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Internet Entrepreneur Mohamed Nanabhay Joins Global Voices Board · Global Voices
Ivan Sigal

Mohamed Nanabhay. Image by Flickr user @joi (CC BY-SA 2.0)
We're very pleased to announce that internet entrepreneur Mohamed Nanabhay has joined the board of Global Voices.
Mohamed, an early contributor to Global Voices, works at the intersection of media, technology and entrepreneurship and brings to the organisation a wealth of knowledge and experience about online news platforms, alternative media channels, audience engagement and online communities.
As the Head of Online at Al Jazeera English, he led the team that produced the award winning coverage of the Arab revolutions in 2011. During his tenure, the Al Jazeera English website saw a colossal increase in traffic, and was recognised by the Online News Association for general excellence in online journalism. In 2006, Mohamed founded the New Media division at Al Jazeera which focused on engaging audiences through social media and emerging media technologies. During this period he pioneered and launched the Al Jazeera's Creative Commons Repository.
As an Internet entrepreneur, Mohamed has been involved with developing online properties since 1995 and is also an angel investor, providing seed funding and mentorship to early stage internet companies. He was named a Creative Commons Pioneer by BusinessWeek, serves on the Board of Directors of the Media Development Investment Fund and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Informed Societies.
Mohamed received his undergraduate degree in Computer Science and History at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he served as the Vice-President of the Student Union, and a masters degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge.
“Global Voices is the first stop for anyone who wants to understand the issues affecting different societies from within,” says Mohamed. “As the world becomes increasingly interconnected yet ever more complicated, Global Voices is a refreshing and honest bridge across language and borders, providing news that is contextualised and translated by its global community of contributors. As a one-time contributor to Global Voices and former executive at Al Jazeera, I'm excited to share experiences and ideas with the Global Voices community.”
Global Voices’ nine-member board meets four times per year, and has been an active, engaged and vital part of the GV community since its inception. Our board is composed of our two founders, three community representatives, and four external members.

author: Ivan Sigal


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Reclaiming Indigenous Lands in Honduras · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

In Honduras, they’re taking land that we were using to grow beans and rice so they can grow African palm for bio-fuel. The intention is to stop the production of food that humans need so they can produce fuel that cars need.
Beverly Bell and Tory Field have published a three-part series on Honduras in Other Worlds:

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Silvia Viñas


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Russia’s Far East Beset with Toxic Japanese Cars · Global Voices
Masha

Vladivostok streets, by Núria Alonso, August 2008, CC 2.0.
Vladivostok, a remote city in the Russian Far East, is notorious for the many used Japanese cars on its roads, which are possibly the worst in the country. Despite government campaigns against the right-hand-steering vehicles, locals continue to find ways to bypass the state's initiatives.
Many Internet users in Vladivostok have remained adamant that even older Japanese cars are superior to the models now coming off assembly lines in Russia. Some netizens describe owning a Russian car as a social faux pas. As one commenter on the Russian Far East news portal Deita.ru wrote:
увы, даже японки собираемые не в Японии как бы это помягче сказать … xpeнового качества. Опять же если сравнивать с праворульной машиной сделаной япами и для япов. Увы … не могут они взять и перенести свой подход к труду на чужую землю без потерь.
Sadly, even the Japanese [cars] not assembled in Japan are, to put it mildly … of s**tty quality. Again, when compared with right-hand-steering cars made by the Japanese for the Japanese. Sadly … they cannot take and implement their approach to work abroad without a loss [in quality].
Japanese cars en route to Vladivostok, damaged in a storm, 21 October 2012, screen capture from YouTube.
After a deadly tsunami hit Japan in 2011, followed by the nuclear tragedy in Fukushima, the port of Vladivostok received a number of radioactive cars. Two years later, radioactive car parts are still arriving in Russia. Outrageously, Russian customs authorities have had to detain and send back to Japan over 930 radioactive cars since 2011.
Confronted with such problems, Vladivostok residents have gone online to swap stories and ask advice [ru] about the stream of toxic Japanese motor vehicles. Web user Damir Gaifullin appealed to one forum in the following words:
Ребят, подскажите, кто-нибудь сталкивался с радиоактивными автомобилями из Японии? Как-то например – выбрал машину на аукционе, а она оказалась радиоактивной и отсюда начались проблемы.
Guys, tell me, has anyone had to deal with radioactive cars from Japan? Maybe someone got a car at an auction and it turned out to be radioactive, and all his problems started here?
Some people responding to Gaifullin suggested shopping in auctions farther from Fukusima, in order to avoid any potential contamination. Others argue that measuring the level of radiation before cars leave Japan is a better approach. Unfortunately, it is apparently very difficult for Russians buying cars at auctions in Japan to run comprehensive background checks on vehicles, before purchasing.

author: Masha


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Catalans Get Ready for Another Massive Pro-independence Event · Global Voices
Violeta Camarasa

Catalan National Day, September 11, is just around the corner. The civic Association Col·lectiu Emma (@CollectiuEmma) has published a statement in English and 9 other languages on its blog. The text explains the current political situation in Catalonia (Spain's far north-east corner) and calls worldwide media to keep an eye on the public pro-independence event that will take place on September 11.
In an attempt to show the increasing popular support to the option of independence and push the regional government to hold a referendum, the civic association Catalan National Assembly (CNA) is organizing a huge human chain along the 400 km long Catalan coastline, called The Catalan Way (#CatalanWay, #viacatalana). 105 human chains around the world have already been or are scheduled to be celebrated in advance.

author: Violeta Camarasa


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China: A Question Becomes a Rumor · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated a report about a rumour crackdown case in Hebei. A woman asking if a murder took place in Louzhuang was arrested and detained for 5 days for spreading rumour and disturbing public order.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: New Visa Policies for Foreigners · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Last year, the number of foreigners entering or leaving China reached 54 million. To cope with the situation, the Chinese government has introduced three new types of visas for foreigners. Cam MacMurchy from Nanfang.com put together a complete list of visa categories.


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China: Show Swords in Ideology Battle · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Chinese President Xi Jinping recently launched the party's ideology battle to take over opinion leadership in a meeting of propaganda officials. In the past few days, state-controlled media outlets echoed with Xi's call by using the phrase “showing one’s sword” in their editorials. David Bandurski from China Media project explained the political implications of “sword fight” and translated the editorials.


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Homeless Foreigners on the Rise in Thailand · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

According to the charity group Issarachon Foundation, homeless foreigners are on the rise in Thailand. The group estimated that there could be 200 homeless foreigners in the country. Natee Saravari of the Issarachon Foundation observed that
A homeless person in Bangkok. Image from Flickr user mikecogh (CC BY-SA 2.0)
In Pattaya we see them sorting through the trash in front of McDonald's for something to eat, and hanging out in front of restaurants asking customers for money
Paul Garrigan, a foreign resident in Thailand, surmised the possible reasons why some foreigners end up being homeless in Thailand:
Like lots of others before me, I mistakenly believed that my problems were due to my surroundings so living in an exotic place like Thailand would fix me. It didn’t. My life went into free-fall, and I’d almost certainly be dead now if it wasn’t for the help from Thai people and Thamrkabok Temple in 2006. I could easily have been one of the homeless foreigners in Thailand.
When we step off the plane it can feel like the normal standards do not apply. The fact that we don’t understand the rules of Thai culture gives us the false impression that there are no rules.
He urged foreign embassies to extend assistance to their nationals:
Homeless foreigners are human beings who are struggling in life. They should be treated with compassion and offered help. Foreign embassies and consulates should step in to provide safe accommodation and food until these people can be helped back on their feet or repatriated to their home country– they should definitely not end up in jail waiting for deportation.
But the head of the tourist police in Pattaya, Pol Lt Col Aroon Promphan, reported that foreign embassies are often reluctant to help the homeless foreigners:
I sometimes tell [embassy staff] that their citizen has some mental problem and they have no money left. I ask them what do they want us to do with the citizen. The answer I hear back is, ‘You don't have to do anything. We are not responsible for this kind of person.”
Many homeless foreigners reported by the charity group were either abandoned by their Thai partners or encountered visa and passport problems. But Casey Hynes reminded foreign residents that they could have taken decisive steps to avoid losing their resources:
Though the plight of homeless foreigners is unfortunate, one wonders why they didn’t take steps to mitigate these circumstances in the first place. It is possible for foreigners to buy condos  themselves in Thailand, or lease land long-term, which would allow them to avoid relying on a wife or girlfriend for the proper documentation. And while visa applications and runs can be a hassle, it’s far less of a hassle than to let both visa and passport expire, leaving them with few options in their home and adopted countries.
Bangkok Blogger hoped that authorities would review local laws to provide more protection to foreigners:
No doubt these homeless foreigners were driven to drink by their circumstances, all of which were totally avoidable.
The article went on to say that foreigners receive little protection  from the law in Thailand and a Professor at a University in the North East of the country is saying that laws  need updating with respect to protecting foreigners rights.
Hopefully, the powers to be will also agree.
The Bangkok Post report generated interesting comments about the issue. For example, juggernaut mentioned that there is a “legal apartheid against foreign spouses” in Thailand:
Foreign residents (not tourists/ diplomats/ business visitors) are not well protected. Unlike US, etc, married spouses of Thai nationals have little freedom & rights. The few rights are unfairly conditional; cannot re-enter Thailand without prior, expensive pass-stamps. Stay is illegal if balance is below 40,000 THB per year. Permission must be requested each year, which is revokable any time for no good reason. Not the environment to start family as married couple. There's legal apartheid against foreign spouses. Permanent residence cards are highly elusive, expensive, conditional & easily revoked for no good reasons. Good luck all.
Banmebkk asserted that the Thai government has been kind and fair in dealing with homeless foreigners:
Thais are actually pretty kind with these homeless people, most police just ignore them. In most first world countries, the police would have detained and arrested the homeless with expired passports and start the process of sending them home.
onlyasking noted the various circumstances of homeless foreigners:
To view the problem in one dimension is wrong. There are people staying in Thailand from Europe that fled here to survive and which don't have any incomes. You have people that came to Thailand with money and have lost it or sqaundered it. You have people here that have very small incomes and can't survive back home but can survive here. You have people that have overstayed their visa with 15 years. All of them are however the responsibility of their home countries, not Thailand's.
upena believes the Thai government has no obligation to help all homeless foreigners:
Sorry folks, as an expat living in Thailand for the past three years, and visiting Thailand and working here since 1973, I have absolutely no sympathy for those that cannot support themselves. They knew the rules before they got here and it is not up to the Thai Government to support/help them. They need to contact family of seek assistance from their embassy/consulate.
Chem-Zam urged everyone not to wait for the government or a charity group in providing assistance when they encounter a homeless foreigner:
As a foreigner in Thailand, I understand how difficult to survive without resources and close relative in times of trouble financially. I think anyone can help any homeless foreigners without waiting for any charity works or government to assist them.

author: Mong Palatino


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Hong Kong: More Restriction Imposed on Domestic Maids · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Hong Kong government has imposed further restriction on the domestic maids and made it harder for them to quit their contract and change job. Tom Grundy pointed out that the new policy will entrap domestic workers to abusive employers.


