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Urban Planning Project Puts One of the World’s Most Populated Cities to the Test · Global Voices
Elvira Herrera

Panoramic view of Mexico City, home to more than 21 million people and the site of an ambitious and controversial urban planning project. Photo: Claudia Romero.
The urban planning project Chapultepec Social and Economic Development Zone, which was announced last week by the Government of Mexico City, has sparked controversy. Some defend it as a model of security, diversity and social integration. Others say it will split communities, privatise public space, cause insecurity and further encourage the use of cars in one of the world's most populated cities.
El #CCChapultepec reúne todos vicios del urbanismo mexicano: la ocurrencia, la necedad, la copia mala, y los “estudios técnicos” a modo.
— Rocío Echanove (@Arquitroll) August 16, 2015
The #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] combines all the negatives of Mexican urban planning: lack of foresight, foolishness, carbon copies and “technical surveys”
Estoy viendo lo que será el corredor cultural en Chapultepec de @ManceraMiguelMX y wow!!! Sin deuda y sin privatizar ganara la #CDMX 3mmdp
— Lourdes mendoza (@lumendoz) August 11, 2015
I am looking at what will be @ManceraMiguelMX [Miguel Ángel Mancera's] Chapultepec Cultural Corridor and wow!!! Debt free and without privatisation the #CDMX [City of Mexico Government] will make 3 billion pesos.
El proyecto #CCChapultepec ha provocado opiniones encontradas, cuál es la tuya? http://t.co/44T6oFyIXepic.twitter.com/UqqjV3hBlp
— EN LA MIRA (@NoticiaEnLaMira) August 14, 2015
The #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] project has generated mixed opinions, what's yours? http://t.co/44T6oFyIXepic.twitter.com/UqqjV3hBlp
The urban area of Mexico City is home to more than 21 million people. Considering its high levels of pollution, its water supply situation and economic inequality, no new design on the city is a trivial matter.
Since August 17, statements, online petitions and messages have been circulating as part of a residents’ movement. They invite people to get to know the project and question the vision, the outcomes and the transparency of the Cultural Corridor Chapultepec project.
Pónle cultural, unas bicis y árboles y así se esconde el segundo piso para autos y la plaza que queremos hacer en #CCChapultepec#Simondijo
— Areli Carreón (@arelibiciteka) August 7, 2015
Add a bit of culture, some bikes and trees, and no one will notice the second level for cars and the public square we want to build in #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] #Simonsays
Currently it is a dilapidated public space with enormous redevelopment potential. But there is a risk the voices and opinions of those whose living conditions will be impacted by the works will not be considered.
This is especially necessary as the project is located in an area of high seismic activity and significant historical worth. In fact, the biggest complaint has been the lack of resident consultation, in accordance with the right to participate.
The right to participate is explicitly mentioned in the Mexico City Charter for the Right to the City, and it can not be substituted by public opinion polls, instead it requires arrangements for meaningful participation.
La participación ciudadana en proyectos como el #CCChapultepec debe ser desde su diseño y no ya que todo está decidido. Eso es simulación. — Compa Ximena (@xrpc) August 18, 2015
Resident participation on projects like the #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] must occur from the design stage and not once everything has already been decided. This is a sham.
In response, the Investment and Development Agency of the City of Mexico has taken a few steps in a belated attempt to be more inclusive, such as promoting information about surveys and contracts, the installation of information booths.
A public consultation on the project has also been scheduled at various public spaces in the adjacent communities from 29 August to 6 September.
Por instrucciones del #JefeDeGob@ManceraMiguelMX hoy se da a conocer informe d proceso de selección y convocatorias públicas, — Simon Levy (@SimonLevyMx) August 18, 2015
Under instructions from #JefeDeGob [Head of the Government of the Federal District], @ManceraMiguelMX [Miguel Ángel Mancera], today, reports detailing the processes of selection and calling of public tendering were released.
Con fund. en art. 1 y 4 F XII d la Ley de Transparencia se publica Gaceta GDF @CCChapultepechttp://t.co/c0wn1MiVYLpic.twitter.com/tHAaWWYalH — Simon Levy (@SimonLevyMx) August 18, 2015
Published based on article 1 and 4 F XII of the Law of Transparency in the Federal District Official Gazette @CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] http://t.co/c0wn1MiVYLpic.twitter.com/tHAaWWYalH
#ProCDMX alista consulta ciudadana por #CCChapultepec; hoy a las 7 p.m. asamblea informativa en #ZonaRosahttp://t.co/kWJxoykIhk
— Diario de México (@DDMexico) August 18, 2015
#ProCDMX [Mexico City Investment and Development Promotion Agency] is preparing a resident consultation for the #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] – today at 7 pm informative assembly in #ZonaRosahttp://t.co/kWJxoykIhk
Although the restoration of the area will potentially bring benefits — the area houses some of the most important tourist sites in Mexico, like the Museum of Anthropology — it is important to ensure that the project benefits all social classes, and has a comprehensive approach to sustainable development to avoid the risks inherent in gentrification.
Skepticism and distrust among residents has its roots in a series of policies regarding the privatisation and systematic repossession of public property and natural areas.
These policies have characterised the federal government, and have in turn increased levels of vulnerability, poverty and inequality in the country over the last few years.
@ProCDMX dice por un lado que habrá “consulta ciudadana” para #CCChapultepec y por otro que inician obras en sept. http://t.co/pQXvMc1dO7
— Sergio Beltrán (@ssbeltran) August 18, 2015
@ProCDMX [Mexico City Investment and Development Promotion Agency] says on one hand that there'll be “resident consultation” for #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec], and on the other hand works will start in Sept. http://t.co/pQXvMc1dO7
Chapultepec necesita restauración del paseo y sus inmuebles antiguos, no dos pisos #NoShopultepec#CCChapultepec@epnpic.twitter.com/8Uw8BvP9At
— Mexicoimage (@Mexicoimage) August 19, 2015
Chapultepec needs its road and old buildings restored, not a second level #NoShopultepec #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] @epnpic.twitter.com/8Uw8BvP9At
Residents’ needs are diverse, and out of this comes the need for informed discussion. The option with the greatest public benefit will be the one which respects human rights, aware that inclusive does not mean just drawing up everything for everyone on paper.
‘Sustainable’ is not reduced to merely some green on the plans or to the planting of a few trees, nor is culture reduced to consumer culture or entertainment.
¿Me pueden explicar cuál espacio público están defendiendo? No puedo cruzar la avenida entre tanto comercio informal y autos #CCChapultepec — Mundo Montes de Oca (@mundomontesdoca) August 19, 2015
Can anyone tell me what public space they are defending? I can't even cross the avenue with all the street vendors and cars #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec]
Mis alumnos de urbanismo, con 1 semana en la carrera entienden el problema del #CCChapultepec ¿q estudiaron los promoventes? #NoShopultepec
— Criss (@BarbiXochimilca) August 19, 2015
My urban planning students one week into the course understand the #CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] problem, what did the developers study? #NoShopultepec
#CCChapultepec dará empleo a muchas personas y una mejor vista a la #CDMX@SimonLevyMx@ManceraMiguelMX
— Gerardo (@kower_tantum) August 19, 2015
#CCChapultepec [Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] will provide work for many people and a better image for the #CDMX [Mexico City Investment and Development Promotion Agency] @SimonLevyMx@ManceraMiguelMX
@NoCorredor no leo en ninguna parte qué han hecho con el ambulantaje a lo largo de avenida chapultepec y sobretodo en el metro de ese nombre
— Gabriela Leyva (@gabaleyva) August 18, 2015
@NoCorredor [No Cultural Corridor Chapultepec] I can't see anywhere what they have done with the hawkers along Chapultepec avenue and especially at the train station.
With the call to “enrich the project”, not just to support it, comes the risk of non-genuine participation, however it is also an opportunity to transform the concern, worry and anger into concrete and well directed questions that will perhaps make a difference.
‘#OJO No es equivalente esquema de participación consultivo a 1 deliberativo …’ #NoShopultepec, la #democraciadirigida de @manceramiguelmx
— Daniel Gershenson (@alconsumidor) August 19, 2015
‘#OJO A consultative participation approach is not the same as a deliberative one… ‘#NoShopultepec, the #democraciadirigida [guided democracy] of @manceramiguelmx [Miguel Ángel Mancera]

author: Elvira Herrera


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Why Indigenous Communities in Mexico Need Community Self-Defence · Global Voices
Giovanna Salazar

