text:
Russia: New Video from Primorsky Krai Guerrillas · Global Voices
Masha

The story of the six young men – Andrey Sukhorada, Aleksandr Sladkikh, Vladimir Ilyutin, Maksim Kirilov, Aleksandr Kovtun, and Roman Savchenko – who were deliberately killing Russian policemen in Primorsky Krai [RUS], shocked the Russian society this summer. (Global Voices covered it in June.)
On October 9, a video entitled “The Last Interview of the Primorsky Krai Guerrillas” was released on YouTube. It was removed from the server several times, but people were re-posting it every time. Later on, it was distributed on other video hosting sites and was available for download.
This 13-minute video went viral on the Internet, and the Russian LiveJournal community is still debating its message.
Four young men holding guns provided a detailed description of their actions and underlying reasons for it. They informed that theirs was a deliberate attack against the police and not an intended robbery:
Мы честные люди, а вы отребье, поэтому мы будем воевать с вами до последнего, пока вы нас не убьете, или пока мы не победим […] скорее всего вы нас убьете. Но мы вас не боимся […] Народ будет на нашей стороне, по любому. Потому что справедливость на нашей стороне. Мы уже победили. Мы победили в себе страх и трусость, которые вы никогда не могли победить […] У нас и оружия нет, чтобы с вами воевать, но все равно мы вас не боимся и будем воевать с вами. И это не какое-то спонтанное происшествие […] нет, мы это целенаправленно и спланированно делали, чтобы конкретно убить вас, бандитов. Вы самые настоящие бандиты, по-другому вас не назовешь… Вы сами крышуете наркобизнес, проституцию, лес воруете […] все это знают прекрасно люди, и все вас боятся, потому что у вас есть все полномочия, чтобы этим заниматься… народ боится вас, но знайте, что остались еще люди, которые вас не боятся […] Все что вы можете, это терроризировать свой народ, беззащитный и безропотный, который привык к унижениям, и ваша могучая так называемая империя, Российская федерация, стоит целиком на алкоголизме, рабстве и трусости. Однажды она рухнет, и вы вместе с ней свалитесь в бездну.
They also described how they broke down the police siege:
Утром мы вышли из окружения в котором находились трое суток. Нас хотели поймать милиционеры кировского РУВД им это не удалось. Они вызвали подкрепление: 300 ОМОНовцев, два вертолета. Мы их обвели вокруг пальца, как маленьких детей. 10 раз проходили мимо них, их собаки ничего не могли унюхать потому что мы шли по речке, проползали в 10-ти метрах от них. И в итоге мы сейчас здесь: поели, поспали, помылись, все нормально, в хорошем состоянии, бодрячком держимся.
Earlier, the media had released information accusing the guerrillas of a rape of a female taxi driver; namely, newspaper Kommersant wrote [RUS] about it on June 21, 2010. In the video, the guerrillas denounced this accusation, saying that this was not their method and they were interested in attacks on authorities, not on civilians:
Вы это делаете для того, чтобы отвернуть от нас народа, смуту посеять. Это подло, это ваши методы. Так никто не воюет. Вы 300 человек отправили, чтобы словить 6 пацанов. И вы хотите нас сейчас морально защемить, говоря, что мы кого-то изнасиловали. Но все нас хорошо знают и никто в этот бред не поверит.
Apparently, the video was recorded before the guerrillas got arrested, because they wondered why they hadn't been caught yet. In the meantime, they admitted that if this video was released, they might be dead by that time.
The same day, the girlfriend of Andrei Sukhorada (one of the guerrillas) posted [RUS] a video link on her LJ profile saying that she didn't know where this video came from and that she was thankful for a good present for her birthday. She received more than 150 comments with birthday wishes and expressed support for the imprisoned partisans.
Newspaper Kommersant informed [RUS] that the father of Roman Savchenko (another ‘partizan’) believed that this video was released by one of the policemen. The guerrillas were shooting a lot of videos on a digital camera, which was withdrawn upon their arrest. He said other videos would be released soon.
Vladimir Golyshev [RUS], a political analyst and a journalist, compared [RUS] the guerrillas to the terrorist Said Buryatsky [RUS]:
[…] шестеро парней реально воевали с ментовской армией и готовились к смерти […]. Можно составить ясное представление об их “идеологии” и психотипе. Больше всего они похожи на Саида Бурятского, его неподражаемый стиль, никакого национализма, державничества и прочей шелухи, есть ясно выраженная религиозная компонента; 100-процентные разрушители, морально готовые принять мученическую смерть.
Despite the fact that the guerrillas did not talk about nationalist ideas, their video was posted on the official website [RUS] of the National Bolshevik Party, a radical political group.
At the end of the video, Andrei Sukhorada said the following:
Мы не признаем ни федеральные законы, ни местные. Мы передаем привет всем тем, кто состоит в сопротивлении на Северном Кавказе, другим благородным честным людям.
This message was picked up on the Internet and received many controversial comments. For example, LJ user danilia commented [RUS] on the article at the Caucasian Knot website:
Все вам мерещится, что кто-то другой виноват в том, что происходит, то это Европа, то это Америка. Слушайте, раскройте глаза, виноват тот ужас, который происходит в нашей стране, беспощадный режим, страшая коррупция, нищета населения, беспредел и вседозволенность силовиков, вон обсуждается закон о полиции, а параллельно продолжаются пытки в милиции, подростку отбили половые органы в Нижнем Новгороде, ужас, раскройте пошире глаза граждане, неужели вы не видите бревна в своем глазу, а не нам говорить о Европе, мы даже не можем защитить свои права.
The website partyzani.info [RUS] was created by some enthusiasts to cover the actions of the guerrillas. There you can find information about the six participants, their actions and the ways one could help them, particularly by spreading the information about them. At the same time, it says that this web site does not encourage any kind of violence, but it also says that people should be ready to protect themselves and start collecting weapons and stockpile food. Surprisingly, partyzani.info does not provide any information regarding the latest video; it has not been updated since July 26.
“Thugs” [отморозок] and “a group of bandits” – that is how the Vladivostok news channel PTR (TV and Radio of Primorye) has called the six guerrillas. This article has received some angry comments from people who were implying that it was a planted article expressing a biased opinion. In the meantime, this June the city of Vladivostok was covered with graffiti expressing support for the guerrillas.  The slogan “Guerrillas, your act of bravery is not forgotten”  [RUS] is one of them; you can also find some videos on YouTube with pictures of these graffiti and nationalist music on the background.
These examples highlight an alarming trend in the society, when people express their support for this sort of “punishment.” Still, the reaction of the Russian authorities to this entire story leaves the region's population dissatisfied, and the Internet gives them a floor to express their views. The problem with the police is still there, and people's distrust has not gone away.

author: Masha


text:
Russia: Photos of Children’s Camp Decorated as a Social Network · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Habrahabr user goodsprite posts pictures of the children's summer camp. Author, who worked at the camp, claimed that children had to register in Russian social network Vkontakte.ru. Photos depict camp's wallpapers decorated by hand-drawn illustrations of Vkontakte.ru  interface and various applications like “Happy Farmer” (analogue of “Farmwille”).

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Alexey Sidorenko


text:
Russian Newsweek Closes · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Closure of Russian Newsweek provoked a lively reaction [RUS] among bloggers. One of the reasons for it is that the majority of Russian Newsweek's staff had blogs. Photomans posts [RUS] his press passes, Anticompromat complains that the whole archive of the magazine is inaccessible now, BFM explains why the closure has happened.


text:
Sierra Leone: Meet Bajah and The Dry Eye Crew · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Africa is a Country music monday features “the super crew from Sierra Leone, Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew, remix Vampire Weekend and Paul Simon, who are well known, of course, for remixing (appropriating?) sounds from across the African continent.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
South Korea:A Star Anchor Threatens To Sue a Twitterer.   · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

South Korea’s star anchorwoman, Kim Ju-ha made headlines as she threatens to file a defamation lawsuit against a tweeter who called her “brainless.” Many Twitterers are condemning her reaction as ‘neurotic’. The KoreaTimes translated and summarized a heated debate going on at Korean Twitter.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


text:
Sri Lanka: The Down Side Of Being Humble  · Global Voices
Rezwan

The Oxymoron Chronicles talks about the disadvantages of not being obnoxiously loud and abrasive and being humble in the corporate world.

author: Rezwan


text:
Tajikistan: The bitter truth in Rasht · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Tajikistan’s government has offered rebels in the Rasht Valley an amnesty in exchange for a cease-fire, but neweurasia’s Botur doesn’t think they’ll take the offer.

author: Adil Nurmakov


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Code of Silence  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Afra Raymond says: “The Code of Silence is deep and powerful in the case of the CL Financial bailout.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Uruguay: Images of Montevideo and Uruguay · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Since 2005, Julio F. has been sharing photographs of Montevideo and other parts of Uruguay in the blog Images of Montevideo and Uruguay.

