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Ghana: Did God save the Akosombo Dam? · Global Voices
Emmanuel.K. Bensah

We start off this week’s review with Ghana’s electricity crisis, which started in August 2006, but has seen a considerable improvement almost a year later. Could it be because priests prayed for the Akosombo Dam to fill up? Ghana Unite opines:
Prayer is a powerful tool, but I also believe God has equipped us with what we need, or at least some of what we need..and what do we do? We decide not to use it. As much as we should trust in God to turn our situation around, why not use the lovely brains he's blessed us with and come together to find a permanent situation to the electricity situation??
It is certainly a valid question to ask, since it’s clear from the Christian culture that “God helps those who help themselves”. Ghana Unite adds:
You might be wondering where I'm going with all of this…basically, all I'm saying is its about time we Ghanaians start putting our money where our mouths are. This electricity situation happens basically every year. And every year we say we'll work on it, but every single year we're back at Square 1. Honestly, this is a vicious cycle we NEED to break, otherwise we're wasting both our time and money by investing in certain things when even the basic utilities of our people cannot be met. Maybe I'm just ranting and raving up in here, but seriously, even before the 2008 Elections roll in and the politicians start throwing soon-to-be-unfulfilled promises left, right and center, start thinking about which potential leaders might actually have Ghana at heart. I hope we continue to pray for our homeland
While Ghanaians hope that the policy-makers are getting to work, others are getting to work of a different kind altogether—as exemplified by Lolade Adewuyi, a Nigerian journalist based in Ghana. He chronicles in his blog, L'etat,les situations generale how he trekked from Tema, a city east of the capital city, Accra, on foot! His trek to Tema proves to be an inspirational lesson in humility, as well as a seriously epiphanous one:
I picked myself up, like all great people have done all through the centuries and dusted myself up and returned to my journey. Slowly and painfully, I trekked the long road from Tema to Accra. Thank God that the sun hid itself behind the clouds for most of that morning. I passed brooks and springs, crossed bridges and was overtaken by many a moving vehicle all speeding away to the city. Then it occurred to me, life’s journey is a lone road. We might be lucky sometimes to get a companion that would make it with us but as much as possible we do it on our own. The measure of each man is to make life’s journey as bravely as they only can for the shoes will hurt several times and the strength will fail, but we need to always stop and rest to regain energy and plod on because nobody ever received a prize for quitting.
Meanwhile, South Africa is up for some flak as three blog entries touching on different aspects of African development refer to how it must do better. The first is by Emmanuel of Trials & Tribulations of a Freshly-Arrived Denizen who continues his series on the developments of the proposed takeover by South African-based Standard Bank of Ghana’s only Agricultural Development Bank:
That's what I am talking about–supporting the Ghanaian industry no matter what. Idem with the ADB/Stanbic furore.I have actually been accused elsewhere of being xenophobic towards South Africans, because of my acerbic post about Stanbic.If it behooves me to hold strong viewson a so-called strategic foreign investor that is clearly in
The second is by Martin Egblewogbe, of  ewomi. In this particular entry, he discusses the importance of a single Africa Union Government, and how it could deal with immigration and (the management of) resources. On immigration, he writes:
What people are afraid of: For example, will South Africa be flooded by job seekers from elsewhere in the continent? Very likely. Will this flood (a) continue (b) distort the local economy?Answer (a) the flood will quickly abate. Because when
Africa is, there will be so much more opportunity for wealth creation continent-wide. (You better believe this. The resources of this continent are vast). To answer (b) there will be distortion, but not all unpleasant. For example, the detrimental brain drain might just be redirected. Ghanaian doctors who want to flee Ghana might end up in

South Africa. They've fled, but they're still in the country. Some creative South Africans who have learnt a trick or two about gold might turn up in Obuasi. Ghanaian electrical engineers night wind up rebuilding

Liberia's grid network. (Or did that already happen?) Maybe I have not made the point succinctly enough, but you catch my drift…Immigration will also lead to stabilization of those areas that are not economically viable for residence. If the truth be told, there are some places on this continent that are suited only for mineral exploitation and ‘safari’, not to plant towns and cities. Witness the endless droughts and attendant starvation in certain areas of the continent. People must leave those areas and make a life in more viable places. Never mind if a Nigerian settlement appears in
Ghana – oh – has that already happened?Often, the joke of the modern world is that immigrants have a beneficial effect on a country's economy and a humbling effect on the population (look how dese foreigners haf taken all howa jobs)…!
As for managing natural resources, he suggests that sufficient regulation by the AU authority would help minimize potential conflict:
On the question of resources, a responsible central authority will ensure that there is more appropriate management and distribution. Is theNile
River going to be a source of conflict? Perhaps, and more likely so, when there are two or more countries in contention. If there was a single political and economic structure (African Government) that would deal fairly with all the people, such conflict will not arise.
Finally, Obed Sarpong of Sarpong Obed–Ready to Chew ruminates over the attitude of South Africa towards other Africans, especially the country’s fellow neighbour Zimbabwe:
And the South African military: they roam the border 24 hours with dogs, big dogs that would be unleashed on any fellow black brother from Zimbabwe trying to cross. I'm not saying South Africans should let people flood in their nation (a vast land which is also for all Africans by all standards), but at least treat them in humane ways considering the circumstance in Zimbabwe now. It's only normal.
He asks:
What would have happened if Zimbabwe and the rest of
Africa (including my Ghana) closed their borders on South African when they were struggling under the barbaric white apartheid regime, ha? Remember those times (about 45 years ago) no South African student living in Ghana payed school fees. Never! It was even statutory that South Africans shouldn't pay schools in Ghana, then. See? South Africans owe pan
Africa a moral obligation and in every way must pay the restitution when they could — to any African.
Basing his killer-question on New African magazine Editor Baffour Ankomah, and his column “Baffour’s Beefs,” he wonders:
I don't know if South Africans are demented and are suffering from brain haemorrhage (forgive me), but they should rethink, and soon. As Baffour of NewsAfrica put it, they shouldn't forget so soon!

author: Emmanuel.K. Bensah


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Ghana: Open Source evangelism in Ghana · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Odzangba is excited about the increasing use of open source software at the University of Ghana: “It seems the whoever is in charge of open source evangelism here in the university of Ghana has built some serious momentum. I talked about ubuntu being used in the balme library some weeks last semester. Well now, it’s the ICT direcrorate.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Honduras: Corruption Perceptions · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Aaron Ortiz of Pensieve reflects on Honduras’ score in the current Transparency International's corruption perceptions index.

author: Eduardo Avila


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India: Lesbians and Values · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Confessions From The Closet writes blogging about being a lesbian and a few harsh comments.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Iran Invites Bush to Speak · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Desert Peace from Israel links to a news article in which Iran invites President Bush to speak at an Iranian university.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Iraq: Life in a Warzone · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Faiza Al-Arji from Iraq writes  about an Iraq torn by warfare and strife in this post.


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Iraq: Neutral Media?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The Washington Post curiously buries a story this morning back on page A17. Since it makes George Bush look bad, you might have thought they wouldn't have buried it quite so deep,” writes Iraq Pundit in this post.


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Iraq: Possible Cholera Cover Up? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Ladybird from Iraq links to a news article about a possible cholera cover up in Iraq.


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Jamaica: Grateful Day  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In light of the situation in Myanmar, Montego Bay Day By Day writes: “Although this little rock called Jamaica isn't perfect, I am indeed grateful that, as of this date, we can criticize our government quite harshly without fear.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Japanese cameraman killed in Myanmar · Global Voices
Jens Wilkinson

During a demonstration on September 27, Japanese photojournalist Nagai Kenji was killed while reporting on the ongoing unrest in Myanmar.
Initially, news reports were that Nagai had likely been struck by a “stray bullet” when security forces opened fire on protestors. However, as written by Hosaka Nobuto, an opposition politician, in his blog entry:
昨日の夜、日本人ジャーナリスト長井健司さんが死亡したというニュースが飛び込んできた。当初は、「流れ弾にあ たったのか」とも言われたが、1メートルの至近距離からビデオ撮影中に銃撃されたという情報も出てきており、軍事政権兵士によるジャーナリスト殺害であっ た可能性も高い。
Last evening, it was reported that Japanese journalist Nagai Kenji had died. Initially, it was said that he had been “struck by a stray bullet,” but information has emerged that he was shot from a distance of one meter while taking video images, and it seems likely that this was the murder of a journalist by soldiers of the military government.
Needless to say, there are a number of bloggers who have written that Nagai brought this on himself by exposing himself to the line of fire. And many others have condemned the Myanmarese military regime for its violations of human rights.
One interesting part of this drama was the use of pictures. The morning and evening editions of Asahi Shimbun carried the same picture, but the photo in the morning edition was trimmed to avoid showing Nagai lying on the ground after being shot. As described by blogger coral_island,
2枚の写真をよく見てください。実は全く同じ写真なのです。朝刊ではわざわざ銃を構える治安部隊員と、倒れている長井健司さんを外してトリミングをしているのです。同じ写真であるのにこうした細工をすることによって、全く印象の違うものになってしまっています。
Look at the two pictures. They are absolutely identical. In the morning edition, they deliberately trimmed the picture to avoid showing Nagai Kenji and the soldier who shot him. The pictures give a totally different image.
What is particularly interesting about this case is that in general, the Japanese media do not show pictures of bodies.  But in the evening edition of Asahi, Nagai is shown on the ground, still trying to film despite being fatally wounded.
Blogger Kyo no My News gives an idea of why, in the Nagai case, this principle might have been waived.
それにしてもテレビは、人が撃たれるところなんかを、平気で流すようになったね。ドラマじゃなくて、本当に起きていることなのに。長井さんの場合は、映像では、撃たれて倒れているけれど、まだ生きていて、“死体”じゃないからいい、とでも言うのだろうか。

author: Jens Wilkinson


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Jordan: Help the Needy · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Naseem Tarawnah urges his readers to join a group which aims to help the needy during the holy month of Ramadan.


