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Hong Kong: Legco Election, What a surprise! · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The result of this year's Legislative Council Election in Hong Kong is a surprise to many people. As the pan-democrats failed to coordinate their supporters and competed with each others for their votes, most of the mainstream media predicted that the pan-dem alliance would not get more than 50% seat in the district election and would probably failed to become a significant minority (one third of the Legco seats) for voting down the government's political reform proposal concerning the universal suffrage arrangement.
Moreover, the pre-election polls were not very favorable to the pan democrats. As a result, when the voters turnout rate dropped from 55% (in 2004) to 45% this year, even the pan-democrats had lost their confidence. The vice president of Democracy Party, Sin Chung-kai, told the mainstream media a very sober picture at the end of the voting day (around mid-night of Sept 7) that the pan-dem might get less than 15 seats in the district election.
On the next day, most of the mainstream media predicted a setback for pan-democrats in the election. However, it turned out that the pan-dem candidates have almost maximized their seats in the district election. Want to know why?
First of all, public opinion polls have many flaws as indicated in the past. Roland had written a review of 2004 polling results before the election on 28 of Aug. The poll had a 22-29% shortfall error, especially for the pro-establishment party, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB).
Here is Roland's explanation:
Why are the HKU POP poll numbers so wrong for the DAB?  This is a matter of conjecture.  One explanation that is often given is that the DAB supporters are not included in sampling frame (i.e. they do not have telephones) or else they hide their opinions when interviewed.  My preferred explanation is that the DAB has a superior GOTV (Get Out The Vote) effort.  According to the public opinion polls, about 90% of the people said that they will vote.  In reality, just over 55% voted.  The DAB is simply better able to get their supporters to vote because they have more manpower and resources (as in reminder phone calls, personal visits, etc).  Therefore, the DAB end up with a higher share of the actual votes than the polls would indicate.
So according to Roland's analysis and past experience, the polls should have underestimated DAB's potential and the picture for pan-democrats should be more gloomy. However, one week before the voting day, the election committee issued a message to the Hong Kong University survey center, warned that they shouldn't in any case publish the polling result to the public, or else they would violate the election regulation.
At the same time, Hong Kong University survey center is among one of the most professional bodies for election poll even though the survey was sponsored by a pro-dem media group.
Alone in the fart pointed out that Hong Kong University only had 178 interviewers near the election stations, while there were some pro-establishment, unprofessional survey organizations mobilizing 1,990 interviewers for collecting exit data. And they are not responsible to the public:
香港政策研究所 (Hong Kong Policy Research Institute Limited) 由葉國華主理，香港青年協進會 (Hong Kong Youths Unified Association) 自稱「在中央人民政府駐港聯絡辦、民政事務局等各政府部門、各友好團體及社會知名人士支持指導下，會務得以持續發展」，公共事務研究學會 (Public Affairs Research Society) 與香港社會及經濟研究所 (Hong Kong Social and Economic Research Centre) 面目模糊，既不是獲稅務局豁免繳稅的團體，網頁也沒有一個。他們這麼人強馬壯，背後必有金主支持，可是如果他們是商營研究社的話，沒理由連網頁都沒有，加上他們和香港青年協進會的選址巧妙地沒有重疊，這些機構的背景為何，實在呼之欲出。如果要擔心鍾庭耀推動的兩隊人（共 178 人）偏幫某些黨派的話，是否應更擔心上述四個機構（共派出 1990 人）的動向？
Hong Kong Policy Research Institute Limited is headed by Yip Kwok Wah (translator notes: a consultant for Chinese authority in Hong Kong). Hong Kong Youths Unified Association claimed that the organization “is sustained by the support of the Liaison office of the Central people's government in Hong Kong, SAR, Home Affair Bureau, etc”. Public Affairs Research Society and Hong Kong Social and Economic Research Centre are not registered as tax exempted organizations, they don't have a public face, not even a single website. It is quite obvious that they have finance support for organizing such a huge number of interviewers. However, if they were commercial survey organizations, it is hard to believe that they don't have any website. It is not difficult to guess their background. If we are to worry about the 178 interviewer team leaded by Robert Chung (head of Hong Kong University survey center) for helping certain political parties, shouldn't we be more worried about the above 4 organizations which have a team of 1,990 interviewers?
As a result of the above survey dispute, Dar Fung from the facebook created a group: Tell the pollster: “I voted for DAB!”
今屆立法會選舉﹐親建制派陣營要錢有錢要人有人﹐佢地可以晌好多票站門口搞「民意調查」。既然exit poll的作用是協助調整選舉策略，exit poll就是競選活動的一部份，就要計入選舉開支。但現時大規模做exit poll的機構都是蓋住招牌的左派組織，以「學術研究」為名獲取最新投票形勢，臨場調動人馬(在講求配票平均的比例代表制，掌握最新選票分佈就更形關鍵)，卻佯裝「獨立」，用意就是劃清界線，瞞報選舉開支。
真正的「不公平不公道」，就是有人隱瞞選舉開支，政府又拿不出措施杜絕有人將exit poll私用，咁擺明係默許親建制派屈機啦﹗所以各位朋友晌九月七日投票後如果有人搵你做exit-poll﹐無論你投邊個都好﹐記住要話﹕「我投左俾民建聯﹗」
In this year's election, the pro-establishment has the money and has the labour. They have so many people standing outside the election stations for conducting “public opinion survey”. As the main purpose of exit poll is to coordinate votes, exit poll should be considered as part of the election campaign, it should be counted in the election budget. However, at present, most of the exit poll organizations are in fact covered up left wing pro-establishment groups. They pretend to be academic organizations for getting the latest data about the election, so that they can mobilize their votes (in the existing election system, such coordination is the key to success). They pretend to be independent, so that they don't need to register the expense.
The real “unfair and unjust” story here is that someone try to cover up their election expense while the government fails to stop the private use of exit poll. As a result, the pro-establishment can abuse the system! So, our friends, when someone asks you to do exit poll in the election day, no matter who you are voting for, please say “I voted for DAB!”
There are around 20,000 members joining the group, and the members have spread the words around in all major forums. Judging from the huge error in the exit poll and mainstream media report, the campaign has great success.
Apart from “I voted for DAB!” campaign, netizens’ support for the League of Socialist Democrats (LSD) is believed to be a major factor for the success of this minority political group. The political group is loosely organized and poor, however, they managed to get 3 seats out of their 5 election candidates.
Kursk's has some observations concerning the success of LSD in relation to their internet mobilization:
# 以前選舉論壇是沒有人理會的，現在有了youtube，只要某一段內容夠「爆」，便會出現幾何級數的效果。
# 網絡動員的效果真的不容忽視，真的，我是說真的。這批泛民死亡軍團，有不少真的是由internet動員出來的。這是由當年鍾亦天事件開始，又或者可能由myradio冒起開始。
# 另外，希望有學者做一個像樣的調查，告訴我們年青選民的投票率、政治傾向。根據網上觀察，網民似乎大都支持社民連。
# in the past, no one cares about election forums, now with youtube, if there are some explosive content, the hit rate jumps.
# we shouldn't ignore internet mobilization, i really mean it. The pan-dem die hard supporters are mobilized from the internet. In my opinion, it is related to the edison sexphoto scandal mobilization, or the popularity of myradio (internet radio).
# i hope academics can have some good survey about young voters concerning their voting rate, political attribution. From my observation, most netizens support LSD.
Singsit is very proud that LSD and pan-dem had such a beautiful fight in Eastern New Territories. Both his wife and himself have voted for Long Hair. In the end, the pro-establishment got two seats while the pan-dem got 5 seats. The blogger posted a most popular post-election youtube, in which long hair challenged the DAB: after spending millions of dollars and all you get is two seats, it's time for you to sleep!
Even though the pan dem has great success, hegelchong feels that they have to take the lesson and develop their “iron vote” through neighborhood network.
你可以說，建制派的鐵票支持了保守親政府的政治路線，但是，強大的鄰里－社會關係與組織本身不是壞事，民主派在香港活了二十至三十年，他們的選民有沒有這種鄰里及社會組織關係？地區工作都化成了甚麼？是否有社區層面的民主運動？每次選舉，民主派都喊說欠缺義工助選，這不是已說明問題嗎？
You can criticize that the pro-establishment's iron votes are the base of conservative political line in Hong Kong, however, strong neighbor organization is not a bad thing. The pan democratic movement has been active in Hong Kong for 20-30 years, however, it seems that their voters don't have such kind of neighborhood and social network. What happens to their district community work? Have they developed a community based democracy movement? Whenever the election comes, the pan-dem would yell around for volunteers, doesn't it tell us something?


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Iran: A wooden village · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Poshtehkooh, an Iranian blogger, has published the photos of a wooden village near Nishapour in the eastern part of Iran. There is a wooden mosque too.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:Court overturns the death sentence against a journalist · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Kiman, an Iranian blogger, says [Fa] that a court of appeal overturned the death sentence against Adnan Hassanpour, a journalist and former editor for the now-defunct Kurdish-Persian weekly Aso in Iran’s northwestern province of Kurdistan.


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Jamaica, Guyana: New Publishing House?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp reports that “as publishing opportunities for Caribbean writers continue to shrink…Derek Walcott, David Dabydeen, and Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo have agreed to pursue the development of a Caribbean publishing house located in Guyana.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Japan: Bloggers debate Uesugi’s Collapse of Journalism · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