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Zimbabwe: Mugabe tests the credibility of the world · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Can the world and the region trust Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe?: “One of the longstanding disputes between Zanu PF and MDC-T through the implementation of the Global Political Agreement has been over Robert Mugabe’s unilateral appointment of governors.”


text:
Argentina: Where is Luciano Arruga? · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Luciano Arruga has been missing since January 31, 2009. That night Luciano was seen, severely beaten, by a witness at a police station. A blog called ¿Dónde está Luciano? [es] (Where is Luciano?) has been following the case, posting pictures, video, audio and information on protests against police brutality and on other developments.


text:
Benin: Text Messages to Help Protect Children Against Violence: Lessons Learned · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The Violence Against Children (VAC) project is an initiative co-implemented by PLAN and Save the Children in West Africa and takes place over 4 years (2008-2011) in seven countries: Togo, Ghana, Benin, Guinea, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia.  The VAC project trains and engages children and youth themselves as advocates and agents of change to end violence, together with adult community allies. A comprehensive UN report proposes recommendations for action to prevent and respond to violence against children around the world. Earlier this year, the project explored the idea of setting up a text message based system that will collect and map out reports of violence against children in communities in Benin and Togo.
The managers of the VAC project sent the following statistics about violence against children in Benin: according to a study conducted by the Benin Ministry of Family in 2007 (Etude nationale sur la Traite des enfants réalisée par le Ministère de la Famille en 2007) [fr]:
Le nombre d’enfants victimes de traite résidant sur le territoire béninois au moment de l’enquête a été estimé à 40317, soit 2% de la population béninoise résidant âgée de 6-17 ans dont près de 86% sont les filles.
Here is a video overview of the VAC Project there:
The following is our conversation with Linda Raftree,  social media and new technology advisor for Plan West Africa Region and ICT4D Technical Advisor for Plan USA who was closely involved with implementing the text messages-based technological support for the VAC project in Benin.  She wrote extensively about fostering a new political consciousness on violence against children in Benin, the solutions that ICT could potentially provide in that context and the challenges that they faced.  We discussed the implementation, the strengths and weaknesses of the technology portion of the project and the lessons learned in order to provide better protection for children.
Team member Henry explains the workflow of SMS reporting during the workshop*
Interview:
Technology for Transparency Network (TTN): Tell us a little bit about the project, the genesis of the idea for a text message-based reporting system.
Linda Raftree (LR): The project is managed by my colleague who works in the West Africa regional office and I’m supporting with the ICT integration. It started off really as a youth project funded by our office in Finland and an effort to break down the UN recommendations from the Violence against Children (VAC) study into a more mainstream language.  The idea was to make specific areas of the study more palatable to the general population. The original VAC study was conducted over about 3 years in consultation with hundreds of children, and the goal of the broader VAC project is to increase awareness amongst children and adults, get them to learn about the effects of violence and how to prevent it and to share the knowledge with their peers.
We (Plan) organized a conference in Kenya on social change through new media in December 2008, where my colleague Anastasie Koudoh in Dakar heard of FrontlineSMS and Ushahidi. She started wondering whether such a system could be set up to track violence via cell phone messages. We knew from the VAC study that many incidents of violence are not reported for various reasons and decided to see if we could remedy that. We discussed internally with colleagues from our Dakar and our Finnish office and we had a lot of questions about implementation, privacy and management of the platform , etc. In January, I was lucky enough to meet for a day with  Josh Nesbit and James Bon Tempo at our office in Washington DC and we discussed and sorted out some basics about implementation, data collection and privacy. We got our Ushahidi instance set up with help from our colleague Mika at the Finnish office and the folks at Ushahidi. Then I went to Benin and supported Anastasie and the staff there to conduct workshops with the children in the community, the staff, the child protection services and the Ministry of Family, consulted with them and went through the whole process of how SMS reporting might be set up. We asked whether they thought this new system would help, the type of information that they thought we might want to collect and any additional risks to people reporting that we might not have thought of. Basically making sure that everyone's input was fully integrated into the system.
TTN: What type of violence is more prominent in Benin and how would the project impact on the incidents?
LR: The Ministry of Family generously sent the latest statistics. Besides the national numbers mentioned earlier, the study reports that in 2008, about 598,521 children (31%) are forced to work in illegal conditions and that 24% are performing dangerous work activities. Gender-based violence is also still very important. 88% of girls reported having experienced physical abuse and 87% were verbally abused; 7.2% were sequestered at least once; 2.8% had undergone female genital cutting (FGC) and 1.4% of girls between the age of 2 to 14 had been raped.
Evidently, one must take into account that definitions of corporal punishment and verbal abuse can be culturally different. There is also violence at school where corporal punishment is still a commonly utilized educational method. 55% of students report having experienced corporal punishment either inside or outside the school.
So we really put the emphasis on having the support of the community when raising awareness and addressing social change around this issue. We would not order people around but we would explain why this is not the best way, and provide alternative ways with the backing of the community. It can be difficult at times if it is culturally ingrained.
Partcipants looking at the VAC project Ushahidi platform*
TTN: Have you done an evaluation of the impact of the project so far, and are alternatives to the SMS reporting system (e.g. voice reporting) being considered?
LR: Colleagues are planning a check-in the first week of November with our regional specialist on child protection. They’ll be looking at achievements and challenges in the areas of: technology (is it working? If not, why? What do we need to adjust); human resources and local capacities for managing the system; partnership and the relationship with the local and national government in terms of their ability and interest to take on and manage the system; and response – what is the current capacity to respond? How can this be improved? They’ll also do a more detailed mapping out of all the different potential child protection actors in the 2 communities, including health workers, schools, and traditional authorities, in order to see how we can best ensure the system is integrated with existing community structures and see how this sort of integration can improve local capacities to respond to reports of violence. We’ll build a forward looking plan based on this assessment of the project.
So far, the staff have stated that they are satisfied with the set-up of the project as it is now, but they know that there are a lot more reports that could be coming in. They only have received 13 reports via SMS since the start of the project, but it's difficult to assess why those potentials reports are not coming in: whether it is the medium (text messages) or other factors independent of the new system in place. During the technology assessment, we’ll look at what we can do from that side, for example, potentially integrating voice in addition to SMS and adding an improved way to track verification and follow up of reported cases.
One could argue that the project already allowed for more reports that would not have been reported if the new system were not in place. Therefore, even if we are still missing many unreported cases, we are getting a few more, and that's progress. In my opinion, it is a good start if it just gets people to think differently and look at the issue differently. Also we might not see the difference just in SMS reporting, but in reporting overall. That would then allow us to evaluate what other channels we could consider for reporting and which ones would be the most effective.
At the end of the day, though, reporting is not the biggest bottleneck—the biggest bottleneck is usually the response. Suppose we had 500 reports that came in by SMS, there would not be the capacity to respond to them.  So slow growth may actually be beneficial to the project. Utilizing the system to advocate for more capacity for child services is also one aspect of the project that we look into very closely.  We don't want to set up a reporting mechanism that would not be able to deliver an adequate response mechanism.
TTN: How does the response mechanism work? Who manages the reports and the responses ?
LR: We are working with the Centre de Protection Social (CPS) and they ultimately report to the Ministry of the Family and have the responsibility to follow up on any type of child abuse. Benin has a government agency and clear laws against child abuse.  At the workshop, we try to gather all the local agents that have some type of responsibility who can respond in case of child abuse (social agents but also police and community leaders). So when we receive reports from any victims or witnesses, a child protection officer at our district office receives the report through FrontlineSMS and Ushahidi and makes a phone call to the point person in that area (a CPS agent or a police officer). Once we get the ‘alerts’ system functioning in Ushahidi, this can be automated. At that point, the report is officially filed into the governmental system.
TTN: Could you give a broad estimate of the cost of the project?
LR: Anastasie says that the training in Benin cost around $7,500, plus the purchase of phone/modem for the FrontLineSMS platform. We used an existing computer. That's just the simple part of the project though, and doesn't include the staff time, the broader project activities and work with the youth before/after the training, and the costs of follow up that are ongoing.
TTN: Do you think the Ushahidi platform would benefit from being translated into the local language like Yoruba ?
LR: Actually, the mapping portion of Ushahidi is not useful for the local communities. Very few of them have access to internet so the Ushahidi platform is mostly utilized by the staff and the agency, who would know the local languages, French and some English.  So the SMS reports can be received in any language and the administrators would translate them into French. The web interface and the map are more of an advocacy tool than a reporting system. For example, we can share the map with community leaders, local authorities, school official and the various ministries as we have more information coming in and discuss the issue with them and look for solutions. We also have a privacy issue, so we are considering making it a private page or a password-protected page because I am not convinced that it has any utility at this point for someone working outside the child protection system. That would also offer some additional protection to the victims.
TTN: Has the government approached you about downloading the data collected so far?
LR: That's a good question. I am not sure if the data has been downloaded by the government yet. What we wanted to be careful about is involving the higher level of the government in the early phases. We wanted to work with the local authorities—with the approval of the national government, of course. We wanted to optimize the system to the point where it is easy to understand and flawless, and then advocate for it to be adopted at higher levels. We would not want to present a system that is only half-way ready and risk having it rejected.
TTN: Since it is really focused on the community, how did you approach publicizing the number to which text reports should be sent?
LR: We are working on a communication strategy and outreach. We need to not only determine the best way to advertise the number, but also take care of educating the community about the importance of awareness and how to report abuse correctly. We need them to send complete information in the text messages, otherwise we cannot help.  There are also some new plug-ins in FrontlineSMS that can help with better data collection. We are also looking into possibly adding a voice feature to see if more reports would come in.
TTN: Are there any additional lessons learned or remarks that you would like to add?
LR: It is interesting to compare this project, where a structure is in place for child protection, with other places. For instance, we thought about implementing a similar project in a neighboring country, but the government there  is basically not interested. So the complexity there is: how does one implement a child protection service in a more fragile state? Would we be able to work with a community-based protection group and do without the presence of an established structure? In my opinion, it's becoming increasingly important not only for projects like ours, but any Ushahidi deployment or SMS reporting in general, to think beyond data collection and address the response mechanism when there is no judicial system. One can look at Haiti and the violence against women in the aftermath of the earth quake. Sure we can talk about reporting violence, but who will respond to the reports?  Maybe we should also address funding for building a response mechanism to go along with the reporting mechanism. Maybe that is where we need the next wave of innovation to focus on. Even in the aid field in general, information shortage is not usually the issue, but rather what we can do with the information, what kind of response can be triggered.
It’s a difficult issue. We are looking into supporting local protection mechanisms within the communities, but this is also tricky because the perpetrators of the violence might be parents, relatives or teachers or leaders in the community. So one of the first critical points is always awareness raising on the negative impacts of violence on children or whichever issue that you are hoping to address.
What makes a difference is when the children feel empowered to discuss the issue of violence. Children are organizing radio shows centered around violence and learning to look for help. There are also traditional justice systems in most of the remote communities that deal with the issue of violence and we try to work with them whenever it's possible.
==================
* All photos belong to the VAC project in Benin and are published with their permission.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


text:
Bermuda: More than a Whisper · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Vexed Bermoothes says that “the ‘whispering guest workers'…make up a significant proportion of our population but have NO political voice” and would like to see this change.


text:
Bosnia & Herzegovina: “Future Post-History” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

