fr]:
Lorsqu’on interroge la population sur ce que signifie « être pauvre », 90% invoquent avant tout la définition la plus classique de la pauvreté qui retient comme critère : un niveau de consommation inférieur à un seuil minimum de subsistance. Une large majorité des Dakarois (87%) définit parallèlement la pauvreté en soulignant l’incapacité à influer sur ses conditions. Enfin, 84% des individus l’associent à des conditions matérielles d’existence difficiles ou à la faiblesse du capital humain.
Mais il convient de souligner que plus les individus sont démunis du point de vue monétaire, plus ils mettent en avant les différentes dimensions de la pauvreté. En effet, ils sont relativement plus nombreux parmi le quartile des revenus les plus faibles (comparé aux quartiles plus riches) à caractériser la pauvreté par diverses formes telles l’incapacité à influer sur ses conditions ou la marginalisation/exclusion.
When we asked people what it means to be “poor”, 90% mentioned above all the most common definition of poverty: a consumption level below a minimum subsistence level. Still, a large majority of Dakar residents (87%) also define poverty as the inability to influence one's own conditions. Finally, 84% of people associate it with difficult material living conditions or the shortcoming of human capital. But it should be noted that when people are poor in terms of money, they place more emphasis on the other dimensions of poverty. In fact, they are relatively more numerous among the quartile of lowest income (compared to the richest quartile) to characterize poverty through various forms such as the inability to influence its own condition or in terms of marginalization/exclusion.
The struggle against the marginalization and exclusion is a topic that is now also very present on the European continent due to the continuing economic crisis in Europe. An initiative for the implementation of a universal basic income argues that a basic minimum income could reduce this feeling of exclusion for the impoverished population.
How do we make the voices of the poorest heard
Unfortunately the voices speaking on the various dimensions of poverty are too rarely heard in the media. The proposed solutions in terms of public policies in the countries most concerned with poverty are based on econometric estimates which do not homogeneously agree on their definitions of poverty. Many proposed solutions have been put on the table.
Michel Ndoedje in Cameroon thinks there cannot be sustainable solutions to poverty without first clearly defining its causes [fr]:
au Cameroun par exemple le salaire minimum est de 28 000 FCFA et dans la plupart des cas moins que cette somme, une fille de chambre ou de ménage touche 15.000 FCFA. Alors que le ministre Secrétaire, le Général de la Présidence des pays l’Afrique Centrale, en plus de leurs salaires qu’ils reçoivent une prime de pétrole de plus 2 500 000 FCFA par jour [..] On serait tenté de se demander en quoi ceci est pertinent dans la discussion qui nous intéresse ? Eh bien, quand toute la richesse est concentrée aux mains de quelques uns, la monnaie ne circule pas dans toutes les couches de la société et même le plus entreprenant des citoyens ne trouve personne pour acheter ce qu’il produit. Pas de production pas d’emploi et même quand il y a des emplois, ce sont des emplois de 25 000 fcfa à 28.000 fcfa ! Le nombre de ceux qui ont des richesses pour acheter étant limité, ainsi que leurs besoins individuels, les basses couches de la société se contentent de survivre et non de vivre le temps qu’ils peuvent et de mourir silencieusement.
In Cameroon, for example, the minimum monthly wage is 28,000 FCFA francs (1 FCFA= $0.002 USD) and in most cases, it is less than this amount for a maid who receives about 15,000 FCFA. While the Minister Secretary, General of the Presidency of the countries of Central Africa, in addition to their salaries all receive an oil premium of more than 2,500,000 FCFA per day [..] It is tempting to ask how is this relevant to the current discussion. Well, when all the wealth is concentrated into a few hands, money does not flow to all the layers of society and even the most enterprising citizens cannot find anyone to buy what they produce. So no production, therefore no jobs and even when there are jobs, they are paid only 25,000 FCFA to 28,000 FCFA! The number of people who actually have purchasing power is so limited and therefore, so is their individual needs.  The lower class of society simply tries to survive while they can and then go on to die quietly.
The debate on aid and trade as solutions to precarity often refers to the fact that the dignity of beings requires a sustainable solution involves personal development and the possibility of living without resorting to external assistance. This concept also emphasizes the fact that many do not consider themselves part of the weakened population and do not feel the need to express a precarious social situation.
Thus the needs of populations in precarious situations are often heard through the media and other NGO partners. The organization Panos has chosen to interview farmers directly south of Madagascar about their situations and transcribe their views with minimal editorial filter. Here's the video of his interviews around the world:
Many activists who are passionate about Africa as “the continent on the rise” believe that it is important that the continent is seen as a land of opportunity and not as a problem to be solved. From that perspective, the emphasis is often solely put on economic growth as a solution to poverty.
Given that premise and the fact that only a limited number of indigent persons have access to the conversation on the fight against poverty, is it still even relevant to discuss precarity in Africa? In other words, does the conversation makes sense if the people most affected by poverty cannot have their say and that the discussion is limited to an exchange of ideas between technocrats?
Seydina Oumar Touré notes that among the poorest people in Dakar, the perceived level of one's own life and the effectiveness of programs [fr] against poverty differ at several levels:
87% des ménages du quartile des plus démunis ont des niveaux des revenus en deçà de ce qu’ils estiment comme le minimum requis pour une vie décente [..] Pour la capitale sénégalaise, il s’avère que 12% seulement des individus estiment faire partie du quintile des plus pauvres. Ils ne sont que 30% à être réellement convaincus de l’efficacité des politiques. Les plus pauvres – censés être les principaux bénéficiaires des politiques – doutent autant que le reste de la population sur les résultats de la stratégie mise en oeuvre.
87% of households in the poorest quartile have income levels below what they consider to be the minimum required for a decent life [..] Yet in Dakar, it turns out that only 12% of people believe that they are part of the poorest quintile. Only 30% of the population is truly convinced of the effectiveness of public policies against poverty. The poorest – the supposed main beneficiaries of policies – are as skeptical as the rest of the population about the results of the strategic implementation (of public policies).
Isabelle, from the Central African Republic, tries not to isolate herself from the rest of society [fr], despite her precarious financial situation:
Pour ne pas tomber dans la dépression, Isabelle continue de s’engager dans diverses actions : active dans une démarche de partenariat entre femmes françaises et centrafricaines (qui échangent sur les difficultés rencontrées dans les deux pays), elle accueille aussi en tant que bénévole les migrants
So as to not to fall into depression, Isabelle continues to engage in various activities: active in a partnership between French women and women of the Central African Republic (who share the difficulties encountered in the two countries), she also volunteers as a clerk for immigrants.