Protest in Ostula, Mexico. Taken from the Flickr account of bradpose2, licensed under Creative Commons.
Recent events in Mexico have highlighted the problem of serious human rights violations against indigenous groups. The most recent of these has occurred in Santa María de Ostula, Michoacán state, where the local indigenous community claims to have been the victim of an attack by the Mexican military.
The military apparently aimed to apprehend the leaders of a community police force and other self-defence groups operating in the region.
Community police forces are not an uncommon phenomenon in Latin America. Self-organised security systems with their own managerial structures, these groups operate based on the needs of the local community.
The majority of these alternative security models have arisen to address local issues that have not been resolved by institutional police forces. In Mexico, community police usually deal with problems relating to organised crime groups, which are active in various regions across the country.
According to an online petition requesting the release of Semeí Verdía Cepeda, the commander of the community police force who was arrested following recent events in Santa María de Ostula, Michoacán state:
The indigenous community of Santa María de Ostula has, along with many others in the country, repeatedly come under the attack of criminal groups, principally those connected with drug trafficking. As a result of these circumstances and faced with the impotence of public and national security organisations in the country, the local residents came together to form a community police force.
Today, the community suffers not only at the hands of criminal groups but also at those of the Federal Police and the Army of Mexico.
This is not the first time that military forces in Mexico have been accused of excessive force or even criminal activity, particularly since they were first tasked with ensuring public safety in 2006.
The following post from the Mexican caricaturist Helio Flores which circulated on Twitter makes reference to this fact:
“Hermanocidio” de @Helioflores_mex. En #Ostula, Apatzingan, Tlatlaya y tantos lugares + sin sanción. Vía @SamuelMdzM pic.twitter.com/TtkLR3BRIj
— Denise Dresser (@DeniseDresserG) July 21, 2015
“Fratricide” by @Helioflores_mex. In #Ostula, Apatzingan, Tlatlaya and many other places + unsanctioned. Via @SamuelMdzM
The lack of confidence in security institutions was at least a partial factor in the decision of the people of Cherán, Michoacán to begin to govern themselves independently and resort to local defence initiatives. This same factor has likewise inspired other indigenous communities to follow Cherán's example.
One such community is the Zoque people of San Miguel Chimalapa, Oaxaca state, who took to their online blog to reject the municipal authorities and political parties present in the region and announce the creation of a Community Committee with the aim of defending shared territory and natural resources:
Our Committee has been created as a result of the alarm and concern we have experienced given the way in which our own local and municipal authorities have sold out to the government of Oaxaca. They have been more occupied with sharing resources, programs and projects amongst themselves, their friends and family than with the invasion, plundering and destruction of our ancestral lands and natural resources, which have thus far gone unchecked.
Such struggles for independence encourage us to question the validity of the dominant political and economic system.
There are many more examples associated with the Indigenous Peoples’ Front, including the Otomí of San Francisco Xochicuautla in Mexico state, who oppose a private road project which would damage the forest and lands belonging to them; the Huichol of Wirikuta battling to protect sacred land from huge mining projects and the Yaqui tribe of Sonora, who are focusing their efforts on opposing the construction of the Independencia aqueduct given the threat it poses to the culture and livelihood of the community.
These accounts of strength and resistance illustrate the necessity of pursuing alternative lines of action that promote coexistence and peace, respect the freedom of these communities to control their own future, and enforce human rights. For this to happen, however, it is essential first to become aware of their battles and their very legitimate requests.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Giovanna Salazar


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Chairman Mao Wasn’t at WWII’s Cairo Conference. So Why Is He on the Movie Poster? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Original poster for “Cairo Declaration” (left) and an online spoof (right) via Twitter user @abin5689
Big-budget film “The Cairo Declaration” is set to hit cinemas all across China on September 3, the same day that Chinese officials have scheduled a military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. The movie, produced by August First Film Studio, a production company affiliated with the Chinese military, is meant to push the idea of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) “crucial role” in defending the country against the Japanese invasion between 1937 and 1945.
The Cairo Declaration, which outlined post-war objectives for China, Japan and Korea, was issued by the Allies of World War II during a summit held in Cairo, Egypt, on November 27, 1943. Chiang Kai-shek, a political and military leader of the Republic of China (Taiwan), was present, yet the movie's trailers and posters released in mid-August give the impression that Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong was at the Cairo Conference instead of Chiang.
Director Wen Deguang said that despite the posters, Chiang is a key figure in the movie and the story is based on historical fact. He further explained that the production of the movie took about three months’ time and the crew spent one and a half months working on scenes featuring Chiang and only four days on those featuring Mao.
Despite the difference screen time, the movie trailer still suggests that Mao was behind the scenes in the anti-Japanese war with his opening remark, “The task of communists around the world is to oppose fascism through struggle.”
Netizens have responded to the perceived distortion of history by turning the film's poster featuring Mao into an online meme. Twitter user @Mosendoo created a version with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and pointed to a website where users can generate their own poster spoof:
自从《开罗宣言》的海报被玩坏之后，出现了各式各样的有特色海报！ 还有网友放出了开罗宣言海报生成器，把自己照片放上去立马高大上！ http://t.co/2jCYzym63F pic.twitter.com/XaRIjAHxAi
— 浮生百念 (@Mosendoo) August 17, 2015
Since the poster for “The Cairo Declaration” was ruined [by Mao], different versions of the poster have started circulating online. Someone even created an online generator for the Cairo poster, you can upload your own photo and become a great leader!
Many believe that both “The Cairo Declaration” and the September 3 military parade are part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's dream of a “national revival” to rewrite the Chinese Communist Party's history in relation to Japan's war against China.
Public figures have spoken out against the party's questionable interpretation of history as the date of the military parade approached. Taiwanese President Ma Yingjeou criticized the movie's posters as a “joke” and stressed that anti-Japanese war efforts were led by the Kuomintang political party of the then newly established Republic of China (Taiwan), with the CCP playing little role.
Yang Jianli, a pro-democracy activist exiled to the United State since the 1989 crackdown on protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, pointed out that during the Cairo Conference in 1943 Mao was busy engaging in a party power struggle during the Yan'an Rectification Movement (1942-1944), through which he established his paramount role within the CCP:
回顾这段历史我们可以看到，当二战中的同盟国与轴心国拼杀到人仰马翻的时候（其中也包括苏联与希特勒的战争），从1941年起，毛泽东东靠阎锡山的屏障，西有盛世才的庇佑，高喊着爱国抗日的口号[…] 其实他将延安变成了一处抗战中的桃花源，在这里，他完全根据自己的需要，对党政军干部重新评估使用，对军队和干部进行彻底而残酷的洗脑，从而在中共历史上第一次形成了党的最高领袖对党和军队的绝对统一领导 […] 1945年初，在延安整风接近四年后，整人整得不亦乐乎的毛泽东发现日本战败的结局要比自己估计的时间提前，于是匆忙结束整风，厚着脸皮向被整者“脱帽道歉”，让他们下山摘桃子，去国共内战的战场上拼杀——要打仗，自然就没时间整人，好在人都已经整过，听话得很，而蒋介石除了嫡系部队之外，却是难以指挥。内战的胜负，仅在这一点上，就可以隐约看出端倪了。
We can see in history that when the Allies and the Axis were killing each other (the war also involved the USSR and Hitler), since 1941 Mao was fenced off from the war by Kuomintang's warlord Yan Xishan and Soviet-backed warlord Sheng Shicai. The struggle against the Japanese invasion remained a slogan […]
In fact, he turned the area of Yan'an into a dreamland where he could evaluate the party's officials according to his own liking. He also brainwashed the army and lther officials to make sure that they would be absolutely loyal to the party under his leadership and established his dictatorship.
[…] in 1945, four years after the Yan'an Rectification Movement had started, Mao found out that the surrender of Japan happened earlier than he had anticipated. He ended the rectification and took off his hat, apologized to those he had persecuted so that they could fight in the civil war [between Kuomintang and the CCP]. After the rectification, the army was very obedient. As for Chiang Kai-shek, he would not keep other warlords under control. By then, he result of the civil war was implicit.
Yang said he hoped the movie would prompt viewers to research the history of the CCP and reflect on the impact of Mao's dictatorship in China and the rest of the world.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Journalists Reporting in Mali Receive Death Threats From ‘Guardians of Jihad’ · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Rebels from militant group Ansar Dine in Mali. Public domain
A few journalists covering West Africa have received death threats following their reporting on the northern region of Mali.
In the message sent on 31 August, a group that names itself “Les Gardiens du Jihad” (Guardians of Jihad) did not specify the reasons for the threats but mentioned that foreign journalists, and French ones in particular, will be slain for “spreading lies about Islam”.
Here is a translation of an excerpt of the message:
In the name of the Guardians of Jihad, we announce that the Hand of the Prophet will help us slay all foreign journalists in Mali and journalists who work for foreign media. We know where you all live and we know where you are heading to. The Hand of the Prophet will guide us in getting rid of you and your lies about the jihad. We demand that you leave Mali [..] Heads will soon fall and it will begin with those of French journalists and journalists who work for France, the main enemy of Islam.
Two journalists, Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, were killed in Bamako, Mali, in November 2013 by Bayes Ag Bakabo, a man suspected to be a member of Al-Qaeda in Maghreb (AQIM).
Recent events in northern Mali have provided cause for concern that peace is on tenuous ground in the region. On August 9, 13 people were killed, including five UN workers, in a hostage siege at a hotel in the central Malian town of Sevare. The UN force in Mali took over responsibility for security in the country from French troops in July 2013. France intervened in the country after Islamist militants threatened to march on Bamako in December 2012 in what was then called Operation Serval.
This is one of the many threats that French journalists in particular have received for their reporting on Islamic militants since the Charlie Hebdo killing on January 7, 2015. In June, French journalist Anna Erelle (a pseudonym) was trying to understand why young women and teenagers would leave their homes and families to join ISIS in Syria. She created a fake online profile and was approached by a man called Abu Bilel who proposed to her and invited her to join the group. When she refused, Bilel sent her death threats. The following is a video of Erelle explaining her current situation:
The threats aimed at journalists are adding to an already tense social context in France following the shooting aboard the Thalys Train from Amsterdam to Paris on 21 August. According to the French Attorney General François Molins, in the past few months:
French President François Hollande stated on 25 August following the Thalys attack that additional attacks on French soil are to be expected. Hollande identified ISIS, Boko Haram and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as the threats towards security in France. Eight attacks have been conducted on French soil in 2015 (timelines here).