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Korea: Myanmar and Korea  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

How do Koreans think about the Myanmar situation? Interestingly, many bloggers strongly feel an attachment to this situation and link it to Korean history.
The Myanmar situation reminded some bloggers of their own experiences in the 1980s of Korea.
고등학교 시절 까지 줄곧 미얀마라는 곳을
버마라고 부르기 시작하면서,
버마는 내게 아주 특별한 곳이 되었다.
낯선 한국 땅에서 노동을 하며,
고국의 민주화를 위해 싸우고 있는 이들을 지켜 보는 것은,
한국이 일제 점령하에 있을 때,
일본, 중국, 만주, 미국 땅으로 건너가서
고국의 독립을 위해 싸웠던 독립운동세력을
이 시대에 다시 마주하는 것 같은 느낌을 가지게 했다.
그리고 오늘.
버마에서 시민과 승려 10만여명이 모여
버마 군사정부에 저항하는 평화시위가
버마 군사 정부의 폭력진압으로
사망자와 사상자를 내고 있다는 소식을 접했다.
이제 더 이상 낯설지 않은 땅 위에서,
가고 싶어도 갈 수 없는 마음 속의 낯 설지 않은 땅에서 벌어지는 일을
목격하고 갖가지 감정이 교차할 그들이 떠올랐다.
….
오늘, 버마 양곤에서 벌어지는 시위와 폭력진압, 학살을 목격하는 것이
마치 1980년  광주의 오월, 그리고 그 곳에서의  폭력과 학살을
다시 마주하는 것 같은 느낌이 든다.
Looking at Burmese working in a strange place, Korea, and fighting for democratization, I felt that I am likely looking at Korean independent activists for the nation’s independence in Japan, China, Manchuria, and America during the Japanese colonization period….
And today.
About 100,000 civilians and Buddhist monks in Burma gathered together for a peaceful demonstration against the military government and there are deaths and injuries due to violent suppression from the Burmese government.
In a land which is not strange for them anymore, they must have complicated thoughts looking at their land, which they can’t go to now.
Today, observing the demonstrations, violent suppression, and massacre, I feel that I go back to Kwanju in May, 1980 and look back at violence and massacre.
Some of them actively appeal to other bloggers to join supports for Burmese demonstrators.
( 본 시위 사진은 미얀마에 거주하고 있는 정범래씨로 부터 현지사진을 직접찍어서 올린 사진이며 미얀마에 모든 인터넷이 끈어지면 ,더 이상 현지 실시간 내용을 올릴수 없다고 합니다.  대신 글을 올려 달라고 했읍니다.)
미얀마 에서는  지금  국민들이  군부 독재정권의 타도를 위해서 국민들이 시위를 하고 있읍니다. 미얀마 수도 양곤에는 시위를하는 시민들 진압을 위해 2개 사단 군병력이 배치가 되었읍니다. 무고한 국민을 더러운 총칼로  진압을 할것 같읍니다. 국제사회는 모두 나서서 군부의 강경 진압을 막아야 합니다…평화를 사랑하는 모든 사람들의  서명 동참을 바랍니다 .
Some bloggers like indofantazy console Burmese through their experiences and reminisce about their own struggling time.
민주화가 우스운 시대입니다. 이제 개발론자들의 돼지 같은 탐욕에 의해
부정되고, 짓밟히고, 더렵혀지는 시대에 우리는 살고 있습니다.
첫 시위를 나서던 날 그 떨림을 저는 기억합니다.
종로와 을지로, 광화문을 시위대로 가득 메우던 1991년의 하늘을 저는 죽도록 잊지 못할겁니다.
오후6시가 되면 모든 시민들이 멍청한 표정으로 국기 하강식을 기다려야 했던
극장을 가더라도 애국가가 나오면 모두 일어나야 하고
뉴스가 시작하면 전두환, 노태우로 시작하던,
아니 시위한번 할려면, 몰래 몰래 동대문, 명동, 을지로의 거리를 거닐며 눈빛을 교환하다
한명이 달려나갈때 우르르 몰려나가 군사작전처럼 거행해야 하는
당시의 헌법에도 보장된 집회, 결사의 자유가 보장되지 않던
그 시대를 지긋지긋하게 혐오합니다.
비욘드 랭군
1988년 수천명이 사망한 버마 민주화 운동을 기억합니다.
8년전 내 조국의 빛고을에서도 같은 일이 벌어졌습니다.
티비 방송국 1개
라디오 방송국 1개
신문사 1개
10개 미만의 인터넷 카페, 그나마 내국인은 사용 불가
…80년 빛고을 아스팔트에 묻었던 선연한 핏자욱이 생각나는 날입니다….
미얀마의 민주화 투쟁을 지지합니다.
언젠가 군부의 주구들이 다시 권력을 잡고, 오늘의 이 투쟁을 비웃을 지라도,
역사는 보다 먼 후일,
올바른 평가를 할 것입니다….
I still remember the nervousness of the first day when I went for a demonstration.
I can’t forget the sky in 1991 where Jongro, Euljiro, and Kwanghwamun were full of demonstrators.
Every 6 pm, all civilians had to wait for the moment to bring down the national flag with dumb faces and even in the theater, all people had to stand up at the time of the national anthem. In order to have a demonstration, we individually had to walk around Dongdaemun, Myeongdong, and Euljiro with disguise and one person started leading, others joined him (or her) to start the demonstration. Even though we had the freedom of organizing meetings and associations, I extremely despise that time.
Beyond Rangoon.
I remember the movement for democratization that caused thousands of deaths in Burma in 1988. My village had the same story eight years ago.
TV station 1
Radio station 1
Newspaper 1
Less than 10 internet cafes, but not for locals….
It remids me of clear bloodstains on asphalt in the 1980s….
I support their struggle for democratization in Myanmar…
Even though the military will grab the authority again and mock today’s struggle, history will judge them righteously in the future…
Not a few bloggers criticize the ambigious attitude of the Korean government.
2. 랑군, 미얀마 그리고 서울, 대한민국
현재 미얀마는 정치적으로 정상적인 국가의 기능을 완전히 상실한 상태에 놓여있습니다. 국가는 존재하고 있으나 입법, 사법, 행정의 전권이 88년 구테타로 정권을 장악한 군부에 의해 난도질 당하고 있는 상황입니다….
1988년, 사회주의 정권이 몰락하자 미얀마에는 민주주의의 맹아가 싹터기 시작했고, 그 상황은 과거 우리가 겪었던 4.19 혁명 직후나 80년 서울의 봄을 연상시키기에 충분했습니다….
이쯤에서 이미 짐작하시겠지만, 군인이 총구로 권력을 유지하는 국가가 으례히 그렇듯 현재의 미얀마는 사회안정이라는 명분하에 수많은 인권이 유린되고 있는 실정입니다.
때만되면 ‘멸사봉공'을 외치는 자들이 대한민국에서 저지른 반인륜적 범죄가 아시아의 다른 한 쪽에서 반복 재생되고 있단 말이지요.
4. 세계화된 한국정부는 뭘 하는가.
그런데 이 즈음이면 저는 늘상 한가지 의문에 직면합니다. …대한민국은 어째서 이런 일에는 꿀먹은 벙어리 흉내를 내고 있는가 하는 것입니다.
헌법 정신이 세계의 평화에 기여한다고 해서 멀게는 베트남으로 가깝게는 아프카니스탄, 이라크에 군대를 보내고 낼 모래면 레바논에 또다른 우리의 젊은이들을 보내는 등, 그토록 세계평화와 인권을 사랑하는 나라가 어째서 아시아 한켠에서 벌어지고 있는 야만에 대해서 그토록 일관되게 침묵하지는 알다가도 모를 일입니다.
특히 앞서 이야기한 바, 미얀마에 일어나는 일련의 사건들이 우리의 과거와 너무나 닮아있고, 지금의 위정자들도 그 고통을 굳이 설명하지 않아도 잘 알고 있을 것이 분명한데, 무엇이 그리도 계산할 것이 많아 아직까지 잠잠하냐 이말이지요.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kuwait: 1,000 Women in Swimsuits  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A 1,000 women in swimsuits? Fonzy, a Lebanese blogger living in Kuwait, wishes the record would be broken over and over again.