CAFÉ TURCO writes about Braco Dimitrijević's exhibition (‘Future post-History’), currently on display in the building of Sarajevo's National Library, which “was severely damaged in August 1992, when the Serb forces shelled it with incendiary bombs […]”: “More than 2 million books and documents were lost forever but the building now is being restored, slowly, just like, slowly, the visible signs of the war are quietly disappearing from the face of Sarajevo.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Brazil: Magazine censored by opposition party · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

The magazine Revista do Brasil, produced by the Rede Brasil Atual, has been censored by the opposition party, PSDB and its candidate, José Serra, for allegedly campaigning in favour of rival candidate Dilma Rousseff, informs [pt] Conceição Oliveira, in her blog, Maria Frô. Rede released [pt] a note repudiating the opposition's attitude and saying that October's edition of the magazine will be printed and distributed.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


text:
Brazil: Open Call for Digital Culture · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Brazilian Digital Culture Forum calls all enthusiasts to submit presentations about emerging processes in the  network, communities of  practice  for the digital age and proposals to support public policies, until October 20.  The 2nd edition of the Forum will take place in November 14-17 in Sao Paulo.

author: Sara Moreira


text:
Cambodia: Bon Pchum Ben · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Sreisaat Adventures in Cambodia blogs about the Bon Pchum Ben, the annual commemoration of the spirits. It is one of the most important religious holidays in Cambodia.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Cambodia: Flooding in Phnom Penh · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Vutha from Cambodia posts pictures of the recent flooding in Phnom Penh.


text:
Chile: Interview with Twitter’s @laura · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Journalist Miguel Paz interviewed [es] Laura Gómez (@laura), Twitter's International Support Lead and Spanish Language Specialist.


text:
China: A brief guide to censorship · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Angry Chinese Blogger writes a very elaborated post on China censorship.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
China: Afterthoughts of Foxconn tragedies · Global Voices
Jennifer Zhang

Foxconn, a Taiwanese company and the world's largest maker of electronic components, has become one of the most notorious corporations in China after 13 consecutive suicides of its workers in 2010.
However, given the fact that Foxconn's salary and working environment is not the worst of its kind, no one has been able to provide a satisfactory explanation on the worker suicides. Recently, a full research report, Workers as Machines: Military Management in Foxconn (pdf),  on Foxconn workers’ condition conducted by university students and professors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan has been released. The report looks into six major problems in Foxconn's management:
1. Low wages and excessive overtime work;
2. Military management style: absolute obedience, quota system, inhumane punishment and harassment;
3. Lack of prevention and treatment of occupational diseases and work injuries;
4. Exploitation of student interns;
5. Harsh management in workers’ dormitories;
6. Ineffective trade and grievance mechanisms.
Apart from professional reports, bloggers who are concerned about labour rights also try to explain the suicidal psychology of Foxconn workers. Cai Chongguo, a labor activist, points out that it is difficult for other social groups to understand the grassroots workers’ psychology:
从农民工频发的情感悲剧出发，我们会发现，这个阶层有着特别的内心世界，有自己的焦虑、期望、痛苦、欢乐和人格发展的走向。而富士康连续自杀事件激 起的震惊则显示，这个阶层的内心世界，其他阶层，包括公务员、文人、白领很难理解，更别说老板了。因此，他们之间的理解、对话，越来越困难。这是一种可怕的社会断裂。
Cai believes that the only way to help the workers is to give them the rights to collective bargaining:
富士康的连续自杀，再一次尖锐、通俗地提出了集体谈判、工会等问题.中国大多数人认为，工会，工人权利问题，只是一个平等、尊重人的道德问题，这不错，但远不只这些。回头看工业化两百年的历史，会发现，工人运动，真正的工会及劳资谈判等，是创造现代化企业和社会管理方式的主要力量之一，也是西方国家真正的“软实力”所在。西方的大中型现代化企业有真工会和健全的劳资谈判制度。有这压力，工资福利就不会低到那里去，它就会和物价上涨指数相连互动。工人也有地位。这就是社会力量对比的平衡，即我们所说的”和谐“。而且，因为人工昂贵，企业必须尽量少雇工，这就歪打正着地刺激了对工艺、设备和产品的自动化、更新，即新科技的应用。这也刺激新产品、新行业的产生，并创造新就业机会。这种新行业产生带来的新的就业机会能在相当程度上弥补新技术的应用所导致的 就业减少。这些，是西方企业创新力强的秘密所在。
因此，放弃富士康模式，使工人有工会谈判罢工等权利及更高的工资、更好的福利待遇等，不只是避免自杀等道德问题，而且关系到如何使企业管理现代化， 工业及产品及整个经济发展模式的改造的问题。不尊重工人，中国企业很难有普遍创新的冲动和能力，企业间永远在压低工资降低成本而不是在产品质量、独特和创新上竞争。
Another renowned blogger, Chang Ping, believes that the seemingly individual psychological problem is ultimately a social problem:
大众媒体可能更关心自杀者，但是作为心理学家以及企业和社会管理者，更应该关心在这背后更广泛的问题。大多数心理疾病患者，都没有以自杀来了结生命，但是很多人每天都过着“生不如死”的痛苦生活。是怎样的企业文化和社会环境决定了他们的生活？作为一个国家公民，他们为什么只有一个打工者的身份？作为一个完整的人，他们如何能够活得有尊严？
Chang Ping also points out that Foxconn's management style is not only a production management, it has evolved into a factory based social control system:
人们说，只有在中国大陆，富士康才能做成“世界代工之王”。这并不是指员工人数，而是整个社会政治环境。作为一个纳税大户，它早已经超越了资本的权力，而拥有很大的政治权力。国家有劳动法，但是富士康仍然可以设计以加班为主要收入来源的管理制度；深圳有警察，但是要进入富 士康工厂处理治安问题并不容易，工厂的保安基本上可以代劳;
Bo Haibing also notices the social role of Foxconn in its intern system. The blogger was told by some teachers from occupation schools in Chongqing city that 40% of their graduates would be sent to Foxconn. The information makes the blogger realize that the main objective of the intern system is to keep the unemployment rate low, and hence social stability:
其实学生在无形当中已经沦为了廉价的劳动力，而职校就是就提供廉价劳动力的场所。就连职校部分教师都未正眼看待。因为，在部分职校教师眼中这些职校的学生不过是维稳学校历年的招生指标与扩大学校发展的工具而已。经济型转体，出门打工的年轻人多了，中年人反而少了。而年轻人又受知识与阅历的制衡，很多时候根本无法保证自己的基本权益。就算被变着花样给榨取了，他也明白也知道这是不合乎道理的，但是就是说不出为什么。而企业遇见如此好搞定的更是乐开花了。
富士康不过是榨取低廉劳动力中一个比较大的开发商而已，这样的企业有多少？笔者也不得而知。发展的最终目的是什么？有人说是共同富裕，有人说是可持续的生 活，有人说是为了社会主义。可是，在这儿我却看见了商人本质利益下赤裸裸的榨取每一滴可贵的劳动力。在这种情况之下，如果不加以关注加以治理，任其发展， 就难说发展的目的到底是建立社会主义还是实现可持续的生活了。

author: Jennifer Zhang


text:
China: Whistleblower Exposes Guangzhou Metro Line 3 Safety Failures · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A construction engineer Zhong Jizhang risked his career to expose the safety problem of Guangzhou Metro Line 3. ChinaSMACK has translated the story and some netizens’ comments..


text:
Cote d’Ivoire: A UN Seminar on Election Monitoring for Diplomats and International Observers · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The UN Mission in Cote d'Ivoire announced that it held a two-day seminar (Oct 12-13) on election monitoring for diplomats and international observers in preparation for the elections [fr].


text:
Cuba: Incomplete  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The Cuban Catholic Church reported over the weekend that the ‘process to release the 52 prisoners is completed’, says Uncommon Sense, who adds: “But 13 of those prisoners remain in jail, including 12 who repeatedly have insisted they will not accept release if it means having to take forced exile…”


text:
Cuba: On Exile · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“When, at the turn of the year, the prisons are emptied of political prisoners, for a time they’ll lose the stigma of being human rights violators…they are trying to decrease the size and strength of the dissidence”: Iván's File Cabinet suggests that “the proposal to leave Cuba could be expanded to other people the government finds inconvenient.”


text:
Czech Republic: Local Elections · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

An update on the Czech local elections – at Dr. Sean's Diary.


text:
Haiti: Heavy Rains · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands reports that “ten people have been killed and three others are missing after heavy rains battered Haiti.”


text:
Latvia: More on the Election Results · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A note on the results of the Oct. 2 elections in Latvia – at Baltic.


text:
Madagascar: Citizens Reporting of the Latest Clash Between Armed Forces and Protesters.    · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Blogger Jentilisa gives a detailed eyewitness account [mg] of the latest acts of violence [fr] between security forces and protesters on October 18th in Antananarivo, Madagascar.  An estimated 1,500 people protested in front of the court where members of the opposition were to appear. Here is  a citizen video of the protest before the clash.


text:
Myanmar: Advocacy video guide · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Witness Blog provides a Burmese version of their training videos that gives human rights activists several tips and techniques on how to document and advance their advocacies.


text:
Nepal: The Fate Of Maoist Army After UNMIN · Global Voices
Rezwan

Divas wonders what will happen after the exit of UN forces (UNMIN) from Nepal.


text:
Nicaragua: Open Government and the Evolution of e-Government · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Juan Ortega writes [es] about the book Open Government [es] by César Calderón and Sebastián Lorenzo. He briefly explains what Nicaragua needs to do to improve transparency.


text:
Nigeria: Success story of polio vaccination · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nigeria Health Watch discusses the success story of polio vaccination in Nigeria: “Firstly, there was an increased involvement of traditional, religious and political leaders in promoting vaccinations and encouraging acceptance within our communities, helping to turn the tide.”


