text:
Hong Kong’s Legislature Went Off Script, and the Pro-Beijing Establishment Is Not Happy · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

An infographic showing the 28 lawmakers who voted against, eight lawmakers who voted for and 31 absent lawmakers for the 18 June election bill vote. Image from inmediahk.net's Facebook page.
Beijing's plan to bring its version of “democracy” to Hong Kong hit a snag when an electoral reform bill was vetoed on June 18 in the city's legislature — because of its own supporters’ failed walk-out.
A total of 28 legislators voted against the while, while eight voted in favor. Thirty-one pro-establishment lawmakers were absent — they had left the building just before, intending to delay the vote to wait for the arrival of their member Lau Wong-fat.
According to the city's Basic Law, any constitutional reform has to be approved by two-thirds of lawmakers, no matter if they are directly elected by the people or represent special or professional interests (known as functional constituencies). As the majority of pro-establishment legislators failed to cast their vote, even if all 28 pan-democrats voted in favor of the bill, it would still have been vetoed.
The reform proposed allowing the people of Hong Kong, a special administrative region with much autonomy from China, a direct vote for the city's chief executive instead of the current election-by-committee model. But China insisted that all candidates get majority support from a nominating committee stacked with pro-Beijing members before being allowed on the ballot. Discontent over this universal suffrage with a caveat sparked massive protests late last year, called Occupy Central and dubbed in the media the Umbrella Revolution.
The stunning veto was followed by infighting among pro-establishment lawmakers and strongly worded warnings from pro-Beijing media. The 31 lawmakers who walked out one by one shed tears in front of the cameras, apologizing to their supporters for their wrong judgement.
News outlet Wen Hui Bao urged Hong Kongers on popular Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo to kick democrats out of the legislature; otherwise, it warned the principle of “one country, two systems,” which gives Hong Kong its autonomy, could be in jeopardy:
【政改否决后 香港将会是……】未来10年，港府不会重启政改，普选遥遥无期。深圳GDP将超越香港，中央极可能会考虑2047年结束香港高度自治，并入深圳，由中央管辖。 港人唯一可以补救方法，就是“毋忘618‘泛民’抢走我一票”到明年立法会选举，运用手上选票，将泛民议员踢出议会!
After electoral reform vetoed, Hong Kong will become… …: Hong Kong's government will not put forward another political reform proposal in the next 10 years. There is no timetable for universal suffrage. [The neighboring Chinese city] Shenzhen's GDP will surpass Hong Kong, the central government may consider putting an end to Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy by 2047 and merging Hong Kong with Shenzhen, directly under the administration of the central government. The only thing Hong Kong people can do is to remember during the Legislative Council elections next year that [their voting right] was robbed by the pan-democrats on 18 June. Use your votes to kick them out of the council.
The year 2047 marks 50 years since the handover of former British colony Hong Kong to Beijing and the implementation of the city's governing Basic Law, which ensures many freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland. The agreement between the UK and China stated that Hong Kong's way of life should remain unchanged for 50 years; what will happen to Hong Kong afterward is unknown.
Indeed, the 2016 “Legco” elections are the next battlefield for Hong Kong's democracy movement. If the pan-democrats keep their seats in the legislature, it will imply that a critical number of Hong Kongers still hold out hope for a genuine democratic political system.
Judging by the comments in the news thread, many took Wen Hui Bao's statement as a political threat:
难怪香港人抵触情绪这么大！加油挺住！千万别像北京一样，到处都是村逼影响市容！
No wonder Hong Kong people feel so resentful. Add oil. Don't become like Beijing, where village guards bully and pollute the city.
很多人都不知就在这骂[…]，这件事香港并没有什么错，这是民主的体现，人家只不过不想把香港变成大陆这样贪污腐化的地方而已
So many people are criticizing [the veto] without knowing what exactly happened. […] Hong Kong has done nothing wrong, the result is a manifestation of democracy. They just want to prevent Hong Kong from becoming like mainland China, full of corruption.
还2047呢，你匪能不能撑到那个时候
Now talking about 2047, I wonder if the thugs will still be alive by then.
文汇报就是香港的环球时报，希望港人不要被其恐吓到。“香港并入深圳”，亏你想得出来。如果这一幕真的发生，那么并钉在历史耻辱柱上的，不会是英国殖民者或者港人，而是某党。就是在你们拥有主权的这个时间段，香港才变成这样的。不要当所有人是傻子！
Wen Hui Bao is like the Global Times in Hong Kong. I hope Hong Kong people won't be threatened. “Hong Kong merging with Shenzhen”, how can you say such a thing? If it really happens, the party will bear the shame, not the British colonizer, nor the Hong Kong people. The changes in Hong Kong take place when it is under China's sovereignty. Don't mess around.
不要把香港同胞想得简单，你用各种威胁试图迫使港人接受伪普选，是不会成功的。看看你们的腔调，无非就是威胁取消香港自治，却不反思失败的原因，不去尊重港人的意愿，不尊重港人治港的承诺，不尊重民意 […]
Don't underestimate the Hong Kong people. You have already tried to threaten them to accept the fake universal suffrage and you failed. Listen to yourself, you use abolishing Hong Kong's autonomy to threaten people without reflecting on the reason behind your own failure — the fact that you don't respect the Hong Kong people's wish, you don't respect your own commitment to letting the Hong Kong people ruling themselves, you don't respect public opinion […]
A number of the pro-establishment lawmakers, including Reginal Ip, have blamed the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, a pro-Beijing political party, for taking the lead in staging the walk-out.
On the other hand, Wu Hon Ching, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, blamed the Hong Kong government for its failure to present a concrete proposal to Beijing after the public consultation period, leaving the steering committee of China's National People's Congress to set up the framework for electoral reform.
As the mechanism of the chief executive election remain unchanged, the issue now at stake is whether current Chief Executive CY Leung will win reelection or another politician will take his place — the pro-Beijing and pro-establishment camps have majority votes in the election committee, so don't expect much diversity of ideas.
2047 is far away. Between now and then, do expect more political drama in Hong Kong.
Follow our in-depth coverage: Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution

author: Oiwan Lam


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New Art Project Seeks to Paint the Lives Lost in Palestine · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

Portraits of Gaza's victims by Kerry Beall (Source: Beyond Words Gaza)
“Wake up, my son! I bought toys for you, please wake up!’”.
Those were the words of Sahir Salman Abu Namous’ father on their way to the hospital. Four-year-old Sahir was already dead, with half his head blown away by an Israeli shrapnel. An Israeli warplane had bombed his family home in the Tal Al-Zaatar neighborhood in Northern Gaza on the July 11, 2014. Gazans were only three days into the war and already counted over 130 casualties, among whom 21 were children, in a bloodshed that would see over 2,000 Palestinians killed in 51 days.
Sahir with his sibling (Source: Electronic Intifada). The image of Sahir's death is too brutal to show here.
The death of Sahir was what motivated Kerry Beall, an artist from Brighton UK, to start ‘Beyond Words‘, an art project which seeks to paint the portrait of those who have lost their lives in Palestine last summer. Speaking to Global Voices Online, Beall explained how it hit her.
It all started when I read the story of Sahir Abu Namous, in a news tweet on Twitter. One of his relatives was explaining how he had died. He was only four. It wasn't another depersonalised report, it was real. It was a family member's plea of desperation and hopelessness. It was so raw,\5 in that moment it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Sahir Abu Namous’ Portrait (Source: Beyond Words Gaza)
Beyond Words is trying to raise funds on Kickstarter in order to meet its £3,000 (US $4,711) by the end of July. With that money, Beall is planning on using it to “pay for materials, the portraits to be framed, help with getting them to Gaza, and providing an exhibition space to show them until they are collected or delivered.”
I think I'm probably not alone when I say I felt completely helpless. It's just so devastating, the sheer amount of innocent men, women and children's lives just evaporating. It's a tough and overwhelming thing to think about and I, perhaps like others, often disconnect from it it so I can function in my own life.
But that day, it struck a chord that I couldn't switch off from.
I felt compelled to do something, so I painted him. I had no idea what the response would be as it's such a sensitive topic.
I showed the portrait to his family and they loved it. It reinforced that urge to take action, so I've gone on to paint many more lives that have been lost.
Beall ended with a note of gratitude:
The reaction has been amazing, with every positive comment it reinforces the motivation I have for this project. I've been so fortunate along the way with people enthusiastic to help the project move forward. For example my friend Dan, who has been keen to get involved in spreading the word of the project, Simon and Robin from Bristol who produced the video.
Mohammed Zeyara who kindly shared the video for the project which has helped a great deal in spreading the word. A great feeling of warmth and support has been shown by the people of Palestine, and I feel I've made friends along the way with Iman, Shareef and DiaaMahmoud, who have shown invaluable support towards the project.
Here are some of the finished portraits so far. You can see more of them on the Beyond Words Facebook Page.
Mohamed Sabri Atallah, 21 years old
Sara Omar Ahmed Sheikh al-Eid, 4 years old.
Samar Al-Hallaq, 29 years old
Hindi Shadi Abu Harbied, 10 years old.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Elia J. Ayoub


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Social Media Analysis: How an Iranian Kurdish Woman’s Death Triggered a Regional Social Media Conflict · Global Voices
Simin Kargar

