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China’s LGBTQ Community Tells Orlando Shooting Victims: You’re Not Alone · Global Voices
Hong Kong Free Press

A vigil for the victims of the Orlando shooting at a gay bar in Beijing. Photos: Adam’s. via HKFP
This post was written by Catherine Lai and originally published on Hong Kong Free Press on June 15, 2016. The version below is published on Global Voices under a partnership agreement.
The LGBTQ community in China has expressed solidarity with the victims of the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the worst mass shooting in US history that left 49 people dead on Sunday.
Adam’s, a gay bar in Beijing, hosted a vigil for the victims on Tuesday, 14 June.
Mondo Wong, the owner of Adam’s, told Hong Kong Free Press that he wanted to do something for Orlando:
I was heartbroken after I saw the news. We want to use the internet, the media and other channels to let them know that they’re not alone.
A vigil for the victims of the Orlando shooting at a gay bar in Beijing. Photo: Adam’s via HKFP.
About 60-70 people attended the vigil, according to Wong. “So many friends came and showed their love,” wrote Wong in a post on messaging platform WeChat on Wednesday morning.
I saw everyone cried, I saw everyone’s eyes, don’t cry my dears, let’s be strong and hold each other’s hands.
A vigil for the victims of the Orlando shooting at a gay bar in Beijing. Photos: Adam’s via HKFP.
Around 190 LGBTQ organisations in China signed a joint statement on the massacre published on Monday. It said:
Image uploaded on Blued. via Blued's Weibo.
We, members of China’s LGBTQ community stand with the victims of this tragedy and their families, friends, and loved ones, and with all LGBTQ people around the world. Together with them, we grieve the loss of so many innocent lives and strongly condemn terrorism and all violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression […]
In China, violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression occurs throughout daily life, including the use of conversion therapy to ‘cure’ gay and bisexual people, bullying of LGBTQ youth in schools, and overall discriminatory treatment.
Blued, the most popular gay dating app in China, changed its loading screen to say “we stand with Orlando.”
“The LGBT crowd is part of the human race’s big family. We’ll use love to win this war,” said Blued’s founder on his Weibo account.
Dozens also gathered in Hong Kong on Monday evening to remember those killed.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called US President Barack Obama to offer condolences on Monday. Premier Li Keqiang said “China opposes terrorist action in all forms,” at a press conference on Monday.

author: Hong Kong Free Press


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Harold La Borde, the First Trinidadian to Sail the World, Remembered for His Sense of Adventure · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Lonesome sailboat”; photo by Rawle C. Jackman, used under a CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 license.
When Harold La Borde died at the age of 82 on Sunday, June 12, 2016, it was as if Trinidad and Tobago lost its arms that reached out to embrace the rest of the world.
La Borde, an avid sailor and a true explorer at heart, was the first Trinidadian to circumnavigate the globe. From 1969 to 1973, he sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, from one side of the world to the other, in the Hummingbird II, his trusty ketch. He and his wife, Kwailan, who made the trip with him, were bestowed with Trinidad and Tobago's highest award — the Trinity Cross (Gold) — for their feat.
Remembrances for the great adventurer poured out on both Twitter and Facebook. Popular Trinidadian radio station 96.1 posted a tribute on its Facebook page:
Harold La Borde, the legendary Trinidadian who built his own boat and sailed around the world, died on Sunday morning. He was on vacation in Grenada when one week before celebrating his birthday on Saturday, he passed away. On this occasion, we reproduce a TTRN feature from September 18th 2014, when we paid tribute to the then living legend. Harold La Borde and his wife Kwailan along with their 5 year old son, Pierre, took off from Trinidad on an adventure to sail around the world on a boat which Harold built with his own hands at Point Cumana. It was a 40 ft ketch, dubbed ‘Hummingbird II’. […]
The La Borde’s [sic] sailed the Caribbean Sea, across the Pacific Ocean and through the treacherous Torres Straits to the Indian Ocean. They had an especially rough time crossing the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, known as the Mount Everest of the ocean, which Harold called the highlight of their journey.
On Twitter, communications consultant Maria Mc Millan referred to La Borde as an “icon”:
Trini icon passes: circumnavigated the world https://t.co/cId5d5MpCD #HaroldLaBorde #Sailor
— Maria Rivas-McMillan (@Panyol) June 13, 2016
The Grim Reaper noted:
Harold La Borde, you will be missed – #HaroldLaBorde #Harold #LaBorde #rip https://t.co/of2uIeXtgo pic.twitter.com/MUerNZUGAd
— The Grim Reaper (@deadpeoplecom) June 14, 2016
Other Twitter users were posting updates related to La Borde's cause of death, since his passing was so sudden and unexpected:
An autopsy will be done on the body of sailor Harold La Borde , who died on Sunday in Grenada.
— ThaAmazingOutlaw (@outlaw961) June 14, 2016
La Borde's son, Pierre, confirmed that his father had been in Grenada on vacation; he reportedly slipped and fell in the marina, hitting his head.
Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Public Administration and Communications, Maxie Cuffie, offered condolences on La Borde's passing:
To many, Mr. La Borde was a legend; to others, he was a passionate, dedicated, disciplined patriot who taught himself how to be a sailor and about seamanship.
The story of the La Bordes and the passion, dedication and discipline which allowed them to pursue their dreams will always be memorable. In fact, Mr. Harold La Borde’s story should always be an example of what is required to fulfil one’s dreams. […]
On behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, I extend my sincerest sympathies to Mrs. Kwailan La Borde and the entire La Borde family. Our country is poorer for his passing but still enriched by his motivational story and legacy.
Still, some felt that not enough people knew about La Borde's accomplishments:
Realized few ppl knew about Harold La Borde.
— Ryan R. Brown (@RyanBumpyBrown) June 14, 2016
The ones who did know, though, were quick to acknowledge La Borde's stellar contribution to his country:
Thank you Harold La Borde for putting Trinidad & Tobago on the world stage. Rest in peace… https://t.co/Vsj6isThm5
— Dane S.G Wilson (@DSGW) June 14, 2016
In fact, some social media users called him a legend. Historian Angelo Bissessarsingh wrote in a public Facebook post:
There are heroes in name and then there are heroes in legend who will live on through the ages. The late Harold La Borde was the latter. For those who knew him and others who grew up in the shadow of his incredible adventures, his passing is a deeply sorrowful occurrence. Many of us pass the decaying hull of a small yacht, the legendary Hummingbird II on South Quay without appreciating the awe-inspiring voyage of circumnavigation it took at the hands of its builder and captain. My deepest condolences to his widow, Kwailan, a worthy partner for this man, and their children Pierre and Andre. We have lost one of our greatest icons, a man both humble and fearless whose triumphs over Neptune's lair will never be forgotten. R.I.P Harold La Borde.
La Borde's historic adventures will live forever in the books that he has authored — An Ocean to Ourselves (1962), All Oceans Blue (1977), and Lonely Oceans South (1987). Prior to his passing, La Borde was working on both an autobiography and a documentary film of his life.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Helping Refugees in Europe Get Connected to the Internet · Global Voices
Rami Alhames

Phone shop at Za'atari's Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. Source: Zaa'tari Refugee Camp Facebook page.
Smartphones  have become a lifeline for refugees during their long journey for the relative safety of Europe, as they are used for communication and organization through social media and websites. However, a smartphone has its limitations because its battery can only last anywhere between 12-48 hours and it is subject to the national network coverage or available wifi hotspots.
Tyler Jump from the International Rescue Committee wrote in a recent Medium piece about a refugee's first questions when they reach Europe. One of them, he said, is “Do you have WiFi?”
Connecting with family is a top priority for newly arrived refugees who want their loved ones to know they are safe.
Refugees rely heavily on access to the internet to communicate, but there are many hurdles in their way. Researcher Linda Leung defined some of the challenges facing refugees in her paper “Taking refuge in technology: communication practices in refugee camps and immigration detention.” Though the study was of refugees in Australia, refugees in Europe likely also face many of the same difficulties:
It was difficult to earn money in the camp to afford to communicate.
People who owned mobile phones rented them out.
Some people were worried that their family or friends were under surveillance by their enemies.
Refugees can feel distressed if there is no news.
In some places internet cafes are too expensive to use.
Sometimes refugees cannot access any technology whatsoever. Instead, many refugees resorted to traditional forms of communication through messengers, who were used to pass on news and hand-deliver letters to loved ones.
Disaster Tech Lab is a startup offering WiFi infrastructure building in disaster recovery areas and makeshift refugee camps. These were the signs being setup around the camp to indicate presence of internet connectivity. The map of hotspot locations is also visible. Mytilene, Moria camp, 29/12/2015. Photo by Chris Gioran and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
In addition to these challenges, many refugees may fall victim to those trying to profit off of these hardships. Leung found that a type of black market appeared to appear at many refugee camps:
Displaced people are at the mercy of those who can afford to own communication technology and who control access to it. The expense of using communication technology can markedly increase when the owners of mobile phones in refugee camps become corrupt or phone booths in town are controlled by the black market.
To address these challenges, some individuals are offering their help to the refugees seeking communication. Ilias Papadopoulos, a Greek electrical engineer, provided a free internet connection for everyone in Idomeni, a small Greek town located on the border with Macedonia.
This YouTube video describes how he created a set-up to offer this service for free:
He saw that most refugees had smartphones, but without SIM cards or any reliable connection, they had no real way to communicate. So he decided to help one way that could benefit most.
Several startups and NGOs have also attempted to respond to the call for greater communication access for refugees. The organization The Disaster Tech Lab based in Ireland has been deploying wifi networks in the Moria and Kara Tepe refugee camps in Lesvos, Greece. They note that over 400,000 refugees have utilized their network during their stay in the camps. They add:
In addition to the obvious benefits of being able to stay in contact with their friends and family there is also the requirement that asylum applications have to be made via a Skype call. In addition to this schools and learning centers are being set up now that the camps are semi-permanent and these of course all require internet access.
Other groups have made it priority to provide internet access at reception centers in Western Europe, since the government often does not budget for internet access in accommodations. The German organization Refugees Online e.V. first project was providing free wifi connectivity at the refugee reception unit at Fliegerhorst in Fuerstenfeldbruck, and now the project has expanded to 95 facilities across the country. In addition to the access, the organization also provided training and an online learning platform for asylum seekers.
And a start-up company is in the process of developing of what they call an “autonomous rugged wifi hotspot for outdoors and crisis areas.” The company, called MeshPoint, is working to raise the funds to build the prototype for launch where it is needed most.
In their blog, they highlight how the project started in late 2015 when an influx of refugees arrived at the Croatian border, where they were welcomed by the government. They describe how different groups arrived at the scene to provide assistance.
Among them were the volunteers of Osijek chapter of Otvorena Mreža (Open Network), an Open Source inspired movement that aims to provide free internet to everybody. They simply hacked a home router, installed OpenWRT, plugged in a USB 3G dongle, hooked the router to a battery, packed everything in a backpack, and went into the crowd with a “Free WiFi” sign on their backs, antennas sticking out.
Trying to scale and establish a fix hotspot proved to be more of a challenge for the group.
It requires a lot of improvisation, and takes more time that you would hope for. Sensitive networking equipment will often not work well with the petrol fired AC generators, as the choppy voltage will keep crashing it randomly, then there’s waterproofing stuff that doesn’t like to be wet, and then there are cables… Don’t get me started on cables.
Trying to find an acceptable solution for creating an easy-to-install wifi connection to support more than 100 users connected simultaneous was difficult to find. And that's what led to the beginning of the MeshPoint project because they wanted to build the solution themselves.
More than a million refugees and migrants crossed into Europe by sea in 2015, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. So far in 2016, more than 200,000 have arrived, the majority of them fleeing violence in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Whether it is to reach out to family and friends left behind or to make arrangements for a new life looking forward, access to wifi is vital for them. Hopefully, these individual and organizational efforts continue to help provide refugees this important lifeline.

