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Guinea: Three days of post-election violence · Global Voices
Anna Gueye

In the second week of November, Guinea experienced three days of violence resulting in at least seven dead, after the declaration of the results of the presidential elections that have seen tension mounting in the country. After the first round of the elections, which took place on 27th June, the second round, postponed from its original 19th September date took place on 7of November. The ballot result saw long-time opposition leader Alpha Condé (RPG) brought into power with 52.52% of the votes compared with the 47.48% share obtained by Cellou D. Diallo (UFDG).
Photo from the Alpha Condé campaign website
This is not in line with what the first round results led us to believe, reported the news agency, Lejourguinée [fr]:
Cellou Dalein Diallo et Alpha Condé [étaient] accrédités respectivement de 43,69% et 18,25% des voix à l'issue du premier tour tenu le 27 juin.
In the words of Cellou Dallein Diallo’s supporters, could all other ethnic groups in the country have voted against Diallo because he is a candidate of Fulani origin, the largest ethnic group (35%) in the country?
Electoral poster for the Cellou Dalein Diallo campaign
On November 17 the pro-Diallo website Guinée Libre [fr] questioned:
… le nettoyage ethnique dirigé contre les peuls dans les préfectures de Siguiri et de Kouroussa qui a empêché ces derniers de participer au vote dans ces régions.
The African information blog, Survie [fr], after 10th September, hinted that the victory of Alpha Condé was not what Françafrique would want to happen between the two rounds either:
Nous sommes heureux d’apprendre que Claude Guéant, le secrétaire général de l’Elysée, a un favori pour l’élection présidentielle guinéenne. Ex-cadre de la Banque centrale et ancien Premier ministre sous Lansana Conté (décembre 2004-avril 2006), Cellou Dalein Diallo lui a été présenté par Robert Bourgi et il s’est déjà entretenu une dizaine de fois avec lui (selon Jeune Afrique du 1er août 2010).
By choosing Alpha Condé the people of Guinea are once again saying “no” to the influence of the former colonial power, just like in 1958 [fr]. However, this is not an improvement as is evidenced by the violence that ensued on the declaration of the result. On Tuesday 16 November Africaguinée.com [fr] condemned the:
Violences en Guinée: 2 nouveaux morts …
The following day, 17 November, Africaguinée.com reported that a curfew had been imposed by the interim Prime Minister in the Cellou Dalein Diallo’s county in order to restore order to the situation:
Jean-Marie Doré impose le couvre feu dans plusieurs villes du Foutah…
There was still no peace on the 18 November as the website Net-A-Li reported on measures being deployed at national level [fr]:
Le général Sékouba Konaté a instauré mercredi, l’état d’urgence en Guinée, jusqu’à la proclamation des résultats définitifs de l’élection présidentielle. Les affrontements postélectoraux ont installé l’insécurité dans le pays, faisant ainsi 7 morts en trois jours. Cette décision du président Konaté vise à éviter de nouvelles violences dans le pays. Et elle fait suite à celle du premier ministre Jean Marie Doré qui a décrété mardi soir, un couvre-feu.
There have been numerous appeals for peace via various blogs, including one by the President of Senegal on the news website Seneweb [fr]:
Wade s’est entretenu avec Alpha, Cellou et Jean Marie Doré pour ’’une issue rapide à la crise’’
Journalists have also been caught up in the situation. On the Radio-Kakan website it was reported that:
… a le regret d’informer la population guinéenne que plusieurs de ses membres ont été inquiétés par des groupes d’individus qui ont menacés leurs journalistes, molestés et blessés certains d’entre eux, et cherchés à détruire leurs installations.
La plupart des radios sont passées au service minimum, car les journalistes et les animateurs ne peuvent se déplacer librement de peur d’être attaqués.
….it regrets to inform the Guinean population that several of its members are concerned at the groups of people who have threatened their journalists, beaten and injured them and also attempted to damage their equipment.
Most radio stations are broadcasting a minimal service as journalists and presenters are unable to move around freely for fear of being attacked.
On the evening of Thursday 18, after three days of violence throughout the country, Aminata.com reported an improvement in the situation:
Via the few Twitter accounts, one can receive news regarding the situation in the capital on an hourly basis. On the evening of Thursday 18 @willoxh [fr] noted that the situation was gradually calming down:
Kaporo: Bon, 18h23… ça commence à tirer (pour faire rentrer les gens chez eux) #guinee
Conakry: Lycée Albert Camus – Reprise des cours le 22/11 (sauf contre ordre) #guinee
Conakry: Air France reprogramme ses vols dès demain, avec des arrivées à Conakry prévues les samedi, lundi, mardi et jeudi à 07h30 #guinee
Conakry: Air France is restarting its flights from tomorrow with arrivals scheduled for Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30am #guinea
On the evening of Friday 19 it was noted [fr] that the curfew was being respected:
Kaporo: pas un seul tir depuis 18h00 (début du couvre feu) :o))

author: Anna Gueye


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Haiti: Election Day  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Today, Haiti goes to the polls in an election that has been fraught with controversy and affected by the ongoing cholera epidemic.  With the country's most popular political party being barred from contesting, some bloggers can't help but feel that today's process is really more of a “selection” than an election.
In the days leading up to today's polls, bloggers were praying for a peaceful election process, with HAITI, Land of Freedom reporting that churches were holding prayer vigils “on the eve on undemocratic elections”:
When Haitians refuse to swallow undemocratic elections and demonstrate in the street to demand that democratic elections, the mainstream media in the US, Europe, Haiti, Canada and so, portray them as rioters. The ironic thing is, these media refuse to agree that Haitian people are people of faith…and when the uncertainties come on the way, they use different tools like pacific protestations, religious, including Vodou ceremonies to pray their God to ask for direction.
It must be noticed, churches holding prayers prior to the elections are a new form for people to say ‘God we don’t know where we are going. We don’t know what to do. Please, help us.’ That was why the first time many churches whether Protestant of Catholic holding special prayers for elections. It is obvious that the Nov. 28 elections are bias and fraudulent –if they are not, perhaps, only the CEP, Haitian government and UN can see it.
Indeed, scepticism is high over the transparency of the entire process, leading to speculation over whether the situation has the potential to erupt into violence.  Dying in Haiti writes:
This is Saturday and things are quiet in Port-au-Prince.
Almost too quiet.
A Haitian Hearts patient braved her way across the capital this morning to pick up her heart medications. She said there is little traffic, no road blocks, and not near as many people in the streets as a usual Saturday. She was clearly nervous and wanted to get back on the streets to get home.
I am at a guest house several miles from Cite Soleil.
When I asked our cook today if she was going to vote tomorrow, she smiled and shook her head no. She said there would be ‘trop dezod’, which means she thinks there will be too much violence in the streets tomorrow.
A 31 year old chauffer from the Fontamara zone of Port-au-Prince told me today that he would not vote either because it is dangerous to vote and he is simply not interested.
Bloggers, however, are very interested in monitoring the situation and judging from this post by Haiti Libre, the process has not been going smoothly:
Several polling stations began opening in cities with almost an hour late.
Around 7:00am, only 20 people were waiting in front of a polling station in Cap-Haitien.
A Delmas 32, representatives of Martelly were prohibited from entering in the polling station.
At Petionville at the polling stations located in the Ecole Saint-Francois-Xavier there is no voter for now.
Cayes Jacmel: Polling station of the Ecole Mercier supporters of political parties prevent voters from voting . Still at Les Cayes the polling station of lycée Philippe Guerrier does not work. There are 5 representatives per polling station, there are political parties which did not have representatives in the offices.
7:00am : Fort-Liberte – Externa St-Joseph an hour after opening, observers arrive finally reach the voting center, 1 hour later…
In Desdunes – Ecole Pelerin de Bethesda, tires are burning in front of the polling station.
Le Coin de Pierre [FR] links to a website that is streaming information and regular updates on the elections.  Netizens have also been expressing their thoughts about the elections at this (apparently) government-run site [FR].  At this point, though, the final outcome is impossible to predict.
Twitter is a good way to keep track of developments, though, under the hashtag #haitielections:
@wvisionhaiti: #HaitiElections. President Rene Preval just cast his ballot and is now answering questions from local and international journalists
@ThirdWorldGirl: RT @gaetantguevara: I think we can have violen in corail poeple want to vote but they not in list #haitielections http://yfrog.com/jain50j
@RAMHaiti has also been quite vocal, especially when it comes to the issue of governance:
Haiti radio says MINUSTAH helping GOVT party INITE with fraud. INITE filling voting urns at Lycee Petion #Haiti #Elections
Nice to see Haitian Television on the streets exposing fraud #Election
The Haitian people are voting for change. The Haitian GOVT is doing all it can for continuity #OpposingForces @MC4Haiti2015
People are taking to the streets to object to the #StateSponsoredFraud #Haiti #Election
MINUSTAH and the UN have to distance themselves from the #StateSponsoredFraud #Haiti The Haitian People are watching and vigilant
Haitian journalist @carelpedre‘s tweets have also been interesting:
The majority of polling stations have no materials. All over the country. Voting should start 2 hours ago. #elections. #haiti
As I just said on CBC: we are used to that. It's not a surprise. That's why we gonna vote anyway, anyhow!! Change is coming to Haiti.
Today's word is MAGOUY. If u don't speak “Haitian creole” take it as INITE (Preval politic platform)
“Maguoy” is the Haitian Creole word for “fraud”.  Diaspora blogger From New York City to Haiti sums it up this way:
A lot of the people are asking to postpone or boycott the upcoming elections. BIG mistake! On the contrary we as a nation should try to get rid of Preval’s government as swiftly as possible AND make sure that Preval’s Mini-Me Jude (TiJid) Celestin does not win the election. I have been ambivalent about Preval ever since he came to power. To me, he was there with his big lethargic government, not doing anything to move the country forward but not doing anything period.
The government is now non-existent; all the decisions are being made by the NGOs that mostly know nothing of Haiti’s background and social history. Presently more than a thousand Haitian people have died from cholera.  People should not die of cholera! Preval’s government should not only be accused of negligence but homicidal negligence. Yet his arrogance astounds me, instead of sharpening his Samurai sword for his last act of dignity, he is asking the population to vote for stability and continuity. This comedy is too much to handle, the actors are not even trying to play the part. So as election day arrives, go out and vote, go vote in flocks…we need to put this shameful, embarrassing, pitiful, disgraceful and denigrating chapter in every Haitian’s life behind us.
Global Voices will continue to monitor developments. See our Liveblog of citizen media on the Haitian elections.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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India: Barkha Dutt And The Radia Tapes Controversy · Global Voices
Rezwan

Retributions blog writes about the recent controversy surrounding celebrity Indian TV anchor Barkha Dutt.

author: Rezwan


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Iraq: A Kidnapped Uncle  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi Sunshine shares the ordeal of her kidnapped uncle in this post. Find out if the kidnappers took the ransom and released her uncle.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Iraq: A Visit to Sumawah · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

IraqiDentist shares with us snippets of his visit to Sumawah here.