The way the Mahabad protests were being covered by social media users across Arab countries and Iran marked regional tensions. Image remixed by Digital Trends.
This post was written with data analytics contributions and technical consultations from Amir Rashidi, an Internet freedom researcher and activist.
Farinaz Khosrawani was a 25-year-old Kurdish chambermaid who fell off of a hotel room balcony on May 4 while allegedly escaping a sexual assault. The incident resulted in protests from Kurds in Mahabad, who set Hotel Tara on fire in reaction to her death. The situation later escalated to police using tear gas to disperse the angry crowds from the area in front of the hotel. The incident intensified when allegations of suspected foul play by a security official in Khosrawani’s death emerged. The city's Kurdish population demanded justice for committing the offense.
The tensions caused by this incident led to much social media coverage, often fueled by different biases and interests. Social media statistics indicated that one of the prominent groups in these discussions was Saudi Arabians, who called for solidarity between ethnic Kurds and Al Ahwazi Arabs, both significant minority groups inside of Iran, in opposing the Iranian state. To further support this, a Saudi cable that was recently published by the transparency group Wikileaks substantiated this application of social media by the Saudi government. The undated memo was sent from the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and suggested ways to publicly expose Iran’s social grievances through “the Internet, social media like Facebook and Twitter.”
The exiled opposition movement known as Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) were another prominent voice on social media underlying the Iranian regime’s violence against protesters. Between May 4 and 20, these groups managed to create and carry out a social media strategy on Mahabad until it eventually started to fade.
The Mahabad trend underscored several social and political factors in play, and highlighted the degree to which Iran's social media discourse lags behind other countries due in large part to its censorship regime.
Iranian mainstream media did not immediately speak about the incident. A flow of domestic publications about Mahabad tensions only emerged after the media became aware of the Mahabad social media trend, and their coverage suggested that the trend had originated from outside Iran. Iranian media referred to the incident as “a plot by anti-revolutionary groups” and warned Iranian users to be wary of such social media traps.
Conservative websites then took a more active role in describing the incident. This included a video from Hotel Tara’s CCTV camera which was circulated through Viber and conservative websites. The video showed Khosrawani entering a hotel room, with a man following her shortly thereafter. Her companion was said to be a private sector consultant, according to a hotel principal.  The video suggested that these were arranged dates, and refuted earlier rumors about the role of a security official in the death. However, this footage was taken at a time of day different from the time that the incident occurred.
This active approach of the Iranian media partially soothed public anguish, but was not sufficient to terminate the social media disagreements that had already started. Nowhere is this more apparent than in tweets coming from Iranians in the Persian language, and from Saudi Arabian users in the Arabic language.
#العربیه #عربستان از تصویر 5 سال پیش بحرین رو به عنوان #شکنجه در #مهاباد استفاده کرد!! #عاصفة_الحزم pic.twitter.com/T1luEscS8G
— hamed safari (@safari_h) May 24, 2015
#Al #Arabyia has republished pictures from 5 years ago as evidence of torture on Shi’ite prisoners in Bahrain on the news of Mahabad tensions!
#عاجل هروب محافظ #مهاباد ومتظاهرين يحاصرون قائد الشرطة #إيران_تحترق #كردستان_تلتحق_بالأحواز_وتنتفض pic.twitter.com/OEyS91gIyZ
— مدمرهم (@Madmarham1) May 9, 2015
the #governor of #Mahabad fled and protesters besieged the police headquarters #iran_burning #Kurdistan_joinsAhwaz_inrising
These claims created a discourse on social media that was disconnected with the actual incident both in scope and content. The analysis of such discourse has become measurable through social media analytic tools. To this end, we tracked #مهاباد (Persian for #Mahabad) on Twitter and Instagram through Keyhole between May 4 (the day that Khosrawani passed away) and May 20. Keyhole is a social media analytic tool that enables real-time tracking of keywords and trends over Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Mahabad locals reportedly became aware of Khosrawani's death at Hotel Tara mainly through Viber groups that circulated the following message: “Kurdistan is not Isfahan. Our women are not alone. Please circulate. Thursday, outside Hotel Tara, we will demolish the venue. Let’s stay together.”
The main Viber message which was circulated among Mahabad locals on the evening of Wednesday, May 6. This screenshot was received from a local Viber user in Mahabad, who gave permission to republish the message under the condition of anonymity.
Mahabad did not soar on Twitter and Instagram until May 7, the same day that Hotel Tara was set aflame. Our keyword tracker #مهاباد (Mahabad) returned 1983 entries for Twitter and 111 for Instagram for the period of May 4-7. Among these was an unprecedented flow of Arabic tweets that started to appear on May 7 and amounted to 28% of the aggregate number of tweets bearing this hashtag. Some Arabic tags of these tweets implied the greater battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. For instance, the term ‘اعاده الامل’ (Arabic for Revival of Hope) refers to a the campaign which a Saudi-led coalition initiated in April 2015, aimed at protecting Yemeni civilians and preventing Houthi fighters from operating. The campaign ostensibly replaced the Operation Decisive Storm (‘عاصفه الحزم’) in Yemen.
Another noteworthy phrase was #كردستان_تلتحق_بالأحواز_وتنتفض (Arabic for “Kurdistan raises and joins Al Ahwaz”). The phrase carries a historical reference to the autonomous emirate of Arabistan (currently Khuzestan) in southwestern Iran, which was forced to abide by the central state in 1925. The region has remained in a political flux between the central government and ethnic Arabs (Al Ahwazis), who claim autonomy. These posts occasionally included faux images of the 2009 Green Movement in Iran, displaying the streets of Tehran and police violence toward protesters.
عاجل عاجل: انتفاضة مهاباد تتسع لتشمل جميع المناطق الكردية والثوار يشكلون غرفة عمليات. #إيران_تشتعل نصرك يا الله pic.twitter.com/llWkIMg7KA
— ناصر الكعبي-الأحوازي (@nasserjabor) May 11, 2015
Breaking news: Mahabad rebellion expands to include all Kurdish areas and the rebels form am operations room. #Iran_isonFire. We ask Allah for victory.
Saudi Arabia was not the only state in the region who reacted to the Mahabad incident. Given their relatively large Kurdish population, Syria, Iraq and Turkey were the other leading contributors. Five percent of the aggregate tweets and Instagram pictures originated in Syria or were associated with Syrian accounts. Respectively, Iraq and Turkey also generated 2% and 1% of the content.*
Aggregate stats from Twitter and Instagram for #مهاباد generated by Keyhole. May 4- 7
Percentage of Twitter and Instagram posts generated per country: Saudi Arabia (28%), Iran (17%), USA (11%) published most between May 4-7.
Top sites sharing content about Mahabad between May 4 and 7. The BBC and Balatarin, a Persian linksharing website, are among the top 5 sources.
The social media discourse over Mahabad tensions rapidly evolved in terms of content and influential disseminators. Between May 7 and May 8, Mahabad-tagged posts on Twitter and Instagram increased by 89%. In addition, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) and Mojahedin (news agency of People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, aka MEK) joined the debate. The former accused anti-revolutionary groups of feeding the rumors while the latter condemned the state for violating women’s and ethnic minority rights.
Twitter and Instagram stats for #مهاباد generated by Keyhole. May 4-8. The aggregate of 18,632 posts include 18,350 tweets and 282 pictures from Instagram.
MEK and Saudi-originated tweets rather aggressively addressed the issue of ethnic autonomy and called for separatist actions. However, tweets from Syria, Iraq and Turkey more sincerely demonstrated ethnic emotions and matters of honor and historical suffering of Kurdish population. By May 8, tweets and Instagram pictures from Syria had risen to 7%, Iraq’s to 3%, and Turkey’s to 2%.
Percentage of posts per country: Saudi Arabia (51%), USA (7%), Iran (6%), Syria (3%), France (2%), Germany (2%), Iraq (2%), Norway (1%), Sweden (1%), and Turkey (1%) posted the largest number of tweets and images between May 4-20.
The Mahabad trend started to diminish on Twitter about a week after the breakout of death news. However, the Twitter pulse was surprisingly revived after a brief unrest over the the championship of Iran soccer league that followed a game in Tabriz. A critical telecommunication disconnect occurred toward the end of the game. This facilitated dispersion of false rumors about the result of a parallel game that would have determined the league champion.
Enraged over the faux announcements, the crowd inflicted damage on the stadium property and was eventually dispersed by the police. Tabriz is the capital of East Azerbaijan province in northwestern Iran which is mainly populated by Azeri Turk ethnicity. Within a day, Mahabad was back on Twitter timeline. This time #Mahabad was tagged to the photos of unrest in Tabriz stadium. Tagged with #Iran_ignite, or #Iran_on_fire (#ایران_تشتعل), these images related the two incidents and concluded with an assumption of large scale unrest in the country. It went so far that the 2011 Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman, posted a tweet and alleged massive protests in 14 major cities of Iran. These photos are in fact images taken from the 2009 protests in Tehran and other Iranian cities.
نواب آذريين يعلنون تضامنهم مع الانتفاضة الآذرية وينسحبون من مجلس النواب الايراني #تبريز_تنتفض_وتلتحق_بمهاباد_والأحواز #السعودية #الخليج_العربي #إيران_تشتعل #التحالف_العربي #عمان #نجران #العراق_المحتل #إعادة_الأمل #إيران_تنهار #إيران_عدوة_الإسلام #كردستان_تلتحق_بالأحواز_وتنتفض #اليمن #عاصفة_الحزم #Syria #Bahrain #Iraq #مهاباد #ايران_تشتعل #بلوشستان_تنتفض #اذربايجان_تنتفض
A photo posted by مدمرهم (@madmarham1) on
Tabriz stadium after the announcement of Tractor not being the champion of the national league.
حرقت اليوم سيارة تابعة للحرس الثوري من قبل المتظاهرين الأكراد في #مهاباد #مهاباد_تنتفض #الاحواز_تنتفض #إيران_تشتعل pic.twitter.com/IeHFHa94HV
— دراسات إيرانية (@iranandarab) May 12, 2015
A car belonging to the Revolutionary Guards was burned today by Kurdish protestors in Mahabad. #Mahabad_revolts #Alahwaz_revolts #Iran_on_fire
الآيرانيون في مسيرات جماهيرية في اكثر من ١٤ مدينة يطالبون بإسقاط النظام ، الربيع الإيراني لن يطول انتظاره
— توكل كرمان (@TawakkolKarman) May 12, 2015
Iranians join massive rallies in more than 14 towns calling for the overthrow of the regime. We will not wait too long for the Iranian Spring
Between May 4 and 20, an aggregate of 127,834 posts about Mahabad populated Instagram (1,537 pictures) and Twitter (126,297 tweets), 51% of which had originated in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, only 13.3% of the aggregate number appeared to be original posts. The large percentage of reposting of the existing (Arabic) content underscores the lack of reliable news being delivered to the public. The absence of verified information and lack of awareness about the social media trend opened room for the proliferation of a state-influenced discourse. The situation escalated when the Twitter account of the Arabic-speaking Safa TV published an identification card that purportedly belonged to a member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It was alleged that the ID belonged to the intelligence officer accused in Khosrawani’s death.
#المقاومة_الوطنية_الأحوازية.. تستفتح عملياتها العسكرية، بقتل ضابط #ايراني “محمد باقر غلامي”، ليلة البارحة في #مهاباد. pic.twitter.com/jffqG4Mnrc
— عاجل السعودية (@3ajel_ksa) May 13, 2015
#TheNational_Ahwazi_resistance launches its military operations by killing the #Iranian office ‘Mohammed Baqer Ghulami’ in #Mahabad last night
By May 20, the discourse had moved from the death of a young Kurdish women toward nationwide unrest (#Iran_ignite, #ایران_تشتعل). Saudi Arabia and Iran’s recent conflict over Yemen affairs surfaced through the overt tags of Operation Decisive Storm and the Revival of Hope campaign. Furthermore, MEK’s official website and Alriyadh Daily Press were leading the content dissemination about said unrest.
Twitter and Instagram stats for #مهاباد generated by Keyhole. May 4-20
Online campaigns are natural inheritors of social and political contexts, and Mahabad was no exception. The Mahabad incident underscored the challenges ethnic minorities face in Iran, particularly the Kurdish population, and their historic clashes with the central government. Mahabad is the traditional capital of Iranian Kurdistan and was briefly known as the Republic of Mahabad in 1946. The year 1946 was in fact detected among popular keywords in Arabic tweets posted about Mahabad. In addition, Kurdish populated areas also witnessed a brief period of unrest in 2005 following the death of a local Kurd activist by security forces in Mahabad. These sensitivities often go unacknowledged by national Persian media, a trend that has contributed to the climate of distrust in the central government.
Additionally, the Iranian judiciary has consistently failed to conduct fair trial standards for ethnic minority activists in detention. In March 2014, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran reported that 200 ethnic political activists, including Kurds, were detained or imprisoned. Many were reportedly tortured and/or convicted of association with armed opposition groups. The Islamic Republic not only has failed to effectively address these allegations, but it has also repeatedly censored news of ethnic minorities’ detention, harassment, or execution. Such practices often exacerbate the distrust of Kurds in the central government. Recent tensions in Mahabad were a reminder about said distrust.
Lastly, Khosrawani’s demise followed an earlier wave of acid attacks on several women in Isfahan in October 2014. These attacks were allegedly related to inappropriate Islamic attire. Despite local protests in Isfahan against vigilante violence, no suspect has been detained yet. Instead, the Islamic Republic resorted to detaining a photographer of the protests, and to deterring media to limit the reach of news. The initial silence of Persian media about Khosrawani’s death underscored the disproportionate news coverage of gender issues, in particular when matters of privacy and honor are involved.
Share of posts on Twitter and top content sharing websites about Mahabad between May 4 and 20
Like other mediums, social networks can be both a means of accessing information as well as an opportunity to advocate or oppose certain points of view. Despite the fact that Iranian leaders are active on these networks, censorship prevails inside Iran on most of these platforms.
Yet Iranians often use social networks to not only express their concerns about social, political and cultural issues, but also to mobilize around a common cause. Examples include campaigns on acid attacks in Isfahan, Zarif’s allegation that there are “no political prisoners in Iran”, and Netanyahu’s comment on Iranians not wearing jeans. The main difference between these cases and Mahabad was the lack of public awareness about the Mahabad incident. Iranian media opted to remain quiet until the news went viral on social media. In the absence of credible information, Iranian users were late to respond to the incident over social media.
Relevant hashtags to Mahabad between May 4-20 refers to the recent regional disputes between Iran and Saudi Arabia over Yemen affairs.
A lack of state transparency about the incident also paved the way for groups such as MEK to take the lead in shaping the discourse and propagating an unrealistic narrative about the tensions. By the time Iranian media began reporting on Mahabad, this modified discourse was already being disseminated on social media.
In addition, the number of Persian publications covering the incident was insignificant compared to foreign outlets. Conservative Iranian news outlets such as Fars News and IRNA briefly contested the origin of Mahabad posts, but quickly pulled back on this coverage, while others continued to disseminate the news even after tensions diminished. The Islamic Republic’s restrictive policies on content production and dissemination, therefore, caused an effect that ran counter to its own national interests.
As adopting social media by world leaders, policy makers, and power institutions becomes commonplace, we will likely see more online rivalries similar to what occurred with #Mahabad. Social media renders a swift, low-cost online approach to disseminating content that is detrimental to the interests of adversaries. State censorship and filtering of social networks restrict the reach of credible information to Internet users at times when mobilizing toward a collective issue can make a meaningful difference. The case of Mahabad is only one example.
This post was written with data analytics contributions and technical consultations from Amir Rashidi, an Internet freedom researcher and activist.
* Twitter API search enables location detection based on multiple options, such as IP addresses, geo-tags and any information about location that a Twitter account may contain. Keyhole, being a commercial service, does not publicly reveal its specific methodology for detecting location. However, while doing this research, we compared a couple of smaller online campaigns to ensure the accuracy of the results. We concluded that Keyhole most likely detects location based on the three methods mentioned above. The same applies to the tweets coming from Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