text:
Philippines: Strongest typhoon of the year · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Typhoon Juan (international name: Megi), the world’s strongest tropical cyclone of the year, hit the north part of the Philippines forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents. Many provinces are still without power and communication signals because the typhoon smashed several power and transmission lines in the north. Rice and other agricultural crops were also destroyed.
Latest Satellite Image of Typhoon Juan
The latest update from the local weather bureau
AS OF 5:00 AM TODAY (TUESDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2010), TYPHOON “JUAN” WAS LOCATED AT 205 KM WEST SOUTHWEST OF LAOAG CITY (17.5°N, 118.6°E).
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 160 KPH NEAR THE CENTER
GUSTINESS: UP TO 195 KPH
FORECAST MOVEMENT: NORTHWEST
SPEED: 22 KPH
ESTIMATED CENTRAL PRESSURE: 958 hPa
For updates, check the official twitter account of the local weather bureau. The government has also set-up a Facebook page about the typhoon. Using google earth, here is an image of typhoon Juan as it hovers over the Philippines.
This video by a local TV station shows the initial damage left by the typhoon. Bayanihan Online provides a comprehensive summary of facts and helpful data about the typhoon. Tweet reactions have been mapped.
Using the #juan hashtag, here are some twitter reactions
lorbe91 we are kind of feeling the gloominess in some areas affected by the typhoon #juan
jmsibug #juan Can you guys tell if it's flooded in metro manila? Heavy rains won't stop since 2am.
redvw62 #Juan still battering #Urdaneta with very strong winds since 1 am. Network signals getting difficult to connect with
rinoaheartilly2 “@seanbenedicto: #juan ure silently scary.” Goodmorning☀
A_Torri This is a lot of rain. It hasnt stop since last night. #typhoon #megi #juan
twisted_ghal It hasnt stop raining since last night. Rain still pouring heavily and the wind is so strong. #JUAN #URDANETA
DCGWS Experiencing extremely hard rains on and off since about 8 pm last night #megi #juan
haroldlorenzo: The typhoon is supposed to be leaving the country this morning but it seems that the rain just started.
anakookai: Nothing can be worse than going to work sick w/ a super typhoon and several meetings lined up for the day. Is this what u call a challenge?
skywindtree: I really had thought #Megi / #Juan had passed Manila, but we're getting the rain and winds now. Not bad, but still. Oh well
Twitter Trendsmap
Using the #typhoon hashtag, Manila tweeps react
YongJaco: will face the typhoon on my way home…. umbrella, please be strong… FIGHTING!! #fb
JowMapue: I'm scared to go outside, #Typhoon Megi can just lift me off the ground
LuiGestiada: home from work. eating pancit canton while watching the morning news. sad about the casualties of typhoon #megi #juan
TeN: Bye, typhoon Juan. Now be kind to Hongkong…perhaps you can just just fade away.
The Citizens’ Disaster Response Center gives an initial report
As of 4:00 p.m., October 18, 2010, 781 families comprising of 3,687 individuals from Region I, II, and the CAR have been evacuated to local Community Centers, Bgry. Halls, and Gymnasium as precautionary measures after Typhoon Juan as it tracked the soil of Philippines territory.
Ilocus Sur of Region I, a road was closed due to heavy rain. In Roxas and Santiago of Isabela, interrupted power supply, uprooted trees, and roof blown away were recorded. Cagayan also suffered from strong winds, and heavy. In Benguet, Baguio, Apayao, and Mt. Province of CAR had to closed several roads due to landslides, heavy rain, and strong winds
Related posts about previous Philippines storms:
Worst Flooding in 40 years
Typhoon Ketsana batters Southeast Asia
Philippines: Flooding documented on citizen videos


text:
Puerto Rico: Presenting the reputable online paper “The Yam” · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

They are funny, and the often absurd Puerto Rican political landscape gives them plenty of material. They are El Cangrimán, El Rata and Oscar Marrano, the three main writers of the Puerto Rican online-based paper El Ñame [ES] (“The Yam”), a “clear send-up” of the famous digital satire paper The Onion. As an example of their humor, El Ñame recently published the story “The Puerto Rican Government Prepares a Simulacrum of a Mining Accident, Just in Case,” [ES] in reference to the miner's accident in Chile which attracted  global media coverage. Although its absurd, Puerto Ricans  expect anything from the government.
El Cangrimán, El Rata and Oscar Marrano have been writing fake stories for El Ñame since they founded it in 2005. It has grown immensely since then: it receives around 1,000 daily visits, has close to 7,000  members in its Facebook fan page, and  almost 2,000 email subscribers. It also has a Twitter feed.
El Ñame's Three Musketeers. Photo courtesy of "El Ñame."
I interviewed El Cangrimán, El Rata and Oscar Marrano on behalf of Global Voices. They have a great sense of humor, and are very funny, but they also are pretty serious about their work.
Global Voices (GV)- What motivated you to make use of political satire in a digital publication?
El Rata: El Ñame actually started as a personal writing outlet between El Cangrimán and me — we never really intended other people to read (much less like!) the stories we wrote, and to a certain degree, I still can't believe people DO read and like our stuff. The fact that we use political satire came as part of the “personal catharsis” aspect of writing: we write about things we find funny; things we find ridiculous; and things that piss the hell out of us. It just so happens that Puerto Rico is a never-ending source of political ineptitude, so a lot of topics that inspire us to write are borne out of the political mess in which our beloved island is mired.
El Cangrimán: As El Rata stated, El Ñame started as sort of a a private joke between him and myself, and it is my outlet for the outrageous and appalling news that seem to come out from Puerto Rico every day. As for using satire, besides the obvious reason that laughing about things helps me keep my sanity, I use it because I think a good laugh can open people up to have a constructive dialog about the, well… unfunny things that Puerto Ricans have to deal with every day.
Oscar: Also, we initially thought that if we had a really cool blog we'd be able to meet girls. Unfortunately, it hasn't really worked out that way. Perhaps our dry and often dark sense of humor projects our general lack of sensibility better than we'd hoped it would.
GV-  What have been some of the issues you have covered in El Ñame?
El Rata: We've covered pretty much anything that's been part of the zeitgeist of Puerto Rico and the world during these years we've been publishing our rag: stories having to do with the judicial process against Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (the previous governor of Puerto Rico); stories pertaining what the current administration has been up to; and stories having to do with whatever is happening on the island or around the world. We have made a conscious effort to satirize the failings of all political parties because, frankly, being “slanted” towards a particular party simply blinds you to making fun of its own stupidities — and we don't want to limit our sources of material!
El Cangrimán: One thing I find myself writing a lot about is about the gross ineptitude of many of Puerto Rico's elected officials, who do things that seem taken right out of our fake headlines. When you have a senator (a senator!) like Evelyn Vázquez that seriously proposes to look for a sunken treasure and use it to fund the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayagüez… You just have to write about that!
Another pet peeve of mine is what I believe to be the sad state of affairs of the news media in Puerto Rico. Just a couple of weeks ago, Primera Hora [ES] dedicated a front page to the fact that Puerto Rican women do not like to be woken up by their partners in the middle of the night for sex. The biggest newspaper, El Nuevo Día [ES], recently gave an inordinate amount of headlines to the divorce of Roberto Alomar and model Maripily, something that quite frankly belongs in the tabloids. Meanwhile, The Economist points out that Puerto Rico is in a 4 year recession and that gets only a passing mention with no serious follow up analysis.
Oscar: One thing we take pride of is the breadth of topics that we are able to cover without displaying even a hint of knowledge or expertise. We continuously make a conscious effort to show our total ignorance in topics as diverse as sports, technology, and even science. One would think that after writing so many inflammatory or offensive stories our conscience would be killing us, but our lack of remorse is only surpassed by our ability to rationalize our M.O.: if we don't write fake stories and spin the truth absurdly, someone in WKAQ or El Nuevo Día will. And we absolutely cannot have that!
GV- How do you use humor as form of social critique?
El Rata: We often use sarcasm and irony subtly (and sometimes not so subtly!) to criticize something that we find ridiculous. I find that if you state outright what you want to say, you simply inflame people who disagree with your point of view; however, disguising your opinion in humor, you allow them to see things from a different point of view without feeling “attacked.” It is said that “many a true thing is said in jest,” and never is that more true than with political satire.
El Cangrimán: I think humor can be a very powerful tool to have a meaningful conversation about touchy or controversial subjects. If I can get my reader laughing right off the bat with my fake headline, he or she will be more receptive about what I'm critiquing. Just as importantly, if the reader disagrees with my point of view but I made him or her laugh anyway, he or she will hopefully respond back voicing the opposing point of view, if not with more humor, at least with a cordial tone. It can completely change the dynamics of the conversation.
Oscar: However, we have to keep in mind that sarcasm as a form of social critique is not for everyone, and there is always someone who will take exception to our jokes. And this is understandable, given the subject matter that we comment on. We sometimes find ourselves “voting” on whether a particular story or idea may be too harsh, but usually the decisive factor is whether we think the story is funny or not, and not how potentially offensive it could be. Of course, it also helps that we publish our potentially offensive critique in such a “reputable” newspaper such as El Ñame, where very few ideas can ever be too offensive. For the most part, our readers know what to expect from us.
GV- How would you describe the blogosphere and social media networks in Puerto Rico?
El Rata: The way I see it, the blogosphere and social media networks in Puerto Rico are still in their nascent period: they are certainly starting to take hold (to the point where the “old media” such as El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora now boast having “blogs” as part of their publications), but, due mainly to the fact that the Internet itself is not as prevalent as in other countries, the reach of bloggers and social media networks is not as broad as it could be… yet. Certainly the new generations are getting more and more of their information online, so with time I am sure we will see a shift in how information is dispersed, and we will find that more and more people learn about what's going on in the world through online publications and social media networks.
El Cangrimán: I think the Puerto Rican blogosphere is dominated mainly by pure opinion blogs and in that sense, there is still a lot of growing up to do. For example, I love Nate Silver's blog fivethirtyeight.com (which is now a part of the New York Times). Nate is a statistician and his specialty is doing statistical analysis of political polls, and in 2009 he uncovered possible fraud by a pollster routinely used by major news agencies. That is the kind of blogger I would like to see more of in Puerto Rico: professional fact checkers.
Oscar: But even at this early stage (that El Rata was referring to), the potential of the blogosphere as an information medium is there. We have seen instances recently where traditional media outlets have used material published in local blogs. For example: TV gossip show Dando Candela used several blog posts from Evaristo Salgado's blog, Sorpréndeme [ES], as source material. Also, El Nuevo Día relied on at least one occasion on the opinion of blogger Robi, from Robi News [ES], for a sports story. Whether this will result in a local version of ESPN columnist Bill Simmons (who published his very successful Boston Sports Guy blog before being hired as a full time ESPN columnist) is debatable, but it shows promise.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


text:
Russia: Attack on the Chechen Parliament · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