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Iraq: Connecting the Dots · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraq, Lebanon and South Africa. What have they all got in common? IraqPundit connects the dots in this post.


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Iraq: Depressing Reading Material  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Going daily through material related to post liberated Iraq leaves me hopeless, enraged, traumatized, gasping in horror at the extent of the hideous, heinous, grotesque acts that have been committed and are still committed in the name of Freedom,” writes Iraqi blogger Layla Anwar.


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Iraq: Who is Killing the Christians? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi Layla Anwar points fingers at who could be behind the massacre of Christians in Iraq.


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Israel: At the Police Station · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

David, from Israelity, shares his experience at a police station.


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Israel: HajAhalin Tribe Speaks Out · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

JoeSettler, at The Muqata, blogs about an interview with Sheikh Ahmed Abu-Mashhur, head of the 140,000 strong HajAhalin tribe, scattered across Palestine, Jordan and Israel.


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Lebanon: Remembering the Armenian Genocide · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

Adon posts (Ar) that the demonstration which took place to protest the visit of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Lebanon last week, should have included all of the Lebanese and not only Armenians. He asserts that the demand to recognize the Armenian Genocide or any other genocide should not be an ethnic but a humanistic demand.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Liveblog: Citizen Media on Haiti Elections 2010 · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Today (November 28, 2010), Haiti goes to the polls in an election that has been fraught with controversy and affected by the ongoing cholera epidemic. We're curating tweets and other citizen media about the events.
—
6:20pm EST
GlobalVoices: Signing off our Haitian Elections liveblog – keep watching these pages for further coverage. Thanks for following us today!
6:15pm EST
GlobalVoices: From Twitter, two views on presidential candidate—and popular singer—Micky Martelly, who earlier this evening led a march along with fellow candidate Charles-Henri Baker and Wyclef Jean: @carelpedre: “We never liked Preval. The last president we liked was Aristide. Now the people choose Martelly.”; @melindayiti: “People saying Martelly is president, as though #Haiti was just a crowd in the streets of Port-au-Prince. What about the rest of the country?”.
5:54pm EST
GlobalVoices: From Twitter: @metropolishaiti (FR) reports that a “monster” demonstration in favour of Micky Martelly is taking place in the northern city of Cap Haitien; @tanou80 “Huge crowd in front of Epi Dor [fast food joint in Pétion-ville], Micky walking inside the crowd! People are cheering! OMG never seen this!”.
5:42pm EST
GlobalVoices: What we're hearing on Twitter: @jacquiecharles – “Protests in cap-haitien, grand rievere and Gonaives”; @ViveHaiti: A lot of agitation at the CEP, people gathering, police preparing tear gas, MINUSTAH multiplying (translated by @melindayiti); @metropolishaiti (Haitian radio station) reports (FR) that there's a demonstration taking place in front of the National Palace and the situation is becoming increasingly volatile.
5:24pm EST
GlobalVoices: What we're hearing on Twitter: @melindayiti: “In Jacmel [city on the south coast] tires are burning in the streets. An angry mob is now marching to the police station.”
5:17pm EST
GlobalVoices: What we're hearing on Twitter: UN security helicopter circling over the demonstrations. Image by @melindayiti
4:54pm EST
GlobalVoices: After a break, another quick summary of what we're hearing on Twitter: Official close of the polls in Haiti was 4pm EST (about 50 mins ago now); demonstrations taking place in front of CEP's (electoral commission) headquarters, with heavy UN security; growing protests in Gonaives; candidates Michel Martelly and Charles-Henri Baker, along with Wyclef Jean, at the centre of large gathering in Delmas.
3:28pm EST
GlobalVoices: A quick summary of what we're hearing on Twitter: Polling station in Saint Raphael (in north of country between Cap Haitien and Hinche) possibly burned; Wyclef Jean has joined fellow performing artist and presidential candidate Mickey Martelly at demonstration in the streets on Pétion-ville.
3:06pm EST
GlobalVoices: Another quick summary of what we're hearing on Twitter about the Haiti election: Haitians are mobilising for a demonstration; @melindayiti reports that “more UN troop carriers than we could count, guns out, headed to demo” in Pétion-ville.
2:53pm EST
GlobalVoices: So, to summarise a bit: 12 candidates called for the elections to be cancelled on account of allegations of widespread fraud; the CEP, Haiti's election commission, has refused to comply; another press conference to announce the international community's position on the cancellation question soon to take place.

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Pakistan: Aasia and Aafia – The Tale Of Two Pakistani Women · Global Voices
Sana Jamal

At a time when the whole world is deeply shaken and concerned over Aasia Bibi’s death sentence on charges of blasphemy, Pakistanis are equally taken aback by this controversial case. It  reminds the nation of Dr. Aafia and both the cases are being compared by the citizens as well as the Pakistani media. As both negate the concepts of equality and justice.
Reportedly several Pakistanis find themselves equally concerned over the case of Aasia Bibi (a Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy) the same way as they are distressed over the detention of Aafia Siddiqui (imprisoned for 86 years in USA jail). But it is unfortunate to note that the message of hatred is always spread across the world at a rapid rate than the message of harmony.
As Harris Khalique writes in his column
“Today, Pakistani Muslims who live in an insecure state and a fragmented society, oscillate between two ends – Aafia Siddiqui and Aasia Bibi. It is hugely difficult to have an objective assessment of Aafia Siddiqui’s case in public. How many politicians or opinion leaders have the courage to step out, when everyone is asking for her release by US authorities.”
I wrote earlier in Pakistan Observer on this issue:
Aasia Bibi, 45, a mother of five, a Pakistani Christian, was arrested for blasphemy. She has been in prison for one and a half years and on November 8, 2010, a local court sentenced to hang for defaming Prophet Mohammad under blasphemy laws.
In a report delivered to President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday, Federal Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti recommended that Aasia Bibi, be pardoned or released from prison if her pending court appeal is not quickly addressed. The Minister has also suggested amendments to the nation's controversial blasphemy law.
The report followed calls for clemency by Pope Benedict XVI, human rights groups, newspapers and the governor of the province where Bibi was convicted, becoming the first woman condemned to hanging for blasphemy.
While rationally comparing the case of Aasia Bibi with the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, one may find it totally different from the other but several Pakistani citizens and human rights activists believe that the two cases are no different as both deals with inequality, injustice and unfair rules of the societies.
Ahmed Quraishi, a public policy writer commented,
“Aasia Bibi is our sister and needs our help against a fake case. But the champions of her case must be Muslim scholars who know how tolerant and open-minded Islam is truly.”
He also pointed fingers towards the state’s silence and of many government officials who want to abolish the blasphemy law now but they never uttered a word against the injustice done to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.
According to Express Tribune Editorial,
“Minorities are increasingly under pressure from the mischief of this deeply-flawed law and there is no one who would agitate the way some of us are agitating for the release of Aafia Siddiqi from an American jail.”
Farrukh Khan Pitafi writes in Daily Times
“Let me also remind you that I am one of the few liberal writers who called Dr Aafia Siddiqui the daughter of this nation. How on earth do you even begin to think that Aasia Bibi is not?”
Pressure mounts on President Asif Ali Zardari to weigh in on the fate of a Christian woman recently sentenced to death for blasphemy as the case has drawn the attention of the international community and has sparked street protests in the country.
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have been condemned globally from the time it was formulated. Pope Benedict XVI last week called for Bibi’s release and said Christians in Pakistan were “often victims of violence and discrimination.”
Comments of several Pakistanis condemning the blasphemy law and supporting Aasia just like Aafia proves the rational thinking of Pakistanis.
Condemning the extreme blasphemy law, Farrukh writes that,
“First, any such law where the state expresses partiality towards any faith is counterproductive for democracy and human rights. Second, I implore all those who contend that it is an Islamic law to first show us the grounds for it in the Holy Quran. If they cannot, they need to realise that it is counterproductive to the spirit and interest of Islam too. Last, as long as there is a blasphemy law, it will keep polarising society and thereby creating new grounds for the abuse of the law.”
What we need to realize is that “humanity is above all laws” and the nations who do not respect humanity are forced to face severe consequences.
As Mahtab bashir, a Pakistani journalist points out in his post titled ‘Aasia Bibi, Blasphemy and Chief Justice’
“The social attitudes, prejudiced laws and intolerant world views that breed in our society need to be thrown into the rubbish tip of history. The Blasphemy Law must be repealed. Pakistanis must be made to realise that religious zeal that condones murder and indifference towards the faith and beliefs of others will relegate us to the Dark Ages if we do not reverse these terrifying trends.”
Many Pakistanis also believe that the blasphemy law is not genuinely in accordance with Islamic values and teachings as the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the foremost advocate of tolerance, justice and equality.
As Ayesha Siddiqa reminds us in her column titled “Sacrifice at the altar of pragmatism”
“The fact of the matter is that bigotry and intolerance has sunk into our society and state institutions. At the end of the day, this is not about religion but about using religion to gain greater power to molest the powerless. We have long forgotten the tradition of the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) who showed tolerance and mercy towards a non-Muslim woman known for throwing garbage at him. The story is that he went to inquire after her health when she didn’t show up to do her usual act. Sadly, we are incapable of applying such tolerance because our scholars, leaders, thinkers and judges are blinded by political pragmatism and lust for power.”

author: Sana Jamal


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Pakistan: ISI Presence In Blogosphere Exposed · Global Voices
Rezwan

In an investigative article Pakistani blog Cafe Pyala exposes Pakistani Intelligence Service's (ISI) investment in the nation's blogosphere.