author: Simin Kargar


text:
What Sailor Moon Means to Women All Over the World · Global Voices
N'Donna Russell

Screencap from sailormoon-official YouTube channel.
As “Sailor Moon Crystal” finishes up its 26-episode run, the response from Western fans has been mixed. Depending on who you ask, the anime series is either a smashing success or an animation disaster.
On one hand, fans of the series were excited to see an adaptation that remained faithful to the original manga. Other fans were less-than-impressed with the animation style as well as the one-episode-every-two-weeks airing schedule.
This pretty much sums up today's episode of Sailor Moon Crystal. #SailorMoonCrystal pic.twitter.com/wFD6NYGBBB
— AuroraPeachy (@AuroraPeachy) June 20, 2015
However, digging deeper, the anime is more than just a cartoon for adolescents and provides powerful insights about gender identity.
In a comment left on the popular Anime News Network site, one Sailor Moon Crystal fan called Lycorius says:
The reason I love Sailor Moon is because it opened the entire universe to me. When the Sailor Soldiers visited the moon, I realized that Earth was surrounded by the mystery of space. I became dedicated to learning about astronomy and space exploration, and have pursued a career in aerospace engineering. Today, I help scientists send their experiments to the International Space Station. Sailor Moon gave me more than strong female role models; it also helped inspire my career with the stars.
Sailor Moon Crystal is the hotly anticipated animated reboot of Takeuchi Naoko’s beloved shojo manga series Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon debuted as a manga, or comic book, in 1991. The comic was quickly adapted into one of the most popular anime series of all time.
The 2015 Sailor Moon Crystal reboot marks the 20th anniversary of the debut of the original anime, and is intended to remain true to storyline of the original comic book, stripping away much of “non-canonical” elements found in the 1990s anime adaption.
Sailor Moon Crystal tells the story of a girl named Usagi who has the ability to transform into a warrior of love and justice.
Generally speaking, shojo (少女 or “girl”) manga encompasses comics and cartoons created especially with adolescent and teenage girls in mind. While shojo manga covers no single genre, it differs from its counterpart shonen (boys) and seinen (youth) manga in terms of visual style and by addressing romantic topics and emotions.
The two Sailor Moon series are further classified as maho shojo (魔法少女), a type of fantasy anime that generally features a young girl, between the ages of 8-14, who is given the ability to transform into a “cute” alter ego with magical powers to save the world from a dastardly foe.
‘Sailor Moon Crystal’ English Dub Premiere Scheduled For #Anime Expo – http://t.co/f74hqXHc29 #SailorMoonCrystal pic.twitter.com/yEesz6Fu7d
— The Fandom Post (@fandompost) June 15, 2015
In addition to looking both cute and fierce at the same time, the heroine experiences spiritual growth and maturation — in other words, the magic helps her learn how to grow up.
The popularity of shojo manga such as Sailor Moon is not limited to Japan. In the West, magical girl anime, especially Sailor Moon, paved the way for the introduction of anime and manga outside of Japan.
Dee – Rat Queens by Princess Mentality #Cosplay http://t.co/YA1UKeGHTY pic.twitter.com/n6sNQIkZeF
— SuperheroesInColor (@HeroesInColor00) June 14, 2015
Fans outside of Japan say Sailor Moon has allowed them to experiment and sometimes transform their identity.
Popular online personality Princess Mentality Cosplay, when asked “What does Sailor Moon Mean to You?”, says:
…Sailor Moon gave me the strength to face any challenge with my head held high – even when I was told I had no place in this fandom because of the color of my skin. (Sailor Moon) taught me the importance of equality, acceptance and unwavering optimism.
Over the past 20 years since the debut of the original series and now with the reboot, millions of young women and men around the world have become devoted fans, spawning in some cases dedicated “fansub” sites and more.
In “What I Learned About Gender and Power from Sailor Moon,” Soleil Ho, writing for Bitch magazine, says:
Sailor Moon isn't just fighting aliens, but a world of adults who want to destroy everything beautiful in girls. In order to save the people she loves, she fights and gets hurt and breaks down and even completely fails at times. And when she can manage it, she tries to save the monsters, too.
Rose Bridges, also writing for Bitch, says:
The series also makes a point of showing a wide variety of personalities, interests and gender expressions among the Senshi (戦士, warrior). From bookish Ami (Mercury) to athletic Makoto (Jupiter) to artistic Michiru, there is a Senshi for every girl. Additionally, the series often makes a point of commenting on how the less traditionally feminine girls have trouble coping with gender roles, like how Makoto learned to cook because she was mocked for being a tomboy.
In Japan, the cultural significance of magical girls stems from their themes of empowerment and independence while retaining traditionally feminine traits.
For girls in Japan, Sailor Moon is the epitome of the Japanese concept of shojo, or girlishness. Sailor Moon has the freedom to pursue all that interests her and the spirit to overcome all obstacles along the way.
She is a visual testament to having it all — she is very close to her friends and protectors, the Sailor Senshi, and is devoted to her boyfriend Mamoru, who fights along side her as Tuxedo Kamen.
After 26 episodes, the Sailor Moon Crystal anime series has drawn to a close, but the magical girl genre isn’t stopping any time soon. While Sailor Moon walks the line between comical goodness and dark, mature themes, another popular magical girl series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, explores the consequences of power, and has been dubbed “The Evangelion of Maho Shojo anime.”
If you want to explore anime, there are a wide variety of series airing in Japan and in the West via streaming sites such as Crunchyroll and Hulu. Themes vary, depending on the audience, and there is something for every taste.

author: N'Donna Russell


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Why Is the Internet So Much Slower and More Expensive in Mali Than in Senegal or Côte d’Ivoire? · Global Voices
Fatouma Harber