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Infographic On Buddhist Attack On A Mosque In Colombo · Global Voices
Rezwan

A Infographic by Rally For Unity. Click on the image for better view.
On August 10, 2013 a well–planned attack on a mosque in the Grandpass area of Sri Lankan capital Colombo was launched by armed Buddhist extremists. Sri Lankan blogger Abdul Halik Azeez shares a timeline and infographic of the events (by Rally For Unity) that took place in Grandpass between June and August this year.

author: Rezwan


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South Asia Shining in Some Ways, Suffering in Others · Global Voices
Rezwan

The countries in South Asia may be thriving economically, but the region must work together to tackle the problems of poverty, gender inequality and climate change, according to experts at the recent South Asia Economic Summit (SAES).
The SAES is an initiative of the premier civil society think-tanks in South Asia. This year's event was held in Sri Lanka from 2nd to 4th September 2013 hosted by the island's leading economic policy think tank, the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). Since 2008, the SAES is hosted in a different South Asian country annually.
This year’s SAES discussed regional issues like harnessing human capital, managing water, food security and climate change, and sought for more regional cooperation. One hundred and twenty renowned socio-economic experts gathered in Colombo for the summit, whose theme was “Towards a Stronger, Dynamic and Inclusive South Asia”, to debate and discuss over the course of the three days.
An important feature of this event was the active debates on the conference theme by participants and followers in social media. The conference blog was very active as well as the Facebook, Flickr and Twitter channels. The event was live webcast.
Tahmina Shafique, a blogger and an Youth Delegate from Bangladesh, wrote about the scope of the summit and challenges of the participating countries:
The summit has brought together a wide range of stakeholders from the eight SAARC countries. The stakeholders consist of representatives from key think tanks, academic institutions, policy institutes, and international agencies. Perhaps the key highlight of this summit is the inclusion of a group of young leaders who will be engaged in analysis and dissemination of the key discussions. This is certainly a move away from the traditional closed-door civil society talks and opens up the platform for engagement of young leaders in these cooperation initiatives.
The summit is most relevant at a time when there is an urgent need for increased synergies among the South Asian countries. A region that is thriving and growing at the back drop of its rich culture, traditions, economic activities and overall increased growth, faces numerous challenges. Arenas such as poverty, gender parity, food security, climate change, and various other factors remain to be areas that need to be focused upon in a more strategic and sustained manner.
Photographs from South Asian countries compiled by Easa Samih. CC BY (Click on the image for detailed info on photographers)
Abdul Halik Azeez, blogger and an youth delegate from Sri Lanka, started with the changing weather in Colombo and what it means for the region:
The unpredictability of monsoons, while mildly inconveniencing the city’s cubicle warriors with cumbersome umbrellas, plays havoc in the region’s agricultural sector, the rise in sea level threatens low lying islands, the melting of ice caps in the Himalayas threatens norms of water flow and while Colombo may have been benefited with a welcome bout of cooler weather other parts of the region have faced extended spells of debilitating heat. Besides, of the sea level rises that stroll along Galle Face could soon turn into a wade. All these changes affect millions of lives and threaten the already struggling development processes of the region.
Blogger Aarya Nijat, an youth delegate from Afghanistan, mentioned that politics is the game changer:
The Afghan-French author of The Patience Stone Atiq Rahimi wrote: “…in Iran just as well as in Afghanistan (and perhaps South Asia) words defy tyranny… the existential problem isn’t “to be or not to be …” but to say or not to say… Thus, any act becomes political. Even silence. Even lies… The problem lies in each of us, because our hearts are sealed… So should we still doubt the political dimension of literature? I’d say NO, because literature is a fight against all political systems. It is the power of words against the words of power.”
In a post on the last day of the summit, Nijat asked “Are We Discussing the Real Questions?”:
Is the public and private sectors pursue similar interests or goals, if you will? What is it that the two share in terms of their sense of purpose, upon which a potential partnership can be built? Why don’t we talk about this?
Nandish Kenia, youth delegate from India, discussed whether the private sector can bring the change:
One of the arguments that persists is that why is it wrong to trade if the farmer is getting a huge lump sum of money for his small piece of land by an industrialist? Is he responsible for moving away from green revolution?
Trisha Rana, youth delegate from Nepal, commented that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), an organization of South Asian nations established in 1985 for the promotion of economic and social progress, cultural development, friendship and cooperation within the South Asia region, has failed to make an impact among the South Asian countries:
How can we move ahead with a coming together of South Asian hearts, even as we have failed to merge our practical, finance heads?
There were also discussions in Twitter:
Pakistani economist Nadeem Haque (@nadeemhaque) wrote:
#saes2013. Food security: quality, affordability better distribution. Not possible w/o growth which snot possible w/o governance reform.
— Nadeem Haque (@nadeemhaque) September 3, 2013
#saes2013 so we want, no poverty, food, no disaster, free education,free health, water security, now sanitation but no growth no reform
— Nadeem Haque (@nadeemhaque) September 4, 2013
Top Google executive Ann Lavin spoke at the event. Abdul Halik Azeez (@HalikAzeez) from Sri Lanka wrote:
The internet contributes avg of 1.9% of GDP growth and generates 3.2 jobs for every one that is lost in emerging mkts – Ann Lavin #Saes2013
— abdulkhaleq (@HalikAzeez) September 4, 2013


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100 Million Signature Campaign for Resolution of Japan’s ‘Sex Slaves’ Issues · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan has launched a new campaign to gather 100 million signatures. Their online petition, in eight different languages, calls on Japanese government to offer an official apology and legal reparations to the victims and asks the international community to join their cause. Over 743 thousands have already joined online.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Controversial Photo Adds Fuel to Fire in Trinidad Protests  · Global Voices
Matthew Hunte

In Trinidad and Tobago, the month began with protests in Beetham Gardens, a disadvantaged community on the outskirts of the capital, Port of Spain, after police shot and killed a young man from the area. The authorities claimed that the suspect was armed; residents maintain that he had marijuana on him and was trying to flee from the police. The situation soon escalated: There were clashes with riot police who were attempting to squelch the protests; police used rubber bullets and teargas in an attempt to keep protesters from blocking the roads and nearly a dozen people were reportedly injured.
This week, Newsday (one of three dailies in the country) featured a picture of the protests on its front page. But it wasn't just any picture. The photo in question featured an 81-year-old lady in her underwear – an editorial decision that caused more outrage in the community, with residents burning copies of the paper.
Newsday Cover
This has become a hot topic of discussion on the blogs and social media, with many accusing Newsday of being vulgar and sensationalist. The online group Citizens Union of T&T revealed that the picture on the front had been digitally altered, by comparing it to a picture from inside the paper:
Top: original inside newspaper.
Bottom: Picture used on newpaper cover
Katherine Stollmeyer Wight called the reporter at Newsday and expressed her displeasure with the picture:
He said the Newsday front page depicted what was happening. I said, ‘dishonestly so’..first of all..you may think you have, but the woman with her underwear exposed was not in that frame! He agreed, but defended them doing so by saying that was the behavior they encountered. I had to tell him, politely, that the Newsday has shown less class than the lady they exploited.
Sheldon Awai felt that the newspaper has damaged its reputation:
The Newsday's credibility is now severely compromised as far as I'm concerned. Do no ethical journalists still exist? If they can do this in an attempt to classify people in a certain light whats (sic) to prevent them from falsely putting a gun or drugs in a mans (sic) hand in a bid to sell press or showing a person at the scene of a crime that was in fact not there?
Phillip Edward Alexander wondered why the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper didn't have more empathy for the lady:
If i had a million dollars to spare i would offer it as a reward for anyone who could post a picture of the Editor in Chief of the Newsday in her underwear for all the world to see.
Just so she could feel and appreciate the humiliation she put that elderly lady from Beetham through yesterday.
Judah Bharath asked if anyone had considered the lady's mental state:
HAS ANYONE stopped to think this Elderly Woman may have been in severe grief, and was pulling at her clothes in trying to vent her anger? Yes it looks bad, but has anyone thought of the fact she may have been grieving the loss of yet another Beetham child!
Rae-Ann Lloyd also addressed the issue of the woman's mental state and criticized those who placed blame primarily on the her:
When I look at the comments of people who think it is ok to publicize an old woman's mental illness because that is ‘how they act’ THAT is what you dip into your own pocket money and pay an actor to do. The pseudo-intellectual trolls need to grow up or at least learn to shut up.
Nkosi B. wondered what other relevant pictures may have been digitally altered:
Journalistic integrity does not exist in Trinidad and Tobago. At this point they're just selling advertisements. I bet most of the people living in T&T who are commenting couldn't tell you what was on yesterday's front page.
He also raised the question of credibility:
Also, isn't anybody else concerned about any other photo manipulations that have been forced upon the public in the past; front page or not?
Jeanelle Bernard found the picture to be both distasteful and personally offensive:
I shudder to think if my dress blew up that a picture may be taken. I shudder to think that if I took the values and decency out of my mind and lifted up my dress, that a photographer would reinforce my temporary loss of common-sense and take and publish my picture! There is very

author: Matthew Hunte


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Day Before “Election Silence,” Russian Candidates Rock Out · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Yekaterinburg mayoral candidate Evgeny Roizman sings alongside Russian rock icon Andrei Makarevich, 6 September 2013, screen capture from YouTube.
Russia’s “Day of Election Silence” begins tomorrow, September 7, 2013, twenty-four hours before the nation heads to the polls to vote on scores of local parliaments, mayors, and governors. That being the case, many candidates took today, Friday, September 6, as an opportunity to throw one last campaign shebang. Most in the RuNet’s chattering classes turned their eyes to Moscow, where Alexey Navalny held a star-studded concert, attended by 8-10 thousand people. Few, though, expect Navalny to win Moscow’s mayoral race. Indeed, recent polling [ru] indicates that he is unlikely even to force a second round of voting.
In the Yekaterinburg mayoral race, on the other hand, the opposition candidate, Evgeny Roizman, is the frontrunner. He, too, held a music concert today, welcoming Russian rock music legend Andrei Makarevich. While Navalny’s concert appears to have come off without any problems (other than bad weather), Roizman’s production encountered yet another act of intimidation by local police.
Roizman’s campaign manager and domestic partner Aksana Panova wrote [ru] on Facebook that the festivities were set to take place in downtown’s Labor Square [ru]. However, when she and others arrived on site, Friday morning, they found the stage dismantled and encircled by several large, abandoned tractors. Panova claimed the act was the work of Roizman’s political nemesis, Sverdlovsk Governor Evgeny Kuivashev. Indeed, she managed to snap a photograph of one of the tractors’ cockpits, from which hung a miniature United Russia flag.
Writing on Facebook this morning, Moscow-based journalist Anton Chernin also reported [ru] the local authorities’ involvement in disassembling Roizman’s stage (though he linked the deed to the city mayor, not the oblast governor). In comments [ru] to the Urals-based web portal Nakanune.ru, two different officials in Yekaterinburg’s city office gave conflicting accounts of this morning’s events, leaving it unclear whether Roizman’s concert was unsanctioned by the government or Roizman’s own organizers packed up their things “voluntarily” and quit.
Panova (far left), Makarevich (center, in red), and OMON officers in Yekaterinburg, 6 September 2013.
Whatever the reasons for the tractors and the missing platform, Panova was able to reach a quick agreement with the owners of a different stage in a neighboring square, where the event ultimately took place. Roizman’s staff estimates [ru] that upwards of one thousand people came to cheer his campaign and listen to Makarevich, though (according to Panova) a police perimeter kept out others who wanted to attend. Despite the disruptions by law enforcement agents, at least three special ops officers couldn’t resist having their photo taken with the rock music icon. Naturally, Panova posted the image to her Facebook account (see right), declaring contentedly:
Андрей приехал. Сцену разобрали. Кругом ОМОН и автзаки. Макаревич улыбается. Гитара с ним. Все будет хорошо.
Andrei [Makarevich] has arrived. The stage has been dismantled. Special ops police and police vans encircle us. [But] Makarevich is smiling. He has a guitar with him. Everything will be okay.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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Iran: Foreign Minister Tweets with Pelosi’s Daughter · Global Voices
Farid