author: Rami Alhames


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Jamaica’s Attorney General Condemns the Orlando Massacre, But Thinks the Rainbow Flag Goes Too Far · Global Voices
Emma Lewis

A screenshot of the image posted by the United States Embassy in Jamaica on its Facebook page, showing the US flag and the rainbow flag — a global symbol of the LGBT movement — being flown at half mast out of respect for the Orlando nightclub shooting victims.
Like the rest of the world, many Jamaicans reacted on social media with shock, sadness and condemnation to the deadly shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12. Prime Minister Andrew Holness issued a statement later that day expressing sympathies to the American people and noting that Jamaica itself is struggling to cope with a high level of gun violence.
The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica flew a rainbow flag just below the national flag at half-mast on the Monday that followed the violence, tweeting and sharing a photo on its Facebook page. Jamaican LGBT rights group J-FLAG posted the photo on their website and Facebook page with one word: “Amazing.”
However, two days later, things went awry after Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte (a Harvard alumna, World Yale Fellow and former judge) tweeted on June 14:
“I strongly condemn the #OrlandoNightClubShooting but find it disrespectful of Jamaica's laws to have #RainbowFlag flown here. #MyPersonalView” Screenshot of the Jamaican Attorney General's tweet that has since been removed from Twitter.
The U.S. Embassy responded to her tweet:
@mmalahooforte we're listening. Explain the legal reasoning? It was an attack of terror !!and!! hate, targeting the LGBT community.
— US Embassy Jamaica (@USEmbassyJA) June 14, 2016
The Attorney General did not reply.
Responses to the attorney general’s tweet were mixed, but many Jamaicans were angered by her perceived insensitivity, and surprised that she had expressed her personal views on Twitter. Donahue Martin tweeted:
If I put up a rainbow flag I guess the AG would send agents of the state to my home. The symbol of God's promise is offensive, apparently
— D.I.Y (@DonahueMartinJa) June 14, 2016
Tech entrepreneur Ingrid Riley shared on Facebook:
OF RAINBOW FLAGS + SOME JAMAICANS’ PRIDE IN THEIR HYPOCRISY
I knew the Rainbow flag being flown at the US Embassy here in Jamaica, in support of the 53 people [the actual number of fatalities is 49] who lost their lives in Orlando, at the hands of a lunatic, was going to cause a stir.
But let's get some things clear. […]
It was a hateful, cowardly attack on the freedom to be, do and have the kind of life we all want […]
It's the US Embassy, they can fly any colour, size flag they damn well please, Embassy grounds are US territory.
[…] The Attorney General's statement about the Rainbow Flag on Twitter is unfortunate ( the most diplomatic word I could find ) and it is not aligned with God, ma'am. The last time I checked, she/he is still a God of Love.
[…] Jamaica's laws are highly discriminatory against hundreds of thousands of our fellow human beings. Let's not even get started on the Justice System, over which the AG now presides. […]
The more we choose love, over hypocrisy and discrimination, the better off, we all will be.
It would be nice to hear this from our Political Leaders… ‘Regardless of race, religion, faith or sexual orientation, we’re all Jamaicans.’
#IAMNOTwithHer
#IamNotWithTheAG
#SomeOnePassMeARainblowFlag
Let us stop majoring in the damn minors man!
Jamaica has had a bumpy road to the acceptance of LGBT rights. The country has an international reputation for being homophobic — from dancehall lyrics with anti-gay sentiments to violence against members of the LGBT community and even media blackouts on ads advocating tolerance and acceptance. Many Jamaicans routinely make a distinction between their largely religious-based opposition to homosexuality and homophobia. This is the same country in which the first-ever local gay pride celebrations came off without a hitch nearly a year ago, so the public discourse about homosexuality is certainly changing.
Radio talk show host and attorney Emily Shields noted:
Walked into my office a short moment ago to see that my head of chambers is wearing a rainbow tie.#RainbowDay
— Emily Shields (@emilymshields) June 14, 2016
She added:
I was searching for a rainbow flag yday. I would have happily flown it in solidarity with the gay community
— Emily Shields (@emilymshields) June 14, 2016
Her husband Mark Shields noted that – as expected – Jamaicans are deeply divided on the issue, tweeting:
Shocking? Nearly half those polled in #Loopjamaica agree #UsEmbassyJA flying rainbow flag was disrespectful pic.twitter.com/Q4ObyaJ5LB
— Mark Shields (@marxshields) June 14, 2016
Gender activist and vlogger Carla Moore shared on Instagram:
I feel we should respond to Marlene Malahoo Forte in the same way [US presidential candidate] Hillary Clinton just handled [US presidential candidate] Donald Trump: delete your account…Who to tell how many more ‘battyman fi dead’ she just acquired as diehard supporters based on this mess. The whole thing is just too tiring to bear.
She added:
Tired of people pushing exclusion to win votes. Pushing this one and that one, including women, queers and poor people, out of the fold of the country to gather votes. Me nah stomach it no more. ..Be smarter, Marlene, you is a big woman now.
In a letter to the Gleaner newspaper, Michelle Bradshaw commented:
As a public figure and one with such a highly placed statute, for her to even think of tweeting such comments, at such a time is an indication that many of those holding public office have no clue as to where or when to draw the line.
No one is saying that she is not allowed to have her personal views, but as Attorney General those views at the time only helped to once again paint Jamaica and Jamaicans as homophobes hell bent on getting rid of homosexuals and are lacking in empathy even in the face of tragedy.
Very sad situation.
By midday, the attorney general’s morning tweet had been deleted. Later in the afternoon, she tweeted (now also deleted):
I withdraw that tweet from the public space :)
— MMalahooForte QC MP (@mmalahooforte) June 14, 2016
As usual, there are those who find a humorous slant. Anglican cleric and human rights activist Father Sean Major Campbell shared on Facebook:
VERY CONCERNED: Saw a rainbow a few moments ago in the direction of Jack’s Hill. The audacity! The things that nature does!
To the south of the Caribbean archipelago, Trinidadian satirical website The Late O'Clock News observed:
The Attorney General of Jamaica Marlene Malahoo Forte says Jamaican culture is being threatened by a rainbow in the sky. And now, she is calling on God to remove the rainbow, because it disrespects Jamaican laws.
The Late O’Clock News contacted the Jamaican AG and tried to inform her that a rainbow is actually a meteorological phenomenon caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets; to which she responded, ‘fire bun sodomite science dem’.
Responding immediately after the controversy flared on social media, Prime Minister Andrew Holness had already taken the opportunity to reiterate his stance, with a slightly different angle. At the beginning of a speech at an Ethics and Security forum organized by the Ministries of Education and National Security that same morning, he noted: “The terrorist bullet does not discriminate. It does not know gender, class, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation.”
U.S. Embassy official Joshua Polacheck commented later in the day that the embassy accepted the prime minister's words as speaking for all Jamaicans.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General told the Jamaica Observer that the second part of her tweet had been misconstrued. She reiterated that personally, she celebrates people's differences and in her role as attorney general is “sworn to uphold and defend the constitution and laws of Jamaica”, adding, “In both spheres I remain a sincere advocate for fair and proper treatment of everyone. And I will never condone the use of violence to deal with our differences.”
Did the prime minister’s and the U.S. Embassy's comments smooth things over? Perhaps, but this incident goes to show that 24 hours in social media can be a long time for Jamaican public officials. Meanwhile, the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper tweeted a photo of the beautiful rainbow that, with perfect timing, appeared over Kingston in the afternoon:
#JamaicaToday: A rainbow as seen from downtown Kingston following brief showers this afternoon – @taylor2nd photo pic.twitter.com/5vUiM618Ho
— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) June 14, 2016

author: Emma Lewis


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Most of the Lives Lost During the Orlando Massacre Were Puerto Ricans · Global Voices
Ángel Carrión