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Malaysia: Demostration in Support of Myanmar · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Elizabeth Wong has posted images of the demonstrations that took place earlier today in front of Myanmar embassy in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

author: Preetam Rai


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Maldives: Facebook and blogs used to organize vigil to remember torture victim · Global Voices
Nihan Zafar

On 19 September 2003 a conflict among some inmates of Maafushi Jail in the Maldives led to 12 of them being isolated from their cells. Among the isolated was Hassan Evan Naseem, a 19 year-old boy imprisoned because of drug-related charges. Evan insisted that he was not part of the disturbance and it is said that he resisted the security guards’ efforts to isolate him and is alleged to have hit a guard with a piece of wood. The anger of the guards fell on Evan. Beatings and torture were common at Maafushi Jail but what happened on that day changed the course of history in the Maldives.
Evan was kept standing against the eastern wall of a workshop in the jail during the night, with his hands over his head and handcuffed to steel bars on the wall. The yard of the workshop was the infamous ‘Range’ area, where prisoners are subjected to most inhumane torture in the Maldives. At least 12 security guards beat Evan with their bare hands, wooden planks, riot batons and boots. A doctor who examined Evan’s body recorded the time of death as 11.20 p.m.
When the prisoners heard about Evan’s death they started a riot in prison the following day. Security guards opened fire and killed at least one person on spot and injured several more prisoners. Two more prisoners died of injuries later while they were being treated abroad.
At the government’s hospital in Malé the authorities showed the body of Evan to the family and tried to hastily bury it. In previous cases, torture victims were quickly buried, and families were either intimidated or paid to stay silent. But Evan’s family, including his grief-stricken mother Mariyam Manike, stood their ground firmly, refusing to bury the body hastily.
People flocked to see the body after it was moved to the public cemetery. They were horrified to see the marks on Evan’s body, which were testaments of the cruelty of the regime that was ruling since 1978. Angry people carried a second body from the hospital to the cemetery; Abdulla Ameen with blood gushing from a bullet wound in his head. Angry citizens overturned several police vehicles and set them on fire. They also torched several police stations, the High Court and the Office of the Commissioner of Elections.
Concerned citizens went into exile following this incident and formed an opposition movement. To counter public outrage the government was forced to announce a ‘reform agenda’. Although the democracy movement is still at odds to face a government heavily backed by the police and military, September 19-20 is heralded as a watershed in contemporary politics of the Maldives.
This year democracy activists turned to blogs and the social networking website Facebook to organize a vigil to remember Evan. An event was created at Facebook titled “9/19: Remembering Evan Naseem.” The vigil was organized by Idhikeeli, a recently formed interest group in the Maldives.
The organizers labeled the vigil as “an open source event” and urged different groups of participants to work out ideas of their own. Bloggers were encouraged to cover the event and photographers were asked to upload photos to Flickr. Participants were asked to sit on the seawall surrounding Malé and hold the vigil.
Evan’s mother Mariyam Manike participated in the vigil to remember her son who was brutally beaten to death four years ago.
The turnout for the vigil was not very high, which one Facebook user blames on lack of empathy in people. However, the organizers claimed the vigil was a success.
The event was primarily promoted through Facebook. We created an event at Facebook on September 14. Within just six days the event was one of the most popular in the Maldives network of Facebook. When the event began at 9.00 pm 87 people had confirmed to attend, and 72 people indicated that they might attend. The number of people not attending the event remained at 360 and 660 people had not replied. More than 1,100 people were invited within six days with the support of Facebook users and admins of Facebook groups. When the event was created there were close to 5,000 members in the Maldives network in Facebook. The number of people not attending and the number of people who were invited included those not in the country.
Because of the repressive nature of police, the number of people who indicated they were not attending and those who did not respond in either way do not truly reflect the support for such an event.
This event is a success and we plan to have the same event next year with more people and new activities to mark 9/19.
Facebook is the new craze among Maldivian youth. They are turning to the social networking website to keep in touch with friends and make new friends. However, the politics of the country has reached Facebook too. Several groups are mushrooming in Facebook to work for civil liberties and democracy. So far the government is tolerating this new activity on the Internet front, even though it had banned critical websites in the past. For example, a highly critical forum called Dhivehi Forum hosted in Delphi Forums led to the government banning the entire Delphi.com domain a few years back.
More bloggers are becoming bold in criticizing the government. It remains to be seen if blogs and social networking websites could bring new energy to a democracy movement that is going through inertia because of divisions among opposition leaders and lack of coherent strategies.

author: Nihan Zafar


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Morocco: Bread Protests  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Arabist discusses protests trigger by mounting bread prices in Morocco.


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Myanmar: Information Blackout · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Blog of Nyein Chan Yar writes that internet, landline and mobile connections are going down in Myanmar.


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Myanmar: Internet Blocked  · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The follwing post is from a Burmese blogger who wishes to remain anonymous.
There have been massive support from Myanmar bloggers for the current protest activities, and the whole Myanmar blogosphere is overwhelmed with news and photos. Because of that, Myanmar Junta got chickened out and banned the political blogs, almost immediately followed by banning the whole blogger domain hence all other Myanmar blogs. A few bloggers tried to bypass proxy and blog using email-to-blog techniques.
To make the matter worse, BaganNet, Myanmar main ISP has been shut down by so-called “maintenance reasons” and most of the telecommunication services have been cut off or tapped. Information flow out of the country has been strictly monitored and even the amateur photographers are warned to be very careful as the Junta is hunting down the sources.
Numbers of blog posts have been reduced tremendously these days; nevertheless it’s very encouraging to see that some freedom bloggers are still in contact with the outside world and are working their best to keep the world up-to-date with latest Myanmar news.
Among them Niknayman excelled in the usage of CBox (blog comment box) facility to report live news of Burma activities.  http://niknayman.cbox.ws/  is been viewed by thousands of visitors 24/7 and is one of the main source of news for overseas Myanmar. Usefulness and popularity of his CBox is growing rapidly and some of them created a clone English version CBox http://burmanews.cbox.ws/ for internationalization.
Today entries include:
Ancient Ghost reported a blackout in Yangon.
Internet cafes were closed down. Both MPT ISP and Myanmar Teleport ISP cut down internet access in Yangon and Mandalay since this morning. The Junta try to prevent more videos, photographs and information about their violent crackdown getting out. I got a news from my friends that last night some militray guys searched office computers from Traders and Sakura Tower building. Most of the downtown movement photos were took from office rooms of those high buildings. GSM phone lines and some land lines were also cut out and very diffficult to contact even in local. GSM short message sending service is not working also. Burma is blacked out now!
Dr. Lun Swe‘s blog is another great source for latest photos and currently he blogged the photos of the prayer activities organized by some religious groups at Thai-Myanmar border.
Blogger Yan Aung proposes the Media Campaign. His aim is to free Burma within a year and his plans are:
He's also trying to organize funding facilities for the protesters and is requesting multi-lingual translators for translation and effective communication with the international media.
Refugees Within blogs about a way to help the protesters in Burma.
A friend of mine has helped put an online donation mechanism together to get money to help support the protesters in Burma. There are already casualties and the medical services are not prepared to meet what is feared. I gave $30 here in Thailand and I trust the people behind this. Please think about doing the same: http://madnomad.com/ysb/


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Myanmar: Soldiers back down in Mandalay · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

DVB.no has posted news (in Burmese) about soldiers from #33 battalion allowing the monks to continue the protests in Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar.
Soldiers from #33 Battalion knelt down and requested the protesting monks to stop the protest.
Monks from Mandalay monasteries including those from “ThaTaNa” monk college marched for protest and were blocked at 42nd street by  soldiers of #33 battalion.
Many of the monks replied, “You may shoot but we will still march”, and carried on with their marches.
The soldiers knelt down, shed tears and finally they stepped down to let the monks go, reported the witnesses from Mandalay.
Kaduang has posted an eyewitness account of yesterdays happening in capital Yangoon.
While they are trying to stop us, another military truck appeared from the Myanmar Archers Association Ward and shot gun fires. Some people were hit. I had to jump over the brick wall and ran into the school. I met other fellows who came and hid in the school. They said two people were shot while they were jumping over the wall. There were lots of gun fires either aiming at protestors or on the sky. During that time, the school wasn’t over yet. There were parents who came and picked their children up. They even shot gunfires during that time. How bad were they!
The blogger has pictures on another post.
Flickr user naingankyatha has posted more images.
Translations from some Burmese language blogs:
Soe Moe wrote
KaDaung – Yangon Messages from CBox
Nay Nay Naing – Bloody Day 27 Sept 2007
According to CNN news, due to the shootings, more than 10 people died including a Japanese reporter. As usual they will lie about shooting to the air while they shoot straight at people. No matter how they lie about that in local news, nobody will believe as there are true evident in front of citizen eyes. I respect those who risk their life to take photos, videos and report about the latest events to reach to international news media.
Looking at all those reported media news encourage us and make us brave; at the same time we shed tears and felt tremendous pity and sadness toward those who were kill or injured and taken by the military. Nevertheless, it's very encouraging to hear that protestors are not feared by the situation and will continue their protest as best they can. Many Wishes.
Update:
Most of the latest news (real + unconfirmed rumors) are dropped into the comment boxes or Cboxes.
Ever since blogspot domain is being blocked, the Myanmar netizens are making an excellent use of CBox as their news reporting medium.
Many bloggers’ Cboxes have been filled with various news especially Niknayman's Cbox.
Now someone has created another CBox ie.  http://burmanews.cbox.ws/
to translate all those messages from Niknayman Cbox in english for international outlookers. Currently they are asking for translators for newly created CBox to post in english.
Latest news: http://niknayman.cbox.ws/
Translated news from niknayman cbox:
The following are some of the confirmed news from various sources.
* BaganNet (ISP) and many local phone lines (mobile + landlines) were disconnected today.
* Synrg3 alerted photographers and media to be careful.”Soldiers were investigating the places where people took photos. They also checked all the computer systems from Traders and Sarkura hotels.”
* The UN Designated Official in Rangoon has estiblished a 24 hr hotline in case of emergency,especially during curfew hrs, the numbers to call are; 01 554 597 or 01 554 625
* It was suspected that those soldiers who shot Japanese Journalist and protesters yesterday were said to be prisoners who were forced to handle situation in place of real soldiers; due to their appearances ie. no proper boots (unconfirmed).
The links and translated excerpts from Burmese blogs sent in by a Burmese netizen who wishes to remain anonymous.