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Malaysia’s 34-Hour Bersih Rally Against Government Corruption Gathers 100,000 People · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Bersih 4 is calling for the resignation of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Photo from the Facebook page of Bersih 4
An estimated crowd of 100,000 people gathered over the weekend in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur in support of Bersih 4, a political movement calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is implicated in a corruption scandal.
Bersih, which means “clean” in the local language of Bahasa, was organized to push for electoral reforms in 2007, 2011, and 2012. But this year, Bersih 4 is also calling for the removal of Najib, who is accused of receiving ill-gotten funds from 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state-managed investment firm. Najib admitted that he received 2.6 billion ringgit (675 million US dollars), but he said this was an election donation from a friendly Middle Eastern country for his political party.
This year’s Bersih lasted for almost two days (34 hours to be exact) and its ending coincided with the national celebration of Merdeka, Malaysia’s independence day. During the first day of Bersih, police said the crowd was 25,000 in Kuala Lumpur and about 5,000 in other parts of the country. On the second day, the number of protesters in the capital went up to 35,000 in the afternoon, but it swelled to almost 100,000 during the final hours of the program, according to some media reports. Official estimates were not yet provided as of writing.
Bersih 4 was also supported by solidarity gatherings in 70 cities around the world.
The number of people who joined Bersih 4 is impressive considering that the rally is deemed illegal by the government. A recent order was even promulgated that criminalized the wearing of yellow Bersih 4 t-shirts.
Najib downplayed the Bersih protest and claimed that majority of Malaysians still support him. To counter Bersih, his followers vow to mobilize a million “red shirts” on October 10.
This video provides an aerial view of the rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur:
This video shows the Bersih 4 crowd during the final hours of the program:
One of those who joined Bersih was former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who ruled Malaysia for 22 years. Many were surprised to see Mahathir since he was against the holding of rallies during his term, but some organizers welcomed the presence of the country’s longest-serving prime minister. Mahathir said he supports the call for the resignation of Najib.
Below are some of the photos of #Bersih4 shared on Twitter:
#Bersih4 Live: An aerial view of the crowd at midnight. Happy Merdeka! http://t.co/aatMssFuMQ pic.twitter.com/HtbVzFkhLv
— malaysiakini.com (@malaysiakini) August 30, 2015
#Bersih4: Sea of yellow in downtown KL as night falls on the second night of the rally http://t.co/00YJrkMjWn pic.twitter.com/upZJHrhkGa
— Malay Mail Online (@themmailonline) August 30, 2015
For those brave enough to fight, I salute you. #Bersih4 pic.twitter.com/zeqGWayrAu
— ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✝ (@_jamesjemz_) August 29, 2015
The PM is not a popular figure at #Bersih4 pic.twitter.com/lfbLami7vI
— Eric Paulsen (@EricPaulsen101) August 30, 2015
This is historical,I've never seen something like these.Rakyat are the true heroes!! Turun & sokong!! #Bersih4 pic.twitter.com/xrCKqXtMFA
— Adrian Ng (@AdrianNCF) August 30, 2015
There were various reactions to Bersih 4. Wong Chin Huat was one of the Bersih participants who slept in the streets during the weekend:
I slept on the pavement on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman last night. It was like a refugee camp with many people – mostly in the illegal yellow Bersih 4 T-shirts – sleeping on not only the pavements, but also the middle of the road. Some brought sleeping bags, some used newspapers as their mat, others just slept on the road.
Why did they sacrifice their comfort in bed? Many of them, like me, have booked hotel rooms for refreshing themselves, but chose to sleep on the streets just to show our yearning for change.
Writing on news site Malaysia Kini, Dharm Navaratnam denounced Najib for calling Bersih participants unpatriotic:
To see so many Malaysians standing up for what they believe in can only be described as uplifting. To read today’s news that the PM accuses those of us who were at the rally of not loving the country is absolutely absurd. It is BECAUSE we love the country that we took part in the rally.
But Visithra Manikam wrote that more people could have joined Bersih if it was not scheduled a day before Merdeka:
I applaud those who went down to Bersih 4. It was quite a sight. I was most happy some of you carried the flag with you. Most of you were getting involved with something involving the nation for the first time ever. I applaud those who slept in the streets last night. That was indeed historical. But alas, the timing was ill-planned.
Neil Khor urged Bersih supporters to give more attention to the everyday issues of the poor, especially those who are living in rural areas:
…by failing to breach the rural divide – by being unable to mobilise even the semi-rural folks to participate – Bersih’s concerns, which have always been ideological rather than bread and butter issues – failed to connect with the masses.
Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur. Photo from the Facebook page of Bersih 4
This editorial by the Ant Daily news website describes the political impact of Bersih 4:
Within 34 hours, Bersih 4 has evolved from an event organised by a group of concerned Malaysians trying to bring a change to their country, into something totally different entirely.
It is an opportunity for normal Malaysians – the rakyat – to finally have the courage to express themselves, regardless of the consequences.
To many, Bersih 4 is something that gave them the courage to dream. To know that a fair and just Malaysia can truly exist. Where there is harmony and peace, understanding and compassion, a country where the rakyat does not need to fear nor bow to those who misuse power for their own gain.

author: Mong Palatino


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One Syrian Refugee’s Long and Dangerous Journey to Europe · Global Voices
PRI/PRX's The World

Kos, Greece. 15 August 2015 — Syrian refugees arriving on an overcrowded dinghy along the coast of the Greek island of Kos at Psalidi beach near to the luxury hotel complexes of the island. Photo by Wassilis Aswestopoulos. Copyright Demotix
This article and radio report by Shirin Jaafari for The World originally appeared on PRI.org on August 25, 2015, and is republished here as part of a content-sharing agreement.
Thair Orfahli stepped onto the boat knowing he might die. But that same reality faced him if he stayed in Syria.
Only a few hours before, he had bid his friend goodbye, handing over his laptop — his most-prized possession. “I told my friend if I didn't arrive, you can call this number and give everything [to] my family,” he recalls.
Orfahli is one of thousands of men, women and children fleeing war-torn countries in the Middle East. He calls Syria home — or at least he used to.
Not long ago, he was a law student in Lebanon. He regularly went back to visit his family in Jobar, not far from the Syrian capital Damascus. Life was good.
Then came the war. The bitter fighting between the Syrian army and the opposition intensified.
Jobar became a battleground. “It [was] very dangerous. [There were] a lot of bomb, bomb, bomb,” he says.
Soon neighborhood men started to disappear, either forced to fight in the Syrian army or locked up because they were considered members of the opposition.
In 2012, life in Jobar simply became unbearable. “I [took] my family and my mother and my sister and ran away to Lebanon,” Orfahli recalls.
But even in Lebanon, he didn't feel safe. As a young and able Syrian, he feared he would get caught by Syrian regime sympathizers and sent back to fight. The thought terrified him. So, once again, he found himself on the move. This time, alone.
“In 2013, Thair became a refugee from the war in Egypt,” says Sara Bergamaschi, a close friend of Orfahli.
Bergamaschi, who's Italian and works for the United Nations, met Orfahli on a trip to Syria in 2009.
“We spent almost every day together,” she says, “We traveled all over the country. We became like brothers and sisters.”
Bergamaschi says not long after Orfahli moved to Egypt, he began looking for work. There was just one problem: he needed a work permit.
“According to Egyptian law you need to ask for this work permit from the Arab legal organization of your own country,” she says.
In short, Orfahli had to go back to Damascus in order to get the permit. Meanwhile, Orfalhi's student visa was running out fast and just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, they did. His passport was stolen. With no passport and no work permit, he had to act fast. He decided to make his way into Europe.
With so many Syrian refugees trying to make it to Greece and Italy, smugglers are not hard to find. A couple of phone calls later, Orfahli had found his smuggler.
“He told me I need $2,500,” he says. “[I said] ‘I have just $2,000. If you want, I give you, if you don't want, I will find another one,'” he says.
The smuggler agreed. He promised Orfahli he would be in Italy within five days.
But the time it actually took to get there? Ten days and 12 hours. Orfahli, along with more than 100 refugees spent more than 10 gruelling days at sea.
Australian singer Cody Simpson handed over his Twitter account to Orfahli so he could post Tweets about his journey.
On a boat to Italy w/ 234 other refugees and migrants. Their strength is unbelievable. #ShareHumanity -@ThairDamascus pic.twitter.com/YUe47RMHMG
— Cody Simpson (@CodySimpson) agosto 13, 2015
There were elderly, pregnant women and small children on the trip.
“Everybody was scared. We [didn't] have food, we [didn't] have a lot of water and the water [was] very dirty,” he recalls.
Some of them, including Orfahli had to sleep on the deck. The nights were freezing and the waves of water that splashed onto them made it even worse.
As the days went on, the passengers became more and more anxious. They wondered whether they would make it to shore at all.
Finally, it happened. Their ship made it to the shores of Sicily.
Bergamaschi's family took Orfahli in.
“My dad went to pick him up and everybody was so happy,” she says. “Even my dad, I remember that he told me, ‘Sara, I'm amazed to see this guy because he really has nothing on him, just his little phone and he has holes in his shoes but he's so happy. I don't get it.’ And I'm like, ‘Yeah, papa, he's happy because he's alive. He's grateful to life.'”
Grateful as he was, he didn't stay in Italy for long. He had more borders to cross. He wanted to get to Germany.
And that's where he is today. He has applied for asylum and is waiting to hear back. As for his family, Orfahli says they're scattered all over the Middle East. One of his siblings is in Saudi Arabia, others are in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon.
After a long & dangerous trip I arrive in #Munich, the entry point for many migrants. #ShareHumanity -@ThairDamascus pic.twitter.com/0W7N9lxaK7
— Cody Simpson (@CodySimpson) agosto 14, 2015
These days, he's at a refugee camp in Germany. He spends his time studying English and German.
“I like my [refugee] camp because I stay relax,” he says. “I want to forget everything in Egypt, every problem in Syria, every problem in the boat.”
For Orfahli, now, it's all about building a new life in the place he now calls home.