In his new book “The Collapse of Journalism” (ジャーナリズム崩壊), released in July, freelance journalist Takashi Uesugi [上杉隆] strips down the murky Japanese media system and offers a glimpse inside. Uesugi, among other things a former New York Times journalist and currently contributor to numerous Japanese magazines and TV programs, points out anomalies in Japanese journalism when compared with other democratic countries.
Basing his criticisms on his own personal experience in both Japanese and American journalistic environments, the writer highlights how most professional Japanese journalists, who resemble company employees more than they do representatives of the fourth estate, are used to burying their head in the sand, and are comfortable simply maintaining the status quo. This status quo in Japan consists of the powerful so-called kisha [reporters’] clubs (記者クラブ), where journalists, subordinate to power, act like bureaucrats working at a press office. Journalists in the kisha clubs despise freelance reporters who, rather than getting their news from the top, pursue deeper truths and publish them in the magazines they write for.
Uesugi develops the discourse highlighting practical examples of good and bad journalism in the history of journalism in Japan and at the New York Times, demonstrating that in Japan, a rotten system leads good journalists either to surrender to the status quo or become freelancers, in the latter case risking being banished from the usual news collection channels.
In 深町秋生の新人日記 (Fukamachi Akio no Shinjin Nikki), blogger Akio Fukamachi [深町秋生] criticizes the book for being overly focused on the kisha club problem and on appreciation of the North American media system. Ultimately, however, the blogger agrees with Uesugi's view on the journalistic profession.
Fukamachi writes:
と厳しい評価をしてしまったが、「ジャーナリズムとはこうあるべきだろう」という理想には深くうなずかされる。たとえばどこかで事件事故が起きれば、メディアは「特オチ」（自分のところだけが出遅れる）を怖れてみんなで殺到する。それがメディアスクラムを生み、おそろしい人権軽視や横並びによるヒステリックな一斉報道の要因となっているわけだ。上杉氏も仰っているが、そうした事故や事件をすばやく伝えるのは通信社で充分だと思う。みんながみんな一分一秒でも先を争って伝えようとするあまり、警察や政府の発表を鵜呑みにし、定型文とさえ思えるような工業製品じみた文章でうめつくし、山ほどあるタブーを放置したまま、次の事件事故を簡単便利にみんなで追っかける。それなりに違いはあるだろうが、どれもファストフード風味で、味つけは濃くて読者をあおる熱量は高くとも、そこに実となるような栄養はたいしてない。マクドナルドか、ウェンディーズか、ケンタッキーかぐらいの違いがあるだけで。
Although I was very critical of this book, I couldn't help nodding in agreement at his idealistic [stance that] “this is what journalism should be like”. For example, if an incident takes place, media rush to the location of the incident worried about being the only “loser” not able to report it. In this way they cause what is called a “media scrum”, which results in human rights being neglected and hysterical news reports all coming out at the same time. I believe that, as Uesugi points out, there are plenty of wire services already reporting such accidents as fast as is possible. They all compete to be the first to report the news one minute or even one second before the others, swallowing every statement by police or the government, stuffing news reports with formated sentences similar to mass-produced goods, full of taboos, and then they altogether quickly move on to the next case or accident. I suppose there are some differences [in their reports], but inevitably they all taste like fast food: even if the flavor is strong and the calorific value supplied to the readers is high, there are no nutritious elements inside. They're the same kind of differences as those that differentiate MacDonald, Wendy's and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
前にも述べたが、私はファストフードは好きだが、もう報道はいいかげんスローにやってほしいと心の底から願っている。たしかに事故や事件を一秒でも早く伝える必要性はあるだろうが、速さの追求は通信社の領分ではないかと思う。まあそれでは商売として立ち行かないのだろうが。
As I said before, I like fast food, but from the bottom of my heart I hope for a slower information system. Undoubtedly, it is necessary to report in the fastest way possible about incidents or events, but I think that the pursuit of speed should be left to the wire services. But well, I suppose you can't keep a business going this way, can you?
Expressing his disdain for the meddling of bureaucracy in the Japanese media system, another journalist and blogger Kinny, in the blog ハレルヤ新聞 (Haleluya Shinbun), addresses his criticisms directly at Uesugi:
小生が理解できたのは、あなたの提言が、記者を批判しているように見えながら、じつは日本のメディアの在り方全体を問題にしている、ということ。
その点では、もちろん小生にも異論はなく、ほぼ同じ立場だ。
What I understood [from your book] is that while your suggestions may seem like criticisms of the journalist, you are in fact questioning the whole Japanese media system.
I of course have no dispute with you about that, being of the same position.
が、アプローチが違う。
My approach, however, is different.
小生は、少しでも現代のメディアのあり方に疑問を持ち、機会さえあれば、問題提起しようとしている人々までを、その時点での行為でもって輪切りにして、糾弾すべきではない、と思っている。
I do not think that a person who harbors concerns about the state of modern media and who, given the opportunity, tries to express concerns, should be bashed and condemned at precisely the moment when they take action.
[…]
顧客である読者とは国民であり、最終的に国民が破滅に向かうような報道のあり方を、小生は大いに問題視するものだ。
その視点において主張させていただけるなら、あなたの官僚たちに対する批判は、あまりに甘く、記者たちに対する批判は、一部において、必要以上に苛烈である。
Readers are customers but above all they are citizens, and I consider reporting that is ultimately directed at the destruction of citizens to be a major problem.
That said, if you allow me to express my personal opinion, I would say that your criticism of the bureaucracy is too mild, while some of your remarks about journalists are more severe than necessary.
もちろんご自身がジャーナリストである由や本の主旨を考慮に入れれば、理解できなくはない。同業者として、この体たらくはどうしたことか、と叫びたくなるのも無理ないものと小生も思う。
Of course, as I am myself a journalist, I do understand the content of your book. And, being someone in the same profession as you, I think that it is natural to feel the need to cry “what the hell happened?!”
だが、政治家や、とくに官僚たちを放免するかのような部分は、ジャーナリズムとの比較対象のためとはいえ、不必要に甘すぎる。賢明な人々は、一部のジャーナリズムが、官僚によるリークを恒常的に手に入れるため、取引・癒着している実態を知っている。小生の知人である元官僚は、政治家やマスコミを動かす際の様子を、さも将棋のコマでも動かすように軽々と並べ立てたものだ。
However, in the part where you let the politicians — and the bureaucrats in particular — off the hook, I think you are too easy on them, even if the aim is to draw a parallel with journalism. Wise people know what really happens, that there are a portion of journalists who, in order to obtain leaked information from government officials, cut deals and cozy up to them. An acquaintance of mine, a former government official, laid out to me how easy it is to manipulate politicians and media like pawns.
要するに、ジャーナリズムは、いつでも官僚に踊らされるべきディレクションにインセンティブを持ちやすい職業である。
In other words, journalism is a profession where there is an incentive to let yourself constantly be manipulated by bureaucrats.
Another central topic of the book is the practice in Japan of newspapers publishing anonymous articles. Not only are journalists not accustomed to signing their articles, but when journalists quote another source, for example an article published in a magazine, they do not typically mention it. It is thus impossible for a reader to go back and find the original sources used in an article.
Uesugi, who experienced a foreign journalistic environment in which anonymity is the norm only among wire services, analyzes this point thoroughly and explains what should be fairly obvious. That is, he points out the fact that an author who remains anonymous cannot be credited, but also does not have to take responsibility for what they wrote. Either way, the article's raison d'être is nil.
In the blog 続ドクバニッキ (Zokudoku Panikki), blogger Bolt69 raises questions about the authoritativeness of anonymous articles with reference to Uesugi's remarks:
あと、自分が一番興味を持ったのはブログについてのことかな。
上杉氏もやはり「記事は実名で書け」の実名派なんですよね。
匿名では責任の所在や記事の信憑性の裏取りが出来ないから、と。
To me the most interesting topic was the one about blogs.
Uesugi evidently belongs to the real-name-party, i.e. “write an article using your real name”, because if people remain anonymous it is impossible to individuate responsibility and attribute credibility to an article.
匿名派の自分はこの本のブログに関する文章を読んでいて、匿名派と実名派が何故に食い違うのか？　がちょっとわかったような気が。
実名派の着地点は「プロジャーナリズム」であり、匿名派の着地点は「アマチュアジャーナリズム」。
その目指す着地点が違うから匿名派と実名派の意見がかみ合わないんじゃないのかなぁと。
Reading the part in this book about blogs, I myself, who am in favor anonymity, feel that I came to understand a bit why it is that people in favor of anonymity and those in favor of real names come into conflict.
What people who write using their real names are aiming for is “pro-journalism”, whereas people who remain anonymous are aiming for “amateur journalism”.
Seems to me that these two opinions, real names vs. anonymity, clash as a result of their aims being different.
例えばオイラがブログを利用してプロジャーナリストを目指したとします。
そうしたら実は匿名の方が不利なんですよね。
匿名で記事を書くことで、自分の記事の検証・分析、取材へのアプローチの甘さが出てしまうから。
さらに他者による検証・分析・批判も匿名だと困難になるし。
それは結局ジャーナリストとしての自分の首を絞めることになると思うのです。
実名を出す以上、どこに出しても恥ずかしくない文章を書こうと努力をする。
その自分に課した高いハードルこそがジャーナリストに必要なんですよね。
だから実名派の言いたいことがこの本を読んで少しわかったような気がします。
For example, suppose that we aim at pro-journalism through the use of a blog. In this case, anonymity is more of a disadvantage, because by writing an article anonymously, a superficial approach to verification, analysis and news collection is completely revealed. A problem is also created if verification, analysis and criticism are also anonymous. Ultimately, this is like a journalist strangling themselves with their own hands.
If you publish an article with your real name, on the other hand, you will make an effort to write something that you won't be ashamed of. And it is this high hurdle that you set for yourself which is what a real journalist needs. This is how I feel that I came to understand, by reading this book, [the position of] the anti-anonymity camp.
[…]
ただ、「ブログはプロジャーナリストのツール」っていう上杉氏の意見には自分は「ＮＯ！」ですけど。
「匿名で発信された情報の底をさらう」ことこそがプロのジャーナリストの仕事だと思いますので。
However, I say “NO!” to Uesugi's statement when he writes that “the blog is a tool for professional journalism”. In fact, I believe that the job of the pro-journalist is “to dredge the bottom of news dispatched anonymously”.
A freelance journalist comments on the stagnant Japanese media system at his blog 行政書士開業日記＆読書日記 (Gyōhsei Shoshi Kaigyō Nikki & Dokusho Nikki):
「記者クラブ」の問題は
フリーランスの記者になって初めて
重要な問題として気がつく「制度」なのだと思います。
ずいぶん前から問題は指摘されており、
少しづつ改善されてきているようです。
しかし、
本質的な改革＝廃止は当分ないような気がします。
しかも、これが外国のジャーナリズムによって
廃止に追い込まれたら、
それこそ「ジャーナリズムの崩壊」でしょう。
笑い話でなく。
Regarding the “kisha club” issue, I realized for the first time how serious a problem this is when I became a freelance journalist.
It seems that it was identified as a problem a long time ago and is getting better little by little.
However, I have the feeling that, for the time being, a substantial revolution, i.e. abolition [of this system], is unlikely.
Besides, if abolition results from foreign journalism, then that would be a real “collapse of journalism”.
And that is no laughing matter.