In Moscow's Shadows writes about the Oct. 19 suicide attack on the Chechen parliament building in Grozny.


text:
Russia: “Siberian Nationalism” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes about “Siberian nationalism” – here and here.


text:
Russia: “The Aftermath” of Luzhkov’s Dismissal · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

RFE/RL's The Power Vertical and PBN's The Pipeline write about “the aftermath” of Yuri Luzhkov's dismissal from the post of Moscow mayor.


text:
Serbia: Two Internet Entrepreneurs Detained for Months Without Trial · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

Djordje Djokic and Dusan Jaglicic were both born in the mid-'70s in Serbia. They were pretty typical children in what was then Yugoslavia, with parents who taught them that hard work, a healthy family life and and education would bring them the merits they deserved. The two young men became close friends and, later, through the advantages and opportunities of the Internet, business partners.
Djordje Djokic (courtesy of kojesledeci.com)
Dusan and Djordje went on to register www.freebeting.net and www.kladionicar.com in 2005, two sites that provided betting quotes, advice and sports news, but also links and ads to legal betting sites run from abroad. The two young entrepreneurs made money through affiliate sales on their sites – and plenty of it: authorities claim some 550 thousand Euros were made in profits from these sites.
Dusan and Djordje are now in a Serbian county jail. And they have been there for the past eight months, with no possibility of bail, no trial and no legal conviction. On February 23, Dusan and Djordje were arrested for, as Serbian media first reported, suspicion of gaming fraud. Current official charges include unlicensed organization of gaming and money laundering.
Dusan Jaglicic (courtesy of kojesledeci.com)
TechCrunch covered the story [EN] back in March of this year and doubts as to the charges in question were brought up almost immediately:
Both sites are resources for sports fans who like to bet on various sporting events. They provide stats, news, tips and other information related to sports betting. But revenue is generated through banner ads with links to bookmakers outside of Serbia and via SMS services with related betting information not through actually taking bets.
In other words, the two sites only refer users to other betting sites and get paid for each referral. It therefore looks like Djokić and Jagličić have been arrested, perhaps mistakenly, for affiliate marketing.
There has been an on-going debate as to what exactly the men have been indicted for and how these charges relate to the factual events that took place in regards to their online business. Recently, Predrag Supurovic, a blogger and Web developer, began a discussion on his blog, titled Affliliat Marketing Is Not A Crime [SR], looking to clear up the very dilemma at hand – the difference between providing affiliate marketing links and “organized gaming” on one's site:
Djordje Djokic i Dusan Jaglicic, both from Kragujevac, owners of the sites www.freebeting.net and www.kladionicar.com, really made income from affiliate marketing. However, the indictment doesn't mention that, nor does it charge them with it. They are charged with unlicensed organized gaming (i.e. gambling) and laundering money that was gained through illegal business activities (i.e. purchasing legal goods and services with illegally attained assets).
On several blogs and online public forums, attention is also drawn to the fact that, according to Serbian laws, a court must first prove that assets or money derived from criminal action before money laundering can even be considered as a charge. A popular Serbian online legal forum takes this and more statutory details from this case under consideration in a discussion started on October 8 [SR]:
The accused ran this business legally since 2005, by establishing a company that maintained portals and employed some ten employees. All this time, they conducted business legally and paid all duties owed to the state and employees. The indictment does not mention any charges of tax evasion or anything similar.
Essentially… the accused owned and ran a gambling-related site, a version of which they made available in the Serbian language. The sites contained links that led to well-known global gambling portals, in other words bookmaking sites. For each visit and bet placed through those links, the company of the accused was paid an agreed commission. In the world of Web marketing, this is called an affiliate link or affiliate marketing – a specific form of advertising.
The vast majority, including professionals from the legal branch on the above-mentioned forum, seems to agree that the charges in question simply do not reflect the real events that took place. Public opinion and indictments aside, the fact remains, and one that very much concerns all members of the online community in Serbia, that Djordje and Dusan have been detained for almost 8 months with no trial. Due to this, basic human rights concerns arise and cast a shadow on any case that may or may not exist against the two men.
At this point, and regardless of what is included in the charges and indictment, one must call attention to the fact that Serbia is a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights, signed in 1950 and still valid today. Suffice it to mention Article 6 [EN] of said Convention.
This case was concern enough for anyone trying to do any business online in Serbia at the time and, eight long months later, it presents an even greater concern. So great, in fact, that the community can't help but wonder if bloggers self-censor themselves in fear of repercussions, and arrests are reward for successful Internet entrepreneurship – who's next? what's next?
As one contributor put it on kojesledeci.com (“Who's Next”) [SR], a joint blog that was recently started by activists in the Serbian Internet community, dedicated to following the case of Dusan and Djordje:
Could we all meet the fate of Josef K. from Franz Kafka's famous novel “The Trial”, be proclaimed guilty overnight with no real guilt, instead of in our rooms, find ourselves waking up behind bars, have our right taken away to prepare our defense while out on bail and prove the non-existence of evidence against us?
…If Dusan and Djordje have done anything illegal, legal penalties exist, but we cannot accuse them for what they have not done, because there are no legal penalties for that, there is only freedom.
In all honesty, I am wondering if I'll be facing any repercussions for what I am about to write next, but it's an opinion shared by most in the online community in Serbia, especially Internet entrepreneurs, of which I am a part: Serbian authorities have noticed that many individuals and small businesses have succeeded in making a healthy amount of income from online businesses, including affiliate marketing and affiliate sales. A great portion of the public feels the government, or parts of it, are looking for a way to get their piece of the Internet business cake, without having provided the necessary legal statutes for this in recent years. This is an opinion, we may be mistaken, but we have been patient and have waited for due process to take its course. For 8 months, in this case.
Due to an out-of-date tax system still being implemented in Serbia, individuals are simply not able to report all income. Many of us have inquired with the tax department as to solutions and, aware of the outdated statutes and laws in the country, have sometimes bent over backwards to make sure we abide by them. Fully aware of all of this, many of us, like Djordje and Dusan, have decided to remain in Serbia and spend our earnings here, with firm belief that Serbia has great business potential and deserves the investment. Reforms are more than necessary. Jail time is not.
Kojesledeci.com is a place, created by several leaders of the online community, for conversation on the subject of the injustices at hand and a way for the community to begin ensuring that this does not happen again. The conversation was first started on Serbia's most active IT forum at Devprotalk.com [SR] and continues to this day on kojesledeci.com [SR], posing questions along the lines of “Is this how the country of Serbia rewards work and intelligence?” [SR]
As the trial is finally scheduled to begin on October 25, we will be following this story closely in the near future. What the Serbian online community asks of everyone at this point is to recognize the injustice of detaining these two young men, with no criminal record of any kind, for a period of 8 months in which they are able to see their loved ones for 30 minutes every two weeks. The story can also be followed on the Ko je sledeći? fan page on Facebook [SR] and on kojesledeci.com.
To quote Djordje's wife, who has become a regular contributor on kojesledeci.com in her latest message to the public:
Djordje's wife, Marija, and 9 month-old son, Vuk
I know I've done this a few times in the past, but I would like to thank you all again for giving us your support all these months. It will mean so much to Dusan and Djordje when they are released, as they say their greatest fear is that everyone on the outside has forgotten.
…I want us to go on living after this! To continue where we left off. I don't want to “lose” another second of our lives when all this is over. And it has to end. You, with your support and comments, have helped us immensely and this is how we know we are not alone.

author: Danica Radisic


text:
Singapore EduCamp · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Registration is now open for the 2010 Singapore Educamp. “EduCamps are BarCamp style un-conferences where educators and people interested in education come and share their projects, ideas and findings.”


text:
Slovenia: Elections in Ljubljana and Piran · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sleeping With Pengovsky reviews the results of the election in Ljubljana – here and here; Adventures in Wheelville writes about a Ghanaian doctor and politician Peter Bossman, who is running for mayor of the town of Piran.


text:
South Korea: North Korean Defector’s Struggling Life In Big Cities · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

A North Korean defector's life in South Korea is tough. Even after hundreds hours of study in Hanawon, the state-run resettlement facility, the defector's first encounter with the real world outside North is full of bewilderment and frustration. Korea’s Joongang took a snapshot of a defector's daily life.


text:
Tanzania: Running for Office While Combining Kangas With Social Media · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tanzania will go to the polls on October 30, 2010. As our author J. Nambiza Tungaraza pointed out in his post, “The Use of Social Media in 2010 Tanzania Elections,” presidential candidates and parliamentary candidates are actively using social media to connect with voters.
Danish blogger Pernille Bærendtsen looks at the use of traditional elements and social media in Tanzania election campaigns focusing on Zitto Kabwe, the parliamentary candidate for Kigoma North. Her post is titled “Running for Office (While Combining Kangas and Social Media). Kanga is a piece of printed cotton fabric worn by women and occasionally by men throughout Eastern Africa.
She writes:
The fact that Zitto Kabwe is reporting via Twitter, blog, Flickr and Facebook from Kigoma North, while at the same time operating an election campaing with traditional elements – like the ngoma and the kanga – is a clear fact of Africa 2010.
It is not strange that Zitto has been using social media as part of his campaign strategy. He is one of the youngest members of parliament. He is a trained economist and he chairs a Parliamentary standing committee on Public Investments.
A woman wearing a kanga with a photo of Zitto Kabwe. Photo by Pernille Bærendtsen
Pernille notes that the use of Kanga and social media by Zitto Kabwe is a sign of “An Africa in between tradition and modernity. An Africa, we in the north gradually are realising is changing.”
Zitto regularly tweets in both English and Swahili on his account, ZittoKabwe and also posts links to videos posted online of campaign activities. It was recently rumored that he was involved in a car accident. He dismissed the rumor on Twitter:
Am alive and well and in Kahama please ignore the malicious rumour going round that I've been involved in an accident
On October 13, 2010 he complained about police presence in political rallies:
What is saw in Musoma today, police fully armed, is alarming. Tuwe makini sana na huu uchaguzi. Peace defines this nation jamani!
On the same day he posted a link to a campaign video on YouTube:
Video Clips ya Ziara ya Kumnadi Vincent Josephat Nyerere -Jimbo La Musoma Mjini: http://wp.me/pRboX-dU
October 14, 2010 he wrote:
In Isaka township. This port is very inactive, joblessness and hopelessness amongst youths.
His blog, Zitto na Demokrasia (Zitto and Democracy) is full of campaign photos and videos from his constituency and other constituencies in Kigoma region where his party (Chadema) has candidates. Other photos are posted on his Flickr account. His YouTube account has 69 videos.
For more examples of how politicians in Tanzania use social media in the election campaigns, read Tungaraza's post on the subject.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Battling Corruption  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In addition to “crying out for stronger campaign finance regulations as a key solution to our disturbing legacy of political corruption”, KnowTnT.com‘s Edmund Gall proposes “two other more urgently required types of regulatory reform: public accounting, and public procurement.”