author: PRI/PRX's The World


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This Ukrainian Artist Is Drawing Comics About His Imprisonment By Pro-Russian Militants in Donetsk · Global Voices
Tanya Lokot

One of the draft images from the comic book detailing Zakharov's kidnapping and imprisonment by “DNR” militants. Image from the artist on Facebook.
A Ukrainian artist who was captured by the militants of the pro-Russian “Donetsk People's Republic” for putting up irreverent guerrilla art is now working on a comic book to tell the story of his kidnapping and shed light on the plight of political prisoners in occupied eastern Ukraine.
Sergey Zakharov started creating artworks mocking the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People's Republic” in July of 2014, working with fellow artists to scatter plywood figures of separatists sporting clown make-up and camouflage throughout the city streets. Affixed to fences and buildings, the grotesque silhouettes immediately attracted attention and photos of them started popping up in social networks. Inevitably, this drew the ire of the “DNR” militants.
Zakharov himself, attaching an artwork to a fence in Donetsk in 2014. Image from Facebook.
Soon after his artworks went viral, Zakharov was visited in his workshop by armed men, who escorted him to the Donetsk Security Services building (one of “DNR”‘s strongholds), along with his computer and art sketches. Zakharov spent over a month and a half in captivity, where he says he was tortured. Things like mock executions and beatings were par for the course, according to the artist.
В середині ночі, іноді охоронці напивалися, вони іноді хапали кого-небудь з ув'язнених і везли в іншу будівлю, де знову били.
In the middle of the night the guards would get drunk, seize one of the prisoners and take them to another building, where they would beat them again.
“A mock execution.” Another draft image from the comic book detailing Zakharov's kidnapping and imprisonment by “DNR” militants. Image from Facebook.
Now the artist, who moved to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv after facing persecution in Donetsk, has turned to the medium of comics to share his experiences of life in the occupied city of Donetsk and his treatment at the hands of the “DNR” militants.
“If I was a writer, I would write a book, but I'm an artist, so it will be a comic book,” Zakharov told Hromadske TV in a recent interview.
Zakharov, who has been dubbed “the Donetsk Banksy” for his irreverent street art, first unveiled some of the draft pages for the future comic book on Facebook. After some of the Ukrainian media picked up the story, the artist was approached by publishers with proposals to print the book, and is still working on finalizing the details of the project.
“Being transported from the Donetsk Security Service building to another prison.” A draft panel from Zakharov's future comic. Image from Facebook.
One of Zakharov's biggest artistic inspirations is Art Spiegelman's “Maus,” one of the most prominent comic books in history, which received a Pulitzer prize for its graphic depiction of life in the Nazi concentration camps. The Ukrainian artist hopes his comic book project will help raise awareness of the plight of other prisoners and captives who suffered (and continue to suffer) at the hands of the self-proclaimed separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine.

author: Tanya Lokot


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Bahrain’s Bombings: Unsolved Puzzles That End in Death Sentences · Global Voices
Batool Al Musawi

Karranah, Bahrain. 15th February 2014 — Renewed clashes after protesters crawled to the Pearl Roundabout. Demonstrators marched towards the Pearl Roundabout, which was closed three years ago by the forces of order. Security forces dispersed the crowd with tear gas. Photograph by Sayed Baqer Alkamel. Copyright: Demotix
The Bahraini government's credibility is challenged by eyebrow-raising questions with every announcement of some sort of attack against its security forces. Over the past few months, the Interior Ministry declared a number of home-made bomb attacks that targeted police patrols on duty. The most recent was in a village named Karranah, on Budaiya Highway, west of Manama capital city.
This announcement by the Ministry of the Interior on August 28 said a policeman was killed in a “terrorist” blast in Karranah:
One policeman killed in the terrorist blast in Karana. #Bahrain
— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) August 28, 2015
On Twitter, @Bubahrain challenged the ministry to make public the recordings of the attack.
على طول شارع البديع من كوبري القدم الى منطقة البديع هناك كاميرات مراقبه هل تنشر وزارة الداخليه تسجيل من وضع القنبله #البحرين #تفجير_كرانة
— بو بحرين (@Bubahrain) August 29, 2015
There are surveillance cameras fixed along Budaiya Highway, from the roundabout and up to Budaiya area. Would the Interior Ministry broadcast the recordings to see who placed the bomb?
@Bahrainmomo tweeted to her 39K followers, doubting that the bombing had happened in the first place.
ازدادت التفجيرات تزامنا مع ارسال الحكومة جنود للقتال في الحرب ضداليمن،فكل ضحية يموت هناك يتم صنع سيناريو هنا واتهام المعارضة به #تفجير_كرانة
— أم أحمد (@bahrainmomo) August 28, 2015
The (number of) bombings increased as the government sent troops to fight in the war on Yemen. So for every victim who dies there, a scenario is made up here to accuse the opposition.
Alya Radhi questioned:
بعد تفجير #الكويت انتشرت صور الانفجار و المصابين والشهداء في موقع الانفجار بالصورة والفيديو لماذا لم نشاهد هذا في #تفجير_كرانة
— Alya Radhi (@ALYARADHI) August 29, 2015
After the Kuwait blast, pictures of the bombing, the wounded and the martyrs were shared in photo and film. Why have we not seen this in the Karranah blast?
The KarranahNews account on Twitter, which has 62K followers, cited the wide absence of confidence in the government.
وفوق ذلك ندعو لجهة تحقيق محايدة بشأن التفجير فلا نثق بما يحكيه النظام ضد الشباب والأهالي فالنظام جهة غير محايدة #bahrain #تفجير_كرانة
— شبكة كرانة الإخبارية (@KarranahNews) August 28, 2015
On top of this, we call for a neutral inquiry body (to investigate) the bombing, we have no confidence in the stories told by the regime against the youth and people. The regime is not a neutral side.
Bahrain has been rocked by wide protests for political reform since the so-called Arab-Spring spilled over from Tunisia to other parts of the Arab world. The massive nonviolent protests that once filled main streets have been repeatedly banned since the opposition boycotted the parliamentary elections in December 2014. Smaller nightly protests are contained inside residential areas today.
Of course, troublemakers who want to turn peaceful uprisings into violent movements can be found just about anywhere. So whether these bomb attacks are real or not remains a puzzle, with the government ignoring calls to allow an international body to open investigations into the deaths of the policemen.
In this context, the Ministry of the Interior is also being slammed for its obvious biased position from the victims of the political crisis that undermined the security situation in the country. Soon after the blast, the ministry announced a number of arrests.
Ahmed Alsaffar commented:
بعد 24ساعه تم القبض على اكثر من 20شخص مشتبه بهم!! اكثر من سنتين ولغاية اليوم لم يقبض على قاتل الشهيد احمد اسماعيل. #تفجير_كرانة #bahrain
— Ahmed Alsaffar (@Asaffar1984) August 29, 2015
After 24 hours, more than 20 people have become suspects!! Over two years and to date, the killer of the martyr Ahmed Ismail has not been arrested yet.
Ahmed Ismail was killed while filming protest in April 2012.
International news agencies report Bahrain's death toll since 2011 to be at least 65 people, however, rights groups believe the number is much higher.
Leading opposition group Al Wefaq issued a statement condemning the attack.
Human Right First's Director Brian Dooley expected the random arrests that usually follow such news, and also highlighted the Bahraini judiciary's lack of integrity shown over the past years.
In the coming hours we can sadly expect to see a roundup of those the government claims are suspects, but the security forces’ reputation for lying and fabrication means there is virtually no chance of a fair trial or due legal process for those arrested. That, in turn, will likely further polarize the country and lead to greater unrest
Bahraini journalist Nazeeha Saeed reported arrest of three photojournalists right after the blast took place.
Arrest of a number of Costa cafe riders in Karana, including photographers @Alshaikh_BH and Ahmed Al-Fardan and Riad Al-Qallaf #Bahrain
— Nazeeha Saeed (@nazihasaeed) August 28, 2015
The photojournalists, who were rounded up from a coffee shop close to where the blast took place, were held for a few hours for questioning and later released.
Cases like this one have usually ended in death sentences despite international outcry, as Bahrain is listed among countries that issue death sentences based on confessions extracted under torture and ill-treatment.