Poster from the 100megaMali campaign. Used with permission
100Mega Mali, an initiative of Mali’s information and communications technology sector, is striving to push Mali’s Internet connection speeds up and prices down.
Since its launch on 27 April 2015, the #Mali100mega hashtag has gained a significant following on Mali’s Twittersphere. It was first used by Malian tech entrepreneurs, activists and bloggers to demand a “dramatic improvement in Internet speed and price”, explains Tiadiane Ball, blogger and creator of the malisanté.com start-up and the Donilab coworking space.
The campaign began with a spoof advertisement offering reduced Internet connection prices and improved connection speeds. The spoof parodied ads previously run by Orange Mali, Mali’s dominant Internet provider. It offered a speed of 2 megabits per second (Mgps) at a price of 29,000 CFA francs (about 50 US dollars) per month to probe the reactions of Mali’s Internet users. While Malians did not fall for the trap, the expat community hastily welcomed what they saw as the end of Mali’s online slog.
From its very launch, the www.100mega.ml site gave details of the ordeal faced by web users in Mali, which currently has only two Internet service providers. The site sets out charts and graphs that show figures and prices for Orange Mali, which holds the vast majority of the Malian market, and for another provider called Malitel. These figures show that Orange actually has not increased its connection speed at all since 2009. There is also a staggering difference between the rates offered by Orange in Mali, on the one hand, and in Senegal and the Côte d’Ivoire on the other. Renaud Gaudin, an IT specialist at Jokkolabs Bamako, asserts in a post on Facebook:
Nous, entrepreneurs dans les domaines des tics et de l'innovation technologique, ne pouvons en aucune manière relever le défi de l'innovation par rapport à Dakar ou Abidjan avec les tarifs et ce ridiculedébit de 384 bps que Orange Mali nous donne si chèrement.
There is no way that we, the entrepreneurs of the ICT and the tech sectors, can meet the innovation challenge as compared to Dakar or Abidjan with the prices and the ridiculous 384 bits per second (bps) speed for which Orange Mali is charging us so dearly.
Table comparing Internet connection speeds and prices in West African countries (via 100megaMali)
Since 2008, Mali’s telecommunications regulator, the Malian National Authority on Information Technology and Communication (AMRTP), has been led by Choguel Kokala Maiga – the current minister for communications and the digital economy. While the AMRTP has been fiercely criticised over its inaction in this area, the minister’s Twitter account has stayed silent, despite the many tweets and mentions it has received about the issue.
The #Mali100mega hashtag brought together the creators of the Jokkolabs Bamako start-up, the creators of the Donilab co-working space and, indeed, the entire Malian blogosphere. Their motivation for subscribing to the hashtag has a pragmatic dimension – Mali’s price and speed has prevented them from carrying out their own ICT projects and so they have joined together to speak out.
The movement, however, is not simply about a bunch of tech-heads trying to get their projects up and running. They made a short series to explain the movement's broader purpose, which is not limited to the 100megaMali campaign or to raising awareness about price discrepancies between Orange Mali and operators from the region's other countries. The movement means to challenge the ineptitude of Mali’s tech-sector regulators.
Given the growing public discontent, Orange Mali responded by inviting the movement’s leaders to a meeting held on 7 May this year. Unfortunately, the meeting did not result in any meaningful changes. Orange Mali detailed their arguments to explain the slow Internet speed, blaming the AMRTP (for not granting them access to some radio frequencies that could help unclog the traffic). However, Orange Mali remained silent on the reasons for the high pricing of their Internet package offers. Renaud Gaudin adds:
Avoir des connexions illimités avec des débits abordables, pouvant nous permettre d’exercer notre métier est le but de 100mega Mali.
To have unlimited connections at reasonable speeds and affordable prices so that we could go on working within our chosen profession – this is the aim of 100mega Mali
Not having succeeded thus far in obtaining lower prices for their groups, Jokkolabs and Donilab announced that they will have to shut down their operations. The fight for fair Internet pricing now continues on Malian’s social networks. You can use the #Mali100mega hashtag to join the campaign or to support it. The Internet is vital for Mali’s digital users, for its tech entrepreneurs and for its activists and bloggers who teach and distribute information online.
The Internet in Mali as it is now does not allow many people to carry out their online ventures. It is only thanks to lots of effort and sacrifice that some Malian IT entrepreneurs are able to stay afloat and get things done.

author: Fatouma Harber


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Copa América Shows How Little Love Chileans Have for President Bachelet · Global Voices
Elizabeth Rivera

Bachelet during the 2013 campaign in Maipú, Chile, a moment in which her popularity kept her leading the polls. A popularity that today escapes her due to corruption scandals. Photo by Mario Tellez. Copyright @Demotix (November 12, 2013).
June 11 marked the official start of the most important soccer tournament in South America – the 2015 Copa América in Chile. It was expected, given the importance of the event, that the country's president, Michelle Bachelet, would attend and even give some sort of welcome speech. But many wondered how the president would be welcomed to the National Stadium, given the low levels of approval for her administration and the questions of corruption surrounding her closest political and familial circle.
In March, Bachelet's approval rating hit a record low in her two terms as president: 31%, a rather distant number from the one that turned her into the most well-known and best-rated Chilean political figure.
Her opponents started a campaign called #PifiaaBachelet (#MockBachelet) on social networks days before the start of the tournament, inviting attendees to the stadium to protest against her:
Todo Chile de Arica a Pta Arenas diciendo: RENUNCIA YETA #PifiaBachelet QUEREMOS QUE SE ESCUCHE FUERTE Y CLARO!!! pic.twitter.com/2kREOz98so
— Copa America 2015 (@CAmericaChile) June 11, 201
All of Chile from Arica to Punta Arenas yelling: RESIGN JINX
WE WANT IT HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR!!!
Cortinas de humo q no pueden opacar el descontento por este mal Gno lleno de improvisaciones #PifiaBachelet https://t.co/a17HbKwUoN
— KENNO GALVEZ (@KENNOKESII) June 11, 2015
Smoke screens that cannot obscure the discontent over this bad government full of improvisations.
One of the biggest points of contention critics have with the Bachelet administration is education reform, adopted in February 2015, which has driven the student movement to the streets once again and made professors go on strike. Even on Copa América's opening day, Chilean students and certain teachers on strike staged a protest in the iconic Plaza Italia de Santiago, which they called “The Copa América of Education“. During this protest, they launched hundreds of balls in the air with messages like “free-of-charge with no fine print”.
In the video below, they summarize their position, comparing themselves to the Chilean national soccer team:
En Chile, miles de profesores llevan décadas disputando muchas copas. Hoy día disputamos una verdadera Copa América. La copa por la carrera docente que dignifique realmente la labor de cada maestra y maestro.
In Chile, thousands of professors have spent decades competing for cups. Today we are competing for a true Copa América. The cup awarded to the teaching profession that truly dignifies the work of every teacher out there.
After Copa América's opening match, President Bachelet left the stadium quietly. Her presence was not announced, there were no speeches, and presumably her team of advisers requested that the official broadcast exclude takes or close-ups of her to keep her image from being projected on big screens in the stadium. Chileans commented and widely debated her actions with hashtag #BacheletCOBARDE, (#BacheletTHECOWARD), which became a nationally trending topic.
Escondida, anoche Bachelet evadía pifias por contundente repudio ciudadano +65% rechaza su gestión! #BacheletCOBARDEpic.twitter.com/u2LkfJvP97
— Carlos Hurtado R (@CarlosTerceroHR) June 12, 2015
Hiding, Bachelet evaded mockery last night for overwhelming public condemnation 65%+ rejects her administration!
Porque no anunciaron ayer en el estadio a la Corrupta Bachelet ??? Facil, porque la pifiadera habria sido histórica 👎👎👎👎 #BacheletCOBARDE
— Facho Rodriguez (@fachorodriguez) June 12, 2015
Why didn't they announce the Corrupt Bachelet last night in the stadium??? Easy, because the mockery would have been historic
Mucho mas honorable hubiese sido presentarse al país y comerse las pifias estoicamente, pero decidió esconderse. #BacheletCobarde
— Weón (@ElWeonTroll) June 12, 2015
It would've been much more honorable to present herself to the country and take the jokes stoically, but she decided to hide.
One person even compared her to President of Brazil Dilma Roussef, who was booed at the 2014 World Cup closing ceremony in Maracaná Stadium in Río de Janeiro.
#BacheletCOBARDE tu amiga Dilma es igual de incompetente, pero no arrugó en el Mundial: lo inauguró como corresponde y se comió las pifias.
— Leonardo Palma (@leonardopid) June 12, 2015
your friend Dilma is equally as incompetent as you, but she wasn't scared by the World Cup: she kicked it off properly and took the jokes.
User @EraDeUltroll referred to President Bachelet's leadership after the earthquake and tsunami of 2010:
Pero si siempre Bachelet se ha escondido o ha huido de los problemas, para el 27F lo mismo,entonces de que se sorprenden(?)#BacheletCOBARDE — #NaciónBijuu (@EraDeUltroll) June 12, 2015
But if Bachelet has always hidden or ran from problems, like she did during 27F, why are you surprised?
On the other hand, some accused the people using the #BacheletCOBARDE hashtag as being driven by political ideologies, not concrete criticism of her administration. Others pushed back against that allegation.
Los que se regocijan con #BacheletCOBARDE,son los adoradores de Pinochet,q se hizo el enfermo para no enfrentar la justicia. Esa es cobardía
— Jorge A Richards (@ja_richards) June 12, 2015
Those rejoicing in #BacheletTHECOWARD are supporters of [Chilean dictator Augusto] Pinochet, who got sick just so he wouldn't have to face justice. That is cowardice.
Tratar de “Facho” a todo aquel que lleva el hashtag #BacheletCOBARDE es tan mononeuronal y monotemático de nivel básico
— AnthoStark (@AnthoStark) June 12, 2015
Treating anyone who uses hashtag #BacheletTHECOWARD like fascists is so single-minded even on the most basic level.
Más weón que creer que el HT #BacheletCOBARDE lo hizo sólo gente de derecha. Jajajaja, Como si los de izquierda la apoyaran!! — Romina Sapag (@rominasapag) June 12, 2015
Even more moronic than believing that hashtag #BacheletTHECOWARD was only used by right-wingers. Hahahaha, as if the left-wingers supported her!!
Some alluded to the president's only “public act” during the event — a selfie with the players following their victory — and took the opportunity to stress, once again, the debt she has with the country.
Inventan #BacheletCOBARDE y se retuercen de rabia y envidia estos ociosos ultra derecha. jamas tendrán esta selfie pic.twitter.com/vxRxh8Glj3 — CARLOS URREA TORRES (@CARLOURREA) June 12, 2015
These ultra right-wingers invent #BacheletTHECOWARD and squirm with anger and envy. They'll never have this selfie.
#BacheletCOBARDE por que no va al norte o a la Araucanía a sarcarse selfis o mejor aun x k no a revisar los antecedentes de sus ministros??
— jonathan valenzuela (@jonavalenz) June 12, 2015
Why doesn't #BacheletTHECOWARD go up north or to Araucanía to take selfies or better yet, why doesn't she go review her ministers’ records?
Presidenta., por qué no se toma una foto con las familias de los carabineros asesinados en servicio? #BacheletCOBARDE
— Valar Morghulis  (@axelzs) June 12, 2015
Madam President, why don't you take a photo with the families of policemen killed on duty?
La bache tb debería sacarse selfies c usuarios del TranStgo, después d todo ella les heredó esa mugre d transporte público #BacheletCOBARDE
— Claudia :D (@Claunubed) June 12, 2015
Bachelet should also take selfies with TranSantiago users. After all, she gave them this filthy public transportation system
#BacheletCOBARDE porque no se saca selfi aki la señora mejor !!! pic.twitter.com/c35iLbetrm
— Alvaro Javier Suarez (@alvarosuarez17) June 12, 2015
Why doesn't this woman here take a selfie instead of #BacheletTHECOWARD?
Sign reads: I dream of the day that education awakens the same passion as soccer does in our country.
Regarding the use of hashtags, @turcosalama29 concluded:
Pa q crean estas weas de HT #BacheletCOBARDE si después el día de las elecciones no son capaces de parar la raja para ir a votar
— Ulises #VamosLaU (@turcosalama29) June 12, 2015
Why do you believe these stupid #BacheletTHECOWARD hashtags if they're not capable of moving their asses to go vote after election day?
And Tuitero Liberal reflected as follows:
Un Presidente Incapaz de darle la cara al pueblo, No Merece Ser Presidente. #BacheletCOBARDE pic.twitter.com/ZjxourD8fZ
— Tuitero Liberal (@TuiteroLiberal) June 12, 2015
A president incapable of showing their face to the public doesn't deserve to be president.