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: In Honour of Rhea · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I am thankful for Rhea holding on to this jackass called activism.  I am thankful because she was one of those relentlessly amazing Trinidad women who hold on despite the sexism, despite the belittlling, despite her commitments to family, despite her own personal struggles”: Attillah Springer pays tribute to activist Rhea Mungal, who passed away suddenly.


text:
Uganda/Sudan: Where is Joseph Kony? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Where exactly is Joseph Kony?, Ledio Cakaj asks. Joseph Kony is the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army: “Only Mr. God knows,” is the short answer to Kony’s whereabouts, as a former LRA commander recently told Enough.


text:
Ukraine: Stance on the Customs Union · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Pipeline reports on Ukraine's stance on membership in the Customs Union.


text:
Ukraine: Yanukovych on Roads and Taxes · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukraine's president Victor Yanukovych on roads for ordinary citizens and tax cuts for small businesses – at Ukrainiana.


text:
Venezuela: Misinformation on ETA-Chávez Connection · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“The ETA – Chavez connection, brought to light after Spain's equivalent to the Supreme Court asked Venezuela to extradite a number of people involved in terrorist activities, is generating a torrent of misinformation rarely seen,” writes Alek Boyd in his blog.


text:
Video: Collaborative online reading of Don Quixote · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

One of the most loved works of literary fiction, Don Quixote, has come to life through YouTube. Hundreds of volunteers are reading fragments of Miguel de Cervantes’ work and uploading them to the ElQuijote Channel.
The Spanish Royal Academy (RAE in Spanish) and YouTube have come together to make the greatest edition of Don Quixote: this time in video, collaboratively made by participants from all over the world who each read one of 2149 fragments.   Víctor García de la Concha, the director of the RAE, opens the invitation to all:
There are already hundreds of Quixote videos uploaded on the site, but there are still more that need to be read and uploaded. By clicking on the “participar” button, you will be given a fragment to read, and a 6 hour deadline to upload the video corresponding to that fragment. If you haven't been able to upload the video by that time, the fragment will be assigned to someone else. Then the video is uploaded, reviewed and if it is accepted it then becomes part of the El Quijote 2.0.  Following, some of the fragments that have already been uploaded:
Javi Goñi, from Spain, reads his fragment of El Quixote from a Braille printout. In it, Don Quixote meets Aldonza Lorenzo and decides that she will be the lady of his thoughts, renaming her Dulcinea del Toboso:
Juan Manuel, from Mota del Cuervo in Spain, reads his fragment standing in front of three windmills. And it isn't surprising that he chose that venue, since the area is described thus on its website:
Porque, también hay que decirlo, Mota del Cuervo es un pueblo tremendamente quijotesco, enclavado en lo más circunstancial de la geografía en la que discurrieron las aventuras y desventuras del inmortal personaje cervantino.
All the way in Villarica, Chile, Héctor Bustos reads the story of the Curious Impertinent; about Anselmo, a suspicious traveler who doubts of his wife's fidelity and his friend Lothario, whom Ansemo convinces to try and seduce her.
But not all people read. Tremolo22 from Argentina sings his fragment:
Menchulica from the Canary Islands doesn't even appear as herself. In accordance with the rest of her videos, she uploads an animation with a distorted voice:
So if you like The Adventures of the Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha and speak Spanish, you can also join in and become part of this worldwide experience.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


text:
Zimbabwe: Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe Support Ministry of Health · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe have released a statement supporting the call by the Ministry of Health to provide condoms to prisoners: “The danger of sexual violence in prisons is extremely increased under conditions of severe overcrowding and malnutrition such as currently prevails in Zimbabwe.Prison culture encourages men to have sex with men if not necessitating it…”


text:
Africa: Ancient African Writing Systems · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Did Africans use any writing systems before foreigners came to the continent?: “The truth of the matter is that ancient Africans were writing and there are several African writing systems even though most of them may be forgotten now…And we cannot forget the Ethiopian script, Ge’ez used in community that speak Amharic, Tigrinya and other Semitic and Cushitic languages. The Mande and Manding speaking people also invented their own writing systems.”


text:
Brazil: Day by Day in a Favela School · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Follow Tia Dag's stories on violence, poverty and drugs, in a school in one of Sao Paulo's favelas, Casa do Zezinho, where she educates children, aiming to prevent them from joining Brazilian criminal gangs.


text:
China: 50 Cent Party Roams on Internet · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Lee Chi-Leung from interlocals.net translated an investigative report written by Chang Lei on the history of government hired online commentators, the so-called 50 Cent Party, in China.


text:
China: Student protested against the removal of Tibetan textbooks · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A student protest took place in Qinghai Tongren at 8am October 19 against the removal of Tibetan textbooks at schools. (Via Twitterer @Iahu and RFA has posted the video to Youtube)


text:
China: Woser’s acceptance speech for the Courage in Journalism Award · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tibetan writer and blogger Woser has been awarded by the International Women's Media Foundation for its Courage in Journalism Award. Since she is under monitored and cannot travel outside the country to receive the award, she posted her acceptance speech in her blog (English version translated by A.E Clark).


text:
Colombia: Government to Return Land to Displaced Peasants  · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

In Realidades Colombianas [es] Valentina Díaz Gómez says that the government's plan to return land to victims of displacement is “the best proposal that Colombians have had in the past 50 years as a republic.”


text:
Cuba: A Taxing Situation  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Iván's File Cabinet notes the level of discontent with the proposed high taxes associated with Cuba's new self-employment regulations.


text:
Cuba: Plea for Dr. Biscet  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The daughter of political prisoner Oscar Biscet pens a letter to President Obama; Blog For Cuba republishes it here, while Uncommon Sense says: “This is the moment for friends of Cuban liberty to speak up and act on behalf of Dr. Biscet and other Cubans imprisoned because of their faith in freedom, democracy and human rights…”


text:
D.R. of Congo: Mobile Phone Light Saves Life of a Mother · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mobile phone light saves life of a mother in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo: “Everyone is healthy in the end, but she was required to undergo a C-section.  Apparently during the operation, the electricity at the hospital went out, and there was somehow no petrol on hand to run the generator.  The surgeons finished the procedure by the light of their mobile phones.”


text:
Egypt: Bad Bad Facebook · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Last week, the daily talk show, Misr El-Naharda (Egypt Today), that is aired on the Egyptian state-run TV channel, Al-Masreya, discussed Facebook and its effect on the Egyptian society.
Zeinobia writes in her blog about the episode, and how the discussions there were mainly tended towards attacking Facebook.
The show became the mockery of the Egyptian blogosphere, as the TV hostess, Mona El Sharkawy, along with the two guests there, Nadia Radwan and Gamal Mukhtar made many misleading – and even funny – statements during the show. The show was recorded and uploaded on YouTube [Ar], and bloggers like Aam Mina published the funniest quotes made there on his blog.
UltimateServ also wrote on Twitter how the hostess made an episode about Facebook, which she has never used before..
After the show, many bloggers started to think that it might have been a move from the government to repel people away from Facebook, in order to block it later on, especially given the recent developments in the Egyptian traditional and social media scene. Even some others started to wonder if the government might create an alternative social networking platform that it can control. Zeinobia wrote more about it in her blog.
Amira Al Tahawi wrote in her blog that an alternative sect-oriented Facebooks already exist in Egypt.
Finally the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology denied all the Facebook-blocking rumours [Ar]. However this didn't stop the ongoing mockery on Twitter for the possibility of having an Egyptian government-made Facebook alternative, and how it might look like [Ar/En].

author: Tarek Amr


text:
Evacuation of The Former “House of West African Students” in Paris  · Global Voices
Anna Gueye

Ménilmuche writes on his blog [fr] about the evacuation of  “La Maison des Étudiants de l’Ouest Africain” [fr]. In 1950 [Colonial period], French West Africa (AOF) purchased this building to house the elected West African representatives. The building became a student dormitory in the 1960's when the countries reached independence. However Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal have lost interest in maintaining the building for years now[fr].

author: Anna Gueye


text:
Guatemala: Revolution Day, ‘Día de la Revolución” · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Antigua Daily Photo shares a photograph of the October 20 holiday in Guatemala, “Día de la Revolución” (Revolution Day). The blogger explains the history behind the holiday.


text:
Haiti: Upcoming Elections · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The November 28th elections are supposed to provide a beacon of hope for Haiti. Unfortunately, flawed and undemocratic elections which exclude large groups of essential Haitian stakeholders will kill this hope”: Wadner Pierre republishes a post about “whether unfair and exclusionary elections would be beneficiary for the country.”


text:
Honduras: National Popular Resistance Front Rejects Invitation to Dialogue with President Lobo · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Honduras News reports that, “The National Front for Popular Resistance (FNRP) [Frente Nacional de  Resistencia Popular] decided yesterday not to accept the invitation for a  dialogue proposed by President Porfirio Lobo Sosa.”


text:
India: Mobile Phones & Security · Global Voices
Rezwan

In India, “nine out of ten women reported feeling safer due to their mobile phones”, informs Priyanka Matanhelia, who is researching on mobile phone usage amongst youth.