text:
Portugal: Initiative Against Proposed State Budget · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

The interest rates on the public debt are “the only expenses that can be cut without recessive effects, bringing benefit to the liberation of resources for investment and job creation”, states [pt] the Democratic Congress of Alternatives on an online public petition [pt] to reject Portuguese government's Proposed State Budget for 2013.

author: Sara Moreira


text:
Ukraine: Homophobic Bill Considered Ahead of Election · Global Voices
Tetyana Bohdanova

Shortly after scrapping [en] the infamous defamation bill in early October, Ukrainian parliamentarians passed another scandalous proposal in the first reading, aimed at “defending children from the propaganda of homosexual lifestyle and the HIV/AIDS infection associated with it” [uk].
This is not the first homophobic legal initiative that has appeared in the Ukrainian Parliament in the recent months, which is easily explained by the approaching October 28, 2012, general election and the legislators’ willingness to capitalize on the widespread homophobic attitudes in the Ukrainian society (see this GV post).
The approval in the first hearing, however, has pushed the bill ahead in the legislative process that might now end in making “propaganda of homosexuality” – however ambiguous the definition of it is – an offense punishable by both administrative and criminal law.
The fact that the bill's authors come from different political camps reflects the popularity of homophobic attitudes both across the political spectrum and in the society in general. After the first reading, rather than highlighting such issues as the bill’s legal ambiguity and discriminative nature, most online discussions centered on the political motives of the MPs that proposed the initiative.
Thus, many journalists criticized the lawmakers for using the bill as a way of scoring some pre-election points with the rather homophobic electorate while distracting the public from the more “real” and immediate issues, such as the economy.
Under one of such critical articles [uk], user TBNT left the following comment [uk], echoing this popular view:
The six marginal MPs who are unlikely to make it into the next Parliament […] want to get in at any cost through the [majoritarian election system]. And since this bunch has not achieved much in their lives, during the last month before the elections they must demonstrate to their [goofy] electorate that they've done something useful at last.
Facebook users also shared the demotivational picture posted on RFE/RL's Facebook Youth Project Page [uk], depicting the masterminds of the Legal Initiative No 8711. The caption under the picture reads [uk]:
I am a Member of the Parliament. I do not want to do any [real] work. I want to fight homosexuals.
A demotivator depicting MPs behind the scandalous bill No 8711. Originally posted by Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe on Facebook
Under another online article – “Behind the smoke screen of the anti-homosexual propaganda bill” [uk] – about the lawmakers using the controversial issue to distruct the public from corrupt legislative schemes, user far_far_away wrote [uk]:
In my opinion, the [article] is correct and convincing. But I do not think that the MPs only played on [the sick societal attitudes]. Of course, they did to some extent, but it seems that, unfortunately, they also supported this obscurantist law quite genuinely. It's a banality: the country's government is just a reflection of the country itself […]
While the discussions continued, the reactions from the international community and human rights organizations were less than positive [en]. Many Internet users echoed the concerns.
In response to Deutsche Welle's article [uk] comparing the status of LGBT people in Ukraine and Germany, posted on the forum of Maidan.org.ua, activist Andrei Kravchiuk wrote [uk]:
Due to the adoption of the Law 8711 (if it is passed), Ukraine would be left without visa-free regime with the EU and without the Association Agreement. I am not simply forecasting, I am retelling a clear statement made by the Dutch Foreign Ministry almost six months before the vote on this bill in the Parliament. […]
Responding to international criticism, the Ukrainian President, however, made a rather vague remark, poitning out that it was complex and required considering the viewpoints of “the parliamentarians, the public and the Church.”
As the controversy unfolded, freedom of expression, censorship and LGBT issues in Ukraine became the centerpoint of discussions in the framework of public art events [uk] and press publications [ru].
Recently, Ukrainian Facebook users set up a group “STOP 8711” [uk] that currently has 1,484 members.
Considering that less than a week is left until the parliamentary elections, it is unlikely that the MPs would vote on the bill again before the Election Day on Sunday, October 28. The reactions raised by the legislative proposal, however, prove that the issue of LGBT rights in Ukraine remains acute and controversial and deserves serious public dicsussion and legal consideration.

author: Tetyana Bohdanova


text:
African and Caribbean Magazine Thrives in Japan · Global Voices
Keiko Tanaka

‘Rendez-Vous en Asie – The Magazine‘ was the first publication of its kind for Africans in Japan, and will celebrate its first anniversary on October 26 in Harajuku, Tokyo.
The free monthly bilingual (English & Japanese) magazine promotes African and Caribbean culture in Japan through art, music and fashion.

author: Keiko Tanaka