author: Batool Al Musawi


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Dominica Rallies in Aftermath of Tropical Storm Erika · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Roseau, Dominica's capital, in 2006. Photo by Roger W. CC 2.0.
Tropical Storm Erika ravaged Dominica last week, leaving at least 20 people dead and several more missing. Many parts of the island were badly flooded and a significant degree of critical infrastructure was compromised. The region has been quick to rally though, with regional heads of state contributing to relief efforts, both financially and in terms of rescue teams and equipment. CARICOM issued a formal message of sympathy and support and some European countries have also come to the country's aid.
Grenada To Provides Relief Supplies To Storm-Stricken #Dominica. #Erika http://t.co/oCE3zIE7zl
— Grenada News (@grenadanews) August 31, 2015
#Dominica #Erika — France has made a helicopter available to the local authorities in order to provide medications, water, and food
— France Diplomacy (@francediplo_EN) August 31, 2015
British ship rerouted to assist humanitarian relief efforts in #Dominica following tropical storm #Erika… http://t.co/sWhjTDXRu2
— News Hour (@newshourbd) August 31, 2015
Netizens were pleased to see that so many countries are offering help:
@DFID_Press @UNDPBarbados: Good to see quick response to the plight of #Dominica and its people #RFALymeBay #Erika http://t.co/zYlL1mOgOi
— Deborah Atwell (@DeborahAtwell) August 31, 2015
One blogger, writing at Dominica Weekly, recalled the storm experience:
No water, no electricity and the Internet. Thank God, an old Nokia phone had a radio and we can catch the radio to hear the news: tropical storm Erika in Dominica. From our top of the mountain it was not [looking] scary: heavy rain, thunder, a bit dark and no wind. Nothing special. But it appears somewhere on the island people were dying. Landslides. Rivers overflow their banks, washing away everything in its path. Collapsing bridges, houses to dust, stone fences washed away. Over 35 people dead.
Next day helicopters were flying to get people from isolated areas.
Till now people [help] people to clear houses, roads and schools. Everybody comes together.
The Dominican government has since established a Recovery and Reconstruction Fund to aid in the extensive relief and rebuilding efforts and there have been many pleas for assistance on social media, especially on Twitter, where users have expressed the hope that the situation will attract global attention:
#Pray for #Dominica donate RT & make it trend worldwide http://t.co/f7q3xIb54d #Relief #Fund #Tropical #Storm #Erika pic.twitter.com/limIB4D70g
— Michelle (@Indie__MusicFan) August 31, 2015
One of the hardest hit areas, Petit Savanne, started its own disaster relief fund. The regional blog Repeating Islands helped draw attention to the situation in this community:
We rarely posts any appeals for donations, but I am posting this one after seeing photos and film of the devastation in Petite Savanne, Dominica, after Erika.
The people of Petite Savanne–many of whom either work at the Jungle Bay Resort or provide the resort with the locally produced fruits, vegetables, natural oils, and rum that make it such a community-based enterprise–are among the most generous and caring people I know. I count many of them as dear friends.
The images of the devastation of their community are heartbreaking.
Please help if you can, as any amount, however small, could bring great relief to the community.
Officials have since evacuated Petit Savanne, where roughly 13 people are missing and feared dead. There was also a handful of other rural communities that have been declared “special disaster areas.”
On Facebook, Dominica News Online has issued regular updates about the post-storm situation in different parts of the island, linking to users’ photos and videos of the devastation Erika left in her wake. One member of the Dominican diaspora, Peter Azille, sent the following message to his compatriots via the Dominica News Online website:
As I looked at television, social media, scores of photos via WhattsApp [sic] and listening to DBS Radio, it was heart-wrenching to see and hear of the terrible loss of innocent lives and the utter destruction of homes, vehicles and public infrastructure on our fair homeland. […]
As I join with other patriotic Dominicans and friends of Dominica […] to mobilize relief supplies to send to all Dominicans, I am reminded of the belief that I have always held dearly, that we have one Dominica; that we are one people under God and that we are our Brother’s keeper. Our love, respect and care for each other must always eclipse every other sentiment. Hurricane Erika did not discriminate; it unleashed its fury on every Dominican family. We must ensure that there is not discrimination in the distribution of the relief and redevelopment supplies provided by the regional and international communities and by Dominicans and friends in the diaspora.
The redevelopment of Dominica is going to be the shared responsibility of all Dominicans at home and abroad.
Meanwhile, the authorities have been working on trying to get the country's main airport up and running again, and the Ministry of Health has been finding ways to get critical treatment to citizens who need special care, such as dialysis patients and diabetics.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Donald Trump’s Spat with News Anchor Jorge Ramos Highlights His Xenophobic Message · Global Voices
Danica Jorden

Screen shot of the video that capture the moment when Donald Trump's bodyguard pushed Mexican American Journalist Jorge Ramos out of the press conference.
At a recent press conference, would-be Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his campaign team sparked controversy after security ejected a leading Mexican-American anchor from the Q&A and a Trump staffer told him to “get out of my country” in the hallway outside the conference.
Univision has long been the No. 1 network among Hispanics in the United States, and is becoming the most watched prime time network in the country, taking on competition in the form of ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Long-serving Jorge Ramos, who was pressing Trump on his anti-immigration policies at the time he was evicted, is its main anchor.
When Ramos stood up and said: “I'd like to talk about immigration” at the August 24 press conference in Dubuque, Iowa, Trump responded by ramping up his anti-immigrant rhetoric. The erudite Ramos stopped him in his tracks.
Struggling to maintain concentration, Trump appeared to signal to security to deal with Ramos. Ramos was subsequently ejected from the conference. Their first exchange is below:
Ramos’ first question was stark and simple: How did Trump propose to deport 11 million people from the United States?
Instead of answering, Trump told him: “Sit down” and “Go back to Univision.” Ramos persevered and asked how Trump intended to finance a wall across the Mexican border and justify the mass deportation of US-born children.
As security escorted Ramos from the room, the anchor could be heard saying: “Don’t touch me. I am a reporter. I have a right to ask questions.”
In a video released by Univisión, Ramos was shown being accosted in the hallway by a male Trump staffer, who sneered “Univision” and said: “Get out of my country.”
Ramos responded that he was an American citizen, to which the staffer responded: “Whatever.”
Later, a young woman who identified herself as another Trump staffer approached Ramos and asked if he would like to return to the press conference, admonishing him to “wait until you are called upon…. I’m sure he’ll call upon you.”
After Ramos was readmitted to the conference, Trump said ostentatiously: “Good to have you back.”
Ramos began to speak:
You cannot deport [11 million] people. You cannot deny citizenship to their children. You cannot build a wall…
At this point Trump asserted that “a lot of people think” those things could be done through an Act of Congress, and then digressed to a discussion of pregnant women crossing the border within a day of giving birth, using the derogatory term “anchor babies”.
Ramos then said: “Nobody is going to build a 1900 mile wall”, to which Trump replied: “I’m a builder.”
The real estate developer cum reality television entertainer referred to his “94 story buildings” over Ramos’s interjections: “What’s more complicated is building a building that’s 95 stories tall.”
Trump then moved on to the subject of drugs coming across the border: “They have pictures… coming over the fences which are this high. There are fences which are not as tall as I am.”
Trump asserted that Border Patrol was not being allowed to stop people at the border, and when Ramos managed to ask if he was intending to call in the military, Trump suddenly changed course and asked Ramos if he agreed “that there are gangs”: “Do you agree that there are some bad ones or do you think that everyone is just perfect?”
Trump then switched to calling out locations salient to the Black Lives Matter movement without clearly making the connection with Latinos or the Mexican border:
“They looked at gangs in Baltimore. They looked at gangs in Chicago. They looked at gangs in Ferguson.”
As Ramos attempted to return to his question, Trump exclaimed: “I can’t deal with this” and began addressing another reporter.
On Friday’s 4 pm EST edition of the Univisión program El gordo y la flaca, Ramos told presenters: “I hope it’s easier to talk to you than it is to talk to Donald Trump.”
Speaking in Spanish, Ramos brought up the following points:
“11 million people. Are you going to put people in stadiums?”
“75% of Latinos have a negative view of Donald Trump.”
When asked if he thought he had spoken out of turn, Ramos tried to explain how press conferences function:
Sometimes people are called, sometimes people speak out. Nobody else was talking when I asked my question. I asked my question, he didn’t like my question and he tried to cut me off.
This was the first time in my 30 year career as a reporter that I have been removed from a press conference.
This is not Donald Trump’s country. It is our country.
If we as reporters do not take a stand and ask the difficult questions, we are not doing our job.
When asked if he thought Trump could possibly be the next president of the United States, Ramos said he had no idea.
It is a grave error not to take Donald Trump seriously. His ideas are very dangerous.… Many millions of Americans think the way he does, and this is what is very dangerous.
They blame immigrants…. We need to make sure that we will not accept this sitting down…. There comes a moment to confront that.
When asked if he believes he will ever have a sit-down interview with Trump, he said he doubted it despite the fact that Trump was “someone so outspoken.”
In conclusion, Ramos said that “16 million Latinos will be able to go to the polls in the next election and it is very important for Latinos to come out and vote.”
I'm a reporter. My job is to ask questions. What's “totally out of line” is to eject a reporter from a press conference for asking questions
— JORGE RAMOS (@jorgeramosnews) August 26, 2015

author: Danica Jorden


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Ecuadorian Journalist Fired Over His Outspoken Tweets · Global Voices
Global Voices Latin America