author: Elizabeth Rivera


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God Sets Term Limits, Not the Constitution, Says Longtime Gambian President Jammeh · Global Voices
Demba Kandeh

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh with Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou in 2012. In Taiwan, presidents can't hold office for longer than two four-year terms, unlike The Gambia. Photo by Flickr user 總統府. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Last month, The Gambia and Togo vetoed efforts at the Economic Community of West African States to introduce a two-presidential-term limits across the region. The two countries are the only ones in the region without term limits and forced the 15-member bloc, which operates on consensus, to drop the idea.
While his counterpart may be silent, President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia has taken up the responsibility to explain why his country does not support term limits. “How long can one stay in power? It is only God who determines how long you can stay in power. It is not a human being who is responsible for making sure you stay in power,” he told New African magazine.
President Jammeh has ruled the tiny West African state since 1994 following a military coup, and in 2011 told the BBC that he will rule for “one billion years”, if God wills. He is widely criticised for human rights violations, especially against journalists, political opponents and the LGBT community.
Last month, he threatened gay people, saying: “If you do it here I will slit your throat… no-one will ever set eyes on you again.” A few days ago, a statement from the presidency said Jammeh should now be known as “His Excellency, Sheikh, Professor, Alhaji, Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh, Babili Mansa”. His latest addition, Babili Mansa, is a Mandinka phrase that means bridge building king; it was dropped in 2014.
Barely two weeks ago Jammeh threatened to pull out of both the Economic Community of West African States (ECWAS) and the African Union (AU) if the institutions are reduced to Western control:
They want to use their stooges in Ecowas to impose term limit because that is … a Western agenda. I am a pan-Africanist, but I will not subscribe to any institution that is hijacked by the West and be used against Africa. If it is the AU, I will leave AU; if it is Ecowas, I will leave Ecowas, but I will not be given lecture by any of these institutions on behalf of the West.
Jammeh was speaking at a political rally as part of activities marking his annual countrywide tour. In October 2013, the soldier-turn-civilian president pulled out of the Commonwealth describing it as a neo-colonial institution.
D A Jawo, a regular online commentator on Gambian affairs, said it is hard to imagine how Gambians can handle the negative consequences of the Gambia withdrawing from the economic community. Citizens of ECOWAS move “freely” within the region without requiring visas thanks to its protocol on the free movement of goods and services:
Therefore, with virtually all foreign embassies accredited to the Gambia being based outside the country, mainly in Dakar, one can imagine the trouble that Gambians will go through if they had to travel to Dakar to apply for visa every time they intend to travel to any country within and outside the sub-region,” Jawo noted.
Commenting on the subject on Facebook, Amadou Scattred Janneh said:
It has never been about #Gambia under Jammeh
He added:
@ChangeGambia: Dictator #Jammeh talking nonsense, again. “In next 5 yrs we are going to change our official language from English to a Gambia-n language.”
Frédéric Tendeng said:
This is absolute madness in action. The brain of this psychotic must be fully boiling with huge negative thinking traffic jam !!!
Demba A. Jawo expressed his fears:
I wonder whether Gambians can really stand the prospects of having to get a visa to travel to any country in the sub-region, which is what would happen if the Gambia leaves Ecowas or the AU. It is quite a scary
In the same thread, however, Surahata Fatty supported President Jammeh:
Please this is not madness, let gambia get out of all international organization. Who will suffer ?
Nyanchor Sanneh claimed that he is not a politician but a revolutionary because of Jammeh's tyrannical presidency:
In the mean time, I don't see myself as a politician for I have no one to engage politically as far as that DESPOTIC TYRANT is VOWING to TAKE the LAND with him to HELL. I am facing a Killer so I am a REVOLUTIONARY, married to the fight to liberate my self and help free my people. Being a revolutionary is not a sexy business It requires total commitment, a total plunge into the unknown, where friends and enemies are difficult to distinguish, lovers and haters use words with synonyms, dance to similar tones but different rhythms. It is to listen to the noise of your making, the noise of the enemy and the NOISE of the Concrete jungle where you found yourself….. This is our struggle, It is a Noble course of a selfless service, painful it is but YES to me the GAMBIA is WORTH the PAIN and MY LIFE TOO.”
It is difficult if not impossible to predict The Gambia's political and or diplomatic moves, but over the past two years, the country's autocratic leader continue to surprise the world. Whether it was the severing of diplomatic ties with long time allies such as Iran in 2010 and Taiwan in 2013 or the recent expulsion of European Union representative, Jammeh's political maneuvering remain largely unpredictable.

author: Demba Kandeh


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Kazakhstan Fears Mosquitoes Will Mar EXPO-2017 · Global Voices
Chris Rickleton

Troubled waters in Mosquito-rich Astana. Taken from: http://region.resurs.kz/galleryp/part1/1264571909.jpg. Licensed to reuse.
The government of Kazakhstan has announced its bold intention to stop nature in mid-flight and most netizens agree there will only be one winner. (Clue: not the government of Kazakhstan).
As 74-year-old President Nursultan Nazarbayev enters the twilight years of his long, autocratic reign, the image-sensitive, oil-rich state appears to be trying to host as many  prestigious international events as it possibly can. But as it gears up for the only one it is guaranteed to stage, the government fears there is a fly — or more accurately, a swarm of blood-hungry mosquitoes — in the ointment.
With Kazakhstan still waiting on the results of its bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics and considering a bid for the World Cup in 2026, the single occasion it can rely on as an opportunity to show off the national glitz is EXPO-2017, which it was selected to host by the International Exhibitions Bureau in 2012. The theme of the exposition was determined as ‘Energy of the Future’.
This is a big deal for Kazakhstan, not least because it will acquaint the world with Astana, a former steppe town the country's government transformed into a flash national capital with a population of more than 600,000 people.
As per the Lonely Planet Guide book:
Astana’s architectural style can best be described as idiosyncratic. The variety is a dizzying mix of clashing shapes and colours, yet is oddly suited to a nation made up of 100 ethnic groups following at least 30 different religions. The oriental post-modernism takes some getting used to, although the locals have domesticated all the thrusting modernity by giving many of the buildings homely nicknames according to their shape: a canary-yellow skyscraper is known as the Banana Building; seven squat cylindrical constructions are called the Seven Beer Barrels; and a pair of circular towers are the Ice Cream Cones.
EXPO-2017 will host delegations from over 100 countries and 10 international organisations, while organisers expect 2-3 million to visit the international pavilions from June to September 2017. The only hitch to the plan is that Astana was built on a swamp, and in the summer months when EXPO-2017 will be held, the mosquitoes can be really nasty.
The creatures that could spoil Astana's day in the sun. Wikipedia image.
A quick google search using the terms ‘Astana’ and ‘mosquitoes’ shows the scale of the pest problem. Fedor Peyev, a senior civil servant, invited public scorn by vowing to wipe the biters out on June 24:
…в период проведения выставки EXPO-2017 у нас в городе не должно быть ни одного комара. Поэтому мы на сегодняшний день предварительно посчитали и составили смету о дополнительном выделении средств на проведение вот этих видов работ […] Это очень-очень важный момент, потому что если делегации из зарубежных стран где-то в своих средствах массовой информации скажут, что в Астане много комаров, то это будет очень даже некрасиво с нашей стороны. Это имидж нашей столицы.
… during the exhibition EXPO-2017 there should not be a single mosquito in our city. Therefore, we are currently making a preliminary estimate for the allocation of additional funds for [mosquito-killing]. This is a very, very important point , because if the delegations from foreign countries announce via their media that there are a lot of mosquitoes in Astana, it will look very ugly on our part. This is the image of our capital.
Peyev did not say how he wished to achieve the annihilation, but on Tengri News where the article was published, commenter responses were deeply ironic:
это бесполезно, болото даст о себе знать
Vseko: This is useless. A swamp will always make itself known.
Всех комаров депортировать в 2017 году в Турцию и в Тайланд!
Arsen: All mosquitoes will be deported to Turkey and Thailand [popular holiday destinations for wealthy Kazakhs] in 2017.
Вот так бы с коррупцией боролись бы, свою “эко систему ” не хотят нарушать, а вот комаров надо уничтожить
Dan1que: Were that they fought against corruption in the same way. Your own “eco-system” you don't want to touch, but mosquitoes should be destroyed.
Preparations for EXPO-2017 have in actual fact already been tainted by a series of corruption scandals involving the state company set up to oversee preparations that some fear will undermine Kazakhstan's Winter Olympics bid.
But the dominant theme of the comments was the arrogance of man:
А давайте еще ветер остановим и солнце пусть 24 часа светит
Ruslan: So let's also stop the wind and let the sun shine 24 hours a day.
Надеюсь комары победят этих жестоких приматов!
Mysykbai Mysykbaev: I hope the mosquitoes defeat these cruel primates!
А в 2018 они вернутся… Голодные и злые
BML: And in 2018 [the mosquitoes] will return…hungry and angry.
Finally commenters took offence at the idea the government was only stepping up its battle with the creatures of the swamp to impress international visitors, perhaps in the same way China cleared Beijing's notorious smog to create an ‘Olympic Blue’ sky in 2008.
Неистребимое желание нашего народа к показухе – самое главное, не ударить лицом в грязь перед гостями. Вот так проходит наша жизнь – не для себя живем получается….
[This shows] the overwhelming tendency of our people towards all that is ostentatious — the most important thing is not to lose face in front of guests. And such is our life — not for ourselves we live it apparently.
The winner of the right to stage the 2020 Winter Olympics will be announced in Kuala Lumpur at the end of July. Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty is viewed as the underdog to host the games, since Beijing, its sole bidding rival, has prior Olympic experience.
The country's potential bid for the World Cup in 2026 seems a much longer shot. Preparations for the 2022 version of the tournament in Qatar — another corrupt, energy-abundant autocracy that has no footballing tradition — are soaked in controversy and international uproar, while the more general scandal surrounding football's governing body FIFA makes Kazakhstan look like a high-risk host.