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted a new year message to Jews around the world:Happy Rosh Hashanah and exchanged message with Christine Pelosi, daughter of Nancy Pelosi,the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives.
@sfpelosi Iran never denied it. The man who was perceived to be denying it is now gone. Happy New Year.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 5, 2013

author: Farid


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Kyrgyzstan Plagued by Bubonic Media Coverage · Global Voices
Aliaskar Adylov

The story of a 15-year-old boy who died in the eastern part of Kyrgyzstan after contracting the plague caused weeks of excited news coverage both inside and outside the country. But with the tragic case proving isolated, people in the Central Asian republic are now calling for much-needed perspective.
Sanitary services working under the Ministry of Health have ruled out any possibility of an epidemic after the teenager was cremated. The Kyrgyz government has also criticized Russian news portals for stirring groundless panic. Kyrgyzstan's neighbors, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have increased border controls.
A shocking Case
The story, which has been running [ru] since mid-August, began when 15-year-old Temirbek Isakunov visited his relatives in Sary-Jaz village in the eastern Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan, not far from the Chinese border. There the young boy was infected [ru] by a flea from a marmot, orangey-yellow creatures that are an intractable feature of Kyrgyz mountain nature. Some mass media wrote that the family ate the marmot, although there has been no official confirmation of this. He was treated at home until his neck began to swell. Isakunov was taken to a hospital on August 22, where he died on August 25.
A special group of doctors from the capital Bishkek was sent to the region, but they were unable to diagnose the illness until after Isakunov's body was dissected. The doctors ensured people in the surrounding area that the plague would not spread owing to the existence of antibiotics. Roughly one hundred people in contact with the boy were hospitalized for quarantine before being allowed to return [ru] to normal life. Currently there are no signs of a bubonic epidemic among the local marmot population.
The initial reaction of Kyrgyz netizens was summed up [ru] by a comment from 787, a reader of the Vecherniy Bishkek website:
дожили. вот те на, чума!
Атас!!!!!
Dear me, plague!
SOS!!!!!
Юлия (Julia) wrote [ru]:
даже не вериться,что в наше время опять это страшная болезнь появилась ….ну в принципи опять виноваты чиновники…при союзе еще кто-то работал,а сейчас так кто кому нужен.сами же знают где мы все живем(в горной местности,где таких очегов валам).так почему же вакцинацию не проводят вовремя.обидно за простой народ….
I cannot believe that such a terrible disease has reemerged in our times… Well, again the officials are guilty… In the [Soviet] Union people worked but now no one cares. We know where we live (a mountainous region where there are many such diseases). So why don't they vaccinate people in time? I fear for common people…
Mass Media Drama
The news piece immediately gained attention from Russian mass media. The Kyrgyz government criticized [ru] several platforms for intentionally providing misinformation and “harming the image of Kyrgyzstan as a tourism destination for our neighbors and the whole CIS.” The Kyrgyz blog kloop.kg, headed by local blogger Bektour Iskender, compiled a list of “provocative” news pieces published by Russian news portals that made no reference to the conclusions of professional doctors in Kyrgyzstan:
But the most outrageous news report was one aired on the Russian channel “Россия 1” (Russia 1). Journalists from “Russia 1″ used footage of migrants from Central Asia and portrayed them as a threat to Russian well-being. An edited clip of the newsreel and a discussion by netizens can be found here [ru].
In the comments to the video, Kloop user Maksik Kuleshov commented [ru]:
зомбо тв на это и расчитывает что бы зомбо смотрящие могли среагировать на очередное зомбо пропаганду..
Zombie-TV relies on its zombie-watchers reacting to yet another piece of zombie-propaganda..
Dmitry Motinov took [ru] a less emotional view of the coverage, but nevertheless criticized it:
для того, чтобы работать в России, каждый мигрант должен пройти и дактилоскопию, и медобследование, даже если он собирается копать огороды у бабы Глаши. так что не надо ля-ля. другое дело, что нелегалы, конечно, этого не делают (но это уже проблема ФМС).
особенно порадовало, что корреспондент ругается на отсутствие перчаток у парня, который расставляет на полки товар в упаковке %) фимозище.
To work in Russia, every migrant must pass both fingerprinting and medical examinations even if he wants to dig up earth in granny Glasha's garden. So please, no bla-bla. On the other hand, illegal [migrants], of course, don't undergo this test, (but this is a problem for the [Russian] Federal Migration Service).
It is especially funny that [Russian] journalists are angered that a [worker in the report] who stacks shelves doesn't wear gloves %). This is pure crap.
Talant Japarov was more succinct [ru]:
фашисты нашли повода
The fascists just found an excuse [to insult Kyrgyz]
Following sensational coverage of the bubonic death, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan strengthened [ru] controls at check-points across their border with Kyrgyzstan, increasing the number of medical checks for foreigners. Chinese and Mongolian sport delegations also revoked [ru] their participation in the XIII International Games for “Asian Cooperation and Peace” which is currently being held at Kyrgyzstan's Lake Issyk-Kul.
No Drama Please
The plague case came as a disproportionately damaging blow to Kyrgyzstan's international image towards the tail end of a tourist season which had already suffered as a result of political disorder [GV]. Now MPs in the parliament are asking their colleagues to stop talking about the incident, and netizens such as Egor (below) are balancing unbalanced coverage with facts.
The tweet of user Егор (Egor) on the news of possible epidemic : “I think the panic about plague is groundless. Cases of plague in our region are registered every year. But epidemics are impossible. Relax.
Central Asia, is the historical heart of the plague. Many historians agree that some of the greatest epidemics were brought to Europe and China by the Mongol warriors or traders through the Silk Road. But while cases of plague are still appearing in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan as well as Kyrgyzstan, there is little evidence of a Black Death brewing in the region.

author: Aliaskar Adylov


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Podcast: Bo Xilai’s Trial  · Global Voices
Abby Liu

Sinica hosts Ed Wong from the New York Times and James Miles of The Economist for a closer look at Bo Xilai's trial. The podcast discusses media transparency in China and historical comparisons with previous political purges, including the famous case against Jiang Qing and the Gang of Four during the Cultural Revolution.

author: Abby Liu


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Russia’s True Symbol: A Chechen Mosque? · Global Voices
Nina Jobe

“Heart of Chechnya” mosque in Grozny, Chechnya, photo by Andre Maiakinfo, 17 October 2008, CC 3.0.
The second round of a contest to choose ten lesser-known Russian tourist attractions (and replicate them in a Moscow park) turned violent on Saturday, August 31, 2013, when a crowd in Grozny began egging select telecoms offices. The contest, sponsored by Russia’s main television station and the Geographical Society, began innocuously enough in July with limited interest and even less participation. However, in August, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, began posting photos on his Instagram account of the main mosque in Grozny, encouraging his followers to vote.
As the second round of the contest came to a close, the tallies were neck-and-neck between Kadyrov’s mosque and the Kremlin in Kolomna (located 60 miles southwest of Moscow). The “Heart of Chechnya” mosque narrowly lost, and almost immediately Kadyrov posted a black-and-white photo of the mosque on his Instagram account with the following message:
Поэтому мы им заявили что это ничто иное, как откровенное мошенничество. Более того, мы не исключаем, что это искусственные препоны с целью не допустить занятия Сердцем Чечни первого места.
This is why we told them that this is nothing but blatant fraud. Moreover, we cannot rule out that these are artificial barriers to prevent the Heart of Chechnya from taking first place.
Blogger Oleg Kozyrev titled his post on the scandal “Chechnya is for fair elections,” and wrote:
Если вы за честные выборы – помогайте тем, кто за них борется, не помогайте тем, кто выборы уничтожает.
If you are for fair elections – help those who are fighting for them, don’t help those who destroy elections.
However, many Russians did not even know that the Russia 10 contest was taking place. One commenter on Kozyrev's blog responded confusedly:
Что это было? Вы с кем это сейчас разговаривали?
What is this? What are you talking about?
Ramzan Kadyrov shows off his horse riding skills, 29 August 2013, screen capture from YouTube.
Another of reader noted:
посмотрите правде в глаза!!! Погромщики-чеченцы, не за честные выборы, а за победу своего кандидата (в данном случае – мечети), любой ценой)))
Let’s face it!!! Rioter-Chechens are not for fair elections, but are for the victory of their candidate (in this case—the mosque), at any cost)))
Another wanted to know where the money had come from that enabled people to vote (as votes by SMS cost 3.54 rubles each):
Мне больше интересно, из какого бюджета была оплачена стоимость почти 40 млн. смсок из чечни. Очень уж я сомневаюсь, что все чеченцы в едином порыве стали отправлять по нескольку десятков смс по призыву кадырова.
I am more interested about which budget was used to pay the cost of nearly 40 million text messages from Chechnya. I very much doubt that all Chechens were in such a rush that each sent a few dozen text messages for Kadyrov.
Meanwhile, blogger Oxana Volva complained :
Символом России для большинства может быть медведь, матрешки или, на худой конец, балалайки, но никак не главный символ Ислама, а это уже, друзья мои, ничем не прикрытый призыв к оккупации и исламизации, чего Кадыров явно не “чурается”.
The Symbol of Russia for most is maybe a bear, a matryoshka doll or, at worst, a balalaika, but not the main symbol of Islam, and this already, my friends, is an undisguised appeal to occupation and Islamization, of which Kadyrov is clearly not “shy.”
One reader wondered:
А теперь простой вопрос: кто вообще додумался включить мечеть в список символов России? Кто затеял очевидную и неприкрытую провокацию?
And now a simple question: whose idea was it to include a mosque in the list of Russian symbols? Who started the blatant and obvious provocation?
Blogger Alexei Freeman called the egging of the mobile operators’ Grozny offices a “pogrom” and noted:
Вообще-то эти деяния подпадают под УК РФ, но, как известно, далеко не все законы РФ действуют на территории Чечни.
In fact, these actions fall under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, but, as you know, not all of the laws of the Russian Federation apply to the territory of Chechnya.
He also pointed out that the issue was with all mobile phone operators, not just Beeline and Megafon.
Интересный момент: проблемы с обработкой SMS были от всех компаний, а под огонь критики попали только «Билайн» и «Мегафон». Очевидно, что Кадыров пытается удалить с рынка компании, которые неподконтрольны ему.
An interesting point: the problems with the SMS processing were from all [mobile] companies, but only “Beeline” and “Megafon” were under fire. It is obvious that Kadyrov is trying to remove these companies from the market, which are not under his control.
Popular blogger Ilya Varlamov admitted that he, too, was unaware of the Russia 10 contest, but was was quick to dismiss the contest. Sharing a photo of a building site at Moscow State University that contained a fence, a couple of outhouses, and a guard shack, Varlamov joked:
Настоящий символ России это ни мечеть и ни Кремль. Настоящий символ России – это забор, биотуалет и охранник, сторожащий камень. Все остальное суета.
The true symbol of Russia is neither a mosque nor a Kremlin. The symbol of Russia is a fence, an outhouse, and a guard, watching over a stone. All the rest is vanity.
The Russia 10 website, for its part, posted a message on Monday, September 2, announcing a delay in the third round of voting, as it undertakes an audit of the second round.