A screenshot of journalist Martín Pallares’ Twitter account.
Journalist Martín Pallares was fired on August 17 from the newspaper El Comercio, where he had worked for the past 13 years, over his personal Twitter account. According to freedom of expression organization Fundamedios, Pallares had been very critical of the Ecuadorian government in his tweets.
Journalist in #Ecuador fired over personal comments on Twitter http://t.co/KbzX0AJ8ym | @fundamedios
— IFEX (@IFEX) August 26, 2015
The newspaper officially says his dismissal was the result of his ignoring “cordial requests” made several months earlier to “comply with the best practices in social networks guidelines.” On his Twitter account, which has 15,800 followers, Pallares states, “What I say here is my sole responsibility and has no connection to my employer.”
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa frequently talks about the journalist during his weekly Saturday addresses to the nation. According to freedom of expression network IFEX's annual report for 2013, “In at least ten separate occasions, President Correa has used adjectives such as ‘sick man, ink assassin, nuts, etc.’, to refer to the journalist.”
In an interview with the blog Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, Pallares recounted his firing and the realities facing media in Ecuador:
The international community has been more involved in issues in Venezuela or Cuba, perhaps because they are more attractive internationally. The situation in Ecuadoran is getting more attention, but I think that the international organizations should help all journalists because I am not the only one, there are others they have been critical and have been dismissed from their media outlets.
His dismissal comes after a state of emergency allowing for censorship of communications, including in social media, was declared regarding the Cotopaxi volcano eruption, which caused the evacuation of nearby towns. Also in mid-August, the government canceled the visa of French-Brazilian journalist Manuela Picq.
Journalism in the Americas blog reports that “hostility to journalists, the media and activists has strained Ecuador, and attacks on freedom of expression are becoming more frequent.”

author: Global Voices Latin America


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Global Voices Radio Is Now Streaming Around the Clock · Global Voices
GV Radio

Global Voices Radio image by Kevin Rothrock
Beginning September 1, Global Voices Radio will be streaming around the clock. For 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, listeners can enjoy programming from around the globe, including world music, conversations about news events, and original content from our podcast partners across all of the different time zones. Through our Airtime Pro platform, you can access our Internet radio station from a web browser or mobile device.
Please visit our GV Radio landing page to see what is currently playing in your time zone and what programming is scheduled for that day. You can also listen using the player widget embedded in this post.
We will continue to feature content produced by our Global Voices community, such as our award-winning GV podcast, audio from select sessions from our recent summit, and audio from our GV Face conversation series. Partner content mentioned in previous GV Radio posts will also be highlighted, such as digital storytelling from Radio Ambulante, feature podcasts from Loa, and world music curated by GV community members in Mexico and Ghana, and much more.
This week we welcome two new podcast partners: Spotlight and Hyperlink.
Created by Global Voices community member Jakub Górnicki, the Spotlight podcast features interviews and profiles about current events taking place around the world, with a special focus on Eastern Europe.
This is Spotlight – discussing society and technology. The show brings out the people and ideas changing our world and aims to help you understand it better. Jakub Górnicki hosts travel and report blog Podróżniccy’s new podcast – Spotlight.
As part of the Hyperstage platform, the Hyperlink podcast is an Arabic-language program that focuses on technology and created by Beshr Kayali (@beshr) and Saleh (@mskayyali).
Hyperstage is a digital platform that covers the technology, society, and culture news besides updates on science and arts. The website is attempting to focus on the latest world technology, views of tech professionals, books reviews, and opinion posts written by Hyperstage team.
Look for tweets from the Global Voices Twitter account (@globalvoices) and the hashtag #GVRadio announcing what is now playing with a link to the stream, and see the full schedule below.

author: GV Radio


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Japan’s Push to Renew Military Operations Has Sparked Mass Nationwide Protests · Global Voices
Nevin Thompson

Rally protesting proposing “Legislation for Peace and Security.” Signs read “We will never let you take us to war” and “Stop Abe.” Screencap from FNN official YouTube channel.
Tens of thousands of people once again gathered in central Tokyo on August 30 to protest controversial legislation that would allow Japan to participate in military operations with other countries, such as the United States.
The new Legislation for Peace and Security, which may be technically unconstitutional, contravenes the spirit of Article 9 of Japan's post-war “Peace Constitution.”
Japan's House of Representatives passed the legislation earlier in August, and the House of Councillors is expected to ratify the bill formally on September 27.
Rally protesting proposing “Legislation for Peace and Security.” Signs read “We will never let you take us to war” and “Stop Abe.”
Billed by organizers as the biggest demonstration yet against the legislation, an estimated 120,000 protesters filled the streets in front of Japan's National Diet Building in central Tokyo.
A tweet from Japanese writer Ryuji Morita captured the scene:
毎日新聞・写真特集 国会議事堂取り囲み「戦争法案反対！」 http://t.co/IOKVF4NacD 【動画】ヘリからの空撮も必見！ pic.twitter.com/6iSK41wysH
— 盛田隆二 / 0830国会前 (@product1954) August 30, 2015
Mainichi Newspaper Photo Special: National Diet surrounded by protests opposed to proposed Legislation for Peace and Security. [The protest was so large] they needed a helicopter to capture the sheer size of it.
A SEALDS affiliate also posted images of the protest, estimating that closer to 350,000 people attended the protests:
今日は参加者述べ35万人でした！すごい！ pic.twitter.com/MKdcfZDTTF — SEALDs@DOMMUNE (@SEALDs_jpn) August 30, 2015
About 350,000 people joined the protests today!
SEALDS is a student-led organization that has sprung up over the past year largely in opposition to what is perceived be the rightist policies of the coalition government led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Those who say 350,000 took part in the demonstration are likely counting people who were participating in other rallies all over Japan, all coordinated to take place on August 29.
大阪3万人集会 pic.twitter.com/DWfMGYE1kI — ushiro teruhito (@ustht) August 30, 2015
30,000 people protested in Osaka
Even the relatively remote provincial city of Tokushima saw protesters take to the streets:
徳島でデモに遭遇！出番まで時間あるので合流します‼ pic.twitter.com/EGJtjOk5OY
— Shuya Okino (@shuyakyotojazz) August 30, 2015
I'm joining the demo in Tokushima! I still have time before I have to go to work, so I'm joining in!
While it's difficult to gauge the number of rallies across Japan, protests on the weekend were not limited to young people marching in Japan's cities:
“@starker_Wille: この写真泣ける。 pic.twitter.com/N1a4Z8bafN”
— ＯＺ　脱原発に１票 (@OZ_WhiteKnight) August 30, 2015
This photo makes me tear up.
In general, protesters say they oppose attempts to scrap or circumvent Article 9 of Japan's Constitution, which specifically prohibits Japan from going to war.
In order to avoid a lengthy constitutional revision process that could affect the outcome of the Upper House elections next year, Japan's ruling coalition has tried to “redefine” military deployment in terms that are somehow compatible with Japan's Peace Constitution.
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws war as a means to settle international disputes, though the Japanese government under Shinzo Abe says the country must be able to participate in military actions with key allies, notably the United States.
In practical terms, collective self defense would mean that Japan could conduct mine sweeping operations, field an air defense with its Aegis cruisers, and escort tanker traffic. There is also the possibility that the United States and Japan would cooperate to protect territory claimed by Japan in the far western reaches of the archipelago, notably the Senaku Islands, which are also claimed by China and Taiwan.

author: Nevin Thompson


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Police Violently Remove Activists Occupying Lebanon’s Ministry of Environment · Global Voices
Faten Bushehri