author: Chris Rickleton


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Malaysian Lawyer’s Viral Post Criticizing the Proposal to Require Non-Muslims to Fast During Ramadan · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Malaysian lawyer Azhar Harun criticized the suggestion of some local leaders to require non-Muslims not to eat when Muslims fast during Ramadan.
Why the need to close school canteens during Ramadhan? Why must non-Malay pupils be asked to drink behind closed doors and even in the toilet? Just because our kids are learning how to fast? Well, aren't the non-Malay kids as well?
His Facebook post received 20,000 likes and 50,000 shares as of this writing. He is overwhelmed with the response he got:
…it is heartwarming to know that there are so many decent and peace-loving people who are like-minded. At last I know I am not alone. That I am not an aberration of sorts.
Malaysia has a predominantly Muslim population.

author: Mong Palatino


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New Black Hand Street Art Surfaces in Tehran in Response to #LetWomenGoToStadium · Global Voices
Mahsa Alimardani

A new work from Iranian street artist has emerged depicting a male sports fan brandishing dishwashing liquid like a sports trophy. Image take from the artists Facebook page.
A new image by Iranian street artist Black Hand has surfaced tody on the artist's associated Facebook page. The image is in response to the online and offline #LetWomenGoToStadium protests advocating for the presence of women during the Volleyball World League men’s games in Tehran between Iran and the United States. Women, including female journalists, are banned from attending male sports matches in stadiums.
New work by #Iran street artist Black Hand in protest to ban on women's attendance at stadiums #LetWomenGoToStadium pic.twitter.com/VWuVNMc0cO
— Golnaz Esfandiari (@GEsfandiari) June 25, 2015
Iranian street artist Black Hand has long been a fixture on social media, offering timely commentary on events effecting Iran. Black Hand is an anonymous artist or group of artists dubbed the “Iranian Banksy” by some media outlets. Graffiti is illegal in Iran, though authorities allow street art that supports the Islamic Republic. The artist posts photos of the art on an associated Facebook page before they are removed by authorities.
This particular image shows a man wearing the national Iranian football team's jersey, thrusting a bottle of dishwashing liquid reminiscent of players holding up the World Cup trophy. A similar Black Hand image initially appeared in July 2014 with a woman posing in with dishwashing liquid around the time that the team was competing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
#Iran‘s washing up liquid protest. Black Hand is sometimes referred to as “Iran's Banksy”! http://t.co/FINwgOzP7W pic.twitter.com/bw88GP5uKK — Saeed Valadbaygi (@SaeedBaygi) July 14, 2014
The artist explained on the comment section of his photo's post that the image appears in the same location as the July 2014 one, across from Tehran's Park Saee.
The June 19 volleyball match caused much excitement after the government announced some women would be allowed entry, despite the long-standing ban on women attending male sporting events. Two hundred of the 12,000 seats in the stadium were reserved for women. Security officials, however, denied the entrance of these ticket holders a few hours before the start of the game.

author: Mahsa Alimardani


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The Man Who Supported Ostriches and Other Viral Adventures of Viktor Yanukovych · Global Voices
Aric Toler

Former Ukrainian President Yanukovych is catching up to Vladimir Putin in meme points. Courtesy image from Twitter.
Ukraine's ousted ex-President Viktor Yanukovych is no stranger to memes and viral videos featuring his person. But after the Euromaidan protests led him to escape Ukraine in February 2014, he has been off the radar, living in an undisclosed location somewhere in Russia. On June 22, he suddenly reemerged on TV and computer screens, having granted an exclusive interview to BBC’s Gabriel Gatehouse.
Seated in a lavishly decorated room at a restaurant somewhere in Moscow, the two talked about a number of subjects, including the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine and the sniper fire on protesters in Kyiv’s Maidan Square, but an entirely different moment from the interview has spawned multiple reactions on social media: ostriches.
And also… The truth about his opulent residence and the ostriches in the petting zoo. #Yanukovich @BBCNewsnight pic.twitter.com/6OFSooAhxA
— Gabriel Gatehouse (@ggatehouse) June 22, 2015
Gatehouse broached the topic of ostriches when discussing the excesses of Mezhyhirya, Yanukovych’s 350-acre estate on the outskirts of Kyiv, which has since become a “Museum of Corruption” and spawned the “YanukovychLeaks” project investigating the financial dealings of the Yanukovych family. One of the more absurd elements of this estate was a private zoo, which held several ostriches, as well as other exotic animals. After Gatehouse asked about the private zoo, Yanukovych defended himself, saying that he had nothing to do with the animals and had simply “supported the ostriches.”
Би-би-си: А зоопарк?
В.Я.: Что?
Би-би-си: Зоопарк, который там находится, страусы и так далее…
В.Я.: Ну а что плохого в том, что я поддерживал людей…
Би-би-си: Эти страусы не принадлежали вам?
В.Я.: Что плохого, что поддерживал? Скажите мне?
Би-би-си: Что вы поддерживали?
В.Я.: Что я поддерживал этих страусов. Что плохого в этом?
Би-би-си: Поддерживали страусов…
В.Я.: Ну они жили там. Они просто жили там.
Би-би-си: На территории вашей резиденции?
В.Я.: А мне что, закрыть глаза и ходить – ничего не видеть?
BBC: The zoo?
Viktor Yanukovych: What?
BBC: The zoo, with the ostriches, etc.?
VY: What's wrong with supporting people?
BBC: So the ostriches didn't belong to you?
VY: What’s wrong with supporting?
BBC: What did you support?
VY: That I supported the ostriches, what’s wrong with that?
BBC:  You supported the ostriches?
VY: Yes, they just lived there.
BBC: They just happened to be living there on the grounds of your residence?
VY: Yes, what am I supposed to do, go around with my eyes closed?
[Transcript and translation provided by BBC]
“The ostriches” eclipsed most of the other answers in the interview, and Russian and Ukrainian social media users seemed just as amused by Yanukovych’s answer as Gatehouse himself, turning the phrase into an instant meme that erupted on Twitter and elsewhere.
Витя, на кого ты нас оставил? pic.twitter.com/GWVYoL760T
— Oleg Novikov (@olegnovikovkh) June 22, 2015
Vitya, who’d you leave us for?
Popular parody account of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, @Fake_MIDRF, speculated about ways the Russian government could support Yanukovych and his ostriches.
Думаем открыть международный благотворительный фонд поддержки страусов им. В.Ф. Януковича.
— Мuд Роисси (@Fake_MIDRF) June 23, 2015
We are thinking of launching a Yanukovych International Charitable Foundation for Ostrich Support.
However, a different Twitter user had an issue with this photo of Yanukovych riding an ostrich:
pic.twitter.com/zwOagudUdb
— Все Плохо (@sranysovok) June 23, 2015
@sranysovok это неправильная картинка. Он же поддерживает страусов, а не они его
— Saida (@SNurpeis) June 23, 2015
This picture is incorrect. He supports the ostriches, not the other way around.
The parody account for Dmitry Kiselyov's TV show “Vesti Dnya” also delivered.
Каждый раз когда ты называешь Януковича нелегитимным, в мире умирает один страус.
— Киселев: вести дня (@dailykiselev) June 22, 2015
Somewhere, an ostrich dies every time you call Yanukovych “illegitimate.”
Many users saw parallels between Yanukovych's actions during Euromaidan protests and the predicament of the current Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan in the context of the ongoing mass protests in Yerevan and other Armenian cities.
Президенту Армении Сержу Саргсяну всю ночь снились полчища страусов
— Веселые ребята (@VRebyata) June 23, 2015
All night long, Armenian president Serzh Sergsyan dreamed of a hoard of ostriches.
Саргсян, можешь забрать своих армянских страусов и свалить в Ростов через Иран#ElectricYerevan
— €ВРОССИЯ, НЕ 欧ВРАЗИЯ (@azazet) June 23, 2015
Sargsyan, you can take your Armenian ostriches and get away to Rostov through Iran #ElectricYerevan
While much of the rest of Yanukovych’s interview to BBC Newsnight was informative, especially regarding his statement on accepting some responsibility for the Maidan demonstrators who died from sniper fire, the ostriches overshadowed all other interesting tidbits and captured the public imagination. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, those ostriches are doing just fine, despite the absence of their biggest supporter.

author: Aric Toler


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Russia Bans the Internet Archive’s ‘Wayback Machine’ · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