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Palestine: Views on the New NATO Strategy · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian-American Mazin Qumsiyeh shares his views on the new NATO strategy adopted recently at Mideast Youth.


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Palestine/Israel: What will you be thankful for in 2018? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“What will you be thankful for in 2018?” asks the OneVoice blog, an international grassroots movement that amplifies the voice of mainstream Israelis and Palestinians, empowering them to propel their elected representatives toward a two-state solution.


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Africa: Glasses for Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

afroklectic blogs about ‘Glasses for Africa” initiative: “Nyt Syn collected optical frames from more than 70, 000 people across Denmark. With 6 optometrists (opticians) and a nurse, they travelled to areas in Gambia and Senegal to perform eye tests and fit people with much needed glasses.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Africa: The Africa They Never Show You · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The Africa They Never show You is a Face Book group with over 210,000 members. It goes by this description – ”You’ve seen the images on tv about africa: the huts, the famine, disease, wars and suffering but they never show you that Africa is beautiful, has happy people and that not every part and person in Africa is poor…..”.


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Africa: The Black Dutchmen of Indonesia · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Do you know the Black Dutchmen of Indonesia?: “The Black Dutchmen are the desendents of 3,000 West African men who were sent by the Dutch colonialist to fight in their colonial war in Indonesia. Black men forced to the other side of the world to fight a white man’s war against another group of black men.”


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Australia Waking to Cancún · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

In the lead up to Cancún (the  COP16  meeting of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol) online discussion in Australia has finally spiked.
Oxfam Australia’s Andrew Hewett posted at the ABC’s Unleashed. He used his experiences in Bangladesh to highlight the urgency of addressing the needs of developing countries.
One of the major sticking points at Copenhagen was the need to secure finance for adaptation. In other words, the assistance needed for poor people in developing countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change they are already experiencing.
…The people of Bangladesh are resourceful and resilient yet they, and millions of others in the developing world, cannot afford global action on climate change to be delayed any longer.
Action must prevail in Cancún
Regular political blogger Duckpond made a plea to overcome our “dysfunctional polity”:
Do we do nothing and just wait for the planet to crash and burn, because as human beings we cannot use our collective cerebral capacities, which we as a species proudly claim make us to superior to other beings on this Earth? Such a claim sees us outside the natural system on which we like them are dependent and interdependent. Why is it that the leaders of nation states are so pathetic?
CLIMATE CHANGE: LET’S DO NOTHING?
Former Australian Democrats Senator and recent Greens candidate, Andrew Bartlett, writes for Asian Correspondent. He hopes that the threatened future of one of our national icons might re-invigorate climate action:
With the future of the Great Barrier Reef at stake, which is not only an environmental wonder but directly generates tens of thousands of tourism industry jobs and export income, public support for stronger action on climate change is likely to grow once again, assuming there is strong enough political leadership this time around.
CO2 levels threaten Great Barrier Reef
Crikey’s blog for environmental campaigners is focusing on Cancún. Rooted will feature some of the bloggers I have posted about previously:
The Cancún climate change conference kicks off today and we have a variety of people blogging from there, including Phillip Ireland from Adopt-a-negotiator and Ellen Sandell from the Youth Climate Coalition. But first up, check out this article extract from Giles Parkison over at Climate Spectator, who’ll be blogging the event from the swim-up bars at the Moon Palace resort.
Cancún Calling: No international accord likely, but good swim-up bar prospects
Meanwhile the media have become the story yet again. Andrew Dodd reports at Crikey’s website about media coverage of climate change:
A former senior News Limited journalist has described trying to write about human-induced climate change at The Australian newspaper as “torture” and has blamed the editor-in-chief for limiting coverage on the topic because he has “taken a political view”.
It has a further dimension, with implications for tweeting as well as the role of mainstream media in controlling the debate:
Her comments were quickly reported on Twitter, prompting editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell to threaten legal action against the author of the tweets and anyone else who published the “lie”.
The ‘torture’ of writing about climate change at The Oz
Greg Jericho of Grog's Gamut was an anonymous blogger until outed by the very same newspaper. His view on this David and Goliath tussle : “I think the entire thing is utterly silly.” His full post examines the implications of this more seriously: Surely you can’t be serous? Part Two – Posetti et al
I’ll keep an eye on MSM reporting of Cancún over the next fortnight as well as the Oz blogosphere. Let’s hope things hot up.

author: Kevin Rennie


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Bahamas: Power & Race  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“There is a core lack of confidence in the ability—or is it the right?—of Bahamians to take control of our own destiny”: Blogworld considers the merit of a thesis “on Blackness & The Presumptions of Ultimate Power.”


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Barbados: Independence Celebrations  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Tomorrow will be Barbados’ 44th anniversary of Independence – My Barbados Blog reports.


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Bermuda: Wikileaks Fallout  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Vexed Bermoothes thinks that the fallout from the latest Wikileaks revelations “will be deep and broad”, adding: “Interestingly, 68 of the cables mention Bermuda…one can assume that at least some of these relate to Dr. Brown’s Uighur follies.”


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Bolivia: Similarities Between El Alto and Rio de Janeiro · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Carlos Gustavo Machicado [es] writes about the recent wave of violence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, noting the similarities between Rio de Janeiro and El Alto in La Paz, Bolivia. He concludes that the best way to prevent violence in Bolivia is by fighting poverty.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Brazil: Cartoons of slum violence · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Conceição Oliveira, at her blog Maria Frô, posts [pt] a series of cartoons by renowned Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, which depict the recent outbreak of violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


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Brazil: Letter from the Digital Culture Forum for internet freedom · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Antônio Arles, from Arlesophia blog, reproduces [pt] the Letter  from the Digital Culture Forum for internet freedom, created by many cyberactivists during the Digital Culture Forum that took place in São Paulo this month. The manifesto defends freedom in the internet and takes a stand against the censorship bills proposed by legislators.


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Brazil: Milo Manara, master of erotic comics, visits Brazil · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Fausto Salvadori, from blog Boteco Sujo [Dirty Bar, pt], writes about the famous Italian artist Milo Manara‘s visit to Brazil. Manara, a master of erotic comics, was in São Paulo and gave an interview to journalists and fans.


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Brazil: Three proposals to ease Rio chaos · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Bruno Cava, writing for the Amálgama blog, analyzes [pt] the current wave of violence in Rio de Janeiro's slums, and proposes three possible solutions:  new policies for development and urbanization of poor areas, democratization of the  criminal justice system and decriminalization of all illicit drugs.


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Cambodia: Lessons from the Water Festival stampede · Global Voices
Sopheap Chak

During this time of the year in previous years, Cambodians were sharing holiday stories and how they happily participated in the Water Festival celebrations. But not today. Cambodians are still mourning the death of 347 people in the stampede tragedy which happened last week at Koh Pich Bridge.
Mainstream media channels and even online social network tools have been used to send news updates, to call for support, and to express condolence to families of the victims. Top government officials, civil society organizations, youth networks and individuals joined together and launched numerous initiatives to help those who are recovering in the hospitals and to support the victims’ family members.
While there were controversial issues like how government should be accountable for its failure to protect and ensure the people's safety, a number of individuals consider the tragedy as an opportunity to learn rather than focus on blame finding.
A Cambodian facebook user, Sreng Sopheap, from Ratanakiri, northeastern part of Cambodia says:
It is not to look for someone to blame but to find ways to heal the internal broken heart. A lesson to be learnt, but should not be blamed…
Another facebooker, Samsokrith Chhaly, identified as an active volunteer member of the organizing committee of the 2010 Barcamp Phnom Penh, urges the public to think of those who died during the Water Festival as heroes:
Let's not think of them as “unfortunate victims”… but think of them as “accidental heroes.” Their death give us priceless lesson…
This incident should be an adequate reason for the government to establish an effective risk management system in the country. A number of online users raised good suggestions.
Sophary Noy, a human rights worker, lists her recommendations through her facebook:
With death toll of innocent ppl @KohPich during dis festival, de gov't shld provide more protective arrangements such as install 1st aid booth in every 200-300m distance & reserve clear line 4 ambulance route. Any death is costly & a waste 4 de nation. With adaptation & correction, we can avoid unnecessary death by de next 5yrs. Bit by bit we can change de culture of blaming & re-activate our culture of responsibility
Similarly, Norbert Klein, founder of The Mirror, also offered some suggestions and reminders to the government on disaster management:
Sad for what happened with 339 persons accounted to be dead (and probably more to be added), and concern whether this will lead to sharp analysis of the reasons – and that it may lead to fundamental changes on how to plan safety. Safety for big crowds, but also for the many new high rise buildings going up, where the fire-fighting forces cannot reach with present equipment much higher than their ladders.
In an interview with Radio Free Asia, tourism expert Ouk Vanna cited the lack of professionalism in public event management and the lack of risk management system in Cambodia.
[…] ការរៀបគម្រោងមេ ដើម្បីការពារហានិភ័យឲ្យបានខ្ពស់បំផុត  គួរអនុលោមតាមនិយាមអន្តជាតិ  ដូចជាសិក្សាភាពហានិភ័យលើទីតាំងឲ្យបានសុក្រឹត  រៀបចំកម្លាំងការពារសង្គ្រោះឲ្យសមាមាត្រទៅនឹងចំនួនមនុស្សដើរ កម្សាន្ត ឬចំនួនអ្នកទេសចរ  ហ្វឹកហ្វឺនជំនាញបច្ចេកទេសដល់កម្លាំងសន្តិសុខលើផ្នែកនីមួយៗ  និងរៀបចំក្រុមបម្រុងដើម្បីបង្ការ  និងសង្គ្រោះពេលមានហានិភ័យដែលអាចកើតឡើងជាយថាហេតុនៅនឹងកន្លែង  រៀបចំស្លាកសញ្ញាបង្ហាញផ្លូវថ្មើរជើង  ត្រួតពិនិត្យចរន្តមនុស្សជាប្រចាំតាំងពីដើមដល់ចប់កម្មវិធី។[…]
Though the government, with support from mainstream media, was quick to act and help the victims and their family members by shouldering the cost of hospitalization, transportation of dead bodies, and mourning ceremony, there are still reports of extortion from public officials who are assisting the victims. There is also a visible lack of health infrastructure to accommodate such huge inflow of victims at the same time. Obviously, there are still  questions about government responsibility, fund management to directly benefit the victims, and disaster management reforms.

author: Sopheap Chak


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China: Wikileaks on Google hacking incident · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Wikileaks began on Sunday November 28th publishing 251,287 leaked United States embassy cables. It cited a cable from the US embassy in Beijing, which mentioned information from “a Chinese contact” that the Chinese government was behind the Google hacking incident. Meanwhile, China's Propaganda Department has directed all domestic media outlets to stop reporting WikiLeaks contents.(via @melissakchan)

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: 97% Of Chinese Want To Live In The U.S? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Dan from China Law Blog invites readers to comment on the Globalist's latest article entitled, The American Dream Is Alive and Well…In China, which asserted that “if U.S. immigration policies allowed it, 97% of the Chinese people would probably want to move to the United States.”