author: Scilla Alecci


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Morocco: Free Speech Disrespected  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Unfortunately, the Moroccan government has proved its disrespect for free speech by arresting a young blogger on Friday, the 5th of September, simply for publishing an article critical of one of the King’s policies,” according to Mideast Youth.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Morocco: Understanding Mohammed Raji’s Sentence · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Less than a year ago, Global Voices noted Morocco as the “liveliest free speech zone in Muslim North Africa.”  It would not be a stretch to say that Morocco ranks among the best for free speech in the entire Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region.
And yet, journalists are all too frequently fined or arrested, and yesterday a blogger, Mohammed Raji, joined their ranks.  The blogger was arrested yesterday afternoon for insulting the king, and was immediately tried and sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of MAD 5,000 (about $625).  The Moroccan blogosphere, lively as ever, has rallied around Raji.
A Moro in America, whose blog was among the first to report the story, offers a critique of Morocco's hypocritical handling of the press and bloggers:
Apparently the Moroccan Internet Police, which apparently is doing a great job following up on the Moroccan blogosphere, is not fully aware of the scale of media echo arresting a blogger can generate. That’s either because they work for their superiors who belong to the pen-and-paper era, and still see the Internet as nothing but a virtual world, or they are blinded by their fervor and ambition to receive reward for making such “a big bust.”
They don’t realize that they unintentionally propel Morocco to the list of top violators of freedom of speech on the net.
Even worse, it reveals a pattern of mishandling of the issue of Moroccans expressing their opinions online. It started with blocking access to video-sharing website YouTube and Google Earth, the arrest of the so-called fake Facebook prince, Fuad Mourtada, and now with sentencing Blogger Raji to two years in prison. Most probably this case will end with the same scenario as it did with Fuad Mourtada. The police made the arrest. The news made it all over the world, tarnishing the image of modern Morocco in full democratic transition, and then the suspect gets a royal pardon on the Eid’s eve. It’s called self-inflicted negative publicity that Morocco ends up getting from such high-profile cases.
The Moroccan judiciary and the Internet Police still involve Moroccan in big profile arrests of opinion.
Author and blogger Laila Lalami makes a necessary point:
The arrest marks the first time anyone has been arrested for a blog post in Morocco, and, given the Moroccan government’s touchiness, I can guarantee it is not the last time. But I would like to make one small point: Erraji’s criticism is quite mild compared with what one can read in such French-language Moroccan magazines as Tel Quel or Le Journal. But these publications enjoy the support of many international groups (such as Reporters Without Borders) and so the government often has to think twice before arresting one of their journalists or editors. But because Erraji writes in Arabic, and because he writes for Hespress, a website whose quality is quite questionable (it’s very populist and sometimes inaccurate), and because he is not part of the connected elite, his right to freedom of expression has simply been denied and his case has been even more bungled than usual.
A website has been set up to defend Erraji: Help Erraji. I wish there was also a website to help Morocco get a clue on press freedom.
Citoyen Hmida, remarking on the case [fr], says:
Où est le mal dans tout celà?
Dans l'introduction du billet, peut-être qui reprendrait une anecdote dont un quotidien aurait déjà fait l'écho!
Y a-t-il matière à délit? Y a-t-il matière à action publique?
Y a-t-il matière à remettre en cause  un équilibre fragile entre la liberté de parole et la volonté de certaines institutions de défendre la monarchie que personne ne remet en cause?
Espérons que toute cette histoire n'est qu'un vaste malentendu!
Au delà de la personne de Mohamed Erraji et des idées qu'il peut exprimer, le MAROC n'a pas besoin d'une nouvelle fausse affaire.
Des problèmes bien plus sérieux nous attendent….
Where is the harm in all this?
In the introduction to the article, maybe he should have incorporated an anecdote which a newspaper has already repeated!
Can the crime be substantiated? Is there cause to take public action?
Is it justified to challenge a delicate balance between freedom of speech and the desire of certain institutions to defend the monarchy that nobody questions?
Let us hope that this whole story is a vast misunderstanding!
Beyond Mohamed Erraji and the ideas he has expressed, MOROCCO did not need a new trumped up case.
Far more serious problems lie ahead….
Finally, Ibn Kafka has compiled a comprehensive list [fr] of bloggers discussing Raji's case, as well as links to various articles about Morocco's press freedom (or lack thereof).  He also notes that, technically, Raji got off easy:
…On notera cependant que Mohammed Erraji a bénéficié de la mansuétude légendaire de la justice marocaine, puisqu'il n'a été condamné qu'à deux années d'emprisonnement, alors que le minimum encouru pour cette infraction est trois ans et le maximum cinq ans. Cela signifie en théorie – en pratique les juges font ce qu'il leur chante – que des circonstances atténuantes lui ont été accordées – lesquelles?
…It should be noted, however, that Mohammed Erraji has benefited from the legendary leniency of Moroccan justice, and has since been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, whereas the minimum incurred for this offense is three years, maximum five years. This means that in theory (in practice, judges practice what they preach), extenuating circumstances were taken into account – but which ones?

author: Jillian C. York


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North Cyprus: The Opera Comes to Town · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

“One thing that's definitely in short supply here in North Cyprus is opera, so I'm thrilled that no less than 21 opera stars are performing in Kyrenia on September 14th,” writes Kathy from North Cyprus Blogs. Opera singers from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Northern Cyprus, Bashkor-tostan and Tatarstan will be performing various traditional opera arias from Middle East culture.

author: Deborah Ann Dilley


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Saudi Arabia: Human rights on the syllabus · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Crossroads Arabia comments on a report that Saudi Arabia may introduce human rights on the syllabus for law students: “As well as teaching what are deemed to be the ‘Universal Islamic Rights of Man’, it is also important to teach the ‘Universal Rights of Man’ as put forth by the UN. Pointing out where they differ is critical to merging Saudi Arabia’s society into the global society.”

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Saudi Arabia: Is wearing nail polish permitted in Islam? · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

American Bedu has learnt than many Muslim women do not wear nail polish for religious reasons. Find out why here.


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Saudi Arabia: No addresses, just directions · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Stranger in this Dunya complains that no one in Saudi Arabia seems to use addresses: “Directions will more like: ‘We are on Takhasussi street, just after the Riyadh Bank and behind xyz shop. It’s the building with vines growing up the sides.’ “


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South Africa: Digital Media Business Model · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nic posts slides of his presentation at Highway Africa 2008 in South Africa titled “Digital Media Business Model.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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South Africa: Open Source Newspaper · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

PV posts the third edition of Open Source newspaper, which covers Highway Conference 2008  Grahamstown, South Africa.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica: Olympic Party  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“September is the month for celebration as athletes from Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica return home from the Beijing Olympics”: Caribbean Beat Blog wants to get the party started!


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Trinidad & Tobago: Ole Time Wedding  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Onika Henry at Discover T&T Blog attends the Tobago Heritage Festival and writes an interesting post on the re-enactment of the Tobago Ole Time Wedding.  Photos make you feel as if you were there.


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UAE: Gold Laced Iftar  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Iftar at the Emirates Palace was delightful, and this gold-topped raspberry helped me realise that I haven't been getting anywhere near my daily intake of gold lately. That needs to change,” writes a Different Drummer.


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Ukraine: Foster Families · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scenes From the Sidewalk writes that “the concept of fostering children is a new idea” in Ukraine.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Africa: Mobile Telephony in Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kiwanja.net article about mobile telephony in Africa is featured in Microfinance Insights magazine: “The article – “Mobile Telephony and the Entrepreneur: An African Perspective” examines grassroots economic activity triggered by the arrival of mobile technology, and is based on earlier articles for PC World and the Boston Review.”


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Argentina: Unfinished Renovations in Neuquén · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Pablo of Vivir en Neuquén Capital [es] wonders whether the renovations in Neuquén's city center is finished because when it rains that it fills with water and mud.  He also posts a photo of the intersection in question.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Armenia: Relations with Turkey — What Next? · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

After the historic visit by Turkish president Abdullah Gul to Yerevan at the weekend to watch an Armenia-Turkey World Cup qualifying match with his local counterpart, Serge Sargsyan, Security in the Caucasus examines the question of what next for the two estranged neighboring countries.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bermuda: Race Relations  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bermuda's FreshieBlog examines the difference between racial equity and good race relations.


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China: Iphonegirl, a PR or not? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Imagethief carries on the discussion on whether or not the Iphonegirl is a well-planned PR campaign.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Colombia: people falling prey to pyramid schemes · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

On blogs, through videos and on facebook,  Colombian Diego Alejandro is exposing the deceit and scams behind pyramid schemes that masquerade as investment options. In a country where it doesn't make sense to have a savings account because the handling fees are higher than the interest gained from the savings, these get rich quick plans where citizens can pay to participate and then invite 7 other friends to enroll before they can enjoy sky high interest (between 40 and 70%) on their savings seem like a great deal. Currently the ranks of those cheated by the system keep growing, and the government tries to establish methods to punish those who take advantage of citizens who fall prey to their scam.
DiegoAlejandro1985 posts a video of people lining up outside one of these investment options known as DRFE, trying to claim their money after the General Attorneys searched the premises and took hold of money that could've been used to pay those with savings invested in the organization, but this search was deemed illegal and the pyramid scheme is still in operation.
Diego Alejandro explains in his blog  Denuncias y Más where he's been following the ups and downs of several other pyramid scheme enterprises.
Para mi tristeza y la de los FUTUROS estafados, DRFE se escurrió por una grieta de nuestra “excelente” justicia; fueron allanados por la fiscalía y tomaron posesión de bastante dinero que pudo haber servido para reparar a las víctimas una vez colapse la pirámide. Pero como siempre pasa en Colombia; el juez de garantías declaró ilegal el allanamiento. El allanamiento se realizó tras el colapso de tres pirámides en Pitalito Huila.
Sadly for me and the FUTURE scammed, DRFE escaped through a crack in our “excellent” justice; they were raided by the General Attorney and money enough to pay the victims of the collapsed pyramid was taken in possession. But as is usual in Colombia, the guarantee judge declared the raid illegal. The raid was done after the collapse of three other pyramids in Pitalito Huila [Ed.note: city in the Colombian South]
The Laneros Forum (a Colombian technology forum that has become international) there are threads dedicated to these Ponzi schemes. On the DMG thread, clients of this investment scheme defend the system  of purchasing products to later redeem their value times two, stating that it has worked for them in the past, that they've never had problems receiving their money and believing that retail turnover rate is what generates their income, while others argue back stating that money doesn't just reproduce or multiply, that the dividends are actually other people's money, money from those who are just beginning to invest.
Back in June, DMG was investigated by the police and they were forced to close temporarily. DMG has their own YouTube channel in Spanish, and president David Murcia Guzmán,  sent out a Press Release message denouncing the government for the harassment they experienced, asking for fairness, thorough investigations and judicial processes before condemning them as scammers, and requesting authorities to take into account the creation of 12000 new direct and indirect jobs related to the DMG company. You can view the videos by clicking on Part 1 or Part 2 respectively. Following, footage they took of the DMG march:
As can be seen by these previous examples, Colombians on a whole don't seem to relate DMG's tactics to pyramid schemes since they aren't required to get more people to join, and support for David Murcia Guzmán is vast. The best example can be seen on Facebook: The group against pyramid schemes and scams is composed of 35 members, while the “Friends of David Murcia Guzmán” group has more than sixty thousand members, and at least 12 other groups are related to supporting DMG.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Costa Rica: Referendum on Gay Civil Unions · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

In order for a referendum to be valid in Costa Rica, 1.3 million citizens must cast their ballots.  There is a movement to call a referendum regarding civil unions between homosexuals writes Fusil de Chispas [es].


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Cuba: After Ike  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“it now appears that Havana and its many historic buildings will be spared from the worst of the storm that has brought devastating consequences to the island’s housing, agriculture and other economic infrastructure”: Circles Robinson blogs about Hurricane Ike; The Cuban Triangle posts photos of devastation from Holguin province and Cuba-Blog has the most recent news from Camaguey.