author: Nina Jobe


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Why Malaysia’s Fuel Price Hike is Wrong · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Anil Netto uploaded the analysis of Institut Rakyat which described Malaysia's recent decision to slash fuel subsidies as a ‘wrong approach” to address the country's fiscal deficit.
Wastage and corruption should be cut first and income-boosting policies should take effect before subsidies on essential goods should be open to reconsideration.


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“Central Asia is Watching [Syria] Too” · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

As the United States and Russia spar over the way ahead in Syria, the governments in Central Asia are following the situation closely, writes Nathan Barrick on Registan.net:
Russia chooses to focus on the perspective that the Syrian government is fighting a battle against Islamic extremists and this message likely resonates with Central Asian governments.  Official silence from Central Asia on Syria should not disguise the real sympathy with Russia’s perspective…
…Central Asia is watching too… not because they will seek to develop and acquire chemical weapons to use against their populations, but to note how much confidence they can place in a security partnership with the United States, or even if they should re-evaluate and partner more closely with Russia.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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Don’t Say Millions Starved During China’s Great Famine. Try ‘Nutritional Death’ Instead · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Users on popular Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo are accusing a Chinese professor of purposefully underestimating by tens of millions the number of people who died during the country's mid-century Great Famine for the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The hottest search term on Weibo on September 6, 2013 was “nutritional death” (营养性死亡). The term appears in a forum post written by Sun Jingxian, a professor from Jiangsu Normal University, claiming that the 30 million estimated deaths during the Great Chinese Famine (1958-1961) is a rumor. Instead, the professor estimated that about 2.5 million “nutritional deaths” had taken place during the “three year difficult period”.
As the word “deficiency” is missing in the Chinese term “nutritional death”, its meaning can be interpreted as death caused by either deficiencies or excesses in diet. Such ambivalence has outraged many netizens who believe that Sun's intention is to cover-up the historical mistake committed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Historical photo of the rural collectives during the Great Leap Forward. Children are lining up for food. Source: Sina Weibo.
Most Chinese people believe that the Great Famine was caused by the Great Leap Forward (1958-1961), a campaign that forced rural peasants to form agricultural collectives and give up private farming. Examining the national census of 1960-1964, a team of researchers found out that the total population of China had a net reduction of 26.44 million people in a four-year time period. Between 1959 and 1960, the reduction was up to 10 million in a single year. It has been estimated that the number of deaths during the Great Famine is around 30 million.
Sun spent three years reviewing [zh] the census and claimed that the previous estimation was a result of census error due to urban-rural migration. His own estimation of “nutritional death” is about 2.5 million.
However, as the CCP has recently vowed to strengthen its ideological control and part of that campaign is to combat “rumors”, Sun's accusation that the conclusions of previous research are “rumors” has very strong political implication.
Many accuse him of using the term “nutritional death” as a euphemism with the aim of covering up the mistakes of the CCP. “BHLi book store” (@BHLi循证书馆) tried to search [zh] for an equivalent English term and found out that it referred to an opposite meaning:
老外貌似”nutritional death”通常是指”肥死” We have long known that the hot dog is a nutritional death trap full of fat, sodium and other preservatives.
It looks like the English term “nutritional death” but the meaning is “eating too much” — We have long known that the hot dog is a nutritional death trap full of fat, sodium and other preservatives.
“Owl's net” (@猫头鹰的巢穴) laughed at [zh] the misleading Chinese term:
我明白，是吃的太多撑死的
Got it. They died from eating too much!
Some believed that the choice of language is an intentional cover-up of the man-made disaster. For example, “Sunny breeze” (@旭日和风) roared [zh]:
把推行恶政导致的大量国民被饿死的惨剧，称为“营养性死亡”，这孙教授创造性发明的这个词汇，将自己牢牢地钉在耻辱柱上。缺乏人性、冷血的知识分子，比一般意思的犯罪分子跟恶劣。
Using the term “nutritional death” to name deaths caused by man-made famine, professor Sun's invention of the term will pin himself down to the pillar of shamelessness. Inhumane and cold-blooded intellectuals are worse than average criminals.
“Who knows Yu's happiness” (@安知渝之乐) also found [zh] the term vicious:
营养性死亡——能再无耻点吗？！那三年饿死多少人！一心就想掩盖掩饰修改历史，怎么不说文革是全国人民大联欢呢？
Nutritional death — can it be more shameless? How many people died in three years? The intention is to cover up history. Why don't you call the cultural revolution a national party?
The reason why netizens are so outraged with the term is because euphemism has played a significant role in Chinese politics. “Qinghua Qinpang” (@清华秦鹏) made [zh] a list of euphemistic Chinese terms:
中国式词语：饿死不叫饿死叫“营养性死亡”，叛逃不叫叛逃叫“休假式治疗”，衰退不叫衰退叫“负增长”，失业不叫失业加“待业”，不懂不叫不懂叫“有益探索”，仆人不叫仆人叫“领导”,罪犯不叫罪犯叫“极左”……
Terms with Chinese characteristics: starve to death is called “nutritional death”, traitorous escape called “vacation-style medical treatment” [refers to Wang Lijun's escape to the US consulate], regression is called “negative growth”, unemployment is called “expecting a job”, not knowing is called “beneficial exploration”, servant is called “leader”, criminal is called “extreme leftist”…
Chen Yani offered [zh] a better euphemism:
不如叫“永远的睡着了”
Why not just call it “forever asleep”
@afa2011 gave [zh] another suggestion:
还不如说”阎王爷收去的”都比这个词好！
“Call from the devil” is better than [nutritional death]!
“Eating grapes peel” (@吃葡萄皮不吐葡萄葡葡萄) pointed out [zh] that the public release of historical documents will clear up doubts:
官方此前一直对该事讳莫如深，什么谣不谣还不是一句话，开放档案不然难堵悠悠众口。
The authorities have kept silent about this period of history. Open all the documents and you can shut down the rumors.
“Really grasping a whole bunch” (@当真一把抓) echoed [zh]:
真不知道现在的教授在避什么讳，饿死就是饿死，说什么“营养性死亡”，研究了三年，就研究了这么个创造性的词汇出来，你说死亡人数在250万以下，那具体人数是多少，请精确到个位，并且公布每个“营养性死亡”的人名。而且有的说法是三千万，也同样请公布非正常死亡人员的名单。
I don't understand what the professor is trying to hide. Starved to death is starved to death, why replace it with “nutritional death”? Three years of research and the outcome is such a creative term. You say that the death toll is less that 2.5 million, so how many exactly? Please be accurate. And please give us the names. Some say 30 million, please also release the name of the dead.
Like many Chinese who lost family members during the Great Famine, “Meteor 74″ wanted [zh] the truth to be revealed:
教授真TM会整词，到底饿死了多少人我不知道，只知道很多亲戚死于“营养性死亡”，包括我的外公、外婆、爷爷、奶奶，还有一个舅舅——我父母那时都还是小孩，前不久我妈还在回忆挖观音土吃的悲惨生活——当然，死的都是农民
The professor is so good at creating new words. I don't know how many died, but many relatives died of “nutritional death”. My four grandparents and my uncle. My parents were still kids, but my mother still remembers from time to time the day when she had to swallow earth to fill up her stomach. Most of the dead were peasants.


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“I Know A Rapist”: The Blog that Won’t Stay Silent   · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

A Tumblr blog collects testimonies [fr] of people who know a sexual predator. The “About” page of the site states that the goal is to show that rapists are not just psychopaths who are statistical outliers but people we know (80% of rape victims knew their aggressors). One contributor recalls one such tragic story [fr]:
He was 38 when he left for a village in Africa on a missionary journey. Everyone [back home] admired his work for the population. He came back 3 years later and no one know why. [..] I learned a year ago he reason he returned: He raped children there. He confessed to his crime but he is still free. [..] I hate how my parents and their friends try to find excuses for the horrors he committed.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Presidents, Oligarchs and Potash: Russia’s Trade War With Belarus · Global Voices
Daniel Alan Kennedy