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Myanmar: Soldiers fighting each other · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Yangon Thu has linked to reports coming in from Myanmar (via Mizimma, in Burmese) talking about infighting between the factions in the army. “The Battalions from Middle Burma and South East Burma are said to have left for Yangon. Rumors are rampant that there is trouble within the Army itself – generals are said to be fighting.”


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Nepal: Protests and Indian Idol · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A controversy erupts as an Indian RJ makes derogatory remarks about the Indian Idol winner who is of Nepali origin. United We Blog! has insight and perspective.


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Pakistan: Musharraf in uniform · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

All Things Pakistan on the Supreme Court ruling that Musharraf will be allowed to contest the upcoming elections in uniform.


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Palestine: Bathroom Application? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian Sugar Cubes urges friends to add the Bathroom application to their Facebook in this post.


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Palestine: Digital Resistance · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian Haitham Sabbah writes about digital resistance in this post.


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Poland: Football, Language, and Journalism · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Our Man in Gdansk writes about one Argentine football player's attempt to learn Polish.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Poland, Ireland: Politics Comparison · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Our Man in Gdansk compares “Polish politics and normal, Irish politics.”


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Romania: Esquire Magazine, Issue #2 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Owlspotting comments on the second issue of Esquire Romania.


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Saudi Arabia: Bullied to become a Good Muslim · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Sarah from Saudi Arabia writes about her experiences in being ‘bullied’ to become a good Muslim.


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Singapore: Rojak or Mixture Salad · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Culture Shiok writes about the popular salad dish in Singapore and Malaysia called Rojak and how the societies in these countries are also referred to as Rojak.


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Sri Lanka: Failed States and Colonialism · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Tiny Little Fractures on the case for colonialism resting on claims of a failed state.


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Syria: Sad State of Journalism  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Sasa from Syria laments the sad state of journalism in the Arab world, citing examples from Jordan and Egypt in which journalists are jailed and fined.


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Syria: Scenes from North Aleppo · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Hovic from Syria shares with us scenes from North Aleppo.


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Taiwan: 3 Billion Wind Power Investment · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Micheal Turton highlights the news on 3 billion wind power installation in Taiwan.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Tanzania: Dar es Salaam photoblog · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Visit the commercial city of Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam, through a Dar Es Salaam photoblog.


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Trinidad and Tobago: The Course of Justice  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“This Chief Justice matter is no joke. The integrity of the entire judiciary rests upon it,” writes Manicou, who is incredulous at the refusal of Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney General to allow himself to be cross examined by the tribunal investigating allegations that he conspired with the Chief Magistrate to pervert the course of justice.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Book Picks  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“V.S. Naipaul's latest book, A Writer’s People, was published this month and lands on the top of my book-pile”:  Tattoo posts a list of great reads.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Indian Sweets  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Through The Lens Trinidad and Tobago posts an appetizing photo of traditional Indian sweets.


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Ukraine: Bewildered in Kyiv · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Carpetblogger exposes Kyiv's bewildering dimension.


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Ukraine: Bookmaker’s Predictions · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LEvko of Foreign Notes posts a bookmaker's predictions on the outcome of Sept. 30 vote – and makes his own.


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Bahrain: Halfway There! · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

From Bahrain this week: a mid-Ramadan celebration, great happiness to be at university, a description of some dating practices, and a packet of rice that just doesn't make sense!
Ramadan traditions
We start this week with some special mid-Ramadan festivities, called Girgaoun. Shaima Al Watani explains what Girgaoun is:
Butterfly has posted a slideshow of the Girgaoun festivities in one area, which you can see here.
Picture credit: Butterfly
Another much more recent tradition is that of watching the special Ramadan serials on television – but Matchless is not impressed:
What’s going on the TV.
I am fed up with their programs.
SILLY?
STUPID?
FOOLISH?
RIDICULOUS?
Yes all of them in addition of the NONSENSICAL.
I wish that western people care about RAMADAN and try to produce something worth watching.
Dating rituals
Ammar describes a scene of great anthropological interest:
His lane of traffic was at a standstill, but it was normal on a weekend night such as this. He glanced at the cars cruising slowly past him on the opposite lane; the fancy Benz with its triple-digit plate, the beaten down 80's Cressida, the shiny Cadillac with the polished wheels. “What are they all doing here?” he thought, as the car in front of him etched a few inches forward.
[…]
The traffic light turned red, and the cars came to a stand-still. A golden Honda passed by, and stopped in the traffic right next to him, two pretty ladies adorning its interior. He glanced with the corner of his eye, and although he didn't make it too obvious, they knew he was looking at them. “This is ridiculous” he thought; he wants to communicate with them, exchange a few words, maybe a number, but it wasn't possible. In the ‘rules’ of this engagement, he has to drive around a few times up and down this road, find his prey, follow her to a dark alleyway or somewhere unfilled with people, and then make a move. That's just the way it was done here.
The light turned green, and as she moved her car he forced the gas pedal down turning the steering wheel, twisting the car through the traffic; it was a scene of tire smoke and a thundering engine, landing himself directly behind the two girls. They watched in amusement through their rear-view and giggled, not so innocently, as they pondered making their way through a side street. They decided to, eventually, and drove into a dark alley, with him on their tail.
He smiled. Something to ease the stress for tonight, at least.
Different path
Layal posts about a change in direction:
Happy!
Another student, Al 7urra has just started at the University of Bahrain:
A booklover disappointed
Butterfly has been to a well-known annual bookfair for the first time, but discovered she hasn't been missing anything:
Stupid rice
We end with Redbelt, who has noticed something strange on a packet of rice:
Picture credit: Redbelt
More from Bahrain next week…

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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China: Reality shows forbidden · Global Voices
Bob Chen