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Guyana: Massacre Suspects Killed · Global Voices
Skye Hernandez

The killing by joint army and police services of Guyana's most wanted man, Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins, and his “Lieutenant” Jermaine “Skinny” Charles on August 28, has been greeted with relief by the public and by bloggers. (Another alleged gang-member, Sean Grant, was also killed, but there is some dispute over the circumstances of his death.)
Rawlins and his gang, operating from the village of Buxton, had managed to elude police for three years, and are believed to have been responsible for a series of crimes that terrorised the population. Rawlins claimed responsibility for a January 26 massacre at Lusignan, near the capital, Georgetown, in which 11 people, were killed. The dead included five children, and the murders—said to have been a result of Rawlins's rage when his pregnant girlfriend went missing—shocked the country. It was followed a month later by another massacre, this time in the town of Bartica, the “Gateway to the Interior”, where 12 people were killed. There is some difference of opinion over whether Rawlins's people were also responsible for the killing of eight diamond miners at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice area in June.
News of the death of Rawlins came when the region's attention was focused on Guyana, host of the 10th edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts, Carifesta. Signifyin’ Guyana and Propaganda Press announced the deaths, but Guyana 360 has been the most prolific blogger on the story of the “Fineman Gang”, giving a series of updates as news came in that the Joint Services had found the men at Kuru Kururu and there had been a “shoot-out”. Finally there is confirmation that the two men have been killed. This is followed by another post with graphic photos of the dead men, published to prove that they had, indeed, perished. The comments that follow show some of the divisions in Guyanese society, most of them in language almost as graphic as the images of the dead young men, a fact noted in one comment:
Wow I'm amazed at the ignorance show by our own Guyanese people on this site. For the person who commented on the graphic nature of the pictures, what are your thoughts on filthy language?
For those who seek to justify the actions of these beasts with cries of marginalization, I pity you for you will forever remain entangled in the web of mental slavery that you weave. There will always be others to whom fingers will be pointed while the guilty will have absolution of their horrendous actions.
To those who doubt fineman's guilt, you have either lost control of your senses or are in such a deep stupor of denial that there is no help for you.
For Guyana, I think this is a day to be thankful that these two are no longer around to create fear. But let's not be complacent for there are still elements out there who share the mentality of fineman, skinny and some of the bloggers here.
For all the relief that people in Guyana may have felt over the demise of Fineman and his gang, several questions remain. There are those who say that Rawlins was more of a victim that a criminal, that he was pushed into crime by the circumstances of his life, and more than that, may have had links to some politicians. Guyana 360 reminds readers that a few months ago, President Bharrat Jagdeo had said he had seen a video which showed “prominent people” meeting with some members of Rawlins's gang, but it has not yet been revealed who these people are. And he wonders whether one will ever find out who helped Rawlins steal 33 high-powered weapons from the Guyana Defence Force, or where are “the millions in cash and gold that the gang amassed during its three-year reign of terror?”
GT … Keep it Real angrily notes that death announcements for Jermaine Charles and other gang members were accepted for broadcast by a television channel, and says this shows a lack of respect for “all those people who died senselessly by the hands of these vagabonds.
Finally, Living Guyana republishes an editorial in the Stabroek News which looks at some of the underlying causes of crime, and warns that the killing of Rawlins doesn't mean the end of violence, since he was “hardly associated with every crime involving firearms” which took place in Guyana. The editorial warns especially about drug trafficking:
which is at the root of so much of our crime – and so much of our gun crime especially. Until the government wraps its mind around addressing that issue and all its ramifications in a meaningful way, there will not be much of an impact on the general statistics of violent crime, as opposed to the high-profile mass slayings with which Rawlins was associated.
As Guyana tries to come to terms with the tragedies of the Fineman Gang, it seems the ghost of its leader may still be lingering: Propaganda Press this week found it necessary to remind the police service to remove Rondell Rawlins from the first page of their Most Wanted bulletin.

author: Skye Hernandez


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Haiti: Cabaret Hit Hard  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Livesay Haiti Weblog reports that in one of the areas hardest-hit by Hurricane Ike, “they are literally pulling dead babies and children out of muddy river beds and stacking the bodies in trucks. People have lost their children, their mothers, their brothers and friends. All because of some rain. It breaks our hearts.”  RHFH Rescue Center posts photos of damage in other areas of the island.


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Hong Kong: Radically Idealistic? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Alice poon carries on her debate with Shih Wing-ching, the chairman of Centaline Property Agency and owner of the newspaper “am730″ in Hong Kong, on Hong Kong political culture in Asia Sentinel.


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Jamaica, Guyana: Bolt Welcomed Home  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The rain didn't stop Usain Bolt's return ‘back a yawd’. People lined the road from Norman Manley Airport all the way to the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston”: A Fe Me Page Dis Iyah reports on the Olympic Gold Medalist's triumphant return home, as do YardFlex.com and Guyana 360.


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Jamaica: Soon Come  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“For me, this was like staring into a mirror and recognizing myself for the first time”: Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp reviews Hugh Hodges’ Soon Come, which he says “provides a useful context for understanding Jamaican religions such as Myal, Kumina, Revivalism, and Rastafari and their connection with the work of poets…”


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Kenya: “Bunge La Wananchi” members arrested · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Sukuma Kenya writes about the arrest of political activists in Kenya: ‘The police once again in complete defiance of our Freedom of Assembly Rights have arrested members of Bunge La Wananchi in the hope of intimidating them. This is the continuation of the attacks on civil society.”


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Morocco: An Inside View of Mohammed Raji’s Trial · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Ibn Kafka offers [fr] an inside view of Mohammed Raji's trial, explaining that Raji was not given the opportunity to defend himself, nor was he permitted defense by a lawyer.


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Morocco: Mainstream Media Coverage · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

A Moro in America remarks upon the mainstream media coverage given to Mohammed Raji's case and what effect it might have on Moroccan press freedoms.


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Morocco: The Cost of Ideas · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

A Moroccan About the World Around Him ponders the cost of ideas, and attempts to explain why Mohammed Raji was given a hand of such swift (in)justice.


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Russia: American and European expectations of Russia · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

The 8th Circle draws attention to the Transatlantic Trends 2008 report, dealing with e.g. views toward a Reassertive Russia, NATO’s mission in Afghanistan, and Turkey’s relations with the West.

author: Vilhelm Konnander


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Singapore: The foreign workers moving in next door · Global Voices
Angilee Shah

When Singapore's government announced last week plans for 11 new sites to house foreign workers, residents of the middle-class Serangoon  Gardens neighborhood were not happy. In a show of community activism,  they submitted a petition to their local MPs, George Yeo and Lim Hwee  Hua — the representatives have said they welcome debate. And bloggers are debating.
Minister of Foreign Affairs George Yeo recounts a dialogue session with  Seragoon Gardens residents on A Writer's Blog:
It was lucky that the dialogue session was already scheduled. Many  residents spoke up, some with great passion. As expected, the principal concern was security. The already difficult traffic flow would also be aggravated. It was good that everyone acknowledged the contributions of  foreign workers to our economy.
But Gerald Giam of Singapore Patriot describes the meeting in a different tone. He lists residents’ grievances as much more hostile.
Giam continues:
Many of us fear that foreign workers will be a source of social problems. Let's put it this way: If you were earning $500 a month with an extended family of 12 back home depending on you, would you risk your livelihood by committing some silly crime and getting jailed, caned and deported? Foreign workers litter and dirty the place? Who are the ones who clear our rubbish, pick up our litter and sweep our roads?
Many bloggers write that this controversy speaks to the larger issue of Singapore's relationship to foreigners on the whole. A video post of the Serangoon Gardens neighborhood and vacant school that is to be converted by The Online Citizen sparked lively debate in comments. Podcasters at the mrbrownshow lampoon residents’ fear of “alien” Banglas.
Ng E-Jay of Sgpolitics.net says it's not about prejudice, though. He criticizes the government for not planning ahead to properly house the workers they bring in:
If the Government wants to import a large number of foreign workers to build our casinos and all the mega projects that are supposed to spur our economy on, ample preparations first have to be made to house them properly. That means providing living quarters for foreign workers in locations that would inconvenience local residents the least.
According to the Straits Times (via AsiaOne), the government is asking for residents’ understanding that they will be living near workers from India, Thailand and Bangladesh. But George Yeo announced that the government is now considering separate townships for the overflow of foreign workers.
Flying Low — an anonymous writer who identifies herself as a government servant — balks at this idea:
Isn’t there some HDB [Housing Development Board] race quota implemented so that there will be no racial enclaves in Singapore? But it is ok to build a foreign worker enclave. Yes, isolate these foreign workers from Singaporeans. This is the obviously best way to encourage “Singaporeans [to] open their hearts to them“.

author: Angilee Shah


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South Africa: Can anyone be a journalist? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Aasra blogs about Highway Africa conference in South Africa: “I spent most of Tuesday morning speaking to delegates at Highway Africa, the media rendezvous in Grahamstown which ends on Wednesday. The theme of this years talk shop is: Citizen Journalism, Journalism for citizens and the discussions focussed on whether anyone could be a journalist.”


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South Africa: Highway Africa Conference in photos · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The 12th Highway Africa Conference in photos at Sychelles Digital.


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South Africa: Highway Africa Media Awards · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Simone writes about Highway Africa Media Awards: “Well, somewhere along the way it appears that the Highway Africa New Media Awards have been rebranded to the SABC-Highway Africa Digital Journalism Awards…”


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Sympathy and Support for Qatari student killed in the UK · Global Voices
Mohamed Nanabhay