It's so long to the “Wayback Machine” in Russia. Image edited by Kevin Rothrock.
The Russian government has blocked the Internet Archive, the San-Francisco-based website that provides the popular Wayback Machine, which allows users to view archived webpages. The decision to ban the Internet Archive appears to be the work of Russia's Attorney General, meaning that police determined that the website contains extremist content.
Rublacklist.net says police targeted the Internet Archive because of a saved webpage called “Solitary Jihad in Russia,” a short text that claims to offer information about the “theory and practice of partisan resistance.” At one point, the text states that Islamic sharia law “must be instituted all across the world.”
According to the website Rublacklist.net (a censorship-monitoring project operated by the Russian Pirate Party), the page in question* on the Internet Archive was added to Russia's official registry of banned websites on June 23, 2015. Because the Internet Archive uses https, some Russian ISPs will have to block the entire website in order to comply with the blacklisting, since encrypted traffic won't allow them to differentiate between different pages of the same site. According to TJournal, users of mobile Internet provider Yota were unable to access the page, the Wayback Machine, or the Internet Archive on June 25.
Like cache services offered by Google and Yandex, the Wayback Machine saves copies of websites that can later become useful resources, in the event that websites change, go offline, or delete their own content. The Internet Archive doesn't maintain the world's largest collection of archived websites (its 485 billion websites today pale in comparison to the 30 trillion Google had archived as long ago as 2013), but its Wayback Machine is unique for archiving several different versions of a website, saving different copies of the same page every few months or so.
By banning access to the Internet Archive, the government is denying Russian Internet users a powerful tool—one that is particularly useful in an environment where websites often disappear behind a state-operated blacklist, as is increasingly true in Russia today.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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Take a Look at the Africa the Media Never Shows You · Global Voices
Prudence Nyamishana

Screenshot of some of the images found under the hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou on Twitter.
The portrayal of Africa by mainstream media, particularly Western media, paints it as a dark, ugly, hopeless place that is ridden with civil war, militant groups, corruption, violation of freedoms, starvation, chaotic urbanisation and utter desperation. This gives people who have never being to Africa a false, misleading impression of the continent.
Africans on Twitter have came together to showcase the beauty, diversity and innovative modern architecture of the continent that Western media rarely show their audiences. It all began with the hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou by Twitter user Mango:
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou join us in the HT showcasing the beauty of Africa!
— mango (@lunarnomad) June 23, 2015
Soon, other Twitter users from all over joined in the effort. Here's a sampling of tweets from the campaign.
Nairobi, Kenya:
Nairobi, Kenya #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/Vez4qHspjr
— talhas wife #3 (@ShamsaAhmed) June 23, 2015
Antananarivo, Madagascar:
Antananarivo, Madagascar #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/zY69whnM4F
— mango (@lunarnomad) June 23, 2015
Khartoum, Sudan:
Khartoum, North Sudan 🇸🇩 #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/YV2mTgSSsh
— ForgottenBeauty (@forgottenFINES) June 23, 2015
African food:
#KCA #VoteJKT48ID BadassAfricanne: “Africans eat bugs” #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/PcuWxhbYKD
— A. Handy As (@Ar_Handy) June 23, 2015
African weddings:
African Weddings #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/EdpDnMV2Y4
— I Am THE CULTURE (@Toussaint215) June 23, 2015
Limpopo, South Africa:
Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/IRGaBsZNRc
— Lesego Semenya (@LesDaChef) June 24, 2015
Somalia:
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou SOMALIA pic.twitter.com/CiiZCItC9s
— deeq mahamud (@Deeq744Deeq) June 23, 2015
Lagos, Nigeria:
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou IN LAGOS an entire city built from reclaimed land from the sea. Significant progress pic.twitter.com/6KIbckZMa2
— Village HeadMaster (@misterkaris) June 24, 2015
Uganda:
The Pearl Of Africa, UGANDA. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/zp9UBGm1Wf
— This Is Uganda (@ThisIsUganda_) June 24, 2015
Côte d'Ivoire,:
HOME. IVORY COAST. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/fIuJ0v0jnU
— rochana (@itsrochana) June 24, 2015
Soweto, South Africa:
Soweto, South Africa ❤ #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/atK30zuAf1
— Lesego Semenya (@LesDaChef) June 24, 2015
Traditional African villages:
various traditional African villages #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/POTS6RzNwW
— mango (@lunarnomad) June 23, 2015
Aswan, Egypt:
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou Nubia houses in Aswan, Egypt pic.twitter.com/iLoI3Vhy3Q
— Nad!a A. (@Nadiaalie) June 23, 2015
Cape Verde:
My family's beautiful country of Cape Verde #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/14KSQZ0fuI
— Christina (@tinaaxlopes) June 24, 2015
There is an increasing yearning among Africans to control their narrative, and the hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou is just one example. Sites like Africa is Country and This is Uganda  have also come out to challenge portrayal of Africa in mainstream media.

author: Prudence Nyamishana


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A Tragic Ramadan in Yemen as Saudi-Led Coalition Bombardment Continues · Global Voices
Noon Arabia

The eve of Ramadan in Sanaa started with Saudi coalition bombings, tweets @faizahsulimani
The holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar, a month where Muslims fast in the daily hours, increase their prayers and charity, and reflect on their spirituality throughout the day. It is a month that usually brings with it peace and serenity, but sadly this hasn't been the case in Yemen this year.
Yemen has been witnessing a war for the past three months that started on March 25, when Arab Coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes in the capital Sana'a. Health facilities report that over 2,800 people have been killed and 13,000 injured since the violence started in March.
The eve of Ramadan in Yemen was marked by five simultaneous explosions targeting mosques and offices in Sanaa that killed 31 people and injured dozens on June 17.
This is crazy!! Start the first night of Ramadan by car bombing and hit 3 mosques and 23killed so far #yemen pic.twitter.com/RzfkYh9sAj
— FaizahAl-sulimani (@faizahsulimani) June 17, 2015
Many Yemenis hoped that the United Nations brokered Geneva talks between the Yemeni waring parties would bring with it a humanitarian ceasefire, at least during the holy month, but this was not the case.
That awkward moment when Ban Ki asks Muslims inclu custodian of Islam's holiest of holies to respect Ramadan! #Yemen https://t.co/n36hy5u2xV
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) June 15, 2015
Joyce Karam, Washington correspondent for Al-Hayat Newspaper, tweeted:
Every #Ramadan there seem to be new war in Middle East. This year's #Yemen, 2014 was Gaza. Syria, Iraq and Libya continue. Am I missing any?
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) June 15, 2015
Mohammed Jamjoom, senior correspondent at Al Jazeera English, reported on the dire humanitarian situation facing Yemen:
Ramadan in #Yemen: suffering in place of celebration, a humanitarian catastrophe – my latest piece for @AJEnglish https://t.co/qtvqWmjI7p
— Mohammed Jamjoom (@MIJamjoom) June 21, 2015
Despite the hardship that the country is going through, Yemenis still greeted the holy month with the usual traditions:
The spirituality of Ramadan in #Yemen #KefayaWar #Warlife pic.twitter.com/FiWHqUeHOq
— Everyday Yemen (@everydayyemen) June 18, 2015
Even in a time of war, ppl still shop in preparation for the holy month- At the souk of #oldSanaa #Yemen @barakabits pic.twitter.com/Mwacu2BjKz
— Everyday Yemen (@everydayyemen) June 19, 2015
Even in time of war & blockade, neighbours knock on your door to share #Ramadhan treats #Sanaa #Yemen #EverydayYemen pic.twitter.com/U5voFP3irr
— Sara Ishaq (@SaraHJIshaq) June 18, 2015
Yemenis started and broke their fast this Ramadan to the sounds of airstrikes, which drowned the sounds of dawn and sunset calls for prayers:
FYI: Airstrikes now in Sana'a #Yemen ..this morning too..on 1st day of Ramadan…by vanguard of Islam/Muslims #KSA https://t.co/wqPAVmQ9ZV
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) June 18, 2015
Blood still wet on street in Sana'a Old City & now fighterjets roaring over our heads..it's Ramadan for God's sake! #Yemen
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) June 20, 2015
IMAGINE Breaking your Ramadan fast with voice of airstrikes NOT Athan. Welcome to #Yemen #اليمن pic.twitter.com/jjDJYB6HNs
— Hakim Almasmari (@HakimAlmasmari) June 22, 2015
Just now as we're about to break fast. A Ramadan sunset with an edge. Faj Attan Sanaa. #Yemen #WarLife pic.twitter.com/6JaBJ7r2A4
— Ammar Al-Aulaqi (@ammar82) June 25, 2015
Praying at home, breaking the fast with canned fish as kids scream and jets roar overhead. Yemen's Ramadan: http://t.co/pv5KDrTt7o
— tom finn (@tomfinn2) June 25, 2015
The situation wasn't any better in other parts of Yemen suffering from Houthi shellings and bombardments. Alarabi Al-Jadeed provided a grim report about the situation in central and southern Yemen.
خلت أسواق اليمن من أي تجهيزات لاستقبال شهر رمضان، وسط ركود تجاري وانتشار للسلع منتهية الصلاحية وارتفاع في أسعار السلع الضرورية والخدمات واضطرابات أمنية ونزوح داخلي. وقال مواطنون في عدن، أكثر مدينة تضرراً من الحرب التي تشنها مليشيات الحوثي وصالح على اليمنيين، لـ”العربي الجديد”، إنهم لم يشعروا بدخول شهر رمضان في ظل استمرار المعارك بين (الحوثيين) والمقاومة الشعبية. وتشهد مدينة تعز (وسط اليمن) حرب شوارع بين الحوثيين والمقاومة الشعبية بالإضافة إلى ضربات التحالف العربي بقيادة السعودية، ما أدى إلى توقف الحركة التجارية وإغلاق 95% من المحلات التجارية وفقاً لتقرير صادر عن ائتلاف الإغاثة في المدينة. وتعرض سوق المدينة المركزي للفواكه والخضروات للتدمير جراء المواجهات وتم إغلاقه بداية مايو/أيار الماضي، كما يسيطر الحوثيون على المنافذ البرية الرئيسية
للمدينة وفرضوا حصاراً اقتصادياً على الأهالي
Yemeni markets were empty of any preparations to welcome the month of Ramadan, amid the stagnation of trade, the spread of expired goods, the increased prices of essential goods and services, and unstable security and internal displacement.
The citizens of Aden, the city most affected by the war waged by Houthi militias and Saleh against Yemenis, told Al-Arabi that they did not feel Ramadan's beginning in light of the continued fighting between the Houthis and the popular resistance.
The city of Taiz (central Yemen) is witnessing street wars between the Houthis and popular resistance in addition to strikes by the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which led to a halt of commercial traffic and closure of 95 per cent of the shops, according to a report issued by a coalition of relief in the city. The city's central market for fruit and vegetables was destroyed due to the clashes and was closed in early May, in addition Houthis control the main land ports of the city and imposed an economic blockade on the residents.
The fact remains that the situation is much more catastrophic in Yemen's southern coastal city of Aden. Iona Craig, the only foreign independent journalist who reported from there, describes it “by war or by fever, the only way out of Aden is death”.
For insight into what's happening in Aden, where Yemen's civil war began, here's collection of work from 3 week trip http://t.co/XnCAprDHau
— Iona Craigأيونا كريج (@ionacraig) June 19, 2015
Sahar Nouraddin tweeted the following:
Smell of death in every neighborhood in #Aden who doesn't die due to #dengue ,dies out of random shelling #WHO #HRW #Yemen #crisis #UN
— Sahar (@ssnuraddin) June 22, 2015
very difficult night ,random shooting & shelling in the neighborhood #Aden #Yemen seems that invaders stay up till morning in #Ramadan
— Sahar (@ssnuraddin) June 23, 2015
very difficult night ,random shooting & shelling in the neighborhood #Aden #Yemen seems that invaders stay up till morning in #Ramadan
— Sahar (@ssnuraddin) June 23, 2015
Bullets & shells are killing people in Aden. And now so is Dengue Fever. @alaraby_en http://t.co/bG4QPcExzT pic.twitter.com/wXA3DlAny7
— Abubakr Al-Shamahi (@abubakrabdullah) June 25, 2015
The UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, remarked in alarm on the situation in Yemen:
“Parties to the conflict show an utter disregard for human life” @UNAidChief FULL BRIEFING to press today on #Yemen: http://t.co/wXPGtZvw4f
— UNOCHA (@UNOCHA) June 25, 2015
Johannes van der Klaauw, UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, and Amer Daoudi, UN regional humanitarian coordinator, warned the world about the humanitarian catastrophe:
“All parties need to understand that it's the #Yemen‘i ppl who are suffering,” Regional Humanitarian Coord. Daoudi > https://t.co/vIpmy8gnAB
— UNOCHA (@UNOCHA) June 22, 2015
Ahlam Hashem summarized in her tweet what it currently feels like to live in Yemen:
a country where ppl r sentenced 2 death by shelling,street fighting,hunger,outbreak diseases,this is nt a homeland it's a living hell #Yemen
— Ahlam|العباسي (@Ahlam8Hashem) June 22, 2015
Despite all, Yemenis wish everyone a Ramadan Kareem.
Ramadan Kareem. May it be easy 4 those living under hardship/war in Iraq, Palestine, Syria & Yemen & in refugee camps pic.twitter.com/ctsZCrUy65
— نون عربية (@NoonArabia) June 18, 2015