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East Timor: Rains threaten food shortage and disease · Global Voices
Janet Gunter

This year East Timor has not experienced a normal dry season. Much of the country has had rain all year, apparently a result of “La Niña” (related to the “El Niño” weather phenomenon). The capital Dili has repeatedly flash flooded. Local news outlets have reported both crops destroyed by rains, and even more worryingly that farmers have not planted this year in many places, as they are not used to preparing fields in the rain.
Farmer shows a spoiled rice crop. Photo used on CC license by Flickr user United Nations Photo
East Timor at the best of times is a net food importer, not able to produce surpluses to support city dwellers, and with a “hungry season” between crops. But this year, the situation is quite dire.
Mercy Corps aid worker Jim Jarvie explains
Normally, families prepare for up to two months of limited food in January and February between harvests, but this year the exceptional weather has meant they have already been suffering from lack of food for several months, with the next harvest still four months away if they are lucky. […]
To exacerbate the problem, the roads that link these vulnerable communities with the capital city, Dili, are crumbling down the steep slopes as excessive water slides the roads. sometimes down hundreds of feet, into gullies. There is little to no support for these weakening families in increasing isolation. And they have little voice.
Blogger The Dili Insider provides a simple photographic reminder that for the past years in this season, East Timor has found itself in this situation, waiting for ships with imported rice to arrive.
Since 2006, the government has been importing and subsidizing rice. In previous years, there have been scandals related to these rice contracts (see Global Voices’ 2009 coverage of “The Ricegate scandal”). It is not clear how much of the imported rice has ever reached these isolated rural communities with food deficits – most appears to have gone to town and city dwellers.
And given the serious situation facing Timorese farmers, the issue of food imports and access to imported food has taken center stage once again.
Opposition blogger Tatoli continues to criticize the ruling coalition [Tet] on its rice importation policy:
Maibé foos mak tama iha Timor-Leste tonelada ba tonelada mós Povu Timor-Leste barak mak la hetan foos ne'e nia oin. Povu Timor-Leste kiak tiha ona, foos mós folin karun tan fila fali, enkuantu Sr. Germano da Silva Lobato (ministra Lucia Lobato nia la'en) sa'e karreta Hummer bá-mai hodi soe rai-rahun ba Povu ki'ik-kiak.
Economist blogger Professor Almeida Serra believes that inflation in recent months is linked to the availability of subsidized, imported rice. He wrote in late October [pt]
Para a subida da taxa de inflação terá contribuído, nomeadamente, o quase desaparecimento do mercado do “arroz do MTCI”, subsidiado, sendo substituido por arroz importado comercialmente. Por exemplo, a taxa homóloga de inflação dos “cereais, raízes e seus produtos” — onde se inclui o arroz e que representa 13,1% do cabaz do IPC — foi, nos meses de Junho a Setembro, respectivamente de 14,1%, 16%, 11,1% e 11,3%.
Bloggers report changes in the government's approach to rice. Lita at “Notisia Negosio” (Business News) writes [Tet]
Iha fulan Outubru 2010 MTCI sei hamenus intervensaun foos iha merkado, tamba fo hikas ona k’nar ba empresarios sira hodi nune’e MTCI sei hare deit ba assuntos emergencia no sei atende deit iha fatin nebe’e deficil acesso ba mercado ( areas remotas ou rurais)
One thing is clear: there will be little margin of error in food supply in East Timor over the coming months.
Mosquito-borne illness
Another potential impact of the rain is an increase in diseases transmitted by mosquitoes like malaria and dengue. The local media reported an upsurge in children being hospitalized in the month of October [Tet], with both patients and hospital officials citing the unceasing rains as a possible factor.
The World Health Organization's regional tracking of dengue revealed that as of September in East Timor, more than two times as many cases had been reported than in all of the previous year. Their briefing states:
The exact reason for the apparent upsurge in reported cases in different countries is not completely clear, but weather patterns, especially relative increases in rainfall are very likely to be an important feature.
The Timorese Ministry of Health has set up a team called Kondemal to “look at the extraordinary prevalence [of disease] or outbreaks that can happen in the rainy season”. The Ministry announces on its blog [Tet]
Ekipa Kondemal sei foti asaun seriu ba kazu extraordinaria nebe mosu iha tenpu udan. Liu husi servisu konjunta entre Ministeriu Saúde liu husi Saúde Distrito, Ho autoridades local hodi hatun no halakon moras ne’e liu husi atendementu hanesan Fogin (Rega susuk), Abatisasi no intervensaun seluk mak hanesan liu husi atendementu SISCA ne’ebé hato’o husi  Meja  4.
Robin Taudevin's 2006 photos of malaria and dengue patients at Bairro Pite Clinic are a dramatic reminder of what an impact these diseases have, particularly on children.

author: Janet Gunter


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El Salvador: New Law Targets Violence Against Women · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“On Thursday, November 25, El Salvador's National Assembly unanimously passed the Law for A Life Free From Violence for Women. For the first time, the law creates a separate crime of femicide for the murder of a woman on account of her gender. The law also imposes stiffer penalties on a wide variety of crimes of sexual assault and abuse of women.” Tim's El Salvador Blog


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Ghana: Ghana’s “Luck”: The Oil/Gas Co-Efficient · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

As Ghana is set production of oil next month, Ghanaian blogger Jemila is highly skeptical about its potential for growing Ghana's economy: “Until now, I've kept pretty mum about the issue, but given that the first production of oil is set to start next month – in a couple of days – I think it's time to break the silence.”


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Haiti: Election Results?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“So the big election day in Haiti happened. However, the whole process seemed horribly dysfunctional to me. How many voters were left out just due to logistics? And what about fraud and intimidation?”: Dying in Haiti is convinced that “the results of the election, whenever they will be determined, will not be the result of robust methods.”


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Jordan: Wikileaks’ “Cablegate” Raises Questions · Global Voices
Betsy Fisher

United States Embassy in Amman, Jordan – by amerune on Flickr (CC-BY)
The recent Wikileaks release, known as “Cablegate,” featured several quotations from Jordanian officials, as well as large numbers of cables from the U.S. Embassy in Amman.  Jordanian tweeters had varied initial reactions to the latest leak from the whistle-blower site.
YanalJo wrote:
Shocking: The American Embassy at Amman is the 5th largest supplier of classified #cablegate info to the united states #JO #wikileaks
RJundi reacted in similar disbelief:
This is out of control! wikileaks info regarding #Jordan #Jo #wikileakshttp://bit.ly/eMGcl8http://bit.ly/g8kJXN http://bit.ly/eKgzpR
He continued:
Am i wrong in questioning the credibility of #wikileaks ? I feel it is too convenient. Are we biting prematurely? #Jordan #Jo #
Feras Rayyan, in contrast, wrote:
ok..#cablegate is SHOCKING, but im not really shocked nor surprised by what im reading. none of it is news in the #mideast #middleeast #jo
Jaffy Shami reacted in a series of tweets:
Shame on online jordanian media, for not jumping on the #wikileaks story. Am I really more interested on who is the deputy in the parliament
He followed:
#jordan emerges as a voice of moderation in #wikileak. Unlike other arab states, it argued against a military action against iran
Tweeter ScarfaceJo added:
Do you think #cablegate #wikileaks will change Arab politics?
And answered his own question:
#cablegale #wikileaks if anything, show the impotence of Arab regimes and leadership

author: Betsy Fisher


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Korea: S.Korean Island Hit by Artillery Shots Became ‘Off-limit’  · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

A South Korean Twitterer posted a photo of an abandoned white dog sitting on a pile of rubble of the Yeonpyeong island, a South Korean island hit last week by a North Korean artillery attack. The almost deserted island was designated as a military “control zone” today.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Latin America: Summary of Several Leaked Documents on the Region · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Erwin from The Latin Americanist summarizes some findings about U.S relations with Honduras, Venezuela, Argentina,  Colombia, and Panama from the diplomatic documents recently released by Wikileaks.


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Madagascar: Wave of Arrests in the Aftermath of the Failed Coup · Global Voices
Mialy Andriamananjara