A 16-year-old Qatari student visiting Britain died as a result of head injuries sustained when he was attacked by local youth.  Mohamed Al-Majed was in Hastings, East Sussex, attending an English language course.  The circumstances of the death are still under investigation but the police “are treating his death as a murder inquiry, and are investigating it as racially motivated at this time.”
Reactions out of Qatar have been strong. The Al-Majed family has called for justice and his father told the Hasting Observer that “…justice has to be done in all this investigation. All of those involved in committing this crime on a young, innocent 16-year-old boy should be punished.”
Doctora translated and posted a cartoon that was published on 28 August in the Al-Raya newspaper in response to the death – the cartoon showed three “thugs” dripping with blood saying “Welcome people of the world to LONDON's Olympic Games.”
Mr. Q recalled his own time as a Qatari in the UK and how he was treated:
This poor boy was ganged up on, beaten up, and murdered just because he was an Arab. Here is the country that we’re supposed to emulate. Qatari’s travel to England with great honour and strive to acheive when they travel to the UK….When I arrived in the UK, my first obstacle was the airport. The staff there were rude, they treated me like dirt and finally let me through. When I arrived at University, I found out soon enough that the staff didn’t take too kindly to Arabs….
I really hope that the UK government finds whomever did this and brings justice. I hope that the Qatar government will follow this up.
The story quickly made waves in the expatriate community. It was first posted to Qatar Living by britexpat who wrote:
So sad to hear of this and really angry at the moronic element in our society..
Hope the thugs are caught and punished and my prayers for the family..
The post resulted in over 200 comments conveying messages of sympathy, grief and prayers that poured in from both Qataris and expatriates living in Qatar.
Another British expatriate, Qatar Visitor blogged
….While there is plenty of racism in Qatar, a racist attack like this simply wouldn't take place. I have walked through backstreets in Qatar at three in the morning without a qualm. But if it did happen, you would soon be whisked to hospital. Not, as in the case of young Mohammed, spending hours waiting in a police car, then hours again waiting for a hospital bed.
And I can imagine the reaction of the British if a young English boy was killed in an attack by Qatar youths. There would be aggression, a desire for revenge, perhaps some Qataris beaten up.
I have seen none of that. The only interaction with Qatari youths I have had since the incident was at a coffee shop. They were a bit loud and boisterous, but happy to play with my two year old son when he trotted up to them.
I would be spitting for revenge, crying out for the perpetrators to be found and hung, and sod my opposition to the death penalty. The distraught Father of the boy only said it was the will of God.
We British are so proud of our culture, so superior, and so quick to criticize others, but at this moment I can only feel a sense of shame about my country and my people.
Angelwings reminded people that when a British expatriate was killed in a bombing in Doha, the Qatari community showed support to his family by holding a memorial for him – she floated the idea of holding a similar memorial for Mohamed Al-Majed:
It is a terribly tragedy whenever anyone dies needlessly.
But if any of you were around when John, the Producer of the Shakespeare play in the Doha Theatre, was killed during a suicide bombing a couple of years back, then you'll remember that many Qatari people stood for over an hour at a Memorial on the very ground used by the Bomber. It may be nice to show our solidarity and sympathy for this young Qatari boy in the same way. Perhaps on the Corniche, or somewhere where a gathering can take place….
If anyone has similar feelings and would like to show their sympathy and condolences toward the family, perhaps we can name a place and time.
The post became a catalyst for a show of solidarity that was held on Monday, September 8.  The event was posted to Qatar Living, I love Qatar and Expat Women where people were urged to “show solidarity with the al-Majed family by gathering at the Doha Corniche wearing something yellow.”
With regard to the tragedy in Hastings UK, recently, we are planning to use this Monday to show our sympathy for the family of the Qatari boy who died, and also make a stand against this kind of meaningless violence. Hopefully the UK government (and others around the world) will take note and give this kind of behaviour ‘zero tolerance’.
We will go to the Corniche on the Monday, exactly one week after the original stand made in the UK….
To be recognised, we will BRING SOMETHING YELLOW. It can be a flower, a balloon, an armband, or even an item of clothing, anything that will distinguish the stand you are making.
There is not going to be any formal spot for meeting, other than on the actual Corniche itself, that way we don't have to ask for permits etc. We will not be forming a ‘crowd’ in any particular place, so a permit will not be required. Only that we will quietly walk or stand on the Corniche area, with our YELLOW distinguishing marker.
IF YOU CANNOT COME ON MONDAY, PLEASE WEAR OR SHOW SOMETHING YELLOW DURING THE DAY, TO SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY WITH US. THE TIMING ISN'T IMPORTANT, BUT THE COLOUR WILL SHOW YOU'RE WITH US, AND THE BOY'S FAMILY, THAT DAY.
Photo Credit: Novita Parish
As a result of this online co-ordination, The Peninsula Newspaper reported that over 100 gathered from “different communities” to show sympathy with the Al Majed family. Members of the Al Majed family were also present.

author: Mohamed Nanabhay


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Taiwan: Two Region Theory · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Micheal Turton translated a Hong Kong pro-China commentary on Taiwan's president Ma Ying-jeou's two region theory concerning the relation between Taiwan and China.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Sea Moss  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Men in Trinidad are not bashful to claim how much of an elixir and aphrodisiac the sea moss drink is. It is believed to be an excellent reviver and energizer or as we say in Trini ‘it good for de back'”: Simply Trini Cooking posts a recipe for this delectable seaweed drink.


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Turkey: Ads Honoring the Turkish National Soccer Team · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

Fathers playing fooseball, mothers at tea, and more can be seen in this collection of ads in honor of the Turkish National Soccer Team as complied by Erkan's Field Diary.


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Uganda: Mob Justice in Kampala · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mob justice in Kampala Uganda: “His trousers were bunched painfully around his groin, his feet barely touching the pavement as he was forcefully dragged by his belt. As they semi-hopped from one side of the taxi park to the centre, everyone turned to see him. What had he done to make the crowd so excited with the unrestrained need to release their anger?”


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Bahrain: Lost in translation · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Coolred, an American living in Bahrain, reflects on the difficulty of not knowing the language her children are being educated in: “As she quickly dug a book from her bag and proudly showed it of to me…all I could think of was the fact that it was written in Arabic…and I can't read Arabic….thus the 15 year heartache began.”


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Barbados: EPA · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Living in Barbados is “at a loss to really understand the Economic Partnership Agreement” between the Caribbean and the European Union.


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Barcamp Bangkok 2 · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

keng.ws writes about Barcamp Bangkok 2.

author: Mong Palatino


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Belarus: Travel Programs for Chernobyl Kids Halted · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Chernobyl and Eastern Europe reports that recreational travel abroad for Belarus’ “Chernobyl children” was halted by the state, after a 16-year-old participant of a summer program had refused to return from the United States.


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Bolivia: Unlikely Tie on the Road Against Brazil · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Hugo Miranda celebrates the unlikely 0-0 tie achieved by the Bolivian National football team against Brazil [es] in Rio de Janeiro for World Cup qualifiers.


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: Outcome of Hasan Nuhanović’s Case · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Café Turco writes about the outcome of Hasan Nuhanović's lawsuit against the Dutch state: “We are here upon a scandalous case of the spirit of justice being distorted. The victims cannot ask the UN for responsibilities, because the UN has immunity, but the dutch state cannot be  considered responsible because its military were acting under the UN.”


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Cambodia: BarCamp Phnom Penh September 2008 · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Khmer Software Initiative reminds us about the BarCamp Phnom Penh 2008 which will take place on September 20


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China: 2008 Internet Buzz Words Video · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Want to have a sense of internet buzz words in China? Enjoy the video below.
The original MV is called 5 Mascots（吉祥五寶）and the video is produced by Zhang Zhang workshop （張樟工作室）. If the streaming is too busy, you can watch the video at 56.com.
Below is a translation of the funny lyrics and the buzz words are highlighted in italic.
我的媽媽她不會上網
成天到晚貎似很忙
她說網絡不是好東西
裡面的東西很黃很暴力
哎呦媽媽　你這是聽誰說地
哎呦媽媽　你這話是够雷的
哎呦媽媽　乖孩子我告訴你
我上網是打醬油地
My mother doesn't know how to go online
She looks very busy everyday
She says the internet is no good
Everything inside is very yellow and very violent
Oh mama, who tells you so?
Oh mama, what you say thunder-shocks me
Oh mama, let your son tell you
I go online to buy sauce (majority onlookers)
我的爸爸他是搞體育的
他也總冏我說網絡迷離
我略懂得問　這是為什麼的呢？
爸爸被我槑得他直喊：我暈!
哎呦爸爸　網絡都是普及體育
哎呦爸爸　你要學習謝主席
哎呦爸爸　你要多練叉腰肌
俯卧撐最好不要再練習
My father is a sport professional
He always sobers me and says the internet is too dizzy
I still know how to ask why's that so?
Because of my  double dumbness , my father shouted: I faint
Oh papa, the internet is a kind of popular sport
Oh papa, you should learn from Chairman Xie (Chair of the China football team)
Oh papa, you should practice your waist muscle (a posture to teach people a lesson)
And don't do too many push-up exercise
我的奶奶她是高幹
脾氣很爆燥但對我庝愛
她總是說我很傻很天真
只會上網不會找女孩愛
哎呦奶奶　我現在只是小孩
哎呦奶奶　我找不到好女孩
哎呦奶奶　不要再逼我戀愛
找個紙老虎你也不光彩
My grandma is a government official
Her temper is very rough but she loves me very much
She always says I am very silly and innocent
That I only know how to go online but not looking for girlfriend
Oh grannie, I am still a children
Oh grannie, I can't find any good girl
Oh grannie, don't force me to love
A paper tiger will ruin your fame
我的哥哥　游手好閑的
總是在網上把女孩勾引
晚上開房被警察抓去
沒想到晚上就回到家里
哎呦哥哥　你是不是又越獄
哎呦哥哥　警察為啥放你
哎呦哥哥　我估計你跟男足學習
騙警察說你是去洗澡的
My brother is good for nothing
He always flirts with girls online
He was caught by police at night in a motel
But managed to return home in the morning
Oh brother, are you prison break again?
Oh brother, why do the police release you?
Oh brother, have you learned from the Chinese male football team?
And told them that you were just taking a shower?


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Cuba: The Opposite Path  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“In countries from Colombia to Brazil, Jamaica to Guatemala, as in the USA, people’s response to fear was to purchase weapons for self-defense. And in many places this meant not just having a gun, but a high powered one with loads of ammunition.  Cuba has taken a different approach”: Cuban blogger Circles Robinson says that fewer guns equals more tourists.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Ghana: Ghana Elections 2008 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Latest news about Ghana elections 2008: “Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that he would institute pension scheme for farmers should he be elected president in the forthcoming general elections.”


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Haiti: Humanitarian Disaster  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In the aftermath of three storms’ barrage on the island, Haitianalysis.com interviews Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder of a group that provides free medical care in Haiti, who says: “I can honestly say that I have never seen anything as painful as what I just witnessed.”


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Hong Kong: Democracy Project · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN picks up the discussion by chonghead and Daisann McLane concerning the Legco election in Hong Kong with his own conversation with grassroots workers in a restaurant.


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Jamaica: Too Much Free Time?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Too much human resource seems to be wasting away, which is quite evident not only from Usain's reception crowd, but by the parties and dances that are kept every single night of the week”: Stunner's Afflictions has mixed feelings about Olympic Gold Medalist Usain Bolt's homecoming.


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: In Memoriam · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp is saddened over the passing of American poet Reginald Shepherd and also posts a poem in memory of the 9-11 firefighters, who lost their lives seven years ago today.