“Solidarity against inhumanity.” Illustration by artist Kike Estrada in honor of the victims of the Orlando massacre. Taken from his website, planetakike.com. Used with permission.
From the first hours after the news of the Orlando massacre broke, in which a shooter named Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 others in an act of hatred of LGBTQ people, it was clear that most of the men and women who died that day were Latin Americans. But it wouldn't be for several more hours, after the majority of the victim's names were confirmed, that it would become clear that most of the Latinas and Latinos were Puerto Rican — 23 of the 49 killed.
For Puerto Ricans, the tragedy is perhaps even greater. Orlando is home to one of the largest Puerto Rican communities in the United States, having been for decades a popular destination for those who emigrated looking for better employment opportunities and a better quality of life for their families. One of the reasons many Puerto Ricans give for emigrating to the US is precisely to find a safer neighborhood to live in, due to the increase of violent crimes in Puerto Rico over the past years. Doubtless, many of the people who were killed emigrated there looking for a better life and probably felt they were safer.
Writing for non-profit news site 80 grados, Puerto Rican queer activist Yoryie Irizarry explained why the pain of these deaths is felt so strongly among the LGBTQ community:
La discoteca para muchos y muchas de nosotras, es ese espacio más seguro que la casa familiar. Fue en una discoteca donde descubrí, sorprendido y emocionado, que hombres pueden bailar con otros hombres, y mujeres con mujeres. Fue en una discoteca donde muchos aprendimos a bailarnos, seducirnos y rozarnos sin miedo de que nadie nos juzgue. Es en una disco donde muchas veces “soltamos la trenza”, nos liberamos de ese corset ideológico patriarcal que dicta cuáles serán cada uno de los movimientos y expresiones permitidos de acuerdo a los genitales. Para muchas y muchos de nosotros la discoteca representa ese espacio seguro para protegernos en los tradicionales días festivos. Allí nos reunimos luego de la aburrida cena familiar de “Thanksgiving” o los festejos familiares de Nochebuena o Navidad. En la disco somos libres para ser quienes somos. Es por eso que este ataque homofóbico a nuestros hermanos y hermanas en Orlando se siente tan personal. Conocemos los lazos de amistad, sensualidad y amor que nos unen en la barra, las experiencias fraternales, los chistes, la música que compartimos cuando bailamos y reímos libres para ser quienes somos, lejos de la mirada juzgadora de aquellos y aquellas que nos odian.
For many of us, the club is a safer place than our family home. It was in a club that I discovered, surprised and excited, that men can dance with other men, and women with other women. It was in a club where many of us learned to dance with each other, seduce each other and touch each other without fear of being judged by anyone. It is in a club where we “let our hair down,” freed of the ideological and patriarchal corset that dictates each and every allowed movement and expression according to the genitals. For many of us the discotheque represents a safe space that protects us during traditional holidays. We gather there after the boring Thanksgiving family dinner or the family feasts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. In the club we are free to be who we are. That is why this homophobic attack on our brothers and sisters in Orlando feels so personal. We know the ties of friendship, sensuality and love that unite us in the bar, the fraternal experiences, the jokes, the music that we share when we dance and laugh, free to be who we are, far from the judging glare of those who hate us.
Early on when the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of the victims were still largely unconfirmed, Facebook user Nelie Lebrón Robles made the following poignant observation about an angle that has remained unexplored in mainstream media as of this writing:
Al final del día, no solo la comunidad gay, sino la comunidad latina, en especial puertorriqueña, habrá sido víctma protagónica de este trágico suceso en Orlando. Entonces me pregunto, ¿la nacionalidad predominante de las víctimas no tendrá que ser también un factor a tomar en cuenta? Esto ocurrió en la noche latina del club Pulse. Sin que se haya divulgado oficialmente los nombres de todos los fallecidos, ya conocemos de 3 víctimas puertorriqueñas… ¿cuántos más serán boricuas? Todos hablan de lo obvio: crimen de odio anti gay, terrorismo radical islámico… pero no hemos escuchado la posibilidad de que las víctimas también hayan sido seleccionadas por su procedencia latina.
At the end of the day, not only the gay community, but the Latino and especially Puerto Rican communities, will have been protagonists among the victims of this tragedy in Orlando. And then I ask myself, shouldn't the predominant nationality of the victims be a factor to take into consideration? This occurred on Latino Night in the nightclub Pulse. Without having divulged officially the names of all the deceased, we know of three Puerto Rican victims… How many more are boricuas [Puerto Rican]? All speak of the obvious: anti-gay hate crime, radical Islamic terrorism… But we haven't heard the possibility that the victims could also have been chosen for their Latino origins.
Mateen's motives haven't been confirmed, and what is known paints a complicated picture. So far, there is no evidence that Mateen was under the direction of any extremist group, though he had been investigated by the FBI for having previously claimed ties to groups like ISIS, the al Nusra Front (an affiliate of al Qaeda) and Hezbollah. But, as has been pointed out, this is confusing because these groups are in conflict with each other. Authorities believe that the likely explanation is that Mateen was self-radicalized.
People who knew him have told the press he had anger issues and was homophobic, racist and misogynistic. Mateen, however, was seen many times previously at Pulse nightclub, the site of the shooting, which is a popular gay club. He also had reportedly used a gay dating app, suggesting that perhaps his own internal conflicts about his sexuality were part of what drove him to commit such horrific violence.
Regardless of motives, the fact is mass shootings have become disturbingly frequent in the United States, and a common thread among them has been the attackers’ easy access to firearms. The US must take a hard, honest look at itself on where it stands on this issue if future tragedies like this one are to be prevented.

author: Ángel Carrión


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Russia-Trained Civil Militias Along Bulgaria’s Borders Are ‘Ready for War With Refugees’ · Global Voices
Ruslan Trad

Members of Bulgarian nationalist faction BNO Shipka on the border with Turkey, “waiting for refugees”. Photo from Facebook page of BNO Shipka https://www.facebook.com/voenensauz/
At least 800 people are involved in organized militias that hunt refugees along the borders of Bulgaria. According to their leader, they receive free training from Russia.
An investigation by German public television channel ZDF aired on June 8 found that at least half of these men have done stints in the Bulgarian military. They wear masks and military camouflage, and most carry knives. Some, however, have guns as well.
The idea of civil patrols in Bulgaria is nothing new. But the practice has re-emerged as the number of refugees from Syria entering the country increased in 2013 and 2014.
By the end of 2013, an estimated 15,000 Syrian refugees had entered Bulgaria illegally, seeking safety. However, the small EU country, awash with its own political and economic instability, has not been able to cope with the influx of asylum-seekers. In an effort to stem the arrival of new refugees, the Bulgarian government authorized the construction of a 30-kilometre barbed wire fence running along the border with Turkey. Tension between refugees suffering from poverty and unemployment and local communities have spiked.
These civil patrols are a consequence of the inadequate response to the problem by authorities and then government of Plamen Oresharski. First they cropped up in Sofia, the capital, and since 2015 there have been a number of patrols on the Bulgarian-Turkish border that had developed into de-facto paramilitary organizations.
At first, these “patrols” did not carry weapons openly. They become more popular and more militarized with the establishment of several refugee centers in and around Sofia. These include the main center in Ovcha Kupel, Voenna Rampa and Vrazhdebna, which are administered by the Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees. An unknown number of migrants also occupy apartments in central areas of the capital.
Migrants have received mainly residency documents and shelter for them and their families, but Nationalist circles in Bulgaria began leveraging the increasing numbers of refugees for local political purposes and to increase their visibility among Bulgarian citizens. Boyan Rasate, for example, the leader of Bulgarian National Union – New Democracy (BNU-ND), a National Socialist political party based in Sofia, leads one of these civil patrols, claiming that he's doing so in order to be “patriotic and to protect Bulgarian values”.
During the last three years, the Syrians and other refugees have continued to suffer an increasing number of attacks in Bulgaria's capital. On December 2, 2013 two Syrian refugees have been assaulted by a group of 20 men armed with knives and chains. The two victims, aged 27 and 35, suffered a broken nose and knife injures to the head.
On November 9, 2013, a 28-year-old Bulgarian man of Turkish descent was beaten after being mistaken for an immigrant. Other xenophobic attacks include the stabbing of an 18-year-old Malian boy and a 17-year-old Syrian national between November and December 2013.
At the end of 2013, human rights group Amnesty International expressed alarm at the increase in xenophobic hate crimes against immigrants in Bulgaria and the anti-immigrant protests being organized by far-right groups. Quoted in an Amnesty statement on 12 November 2013, spokeswoman Barbora Cernusakova said that “There is an alarming and dangerous rise in xenophobic feeling in Bulgaria and the onus is on the authorities to prevent it, but instead many recent government statements risk inflaming the situation.”
Pushback and unauthorized border patrols
According to Bulgarian police data, 1,500 people are stopped every month from crossing the borders from Turkey and Greece. Between end of May and the beginning in June 2016 several reports have appeared about groups of people who managed to pass from Greece to Bulgaria. The news agency Novinite reported that 53 migrants were quickly sent back to Greece by the Bulgarian authorities. Another group of 34 were caught in a freight train on the route from Greece to Bulgaria. Another Novinite report claims that one day, in the space of 24 hours, another 215 migrants were prevented from entering Bulgaria: 62 tried to cross the border between Greece and Bulgaria at Novo Selo, 155 tried to enter from the border with Turkey. As a result of these incidents, the Bulgarian authorities deployed army units on the border with Greece.
As news about refugees became more frequent “civil patrols” began to appear on the border with Turkey. Legally, they do not have the right to make arrests, but they perform them anyway. The patrols have been reported, for instance, to have “captured”several Afghan nationals, and in February 2016 Dinko Valev, a 29-year old from the small town of Yambol, was praised in Bulgarian media as a “superhero” for catching a group of Syrian refugees “with his bare hands.” Valev boasted on national television of patrolling the Turkish border to “hunt” migrants, and has since started a group of his own.
While the activities of the “patrols” have sparked controversy in Bulgaria, the authorities and government led by centre-right political party GERB and the Prime Minister Boyko Borissov have remained silent. In general, the Bulgarian media remain silent too. News reports mention the “civil patrols” in Sofia, but not those along the border with Turkey. One of the few reactions to the ZDF report has been from the news website Mediapool, which summarized the report's content and discussed with the development of these squads under the headline “Russian-trained refugees hunters in Bulgaria”. Another reaction came from the news website Actualno.com, which also focused on the training provided by Russia. Pro-Russian media like Budna era referred not to refugees but to “invaders”.
As ZDF reported, the civil patrols are increasing in size and continue to arm themselves with heavier weaponry. Some of their members and leaders are also reported to be former Russian soldiers.
The leading nationalist faction that has deployed patrols on the border with Turkey is Voenen sayuz – BNO Shipka (“Military union – BNO Shipka”). They maintain a Facebook page and a Facebook group, both or which currently have more than 4,000 members. In these fora they discuss actions against refugees and migrants. On June 6, Russian channel produced a video about activities.
In the ZDF video, a the patrol member says, “If the agreement with Turkey fails, we are ready for war with the refugees.”
What this means, exactly, is unclear, and it is also unclear whether the authorities will respond appropriately, as so far the Bulgarian government has failed to publicly address the issue of the civil patrols.