No one would forget how popular Super Girl was on 2005. As a talent-search reality competition, it created a miracle both in economy and culture impact. Besides over 400 millions viewers watching the final episode, varied fans clubs founded across China and a revenue of 9 figures high in total, it was even extolled to the height of Democratic Expression because the winner was voted by short messages from viewers. Following this hallmark, more than 200 reality shows then emerged.
But on the 21st of September, State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), the head of all TV stations, gave such programs a blitz. It promulgated a strict rule aiming at regulating reality shows, criticizing some of them as so vulgar that they hurt the reputation of media. From the 3 main points of the decree, those who are familiar with Chinese TV ecosystem would find deeper relish. The decree itself also came to be a controversy in an unusual way.
Part 1; reality shows will be expelled out of golden time (19:30 to 22:30)
要求自2007年10月1日起，各省级、副省级电视台上卫星频道所有群众参与的选拔类活动不得在19：30至22：30时段播出。
After 1st, October, 2007, from 19：30 to 22：30, no satellite television stations of provincial level or superior should hold such selective shows (talen-search competitions) that have multitude participation.
Actually, because of fund limitation, the hot shows were mainly organized by provincial TV stations. Therefore, the rule substantially sweeps such shows out of screen during golden time.
Part 2; strict and detailed control on duration; also, no live show is allowed.
各省级、副省级电视台上星频道举办、播出群众参与的选拔类活动原则上每年不超过一项，每项活动播出时间不超过两个月，播出场次不超过10场，每场播出时间不超过90分钟。其中，决赛的最后一场可以采用现场直播方式，并至少延时1分钟播出，确保不出问题。
For any TV station, such shows should not be broadcasted more than once every year, with the duration being no more than two months, content being less than ten episodes, and each episode being shorter than 90 mins. No live show should be allowed except the final episode, while it has to keep a delay of at least 1 minute.
Part 3; finally, a constraint on content aiming to resist the vulgarity.
主持人的主持词、评委点评、选手感言、亲友抒怀、插播画面等内容要大量减少，总时长不得超过整个节目的20%。歌唱类(外国歌曲专题比赛除外)比赛中，每场演唱国内歌曲比例要占75%以上。
Emcee lines as well as judges’  critiques, contestants’  or fans’  short speeches, and introductions should be cut back a lot, with a total duration being no longer than 20% of the whole program. In singing competition, domestic songs should take up more than 75% of all.
不得制造噱头、刻意煽情和渲染悲切情绪，不得在节目中传播或暗示选手的负面消息和流言。
Don't make any stunt or purposively express seditious or sensational words; don't bruit rumors about contestants.
主持人之间不得相互挖苦、吹捧、调情。
Hosts should not flatter, flirt with or dig at each other.
Just before the decree was announced, the administration had halted a program of Chongqing TV station called The First Heart Temptation (第一次心动), for the cause named Ring-gate Case. On one episode of the live show, two judges furiously condemned each other because of a stunt by a constant. The situation was out of control then, which was seriously criticized by administration as a trick, vulgar and shameless, of capturing eyeballs.
This series of actions clearly demonstrates central administration’s disapproval of such shows. It has now turned into a practical regulation. To this relentless restraints and narrow rules, again, netizens expressed their opinions;
Some people doubted its validity. The following anonymous comments are from Netease.com, signed by their locations:
网易广东深圳网友
广电总局,真的让我看傻眼了,我觉得不能让大家上网,才是对的
Shenzhen:
This really made me dumbfounded. I think it would seem right only if we are not allowed to get on internet.
网易湖南长沙网友
政府行为！！！政府想怎么搞就怎么搞。
我觉得群众类的选秀节目蛮不错的啊，肯定是因为影响了央视的收视率才怎么做的。
哎！！！
大众传媒何时才能成为真正的大众传媒啊？？？
Changsha, Hunan
Governmental actions!!! Government just did what they fancy.
I think this kind of talent-search show is quite good. It must have affected ratings of China central television and therefore they made such a regulation.
Alas.
When could mass media really be mass???
However, except for a paucity of objections like above, this time, most of netizens came to stand with government. They demonstrate their strong support.
网易云南昆明网友
非常感谢国家有关部门所采取的这一系列有力举措。长期以来，一些娱乐节目为迎合一些审美情趣低下的受众的低俗胃口而变得俗不可耐。
Kunming, Yunnan
I very much appreciate the uncompromising measures taken by states administration. In order to pander to some people’s lower taste, a few entertainment programs have long been terribly shoddy
网易山东青岛网友
强烈支持！！！！坚决拥护！！！
那些低俗恶劣的流毒早就该清除了！！！
看看现在的孩子都成什么样了！！！
看看现在的社会浮躁到什么程度了！！
Qingdao, Shandong
Strongly support it!!!! Resolutely stand with it!!!
Such vulgar and baneful stuff should have been eradicated long before!!!!
Look what children have now become!!!
Look how meretricious our community has now been!!!
In a poll on MSN.com, more than 86% people approve of the measure. Rengjian Zhendao in Netease has a typical critique that shows voices of many people:
广电总局终于做了一件对人民有益的事情！大快人心！
杨二不会再出来了！
芙蓉JJ不会再出来了！
不男不女的不会再出来了！
误导青少年不好好学习、妄想靠投机一夜成名的缺德事会少了！把一个个好端端的人变得疯疯癫癫的事儿也会少了！
The administration has finally done something good to public! That's wonderful!
Yang'er won't show up again, Lotus Sister will be gone! Those tomboys vanish.
Mean stuff that misdirect young people to drop study and indulge them in pipe dreams of overnight fame will be less!! Those that drive a sane person mad will be less either!
(Annotation: Yang'er is the judge in a talent-search show, Lotus Sister will be introduced below, tomboys are allusions to Super Girl)
To understand this grumble you might have to know the landscape of Chinese television. Many people condemn the increasing entertainments programs are getting more and more low-quality, glutted by blatant and pretentious people. The Lotus Sister might be the most famous one. She is a “celebrity” famous for her coquettish postures  with body curved in S shape and irredeemable self-love, though her boorish visage shocks everyone that see her pictures. Though audience tagged her “nauseating” and “disgusting”, she still frequently appears on screen since TV stations use her as a stunt.
Some people furthermore comment that certain televisions and talent-search shows have nothing but gaudy sensationalization:
节目制作者一切向“钱”看，只要能赚钱，想方设法制造噱头，同性恋、选手堕胎、家庭丑闻，不少节目越来越低俗。齐鲁晚报　 张莹
Programmers did everything for money and only for money. They tried all methods to make stunts, such as homosexual, contestants’  abortion, and family scandals, which make the shows more vulgar.
By Qi Ru Evening Post Zhang Ying
Cheng Yunfa (陈云发) criticized some shows as “pollution”:
不顾社会效益、专为一己之私，不惜以污染社会精神空气来捞钱.……实在是咎由自取。
Some TV stations disregarded public interest and hunted for money on self-seeking.…… They polluted our society's spirit. They have only themselves to blame.
These programs’ misguidance of youngsters is another public focus. A student in secondary school spent 200 thousand Yuan to join in Super Girl. A boy in Guang Xi stole money to send short message voting for his idol, and even committed robbery for this crazy cause.
Liu Haoping (刘浩平) appealed in United Morning Post:
这种电视媒体的诱导，是造就人才，还是误人子弟，是把青少年一代向什么道上引？造成社会疯狂的追星族病态现象，电视媒体具有不可推卸的责任。《联合早报网》
Is the temptation created by TV media to find talents or to misguide youngsters? Where do they lead young people to? TV media should certainly be blamed on as creating such a fanatic morbide phenomenon in society.
Obviously, TV stations and talent-search shows have been targets of public criticism. That is why public choose to stand firmly with government on this issue. Under the surge of protests and official interdictionthe, the vulgar shows are likely to retreat . However, we still need more thinking on interminable problems facing Chinese mass media:
Why do talent-shows finally have to become farces and stunts? How should we treat them; do we simply need a relentless interdiction? Can we make high-quality and charming reality shows again? Or are we really going to amuse ourselves to death?

author: Bob Chen


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Ecuador: Undecided Voters for Constituent Assembly Vote · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Ecuador Elige [ES] asks “have you decided?” in regards to Sunday's elections of representatives to the Constituent Assembly noting that the latest poll shows a 38% level of undecided voters.


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Iran: Ahmadinejad’s Speech at Columbia University · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iranian President,Mahmoud Ahmadineajd’s speech at Columbia University in New York and university president Lee C. Bollinger’s criticism and tough words during his introduction remarks on Monday 24 September have become a hot  topic in media throughout the world. Several Iranian and American bloggers have reacted to the incident. NikAhang Kosar,a leading cartoonist and blogger, has published several cartoons on this subject.
Dave Burdick and a few other students at Columbia University launched a blog named “Ahmadinejad at Columbia” to aggregate coverage of the event. The blog has published several photos of  protesters demonstrating against Ahmadinejad’s visit to Columbia.
“No Homosexuals in Iran”
In the Ahmadinejad at Columbia blog we read:
some students believed that by visiting Columbia, the Holocaust denier only gained airtime, and not additional supporters of his questionable views. According to a biomedicine student, Ahmadinejad would have “come out clean” and “been able to manipulate, kind of, the general liberal views of a lot of the people on campus” had he avoided his denial of homosexuals in Iran and of the Holocaust. Others focused on the Iranian leader's ability to answer evasively. “He squirted a lot of the questions, but he did what every politician does so I don’t have less or more respect [for him] than I would for Bush or Cheney,” said Mehmet Bozatli, a twenty-nine-year-old student from Turkey. As revealed during today’s forum, the president of Iran believes that there are no gay people in his country. “In Iran, we don’t have homosexuals like in your country,” he said, eliciting both laughter and gasps from the audience.
Iranian Truth says that Ahmadinejad apparently hasn’t watched the CBC special entitled Inside Iran’s Secret Gay World.
No Freedom of Speech for us
Karim Orghandehpour, blogger and journalist, says [Fa] that the government media has launched a propaganda campaign about the opportunity given to Ahmadinejad to speak at one of the most famous universities of the world, and they defend his right to freedom of speech. The blogger asks why some Iranian academics aren't accorded similar rights in Iran. He also asks why some organisations are deprived of the right to publish newspapers.
View from Iran writes
he promised yesterday to invite professors and students at Columbia to Iran to say whatever they want to say. Why doesn't he make that same offer to Iranian professors and students? Hearing him talking about lack of democracy and human rights in the west is just another way of avoiding the realities in Iran. Mr. President, Iranians are dying for basic human rights and for basic democracy.
Winners and Losers
Ataloha Mahejerani, a former reformist minister, criticized [Fa] Lee Bollinger's remarks about Ahmadinejad and says that he was surprised to hear that Columbia’s President call Iranian president a cruel and petty dictator. Calling Bolliger's words insults, the former minister adds that God wanted this speech to provide a new opportunity for Iran, and that the losers were Israel and Columbia’s president.
Contrary to Mohajerani, Jomhour says [Fa] that it is the Iranian people who are the main losers at the hands of Ahmadnejad’s politics. The blogger asks Mohajerani how many of Americans he thinks believe Ahmadinejad’s claims, adding that the Iranian people feel his lies at a visceral level. Jomhour says  that when Mohajerani talks about women’s rights, we should remember the jail sentences imposed upon women activists, and when he mentions academic values, we should remember the students being tortured in Iran.
“USA can become a friend”
Harfeh Hesab says [Fa] that the most important point is Ahmadinejad's message to USA is this: America can become a good friend of Iran.” The blogger adds that the “Iranian President was asked if Iran is ready to negotiate with USA and what are expectations. He answered we think USA can become a good friend of Iran.” Harfeh Hesab writes that it was the most positive message that the Islamic Republic has sent to USA so far.
Angry Cleric
A religious student in Madresyeh Ma wrote [Fa] an open letter to Ahmadinejad and criticized his speech at Columbia. The blogger tells the Iranian president that he may think he was successful at Columbia, but that ihs presence provided an opportunity for Columbia's University president to insult him, which is an insult to all Iranians. He accuses Ahmadinejad of placing his political agenda above respect for his nation. The blogger adds that, contrary to Ahmadinejad's speech, there is no distinction between the USA's government and its people.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:3000 Hungry Workers · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According[Fa] to Kaargar (means worker), 3000 workers in Haft Tapeh sugar cane factory in Khuzestan province,started a strike on Saturday.The blogger says that workers protested against their poor conditions and chanted slogans such as “Haft Tapeh workers are hungry.”


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Iran:A video about Transsexuality · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

IranianTruth informs us about a short video on “transsexuality in Iran” authored by Yasmin Vossoughian & Kouross Esmaeli.