In the aftermath of the referendum and simultaneous failed putsch, a veritable waltzes of arrestations and investigations are shedding a sad shadow on the island.
The referendum lowers the presidential age to 35 years old (from 40 years old), allows Andry Rajoelina (now 36 years old) to participate in presidential elections, to stay in power indefinitely during the transitional period, however long that period becomes.
The final results of the referendum are overwhelmingly in its favor : 74% of voters approved, with a participation rate of 52.91% . The SADC has refused to acknowledge the referendum, donor countries, including the US, have criticized the referendum for not being inclusive. A twitterer relays that this was the worst ever organized elections in Madagascar.
Twitterer relays the fact that since Andry Rajoelina acceeded to power in a putsch in March 2009, 350 political prisoners are held in Malagasy jails.
While the referendum was taking place, the putschists had declared their intention to form a military committee to head the transitional governement. The attempted putsch lasted three days before 100 soldiers of the governmental army swept into the barracks where 20 putschists were entrenched, and arrested them without bloodshed.
Patrick A, remarks on the fantastic dissolution of the mutiny and the different treatments inflicted on the putschists
“Le caractère rocambolesque de la mutinerie était accentué par une reddition facile des officiers « rebelles », obtenue après quelques coups de feu tirés en l’air, comme pour malgré tout sauver l’honneur martial des uns et des autres. On nous expliqua ensuite que l’issue non violente était la conséquence de négociations entre « frères d’armes » issus des mêmes promotions de l’Académie militaire. Il n’est pas exclu qu’outre les pressions psychologiques, des assurances de peines légères et même des compensations financières furent avancées au cours des négociations.
Tout cela est finalement de bonne guerre. Au moins dirons-nous, plaie d’argent n’est pas mortelle.
Et comme pour confirmer cela, on ne peut que remarquer la distinction entre des mutins qui ont été envoyés directement à Tsiafahy et ceux dont la liberté est certes entravée, mais qui ont retrouvé ce qui est essentiellement la vie quotidienne d’un camp”.
One week before the putsch, the opposition head, Fetison Andrianirina, had also been arrested on the reason he participated in an illegal march protesting the controversial referendum.
During the putsch week, Fetison went missing. Contradictory tweets relayed information that he was at Tsiafahy (where most political prisoners are held), and the government later confirmed that he was now held in a “secret location” for “security purposes”. Fetison Andrianirina is now scheduled to appear in court in January 25. He could not appear to his previous scheduled court appointment, because his lawyer could not locate him.
Tweets also relayed that two of the putschists were  under critical condition while under custody of the transitional government. These two putschists are General Raoelina, head of security under Ravalomanana and implicated in the February 2009 shootings, Colonel Coutiti, imprisoned under Ravalomanana for crimes against humanity and freed under Rajoelina, were also in critical while under custody of the transitional government.
The head of the governmental forces would have said that he protected Colonel Coutiti or this one would have succumbed under violence. The government later confirmed that General Raoelina and Colonel Coutiti are indeed very ill, while not explaining how this happened under their watch.
A prominent Malagasy jurist and a retired vice president of the Hague international court of justice, Professor Raymond Ranjeva, has been charged on October 12, for complicity to incite unrest, civil war and acts of destabilisation. Ranjeva had returned to the country after retiring from the court of justice in the Hague. He had appealed for a real neutral transition which he would head. He had just published a document called “Vonjy Aina”. The current country's administration headed by Andry Rajoelina, who succeeded in toppling democratically elected Marc Ravalomanana in a coup in March 2009, seized on this document and linked it to the aborted putsch. Professor Ranjeva is now out on bail.
More surprisingly, Riana Ranjeva, daughter of Raymond Ranjeva, was also apprehended on suspicion of contempt of the army who had invaded her father's house to search for proof of his implication in the mutiny. The evidence that was hold against her as a “threat to national security” was the possession of one copy of the aforementioned document ” Vonjy Aina“, a publicly available political reflection on a solution to the current political stalemate.
Another prominent jurist, Harvard educated Sahondra Rabenarivo, a dual Malagasy US citizen, who had critiqued the proposed constitution, and recommended to vote against it, has also been questioned. She was investigated because she was part of the Vonjy Aina mailing list. She was later released.
The fear steeped climate is making Citoyenne Malgache wonder about the reasons why a popular bloggerhttp://njnw.wordpress.com shut down his blog, NJ's blog was known for his impertinent tone towards Andry Rajoelina and his government.
“Je viens de constater que le blog de Nj n’est plus available et je ne peux m’empêcher de me poser des questions, tout en ayant des idées de réponse. Et avec tout ce qui se passe en ce moment, je continue à me poser d’autres questions… oserais-je encore écrire d’autres lignes sur ce blog ? S’exprimer en tant que citoyenne est une nécessité démocratique, mais il arrive que cela dérange la susceptibilité exacerbée des gens du pouvoir et attire la foudre de leurs sbires…
Que se passerait-il si chacun de nous lâchait maintenant ? Est-il normal qu’on trouve normal que ces policiers zazavao nous pointent tous les jours leur arme à chaque carrefour ?”
Ndimby, a political blogger, ironises at the number of political arrests.
“à part les tramways et les stades, un fonja mora est-il prévu dans les investissements chinois pour caser tous les opposants, les journalistes, la société civile, et sans doute prochainement, les ambassadeurs de la communauté internationale “
He echoes Citoyenne Malgache's fear that any rumor or an ill taken word now can lead one to jail :
“…dans l’ambiance actuelle à Madagascar, la Force a pris le pas sur le Droit, faisant ainsi mentir la fameuse injonction de Cicéron qui disait « Cedant arma togae » (Que les armes cèdent à la toge [du pouvoir civil]). A l’ombre protectrice (et bienfaitrice) d’un régime qui prétend user de la Foi tout en s’asseyant sur la Loi, certains se sentent le pouvoir de dire tout ce qu’ils veulent sans être inquiétés. Tout le monde doit donc se méfier, car n’importe qui peut être accusé de n’importe quoi : d’avoir assassiné Ratsimandrava, commandité les attentats du 11 septembre, financé les bombes artisanales, pratiqué la pédophilie, ou je ne sais trop quoi encore. Que personne ne s’étonne d’apprendre un jour dans la presse des 12 collines que Ndimby est en fait Oussama ben Laden, réfugié à Madagascar après avoir coupé sa barbe et lavé son turban (ou vice-versa).
…
de nos jours, un mot de travers, un article de trop ou un éternuement trop dissonant peuvent vous amener très rapidement aux trois voyages qui ne seront pas sur la banquise : première étape, la rumeur : les colonnes ou les ondes des médias hâtifs ; deuxième étape, la terreur : les bureaux de la gendarmerie ; troisième étape, la douleur : une cellule à Antanimora. Et tout ceci, sans que qui que ce soit ne lève le petit doigt. Et là, je pose la question à tous les va-t-en-guerre de salon, qui d’Antananarivo ou de 10.000 kms, appelaient des politiciens ou des membres de la société civile à oser se lever pour se dresser contre l’injustice : où sont-ils et que font-ils devant de telles tentatives d’intimidation contre ceux qui refusent la pensée unique des gros bras et grandes gueules ? En politique comme ailleurs, les conseillers ne sont jamais les payeurs…”

author: Mialy Andriamananjara


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Middle East: The Not-So-Secret US Embassy Secret Cables  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Secret US Embassy Cables Unveiled
While mainstream media across the Arab world gave the secret US Embassy cables released yesterday the cold shoulder, bloggers and Twitter users from the Middle East found much needed material to chew on.
The much anticipated release, by whistle-blower website Wikileaks, is expected to make  more than 250,000 leaked US Embassy cables public – the largest set of confidential documents ever to be released into the public domain. From joy to skepticism, and sarcasm to cynicism, netizens broke down the cables related to the Middle East and North Africa, sparking discussions, questioning motives and seeking answers.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, tensions are rising following revelations that Arab states have discussed strikes on Iran with the US, amid rising concerns of Iran's nuclear ambitions; Arab and Israeli politicians sleep in the same bed; and other anecdotes on friction between the brotherly neighbours, who make up the Arab world.
Egyptian Sandmonkey describes the leaks as “glorious”:
Just when the egyptian government thought it was done with the
elections headache, Wikileaks comes along and ******. It
was beautiful Karma in action. Thanks to Wikileaks I felt like a child
who was allowed to listen to grown-up conversations for the first time.
And if that wasn’t sweet enough, seeing every foreign policy assessment I
have ever made become validated this way? Gratification, defined. For
years I have been talking about the Sunni-Israeli alliance, and how the
arab world fears Iran ten times more than it ever feared Israel. For
years I have been waiting for that moment when the Arab street rhetoric
catches up with reality and for the political status quo to get
rearranged as it should’ve a long time ago. There is now evidence that Egypt is aiding Israel in isolating Hamas, that Mubarak has nothing but utter hatred for the Muslim Brotherhood and utter distrust towards Qataris and Syrians, that the entirety of the arab gulf region, including Qatar, are weary of Iran’s lies and would love to see Iran gone or disarmed, and that they all would secretly support a strike on Iran from either the US or Israel.
The dichotomy between their rhetoric and actions was finally exposed as
hypocritical and duplicitous to their people and to the world.
Told you it was Glorious!
He further adds:
there are two countries who are bound to enjoy them: Iran and Israel.
Israel must be relishing that its public knowledge now that everyone in
the region wants Iran dealt and is on their side, and that the
Sunni-Israeli alliance is now proven to be both real and inclusive of
all the Sunni players in the region. For the Israeli public that may be
relieving, but for the Netenyahu Government, it’s empowering. They are
no longer the war-mongering dog howling in the wilderness anymore; even
their longest feuding enemies agree with them. As for Iran, this only
reinforces their rhetoric that everyone conspires against them and that
they are isolated due to evil USA and their arab agent-states, and will
give their government reasons to solidify their power against those
mounting numbers of enemies all around it, both foreign or domestic. And
secretly, in their heart of hearts, they must be relishing it: they
always wanted to be recognized as a big regional player, and those
documents prove without a doubt that they truly are.
On the Egyptian Chronicles, Zeinobia received the leaks with surprise:
I expected to be indirectly as nobody said anything about Egypt In the  last few days as we all thought the Wikileaks cables will include the  GCC, Israel, Turkey and Iran. At least this is what we understood from  the news reports about how the States are scared on its relations with  these countries excluding Iran.
She also anticipates trouble and asks:
Up till now I do not know how Julian Assange got these 1/4 million  cables or why he publishes them considering the fact he has created a  huge diplomatic crisis not between the U.S and other countries but also  between countries themselves like for instance Egypt and Qatar as you  will see.
Moving on to the situation in nearby Gaza, Zeinobia blogs:
Of course those Egyptian newspapers who dared to publish reports about the Wikileaks like Al Masry Al Youm only highlighted the part concerning Egypt’s refusal to assume control of Gaza after the victory of Israel that did not take place as a sign of Mubarak’s patriotism but let’s remember something that the officials in Egypt denied any prior knowledge to the “Operation Cast lead” in the early days of that operation turning in to war. It is amazing how Israel was too confident from its victory on Hamas !!
In another post, Sandmonkey analyses the response of Arab media to the leak. He writes:
I joked today on Twitter
  that I believe the world will probably deal with this the same way
regular people deal with post-one-night-stand-hook-up awkwardness: Everyone had their fun but seen each other naked and now they just wanna do their walk of shame and pretend it never happened.I
have been monitoring media websites the entire day waiting to see how
the different arab medias will cover the subject , betting that they
will either ignore it completely or focus on what was said in the name
of the leaders of the other arab countries instead of their own. It
seems that the media honchos decided that they couldn't ignore the news
completely, so they went with option #2.
On Twitter, users have been busy breaking down the cables and commenting on their content in 140 character messages.
The onslaught of reactions on Twitter made users suggest a new hashtag to discuss the documents related to the Arab world. Saudi Essam Al Zamel tweets:
From Bahrain, Foreign Affairs Minister Khalid Al Khalifa jokes:
Tweeters beware, cleanup your DM box or soon someone will break in and give your DMs to #Wikileaks #cablegate
In another tweet, he adds:
The American ambassador just sent me an email labeled “UNCLASSIFIED” .. #cablegate #Wikileaks
Egyptian Wael Ghonim quips:
When it leaks, it pours. #WikiLeaks #WikiArab
And then asks:
Meanwhile, Abdulla Almannai, from Bahrain, notes:
Some secrets are best left unexposed! #cablegate
Ahmed Naguib, from Egypt, adds:
And Palestinian Ali Abunimah places another piece in the jigsaw:
#Cablegate only another piece in a pattern of evidence of full Abbas-Fayyad PA complicity in the Gaza massacre and its cover up.
Suad Alkhawaja, from Bahrain, concludes:
And then adds:
Finally, Egyptian Wael shares this link:
To follow the conversation on Twitter, check out #wikileaks and #cablegate, where users from around the world have been adding their two cents to the discussion.