Supporters and protesters outside the Ministry of Environment building where #YouStink activists are staging a sit in. Photograph shared by Joey Ayoub on Twitter (@joeyayoub)
Updated at 20:47 GMT.
Security forces violently removed about 30 protesters from Lebanon's You Stink movement from the Ministry of Environment in Beirut. The activists had planned to occupy the building until the Minister of Environment stepped down for failing to address the country's trash crisis.
About 50 Lebanese protesters of the “You Stink” movement and other movements have announced an open occupation of the Ministry of Environment on Tuesday, hours before a 72 hour deadline to meet the protesters demands ended.
Minister Mohamad Machnouk was trapped in his office, as the government shut down the ministry, preventing more activists from joining the protesters, who stayed put, calling for Machnouk to resign. Authorities also cut off the electricity in the floor the sit in was being staged and has since deployed the army around Beirut. A squad of riot police were also sent in to the ministry, supposedly to deal with the sit in, who have reportedly started beating up the protesters.
Outside the ministry, hundreds of protesters have gathered, and the numbers continue to swell, to lend a hand to the sit in.
Deadline passed. We are still here. #Lebanon #طلعت_ريحتكم pic.twitter.com/nZG5ArlMEp
— Joey Ayoub جووي أيوب (@joeyayoub) September 1, 2015
Crowd getting larger and larger in front of the Ministry of Environment. #Lebanon #طلعت_ريحتكم
— Joey Ayoub جووي أيوب (@joeyayoub) September 1, 2015
The protesters are chanting “leave leave” in reference to Minister Machnouk.
#لبنان — مراسل الحدث: وزير البيئة محاصر داخل الوزارة من قبل حملة #طلعت_ريحتكم
— قناة الحدث (@AlHadath) September 1, 2015
Al Hadath's correspondent: The minister of environment is being trapped inside the ministry by the You Stink movement
Other media channels are reporting that security forces are trying to get the minister out of the building through a back door. However the minister refuses to leave the building and wants to remain inside the building under the security's protection.
Communications coordinator at Human Rights Watch Rita Nehme confirms:
Min of Environment Mohammad Mashnouq says he will remain inside his office under the protection of ISF #YouStink pic.twitter.com/QmeMdGOfof
— Rita Nehme (@ritajnehme) September 1, 2015
Meanwhile, people are starting to gather outside the ministry in Riyadh Al Solh in solidarity with the open occupation, and the police have locked the doors to prevent more people from joining the sit-in.
Luna Safwan tweets a picture of the protesters from inside the building:
صور أولية شبان من “طلعت ريحتكم” يحتلون مبنى وزارة البيئة في العازارية #طلعت_ريحتكم via @yumnafawaz pic.twitter.com/KHRDUAm0c3
— Luna K. Safwan (@LunaSafwan) September 1, 2015
First photos of #YouStink activists occupying the Environment Ministry now
Police Chief Mohammed Al Ayoubi had a meeting with the minister Al Machnouq and decided to allow a representative of the protesters to talk to the minister. However, the protesters turned down this deal and insisted on the resignation of the minister.
The Minister has announced yesterday his decision to suspend his participation from the newly formed ministerial committee that is tasked with finding a solution and managing Lebanon's trash crisis. However his decision was not good enough for the protesters who insist on his resignation from the position as a minister of environment.
AFP Beirut Correspondent Maya Gebeily reports:
Lots of anger outside the Environment Ministry over Mashnuq's refusal to resign but withdrawal from trash crisis committee #YouStink
— Maya Gebeily (@GebeilyM) September 1, 2015
Several pictures have been circulating on social media from the scenes inside and outside the ministry:
Protesters in MOE make victory signs and chant “#YouStink” #طلعت_ريحتكم pic.twitter.com/p0R98eEZ4R
— Myra Abdallah (@myraabdallah) September 1, 2015
وزير البيئة محمد المشنوق يحاول الخروج من مبنى الوزارة #طلعت_ريحتكم pic.twitter.com/mbmhm2xz8i
— Ekher El Akhbar (@EkherElAkhbar) September 1, 2015
Police have been deployed to block all entrances that lead to the building, tweet Abit Ghattas:
Riot police is deployed on all the entrances of the MEO #طلعت_ريحتكم #Lebanon #YouStink pic.twitter.com/XmNJb6Gjpm
— Abir Ghattas (@AbirGhattas) September 1, 2015
Myra Abdulla shares a video of protesters trying to find other ways to get in:
#YouStink protesters running towards another entrance of Azarieh building pic.twitter.com/ADoOFyA8rT
— Myra Abdallah (@myraabdallah) September 1, 2015
Mashable news shares another video from inside the ministry:
Protesters occupy Lebanon's Ministry of Environment, demanding resignations over waste management crisis pic.twitter.com/85LFWplDkb #YouStink
— Mashable News (@MashableNews) September 1, 2015
Imad Bazzi, one of the You Stink leaders who is among the people inside the ministry, told the media that they are not planning to trash the ministry or destroy public institution, rather they are having a civilized sit-in to demand the resignation of the minister and won't leave until their demand is met. Outside, protesters echo the statement and confirm, they too will not leave the area until their demands are met.
In addition to Machnouk's resignation, the demands whose deadline ended today include a permanent, sustainable solution to the garbage crisis, which initially took the people to the streets. Other demands are holding accountable all those who have wasted public funds during the last period and holding accountable the minister of interior and all those who gave orders to open fire at the protesters.
You Stink has broadened its focus beyond officials’ mishandling of the refuse problem following the closure of the country's largest landfill in July. Members are now calling for the government's resignation, an end to corruption and fresh parliamentary elections, among other demands. Lebanon, already suffering from a poor infrastructure and daily electricity cuts, has had no president for over a year. In 2009, its parliament extended its term until 2017, with no elections, citing instability as a reason.

author: Faten Bushehri


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‘Maximizing the Good, Hiding the Bad’: How Poverty and Welfare Are Measured in Uzbekistan · Global Voices
Zabikhulla Saipov

Demotix Photo: ID: 198150. From Moynaq, Uzbekistan. 15 March 2013, by Yan Seiler.
In Uzbek there is a saying, yaxshilikni oshirib, yomonlikni yashirish, that translates roughly as “maximize the good, hide the bad”. It seems this practice is being widely applied in measuring poverty and development in Uzbekistan and the broader Central Asian region.
In local official mass media, the word “poverty” is used exclusively to denote harder socio-economic times experienced by the republic during the Soviet period. Increasingly, poor people have made way for the more politically correct “vulnerable groups of the population”.
The eradication of extreme poverty and hunger is one of eight development goals adopted in September 2000 as part of the New York UN Millennium Declaration signed by all member countries and leading development institutions. This year commemorates 15 years since those goals were adopted. Talk is now of a ‘post-2015 agenda’.
“El-yurt tayanchi” (support of the country) monument personifies a futuristic Uzbek family with a daughter and a son unveiled by President Islam Karimov in 2006 in Karshi, the city of a province where he governed in late 1980's. It indirectly hints at the quantity of kids each Uzbek household might wish to have in decades from now. Photo by author.
Overall, there are conflicting narratives and interpretations about human development in Central Asia. Reports of international development institutions on the region differ. The reason for this duplicity is an absence of transparency and official readiness to present real data to international human development bodies.
For example, although the Food Agriculture Organisation's latest State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015 report commended Central Asia for “remarkably rapid progress in reducing hunger”, another report from the same organization notes that “lack of effective governance is rife in developing countries, and is especially acute in Central Asia and Central Africa.”
Poverty in Uzbekistan, however it is defined or calculated, has a seasonal character. It varies from one location to another, and suffers from serious institutional and legislative deficiencies. For instance, in 2015 weather in the country was particularly harsh. Due to abnormally cold weather in April, frost diminished 70% of the harvest from fruit trees in Uzbekistan.
Coupled with the fact the country reportedly exported 50 tons of fruits and vegetables to Russia, it is unsurprising that prices sky-rocketed, leaving many people few choices to consume or preserve it in glass jars for the winter, a tradition widely practised in the region.
And yet poverty in Uzbekistan is the subject of discretion. Teachers and doctors might prefer to bring their own lunch to work than pay for it in the canteen. People proudly own their own flats and houses but find themselves sharing them with more relatives than you can imagine.
Strong social bonds and remittances from abroad have contributed to effectively cloaking poverty, but have not completely banished it.
One 2009 UNICEF report on child poverty in Uzbekistan revealed that “pre-school enrolment is especially low in rural areas (19.2% of children at the respective age).”
Only 20% of children aged 3 years old to 5 years old are attending preschool, a figure that was much higher prior to independence.
Disabled people are another group poverty impacts disproportionately. According to the UNDP in Tashkent officially “people with disabilities number 780,000 people (2% of total population)” of whom 52% are women and 48% are men. Up to 70% of them are unemployed, while the level of poverty among people with disabilities is at least four times higher than the average in the country.
Disparities in living standards also vary widely between city centers and rural villages in a way that the Gini Coefficient, which measures the income of the richest part of the population against the poorest, cannot always grasp.
The poverty line is well above the 15% barrier in Jizzakh, Karakalpakstan, Khorezm, Namangan, Navoi, Surhandarya and Syrdarya which represent more than half of the country.
Prosperity is perhaps only truly noticeable in the capital Tashkent, where around 2% live beneath the poverty line and where authorities are clamping down on luxurious weddings that sow envy in society.
Source: MDG Goals Report Uzbekistan 2015 (p.18), Center for Economic Research/UNDP
Perhaps the biggest indicator of poverty and general development failure in Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries, however, is high rates of out-migration.
According to the Russian Migration Service, citizens of Uzbekistan (2,095,234 – 6.9% of population) top the list of Central Asians in the country. They are followed by Tajikistan (1,038,940 – 13% of population), Kazakhstan (693,793 – 4%), Kyrgyzstan (513,917 – 9.1%) and Turkmenistan (20,225 – 0.36%).
State media prefers to “maximize the good” and frequently refers to the World Happiness Report for 2015 that ranked Uzbekistan in 44th place worldwide ahead of Slovakia, Japan and South Korea and first among republics belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States. But if millions of citizens were truly happy would they really have migrated abroad and associated their future with other countries?

author: Zabikhulla Saipov


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Meet the ‘Loa’ Podcast Network: What Vietnam’s Mainstream Media Has Been Missing · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Photo from the Facebook page of Loa
Loa, which means megaphone or loudspeaker in Vietnamese, is a podcast dedicated to stories about Vietnam that are rarely seen in the mainstream media. A project of the Viet Tan reform party (an outlawed organization in Vietnam), Loa provides alternative perspectives not just about politics but also Vietnamese culture and trending topics in the country today.
In an interview with Global Voices, Loa editors explained that their goal is to promote a greater understanding of the Vietnamese way of life:
Loa seeks to explore the ideas and stories that shape Vietnam today. We amplify the voices you often don't hear and broadcast the perspectives you haven’t heard. We're trying to cover the gap of stories that mainstream and state media does not cover.
Trinh Nguyen, one of Loa‘s editor, explained that the podcasts are getting positive reviews in Vietnam, despite the fact that the country's communist authorities consider Viet Tan, which initiated the online project, to be a “reactionary organization.”
People from Vietnam actually make up 60 percent of our listenership and 80 percent of our likes on Facebook. We know that these stories are reaching Vietnam. We frequently get requests to cover a certain story or angle. Our listeners are very supportive of our work. They're also pushing us to do better and cover more stories.
Perhaps one reason why it’s easy to appreciate Loa is the clear, concise, and creative presentation of topics about unique aspects of Vietnamese living. The favorite of this author is the “Vietnamism” segment that features stories about Vietnamese arts and culture. One of these segments, for instance, teaches non-Vietnamese people how to pronounce Vietnamese names like Bích or Phúc (which, as you know, if you're reading this, resemble obscenities in English).
Another show is by Quyên Ngô, who explains the terms of address in Vietnam:
If that person is around your older sibling’s age, call them anh or chị. For addressing males, if they are younger than your father (or about the same age) you can call them anh or chú. If they are older than your father, call them bác. If a woman is a bit younger or older than your mom, call them chị or cô (only call them bác if they are much older than your mom).
Tiến Nguyễn discusses Tiết Canh, the Vietnamese pizza whose main ingredient is duck blood:
If you are a fan of pizza, you should try this type of “Vietnamese pizza” called tiết canh. Its ingredients include peanuts, coriander leaves, fish sauce, lime, and the main ingredient: duck’s blood. Here’s an important foodie tip: the blood has to be fresh! The dish is considered ready to eat when the blood is congealed, the color is still red, and when you lift it with a spoon the duck blood stays solid.
A show narrated by Nam-An Đinh shares the story of the cat that replaced the rabbit in the Vietnamese zodiac. Stella Trần, meanwhile, reveals the stories behind the mysterious numbers in many Pho restaurants in the United States:
Phở 54, Phở 75, Phở 79…. they are not just numbers to denote a sequence of stores, but usually come with a special meaning. Whether it’s to honor a memory, to reflect history, or to bring a bit of Việt Nam’s past to the places we go, it’s a legacy the Vietnamese diaspora serves up daily.
The podcasts are not just entertaining—they are also informative about the current struggles of many groups in Vietnam, such as the campaigns against environmental plunder, and in favor of LGBT rights, as well as efforts to publicize how the state persecutes and detains dissident bloggers. One podcast educates listeners about the background of the popular prison song, “Return to My People.”
As Internet use expands in Vietnam, the role of alternative websites like Loa grows as more people seek greater information about what’s happening in the country and aroundthe world. A recent Loa podcast discussed the impact of social media on local politics and the media landscape in Vietnam:
In Việt Nam, social media has definitely pushed mainstream media to be more responsive to issues that are politically sensitive. Often times, state media has picked up stories that began online. For state media, there are certain no-go areas: human rights, reporting on political dissent or popular movements.


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Meet the Men That Have Eluded Tajikistan’s Secret Beard Police · Global Voices
Akhal-Tech Collective

Flickr image by the user Joebeone.
Around the turn of the eighteenth century, Russia's great moderniser Peter the Great introduced one of history's strangest taxes: the beard tax. More than three centuries later President Emomali Rakhmon's Tajikistan is facing down facial hair with the same fanatical fervour.
Inspired by the more clean-shaven cultures of Western Europe, Tsar Peter wanted Russians to follow suit:
After Peter’s triumphant return to Russia at the end of his European voyage in 1698, a joyous reception was thrown in his honor. In attendance were his commander of the army, his frequent second-in-command Fyodor Romodanovsky, and a host of assorted aides and diplomats. Suddenly, the crowd’s mood went from elation to horror as Peter unexpectedly pulled out a massive barber’s razor. As biographer Robert K. Massie writes, “After passing among his [friends] and embracing them… he began shaving off their beards” with his own hands! Given his political stature, none of his associates dared question this stunning turn of events. (His physical stature didn't hurt either: Peter stood an imposing 6’8”.)
Hairless necks and faces were all the rage in the Western World, so the Czar initially ordered that all of his subjects (excluding clergy and peasants) must lose their face fuzz. So dedicated was Peter to his cause that he even instructed police officials to personally shave those who refused to comply on sight.
While Tajikistan's Ministry of the Interior denies similar instructions are in place in the Central Asian country, reports that cops have been forcibly shaving men with facial hair are widespread.
If Peter was targeting what he regarded as a certain backwardness inherent in the Russian beard, Tajikistan's target appears to be the growing influence of Islam in local society.
President Rakhmon, 62, who was a collective farm boss before he ascended to power in the Muslim-majority country, is cracking down hard on the religion and everything connected with it.
In addition to a de facto beard ban, this year saw restrictions on the import of hijabs and a drive to eliminate Arabic and other foreign names from everyday use.
Yet scandalously, some men are still roaming Tajik streets with furry faces.
Asia Plus, one of Tajikistan's few independent news outlets, interviewed a few of them:
Dzhavod Rabzhadov, a Dushanbe DJ. Image courtesy of Asia Plus.
Милиция останавливает редко, но если останавливает, то скорее из-за всего образа в целом: серьга в ухе, длинные волосы, стиль одежды. На улицах на мою внешность реагируют по-разному: кому-то нравится, кому-то – нет. Я стараюсь следить за своей бородой, придавать ей красивую форму.
Кстати, бороду ношу достаточно давно, мне так удобно и нравится свое отражение в зеркале.
Dzhavod Rabzhadov, a Dushanbe DJ: Police rarely stop me, but if they stop me, it is usually because of my general look: an earring, long hair, my style of clothes. In the streets people respond to my appearance differently: some like it, some don't. I try to take care of my beard, and give it a nice shape. By the way, I have been wearing a beard for a long time now, so I feel comfortable with my reflection in the mirror.
Romish Ibrohimov. Image courtesy of Asia Plus.
Romish Ibrohimov, designer and photographer: Бороду я отпустил не по религиозным соображениям и не потому, что хотел быть брутальным, а потому, что она красивая, рыжая и мне нравится.
На улицах Душанбе моя борода, чаще всего, привлекает внимание обычных людей: все считают необходимостью спеть мне строчку из песни: «У тебя есть борода, и я скажу тебе – да».
Впрочем, негативная реакция на бороду все-таки присутствует: я выяснил, что многих моих религиозных знакомых моя борода бесит исключительно из-за того, что сам я не религиозный. Они считают, что я не имею право носить бороду, что это  несправедливо: у меня есть борода, а у них нет (им или на работе запрещено или просто нет растительности, а мне на работе – можно и спасибо моему тестостерону).
I did not grow a beard for religious reasons or because I wanted to be vulgar, but because it is beautiful, and I like its [natural] red hue.
On the streets of Dushanbe, my beard most often attracts the attention of ordinary people: everyone thinks I need to sing a line from the [Russian] song: “You have a beard, and I'll tell you — yes.”
However, there are some negative reactions. I find that my beard infuriates my religious friends, solely due to the fact that I myself am not religious. They believe that I have no right to wear a beard, and that it's unfair. I have a beard, but they do not, either because it is forbidden at their place of work, or they cannot grow one. My job allows me to, as does my testosterone.
Mikhail Petrushkov. Photo courtesy of Asia Plus.
Бороду я ношу уже больше 20 лет. Никогда никаких проблем с ней не было. А, почему, собственно, должны быть проблемы? Мне нравится борода – поэтому я ее и отпустил. Прохожие реагируют нормально.
Mikhail Petrushkov, representative for the Central Asian countries at the World Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots: I have worn a beard more than 20 years. There have never been any problems with it and why should there be? I like beards — that is why I grew one. Passersby react normally.

author: Akhal-Tech Collective