author: Noon Arabia


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Abel Wabela: “To Fight Bystander Apathy…This is My Mission as a Human” · Global Voices
Melody Sundberg

Abel Wabela. Drawing by Melody Sundberg.
In April 2014, nine bloggers and journalists were arrested in Ethiopia. Several of these men and women had worked with Zone9, a collective blog that covered social and political issues in Ethiopia and promoted human rights and government accountability. Four of them were Global Voices authors. In July, they were charged under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. They have been behind bars ever since and their trial has only recently begun.
This marks the sixth post in our series – “They Have Names” – that seeks to highlight the individual bloggers who are currently in jail. We wish to humanize them, to tell their particular and peculiar stories. This week, Swedish blogger and artist Melody Sundberg writes about Abel Wabela, a member of Zone9 and the manager of Global Voices’ Amharic site.
I have never been to Ethiopia, but I have followed the never-ending trials of the bloggers closely through social media and conversations. A name often mentioned is that of Abel Wabela, a 28-year-old blogger, author and translator for Global Voices. During the first three months of the bloggers’ detention in Maekelawi*, Abel refused to sign a prepared confession paper in which he, together with the other bloggers, were incriminated. For this, Abel underwent extreme torture. According to the Ethiopian Human Rights Project (EHRP), he was beaten by a person using a stick, and his feet were whipped by someone using a computer plug cable. He was forced to lay on the floor while interrogators stomped on his back, neck and face. Since then, he has had to use a hearing aid as a result of worsened hearing impairment.
According to Endalk Chala, co-founder of the blogging group, Abel had suffered poor treatment even before his arrest. One day, three weeks before the arrest, Abel was beaten as he was walking home from work. Several people appeared and beat him so severely that he lost his consciousness, and they took his cell phone and laptop. He feared beating was a threat, intended to make him stop blogging. But Abel continued his work.
Abel Wabela. Photo courtesy of family.
I wanted to know more about Abel, so I asked some of those close to him to describe their friend. Endalk Chala describes Abel as the most kindhearted and wonderful soul. Abel is a man of knowledge and a great conversationalist, and he believes in open and honest discussions. Jomanex Kasaye describes Abel as being straight forward and knowing what he stands for. At the same time, he is very humble. Abel is always hungry for more knowledge. He likes to spend his time in discussions with historians, university lecturers and authors. His faith is important to him. He loves attending in church. He often visited prisoners, having the country and its people in his heart. He always thinks of others rather than himself.
The heartless treatment of Abel continued after his detention in Maekelawi. Following one of the trials in February, prison officials had forgotten to handcuff him on the bus heading back to the prison. For this, Abel was punished. They tied him up with dog chains for the whole day, and took away his hearing aid. During a trial in May, Abel was once again punished for using his right to expression. Abel questioned the judges for not letting the detainees speak. For this, he was sentenced to four months for contempt of court.
The kind of treatment Abel has been put through could break anyone. Still, Abel has kept showing resistance. I ask myself: What is it that makes someone risk being jailed, beaten and tortured? Reading Abel's latest letter, I find the answer:
My purpose is to communicate. My aim is to learn. My reason is to engage in a deep insightful intuitive understanding of life and fight bystander apathy. This is my mission as a human. It is not a task I was given from a stranger. I will not allow anyone to trample on this basic right. I will not bargain with anyone whether they are people of political power, individuals, institutions or even a society to give away my basic speech right. I practice my free speech rights in a public sphere, in my own private space, on social media, in prison, in a court room, in a police interrogation rooms. I use my free speech rights responsibly without hindering other peoples’ rights and I want to practice it everywhere. In hindsight warnings, intimidations, arrest and torture have not stopped me from exercising my free speech rights neither they do in the future.
“To fight bystander apathy… This is my mission as a human.” The sentences form a simple answer to a difficult question. The reason Abel keeps using his freedom of expression is because it is a basic right that can be exercised everywhere in every situation. He has made the choice to use this right, because speaking out against injustice is to fight bystander apathy. I am more than certain that he will continue defending this right for the rest of his life.
We live in a world where some label the use of freedom of expression as an act of terrorism. We also live in a world where others are sacrificing their freedom while defending our right to speak our minds. The Zone9 Bloggers defended human rights. They chose to stand up against injustice. They chose to speak the truth. For this, they were robbed of their freedom.
I do not know Abel today, but I look forward to the day I will.
* Following their arrest, the bloggers and journalists were jailed in Maekelawi. Maekelawi is the Federal Police Crime Investigation Sector in Addis Ababa. Political prisoners, journalists, bloggers, protest organizers among others are held there before proceeding to prison. Human Rights Watch has reported about torture, coercive interrogation methods and poor detention conditions taking place there.

author: Melody Sundberg


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Help Wanted to Make Sure the U.N. Climate Change Conference COP 21 Will Result in Concrete Actions · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

Logo of Place To Be – Courtesy Anne-Sophie Novel with permission
The year 2015 is especially important for our planet’s climate. One of the highlights is the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) that will take place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 in Paris. Diplomats from all over the world will gather to discuss global policies and France is intent on making a success out of the event.
Civil society groups, as well as journalists and bloggers are also gearing up to push for what they see as a last chance or a first step for our planet's survival, as summed up by French blogger Jack Tenin on Club Mediapart.
If you are longing to be an active part of the discussion on the side of the civil society  and you are willing to come to Paris during the event, you could participate in the event at a new media information factory that includes a co-working space and can provide affordable places to stay, as well as connection to the venue.
French economist, environmentalist, journalist and blogger Anne-Sophie Novel is creating just such a place, which her team named “Place to B“. She expands on the project in the following video :
The project aims at manufacturing a different storytelling on climate change, by
Registration for Place to B is here. You may even meet some Global Voices contributors during this busy and massive event.

author: Suzanne Lehn


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More Europeans Migrate to Latin America Than Vice Versa, Study Finds · Global Voices
MigraMundo

“Leaving” Mural, by Antonio Segui, at Independencia station in the Buenos Aires metro, Argentina.
Photo: Rodrigo Borges Delfim
This post originally appeared in Portuguese on the MigraMundo blog and is republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.
Contrary to popular belief, more Europeans are currently migrating from Europe to Latin America and the Caribbean than in the opposite direction. This is the conclusion reached in a study published recently by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), titled ‘Migratory Dynamics in Latin American and the Caribbean and between Latin America and the European Union’.
The document shows that more than 181,000 Europeans left their countries in 2012, in comparison with the 119,000 Latin Americans moving in the opposite direction. The data show a reduction of 68% in the latter flow compared to 2007, when the number of migrants moving from Latin America and the Caribbean to Europe stood at over 350,000 people, its highest level ever.
Spain is at the top of the list of countries with the highest number of citizens emigrating in search of new opportunities in Latin American states, with 181,166 emigrants to Latin America in 2012. It is followed by Italy, Portugal, France and Germany.
In 2013, 8.5 million international migrants lived in Latin America (1.1 million originating from the EU), 500,000 more than in 2010 and 2.5 million more than in 2000.
“In recent years, changes in migration flows between Latin America and Europe show once again that these flows naturally evolve according to socioeconomic fluctuations and that they have the potential to act as a tool for adjusting and responding to structural economic crises”, explains Laura Thompson, assistant director-general at IOM.
Study shows that more Europeans have migrated to Latin America than Latin Americans to Europe.
Photo: IOM/Divulgação
An example of the adjustment she mentioned is the increase in migration between Latin American countries. In 2013, Argentina took the lead, receiving 238,700 immigrants from other Latin countries (28% of the total), followed by Venezuela, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
What about Brazil?
While the migration issue is growing in importance in Brazil, which is establishing itself as a transit and destination country for migrants, the IOM study shows that Brazilians continue to migrate to other countries.
According to the IOM, Brazil is the Latin American country which sends the highest numbers of migrants to Europe, followed by Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. It is also the country which receives the highest amount of remittances from the European Union (US $1.596 billion), comprising 22% of the total amount sent to Latin America (data from 2012).
Click here to download the study (in Spanish).

author: MigraMundo