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Morocco: Danish journalist deported for Western Sahara fishing story · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

A Danish journalist who did a radio story on the European Union paying Morocco for fish from Western Sahara was deported from Morocco two days after arriving. His computer hard drive and SIM card were confiscated.

author: Solana Larsen


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Nigeria: Now a “Middle Income” Country · Global Voices
Eremipagamo Amabebe

Solomonsydelle reports that Nigeria has joined Brazil, South Africa, and 100 other countries in a category the World Bank refers to as “Middle Income.” She expresses her gratification that the nation has left the label “low income” behind, but wonders, “does this classification really mean anything?”

author: Eremipagamo Amabebe


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Panama: Asylum for Former Colombian Security Director Creates Controversy · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

The current topic of conversation in Panama and Colombia is the recent asylum given by the Panama Government to Maria Pilar Hurtado, former director of the Colombian Administrative Department of Security [in Spanish DAS], who has been accused of illegal phone wiretapping.
The indignation has been picked up by social networks and the media in Panama, partly because less than six months before the attorney general of Panama was replaced for the same activity.
Ana Maria Cerda (@anamariacerda) comments on Twitter about the meaning of judging a crime and then giving asylum for the same reason:
El CD (Partido Gobernante)saca a la Procuradora del país por pinchazos y le da Asilo a la Verdadera Pinchona de Colombia! Bárbaro este CrazyTeam
Wiews Ubags (@wiesubags) from Colombia takes the news in stride and makes a brief metaphor of the colloquial terms used to refer to the phone taps:
Lol, en #Panama #chuzadas se llaman pinchazos. Me gusta la palabra, como un pellizco. Pero chuzar es más fuerte, como una puñalada.
There are also ironic comments which criticize how easily Panama concedes asylum. Norman (@joruman), for example, jokes in his Twitter account:
Si amas a alguien dile que pida asilo en Panamá.
Julian F Martinez (@JulianFMartinez) sees it as an insult to the victims that Panama gives asylum to the woman that persecuted them:
Panamá concede el asilo a una ex directora del servicio de inteligencia: “un insulto a las víctimas del DAS”: RSF
Another tweet from Colombia regrets the role reversal, where the former director went from persecuting to persecuted, as Alejandro Cadavid (@acadavid123) tells us:
INCREIBLE AHORA HURTADO PASO DE SER PERSEGUIDORA A PERSEGUIDA…ESO SOLO OCURRE EN COLOMBIA…AHHHHH Y PANAMA
A tweet from Honduras en Lucha (@hondurasenlucha) shows the indignation of several Central American countries, since Panama has become a frequent place of asylum for all kinds of people:
#Panama se ha convertido en una guarida de delincuentes, dictadores, alimañas, mafias, etc. Martinelli das ASCO!
Also, the Spanish journalist in Panama, Paco Gómez Nadal, comments in his blog El malcontento [es] how Panama has become a retirement paradise for so many people with pending charges in their countries of origin.
Somos el basurero del mundo del que puede salir reciclado  Posada Carriles o dónde lavadores de plata, narcotraficantes o  fantoches disfrazados de constructores pueden asistir a cocteles de la  alta sociedad, comer en restaurantes de lujo y no preocuparse por su  estatus migratorio o su situación fiscal. De eso solo se tiene que  preocupar inmigrantes pobres, periodistas o críticos del Gobierno (que a  eso sí no le tenemos afición).
The site El Espectador [es] tells us that President Martinelli believes it is an obligation to give asylum to any politican that asks for it.
El presidente de Panamá, Ricardo Martinelli, dijo que era la obigación de su país conceder el asilo político a la ex directora del DAS María del Pilar Hurtado, tal como lo ha hecho en otras ocasiones con políticos de la región como el presidente Hugo Chávez o el ex presidente ecuatoriano Abdalá Bucarám.
It seems Panamanians are beginning to get tired of being the favorite hiding place for politicians sought by justice, as reflected in Noel David Ortega's tweet (@noelpty):
NO MAS asilo politico en Panama, hasta cuando con eso

author: Ariel Moreno


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Philippines: Student unrest over education budget cuts · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

In the past week, thousands of Filipino students held massive protest actions, walkouts, class stoppages, and campus strikes against reduced government subsidy for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and the consequent tuition and other fee increases and commercialization of education.
UP on Strike against Budget Cut! Photo Credits by Mon Ramirez.
Along with the more decisive offline organizing, blogs and social networking sites have also become sites for raising awareness on the budget cut issue and enjoining students to join the massive protests.
The blog education4all is a repository of reference and publicity materials related to this campaign. Related posts can also be followed in several social networking sites using the hashtags #PHstudentstrike and #education4all.
In a “Call to Strike” reposted in blogs and social networking sites, the holding of big militant collective actions is explained as the answer to the Aquino administration and its allies’ refusal to heed the students’ call to reduce the budget for education.
Students, faculty, and staff barricades the main road leading to the University of the Philippines Diliman in protest of government cuts on the education budget. Photo Credits by Dean Lozarie.
One creative means of popularizing the issue is the coming up of an anti-budget cuts campaign jingle to the tune of Lady Gaga’s “Telephone.” The lyrics are posted here.
Jingle mixdown by jhann8
Just a second noynoy/ Kala mo payag kami?/ Bawasan ng todo ang budget ng SUC?/ Mahal na nga ang tuition at walang facilities/ Education is a right, lalaban kami
CHORUS: STOP SUC BUDGET CUT, ating panawagan Education is a right, ipaglaban. STOP SUC BUDGET CUT, ating panawagan. Kabataan, kilos na at lumaban!
CHORUS: STOP SUC BUDGET CUT is our call Education is a right, defend. STOP SUC BUDGET CUT is our call. Youth, take action and fight!
Live reports, photos, and videos from blogs and social networking sites are also augmenting the gaps of coverage in the mainstream media. November 25 saw the simultaneous launching of big protests in the country’s chief higher educational institutions, including the premier national state university, the University of the Philippines (UP). A weeklong campus lockdown has been in the works in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) since November 19.
The League of Filipino Students, a national militant student organization, rounds up the strike activities for the first day.
PUP symbolic barricade during the November 19 press conference launching the strike. Photo credits by League of Filipino Students.
On November 26, 5,000 student protesters marched in the streets of Manila. They stormed the Department of Budget and Management and proceeded to Mendiola, near the gates of the Presidential Palace. On the same day, 400 students of the UP Cebu City campus and a similar number in Davao City, among other provinces, walked out of their classes in protest.
Part of the 5,000 students who took part in the Nov. 26 protest in Manila. Photo Credits by #education4all.
In response to the massive student unrest, the Aquino administration and its allies either (1) dodge the issue by denying there are budget cuts, (2) insist that the budget for basic education should be given more priority than that of the SUCs, or (3) assert that public schools should simply increase tuition and other fees and engage in commercialization schemes to augment the dwindling state subsidy.
In the meantime, student activists are calling on everyone who participated in last week’s student protests to “Blog the strike!” and share their strike experience.
Yellie Jellie blogs about how the education budget cuts affect her and her family.
Bilang estudyante ng isang state university, syempre apektado ako ng budget cut. Ngayon pa lang nga, may mga panahon ng nahihirapan kaming magbayad ng tuition, pano pa kaya sa susunod? Naalala ko, sabi ng nanay ko, “tama, buti sa UP ka, mababa lang tuition dun, di tayo mahihirapan”. Pero anong bumungad sakin? Isang libo per unit na tuition. Bente mil para sa 18 unit na semestre. Ako na lang ang nag-aaral sa aming magkakapatid, graduate na lahat ng mga kapatid ko. Ate ko ang nagpapa-aral sakin, at siya rin ang breadwinner ng pamilya namin. Sa totoo lang, nahihiya na ko sa ate ko, kasi hindi rin siya ganun nakakaipon dahil ng sa pangmatrikula ko. Pano na lang pag natuloy na naman ang budget cut?
Lexiphilia explains why she joined the strike.
I may not personally be in danger of losing my education because of my tuition fee, but I have amazing friends and colleagues who work their asses off to get the best grades ever, just to sustain their scholarships and stay in their colleges. I have had the privilege to work with the most hardworking and passionate students who get up at the crack of dawn, commute from outside Metro Manila, attend their classes, and go home just because they are determined to make something out of themselves and help their country despite their currently financial problems. I have listened to my favorite, most beloved UP friends pour their hearts out and talk about how they and so many other people they know, depend on their scholarships and grants.
A portion of the 5,000-strong Nov. 26 student protest in Manila. Photo Credits by #education4all.
Kapirasong Kritika asserts that the student actions are not cases of “mindless protest.”
A portion of the 5,000-strong Nov. 26 student protest in Manila. Photo Credits by #education4all.
Hindi ito walang-utak na protesta, o “mindless protest” gaya ng tiyak na ibabansag ng mga komentarista ng midyang mainstream kapag hindi na nila magawang hindi ito pansinin. Punung-puno ang welgang ito ng pag-aaral, nakasalalay ito sa pag-aaral, sa tunay na sanhi ng mga suliranin ng edukasyon sa kasalukuyan. Dapat tayong makinig.
Le Bourgeois on what could have happened if there are no education budget cuts.
Kung walang budget cut noon, edi sana mababa lang ang matrikula, hindi na kailangang magtrabaho sa ibang bansa ng tatay at di na niya kailangan pang mag-alala sa amin. Edi sana hindi naging sakitin ang nanay dahil kailangan niya pang sumubsob sa pagtatrabaho. Edi sana naandito lang ang tatay sa bansa at magkasama sila ng nanay sa pag-intindi sa ginagawa ko…
Kung walang budget cut noon, edi sana lahat ng batang matatalino ngunit walang pera ay makakapasok sa UP ng hindi mag-aaalala sa babayaran nilang matrikula. Wala sanang titigil sa pag-aaral dahil lang wala silang pera.
If there was no budget cut before, then all the penniless intelligent youth would have entered UP without worrying about their tuition payments. No one would have dropped-out from schooling just because they had no money.
The Pixillated puts the Aquino administration to task for increasing the military budget while cutting down on education spending.
I know our military equipment is far from updated and I know soldiers don’t receive much in terms of allowances and salaries, but all are other industries are just as outdated and a lot of our countrymen don’t even have stable jobs…
Now here’s the thing, the military is not revenue generating. So in my opinion, by choosing to invest money into the military, the government is sort of throwing money away. Unless of course, the government has this secret plan to train all the soldiers to work in the rice fields and garment factories in a synchronized manner they resemble machines. But I doubt that.
Here are some video footages of the protest actions. Nov. 25, State scholars march in the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines:
Nov. 25, The strikers sing the university hymn as they barricade the University Avenue:
Nov. 26, Students storm the Department of Budget and Management:

author: Karlo Mongaya


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Russia: 25% of Registered Cyrillic Domains Suspended · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Coordination Center for .rf (.рф) domain (ccTLD) has temporarily suspended [RUS] all domains registered by Ru-Center registrar following the scandals with the closed auctions for the most lucrative Cyrillic domains. So far Ru-Center had registered almost every fourth .rf domain. The domains will be suspended until sides will reach an agreement.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Russia: Phenomenal Growth of Facebook and Twitter in 2010 · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Facebook and Twitter audience in Russia grew 3-4 times since the beginning of the year, Vedomosti cites [RUS] comScore data. By the end of 2010, almost 6 mln of Russian netizens use Facebook, while 2,5 million use Twitter.


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Russia: Online Cartoon Against Corruption in Road Construction · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Antimult studio published [RUS] an informative and entertaining cartoon on corruption in road construction in Russia. Together with usage of the old technologies, corruption causes 4 times higher price of roads than in Europe. Bad roads cost Russians 6-8 percent of GDP and 20 thousand deaths in car accidents every year, Antimult claims.


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South Asia: The Morality Of Exposing Others’ Secrets · Global Voices
Rezwan

Illustration by Raymond Salvatore Harmon – from Flickr. CC BY
WikiLeaks, an international non-profit media organization has created waves around the world by publishing 251,287 confidential documents, which detail correspondence between the U.S. State Department and U.S. embassies around the world. It is also known to many as the “Cablegate” affair. Some South Asian bloggers were quick to publish their opinions on this issue.
From Sri Lanka, Indrajit Samarajiva comments:
The bigger issue is that America was able to seem, for a while, like a benevolent superpower with occasional tragic mistakes. They also had the money to back themselves up. Under George W. Bush, however, the country became positively malevolent internationally and, largely through bad policy, also (relatively) impoverished. The difficult issue for the US in fighting back these leaks is that – while the leak itself may be bad – America’s actions still look worse.
Indrajit is also curious to learn what the still to be released section on Sri Lanka has to offer.
Indian diaspora blogger Supriyo Chaudhuri questions about the morality of exposing secret communications:
A question must be raised whether such leaks, doubtlessly facilitated by the new technologies of information and communication, is morally right: Indeed, one could clearly see that the governments are waging a sort of information warfare on its own citizen. Are the leaks any more wrong than the lies themselves? We have surely arrived at an age where we can, and do, demand more transparency from our businesses, public organizations and governments. However, some kind of imperial mindset still persists in the most democratic of all governments (which, by definition and popular consent, should be that of United States) and transparency and truth seriously threatens government power.
Pakistani blog Cafe Pyala consolidates different newspaper reports on Wikileaks in Paksitan. The blog comments:
Obviously in Pakistan, the leaks directly connected to this country are of most immediate interest to people here. But judged purely on the level of news worthy of geo-strategic importance and with potentially massive consequences, wouldn't you say the Saudi desire to take out Iran is slightly bigger than Abdullah thinking Zardari is a loser? Of course, that may be just my personal news sense but I still do find it intriguing that no one else in Pakistan's print media shares it.
Faheem Haider at Pakistan Foreign Policy Blog discusses how Pakistan press sees the ‘cablegate’ affair:
The right is blaming President Zardari, pointing to Saudi King Abdullah’s rebuke (veiled threat?) that “when the head is rotten, it affects the whole body.”  The left and the center are talking about sovereignty as they have always done.  In response, the U.S. has argued for the continued cooperation of sorts that it enjoys with Pakistan, without backtracking from its criticism of the Zardari government and without disavowing the moves it reportedly made against Pakistan’s nuclear, military complex.
The Acorn, a blog on the Indian National Interest, is apprehensive  of the impact of Wikileaks:
It’s unclear whether the Wikileaks will have major consequences in world affairs beyond creating embarrassment for the people and governments involved. It’s not as if the people in the Middle East didn’t know what their leaders were up to, and what US officials thought of them. It’s not as if China is about to stop its game as the world’s worst proliferator of weapons of mass destruction just because it has been fingered in some cables. Politicians, in any case, have thick skins.
What might happen is that brakes will be applied in the trend towards sharing of information within government and across departmental silos. A process that began as a result of the US intelligence community’s failure to piece together data that could have led to the uncovering of the 9/11 plot—and was adopted by governments across the world, including in India—might come to an end with abuse of technological power by Wikileaks. ‘Information fusion’ within governments is likely to be the first casualty of Mr Assange’s war on responsibility.

author: Rezwan


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Take Back the Tech to Eliminate Violence Against Women · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

The collaborative global campaign Take Back the Tech! started on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. New information technologies are being used in many ways against women and girls around the world. It is fundamental that they become tools of change and transformation, rather than control and exclusion. This is one of the very objectives of the Take Back the Tech! campaign.
Take Back the Tech! (on Twitter @takebackthetech, using #takebackthetech) will have daily action campaigns during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence (November 25 – December 10 each year). This year it is focused on developing  actions that defend women's right to freedom and expression and information. Women and men in more than 30 countries have used information  technologies such as the internet, mobile phones, and radio to document  and fight violence against women since the campaign was developed by the  Association of Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support Program (APC WNSP) in 2006.
The people behind Take Back The tech! have created a wonderful video on the relationships of women, technology and violence against women available in Spanish, French and English:
On behalf of Global Voices, I interviewed Erika Smith, the APC WNSP communications coordinator, on issues regarding the campaign, violence against women, gender and technology, and the intersections of the global and the local.
Global Voices (GV)- What is the objective of the Take Back the Tech! campaign?
Erika Smith (ES)- The Take Back the Tech! campaign aims to eliminate violence against  women (VAW) by using any technology within our reach to document, denounce and  transform the reality of violence women face in every corner of the  world – violence that is also now, increasingly, in online spaces or  perpetrated using information and communication technologies (ICTs). This  year the campaign focuses on defending women's rights to freedom of  expression and access to information – essential rights in order to be  safe online and off, find support, and mobilise against violence.  The  campaign's daily actions for every one of the 16 days from 25 November  to 10 December deepen our understandings of VAW and the interconnections  with ICTs, and push us to experiment with technology in different ways.
The campaign calls on everyone – from everyday internet users to  bloggers to geeks to social network fiends and sms-addicts to channel  energies towards ending VAW, it connects online action with direct local  actions.
ES- Technology does not  empower women, women empower themselves when they use and transform  technology to respond to their needs.  Many women have grown up in  societies where technology is presented as out of their reach – gender  stereotypes, access and affordability have meant that many women see  technology as something that is “not for them”. Questioning that  stereotype and demystifying technology in such settings breaks down  assumptions made about women and that women make about themselves, too.  In the APC WNSP (APC Women) we've found that women and technology are a powerful mix  for social change where the potential for women's empowerment is  impressive. Just taking the time out to examine the possibilities for  information and communication technologies at the service of women's  needs and rights has been eye-opening for many women – be they techies  or with limited experience in ICT.
Violence against women is so often seen and experienced as a private,  personal, intimate very local problem and as such invisibilised.  Yet it  is a global pandemic, a threat to world public health and security,  that women have tirelessly mobilised against for decades – locally and  globally.  November 25 for many is a day of paralysing images and  statistics, and the 16 Day campaign came out of feminists’ insistence on  keeping the spotlight on VAW and demanding real solutions. Take Back  the Tech! accompanies the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence to  help grow the movement, increasingly interconnect actions, and build  awareness about how technology is also transforming the way women can  experience violence and mobilise against it.
ES- I already mentioned gender stereotypes about women and technology above,  especially acute for older women who did not grow up in the computer  age.  But even with these stereotypes breaking down due to increased  access and presence of ICTs in so many spheres of our lives (and too the  current popularity of geekiness) women are still seen as consumers and  users of technology and in the labour market are concentrated in the  data-capture and call centre service provision of ICT work.
Hardware  and software developers are predominantly male.  ICT developments are permeating our lives on so many fronts – from our  moments of intimacy to the way we interact with our governments.  We  seldom take time out to reflect on these changes from a gender and  social change perspective, and question the implications.  How do you  sanction violence against women online? How much real harm is there in  virtual cyberstalking?  What happens behind the code? Who makes  decisions and finances infrastructure? Why are certain developments  benefiting big enterprise prioritised and social access needs ignored?  Cybercrime conventions seem to emphasise piracy more than trafficking of  women.
GV- How does Take Back the Tech connect the local with the global?
ES- There are local campaigners in over 30 countries who may participate in  the Campaign's daily actions on a personal or collective level, or they  might do something entirely different directly in their communities to  put the spotlight on VAW and ICT. Some campaigners have organised  trainings so that women can use ICTs to mobilise and express themselves  for example learning how to build blogs in Montevideo, explore video and  audio production for digital storytelling in Brazil, or create posters  learning how to use graphics software in Argentina. Others go out on the  streets, for example in Johannesburg interviewing people about VAW,  documenting abuse or protesting to demand solutions. In the Congo girls  made information CDs about violence against women and how to find help,  and shared them at beauty salons around their communities, sparking  debate amongst the women stylists and customers. In Quebec, campaigners  held a discussion raising awareness about violence in popular video  games.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


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U.S.V.I.: Stalwart Passes On  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

News of St. John is saddened by the death of Ruth ‘Sis’ Frank, “a stalwart of the island's community.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Uruguay: Video Podcast About E-Government in Uruguay · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Uruguay: click para actualizar [click to refresh] interviewed [es] José Clastornik, Executive Director of AGESIC [es] (E-Government, Information Society and Knowledge Agency), about the “Electronic Government” in Uruguay.