Kerimov meets with President Lukashenko in March 2013. YouTube screenshot.
At first glance, there are no truer friends than Russia and Belarus. The two states are united by a common history and have strong ethnic and linguistic links. Russia has long subsidized her neighbor with cheap oil and gas, which has kept Belarus’ Soviet-era manufacturing industry from keeling over. For Russia's Vladimir Putin, Belarus is a key linchpin in a new “Customs Union“, a geopolitical block he hopes can become a major, Russian-led, international force.
Despite these close links, Belarus and Russia have had disagreements in the past, and their presidents, Lukashenko and Putin, are widely suspected to personally dislike one another. The occasionally tumultuous relationship was strained further than usual on August 28 2013, when Belarusian authorities arrested Vladislav Baumgartner, CEO of Uralkaliy, a large Russian potash mining company. He was detained after arriving to the country at the invitation of the Belarusian prime minister. Russia retaliated by cancelling some of its subsidies and banning Belarusian pork imports. Belarus shows no sign of backing down and has put out an Interpol warrant for Uralkaliy majority shareholder Suleiman Kerimov, a Dagestani oligarch and Senator with close links to the Kremlin.
Uralkaliy had for years been part of a profitable joint venture (many would say cartel) with Belaruskaliy, the Belarusian state-owned potash company. Potash is Belarus’ second most important export and a key part of its largely state-run economy. Problems had arisen when the global price of potash had plummeted and both companies attempted to conduct business on the side without informing the other, further depressing the price. Uralkaliy ultimately unilaterally withdrew from the consortium in July 2013.
Uralkali Potash Plant in Magadan, Russia, June 29 2011, Photo by ICT Group CC3.0
The affair has left many in Russia shaking their heads, as on the surface Belarus needs Russia more than Russia needs it, and any burgeoning trade war could have serious repercussions. Many saw the split between the two large potash companies as evidence of a deeper conspiracy. Writing on his LiveJournal, conspiracy theorist Nikolino saw Putin's invisible hand [ru] behind the whole affair.
После ареста Владислава Баумгертнера ряд экспертов высказал мнение о том, что за произошедшим в Минске стоит чуть ли не лично Владимир Путин, решивший таким образом наказать Сулеймана Керимова, входящего в «медведевский» пул олигархов… Те, кто придерживался менее радикальной точки зрения, утверждали, что даже если Путин и не сам организовал всю эту ситуацию, то он, по крайней мере, не будет слишком усердно защищать хозяев «Уралкалия».
After Baumgartner's arrest a host of experts expressed the opinion that standing behind the events in Minsk was none other than Vladimir Putin himself, deciding in this way to punish Suleiman Kerimov, for belonging to “Medvedev's” circle of Oligarchs… Those who possess a less radical point of view maintain that even if Putin didn't personally organise this situation himself, then at the very least he isn't going to try very hard when defending Uralkaliy's owners.
Nikolino referenced an article [ru] on IAREX [ru], a Russian expat news portal, by Spain-based political commentator Lev Vershinin, who claimed Kerimov was “one of the main sponsors of the anti-Putin campaign between November 2011 and March 2012.”
Others argued that the impetus for the disagreement came not from Moscow, but from the west. Mikhail Delyagin, a Russian academic and anti-globalisation politician released a 20 minute video, arguing that the whole affair was instigated by the Kremlin's “liberal” faction.
Для либерального клана, самая страшная что есть на пост-советском пространстве, это ре-интеграция этого пост-советского пространства с участием России. Не потому, что либеральному клану не нравится пост-советское пространство, а потому что этот клан обслужит интересы глобального бизнеса, которому, во первых не нужна российская федерация как что то сильное. Россия должна быть такая уже трофейная пространство как Египет или Ливия, или Сомали. Чтобы можно было осваивать малыми ресурсами.
For the liberal clan, the worst thing in the post-Soviet space is Russia's reintegration with this post-Soviet space. Not because this liberal clan hates the post-Soviet space, but because this clan serves the interests of global business, which first and foremost doesn't need a strong Russia. Russia needs to be an already defeated country like Egypt of Libya or Somalia, so it can be exploited with little effort.
Delyagin went on to claim that the liberal clan of oligarchs was attempting to sabotage the Customs Union by sowing disharmony between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin.
Other Russian commentators took a more prosaic view of the affair. Yaroslav Romanchuk, in a blog [ru] for Ekho Moskvy, chalked the issue up to Baumgartner's naivety.
Владислав Баумгертнер решил поиграть с «Беларуськалием» по правилам российского рынка, по тем схемам, которые используются даже на Западе для захвата предприятий или рынков. Он не учёл, что играет не столько в корпоративную игру с «Беларуськалием», сколько политическую игру с А. Лукашенко.
Vladislav Baumgartner decided to play with Belaruskaliy according to the rules of the Russian marketplace, using the schemes which can be used even in the West for seizing an enterprise or a market. He didn't consider that he wasn't so much playing a corporate game with Belaruskaliy, but a political game with Lukashenko.
Few netizens have much sympathy for Baumgartner, who faces a daunting 10 years in a Belarusian prison for actions that, as Romanchuk correctly points out, would not be considered illegal in the west. Instead of indignation at Lukashenko's actions, many seem to approve of them, as a bold defense against Russia's oligarchs, still much reviled by the populace. Kerimov may be one of Russia's rich and powerful, but judging by the Uralkaliy affair, few would shed tears if he ended up joining Baumgartner in a Minsk prison cell.

author: Daniel Alan Kennedy


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Protests Called for Brazil’s Independence Day · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Brazil is getting ready for the celebration of Independence Day, September 7, 2013, with the massive protests of June and July still in mind. More than 400,000 people have confirmed on Facebook their intention to participate in the protests that will take place in about 150 cities. The Facebook page that gathers information about each city is called “the biggest protest in the history of Brazil“. The hashtag #OperacaoSeteDeSetembro (Operation September Seven) is already trending on Brazilian Twitter and #VemPraRua (Come To The Street) is also being used.

author: Sara Moreira


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Tajikistan’s Ubiquitous and ‘Irreplaceable’ Leader · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

As in most other Central Asian countries, the portraits of the president are everywhere in Tajikistan. Blogger Rustam Gulov (aka Teocrat) believes [ru] that these portraits serve a political purpose:
[The portraits] are all parts of a giant machine designed to convince the people in Tajikistan that this person [the president] is irreplaceable. As a result, people develop a conviction that there are no other persons in the country who could be in a position to challenge ‘His Highness’ at the polls.
A giant portrait of the president mounted on the building of the Ministry of Agriculture in central Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. Image by Alexander Sodiqov, July 2013.


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Tokyo to Host 2020 Olympics · Global Voices
Keiko Tanaka

Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Summer Olympics after the members of International Olympic Committee have voted on September 7th to select the host city.
Tokyo 2020 reacts to the news #olympics2020 #BA2013 #olympics pic.twitter.com/lKws4Qcw4E
— Olympics (@Olympics) September 7, 2013

author: Keiko Tanaka


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Yemen Mourns the Loss of Shining Young Activist Ibrahim Mothana  · Global Voices
Noon Arabia

Ibrahim Mothana's profile photo on Twitter and Linkedin
Yemen mourns the death of one of it's brightest and finest young men. Ibrahim Mothana (@imothanaYemen), a prominent activist and writer, Co-founder of Watan Party and Arab Thought Foundation 2011 ambassador, died on September 5th, 2013 at the age of 24. He lived a short life but was an inspiration to many who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Ibrahim, who was born on October 23, 1988, dreamed of a better Yemen and had dedicated his life to achieve that goal. He wrote an Op-Ed about the impact and morality of drone strikes in Yemen, and in the New York Times he wrote about his aspirations as an Arab and Yemeni youth activist in CNN and in Al-Jazeera. He was also an eloquent speaker and one of the best youth activists to represent Yemen abroad. Watch him speak about Yemen's revolution in “Global leadership and the new digital landscape” seminar in Sweden in July 7, 2011 (video uploaded to YouTube by GlobalUtmaning):
Ibrahim Mothana was a bright, friendly, inspiring, smart, talented, witty, young man and his untimely death is certainly a great loss to Yemen and to his family and friends.
News of his sudden death spread through social media late Thursday evening as friends in Yemen and around the world wrote heartfelt posts to commemorate his achievements and mourn his tragic loss:
His friend and fellow activist Farea Al Muslimi tweeted the sad news:
Tragic News from #Yemen today. one of #Yemen‘s greatest youths and minds ever @imothanaYemen passed away today. MY godness;! #RIP
— Farea Al-muslimi (@almuslimi) September 5, 2013
Another friend, Hamza Alshargabi wrote:
Ibrahim Mothana leaves us to a better place, only the good die young! Never in my life have I met someone… http://t.co/oxRJkvVv06
— Hamza Shargabi (@icHamza) September 5, 2013
Hamza also posted a YouTube video commemorating Ibrahim:
Abdullah Hamidaddin shared a video of Ibrahim:
RIP always smiling. optimist. thoughtful. kind. deep. his memory will live in hearts of who knew him @imothanaYemen https://t.co/jZaUnJn8Je
— Abdullah Hamidaddin (@amiQ1) September 5, 2013
Activist Summer Nasser vowed to continue in his footsteps:
It should be our MISSION to accomplish what @imothanaYemen wanted. He wanted a better #Yemen. We will work HARDER for you, bro. I promise.
— Summer Nasser (@SummerNasser) September 5, 2013
Yemeni Blogger Afrah Nasser wrote a powerful blog post in his memory. She wrote:
Mothana truly believed that he had the responsibility to make a change for his community and he has stated that in his piece published on the Global Changemakers website, “I realise now that I am not in this position to represent my own views but also the millions of young people under the age of 25 living in the Arab world. I am responsible for making the voices of young people heard and helping create solutions for the problems they face within the Arab region. I agree with the words of Albert Pike: ‘What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal’.”
I also wrote this blog post as a remembrance to make others know who this inspiring young man was.
Activist Faizah A. Alssulimani made a YouTube video capturing Ibrahim's most memorable photos.
Ibrahim Mothana's participation poster in TedxSanaa in December 2011, photo courtesy of TedxSanaa
American Author Gregory Johnsen wrote:
This is a tragic loss for Yemen. Ibrahim was incisive and kind, one of the few bright spots for Yemen's future.
— GregorydJohnsen (@gregorydjohnsen) September 5, 2013
Irish Journalist Iona Craig, who lives in Yemen and knew Ibrahim, tweeted:
In total shock and tears to hear of the death of great friend @imothanaYemen. One of Yemen's smartest young men. Yemen needed you Ibrahim. x
— Iona Craig إيونـا (@ionacraig) September 5, 2013
US Journalist and author of the book “Dirty Wars” Jeremy Scahill added:
Horrified to hear of the sudden death of my friend Ibrahim Mothana, an amazing, tireless activist who never stopped fighting for Yemen
— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) September 5, 2013
Bahrain's Human Rights Activist Maryam Al-Khawajaa tweeted:
I had the pleasure of meeting Ibrahim Mothana, an inspiring #Yemen-i activist, a while back. Saddened to hear he has passed away. RIP
— Maryam Alkhawaja (@MARYAMALKHAWAJA) September 5, 2013
Egyptian journalist and blogger Mohammed Aldahshan wrote:
Endless sadness. My friend @imothanaYemen, 25 years old, passed away. Truly an immense loss for his family, his friends, Yemen, & the world.
— Mohamed El Dahshan (@eldahshan) September 5, 2013
Egyptian Ahmed Esmat created a Facebook event in which he urged friends to write their memories of Ibrahim:
Please share with us your memories,words or pictures with our late friend, شاركونا فيما تملكون من صور او كلمات او ذكريات عن صديقنا الراحل.
Australian Linh Do shared her impression of Ibarhim, she tweeted:
RIP Ibrahim Mothana who was one of the few people I knew who didn't just want to change world, but was already doing so.
— Linh Do (@lmdo) September 6, 2013
She added:
I knew him as a great Yemeni (or as we used to say, Yemish) anti-drone activist who showed me a Yemen that I didn't know.
— Linh Do (@lmdo) September 6, 2013
Ibrahim Mothana's funeral, held Friday September 6, 2013 in Sanaa. Photo via twitter by Fahmi Albaheth
American Journalist Adam Baron, currently based in Yemen, was also shocked and saddened by Ibrahim's loss, he posted these powerful words on his Facebook wall:
But even if the outpouring of grief in Yemen and other places across the globe provides a fitting demonstration of what Ibrahim achieved in his 24 years on this earth, its not just about who he was and what he did, but what he was unable to do. I doubt there's anyone who ever met Ibrahim who didn't assume he was destined for even bigger things. God knows how much more this guy could have accomplished, how much more he could have done to make Yemen a better place. We'll all certainly miss Ibrahim's humor and insight.
This is a storify of the outpouring messages from Yemen and around the world mourning Ibrahim Mothana's loss.

author: Noon Arabia


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Chinese Tomboy Image Gets Popular · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Offbeat China blogs about the rise of a new Chinese woman image – Nu Hanzi, meaning manly woman or Tomboy. The blog has also translated the 20 typical characters of a Nu Hanzi.