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Kazakhstan: Big politics and human lives · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

But politics first: Andy-taker draws attention to the fact that ministers in Kazakhstan are being reshuffled, migrating from one government to another in a manner which bears no particular relation to their professions. Pretty much the same happens on lower levels; maybe this is the reason for the people's dissatisfaction with the officials?
After visits to a number of government bodies and agencies, Astanchanka is very angry: “Bureaucrats are just killing me! They are rude and ignorant – ridiculously explaining this with low salaries and tiredness. Gorbachev was right: Citizens should start Perestroika from themselves” (RUS).
Raseyannaya from Ekibastuz (a town in Central Kazakhstan) is indignant towards those officials who are skeptical about non-traditional religions, consider Krishna followers as extremists and want to introduce religious education in schools. “Our state is secular”, she reminds people, “and even if I want to worship a Steam Iron, nobody shall have any objections” (RUS).
Probably, this official attitude has also led to problems with the supply of textbooks to the schools. Neweurasia's Ksenia reports on the matter: “The Kazakhstani children have entered the new school year with ambitious novelties: more Internet access and 1,000 “interactive blackboards” – everything necessary for the new era education. However, the main problems occur in the very elementary basics”.
Miss-crazy, a young mother, is amazed: “When I was of the same age as my son, we studied Ancient History in school. Now he brought home just a slim book on Kazakhstan's history. I regret that we threw all Soviet-time textbooks away”, she says (RUS).
Another possible outcome of the officials neglecting their responsibilities and lacking competence is a sad situation around the development of the Kazakh language. As neweurasia's Nurgeldy says, “the urban population prefers using Russian language; re-orientation of the people for state-language is very slow; Russian-speaking population is reluctant to study Kazakh language”.
Also on neweurasia this week there are Marat's reflections concerning Russian Gastarbeiters in Kazakhstan (a recent immigrants legalization campaign surprisingly revealed that Russians make up nearly 6% of illegal labor immigrants in Kazakhstan), Adam's review of the Central Asian blogosphere, in which the Kazakh segment appears to be three to four times more active than all others, and also his report about the strange award that has been given to President Nazarbayev by a department of Florida-based private university.
One of the most discussed issues after the August 18 parliamentary elections is inflation. Female-creature wonders if it is time to buy out salt and matches in the stores, like people usually did during crises in Soviet times. The main concern is bread, whose price increased by 30-40 per cent. The officials say it is caused by extreme demand on the external market due to a bad harvest in Europe, so the grain producers prefer to sell crops abroad. Megakhuimyak comments:
“There already is a 21 million ton harvest in Kazakhstan, which is a lot (last year it was 15 million tons), but the price for bread is growing. The officials have two excuses: we have bad crops and the price will go up, or we have great crops and we'd better sell it to someone else who is ready to pay more, so the price for you will go up” (RUS).
While epolet posts pictures made in the Beijing military museum, showing China's territorial claims to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Steve is keeping a close eye on the oil intrigues. “Kazakhstan is deadly serious about getting its way on the supergiant Kashagan oilfield. Kazakhstan wants cash and effective control of the field. A renegotiation of terms on the field is bound to whet Kazakhstan's appetite. Look for future demands for better terms at both the supergiant Tengiz and Kashagan fields”, he warned.
And soon his warning was substantiated by a Kazakh senator's call to reprimand Chevron for alleged environmental violations. “That is the direction of events in the region, and around the world, and there is no reason to presume that Chevron will be exempt”, he concludes.
However, the main, most discussed and tragic topic this week was the human life. The Kazakhstani blogosphere was shocked by the news about the disappearence of a Russian blogger, who was visiting Almaty. A young girl went for a walk to the mountains and was missing for several days. The police refused to start searching her because of formalities, but a huge resonance on the web eventually forced it to take measures.
Many bloggers reposted a call for search for Irina, joining the campaign organized by cyber-gorynych, a popular Livejournal user and a friend of the missing girl (RUS). But the greater shock followed later — Irina was found slain in the outskirts of Almaty by tourists.
The issue of a human life's value came onto the surface also after the Russian rocket crash in central Kazakhstan. An unmanned Russian Proton rocket did not hurt anyone 30 miles southwest of Zhezkazgan, but – apart from a Japanese satellite – it carried more than 220 tons of highly toxic fuel heptyl, KZBlog reports.
He notes that the incident may hamper space tourism and lead to fewer people leasing Russian space services. But the crash was accompanied by weird statement made by the Kazakh prime-minister Massimov. He said, in particular: “How could we allow this rocket to crash near the place where our president was present!?” Nazarbayev was on the visit to Zhezkazgan on that day.
adam_kesher comments (RUS):
The president's body is sacred in Kazakhstan. Just like Orwell said: “All are equal, but some are more equal than others”. He appoints judges, part of the parliament and government; he changes the constitution, can rule the country for the rest of his life, and cannot be called to responsibility. Now prime-minister Massimov confirms how equal is the head of state, comparing to all others. Apart from the president, there were tens of thousands of people in Zhezkazgan, 80 kilometers away from the poisonous heptyl rocket, but you don't say a word about them. Can you allow this, Mr. Massimov?

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Myanmar: Japanese Reactions to Journalist’s Killing · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

New Mandala has summary of reactions from Japan on the Japanese Video journalists killing by Myanmar troops.


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Myanmar: Prayer Meets and Support in Neighbouring Countries · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Cambodian Blogger Mean Lux posted images of the vigil they held in front of Myanmar Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Facebook users also mobilized a Red Shirt for Burma campaign on Thursday night and asked fellow Facebook users to wear red shirts and tops on Friday in support of the monks in Myanmar.
See also:
Why is Sopheap Wearing a Red T-Shirt? (Beth Kanter)
Malaysian blogger Elizabeth Wong wrote about the solidarity protest in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
(image from Elizabeth Wong's blog)
Some 2,000 Burmese and Malaysians joined in a solidarity protest to support the democratic movement in Burma and to protest against the killings of monks, civilians and a journalist.
This was one of the fastest mobilisations to date, as a decision was only firmed around 9 pm last night among the organisers.
In Singapore, theonlinecitizen described the prayer meet at the Burmese Templein Singapore.
The special service was a tribute to those who died in the Burmese protests over the last few days.
A Burmese postgraduate student helped translate a line from the prayer for me: “We pray for those who have given their lives in Yangon, in recent demonstration”.
The mood at the service was solemn, and the monk leading the service called on the community to pray for peace and to offer up their prayers and merits for those who perished in the protests.
theonlinecitizen talked to some Myanmar citizen at the prayer meeting. According to them, they cause of the protests in Myanmar:
He said that the fuel hike in July was only the catalyst for something else which has been simmering below the surface among the Burmese people. “The hike was just the trigger because underneath there are a lot of root causes such as the living conditions in Myanmar. Another is the ruthlessness of the regime.”


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South Africa: Preparing for the worst · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Soldier of Africa posts photos under the title, Preparing for the worst.


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Taiwan: Whose land? · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

黑暗從眼睛
滑落心頭，
令人害怕的
失去光明的窒息，
圍繞四周。
燃燒。莫那能（排灣族詩人）作。
‘Burning‘ by Mo-Na-Neng (a Paiwan poet)].
Smangus‘s battle for the unfair trial about the wind-fall beech, based on Smangus & Smangus Action Alliance News, can be traced back to October, 2005:
Terry the typhoon caused the damage to the only road that connected the neighboring areas. Smangus people cleaned the road with their own effort and put the windfall beech on the sideway. One month later, the staff of the Forestry Bureau chopped the wood into pieces and took them away secretly. Three of the Smangus youth transported the remains on behalf of the Tribal Committee for the purpose of community design. Consequently they were reported of stealing national woods. The accused became the accuser!
The Smangus people considered the charge a stigmatization of aboriginal people and decided to fight back in the court.
(Feb 24, 2007) The judge of the first instance ignored the Article 15 of the Forestry Act and the Aboriginal Basic Law which protect the indigenous rights, but instead, he convicted them by Article 52 of the Forestry Act. The penalty was 6 month imprisonment, a fine of NT$160, 000 for each person, with a two years probation. Smangus people cried, “Why don’t you put all of us in jail?” Therefore, the whole village went on the journey to plea for Not Guilty.
The main issue in this battle is ‘whose land is it?’  Smangus people consider the wind-fall beech is in their territory, but the Forestry Bureau doesn't agree.  How do we decide who is the owner of the land?
In May 20-21, 2007, because Tayal people considered the wind-fall beech case a  serious threats to the Tayal tribes, Pinhaban, a traditional cultural ceremony, was held to make alliance among the villages to protect their territories.   In the conference (based on The statements and declaration, from the conference of Pinhaban Alliance, the chief of the village of Mrqwang said:
We indigenous peoples are knowledgeable of our own traditional territories. We can accurately describe the landscapes of the mountains and the rivers in them. We name those natural objects and connect our own lives so closely with the surroundings. The staff of the Forestry Bureau does not understand our lives. When we heard the staff say that the traditional territory of Smangus is only about 12 acres, we regarded the notion absurd. The territory is absolutely larger than this measure.
Munch commented on this issue:
誰的山林？一直存在爭議。
從日本人強收山林，國民政府承繼遵行，原住民的傳統領域，始終成為被擱置的話題，在不斷族群正名以示尊重的心態下，就像掛上好看門牌，家園卻永遠不屬於自己的，林務局是山林裡的大地主，原住民每個人都清楚
對原住民而言，司馬庫斯櫸木事件，不是刑罰輕重，而是對於原住民領域及文化的尊重，他們堅持的是無罪判決，沒有人可以否定他們對於山林家園的權力。
In September 28, 2007, ignoring the Smangus people's claim and the Forestry Act and the Aboriginal Basic Law, the judge in the High Court decided to keep the original conviction but alleviate the punishment.
In press release held by Smangus & Smangus Action Alliance News, Pinhaban Alliance, Taiwan Association for Human Rights, and Wild at heart, Legal Defense Association, Wild at heart, Legal Defense Association said,
今天的判決是一個醜陋的妥協。因為，如果法院認定三人有罪，那麼根據《森林法》，結夥並使用搬運設備竊取林產物，應加重判刑，為何法官卻做出減輕刑責的判決？如果法官已體認到原住民族價值系統中人對自然的善待、和諧、永續與責任，為何沒有勇氣做出無罪判決？

author: I-fan Lin


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Uganda: Bloggers respond to massive flooding · Global Voices
Rebekah Heacock