author: Ruslan Trad


text:
The Less Sleek, More Timeworn ‘Bits of Tokyo’ · Global Voices
Nevin Thompson

Gorilla Building in Sangenjaya, Tokyo. From Bits of Tokyo YouTube channel.
Bits of Tokyo is an anonymous photo blog that captures the quiet, older corners of Tokyo, the world's largest city.
Rather than focusing on the neon-lit, futuristic landscapes many people associate with Japan, Bits of Tokyo instead documents the more care-worn and often decaying homes and businesses that are common not only to many parts of Tokyo, but other cities around a rapidly aging Japan.
A cosmetics shop in Toranomon in #Tokyo. #Japan #虎ノ門 pic.twitter.com/VHpdT35Hu7
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) June 12, 2016
Many of the shops and homes documented in the photo blog date back 40 or 50 years, and were built for the boom times of the “economic miracle” that followed Japan's defeat in the Second World War.
Little electronics store between Shibuya and #Yoyogi in #Tokyo. #Japan pic.twitter.com/b78854JZdt
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) June 10, 2016
Bits of Tokyo captures neighborhood life in many cities around Japan.
A row of old houses between Daikanyama and #Ebisu in #Tokyo. #Japan pic.twitter.com/Y0toR6FLAK
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) June 2, 2016
Not everything is run down, either. Kappabashi, located in Tokyo's “old town” of Shitamachi east of Ueno, is home to a cluster of businesses that supply the restaurant industry.
A shop selling kitchen stuff in #Kappabashi in #Tokyo. #Japan pic.twitter.com/EvrIvn9Cag
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) June 1, 2016
Bits of Tokyo also captures details of a vanishing way of life, such public baths, or sento, which were once vital parts of any neighborhood in urban postwar Japan.
And the entrance to the public baths in Sangenjaya. pic.twitter.com/8Cu6siTmYj
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) May 30, 2016
Old coffee vending machine outside a similarly old public bath in Sangenjaya, #Tokyo. #Japan #自販機 pic.twitter.com/erpcHfjswM
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) May 30, 2016
The photo blog also captures small details of life in postwar Showa-era Japan, including signs and advertisements.
Rice, cigarettes and salt signs outside a shop on Meiji Dori in #Tokyo. #Japan #たばこ pic.twitter.com/5FwSje82Y5
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) April 16, 2016
The owners of many of these shops are likely in their 70s and 80s. It's unclear what will happen to their neighborhoods once they are gone.
Pharmacy, hair salon and shop near Gakugeidaigaku station in #Tokyo. #Japan pic.twitter.com/JfFB1zNulV
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) March 4, 2016
Other images show just how entrepreneurial some small business-owners have to be in order to scrape by.
A palm reading hairdresser on the Keio Line in #Tokyo, #Japan. #占い pic.twitter.com/Fdx5Pm4LNa
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) February 24, 2016
There are of course, examples of very lovely traditional architecture.
Old house near #Sangenjaya in #Tokyo. #Japan pic.twitter.com/oAvaw9jI0c
— Bits of Tokyo (@BitsofTokyo) January 24, 2016
Bits of Tokyo also has its own YouTube channel, too:

author: Nevin Thompson


text:
What Can China Do to Stop the ‘Epidemic’ of Suicides Among Government Officials? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Photo by Evan Lavine. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
A wave of suicides among government officials has claimed two more lives. In June 12, two officials from Guangdong province died by suicide. Liu Xiaohua, deputy secretary general of Guangdong government, hanged himself in his apartment, and Head of Confidential Secretary Xiao Bibo from Shenzhen Yantian District jumped off a bridge.
More than 80 Chinese government officials have died by suicide or died an “unnatural death” since 2014, and many of them were under investigation for corruption when they ended their lives. The situation has been so grave that some media outlets described it as suicide “epidemic”.
State-affiliated media have reported that these government officials who have ended their lives have done so because of work pressure or depression. However, the spike in suicides seems correlated with the Chinese government's ongoing anti-graft campaign, leading many Chinese to believe the officials were attempting to end any investigations against them by killing themselves. Instead of public sympathy, their deaths are often viewed as the ultimate cover-up of corruption.
Hence, it's not unusual to see mean or sarcastic remarks in the online comments thread of an official's suicide news, such as in the case of Liu Xiaohua's death:
死了你一个，平安千万官！
弃车保帅，这就是官场斗争
官太多，多点自杀好！
One died and thousands of officials survive!
Give up the deputy to protect the top ones, that's the logic of power within the government.
There are too many officials, the more suicides the better.
As the number of officials’ suicides has soared, some have attempted to address the problem and look for a remedy.
Echoing popular sentiment, news commentator Yu Shenghai suggested extending the powers of the anti-graft campaign by amending Chinese criminal law to empower the court to confiscate corruption money from family members of dead officials:
绝大多数官员是畏罪自杀。他们自认为在罪行败露之前，为了掩盖贪腐之实选择自杀是贪腐官员最好的逃避方法，只要“死无对证”，以前的贪腐烂账便无从查起，既可以全自己的名声，又能保住赃款，不给家人子女留下耻辱的骂名，“牺牲我一个，幸福一家人”。[…] 当前，无论是官场“潜规则”，还是“明规则”，都不利于查明官员自杀的真相。[…] 按照刑事诉讼法第15条的规定，犯罪嫌疑人、被告人死亡的，不追究刑事责任，这样一来就放纵了贪官。
针对越来越多的官员非正常死亡事件，应该修改法律，来应对贪官以自杀的方式来逃避法律制裁，而不应再死守“人死就不再追查”的旧规。贪官即使自杀身亡，也要一查到底，对于畏罪自杀者应该没收其赃款，不让其家人或其他既得利益者钻法律的空子，逍遥法外。这既有利于减少官员“抑郁自杀”，也有利于反腐走向深入。
Most of the officials took their own lives out of fear. They found suicide the best way to cover up their corruption as a dead person could not answer to questions related to their crime. It is also the best way to protect their reputation, hide the corrupt money and protect their family members from further investigation — the whole logic is to “sacrifice oneself to bring happiness to the whole family”. […] Currently, both the unwritten and written laws do not facilitate the revelation of the truth behind officials’ suicides. […] According to Article 15 of the criminal law, suspects of a criminal offense do not bear any criminal responsibility once they are dead. This loophole encourages the corrupt officials to make the choice.
As there are more and more unnatural death cases among government officials, the law should be amended so that law enforcement can continue their investigation after the suspect is dead. [The law] should find a way to confiscate the corruption money so that no one can benefit from the suicide. This should reduce the number of suicide among officials and further the anti-graft campaign.
What Yu failed to see, however, is that the anti-graft campaign has been operating outside the current criminal investigation process in China. As veteran lawyer Chen Youxi wrote in 2014 when the suicide rate of government officials increased, corruption investigations in China have been in the hands of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, a Chinese Communist Party organ that has the power to impose “Shuanggui,” an internal disciplinary process, against corruption suspects within the party and government. As the Chinese judiciary is led by the party, once the suspects are put on trial, the court's ruling would be consistent with the party's judgement. There is no space for an independent and fair trial.
@jamescao2016, following Chen Youxi's observation, saw the issue as one of an independent judiciary and rule of law. He wrote a long, reflective post on social media platform Weibo:
开始，看见官员这样死那样死，我心里是有一丝幸灾乐祸的。
但是，当我看到越来越多的官员，跳楼，溺水，上吊，喝药……
心里就不是滋味了。
按道理，作为官员，无论经济条件，还是社会地位，都比一般屁民好的不是一点半点。
为什么依旧会自杀，或者被自杀？
不管他们生前如何，死了，都现场患上了“忧郁症”。
好像突然之间，官场以忧郁症为荣，以自杀为流行时尚。
中国奋斗了67年，为了狗屎主义已消耗了三代人，得到了一个什么样的社会？
内无精神，外无尊严。
如同陷入一个迷宫，或者噩梦，找不到出路，挣不脱恐惧，得不到幸福。
曾经，老耄把中国搞的乌烟瘴气，把开国元勋知识分子社会精英屠杀的干干净净。
那时候的官员，在批斗打压监狱里，还有咬牙死挺坚持的毅力。
现在，没看见批斗，没看见羞辱，没看见毒打，没看见众叛亲离，走投无路，为什么这届官员会这样络绎不绝的死去？
这需要每一个人讨论和思考的问题：中国现在这个状态正常吗？
政府的职责，是保护每一个人的合法权益和人身安全，包括官员的。
官员，贪腐了，作恶了，有罪了，应该由法律去审判和惩罚。
不应该，也不能够，就这样“扑腾”“扑腾”各种姿势死去。
如果依旧是老耄的那一套，中国，会越来越恐怖和暴力，越来越疯癫和倒退。
所以，要求民主自由，不单单是觉醒公民的诉求和梦想，也应该是每一个中国人的包括公务员官员的。[…]
必须要求法治：要求在公平独立民主自由的框架下，依照宪法来治理国家。
At first, when reading how the officials died of this and that, I took joy in their pain.
But more and more officials have [killed themselves] by jumping off buildings, drowning, hanging, drinking poisons… I feel bad.
Generally speaking, government officials are more well off than ordinary people in their economic and social status.
Why do they still choose to or are forced to end their lives?
Regardless of how they were when alive, once they are dead they supposedly all suffered from depression.
As if depression is a kind of glory and suicide is a fashionable behavior among officials.
China has struggled for 67 years [since 1949, when the communist party won the civil war]. Three generations have committed to some dog shit ideology and what kind of society we have now?
Spiritual emptiness from within and no respect from the outside.
As if trapped in a maze or nightmare, there is no exit, no happiness but fear.
Once, old [former Chinese leader] Mao [Zedong] had ruined China and killed a large number of our nation's founders and intellectuals.
At that time, officials were repressed and put in jail. But most endured the prosecution and survived.
Now, there is no public prosecution, no humiliation, no torture, no betrayal, and they still have a choice, so why do they choose to die?
Is this normal? This is a question that everyone of us should think about.
It is the government's responsibility to protect every individual's safety, including that of the officials. If the officials are corrupt, evil and sinful, they should be judged and punished by law.
They should not die like this.
If we follow old Mao, China will fall into terror, violence and madness.
The demand for democracy and freedom should not only come from awakened citizens, but also from every single individual, including the government civil servants and officials. […]
Rule of law must be upheld and we have to rule the country according to the principles of fairness, independent, democracy and freedom, in line with the constitution.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
Chile Is Battling an Environmental Crisis Called ‘The Red Tide’ · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Mejillones, Chile. Photo by Flickr user Marcos Escalier. Used under CC 2.0 licence.
Since early May this year, a new environmental disaster has plagued the coasts of Chile. The phenomenon known as the “red tide,” seen previously on the southern island of Chiloé, has claimed the lives of more than 24 million salmon and hundreds of other marine species. Now, it has reached the bay of Mejillones, in the north of the country, where more than three tons of dead anchovies have piled up along the coast.
Encuentran 3 toneladas de anchovetas varadas en bahía de Mejillones https://t.co/Gz92soApeb vía @el_dinamo
— P4purr1 P0P (@papurri_pop) May 19, 2016
Three tons of anchovies found stranded on the Mejillones bay
In addition to the anchovies, other marine species like the sea lion have also washed up on the shore.
#Mejillones 15 LOBOS MARINOS fueron hallados MUERTOS en Playa Grande @reddeemergenciahttps://t.co/wEhRwufmnXpic.twitter.com/vMkPUenD17
— Alejandro Alegria (@alegriagonzaa) May 16, 2016
15 SEA LIONS found DEAD at Playa Grande
Although the death toll has been attributed to the El Niño phenomenon, biologists from the University of Antofagasta have stated that “this kind of mass beaching of fish points to a virus or bacteria scattered throughout the shoal, intoxication due to toxic, microalgae blooms, or drastic changes in oceanographic conditions.”
However, just as in Chiloé where fishermen blame the salmon farming industry for the environmental disaster, in Mejillones there are those who attribute the marine deaths to Corpesca, a fishing company that operates in the area.
#Mejillones: Culpan a #Corpesca de verter desechos sin tratar y provocar mortandad de peces https://t.co/k74OBnEYAnpic.twitter.com/6NMAZk3Aeo
— ChileOkulto (@Chileokulto) May 17, 2016
They blame Corpesca for dumping untreated waste and causing the large number of deaths among fish
Some fishermen carried out underwater filming at various points along the bay, where they are concerned that there is “a large mass of dead or dying fish at depths that vary between 5 and 20 meters” and also a “large accumulation of sediment associated with industrial activity” (fishing). Facebook user Juan Antonio Menares Henríquez shared a video that shows what he found in the ocean: dead fish everywhere. On YouTube, Diego Olmos uploaded a video showing dead and dying fish visible on the shore.
Está la cagada en este planeta.
This planet is in really bad shape.
The scenes have provoked outrage from many on Twitter:
@biobio ES UN DESASTRE LO DE #Mejillones. ¿Qué puede salir de ahí, si sólo hay muerte y contaminación?. Y las autoridades, no hacen nada !!!
— CesanteIlustrado #AC (@AlvaroFigueroa) May 20, 2016
This Mejillones thing is a DISASTER. What can come out of there, if there's only death and contamination? And the authorities aren't doing anything!!!
Así no más con la contaminación de nuestro mar #Antofagasta#Mejillones#Chiloé#Quintero#Varazón#Derrame etc.. Chernobyl Style Mutante 😬
— Antonia (@Kruely) May 17, 2016
No more contamination of our sea.. Mutant Chernobyl Style
On May 19, the mayor of Mejillones and various representatives of artisanal fishermen submitted a complaint to the Environmental Crime Brigade, demanding an investigation into the causes of the high death rates among marine species.
Alcalde de #Mejillones y pescadores presentaron denuncia por contaminación en la PDI #Antofagasta#Calama#Taltalpic.twitter.com/1dslmsRMs1
— Region2.cl (@region2cl) May 19, 2016
Mejillones Mayor and fishermen lodge a complaint with the Investigative Police (PDI) about the contamination.