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Egypt’s #SpyDuck is Served for Dinner  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A White Stork – similar to Menes. Photograph from the Wikimedia Commons, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
A stork accused of being a duck and framed for espionage and arrested in Egypt has ended up as a meal for an Egyptian family.
On August 31, news broke that Egypt had arrested a spy duck, with a suspicious gadget attached to its feathers. Later, it emerged that the duck was a stork, which was named Menes, and that the tracking device on it was for a study.
On September 4, Mostafa Hussein announced that the “wrongly accused stork is free”:
Wrongly accused Stork is free. http://t.co/dLQ2b2gHuM /via @zeinobia #egypt #spyduck pic.twitter.com/UcjDUaYpIO
— Mostafa Hussein (@moftasa) September 4, 2013
The euphoria was short-lived.
Egyptian blogger Zeinobia now reports:
I do not know if it is fate or what, but it seems that the story of Menes in the land of the Nile is extremely sad story.
After it was accused of espionage and spent a day in Egyptian detention , he was released in to a protectorate to fly free only to meet its end !! He was hunted down and eaten by an Egyptian Nubian family in the south !!!
On Facebook, the Nature Conservation Society of Egypt added:
Sad news: Menes the White Stork has been killed.
After being safely released into the Salugah & Ghazal protected area several days ago, Menes flew off to a nearby Nile Island, where he was captured and killed, to be eaten by local villagers.
The post explains:
Storks have been part of the Nubian diet for thousands of years, so the actual act of eating storks is not in itself a unique practice. However, the short-lived success story of getting Menes released, was not enough to keep him safe till he exited Egypt.
And the issue is bigger – and more complicated:
Egypt has long suffered from issues of uncontrolled hunting. However, it is important to always balance the needs of local communities with the needs of nature and biodiversity conversation.
The post concludes:
The entire region has a very long way to go, specially in the field of raising awareness on hunting and migratory birds.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Hong Kong: A Cautionary Tale for Taiwan · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A group of 300 individuals in Hong Kong published a statement in Taiwanese newspapers warning the Taiwan society against Sinicisation [i.e. the bad influence of mainland China]. The statement has two versions one published in Hong Kong and one in Taiwan. Dictionary of Politically Incorrect Hong Kong Cantonese has translated the Taiwanese version.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Hong Kong: Refugees Living in Slums · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tom Grundy from “Hong Wrong” blogs about the poor living conditions of some refugees in Hong Kong. The arrangement was made by Swiss NGO ‘International Social Service’ (ISS) funded by Hong Kong Social Welfare Department. Vision First's Photo via Hong Wrong.


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#RussiaVotes Live Blog: Russia’s Regional and Local Elections · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Russian election protest in St. Petersburg, 18 December 2011, photo by Yury Goldenshtein, (c) Demotix.
Tweets about “#RussiaVotes”


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Tokyo’s Hope for Improvements by 2020 Olympics · Global Voices
Keiko Tanaka

A poster advertisement in Shibuya, Tokyo. Image by Danny Choo on flickr under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic
On 7 September 2013, Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Summer Olympics after the members of International Olympic Committee voted to select the host city from Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul.
As Tokyo celebrates its win, opinion leaders on Twitter are sharing their hopes for improvements in the city.
Nobuyuki Sato, a communications director and author of a dozen books who has more than 70,000 followers, emphasized the bright side of hosting the Olympics/Paralympics:
期限と達成目標は日本人を必ず団結させ強くする。東京でのオリンピック/パラリンピックは東北の復興を必ずや加速させると思うし、抱えている様々な問題も良い方に向かわせると信じます。後ろ向きな言葉はいくらでも言える。心配事も山ほどある。でももう決まったんだし、一緒にがんばりましょう。
— さとなお (@satonao310) September 7, 2013
Having common deadline and goal will unite and strengthen Japanese. I think that hosting Olympics/Paralympics in Tokyo will accelerate the recovery of  disaster-stricken Tohoku regions, and various issues at hand will get better. At the same time, there are negative words and plenty of worrying matters, yet it's been decided. Let's together work to do our best.
Social analytics show that online conversations on Olympics suddenly exploded among Japanese, while conversations on Paralympics also increased but were relatively smaller in number.
Although it's smaller in number, people voiced their hope for a more accessible city resulting from Tokyo being named as 2020 Olympics/Paralympics host.
The blue dots represent Japanese tweets that include “Olympics” which show rapid increase on 7 September. The green represents “Paralympics” and orange represents “barrier free” [universal design] in Japanese. Social analytics based on TOPSY.com
German literature translator and peace advocate Kayoko Ikeda, who resides in Tokyo, listed her wishes:
A graph of tweets that include “バリアフリー” a Japanese word for “barrier-free” [universal design] from August 9th to September 8th. Online conversations that seek a more accessible, universally designed city increase as Tokyo is awarded 2020 Olympics host.
７年後、町中がバリアフリーになり、Wi-Fiがどこでも繋がり、電柱がなくなり、羽田成田東京がもっと近くなり、築地市場に外国の人の笑顔があふれ、ヘイトスピーチはとっくに影をひそめ、津波被災地域が立ち上がり、原発事故処理は着々と進み、原発が動いてなくて、再エネに切り替わってたらいいな
— 池田香代子 (@ikeda_kayoko) September 7, 2013
I really wish that after seven years: every corner in Tokyo implements universal design [barrier-free, accessible for all people]; ubiquitous WiFi connection, and telegraph poles vanish; Tsukiji market [the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world] is filled with smiles by foreigners visiting from around the world; Tokyo, Haneda and Narita airport become more accessible; hate speech vanishes; tsunami-stricken regions recover; the nuclear power plant accident is fully handled; and no nuke plant is online and we switch to renewable energy.
Game designer and translator Shin Okada also voiced his hope for more accessibility for the aging society:
オリンピックもそうなんですがパラリンピックが開催されるということで街や交通機関のいっそうのバリアフリー化とかそういう方向でも盛り上がってほしいな。うちの母とかもう八十台半ばになっちゃうので、足腰の不自由なお年寄りでも気軽に会場に見に行けるようにしておいてほしい
— 岡田伸 (@AsobininNoShin) September 7, 2013
By hosting the Olympics and Paralympics, I hope that the city and public transportation will improve accessibility of its facilities, towards universal design. My mom will be in her mid-eighties in 2020, so I sincerely hope that facilities are fully accessible for elderly with walking difficulty.


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Australia Elects New Abbott Conservative Government · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

Australia has a change of government. Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's brief return ended on 7 September 2013 with the election of Tony Abbott's conservative Liberal/National coalition. Michael Taylor, a staunch online advocate of Labor, reflects on life under the new government in his post Should I really care who governs Australia? It is probably no surprise that his answer is Yes: “I only hope the new government cares about the people that I care about.”

author: Kevin Rennie


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Burkina Faso: An African Crisis in the Making? · Global Voices
Anna Gueye