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Zimbabwe: Peaceful March to Mark International Women Human Rights Defenders Day · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Approximately 900 members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise marked International Women Human Rights Defenders Day with a peaceful procession to the offices of the state-owned Chronicle newspaper in Bulawayo.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Additional Context on the Recent Political Arrests in Madagascar   · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Blogger Alain Rajaonarivony writes at length about the implications of the recent series of political arrests in Madagascar (fr). A close relative to Raymond Ranjeva and his daughter describes the circumstances of their arrest. Here is a petition to denounce the arbitrary arrests (fr).

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Africa: Cablegate: Does the US care about Africa this much?  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Bloggers react to documents published by WikiLeaks (Cablegate) that disclose classified communication between the US State department and its embassies worldwide. The documents make reference to African countries and its leaders.
Life is Savage looks at references to South African in the documents:
I’ve scanned the interwebs and here’s a quick rundown of how South Africa features in the Wikileaks documents so far:
* Winnie Madikizela-Mandela helped US officials gain access to Madiba
* Nelson Mandela criticised for his opposition to the US led invasion of Iraq
* ANC co-operated with US intelligence services and gave confidential info before 1994 elections
* Planned De Klerk speech that changed South Africa and paved the way for Nelson Mandela to be released from prison
* Nelson Mandela was “furious” when a top adviser stopped him meeting Margaret Thatcher
* SA International Affairs minister called Robert Mugabe a” crazy old man”
That’s all for now , but only a fraction of the 250 000 documents have been released so expect more later. I’ll update you when further South African communications are released. If you have any other SA developments just leave a comment.
Sarah Onyango, a media student in Cape Town, South Africa, wants to know if George Bush denigrated Nelson Mandela:
As I write governments likely to be impacted by the leaks are busy briefing thier news media about the need to publish the leaks responsibly and in the interests of thier national security. A criticism of Mandela by George Bush does not readly strike me as harmful except of cours to couse some minor diplomatic embarrasement.
It is, therefore, disappointing that the very transparancy and respect for media that is incessantly preached to non-Western governments is being trampled on in this case. Ironically the same reasons or shall we say “excuses” we are familiar with in our not so “democratic” areas of the world are being used. I wonder who is truely learning from whom?
The very reason why new media and that includes the likes of WikiLeaks and the plethora of blogs that populate the internet are increasingly becoming more powerful is that they are less easily nullified and pressured to “tow the line”. Old media reflects the standard Government hypocrisy of lies, denial and deceit.
The plot thickens but the question still stands…..We need to know if George Bush really denigrated Mandela! The truth will set you free!
A blogger at MyWeku asks,  “Does the US really care for Africa this much?”:
The Wikileaks U.S. diplomatic documents dropped yesterday.  The 250,000 WikiLeak cables made references to Africa and its leaders. These are still being mulled over in the hope of piecing together America’s view of Africa.  Top issues considered as important to the Amerians included “Darfur/Sudan,” and surprisingly eight West African states including Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Senegal. Does the US really care for Africa this much?
African countries and their leaders referenced in WikiLeaks:
Main African WikiLeak Headline Events
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Burundi: 16/04/09- Washington wants diplomats to send DNA and iris scans for African leaders in the great lakes region.
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Sudan: 16/04/09 – Washington launches intelligence trawl on West Sahara States
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Egypt: 02/10/08  – Egypt Spy Chief promises pressure on Hamas
Links to Africa Cables
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Mandela’s release and what he thought of De klerk: Viewing cable 90CAPETOWN97
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A glimpse into Libyan Leader Qadhafi’s eccentricties: Viewing cable 09TRIPOLI771
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President Mubarak of Egypt quote “The British were behind this “big fuss” and that the pressure from other African leaders was sufficiently soft that Mugabe can do what he wants.”: Viewing cable 08CAIRO1637
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Washington wants diplomats to send DNA and iris scans for African leaders in the great lakes region: Viewing cable 09STATE37561
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Washington launches intelligence trawl on West Sahara States: Viewing cable 09STATE37566
However, some bloggers think that the documents are not aunthentic. Maishinski calls the founder of WikiLeaks a “useful idiot”:
1. The latest wiki-“leaks” are not really leaks at all, but mere US propaganda…
The setting is perfect: who wouldn't want to read “classified” / “top secret” documents – especially from an over-secretive source like the US? It is human nature to be inquisitive – more so when faced with a pandora's box…
If I was the US and wanted to influence perceptions/political dynamics, I would simply create fake classified documents whose contents surreriptiously promote my overt/covert agenda and then have somebody (preferably unwittingly) leak them out to the world.
Most people would be inclined to believe the contents without questioning their authenticity/veracity – simply because the source is perceived as anti-establishment. Thus vigilantes like the wikileak founder run the risk of being converted to tools of imperialist propaganda a.k.a useful idiots.
Are the documents part of US pyschological warfare?:
3. What we are witnessing is a change in US tactics from direct action to Psychological Warfare.
Just because something is written on paper doesn't mean it's true… Grab your pop corn, kick back, and enjoy the show!
Citizen Kane says that it is difficult to separate fact from fiction:
Watch out! I am still monitoring news comments elsewhere but there are already some people that are suggesting that Wikileaks is a false flag operation in order to befuddle the real issues. They write that if Wikileaks really has such national critical information then the Wikileaks owner would have been assassinated long time already.
It is damn difficult to differentiate between fact and fiction – look how long the global warming story had been maintained and still is being maintained.


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Bangladesh: Education Policy Yet To Be Implemented · Global Voices
Rezwan

Mahfuzur Rahman Manik shares his frustration over the delay in enacting the National Education Policy 2010 of Bangladesh.


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Barbados: Independence Day Awards  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Today is Independence Day in Barbados.  Cheese-on-bread! republishes the list of this year's honourees and congratulates the President of the Senate, who was honoured “for his distinguished career and his outstanding service and contribution to Barbados and public life.”


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Brand China · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Imagethief blogs the discussion on “brand China” at the Capital-M Trialogue. The discussion panel addressed issues related to the ability of the Chinese companies to establish their brands internationally, and Chinese soft power and international perceptions of China as a whole.


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Brazil: WikiLeaks cable reveals suspected terrorists arrested on narcotics charges · Global Voices
Thiana Biondo

Natalia Vianna reports [pt] for WikiLeaks on how US embassy cables reveal Brazilian security forces have cooperated with US intelligence on counterterrorism in the country, arresting individuals with links to terrorism on various other charges, particularly narcotics.

author: Thiana Biondo


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Cablegate: Lessons on tech for transparency · Global Voices
Renata Avila

Cablegate is everywhere. You can read about it in virtually any digital or print newspaper around the world; you can see it through the links shared on social media sites; you can follow the tag #cablegate on Twitter; you can browse dozens of blogs; you can hear about it on the radio.  Wikileaks’ release of over 250,000 United States embassy cables is one of the hottest subjects in media and government right now: technology reduced the gap between citizens and complex government information, and people are actively discussing the release throughout the world.
As Geert Lovink and Patrice Riemens point out in their article “Ten Theses about Wikileaks,” the organization's release of sensitive government information used technology to capture the attention of millions:
Wikileaks manages to capture that attention by way of spectacular information hacks where other parties, especially civil society groups and human rights organizations, are desperately struggling to get their message across. Wikileaks genially puts to use the ‘escape velocity’ of  IT — using IT to leave IT behind and irrupt into the realm of real-world politics.
But which tools are they using to capture and keep the attention of people and media, and ultimately change the government opaqueness they fight? More importantly, how can citizens collaborate in this innovative, real-time, diplomacy-focused call for accountability?
Wikileaks gave five major media outlets — the The Guardian, Le Monde [fr], El País, Der Spiegel, and New York Times — preliminary access to the cables.  By combining a digital release with publication by traditional media, Wikileaks — and other online transparency organizations — are able to reach a broader audience and spread information in different formats and vehicles. Wikileaks’ constant updates on Twitter even made it to the U.S. Department of State press conference and several international media organizations who made references to them.
The majority of Wikileaks’ media partners and the Cablegate site are using easy-to-understand graphics to communicate the data in a more comprehensive way. Information Aesthetics has a roundup of the different visualization techniques.  Fast Company has taken a slightly different approach, constructing a Wordle based on the cables.
Cablegate Wordle, via Fast Company
Cablegate created a way where any user anywhere around the world can easily browse and locate any cable of interest for them and draw their own conclusions.   Wikileaks is inviting users to search for events that happened in their own countries. They can, for example, check key dates of relevant events to see if they can find any references in any cable, then share their analyses and findings using Web 2.0 tools. This is essentially crowdsourced accountability by anyone, anywhere in the world.  Other organizations are taking advantage of this, encouraging citizens to “get their hands dirty” and dig through the cables for relevant information: the National Security Archive blog “Unredacted” published a guide on how to read Department of State documents and a list of commonly used acronyms in the cables.
Wikileaks is encouraging citizens to share their findings:
Pick out interesting events and tell others about them. Use twitter, reddit, mail whatever suits your audience best.  For twitter or other social networking services please use the #cablegate or unique reference ID (e.g. #66BUENOSAIRES2481) as hash tags.
Perhaps we are witnessing a change of era, where the voices of citizens will replace the whispering of secrets behind close doors and foreign relations will switch to a more open diplomacy. Perhaps not.  Regardless, after this release the world will have a new model to follow.

author: Renata Avila