author: Juan Arellano


text:
Climate Change Threatens Qoyllur Riti, a Festival That Mixes Catholic and Indigenous Beliefs in Peru · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón Orbe

Qoyllur Riti, Cusco, Peru. Image by Flickr by user Carlos Díaz Huertas (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
Qoyllur Riti or Quyllurit'i is a spiritual and religious festival that has been held annually for hundreds of years on the slopes of the Andean Ausangate mountain, in the Quispicanchi province in the Peruvian department of Cusco. It gathers a great number of believers, organized as delegations, who identify as “nations” and who come from various towns and cities around the region.
However, this festival, so present in the region, is now being threatened by climate change. Snow is important to the festival; according to worshippers, Jesus Christ appeared as a small boy in the area during the 18th century. An image of him painted on a rock is known as the señor de Qoyllur Riti, a phrase in Quechua that means “Lord of the Bright Snow.”
More importantly, the ice in the area is said to have miraculous properties thanks to the appearance of Jesus Christ. Part of the festival includes participants climbing up to glaciers on Colque Punku mountain to collect some of it. But that ice is disappearing as temperatures get warmer.
The damage is so serious that this year marked the last time the Qoyllur Riti festival would gather ice from there, as in less that a year the ice has retreated several meters and now there are only rocks where the magnificent snow used to be.
The Qoyllur Riti festival and sanctuary where the image of Jesus Chris is were listed as Cultural Legacy of the Nation on August 10, 2004. Seven years later, on November 27, 2011, UNESCO inscribed the “Pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllurit’i” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
It begins fifty-eight days after the Christian celebration of Easter Sunday, when 90,000 people from around Cusco travel to the sanctuary, located in Sinakara hollow. Pilgrims are divided into eight ‘nations’ corresponding to their villages of origin: Paucartambo, Quispicanchi, Canchis, Acomayo, Paruro, Tawantinsuyo, Anta and Urubamba.
The festival is an example of religious syncretism, or the blending of different belief systems — in this case, indigenous and Catholic beliefs. It marks the reemergence of the constellation Pleiades in the sky, something that was celebrated by local Andean people long before the Spanish brought with them the Catholic religion.
The origin of the celebration as it is today is the belief that Jesus Christ appeared there appearance of Jesus Christ. Tour company Turismoi.pe explains:
[el señor de Qoyllur Riti, que significa “Señor de la Nieve Brillante” en quechua] habría aparecido años atrás en forma de niño a otro niño indígena de la zona. Se dice que el Niño Jesús [uno de los modos como se representa a Jesucristo en la región] venía disfrazado de niño pobre y ambos pequeños se hicieron amigos. […] cuando el niño volvió a casa los padres [los] vieron […] vestidos de ricas vestimentas, y viendo la brillantez del Niño Jesús dieron parte al párroco de la localidad quien decidió ir en su búsqueda. La leyenda dice que el Niño Jesús huyó, [pero dejó] su imagen de la roca [desde] la que actualmente se peregrina.
[the Lord of Qoyllur Riti, phrase in Quechua that means “Lord of the Bright Snow”] had appeared years ago as a boy to another local indigenous boy. It is said that it was the Christ Child [one of the ways Jesus Christ is depicted in the region] disguised as a poor boy. Both boys became friends. […] When the boy went back home, his parents saw [both children] with richly embroidered clothes. When they saw the brightness of the Christ Child, they reported him to the local parish priest who went after the boy. According to the legend, Christ Child was able to run away, [but left] his image on the rock [from which] people currently make the pilgrimage.
On Facebook, the page Señor de Qoyllur Rit'i features photos of the festival and explains the blending of beliefs:
Esta celebración es una muestra fidedigna de la “conveniente mezcla” de la cosmovisión andina con elementos del catolicismo introducido por los españoles. En ella se rinde culto a los apus o montañas protectoras, donde viven los wamanis o espíritus tutelares del hombre andino; pero también se venera a Jesucristo, Señor de Qoylluriti y protector de su comarca.
This celebration is a reliable example of the “convenient mixture” of the Andean world view, with elements from Catholicism introduced by the Spaniards. There they worship the apus, or the protective mountains, where wamanis or guardian spirits of the Andean people live; but where they also revere Jesus Christ, Lord of Qoylluriti and protector of their region.
During the festival itself, which takes place near the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi, each village sends a delegation of colorful dancers and pabluchas to the Lord of Qoyllur Riti chapel, located at 4,600 meters (over 15,000 feet) above sea level. The pabluchas are characters in disguise, also quite colorful, in charge of keeping the spirits of the celebration alive through jokes, and also to keep order, paying attention to those who may not feel well, or those who might cause trouble:
Los pabluchas representan alpacas y son los intermediarios entre el Señor de Qoylloriti y los hombres. La subida a la capilla la realizan a las 4 de la mañana por [la montaña] Sinakara arreando a sus animales. […] las personas que participen en la procesión de Nuestra Señora de Fátima tendrán buena suerte en los negocios, vida y futuro. El fin de la procesión tiene lugar en la antigua capital inca del Cusco con las procesiones del Corpus Christi, las calles y plazas están repletas de personas, música y color.
The pabluchas represent alpacas and they are the intermediaries between Lord of Qoyllur Riti and men. They start climbing to the chapel at 4 in the morning through [the] Sinakara [mountain] spurring on their animals […]. The procession ends in the old Inca capital Cusco, with the Corpus Christi procession, streets and squares all filled with people, music and color.
Despite the real threat of climate change, the 2016 celebration, which was held between May 22 and 24, wasn't short of participants.
Cuando el sincretismo se presenta latente, la fe se mantiene. #QoyllurRiti
— Flavio Puchuri (@_fpuchuri) 28 de mayo de 2016
When syncretism is latent, faith remains.
#QoyllurRiti2016 El sincretismo religioso de #Cusco. Fotos de Adriana Peralta https://t.co/3ROunU5bZY pic.twitter.com/tnZXR0BujZ
— Alberto Ñiquen (@TinkuEditores) 28 de mayo de 2016
Cusco religious syncretism. Photos by Adriana Peralta.
El ancestral rito del Señor Qoyllur Riti abandona nevado por calentamiento global https://t.co/iN8AhrkWM4 vía @Agencia_Andina
— Jesús Raymundo (@jesus_raymundo) 27 de mayo de 2016
Old rite of Lord of Qoyllur Riti leaves snow-covered mountain because of global warming.
El Señor Qoyllur Riti se despide del nevado Colque Punku por deshielo https://t.co/NTeYgCdusI
ANDINA/@Lezamafoto pic.twitter.com/znrRF0Wbdj
— Agencia Andina (@Agencia_Andina) 26 de mayo de 2016
Lord of Qoyllur Riti bids farewell to Colque Punku snow-covered mountain because of thawing.
100 mil peruanos en Qoyllur Ritti Cusco Foto SebastiánCastañeda @Servindi @RadioNacionalFM https://t.co/q2ZpY3Vdzh pic.twitter.com/CLpMAVWcq9
— Dante Villafuerte (@dvillafuerte) 26 de mayo de 2016
100,000 Peruvians at Qoyllur Riti Cusco. Picture by Sebastián Castañeda.