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Japan: Street View’s Missing Streets · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

The launch early last month of Google's Street View service in major Japanese cities brought with it considerable controversy and debate among Internet users, particularly with regard to the scope of coverage and lack of local consultation prior to roll-out. Opinions among bloggers were divided — and remain divided — over whether broadcasting detailed images of the country's public streets and residential alleyways to the whole world is a good thing or not. While that debate has quieted down, another discussion has emerged in its wake, centered on a curious property of the new service that, as of yet, remains unexplained by the company that created it.
One of the earliest bloggers to write about this was tama at Tamagorogu [タマゴログ], who on August 6th, after taking Street View for a spin and remarking on their surprise at the service's incredible detail, noticed something funny. While the service was rolled out across 12 cities in Japan, including Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka, the coverage did not appear to be uniform across these areas:
ところがどうもおかしなことに気付きました。街路の網羅度がこれほど充実しているにもかかわらず、かなり広い範囲の空白地帯があるのです。私が住んでいる大田区のかなりの部分はストリートビューがありません。
これはいったいどうしたことなんでしょう。23区内でこれほど広い空白地帯があるのはここだけのようです。23区外もかなり広範囲に網羅されていることを考えると、優先度の低いエリアだとは思えません。 Google は国防関係の施設は航空写真でもぼかしたりしますから、ここも意図的に操作されているんではないかと勘ぐってしまいます。まさかこのエリアに国家機密レベルの重要施設があって写真を自由に閲覧されてはまずい、なんてことがあるのでしょうか。謎は深まるばかりです。
Just over a week later on August 14th, blogger and social activist Nobuo Sakiyama [崎山伸夫] wrote a post on the “blank zones” (空白地帯) in coverage on Street View of Japan's major cities:
ここで言う問題は、すでに多くの議論の対象となっている「何が映っているか」ではない。逆の話だ。ストリートビュー機能を有効にしたGoogleマップでは、ストリートビュー写真が用意されている道路は青く表示されてそれとわかるようになっている。逆にいえば、ストリートビューのないところも分かる。
オプトアウトを要求した場合にどう変化するかまでは確認していないが、東京都では、大田区の大半のような大きな空白地帯のほかにも生活道路的な道に入り込んでいない場所も多い。例えば、吉原や山谷の一部もそうだし、大久保・百人町もそういう部分が多い。湯島駅の近辺も粗め。根津・千駄木あたりは単に道が細いところを通っていないような気もするが、高木さんの挙げた目白の事例では、かなり細い道まで入り込んでいるから、単純に道路の幅の問題ともいえないだろう。
東京以外では、有名な大規模被差別部落（ここは地域団体がドメインとってWebサイトまで持っているが一応都市名も含めて実名は避ける）についてストリートビューが外周以外はあまりないなどが分かる。もっとも、この都市の空白地帯はそれ以外にも多いし、また、2ちゃんねるの人権問題板などをみると、被差別部落だからといってGoogleがストリートビューを避けているという因果関係もないようだ。ただ、その地域のおおよその所在を知っていれば地図の上で可視化されてくるという要素はある。
(For those interested, Sakiyama goes into more detail about the connection to burakumin (部落民, a Japanese social minority group) in an interesting and detailed follow-up post [ja]. If readers are interested I could translate part of this entry in a separate round-up.)
Sakiyama's thoughts are echoed in a popular entry by Hatena blogger id:buyobuyo:
歴史的・社会的に差別を受けてきたような地域を避けているのではないか、ということで、そういう地域がいやな形で、写っていないことで晒されるようになるのではないのかという懸念である。
現在は、サポートエリアがまだ小さいのでそういうことにはならないだろうが、懸念は残る。前にも書いたが、俺は人が写らないようにもっと工夫して、商業地域や幹線道路沿いに限定すればよいサービスだと思うし、そのような明確な撮影のガイドラインを公表することで、紹介したような懸念も払拭できるだろう。
At umakoya.com, another blogger considers a few of the places in Ōta Ward not covered by Street View: Kugahara, Ikegami Honmon-ji and Kamata.
たしかに久が原、池上本門寺近辺は庶民が住む場所ではないけど、小生の近所は工業地帯。
大田区零細工場の技術力は世界一ィィィィィィ！な旋盤工場や、倉庫、クリーニング工場がいっぱいです。
空白地帯が蒲田まで及んでいることを考えると、お屋敷街を外したのとは別の理由があるように思えます。
Other bloggers found blank zones in different areas. Blogger Yutaka Tomisawa [富澤豊] picks out one in Namidabashi (Tokyo) [泪橋] (link to Street View):
この他、よ〜く見てみると、「泪橋」のあたりも、小さな空白地帯になっていたりします。
ということは、グーグル社も、何らかの配慮をする意思はある。
だったら、うちの近所も、ゴッソリ空白地帯にしてもらうことも不可能ではないということ。
Meanwhile, blogger id:kanose at ARTIFACT@ハテナ系 wonders why their hometown of Nishitokyo is also blanked out:
西東京市は地元なんだけど、このエリアは政府施設がある訳でもなし、お屋敷街がある訳でもない。なぜ空白地帯になっているのか気になってる。
Finally, at the  Osaka shi mondai matome site [大阪市問題まとめサイト], one blogger argues that the connection between blank zones and so-called assimilation districts [同和地区] (or burakumin areas) is just a new variation on an old theme:
同和地区だけ写真が縦覧できないという「空白地帯問題」は同和地区が周知されている何より証拠です。つまり公然の秘密ってわけ。それがストリートビューにより顕在化されただけのことです。パチンコが合法ギャンブルだとか飛田新地が合法売春地帯ってのと全く同じです。それは昔からのことで、今になって始まった話ではありません。
Thanks to Taku Nakajima for the suggestion to translate this article.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: The Mixi Breakup · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

At Hatena's AnoymousDiary, a blogger writes about how his girlfriend broke up with him after finding out what he wrote about her on Mixi [ja], Japan's most popular social networking service. Within 20 minutes, the blogger writes, his girlfriend ended a relationship that had lasted a year. “I wrote a lot about my complaints,” the blogger wrote, “but in the end I really adored her.”


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Mozambique: Is corruption the best place to stand and fight? · Global Voices
Egidio Vaz

After a long period of debate on donor cuts to Mozambican State Budget, Joe Hanlon, a British scholar joins the debate to comment on the Mozambican government positions. In his article tittled “Government stand up to donors-but is corruption the best place to stand and fight?“, Hanlon examines the whole issue of corruption and different sensitivities over its fight. Basically Hanlon agrees that in Mozambique, corruption is not being tackled and regrets the government’s slow pace in response to constant donor appeals for the need of urgent measures in the fight of corruption.

author: Egidio Vaz


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Kazakhstan: A set of good news  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Michael Hancock reviews the newswires’ reportings on Kazakhstan, picking the agribusiness development, the banking sector news and energy issues.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kazakhstan: Almaty Today weblog · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam links to the newborn weblog, dedicated specifically to Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, its news, problems and architecture projects.


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Lebanon: The Assassination’s Echo  · Global Voices
Nash Suleiman

At 18:30 GMT on September 10th,  Mr Saleh Aridi was about to drive his car when a bomb planted under the driver-seat went off, killing him on the spot. Mr Aridi a well known top adviser to the government minister and pro-Syrian Druze leader Talal Arslan. With his death, the number of assassinated officials in Lebanon mounted to 11 since former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination on February 14, 2005. It is important to note that this incident marks the very first killing of a pro-Syrian and government opposition personnel on Lebanese soils.  Ten of the 11 assassinated officials were pro-government and anti-Syrian, with the exclusion of Imad Moughniyah who was pro-Syrian and was assassinated on Syrian soils in February this year.
The blast was covered by local and international media and more details on the incident are pending investigation. While the shock of this returning phenomenon of assassinations and the new targeted figures kept bloggers from analyzing much of its background and intentions, they reported the incident by whatever material they could find.
Liminal at Lebanon Heart Blogs posted a list of the assassinated figures in Lebanon and left it without a comment:
Assassinations
Feb 2005: Ex-PM Rafik Hariri
April 2005: MP Bassel Fleihan
June 2005: Anti-Syria journalist Samir Kassir
June 2005: Ex-Communist leader George Hawi
Dec 2005: Anti-Syria MP Gebran Tueni
Nov 2006: Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel
June 2007: Anti-Syria MP Walid Eido
Sep 2007: Anti-Syria MP Antoine Ghanim
Dec 2007: Army Gen Francois al-Hajj
Jan 2008: Police investigator Wissam Eid
Sep 2008: Pro-Syria MP Saleh Aridi
Reflecting back on an older incident, Manuela Paraipan links to an earlier article that represents the Druze's intentions to stick together in such times and circumstances:
In spite of the political differences when threatened Druze stick together. In May they have proven it yet again.  You can read an interesting account of May events here.
Eu4hell who blogs at Livejournal writes about this incident, focusing on the highlighted issue of this being the first assassination of a pro-Syrian figure. The post also includes a picture taken from the scene:
Wednesday's attack is the first deadly car bombing since January, when a security official investigating a series of political killings blamed on Syria was killed. Aridi is the first opposition politician to be assassinated since a string of politically motivated attacks against members of the parliamentary majority bloc began in late 2004
More pictures and reporting were posted by the Lebanese Tag:
The state-run National News Agency said the bomb was planted under the driver's seat of Aridi's car and detonated by remote control.
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat arrived at the victim's residence in Baysour shortly after the blast in a show of Druze solidarity and to pay his condolences.
Supporters of the Democratic Party opened fire from automatic rifles in the air, in the traditional way of expressing wrath, but no clashes were reported.
Security sources in the Aley Province, of which Baysour is part, said the situation is “under control.”
Sasa at Syrian News Wire reports on the incident and the significance of its location:
A main figure in Lebanon's opposition has been killed.
Druze politician Saleh Aridi has died in a bomb blast in Aley. He was an ally of Hezbollah – and his party (led by Talal Arslan) humiliated Junblatt in the fighting in May.
Aley is just outside Beirut, and is considered a stronghold of Walid Junblatt.
The two sides were due to come together on Monday to discuss their differences.
+961‘s blogger Rami posted a picture of the blown up car and wrote:
I don’t know since when Lebanese people started exchanging messages through dead bodies, but they should really stop it. It’s a dangerous habit because 6 other persons were injured yesterday during the message delivery.
Now Lebanon along side reporting the incident since day one,published an article rounding up the reactions of Lebanese officials to the assassination.

author: Nash Suleiman


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Malawi: Connecting Rural Communities · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Victor Kaonga asks, “Will Malawi connects rural communities?”: “As Malawi held the 3rd Africa’s leading ICT forum last week, it was probably a good time to let the country look at its progress reducing the digital divide affecting both rural and urban areas.”


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Russia-Georgia: Unimportance of Political Events · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog questions the importance of events and how they are spun by the media, and posts a few examples to prove the point in relation to the Russia-Georgia war.


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Russia: Life on an Oil Drilling Platform · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

White Sun of the Desert blogs – here and here – about life on an oil drilling platform 15 km off Sakhalin Island.


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Russia: Personal Responsibility · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Estonian blogger Flasher T of AnTyx writes this in response to a post about Russia by the Economist's Edward Lucas: “I am disappointed in Edward Lucas for perpetuating this intellectual farce. They would have us believe that all the evil and injustice of Russia is down to the Chekists, or the Bolsheviks, or the Jews. But the bastards are only in the Kremlin because the common Russian people put them there.”


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Russia: Pipeline “Victory” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes about Russia's “major victory on pipelines”: “[…] the Russian government will now have full and uncontested control over pipelines between the Caspian basin and the West which pass through Russian territory and will be able either directly or through its clients like the PKK to disrupt the only routes such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan that bypass the Russian Federation.”


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Russia: The Economist’s Debate · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Vilhelm Konnander and Wu Wei weigh in on the debate on Russia vs. the West currently taking place on the Economist's website.