Many fear there is a crisis brewing in the West Africa nation of Burkina Faso as the ruling government makes moves to ensure their political survival.
While all focus has been on Mali over the last few months, there is a crisis in the making in the West African nation of Burkina Faso where a proposed Senate has provoked four massive demonstrations in a month with the opposition party making three shows of force on 28 and 29 June and 20 July. President Blaise Compaore's political party responded with a protest from its followers on 6 July.
“No to the curse of nepotism and tyranic authority” – Photo from the protests on 20 July via Twitter user @Bambyam. Used with permission.
Why all of these protests? Nico Ramirez, who writes on the website Diktacratie [fr] explains in his article Burkina Faso: in the land of corrupt man [fr] (The name Burkina Faso means the “land of honest people”):
C’est la mise en place d’un Sénat, la dernière trouvaille du régime pour assurer sa survie, qui a enflammé les esprits. Plus d’élus pour plus de démocratie, un bon gros mensonge pour nourrir des estomacs vides ! À côté des 39 représentants des collectivités territoriales, élus au suffrage indirect, et d’une douzaine de représentants de la société civile, le Sénat comptera également 29 sénateurs nommés par Blaise soi-même, comme ça c’est plus simple.
It is the establishment of a Senate that has angered the public. This is the latest tactic that the regime has unveiled in order to assure its survival. More elected representatives must mean more democracy. A big fat lie for hungry mouths to chew on. Aside from the 39 representatives of the regional authorities, that were elected by indirect suffrage, and the dozen representatives from civil society, the Senate will also have 29 Senators who have been appointed by Blaise himself…its easier to do things that way…
Still, that is not the only cause for frustration as Justin Yarga, an online journalist and blogger for Burkina 24 [fr] explains in an article entitled Burkina Faso: Quand la présidentielle de 2015 se prépare déjà dans la rue (Burkina Faso: the 2015 Presidential Race Already Taking to the Streets) [fr] that was published on the blog Noise From Africa:
Pour le parti au pouvoir, cette chambre de sages participe du renforcement de la démocratie. Mais l’opposition y voit le moyen pour le parti au pouvoir et ses alliés de s’assurer une majorité qualifiée qui lui permette, en l’absence de son allié de poids l’ADF-RDA, de modifier l’article 37 et donner ainsi la possibilité d’un second mandat au président Blaise Compaoré.
In the eyes of the political party in power, this chamber of wise men contributes to the reinforcement of democracy. But the opposition sees it as a means for those in power, and their allies, to guarantee that there will be a qualified majority. This will allow them, in the absence of its strongest ally the ADF-RDA (Rassemblement Democratique Africain /Alliance pour la Democratie et la Federation) to modify Article 37 and thus pave the way for a Blaise Compaoré's second term.
Photo taken on 6 July during protests supporting the current regime. Used with permission from @bambyam
The International Crisis Group (ICG), an NGO that works to prevent and resolve conflicts, wrote in its report, Burkina Faso: With or Without Compaoré, Times of Uncertainty:
Pour la première fois depuis 1987, la question de la succession du président burkinabè est ouvertement posée. La Constitution interdit en effet à Blaise Compaoré, au pouvoir depuis plus d’un quart de siècle, de briguer un nouveau mandat en 2015. Sa marge de manœuvre est très étroite. S’il respecte la loi fondamentale, sa succession risque d’être difficile tant il a dominé la vie politique et fermé les possibilités d’alternance. S’il modifie la Constitution et se porte candidat à un cinquième mandat consécutif, il prend le risque de déclencher un soulèvement populaire comme celui qui a fait vaciller son régime au premier semestre de l’année 2011. Les partenaires internationaux doivent l’inciter à respecter la loi fondamentale et permettre une transition démocratique en douceur.
For the first time since 1987 the issue of the Burkinabè presidential successor has been openly discussed. The constitution does not allow Blaise Compaoré, who has been in power for more than 25 years, to seek out a new term in 2015. He has very little leeway. If he respects the basic laws of the country, it will be difficult to succeed him. He has dominated the political arena so much that the possibility of any other choice is severely limited.  If he changes the Constitution and presents his candidacy for a fifth consecutive term, he risks provoking another popular uprising similar to the one that shook his regime during the first half of 2011 [fr].
The public debate has brought about the emergence of the movement “Le Balai Citoyen” [fr] (The Citizen Sweeper). This project is the initiative of two musicians: Smockey – a rapper, and Sams K Le Jah a reggae artist. On their Facebook [fr] page they describe their movement as follows:
Une Force citoyenne nouvelle résiste et s'organise pour une “VRAIE DÉMOCRATIE”, une “BONNE GOUVERNANCE” et un “MEILLEUR VIVRE-ENSEMBLE” au Faso
A new force of the people is rising up and coming together to create a “REAL DEMOCRACY” a “SOUND GOVERNMENT” and “GREATER COEXISTENCE” among the people of ‘Faso.
The website eburienews reported that the government ignored the protests against the elections and held them anyways:
Malgré la marche de l’opposition, sa puissance de mobilisation, les « non au sénat » n’ont pas troublé outre mesure le déroulement des élections sénatoriales ce 28 juillet. Les manifestants qui ont essayé de les empêcher ont été … « victimes » de la rapidité du scrutin !
Les 29 sénateurs représentants les collectivités territoriales seront donc bientôt connus et installés. … La conclusion qu’on est en droit de tirer est qu’inexorablement, le sénat sera installé.
Le sénat passera donc, à moins d’un revirement spectaculaire du Président du Faso et est bien parti pour participer à l’ouverture de la prochaine session ordinaire du Parlement.
Despite the opposition's protests and the force of its mobilization efforts, the collective “no” against the senate elections did little to prevent them happening on 28 July 28. One can say that those protesters who tried to prevent them from happening became “victims” of “responsive surveillance!”
The 29 senators representing the territorial communities would soon be revealed and sworn in. …The only conclusion that one can rightly draw is that the senate will be established.
It would therefore become little more than a spectacular reestablishment of Burkina Faso's President and it will be poised to participate at the opening of the next regular session of Parliament.
Senegalese blogger Sabine Cessou, who maintains the blog Rues d'Afriques [fr] writes in the article Burkina Faso, the brewing insurrection [fr] that just like his Senegalese counterpart [fr] Abdoulaye Wade:
Blaise Compaoré envisage lui aussi une succession dynastique, en poussant son frère cadet, l’impopulaire François Compaoré. Surnommé « petit président », l’homme est soupçonné d’être impliqué dans le meurtre d’un journaliste, Norbert Zongo, qui enquêtait sur la disparition de son chauffeur.
Blaise Compaoré also has his sights set on establishing a dynasty by promoting his younger brother, the very unpopular Francois Compaoré. Francis is suspected to being involved in the murder of a journalist Norbert Zongo, who was investigating the disappearance of his driver.
Justin Yarga recalls in the aforementioned blog post Burkina Faso: the 2015 Presidential Race Already Taking to the Streets:
Blaise Compaoré, a pris le pouvoir en 1987 [par un coup d’état] qui a éteint la plus lumineuse expérience de changement de l’Afrique postcoloniale, celle de Thomas Sankara.
Blaise Compaoré seized power by a coup d’état in 1987 which extinguished the most promising movement for change to take hold in Post-colonial Africa: that of Thomas Sankara.
In the report mentioned earlier by the ICG, the group describes in further details the possibly disastrous repercussions that a revolution in Burkina Faso would have in the region.

author: Anna Gueye


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East Timor: “Literacy Often Falls by the Way Side” · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

“East Timor waiting for school to start”, Same (06/09/2010). Photo by john.hession on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Marking the International Literacy Day, September 8, The Asia Foundation's blog, In Asia presents striking numbers on the quality of educational outcomes in Timor-Leste, a country where “education, and literacy in particular, too often falls by the wayside”:
World Bank research found that 70 percent of first grade students in Timor-Leste were unable to read a single word of a simple text passage randomly selected in either of the country’s official languages, Portuguese or Tetun.
‘The Silent Crisis in Timor-Leste’s Development Trajectory‘ by The Asia Foundation's Country Representative in Timor-Leste, Susan Marx, and Mário F. Costa Pinhero, stresses the ongoing debate on the language policy of Asia’s youngest nation. As Global Voices reported back in 2011, the number of national languages is up to 16 and dozens of other dialects are used on a daily basis by Timorese citizens. The article addresses progress and hindrance to government's strategies, and states that “a more fundamental challenge lies in the overwhelming lack of a reading culture“.


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Indian Financial Crisis And Its Impact On Bangladesh · Global Voices
Rezwan

Jyoti Rahman at Alal O Dulal analyses the recent Indian economic slowdown and contemplates how the ‘crisis’ may be affecting Bangladesh.

author: Rezwan


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Journalism, Activism and Passion: A Look at Citizen Media in Brazil · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

[All links lead to Portuguese language pages]
“Citizen Media encompasses passion” and “does away with the arrogance of journalists”, states Débora Medeiros, co-editor of the Portuguese language branch of Global Voices. She was referring to the circulation of information over the net during an interview with Brazilian e-magazine, ‘Impressão Digital 126′ (#ID126).
Various perspectives on journalism and digital activism are also brought to light in another article by Paula Morais for the same blog; (an “enterprise”) by the Office of Digital Journalism from the Federal University of Bahia's Faculty of Communication (Facom), part of the university's journalism degree. Bringing together testimonials from Brazilian volunteer journalists ‘Mídia Ninja’, the Union of Professional Journalists of Bahia (‘Sinjorba’ to use its Portuguese acronym) and Global Voices (through the interview with Débora), the article broaches subjects such as the quality of the content produced by groups who circulate news with their own agenda, access to information, and the emerging risks for mainstream media.


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Parents Pardon Son’s Murderers – Justice for Shahzeb Campaigners Dismayed  · Global Voices
Sahar Habib Ghazi

The parents of brutally murdered 20-year-old Shahzeb Khan filed an application in court pardoning their son's murderers, who were sentenced to death in Pakistan in June 2013.
The pardon has created shock and disappointment in the thousands of “Justice for Shahzeb Khan” campaigners who through Facebook and Twitter (#JusticeforShahzebKhan), and offline vigils and protests, have been keeping the pressure on Pakistan's courts to deliver justice for Shahzeb, who also became their symbol of hope against Pakistan's powerful Feudals.
Blogger Zara Khalid  explains on the Express Tribune blog,”Dear parents of Shahzeb Khan, we fought for your son, you didn’t!“:
Your fight was a fight to bring about justice for your son, Shahzeb Khan, but it was never just that. Justice for Shahzeb was about just ‘justice’ too. It was about the hundreds of thousands of people who took a stand for your son and for justice. The ones who stepped out of their comfortable air-conditioned lives to stand in the sweltering heat and shout till their throats became hoarse.
In December 2012, Shahzeb Khan was shot dead by Siraj Talpur and Shahrukh Jatoi. Both young men belong to two powerful Feudal families in Pakistan. Before the shooting, one of Talpur's employees passed a lewd comment at Shahzeb’s sister and a minor argument between Shahzeb and Talpur ensued. The shocking murder kickstarted a Facebook campaign “Justice for Shahzeb Khan,” which now has 170,000 likes.
Follow #JusticeforShahzebKhan for the latest.

author: Sahar Habib Ghazi


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PHOTOS: In Search of a Safe Environment for India’s Children · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

This image by @Annu L is one of the entries in the currently ongoing ‘Stamp It Out’ photo contest organized by UNICEF India as part of their #ENDviolence campaign. Used with permission.
Children need a safe and protective environment to grow, learn and explore their creativity, and it is the combined, collective responsibility of all of us – parents, teachers, law enforcing agencies and society – to ensure this.
According to [PDF] the Ministry of Women and Child Development India:
“Child Protection” means the creation of a protective environment in the home, school, community and society so that children are protected from all kinds of harm and harmful situations. It means providing a safety net for those children who are more vulnerable than others and who need special care and protection. It must be understood that a child’s right to protection is part of each and every other right and it is not possible to ensure the other rights without ensuring protection.
When children feel safe in their environment, they are open, happy, confident and free to learn, explore their world and be creative. Here as some of the images captured by bloggers and netizens that tell their own story:
The laughter, the pleasure of a good book and reading …#education. Twitpic by @zenrainman.
A child discusses her work with her teacher. Image from UNICEF India's Teacher's Day album on Facebook
Children draw Paplu the Puppet at a Pratham Books Storytelling Event, conducted by Saakshi KapoorSingla. Twipic by @SaakshiSingla1
A child drawing pictures with full concentration. Flickr image by John Martin, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Children play rugby in Baikunthapur, India. Image taken from the Facebook page of Khelo Rugby, a non-profit organization that takes sporting opportunities into disadvantaged communities in India
As part of their ongoing Red Siren campaign to #ENDviolence against children, UNICEF India has launched a photo contest titled ‘Stamp It Out’. Here are some images from the contest gallery, calling out to ensure that all children get to grow up in a violence-free environment.
Violence leads to disaster. Let us end it. ‘Stamp It Out’ entry sent in by @Monalisa K. Used with permission.
A protective environment allows a child to explore her creativity with confidence. ‘Stamp It Out’ entry sent in by @Ajith PV. Used with permission
In a protective environment, every child is a winner. ‘Stamp It Out’ entry sent in by @Tayzeem R. Used with permission.
You too can participate in the photo contest here and add your voice to the movement.