author: Gabriela García Calderón Orbe


text:
Following Complaints, Singapore Removes Same-Sex Kiss Scene in Les Misérables Production · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Photo from the official Facebook page of the Les Miserables production in Singapore.
The Singapore government ordered the removal of a brief kissing scene between two men in a production of “Les Misérables” after it says it received some complaints from the public.
Les Misérables is a musical based on the French historical novel written by Victor Hugo in 1862. It is one of the longest-running musicals in the world.
During a wedding scene near the end of the show, a villain mocks the guests and kisses a male character who introduces himself as a “queer.” The kiss was supposed to be performed while the song “Beggars at the Feast” played.
Apparently, the kiss offended some viewers, who reported it to the authorities, arguing that the kiss was not part of the script in the original production.
Responding to the complaint, the government’s Media Development Authority (MDA) ordered the organizer to cut the kissing scene. Below is an excerpt of the agency’s statement:
Under our classification code, such a scene would fall under an “Advisory” rating. The applicant decided to remove the scene so as to keep the “General” rating for the rest of its run. MDA will take action against this breach of licensing conditions.
The musical's organizers complied, replacing the kiss with a long hug, though they insist—in an apparent effort to downplay the scene's homoeroticism—that the kissing was meant to be comic.
The show opened on May 31, and the kissing scene was removed on June 3.
The MDA's action infuriated many Singaporeans, especially the LGBT community, who felt that it was unnecessary.
The issue highlighted the dominance of conservative values in Singapore's bureaucracy. Despite the existence of a vibrant LGBT community in the country, discrimination continues to be a serious problem. In fact, Singapore outlaws sex between men.
An audience member in Les Mis saw a brief kiss between 2 men & freaked out. So of course he ran to the authorities. https://t.co/P57pwcW7Xr
— Kirsten Han (@kixes) June 11, 2016
The complaint against the same-sex kiss scene was posted on the Facebook page “We Are Against Pinkdot in Singapore,” which refers to the country's annual “Pink Dot” LGBT celebration.
Facebook user Gwyneth Teo urged the people who complained about the kissing scene to focus on the musical's other themes:
…for the complainants to zoom in on this kiss, which was a truly minor illustrative point inconsequential to the broader themes of the play, is really missing the forest for the trees. They could stand to learn a lesson or two about forgiveness from the play they had just watched.
Playwright Alfian Sa'at, meanwhile, said he is saddened by the MDA's decision:
You might think that canceling the kiss represents some kind of victory over LGBT’s and liberals, but honestly, it is nothing more than a triumph of ignorance and hysteria over common sense and sober reflection.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
In Defense of Free Software: My Case Against Lenovo in Mexico · Global Voices
Jacobo Nájera

Keyboard. Image: Pixabay. Used under CC0 license.
This article gives the history of a purchase of a personal computer. In November 2014, I bought the Lenovo Yoga 2 for its operational functions, capacity and price. I intended to install GNU/Linux, a free and open source operating system which allows for users to run, study, redistribute and improve computer software so that the whole user community benefits.
That was how I discovered a hidden feature on my new computer called Secure Boot, which restricts users from installing operating systems that are not compatible with discrete factory settings. I was not informed of this feature at the time of purchase.
At first I tried to resolve the issue with the help of colleagues, but our various technical attempts were not successful. Then I chose to pursue the matter through legal channels with the support of Enjambre Digital (Digital Hive), an organization that advocates for Internet freedom in Mexico. After a series of meetings with Lenovo's attorneys and the Mexican Federal Attorney of Consumer Protection (aka PROFECO), a judge ruled that Lenovo had violated Mexico's Federal Consumer Protection Law.
A 2011 letter from the Free Software Foundation and signed by more than 48,000 people demonstrates the restrictive nature of Secure Boot. In the letter, FSF urged manufacturers to either “allow computer owners to disable the boot restrictions, or provide a sure-fire way for them to install and run a free software operating system of their choice.” In my case, and surely in others like it, it is evident that we have not yet arrived at the ideal proposed in FSF's letter.
On the other hand, my case proves that even though Lenovo admitted that the Secure Boot function sets a restriction, they failed to disable it during litigation. And the violation of Mexican law, declared by the authority responsible for the defense of consumer rights, has not been rectified.
I bought a model Lenovo Yoga 2 laptop through Intelcompras, a Mexican distributor, and it was delivered on November 19, 2014.
When I tried to install the operating system of my choice, I found it wasn't possible because the computer had a Secure Boot loading option. This feature requires that any operating system installed on the computer must be authorized through digital signatures issued by Microsoft. I tried to disable Secure Boot since it prevented the installation of the operating system I wanted, but my attempts to deactivate the feature were unsuccessful.
I sought support from Enjambre Digital and Rancho Electrónico, a hackerspace in Mexico City.
I also attended Hackmitin, an annual hacker conference in Mexico. There, myself and several friends tried to fix the problem but we were not able to install the new operating system, thanks to Secure Boot.
The hackers confirmed that with Secure Boot activated it is impossible to install software without a Microsoft signature. Therefore, in order to install another operating system such as Debian GNU/Linux, it was necessary to either disable this loading option or obtain a version authorized by Microsoft.
My next step was to communicate with the supplier and request technical support. On November 26, 2014, I tweeted the following to the verified Lenovo Mexico account:
.@lenovoMX ¿Por qué no puedo desactivar el secure boot? Es ilegal. #UEFIhttps://t.co/00AAdaWp0A pic.twitter.com/twkYrb3TkC
— Jacobo Nájera (@jacobonajera) November 26, 2014
.@lenovoMX Why can't I deactivate Secure Boot? It's illegal. #UEFI https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot
They referred me to call a 1-800 number for support. I called and explained the problem, but they refused to help me. They claimed that they could not advise me how to disable Secure Boot because it was prohibited by company policy.
After exhausting the available technical alternatives and manufacturer support, on January 15, 2015 I finally decided to file a complaint with the the Federal Attorney of Consumer Protection (PROFECO), in which I presented my case.
In a settlement hearing on April 17, 2015, I explained the problem that I had with the computer to the supplier, the arbitrator from PROFECO and the attorney from Enjambre Digital. I asked Lenovo's attorney for information explaining how to disable Secure Boot. He replied that he wasn't familiar with the problem but would review it with the corresponding department to find a solution, and asked for the serial number and model. PROFECO scheduled a second hearing for June 10, 2015.
Ten days later, I received a phone call from Miguel Díaz, who identified himself as a “Customer Support Analyst” from Lenovo. He said it was very easy to disable Secure Boot and gave me several options that I could use which he forwarded to me via email:
Buenas tarde estimado Jacobo:
En acuerdo a nuestra llamada telefónica las opciones para la correcta instalación del su sistema operativo y configuración del “secure boot” son:
Ingresar el equipo a un centro de servicio autorizado por Lenovo, ahí realizarán la configuración correcta, además a manera de excepción instalarán el sistema operativo de su preferencia mismo que debe ser proporcionado por usted junto con la licencia del software.
Envío por esta vía de un paso a paso (manual) de como activa y desactivar el “secure boot”.
Quedo atento a sus comentarios.
Saludos
Nota: Una vez el centro de servicio haya realizado las pruebas suficientes de funcionamiento será entregado el equipo, incluso podría verificar le enseñaran como activar y desactivar la opción.
Good afternoon Jacobo:
As per our phone call the options for the correct installation of your operating system and configuration of Secure Boot are:
Send the computer to an authorized Lenovo service center where they will perform the right configuration. Also, as an exception, they will install the operating system of your choice, which should be provided by you along with the software license. I am including a step-by-step manual on how to activate and deactivate “Secure Boot.” Please contact me with further questions or comments.
Regards
Note: Once the service center has completed sufficient performance tests the computer will be delivered back, you can even verify they showed you how to activate and deactivate the option.
I asked him to send me the aforementioned manual so I could do it myself, but I was unable to deactivate it. So I decided to send the computer to an authorized Lenovo service center. They told me they would review it to make a diagnosis. The diagnosis concluded that it was impossible to install the operating system of my choice “due to the computer's factory settings.” The diagnosis was noted on the document that Lenovo's legal representative gave to PROFECO in the second conciliation meeting, which turned out to be fruitless.
Lenovo's legal representative stated:
Solicito se envíe el expediente al archivo general toda vez que mi representada ingresó el equipo materia de queja al centro de servicio y este fue revisado y no muestra algún problema en su funcionamiento solamente la limitante que el consumidor manifiesta y ya le fue notificado que eso se deriva de la fabricación del equipo y sus características aclarando que mi representada no omitió información en la venta toda vez que esta fue hecha por otro proveedor denominada Intelcompras.
I file the following request before the general archive as my client took the computer – which is the matter of complaint – to the service center, it was checked and showed no functional problem, only the limitation stated by the consumer, who was already notified that this is due to the manufacturer's settings and characteristics; thus we want to make clear that my client didn't omit the information at the time of sale, as it was sold by another provider named Intelcompras.
The attorney from Enjambre Digital and I decided to reject the proposed settlement because my problem from the beginning (disabling Secure Boot) was not resolved.
Since the mediation was not successful, PROFECO formally initiated proceedings against Lenovo for legal violations, granting a it a term of ten working days to offer evidence and present their response in writing.
The attorney from Enjambre Digital and I delivered a letter in the following days in which we reiterated the points outlined in the complaint, and further noted that the the distributor, Intelcompras, was not responsible to advise its customers regarding Secure Boot, as Lenovo's legal representative argued, for two basic reasons: first, because Lenovo was the manufacturer of the computer and thus responsible for the intrinsic features of the product and for informing the consumer of said features; and second, that legally Lenovo cannot shift responsibility for said features to the seller/distributor, which in this case was Intelcompras.
With those facts submitted, the Federal Attorney of Consumer Protection (PROFECO) ruled that “Lenovo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V. violated the provisions of Article 7 of the Federal Law of Consumer Protection, as was shown in the resolution.”
Article 7 of the Federal Law of Consumer Protection states that:
Todo proveedor está obligado a informar y respetar los precios, tarifas, garantías, cantidades, calidades, medidas, intereses, cargos, términos, plazos, fechas, modalidades, reservaciones y demás condiciones conforme a las cuales se hubiera ofrecido, obligado o convenido con el consumidor la entrega del bien o prestación del servicio, y bajo ninguna circunstancia serán negados estos bienes o servicios a persona alguna”.
Every supplier is obligated to inform and respect the prices, taxes, guarantees, quantities, qualities, measures, interests, fees, terms deadlines, dates, modalities, reservations and other conditions under which a product was offered, or a good or service was obligated or agreed to with the consumer, and under no circumstances will these goods or services be denied to anyone.
Currently the Lenovo Yoga 2 model remains on the market with Secure Boot installed and without the option to disable it. The official documentation continues to fail to mention this feature.
Communities developing free software are seeking technical strategies so the operating systems they develop are authorized by Microsoft and work with Secure Boot. However, this should not be a one-sided issue as the conditions of the software with which computers function are also the decision of a third party, in addition to the manufacturer.
Faced with a violation of the law that has the potential to massively impact our rights, we are not expecting some minor actions to deal with the situation. Rather, we would like to see the company take an active role on the matter. Since PROFECO's financial penalty does not solve the problem of Lenovo omitting this key information about the purchase, together with Enjambre Digital we are considering other ways to ensure that PROFECO's ruling, which was qualified as serious, has tangible effects.

author: Jacobo Nájera


text:
One Photographer’s Mission to Change People’s Perception of Burn Survivors · Global Voices
Sanjib Chaudhary

Sita Bhandari, a black belt in taekwondo, has won medals for the country. All photos by Arjun Shah. All photos used with permission.
Some moments in life are, for better or worse, indelible. They get imprinted deep down in your heart — and sometimes on the surface of your skin too. Such is the case for burn survivors.
Arjun Shah, an advertising and fashion photographer, was inspired to start a campaign to change how people see burn survivors and make sure they receive the dignity they deserve. Arjun hails from Chitwan in the southern plains of Nepal. Recognised as one of the premiere photographers of his generation, his works have been featured in renowned international lifestyle magazines. In addition, he has shot several notable advertising campaigns for international and domestic brands during his more than 12 years in the field.
He started off photographing Jayatri Tamang, a burn survivor, for the front cover of a popular entertainment magazine. The magazine sold out and Jayatri turned into a role model. This year, he is back with a team of brave women, all burn survivors, who feature on the glossy pages of a calendar he has put together.
Global Voices spoke to Arjun about his motivations, the impact the work has had on him and his resolve to change the perception of society towards the survivors.
Global Voices (GV): You said that the idea of your calendar featuring burn survivors was conceived while you were travelling in a public vehicle? Can you elaborate on that a bit?
Arjun Shah (AS): I was office bound in a public bus when a group of boys and girls started giggling at a lady covering her face with a shawl. She was a burn survivor. Looking at their behaviour, I felt pity not for the survivor but for the teenagers.
When I said such incidents and accidents could happen to anyone, they laughed and a girl retorted back, “It’s better to die than to live such a life.”
Then the girl abruptly got down at the next station. But it made me think what type of upbringing the youth are going through. I talked about this with few of my friends and my brother but it could not console the grief within me.
Thus, began the quest of changing this perception. I wanted to do something that would change this feeling.
Arjun Shah interacting with a burn survivor prior to the shoot.
GV: How did you manage to get the burn survivors featured in your campaign? Was it hard convincing them?
AS: After this incident, I went to magazines and put forward my ideas to feature a burn survivor but initially nobody supported. Then finally the WAVE magazine accepted the proposition.
Luckily, I met with Dr. Jaswan Shakya from Sushma Koirala Memorial Hospital who invited me to his hospital. Then I met with Jayatri Tamang, the first fighter, survivor and hero of my campaign.
It took her six months to decide to don the cover of the magazine.
She was nervous during the shoot seeing a large crew but after a few days she was ready to go. And the rest is history.
The magazine’s issue sold out.
Jayatari Tamang is the first burn survivor to pose for the cover of a Nepali magazine.
GV: What were the takeaways from the shoot featuring Jayatri on the front cover of the magazine?
AS: I learnt two important lessons:
[Burn survivors] don’t like sympathy.
Don’t ask about their past.
After donning the covers of the magazine, there has been a massive change in Jayatri. She is more confident and now a leader on her own. Seeing this, I think I have done something good.
She doesn’t hide her face. I have seen that transformation.
Renuka Shrestha never stops dreaming.
GV: How did you find the other women for the calendar? Was it difficult?
AS: Jayatri brought with her a horde of inspiration for similar women like her. They were envious of her and they too wanted to be out there in the media.
I had thought of doing a calendar of burn survivors but my plans had been canned since I had no idea where to find the survivors.
A lady called Radha Shrestha made it possible. She had 7-8 survivors in contact. I told them to talk to Jayatri first before getting ready for the shoot.
Radha Shrestha’s role was crucial in bringing together the women for the photo shoot.
GV: Among all the women featured in your calendar, who was the most inspiring for you and why?
AS: For me all of them are inspiring. They are not victims. They are survivors. Fighters. Literally, they are happy. You can’t image the fun they have.
They are amazing people. I am inspired. Why can’t I be like them?
Sunita Maharjan is no longer bothered by her past.
GV: You have been doing fashion photography for a long time. How different was this experience?
AS: For me there’s no difference between a glamorous model and a burn survivor. There’s no difference at all.
However, as my photos tell the story, I need to be more careful with them.
I want to capture only the happy moments. Only the bright sides of their lives.
Rasta Khadgi has a story to tell.
GV: How successful do you think you have been in your campaign?
AS: I think I have been partly successful in conveying the message to the youth, especially, for those who think [burn survivors] don’t exist in the society.
It can happen to anybody. Even you and me. I wanted to give them this message.
Simran KC is determined to achieve her goals.
GV: Can you tell us your future plans?
AS: I have been thinking of making short films on each of their lives. Like “One day in the life of…”
A significant percentage of the sale of calendars will go to the cause that helps burn patients for treatment in Sushma Koirala Memorial Hospital, Nepal.
I say don’t give them money, don’t sympathise with them. Give them space. To do something on their own.