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Russia: Thoughts on Magomed Yevloev’s Murder · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia discusses a recent piece on Magomed Yevloev's murder: “Moreover, the West […] is too focused on talking to Moscow ‘about the interpretation of the third paragraph of the fourth point of ht Medvedev-Sarkozy plan’ to be concerned with such ‘details’ as a political murder, ‘lest it put at risk important mutual strategic interests’.” North Ossetian blogger Valery Dzutsev thinks that the EU's demand for a “[proper investigation of] the killing” may be perceived by Russia “only as supporting evidence of the western involvement in the ongoing Ingush surge of violence”: “In one of his recent interviews Putin pensively said, that Russian government ‘knows what is going on in Ingushetia’. Knowing Putin, it is not difficult to figure out what he knows. He must be thinking, that the West have organised a plot in North Caucasus for Russia.”


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Russia: Washington Post’s Coverage · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Ivanov Report dissects the Washington Post's recent coverage of Russia: “What was somewhat surprising, though, was the level of the Post's attention to the topic: between August 9 and September 2, the Post has published a whopping 37 editorials and op-eds (and I might have missed some) — not to mention regular reports from on-the-ground.”


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Saudi Arabia: Anger at child marriages · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Crossroads Arabia reports on the case of a girl who was married without even realising it: “Imagine going to get a new ID card and discovering that you’ve been married since you were ten years old.”

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Saudi Arabia: Trip down memory lane · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Susie of Arabia reminisces about how she met her Saudi husband in 1977; he had an afro and bell-bottom jeans, and was playing pool: “I learned my first Arabic words that day, “Darba helwa!” which means ‘Good shot!’ “


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Serbia: Radical Party · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A Fistful of Euros writes about Serbia’s Radical Party, which seems to be “breaking up”: “What makes the Radicals different from, say, “Attack” in Bulgaria or Vadim Tudor’s Greater Romania Party is Serbia’s unhappy recent history. While “Attack” and such may have a lot of members who fantasize wistfully about gathering members of unpopular and despised minorities together, killing them, and dumping their bodies in a nearby large body of water, the Radical Party includes a number of people who have actually done so. In fact, its leader is currently on trial in the Hague for war crimes.”


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Sierra Leone: Movie Stars Wanted · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Wanted in Sierra Leone: Movie Stars!, “The search for new movie stars has kicked off in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown last weekend. The programme dubbed “The Next Movie Star” aims at discovering future actors and actresses in the West Africa region. Two people would be selected to represent Sierra Leone.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Slovenia: Janez Janša and Magnus Berglund · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Borut Peterlin thinks that Finnish journalist Magnus Berglund should be awarded “a Slovenian national medal of honor” for making public PM Janez Janša's graft allegations. There's even a Facebook group (with 662 members so far) devoted to Berglund and the story he broke.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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South Africa: DRC Band Rocks Highway Africa 2008 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A musical treat from the Democratic Republic of Congo at Highway Africa 2008 in South Africa: “Participants at the 12th Highway Africa conference in South Africa were mesmerized as Afro Fiesta musical group from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) took the stage at the Associated Bank of South Africa (ABSA) dinner night on Monday.”


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Syria: New Aggregator Launched · Global Voices
Razan Ghazzawi

Ahmad [Ar] announces to his readers and to Syrian bloggers the launch of a new Syrian blog aggregator, AL-MUDAWWEN, and asks bloggers from his country to add their blogs here.

author: Razan Ghazzawi


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Syria: Rare Damascene Flower · Global Voices
Razan Ghazzawi

Amr Fahham [Ar], from Damascus, appeals for help to save a rare Damascene flower – the Damascene Sawsan (
السوسن الدمشقي
), from extinction. He says that it only grows on Mountain Qassun.


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Thailand: Student protesters · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Peace Space writes about the involvement of students in the anti-government street protests in Bangkok


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The Balkans: Food · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Dr. Filomena posts pictures and writes about the wonderful culinary dimension of travel to Slovenia's “southern cousins” in “the ex Yugoslav republics and autonomous provinces.”


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Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana: Cricketer of the Year  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean Beat Blog reports that “Guyanese batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul has received the International Cricket Council ‘Cricketer of the Year’ award…the first West Indian to claim such a major prize from the ICC.”


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UAE: Iran Quake’s Tremors Felt in Dubai · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Tremors from an earthquake in nearby Iran were felt in Dubai and other parts of the UAE, sending thousands of office workers and residents to the streets as high-rise buildings were evacuated, bloggers report.
The quake, which measured 6.1 on the Richter scale, struck near Bandar Abbas, while tremors registered in the UAE measured 4.8, according to news reports.
Iraqi blogger Attawie, who lives in Abu Dhabi, sets the scene:
I was checking my email yesterday around 3 PM when I felt really dizzy. For someone fasting during Ramadan this is not a good news. It means you're not having the right portion of food to keep you healthy. But I remember very well that I had biryanee (rice with biryanee spices and vegetables), roasted piece of chicken, salad and a piece of cake with dried figs for desert. I can't be hungry this soon!
With closed eyes I was still feeling dizzy. Not a good idea to stand up, I looked right and there it was. The stuffed tiger with long dangling hands and legs was swinging right and left. It can't be the AC that made it move because if it was so then the shelves he was hanging on should not move too! Oh my God! An earthquake.
I ran to the next room where my father was helping my sister to hang her new shelves. I told them that there's an earth quake and I'm feeling dizzy. So they'd better change. We have to leave the building. A moment of silence there was and I said it's true look at the chandlers, they are swinging.
The earthquake was still there, the chandlers were still going left right and left, I put some important stuff in my handbag and told dad to bring the case of our important documents.
Seabee, from Dubai, says he felt nothing.
I was in Dubai Marina at the time and felt nothing. Mrs Seabee said her office building in Knowledge Village trembled slightly, but that's only three storeys high.
Many people are relating their experience of it to the media, but not the ones I'd like to hear from – the guys in the cranes above the world's tallest building Burj Dubai.
From Kuwait, Lebanese Fonzy posts a video, which shows people on the streets after evacuating their buildings:
Fonzy further explains:
These tremors are from a 6.2 quake that hit Iran and spread to Dubai. The aftershock measured 4.8 on the Richter scale. Buildings all along Sheikh Zayed Road were evacuated after the tremor struck at around 3.00pm, with crowds of confused people flooding out into the street. Buildings were actually swaying from side to side.
And Teachthemasses's School Days asks:
Did the Earth move for you?
The UAE Community Blog also features an exchange between bloggers and their readers about what happened.
The Lady asks:
Anybody felt any mild tremors today at around 3:05pm?
And hallodubai replies:
yes i did! our building was shaking!!!
Extinct adds:
I don't know about buildings swaying but my bed definitely moved!
But for Josh of Arabia, who was in Sharjah, there was more important business to attend to:
oh yeah, i was eating in the sofa and it moves..then our windchimes made sounds too..half of the people in our building in sharjah went down fast, but i rather go ahead eating..
i got lot of calls after..

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Ukraine: “Annual Political Crisis” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“Ukraine is reenacting its annual political crisis,” wrote Vitaliy of The 8th Circle a week ago in a post explaining what's happened and is likely to happen next in Kyiv. Foreign Notes reviews Ukrainian media and politicians’ reactions to the crisis – here and here.


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Ukraine: Museums and Embroidery · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

MoldovAnn visits a few folk arts museums and tries her hand at Ukrainian traditional embroidery.


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Ukraine: Yushchenko Party in Crisis · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Foreign Notes publishes a summarised translation of a Kommersant article on the ongoing political crisis in Ukraine and how President Yushchenko's party Our Ukraine is among the worst hit.


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Arabeyes: Daily life during Ramadan · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

In this post we look at different experiences of everyday life across the Arab world during Ramadan. We hear how Palestinians are coping in Gaza, how an Italian deals with Ramadan in the West Bank, have a glimpse into a Saudi household about to break the fast – and get tips from Bahrain on how to curb profanities during the holy month.
Heba explains what Ramadan is like for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip:
This holy month comes to Gaza with the situation still deteriorated. However, this does not discourage people from celebrating Ramadan in their special manner as they do every year. […] I saw this woman in one of our centers who kept complaining about not finding a job whilst being a university graduate. I suddenly interrupted her and asked, “Well how are you going to manage Ramadan shopping?” She brightly smiled in my face and said, “I make my own qataif (Ramadan special dessert) and fawanis (Ramadan special lamps). So my kids do not feel they lack anything.” This simplicity and seeking alternatives have always made me highly respect Gazans’ resilience and determination to survive.
Generally, I cook a lot in Ramadan. I think all people, relative to their resources, cook a lot in Ramadan too :). […] What I really noticed is the extremely high prices of food items due to the siege. […] They joke in Gaza and say that from now on you can get a gas cylinder filled if you show your marriage certificate at the station to prove that you have a family and, thus, are entitled to a gas cylinder once a month. […] The context might appear to be bleak and unpromising but it will not prevent us from enjoying this beautiful month with our kids.
We turn to a different perspective on Ramadan in Palestine. Elena is an Italian who has just gone back to the West Bank to work:
beh, tornare a Ramallah con il Ramadan appena iniziato ha una serie di risvolti pseudo-comici:
-innanzitutto l'orario: c'è un'ora di differenza tra Israele e la Palestina, per cui quando a Ramallah sono le 15.00, a Gerusalemme sono le 16,00 (ma almeno l'ora di Ramallah è la stessa dell'Italia). Ovviamente questo complica le relazioni tra chi gestisce un progetto da Gerusalemme, da gli appuntamenti e viene a lavorare a Ramallah presentandosi un'ora in anticipo. …
-il digiuno: digiunare è un'ottima scusa a qualunque cosa… sono in ritardo, sbaglio la strada, non ti ho telefonato, mi sono dimenticato di qualcosa, ho perso le chiavi, non riesco a concentrarmi, non so più chi sono/dove sono/cosa faccio…. perchè sto digiunando…. ok, è vero, non è facile lavorare durante il Ramadan (anche se gli orari vengono ridotti) ma magari non è sempre il digiuno che crea questi imprevisti :-)
-il non digiuno: se anche non digiuni (e c'è un sacco di gente che non digiuna, oltre ai cristiani) non ti metti a mangiare e/o bere davanti agli altri… quindi se alle 14.00 ti trovi a Nablus fuori dal check-point in un parcheggio sotto il sole cocente ad aspettare che il tuo service parta per riportarti a casa e ci sono 37 gradi all'ombra (molti di più nel mezzoi pubblico) e per caso ti viene voglia di bere qualcosa perchè hai un po’ di arsura… te la tieni!
Well, returning to Ramallah when Ramadan had just begun has a series of pseudo-comical implications:
First of all the time: there is an hour’s difference between Israel and Palestine [because of a different schedule for daylight saving time], so when it’s 3pm in Ramallah, in Jerusalem it’s 4pm (but at least in Ramallah it’s the same time as Italy). Obviously this complicates relations between those running a project from Jerusalem, arranging appointments and coming to work in Ramallah, arriving an hour in advance. …
Fasting: fasting is an excellent excuse for anything… ‘I’m late, I took the wrong road, I didn’t call you, I’ve forgotten something, I’ve lost the keys, I can’t concentrate, I don’t know anymore who I am/where I am/what I am doing…because I am fasting.’ OK, it’s true, it’s not easy to work during Ramadan (even if working hours are shorter) but perhaps it’s not always fasting that causes these unforeseen events :-)
Not fasting: Even if you are not fasting (and there are a whole lot of people who don’t fast, besides Christians), don’t start eating and/or drinking in front of other people… So if you find yourself in Nablus at 2pm outside the [Israeli military] checkpoint, in a car park under the burning sun, waiting for your service taxi [shared taxi between cities] to depart so you can get home, and it’s 37 degrees [99 degrees Fahrenheit] in the shade (much more in public transport), and in case you feel the desire to drink something because you are parched…hold it!
In Saudi Arabia, Shari’ Alatayef paints a picture of a family preparing to break the fast on the first day of Ramadan:
We end on a humorous note, with a post from Bahraini blogger Yagoob; he points out the things that change during Ramadan:
1- Our sense of time:
During the whole year, we’re accustomed to using ‘clock time’ i.e. 1:00pm, 3:30am etc… But in Ramadhan all time is converted into Islamic time i.e. After Dhuhur Prayer, After Iftar, After Taraweeh etc…or alternatively to TV show time: “I’ll see you after Baab Al-Haara” etc…
2- Anger Management:
During the whole year, cussing and cursing (especially when driving) is normal in everyday life using crude yet witty and colourful vocabulary i.e. F***(-ing-ass-tard-er-face-hole-mother+er) and sh*t(face-hole-monkey)
In Ramadhan, your anger is magnified by the fact that you’re hungry and thirsty (and hot!) yet you do not want to ‘ruin’ or ‘hurt’ your fasting so you use alternative language including ‘Allahoma ini sa’im’ [By God, I am fasting] and ‘La howla wela qowa ila billah’ [There is no power and no strength save in God] in an angry tone.
3- Sense of taste:
Eating beef, chicken, fish and shrimp anytime during the year would feel a bit over the top, but in Ramadhan not eating both red and white meat at the same meal is disappointing and some may fear for themselves from under-nourishment.