text:
Jordan: Are You Spending Too Much Time on Twitter? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Jordan, Rand lists 10 signs which show that you are spending too much time on Twitter.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Jordan: Rules for Elections · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

JanMania proposes five rules for the Jordanian parliamentary elections.


text:
Kuwait: A Gay Following · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Desert Girl on Kuwait wants to know whether she has a gay following.


text:
Kuwait: Police Brutality Caught on Video? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Police brutality has been caught on video around the world. Here's one from Kuwait which was posted on a popular blog and attracted a lot of comments – many attacking the blogger for posting it.
Mark, from 248am, posts the following video:
He writes:
I found this video on YouTube which is supposedly of Kuwaiti policemen beating up some Iranian drug traffickers at the Doha port. The video is very low quality so it’s very difficult to confirm that these are actually Kuwaiti policemen and that this actually happened at the Doha port. The policemen in the video above though are wearing flak jackets that are very similar to the local police. I also have no idea if this video is recent or not.
Tariq comments:
It’s very hard to tell what is what but the big picture here is “POLICE BRUTALITY” is everywhere not only in can check the youtube and you will find its international
Frankom finds the treatment unacceptable and notes:
المفروض يتعاملون وفق القانون
And q80 raises a lot of questions:
1.The video is not clear with low quality.
2. You can’t confirm it is Kuwait police.
3. You can’t confirm it happened in Doha port.
4. You don’t know if it is recent or old.
5. We can’t confirm they are Iranies.
And let us suppose that these are Kuwaiti police beating up Iranians we don’t know the reason for it. Maybe they are traffcing drugs. Maybe they didn’t respond to Kuwaiti orders to surrender and idetify themselves. Maybe they are in Kuwaiti water illegally. Maybe they shoot fire on Kuwaiti police.
Meanwhile instantcravings makes light of a sombre situation:
That cop with the stick.. whatever it is that peeved him off.. i wouldn’t want to do or be anywhere near it !
lighter note….some of the malls would love to have him on their security payroll!
And Bu Yousef asks:
‘If’ this was a drug smuggler, where is the brutality?
Abdulla agrees:
Drug traffickers, that sums it all, to me anything goes with them. What they are trafficking is deadly and ruined countless life’s and families.
You call it brutality, I call it pay back.
But Burhan begs to differ:
Beating drug traffickers is not a way to stop drug trafficking. Its not like you are stopping the people growing the stuff or the guys that are paying them to take the drugs.
Not sure why people think this is a good idea. What’s next? Beat the drug addicts?
No one has yet to force someone to take drugs. Like Chris Rock says, “Drug dealers don’t sell drugs, they offer drugs.” All you have to do is say no.
I guess that’s too hard for people – so now we end up with alleged policemen beaten alleged drug “dealers”.
Mark also came under a lot of heat from his readers for posting the video.
Taz writes:
I’ve always felt that mark likes sharing or bringing bad stuff in Kuwait to the public.. like drunk kuwaiti police dancing that happens to be one in a million and many other stuff that makes us look bad.
And bu ziad advices:
it’s better that you stay away from posts that may cause animosity because of sociopolitical issues. It’s just a friendly advice and surely you are free to write what you wish.
To those, Just replies:
Don’t know who’s actually worse, the police in the video or the people saying this shouldn’t be posted because of cultural sensitivity?


text:
Lebanon: Is Facebook being used to recruit spies? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Lebanon, The Identity Chef Darine Sabbagh finds a link on her Facebook page asking for information on missing Israeli soldiers and notes: “Now honestly, things like these really make you think twice about your online activity and how your online information can be misused and how you can be hunted down and targeted with ads without even recognizing it.”


text:
Mexico: 20-year-old Woman is New Police Chief of Northern Mexican Town · Global Voices
Andrea Arzaba

This post is part of our special coverage Mexico's Drug War.
Her name is Marisol Valles García and she has been called the “bravest woman in Mexico” [es].
Valles García is a 20-year-old married woman studying her last year of Criminology; she is also the new chief of police in Práxedis, Chihuahua. Práxedis is located around 100 kilometers (62 miles) away from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico's most violent city.
But, why was she given this important job? Richard Grabman explained the situation in his blog The Mex Files:
@font-face {   font-family: "Arial"; }@font-face {   font-family: "Times"; }@font-face {   font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }
The only candidate to step forward to command the public security force was Marisol Valles García, a twenty-year old criminology student.  The new sheriff in town (and the youngest police chief in Mexico) oversees a tiny department that at most can provide two shifts of patrol officers per community.
Cristhian García, a 21-year-old Mexican blogger, commented [es] on the subject:
El alcalde de ese municipio, buscaba un Jefe de Policía, y después de repasar a todos los hombres que tenia dentro de la corporación, Marisol se levanto y dijo: “Aquí toda la gente tiene miedo, todos tenemos miedo, pero vamos a cambiar ese miedo por seguridad”
Y para demostrar su valor, ayer Marisol se dejo fotografiar con la cara descubierta, mostrando así que en Mexico aun hay personas valientes que están dispuestas a luchar contra el narcotráfico y el crimen organizado.
The  mayor of this town was looking for a Chief of Police, and after reviewing  all the men inside the corporation, Marisol stood up and said: “Here  everybody is scared, we are all afraid, but let's change that fear to safety”
And  to prove her courage, yesterday Marisol was photographed with her face  uncovered, showing that in Mexico there are still courageous people  willing to fight drug trafficking and organized crime.
An article in the news website La Polaka [es] affirmed that, “none of the men want to be a policeman and much less the police chief, because of the fear to be executed as many others in uniform have been.”
Currently, Mexican citizens and people from all over the world who have heard of Valles García's case have been tweeting about the news: User Adam D. Prince (@rabbitcincouno) from Ohio tweeted:
#HerooftheWeek Award goes to 20 yr old Marisol Valles Garcia, a criminology student that has become Police Chief in Guadalupe, Mexico…
Laura Ruíz (@YoSoyBereNice), from Veracruz, México contributed with her opinion:
Marisol Valles García de 20 años encabeza policía en Chihuahua.-Para que vean quien lleva los pantalones por allá.
Marisol Valles Garcia a 20-year old, becomes the head of the police in Chihuahua. – You see “who wears the pants” over there.
The subject was even discussed on actor Tom Cruise's account, (@TomCruise):
20yr Marisol Valles Garcia is a real-life hero as police chief of Mexico's most violent town. Let's show her support: http://bit.ly/ata0wm
Finally, in the blog Hermosillo at Periodista Digital [es], the case is addressed and Valles García is mentioned as someone her region is proud of:
@font-face {   font-family: "Times"; }@font-face {   font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }
Sin duda alguna una vez más la enaguas de la bella y valiente mujer de Chihuahua pone en alto a su región.
De todas maneras bienvenidos los comentarios ya que ELLA, MARISOL VALLES GARCÍA, así con mayúsculas, fue única que aceptó el cargo.
Without a doubt, once again “the skirts” of one beautiful and courageous woman from Chihuahua give her region a good name.
Anyway, we welcome comments as SHE, MARISOL VALLES GARCÍA, like that in capital letters, was the only one who accepted the job.
This post is part of our special coverage Mexico's Drug War.

author: Andrea Arzaba


text:
Mexico: Poster Child for Child Labor Still Working on the Street · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Burro Hall posted a picture of Jesús, a boy that plays the accordion in the street, next to a newspaper article on child exploitation that shows a picture of him: “[he] is still sitting right outside the Governor's office playing the accordion for money rather than attending school so he can  learn how to read something as basic as a newspaper article on child  labor.”


text:
Pakistan: Ethnic Violence In Karachi · Global Voices
Rezwan

“Karachi continues to be the target of alleged ethnic killings as death toll of such targeted killings has reached an alarming 75 in the past four days,” informs Guppu.com.

author: Rezwan


text:
Pakistan: The Case Of Missing Persons · Global Voices
Rezwan

CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan discuses about the Pakistan’s missing persons, “people who have disappeared under the government label of ‘terrorism suspects’ since the 9/11 attacks.”


text:
Puerto Rico: Once Upon a Time There was a Newspaper · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Iván Chaar-López comments [ES] on the extremely precarious financial situation and the lack of institutional support that have caused the practical elimination of the University of Puerto Rico's monthly paper Diálogo.


text:
Puerto Rico: Pervasive Corruption in the Police Department · Global Voices
César Santiago

On October 6th the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) arrested 133 people in Puerto Rico, including 89 police officers, in what the US Department of Justice called “the biggest police corruption investigation in the history of the FBI”. The police officers were accused of providing protection to local drug dealers. This represents a very serious blow to the already tarnished reputation of Puerto Rico’s police department after very high profile cases of police brutality the past few months. Puerto Ricans are wondering how and why things have fallen so low.
Criminal justice professor Gary Gutiérrez worries in an article for the digital online magazine 80 Grados [ES] about the delegitimization of the authority of the police after these arrests:
Esa deslegitimación del oficial del orden público, justificada o no, puede ser peligrosa pues termina fomentando el espiral de violencia social. Si las instituciones del país, como la Policía, se ven como ilegítimas, los ciudadanos no tienen por que someterse a su autoridad.
Gutiérrez urges his readers to look at this problem of police corruption not as something that exists outside society, but rather as a product of a consumerist society:
Son frutos de una sociedad cuya cultura se basa en acaparar bienes de consumo que se convierten en símbolos del éxito. Esta es una sociedad donde el valor del individuo no radica en su capacidad de producir, ayudar y solidarizarse con el colectivo.
The team of the #EnProfundo[ES] podcast also discussed the possible causes for such widespread police corruption on its 29th episode on October 10th. Twitter user @Martillo20lbs, a military police officer, was a special guest and he voiced his opinion on why the police is so prone to corruption and to the use of unnecessary force.
@Martillo20lbs argued that one of the main causes was politicians promising an increase in the number of police officers as part of their campaign promises. This has resulted in lax and dangerous practices by the police department which is under pressure to recruit whatever artificial number of police officers politicians have set:
…tú pasas ese screening inicial y lo único que tienes que hacer es ir a la academia y graduarte. That’s it. Ese es el problema fundamental en Puerto Rico: que no hacen un debido screening de todos los aplicantes…
@Martillo20lbs states that this lack of screening combined with inadequate training results in a corrupt culture:
…la Policía de Puerto Rico no tiene una cultura en donde tiene unos valores centrales, que es proteger la vida del ser humano y velar por los intereses de la población de Puerto Rico. El policía que llega ahora mismo a la Policía de Puerto Rico llega o porque no tiene dinero o porque salió del caserío y el bichote lo está mandando para la Policía de Puerto Rico para que cuando salga pida el traslado hacia su caserío y continue haciendo lo que estaba haciendo.
Just like Gutiérrez, @Martillo20lbs argues that developing a social conscience is central to changing the culture of corruption.
…el que se metió a la policía de Puerto Rico para renumerar económicamente está mal, porque es un servidor público. Tú tienes que tener un cierto grado de devoción para combatir el crimen.
With a corruption problem that seems to be tied to deep rooted societal ills, Puerto Rico’s police seems to have a long road ahead to rebuild its reputation.