author: Sanjib Chaudhary


text:
Ramadan in Sri Lanka Is More Than You Think · Global Voices
GroundViews

Let's perform Salah! Image by @iamnjb via The Ramadan Project.
This post originally appeared at Groundviews, an award-winning citizen journalism website in Sri Lanka. A redacted version is published below as part of a content-sharing agreement.
With the sighting of the crescent moon on the evening of June 6, Ramadan has officially begun in Sri Lanka. A month of huge significance to Muslims, the most tangible aspect of Ramadan, to the uninitiated, is the daily fast from dawn to sunset. However, Ramadan is about more than just abstaining from food and drink. Groundviews spoke to some people about the perceptions and beliefs around Ramadan, and its personal significance to Muslims.
“To me, Ramadan represents a time for the renewal of relationships.” Image by @mufarris via The Ramadan Project.
“You renew your relationship with yourself, by developing discipline in timekeeping, eating, and sleeping, while staying focused,” said Amjad Mohamed-Saleem, a visiting fellow at the Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies in Malaysia.
Apart from self-rejuvenation, Ramadan also renews a Muslim’s relationship with God, particularly through the daily fast. However, this month is also a time for family and friends; “This is the time you break fast together or go to the mosque,” and reconnect with the community. “Through extra night prayers in the mosque, you engage with the rest of the community in a way you wouldn’t during any other time.” Beyond this, it’s also about renewing relationships with society. “You understand the trials and tribulations of the needy; you pray for those that are being oppressed; and you share your fast with your neighbors.”
“You learn to be more compassionate so that you treat people as you wish to be treated.” Image by @nazlyahmed via The Ramadan Project
These aspects are often mysteries to the uninitiated—in fact, non-Muslims often perceive Ramadan to be a “dead month.” “No one really knows what happens,” Saleem explained. Hence the Ramadan Project, which Saleem co-curates. The Ramadan Project (see its Facebook page here) aims to humanize Ramadan and help people understand the festival and the unique tests Muslims endure during this month.
Images via the Ramadan Project at Instagram
“Ramadan to me is a time to reflect and become closer to God. It's an opportunity to retell the narratives of my realities in a spiritually charged setting, reinforcing and strengthening my goals and purpose. Basically, [it's] like a spiritual bootcamp,” consultant Abdul-Halik Azeez (@colombedouin) said.
Photographer Aamina Nizam (@aaminanizar) said, “This month signifies making peace with myself and others, seeking knowledge, spending time with family, and building my spirit. The time we spend in contemplation and prayer is a reminder that there is more to life than just food, work, money and fame.”
“I look forward to Ramadan because it takes me on a spiritual retreat that keeps me grounded to what is important in life.” Image by By @amjadms via The Ramadan Project
The month of Ramadan is about harnessing willpower and cultivating patience, says Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai, the founding president of Al Muslimaat, a women’s education initiative founded in 1990. “It is, in essence, like a one-month workshop on how to be a good Muslim. During this month, you try to recognize and stay away from every possible sin. In addition, you practice tawbah (seeking forgiveness). We do these things to increase piety. During these times, we believe that it’s easier to do good, and the reward in doing good deeds is multiplied,” Dr. Reffai said.
Muslims also often use this time to practice zakat (a form of almsgiving and religious taxation), donating their extra savings to the less fortunate, to ensure that they, too, will be able to practice their faith. The month of Ramadan also helps build a feeling of unity among the Muslim community.
Images via the Ramadan Project at Instagram
Medical pre-intern Hasna Nivas said Ramadan is a special time, as every single prayer is multiplied seventy fold in its rewards, particularly during Laylatul qadr (the Night of Decree), which marks the date the Quran was revealed. “This lunar month is not just about fasting long hours and stuffing ourselves at the end of the day. And it's definitely not just about the Eid days of celebration that follow… it’s about how we can actually [empathize] with a poor hungry kid or a starving animal. How every day opens to an arena of opportunities, not only to get close to Allah but to do much more that we might be oblivious on a regular day.”
To Mohamed Hisham, the director of the Halal accreditation council and a steering committee member of the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, Ramadan is not just about fasting or even self-reflection and improvement, but also about cementing the long-standing bond between Muslims and non-Muslims, “from sharing the snacks and Kanji (porridge) during the time of breaking the fast to sharing of Biriyani and Watalappan at the end of the month of Ramadan.” This goes both ways, Hisham notes, as non-Muslims often extend goodwill to the Muslim community during fasting, whether at workplaces, universities, or public institutions.
Images via the Ramadan Project at Instagram
This spirit of camaraderie is particularly important this year, in the aftermath of floods and landslides across the country. “We have seen there were numerous examples of Muslim communities working together with fellow Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian citizens to help each other (especially in the aftermath of the floods and landslides),” Hisham said. This extended even to members of the clergy, who came together to call for unity in flood relief efforts. See this video uploaded to YouTube by Noorhaliza MN Naufer:
The sighting of the new moon was marked on social media, with everyone from world leaders to cartoon characters extending Ramadan greetings to Muslims.
Happy #Ramadan to my Muslim brothers, I hope you all have a blessed month. #lka #SriLanka
— Prabhath Gunarathna (@iam_PSG) June 6, 2016
Although Sri Lanka has grappled with divisions along ethnic and religious lines, in challenging times citizens do come together to help each other, casting aside their differences in exchange for a spirit of unity and togetherness.

author: GroundViews


text:
The Diaspora Comes Together to Contribute to Madagascar’s Development · Global Voices
Mejasoa Razafimihary

Banner for the diaspora's meet-up event in Aix-en-Provence (with the organizers’ permission)
An estimated 120,000 members of the Malagasy diaspora are scattered across all of the world's continents, and there are at least 2,000 organizations around the globe working for the development of Madagascar.
And yet, until today, every individual or joint initiative striving to move Madagascar ahead has been functioning in a vacuum and struggles to benefit the country.
In order to get to know each other and unite efforts for the development of Madagascar, a number of organizations have decided to hold a three-day conference on campus at the University of Aix-en-Provence, France, called Zama Aix 2016. The conference, to be held in July, will include 12 round tables, 10 workshops, a forum for organizations and artists, cultural performances, and a final concert.
The Malagasy diaspora is a large and rather heterogeneous community that still carries a substantial weight in the country’s economy. The World Bank estimates an average incoming flow from the diaspora (remittance) of 13 million US dollars per year (PDF) from 2003 to 2010. .
Distribution of the Malagasy diaspora according to social and occupational categories. Source: DDIA (with permission)
Writing for the Madagascar Tribune, Lalatiana describes this diverse community as follows:
La diaspora malgache s’est construite en plusieurs flux de ce qui s’est avéré plus une émigration de savoir qu’une émigration de travail. Contrairement aux migrants de l’Afrique et du Maghreb qui, à l’origine, se sont expatriés en masse pour répondre à des besoins de main-d’œuvre des industries et des services des pays développés du nord, le migrant malagasy partait en Europe pour y acquérir une formation supérieure propre à satisfaire ses aspirations sociales dans une société malgache qui a traditionnellement toujours considéré le savoir comme valeur essentielle. Majoritairement installée en France (métropole et DOM-TOM, à la Réunion en particulier) , mais aussi en Allemagne, Suisse, Belgique, Italie, Norvège, désormais au Canada et aux USA nouveaux espaces symboliques de succès ou sur le continent Africain, la diaspora malgache, par ailleurs, n’a fait l’objet que d’un faible nombre d’études sociologiques ou anthropologiques.
The Malagasy diaspora has come into existence as a result of repeated emigration flows; an emigration for knowledge rather than work. Contrary to migrants from Africa and the Maghreb who originally expatriated in large numbers to respond to the northern countries’ needs for workforce in various industries and services, the Malagasy migrant would move to Europe to gain an advanced academic education which would help him or her live up to their social aspirations in a Malagasy society which has always valued knowledge. Mostly settled in France (mainland and overseas territories), but also in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Norway, and now also in Canada and the USA, symbolic spaces of success, or on the African continent, the Malagasy diaspora has, however, been subject to sociological and anthropological studies on only a few occasions.
During this conference, 600 participants will come together for meetings that will focus, among other things, on:
In other words, this conference is intended to be a fair — not a job fair, but a fair aimed at the “current actions and actions to come in Madagascar.” All participants are expected to share their feedback and their vision of Madagascar’s future.
“Why this conference? To get to know each other and build the future together” Poster explaining the rationale behind the Zama meet up (from Zama with permission)
Twelve round tables will allow participants to reflect on how to act together for the good of Madagascar and the diaspora’s greater welfare. There will also be exhibitions, projections, conferences, debates and workshops as well as cultural performances pushing internationally successful Malagasy artists to the forefront.
The project’s European cofounders, Roger Rabetafika and Patrick Rakotomalala, are well aware that their vision is quite ambitious, considering that this initiative is the first of its kind in Europe:
(Le projet) Zama est effectivement un projet ambitieux, d’abord parce qu’il s’agit en l’occurrence d’une grande première dans l’histoire de la diaspora malgache dans le monde, ensuite parce que, de la même manière que pour la bonne mayonnaise, son succès et sa réussite ne pourront être assurés qu’avec la participation, je dirais même plus – la complicité – de toutes et de tous. .. [..]Et sur une première nous n’avons aucun indicateur qui puisse nous affirmer avec certitude son succès. Mais nous avions la conviction qu’à force de rigueur et d’exigence dans notre démarche nous pourrions arriver à convaincre un public.
Indeed, Zama is an ambitious project, firstly because it’s a first in the history of the Malagasy diaspora in the world and, secondly, because just as it is the case in good cookery, its success and achievement can only be reached with the participation, and even more so the complicity of each and everyone… […] And since it is our first, we have no indicator to assert its success with certainty. Nevertheless, we are convinced that with discipline and demand in our initiative we would manage to convince the public.
For the sake of the project’s philosophical standpoint known as “by you, for you,” the round tables were chosen following a survey of people interested in Madagascar’s future. International experts and Malagasy people will be presenting the round tables on site. The diverse nature of the diaspora explains the diversity in the selected topics, which range from the creation of one’s own company in Madagascar, to sustainable development and the Malagasy cultural identity when living abroad. The round tables program is:
“The topics that will be discussed at each round table”. The agenda of the Zama conference in Aix (with permission)
Pascale Jeannot, founder of the Programme de Lutte Contre La Drépanocytose (Program to Combat Sickle-Cell Disease in Madagascar) who’s been living in Paris for 21 years, hopes to share her experience and suggestions concerning the good practices with regard to the public medical project in Madagascar:
La drépanocytose est intégrée dans le Programme du Ministère de la Santé Publique à Madagascar depuis 2008. La drépanocytose est la maladie génétique la plus fréquemment dépistée dans le monde et elle tue des milliers d’enfants à Madagascar [..] Cette rencontre c'est une opportunité de partager ensemble nos expériences, ce que nous avons ou allons apporter à Madagascar. Réapprendre à communiquer autrement que par des fenêtres virtuelles.
Sickle-cell disease has been integrated in the Ministry of Public Health Program in Madagascar since 2008. Sickle-cell disease is the most frequently diagnosed genetic disease in the world and it kills thousands of children in Madagascar […] this encounter constitutes an opportunity to share our experiences, what we have already brought or will bring to Madagascar: to learn to communicate otherwise than merely virtually.
Pascale Jeannot talks about her contribution to the Zama project
While Aina, who lives in Marseille, France, explains what triggered his curiosity about the conference:
J'ai vécu la majeure partie de ma vie en France mais toute ma famille est d'origine malgache. Il y a une envie, je pense, pour nous de nous retrouver et de discuter notre identité culturelle métissée
I’ve spent most of my life in France, but my whole family is originally Malagasy. I think there’s a desire for us to gather and talk about our mixed cultural identity.
In addition to these round tables, the conference includes cultural performances, film screenings, and a final concert.
List of screenings during the Zama conference
The essence of the conference is, first and foremost, to know and inform about the positive Malagasy actions whether individual or organizational, and to make it easier for everyone to get involved for a common goal — Madagascar’s progress. For more information about the conference, check out the detailed program and how to attend.

author: Mejasoa Razafimihary