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Bahrain: Swapping plastic for paper · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Bahraini blogger Mahmood reports on a local supermarket introducing paper bags instead of plastic ones – and interviews some of the customers for their opinions.


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Barbados: War Games?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The arrival of the Tu-160’s in Venezuela and the recent announcement that Russia will deploy its Northern Fleet to the Caribbean Sea to conduct joint exercises with the Venezuelan Navy has started to raise eyebrows…”: Barbados Underground wonders if war games are starting to be played out in the Caribbean.


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China: Art Censorship · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Rebecca Catching wrote about the problem of censorship at Shanghai contemporary art exhibition.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: How The Western Media Lost The Young Generation · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated a Tianya forum post discussing how the western media lost the trust from the young generation in China.


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China: Sparrow as National Bird · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Nimrod from Fool's mountain blogs about the netizen's opinion in choosing sparrow as national bird.


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Cuba: How to Help  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Havana-based blogger Yoani Sanchez says: “Despite the air of triumph they present to us on the TV news, talking about ‘hurricane recovery’, Cubans are very worried” and writes another post about the best ways to help Cuban hurricane victims.


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Estonia-Finland: Divided views on dealing with Russia  · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Itching for Eestima discusses how Finland deals with its Russian neighbour in the Georgia war context and reflects on Estonia's role.


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Georgia: War With Russia Poll · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Social Science in the Caucasus comments on a telephone opinion poll conducted in the aftermath of the recent Russia-Georgia conflict over South Ossetia. Although the specialist blog says that this is the first time it has heard of the pollsters, it provides its readers with the results in which 42.4 percent considered that the war was avoidable and 46.7 percent believed that it wasn't. The blog concludes that if the poll is accurate, society in Georgia might well be split on the matter.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Ghana: GhanaConscious Banner · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

What is GhanaConscious banner?: “The idea behind the GhanaConscious banner is to represent Ghanaian role models in various disciplines and careers that the youth of Ghana can look up to.”


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Haiti: Update from Cabaret  · Global Voices
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Japan: “Green” Manga Summit In Kyoto · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

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Japan: Nike buys out name of public park · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Nike Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of sportswear multinational Nike, will turn a public park in central Tokyo (Shibuya Ward), Miyashita Park [宮下公園], into what they call “Nike Park” [ja]. The naming rights have already been acquired from the Ward for about 150 million Yen, which will be paid over the next 5 years, and the go-ahead for the work was given last August. Investing about 450 million Yen toward renewal of the park, Nike will provide leisure facilities such as a skate-board ground and a café, in addition to the already existing two futsal grounds.
The tendency to give brand names to facilities such as stadiums and town halls is not new in Japan; other examples include for instance CC Lemon Hall [ja], Nissan Stadium [ja] and Ajinomoto Stadium [ja]. However, in the case of Miyashita Park, the acquisition of the naming right of a public space by a controversial apparel company like Nike appears to have roused indignation among some Shibuya Ward residents and other citizens. While becoming available for customers who pay an entrance fee, the new park will in fact also force homeless people currently living there to move out, a change which, while a relief for many, is considered abuse by others.
For these reasons, some volunteers have gather together and formed a movement called The Coalition to Protect Miyashita Park from Becoming Nike Park (みんなの宮下公園をナイキ化計画から守る会), whose purposes are as follows:
We oppose the plan to make our park Nike Park for the following reasons:
1) According to the renovation plan, Miyashita Park will be converted to a park expressly for sports enthusiasts. This means that a highly public space which people have been able to freely and actively utilize up until now will be turned into a commercial space for the profit of one business. Persons who do not pay for using the park as a service, will be unable to even rest at the park. This will surely have a negative impact on society at large and generally the way in which people come together.
2) For many years, Miyashita Park has been known as a space where many citizens’ groups hold gatherings, or as a starting and ending point for local marches and events. Also, it has stood as a life-saving place where many persons forced to live on the streets can stay. This plan would unquestionably deprive groups and individuals of a space for their freedom of expression, and for their daily lives.
3) This project has been forced onto the ward by Shibuya’s mayor and a number of assemblypersons in a top-down manner. Neither the ward assembly nor the city planning council has been consulted, and almost no information can be found in materials that have been made available to the public. Also, we would like to know how Nike came to be involved in this. Nike is a corporation that gave rise to the grave problem of child labor in a number of Asian countries, with reported instances of management beating and/or molesting workers. It is highly doubtful that Shibuya-ku [Shibuya Ward] has undergone democratic processes so as to adequately reflect the will of ward residents with regard to this plan.
In the blog Tsurumi`s text, Tsurumi condemns the tendency nowadays to merchandise everything, the Nike-Miyashita Park being just one example.
「ナイキ公園」になると言っても、渋谷公会堂が「渋谷Ｃ．Ｃ．Lemonホール」に変わるとか1)、東京スタジアムが「味の素スタジアム」になる2) といったネーミングライツ（施設命名権）売却だけの問題ではない。
Also [Miyashita Park] turning into Nike Park is not just an issue of naming rights, as was in the case of Shibuya Public Hall becoming Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall, or Tokyo Stadium becoming Ajinomoto Stadium.
[…]
ここをナイキがカネを取る有料の施設に変えようとしているのだ。これによって皆がタダで休むこともできなくなるばかりか、夜間は鍵がかけられ、ここで生活している野宿者も追い出されてしまう。
こうした「カネを払わないと休むことも水を飲むこともできなくなり、生活空間が企業の宣伝広告で埋まる」なんてことは、単に宮下公園で起ころうとしている特殊なことではなく、我々の身の回りでもすでに、そして世界中でますます広がっている由々しい事態だ。
Nike is going to turn this place into a pay facility which takes in money. Consequently, not only will people not be able to rest for free anymore, but in addition it will also be locked overnight and the homeless people who live here will be forced to move.
This “[attitude that] if you don't pay, you won't be able to rest or have a drink of water, [and the] burying of life spaces in corporate advertisements” is not a case particular to Miyashita Park, but rather a situation that is spreading little by little around all of us, everywhere in the world.
Another blogger, Mendosugiru-san (めんどすぎるさん), at the blog Hima ni makasete （暇にまかせて）, expresses his opinion about what he thinks a public park should be:
あのね、ナイキが何を考えて、公園をレジャー・スポーツ施設化しようとしてるかは、わからん。
さらに、公園をそう言う方向にすると言うのには、賛成しない。
公園は、もっと無目的に、これと言った施設も要らないし、みんながぼんやり時を過ごせる場所であるべきだと思うのよ。
I really don't understand what Nike is thinking trying to change a public park into a leisure-sports facility.
And furthermore, I don't agree with the direction that [they are] taking the park in.
A park does not need such a specific purpose, we don't need any particular facility,  what we need is a place where people can spend their idle time.
だから「公園を柵で覆い、夜間は施錠する」と言うのはね、これはダメだ。
こう言うのは、公園と呼ぶにふさわしくない。
That's why it is wrong to say: “Fence in the park, and lock the doors overnight”.
You can't call that a park.
そう言う意味では守る会が言うように利用者がスポーツ愛好家に限られる可能性が高くなり、みんなの公園じゃなくなってしまう。そう言うのは、公園とはすでに呼ばない気がするのだよ。
が、行き場のないホームレスは追い出されると言うのは違う。
もともと、公園に勝手に住み着くことは許されない。公園は公共の場であり、住居では無い。
そこに、ブルーシートを張って、住居を作る自由など、誰にもない。許されない話。
This however is not the same as saying that “homeless people without a place to go will be thrown out”.
I do not agree with the arbitrary use of the park as a dwelling place. A park is a public space, not a residence.
Nobody has the right to spread out a blue sheet in the park and make a residence out of it. That is something I cannot accept.
Meanwhile, Sato Rei (佐藤零) at his blog Matarei （またれい）harshly criticizes the move to grant permission to Nike over management of a public park:
とりあえず、誰でも無料で行き交える当たり前の場所である「公園」を、企業が買い取って経営するのは、絶対にダメ！！
アホか！
そして圧倒的にダサイ！
しかも、ナイキは、アジアでのひどい児童労働も問題化している。
ああ、何て恥ずかしい、何て愚かしい、ひたすらに文化を殺し続ける国！
For starters, the fact that a private company can buy out and manage a “park”, a place where, as a matter of course, everybody should be able to come and go for free, is completely unacceptable!!
Are they stupid?!
And it's so horribly ugly!
On top of that, Nike has created all kinds of controversy in Asia over its terrible use of child labor.
Aah, how shameful, how foolish, this country that does nothing but kill its own culture!

author: Scilla Alecci


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Kenya: The Looming Class War · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

James Muritu discusses the looming class war in Kenya. He writes, “I remember reading, almost a year ago, an article by the former member of parliament for Subukia, Hon. Koigi Wamwere, that spoke of a section of Kenyans retreating to high-walled complexes in search of solace and security.”