author: César Santiago


text:
Russia: Photos of Kurdish Refugees and Homeless People · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

At PhotoPolygon, photos of ethnic Kurdish refugees from Uzbekistan living in the woods outside Novosibirsk (by user Bender13, via English Russia), and of the homeless people in Blagoveshchensk (by user anikina).


text:
Russia: “Scary Fairy Tales” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

War and Peace comments on Ludmilla Petrushevskaya's Scary Fairy Tales story collection.


text:
Saudi Arabia: Niqab and Freedom · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Alternative Saudi Voices’ Ahmed Bagadoodoffers his perspective on the niqab (face cover worn by some Muslim women) and freedom.


text:
Saudi Arabia: Online Impressions  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Saudi Arabia, The Eternal Philosopher Duha Husseini offers us an insight on “online impressions.” She adds: “I remember a time when 99% of Saudi internet users used aliases, including myself, for fear we might be judged based on what we share online. That has now changed.”


text:
Sri Lanka: Why Women In Politics Always Matters · Global Voices
Rezwan

“The main obstacle to equal political representation of women in political institutions in Sri Lanka is political parties”, comments Chulani Kodikara in a recent interview with Groundviews.


text:
Swaziland: The Swazis who dare to demand democracy · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mathews writes about activists who dare to challenge the King of Swaziland: “The Swazis are losing patience with this conspicuous consumption, however. In August 2008, hundreds of women marched through the streets of Mbabane, the capital, to protest against a shopping trip for nine of the king’s wives to Europe.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Syria: Who Gets Paid $42,000 a Month? · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

Syria, formerly a socialist state, began its economic reform process in late 2003. The official aim was to reintegrate Syria into the global economy, while still preserve welfare for its people under the umbrella of the so-called “Social Market Economy”. The process has lead to a rapid growth of Syria's private sector, but also led to a continuous increase in poverty levels and an exponential income inequality within the private sector.
Abu Fares lashed out on this disturbing trend in a post he called, “The Syrian Private Sector: A Socioeconomic Farce“:
Officially disclosed salaries in the Syrian private sector range from the minimum full-time wage of $125 to $42,000 a month.
…
This is our current state of affairs in a nutshell and 15 years after the government cut the leash and set loose a whimpering private sector in an attempt to help rebuild the dismal economy. What did the rising stars of the Syrian open market and trendy society, the Nouveau Riche and Old Money, the crooks and their offspring, the deserving self-made millionaires and the rarest of them all, the honest entrepreneurs contribute to this country besides sucking it dry of resources, potential and wealth and devastating its environment?
Abu Fares describes several ailments and shortcomings in the private sector, including its complete disregard to social responsibility, the environment and tax evasion.
Ehsani, a Syrian economist based in the US, published a detailed rebuttal of Abu Fares‘ post on Prof. Joshua Landis‘ Syria Comment. In a post titled, “The Sin in Syria is Low Wages“, Ehsani argues that while economic reforms will inevitably leave some people worse off, they are unavoidable and should be pursued even more rapidly by the government. He also proposes that the main problem isn't how much money the better-off could be making, but rather how little money the ones at the bottom are making:
To look at the problem in a different way, we should not be shocked at the bank manager who earns $42,000 a month but the accountant who goes home with only $400 at the end of the month and must face his family.  It is not the Four Seasons hotel and its prices that should dismay us but the fact that Damascus only has one 5-star hotel. Dubai has over 70. Similarly, it is not the $170,000 Beemer that should make us angry but the fact that so many Syrians must still ride “battered micro-buses with 9 sweaty (and stinking) passengers” who live below the poverty line.
His proposals at moving forward revolved around reforming the tax code, and introducing strict controls over tax evasion, and eventually for Syria to make a complete break with its socialist history:
Syria will never put its economic house in order unless it makes a clean break from socialism. Introducing vague German economic terminology and saying that we are now a “social market economy” is not enough. For a country with such limited financial resources, our government has no business being in the business of making shoes, cloths, tires, bottled water, beer and 244 other constantly losing establishments. Every manager in charge of these inefficient businesses sees his job as a license to steal and plunder.
In his reply to the post, Abu Fares recalls a personal story about his own experience in the private sector:
Among my more shameful memories is sitting on a board meeting for a new venture, a huge manufacturing plant in Syria, where the main topic of discussion was the hiring of Indian foremen and supervisors because qualified Syrians would not work for the pathetically low salaries the board members were willing to offer.
The debate included many participants in the comment sections of both articles. Alex, commenting on Ehsani‘s post, says that the Syrian government should listen more, and better, to what its people actually want:
Before we decide to move totally to the right, we need to somehow “ask the Syrian people” how far they want their country to move away from socialism. Proper opinion polls should be conducted instead of relying solely on the opinions of experts (from visiting western bankers, to Baath party representatives in government meetings) who advice decision makers on how and how far to reform.

author: Yazan Badran


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Tragic Accident  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A recent accident in which a car ran over two police officers, killing one and leaving the other in critical condition, prompts bloggers to comment.  Jumbie's Watch says: “Until such time that the laws are actually enforced we will continue to see death and destruction around us”, while Lisa Allen-Agostini is annoyed about two elements of the media coverage and thinks “we should do better.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Ukraine, USA: Kuchma and Clinton · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about the current political situation in Ukraine, the Gongadze case, and ex-president Kuchma's special relationship with ex-president Clinton – here and here.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Venezuela: Nuclear Energy Deal with Russia · Global Voices
Patricia Acosta

Russia and Venezuela have maintained a close commercial relationship since 2005: the South American country has invested over $US 4 billion in Russian armament in the last few years. President Hugo Chavez, who is on a tour throughout Europe and Asia, arrived in Russia (the ninth visit he makes to this country) last October 14 and met with his counterpart Dmitry Medvedev. During their meeting, Chavez and Medvédev signed an “action plan” on different subjects: financial sector, hydrocarbons, armament sales (35 tanks T-72 y T-90), agriculture, telecommunications, transportation, culture and atomic energy.
Hugo Chávez amd Dmitriy Medvedev. Image by flickr user Globovisión, used under an Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license
The expectations generated by his visit were met with a deal to build an atomic facility of 500 megawatts. The building of the site would take about 10 years. Venezuela is the first Latin American country to sign an atomic energy deal with Russia.
Reactions to the announcement started emerging at once. The US State Department’s spokesman in the White House, Philip Crowley said, “This is something that we will watch… very, very closely.”
Twitter user William R. Tellechea (@twiwilliamramon) wrote:
ya los gringos empezaron a chillar porque ahora vamos a usar energia nuclear, respeten, somos un país soberano, socialista, “viva Chavez”
The governor of the state of Miranda, Henrique Capriles Radonski [es] criticized, “They talk about nuclear plants when there are over 3 million children excluded from the school system, 58% of children in primary education do not finish ninth grade and only a 5% finish the diversified cycle. That reality must be changed by all of us, I am an instrument, but without you we cannot change that reality.”
Venezuela is going through the worst electric energy crisis of its history, blackouts are common in the inner country, raising discontent among the population. Twitter user Miguel Angel Nieto (@miguelnieto863) said:
Como puede Venezuela Pasar a la era nuclear sino pudo con la era eléctrica? (Misterios de la Revolución)
The permanent Venezuelan representative at the United Nations, Jorge Valero, ratified [es] “That the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) does not only seek the elimination of nuclear weapons but also the equal access to nuclear technology for civilian purposes, therefore ‘the Venezuelan Government vindicates the sovereign right of all countries to develop their nuclear industry with peaceful ends’.”
Luís Fernando Angosto analyzes the news in the site aporrea.org [es]:
Aparentemente, cuando se trata de llegar a “ser potencia”, no importa si la vía es la socialista o la capitalista: el ansiado fin justifica los medios. Además, está siendo fácil contar con socios en este tipo de empresa; socios bienintencionados y hasta altruistas que trabajan para que las naciones alcancen su independencia. En este caso, Venezuela tiene a Rusia.
Juan Cristobal from the blog Caracas Chronicles presents “5 reasons to not worry about the nuclear ambitions of Hugo Chavez”:
1. This is a government of incompetents. Recession. Inflation. Collapsing infrastructure. Blackouts. Rotting food containers. Abandoned plans for refineries. The Gasoducto del Sur. Need I say more? The man is a megalomaniac, and the Russians play along with the hope of scoring hefty commissions.
2. No time, no money. […]
3. The government has alienated what little human capital it has. […]
4. Our neighbors are not concerned. There has been no reaction from the Colombian government, and no reaction from the Brazilian government. If they are not worried, why should anyone else be?
5. Hugo Chávez has no political capital left. As was demonstrated in the last Parliamentary election, the majority of Venezuelans reject the Chávez administration. If the elections were held today, he would lose. […]
The construction of the nuclear plant is in its preliminary stage and mounting this kind of infrastructure is not easy for a developing country that has many factors against it: A mounting debt that is growing uncontrollably, a National Assembly where the government does not hold a super majority, and a social deterioration reflected in the 30 homicides per weekend, making Caracas one of the most violent cities in the world. President Chavez will have to analyze how feasible it is to materialize his wishes at this time.

author: Patricia Acosta