The top thing on many Ugandan bloggers’ minds in the past two weeks has been the massive flooding across sub-Saharan Africa. The floods hit particularly hard in northern and eastern Uganda, where 250 people have died and up to 150,000 have been displaced.
Omar Basawad describes the lasting toll the natural disaster will take on the country:
The floods only exacerbates Uganda's already many problems: the bloody and costly conflict in the North, it being plagued by HIV/AIDS and other diseases and an economy that has so far not taken off as strongly as hoped for. Now, Uganda has not only to feed and shelter the hundreds of thousands worse affected by the floods, but has too – to reconstruct, rebuild and repair the many roads, bridges and other structures destroyed by the floods. As for the worse affected people of the area, the agony and misery is even more and worse. And will continue for a long time to come; even when the World, much later, has forgotten about the floods in Uganda.
Many bloggers, including Zack, Kelly and Dennis, express their sympathies and ask their readers to help the victims, either by contributing to relief efforts or by keeping them in our thoughts.  Tandra posts instructions for donating to relief efforts through SMS:
Send an SMS and save a life. Donate 1,000/= to flood victims. Simply type FLOOD and send to 198 and you will have saved a flood victim.
And Elit writes a scathing critique of the Ugandan government's response to the tragedy:
Since last week, the main press piece has been the floods in the North and Eastern parts of the country. Kudos to the dailies for if it were not for them, this would have been swept under the carpet in the way our government does when they'd rather not be bothered with the problem at hand.
…
And what is the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, headed by Prof. Kiwani [NOTE: “kiwani” can be translated as “liar” or “fake”; the Ugandan Minister of Disaster Preparedness is Musa Ecweru] doing? “We should develop a comprehensive plan to handle disasters”. Heck, a disaster has happened, is happening and you are sitted in your comfortable plush office that has been furnished at the cost of these children's parents’ earnings, and you are talking about developing a plan!!

author: Rebekah Heacock


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Ukraine: “Who’s Who in Political Advertising” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Taras of Ukrainiana has collected videos of campaign advertising by seven Ukrainian blocs and parties – and has translated their messages into English. An invaluable resource for anyone who would like to experience the 2007 parliamentary election campaign the way ordinary Ukrainians have.


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Morocco: Berbers can be blonde · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Major media outlets and bloggers went into a frenzy a few days ago when a blurry photograph taken by a Spanish tourist in Morocco's Rif mountain region showed a small blonde girl bearing a strong resemblance to missing British child Madeleine McCann perched on the back of a Moroccan woman.
As it turns out, the photograph was not of Madeleine McCann, but of a two-year-old Moroccan girl named Bouchra Benaissa, whose blonde hair and light eyes are not uncommon to the region.  While many news sites marveled at the similarities between the two girls, Moroccan bloggers weren't all that surprised.
Naim from Au début était le blog … (fr) said:
Décidément, les stéréotypes ethniques ont la vie dure. Il a suffi d'une photo floue prise par une touriste espagnole, tout près de Tetouan, d'une fillette marocaine pour que la machine médiatique, espagnole et puis internationale, se met en marche: Madeline McCann, petite anglaise de 4 ans disparue au Portugal depuis le 2 mai dernier, serait enlevée par un couple de Marocains. Pourquoi ce malentendu? La réponse est simple: la fillette marocaine photographiée sur le dos de sa maman était blonde comme Madeleine. Le mystère vite éclairci, la Maddie marocaine s'appelle en fait Bouchra Benaissa. Ses parents, Ahmed et Hafida, d'une extrême gentillesse, se sont même prêtés aux longues questions des gendarmes, et surtout à l'harcèlement des dizaines de journalistes internationaux, Anglais et Espagnols en tête, qui voulaient élucider ce “mystère”.
Even prior to the news that the photo was not of Maddie, blogger Abdelilah Boukili had his doubts:
Personally, I don’t think it can be Madeleine. The woman seems from the countryside. In Morocco people, especially those living in the countryside know each other. For her having a child speaking English can raise the curiosity of people in her area. She can have as an answer that the child is from a relation who lives in Europe as a substantial number of Moroccan immigrants originate from the north of Morocco. If that girl was really Madeleine, the women wouldn't show her in public. She can be easily spotted as Madeleine's case is still fresh in mind and among the search priority of the security services in Morocco. In general, the local authorities’ job is to know about any foreigner living in any areas. It has a network that regularly reports about anything special taking place in any area of the country. If the girl was Madeleine she couldn’t have gone unnoticed as it is too early for her to speak the local language fluently without reverting to English. As a consequence she can be the talk of the area where she is.
Laila Lalami shared her favorite headline:
It comes from Le Matin, of all places: The Spanish discover the existence of blondes in Morocco.
Chergaoui (fr) also mocked the Spanish for their ignorance:
La fausse piste marocaine dans l’affaire Maddie… a permis aux Espagnols de découvrir qu’il y a des Marocains aux cheveux blonds et aux yeux clairs, comme le soulignent mercredi plusieurs journaux espagnols.
But the best headline of the day came from Ghasbouba, whose blog post was entitled “BWM: Blond While Moroccan.”  In the post, he said:
It is really a shame and a pity that little Bouchra and her family are harassed by media and authorities just because she “might” have looked like another European person. Her family was called by the authorities. Her parents had to prove she was their daughter. I find this really strange, for lack a better word.
I wonder if the same acts of harassment would happen if “another Maddy-like blond little girl” is ‘seen’ in any places in Rural Alzas, Basque, Arizona, or Wales.
Photo Source: Gulf Times

author: Jillian C. York


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Myanmar: “Oh yeah, everything is fine”  · Global Voices
yangonthu

Burmese news blog MoeMaKa Media reported on this video footage of Singapore's Straits Times interviewing some Myanmar citizens and others traveling between Yangon and Singapore.
The video footage shows a Myanmar citizen welcoming his family's arrival in Singapore and proclaiming their happiness at being in a stable Singapore, and then shows another Myanmar national exclaiming that even though there are curfews set, they were doing OK and things weren't that bad. “Overall quite ok lah,” claimed one man. “Oh, yeah, everything is fine… The airport, the security and erm, things are functioning fine.. all normal,” said one man who appears to be an airline pilot (not a Myanmar national).
After the above comments, you can see the Straits Times reporter saying  “talking to some people who were just in Yangon a few hours ago, it seems like the situation is not as bad as what we see on media reports. Other than a curfew, people were free to move around and it was business as usual at the airport.”
Then the Myanmar nationals leaving for Yangon are interviewed. Both women interviewed seem to think that things are not so serious and that they were going to be in safe areas. “Situation is not quite too bad lah.” said one young Myanmar woman.
The reporter then asks: “What are you expecting to see when you get out of the airport?” The young woman then replies: “I think everything is going to be OK.”
MoeMaKa Media has reported this reaction to the video:
“All over the world, Myanmar nationals and others have been showing support for the peaceful protests in Myanmar and the military junta's violent reactions towards it. (Such as the protests in front of Myanmar embassy in Thailand)
Myanmar nationals living in Singapore also showed solidarity and support for those back home by holding prayer sessions at the Burmese monasteries here. However, while everyone is worried about the situation in Burma, the above video from The Straits Times show Myanmar nationals happily stating that they are happy to be in Singapore and how things are “not so bad” back there besides the curfews and how everything seems to be calm, while smiling at the cameras.”
MoeMaKa reports that a Myanmar blogger situated in Singapore sent him photos comparing the real situation in Myanmar and the Myanmar nationals arriving from Yangon and going back to Yangon making light of the situation.
MoeMaKa states that that blogger also posed the question of how Myanmar Nationals living here in Singapore are going to protect and upkeep the nationalism, language (culture) and religion of Myanmar and that it was high time for Myanmar nationals living in Singapore to answer this question in a clear manner.
(I think that the blogger is trying to say that Myanmar nationals all need to unite in solidarity and be clear on the kind of statements they want to make to the world at this difficult time)

author: yangonthu


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Oman: Rent Law and Life in Muscat · Global Voices
Riyadh Al Balushi

Oman's bloggers are ranting about increasing rent and driving in Ramadan in this round up of Omani blogs. Also, how was life before the opening of mega malls and are you interested in attending Oman's first bloggers meeting on October 3?
PYQ blogs about landlords’ avoidance of the new rent laws in Oman that limit rent escalation to 7.5% per year:
Let’s really think about this! So you decide to rent a property, the owner say here lets sign a lease for one year. Your excited, you found a great flat and you know that you signed a lease for a year and when next year rolls around your rent wont go up by more than 7.5%. A year of bliss passes, and you’re looking forward to sign a new lease at a maximum of 7.5% higher rents. What are the chances of that happening?
Well it depends. Assuming no changes in supply of housing and the current increases in demand, the landowner is not going to sign a new lease. The owner is going to inform you that he is not renting the property to you this year and you need to pack up your bags and leave.
He signs a new lease with a new tenant at 200% increase in rent. You on the other hand, get to move to a new flat where the cap no longer applies!
Kishor Cariappa also blogs about a recently received email message that echoes that same concept:
We are the residents of Muscat Oasis Residents in Boucher. After the abnormal weather conditions that hit Oman in June 2007, the management in the compound started to increase rents for new renewals by at least 45%. After the cabinet decision to put the 15% cap on rents, the management just went crazy! They started to issue evacuation notice to tenants whom their contract is about to expire.
The reason for evacuation is “refurbishment”. Just to show that this is a false reason, some of the tenants got a letter of increasing the rent on 20th Sep 2007, and then they got the evacuation letter on 23rd Sep 2007. We have copies of these letters that was sent to many people. This might seem to be a specific issue, but if we look into it, we will find that many landlords will use such play in order to increase rents.
On a different note, Suburban blogs at the Oman Community Blog about the impatient driving attitude in the holy month of Ramadhan:
What I'm wondering is, does Ramadhan not count when you are inside your car? Has there been a ruling that good bahavior and generosity are to be forgotten during the commute? I'd love it if Sk Khalfan could address this issue during his drive time show.
New expat blog in Oman talks about the calm life of Muscat before hyper markets and City Centre came to town:
It was a stray conversation that set me thinking.
I was talking to an acquaintance the other day. The guy is in Oman for the past couple of years. When I told him casually that I was in the Sultanate since 1997, what he came out with took me totally by surprise.
“I cannot believe it. What did you do for entertainment? I mean, imagine a weekend without Muscat City Centre?”
What did I do in the pre-City Centre days?
Al Maawali reports from the latest seminar on social media organised by the Knowledge Oasis Muscat a couple of weeks ago:
third in the it's series organized by Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM). I attended the seminar yesterday and it was much better than what I expected it to be. The topics covered were very interesting.
There was a host, Mr. Graham Porter a VSM, Public Sector, Strategic Engagement Group for CISCO, who asked questions to a panel of people that are making a difference in the Media sector of the country.
They talked about New Media, the definition of new media, how can we use it and what are the pros and cons of using it. Everybody had a different idea of what it is and how to use it so, it was a pretty good discussion.
I would like to end this post with an invitation to all bloggers in Oman to attend the first gathering of bloggers on Wednesday the 3rd of October, more information on this at the Oman Community Blog.

author: Riyadh Al Balushi


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Trinidad & Tobago: Talking with Filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad-born Frances-Anne Solomon is a blogger and award winning filmmaker who has just completed her most recent project, A Winter Tale.  Set in the violent downtown Toronto community of Parkdale, the story begins with the gathering of a black men’s support group, which was formed after a bullet meant for a local drug dealer kills an innocent boy.  Multi-layered and expertly crafted, the film speaks to a multicultural community’s experience in an adopted land.
A Winter Tale has been well received in Canada – and it recently made its Caribbean debut at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival to an appreciative audience.  Part of the hype that has surrounded the film has been driven by Solomon herself – she understands the power of citizen media to draw attention to what she calls “Caribbean-themed storytelling”.  I caught up with Frances-Anne on Facebook to discuss her latest tour de force…and how blogging and the Internet have helped her promote it.
Janine Mendes-Franco: It’s been a long journey to get this film made – more than four years worth of work from actors’ workshops to finished production. What compelled you to tell this story?
Frances-Anne Solomon: First as a feminist, most of my films have been from a woman's point of view. For a long time now I've wanted to create something that would be from a male perspective… give men a chance to “explain” themselves, take time myself to explore and faithfully render that different viewpoint.
Second, events in Toronto forced the specific issue of gun violence – about five years ago there was a lot of so called black on black violence – death by gun violence. The “perpetrators” – black men; the “victims” – black men. I wanted to create a piece that would explore the inner lives of these “monsters” who were being portrayed so negatively in the media and press. I wanted to start with the fact that each man, whether “murderer” or victim, has a mother, sister, lover; is somebody's son. And that we are all impacted and compromised by violence.
JMF: Do you think the film has made an impact on the communities it profiles?
FAS: I can't say if it has made an impact on “the communities” but can say that individually people have told me that they were very moved, that the film resonated for them. The overwhelmingly positive reaction has been across the board – from black men – and women, white people, young people.
The most surprising audience for me has been young Torontonians aged around 12-17, many of whom said they identified with the story and characters. Since I never set out to make a film for young people, I was very struck by this.
JMF: Has your process on this film been different from others you’ve made in the past?
FAS: I often use improvisation as part of the script development process, because the actor can bring so much to the integrity of characterisation and specificity of language. I thrive working with actors, and see them as collaborators in the story-telling process.
One thing I did a bit differently in this film is really take my time, particularly in post production. When you are working on a small budget there is a lot of pressure to finish the film quickly.  It's said that two things make a movie: money and time. If you don't have money, take time. On this film, the edit period was very long – I re-cut the show several times, kept searching. We also shot pickups very late in the day, when we really could not afford to do so. But I wanted to make the film as good as it could be. I did not want to compromise the film because of our lack of financial resource.
JMF: But you utilized another important resource in technology.  When and why did you first start to blog? Did you immediately see the potential of the medium to help raise awareness of your work?
FAS: When I started CaribbeanTales – my multimedia company – in 2001, the aim was to use “any means necessary” to showcase and distribute Caribbean-themed storytelling…to exploit the advances in new technology and the digital revolution to take ownership of all aspects of the storytelling process, from production through marketing and distribution.
Accordingly, we developed a website called CaribbeanTales that aimed to be an interactive multimedia resource for Caribbean culture, literature and the arts. It was daunting because I knew nothing about the web, but definitely saw its potential.  While this initial project was not entirely successful, (the technology was beyond me), through 2004-5 we developed a rather exciting multimedia newsletter with reviews, articles and audio and video clips on Caribbean culture in Canada.
That was followed by LiteratureAliveOnline.ca – an online resource for teachers and learners about Canadian-Caribbean literature that accompanied our 20-part documentary series Literature Alive.
The newsletter was distributed by email to a mailing list of 6,000 and was very successful – a lot of people read it and responded to it. At that time, we had an in-house web developer who designed and implemented these projects. However, last year, when the newsletter came to an end, I decided to take matters into my own hands – I learned to blog, and created Newz from Leda Serene & CaribbeanTales (updates from my film production company Leda Serene and her not-for-profit sister company CaribbeanTales).
It was initially to communicate quickly and simply with friends, co-workers and communities of interest – nothing fancy like the newsletter which was designed by “an expert”. But the blog very quickly became our main marketing tool. It has been a process of trial and error, – often at the expense of my poor readers – and terrifying for that reason. I think it is effective because I write and manage it myself, so the communication is direct and personal – between me and my audience – and I like it that way.
JMF: Tell me about the online avenues you use and how they've been working for you.
FAS: Apart from the “Newz”, I maintain a number of other blogs…and will admit to being quite the amateur nerd!  Despite my complete lack of technical education, I am dogged in my assault on the digital world and see it as offering real hope to those of us whose work and interests are sub the interests of the so-called mainstream. The web is democratising, effective and liberating. So yes, all our business takes place online, and I am all over Facebook, MySpace, Google Groups, e-commerce, CD Baby, Flickr….you name it. Of course, none of this is anything a five year old today can't manage, but it has changed the way that we can and do communicate. For a small business like mine with limited resources, it has offered great, very tangible opportunities for expansion, marketing, communication, networking.
JMF: I read your piece on Geoffrey Philp’s blog – in it you said, “as artists we face terror daily when we choose to express whatever it is we call our truth. Creation is a form of Terror, particularly when you come from a colonial context and background in which Empire (read: a sense of inferiority) was imposed through education, language, culture, as much if not more than through the barrel of a gun.” Does this terror fuel your creative drive?
FAS: Yes it does. But the end product is very satisfying.
JMF: In your film, is there a lesson for West Indians to learn about channeling fear into something positive?
FAS: I wouldn't presume to lecture…however for me, yes…underlying the whole piece is of course the concept of the support group “for men to talk about their feelings”.  I am all for truth-telling, and believe art has that function.  There is healing in the honest emotional expression of a painful story.
Perhaps the truths released in this story are too explosive for this particular group of characters to bear…but ultimately the result may be positive…for example, for an audience…and definitely for the storyteller!
For me, the creative process of crafting this film has been positive because every story in the successful telling allows you to define yourself – in this case myself, my language my world.
JMF: Do you consider yourself a Caribbean filmmaker?
FAS: Yup.  I am also of the “diaspora”. Fully both.
JMF: And what does that mean when you’re operating in a country like Canada?
FAS: It's been interesting. A few years back, the yardstick culturally was Black America.  But that is changing. There is a greater awareness of the Caribbean now… some excitement in the air too.
The reality is that we are all interconnected. Big Caribbean communities in every major urban center…and those at “home” travel a lot and are connected by relatives to Europe, North America, etc.
JMF: Does “being Caribbean” make it easier (access to ethnic/minority grants and funding) or more difficult (considered to be an “outsider” by the mainstream industry) to run a production company like Leda Serene?
FAS: It makes it harder. The work is not valued at the same dollar amount as “mainstream” (read white/Hollywood-ish fare) work.  We are always working with a fraction of the budget of a white production/producer/director, etc.
JMF: What do you think other West Indian filmmakers need most in order to develop their craft?
FAS: Training…the opportunity to fail; to hone craft through trial and error, by taking risks on a number of productions.  That is the way to find your voice, and develop craft, over time.
JMF: You said at the screening that it was “a very hopeful time” for Caribbean film. Where do you see the industry going in the region?
FAS: I am very excited to see: The Trinidad and Tobago Film Company funding production, development, marketing; the T&T Film Festival bringing awareness to local film, building an audience; Gayelle, local television with a huge audience; Awards and recognition for international filmmakers like Horace Ove; production houses, film festivals and production in Haiti, Barbados, Antigua, St. Maarten, Jamaica…
“Hopefully” this wave will be sustainable. I'm also “hopeful” because the technology for it all is now affordable and will become increasingly so – this gives us, with our small economies, a fighting chance in the big bad sea…
JMF: What are your hopes for this film in particular?
FAS: For as many people as possible to see it and talk about it.


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