author: Aparna Ray


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Saudi Arabia Monitors its Lawyers Tweets  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi Arabia is monitoring tweets by lawyers – to ensure that they don't break laws. “Offending” lawyers are subjected to punishment according to the severity of their tweets, a Saudi official stated.
Speaking to Arabic-daily Al Sharq, Ministry of Justice spokesman Fahad Al Barkan said all lawyers are being monitored for their “behaviour and interests.” He added:
There isn't a special desk charged with monitoring lawyers, but we monitor their tweets and what they discuss related to certain cases when they break the law.
He added that punishment varied from a reprimand to a warning, to the withdrawal of their license.
On Twitter, Saudi netizens retaliate under the Arabic hashtag #العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين, which translates to, the Ministry of Justice is Monitoring Lawyers’ Tweets.
Essam Al Zamil describes the Saudi Ministry of Justice as one of the worst ministries in his country. He tweets [ar]:
وزارة العدل – أحد أفشل الوزارات – بدل أن تتفرغ لتحسين أدائها السيء. تسخر وقتها لمتابعة مايقوله المحامين بتويتر#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— عصام الزامل (@essamz) September 9, 2013
The Ministry of Justice – one of the worst ministries – instead of focusing on improving its bad performance is spending its time to monitor what lawyers say on Twitter
Khalid Al Babtain adds:
ما يطرح في تويتر من المحامين لا يستحق المراقبة بقدر  ما يستحق المتابعة لغرض الإفادة والاستفادة ..#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— خالد البابطين (@Albabtaink) September 9, 2013
What the lawyers tweet about doesn't warrant monitoring. Instead, they should follow up on the cases and issues being raised and benefit and help [solve cases]
Saudi lawyer Badr Al Naqethan tweets:
تصريح أحمق للمتحدث الرسمي ل #وزارة_العدل. مسيء للمحامين ولسمعة المملكة ويجب ألا يمر مرور الكرام. موعدنا ٩ مساء#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— بندر النقيثان (@SaudiLawyer) September 9, 2013
It's a ridiculous statement by the official spokesman for the Ministry of Justice. It is bad for the reputation of lawyers and the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] and should not be allowed to pass. Our meeting is at 9pm
And Mohamed Al Ebrahim responds to his tweet:
@SaudiLawyer يا أخي أنتم المحامين من يحمينا باستخدام القانون من بطش انتهاكات النظام، إذا بتخافون بعد من بيبقى بالبلد؟  وش بيتحول البلد؟
— محمد الابراهيم  (@mo8el) September 9, 2013
If you as lawyers, who use the law to protect us from the brutality of the regime, are afraid, what is left in their country? What will this country turn to?
Ibrahim Al Dossary reckons that lawyers are being bullied, to deter them from creating awareness among people about their rights. He writes:
#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين لماذا الخوف من تغريدات المحامين (لأن المحامي يقوم بتوعية المواطنين بحقوقهم)
— إبراهيم الدوسري (@dosssaryi) September 9, 2013
Why are they afraid of the tweets of lawyers? Because lawyers make people aware of their rights
Sultan Altass says the lack of a union for lawyers is what makes lawyers vulnerable in Saudi Arabia:
لو كان للمحامين نقابة مهنية تصون حقوقهم وتدافع عنهم لما تجرأت وزارة العدل على تهديدهم..#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— Sultan Altass (@Makkaawi) September 9, 2013
If the lawyers had a professional union to protect their rights and defend them, the Ministry of Justice would not have dared threaten them
Abdulla Aljebreen wonders:
#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين:أي بشرهؤلأوفي عالم يعيشون الشعوب الحية سبقتنا الى اطلاق العنان للفكر الحروهؤلأ يسعون الى اغتيال الكلمة الحره
— عبد الله علي الجبرين (@Aljebreen_) September 9, 2013
What kind of people are those and what world do they live in? Nations have long allowed for free thought and they are assassinating the free word
And Einstain-Arab jokes:
يجب على إخواننا المحامين توخي الحيطه والحذر أثناء التغريد.كما نوصيهم بالإكثار من المديح والثناء على وزير العدل #العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— اينشتاين العربي (@einstain_arab) September 9, 2013
Lawyers should take precautions while tweeting. We also advise them to commend and flatter the Minister of Justice in their tweets


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Thousands Reject Cambodia’s Election Results · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

More than ten thousand people participated in an assembly organized by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to protest the alleged manipulation of electoral results by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).
Thousands joined a protest against voting irregularities in Cambodia. Photo by Kimlong Meng, Copyright @Demotix (9/7/2013)
The ruling party won by slim majority after it took 68 seats compared to the opposition’s 55 seats. It was the CPP’s worst electoral performance since 1998 which has been in power in the past three decades.
Casey Nelson shared what he observed during the peaceful assembly last September 7:
The event was very well organized. Bottled water, bread, slogan emblazoned headbands, stickers and lotus flowers were available for all participants. A medical station was set up and medics patrolled the edges of the park. Organizers helped direct and control the crowd. Walking paths and exits were taped off throughout the park.
At least within sight of the demonstration area, police presence was minimal and occupied primarily with traffic control.
Well more than a dozen “Human Rights Observers,” some identifiable by their blue shirts, presumably from the UN, CCHR and other NGOs, roamed around and through the crowds. I also noticed 4 or 5 foreigners in the crowd, participating in the demonstration.
Participants carried lotus flowers and flags and hand-drawn placards repeating the same 5 or 6 themes verbatim, most in both Khmer and English, including: “My Vote, My Life”; “My Vote, My Nation”; “Where is my vote?”; “There is Justice, There is Peace” and “We need an independent truth committee.”
OU Ritthy also attended the assembly in Phnom Penh’s freedom park:
Rally in Phnom Penh's freedom park. Photo by @RupertBAbbott
I just left Freedom Park. The number of protestors is about 20000- not decreasing but not much increasing either compared to previous mass demonstration.
The space of Freedom Park is NOT fully filled but many other people are standing and sitting on another nearby park, avoiding the given space/blocks at Freedom Park perhaps it is hot or they are NOT the protesters but just people who come to observe.
It is really a peaceful and nonviolent mass demonstration. People are civilized, calm and responsible.
The opposition is calling for the establishment of an independent committee to probe the July 28 National Assembly elections:
We participants in today’s Non-Violent Demonstration have as our goals to render justice to our electorate, to demand the establishment of an independent committee with the participation of national agencies and the United Nations Organization to resolve disputes related to the July 28, 2013 national election irregularities. This committee must impartially investigate the allegations of fraud in order to guarantee the respect of the true will of the Khmer People.
We adhere to the principles of Non-Violence in our activities, our words, our hearts; we do not consider any Khmer as an enemy; we want justice and lasting national reconciliation.
At Khmer Bird, Thomas Mclean interviewed Bun Bunnat, a member of the opposition:
We want these demonstrations to be a lesson to our next generation, that Cambodia demands a free society and a democratic community. We want the international community to pay attention to the human rights violations that are happening in Cambodia. We are Khmer we need to have our own voice.
Here are some observations on Twitter:
Party clearly prepped for international media. Most signs bilingual and supporters ordered to hoist whenever photographer wanders over.
— Abby Seiff (@instupor) September 7, 2013
Personally, I doubt tomorrow's demo will change anything. 3 hours of peaceful meditation to demand change, sounds naive to me. #electionsKH
— Ate Hoekstra (@HoekstraAte) September 6, 2013
Political rally goes off without a hitch in Phnom Penh #Cambodia at the weekend. However, more rallies planned for next weekend.
— Hanuman Travel (@hanumantravel) September 9, 2013
Despite the protest, Cambodia’s election body proceeded to announce the official results of the elections confirming the victory of the ruling party. The opposition has rejected the results and vowed to hold more rallies next week. They also plan to boycott the opening session of the Parliament.
Sam Sotha believes that People Power should be advanced through elections and not through the holding of rallies:
Cambodian people do not need “Cambodian Spring!” Cambodia does not need “People Power” through street protests, instead Cambodia needs “People Power” through the ballot box!
Meanwhile, various human rights groups are urging the leaders of the two major political parties to organize a political summit to address the election controversy:
The summit of the leaders of the two political parties and peaceful and successful solution responding to the desire of the people will set a good historical role model for the next generation of Cambodia.

author: Mong Palatino


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“World is Happy for Assad to Continue Killing Syrians”  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian protesters carry banners calling for international action against the Assad regime in Kafranbel, Idlib, in northern Syria. Image by Majid Almustafa. Copyright Demotix August 30, 2013
This post is part of our special coverage Surviving in Syria
Syria just announced that it was ready to put its chemical weapons stockpile under international control – and then destroy them, under a new deal chalked by Russia. Activists say the tactic will buy Syrian president Bashar Al Assad time to continue killing people with all other types of weapons at his disposal.
The deal aims to avert a US strike against Syria, which is being accused of using chemical weapons against Syrian people. According to figures by the United Nations, at least 100,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million have been forced to flee the country since anti-Assad protests started in March, 2011.
Syrian activist Shakeeb Al-Jabri exclaims:
Essentially what was decided today is that you can shoot someone dead and escape punishment by handing over the gun when you're done. #Syria
— Shakeeb Al-Jabri (@LeShaque) September 9, 2013
Mauritanian activist Naser Weddady notes:
Regime foreign minister welcomes proposal to put chem weapons under supervision=world happy for the Assad war machine to continue killing
— weddady (@weddady) September 9, 2013
And BSyria adds:
The 7 million displaced Syrians did not run away from their homes because of CW.
— BSyria (@BSyria) September 9, 2013
While Ghazal says that reigning in Assad's use of chemical warfare means that all other weapons are acceptable [ar]:
وهي وافقوا عالرقابة للكيماوي يعني منرجع للطيران والمدفعية والبراميل ..ومومشكلة يلي بيموتوا “ندين ..” بتتولى الموضوع اهم شي الكيماوي يتراقب !
— غَزَل (@0ghazal) September 9, 2013
And now that they have accepted monitoring chemical weapons, it means that we will go back to airforce, artillery and barrels. It isn't a problem how many people die. They will condemn. The most important is that chemical weapons are not used.
In a series of tweets, BBC News Middle East Bureaux chief Richard Colebourn suggests that Russia and Syria may have – obviously – coordinated their action.
#Syria state TV have a graphic reporting the #Russia CW proposal – which is interesting
— Richard Colebourn (@rcolebourn) September 9, 2013
Timings of statements from #Russia and #Syria and interesting coverage from Syrian state TV suggests this has all been nicely coordinated
— Richard Colebourn (@rcolebourn) September 9, 2013
He adds:
Is #Russia deal a way out for Obama? Is it means for #Syria to tie up UN + world in prolonged CW inspections/monitoring bureaucratic tangle?
— Richard Colebourn (@rcolebourn) September 9, 2013
The move is also posing many questions. Zeina Khodr, Al Jazeera English correspondent, tweets:
#Syrians now ask whether #US threatened military action just to make sure CW stockpiles don't fall in the “wrong hands” (AQ and Hizbullah)
— Zeina Khodr (@ZeinakhodrAljaz) September 9, 2013
While Syrian blogger Anas Maarawi says:
من وين طلعولنا بشغلة تسليم الكيماوي. النظام مستعد يسلّم أمه وأبوه وأخته والقرداحة نفسها مقابل أنو يبقى
— Anas Maarawi (@anasonline) September 9, 2013
Where did they come up with handing over chemical weapons? The regime is ready to hand over its mother, father and sister in return for retaining power
This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests